I've tried to keep blogs of my travels abroad, but really, I am just not very good at that. I want to write when I feel strongly about something, and I feel my day to day stories are just that. Day to day. Sometimes they will help express my feelings about how I view my time away from home, but they should be anecdotes to help explain how I got to a certain point which made me wish to write an entry.
I had a tumblr under this same name, pulpoambulante, but really, I am not a huge fan of tumblr. I didn't know. I tried it... well, that's over. Another dead blog.
I am trying to take things month by month right now, and right now I am giving up a few things, and trying to pick up a few things that I feel are needed in my life. A good friend of mine does 7 day challenges and other challenges in her life. They're impressive, and it was sort of the inspiration for me to challenge myself to do some good things in my life. A blog, if followed by friends and whatnot, is definitely a way to be held accountable. Another interesting girl who has entered in my life has helped me talk through a lot of my feelings and asked me the questions I need to be facing.
I am SO influenced in this world by others. Usually in my darker times, times when I miss home, miss a friend, have messed up something so that it seems irreparable, and am generally unhappy with the state of my life... the people who sit back and listen are those who really help me get a better sense of what the hell is going on. Not only is the listening part important though, but their penetrating insight. Whether given through allusions to famous philosophers, writers, or simply quoting advice which was given by their own friend, it is an impressive talent and an art being lost by the egotistical, self-centered ways of American society.
The loss of hand-written letters, the explosion of blogs (haha), the ability to comment on anything and everything on the internet has given people sharp tongues and an outlet to try and one up their anonymous peers. Very little thought is put into most responses, and it is more the struggle to answer quickly and to win whatever argument is taking place. People don't receive a letter like in the past, have time to read, reread, analyze, and ponder the ideas presented before them. Rather than mulling over a question or problem, taking in the advice or criticism given, and having to craft a hand-written response, with a few rapid taps on a keyboard or phone, a response is given.
Perhaps these people giving their opinion are trained in debate tactics and are merely honing their abilities to strike in an allotted amount of time and to
- reveal errors or omissions in another person's facts
- reveal errors or omissions in another person's logic
because those two ways, are (according to the internet!) two intellectually honest debate tactics... the same website has a slew of intellectually dishonest debate tactics. Forty dishonest ones. Here, I'll link you:
This same website also links you to more links where you can learn how to appropriately flame people on the internet. Awesome.
Anyway, it seems most people just sit and passively listen while trying to come up with their own ideas, and then argue about whatever the heck they want until it's so incredibly asinine that people are talking in circles (obviously not listening), and the whole world starts to rotate in the other direction and we all die...
Something like that.
Close enough.
So, the ability to listen is dying. How to be a great conversationalist is dying. Hell, people go to classes these days to learn how to talk to others. How to ask questions, direct conversations, included the shier members of a group, or just when to shut up.
So many people feel lonely these days. Maybe it's because we're so used to being happy when we're the center of attention. Reach out... you can learn so many things from so many people.
That story your friend told you about his 1960 Ford truck (totally made up) which he got up and running in a week... listen to it. Maybe you know nothing about trucks or even care, but maybe you should ask why he is so excited about that. It's his first time working on an engine? Maybe it's really hard to get the ignition timing right (maybe I should have found a better made up story) and he was able to do it with a trick or two his dad taught him. Ask questions if you don't understand, make comparisons, find out something new. Maybe in 3 weeks you'll be on vacation and meet the hottest dude ever who has an old Ford... did he get his truck up and running? Similar problems?
You might just make a new friend or not be bored out of your skull. The knowledge you got from one friend can help you gain a new one, and maybe the info from your new friend can bring you closer to your old friend.
It seems so ridiculous to be saying all of this on a blog... a nearly one-sided vent of my thoughts to you guys, but I hope that I do maintain this blog. I hope that I improve my writing. I hope that I find people who can stand to read it, and will maybe consider what I've put down and send me a link if you write something related. I'd love to read it.
Hah, more goals.... focus better.
I may as well give you one more link. These ideas about communication, or the lack there of, were somewhat spurred by The Art of Manliness blog. The Art Of Conversation How to Avoid Conversational Narcissism
They give some great advice on how to listen, redirect, etc. I am definitely going to try and work on some of these things. It's such a crucial change that I can't limit to one month, and I know that it will take longer than that to improve my conversational habits.
ttfn.
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