Foot-in-mouth syndrome

Who hasn't been in the position where a compliment goes wrong? I mean, it happens to everyone right? Right? I've been there...more than once. My most recent recipient of such a compliment was yours truly, Ross-hole. Not that he wasn't as deserving of the non-compliment as he was of the intended one. ;) It does go to show, however, that my foot-in-mouth syndrome knows no bounds.
Yesterday I was visiting some friends from college. One of whom is a few years younger than me, but she and I connected with through cross country. In the running realm, I feel very comfortable around her, but she is much more socially with it (translate: well dressed, well versed in current events, well spoken) than I am. So in social scenes, I always feel a little out of my element.
Okay, so that's the background I was coming from when I was talking to Ross later that afternoon. We were walking the dog, and I basically told him that I really appreciated that he wasn't like my well dressed, well spoken, well versed friend and I could be comfortable around him. Yeah, that sounded like a compliment to him too, and you can bet he didn't give me a chance to remove that foot from my mouth for even a second. He just handed me a shovel.
What I meant, Ross, was I appreciate that I've always been able to just be myself around you. I've never had to fake it, and you still choose to date me, and that is something.
Happy almost two-years of dating........sucker. ;)