Be glad you have those people to confide in. Lately, I've been learning not to invest as much of myself in friendships, irl or online.

Yeah, I definitely don't expect any of my online friendships to hold water, and that's generally because I'm well aware that at the end of the day, the person I'm 'friends' with is just some guy sitting there at a computer, and they're largely incapable of helping with any real problem I might be having.

My real friendships... it takes awhile to build up the trust, but once it's there I generally feel fine opening up to people.

I've become a bit of a hermit online and offline. The friendships I respect the most are the ones who don't particularly object to this. I'd genuinely be there for somebody if they really needed it but I have no time for people who just want to add me to their social statistics counter.

Well, you are part of my statistics. PART. OF. MY. SYSTEM.

He doesn't have time for you, Vespis...sorry!!

Leos @ 29/9/2012 11:31

tbh some of my closest friends are internet friends. In a lot of ways I can confide in them in ways I cant with many people I know IRL. I mean there are maybe only 2 or 3 friends I have in real life that I can be truly open with and I don't see them very often.

I find it easier to confide in internet friends since they don't know the people that I am usually confiding about. I am an incredibly shy person IRL so while this may sound sappy and pathetic my online experience kind of gave me a little more confident when it comes to conversing with strangers. Still p. shy though.

I really can't get into small talk, online or off. It's such an awkward thing. Most people breeze through it and despite efforts to pretend I'm interested, my lack of interest must be blatant. Kind of awkward in social situations, especially when I get stuck next to somebody I really don't know and they don't have anything to say either.

It extends beyond social situations to mundane affairs like haircuts as well. I find that whole thing so awkward because I feel like I'm expected to make small talk with the barber and I'd honestly be happy just to sit in silence. Probably boring for the person doing the job but a lot of people don't get to make conversation whilst working.

It's not rudeness and people probably think it is. It's just that I can't feign interest in topics like "the weather".

Be glad your hair cuts aren't 3-4 hours. For a relatively shy person that's exhausting.

Roth @ 2/10/2012 22:56

It extends beyond social situations to mundane affairs like haircuts as well. I find that whole thing so awkward because I feel like I'm expected to make small talk with the barber and I'd honestly be happy just to sit in silence. Probably boring for the person doing the job but a lot of people don't get to make conversation whilst working.

So much this.

ya the small talk sucks

Hair cuts are awkward sometimes, but I'm good with small and large talk.

My dad calls me a social chameleon-- good at changing who I am depending on the person I am with in order to generate conversation and keep people liking me and interested.

most of the time I co-ordinate my hair cuts with my visits home and get my mom to cut my hair.

Still can be awkward.

Well yeah....who wants their mom's boobs in their face?

Babies.

And people with edipo's complex... or whatever you call it in english.