My defense? I learned to lurk at an early age. Hell, at one point I could actually vanish when there was more than three people in a group. Make a lurkerlynne-sized hole in the world and step through; can't bully whatcha can't find.

It got better in college; I stumbled across the local RPG people and got drawn outa my shell. Still a little socially inept, but much better than I used to be. I still chuckle that RPG geeks were my saviors. Lovely people they were.