Day 22 of 30

Last night, I went out with some folks I don’t usually hang out with. We ended up singing karaoke. I know people were taking pictures. 

It’s nice to go out with new people, from time to time. It’s interesting to watch yourself in new situations, trying to figure out what’s the same and what’s different. We’re different people in different situations, but some things stay the same.

It’s also the conversations that change. I don’t have much history with the people I went out with last night. We have a similar story, but it’s different enough to be interesting. The way I had to tell stories had to change. I had to predicate most things with a backstory. 

I also noticed that we had to describe the people we were talking about. Folks would use adjectives to describe people as they were talking. For example, there was, “Arrogant Arnold,” “Sexy Steve,” or “Timid Tom.” It was an interesting way to get to know the people talking.

The words people use says a lot about them. How someone would describe someone else helped me to understand how they see their world when they’d describe someone I also know. The adjectives they used were being cross-referenced in real-time.

Adjusting my response was also an interesting exercise. I had to be conscious of my intentions and what the ramifications of what I said would be. It was a safe space that I had to navigate carefully.

Because they were all already friends, they might not have had the same contentions. Listening to them speak with one another also gave me some insight into who they are. 

Last night, for the most part – the parts I remember – was an interesting learning experience. People vary widely. Me, I’m pretty consistent in the way I perceive myself. I’m inconsistent when others view me. I’ve a terrible singing voice. 


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