Again - I believe age plays a factor in answering this question. As I have stated before I am one of the younger women on the site (23) and so my idea of alone is slightly different. I have never lived alone - at home with my parents until 18, then with the two best room-mates known to man through 4 years of college, and now with three wonderful college friends who have become my room-mates. We all have our own rooms so if I need to be alone all I have to do is shut the door, and our schedules are very different so that when we all are home at the same time it is a lovely surprise - as we all enjoy each others company.

When I do find moments when no one is in the apartment my favorite thing to do is turn on my music -as loud as it will go- and clean clean clean. Or I take a bubble bath, or read my books, or watch really bad TV, or a favorite movie, or my favorite thing to do if the weather is nice is walk with my i-pod (especially up to the park where I can roam around for hours). I have gone to the movies alone, and this year for the first time out to dine by myself. I have wonderful friends and family I enjoy spending time with and in times when I am going through a rough time personally (like now) I want the people I love around me constantly. I do enjoy my alone time but I also love being with people.

I think my living situation is ideal…when I want the interaction there is almost always someone there and when I want the alone time I just shut my door, light a candle, and look out over the NYC skyline.

A hiatus, yes i have and i like it…. read, watch movies and ate whatever I wanted (didn’t have to worry about anyone else’s needs) it is very relaxing and I get really lazy. I’m not really alone, I have my dog at my side always. A couple of days is good, nothing more than that, it’s not good to be alone all the time. Thats why were here, for each other.

I absolutely adore being alone for a few days and wish it could happen more often. I own my own small company and work as a teacher/tutor, so it is time of constantly working with people, high energy and some stress (making the company go). My husband is retired and at home much of the time. I would just love it if he would go away for a week or so. …What would I do? Since it would only be evenings and maybe a weekend, I would eat in or out in the evenings, as it suited me, or not eat at all! I would go to movies I wanted to see if I felt like it. I would watch what tv I wanted to, if I felt like it, and I would just read half into the night if I felt like it. I could have friends over for dinner for long and thoughtful talks if I cared to, and I would go to the museums I wanted to go to, or serve at a local church I am fond of (we do homeless ministry work). I would volunteer with hospices I know of in the city, and I could sit with the older folks in the assisted living homes near my home. As you can see, I am not at all afraid of being alone!

This topic has been such a revelation to me on so many levels. I can relate to several things others have mentioned, and like a lot of them, I’m relieved to know I’m not a freak! I am an only child (well, I had an older brother, but he passed away many years ago), and I think that definitely matters. Although I always envied friends with big families, I really prefer being alone (I don’t share well!) I, also, LOVE to read and have no problem going to see movies alone. Actually, it’s better sometimes because I can see whatever intrigues me without worrying that someone else may not be enjoying it. I also am way too involved in the lives of my two dogs and two cats (I am amazed to see all of the cats out there ruling the roost!) Sometimes I make myself be more available to my 81 year old mother and my two grown daughters, though, because when you’re 52, you know that time together is precious. Another thing I can relate to is feeling more lonely with a husband than without. I am still legally married, but we don’t have much interaction… not much in common, he likes to drink, ride his motorcycle in warm weather, I have no interest in either. I’ve got to admit; it is a very lonely and hurtful feeling to know the world sees you as a married person, but you are sitting around on a beautiful spring or summer day alone while your “husband” prefers his own activities. I live in a big city and there’s a lot of stuff going on that I would love to experience, but there is only so much you can do by yourself, so I admit to falling in the pity pot now and then. Anyway, it’s nice to know that there are others out there who I can relate to. Maybe there’s hope for me yet.

I love being home alone. Doesn’t happen much. When my husband and kids aren’t around I do one of several things: bake something complicated, clean drawers & closets or (my favorite) just sit around and read a good book front to back. Doesn’t happen often but great when it does.

I like it for a couple of days. Sit in the apartment. FIRST DAY: Close the blinds, just take in the quiet. Don’t talk to anybody on the phone unless I have to. Do yoga…. SECOND DAY: Maybe do a small at home project I never have the time for, catch up with old friends I never seem to have the time for, send some cards…take a walk outside…do yoga, get a massage THIRD DAY thru FIFTH DAY More of the same. SIXTH DAY - start to miss my girlfriend…but she’s usually home by then, or at the most has been gone a week… Sometimes I take the trip away. Next month I’m going to drive up the 1 North from Los Angeles to Marin for my best friend’s wedding. But I’ll have two days to myself before my girlfriend comes up for the rehearsal dinner. I’m going to take the 1 North slow…start early & stop whenever.

I must be left alone for a day or two to decompress from life and people. It allows me to recharge my batteries; attempt to gain new perspectives. It is a necessity, but I made a resolution to engage in more social activities and step out of my comfort zone of a few friends to explore the world of others.

I really enjoy being alone. My daughter is 18, about to graduate from high school - and I’m truly looking forward to my empty nest. I’ll worry about her, write and call often, but I will cherish the quiet and solitude so much. I guess if I have to be labelled, my label reads “Solitary”. Alone sounds so lonely, and I rarely get lonely. When I’m alone, my mind can wander, I can think, I can do whatever I want without having to consider anyone else’s thoughts or desires. I love shopping alone. I don’t like feeling obligated to look at something that someone else wants to look at. I like going at my own pace, looking at what I’m interested in! I have a wonderful man in my life, who would love nothing more than for us to shack up or, even better get *choke* married. But I enjoy having my own little house too too much. I spend just about every weekend with him. And while I love his bigger house, his huge screen tv with all the cable channels (I have a 19 inch and only local channels), his gourmet kitchen, and indeed his companionship, when Sunday night comes, I really look forward to driving home to my little place and being alone again. People always react with sympathy when I say, I don’t have many friends, I’m usually alone. It’s a preference, a choice, not a predicament! I really don’t know how I could maintain my sanity if I had to be around other people constantly. I think Family Life is wonderful, if that’s your thing. It’s just not mine. The fact is, the person whose company I enjoy above all others is me!

By the way, I feel remiss for not mentioning, I won’t live completely alone. I have to have pets. My dog and my cat are wonderful companions.

When I was young, I was an extrovert, and was able to deal with solitude only after having my batteries charged by being with people. Now that I am older, I seem to be a gregarious introvert, who happily deals with the social world only after having my batteries charged by being alone.

With 7 children, alone is almost never, except last summer, the three youngest, 6,8, &11 went to CA for 3 weeks. Husband was out in the woods teaching survival classes - teenagers were off with friends. I am such an introvert that I come into my own and can hear my thoughts, have a complete and complex thought, do research on the web which means hopscottching from link to link based on pure whimsey, like following a trail of breadcrumbs. I dance alone to wild music just to rev up my metabolism. If I have a book to read, I will read it straight through. I will indulge in an old classic movie that I’ve seen dozens of times like Notorious, or the Philadelphia story. I will re-connect with an old friend and have a long uninterrupted phone call. I’ll wait excitedly to hear from my husband about all his exciting adventures in the woods, ie. finding a lost child. I’ll fantasize extensively about our sexual reunion.