PUSHY GALORE

One of my correspondents asked me recently how I ended up connecting with some of the people on my blogroll and on Facebook. The glib answer, of course, was that they were attracted by my immense personal magnetism.

It is really something else, though.


ASPBERGER SYNDROME

I am not a very social person, nor particularly socially adept. And while I am relatively comfortable in the presence of other people, I don’t consider myself good at conversations that include more than one other person.
In actual fact, many of my conversations are near-monologues, and my significant other sometimes tells me “shut up or I’m clobbering you!”.
Most of my friends probably wish to say the same.

Many of my best interactions are on the internet, and via the superficial semi-anonymity of meaningless small talk in bars and coffee shops.

Either that, or placing collection calls all across the country, and jollying my customers into paying those invoices or they may not receive new product in time for Father’s Day/the season/Halloween/Chanuka/Chinese New Year.
Demanding money is an excellent conversational gambit, and the resulting exchange is naturally self-limiting. Perfect.


I skulk, I stalk, and I glower. At rallies or parties I head toward the edge of the crowd.


And yes, I am very comfortable doing so.


One on one. No other people.
It’s not that I don’t like you. I actually think you’re a splendid person.
And I am very tolerant of others, really.
It’s just that I if I have to talk, it helps if I do all the talking.
Even though I don’t know what to say.


So the answer to the question is that if someone has an interesting internet presence, and through their blog, commentary, or peccadilloes displays intelligence and interesting quirks, I will be immensely attracted to them, even if we have not met. And if their writing displays both wit and knowledge, so much the better.
Sparkling minds are wonderful to know.