TO BE INTERESTING BE INTERESTED

It can’t be just in my individual baby boomer blogger brain, but these guys are famous in every form you see them, hear them, feel them.

I was driving around town, passed through a parking lot, and there they were on the wall looking like an Andy Warhol fever dream.

Were they trying to be interesting?

At one point they were just a bunch of teenagers looking for something to do, someplace to go.

Sound familiar?

They found it without turning into the Ramones.

At least in the long run.

 

Out of the blue, Johnny and Dee Dee decided to form a band. Dee Dee named the band The Ramones after Paul Ramon (Paul McCartney’s 1960 stage name). 

 

Today the answer for too many looking for something to do and someplace to go is their couch.

 

I’m Interested In?

This is not a seven string Jackson midi-access rig.

It’s a look-alike of the first guitar out of the Fender factory, a butterscotch blonde USA Telecaster.

With an electric guitar you have the sonic world opened up as wide as you want, determined only by the number of pedals, stomp boxes, you plug in and power up.

I’ve got a few I don’t much use, opting for a more hands-on approach, following the trend of baby boomers sticking with traditional choices along the way.

 

Millennials are driving the success of brands that prioritize digital accessibility and ethical production over traditional corporate reputations.

Baby Boomers often prefer the consistency and established trust of legacy companies that offer physical retail locations and specialized service.

The only noise coming out of this rig is whatever you can squeeze out of the neck.

 

Call Me Old Fashioned 

I saw this picture and thought, ‘I want someone who looks at their partner like she does.’

Like the Oregon Lottery sign in the background promising a jackpot, I realized, quickly realized, I do have a partner who looks at me the exact same way.

Once in a while.

We were captured in a moment after a hot, sweaty, set with my three piece band in a local club / tap house. (Hey Tyler, Hey Rusty)

It was a dream-like night with drums, bass, and guitar. We played and sang and got heckled and turned it up.

Rock and Roll.

Our fans yelled at the hecklers, who yelled back. It was Sharks and Jets about to go down.

We handled the disturbance without losing a beat and landed safely.

Like professional musicians.

 

Interests Beyond The Personal 

If you try to be interesting, don’t try too hard.

Make it a natural build so you won’t feel disconnected and lost if someone asks a question.

Who would ask a question? Someone interested in what interests you might ask a question.

They may see you as a new resource, or an audience for them to tell you why you’re wrong to waste time on your interests.

Either way, consider their feelings.

Maybe you said something that triggered them into asking for clarification?

“Here’s what I think is the best part, but don’t quote me. Maybe don’t repeat it in case I’m wrong.”

Then give them a full dose of your take on the subject at hand.

If they cut you off to give you a full dose of where you went wrong, while offering no alternatives, you’ll know both sides.

They can’t offer alternatives because they’re probably repeating something they heard, not something they did any work on, or spent any time on.

You need to feel for them, not call them out. They’re not asking you to tell them where they went wrong and might get angry if you do.

If they were asking, where would you start; when would you finish?

 

PS:

Spend time on any topic you find interesting. It’s not up to anyone else to explain things to a grown-ass adult.

But if it goes that way, be a good listener. My motto: You might learn something.

 

PSS:

The world is fresh and waiting for what you have to offer so show up and do your best.

Then the race changes, but the task is the same: show up and do your best.

It’s a different race but still follows step after step.

 

Get a move on and remember to vote. Shall I explain why?