who i like

Dudes, I have figured something out about myself. I was sitting in front of the hot plate with the grad students from Ghana squishing warm brown wax between my fingertips when it hit me. You see, whenever I'm in a new classroom I try to figure out who to sit by or talk to. When I'm the teacher I try to figure out if I was a student, which kids would I be friends with?

Those students are usually the easiest to talk to in order for me to break the ice and ease myself into normal conversation. And today I figured out what differentiates those students from the others. We all know that I don't like people, and I like talking to them even less.

Okay, not quite true. But I am incredibly introverted in almost all senses of the word. I also don't start friendships. I was definitely not the kindergartener who sat down next to you and babbled at the mouth saying "Let's be best friends forever, please?" So how do I determine who to initiate contact with first?

I remember in 7th grade there was a new girl in my art class and Mr. Bain asked if I would sit next to her and talk to her and make her feel welcome. I think he picked me because he knew that I was nice, but inside I freaked out. You want me to do what? What do I even say to her? Ummm....excuse me, but do you know who you are are talking to here?

7th grade me was so dramatic. Shocking, I know. It turns out that I didn't even have to talk at all, the new girl just chatted my ears off. I just had to plug in a couple of strategically placed nods and 'yeah, cool's.

And then when I met Belle sometime in middle school it was totally her loudness and extroversion that helped us to because fast friends. I know I didn't start that relationship and to this day I'm not even sure how it got started at all. She was loud and I was quiet and we were the bestest of best friends.

Which leads me back to my discovery this morning with wax covered fingernails.

I like funny people.

No, not funny looking people. What kind of person do you think I am? But no, people who share a similar sense of humor - nerdy, witty, you know. And those grad students sure know how to make a joke. Which is what got me thinking about this whole thing in the first place. I like to be around people who like to laugh - they generally know how to have a good time.

Laughter is good for the soul. A good giggle fit lifts your mood and makes life not seem so dull. So really, why would you not want surround yourself with howl inducing friends? There's a boy around my life lately, which is a story in and of itself, and he asked me three things that I look for in a guy that I want to date and the first thing out of my mouth was "he has to make me laugh" followed by loves Jesus and traveling.

(I wonder what my priorities are in life...hmm...)

So is it really surprising that I look for the comedic relief? Not at all. I appreciate charming wit and really bad jokes. You know the ones.