by Meredith Maslich

In my last column I talked about going to my boyfriend’s family reunion and the way we used story to connect with his family.

Well, while I was having that revelation about the power of storytelling, I was also having another revelation.

There is a phenomenon called “Couple’s Storytelling”.

I just named it that, but it’s a real thing. Or it will be when I post this blog.

As Chris and I were regaling his family with stories about his behavior on Ambien and other adventures we’d had together, my filter randomly clicked on in the middle of telling a story. I remember, because it rarely happens. Read More

by Meredith Maslich

This past weekend, I attended my boyfriend Chris’s annual family reunion for the first time. Over the course of a day and a half I met more than 70 members of his extended family.

Um,  Overwhelming Anxiety, party of one, please.

As we pulled up to his Aunt’s house on Friday evening and one of his cousins came out to greet us, I experienced a level of social stage fright that I haven’t experienced since high school. See, as soon as I realized I had a proclivity toward storytelling, I used that as a way to control my natural social anxiety. Over the years I’ve honed the skill and fine tuned specific stories that now serve as my armor to protect me from any awkward or dull moments. Read More

by Meredith Maslich

One of the best feelings in the world, to me at least, is when a story finds you. You’re people watching at a concert, and you see drama unfold, or you find yourself in a situation that’s not what you expected, and if you’re a storyteller to any degree, you recognize the material being presented to you.

Other times, life needs… a little nudge to get interesting. Sometimes you have to take some action to dig up a story.

Now, there are some purists who say that it doesn’t really count if you make the story happen.

But I strongly disagree. Especially if you cop to your actions within the story: “It meant going in the opposit direction of where I needed to go, but I followed the arguing couple anyway. When they noticed me and asked if I was following them, I found myself saying yes…” Read More

by Meredith Maslich

I firmly believe that anyone can learn the basic tenants and principals of storytelling, especially social storytelling. And I also firmly believe that with practice anyone can get to the point of being a proficient, if not highly entertaining social storyteller. However, at the same time, I also believe some people seem to be more natural storytellers than others. I like to include myself in that category as justification for my high need for attention and tendency to monopolize conversations.

But I’ve recently realized that it’s not entirely my fault, some of it is genetic. Read More

by Meredith Maslich

I’ve been talking about social storytelling in this space for the last two months. In my first column I talked about how the idea for this column came from a class that I’d been trying to develop with my fellow teacher Joe Price. And I think in many ways the format has worked really well – being able to explore elements of social storytelling in detail each week has been really fun and interesting for me. But the format lacks one of my favorite parts about teaching – interaction.

I miss the give and take that happens between teachers and students and amongst students around a new topic. I miss the new insights and perspectives and revelations that often result from those conversations – insights, perspective and revelations that tell me that I still have much to learn. Read More

by Meredith Maslich

To me, one of the best uses of social storytelling is dating.

When I was actively dating, I always had a couple of go to stories “in my pocket”  to pull out for a variety of circumstances.

For example, 85% of my first dates would start with the guy saying something about how awkward first dates were, or how weird on-line dating was (yes, once I entered my 30’s 99% of my dates were found on-line. Don’t judge me.), so I had a ready story about the weirdest date I’d ever had – this over intense guy who, before we’d even ordered our drinks, was asking me if I’d be willing to quit my job, marry him, bear him children (specifically a daughter) and raise his existing two motherless children. This story always provoked a good laugh and a little bonding as they sympathized with my experience. Then, inevitably, the guy would say something to the effect of “Well, hopefully I won’t be that bad!” Read More