Social Networking

Brutal honesty time:  I am lousy at networking.  In a large gathering of people I am more than likely to be found in a corner by myself, with my nose stuck in a book.  That isn’t necessarily a bad thing—books are great.   However, this is an entrée into the topic of my blog—I may not be any better at social networking.  I have been on Facebook for over eight years, back when the only thing you could do was look at someone’s profile.  There was none of this status update witchcraft you see now.  I’ve been posting this blog for over a year, and been on Pinterest nearly as long.  I was a slower convert to Twitter, and now I’m on Google+ as well.  I honestly don’t know what any of this means.  I’m not an outgoing, extraverted person, though I was born that way; I simply became more introverted over the years as I found that I had little in common with my peers.  Oh well.  It’s still not very easy for me to forge personal connections, which is likely another reason I enjoy writing; it’s a fantasy where people get over their shyness and loneliness to find lasting happiness.  Back to networking, though—I am making  an honest effort to branch out and promote myself in better ways, because I know that it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.

Me

I guess it's okay to talk about this here.  This blog, after all, isn't just about my writing--it's about my life.  And my life is definitely a downer these days.  I am hopelessly depressed.  Unfortunately my mood swings make me unpleasant to be around.  Not that I'm the sociable type.  Sadly I never learned how to be a social butterfly; I've spent much of my life in a proverbial cocoon.  Even when someone says something nice or complimentary, I am simply struck dumb and unable to reply.  My shyness and awkwardness should never be mistaken for anything else.  I am simply too introverted to come across as friendly or grateful.  If you are born inside your shell, can you ever escape it?  Are you simply destined to always be a shy, depressed, sad person without a wealth of friends?