Author Topic: small talk (Read 7044 times)

j rake · « **on:** March 20, 2013, 02:22:00 PM »

went to the bank this morning and the bank teller lady began asking me pointless small talk questions like "how is your day going so far?" and "plan to do anything exciting this week?"

i replied with "not bad" (my day had started only hours earlier) and told her i was looking forward to the basketball tournament. yes, i said "basketball tournament." had I been more specific, i would have said, "looking forward to watching the college basketball tournament."

but i didn't, and as a result ...

"oh, you play basketball?"

"no, i watch it. march madness."

"oh, yeah. i don't really follow basketball."

she proceeded to do other banking things. then, back to small talk.

"so who do you think will win?"

i told her i liked louisville.

"oh, interesting."

how is that interesting? how is any part of that interesting? she doesn't know me, she doesn't follow basketball, she has never watched louisville and is incapable of measuring the quality of my prognostication. it is completely and totally uninteresting to her.

i guess i don't understand the purpose of "small talk." is the purpose to fake niceness and to pretend to care about people you don't care about.

hurtsogood · « **Reply #1 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:25:29 PM »

People just like to fill the silence with pointless conversation. People in my office love to chit chat during elevator rides. It makes the situation more comfortable for them, I think. I, on the other hand, do not mind silence.

j rake · « **Reply #2 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:27:13 PM »

i don't mind small talk at bars or in taxis or at a tailgate or a game. i genuinely enjoy talking to people if the encounter will be longer than a minute or two.

but a bank? no. just be my banker.

EllRobersonisInnocent · « **Reply #3 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:27:43 PM »

I despise people that have to continously talk. Please just stfu and let me do whatever I'm doing in peace. I could easily go an entire day without talking to a soul and would be perfectly happy

Ghost of Stan Parrish · « **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:30:18 PM »

I've been accosted by the guy at my wash-and-fold the last couple times I've dropped off my laundry. The first occassion he told me it was the last time he could charge me so little to do my laundry. The price of detergent has gone way up since he set his rates. I told him he could charge me more, but that just seemed to annoy him. The second time had something to do with the Chinese restaurant across the street.

"People are strange."

Also, the worst is when the barber/hairstylist wants to talk to me. No escape route there.

hurtsogood · « **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:33:31 PM »

I have a super EMAW barber, and I love chatting him up about the cats. He's kind of a tuck, but in an adorable, non-racist way.

j rake · « **Reply #6 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:33:41 PM »

Quote from: Ghost of Stan Parrish on March 20, 2013, 02:30:18 PM

Also, the worst is when the barber/hairstylist wants to talk to me. No escape route there.

part of the reason why i now cut my own hair.

Emo EMAW · « **Reply #7 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:34:35 PM »

Love my barber and his small talk. Why I keep going back, honestly.

steve dave · « **Reply #8 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:35:50 PM »

MD feeling my naked parts and talking to me about random other stuff is a very good use of small talk. very much appreciate this.

pissclams · « **Reply #9 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:38:45 PM »

i don't do small talk with anyone who i suspect is only small talking me. i will ignore them and not respond. or if i do, i'll just say something like, "can we please just move this along?"

the african chick at l'occitane sucks at the register and always tries to small talk me. i just mush her dumbass and don't respond.

bones129 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:39:01 PM »

Quote from: steve dave on March 20, 2013, 02:35:50 PM

MD feeling my naked parts and talking to me about random other stuff is a very good use of small talk. very much appreciate this.

They must have a class on this at medical school. Wonder what it's called?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

jmlynch1 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:40:56 PM »

I have to small talk for what I do and I am baller at it.

Emo EMAW · « **Reply #12 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:41:40 PM »

One time my friend's mom had to feel my junk. Very awkward for both of us.

bubbles4ksu · « **Reply #13 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:42:23 PM »

Quote from: jmlynch1 on March 20, 2013, 02:40:56 PM

I have to small talk for what I do and I am ballet at it.

does this mean you're agile and glide seamlessly from topic to topic?

_33 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:42:32 PM »

I love small talk. Also I'm a master at it. I could small talk anyone on this board and you wouldn't even know it.

bones129 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:44:30 PM »

Quote from: Emo EMAW on March 20, 2013, 02:41:40 PM

One time my friend's mom had to feel my junk. Very awkward for both of us.

Cougar?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

mocat · « **Reply #16 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:46:40 PM »

Quote from: jmlynch1 on March 20, 2013, 02:40:56 PM

I have to small talk for what I do and I am baller at it.

Talk during binging / treat breaks is not small talk, imo

Emo EMAW · « **Reply #17 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:52:12 PM »

Quote from: bones129 on March 20, 2013, 02:44:30 PM

Quote from: Emo EMAW on March 20, 2013, 02:41:40 PM
One time my friend's mom had to feel my junk. Very awkward for both of us.

Cougar?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

No. Super nice lady, though. Awesome kids/family.

bubbles4ksu · « **Reply #18 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:53:33 PM »

i hate small talk and am awful at it. i'm not even good at it when i'm drunk. last weekend i was talking to a cabbie about where he was from and i asked him where lahore was from kandahar(meant karachi, of course). "it's quite a ways south. like, in another country."

part of my problem is that i'm a bit shy and anxious. another part is that i really dislike talking about last week's weather when we could be talking about space.

someone tell me how to be better at it, please.

steve dave · « **Reply #19 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:54:46 PM »

Quote from: bubbles4ksu on March 20, 2013, 02:53:33 PM

someone tell me how to be better at it, please.

wellbutrin

bubbles4ksu · « **Reply #20 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:56:26 PM »

Quote from: steve dave on March 20, 2013, 02:54:46 PM

Quote from: bubbles4ksu on March 20, 2013, 02:53:33 PM
someone tell me how to be better at it, please.

wellbutrin

i'll start by cutting down on stimulants and go from there.

jmlynch1 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:57:10 PM »

Quote from: steve dave on March 20, 2013, 02:54:46 PM

Quote from: bubbles4ksu on March 20, 2013, 02:53:33 PM
someone tell me how to be better at it, please.

wellbutrin

talk all about the other person and only ask open ended questions

CNS · « **Reply #22 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:57:18 PM »

Quote from: j rake on March 20, 2013, 02:33:41 PM

Quote from: Ghost of Stan Parrish on March 20, 2013, 02:30:18 PM
Also, the worst is when the barber/hairstylist wants to talk to me. No escape route there.

part of the reason why i now cut my own hair.

Before reading this post, I was going to suggest that the bank chick was into you.

steve dave · « **Reply #23 on:** March 20, 2013, 02:58:39 PM »

Quote from: j rake on March 20, 2013, 02:33:41 PM

Quote from: Ghost of Stan Parrish on March 20, 2013, 02:30:18 PM
Also, the worst is when the barber/hairstylist wants to talk to me. No escape route there.

part of the reason why i now cut my own hair.

you do a very admirable job

Dr Rick Daris · « **Reply #24 on:** March 20, 2013, 03:05:49 PM »

paying for haircuts is just the worst and the stupidest. i had to do it the other week and it made me so mad. paying someone to pull out some scissors and cut your hair w/ them? good grief.