[Fulkth]

Hmm, well that's a complicated question.

I think there is a difference between being shy and introverted.

For example, my husband is an introvert, but he is not shy. He can hold conversations no problem. But he prefers to spending time by himself. That's how he recharges.

I on the other hand, am an extrovert, but socially awkward. I get my energy from being around other people. I like talking. And in order to talk, you have to have other people around to talk and listen to. My only problem is that when I do talk it either tends to be boring talk (not engaging to the listener) or I say dumb things (insert foot in mouth).

For example, my aunt (by marriage) was lamenting about how she wasn't thin like her sister. So I told her that she just did not inherit the skinny genes. (This coming from a person who also did not inherit the skinny genes in the family). I got the impression that she did not like my answer. But in the end my mom smoothed out the conversation.