The art of friendly conversation

I'm convinced I'm socially delayed by about 20 years.  I'm a quick study, but a slow learner and I feel I'm just now learning how to act like an adult and I've been an adult for a long time.  
God teaches me these lessons through the books I read and the people I hang around with and listen to.
The name of this blog "As long as you live, keep learning how to live" is what it's all about and I take it very seriously.

Enter my dear friend and co-worker, Susan. 

She's one of my life teachers.  Maybe she doesn't know it, but she is.  Susan's the one on the right.  Wanda is on the left and she teaches me, too.  But that is a story for another day.

Susan personifies the phrase "doesn't know a stranger".  She thinks nothing of starting up conversations with random people at the store or out at a restaurant.  Time after time she entertains us at lunch with her adventures in conversing with strangers.  Her story usually goes something like this:

 (You'll need to read this a bit like a southern belle.)

"Y'all, you're not gonna believe what happened to me this weekend.  David and I were just sitting and waiting to be seated at Charleston's.  Of course I started up a conversation with the another couple waiting.  You know me - just trying to be friendly. Well, their names are Roger and Patricia and you know what we discovered?  Back when we lived in Indiana, we lived next door to Patricia's nephew's high school girlfriend.  Can you believe that?  It is such a small world."

This type of thing happens so often with Susan that I've thought we should call her "6 Degree Sue" because she can connect her life with anybody. 

But seriously folks...truthfully, Susan's experiences aren't merely freaky coincidences.  The reason they happen is because she is willing to be bold enough to strike up conversations with any joe or flo schmo.

Now me??  Not so much.  I'm more of a silent type and when I'm waiting in line at Target, I don't even want to make eye contact with the person ahead of me, much less engage in small talk with him or her.

So....part of learning to live is being willing to take risks and step out of my comfort zone from time to time.  A couple of years ago, inspired by Susan, I decided to make a conscious effort to try engaging in friendly conversations with people I don't know.  I don't do it all the time, just sometimes.  It's not pretty.  It's awkward... similar to me on ice skates.  I can stay upright on an ice rink and keep moving forward, but it's just not very attractive.  Every encounter has been positive, but usually very brief, and definitely not long enough to discover that my second cousin was a college roommate to the stranger's brother-in-law.  I'll have to keep practicing to arrive at that point. 

My best experience with this life skill actually happened a few days ago and is what prompted me to write about this topic.  I was at an iPhone repair kiosk at the mall getting the glass on my phone replaced.  The guy said it would take about 15 minutes.  I was about to go do some window shopping when I stopped and decided this would be a good opportunity to practice friendly conversation.  I asked the guy - Derrick - if I could just watch.  He said sure and so I watched.  Silently. 
 Then I remembered I was supposed to talk.  I asked him if fixing glass on iPhones kept him busy and that was all it took.  We talked non-stop for the entire repair.  The topics of conversation ranged from alligators as pets to how big the screen is at Dallas Cowboys stadium.  We even showed each other our glass scars.  He has a lot of scars on his fingers from working with phone glass and I have an impressive design of scars on my right hand and wrist from a glass accident I had years ago.

Experiences like this give me the encouragement I need to keep it up.  My default setting will always be "I don't want to talk to you - just leave me alone."  That's OK.  I know how to adjust my settings when necessary.

Angry Birds

I might have a little problem.

Angry Birds made me late for church this morning.

Angry Birds are keeping me from grading workbook pages and homework.

Angry Birds won't let me read my new bookclub book, Unbroken.  I've heard only wonderful things about the book, but until I can manage to put my toy down, I won't ever know.

Angry Birds are keeping me from folding and putting away my laundry.  
Oh...who am I kidding?  That laundry will stay in the dryer - Angry Birds or not.

And now... writing this post about Angry Birds is keeping me from getting to bed on time.

Good night.  Sleep tight.  Don't let Angry Birds bite.

No Topic. No Title.

I've had an itch to write for a few days, but I can't seem to settle on a topic.  Here goes...




I drink half and half in my coffee and milk is not an adequate substitute.  All milk does is make my cup of coffee cold.  I often drink it black before I use milk.



What is the deal with these elbow poses in pictures?   It seems that every girl from age 3 to 30 stands with her elbow stuck out for all pictures.  Is that the only pose anyone can think of?  I'm ready for something different.




I'm not much of a country music fan, but I'm just a little crazy about Zac Brown Band right now.  I'm dying to know what he is hiding under that hat.  Probably just a bald head.

I've looked for pictures of him without the hat and there is not one to be found.  I do know that he is a cook and has a fancy gourmet kitchen trailer that tours with the band.  They cook for fans before concerts.  I have two different ZBB playlists that I use for elliptical workouts.  Something about their music makes for great pedaling.

My cat is sick.  He's sleeping right next to me...



...and I can hear him trying to breathe through his snotty nostrils.  Poor thing.  It's my fault.  The vet didn't actually say that, but what other conclusion am I supposed to come to when he says my baby has a virus that he probably wouldn't have gotten if he'd been up to date on his shots.  Bad cat owner.
(I really don't like to use the word gotten.  I should use contracted instead, but that sounds a bit too uppity.)



I celebrated my birthday last week the way I know best.  I had five desserts.  That most likely won't shock those who know me well. 
The first dessert was for breakfast.  The second one was at lunch.  The third one was during my first grade party.  The fourth one was at dinner and I did sincerely believe I was done at that point.  But then a friend surprised me with a huge chocolate cupcake with mounds of cream cheese icing.  Of course I ate it.  It was the right thing to do.