I don’t really have any diet related thoughts today other than being pleased that the Holidays are over – they were really, really difficult. Today I’m just writing about what happens to be on my mind right now.
If there is a skill or a gene for small talk I seem to have been born without it, I’m truly awful at it. And the deficiency particularly shows in an office environment like the one I work in.
What’s worse, small talk actually irritates me… which makes my responses to it seem particularly snarky.
Here’s an example…
Well meaning co-worker: “Your hair is getting long.”
Me: “I know.”
Although to be honest, I have no idea what the correct response to that statement actually is. Thank you seems like a somehow inappropriate response for an acknowledgement that my body is growing hair.
Here’s another one, precipitated by a hapless co-worker who entered the lunch room to find me curled up alone contentedly reading a book…
Well meaning co-worker: “You’re eating all by yourself today.”
Me: (after carefully looking around the lunchroom to be sure) “You’re right.”
That guy unfortunately irritated me on two levels; one he started small talk, and two he started talking to me when I quite obviously had my nose in a book – dragging me away from my book… for small talk.
Ted has told me I’m being mean to people with my responses and he’s not wrong… I know that people who make small talk are trying to be social, nice, trying to connect to one another. I just have this terrible impatience with wasted words.
I am the queen of sucking at small talk. It's actually painful for me :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad somebody out there feels my pain... lol
ReplyDeleteI think the trick is to have a few key phrases that you can rely on during such uncomfortable moments. Such as:
ReplyDeleteStupid: Gee I see you are eating alone.
CRMB: I am, but it is rather nice to be alone in the quiet with just me an my book. Thanks for asking. (Put nose back in book).
Stupid: Your hair is getting long.
CRMB: Yeah, I guess it has, but it makes it soo much easier to put my hair up. or I'm trying to test my patience and see how long it will grow before I get fed up and decide to cut it. Thanks for noticing.
The trick to make a pre-thought up comment, slightly snippy, then thank them for noticing. It will make them feel good, and get them off your back, Good luck with the small talk!