I have always had a fascination with people and the way that they communicate. I grew up as an only child and spent quite a bit of  my childhood by myself.  Well…by myself in public. I would ride my bike around town or sit at my mothers restaurant and watch people. I have always been fascinated not by what people say to each other but what people don’t say to each other. Typical thought is that we not only listen to what people say but we also watch their body language.

I like to take that a step further. When we are listening we are not only watching and listening but we are looking at the place and time we find ourselves in for clues on what they are really saying. We pay attention to the social context and the other people we are surrounded by. We listen to the cracks in their voice or the changes of their tone. We can read awkwardness, nervousness, anger, subtle excitement. I pay such close attention to the way that people talk and the social rules in which they are speaking and the expectations that hang on their words that it leaves me responding in an awkward ways that often kills  conversations.

This video made me feel a tad less crazy.

Now if only they would make one talking about the way that we communicate online. Haven’t you ever sat their pondering if you should put a . or a ! or a …. when typing up an email? How about if you are IMing someone and you have to choose between lol or LOL or hahaha or ha! or heh? Ok….maybe I am a little crazy.