Sometimes, we just are who we are. Popeye was never apologetic on this point. We can struggle against it, but our strengths and our flaws together define us as individuals. Tonight I learned even more than I should embrace this fact and just be me.
This evening we were at a dinner party with my in-laws and, as is not uncommon at such events, various topics of conversation swirled around the table. The subjects ranged from what defines moonshine to the finer points on making a successful risotto. Among the non sequitur topics my sister-in-law brought up a story involving a song – Dream Weaver – which naturally rolled into a conversation about who sung it. Unfortunately no one at the table actually knew, but several hazarded off-based guesses. My natural inclination was to whip out my iPhone and Google it, but I resisted being ‘that guy’. As the conversation wound down and slowly morphed on, I had noted that it would simple enough to find the information online. My wife responds with “Don’t you have your iPhone right in your pocket?” So in the end I conceded and was ‘that guy – I AM ‘that guy’. There is little point in trying to evade it.
Unfortunately my sister-in-law seems to live in one of those clear areas so frequently seen in Verizon’s advertisements as of late on AT&T’s 3G coverage. So the information remained tenuous (it was Gary Wright, by the way – I’m also that guy who will keep things like that in his head to look into at a more opportune time). But my reputation as a trivia nut precedes me. I guess I should expect as much – I’ve never hid it well (who do you think ended up spewing information on what defined moonshine when it came up).
I knew it was Gary Wright. I’m not a trivia nut – just an old person.
Would love to know the secret to risotto. I think it’s patience, and I don’t have any of that so I’m probably screwed anyway. But it’s not like you can find it at most US restaurants.