{"id":29511,"date":"2022-01-27T16:48:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-27T22:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brianjnoggle.com\/blog\/?p=29511"},"modified":"2022-01-27T16:49:13","modified_gmt":"2022-01-27T22:49:13","slug":"i-know-how-they-feel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brianjnoggle.com\/blog\/2022\/01\/27\/i-know-how-they-feel\/","title":{"rendered":"I Know How They Feel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sarah Hoyt sez<\/a><\/p>\n

However, around the edges, I actually found out what makes people bond with you personally. I found it out both by reading a lot of blogs and running one: People want to know you. As a person. They want to know the funny little things in your life. They want to feel you\u2019re one of their friends, and they could drop by the kitchen for a cup of coffee. (To be fair, my fans who know where I live are welcome to.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So I’ll riff off of a couple of other posts I came across today with a personal flair. <\/p>\n

First, Fillyjonk muses on how to play as an adult<\/a>:<\/p>\n

But tonight, the cable was out (it just came back, just in time for me to start thinking about going to bed). Instead, I put the BBC app on on my phone. There was a World Service program on, called “Why We Play.” I kept listening partly because the announcer (I *think* he was Welsh) had a pleasant and interesting voice, but then the program interested me – I might try to relisten to it if they have a recording of it posted. <\/p>\n

This episod was about playfulness in adults; I came in on a feature about an improv class. And comments were made about how being playful makes life better – that people with a sense of playfulness are perhaps better at rolling with the punches in life, and they’re more creative at work, and generally are happier.<\/p>\n

But playfulness is hard to pin down – the announcer noted that what I refer to as “enforced fun” doesn’t work (e.g., a workplace instituting silly hat days, or similar) because some people dislike the conformism and anyway, you’re playing by someone else’s rules so you’re not being creative yourself. <\/p>\n

There were a couple dimensions of playfulness – I forget all of them but openness to new things was one and gregariousness was another, and I know those are both things I am low on – I’ve never been that open to new things and I’m also a little overtaxed sometimes by too many people. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You know, I could use a little more play as well. Most of my days are filled with work, chores, ferrying boys, attending school events or church, and reading. Some days, the highlights are a hot shower and a nap.<\/p>\n

Fillyjonk also says:<\/p>\n

Another thing, I think: I’ve lost a lot of playfulness in the past few years. Partly it’s the shocks we’re all heir to in all times and all places – losing a parent you were close to is no joke. Partly the state of the world is just more difficult (or feels more difficult) than it once did, and I also feel in a way like the scales have fallen from my eyes and I have a more cynical and jaded view of humanity and how it interacts. <\/p>\n

But I would like to get back to being more playful. I think I used to be? It seems like I used to be? But I’m not sure how. I’m sure part of it is having good local friends and support and I have a lot less of that now, between people dying and people moving away and some people just still *isolating* because of health issues. And it’s hard to be playful alone. <\/p>\n

I also maybe feel like I need guidance or help or opportunities – like a class (they featured an improv class, and though that might not be for me, maybe something like a pottery class?) But that’s not a thing any more, not here, not in the time of COVID. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Although I did not see the program, I, as a blogger, I must opine on how to play mostly by gazing at my navel. Here’s what you (I) need:<\/p>\n