"Just chatting" is incredibly draining for me unless I know the other person well. It's not easy, or fun.

Yeah, this. I mean, it's fairly easy with people I've been yammering to online for years, which is to say, you guys (because I have SCRIPTS! Mental SCRIPTS!), but mostly, it's me standing around, feeling awkward and wondering how the humans do it.

"Just chatting" is incredibly draining for me unless I know the other person well. It's not easy, or fun.

I hear you, but you do make small talk all the time with people in your area with vast networks (dental hygienist, hair dresser, etc.). Tossing in a tidbit about looking for a new job/babysitter/etc. just might turn into something. If not, you were in a situation where a chat was necessary anyway. Nothing lost.

I think I might be that person. Can you be a connector and be introverted? Because I know a lot of people, nature of my job (still have no idea how I ended up doing a job that is all dealing with people, and to support it, I have to deal with people, and then sometimes for fun we go out and play music to people who then want to talk to me.) so I feel like I actually do that a ton.

Like there's this guy who's a promoter, but he got really involved with disaster relief after the Holton, IN tornado. And then there's this other guy who plays mandolin in the band at the church where we present once a year. And he's real into community mobilization, which I only know because I sat down at a table by him at a pool party. So I pointed one at the other on facebook, and they got together and the latter brought a team to the former and they built a bunch of sheds so people could store their stuff while their houses were being rebuilt.

I do that type of thing all the freaking time.

And I think the dude who thinks I'm a stalker is one, too. (Who, incidentally, I could not have stolen a lock of hair from, because he's bald. But! I totally could have tried to steal a lock of moustache, because he has one of the most amazing handlebar moustaches I have ever seen in my life.) They live on the road; they never stop touring, and they know basically everyone everywhere. So my friend had a friend who was trying to get housing while he toured, and I passed that along to Handlebar, and they passed along info for a guy that likes to house bands, and voila. So that's five degrees on the chain of friends, but the band has housing.

Snow coming down hard now, but I don't know if it's sticking yet.

It doesn't appear to be sticking enough to make me regret my footwear choice this morning. Not yet, anyway.

I think I might be that person. Can you be a connector and be introverted?

Totally.

I hear you, but you do make small talk all the time with people in your area with vast networks (dental hygienist, hair dresser, etc.)

I don't honestly know how to answer this without being rude, but...no. I don't. You are welcome to come to the salon and sit in awkward silence with me while I get a haircut if you don't believe it.

You are welcome to come to the salon and sit in awkward silence with me while I get a haircut if you don't believe it.

I'd be happy to handle this responsibility.

I also am an "awkward with the hairdresser" person. I talk about the weather and our city, but I (irrationally) resent the expectation that I am supposed to make chat with someone who is cutting my hair!

I (irrationally) resent the expectation that I am supposed to make chat with someone who is cutting my hair!

YES.

I think Hec should come to Brooklyn and cut my hair, because he is an extrovert and a friend and that would be nice.

but mostly, it's me standing around, feeling awkward and wondering how the humans do it.

Which is why you have me to text in times like that.

But this conversation reminded me of a question I wanted to ask: what's the term for someone who is very much an extrovert, but absolutely needs a certain amount of alone time/down time?

And speaking of networking: this weekend is Emerald City Comic Con, and Pete has a table. So I'm reprising my role as booth assistant. Which is going to be extra exciting, because the Kickstarter for the M:tG anniversary art book just launched. [link]

Pete is one of the organizers, and the person running the Kickstarter. I swear I won't slip Xanax into his coffee to manage his stress levels.