Proxemics: How Much Space Does This Writer Need?

I'd like to think that I'm a friendly person. I'm not a hug-o-phobe, I'll shake hands with anyone, and I'm a snuggler. But, I've realized lately, that I value my space. REALLY value it.

For instance, there is this very sweet woman at work, so I hate that she gives me the heebie-jeebies. But, she does. She doesn't understand proxemics. You know how there are certain bathroom stalls you peg as "yours" in your place of work? I generally like the far one near the wall on the left side of the bathroom. If it's occupied, or the one next to it is occupied, I go to the far one near the wall on the right side of the bathroom. Point being, we have 8 stalls in the women's room. I'm not going to choose a stall that's right next to one that's occupied--because I value your space too. However, I can be the only one in the bathroom, and Ms. Icky Toes (she wears sandals throughout the summer) will ALWAYS choose the stall that is right next to mine. She has 6 other stalls to choose from. Why the one right next to me? Better question: why does this bother me so much?

I grew up an only child in a lonely, gigantic house. You'd think I'd crave social contact and interaction, and I do sometimes. But, I crave solitude just as much.

At home, I don't get a lot of solitude. My husband craves social situations and attention-ALL the time. It's hard to steal away for a few hours to get quality writing time at home. I have a writers-cave in the basement, and I even have one upstairs. If it isn't my husband craving some attention, it's the furbabies. I can't even enjoy a quick spin on the treadmill without being interrupted!

I've learned to become an extrovert in social situations. It is exhausting for me, so I like to wind down with solitude, books, writing, art, etc. Do I need to become an extrovert in my home setting too? How do you balance your need for space with your need for social contact? How do you compromise on something so simple, and yet so complex as proxemics?