Confession

I have grown somewhat weary of my shiatsu colleagues--not of my clients, who are wonderful, clever, generous, insightful human beings--but my fellow practitioners. If I have to endure one more conversation that takes as its starting point the presupposition that The Law of Attraction is really a "law" of the universe, witness one more debate about the symptoms of entity possession and the best cure thereof, or hear any more tales of the healing properties of angels, spirit guides, and/or crystals, I might just snap. I may show symptoms of demonic possession myself.

Many of my colleagues, mind you, are not like this. It just seems that the ones who are will Not Stop Talking. Most startling to me is that the offenders are completely unselfconscious about their cockamamie ideas.

Of course, this is just one branch of a General Misanthropy I'm experiencing of late. Other irritations include Printer Discourtesy (PUT YOUR DAMN LABELS IN THE PRINTER WHEN YOU'RE PRINTING LABELS, RESTOCK THE PAPER WHEN YOU PRINT THE ENTIRE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA); No One Knows Who Replaces the Toner Cartridge; Yakking on Cell Phone While Driving an SUV Too Large For You to Handle--that means YOU, Soccer Mom and Angry/Entitled Corporate Guy; and, my favorite, Outsourcing/Slashing Pay for Local Vendors in Order To Line the Pockets of Senior Management (NOT Ethical).

The Lost Art of Conversation

What has happened to conversation? Are there no charming conversationalists left in the world? The typical "conversation" I witness these days is not dialog, but a series of parallel monologues. Then--if at an especially good gathering-- someone may jump in to make a witty quip, to which another picks up the thread with his/her own monologue, anon.

THIS IS DRIVING ME NUTS.

Here are some tips for making conversation:

1. Show interest in the other people present. Ask the occasional question. Listen to the response.
2. Do not drone on forever. Make a pleasantly succinct response to a question, then turn the spotlight to someone else, maybe by asking a question in kind.
   
3. Do not be terse when asked a question. Give a thoughtful answer of more than two words. Allow your response to be a platform for continuing conversation.
   
4. Draw others into the conversation. "Oh, John, I recall that you also studied art/lived in Canada/enjoy fishing/speak Swahili."
5. The bottom line is, become engaged with the other conversants. It is not your show. Nor is a festive occasion your private nap time. It may take practice, but make an effort and you shall be rewarded. If it is too much for you, make a gracious early departure.

Sincerely,
kStyle, who was just stuck for 4 hours at a party where she could not engage anyone in conversation except the guy whose attention was divided with watching his toddler, nor did anyone ask her a single question, so busy were they monologuing at each other bitching about work, except for the person texting on her cell.