When it comes to socializing, I have a high coefficient of static friction. I tend to stay in place. If I let too long go between get-togethers, I fall out of the habit of hosting them, the identity of someone who brings people together. I rarely ever want to go out. I drag my feet. I look for excuses to stay at home. I resist when invited, and only manage to make myself go because of social expectations.

When I'm there, though, sometimes it's all right. Sometimes it's awkward. But sometimes it's fun and almost frictionless, and the time speeds by.

I should remember those times so that it's easier to push myself to go out. The risks are small, anyway.

What makes some get-togethers feel okay? I like board games and card games. They create new situations for us to interact in and result in new in-jokes. They give my hands something to fiddle with. At the same time, there's still space for conversation between rounds and during breaks. I find background conversations too distracting when I'm trying to work on something, so I prefer to work at home. Pair-hacking might be interesting, though. I like talking through complex things much more than conversations just about catching up. I like having a sense of accomplishment or learning.

The weather's warming up, so maybe I'll have a get-together sometime. Gotta ramp up to it again. Maybe I'll check out Gamfternoon at HackLab.to. Maybe I'll try going to more HackLab open houses. Maybe I'll invite people over for a casual get-together. Daylight Savings Time kicked in, so I guess introvert hibernation mode is winding down… We'll see!