Shared Knowledge

Biz Guy recently told me he thinks I am a (insert fancy business lingo here which I can't recall) - it basically means I am the sort of person who has a lot of networks, and who not only uses that network to gather information but is also a network SHARER of information. Meaning I tell people (loudly) what I like and don't like, do and don't do, and all that - and in turn they tell me, too, and I grow my network. It was all very flattering, but all I really get out of this is that I am lazy (rather ask than figure it out myself) - and overly talkative (excuse me while I over-share)- in the extreme.

Of course it sounds like I am being negative about this - when in fact it's exactly the opposite. Now more than ever I am understanding the great value to be had in being an extreme sharer AND an extreme listener, and the value to be found in the people you know.

The kids have been learning all about different cultures, and they had a project where they had to create something related to their assigned culture. A part of this project was the gathering of source material from books, fiction, the web, whatever. DD2 was telling me about her assigned culture (India) and asked if she could Skype a friend of mine whose cultural heritage is Indian - so they had a good chat and not only was my friend flattered, but DD2 probably got a lot more out of her chat than she would out of a book. DD1 lamented that we didn't know anyone from her culture that she could chat to (Hawaii) until I reminded her that last year, we went and saw my college room mate, who was born and bred in Hawaii. So off went the email. Lastly was DS - who didn't (strangely) ask me if I knew someone from his culture. When I asked him why, he said, "Because we won't know anybody from that far away, surely!" His country? South Africa. Lineage of the Mother of one of his best mates? South African.

Then take tonight's "it's a small world" experience. I've been decidedly crumpled this week, and since for me therapy=cooking, I've been doing a lot of it. I decided to try and tackle pistachio nougat (again.) I had this whacko recipe which made NO sense but I decided to try it anyway (against my better pastry chef judgement.) So I made it..and along the way I'm thinking, "Hmmm...this doesn't look right..." and then PING! went the light bulb over my head. It occurred to me to ring The Ninja, who among other things is a kick-ass chef/pastry chef and also Italian and therefore genetically enhanced to know how to cook torrone. Wouldn't you know it? I was right, the recipe was crazy...but she gave me a recipe for one which she promises is both easier and will actually work. I'm going to try that one next week, by which time I will be thoroughly sick of all things sweet and nutty (except for my kids, of course, who also fit that description.)

I love this aspect of me, and I love this aspect of my life. That I surround myself with people from interesting places, with interesting skills, who themselves have what to listen to and what to share...well, that's just totally fabulous. My world manages to defy the bounds of time and space and somehow manages to get smaller and bigger all at the same time (a bit like my torrone!)