Outside In

Hello Dear Readers!

Surprisingly, I think if you're known on the Internet, you're probably an introvert. Felicia Day
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/introvert.html

Surprisingly, I think if you're known on the internet, you're probably an introvert
Felicia Day

Well this is a dilly of a pickle.

Life continues apace at Seated Perspective Towers. Tina is making decent progress from her health issues (for those not in the loop see Different Strokes), although frustration is, perhaps naturally, still rearing its head every now and then. Work is working out well, and the house purchase, although halted for a couple of weeks, is plodding along nicely.

This has meant that for the first time in a couple of weeks I am bereft of instant inspiration for my offering to you, my dear readers. I have decided, therefore, that the time has come to turn the spotlight inwards and indulge in just a little introspection.

You’ll see what I mean.

Jolly Boy's Outing

Last Friday was a date that I’d had in the diary for a while. It was the day that had been booked in for a long awaited outing with the boys for a few civilised drinks followed by a whole lot more horrendously uncivilised ones. This is a semi regular event and we try to get together three or four times a year, be it for birthdays, Christmas, Diwali or, um, Tuesday.

Now time has passed and we’ve all gotten that little older (if not wiser.) The knock on effect of which is that such day long debauchery is becoming harder and harder to organise. This is a phenomenon not exclusive to this one group of friends but one that is becoming more prevalent for all of my long term mates. 

It makes sense really. I’ve known most of my closest friends for over twenty years and, as we age, we all have that much more in our lives. Some of us are married, some in long term relationships, some of us have kids, and pretty much all of us have jobs, some with horrendously unsociable hours, to consider.

Non-contact Sports

All of which is a way of saying that as I met up with one of the lads on that Friday lunchtime, it was no surprise to find that one member of the party had cried off and that another was going to be arriving a lot later than first thought (and was in fact even later than that.). This coupled with my own self enforced teetotaliness (so I could get back to look after Tina without the risk of drunken injuries to either of us) meant that we were probably going to be pulling slightly short of an all-time classic.

Still, it was nice to cat catch up with Dez, and to meet up with the lady unlucky enough to be his girlfriend, who I’d not actually met before. It also served to highlight, in glorious technicolour, one of my own failings.

As we were chatting, and the barbs, insults, and other various forms of knockabout punnage were flying, it was pointed out that I rarely, if ever, am the one to instigate and arrange these meet ups.

This is something that has been highlighted about myself before. For all that, once out, I am a sociable chap, who gets on with just about anyone, I’m absolutely terrible at actually making contact with people. You’d think that, with a career history based around customer services and dealing with a wide range of people over the phone I’d be good at this but no, I truly do stink at it.

via GIPHY

Innerspace
I just don’t seem to be the kind of person who picks up the phone for a random chat, or pops round for a cuppa on spec. I will talk to people on social media and I’m only too happy to attend get-togethers, parties and meet ups but It wouldn’t necessarily occur to me to organise anything and, truth be told, I’ve never really been sure why

That is until quite recently when one possible explanation for my seemingly anti-social behaviour was discovered thanks to an online personality test I took a while back. Now, I don’t usually put all that much store in these things, especially not the ones you find on certain social media sites but I must have had some time to kill and a significant level of boredom to take care of.

Whatever the reason I answered the questions, being as honest as possible, and was stunned to be told at the end that I was in fact… An introvert.  Looking up what this actually means, I kind of have to agree.

Introverts do not necessarily lock themselves away from the world, we (we!) do feel more comfortable with smaller numbers of people (especially sans le booze), do tend to have smaller circles of friends, do tend to be pickier into who we let into that inner circle, do tend to have deeper friendships with these chosen few let into that circle and, although an introvert will socialise, sometimes alongside the best of them, we do treasure our own time and space.

All in all, although it was a surprise to get that result, the more I thought upon it the better match it seemed. I’m not shy and retiring by any means, but I do get uncomfortable socialising with groups of people I don’t know. I have an amazing talent for existing in my own head and as I say I’m absolutely rubbish at getting in touch. At least though I can now recognise this, own my introversion, and try my best to rectify my unfortunate natural tendencies. 

I might even try to organise the next night out.

Until next time…