Involuntary expressions in social situations.

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Although I seldom take the time and evaluate the positioning of my own facial muscles, especially when struggling through social interaction, I do sometimes catch myself staring blankly off into space as if someone just erased my brain without turning off my body. That realization has a chance of dissolving into a more personal and environment-sensitive expression, but...sometimes I think it is just too funny to lose, especially in a crowded area full of strangers who are probably wondering what is going on with me.

On the other hand, interacting with unfamiliar (as in not at a "friendship" level) individuals often causes me to have a nervous smile pasted on my face that can only be made to vanish after the situation passes. That accompanies a multiple-octave increase in my voice pitch with a decrease in volume, and for some reason the school faculty thinks it makes me seem sweet or some such nonsense. I also inexplicably smile when given news of any emotionally-charged event, so I have to fight to express concern in a healthy manner when someone tells me that so and so was found dismembered in their neighbor's lawn.

I know that feeling; my parents could tell me that they've both lost their jobs and we're going to be evicted and live on the streets, and I would start to grin...A LOT, just like the nervous tension of the situation is building up and making me smile.