The introverts guide to hiding in corners

Nothing highlights my social prowess like the fact that I have done nothing worth blogging about for absolutely weeks now. I have mostly been keeping my head down, working loads and reading lots of books. It's not all bad but it doesn't make for very exciting reading (if I was to write about it that is).
The one thing I have been noticing on my rare outings is that I am in danger of being swallowed by my own social anxiety.

 It's one of those things that has always loomed somewhere in my life, like a shadow but thanks to my good friend alcohol, I have never really tackled it. As most of you know I haven't drank socially (or at all) in almost a year and a half so I am now forced to acknowledge my shortcomings in these areas. Mind you the not drinking has not been too big a struggle given how rarely I've been out in that time. Over the last while the deep discomfort I have felt mingling with near strangers has been so acute that I have contemplated reintroducing Drunk Laura (she's great fun or so I'm told) to the world except for one tiny thing, I really don't want to. I am fed up of abandoning a whole weekend just for one night on the tiles and then facing into days of despair as the fear follows me around like a big black cloud, no thank you.

 This however does leave me in a bit of a predicament. How do I at the grand ol' age of 34 hone these much neglected social skills. Are there classes for this sort of thing? All of my instincts suggest I stay in with a book as books are never difficult to interact with providing you are reading the right kind. If I do this then I will probably become a part time hermit ( you can't be a full time one when you live with your boyfriend, that's an indisputable fact) which admittedly does not seem like the worst thing in the world. 

 My other option is to struggle along like I am doing now. I am certain my social skills are becoming more inept with each outing if that is even possible. I have noticed myself at social events with himself, doing a rather good impression of his shadow but saying nothing while he chats away to people I don't know and I just hope to go unnoticed. This is partly because I am not allowed to bring a book to such things, which seems unfair if you ask me. I know this would merely be exchanging my old social crutch (alcohol) with unsocial one (books) or possibly I would start something new and I would be able to recognize my fellow introverts and possible future friends by the books they are clutching. 

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