Acquaintances

I think we’ve all been in this position before: You recently met someone, a co-worker/classmate/friend of a friend/random acquaintance, and you are at that awkward period…you know what I’m talking about right? When you want to kid around but aren’t sure if you might offend them or maybe let something too personal slip out about yourself, like that time back in middle school when you left the gas on in science class and your teacher came in the next day with a wig and drawn in eyebrows. And how much personal information do you let out? (Disclaimer: The following may or may not be true about myself) “I have a girlfriend/boyfriend but please continue to talk to me.” “I am studying to be a teacher but please do not look at me like I just woke up in a trashcan.” “I enjoy the Harry Potter series but please do not categorize me as one of those types.” “I watch the food network in hi-def because regular def doesn’t make my mouth water like it is suppose to, is that weird?” “I can go entire weekends without ever leaving the house but really, I’m a fun person!”

See there is a certain time when all the above could be shared with someone, but it shares a fine line with the time when you should not share this information with a recent acquaintance. For some, writing personal experiences then posting on a blog or myspace allows for a level of detachment…until someone makes a comment and realize that guy/girl you were interested in and/or they were stalking you, actually read it and left a comment that sent you into involuntary spasms before you could finally remove that post from public existence. For ever reason, this sharing of private information or reaching an informal level of coexistence tends not to be an issue between same gendered individuals. At least for guys, whether you want it or not, guys just tend to be more open when they meet another guy, immediately delving into a past conquest, reminiscing about that time they were in Bangkok and spent a night in jail for public exposure but was finally released with a small donation to the station’s commanding officer’s favorite charity – tax write-off was a bonus.

So I propose that in said situations as described in this post, that men and women, when reaching that level of comfort/non-comfort that if we trust our initial instincts that got us to this point, that no matter what personal information surfaces we not hold it against the other…unless of course you find out he/she enjoys a night full of candles, soft music, and minor torture of stray animals, then maybe it might be time to politely decline that invitation to their next party.