Total topic switch here, because ARRRRGH:

I'm still having moderately bad social anxiety, but managed to go to a small party last night with only a middling amount of anxiety (until I knocked over a lamp literally as I was leaving -- I snagged my foot on a throw rug, which made the throw rug flip over, I bent down to fix it, my purse swung across my back and knocked over the lamp, and the lamp knocked over an oil diffuser next to it; I swear the Three Stooges could not have scripted it better).

And I even went to a birthday party at Dave & Busters today without flipping out.

So 3 minutes ago a friend of ours sends me an email that reads, in its entirety:

I like you. I wish we could interact when we meet in real life.

And all I want to reply is "You know, the anxiety is bad enough; now I have to worry about whether or I'm meeting YOUR expectations of me?!?"

I get that it was meant to be a nice gesture. Though slightly creepy because of its brevity. But really? This fellow even *knows* I have social anxiety, and yet he still busts out with an "I wish we could interact" email? SERIOUSLY? Gee, buddy, I wish I could interact with ANYONE some days.

Grah. I get that it was meant to be nice, I swear. But it was executed poorly, because now I'm irritated and slightly skeeved.

Tep, I'd be tempted to go with something like "I wish we could interact, too. Social anxiety is a bitch, huh? Good thing there's email!"

WOw. That's just....so not ok. My face is flushing with impotent rage on your behalf.

And I'm EXTRA irritated because I feel like, really? I have to explain myself to you?

It feels like a more extreme version of people who tell you to smile. And THAT? Makes me want to get throat-punch-y.

People. They Don't Get It.

I will call you in the morning and we will mumble and groan at each other, okay?

I look forward to it! Well, not the being awake part, but I do kind of enjoy our daily mumbly groanings.

But...I *want* to look like The Crow!!!

No!

I like you. I wish we could interact when we meet in real life.

Because that's fucking calming.

Sorry about the job, smonster. I mean, I'm glad we'll get to keep you a bit longer, but I do want you to be able to move to the city of your heart.

I like you.

Just not enough to bother respecting your needs.

I wish we could interact when we meet in real life.

Is flipping him the bird interaction? How about if you use both hands?

I wish we could interact when we meet in real life.

When I was still in the FAC, a friend of mine put forward the opinion that being introverted was a sin. There are a remarkable number of people who really don't get this stuff.

In conclusion, I would just like to say that deaf people just aren't trying hard enough.

And now, the photo set I've been building up to: the return of Ryan's grandparents! [link]

Tim suggested that our friend is also somewhat socially awkward himself (kinksters? are really just another brand of geek, and therefore often socially awkward), and maybe *he* was saying that he doesn't think *he* interacts well.

Again, I'm taking the e-mail as a friendly gesture, but really, if that was the message behind it, well, it needed to be fleshed out a bit.

When I was still in the FAC, a friend of mine put forward the opinion that being introverted was a sin.

Ah, yes. I remember that one as well. "You aren't SERVING OTHERS when you don't get in there with them!"