He said, She said.

As a pathetically inconsistent blogger, I feel the need to ask this questions: Why must a blog be filled with pearls of wisdom and intellectually stimulating ideas? Why is it that this forum for my unsolicited opinions must be an example of my higher thought processes. And why does everything have to be spelled correctly for me to be taken seriously?

I'm asking these questions because I'm finding myself less and less inclined to have deep conversations in my every day life. Sure, I enjoy the occasionally stimulating debate on politics, the passionately argued pontification on morals, the use of big words and complex ideas, but just as much, if not more, I enjoy the simple exchange of conversation between two friends. Or many friends. Or sometimes my dog. Although that's not so much an exchange...

I think this is my way of combatting the way that my generation is developing the annoying and sometimes nasty habit of ripping apart people's ideas because they've failed to throw enough fancy colloquy around. When is it that we found ourselves so above the sharing of each other's opinions that we can simply ignore what's being said and instead focus on correct grammar and how many words with more than 8 letters were used.

I have some news. Just because you have a beautiful way of speaking, or because you can convey those carefully cultivated concepts with an impressive array of diction, or because you happen to know the correct "their" to use in conversation, does not make you smarter than everyone else. In fact, paying closer attention to the way things are being said than what is actually the content...that's just plain stupid.

Now, I don't want to be one to lecture you. I just wanted to warn you that in your attempt to sound smarter than the rest of us you sound like an idiot.

The conversation I want to have is filled with funny little jabs at each other that make me smirk and raise an eyebrow. It flows easily from one to the other of us with no hesitation or careful wording. I want to tell you I like the way the air smells today, like pecans and sugar cookies, and have you agree with a simple nod of your head. I want to say that I am sad about all the bad things in the world, and I want your answer to be an arm around my shoulders. I wish I could tell you I wanted to be famous when I was a little girl, and for you to tell me you wanted to be an astronaut, but are just fine with what you became and what I became too. I want you to tell me how you wish you could cure cancer, and I want to hold your hand in understanding. I want to laugh at the jokes you tell, and cry when you share your sad stories. And I want to talk to you by sitting there beside you in the warm sun someplace, resting my head on your shoulder, and knowing exactly what you're thinking.

What could be a better conversation than that?

The point I'm trying to make is that we should all stop trying to one up everyone through our impressive exchange of big words. Maybe we'd understand each other better if we listened to the intention despite the words. And what we need now, more than lofty ideals and a "can-do" attitude, is understanding.

Some of my favorite moments are wrought with poor grammar, awful spelling, and not one intelligent thing said between us.