Sharing Seaweed

We had a "tag" meeting this morning.  For the unwashed and uninitiated this is a process where an individual calls on someone else once they've finished sharing.  It was a great meeting because we heard from a lot of people who don't normally share.  The only drawback was that no one called on me, probably because I talk all of the time and constantly recycle the same small selection of tired, fairly obvious observations.  I've quit saying "stop me if you've heard this before" because I'm offended when people stop me.  I have to assume that they've heard this before.  

There were maybe 50 people at the meeting and I'd guess that 25 people shared which means that I was in the bottom 50th percentile in popularity.  This galled me despite my inner resolve that it really would be better for me to listen than to talk, although I say this with no conviction and a wry, sarcastic tone.  Obviously everyone would be better off if I shared.  I notice in the tag meeting that most people look at the ground, believing that eye contact invites an invitation to share.  Maybe these people really don't want to talk or they're being falsely modest like me.  Sometimes I stare daggers at the person speaking, daring them not to call me.  This general technique of looking away, with a vaguely menacing air, reminds me of how I dealt with cops and parents and other people I was lying to when I was drinking - namely, if I can't see you then you don't exist.  Sort of like hiding your face with your hands when an infant is around and suddenly pulling them away.  The infant is like: "Wow, he was gone and - just like that - he reappears!  Amazing!" This was my general mindset as a grown adult dealing with law enforcement. 

Share:  To give part of what one has to someone else to use or consume.

I'm not sure what I'm doing is "sharing."  I think I'm just talking about myself.

Anyway, a lot of people who don't normally speak spoke.  It was great.  I don't know people who people who usually talk think they have such great things to share and why the quiet folks stay quiet.

Still, I can't believe no one called on me.