To want to just avoid people as much as I can until I die now

Was just thinking this today, speaking to the only ones in my life apart from my kids - my dogs

If my work had tried to make me work from home (difficult when you are a receptionist!) I would have lost my mind. The only good things about working for me were being paid (obviously) and interacting with other people. WFH is going to ruin society.

I have misanthropic tendencies and frequently feel like I "hate everyone" but that's not a healthy way of thinking, those are moments of frustration and it's better to snap out of it. The older I get the more I realise so many people are so great. Community and human bonds are just more fulfilling than atomised isolation. But you have to actually put in the work to find the bonds that work for you.

So I sympathise, to an extent, with people who just want to retreat into isolation. It's a bit nauseating when they make an exception for their little family though. So it's not blissful solitude you want, you just think you and your husband and kids just happen to be superior to everyone else.

Or you can play tennis

Against a wall

I'm sure that will be fun and stimulating. I'm sure the wall will motivate you to be better as an athlete and a person.

I was sat on the staffroom at work the other day, quietly enjoying a peaceful half hour with fellow quiet, peace-loving colleagues when a gobby loudmouthed arse crashed through the door and bellowed, "who died?? It's like a morgue in here!!!'

Oh just feck off Andrea! It's you and your kind that makes me want to stay well away from communal areas for ever more.

What's stopping you? Some of those things are easily available. I have a landline, a calendar, a diary. I read newspapers, send postcards, write letters, I even use a film camera. If I want great TV I watch DVDs, I still listen to CDs.

No-one is forced to use technology all the time, you can pick and choose the bits you use.

Just leaving the phone off the hook and enjoying me time.

I heard a story about that on Radio 4. She ended up in a prison in Marrakesh for drug muling with lots of me time that she thoroughly enjoyed. I shit you not

@tachetastic when I had young children, I went on a retreat and left them all behind for a couple of weeks, it was great. It can be done, everyone got on fine without me and I had a bit of headspace.

Yep I want to move somewhere where the weather is warm all year round so the DH and DS and we can only have visitors twice a year. Oh yeah and the phone only works on a Tuesday

But I find you still have to engage with people if you want to eg exercise.

What kind of crazy exercise moves are you planning? Jumping Jacks and a burpee you’ll be laughing. Again, the internet is
your friend. Google work outs at home. Word to the wise, some have instructors that speak to you - yuk!

To be completely honest, there are times when I wonder whether, if given the choice, I would push the button and pull up the drawbridge to everyone - spouse, kids, family, friends, the lot.

That isn't a euphemism for suicide. Just leaving the phone off the hook and enjoying me time.

You can exercise at home, or go in the middle of the night if you like, I know someone who gets up and takes her dog out at 5am as they are aggressive to other dogs and she can't relax.

Go out with dark glasses on, headphones. Get everything delivered.These things aren't even unusual any more.

There’s trillions of us.
There must be a few out there that you haven’t met yet that you’d like, at least one..

Exercise at home with Caroline Girvan!

This is reminding me of Sandra Bullock in The Net.

Please don't come to my gym,we're all highly supportive of each other.

Thanks.

Are most of those people being rude to you? Cycling on the pavement aside! Waiters especially are usually super friendly

Dont go to restaurants. Just order at home and avoid the pesky waiters! How dare they wait on you.

If you had written 'am I unreasonable to want to work from home for ever, I have a lovely husband and a small but select group of friends?' I'm sure most people would agree that's reasonable. I don't think not having the capacity for new friendships is weird once you get to a certain age, I don't as I don't have time to see the ones I've already got. I don't feel the need to be anything more than polite with everyone else, so I don't think this bit is especially demanding, but I quite enjoy a smile, a door held open and generally feeling life is ok, but I'm not making anyone smile back.

Go about your business, OP, I don't think it's that much of a hermitage to WFH with your husband and socialise with a few friends!

The tradition of 'emparedamiento' or voluntarily walling yourself into a cell as a nun, for ever, now that's hardcore isolation. I've always been intrigued by that, in a half horrified half fascinated kind of a way.

People are the worst!

I find most of my colleagues toxic to be around. I hate going into the office but thankfully only have to do it 1 day a week and have started sitting well away from the toxics which helps!!!

but people are the worst

send me off to a remote cabin with my husband and kids any day

I'm sure they'll have a meetup at some point.

Best place is a hotel so they can all be freshly showered and wearing deodorant.

Find a job with 100% WFH. They do exist: DH is in one.
Order all your groceries and other stuff online
Dont talk to your neighbours
Decline all social invitations or just say "I forgot to reply'. It's what everyone does these days.
Slowly ghost the friends you want to drop
It's easier than ever before to do this!

I loved lockdown too. And WFH has been one of the best things that ever happened to me. I still think the vast majority of people are totally fine though, and even the unpleasant ones are interesting.

Although an echo chamber of people who don’t want to interact with people might seem absurd, welcome to internet. The world is your oyster.