Thursday, April 8, 2010

Clearing the Air

Most people know that I am a stay at home mom (SAHM, for those who wonder, stands for that.) I spend most of my time wrangling my children, attempting to keep house (or at least pretending to), and playing on the computer. There's not a lot that goes on in my day to day... Not a lot that would make for interesting conversation, at least.

Because of that, as I'm coming to notice, I've taken hobby of gossiping. Rather than going out and finding interesting things going on in the world, I've chosen recently to speak instead on what's going on in others' lives around me.

Can I make a confession? I hate gossips. Hate hate hate. Now, I don't mind if a friend and I are having a conversation and when the topic turns to Bob and Jill and what they're up to, my friend tells me what they're up to, but if I'm talking to someone and they're talking about Bob and Jill (parties whom, in this instance we'll say I don't know or don't know well enough to be invested in what they're doing) and how they're going through a divorce and she's trying to take the house, but he wants the kids, BLAH BLAH BLAH, then it really bothers me.

But that? That's what I've been doing lately. I'm not sure how long I've been doing it, but I've only recently caught myself and taken notice.

This bothers me tremendously. I feel like such a hypocrite. And petty too.

So, to the people I know in real life, I apologize for two things: 1 - talking about you, and 2 - rambling on about the random goings on in people's lives that you probably don't even know.

In the immediate future I intend to stop the gossip and find more productive, interesting and relevant things to talk about. If you know me in real life, please help me do this, won't you?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't be so hard on yourself, mang... I mean womang... Seriously. I admire your resolution to be more respectful of others, but I think everyone enjoys a little prattle now and then... I think a good rule (I almost said of thumb, but caught myself, I HATE that expression) a good criterion for what's okay vs. what's not okay when speaking of others is, as long as what you're saying isn't mean spirited or going to effect the person's reputation negatively there is probably little harm in chatting. We all love to talk, we all have to talk, and should talk about the people in our lives, that's how most of us work through things, etc, and yes, keep ourselves entertained. Bottom line, stick to your resolution, I think it's a nice idea, but don't feel obliged to over analyze yourself... Just be nice, and "wewax." lol.

Erin said...

I appreciate the advice, and it's reassuring knowing that others see it the same way I do most of the time (ie: "..as long as what you're saying isn't mean spirited or going to effect the person's reputation negatively...")

Honestly, I don't talk about people in a bad light. I've just found myself explaining situations of those around me to people who have no interest, don't know the people, etc. when I should be instead seeking more relevant topics to talk about around them. And that's more what I'm talking about here.

Thanks for the comment. I'm really curious as to who wrote it... Has to be someone I know, but I'm really at a loss as to who it is. HAHA.

Anonymous said...

I am the same hun, it's just so hard not to get sucked in. Especially when you are a SAHM, everything you do is a 'hot topic' so what is to talk about that wont offend the person you are talking too?

Just today I was talking about K2, and the person I was talking too got offended because I would not stop/limit something that I thought to be a part of human nature. So what did we end up talking about after that? My sister.... I did not realize until I got off the phone.

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