This is a random note, but I thought a useful one that I will share with my readers.

So. Have you ever been in a situation where you’re at a restaurant with your girlfriend, and you start eavesdropping on another table, and then your girlfriend starts talking to you, and suddenly you can’t hear what the other table is saying, but you can’t tell your girlfriend that you’re eavesdropping because you don’t want the other table to know that–while meanwhile, your girlfriend is starting to wonder why you aren’t answering her?

It happens all the time, right?

Mary and I have developed a handy codeword for just this scenario. One of us just has to say something about “Idaho” and that tells the other person two things:

We have found this to be a really great system, especially in situations where you’re eavesdropping on someone really close by, like the person right behind you in the jetway as you wait to board the plane. Mary will be standing there and just smile and tell me, “I really love Idaho,” and I’ll smile and say, “Me too” and the person with the fascinating conversation behind us has no idea that we’re listening in to some crazy conversation.

We’ve shared this handy tip with friends and they have all used it to great success. We even use it as a verb now. As in, “I’m Idaho-ing.”

Try it out yourself!

Today’s Tip Was Brought To You By Visit Idaho. Official Slogan: It’s Not Just For Eavesdropping Anymore!