Introverts, how is your day?

[T.o.b.y]

Unfortunately, I have yet to find a pair of earplugs that is not terribly uncomfortable. I tried them back at uni, but not being able to hear sounds around me actually made me more nervous than just exposing myself to the noise, plus the stupid plugs hurt my ears.

 

I am a weird introvert. I actually like being around people, even strangers, if they just ignore me. I don't mind public transportation (as long as nobody does something threatening and there's no gross misbehavior) and I don't mind big department stores or full restaurants. Crowds offer an anonymity that is almost as good as solitude without the anxiety that solitude sometimes triggers in me. Also, I quite like observing people.

[J.P.]

Yeah, an anonymous crowd is not too bad as long as you are not expected to interact.

But the noise level is a problem.

 

And yes, introverts might be more of flight animals that other people. We need to know if someone is trying to hug attack us from behind. ;)

 

Actually I was attending a huge and incredibly crowded fair for creatives 3 times, two of them with plugs. I couldn't hear anything behind that massive wall of noise anyway.

 

Toby, have you tried Hansaplast plugs? They are much softer than Ohropax.

[Van Buren Supernova]

I can't really stand anonymous crowd also, especially lots with loud people and screaming children. Because any crowd is going to burst my personal space bubble.

 

I am staying in quite relax nice place where the crowd is still managable. But it's terrifying every time I go back to my second home, which a a big urban city with high population. I would happily plan a day out to enjoy 'city life', going to mall and do some shopping, but ends up standing in horror in sea of people, go to buy the stuff I need and quickly head to library (sometimes they have it in the mall which is nice) or nice quiet coffee corner (rarity btw. Nice, a lot. Quiet, No!) or home, home! At least it's a safe city so I can keep the earphone but it's hard to hear anything sometimes because of the noises.

 

I hate screaming and running children in public because, they are screaming and running. And because one time, I had a dental problem that made my face swollen almost twice the size, in extreme pain and nauseous, yet had to take subway. And these parents let their kids playing chase in the frigging train they ran into me in high speed. At least I had the satisfaction of the horror I cast on them when they look at my balloned face.

 

And yes, introverts might be more of flight animals that other people. We need to know if someone is trying to hug attack us from behind. ;)

 

I hope you remember this when you try to hug attack Mark..! :p

[J.P.]

I don't think he is an introvert.

 

And I wouldn't attack him from behind. I'm not suicidal :D

[Pseudonym]

I remember seeing a story years ago about how a fan rugby tackled Jensen Ackles at a convention. Hardcore fans must be terrifying. 

[J.P.]

That's what bodyguards are for.

[J.P.]

Beside this, I wouldn't risk a situation like this:

 

 

Mark has very long arms so I might end on the other side of Thames...

[Van Buren Supernova]

I don't think he is an introvert.

 

And I wouldn't attack him from behind. I'm not suicidal :D

I don't think he will kill you.

But he could capture and torture you. Remember, we saw him leading a torture, twice.

But not too worry, both times he didn't get what he wants from the torturees. :P

[J.P.]

Oh if I would get some answers from him as an exchange for what I tell him... It might be worth it. :P

 

To land on the other side of Thames, on the other hand - that would be really problematic. It would take a while to walk back...

[Carol the Dabbler]

To land on the other side of Thames, on the other hand - that would be really problematic. It would take a while to walk back...

 

It's not really so bad.  They have lots of nice bridges!

[Pseudonym]

Yup, be a good excuse to have a good look at Tower Bridge, def my favourite!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Oh, yeah -- specially walking from south to north!

[Pseudonym]

I'm surprised they've never actually had Tower Bridge in the series, unless I'm forgetting something? Or the Tower of London. Too cliche maybe? 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Well, there was that one scene in "Reichenbach" where Moriarty breaks into the Crown Jewels display case.  Of course that wasn't actually filmed in the Tower, but they made every effort to make it look as though it had been.  I don't offhand recall any views of the Tower Bridge, however, even though they've shown most of the other London bridges at one point or another.

[J.P.]

All the nice bridges are in the downtown. Exel is far, far away. No bridges in sight.

[Pseudonym]

Exel?

Can't believe I forgot about the crown jewels scene!

[J.P.]

Sorry, it's actually ExCel.

[Pseudonym]

Sorry, still not quite getting your meaning. They go all over the place in London, so why would it matter where one thing is? Are you talking about a particular episode?

[J.P.]

I'm talking about the place where the Sherlocked Con will take place. The only possibility for me to try hug-attack Mark. And if he pushed me like Mr Bean did - with his very long arms - I could land on the other side of the river. Which wasn't meant literally. It's just my brain... doing flip-flops. Sorry. -_-

[Pseudonym]

Ah, I had no idea where the con was, that clears it up!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Ah, I had no idea where the con was, that clears it up!

 

Me neither (though I suppose I'd seen it mentioned).  I looked up the place, and it sure as heck is out a ways (just past the Isle of Dogs, well east of central London).

[Van Buren Supernova]

Met one of mom's acquaintances for the first time.

 

They meet quite often, but still, she pulled my mom, gave her a kiss on the cheek and hugged her.

 

Then she grabbed mine, and there was an invisible gush of inner chi or whatever energy between us because I planted my legs firmly on the ground, resisted her pull (she is big and strong woman) and kept it to handshake instead.

 

She looked at me funny. A bit offended maybe. XD

[Carol the Dabbler]

Met one of mom's acquaintances for the first time.

 

They meet quite often, but still, she pulled my mom, gave her a kiss on the cheek and hugged her.

 

Then she grabbed mine....

Oh, dear, been there! My family are huggers, so I'm generally comfortable with that (though with some people's vibe, I might make an exception!). Then sometimes I meet a cheek-kisser, which feels like too much. But you know what really makes me uncomfortable? It's the air-kissers, like they sort of accidentally missed my cheek. That feels so phoney to me, I just can't do it. In either case, it's even worse if it's somebody I think I like, so I don't want to hurt their feelings.

[Carol the Dabbler]

No, wait, there's an even worse one -- the women who act like they're going to do an air-kiss, but then instead of that silly little smacking noise, they say "kiss-kiss!". I feel like I accidentally landed on the wrong planet.

[T.o.b.y]

:-D Reading all your experiences makes me realize more and more what an odd introvert I am. I don't mind physical contact at all, usually - unless the other person is creepy or threatening. What I do mind are fake, phony expressions of fondness between people who only just met and / or couldn't care less about each other. Polite is one thing, but there's no need to go out of your way simulating affection you don't feel if you ask me. But it's the hypocrisy that bothers me about some hugging and kissing, not the proximity of the other person's body.

 

What I usually do not mind at all is when children or old people who have gone back to a child-like state invade my personal space. I have had plenty old ladies hug me, hold my hand or take my arm, thinking I was their daughter, friend or whoever, and I don't remember finding it unpleasant. (The old gentlemen who either mistook me for their wife or had very low inhibitions due to dementia are a different story... :-p).

 

Even my father, who is the most reclusive, solitary, introverted person I know, does not seem to mind a good hug. It must be a family thing.