Yeah, I was a huge, huge bookworm myself.

This feels different, though. Especially since...oftentimes, they literally can't hear you. To start a conversation, you have to wave your hand in front of their face, and they have to take out their earbuds.

I've actually done something like that. I just kind of stood in front of someone (at the coworking space) who was eating lunch, alone, looking at his phone with earbuds in. And, after taking out his earbuds, he seemed honestly grateful that someone wanted to talk to him.