This post was partially inspired by two pieces I read this morning: My first month on App.net by Riccardo Mori and Can You Really Pick Yourself? by Michael Schechter.

I am not a social person by nature. I'm an introvert who will go out of his way to avoid exchanging meaningless pleasantries and small talk with random people. If I'm honest with myself, I could even say that I actively hate and resent having to deal with people at all. Let me stay at home all day with some books and I'm the happiest man you've ever seen.

That being said, I do have this inexplicable need to communicate my thoughts to the outside world¹. But simply autoposting to Twitter and app.net whenever I write something doesn't seem like the most efficient way to "gain an audience". I'm not saying I need a Gruber-sized² follower count, but staying in my little anti-social shell probably isn't doing me any favors either.

Over the past week or so something strange has happened: I've replied to people I follow who don't also follow me and they've actually responded. That little bit of acknowledgment was surprisingly encouraging. So I'm going to try to be more social and "engage in the conversation".

If you're on Twitter or app.net, hit me up and say hi. I promise I don't bite.