do you avoid social-heavy errands?

Post Reply New Topic

I used to worry about this a lot. Then, about the time my first wife moved out, I made the conscious decision that I would no longer care what people thought about me. After all, pleasing them socially had never gotten me anything but the occasional migraine, so I figured it was about time I took care of myself for a change. Now, I talk to myself in public and don't care who sees. The only side effect I've noticed, besides being able to keep my thoughts in better order, is that a lot of people leave me alone - which is exactly what I wanted in the first place, so it's a win/win!

Now I do what I need to, and frak the judgments of others.

this sounds like a good philosophy, i may just do the same
(after all, if people think your weird or they don't like you.. well, would you want them around you anyway)

(..i bought some new shades over the weekend, and i will wear them a lot more outside)

Dislike standing in line & having to cope (mentally & physically) with people/strangers. Dislike the inscrutability & counterintuitive operation of mechanisms.
For example, at grocery store: dread/avoid the DIY checkout lines ONLY because the machines screw up, get stuck, and are painfully loud-so I prefer to deal with the longer line & human clerk.

Yes, I avoid "social-heavy errands"-though I avoid "non-social" ones, too.

Entire time I'm out in public (not sitting at home), I'm "on alert", fear mode-can barely notice many things (incl. people) because there's too much for me to take in & sort through-and I'm focussed on those things instead. Being in stores or on the street makes me feel exposed & vulnerable, emotionally-can't hide my "me-ness" sufficiently. Home is my only safe place...

I don't mind going out and shopping and running errands, but I hate crowds. I like going into places like Wal-Mart early in the morning, when there are still very few people around.

Sometimes I'll go on a big shopping trip on Saturday mornings with my mom. (She has a car. I don't.) And sometimes coming out of Wal-Mart or Superstore, if it was crowded, she'll comment on how there was a lot of people in the store. To which I invariably reply, with a growl, "Yes... and I hate them all."