Running a blog is like running a business, and the readers are customers. They must be kept happy, so when requests are made, I listen. And since the person making this request is my girlfriend's brother, I pretty much have no choice.
Please allow me to digress while I turn my attention to a subject outside of the movies: live music and the art of conversation.
Last weekend, the girlfriend and I made the latest in a long line of summer social obligations. The party was an outdoor affair complete with food, sunshine, and live music. I had a very nice time, except for a small wrinkle.
As the band tore through "Feel Like Making Love" and "Sweet Home Alabama," the girlfriend introduced me to a series of people. Needless to say, because the band was loud, I couldn't hear a single word that was said. My means of communication were reduced to smiling and nodding. It was either that or start screaming like I was giving a traffic report from the News 6 chopper.
Conclusion: There's a very good chance everyone I met at said party thinks a lovely, intelligent woman is dating a bearded simpleton.
This got me thinking. Why do people think bars are such great places to meet people, when communication is severely blocked by crowd noise or live/recorded music? Single folks are always talking about how they're tired of the bar scene. I think maybe it's because they've finally realized effective communication is impossible, save for pick-up lines and drink requests. Why do you think the peacock effect works so well at bars? How many times did the guys from The Pick-Up Artist make the rounds at a book club or a housewarming party? With talking severely limited, physical appearance takes the cake.
Then again, maybe I would have made a more memorable impression at this high school graduation party, if I had spiked my hair, popped my collar, and sported a carrot-orange tan. Now, that would certainly get me noticed.
No comments:
Post a Comment