s/o What are you like IRL?

[lovelaughs_times_three]

Oh, a trio! Make sure you screen name is on your name tag. Perhaps we need to carry around real emoticons so others will know when we're just kidding.

 

:tongue_smilie: <-- this one would be for kidding.

 

:001_smile: <---- this one means I'm enjoying myself I just don't know what to say.

 

:lol: <----- this one could mean you're really funny, or I've had too much to drink, don't let me drive home.

 

:001_huh: <---- this one for oh carp I thought you were another poster and now I've just stuck my foot in my mouth

 

Perfect!

[mytwomonkeys]

i think i'm much friendlier in real life. on forums i tend to be focused on information & not getting to know people really (so i'm never really conversing...just exchanging information...if that makes sense). i don't even know posters by their user name here, except for a few that post very frequently, so their names are familiar (but even then, i'm not familiar with them - just their user name). IRL, i know one person that i actually met from TWTM boards. she heads up our homeschool group. she's lovely and i'm so thankful for the boards and having the opportunity to meet her. i love these boards though, and even though i may not take full advantage of the online community, i really enjoy this forum!:)

[lovelaughs_times_three]

Yeah and I like to think about what I'm saying. I can't do that face to face (or over the phone). So without thinking first stuff doesn't come out right.

 

You know what's weird - I am much funnier and wittier on line than I am in real person. (of course, I may just be funny and witty to myself here! You all may be thinking - "She thinks she is funny and witty? Sad, really...." LOL! :lol:). I have 2 sisters that are super funny and witty. I am so quiet around them, because I have no time to think! I am too busy trying to figure out what to say, and/or worrying that it might be "too much" and that what I am thinking might hurt or offend someone. They don't seem to need the time to think (and probably don't care so much who they offend! lol!). But recently, on Facebook, I noticed I've been able to match them wit for wit! In fact, sometimes I get the last laugh! That NEVER happens IRL!

[4kiddies]

For many, many years I never knew what they did. I missed alot of time, which is scary as hell. Now, that I have learned to become co-conscious I know when they are out what they do and such. I can still not to be co-conscious and in some stressful situations I do switch without realizing it and lose time.

 

I have missed most of my life up until about 5 years ago. I find it hard to deal with learning about a life that I never really lived, iykwim?

 

Thank you for answering. Yes, that must be terrifying to not remember and to meet people who think they know you when it really is one of your alters. You are very brave.

[Mommy22alyns]

I'm very quiet IRL. To the point where I don't have any friends. I must have some kind of social cooties or something. :sad: I must be more outgoing online.

[Sahamamama]

I am much nicer in real life. I think I'm brusque online, but truly in real life I'm friendly.

 

And I'm less nice, so this balances everything out. :lol:

[Gailmegan]

I am sensing some trends. It seems that IRL extreme extroverts feel more limited online and IRL extreme introverts feel more free online. i think those who don't sense much difference are probably closer to the middle of the spectrum. Is that an accurate summary of what's been posted here so far?

[Meriwether]

And I'm less nice, so this balances everything out. :lol:

 

 

I don't believe this for a moment!

[Murphy101]

I think I'm mostly the same IRL.

Maybe more articulate here bc IRL my train of thought is constantly being derailed by various noises in this house. Of course, I could be wrong. Stupid iPad/iPhone autocorrect might cancel out the kids' noise.

Maybe nicer IRL bc online my bluntness can come across has angry.

[Tarreymere]

I am pretty quiet in real life. Mostly, though, that is because when I am out in public (like a soccer game or a dance class) I am with people I just don't 'get'. I'm not into gossip or celebrities, fashions or vacations, or anything they seem to like to talk about. So I don't talk. I have been to a local knitting group a few times and I really did like it there, and I do like to talk about yarn so I feel like I 'connected'. I just keep forgetting which Saturday of the month they meet.......

 

Mostly I like thoughtful, sarcastic people who tend to see things differently than the rest of the world, and that kind of personality seems to be a bit thin on the ground around here. I tend to have a more sarcastic sense of humor myself. So does DH, and we enjoy sitting around making snarky comments to each other in the evenings. DH makes it really easy for me to make snarky comments to him because he really enjoys making horribly bad puns about things, which is what tends to set us both off.

