Glean all the things

So I realized I love the word GLEAN for several reasons. 1. It's simple. 2. I like how it sounds. 3. It's very applicable to me. 

Google defines glean as: 

verb 

extract (information) from various sources 
"the information is gleaned from press clippings"
synonyms: obtain, get, take, draw, derive, extract, cull, garner, gather; More 

collect gradually and bit by bit 
"objects gleaned from local markets" 

historical
gather (leftover grain or other produce) after a harvest. 
"the conditions of farm workers in the 1890s made gleaning essential"

With #3 being the main reason that I like this word, I feel this is the way I learn/pick up info. Not necessarily a good thing, but it is how I is. Rarely do I have the attention span to learn things by researching or being lectured on something in a "learning environment". Just as the definition says, I like to collect information on things "gradually and bit by bit" by overhearing it or seeing it in action.

A prime example of this phenomenon in my life is memes. I've never really gone out of my way to look up memes myself, presumably hosted by sites like reddit, imgur, funnyjunk (dating myself now I know...) but I still manage to pick them up because memes are, by nature, "viral". 

Upside: little effort, I literally only pick up things that interest me in the slightest 
Downside: may not be accurate