On Rusty Skills

To say I am rusty would be an understatement. My social experiences over the last 6-7 years have been almost non-existent, relegated mainly to hanging out with a few people I already had developed a rapport with online, and having them around when I went out to grease the wheels, so to speak. I am not faced with the proposition of going to a social gathering with people I have never met, something I haven't done in... well, a long time, about 9 years or so. That's a long time to go without practice, without developing social skills. Now I am throwing myself into a evening gathering without much of any experience to go on, especially since the person I was the last time I did this is different than the person I am now. And I'll have no friend going with me, truly I'll be out on an island on my own, hoping to ingratiate myself to other people as best I can, trying to act natural, trying to be myself and be cool at the same time, which research shows might be impossible. To say I am anxious is an understatement. But here's hoping I do well. It's been a long time coming.