I try to remind everyone that Halloween is not actually a form of devil worship (while dusting off some very old stand-up material). Also, and it may sound like a symantic arguement to you, but just because I can’t find something doesn’t mean it’s “lost.” And, how exactly am I supposed to handle it when someone is telling me something as if it’s the first time for the hundredth time? Is there protocal for that?
I also talk about my mother, and my grandfather, the a-hole.
(Hard drive trouble left me without the regular theme song. Forgive me for the nostalgia)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Dan,
Here are some fun options for dealing with someone who has told you the same thing several times, as if it is the first time:
1) “That story gets better and better every time you tell it.” (This option is not nearly as fun/entertaining as the following two).
2) Turn it into a fun conversation, by retaliating…I mean responding…with questions demonstrating interest, but slightly off from what was stated. For example, using your falling-off-the-bycycle-in-junior-high-skinning-knee-neighbors-laughing example — consider interspersing the following questions in the follow-up discussion.
a) “You rode a motorcycle in junior high?” or “Why were riding a tricycle in junior high?”
b) “Why did your cousins laugh at you?
c) “So who won the bike race?”
As the conversation progresses, lots of othe opportunities to ask inane questions will present themselves.
3) This last option has proven to be very, very effective in dealing with the behavior. Look for every opportunity over the next several hours/days from the latest re-storytelling to pre-emptively bring up the tired story. For example:
a) “I vaguely recall that you fell off your bike once.”
b) “This episode of vintage 90210 reminds of the time when a friend or acquaintance…can’t remember exactly…fell off their bike and were embarrassed for some reason. Do you remember what I’m thinking of?”
c) “I think you should use the treadmill rather than the stationary bike. Didn’t you have an incident last summer or something with a bike. I can’t recall the details.”
Again, opportunities throughout the day will create neat and creative ways to bring the topic up.
That was a heartfelt story about your mum. It was moving. Luckily, I couldn’t hear the lawn mower at all.
Well, i have a question..I had been using Intense Debate on my blog and yesterday, when i logged into Google webmasters, i was shocked to see that my pages were not indexed after i started using the service. Why is it so and what do the commenting services use?Follow tag or no-follow tag?
The PC mob all need to live together on an Island. Australia? Then they can ban every form of fun and spend all day thinking of something to be upset about. As you say Dan, it’s just a Halloween event and they are kids.