 

I'm also the matriarch of the family here, and I get pestered for advice a lot. My advice is never gentle, so you would think they would have stopped bugging me for it by now but they have not. The only good thing about it is that when I give them advice they don't like, they defriend me on Facebook and ignore me for a while, giving me a break from listening to them. Really, though, how many times should I have to tell one of my kids that married adults DO need to help around the house no matter who works full time and who works slightly less than full time, and that yes, it really IS reprehensible to sneak money from the joint bank account to get a pedicure when you know that your income is a bit below your outgo that month and that your spouse does have a 'right' to be irritated about it regardless of who spent more on something stupid last month.

 

I guess DH and I qualify as eccentrics. We enjoy other eccentrics. We just don't hit it off well with 'regular people', not really knowing what to say to them( or choosing not to engage in chit chat as it can be physically painful) in most cases (which inevitably leads back to the bad puns and dry sarcasm........).

[elise1mds]

I am sensing some trends. It seems that IRL extreme extroverts feel more limited online and IRL extreme introverts feel more free online. i think those who don't sense much difference are probably closer to the middle of the spectrum. Is that an accurate summary of what's been posted here so far?

 

Seems about right to me. I think I'm about the same both online and in real life, and I can be introverted or extroverted depending on the day and the occasion. Sometimes I'll talk people's ears off and other days I'm a total wallflower. I do have quite a few friends and several more that I would consider "acquaintances," but I'll be the first to admit that I'm awful about keeping up with people. I hate hate HATE the telephone! I try to be who I am at all times - I think that's why I love the quote below so much! :D

[swellmomma]

I am very very shy irl and it can come off at aloofness when I meet someone at first. Especially because online I am very chatty, I have unintentially offended people I am meeting for the first time because it seems like I am refusing to talk to them when in reality it is just my shyness.

 

Once I get to know someone I am much chattier in person, just have to get past the shyness part at the beginning.

[lovelaughs_times_three]

Mostly I like thoughtful, sarcastic people who tend to see things differently than the rest of the world, and that kind of personality seems to be a bit thin on the ground around here. I tend to have a more sarcastic sense of humor myself.

 

That describes me as well! Those are exactly the kind of people I like, and I agree, they are hard to find IRL!!!

 

But - they seem to abound here!! That's why this forum is my "happy place". :D

[Jennifer3141]

That describes me as well! Those are exactly the kind of people I like, and I agree, they are hard to find IRL!!!

 

But - they seem to abound here!! That's why this forum is my "happy place". :D

 

Me three!!

 

I have to watch my snark though or I can get mean easily. There's just so much of our world I just plain don't get.

 

I am pretty much the same here as IRL. Only snarkier. And more loyal IRL. There is nothing I can think of that I wouldn't do for my friends. I have a really good cadre.

[swellmomma]

I'm pretty much my polar opposite in real life. On the board, I love to jump into any thread and respond, etc. In real life, I'm the one who is very shy, sits away from people, and just listens in. I'm not stuck up, I promise LOL. I'm just very, very shy. However, if I know you *extremely* well (I'm talking being around you a lot for years) then I'm a total nut. My family thinks I'm one fry short of a happy meal.

 

:iagree: I can completely relate to this 100%. Toss in some social anxiety issues and it's me irl. I can't read body language for the most part, so often struggle with knowing how to respond to someone irl. Online that is not an issue, I can focus on the words said and respond without worrying about all the non-verbal communication.

[ChrissySC]

I am very social and outgoing. I believe this is a result of my job though.

I tend to know many, but have very few close friends.

 

Most of the time, I am friended for what I know - computers. It seems to be much cheaper to have a friend who works on computers versus going to the local shop. Ah well....

 

I am always getting into something - crafts, sewing, building, working on the lawn, et cetera. I do not sit still well, which is why I am on the board so much lately while working on silly upgrades for work. Boring! I need more mental and physical stimulation than watching the bar go green all the way across the window. LOL

 

I talk. Really, I talk. a. lot.

[AndyJoy]

I talk a lot more in real life than I do on here. I start typing long responses then don't actually submit them because I second guess myself and worry about whether I'll come across the way I intend. I'm much more comfortable talking face-to-face because we can go back and forth and discuss and clarify what we mean more easily.

