Well hello, stranger...

I've had my fair share of weird and sometimes beneficial conversations with strangers. Sometimes, they even ended in makeouts! However, a good portion of the time I Want to be Left Alone. Plz.

Interesting conversation from a few weeks ago: I was sitting in a doctor's office waiting for a friend of mine, and tapping around on his iPad (I'm still pretty upset that Apple just announced a camera in their iPod touch and I literally bought one this July at full price. Thanks, Apple. Now put a freaking camera in the iPad already) and a couple of odd conversations happened. First, a woman pointed out there's no keyboard on an iPad (which I disproved) and then she said, "But I can't put that on my lap."

... Moving on.

The next contestant in this tricky business first asked if that was the iPad. After confirming her suspicions, this then led to her saying how funny it was that people have so many ways in these Modern Times to avoid conversation and interaction with each other, to exchange ideas. How they're always on their cell phones, video games, and.... iPad.

At which point, she then posited that "And that's why some people have called it a HellPad."

...Wha?

*awkward silence, followed by "Well, I'm working on this."*

Her continued insistence that technology gets in the way of people talking.

Pardon me, but technology doesn't get in the way of people talking, PEOPLE GET IN THE WAY OF PEOPLE TALKING.

I'm all about having a good conversation with someone, and sometimes a random stranger but as stated before "I Sometimes Just Want To Be Left Alone Plz." Let's rewind to some anecdotal "exchanges of ideas" I've had when I was without headphones, DS, or even a window.

- I've been asked to drive a total stranger home.
- Solicited for hashish
- Asked for change
- Asked if I like that "Bump Music" (to this day I still don't know what that means.)
- Asked if my name is Mark (it isn't)

GREAT IDEAS, THX.

I'm willing to admit that maybe a good number of people in a technological age might have lost the gift of small talk and interpersonal reaction (see, any trolling post on an internet forum) and nobody really has a dialogue like they used to in the Good Ol' Days. Regardless, even before the advent of personal music and personal media devices we've had all sorts of ways to ignore people we didn't want to talk to, it's not just the technology. We had books, windows, the ceiling, you pick it. If someone wanted to ignore the person next to them because they didn't want to talk, then there were ways to go about it. Or some other method to make their need to be heard Somebody Else's Problem. Nevermind the inherent issue I have with someone thinking right off that I give two shits about anything they have to say. People have opinions, and more often than not (I've usually seen on a Thurs., Fri., or Sat. night at 2 AM) they are going to share it with you, whether you wanted it or not.

Seriously, what in my manner makes you think I care about having a deep conversation with you, person conveniently seated next to me? Now if you'll excuse me, I'll get back to reading. Or drawing in my book. Or... anything else. But anyway you slice it, I'm Not Interested.

Life's funny...

Sometimes, you don't know what'll come along, but when it rains it can pour. Thankfully, it's poured pretty positively lately! More later.