gerv 

Sounds like you are a little worried about being a homebody. Maybe you should try to expand your horizons just a little. Think about getting off the Internet and volunteering regularly somewhere. That would get you out of the house for a set number of hours each week...

Cyclepup

You've missed the mark dear Gerv. I may be worried about being a reclusive homebody in my 80's, but not now. I love being a homebody now! After having to socialize and interact with oodles of people in my past work history, I thoroughly enjoy the quiet and solitude of my environment today. You're funny...I'd have to actually get ON the Internet every day in order to think about maybe needing to get off of it.

Lamplight

I wouldn't call myself a homebody, but I've very much an introvert. I've lived alone in this town for eight months now and haven't made any friends at all, and that doesn't bother me in the slightest. But I generally don't enjoy staying indoors all day. I do stay inside all day occasionally, but I prefer to get out and go for a walk or bike ride, or running errands around town. But I'm perfectly fine doing those things alone. In fact, I don't even really care for walks and rides with other people. I'm finding that the older I get the more I enjoy being alone and the less I require social interaction with others.

bamboopiper

The neighbourhood where I live and town isn't one that lends itself to "getting out" nor do I want to be "out". It frustrated me in my 20s (and still does into my 30s) that the only way to have a good time was to "go out". Going out was always stressful. Noise, strangers, alcohol was almost always involved or other recreational drugs. I don't mind a bit of herb, but I would prefer to smoke in peace and silence and spend the moment quietly painting or some other creative but solitude activity. Most of the others who wanted to smoke wanted to use it in a big group. Not my cuppa.

Plus, I don't want to make friends here, since I know I won't stay. I'm trying to save up money to move to Portland and eventually Vancouver. Most of my friends are online, because I can always talk to them there. So I don't want to meet any one here or I'll be tempted to stay and this isn't where I want my future to be. Plus, any form of entertainment, other than the library, that I might like is 40 miles away.

kookaburra1701

Homebody. I haven't left my apartment other than to go for a solo ride or walk on the beach in three days. Most of my close friends are scattered across the globe, and none live within 150 miles. As long as I've got my interwebs, I'm set.

I'm also very much an introvert - it took me awhile to figure out, because I like meeting people and conversation and all that, but after awhile I need to be alone to recharge my batteries. My current work schedule is six 10 hour shifts in a row, then 8 days off. I've learned to stockpile supplies for the first three days off, because I just hole up in my apartment, recharging from having to be "on" for so long.

gerv 

I hate to say this, 'cause I'm a bit of a homebody myself. But some of you need to get out once in a while. Get off the computer. Turn off all your mobile devices. Join a bike club or a co-op or something and start talking to people.

xtrajack

My wife is about all the social interaction I care to have.

I work as a janitor, on third shift, so I pretty much get left alone. I don't really do the whole social media thing, either. I don't tweet. I do have a facebook page, only because my sister visited, and threw a nutter, when she found out I didn't have one. It just sits there. I think I have 6 facebook friends, all but 2 I actually know in the "real" world.

My online presence is pretty much limited to a couple of forums. I guess I am not an extrovert.

cooker

At least you can't say that being car light has caused those financial limitations. You'd be less able to pay for all those activities if you had to pay for another car.

cooker

And you live in New York!!!!!!!

Just kidding. You can be "alone" anywhere.

bamboopiper

That's so familiar it's almost painful. Can't tell you how frustrating it is to finally get some "recharging time" and have a friend call me up and want to come see me. I have to be "on" for 9 hours at work, potentially 40 hours a week, and I need just as much recharge time and someone wants me to come be "on" for 4 more hours? On a friday night, when my batteries are so low, they might implode? Sorry. Not happening.

kookaburra1701

I definitely managed it just fine when I was in a triple room dorm in college. A bedsheet fort on the bottom bunk works wonders.

Anewbike

I've never really thought about this before, but I do ride quite a bit around the city for 'social' events. I live mostly in the center of it all and rarely go out to the 'burbs. So in general, I don't think riding a bike instead of a car all the time affects those until its in the middle of winter and theres icy winds and snow and slick roads.

Machka 

Good definition!

I'm the former.

I start to feel very edgy and claustrophobic when I'm around people too much.

Machka 

I've always been a homebody ... after almost 50 years, I don't foresee that it's going to suddenly "grow old".

However, that said, I'm not sure "homebody" really describes my situation. I don't particularly like parties or social activities, and I don't like large crowds or noise. And I do like my quiet time.

But I will attend night classes and go to the gym and go to arts events (the symphony, concerts, etc.) ... I do those things now, and I did those things when I was car free.

I also enjoy travelling. Travelling might be a long ride to the next town or through the country ... or it might be further afield. When I was car-free, I'd rent a car periodically so I could travel, and I made use of planes, trains, and busses.

And I enjoy cycling events. Several times when I was car-free, I cycled 50 km to the location of the local Time Trial, then I'd race the Time Trial, and then cycle home 50 km. I suppose it was inevitable that I get into long distance cycling. When I was a car-free randonneur, I would cycle to the start of some events, or catch a ride with fellow randonneurs, or rent a car to get to the start.

So it's not like I stay at home all the time ... I just tend to choose quieter, less social activities.

Nightshade

Social Recluse here. I have no use for all the social trapping that the world thinks I need. Bah Humbug!

MikeRides

Definitely a homebody. Except for random bike rides in the summer, I don't like leaving my house unless I need to for work or my cabinets are bare. I'm not entirely anti-social though, I don't mind entertaining guests. If you want to come over to hang out, that's fine, but don't expect me to go out unless I absolutely have to. My girlfriend is the complete opposite though, she loves going to clubs and going out to restaurants - Go figure.

Artkansas 

I'm an introvert. The one situation though that I really don't like are alcohol parties. When the volume goes up, I want to leave. What I do best in is work groups. Today I helped put on an awards ceremony. All the work leading up to it was fun. I was okay socializing until the alcohol had boosted the volume up past a certain point. I ended up walking outside for a bit and then giving the lady who was checking in the party goers a break. It was at the quiet end of the hall.

Jim from Boston

Most of the week, I would be described as a “workaholic" though IMO, I really enjoy my job, and strive for excellence above the usual standards.

A great deal of my time at work is spent by myself preparing reports, and that’s a benefit to me.

So most of my week’s travel needs are satisfied by bike, and Commuter Rail, with rare car trips. But on Saturday nights, my wife and I get dressed to the nines and go dining and dancing at gregarious Social Hall in a suburb about 10 miles from home. We drive, but even that venue is accessible by subway.

On Sundays, I socialize and all my activities are within a walk or subway ride.

BTW, one other enjoyable advantage of my job is that I have a nearly perfect commute and the ride to work is a pleasant part of the job. Indeed, I usually go into work on Saturday for a few hours by way of a long training ride during the nice weather, and even during the winter, partly to have a destination to ride.