Thanks Rubab! 

Jill, I think online confidence translating into a more assertive offline self could be one of the greatest non-financial benefits to all of this social media stuff!

Absolutely positively, dwoffice! I truly am a different person these days, thanks in a huge part to the Internet.

I love that other reclusive types have the opportunity to come out of their shells online without fear. It's such a great way to learn who you actually are as a person, and even more so for other people to learn who you are.  

I'm cautious about it. I'd like to think that I'm not very different online and off, and I've made a concious decision to use my real name, hold nothing back, and represent myself to the best of my ability. I sometimes worry, since everything I publish on the internet is part of the public record, but it makes me think twice about everything I say. That practice has made me a better communnicator.