asperges wrote:
Another example of this occured today. I went to a small cookout for a friend who will soon leave the area. A number of his relatives (mostly aunts, uncles, etc) were around. I went into the room that he was in and I greeted him as he was playing a video game and some friends were sitting around. It was a small room so there wasn't really anywhere to sit down. So I felt awkard about the being the only one standing and it was easy to tell that the people on the floor around me felt awkard because (I think) they subconsciously realized that they were in a vulnerable position with me standing over them and that made them uncomforable. We made small talk for a minute and he told me I could go grab some food so I did. When I came back he had left (temporarily everyone in room thought bc he didn't say that he was going for good) that room for the nearby living room. I was left alone with his sister (who I met briefly once before but neihter one of us remembered until after I left), a couple of other girls who I hadn't met before, and I guy that I went to h.s. with but whose name I didn't remember because I never talked to him.
No one really talked that much. There was a brief conversation between two of the people when one of them used their cell phone to write on the other's facebook wall but there wasn't an opportunity to interject. But I was able to get a few words in with the guy's sister when she asked me how I knew her brother as well as when she was talking about a text message that she got. Other than that, it was pretty dead. Part of it was because everyone else already knew everyone and so they were comfortable in each other's presence without having to constantly talk. I don't blame myself because this was an intrinsically awkard situation. But, I know a lot of people who would have been able to get them talking without using trite small talk starters like it's nice weather or what do you do for fun. Why you ask? Well, sometimes they work, but sometimes they are inappropriate given the context of the conversation (or lack there of) or the people around. I woudl rather be thought of as the awkard quiet kid then have people say, WTF is wrong with that kid, he always says random stuff. HELP!!
I might've just made it obviously awkward, like made a joke about it or a face or something, if it's the right company or situation, because that usually makes it even less awkward and causes people to start talking to prevent it being uncomfortable
08 Nov 2009, 5:21 pm
