What Can I Say?

If someone asked me to go to a cocktail party or happy hour I'd say no thanks.  If they said, you'll probably have met maybe a half of the guests before I'd still say no thanks.

Sometimes, introvert trumps.

It's actually not easy, for me, to go to a soiree.  There is some history of going to soirees now, and it's all good.  So it appears the urge to stay out of crowds is deeply ingrained indeed.

click to enlarge!

I always prepare myself by planning to introduce myself to the nearest person.  Yes, that increased anxiety but oddly enough having a plan helps.

As I move around, I keep doing that, until I really can't.  I don't know what makes me hit that limit.  Fortunately, I'm not the only girl with that strategy.

It's just one more thing I don't understand about myself.

I met some new girls, and one spouse who had never gone out with her partner before, and I met Beth's partner, and I had a nice chat with Steffi.  I got to spend some time with our hosts, Pamela and Chris ~ always a high point of my evening.

There were many more, including, of course, Sharon, who was nice enough to drive us there.

And there was a crowd.  The picture above shows the girls who didn't mind having their picture taken (some did; some spouses didn't want to be in pictures).

Sam, keeping Julia steady

Meg and Christine, planning to take over the world

Because someone said I was standing "like a dude"

About Me and the Ladies I Didn't Talk To

I thought I had a post for yesterday.  I did not.

I hate missing a day.

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A few days ago, I made a mention of the girls I didn't speak to at the soiree.  I posted a variation on this to the soiree chat.  I'm still not sure if it's an apology, explanation, sharing, or something else.

As a coping mechanism for my classic introversion, if I'm in a situation like the soiree I tend to focus on one person and cling. A couple of times I was in a 3 or 4 way conversation and it may have appeared I was ignoring all but one person. It's something I'm working on and it's gotten better (a few years ago, a group like that would have had me run out [silently] screaming).

I hope nobody felt slighted (like you missed a wonderful life experience by not talking to me), and I apologise if anyone did.

I AM working on it.

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