Part of the 'Melissa is a terrible listener' judgement is that Tyler believes I do not listen to him because I am able to have a conversation with him and, at the very same time, listen to an entire conversation that is happening elsewhere...between two strangers on the sidewalk, in a restaurant, or in a subway car.
This became apparent to him when I sat next to actress Michelle Williams at a restaurant in Brooklyn. When we left I was able to relay huge portions of her conversation to him. But Tyler had not seen me distracted throughout the meal.
Tyler doesn't think it's possible to be a part of both conversations and believed I must be fake listening to him. But it's just not true. It is possible!
Tyler doesn't think it's possible to be a part of both conversations and believed I must be fake listening to him. But it's just not true. It is possible!
I've started to think this is a skill that women have. To be able to 'engage' in multiple conversations, file them away and pull them out when necessary. But I also think it's a skill that writers have. Being present in our own lives while sneaking into a stranger's life for a time.
Are you a good listener? A selective listener like me?
It is a 'woman' thing to be able to listen to more then one conversation at once. My husband suddenly asks me what he has just said ... and cannot believe it when I repeat it verbatim.
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing (multi-task listening, as I think of it). On the flip side, my hubby can be looking directly at me as I say one sentence and he somehow zones out in the middle of it.
ReplyDeleteYep definitely a 'woman' thing Melissa!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! It's called multi-tasking! I can totally listen to convos and have one of my own. ;)
ReplyDeletehi miss melissa! yikes! i cant do that. ack! but i can read a book eat a snack and watch a movie all at the same time and know whats happening. im thinking that listening at two conversations is for sure a lady thing cause of ladies loving all that gossip stuff and dont wanna miss something. ha ha.
ReplyDelete...hugs from lenny
Oh I'm always listening to multiple conversations - real ones, and those going on in my head.
ReplyDeleteMakes life very interesting...
I think I'm a good listener??? I love listening in on other people, especially when it involves people with great accents. :)
ReplyDeleteHave a happy New Year, Melissa!