“If A equals success, then the formula is A equals X plus Y and Z, with X being work, Y play, and Z keeping your mouth shut.” -Albert Einstein
We've all seen them. We've all experienced them. Truthfully, some of you might be some of them. They walk around as normal looking, normal functioning people but in truth they are not. In my world they are referred to lovingly as: The Blah Blah's...but I seem to be uncomfortably surrounded by them! (HELP!)
A Blah Blah is a person who talks A LOT. They have no real point to the stories they tell...details they add (such as names, time of day, what someone was wearing, etc.) are often irrelevant and I've had enough Blah Blah's in my life to draw the conclusion that they just like to hear themselves talk.
Why all the talking?
Do they hate silence? Do they hate when I talk? Are they really that self-indulgent to think that I give two hoots about their mundane story? (Does that make me improperly self-indulgent because I don't give two hoots about their mundane story?)
Part of the problem is I've brought the world of Blah's Blah's onto myself. I'm a journalist and a natural listener. I like to listen to people tell stories and I am generally interested in people's stories BUT (and I say BUT all caps because I do have a limit to my listening) sometimes I like to talk too and it's frustrating when I literally can't get a word in during a conversation.
Another element of the problem is I, like any other normal human being, have a listening span of about five minutes (and that's on a good day). It's frustrating when A. The Blah Blah's continue rambling on even though it's clear I am disinterested or have checked-out of the conversation completely and B. When they get mad that I've checked out because they expect me to listen to their rant.
I'll admit I am quieter than most so perhaps the constant talking bothers me faster than others but for the sake of peace and quite I wish the Blah Blah's would shut-up and enjoy the silence from time to time. And in hopes of not turning into a Blah Blah myself, I'm stopping this rant, right now.
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