laughs for no one else

'fate doesn't hang on a wrong or right choice
fortune depends on the tone of your voice'
--ben folds

when i was younger [so much younger than today], i noticed that people generally like to talk. and so i decided that i would be someone who listens and encourages others to talk.
i think i've done pretty good at that.
the side effect is that i can be rather un-talkative at times. it's a reaction to pass the topic of conversation to the other.

recently i've found myself around some rather talkative people; i like them, and others around them generally do, too.
and so i listen a lot and don't say much.
it's just a habit.

i think i need to talk more. politely listening and pondering can easily be mistaken for lack of interest or opinion.
talking seems to be a good thing, particularly if you can do so with confidence, enthusiasm, or some other positive adjective.

but then i think of the sage-like personas of dean duncan and other such great thinkers, who speak softly and wisely in such a way that people come to them to seek their opinions and thoughts, knowing that just because they are not constantly speaking has no relation to what
lies beneath.

maybe i just need to be more assertive.

'i'll tell you up front; i'm a man who likes talking to a man who likes to talk.'
-the fat man, 'the maltese falcon'

in these same not-so-talkie situations, i don't laugh a whole lot, either.
i guess i don't want to hand out my laughs likes pretzels; if i laugh, i want it to be because i genuinely think something is funny or amusing.

people like people who laugh, so why not laugh?