November 08, 2004

Small Talk - Yuck

It's my day off!! Yahoo. It's my Sunday. A day to recover (from football) a day to putter, laundry, dishes, make a nice meal. Oh Wait. I don't have to figure out what to eat tonite. I actually get to go out for dinner. And Not Alone.

It seems my friends are driving to Lakeland to meet another of my friends for dinner and I get to go along. WooHoo. A meal out with people. Conversation, laughter, memories.

Wait just one second. Conversation. Oh. Shit. Small Talk. Oh. Shit.

Small Talk:
Definition: [n] light informal conversation for social occasions.

Yikes. Not so good at that. Hmmm...what to talk about, what to discuss?

Well, there's football. Always a good topic.
The great weather.
Old, funny stories (that would take up an hour or two)
Catch up on gossip

Forbidden:
No, NONE, Not one word on Politics
Marriage (he's going through a divorce)
Current job - I've been told this is all I ever talk about and that I am very boring.

It's funny. I've never really done the small talk thing very well. Mostly with people I don't know, but I even struggle with it when talking with my friends. OH - I love stories. Love Love Love. I love jokes, and talking about old times. But it's just when it comes to talking about "nothing much" I don't do that so good.

I want to. The problem is I don't remember the last time I went to a movie. I adore classical music, but most of my friends hate it. I haven't been to the theater is so long it's not funny. I haven't even been boating in a year. (That's borderline criminal.) I haven't really cooked in almost a year, and even then it was pretty sporadic.

I think my saving grace will be the blogs. I plan on, not only perusing my archives, but reading everything I can about anything that's out there. That should provide some fodder. Hopefully enough to keep me from embarrassing myself.

I will behave. I will be a good companion. I will have a REALLY GOOD meal.

Posted by Tammi at November 8, 2004 09:50 AM
Comments

I am not good at small talk either. Don't know how to start it and don't really know what to say at it.

I've had plenty of people think I was snobbish because I don't do small talk good. I avoid it because I don't do it good.

blech, I hate it.

Posted by: Machelle at November 8, 2004 11:52 AM

Both I and Sally abhore small talk and generally appear rude and ignorant to people who don't know us. I have perfected the art of nodding and saying things in the right way to make people think I am paying attention and I have a really good way of making people reveal what they want with a few innocuous(sp?) questions - essential at my old job. Sally (as I am sure she will say) is worse at it than me - she just has no interest in it period.

Posted by: Alex at November 8, 2004 12:58 PM

I call it 'talking about toilet paper' and I am BAD at it... There should be college courses...LOL...

Posted by: ALa71 at November 8, 2004 02:04 PM

Does this mean that when we talk on the phone, we aren't doing small talk??? LOL.

Posted by: Teresa at November 8, 2004 04:36 PM

T - we actually have about 20 different conversations in 30 min. call. LOL

And everything we talk about is really important, and really deep. **wink wink**

Posted by: Tammi at November 8, 2004 09:51 PM