I'm clearly an introvert

This piece from Huffington Post about introverts has a 23-point "symptom" checklist.

Of them, the only ones that I totally "miss" on are:

1. Trouble with small talk. No, I'm a ham at times, and as a smally-town newspaper guy, more seriously, have had to learn this.

5. Not "too intense." That said, I think this isn't a totally valid check point in general.

12. Expert in one thing? Nope. And like No. 5, I think that's not totally an introvert's deal in general.



Some are spot on, like sitting at one end of a bus or train, wanting down times, and definitely on "networking." Geeze, that is SUCH an extrovert-salesperson type thing.

On the other hand, the "wanting space" factor, at one end of a bus, etc.? How much, with me, is that introversion and how much is that hypervigilance over abuse survival? Indeed, the question might apply to other introverts, and even be related to different responses to child sexual abuse, resilience, and more.

Others are spot-on, too. In a kind of funny way, No. 14, about screening calls is.

No. 16, about the constantly  running inner monologue, is much more serious. And, taking it as a legit marker for introversion, rather than the chicken-egg of "wanting space," nonetheless, this too has to relate to abuse survival, and how introverts and extroverts differ.

Even though I'm totally a naturalist, also, I totally get the "old soul" deal, and felt that way before I became a teen, let alone in my 20s. It added to the discomfort of dad's physical and emotional abuse, plus his failure to deal with the parents of neighborhood bullies. I felt like more of an adult than him.

But, is that also somewhat chicken-and-egg?

No. 19, on internal cues? Yes. Maybe introverts are more intuitional?

No. 20, indeed, on "big picture." I'd add that that picture is often more nuanced.

And yes, I am a writer.