faaaaabulous
as mentioned previously, my weekend was spent in a lodge full of women from church. and if you know my church, you know that this is not nearly as boring or torturous as it may sound.
on friday night we started off with the excellent idea of "speed mingling". think speed dating, without the pesky element of wondering in the back of your mind if you could see yourself spending the rest of your life with this person. or getting a phone number. it was a great way of getting forty people to meet and talk with each other, albeit two minutes at a time. hey, i'm all about efficiency.
during this stretch of time, i heard a phrase that would be repeated often throughout the weekend: i've always thought you were interesting/cool, and have wanted to get to know you better! and i'm all, wtf? really? i mean, genuinely, it surprised me that such a number of people would think that. the funny thing is that even before this women's retreat, i'd say about a month or so, i'd heard this from several other people as well. so apparently it's not a fluke, but i'm still not sure what to make of it. i'm interesting, but scary to start conversations with? i'm cool, but unapproachable? God, if you're trying to tell me something, i really am not sure what it is. or maybe He's afraid to talk to me, too.
this interesting-yet-unapproachable impression seems like both a blessing and a curse: here's a nice ego boost, with room for improvement. yay, people think i'm neat! but, why won't they just talk to me? oh, wait, maybe it's because they're like ME and don't initiate conversation with strangers. so we've got all these neat people who won't talk to each other. totally awesome. i think i'll start wearing a button that says something like You First; I'm Introverted.
at any rate, it at least made me feel even more comfortable in my own skin this weekend. i felt myself being a little goofier and more animated than usual; a little more my real self [whoever that is]. knowing how competitive and comparative us women can be, it was nice to know that... well... chicks dig me.
now if i can just get this mystique thing to work for me with the boys...
mdog
12 Comments
Reader Comments (12)
You should totally get that button.
And, mdog, there's something I want to tell you.I've always thought you were interesting/cool, and have wanted to get to know you better!
Same, but I really never wanted to get to know you better. The only reason I even hang out with you is that you stalk around my back yard, almost like you live there.
Okay, maybe not.
I'm sorry Maria, but untill that first time at creative team I was a little intimidated as well. You carry yourself very confidently.
I wonder if society isnt used to strong women, especially of faith who dont need to be affirmed to know who they are. Any way I am no longer afraid and damn glad to know ya. So when do you want to go shooting again ;).
Yeah.
i probably would've been the same if i hadn't 'gotten to know you' on the board before meeting you in person.
i'm sure the men have the same problem.
Nice talking with you the other evening. I think that the reason people don't feel comfortable approaching you has more to do with their insecurities than with who you are or seem to be. Of course this opinion is coming from the persistent, occasionally annoying freshman of way back when.
If each person was secure in her or his identity as a valuable being, wouldn't we all interact differently/more with others on a healthy level? Or would we totally isolate ourselves, because hey, we're the bomb? ha ha. More on this in a future gmail chat perhaps. Love you.
I think that button is perfect. the extrovert counterpart would read...what? How about: "Believe me, if I want to talk to you, I'll find a way to make it happen."
jessi: Interesting idea, and true one-on-one, but in a group the extroverts will tend to talk to each other, while the introverts look on quietly.
do you think introverts post less on blogs?
thanks everyone for the comment discussion.
"do you think introverts post less on blogs?" - i'm inclined to think the opposite, that they post MORE. any theories out there? an interesting question.
i'll take this one. i haven't read blogs for awhile. i'm an introvert. i definitely really think about what i'm going to post on my own blog. sometimes i'm even afraid to comment on the blogs of others b/c my comment might not be worthy enough to be around all the comments of very smart people.
but mdog, i also see your point of view. it's easier to post on a blog than to say it to someone's face.
it's interesting what we think of people before we meet them or talk to them or get to know them. i think you do carry yourself with confidence. i was probably intimidated the first time i talked to you. it didn't last very long tho. :-)
Perhaps you are interesting, but intimidating.
;-)