<p>I am going to go to a formal dinner with my friend's family, but I know it is going to be really awkward. What are some good topics to bring up when it's silent, and no one's talking?</p>
<p>Hmmmm.... Have you had dinner with them before, or is this a first impression? </p>
<p>If it's a first impression, talk about something safe, like American Idol. School, if they seem nice enough. TV in general would be okay. </p>
<p>What are their personalities? Don't talk about Russian literature if they're hillbillies.</p>
<p>I myself am pretty quiet and shy around my friend's parents, but when I have friends over at my house, I always talk about school. Nothing like, "so, how'd you do on that test?" That gives a hard impression. Something more like, "I feel like Chemistry is getting out of hand now-a-days..." and hopfully a conversation would ensue. Then parents jump with stories of their "good ol' days."</p>
<p>I always talk about like television, movies, music, books, etc. Like, oh have you seen any movies lately? really works.</p>
<p>Quantum Mechanics. Hyperdimensional Physics if that doesn't work. The Riemann Zeta Function is always good, too.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Grue%5B/url%5D">www.uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Grue</a></p>
<p>current events would work :)</p>
<p>...but what current events though? I want to be careful about what I bring up, because you never know what their political views are.</p>
<p>Oh, Chaostheory, you are hysterical. You're almost as funny as Africa, oh Brave Africa. What a laugh riot.</p>
<p>*Oh Africa, brave Africa</p>
<p>Well, you could talk about any new inventions you've heard of. Or new movies that have just come out.</p>
<p>Jokes that aren't dirty/crude-humored, movies, politics. Politics are a good one if you're looking to sound smart. But try not to go deep into political parties...</p>
<p>Blue: Ask them questions about themselves. People always like that, and research shows if you let people talk after asking questions, people like you and think you are smart.</p>
<p>Did you grow up in this area?
If they are from elsewhere, what is ______ like? Have you ever missed it?
Have you ever been incarcerated? If so, did a large cellmate dominate you?
Do you ever cross-dress on Sundays?
Have you ever known, or had relations with, someone with gender confusion?</p>
<p>These are good openers.</p>
<p>(seriously, though, I stand by everything I said before the incarceration questions.)</p>
<p>talk about the weather, and their health</p>
<p>Doesn't everyone cross-dress on Sundays, though? I don't see that as helping the OP come off as very interesting.</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>Fair enough, but it opens up the topic for discussion of things like whether it involves things like "Mary Had a Little Lamb" Costume Play or retroactive "18th Century Concubine with Horse" Play. I know all this is pretty trite, but it can get people talking about stuff that has a lot of meaning for them.</p>
<p>I've got to admit, I've always preferred 19th century concubines over 18th century ones. Something about the stockings just makes it feel... wrong.</p>
<p>Wow, arthurbulla, I gotta say you are being really, really narrow-minded. It's such a typical response. I see it all the time. Someone's doing 18th Centrury Concubine with Horse play and some *<em>kwit comes along and pi</em>ses on their parade. Go *<em>k yourself arthurbulla, keep with your crappy post-Enlightenment concubinage cr</em>p, judge people who prefer different epochs, and make the world a little bit colder for the rest of us.</p>
<p>Sorry, Arthurbulla, I just get carried away sometimes.</p>