After a ridiculously satisfying Thanksgiving dinner, we are sitting on the couches, drinking wine, carrying on individual conversations, when I hear someone say, “If you’re not boring the person you’re speaking to, then you’re just not passionate enough about the topic.”

I look around the room and wonder what people would describe as their passions. I have some guesses but out of curiosity, I pose the question to the entire room, “So what is it that you’re completely passionate about?”

One person talks about bikes: different types of bikes, bike parts, bike resources, bike races, biking legends, bike clothing, bike bags, biking records, local bikers.

Another talks about photography: lenses, cameras, lighting, subjects, how to order rare cameras, how to change the lighting (with duct tape), films, where to buy film, his first camera, shutter speeds.

Another talks about sewing machines: old versus new, sergers, computerized machines, buttonhole makers, bobbins, thread weight, garment construction on various machines, valuation of antique machines, machines found on eBay, Bay Area fabric stores.

And yet another talks about mushrooms: varieties, how to grow them, composting, poisonous versus non-poisonous, recipes, mushrooms around the world, festivals, kits.

I’m a curious type of gal. But none of the above topics are ones that I would say I’m particularly passionate about or interested in. However, the conversation tonight was scintillating. Hearing someone talk about something that they truly believe in, that they absolutely love, is a joy. The questions flow naturally, the conversation doesn’t lull. And I learned a little more about fungi, photos, bikes, and buttonholes.