on living alone

[binary suns]

SO I was eating lunch today in my car for peace and quietude, and I accidentally swallowed a big bit of sandwich without sufficiently chewing and it hurt >.< THEN I took a nice big gulp of tea to wash it down and help my swallow-muscles finish their job, and guess what? it hurt EVEN MORE!

Well I was ok, but in unfortunate pain, but randomly my brain was like OOH remember that episode from Seinfeld or Friends or whatever where the one person was like "Oh dear I'm in my apartment alone what if I choke I'll DIE!" and then not two seconds later they was like "Well I guess that means I'm back in the dating scene!" And how I was like "Oh I guess that works? I'd just have gone to the doctor and asked if there was anything I could know about handling emergency medical situations when alone."

Oh I remember it was from what I like about you!!! Ooh that was a fun show :)

anyway, random-rinnie-ravings aside, I was all like "HMM I wonder what the community feels about living alone :) I bet lots of people have lots to say!"

So I posted this poll :) Sorry if it's all technical-like, I posted an exclamation at the end of everything to make it a little more fun.... also :)

[Copper]

I like being alone. But I don't think I could live alone forever. I need pets either way, but some type of roommate would be nice as well.

[Guest]

I freakin' love living alone.

Moving into a little flat (~ 52 m² / 560 sq ft) of my own back in '06 was one of the best steps I took in my life, and as long as I'm at all physically able to, I'm certain I won't go back on it ever again. :)

[TXartgal]

I love being alone! My family lives in a nearby city so if I got hurt or really need something, they could always help. I tried the roommate thing and hated every minute of it. Now it's just me and my kitties.

[Vampyremage]

I presently live with my husband and, at this point in my life, I would not consider living with anyone else. Before my husband I lived alone in a small bachelor suite and loved it. I don't do well with roommates and the more roommates the less well I do. One of the ways I found against some of the loneliness of living alone that can occasionally occur is the fact that I have 2 of my very best friends living across the hall from me in the same building. Its like having all of the advantages of roommates and none of the disadvantages. Plus, I have 3 fuzzy kitties so I'm never truly alone.

[binary suns]

kittehs! :3 maybe when I can properly feed myself and not let dust gather everywhere, then I will have my own kitteh frends to play wif :3

[Guest]

I have mixed feelings about living alone. I would love the peace, the ability to do whatever I like without explaining or warning, etc. On the other hand, I would have to do all the chores (although I'm not as messy as my family members), I would have to always answer the phone and in general I may have more anxiety issues....

Perhaps I should try living on my own one day, but I don't even like the idea of living with a stranger so I might be stuck on my own for a while....

[Xavy]

Living alone rocks !!

[5_♦♣]

While I like the thought of living alone, I really really really don't trust myself with using the stove, so I'd need to live with someone who can cook. But then, I doubt that'll ever be a problem as I'll likely live with my parents until I die.

[littleheartsofjoy]

I would love to live alone for a few years of my life, but not for the rest of my life. I'll prefer to live with one person, that person being the one that I'll be married to. For living alone, I am concerned when it comes to health related things. As for addressing said concerns, I'm sure that I'll figure something out, and even though I have concerns, I'll be fine.

I kind of lived alone once, but I feel like it wasn't fully there because I had suitemates sharing the same shower, we just each had our own rooms. Not really a fan of roommates. I would not want to live with family for the rest of my adult life at all, but that's what is currently the case for me while I'm in school.

[noparlpf]

I'm back home with my grandparents, mother, and siblings for the summer and possibly through next summer as well. But I like living alone. I could easily live alone, although I do want some pets (two largish dogs, two or three cats, a smallish goat, and a bear) once I have a consistent income and place of residence (probably after vet school). I could also probably live with a close friend, but I'd rather be like, neighbors than roommates.

[Captain Darkhorse]

Ok. So I'm a bit of a weird one it seems in that I actually dislike living alone. So here's my deal: I need time to myself, but I also need a bunch of socialization as well. So I like to be left alone in a crowded room. I also like to live like that. I like living with a bunch of people, but not being required to talk to them all the time. So basically, my ideal living situation would be if a bunch of people I knew well and liked (like, 6 or more) shared a house with everything as communal except we each had our own bedroom.

Yeah. I'm a weird one.

[daveb]

I lived alone for all of my adult life (nearly 40 years now), except for rare occasions between jobs or moves or while in grad school. Of course, during my childhood I didn't live alone, and I never even had a bedroom to myself, what with siblings and all.

