I wouldn't have guessed at all. I just felt totally comfortable with you when you visited SF, and then also in Chicago both one-on-one and in the larger group.
Though I guess we weren't exactly strangers either.
It's weird - because I was that kind of shy when I was growing up. I couldn't even buy anything because I didn't know how to negotiate the experience of talking to a stranger and giving them money in exchange for goods and services. Gradually I built up experience getting french fries at McDonald's and extrapolated that to other monetary exchanges. Also with the phone fear which lasted longer.
And yet, now, I'm fairly extroverted if not gregarious. I enjoy meeting people and don't fret about fucking up. I want to draw them out and get to know them and enjoy the exchange. Also, I developed a social/party persona that was quick and fun. Eventually I discovered how to negotiate cocktail party chit chat and realize that *most* such social situations are not as fraught as I feared, but everybody's desperate for an interesting conversation (which I could provide).
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Date: 2007-07-10 04:53 am (UTC)Though I guess we weren't exactly strangers either.
It's weird - because I was that kind of shy when I was growing up. I couldn't even buy anything because I didn't know how to negotiate the experience of talking to a stranger and giving them money in exchange for goods and services. Gradually I built up experience getting french fries at McDonald's and extrapolated that to other monetary exchanges. Also with the phone fear which lasted longer.
And yet, now, I'm fairly extroverted if not gregarious. I enjoy meeting people and don't fret about fucking up. I want to draw them out and get to know them and enjoy the exchange. Also, I developed a social/party persona that was quick and fun. Eventually I discovered how to negotiate cocktail party chit chat and realize that *most* such social situations are not as fraught as I feared, but everybody's desperate for an interesting conversation (which I could provide).