Monday, April 21, 2008

More on the Benefits of Ignoring Reality

One nice thing about the cruise I took recently was that conversations I had with people at bars, in the pool, wherever never turned to politics, current events or the economy. We never even discussed our jobs. It was great.

I had planned to tell people that I was an organ broker, that I made my living arranging for Westerners to buy organs for transplant from desperate Third Worlders. I had a whole backstory so I wouldn't have to talk about my actual boring professional life. But it never came up. Nobody wanted to talk about work. We talked about other cruises, snorkeling trips, golf, weather, marine life, movies, children, food, what have you. Everything but work and news.

And I've kept it going since I got back. Of course, I have to talk about work while I'm actually working, but otherwise I'm keeping the topics to birds, the garden, how about those Yankees/Mets, weather, fun. If you try to start a political conversation (especially if you are one of my clueless conspecifics), I'll turn it around into a joke or steer us another way. Conspecific: "Can you believe the price of oil?" Me: "Speaking of oil, I found out that it is OK to bake with olive oil."

1 comment:

Steve Scott said...

Solomon said something like, "much knowledge brings much grief." I avoid the TV news. It is poison.