Nod and smile

I am not the most outspoken person you are ever going to meet, I sometimes say very little.

In both RL & SL this has been misconstrued as being stuck-up, distant, anti social etc, none of which is true, the simple fact of the matter is I find it really difficult meeting new people, I am not one of those people who can converse with complete strangers easily. In RL situations I do a lot of smiling and nodding along with the conversation simply because I don't feel that I can contribute with confidence. In SL situations I fall back on the :) and the yeah, it's not because I am not interested in what the person is saying it is because I don't feel confident enough to chip in. I am an expert in type-backspace-type-backspace, shall I shan't I hit send?

If I admit to being shy/uncomfortable in these situations the standard response is yeah right you are so not shy (er yeah I am)

I have recently been introduced to my SL partners nearest and dearest, who are lovely people and who I really do want to get to know and therein lies the rub, how do I gauge this ? do I pounce on their IM window and say' hey how are you?' the second they log in (and appear to be stalker gal-needy much!) or do I stay in my comfort zone and come across as little miss aloof?

My total fear and it borders on phobia if I am being honest is to be seen or thought of as pushy and in peoples faces.

So there it is kiddies,I am not stuck up I just am a little bit uncertain and timid with new relationships, friends and acquaintances, give me time and I will talk/type your ears off.