social butterfly, now...a recluse

[Warpy]

1. A book which I read when I was a kid has haunted my whole life

It's called "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" by Shirley Jackson and it's part mystery, part horror, detailing the lives of two sisters as they became recluses and eventually why it happened. There are flaws in the story I can drive a truck through now that I'm an adult, but even as a kid, I knew I was at risk for doing the same thing.

I'm not rich enough to be a true recluse because I need to do my own shopping and cooking. However, most of my human contact is via computer these days, as much from illness as from being an extreme introvert.

I'm not paralyzed by socializing. I just need a lot of alone time to recharge my inner batteries. Most of the time, it's just not worth it.