Friends in my mind

I have found an interesting phenomenon if it can be called such about rewirement. I find myself so much more relaxed and chatty with sales clerks, aestheticians and general handy men. What is that about I sometimes wonder.

My sister who used to work in a bank tells me she misses the social interaction with her customers and proceeds to tell me all about the wacky ones. We laughed about them, went silent for a minute until I said "now that you are retired you are one of these customers" which I was of course including myself. I remember the days when I was too busy for much idle chatter especially from anyone who was not directly connected to my job or my life. This led me to wonder if all my relaxed chattiness is simply annoying to whomever I am sharing it with.

I sat through my pedicure yesterday not talking much to see if the young lady working so diligently on my toes would strike up a conversation. She didn't. Now I do find sometimes these young ladies talk a lot and I do participate and I wouldn't give up my time sharing lots of talk with my hairdresser.

There are days though when I catch myself thinking people I hear on the radio every day are my friends or at least my work colleagues. After all they are there the whole time I am working at something talking away to me. I do know they are not talking just to me but I got myself into a bit of a predicament when I tweeted one of these radio friends with some constructive criticism only to be told to "settle down". I took that rather badly and responded as I would to someone I really knew sitting in front of me. He took it rather badly and it went downhill from there.

Then I finished reading Tina Fey's book "Bossypants" and find myself wanting to email her and have a chat about a lot of things she has written. Once again I feel as if I know her and that she would love to talk to me. I am not going to do this since I read she just had a new baby and she really does not want strangers writing to her as if they are her friends. Maybe I can blame this compulsion on Oprah since every good feeling that goes awry is often blamed on her.