the longing for shorthand

2006-06-16 - 10:32 a.m.

I've found myself wishing there were a way to do an instant download with new people.

Imagine...you're having a conversation and realize that your points all hinge on a variety of references to books, movies, music, personal experiences, thoughts, feelings, baggage, analysis and perspectives that aren't the sorts of things you can sum up reasonably. You sort of want to hand the person every book you've ever read, your journals and all your music and movie collection as well as a brain-dump of your personal history so you could just say, "Here. Now you're caught up so you'll understand and we can move on from here."

New conversations are full of so many asides to give the necessary background information which, while an interesting process certainly, keeps the conversation from moving forward.

Perhaps I rely too much on the shorthand of familiarity.

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Pretend it's 10th grade. Leave me a note.

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