38 - Wednesday, February 13, 1985 - North Shore News

‘HOW TO MAKE CONVERSA rion

S VZAR END
“oer 7

When smalitalk is a big headache |

hosts.
She assures you that any

enough, and- ‘such, questions
are often taken as research’

people seem to be having in
finding opening topics that

opening conversations these days as Miss n
remain neutral and have not

‘ a “ Px seem to be having the same trouble

MN Teepe Ai cil tan eed

LOM Weep rca eA those

_-Manners has opening anchovy cans.

~ They are afraid that even if:

they go about it. in the

The
opening a- conversation. with |
someone one !ias just’ met-is
‘to utter some sortiof neutral :
comment or question >that
gives the person addressed

the- opportunity to choose a’. &

topic. If that topic does not’

suit, the first person’ tries -

another, and so on until they

either find something to tatk
about or give up and go home :

to bed.:

It is not unlike the routine .
‘that.”
- through “to” discover . each:

bridge © partners. g0

other’s: strengths. They
declare their. own, graduatly;

- and take careful note ‘of: the
“eactions.: If it becomes ob-
vious’ that “there“is’ no’ com: ”
-. Mon ground; they pass. .
~ North says the weather is

sinseasonably warm. ° :
“South replies that; her. okie.

ing holiday’ has bene ruined,
vheth: h:. knows who is not a gourmet
° cook, ‘but! as ‘a. dancer, she
. can 't. afford to be tempted: :

a. lot--of. fishing’ in. warm
7 “weather; -
7 -préfers:. to.’ spend -snugly.\at --:
: home’ by. the. fireside listening» f 4
to” records: : oye?

the: winter, ‘he’

South: says she also coliccts -

; records, and ‘asks’ what kind:
of music North likes...

: Meanwhile,’ East has.com-::

i mented: ‘that «the: hors”
- @toeuvres are excellent, and a!
lot of: ork. musi ha

-way° of |

YKHOF

Aupeebes

Martin

into them, ee

West” replies: that she is:

about the’ only . person: she

“Both. opening bids .—
weather. and food — have
- been ‘réjected, but both: sets
°

.in’’.common. ©
couple. will goon to ‘make
game: “Perhaps ‘Miss Manners

- will-drop this simile-before it.
get unbearably facy.: What
“has. ruined. this: Perfectly. :

» workable routine?”

Februas 16/85

featuring [S¥4PD77 products |

COR “CR GREEN EA

Garden Talk”
Host Don Duncan

artners. have found Suits,
-Perhaps; "one.

/ One thing | is the ie difficulty

9am-6pm -

460 Mountain Highway °
North Vancouver, B.C.

985-1914

become emotionally charged.
Everybody is so touchy these
days.

ing a Stranger’s attention
before real conversation can
begin.

’ The idea seems to be that
one is only allowed a few
seconds for an audition, and
that if an openiny line is full
or offensive, one will be
dismissed.

The search is therefore on
for that brilliant, all-purpose
opening guaranteed to rivet
anyone on the spot. Now and
then, people apply to Miss
Manners for such a line, im-
agining that there is one in

the social lexicon, along with.

such. successful gems as,
“My, don’t you look lovely"
and ‘*Oh, I'm so sorry,’”"

If there were, it wouldn't
be unused: don’t look for

Originality in

conventionality,

Miss Manners cannot: ex-
actly. recommend offensive
Openings. The traditional
ones include remarks about
politics or segments of the
society, all of which turn out
to be addressed to the people
being . criticized,:-or- their
relatives. Jokes about: ‘other
people’s | names «aré.-also
strictly banned, even if. ‘they
are funny. :

The big new offense is any

‘inquiry desigied to discover

his or her occupation. Ap-
parently,
thinks his work: life i is Bra id

‘OPEN

into whether or not the per-
son is of sufficiently high in-
come and prestige as to make
another few minutes of con-

alert person will quickly be
able to develop this into
something more interesting.
And personally, her idea of a

“HOLIDA ¥ eesses
SWEATERS ©:
BLOUSES -
JUMP SUITS

hardly. anyone “

v prescribed way, they will not miss Another is a new reluc- versation worthwhile. truly welcome cocktail party. :
only hurt themselves hut also tance to engage in banat The dull topics, Miss Man- © fine i is, ‘May I freshen your — :
make a traditi 1. manners preliminaries for fear of los- ners does recommend. In ad- drink?” ; ACCESSORIES
traditiona :

%
L
.
‘
?
.
4
.

dition to- those- mentioned
above, they include reiaarks _
about new books, plays,

films or other cultural ac- ©
tivities, non-political com-
Menis on the news, and com-
plimentary remarks about the

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