Many of my friends tell me that they envy me because I get along with people very easily and they don't. They want to express extravertism as well. :P In fact, even I feel a glow of pride coming over me when I think of myself being one of those who like to mix with people. In reality, I don't mind mixing with people; I actually like better, observing them. Don't ask me why, but I do. Anyway, when one thinks of an extrovert or a person who likes to be the 'center of attention' ( I hate this comparison), one thinks of an extempore speaker, a friendly or pompous person who will have endless stories to tell about herself or himself. But actually, its quite the opposite. And it was proven to me after I took the MBTI test {http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp}. The questions were oriented in a way that you would think the answer will prove the opposite but it just reaffirms your own image about yourself.
I always thought of myself being an extrovert, but ask me if I choose to be one of those who like to raise their hands first for an opportunity to play with the microphone in front of a large audience? I shrink 2mm before I give in to my Mom's request to perform a song. In fact, I hate to be surrounded by loud and boisterous people, however, I do not shrink from throwing my ample weight around to coerce them to either quiet down or get them to leave (unless they are more stubborn than me, in which case, I leave first :P).
Have you ever considered the disadvantages of being an extrovert? What am I talking about? I am going to recount a sad little tale from my childhood that has scarred me for life :(.... :P. This, I feel may be able to justify the question.
There was this school fest in my sister's convent school, and she was in nursery. So I presume I was about 6- nudging on 7. Anyway, I was really excited to meet my sister's friends; {Bony was adorable at that age}so I was keen to meet the other teeny-tinies. We dressed up in our finest- a frilly, full-sleeved shirt, with golden buttons and a denim dungaree skirt for me, and Bony in her school uniform- a smart tunic and crisp white shirt to do her march-past in.;)
We reached her school well on time and went on to see the food stalls, where we were able to convince Ma to get us the sticky orange ice creams after solemnly promising not to let them drip onto our prim attire. After the parade {my sister had looked cute and sharp :P}, Ma went to meet her teachers, who sadly, were always very satisfied with the little twerp. (Hehe, kidding!) Anyway, I wasn't among those to get bored by long and unintelligible conversations between adults, they never seemed to get tired off. I traipsed off to the school playground and had a few swings on the jungle gym. By and by, I was glad to note, that there were others like me, veering off unsupervised by parents, undaunted at the prospect off getting a little mud on their shiny shoes. So I headed towards the see saw where I was able to strike up a friendship with a girl about my age. After a few rounds, I got tired of it, I guess my new friend was too, plus there were others pestering us to give up our prized seats. So I let them have it and turned my attention to the slide, where a queue had formed and kids were going up one by one and coming down to assume position for their respective turns. I joined the group. In my pursuit of happiness, I quite failed to notice that one of my shoe laces had come undone. A girl poked me from behind and pointed it out to me. I was quite pleased to have made another new friend, who was also quite kind?!{bonus- ding, ding, ding}. I was quite the optimist- looking back it seems I was probably a dunce, as well. :D While I fumbled with the shoe clasp, the girl asked politely if she could take the place in front of me. I, of course, quite happily forfeited my place to let her go first- happy to return the favor. Then, still waiting for our turns, I asked her her name. Suddenly, her face contorted, and in an offensively smug and vain voice she drawled, "I just asked you to give way, not to ask me questions."
I was so stunned, I kept mum for the rest of the day. This event haunted me for quite a long time :P, and I learnt a valuable lesson that day. Keep quiet unless you're in your own school.... Hehe. And I decided to abide by it till the next time I went out to my sister's school. :P You didn't think I was going to stay down forever, did you? ;)
