You still have much to learn, grasshopper.

 So I was in the computer lab today with a friend, working on our own project reports, when one of his friends comes in and plops herself down across the desk from us, and a small conversation ensues.

There were so many painfully obvious openings for negs - my friend's remark that her dress looked like a maternity dress, her rueful admission that she'd gained a kilo or two over the last holiday month (now I'm really wondering what might have happened if I'd gone ahead with my remark about it possibly being baby weight. Even if she'd exploded at me, it'd probably have been practice for taking histrionics calmly and aloofly/amusedly. Hah!), and yet I couldn't get the words out of my mouth or replace her with a target dummy in my mind. I guess it didn't help that my friend was the one steering the conversation between the three of us, pulling us into his frame. Since I self-identify as being somewhere along the delta-gamma spectrum (using Vox's system), I guess it's not hard to out-alpha me.

I wonder if he knows about game, or if he's just a natural. I may have to find a way to discreetly ask him.

At least when my friend moved to introduce us properly, I managed to coax her into giving her name first, before I "rewarded" her with mine.

What I think I need to work on now, is confidence when talking to unfamiliar people, men and women alike. Greeting the security guards on campus, asking people the time, asking people at the gym if they're done with the equipment instead of just standing around and hoping they'll get the message. I know it sounds pathetic, but it's an improvement over merely just looking people in the eyes and I think I'm ready for that now. Just walking like I've a sword on my belt makes me feel more confident. I know I can have a loud and commanding voice when the situation calls for it - I was told so, first in basic military training and during my two-year stint in the navy - I just need to exercise it more often.

Baby steps, baby steps. Still have much to learn, much to improve on. Reading Roosh, Heartiste and Vox every day.