Thanks to all for the comments and encouragement. I am hoping to put some of the advice to the test.

You don't have to be all over the site. I have to pick and choose, otherwise I can feel overwhelmed. Focus on just the categories, groups, or topics you like and leave the rest alone.

Heh, I can relate. Sometimes I feel like engaging, and other times I just look around and go, "why bother?". But, I keep coming back. If anything, I can at least post music videos I like.

No guarantees. Some good advice here: try lurking and hanging; add some thumbs and votes; maybe a comment. People here are like folks anywhere - some kind, some not so much. Luckily there are many who will point out and chastise the unkind. Best wishes.

Engagement requires effort. Regardless of what anyone else does or doesn't do, exerting effort is completely under your control. Keep putting in the effort, you'll get where you want to be if you are persistent. Good luck partner.

Hey, don't knock cheap sparklers....!

Push on, you can do it.

Don't feel like you must participate here. Just hang around at your own pace and when you see something that could spark your desire to comment, just do it, even if it is just a one word comment (LOL, I agree, perhaps, etc). That might eventually loosen you up a bit.

Act as if become as if... Just type LoL

Sorry you fizzled. Happy New Year!

I'm sorry you're feeling like this. I do the same in real life, but have found expressing my true self is easier here with like-minded people.

Maybe you need a motorcycle ride on New Year's day!

It'll get better, hang in there