Talking, talking

I was shy as a kid.  Would you have guessed?
I didn't often fit in outside of family situations, I often felt self-conscious or unprepared for interaction.  I was a quiet observer, able to entertain myself for long stretches of time.  I like my own company.  I like being alone.
This probably doesn't sound strange to that many of you, assuming we're all quilters.  It is a solitary hobby after all (most of the time), but there is also a wonderfully social aspect to it.  I love guild meetings because it's ok to sit and observe or get up and talk.

I got over my shyness sometime in high school, I guess.  At 16 I had the lead in the high school musical..  Yes, I was still self-conscious sometimes and often unprepared, but I learned to trust my instincts, to lead with intuition, and basically to "wing it" most of the time.  I like the me that comes out without too much forethought.
Wait.
Maybe that came out wrong.  I do think, I actually spend a lot of time thinking about what I'd like to say in a variety of situations.  On my drive to work I play out whole conversations with multiple people in specific surroundings.. Perhaps more accurate would be to say that I don't like to worry.   I don't waste time getting anxious over what might happen if I say or don't say, if I do or don't do.  I trust me, and I like myself more when I do.

I have recently upped my PowerPoint game.  I like making presentations, and I LIKE giving them.  I was invited to speak to a local guild about English Paper Piecing yesterday and as I was setting up, there were no butterflies.  I was completely comfortable.  Only a bit of concern when I couldn't get my laptop to connect to the projector, but even then, it wasn't stress-- I knew I'd be ok.  The guild members went through their guild business announcements.  I stood ready, not even reviewing my notes.  And when my turn came, I was on.   Ohh, I like to talk.
Last night I took the Myers-Briggs quiz, again.  I keep thinking I'm going to score more introverted because I understand almost everything Marzi @introvertdoodles posts, but no.  ENFP, every time.

This chart came from a quiz off Facebook, but if you would like to try for yourself, I suggest 16personalities.com  

It's easy for me to talk about quilting, to talk about making and my creative process.  My quilts all have stories anyway, even the ones I don't like that much.  All the stalled projects, all the hurried promos.. but last night I got to talk about the quilts I really love.  The hand pieced ones I spent a lot of time with.  Quilts that capture a certain time period.  A time that has passed.
I get to sit down with that group again on Saturday for a Hexie workshop and I hope I'll have the chance to talk about more than just the "how to" parts of EPP.  I'd like to ask for their stories, do some listening.  Put it all in perspective.  I hope this weekend I find some time to observe too.