  A lot of my friends, especially those from poly, has asked me why I hardly talk. The reason is simple. I don't want to look like an idiot, or worst still, piss people off. Already somebody is not talking to me, probably because of something I said. Even till now, I still do not know what I said or did to make the person angry, but well... The thing is, I have been trained to think before I talk, so as not to say something wrong, hurtful or offensive (Primary school friends, you are responsible for this). If I don't think before talking, chances are, I will say something stupid or even worse, make somebody angry.
Therefore, most of the time, I think very hard before opening my mouth, going "Will I offend anyone if I say this? Will I come across as a stupid idiot? " By the time I have made my decision, the topic has changed and I have to think again about what to say. So most of the time, I just keep my mouth shut. Of course, I wouldn't like to live like this.
But then again, prevention is better than cure. I know how powerful words can be and how one slip of the tongue can cause irreparable damage to relations, as I've experienced it more than once in my life. I'm still trying my best to open up, but my friends must instill confidence in me too. They must show that they don't mind my occasional slip and are willing to forgive some errors that I may make when talking. That would be a fair trade off in exchange for a more open and talkative Ben. Thanks for reading this. Much appreciated. 
