Look who's back…Back again. (smh;)

Life sucks. Sometimes. It's my fault. Every time.

It has been a while since I have laid down my "pen."

What have I done since then? I will tell you.

But before I do, let me preface with this: I spent about 7 years studying theology and 3 years studying economics. Nerd? Perhaps ;) And by that I mean, obviously so. Social skills? Lacking. Social ability? Potential.

I realized that there was a lack of social ability in my associations. Was it because I was homeschooled? ISTJ personality type? Antisocial parents? Yes, yes, and yes.

I got a job as a cashier at the local IGA grocery store when I was 16 and started to develop those social skills necessary to get along with my peers. I went to college and furthered my interactions, but still lacked. I joined the Navy, enlisted in the Nuclear Propulsion Program and became a social butterfly {sarcasm}. NOT! I was now surrounded by nerds like me who had only slightly better social skills. *Is this a dream?* Unfortunately it wasn't a dream. Those guys who I thought had amazing social skills, it turns out that their social arbitrations are well underdeveloped (in my current opinion and more to that soon).

Three years ago, I was thinking (dangerous, I know;) that I could raise my social intelligence. I deliberately looked for opportunities to place myself into the awkwardness that is society (for a nerd) to learn what I hadn't yet from my quarter of a century of existence. I paused my intellectual pursuits at that moment to pursue a pressing and very necessary course.

What have I learned?

Life sucks. Sometimes.

It's my fault. Every time.

LOL.

My pen is rusty. The world cares not. But I care.

TRUTH. Too important to bury my talents for social acceptance.

I am actually adept at deciphering social cues. I really did not think I had it in me. Thanks be to God, first and foremost for granting me eyes that see and ears that hear so that I may discern truth from lies. Even social intelligence is a learned intelligence.

People are fundamentally sss…

No. Not stupid.

Dead wrong.

Selfish.

They [and I, me, myself, you, him, her, as it 'were'] are primarily/fundamentally/basally selfish/self-absorbed/self-important/self-indulgent/et cetera…

How to make friends and influence people? Play to their self love. That's how it's done. I don't like it, but 'it is what it is.'

The point: I now know NO. And YES. (No point in what I just said, the real point follows.) There is both a science and an art to social intelligence. Being a natural born skeptic, I have always been the scientist. Embracing life, I have learned the art. I now feel free to practice my former pursuits knowing now how to make it accessible to everyone (within reason). "So what," you say, "will you (I) do with my new found knowledge/ability?" And that my friends is the right question ;)