I'm not sure how to do partial quotes, so I'll just use the punctuation.

All my life or organized academics, which was until my eighteenth birthday. Due to finishing the classes I needed to, I actually graduated in October of that year, and the graduation party was also a birthday party.

I think it was handled fairly well. I am a Christian, so much of that was at church, but I came from a town that was extremely easy to get around in, which helped that aspect. Not so much near the end, because of where I live now, which is, for lack of a better word, "uptight" about roads and people seeing each other. Overall, being with people was promoted. Because of scheduling and being homeschooled, I was able to be around kids on their spring breaks, snow days, and other things like that, when I might have had school had I been in a public system.

About a year and a half.

In a formal sense, no. I'm not of a personality to pursue higher certifications such as Engineer, Doctor, Lawyer, etc... As for personal education, I spend my time in my own study and writing of literature. And replying to forum threads similar to this.

I pursue artisan crafts and writing.

I don't really feel that college is a mandatory part of society. True, it's learning further, but my profession does not require a degree in anything. It might help, but I haven't chosen to pursue it. I've had one book published, and I'm working on three more. I'm working up a habit of diligence in my arts, which will supplement my income.

[quote]Have you ever had instances where you feel that other people seem to have a better grasp of certain social situations?"

I have a few social hangups, but I don't know that it's due to being homeschooled. I talk well enough with people 1-on-1, but party atmosphere annoys me. I don't initiate conversations well, unless there is a particular reason to. I don't know that I've ever thought someone has a "better grasp," necessarily, just that they're talking more. I am not known as a garrulous individual.

There was a brief but intense period of emotional development about a year ago, that can best be described as "drama." It forced me to decide various things that had been somewhat ambiguous before. It actually had much to do with homeschooling, in that a person was using my education choices, and other things, against me as an excuse not to listen to my thoughts. Since then I believe I've been able to handle things more effectively. But, as for prior to that, I think it was the same, but to a lesser extent. I've long been a fan of wordsmithing, but I only concentrated my efforts when I was being directly attacked.

Like I said before, I don't completely disagree. In my world sphere, the homeschoolers have been very well "socialized" and generally polite and respectful of others. As for me, I think it was because there was rarely a feeling of "you're too young to understand," and if I wanted to talk about something, or asked questions, my own parents tried to help me with it instead of squashing my face. I am a firm believer that, if a child has the capacity to ask the question, they have the capacity to have it explained to them.

I do not want to have children. There is the possibility of my having a niece or nephew in the future, and I hope his/her parents choose homeschooling. If not, I would volunteer to teach a class on what I know. If, by some sneeze of the cosmos, I end up with children, I would homeschool. Like anything else, it depends largely on the effort and intention of the parents.