text: I recognize shy and vulnerable.  I have that in some aspects of my personality.  However, we're all responsible for recognizing our shortcomings and working on them, not letting them dominate our lives.\n\nYou can't fix him or change him, but you shouldn't have to sit around waiting for him to change on his own, either.\n\nYou can let him know that it really is time for the two of you to move from online to real life in your friendship.  Shorten the length and frequency of the onliene conversations.  He will either step up to the plate or he won't.