There are certain things that are obviously problems and should be topics of conversation that aren't.
It is commonly observed, that when two Englishmen meet, their first talk is of the weather; they are in haste to tell each other, what each must already know, that it is hot or cold, bright or cloudy, windy or calm.
It's easy to get good table talk going if you have a little help in the form of questions, games, newspaper articles, books with fun statistics, things like that.
I'm not dying for things to say.
Fools are in great demand, especially on social occasions. They embarrass everyone but provide material for conversation. In their positive form, they become diplomats.
Whenever Roosevelt (Theodore) expected a visitor, he sat up late the night before, reading up on the subject in which he knew his guest was particularly interested. For Roosevelt knew, all the leaders royal road to a person's heart is to talk about the things he or she treasures most.
When you ask people questions about what they've done, not only do you get knowledge, but they like you because people like to be asked questions about what they've done and talk to someone who's interested in them.
Someone once asked, 'What's your best pickup line?' I said, 'My best pickup line is, 'Hi, my name is Hugh Hefner.'
Things I am allergic to: people who believe in star signs and think nothing of starting a conversation with: 'Hi, my name's Lucy. I'm a Sagittarius;' rodents (apart from miniature hamsters, which are not in fact rodents but small, breathing, brown balls of cotton wool); and people who go to the gym.
There's nothing called a perfect pick-up line. Men always have to face the risk of rejection.
How ya doin'?' I always think, What kind of a question is that?, and I always reply, 'A bit early to tell.
I'm sure I've said some pretty bad pick-up lines.
There must be some good in the cocktail party to account for its immense vogue among otherwise sane people.
It is the best part of the night. The classic interactive lines are 'Where are you from? What do you do for a living?' I almost always get something interesting.
Well,” Waxillium said. “Perhaps I should begin by asking after your health.” “Perhaps you should,” Steris replied. “Er. Yes. How’s your health?” “Suitable.” “So is Waxillium,” Wayne added. They all turned to him. “You know,” he said. “He’s wearing a suit, and all. Suitable. Ahem. Is that mahogany?
I'm not really a line type of guy. I mean, pick-up lines work for some guys. You gotta really sell that thing hard. I did try one pick-up line, and it failed miserably. I thought it was really funny, but the girl didn't find it very funny.
Conversation is king. Content is just something to talk about.
How do you do?" said Violet. "How do you do?" said Klaus. "Odo yow!" said Sunny.
You think that the heads of state only have serious conversations, but they actually often begin really with the weather or, 'I really like your tie.'
A lot of girls in L.A. just stand in the corner wondering 'Who's gonna talk to me? Who am I gonna diss?' As for the girls in Arizona, it's just so different. They're like 'You have really cute dimples. You know that?' 'You have really nice eyes.' 'What's your name? Kellan? That's cool, that's unique.
I'm a bad dater. I'm the most socially awkward person, like carrying on conversations and stuff.
I'm somewhat socially inept. Slide me between two strangers at any light-hearted jamboree and I'll either rock awkwardly and silently on my heels, or come out with a stone-cold conversation-killer like, "This room's quite rectangular, isn't it?" I glide through the social whirl with all the elegance of a dog in high heels
Large cocktail parties are an infamous technique for ridding yourself of social obligations to people you usually don't know well or like much, which is such an unpromising beginning that I've rarely known one that recovered and turned into a great party.
Every now and then I'll read a book, I'll be so proud of myself, I'll try and squeeze it into conversation. People will be like, "Hey Jim, how ya do-" "I read a book! Two hundred and fifty pages!" "That's great, what was it about?" "No idea! Took me three years!"
I have been in meetings where a head of state will say, 'I like your tie,' to a man... or, 'I like your country because the weather's good,' or whatever. So for me, the pins in some ways were openers.
