October 8, 2011
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Last weekend
we went up to the Big City for two speculative business meetings, a fruitless attempt to get site approval (and a check) from a client up there, and a training session.We got back here in the evening, and the next day we turned around and went to a rural county near us where we were to pick up photos (and a check) from a client over there. He didn't give us the stuff, but we spent four hours driving through this pretty area and walking around looking at his spread.
The following day I had a business meeting, which has actually resulted in some business, so that's good. We continue to wait on checks from a variety of sources, and when any of them arrive I'll be able to pay #2 son's tuition, so there's a little anxiety over that.
On Saturday I leave for Rome. Between now and then I have two more business meetings and I finish up and grade a class. I am therefore planning that this weekend will be an oasis of calm. True, I have some work to do today, including late quarterly reports and grading papers, and I also have to do the grocery shopping and housework, but I also plan to knit and read and possibly sew.
I hope to get to spend a lot of time alone.
I'm an introvert. I have good social skills, I enjoy spending time with people, I'm not the least bit shy, but I need time alone to recharge and destress.
People misunderstand the idea of introversion and extroversion, I think, and connect it with shyness or misanthropy. I think it's really all about energy. Extroverts find other people's company refreshing and inspiring, and time by themselves is when they use up the energy they've gotten from other people -- perhaps in wonderful productive and creative work, perhaps in brooding or worrying about why they don't have anyone with them right then. Introverts find being alone refreshing and inspiring, and time with others is when they use up that energy -- sometimes by sharing new ideas or doing productive and creative group projects, sometimes in wishing they were alone and worrying that there's something wrong with them.
