Talk is Cheap

I know I've mentioned this before, but it doesn't take a lot to make me happy. Interesting conversations. A mug of coffee. Laughter. Trekking to the bar with a friend, collecting snowflakes in our hair. A comfy couch. Warm pajamas. All of the above.

On Friday they let us leave training at 2:30 because the snow was coming down like crazy. All day long I contemplated whether or not to attempt the drive home or to stay over a friend's house. My friend Diana (from training) lives fairly close by in Middletown, and she convinced me to stay over. The whole night was honestly a bit like a sleepover, and very relaxing. Mostly because we didn't have to be anywhere, and we could just sit. And talk. Diana made us tea when we first arrived at her place and then we talked cross-legged on her couch, pet her cat, watched TV, and talked some more until dinnertime. We bundled up in layers and walked a few blocks to Eli's, stomping through snow. Over dinner we held more in-depth conversations about our past, observations we've made, experiences we've had over the years and just life stories in general. I loved it. To me, one of the most fascinating things in the world is learning about the defining experiences that make a person who they are.

After we got home from the bar, she lent me some pajamas (and an Army sweatshirt), I threw my hair up in a messy ponytail, we sipped sake (that was my first time trying it!), watched a movie and eventually went to sleep. Yesterday morning was a lot of the same--we talked, shared stories, watched part of "The Amityville Horror" and discussed our views on the paranormal. We discovered that we would both love to become published writers for different reasons, and we sipped coffee from purple mugs. I don't know if I've ever had that much fun being snowed in somewhere before.

Yesterday afternoon I ventured over to Angela's to continue my talking and coffee lovefest. We ordered paninis and vanilla chai at a cute cafe and talked for over an hour and a half about a variety of subjects. Angela and I never run out of things to say to each other despite having known each other for over ten years now, and I love that about our friendship. I think that even with good, well-established friendships, there is always an opportunity to learn something new about someone, especially if you are willing to actively listen. There's a difference between nodding your head and saying "uh-huh" and truly becoming engaged in the conversation.

It's funny because we were talking about how we both have the constant desire to be *productive* all the time, and Ange mentioned that she wanted to develop more hobbies. I didn't realize it fully yesterday, but one of my favorite hobbies (besides writing, reading, and editing) is listening. I just had one of the best weekends in a long time because I was able to do just that. Don't get me wrong--I definitely enjoy talking and laughing myself, but when it comes down to it, I like being the important person on the other side of the conversation. I love validating people's feelings, showing them that I understand...or if I can't truly understand, that I can at least imagine why they are feeling the way they feel.

Friendships + coffee + listening= love. It's as simple as that.