 

I tell lots of stories because I have a great memory and find lots of things amusing. I worry that people think I am trying to "one-up" them when I chime in with a related story, but really I just get excited and take off running when a topic I enjoy comes along. I retell stories from my childhood, friends, parents, people I once knew, and even stories from this board! A good friend in college called me "The Bard" and said, "Your life is no more interesting than anyone else's--you just tell it better!"

 

I've honed down my overly blunt nature, but I'm still an open, mean-what-I-say kind of person and value honesty. This tends to turn off those who are used to more pussyfooting. I never had a single argument with a girlfriend until college, when I gave an honest (positive!) opinion and a "friend" accused me of not meaning it :001_huh::glare:. I ended up publicly crying over it because I was so hurt that she wouldn't just take me at my word.

 

I yearn for deep friendship IRL where we can sit for hours and discuss our thoughts on everything. The last time I had a friend like (who lived near me) was 10 years ago, so I ache for that again. This board helps fulfill some of that need, but it's not the same.

[PinkInTheBlue]

Hmmm...that's actually quite a tough question...

 

* I love to talk. I love to know what someone thinks about something and talk about it. I love to be passionate but hate confrontation.

 

* I love to read.

 

* I'm touchy. Literally. I don't actually touch people often because I know it can make even friends uncomfortable but I'm likely to pat an arm or touch a hand often in animated conversation IF I weren't aware not to. :)

 

* I'm tender-hearted. It aggravates me but I'm likely to tear up at emotional commercials and songs. I tend to avoid them like the plague because they are emotional torture for goops like me. :) I wish I weren't but, there you go!

 

* As I said before, I hate confrontation! "Can't we just all get along?" LOL I like everyone to be happy and I have to make a conscious effort to not take it personally if someone in the house is quiet. I don't need to fix everyone, right? :)

 

=====

 

I just realized I'm somewhat of an opposite of what I am on the board. I love to jump into great conversations and have lots of fun. On here I'm very likely to think, "Well, someone said what I would" or "My thoughts aren't really interesting on this topic". How weird! If I enjoyed contributing to great conversations on here like I did in real life, I'd have WAY over a 10,000 post count. I wonder why that is?? That'll drive me crazy today! LOL

 

====

 

Oh, and I'm a bit of a contrarian in real life. I don't like to do things just because that's what everyone's doing or that's what everyone thinks or that's the way it's always been done. Probably directly associated with my leaving the organized religion. It drives me nuts when it's a situation of follow-the-leader. :) When my closest friend said she goes to church so that she can just listen to the preacher and trust him, she doesn't know it but, I almost let it do serious damage to our relationship.

 

I guess I like to get along but I really like to be around people who really like to think and talk. :)

Edited August 8, 2011 by PinkInTheBlue

[Upward Journey]

Just like I am on the boards, quiet :)

[JeneralMom]

IRL I am shy and wouldn't just jump into a conversation. However, I think I am more decisive and have much more personal conviction than I come across on line because I tend to ask opinions and questions here, where as I don't in real life.

[Denisemomof4]

Something Imp said on another thread got me thinking... what are you like IRL? Do you think you give the same impression to people you meet IRL as you give on these boards? Are you chatty in real life, and quiet here? Or the other way around? Are you outgoing? shy? generally happy and optimistic? grumpy? Do you have lots of friends? Do you have more friends here? How do you think we would see you differently if we knew you IRL than we see you here? Or would it be different at all?

 

Just curious!

 

I believe I'm rthe same here as I am IRL. I'm chatty, personable, compassionate (to a point, I've had to reel this in because I have compassion burnout - and I do believe that is a real term/condition!), easy going.

 

I'm just annoyed that Imp said something to cause this thread. Is she causing trouble again? :boxing_smiley:

 

:lol::lol::lol:(love ya, Imp!):001_tt2:

[Peela]

I think I am pretty similar in real life- generally friendly, but occasionally moody or sharp or brusque as someone else said.

 

I find my voice here a lot- in real life I can be quiet amongst people I don't know, yet very chatty if someone engages me- I definitely have a voice, something to say about things, but am not so good at social chit chat. Here I often find out what I think about things, and express myself, and I think that has been good for me and actually rolled over to real life.

