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People are sometimes surprised to learn that I was cripplingly shy as a kid. A barnacle on mom’s leg, nearly. There were many reasons, like getting lost at a festival when I was really young and many hours reading alone or hiking with the dogs as I got older.

That isolation started to chip away in high school theater and college, but it really weakened once I got hired as a reporter. My JOB was to approach strangers and talk to them, and my paycheck depended upon it. Strong motivation and a good opener really helped overcome the shyness.

Inside, though, I still have some of the introvert left. No one sees it because I’m generally gregarious and loud, but it’s there nonetheless. Continue reading →