Meeting people is easy

I’m introducing a new design trend, the retrograde (see header, reverted to pre-2003 image). At Caterina’s party on Wednesday, Rogerio mentioned that he had liked my cranes header a lot. I said ‘it’s still there’, but of course, it wasn’t, since I’d changed it to a shot of willow trees in January this year. Since apparently I still think of this site as the one with the cranes header, I might as well put it back on.

Caterina’s party was very strange for me, but in a good way. I had been slightly apprehensive since I didn’t know anybody else invited, and was slightly in awe of their collective resumes.

It’s not unusual for me to either avoid parties or end up not talking to anyone and leave early. I haven’t mastered the art of small talk and I’m sure I give off a negative vibe, because people rarely approach me and I’m too shy (or too uninterested) to approach anyone. Usually I find within minutes there is nothing left to say or ask.

However, at Wednesday evening’s gettogether I ended up talking to several people about various subjects: geek stuff (including a Bluetooth session), photography stuff, history, food, language, dutch media, etc. I enjoyed listening as much as talking. People were engaging and friendly.

When it was time for me to go home (work awaited in the morning) I wasn’t ready. I wanted to talk to more of the guests. I was sorry I didn’t get to talk to everyone. It was an extraordinary feeling, something I hadn’t experienced since college.

I’m not sure what conclusion to draw from this experience. Apparently, I’m not the lost cause I thought I was. Have I been going to the wrong parties? Should I seek out other social circles?

It’s all encouraging. Maybe I should put that option on a hermit’s life on hold. Now all I need is for people like Caterina to come over and throw more parties.

6 thoughts on “Meeting people is easy

  1. It always seems that to be a great socializer, you have to have a great socializer as a friend. I think I could have posted this very post myself as I am exactly the same way. I only come out of my shell when I know for certain that I’m being accepted by the others in the group.

  2. So glad to know you had a good time… if you get the chance to read my last entry you’ll see I was in a very strange mood myself – and I felt it was a pity we didn’t get to talk some more… sometime soon? (Koffie can ook, hoor)
    And now for those cranes that I love so much: I still cannot see them!

  3. Sometimes it surprises me to see how similar we are in some things ;)

    I’m lucky to have found a (few) group(s) of people that I’m entirely comfortable in. They’re a great party crowd.

    Either way, catch up for dinner/drinks sometime soon? It’s been a while.

  4. @Stef: I have some old friends that are good socializers, but I often feel I’ve little in common with their friends.

    @Rogerio: I had read your post. I hope everything goes well with your move. Coffee sounds good :-)

    @E: That’s funny, I was thinking about you & the new mates you have last night, writing this thing. Dinner and drinks sounds good too.

    All in all I miss having a ‘clique’ like I did in school and in college. You’re supposed to keep your college friends, but I dropped out and never saw them again. Most people grow up and start their own private little cliques (they’re called families), but that’s not how it’s working out for me. I think having a family in a trad sense (hubby, kids) would do my head in – so I don’t complain (much) or feel sorry (much) for not having one.

  5. I’m so glad you enjoyed yourself! It was a really fun party & I think just the right size. Big parties are overwhelming and I think it is harder to talk to ppl at big parties, especially when you don’t know people in advance.

    I love throwing parties, so I’ll just have to come back again and throw some more! Any excuse to get back to Amsterdam.

    And thanks for the tulip cards, btw, I’ve already sent two of them!

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