The noise, the commotion, the energy levels, the way your attention is consumed - I was born a quiet introvert--it was noisy with four sisters, and I spent most of my childhood in a corner reading books. I still like reading, quietly, on a porch swing. There is loneliness, to be sure, but I seem unwilling to pay my dues and go get a part-time job or .... well, I did try volunteering, but that didn't go over so well. (Long story. In short, I was a tactless but well-meaning "whistle blower" of sorts, composing a 3-page list of needed improvements at this hospital...)