Socializing with AS vs NT people?

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How do others here feel it's different/ the same interacting socially with NT people versus those on the spectrum? Do you feel comfortable talking to others with asperger's/autism, or do you still find the interactions confusing and difficult at times?

A few years ago I worked hard to try to move past the discomfort and develop friendships with some like-minded (as in philosophically, not neurologically) parents in my community. I even joined Facebook briefly to try to keep in touch. However, despite investing time and effort they didn't go anywhere and I don't feel I was ever "close" to any of them. If I tried to "be myself" I was met with glazed looks and strained silences. It was like my maximum possible effort and facade was required just to keep things on a casual level of meeting for coffee once a month, and I just gave up after about a year because I didn't see the point. It was too much work for too little benefit, and it was too hurtful seeing the people I liked be so close with others and never want to be that way with me. I know it's probably my own fault for being too unusual and awkward so that no one is at ease with me, but I just couldn't handle it; I decided I would rather be alone. At this point I am just not interested in socialilzing with NTs-- not because I'm a snob, but just because it's too hard.

I don't know anyone autistic in real life, or at least not as far as I'm aware; this forum is my only contact with others like me. I do find it easier talking to people here, partly because it's a forum so it's not as intense as conversing in person, on the phone, or on messengers; but also because I see others being just as eccentric as myself, and tend to assume that more awkwardness and quirks will be accepted than in average company. However, I have to admit I still do find posting here somewhat stressful and uncomfortable. I still feel like others know some kind of rules that I don't and have a rapport with one another that I can't replicate.

Is that just my low self-esteem talking, or does anyone else feel the same? Do you find it easy posting here compared to interacting with NTs, or is it still difficult? If you know people with AS in real life, how does that compare?

Like you dont know anyone autistic in real life and tend to get well with people on these forums probably for the same reasons as you.

Unlike you though I have NT friends and maintain a facebook account to stay in touch etc.
I have few friends but of those I do have we are all very close and have remained so since highschool, we do regualr poker nights, pool nights, movie nights and go out too.
I do find it hard to stay in contact at times and do consider what the point is but I have always prided myself on forward thinking and so have considered that I am still young and perhaps in 10/20/30 years time I may want my friends around more than I do at the moment. I make the extra effort mostly for the fact that I dont want to shut these people out of life and it is often interesting to get an NT's point of view on a subject.
Thus far my experience on WP and with others on the spectrum has been that I can get on equally well with both NT and AS with the primary difference being that I have to focus that little bit harder when conversing with NT people.

I don't find I have any real differences relating to either group - with both groups I have to be aware all the time of what I am saying and doing. I have NT friends who accept me for who I am and AS friends who find me difficult as well as the other way around.

I have never had difficulty making initial contact and friendships (I'm the brash social type) but they don't generally develop into anything more than superficial relationships and rarely last long. With AS friends it's often because our AS clashes in some way.

Now and again though, I meet someone who really gets me and is willing to take me as I come and put the effort into maintaining a friendship with me. They are the people I feel most comfortable with and it doesn't seem to matter whether they are AS or NT.

I don't have many good friends but those I have I value whatever their presentation.