How do you think others perceive you? Do you think that the impression you're trying to convey is the same one others get?

Winged, my friend.
My comments were not an indictment on your fabulousnes, or on your willingness to show it and share it.
I have no doubt in what refers to your flamboyancy and your not go give a crap attitude. 
I understand that.
My objection is to your assertion that you don't nurse an image, that you don't do your hair in  certain way, or talk a certain way, because that's the image you want to show.
Like those kids that wear black and purple, and heavy eyeliner, and label themselves non comformists, but they all look alike.
Do you know what I mean?
To me someone who really doesn't care looks like this.
And maybe, this guy is still showing the image he wants us to see of himself, which means he still cares. 
No?
We're just talking, im not questioning your resolve in being genuine.

Yeah, that's what most of us say.

Don't you want sympathy as well? 
I know I do.
I have read some of your responses, and maybe, just maybe, what you consider advice or opinion is coming off as dismissive, aggressive, inflexible and authoritative...
Which im sure, is not your intention.
But that's what we do, we show one face, but how can we be sure that the face we show, is the face they see?
I do appreciate your answer, J, and I do agree with you a hundred percent; people usually want validation when they ask for advice. Very insightful.

Yes, I have had to figure out by myself how to pretend to live a normal life. When I find something that works, I hang on to it and try to pass the knowledge on to others. The one thing that never worked for me was trying to get sympathy, so I just never learned to operate in that mode.

Who is it that said, "..... living in quiet desperation..." or something like that... I got reminded of that by your pretending to live a normal life. (Which by the way I think that's a good line)
I remember when I was trying to figure out the rules that I thought, "wow, looks like everybody's got this figured out but me"
But then I realized that most were as clueless as just was.
And as for advice, I don't give it unsolicited. And even when they ask, I ask back, are you asking me because you want advice or do you just want me to agree with you?
You know what I mean?
Thank you for responding JV, I really appreciate it.

I think your right Pearl.