[eternalknot]

I am the same IRL as I am online, so I've been told by people who know. They say the one thing that always surprises them, though, is my sense of humor. It's very ... dry, deadpan. Definitely an acquired taste! Since I know it doesn't always come through online, I shy away from comments and jokes I'd normally make if the conversation were happening IRL.

 

I have strong opinions about a ton of topics, but I don't always share them - here or IRL. I find I don't have to, even during controversial topics - others are always happy to carry that load! I listen more than I contribute in a given conversation, but I don't shy away from talking. I'm also comfortable with silence in a conversation, so while I can do the chit chat thing I don't generally talk just for the sake of it.

 

I'm very outgoing, uninhibited, generally optomistic and I have little problem making or keeping friends IRL; I like that here I can blend into the background a bit more. What's interesting to me is that the handful of people I could see myself befriending aren't the ones who have been named in this thread! I'm more of an "off the beaten path" kind of gal, and I gravitate towards the same. My IRL friends say I can be snobby in that regard. I can live with that.

 

PS: I'm also long-winded, both here AND in real life :D why say in four words what can be drawn out into four hundred?!

[Live2Ride]

I think I have a tendency to filter what I say online because I don't want someone to take something the wrong way, whereas I don't do that much IRL because they can hear me and see my emotions. I like emoticons for that very purpose and I think I probably use them more than I should, :D. I've been known to be bold and it's known that I don't mind being not liked, though as a child I wasn't like that. I'm not a whiner. I like to do things myself. I don't often ask for help. I research and figure things out if I'm unsure of something. I love learning new things and delight in teaching others the things I do learn. I am 'to the point' I'm told and my hubby lovingly says that I can be somewhat 'abrasive' in the way that I can be very matter of fact/to the point when answering people. I speak quickly and jump subjects a lot...I'm trying to calm that trait a bit as it makes peoples heads spin :tongue_smilie:. My friends are used to it and just laugh...they often redirect me and know that my brain just goes in many different directions all the time. I love my friends and family and enjoy visiting with them. I love making things for people.

[BarbecueMom]

I honestly don't know what I am like anymore. I haven't made a new friend in almost six years, friends have become acquaintances, and acquaintances have slipped away entirely. Every time I check Facebook, I've been defriended by someone. 95% of my status updates are funny things my kids say or do, and I guess that annoys non-family members (or the five family members who have defriended me).

 

This sounds depressing when I type it, but I know it's just a season in life. When the kids are bigger and I've had a little sleep, maybe I'll return to obsessive spoof movie quoting, saying "that's what she said!" to things that can't be construed as innuendo, and being generally unable to take anything seriously. That's what I was like, I think.

[justamouse]

Oh, a trio! Make sure you screen name is on your name tag. Perhaps we need to carry around real emoticons so others will know when we're just kidding.

 

:tongue_smilie: <-- this one would be for kidding.

 

:001_smile: <---- this one means I'm enjoying myself I just don't know what to say.

 

:lol: <----- this one could mean you're really funny, or I've had too much to drink, don't let me drive home.

 

:001_huh: <---- this one for oh carp I thought you were another poster and now I've just stuck my foot in my mouth

 

Yes!

 

I am pretty quiet in real life. Mostly, though, that is because when I am out in public (like a soccer game or a dance class) I am with people I just don't 'get'. I'm not into gossip or celebrities, fashions or vacations, or anything they seem to like to talk about. So I don't talk. I have been to a local knitting group a few times and I really did like it there, and I do like to talk about yarn so I feel like I 'connected'. I just keep forgetting which Saturday of the month they meet.......

 

Mostly I like thoughtful, sarcastic people who tend to see things differently than the rest of the world, and that kind of personality seems to be a bit thin on the ground around here. I tend to have a more sarcastic sense of humor myself. So does DH, and we enjoy sitting around making snarky comments to each other in the evenings. DH makes it really easy for me to make snarky comments to him because he really enjoys making horribly bad puns about things, which is what tends to set us both off.

 

I'm also the matriarch of the family here, and I get pestered for advice a lot. My advice is never gentle, so you would think they would have stopped bugging me for it by now but they have not. The only good thing about it is that when I give them advice they don't like, they defriend me on Facebook and ignore me for a while, giving me a break from listening to them. Really, though, how many times should I have to tell one of my kids that married adults DO need to help around the house no matter who works full time and who works slightly less than full time, and that yes, it really IS reprehensible to sneak money from the joint bank account to get a pedicure when you know that your income is a bit below your outgo that month and that your spouse does have a 'right' to be irritated about it regardless of who spent more on something stupid last month.

