Are you conscious of how you come across to others?

Pegg said:

I've tried to learn about polite conversation, even though it bores my socks off.

I'm useless at polite conversation. I always rely on input before responding otherwise I don't immediately respond---puts people off

Absolutely, it all comes out as the alcohol goes in! I used to think, well good, now they've all been honest they can start having real friendships! But no... the truth is blamed on the booze as if it doesn't count and they go back to being superficial! 

Roy said:

Oversharing is just autistic people talking about something really interesting and want everyone else to enjoy it as much as them

Yes! Exactly! I think probably as my interest switches on, everyone else switches off!

I often don't notice that though, occasionally I meet people who want to talk about the same stuff as I do, then it's the best! 

I've tried to learn about polite conversation, even though it bores my socks off.

I was always told as a child to tell the truth, I love to people watch, I’ve seen groups of mums on a night out, at the start all friends, 2 bottles of wine in and there will be one pulling the hair extensions out of another and telling them the truth! It’s something I can’t work with, the false smiles and just having to belong to a group because they need to. Oversharing is just autistic people talking about something really interesting and want everyone else to enjoy it as much as them!

I had a similar conversation when I was out recently...

What is wrong with the truth? I'm told it's 'oversharing' or impolite- whatever that means! 

I am sometimes aware but a phrase often used by my wife when we go out is….”I can’t believe you just said that,” her thoughts are that I never had any filters fitted at the factory. My answer is that I was just telling the truth, what’s wrong with the truth?

I like your post, it resonates..

If only We could love ourselves we would not care what other's think.
Easier said then done though. 

Thank you Pegg that's really nice of you to say. I needed that this morning.

I consider you a friend too DeSpereaux . We are friends!

I truly appreciate your kind words

That's the advantage of online interactions I guess, you don't have to worry about all that in-person stuff.

For what it's worth, you come across as a lovely person on here, in my opinion

Very much so yes!

I get so anxious when I think about how other people see me.

If I talk to someone I spend the rest of the day worrying if my hair was right, did I say the right things, were they feeling awkward because I was there?

Anxiety is triggered and I feel really lousy and self conscious.

thank you #. It feels all kinds of ways..some of those feelings are new and I yet define them. working on it.

I consider you a friend Pegg. In a much as my capacity to follow-up, and actively-read on this forum allows, I’ve got your back too..:)

Thanks DeSpereaux.
I don;t tend to post my problems on here, i would rather try and make others laugh 
even when i dont feel like it. 
The headbanging is me thinking what joke to crack next while the headphones are in
place to help me to think without disturbance or distraction.

If you mean on here, I think you come across as enjoyable, plus I’m always wondering what could sound so good, that you would headbang perpetually like that..

I know how i come across.
An idiot.
That's masking for you.

Yes...that is me in essence too, although with a bit of nuance....ie

If I have something meaningful or profound to say, 98% of the time I can't look at the person I am talking to....even if I'm close to that person and have full trust.  It's because I would loose my train of thought / words.

In the 2% of instances where I am delivering something meaningful or profound, and I find myself drawn to look directly at them, I am told that it is too intense for comfort.....and it also normally makes me feel emotional too.

If I'm just talking with an NT / NPC or anyone about nothing important, my eye contact is "perfectly acted" at "normal" levels I believe.  I can behave very normally with "fluff" encounters.

Like you, I never have difficulty looking directly at someone who is taking to me...and again, I am often accused of this being too intense.

I'm a bit funny with it. I can look at you when you're speaking to me but not the opposite. I can do it in small doses. 

Good for you Battybats! 

It's hard to be yourself sometimes, but worth it..

Well... 

There are different sorts of loyalty, and different degrees... 

Loyalty to a person (including animals here) I perceive as a generally positive thing in my own life, probably because I am very loyal to those I care about... 

Personal loyalty is based around personal relationships, of varying sorts and degrees and may be both organic and evolutionary in its process...

That was unintentionally verbose... 

Anyway..

Loyalty to an idea seems to lend itself to rigidity, perhaps because the idea is itself rigid. 

It's loyalty to a fixed set of ideas, usually... 

Then you're moving in the direction of faith.. 

But no faith can survive without loyalty.. 

I think I've digressed!