conversations

i like to have conversations.  not just "hi, how are you? fine. good. me, too."  not just "what'd you watch on tv? oh, apprentice, me, too!"  altho i like TV conversations, they are fun.  : ) 

what i really enjoy, or try to, are conversations that bring different points of view.  sometimes it can seem like arguing, but i usually don't see it that way.  (unfortunately for me, very few ppl can have a long-term conversation involving differences of opinion without feeling ... argued.)  it doesn't upset me, other than feeling bad when others are upset.  anyone else know what i mean, or is it just me?  i think the reason i don't see discussions as arguments is because to me an argument is trying to convince someone of your point.  i'm usually not trying to convince anyone of anything.  the more i discuss something, tho, the more i understand it.  i want to know WHY ppl think the things they do, and sometimes that puts them on the defensive because there might not be a why, or after hearing the why i feel like i disagree.  but it's okay to disagree.  : ) 

it's very hard to explain my pov on discussions like that, because the normal way things go is that if you disagree w/ someone it means you're saying, "I'm right and you're wrong."  to me, being wrong implies an absolute answer, tho, rather than opinions and feelings.  2+2 is always going to = 4.  if you say 2+2=7, you are wrong.  if i am for the new healthcare plan and you are against the new healthcare plan, it's okay.  we can both be right, or wrong.  the proof for that kind of thing hasn't been revealed yet.  it could be the best thing since those sandwich rounds, or it could be a disaster.  i have my opinion on the matter (which, incidentally, is not FOR it, if you asked) and have no problem expressing that opinion.  i don't understand all the facts in the matter (oh my heck, who could possibly?!) but i think it's a bad idea.  maybe those who think it's a good idea have more accurate information and DO understand it.  it's a possibility, but doesn't change my opinion as of yet.  heh. 

*sigh*  there are just some days when i feel so misunderstood, and then i get frustrated because i think i'm an open book.  (sometimes "too" open, tho i don't think there is such a thing when it comes to feelings.  *laugh*)  yet - and let me be so clear i'm transparent here, because i don't want to accidentally hurt anyone's feelings or have anyone thinking i'm upset - tho there have been a couple such conversations lately with friends, this is not directed at them at all.  this is just me sharing about conversations.   : )

i love having conversations with kids - especially when they are well-spoken kids!  well-spoken 2-4 year olds are my favorite.  i will give a shout out to leyton, nate, and stephen in this category.  there have been many coherent 2-4 year olds in my life, of course, but those boys would be my top 3.  *laugh*  leyton is very well-spoken, and his thought processes are so interesting to hear about!  the things he picks up on can surprise me!  tonight, i'd been thinking fo dinner at noodles, because my tummy was recovering from yesterday's curry adventure.  mom & leyton picked me up after work, and mom mentioned that they hadn't had a nap.  so, i suggested we could go to applebee's, since it's close.  then i asked leyton what he wanted & he said, "hot dogs!" and i said, "oh, sancho's would be good!  and they have those mini corndogs he liked."  mom wasn't so sure, and said, "well, maybe we should just do applebee's."  leyton, however, immediately chimed in, "no, i don't want to go there.  i want to go where the corn dogs and fishies and games are."  now, we had only been to sancho's the one other time (tho he may have been there other times w/o me, idk!), so i thought it was pretty good for him to remember that there were fish and games there! 

one conversation that was not fun tonight - there was a guy up at the bar, watching a sporting event w/ a couple buddies (or just random guys).  apparently, his team/driver wasn't winning or something else was going on, because he kept saying, "Jesus," inappropriately.  and loudly.  so, when we got in the car, mom couldn't find her cell phone & she was frantically looking, getting panicky as she does (love ya, mom!), and leyton says, "Jesus," with the same inflection as the guy in the bar.  i asked him, "are you praying?" and he said, "no."  let me tell you, i was feeling very awkward, because while i have no problem telling anyone and everyone that Jesus is not a swear word, i wasn't quite sure how to impart that to my 3 year old nephew!  so, i said, "well, you should say Jesus's name like that, it's not very nice.  you should always be respectful with his name."  and even that was likely way over the poor kid's head, no matter how smart i think he is!!  but i didn't want to scare him, and i didn't want to confuse him - i mean, back when he used the "f" word, we could say "that's a naughty word" and he understood that.  but Jesus isn't a bad word at all, no matter how many ppl want to use it as a curse word!  finally, i think mom chimed in with a short explanation (that may have also gone over his head, but let's hope good seeds were planted!), and all was well. 

whew.  crisis averted, for now! 

oh, yeah, and the tacos were OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious!  : ) 

i could write for days on different types of conversations, but as is my MO - i didn't start writing this til late and now i really need to sleep!  *laugh*  i hope you had some good conversations today, and that you have a very blessed tomorrow.  love!  ttfn!