I walk around listening to my ipod a lot.  When you prefer the soundtrack of your life to rotate among Meat Loaf, Rick Springfield, and Miley Cyrus, it’s a BYO situation.  In addition to delivering the hits of yesterday and today, having ear buds in is also a halfhearted attempt at deflecting stranger contact.  You see, strangers love me.  I’m not sure what exactly it is about me, but it’s something.  Because really, they LOVE me.  I get stopped daily for directions.  Folks start conversations about the weather with me all the time.  And occasionally, I’ll be shown a fresh tattoo or asked to settle a dispute between a bickering couple.  I’m somewhat of a stranger magnet.  

My stranger draw is apparently so strong, having ear buds in doesn’t really stop people from talking to me in miscellaneous public situations.  Recently, instead of plucking out my ear phones to hear what the person is saying, I’m not sure why, but I accidentally take off my glasses.  This is completely unhelpful as I can neither see nor hear at that point.  But, it’s kind of a happy accident.  It’s actually helped me to discover the one thing that seems to turn strangers away from me…Helen Keller jokes.  

I’m not sure how I’m going to use this knowledge to my benefit, but I’ll find a way.  I’m sure.