Introverts Unite!

Image via Incidental Comics

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Two amazing lady bloggers (Excelsior Lady & Witty Title Here) that I follow have started this amazing project/campaign/thingumabob called Introverts Unite! Now those of you that know me are either going to roll your eyes, because you're sick of hearing me discuss the merits and unique traits associated with my breed, or you're going to vehemently deny that I can possibly be introverted.Well to that second set of individuals, guess what?

Just because I’m an introvert doesn't mean…

• That I'm shy! - I don't have a shy a bone in my body. And I love to interact and express myself online!
• That I'm socially awkward! - I'm an introvert, I do not have any form of autism.
• That I'm stuck up! - I don't talk to people because I don't feel involved or have anything of merit to say, I'm not trying to b snobbish!
• That I'm insecure! - I'm just as confident as any other twenty-something female! I have my moments, but I am generally very self-assured.
• That I always want to be alone! - I would go crazy if I never got to socialize.

Being and introvert actually means...

• That I'm physically and mentally exhausted by social interactions.  - My ability to be flooded by people and noises and continue to enjoy it all has a much smaller time frame than the extroverted majority of the population.
• That I need "me" time to refuel. - I cannot completely relax unless I'm totally alone. I need my time to read or play a game to just settle my mind a refuel my tank.
• That I have distinct comfort zones. - I will act much more like myself in places and around people I'm comfortable with. These are people who know the talkative me and who see the softer side of me instead of my type-A defenses and silent demeanor that coworkers and acquaintances experience.

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To get your own badge go here!

I thought I'd compile some of my favorite online resources discussing and explaining exactly what an introvert is:

10 Myths About Introverts

Caring for Your Introvert

Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts

How To Live With Introverts: An Illustrated Guide

The Introvert/Extrovert Hoax In Social Media
RSA Shorts: The Power of Quiet

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So what about you? How many introverts are in your life? Are you one of them? Are you treated the others nicely? We require solitude and it doesn't mean we don't like you! (My husband had to learn this the hard way when we first started dating!)

Book List

Image via Luna!

If you know me, then you know of my love of the written word. I have been a hardcore book junkie since elementary school when I devoured the entire Little House on the Prairie series in a little over a month one winter and then progressed to ripping my way through Nancy Drews so quickly that my mother had to actually ration out the purchase of the 3-book-sets they sold at (what is now) Costco. I have been an avid reader for years; cereal boxes, shampoo bottles, TV Guides, any magazine in the doctor's waiting room. I don't do aimless sitting well. And as much as I love TV and movies and video games, I will ultimately retire to my bedroom to curl up with a mug of something hot and my current book. My wonderful husband has graciously adapted to my most introverted habit over the course of our 2 1/2 years together, and is even turning into a book junkie himself; although his genres of preference rarely overlap with mine. Our dream home will contain a very substantial library someday since we both prefer to own actual paper books opposed to the digital variety; and while I am a huge user of both library books and Barnes & Noble's rather generous lounge-around-and-read-for-free policy I absolutely must own my favorites.

I'm also partial to book series. I imagine this is the result of becoming so invested in the characters that I hate to say goodbye. I always want to know what happens next. So without further ado, here are some of my favorite book series:

Harry Potter: If you could see my copies you would have no question about how much I love these books. I have reread the entire series at least 6 times now. Also, the film series is probably one of the best book-to-film adaptation I have ever seen.

Mary Russell: I love all things Sherlock Holmes, and when I stumbled across the first book in this series on a sale table, I was hooked. Mary Russell is a brilliant young woman coming of age during the Great War in southern England who happens to, literally, stumble across the great detective. Their relationship and cases are the subject of these books. Laurie R. King does an excellent job of staying true to the essence of Holmes and of writing the books true to Russell's voice. Ms. King is still writing new additions to this collection too!

Lord of the Rings/ The Hobbit: Confession, I had read the Hobbit prior to seeing Peter Jackson's most excellent adaptation of The Fellowship in theaters, so I had an idea of Middle Earth, but I did not pick up a copy of the trilogy until after the second film was already on its way to DVD. Tolkien created a whole new world with this series which is rich in languages, peoples, histories, and settings all of its own. If you've only seen the films, you are depriving yourself of so much more if you don't read the originals.

The Parasol Protectorate: This is a new series for me, and one I'm still reading my way through. It's a bit more campy than my usual choices, but with vampires, werewolves, Queen Victoria, steampunk and a good dose of mystery I can't resist. Gail Carriger is a very witty writer, a fact that is evident just from reading her author bio, and these books are definitely ones I'm thrilled to have discovered.

The Looking Glass Wars: This is a three book series based on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It's an alternate reality/fantasy that focuses on the adult Alyss (as it is correctly spelled) who finds herself removed from the protection of Victorian British society to return to her rightful place on the royal throne in an alternative dimension and the ensuing battle for power with her Aunt Redd. If you love all things Alice like I do, then you must check out this series by Frank Beddor.

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What are some of your favorite series? Have you read any of these?