I’m a Weirdovert

Photo by Ian Espinosa on Unsplash

I’m pretty introverted. If I had my way I’d spend weeks at a time alone reading, thinking, and writing. I’d only surface for a day or two so I could debrief with close friends and then disappear once again into my solitude.

I love my wife and son of course, but I do need several hours of quiet time every week at a minimum. Quiet time though can include a packed and noisy Starbucks as long as my iPod is charged and my headphones are deeply inserted in my ears.

I suppose it’s hard for non-introverted and non-creative types to understand, but I live most of my life in my head. I’m aware of what’s going on around me of course, but usually, there is a second universe running behind the scenes that I’m probably as, if not more, interested in.

As much as I love my solitude though, I also enjoy the spotlight too. Besides writing I’m very passionate about doing stand up comedy. Standing on stage and trying to get 20–30 people to laugh probably sounds like the last place a socially awkward introvert would want to find themselves, but I absolutely love it. And my day job is teaching English, which means I might be talking to 1–20 people at any given time during my classes. Weird waters for a happy recluse like myself to be swimming in all the time.

Photo by Lucas Sankey on Unsplash

Being a Weirdovert though isn’t so bad. When it’s one on one or in small groups of people for a short duration I’m fine. I can be charming and fascinating sometimes, so I’m told. And when I can focus it, the nervous energy can really fuel my performances on stage and in the classroom.

Photo by xandtor on Unsplash

Being “normal” might be nice, but I’m pretty happy as my old Weirdoverted self. And as one of my literary heroes Hunter S Thompson used to say, “When the going gets weird the weird turn pro.” Spending time alone writing and thinking is my way of attempting to go pro. Now all need to do is actually sell my books.

I’m a Weirdovert was originally published in Redoubtable on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.