but that's clearly more expensive in the long term.

No, I have excellent social skills. Though sometimes I feel anti social and just want to stay home.

Growing up I was super awkward and I guess I've just come into my own over the past 5 years or so.

Cemented a close friendship with an acquaintance last night. Made 2 friends today. People that I just clicked with immediately. I'm starting to get the hang of things again. Thankfully, I feel much less empty than I had.

i used to be worse but with age comes experience plus with my course/job i have to talk to people.

It's really easy for me to make friends and talk to people, probably because I never had a brother, sister, or cousin so I had to entertain my invisible friends when I was little, so.. yeah. I've practiced entertaining "others" for so long already -- why not? I find that it's pretty easy for me to talk to anyone about anything. At the same time, there's very few people I actually like, and I prefer to be "friends" with people who share similiar interests and have similiar values as me -- so, well, I don't consider ANYONE my friend anymore, just an acquaintance, since lying isnt' on my agenda, and I'm not interested in how many girls or guys a person is fucking. So, I'm not really "cool". But I do have Mike, who can sit around and discuss Redshape and Godard and Burroughs with me. He's a great dude.

I'm still awkward....however, I don't think I was always this bad. anywho. I think I'm growing into it a little more.

I guess I have pretty average social skills. I'm not too shy, or afraid of talking in front of people, although I'm pretty quiet most of the time. I just don't want come across as too talkative because I know a couple people who are socially very dominating and loud. Now, that's not that bad per se, but the more you talk, the more shit comes out of yr mouth.
One of those people is a living example of that and I want avoid the risk of giving that impression. Behavior like that is an easy way to make me hate people.

I guess I'd be more social if I were involved in bigger social circles and were generally more interested in other people. Right now though I'm mostly alone since the majority of the people I hung out with until last spring have moved out of the town by now.

Also, the finnish culture doesn't really encourage engaging in small talk.

Im pretty shy, but when the ice is broken Im fucking crazy. :P

I think I'm fucking horrible, but everybody says that I have a great personality. I always feel socially awkward.

Yesterday was one of those situations for me. A neighbor introduced herself to me last night and all I was able to say was "uh huh" "yeah" "sure" "thanks!"