I love living alone. I tend to feel more lonely in crowds, than when I am at home alone in my own space. I have no concerns about safety or health issues, being in pretty good physical shape. After my grandfather passed away when I was young my grandmother lived alone in her house for another couple of decades or so, well into her 90s.

I wouldn't object to sharing a home with 1 other person, if they were someone I was really close to (as in romantic partner). But even then I would want my own space, preferably a suite (bedroom and bathroom, with space for hobbies) or even a separate apartment. Or duplex. Or house.

[Schrecken]

I liked living alone (I lived alone for about 5 years when I moved to California in the late 90's), but I also don't mind living with my mom, which is my current living situation. There are pluses and minuses to both situations. When I lived alone, I could come and go as I pleased without telling anyone anything, but on the flip side, even though it can be a pain to have to update my mom as to my whereabouts (like if I don't come home when I say I will because I'm running late), at least if something happens, there will be someone who will be looking for me immediately. That kind of did scare me when I lived alone, I always wondered what would happen if I got into a car accident and ended up pinned in my car in a gully off the side of the road, how long it would be before my co-workers or friends noticed my absence. Or, if I was in a hospital unconscious, how long would it be before my family back east would be notified. That's why I kept my Maryland driver's license the whole time I was living out there, because I was really afraid of being a "jane doe" for some time if no one would think or know to look for my relatives back east if I was badly injured.

But a lot of that was simply living in an area where I had no relatives who would have been able to act on my behalf. If I was alone living here, I wouldn't have that kind of fear because I have relatives who live in the state.

So yeah, I don't mind living alone, but I don't want to be totally alone - I of course would want to have people around me who would help me out if I needed it (I did have friends when I lived alone, but I didn't see them every day).

[Corretto]

Living alone is the right option for me...and anyone that knows me!

It's a balancing act; as much for my privacy from others, as it is for the 'protection' of others from me. I've always felt this balance is due more to my mental health than my sexual orientation. In previous accommodation that I've shared, I've had 'anger management' problems with the other occupants. On valuable guidance I received from counseling, and the effectiveness of anti-depressants/epileptic drugs, sole-occupancy has proved a great step.

[My flat-mates were also off-put when witnessing epileptic seizures I experienced...also causing frustration and embarrassment for me.]

To justify my, self-imposed, living alone...I've devised an abstract model [based on] 'personal space'...

1. My 'nucleus'...the bed-sit/living room; where I spend most of my time, equipped with media hardware and a very big bed.
2. Zone II contains the utilitarian aspects of the apart.; the bathroom, laundry and kitchen [equipped my favourite appliance...the espresso- machine and coffee-grinder].
3. The entire property; containing the other 7 aparts and our respective parking spaces and clothes-line etc.
4. The private little tree-lined cul-de-sac with native birds twittering, is the boundary or Zone IV.
5. The next zone boundary, Zone V, is defined by a 10min walking distance containing my vital shopping village, a super-market and bus-stop.
6. Zone VI is defined by the limits of a single stage bus journey to a major shopping precinct.
7. Similarly, Zone VII is defined by the limits of a 2-stage bus ride, that provides access to the major CBD and my Auntys'.

Anything or anyone located beyond Zone VII...is in an area that makes me feel considerable discomfort, and a distinct yearning to head back Home! Cia

PS Should this appear a lot of over-cooked crap...you might be right. However, it's been a valuable 'device' for self-understanding, and this is the first time I've plucked it out...

[Turning]

Though I had some good times living with roommates in the past, I have been living alone and I couldn't be more content. I love my apartment. It's clean and there is no junk around. It's a small space with a nice balcony. And I have my cats...best roommates ever! I don't think I'll ever live with other people again.

[binary suns]

Ok. So I'm a bit of a weird one it seems in that I actually dislike living alone. So here's my deal: I need time to myself, but I also need a bunch of socialization as well. So I like to be left alone in a crowded room. I also like to live like that. I like living with a bunch of people, but not being required to talk to them all the time. So basically, my ideal living situation would be if a bunch of people I knew well and liked (like, 6 or more) shared a house with everything as communal except we each had our own bedroom.

Yeah. I'm a weird one.

Oh but I was hoping someone with a preference like this would share actually! Thank you :)

I know quite a few people who love spending time in a group or crowd, some because the noise is what they need, some because of the company or simply the presence, and some because they love to participate in the hurricane of activity :)

[kiaroskuro]

Living alone is great, most of the time. I'm not a very sociable person, so I definitely need my private space ... I enjoy being on my own as long as I also get to be with others for a sufficient amount of time. Social life in small doses, that's all I need.

