The author discusses their thoughts on interacting with strangers, particularly in everyday situations like public transportation and stores. They share personal anecdotes, including a time when they had to decide whether to move to a different seat on a crowded bus and an experience at Home Depot where they struggled to ask for help. The author reflects on how they used to avoid talking to people, but now, due to their YouTube presence, they have to interact with strangers more often. They offer some advice on overcoming social anxiety, suggesting that people should understand that everyone has their own struggles and that with practice and self-belief, they can be themselves around others.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The author sat between two strangers on a crowded bus.
2. The person next to the author got off at the next stop, leaving the author to decide whether to move or not.
3. The author is conflicted about whether to move or not, not wanting to imply that the other person is "disgusting" or unwanted.
4. The author reflects on how they interact with strangers, including avoiding eye contact and conversation.
5. The author recalls a time when they needed to ask for help at Home Depot, but avoided interacting with a sales employee.
6. The employee wore an orange vest, which the author assumed meant they worked at Home Depot.
7. The author eventually asked for help from another employee, who was unhelpful.
8. The author's book was published and sold in stores, but they couldn't find it in the humor or bestsellers section.
9. An employee at the store told the author that the book was in the back, but hadn't been put out yet.
10. The author bought their own book, despite not wanting to, in order to avoid an awkward situation.
11. The employee didn't ask for the author's ID, despite the author being the book's author.
12. The employee gave the author a pile of their books to sign.
13. The author has been trying to overcome their social anxiety by interacting with fans and meeting new people.
14. The author notes that conversations with fans are often the same, but have helped them become more comfortable with social interactions.
15. The author is still working on feeling safe in social situations.
16. The author believes that practice and self-confidence can help people show their "true colors" to the world.
17. The author thinks that people are often more kind and understanding than they seem.
Note: I excluded opinions and personal reflections, and focused on extracting factual information from the text.