Everyone is talking about what their families are doing…
Office workers’ kids’ upcoming events, scholarships, new jobs, hopes and aspirations.
Then the engineer who has issues with social norms turns to the quiet Mormon and asks, “What about your daughters, Gary? They’re about my age.”
Crickets…
Then cringeworthy silence…
And then something about his daughters being in the “School of Life.”
C R I N G E x 1,000,000%
Worst of all: this Mormon knows it’s weird. He had two masters by age 30 while his daughters have 7 total kids, no degrees and not a one has turned 30 yet.
Don’t be Gary.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2022 03:07PM by newcomer.
Roy G Biv Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > >> Don’t be Gary. << > > Don't worry about what someone else's kids are > doing.
It’s small talk.
I guess when someone asks me about the weather, while waiting for the elevator, I’ll say “Don’t worry about the weather”?
Don't be Gary and don't be a disingenuous smart ass either. BTW, while there are a lot of college grads in the US, they are still a minority of the population.
Brother Of Jerry Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Don't be Gary and don't be a disingenuous smart > ass either. BTW, while there are a lot of college > grads in the US, they are still a minority of the > population.
Gary wanted so badly to be a part of that elite group…
He didn’t care about his daughters being a part of that elite group… apparently… if he’s responding the way he does, almost in embarrassment.
Brother Of Jerry Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Don't be Gary and don't be a disingenuous smart > ass either. BTW, while there are a lot of college > grads in the US, they are still a minority of the > population.
Yes, there are any number of valid worthwhile life paths, and they don't all include college. Frankly, as a retired professor, I can say that even graduating from college is not necessarily a big deal any more (IMO).
I guess when someone asks me about the weather, while waiting for the elevator, I’ll say “Don’t worry about the weather”? <<
Say what you want. We all experience the same weather, yes, the weather is small talk.
Asking about someone's kids and then making a judgment about their behavior and posting it here isn't small talk, it's personal talk and applies to only one person....Gary. And he's not here to respond. So I did....what his kids do and how they live is none of your business.
. . . but anyone else eschew office small talk? Just curious. Always seemed my time was being wasted, never got the appeal of engaging - but then again same deal Christmas parties
Mebbe that's why bailed on the one and only true gospel, whole deal seemed like office small talk but on a schedule, lol
Dr. No Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > . . . but anyone else eschew office small talk? > Just curious. > Always seemed my time was being wasted, never got > the appeal of engaging - but then again same deal > Christmas parties > > Mebbe that's why bailed on the one and only true > gospel, whole deal seemed like office small talk > but on a schedule, lol
I don’t do small talk. I let the more gregarious ones talk about their X, Y and Z. I just chew, hear their happenings and add a wise crack here and there to let them know I’m in the room.
newcomer Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I don’t do small talk. I let the more > gregarious ones talk about their X, Y and Z. I > just chew, hear their happenings and add a wise > crack here and there to let them know I’m in the > room. =============================== No criticism, mate. Small talk fine anyway, many enjoy, each to his/her/it's own
Now me - out doing stuff so not even in the room. Short staffed - pretty intense work-wise, skip lunch entirely and power through. Kinda fully engaging so forget clock anyway. Adrenaline high stuff (good & bad)
Lot of smart thinking-types here which is why hang, but it's the most sedate thing I do -- speed-brake in now & then, drag 'chute fer end of day
Eh, he could just respond, "They're raising their families," and then add something in about his grandchildren. NBD.
The thing is, that plan only works okay if the marriage works out. If the woman is cut loose with young children, life can quickly get difficult. Plus, the plan is also dependent on the woman having enough self-esteem (which is often built through getting an advanced education or career training, and/or having a responsible job.)
Along the lines of this sort of cringeworthy small talk...
The last time I saw my TBM brother, he was in town for a few days and I went into the city to meet with him. His eldest was applying to colleges, and the FB chatter over the preceding couple of months had been about the schools she was interested in, had applied to, been accepted by, etc.
At one point a proud announcement came that she'd been accepted by BYU. At another point, that she'd been accepted by the University of Washington, which at the time I think was ranked 26th in the nation (on some list or other--anyway, a top notch school). Naturally, I was pulling for UW.
Anyway, while we made small talk I asked if she had decided on what school to attend, and he responded, "If she doesn't get into Westpoint, then she'll go to BYU."
I thought, "wow, the military academy!" I didn't even know that was in the running. So I asked the natural followup: "when will she find out?"
His answer was weird: "last week." In other words, the answer was already known. And it wasn't "yes" because then he would have just said "Westpoint."
Why didn't he just say, "BYU"? Even if she was legitimately in the running for Westpoint, he could have mentioned it some other way.
I think he was just embarrassed to say she was gonna go to BYU.