Radvent 12/3 - Fascination

Today is a day for fascination!  I love this topic because I think that being fascinated is something I am quite good at.  I have an eye for it you might say.  ;)  In fact, I would go so far as to say that what makes me most fascinating is my capacity for fascination! 


How's that for turning a question on it's head?


It's not just a fancy word trick however, it's actually true.  Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I was in school until I was 27 years old, but I am pretty clear about what I know and what I don't know.  I am also crystal clear about the relative size of the "what I know" and "what I don't know" boxes. 


There are a lot of things that I don't know.


How great is that?


The space in my "what I don't know" box provides endless opportunities for fascination.  As an example, when Yogi starts asking kid questions (I can't wait for this to start!) like "How does my face get inside the camera?", we're going to have some learning to do because I have absolutely.no.idea, but it would be fun to find out.  Actually, I'm hoping that Kate might do some of the leg work on questions in that kind of technical/practical vien, because while finding the answers could be fascinating, they aren't exactly my kinds of questions. My kinds of questions (read: the things that I find endlessly fascinating) have one common denominator. 


People.


There is nothing more fascinating to me than other people.  Any person, really.  I'm always wondering how people grew into the selves they are, why they care about the things they care about, how it is that they see the world in precisely the angle that they do.  This kind of thing does it for me.


I love to ask people about themselves and find this to be the only effective strategy for making it through most social events.  It's a great idea for a few reasons.

1. I have actual interest in the answers.  This is important primarily because people can tell when you don't care.  If you couldn't care less about the answer, it's best not to ask the question.  My adherence to this principle is why I am not so good at small talk.
2. People love to talk about themselves.
3. Even if they don't admit it, most people believe themselves to be pretty great and when you acknowledge the correctness of this belief by seeking to find out more about them, you are immediately slotted in the "Hmmm....she's an interesting (fascinating?) person" category.
4. You never know what you may find out.  There is a lot to be said for the idea that truth is stranger than fiction and asking the woman at the punch bowl about the significance of the pendant on her blazer is bound to get you a more entertaining response than a more routine "What do you think about this weather we've been having?".
5. Assuming that you are communicating interest in what they have to say, when most people get going, it can be hard to get them to stop (see #2).  This means that the other person shoulders most of the conversational burden.  Genius!

Working from my "I am fascinating because of my capacity for fascination" angle, I'll close with a quick list of what I've been wondering about lately:

• What makes loud and aggressive people so loud and aggressive?  Are they overcompensating because they feel small or are they so sure of themselves that they don't notice the way they trample over everyone else?
• Why do so many people seem driven to do things in big groups (shopping, attending huge sporting or music events)?  Do we get something out of being in a herd or is it just that lots of people like to do the same things?
• What is up with owls?  How did such an inherently creepy animal (weird eyes and the way the neck moves) become cute?  Lesson: Marketing is black magic.
• Why are blue eyes so magical to people?  Is it a scarcity thing?  Since it occurs (relatively) rarely, does it just feel more special when we encounter it?  As the Mama of a blue-eyed boy I can assure you that blue eyes are a big deal.