I can imagine living with one other person at some point; but I’ve never even considered to try and share a flat with others - I'm thinking of students' flat-sharing communities. Living with a bunch of people is nerve-racking enough, why would I want to move in with people I hardly know? The mere thought of it fills me with dread.

[Guest]

@Espresso... personally, my discomfort starts as early as what you ID as "zone 3" and only gets worse from there. Zones 4-5 definitely have me start "yearning for home", already...

[NouveauAS]

I have lived alone and have lived with other people and my preference is to live alone. The only exception to this that I could see would be if I lived with someone who like me needed alone time, and my experience with the people I lived with was that this was never the case. I think what makes living alone successful is if you enjoy time on your own and have interests that you can enjoy without other people.

[HermioneGranger]

I expect to live alone forever...I really can't stand having to share my space with anyone other than my dog. And she is the canine version of me- if I'm home all day we end up watching TV in separate rooms. :)

[Guest]

I changed my mind since....

Get me the fuck out of here. <_<

[Lyariage]

I've been living on my own for almost 7 months now (which is the longest I've ever done this) and it's awesome!! I have cats and chickens though, so I talk to them all the time and never feel lonely. I'm about to get a housemate though, so it's gonna be interesting to see how I adjust to having another person around the place...

[Synchrèse]

I lived in the halls, so basically alone, only for five months (each of us had own separate room, we only shared kitchen) and I loved it. If they added the kitchen stuff to my room I would be even happier as I hated shared kitchen...all that cooking together and talking to some random people...naah, I suck at talking to random people in the kitchen and I feel insecure in the 'common space'. Actually I found living on my own really cool, because when I wanted to meet someone, I would just go out, and when I didn't wish to see anyone (and I experience that pretty frequently), I would just shut myself. I love that flexibility.

Normally I live with my family and i love these moments when I have the flat just for myself, I think I'm made to be on my own, however I'm still hesitating if I want to live alone forever. I think a lot about the financial side of it (during that five months I was really annoyed by the prices of products which suggest that it's better to live with someone, because it's cheaper and you produce less waste), but also about technical and health stuff. Still, I know many people living on their own and they seem to deal with all these things pretty well. It could be pretty useful too - living on my own I would have to learn loads of things to be as self-sufficient as I can.

i would definitely like to live with a pet, definitely a dog, but only if I have enough time to take care of it, I hate the idea of living a dog alone for too long.

[Boots*]

I love living with friends, family, or even random people. I get lonely living alone

[F1989]

Removed own post

[luxurieux]

I desperately need my alone time and my own personal space, but I think overall I prefer living with others so long as I have my own space. Idk, having pets might be a great alternative to roommates, but I guess I just like having someone there to come home to? To at least share a space with? I've spent much of my life feeling very alone and like no one cared about me, so being able to know that someone is there aware and acknowledging my existence is pretty important to me. I feel like if I were to live alone, my social life would become even more nonexistent and I'd lose all my friends and I'd truly feel like I had no one. Which would be a terrible breeding ground for depression in my opinion. (I'm also a scaredy cat and paranoid about murderers and burglars and ghosts and other such creatures.)

I know I'll probably live alone at some point in my life, probably in the foreseeable future, but for the next few years I'll be living with roommates until then.

[Hikuroi]

I like living a lone but need pets and would like a husband some day so I wouldn't be living alone forever.

[Tja]

After having grown up as 1 of 9 siblings with assorted aunts, grandmothers, nieces/nephews and in-laws thrown in, I can honestly say:

I LOVE LIVING ALONE!

[Gonzo79]

I've lived with house mates and (in the days before accepting I am who I am andIdon'tgiveadamn) boyfriends and OMG it was such hard work, I usually ended up hating them and I definitely was miserable.

I've lived on my own now for 4 years and it has been bliss - when I say on my own I mean without any other humans, I have animals (guinea pigs, snails and a frog) and plants here which I would not want to live without because they are my best friends, I enjoy being around living beings - just not human beings.

I am never afraid for my health or safety - but I am a functional agoraphobic so, as much as I would love to I cannot work from home, I have to have a job with other people because otherwise I would just end up like that crazy naked hermit from The Life of Brian.

It might sound like I am really anti-social and grouchy but actually I am a happy, friendly person, and living alone helps me stay that way. If I was with people 24/7 I wouldn't Hulk out or anything as drastic as that but I certainly would be jolly grumpy!