 

I guess DH and I qualify as eccentrics. We enjoy other eccentrics. We just don't hit it off well with 'regular people', not really knowing what to say to them( or choosing not to engage in chit chat as it can be physically painful) in most cases (which inevitably leads back to the bad puns and dry sarcasm........).

 

Yes, another one to add to the back row snarkapolooza.

[Rosie_0801]

I think I'm pretty much the same. I probably give my opinions about things here way more freely than IRL. Nobody really asks for my opinion IRL. :lol:

 

Me too :lol:

 

I don't go out of my way to be different here than elsewhere, but IRL I don't have an edit button or as much time to think. It also helps that there are more conversations around here that actually interest me than I come across IRL. One of the major conversation points at playgroup is children's parties. I'd rather be friendless than attend kids birthday parties, even when I like the kid. I don't know birthday party etiquette, so I'm sure I'm going to do something wrong and if we're good enough friends that I don't make an excuse to avoid your child's party, I'd rather not offend you by doing whatever it is wrong. And I suck at small talk. I don't have to do small talk online.

 

I'll stop now before I give myself nightmares.

 

Rosie

[LibraryLover]

I'm a *very* chatty person irl. I talk to everyone. lol I hate confrontation irl and I would never get into it with you personally unless I thought you were abusing your child or something. I would tell you how adorable/ smart your child was to try and calm you down.

 

I am more direct online. ;) And as chatty. :) lol

[Dandelion]

Interesting thread!

 

I'm another extrovert who is more "reserved" online. For the same reason as a previous poster noted - I don't want my posts to come back and bite me someday. ;)

 

IRL I'm very outgoing, can strike up a conversation with anyone anywhere, have a snarky/sarcastic sense of humor, strong opinions (especially about politics - I don't post in those threads here for the most part, although I do read them all), and love being in the center of the action wherever I go. I enjoy Karaoke and indulge in that with a group of girlfriends at least once a month (don't judge :tongue_smilie:). So yes, the "real life me" is probably quite different from how I come across on this board.

 

I am sensing some trends. It seems that IRL extreme extroverts feel more limited online and IRL extreme introverts feel more free online. i think those who don't sense much difference are probably closer to the middle of the spectrum. Is that an accurate summary of what's been posted here so far?

 

Yep! :thumbup1:

[HeidiKC]

I honestly don't know what I am like anymore. I haven't made a new friend in almost six years, friends have become acquaintances, and acquaintances have slipped away entirely. Every time I check Facebook, I've been defriended by someone. 95% of my status updates are funny things my kids say or do, and I guess that annoys non-family members (or the five family members who have defriended me).

 

This sounds depressing when I type it, but I know it's just a season in life. When the kids are bigger and I've had a little sleep, maybe I'll return to obsessive spoof movie quoting, saying "that's what she said!" to things that can't be construed as innuendo, and being generally unable to take anything seriously. That's what I was like, I think.

 

Gosh - I'm glad you see it as a season in life, but could you bring that season to an end? Is everything else going ok for you? It is sometimes hard to find time for friendships when we're busy, but it's so important. Can you reach out to one of your favorite acquaintances and get together? I'm sure a lot of people miss your friendship. Is it a busy thing or more than that?

 

I'm sorry this is the way things are going for you and hopefully things will turn around soon, but I think you've got to make a move.

 

As far as the defriending on FB... I'd be a bit concerned about how you're coming across. I have only unfriended one person, but it wasn't her status lines that were driving me nuts, it was her comments on mine! I don't even remember exactly, but she commented on almost every status of mine and it was just dumb and boring stuff (not suggesting yours are).

 

Good luck!

[Truscifi]

I am not really good at self description, but I have been told I am unpretentious. I think it was a nice way of saying I forgot to comb my hair that day. ;)

 

I would say I am pretty much the same her as IRL. My humor doesn't translate well in person either, and dh and I sometimes seem to be the only ones who speak each others' language. (I may have killed a kitten there.) I have a small group of friends whose opinions I value greatly, and mostly don't care what anyone else thinks, though I always enjoy learning new things and am open to an interesting debate.

