One Thing Interesting

The classic get-to-know-you request, "tell one thing interesting about yourself," always stumps me.

This morning, in a training meeting, I found myself pacing my life trying to grasp at something to share that was just the right level of interesting. I didn't want to sound too dorky, too boring, too conceited, too mundane, too showy. I needed just the right thing to share-- this is people's first impression we're talking about.

As the people nearer and nearer to me began sharing their interesting facts, I was getting more and more stuck. I kept thinking about food. I could only think about food. (This could be because we were eating breakfast while introducing ourselves, and also because every other person was mentioning how many more "interesting things" they could, and would, be elaborating on at lunch.) But saying-- I love food-- would not do my love, nor the subject, due respect. And it also sounds boring and well, normal. Everyone loves food.

I daresay, however, that I love food a totally crazy, wanna-cook-all-the-time, sleep-with-my-pans-and-parchment, obscene amount. When it was my turn, I hesitated, searching once more through my brain files for something better before saying, Uh, I spend an embarrassing amount of time on Cook's Illustrated every day. Which is true. Interesting though? Only if you happen to share my kitchen.

Lucky guy.