Everybody is a star

In a reply to a post at Fred's on blogoholism I found the comment with the phrase "But it's because it's so tough to find interesting people in the neighborhood or at work! " as a reason we read blogs where, presumably, interesting people write.

This intrigued me. Where do you think bloggers are from? All of us live and most of us work somewhere. (some of us blog from work! scamps!) That makes us the "interesting people in the neighborhood or at work" that you can't find! Why don't most people realize that? I feel it's because we don't take the time to meet our neighbors or co-workers on a more personal basis.

Not being able to blog can be for several reasons. They may not have access to the internet or they may not be able to write down their thoughts clearly. Most of your neighbors and co-workers are, more than likely, very interesting to know as humans. We just don't have the time.

I actually missed having a friend I could have talked to by meeting her the day before she moved. We had lived a block apart and our girls had played together for almost a year. We talked for 2 hours one night, realized we had a LOT in common and then I had to go get ready for work while she had more packing to do. I never saw her again. Dumb me!

If you saw me at the local coffee shop you would never look at me twice, unless the helmet is hanging on back of the chair, because I have turned into a soft, round, older, red neck woman with no really outstanding features. I'm down right plain. But my brain is installed and running all the time on a wide variety of topics and interests. My history is full of amazing tales of human stupidity mixed with blind luck and adventures too graphic for most of you. And I have a great sense of humor!

What some of you don't seem to have been able to extrapolate from reading blogs is that everyone has a story. Almost everyone you meet has something in common with you and a story to tell. To discover these " interesting people in the neighborhood or at work" you have to find the time to get to know them. You have to overcome your tendency to judge on appearances, age, and wealth or lack of same.

Wanna try something fun? Put a small note pad and a pencil in your pocket. Watch for the next few days and find someone waiting - for a bus, their food to arrive, with you at the dentist's office, for a meeting. Just one person alone who looks like they might have a minute to talk - that's the only criteria. They can be young, old, male, female, green, drunk, sober, affluent appearing or not.

Take out your pad and pencil. Walk up to them and say, "I am working on an assignment where I have to write about a person I have never met before. If you have the time, could you help me with this? I only need a little family information and some quick stories (one story from childhood, one from the teen years and one from your 20's to 40's) and then a few questions." Of course, you vary what you need to fit their age.

If they agree to help, ask how many were in their family, where they grew up, what they liked about school, what their first job was, an adventure from when they were young, a teen age escapade, (one story from childhood, one from the teen years and one from your 20's to 40's) if they would rather dance or go to a movie, if they were/are married, where they met their mate, if not what they do now (where they work?), what their favorite style of music is, their favorite food and favorite color. Then ask if there is one day in their life they will never forget.

That's a pretty short list but I bet the answers surprise you. I'll bet you end up talking for the whole time you have available for this. And I bet you find out they were pretty interesting. Depending on how brave you are about picking your person you could even learn we are all alike under the skin. You might just try this with one of your neighbors.

If any of you are bold enough to try this, blog it and leave a link in the comments. Tell us where you found your person, why you picked them, what your first impression was and how you felt after talking to them.

And, YES MOO, you can use this to meet girls but you have to blog every one of them! Yes, Amber, guys, too. Yes, Fred, kids count. They only have to be old enough to speak in sentences. No, Anvil, the cat does NOT count, we would know you made up the answers. Yes, Moo? Of course you can sock puppet theater your encounter! I didn't know you could talk without moving your hands! And NO, you can not interview another blogger. Yes, the mailman is ok, I hope...I don't know. Interview him and find out. Maybe I'm wrong!