Vive le difference!

I’ve had occasion recently to notice the vast range of differences between individuals. Sure, we all know those exist on a large level, but these were examples that to me were more granular and pretty amusing.

Some time ago on Facebook I posted this status “Hey, did anyone catch the license plate # of the truck that hit me? Bleargh!” Now, this was on the morning AFTER one of those ass crack of dawn Sunday morning race day wake up calls. I was floored when they first couple of responses took me LITERALLY as if an actual truck had really hit me!!

First off, would I be posting on Facebook? Secondly – it’s an expression!! One I have known and used all my life. Heck, during the teen/early 20s drinking years (did I say teen…no no…of course not!)…the standard response from one of your equally hungover friends would be to say “I think it was T-E-Q-U-I-L-L-A!” But generally, the expression is used to make a declaration of being bone-weary tired (or hungover!). “I feel like a truck hit me.” Thirdly – I *am* a ridiculously non serious smart ass prone to snarky status updates ages before anything so realistically grave. I was pretty shocked that people who knew me for so long would react that way. Anyhow, thanks to the few who took it literally I felt awful and then had to EXPLAIN myself but it really cracked me up! I thought everyone knew that expression! Guess not obviously. It was just an interesting accidental sociological study on communication and reactions.

Of course ever since then I swear that at least once a day either online or in person I hear someone whine about a truck hitting them!! Really! That IS a fairly common (non regional) expression isn’t it?

This week on Twitter I posted about not liking honey. I had accidentally purchased a greek yogurt with honey added in and went ahead and ate it but pretty much had to choke it down especially at the end where the honey was not as nicely blended in (gack!) One of my friends reacted by saying how “sad” it was that I didn’t like honey and she explained it saying that when she loves the flavor of something so much it makes her sad to hear that someone else can’t eat it. Hmmmmm. That was an unexpected reaction! I thought about some things that I love such as chocolate, or shrimp, or ice cream and I honestly didn’t “feel” any emotion when they thinking about anyone who doesn’t like those things.

OK, not entirely true – I DID think “Hey, more for ME!” 🙂

I know – the difference between a generous soul and a selfish only child, right?

Or maybe I just don’t get emotional over food.

And in an example that these differences exist not just from person to person but from year to year within ourselves sometimes – I’ve discovered something else that I am lost without. Yes, this person who has loathed running or any sort of extreme workout for all her life is currently feeling adrift…lost at sea…as if a limb is missing. Why? Wireless network at home is down? No. Iphone is broken or lost? No.

The battery on my heart rate monitor died!!! How can I go for a run without knowing at every moment exactly what my heart rate is? 

And 45 year old me would like know who the hell 46 year old me IS?

Vive Le Difference!

Within others – and yourself 🙂