It does help, and thank you for the suggestion about interacting more outside the game. That's something I do have trouble doing, largely because I don't want to bother others or but in when people are plotting things for their characters. But you're right in that it would clarify where I'm coming from in terms of how I play my characters and in trying to get them more involved with others.
Thank you for your help and I hope I don't let anyone down ;-;