The Art of Conversation

Currently, there's so much other stuff I could be doing with my time.

There was a Geology paper I was supposed to write...but that was due Monday.

I have a Script Analysis paper due tomorrow...but that sounds so boring right now.

Of late, I find I have little desire...and yet so much at the same time. It's a strange feeling to consider. I'm so ready for school to be over with. One week from tomorrow I will take my last final and my life at this college will be over with.

Where will I go?

Well, that's still up for consideration. However, it has once again been narrowed down more in my favor.

Last weekend, I made my annual trek to Disneyland for three days of fun and frivolity with some of, what could sadly be considered, some of my closest friends. Not sadly in a terrible way...but sadly in the fact that I'm yet again losing friends in my home life. This is when you know you need change...when you find you and your friends in a million directions...and none of them are to the same destination.

Anywhom...three days at Disneyland. It was a lot of fun, really and truly. I made closer friends with some people who hadn't been last year. There was 39 of us (40 if you count the toddler that I pretty much just wanted to steal because she was so adorable) and it was most definately interesting. Good times were had by all.

I was sick, however, and the meds I take put me a bit out of it the whole time.

However, when thinking back on the weekend, and how much interaction had to be done...I realized that I've fallen into what could be considered one of the biggest writer's traps. You see, authors are good at imaginary interaction. When you're constantly in control of what the character's talk about, and how the conversation will lead to its pivotal end...having a conversation with someone else who is entirely in control can be a little terrifying.

I'm so terrible about knowing what to talk about with whom... And everytime I try, things just seem to spiral out of control.

I'm not a conversationalist.

Writer that I am, this got me thinking.... I'm going to attempt an experiment. For a while, let's throw the dark, cutting edge story off the table. Now I'm going to start something new. First, I'm going to try to take some sort of instruction on the Art of Conversation (maybe just go to the library or something). Then, I'll take the task of this new story: Someone who is a shy being suddenly finds herself in new situation. With this...she is going to learn to find her voice.

Sounds lame and formulaic.

But most books generally sound that way.

So, let's let the small talk begin.

--Jeannelle.