Voice Modulation & Snap Judgments

Right now, I'm the traveler, the gypsy, the lover, the best friend who is coming to visit.

What fascinates me is how I can project an image/mythology unintentionally to others who don't know me very well. For some reason in a certain era of my life, other people kept imagining that I was unpredictable, when I'd then had the same phone number for over twenty years and am a "pillar of my community" with a local business. This idea of me being "unpredictable" pre-dates my currently traveling lifestyle. I really can't imagine how some would have seen that mythology in me, when I'm one of the most stable people I know.

Later I found out that it was a mere mannerism of the way that I modulated my voice. Talking in a monotone when people were about to give me money helped immensely to make them feel I was a totally dependable person. Funny that little mannerism of voice would have anything to do with it, isn't it? But changing it made all the difference in the world to encourage the "public" to trust me with their money.

I wonder how Chinese is affected by this cultural bias - ? - to speak Chinese you have to modulate your voice up and down.

Here we go!

I thought I'd start this blog to have a place to put alot of what I've been writing for years, and to give myself a place to put it all as I keep writing. I hope someone gets something out of the benefit of my observations. Not sure that it's possible, but I've always hoped that I could bring some sort of insight to someone else's existence, just so they wouldn't have to slog through the ground that I've covered. I guess that's what every parent hopes for their kids, usually to no avail. I thought if I could make what I wrote enough of an experience, rather just a report of results, perhaps someone else could use it.

So - let me know.