If there’s one thing I learned growing up in a city that never shuts its eyes, it’s that curiosity has a way of sneaking up on you like an unexpected headliner. It’s the quiet knock on the backstage door, the “what if” tugging at your routine until you finally pause, take a deep breath, and let it pull you toward the unknown. For me, living near the glittering chaos of the Las Vegas Strip wasn’t just a backdrop—it was a training ground for curiosity. And let me tell you, curiosity, much like love, has a peculiar way of leading you to places you never dreamed of.

So, what happens when you lean into the questions, even the silly and small ones? Magic. (And sometimes awkward lessons. Trust me, I’ve got stories.)

The Power of “Why Not?”

Years ago, a friend convinced me to attend a local karaoke night at a dusty dive bar off Fremont Street. Normally, dive bars and impromptu yodeling competitions wouldn’t make my social calendar, but she lured me with a single phrase: "It’ll be fun.” As someone who rarely says no to potential chaos (blame my theater-kid roots), I figured, "Why not?"

Of course, it wasn’t long before I somehow found myself on stage, blindly singing a duet with a stranger who chose "Love Shack" because—and I kid you not—he thought it was an Elvis song. (We cleared up his misunderstanding, but only after he'd botched the opening line.) Fast forward a few years, and this "Love Shack" mishap morphed into a career opportunity. My duet partner turned out to be a local filmmaker, and we eventually collaborated on a project showcasing Vegas’s offbeat art scene—a whole experience I would have missed had I skipped the bar that night.

Curiosity thrives on the question, "What if I do this, even if it makes me cringe in the moment?" Sure, not every leap will land you in a serendipitous duet-turned-creative collab, but it’ll keep your world expanding. Romance works the same way. It's about showing up and seeing what happens—even if it means resurrecting a rusty version of “Summer Lovin’” in a bar full of strangers. (Yes, I did that too. No, I do not have regrets.)

Let Curiosity Be Your Co-Pilot

One of the best relationships of my twenties started with an impulsive nonsense question. I was sitting across from a guy at a sushi spot, and after an hour of pleasant-enough small talk, I blurted out, “So…if you were a casino game, what would you be?” Why? Because the conversation needed CPR, and I was bored of asking about his job.

To his credit, he didn’t flinch. “Craps,” he said. "Chaos, excitement, and—let’s be honest—a lack of strategy." Boom—instant connection. We spent the rest of the night crafting narratives about which Vegas attractions would represent us as people. (For the record, I’m the Bellagio fountains: overstimulating and always trying to perform.)

The relationship eventually faded, but the lesson stuck: curiosity transforms the everyday. Whether it’s a first date, a long-term partnership, or even a solo evening under your weighted blanket, the willingness to ask something bold or weird can shake things up. You don’t have to blow your partner’s mind with existential riddles, but you do have to own your curiosity like the life raft it is.

Everyday Curiosity = Relationship Vitamin

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to reinvent yourself every day to keep a relationship interesting. Sometimes, all it takes is committing to a tiny slice of curiosity that reminds you both why the spark started in the first place. I’ve spent years refining this strategy (often accidentally) and found a few surefire ways to weave curiosity into relationships without looking like you’re trying too hard:

  • Surprise Questions: Next time you’re making small talk over takeout, throw a new hypothetical into the mix. “If we were to rob a Vegas casino together à la Ocean’s Eleven, what would our heist roles be?” This one got me and my now-partner debating for hours—he’s the smooth-talker (shocking), and I’m the one who’d obviously trip the silent alarm.

  • Mini Adventures: Forget grand gestures. Take the road you never drive down or pick a restaurant solely because its online reviews are bonkers. One quiet Tuesday, my boyfriend and I decided to follow GPS to a random park we’d never visited. We stumbled into an amateur dog park fashion show (!) and spent the evening judging beagles in graduation caps. Nothing bonds you faster than a shared bout of delightful absurdity.

  • Role-Reversal Projects: Trade hobbies, just for a day. As a writer who’s catastrophically bad with plants, I once let my green-thumbed artist partner teach me to pot succulents. (Of course, I still accidentally murdered my cactus within a month, but he deemed it "a noble attempt.")

The point? Curiosity doesn’t have to be grand gestures and skydiving lessons. It’s the subtle moments of exploration, the playful willingness to upend routines, and the surprising exchanges you never saw coming.

When in Doubt, Channel Your Inner Tourist

Growing up in Las Vegas gave me a peculiar perspective on curiosity: I realized most tourists were having more fun back home than locals did in their own city. Why? Because tourists, with their crinkling maps and unapologetic enthusiasm, lean into curiosity like it’s their default setting. Meanwhile, locals (justifiably tired of traffic and overpriced drinks) forget that the familiar can be just as thrilling when seen through fresh eyes.

The same is true for relationships. The next time date night rolls around, ask yourself: If I were a tourist visiting my own life, what would make me gasp in awe? It could be peeling back the layers of your partner’s favorite childhood memory or wandering an exhibit for a subject neither of you cares about—meteorites, anyone? Love works best when we treat each other as something worth discovering again. And guess what? That sense of awe doesn’t expire.

In Case You’re Feeling Stuck...

Curiosity isn’t a magical serum. There will be failed attempts, awkward dinners, and questions that flop harder than a showgirl’s busted heel. Embrace the failure—it’s part of the fun, not a reflection on you. Try these micro-curiosity challenges to stretch beyond where you are:

  • Send a random text to your long-distance crush: “If time travel were real, which karaoke bar in history should we visit together?”
  • Invite your partner to play a round of “Would You Rather,” but only use wildly specific local scenarios. Example: “Would you rather lose $1,000 at a slot machine or sing karaoke on Fremont Street dressed as Elvis?”
  • Spend the weekend acting like a tourist in your own city—even the cheesy stuff. (Pro tip: Food festivals are basically dating nectar.)

Closing Curtain Call

Here’s the thing about curiosity: It doesn’t promise smooth sailing. It doesn’t tell you that every karaoke night, hypothetical debate, or tourist trap detour will lead to something dazzling. But it does nudge you out the door and remind you not to settle for “good enough.” Whether it’s love you’re chasing or simply a newfound appreciation for your partner’s obsession with true crime podcasts, curiosity keeps the story fresh.

So go ahead, ask the bold question. Sing the cringe-worthy song. Take the road that feels a little odd. Who knows? It might just lead to somewhere spectacular—or, at the very least, a beagle in a graduation hat. Either way, I promise it’ll be worth it.