Learning more verbal communication skills

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While written communication has always come easily to me (I sometimes just pass notes to whoever I'm talking to, or read to them what I've written), verbal communication is.... well.... a challenge. I'm often limited to one-word or one-line quips that are already in my head somehow (sometimes as lines from a song). Formulating responses is difficult, to say the least.

I used a lady at a gas station today as a verbal practice guinea pig. We were talking about the roses that were in the back of her truck. I could tell she felt very slightly awkward, but it went well, and afterward, she even brought some pictures to my car window (on her own accord) and gave me a couple pics of some other roses she has. I think it went fairly well.

I don't like making other people feel awkward though. My speech must seem forced or something (well, it is). But I really did like the flowers. It must have shown, or she wouldn't have gone into her truck and gotten her stack of pictures to show me and then give me a couple of them. I guess it helps that I don't look very threatening in a pink shirt, flip flops and sparkly heart earrings.... I'm not a very threatening looking person, so that probably helped.

I love sparkly earrings.

Sorry for the ramble.

Charis -

That is very cool. Many of us are in the same boat. I communicate almost exclusively by written word too. I be better with oral interaction when I am mentally prepared for it and rehearse it in my head a few times before partaking. It sounds like that is what you did there (yes, I'm a quipper also).

I was nervous. But I liked her flowers. And I figured she'd be happy talking about them, since she evidently liked them well enough to have just bought some (I presume, as they were still in her truck).

When I'm able to discuss, I have been told I come off sounding like a textbook. Other times, with a couple select people I can do pretty well, or if I'm drunk (LOL!)

I'm told I'm pretty hilarious when I'm drunk. I would imagine most aspies would be. We'd all be staggering everywhere on our tippy toes and trying (unsuccessfully) to jump over things! Kidding, kind of...

I need to answer my desk phone and at least 1/3 of the people assume they are talking to a machine and comment when I follow up with their dead pauses. After the first 100 it was annoying, but I am okay with it. now - ha.

I think there should be a Chris Rock voice!
Or the Darth Vader guy!

My dreamlist in this order:

Johnny Depp as Hunter S. Thompson from Fear and Loathing

Samuel L. Jackson as Jules in Pulp Fiction

Robert Deniro impersonating his former self appalled at what he has become

Steve Carrell as Prison Mike

epic