<<I must say that now I actually seek out risk in some situations.>>

Bob, that's a great statement.  I look forward to feeling like that.  I found out, about the name coming up when you post, that if you change your name in Outlook Express address book it'll come up the way you want it - at least I think so; I'm trying it now.  I'm going to try some meditation-type sitting and looking at the anxiety that's up for me lately; sometimes that can reveal what's immediately underneath.  I wanted to share here that I'm 40 and this is the first time I've been interested in directly attacking the social skills/anxiety issue directly.  I can only think I'm doing it now because I've healed the worst issues I had, a deeper sense of fear of humiliation/badness/lack of a sense of self (meditation helped with that, after therapy really stalled out on it) and now I think the anxiety is simply about a sense of  the incredible uncertainty in human interactions, having not enough practice, certainly not enough successes, and not enough support to be OK with making mistakes.  This sort of forum  could really help fill the need to have support in order to take the risks involved in learning new skills.  Peace, Liza