Awkward social situations and me go together like peas and carrots

I’ve had three experiences in the past couple of weeks (two of them being yesterday) where I’m in a social situation and I don’t know anyone, while everyone else seems to be acquainted. They all have to do with me trying to get involved with the gay community.

Now, I’m not trying to imply that gay people are cliquish. This could just as well have happened with a group of straight people (plenty of awkward memories from college parties, clubs, certain seminar classes).

It just so happens that, since I’m trying to get involved with the gays right now, this is where I’m encountering it.

So you probably want details:

1. Watching Shortbus with the Queer Graduate Caucus. I chatted briefly with a few people, but I couldn’t get a good conversation going. Plus, most of the people knew each other, so it was more of them chatting. I left after a few minutes.

2. Orange County AIDS Walk (yesterday). I got there really early, and I had signed up with a team whose members I haven’t met. Yeah, real smart of me. So, I really spent the first hour or so wandering the booths looking for their team sign (and feeling really stupid).

   The walk was cool, but I didn’t have the guts to go up to some stranger and say, “Hey, stop your conversation for a moment and let me introduce myself!”

3. The Center OC Gala (also yesterday). I was one of the earliest people to show up, and the person I knew who invited me was nowhere to be seen. Again, everyone was chatting with each other. Most of the crowd was older. I did have brief conversations with a few people, but it seemed like, past the formality stage, they were eager to talk to someone else. So mostly I drank my beer and wandered awkwardly through the crowd.

   Now, later on, I met several cool people. At the blackjack table I met a loud drunk lady — she was a lot of fun — and her friend, who was not drunk but who I had a good time chatting with.

   I also met a man who proceeded to introduce me to all of the doctors he knew in the crowd, and sent them over to say hi during the dinner. After that I talked to a lot more people. But still.