[HeidiKC]

This is a hard one - I'm not sure exactly! IRL I am very social and heavily involved in my kids' school, including socially with tons of moms. I'm one who is always organizing get-togethers with other moms, chaired our Buddy Family Program (kind of a welcoming committee) for several years and I think I am very good at reaching out to new people, especially if I sense they are shy and don't know people. I know how hard that can be, and I think first impressions (of our school community) are so important, as well as feeling a strong sense of belonging from the beginning.

 

Sometimes when I am in a group that I don't know and no one is extending the welcome wagon, I feel shy. But otherwise I think I am pretty outgoing and chatty.

 

This sounds kind of weird to say, but I think a lot of the moms at my kids' school see me as a knowledgeable person about the school itself and education, partly because we've been involved for a long time and partly because I don't just sit back and say "what a great education". I am more critical, and of course now I am homeschooling my oldest!

 

Anyway, so it's kind of different for me here where I am somewhat more quiet, don't know anyone and have only one friend (which I don't really understand how that works anyway! someone just requested I be her friend!) and I feel like such a newbie and DEFINITELY not any kind of knowledgeable person when it comes education. I love this board but it feels kind of weird to me to not be as outgoing, have lots of friends, and to be a bit on the outside. A little lonely and envy those of you that are great friends. Totally not used to that. I am the kind of person on this board that I'm always looking out for IRL, I guess! Kind of funny!

[BarbecueMom]

Gosh - I'm glad you see it as a season in life, but could you bring that season to an end? Is everything else going ok for you? It is sometimes hard to find time for friendships when we're busy, but it's so important. Can you reach out to one of your favorite acquaintances and get together? I'm sure a lot of people miss your friendship. Is it a busy thing or more than that?

 

I'm sorry this is the way things are going for you and hopefully things will turn around soon, but I think you've got to make a move.

 

As far as the defriending on FB... I'd be a bit concerned about how you're coming across. I have only unfriended one person, but it wasn't her status lines that were driving me nuts, it was her comments on mine! I don't even remember exactly, but she commented on almost every status of mine and it was just dumb and boring stuff (not suggesting yours are).

 

Good luck!

 

Yeah, that sounded way worse than I wanted it to, lol. I just realized that it's hard to describe my personality when I don't get to "practice" it often. The FB thing has more to do with family dynamics - I'm the 5th oldest grandchild on my dad's side, the only one (other than my bro, out of 26?) who grew up in another area, and the only one with kids. I think some aunts and cousins "friended" to be nosy, but really don't care to have contact with me.

 

I think I'm still funny, but I'm neither shy nor outgoing. Depends on the situation, but until those situations arise I don't know! I'm content and have plenty of other family, but I definitely don't have the social life I used to!

[tinkhs]

Positive, happy, introvert, hippie. :)

[tinkhs]

Me too :lol:

 

I don't go out of my way to be different here than elsewhere, but IRL I don't have an edit button or as much time to think. It also helps that there are more conversations around here that actually interest me than I come across IRL. One of the major conversation points at playgroup is children's parties. I'd rather be friendless than attend kids birthday parties, even when I like the kid. I don't know birthday party etiquette, so I'm sure I'm going to do something wrong and if we're good enough friends that I don't make an excuse to avoid your child's party, I'd rather not offend you by doing whatever it is wrong. And I suck at small talk. I don't have to do small talk online.

 

I'll stop now before I give myself nightmares.

 

Rosie

 

Rosie, you are one person I would LOVE to meet IRL! :)

[HeidiKC]

Yeah, that sounded way worse than I wanted it to, lol. I just realized that it's hard to describe my personality when I don't get to "practice" it often. The FB thing has more to do with family dynamics - I'm the 5th oldest grandchild on my dad's side, the only one (other than my bro, out of 26?) who grew up in another area, and the only one with kids. I think some aunts and cousins "friended" to be nosy, but really don't care to have contact with me.

 

I think I'm still funny, but I'm neither shy nor outgoing. Depends on the situation, but until those situations arise I don't know! I'm content and have plenty of other family, but I definitely don't have the social life I used to!

