what'cha eating...

small talk, i hate it...

i was reading a facebook thread about a recent concert, there seemed to be more interest in how the seats were than the actual show. i could actually imagine the awkward moment waiting for the opening act, people watching between the throngs of couples, trios and assorted folk looking for something to say...

awkward silence...

'These are great seats, huh.'

"Yeah, these seats are awesome.'

more awkward silence..

i guess we're all guilty of it. Pop Dukes used to slay me with the small talk. When i was still living in the QV i could walk into the kitchen in morning on a random Sunday to make some coffee and he would be waiting with a greeting like 'how's it going', or 'good morning.' Nothing unusual there. After a half an hour later after i've drank my coffee and ranted along with Mclaughlin about how everyone is wrong, he says again, 'how's it going.' That one you let pass for giggles. Its the one when you pass each other in transit between the living room and the kitchen 45 minutes later when he says again 'how's it going' or possibly even 'everything allright'—(Dad fancies himself an amatuer psychologist) —that you have to ask yourself what could have possibly changed in the past hour and a half, when neither one of you has fallen out of ear shot from each other. 20+ years even with the time off between, it wears on you...

my uncle used to tell me that growing up my grandfather would perpetually ask 'whatcha' eating' invariably when a utensil or piece of food was nearing your lips. He might be nowhere to be found at that point but some how, some way he found himself in your presence in time to ask you. Apparently the gene made its way through to the next generation...

i abhor it—'hot enough for ya'?'...

i absolute can't stand it—'how was the traffic?'...

but even i can be guilty of it. The Cat Mom will be visiting, in part for a dear friends wedding, and she'll get off the plane, and we'll embrace, kiss, gaze at each other, because its been too long and then i'll say it—'how was your flight?'...

can our society continue without small talk? Is it possible that we could get to the point? Say what we mean and mean what we say? Or are we so far gone that we have to piddle with each other using the same cliches? Have we become so creatively comatose?...

facebook is a helluva thing. i've written a few times about both its greatness and crassness. It has become a forum for small talk. facebook should be for running jokes and profound features in a person's day. It should be for getting together and starting riots. No one cares if your kid is sick. No one cares if you just ate ribs. No cares if your job sucks or if your bored or how you are hungover. Chances are we are all hungover, you are not special...

i think the world would be a better place if we just stuck to being interesting. If you don't have anything of interest to say, please keep it to yourself. Exchange ideas, tell incredible stories, by all means disseminate crucial information but please refrain from asking me if 'i'm having fun yet'...

if you are uninteresting, well, just keep quiet, at least you'll be respected, i mean; there's a reason why they call it 'small' talk...