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4 Proven Small Talk Topics That Work With Everyone

No matter which type of setting you are in, be it a professional or personal relationship, it would have started with small talk. If you would not take the initiative to talk with somebody, your social circle would not widen and your business opportunities will be limited to those who you already know. This is the reason why you need to learn how to make small talk so that you will be able to connect with other people in any social setting.

However, making small talk is not a skill that a lot of people have. Sometimes, engaging in even the most casual of conversations is enough to make someone nervous. The good news is that making small talk is an acquired skill – something that you can develop. You just need to know how to get started and here are some small talk topics that you can use to get things going:

1. Talk about the setting.

For example, if you are waiting in line for coffee, make a casual but pleasant comment about how long the line is. In a business setting, a simple comment about the decor or the ambiance of the place. Talking about the setting will give others the signal that you are willing to make small talk. If you get another comment in response, then a casual conversation will start. If you just get a polite smile in return, then the other person may not be as willing to start a conversation with you, which should be your signal to back off a little.

2. Talk about the things that you would like to know about someone that you just met.

If you remember that time when you first met the person who is now your best friend, do you remember what you first talked about? The getting-to-know each other phase should give you small talk topics. Where they work, where they live, what they do for a living, their family – these are just some of the neutral topics that can be your basis for making small talk. People naturally want to talk about themselves and these things should break the ice and keep the words flowing.

3. Talk about how their day has been so far.

If you do not normally strike up a conversation with a neighbor that you always run into in the hallway, or with the cashier in the supermarket that you always go to, asking them how their day has been so far is a great way to make small talk. Also, practice makes perfect and if you are not the outgoing type, there is no better way to start than now so you should go out of your way and give out the impression to casual acquaintances that you are easy to talk to. Some small talk would not hurt anybody, in fact it gives you an opportunity to broaden your social and personal relationships.

4. Talk about current events.

What is happening in the country and even around the world, news and current events are just some of the small talk topics that you can choose to strike up a casual conversation with someone. Talk about what you recently heard in the news, or a human interest item that caught your eye on TV, or an article in a magazine that you found interesting.

By knowing these small talk topics by heart, you will never run out of things to say. When making small talk, remember to keep the conversation just that – quick and casual, and do not try to drag it out into one of those long, drawn-out and awkward conversations. End the small talk gracefully and make a comment about how nice it is to have chatted with the person that you are speaking with. With these tips in mind, making small talk will be a piece of cake for you!

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by bartt

Why Parrots Stop Talking

Why parrots stop talking is not always the problem. Some people long for their parrots to stop talking, simply because they talk incessantly once they have learned a few phrases. Parrots are very sociable, and want to communicate with other members of their “flock” – which means the people with whom they live. So a talking parrot is probably more common.

There are times, however, when parrots stop talking, and then the worried owner wants to know why parrots stop talking.

Reasons Why Parrots Stop Talking

There are several reasons why parrots stop talking. We cannot give a complete list here, but one of the following may apply to your parrot.

1. Some talking parrots stop talking for a few days when they arrive in a new home. They are adjusting to the change. They find themselves suddenly with a new “flock” in a new environment. Even a talking parrot will take time to sort things out in its mind before it feels comfortable.

2. Sometimes talking parrots stop talking when they are feeling ill. If your parrot has been talking, and stops with no apparent reason, consider health issues. You may need to take it to an avian veterinarian.

3. Talking parrots will “pout” and stop talking when they are unhappy with a change you have made. It may be you have moved the furniture in the room where the parrot spends most of its time. Maybe you are wearing an article of clothing the parrot does not like.

4. Another reason talking parrots may stop talking is the introduction of a new family member, either human or another pet. The parrot must work through the change, and stops talking while adjusting.

5. Sometimes a talking parrot has been frightened, perhaps by a prey animal. The animal may be outside, but visible from the parrot’s cage.

6. Finally, a talking parrot may stop talking if it becomes bored with its own chatter, and hears few words from you. Remember that your parrot talks to communicate with you. It is in a “foreign” land, away from those that speak its language, and is trying to learn your language to communicate.

What to Do When Parrots Stop Talking

There are several things you can do to encourage a talking parrot that has stopped talking.

If your talking parrot is in new surroundings, make it as comfortable as possible. Give it time to adjust, but while it’s adjusting, talk to it gently and frequently. As soon as it decides the new surroundings are safe, it will probably begin talking again.

If you suspect your talking parrot’s sudden silence is an early sign of illness, look at its eyes and feathers. If you detect dullness in either, you may need to have an avian (bird) veterinarian check your parrot.

Sometimes the answer is as simple as finding a change you have made in the previous few days or week. Did you move a vase that used to reflect the light? Did you move the parrot’s cage a few feet one way or another? Try to remember what may have changed and put it back the way it was. Your talking parrot may quickly speak up to thank you.

Check for predators, even though you know they cannot reach the parrot. A large, predatory bird flying past the window, or sitting in a tree outside can be the reason a talking parrot stops talking.

The best solution to helping a talking parrot find its tongue is to spend more time talking to and around the bird. Take it into other rooms with you and the family so it will feel like being a part of the conversation.

Talk to your bird as much as you would talk to a family member or very good friend, and before long, it should begin talking again.

You can search/rip/download to mp3 this or any youtube video FAST and free at mp3ify.com!! Go Now!!!! RATE, COMMENT, LIKE. I dont not claim ownership over this song, all rights reserved to Coldplay, their epicness, and their labels. A awesome song in my opinion, enjoy. Lyrics: Oh brother I can’t, I can’t get through I’ve been trying hard to reach you Cos I don’t know what to do Oh brother I can’t believe it’s true I’m so scared about the future and I want to talk to you Oh I want to talk to you You can take a picture of something you see In the future where will I be? You can climb a ladder up to the sun Or write a song nobody has sung, or do Something that’s never been done Are you lost or incomplete? Do you feel like a puzzle? You can’t find your missing piece Tell me how do you feel? Well I feel like they’re talking in a language I don’t speak And they’re talking it to me So you take a picture of something you see In the future where will I be? You can climb a ladder up to the sun Or write a song nobody has sung, or do Something that’s never been done, or do Something that’s never been done So you don’t know where you’re going But you want to talk And you feel like you’re going where you’ve been before You’ll tell anyone who will listen but you feel ignored Nothing’s really making any sense at all Let’s talk Let’s talk Let’s talk Let’s talk talk (other version) Under the great North star Try to work out where you are In the silence of the sea I don’t know where I’ll be …