The Cowardly Lion Club

[Luco El Loco]

Last night, feeling sorry for ourselves, me and my friend Chris formed this. Well I did... but he was with me! Inspired by the lion who wanted courage in The Wizard of Oz, I selected such a title for people who are scared to approach people themselves and chat them up. As the night drew on the pressure got too much for me and after sitting down to get a tissue for my nose... does it ever stop?! I found myself sat near the feet of a strectched out "Goth Boy" and thought, well I'm here, I might as well go sit next to him and find out his name etc.

Well I decided to approach a shy chap for the first time in my life last night... after 4 halves of cider.

I was pretty fluent though, just I had been extroverted and loud with my friend earlier. When I was talking to Goth Boy I was relatively ok. Unfortunately, he wasn't. he was plastered, and couldn't talk to me(!). But I told him I thought that he does some good moves on the dancefloor, and I would talk to him next week when he's sober. We shook hands too. I won't go into detail about the afterwards euphoria and the mad texts I sent Adam whilst I was in raptures... ;D

I did it I did it! I think it was a fear of hating myself if I didn't do it that moved me to act. Cider might have helped but... I think it was fearing my own wrath more.

Anyone else feel they should be in The Cowardly Lion Club, or have recently left it, like myself?

[distortion]

i reckon i should be in it, but not for the reason of being scared to chat people up. i'm just scared of people... period.

[Luco El Loco]

I can be sometimes... it depends on the situation. If it's somewhere familiar and comfortable like my usual weekly haunt then I'll only be nervous if I have to make real effort in something.

But, I admit I am nervous in open places with lots of people. I'm not so bad in a massive crowd in a high street as it's quite anonymous but when it is in between then that can be a bit nerve making. i also am a bit nervy passing individuals in the street. Only a bit though. It started when I was 14. Puberty, bullying... ---> chronic fatique and people fear. meh. But I'm getting better all the time with the nerve stuff.

What sort of situations are good/bad for you?

[distortion]

crowds used to be a problem, but now its not so bad. seeing people i half-know scares me, because i have to say hello to be polite, but i don't know them well enough to know what to say.

and where people know who i am, but i don't know anyone. and when i started e2e this week, where there is a tight group of people, and i just have to force my way in.

but once i get settled in, i'm fine.

[Luco El Loco]

Oh yes the half knowing and not knowing what to say, that sounds familiar.

Perhaps it's more normal/common than we expect?

[distortion]

maybe, but in my experience its always taken me alot longer to feel comfortable with stuff like than it has my friends. like when i started e2e last time, i started with a friend and she settled in much quicker than me. where she talked to everyone, i just latched onto the weird kid who no one else spoke to.

[Luco El Loco]

People have different motivations though. it depends I suppose on people's intentions toward people, i.e. if they actually care about their opinions. Some people do and respond to almost everyone, others are narcissists who crave attention and don't shut up, and others pick a couple of peeps to focus on. But I can be very good at justifying my own actions and methods so it would be interesting to hear about other people's experiences, to see if any trends exist.

At the same time, if anyone has anything to say regarding the main topic then yeah continue that too.