At the time, I was complaining about the fact that it seemed I couldn't go anywhere without running into people I knew. Which, really, I'm sure still is a valid complaint. I mean, this is true about pretty much anywhere I go around here, clubs/restaurants/bars aside -- Uptown is a pretty tightknit little community, and I've been here too many years to realistically expect anonymity anymore, I guess.

But all the faces so irritatingly familiar to me really are not quite as much the problem. What's a lot harder to deal with are all the people who know my face, who I really wouldn't know from Adam.

You can see some the paranoic's problem with this, right? I mean, I could be having entire conversations with people without ever knowing I've talked to them before. And while that's bothersome enough, unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the way it happens. What I'm getting are people I try to talk to as strangers, who'll point out that we've met and talked quite extensively at some point before.

"Don't you remember me?"

Well, crap. No, I don't tend to. I guess the truth of the matter is, I just really don't pay that much attention to other people. I mean, you might be really cute or fascinating or whatnot -- but frankly, I'll probably have forgotten all about you within a day or two. I would have thought that pretty much fair game. Now why is it that they're bothering to remember me, when apparently I'm too big a jerk to do likewise?

In my defense? I'm not totally not rememmbering. I'm not so good with faces, but I can remember context -- being somewhere and talking about something. When people can give me a topic, and I can associate that with being in a particular setting, I do usually recall having had that conversation. See, I really am interested in people's ideas -- I guess I just tend to figure, what's the point of burning their face into my mind, when I'll probably never see them again?

Plus, honestly, I don't think I spend too much time just staring at people when I'm talking to them. I mean, I make eye contact to make sure I'm understanding or make sure I'm being understood ... beyond that, I suppose I don't really care so much what anyone looks like.

My favorite guy from all this not-remembering handled it in what I'd imagine would be the most effective way, if you didn't want to get offended that I don't remember. He just started talking to me like he knew me, didn't ask my name or if I remembered him or anything. Now I'll grant, once I remembered him, this is actually a guy I'd hung out with 2-3 times, having run into him in this same setting just by happenstance. But the point is, he talked to me, I talked back, and eventually (I'd say 2-3 minutes, tops) I could recognize from the context of what our chitchat was where I knew him from before. Still had no idea what his name was, but I did at least know how we knew one another.

So once again, yes I'm a pretty self-centered guy, and no I'm under no illusions that it is in any way a good trait. Honestly, it's something I'm seeing in classes, too -- which is also where I come by the idea that just talking to me like I should remember is the best policy. If a total stranger is talking to me about a shared past, it's generally not too long before I figure out where I at least should recognize them from.

So I'm pretty introspective. This is where, as far as the best answer I have to the question, "Where do you live?" is, "In my head." That's really pretty literal for me. It might look like I'm standing right next to you, but honestly I've got a million things on my mind, and it'll probably take quite a lot to really break too far into whatever all that crazy stuff is.

Which I guess would be my final point. Can't be too insulting if a crazy guy doesn't remember you, right? After all -- he's crazy.

In other news, my baby is back on Saturday. I really do miss her, so we will call this a Good Thing.