Smalltalk! Do you practice this? Some people start with the weather!!

you you want to start this year. Good! But never push yourself too had, it doesn't help. It helps only when you are comfortable. Good luck! How are you doing Andrew? No articles in AC?

Hi there, nice to hear from you again. Small talk can be uncomfortable and I have never seriously indulged in it. However, I want to make some small changes this year hopefully. I understand that you are quite shy and I think that I am the same myself. However, I'm hoping that I can make the effort in this new year. Andrew

Hi, there, no unfortunately I have not been writing for Associated Content for a while but I write a lot on Helium now. I may return to writing occasionally in Associated Content. Andrew

Hi mate! Yes. it's been a wall since we crossed paths. I've had a busy time of it lately myself so haven't been here anywhere near as much as usual. On a serious note, small talk is not an area i have any issues with personally at all. The best advice I can give you is to acknowledge the fact that the person you are about to engage has absolutely NO understanding of who you are yet! You can be or say whatever the heck you want and they will not know if it is the everyday you or not! I guess what I am ultimately trying to say is that each and every small talk opportunity gives you the chance to reinvent yourself, so make the most of it until such time as you find what works for you. Weather, sports, news..... The topic doesn't matter really. Compliments are a great icebreaker also. "Hey, I like your jacket!" or something similar. Nothing ventured, nothing gained I reckon! If you get it wrong, you walk away. they don't know the real you yet, so who cares?

Hi James, that sounds like really good advice and I will try and act upon it. I guess if you have been doing it for a while things things start to become that much easier. Anyway, wish me luck and I hope that I'm still alive to share my experiences. Andrew

Hi James, long time no post!!! How are you friend? I'm sure that you are an expert when it comes to small talk. This is something I have been thinking about and I really want to challenge myself this year with this. My only fear is that I might come across a crazy and end up being slaughtered!! I think that they say, everything is uncomfortable the first time round. Speak to you later James. Andrew

i just back form laying in bed many days(lovesick).well the snow i have seen in tv.spain france and London the same heavy snow.

That's good that you find small talk easy. I find it a struggle as I guess I don't practise that much! I suppose the best way is to try and join a group or something, somewhere where others share a common interest. Anyway, there must be countless books on the subject, I'll try and pick one up and see what it says about this subject. The weather has been terrible today, nice to look at but terrible! We have just received the worst snow fall in eighteen years and it's set to continue. Nice to speak with you again bombshell. Andrew

I am glad to be of help even just in little ways. I agree, start with small steps but then be guarded that there are really a lot of not very nice people out there, just don't let them get into you. If at first they don't seem to be too friendly then you can give it a little more try. If it doesn't work the first time there's always the second time. There will always be that person who share the same interests as you, then who knows you might end up to be friends. Good luck, my friend. Have a good day!

Thanks Sweetie, Andrew

Hi sweetie, there's a lot of sound advice in your response, I feel fairly encouraged by it too. I guess the only way I'm going to find out how I get on is if I actually take that first step. At the moment it seems like a huge mountain to climb! I guess I should concentrate on taking small steps and move forward slowly. Andrew

That's fine and everyone's different which is a good thing. I'm not sure that I'm all that comfortable with small talk either but I'm thinking that I want to make a real effort with it this year. Anyway, how's the weather in your part of the world? Andrew

Its a sunny winter!

Hi, bing, thanks for the information. I think that my problem is, I just don't try and feel quite nervous at the outset. Well, I think that I've got to improve on this otherwise I will get nowhere in life. I think that now would be a good time to start as we are still in the early part of the new year. Andrew

That situation must be quite difficult for you at times. My problem is, I just don't practice so I'm never any good at it. I guess there's the constant fear of rejection that plagues my mind! Andrew

Hi there. That sounds like you have a plan that actually works! I must try and get on with chatting to people otherwise I will never get anywhere. Thanks. Andrew

That's great that you can actually do that. It sounds as though you are very comfortable with this process now. I don't get enough practice in if any! I guess when you walk down the street on a regular basis you do start to recognise faces and maybe it becomes easier to begin an everyday hello or hi, this sounds totally absurd but I think it's just me, I have the problem!!! I've seen those funny adverts where you get a couple of people are travelling in the lift together and they just stand there in silence! They eventually start to become more and more uncomfortable and you can really read their faces. I've been caught in that situation quite a lot. So, this year is a year of change! This is what I'm hoping anyhow. Happy my lotting. Andrew

That's a difficult one! I imagine it starts getting personal after the weather! I guess the occasional prying question is perfectly acceptable. I think we know what to do at heart, it's just passing that first barrier that tends to stop us. Anyway, I'm going out there today after the heavy snowfall and I'm hoping that there will be someone I can talk to. Talking to strangers, that's what I have to, that's what I want to master! Good luck with your own efforts. Andrew

That sounds like a good tip. I guess everyone loves to feel easy and made to feel comfortable. Anyway, it's worth a try.. Andrew

That sounds very helpful and I shall bear that in mind. I think that I need to practise a whole lot more if I'm going to be any good at smalltalk. Andrew

Hi, it sounds like you make quite an effort in relation to small talk. That's really good. I find it hard to do this but I guess the longer things go without trying the harder things become. Anyway, I'm not going to overly worry myself about this. Andrew

That's an interesting idea and I have been in countless bookshops and I have been in the same situation as this although I have never gone one step further and tried to initiate small talk. It sounds quite positive though and this is something I will bear in mind the next time I visit a book shop. Andrew

I guess it's ok to talk about common interests but I'm just wondering how you begin in the first place. Today was a prime example of trying to get on with some small talk! I live in London and it mentioned on the news that we've just had the worst snow fall in eighteen years! Today would have been the day for starting a small talk session!!! Everyone stayed indoors though and the buses were not in use either. Anyway, I'm still pretty optimistic, my enthusiasm isn't starting to wane as yet! Andrew

Hi wolfie, I remember you mentioning something about this before. It's ok, everyone is different and I think that I am a lot like you in that I'm not that keen on reaching out to others in order to initiate a conversation. However, I do want to try and make more of an effort this year. All sorts of things have been taking place like being in regular correspondence with my family who I lost touch with for a long while. I kind of feel obligated to talk to others but I don't think I should be feeling this way. Anyway, I sometimes think that too, that if you approach a total stranger and start trying to have a conversation with them that you will be classed as a weirdo or something. This is the sorry state of the world I guess! I too am quite a solitary person and I don't go out and mingle as it were. I still like the idea that everyone should indulge in what makes them feel comfortable. To heck with everything else. I will speak with you again wolfie. Andrew

Hi, that makes a lot of sense. It's good if you have something in common. I think that asking questions sounds like a good idea too. I get a little anxious about this though as I feel that I might be prying or something, I guess I shouldn't think so much!!! I like discussions like these as you are inspired by what others do and you want to try and follow suit and try a few things. Anyway, thanks. Welcome to my lot. Andrew