purplerabbit

I wrote this as a response to the lastest meme that asks you to tell something about yourself that others might not know. I thought it interesting enough to repost here:

My biological family consider me to be oddly quiet, shy and a bit reserved. (No kidding, really.) They are a loud, competitive and very talkative bunch. Around my relatives I can't get a word in edgewise and often give up and withdraw. I don't like to shout to be heard which doesn't make sense to them. I love them all and can usually handle them okay one-on-one but in large groups I feel overwhelmed.

Contrast this with that most friends probably see me as assertive, outgoing, boisterous and talkative. Of course, I usually withdraw, i.e. stay home, when I am not feeling outgoing. Since I work by myself, I actually spend a large part of my time being quiet. I often answer my mom and kid in mono-syllables because I am not in the mood to talk much, especially early in the day.

My mother once said I was actually an introvert who learned to cover being shy by being an extrovert in public. It is true that I talk more when I am nervous. I am at my most comfortable in public when telling stories. I love telling and writing stories. Story-telling is also an art my family highly admires and something I enjoy.