Small Talk

[claxon]

Something about myself that's really starting to bug me, is my complete inability to make small talk. I mean, yes it's pointless. It's only there to fill uncomfortable silences, but still it's useful. You start with the general "Nice weather today" chats, which can eventually develop into interesting (and meaningful) discussions. It's like a steping stone between seeing someone, and having a new friend.

How are you at small talk? and what topics do you usually choose to talk small about?


I think my problem is that I'm a programmer (well not exactly... that just shows the way my mind works). I generally want to keep things as efficient and simple as possible. I really dont care what the weather is like (and unless the other person is blind, there's not much point in telling them "It's nice outside" either). So my mind goes off on it's own little mission to find a good question to ask, or something to say that would be interesting. Unfortionately, this leave me standing and staring at my 'would-be' conversational partner, doing my best impression of being in a coma. By the time I come out of it, my legs have already gone into emergency autopilot and gotten me as far away from the scene as possible.

[MoonDust]

I suck at it.

[EponaCapaill]

Yeah, really bad at it.

[claxon]

:toofless: so........ How's the weather there?

[Tabby]

I'm actually great at small talk. I am in business and find it is very useful to me (Legal Compliance Quality Assurance Admin). I usually start out with a how are you doing today and go from there. I look at the person (ie: what they are wearing) and try to determine what to talk about. Or, I start off by talking about what we are doing or where we are (ie: riding in an elevator, attending a meeting, a project). *shrugs* I inherited the gift of gab from my dad, he is the same way.

*smiles* I hope it gets easier for you *huggles*

[claxon]

Or, I start off by talking about what we are doing or where we are (ie: riding in an elevator,

I just don't get it..... the only thing I could think to say for that would be....... "Up's good" :twitch: or something equally meaningless.

[gwendar]

It's poor.
But I don't mind - I hate small talk!:D

[LadyTrinity]

I talk about everything and anything. Im pretty good at talking when no one else has anything to say. Just tell me to SHAAAADAAAAAP :bigblue:

[Dove]

Most view “Small Talk” as meaningless words used to fill empty silences.
I honestly believe it’s one of the lesser understood, and so not really appreciated “Art” forms.

My lifestyle and work keep me constantly meeting new people.
I think of “Small Talk” as an Excellent Opportunity to make a good “first” impression on a person I’ve just met.
And who knows where that “first impression” will lead!!

Seriously …..
If you find yourself in a situation where you need to make small talk,
Instead of dreading the useless, dead end chatter about the weather …..

You should try challenging yourself to initiate interesting “Conversation”

*laughing*
Yup … I Love Small Talk!!!
… erm … I don’t know if I’m really any good at it,
But I try to be.

[Karma Chameleon]

I do not like it. I hate most social conventions as it is anyways. Particularly having to talk about meaningless stuff or stuff that I don't think is people's bussiness like how old I am or what I do for a living.

[Haruka2077]

I suck at it royally. I hate being stuck in social situations and not knowing what to say. If I have the baby with me I can usually talk about her, but it's still tough.
I also hate phone conversations and avoid them like the plague, even with my best friends. For a Gemini I'm amazingly bad at most forms of communication.

[6th Angel]

I´m terrible at it.... I just figure, if you or I don´t have anything useful or intersting to say I´d rather just be silent. Silence isn´t that bad..... :shhhh:

[Flaire-FireStar]

I'm pretty aweful at any form of conversation, small talk in particular. I figure I don't really (ever) have anything to say.

[WitchJezebel]

It's funny, I actually despise small talk but I'm perfect at it. I started working on Wall Street when I was 17 and I'm a very private person, always have been so I learned how to talk about unimportant things so as to keep people from asking me about my life. It's inevitable, office people can be really nosy and you say anything that could be construed as gossip and everyone will find out. I learned a long time ago while listening to other people talk and gossip that small talk can keep you out of a lot of trouble at work!

[Iseult]

I hate small talk and I really struggle with it. I think I'm verging on having Aspergers, though not only for this reason. Maybe one of you chatterboxes could run some sort of class on how to do it!

[Dave the Druid]

Pond scum here.

Can't say anything small to save m life.

[Strega Del Vento]

I don't do so well with small talk. Then again, I don't do well talking with many regularly anyway, outside my little family that is.

[Nabooru]

Hah, yes! So, I'm not the only person who finds my small talk-ability lacking.

Really, I'm quite good at talking to myself, just no one else.

[jetzige]

I try not to talk too much to people I don't know. I'm pretty chatty and find myself talking about things people don't want to hear, so I try to keep my mouth shut unless I'm around people that don't care that I'm odd.

[QUEEN OF THE DAMNED]

I work in customer service and have since I was 14 so I have to be decent at it. Sometimes I'm at a loss, especially when I'm depressed and people say how are you? And I just hear a little voice say "good how are you?" come from my mouth.
I dont like making small talk except when I have had a few drinks or a bit to smoke. Then it comes naturally. :lol: Then any kind of talk with anyone is comfortable and natural for me. I'm a big talker but I'm pretty shy of people I dont know.

[lil_suzie]

My small talk is realy bad but my big talk is worse.
My middle talk aint so hot neither.

[Élistariel]

Poor.
I have my days.
I usually don't see the point in it. Why waste my breath on something I don't give a rat's patootie about? Unless there is a hurricane on it's way, I don't care what the weather is. No one ever died because of a light rain.
With people I know, I usually know enough about them to start a decent full on conversation.
If I'm going up to you to order some fries or pay for a book, I don't care what you had for dinner last Tuesday.

[SoulHealer]

I'm quite good....mainly because i hate talking about myself, and most people with a little prompting will tell you everything about them :lol:

There are times when I just cannot be bothered though -I enjoy silence at times. Its interesting to see how people react to it

[claxon]

Maybe one of you chatterboxes could run some sort of class on how to do it!

Oh what a good idea! :hehehehe:

For example.... on the weather idea, how do you continue it? In my experiance it thends to go kinda like this:


Person1: Wow. Nice day outside.
Person2: Yeah.....

Which will, if you're lucky, occasionally continue with something like:

Person1: Much better than yesterday
Person2: Definatly

... and that's as far as I've ever gotten. Like some of you have said, a lot of the time I don't care about talking to people I meet on the street or in a shop, but there are some specific people I'd like to be able to talk to without tripping over my own tongue (I'll give you 3 guesses why :p ).

[merlo]

I'm terrible, but getting better. I will usually say something, anything, idiotic to discourage people from taking me out of my own little world. But then if they come back with something equally idiotic, then I've found a new friend!