I'll keep this short this time.
When I lived in New Mexico I was able to maintain as much solitude as I wanted without needing to explain. Your bringing up that I should be upfront - made me click to how different Texas is. As soon as I moved here 7 years ago, I had to learn to start explaining myself more. Answering more questions about myself. Telling people ahead of time that I keep to myself a lot- and not to take it personal. They do anyway. Somehow I'd forgotten about the culture shock I went through when I got here. I guess I never pondered how much that affects.