If there is one thing I’ve discovered is that a question or a remark can lead to a posting of my thoughts and experiences on this blog.
Dear Rebecca, yes I do meet interesting people, not all the time, but enough, we all do in some way or form, sometimes whether we want to or not.
I think because of Doyle’s, my sister’s and my line of work, it does make for meeting interesting people, because through them and their associates we network to other people and further on.
Because I commute by either BART, Bus, Ferry, Muni etc. to San Francisco, one cannot help but “meet” interesting people, although some people prefer to remain with their own thoughts, but eventually if one travels at the same time as others eventually one strikes up a conversation. Although at some BART stations in the City sometimes I wish I didn’t.
Our “naked acrobat” for one; those are just passing happenstance, to be taken in, observed, mentally commented upon, and talked about to family and friends.
One’s own preferences, likes, hobbies, etc. can help one meet interesting people. It is good to get out into the world, either by just being involved in life, or joining an organization or discovering an interest or hobby. Sometimes one thing can lead to another avenue.
If we remain just focused on our job or just family it can narrow our outlook on life, I remember when I was part of a jury for a murder trial, we had one juror who was a housewife, but her focus was so narrow based only upon her interaction with her in-laws (especially a sister-in-law) that she refused to take in a key prosecutions’ witnesses testimony, especially since that person was present and saw completely the event. The rest of us had to come up with the Wisdom of Solomon to finally get this person to admit why she didn’t believe this person, so we found other testimony from another disinterested party that she could believe and then she admitted that we 11 were correct.
Later after the trial was over, I had a chance to speak to the prosecuting attorney, and was told that in the long run they prefer working housewives, that not only raise a family but also work outside the home and have outside interests. Even a housewife who does not hold down even a part time job, if they are members of a club or hobby society where they interact with people outside the family is preferable, jury selection is a delicate matter. The prosecuting attorney suspected the reason we were taking so long was because of that one juror. He was right.
So having outside interests is very important in ways one cannot imagine.
Doyle loves to do photography, and we are going to convert an old potting shed that has electricity and water in the back part of the deep lot into a dark room for him. Doyle is also a member of a photography club, although there are times he can’t go to the meetings or competitions as often as he would like. But he meets interesting people and those that are just lonely, needy, mean, over gregarious, or fascinating.
My sister because of her work meets many interesting people and has quite a network of colleagues whose company both she and I enjoy, and there are also the same types of people including those that are pompous, self important, self centered, and those that are giving of their time.
A long time ago I took up painting, not that I’m good at it, but I did have a chance to meet other artists and one thing led to another, that is why I go to art show openings recommended to me, it helps me network a bit in the art community.
Music was and is another avenue that has led me to interesting places and things, our interest in old films has also led me down a fascinating path. Those three led me to the Goth Society as well, but I knew that in some ways I was/am too old for the more modern mainstream but it had led to many interesting connections and encounters.
In talking to people I find out about good places to travel to, to eat, drink and enjoy the ambience.
Also because of the way I dress, my vintage car, my interest in dark and funeral things has cause interaction, created new contacts and new experiences.
Sometimes because of unusual events one can meet interesting people, such as Jury Duty, I was on a jury twice, once for a Slander suit and once for a murder trial, I made two good friends at the murder trial, after we finally were able to clear our minds once we had discharged our duties, most people just go their own way, but because we could not discuss the trial except when it was turned over to us finally and only in the jury room, we tended to band together trying to find a good place to eat or car pool, and because of the rules it limited our paths of conversation. So we focused on each other, our work, family, likes, dislikes etc.
After 20 years we still are friends, even though one is now in Nevada and the other is in Seattle, Washington, but it gives me an excellent excuse to travel and they know when they come to the Bay Area they have a place to rest their heads.
I think because my sister’s and Doyle’s’ children are grown and with children of their own and I never had children, it has left us free to explore things.
I am not saying that children can hold us back, no, it is important that one’s focus should be with the child but also through one’s child one can rediscover things that we use to do, never had a chance to do or it is something that has been developed for children’s wonder that a parent can also enjoy. But it also gives a chance for the parent to teach a child to be discerning in their choices as well.
I use to go as a child with my parents and siblings to Oakland’s Children’s Fairyland and allow my imagination to enjoy the wonders there, but like the song “Toyland” once you cross the border into adulthood you can never go back again. But if you have a child to enjoy it with you can briefly see it again through their eyes, everything is geared for a small child, not an adult; because of that it reminds you that you have crossed that border and have different responsibilities
Only with Coralline as she is growing up can I go back with her and her brother’s, although her brothers are too sports oriented to be transported by the imagination of Fairyland, unless it had scary rides. So in time it was just she and I sharing the wonders of this place that was the inspiration for Walt Disney to create Disneyland. In time that avenue will be gone from me, but I don’t despair.
Even now I donate to preserving Children’s Fairyland, so it can continue forever as long as there are children to enjoy it. Its simplicity is perfect for a small child, it does not overwhelm them like Great American, 6 Flags, Disneyland or Resort, etc would. It is perfect for the small child and something I want to see preserved.
I mean Darklings, picture the Wicked Witch Queen of Snow White, and Maleficent of Sleeping Beauty contributing to the preservation of children’s imagination and wonder. That is sometimes how I think of myself, darkly laughing as I write out my check.
We meet many people, through many means, some do not give us that spark that will create interest, some are just dull, some you really want to run away from, and some well one cannot enjoy their company enough, but there are some that puzzle you and you have this double instinct that tells you run away, yet you are fascinated, hypnotize, until you can make up your mind.
And then there are those few, that seem to draw you in but yet you feel off balance, you enjoy their company, their thoughts and yet only a little goes a long way. If one takes in too much one senses it can be like an overdose of some kind. I’m not sure I can explain it any further.
And then sometime as an unexpected gift or treat can make things so pleasurable, like my co-worker, a charming young man who brings me coffee, yesterday he gave me several CD’s, he said he was weeding his collection and had what he felt was a better rendition of Grofe’s Grand Canyon Suite. Now I have a copy on CD but I felt it would be rude to refuse his gift, and then was even more surprised because it included Grofe’s “Mississippi Suite” and his “Death Valley Suite” as well as a bonus recording of him conducting “Cloudburst” from his Grand Canyon. I did not have these in my collection and knew they were not well known or frequently recorded.
Because of his gift it led to us having a lovely conversation during our afternoon break about classical music. And we maybe going to a few concerts as well if our schedules permit, I know Doyle won’t mind, he always worries about me being home all the time when he’s gone.
And even now, late yesterday afternoon, I just stepped out onto my front porch and was treated to my neighbors 3 year old son, dancing in the water sprinklers completely naked and enjoying it. His older sisters 5 and 7 were there dressed in their play clothes but wet. I saw that the young master’s clothes were in a pile getting soaked, I knew my neighbors slightly but didn’t know if they knew what their child was doing, went over and rang the door bell. The look of shock on the Mother’s face was especially interesting, they were suppose to be in the back yard. If nothing else I got to know my neighbors better, it just took a little naked boy to do it.
So Darklings, we all meet interesting people, it just takes time to discover them, some are for lifetimes, some will be as “ships passing in the night”, each an experience to add to one’s life.
And may all of you always meet “interesting people”.
Later Darklings
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