benlehman

Forgot to add:

Many of my buddies do this, and sometimes I get a little TMI from them, but as Clinton says, "I Know This about my Friend. I tuck it Away. But I totally won't bring it up to them, unless it sets off one of my own issues and I want to talk about it."

I forgot to mention that I also dig, or at least am interested in, the personal events of my friends (so the above "TMI" is on a relative scale- There's nothing that can be TMI for me, pretty much). If a friend is having a hard stressful time, and thinks that by making "The King has Donkey's Ears" posts on LJ will help a little, then I am more than happy to take on that role. I like gossip, I like inside info, I like reading what my friends are thinking, and I like helping them if I can.

And likewise, if I began posting personal, private stuff I'd probably lock it down to Friends Only or something.

And funny Clinton should sign in. I've been reading his blog(s) on and off since he lived in like Seattle, and for a few years now I've been really curious about a turn of events in his life from some years back, because I went through something similar. But I've never asked him about it in person (or even online), because I'm not THAT close with him, but I figure some day I would. When I'm a Level 13 Friend with the Know TMI About Relationships Feat or someshit.

But yeah, I wouldn't bring that shit up at the juice bar out of the blue, so in your case I think you just hit upon That Guy who doesn't have that whole Public/Private barrier thing quite down yet. Not that they're A FREAK!!! or anything, just maybe they don't know the boundaries. or maybe it's a cultural thing, even.

-Andy