Jesse and Incidents, I definitely know where you guys are at. I think from the time I was 15 to 18, I rarely spoke to anyone. I spent the time I got home from school til the time I went to bed either listening to music or playing it. I never watched TV or anything. My parents even tried getting me into something like a boys club, but I only went once and I sat outside the whole time I was there. Then I got asked to play in a band. Didn't really want to but it was a chance to jam out. I think for the first 3 months I was in the band, I hardly talked to anyone in the band. They just kept me around because I was "good". After a few months of playing shows and always having people around I finally broke out of that state of mind. Now I get out as much as I can. I still crave solitude but I balance my time and I'm actually alot happier. I think you appreciate solitude more if you get out alittle. As for practicing for 8-12 hrs a day, I did that alot on the weekends. You know school, haha. But after almost 8 yrs of doing that I got sick of playing. Once I got out of H.S, I got more into writting music. And I have spend 12 hrs a day composing, but not everyday. Did that until about 5 or 6 months ago, since I have hardly written anything except small little things. I'm taking a break.