Put a lid on it would ya?

I have a theory that all-around confident, secure people do less talking and more listening. I've had several conversations with people who just could not stop talking about themselves, and I felt were trying to prove something to me the entire time. Geeze, isn't that exhausting? It's like even when the conversation is about you, it's not—they find a way to revert everything back to themselves. People like that suck.

If you're the best blogger out there, then that's great honey, but a.) No, you're not. b.) Shut the hell up and let your work do the talking. I have the same sentiments towards people who talk about how smart they are, and analyze to death how smart or stupid they think others are. Being smart isn't getting you laid (well, unless you're Steve Wozniak maybe), so again, shut the hell up. 

The thing I despise the most is people who broadcast how happy they are in their relationship. Of course, telling a friend or family member that you have a wonderful boyfriend or girlfriend is totally normal, but that's not what I'm talking about. Does anyone watch The Housewives of Orange County? That new chick (I'm blanking on her name) is allllways telling anyone who will listen that her husband is her soulmate/love of her life/best thing that's ever happened to her, etc etc. Ok, so I do believe in soulmates, and I've met mine, but I have never ever once acted like this. In the almost four years I've been with my boyfriend, I haven't even put up a profile pic on Facebook with him in it! (I'm not hating on people who do, but you get my point). 

These kinds of people are so transparent. It's obvious that they're trying to convince others, and themselves, of how great their lives are. Don't get me wrong though, I'm sure I ramble on and on about myself sometimes, too. (Friends, stop nodding your heads in agreement!)

Do you guys know the kind of person I'm talking about, or am I just going off on a tangent here? Any stories to share on this one?

How smart are YOU?

I don't know if it's universal or just a New York thing, but everyone seems to be obsessed with how smart you are. I've been in plenty of interviews where editors continuously reinforced how smart their staff is. And I know people who are just flat out intellect snobs--people who never quite warmed up to me because they weren't sure if I was smart enough to be in their circle. (It's time to get over whatever hangups you have from high school, k?) It sounds quite ridiculous as I type this, but it couldn't be more true.

Admittedly, I am not textbook smart. (Give me a map test of the United States and I might not get a 100%. A map of Europe? Let's not even go there). But what I am is people smart. Street smart. Ideas-generating smart. I don't know...just...Ellen-smart.

I try to keep up with the news and read the issues of TIME and The Economist scattered around Luke's apartment, but after one or two articles, I usually reach for the week's issue of InTouch.

When Luke and I had just started dating, he invited me to trivia night at a bar. I was terrified. Unless it was pop culture night, I knew it wouldn't be pretty. I conveniently got to the bar really late, just as he was finishing.

Yes, this is an insecurity of mine, but all in all, I'm very comfortable and happy with who I am. Of course I like to be surrounded by intelligent people who I can learn something from, but I'll take a genuinely good person who I can laugh my ass off with over someone with a high IQ any day.

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Does anyone else ever feel this way? Come on, 'fess up: What's been your biggest "Jessica Simpson" moment to date?