Here is the problem with people:

Most people are more concered with themselves than with other people.  And that's natural.  But it irks me SO BAD when someone doesn't listen.  Bad listeners are like bad kissers--you never, ever want to talk to them again.  Katie and Jaimie are excellent listeners.  I am a decent one (although by no means excellent).  Isaac is a half-ass listener:  sometimes, he is amazing and our conversations sky-rocket and become really fascinating.  Sometimes he is terrible and just waits for his turn to speak.

I know that I think my stories are more interesting than other (average) people's, and it annoys me when they try to one-up me.  But at the same time, there are people that I actually LISTEN to...and as I started typing a list of people I actually find myself interested in hearing what they have to say, I realized that they were my closest friends (Isaac, Katie, Jaimie, Blakeley, Johnny, Mom, and a few more).  Conversation, to me, is really organic.  I love conversation, I can talk to someone for HOURS, and it becomes a defining factor in many of my friendships.  If I can't talk to you, then chances are I'm not really your friend.

I realize that I am highly opinionated.  I realize that I talk a lot.  But I also think (and maybe I'm wrong) that in my conversations, I try to do as much listening as I do talking.  And it IS possible to change my mind.  If your argument is good enough.  If you can force me to sit and listen in a compelling way.  I am willing to rethink almost anything with a little persuasion.  But I'm not going to do that for just anyone.  People who think that their opinions are the ONLY ONES that are valid can be really irritating.  People who aren't willing to examine another point of view are, by definition, close-minded.  I have always said that I am close-minded, but it's not that I'm close-minded, it's that it takes more than you just saying that it is one way to change my mind.  I'm not impossible, I just know what I think is good and I stick to that most of the time.  There is a difference between being opinionated and being close-minded.  And there is a difference between saying you are open-minded and BEING open-minded.

Here is my real point:
IF you like me, if you are interested on being on the "in crowd" of Emily, (and I realize that not everyone gives a shit) the people I share my thoughts, ideas, the people I open up to and am honest with, then you have to be able to listen.  If I am talking and it's obvious that you don't care, that you're just talking for the sake of talking, that this conversation really means NOTHING to you, then you will never get to the point where I take what YOU are saying seriously.  If we can't have a stimulating conversation then I don't really care about you or what you have to say.  What goes around comes around.  If you are interested in finding out what makes me tick, and exploring that, then I will respect you.  If not, then I'm not going to put forth all the effort to discover who you really are.  And just asking me to tell you isn't going to cut it.  Effort is required.