 

Ok, yeah - that makes sense! I get it!

[Year Round Mom]

I'm bubbly and outgoing when I'm in a group IRL or when I'm in a silly mood online or IRL. I'm an open book and pretty intense, whether I'm sharing a story or a joke. I drive myself nuts!

 

If there's a topic I'm personally dealing with, like adoption, I'll write a book for you online or talk your ear off IRL. If it's a topic I'm not sure about or if it feels too complex for my wee brain, like politics, I won't say anything. I'd probably change the subject to dinner plans for the week!

 

The closer our relationship is the less bubbly I get and the more serious and personal I get. This is true online and IRL, I think.

 

So it's less an online vs. IRL thing for me, I guess. It's more about the comfort level re: the intimacy of our friendship and the topic up for discussion. Maybe?

[lovelaughs_times_three]

I think it is interesting how many people here have described themselves as someone with strong opinions, sarcastic, not enjoying small talk, intense....

 

maybe that's the kind of person who is more attracted to this kind of format??

 

interesting!

 

BTW - love getting to know you better by hearing how you are IRL! Thanks for sharing! :D

[kpnick in nc]

Very true!! I'm much more quiet IRL. But I think it's because I'm not good at small talk. I'm not good at small talk on here either. However I can get on a soapbox both here and there particularly when I'm one-on-one. I don't do large groups, IRL. I probably tend to the verbiose in both worlds too but learning to self-edit is different when typing than when right in the moment. Trying to learn both skills. :001_smile:

 

I think I come across friendlier in real life than online.

 

I am another one bad at small talk. In group situations, I end up mostly listening because a) I only pipe up when I have a specific, new point to add and b) the conversation changes paths by the time I have figured out what I want to say. I find these two things true in this forum as well.

 

So, I guess I'm pretty similar in both places.

[Aelwydd]

I'm pretty much the same in person, as I am online. Only my jokes are funnier.

 

 

As Popeye said, I yam what I yam.

[Margo out of lurking]

..

[LibraryLover]

I'm actually pretty good at listening to small talk. I don't mind nodding and asking you questions. I don't spill my guts to people I don't love and I enjoy interesting tidbits that don't really cost me energy.

 

I enjoy hearing about light things. I enjoy funny stories people tell. I can't take intense every minute. I like the escape. For me, not all conversations have to be life-changing or 'deep'. I have many intense conversations with those I trust and am close to. I don't need that at the ballet studio or at the market. I want to hear a cute story about your kid or grandchild.

 

I serioulsy want to hear about your deal on a French mani. :D I want to hear your take on Toddlers and Tiaras or Modern Family. I can't deal with "Tell me your life goals" & "People are so shallow" stuff all the time.

 

Ack. I am trying to perserve my brain for the long haul.

Edited August 9, 2011 by LibraryLover

[lovelaughs_times_three]

I'm pretty much the same in person, as I am online. Only my jokes are funnier.

 

 

As Popeye said, I yam what I yam.

 

:lol::lol::lol:

 

 

wait....did you mean your jokes are funnier here, or IRL?

[Aelwydd]

:lol::lol::lol:

 

 

wait....did you mean your jokes are funnier here, or IRL?

 

IRL. I have amusing gesticulations to go with my stories.

[Impish]

I believe I'm rthe same here as I am IRL. I'm chatty, personable, compassionate (to a point, I've had to reel this in because I have compassion burnout - and I do believe that is a real term/condition!), easy going.

 

I'm just annoyed that Imp said something to cause this thread. Is she causing trouble again? :boxing_smiley:

 

:lol::lol::lol:(love ya, Imp!):001_tt2:

That's me. Pot stirrer. :D

[specialmama]

I don't know.

 

I think I'm more reserved here, but bold when I absolutely have to be. In person, um.... okay maybe I am the same. I mean, there's times, especially when I'm tired, when I'm way out there boisterous and cackly. That's my new word.

 

I have a lot of brain farts. Almost seem spacey at times... or maybe that's in my own head and it appears that I'm some deep intellect? I dunno. :lol: I mean, other times I can think quite deep... but oooo shiny object!

This is weird.

 

I don't know how I appear! Way to go, Imp, you've made my brain bleed! :tongue_smilie: A la soup nazi: No coffee for you! :tongue_smilie: