Conversationalist Gifts

"This is the wine talking."

"Of course I'm listening. I'm in a heightened state of alert."

'That was a long winded conversation...I thought he'd never stop listening.'

'Would you say you lean more to the left?'

'What do you know about culture?'

'Did you ever feel like you were just the control in an experiment being carried out on somebody else?'

"When I ask you what you're thinking about and you say 'Nothing', is that 'nothing' as in the Infinite Void, the emptiness of Zen, the nothingness of Sartre and Lacan, ex nihilo nihil fit, or what?"

"I'm one of those vegetarians who eat meat."

'He's really quite likeable once you're past his ideas on biodiversity!'

'The best part about being a hypocrite is that you can still denounce hypocrisy.'

Happy?... well yes, I guess I am... but I really don't have anything to compare it to.

'Whoa, don't ask me any math questions -- I'm a SOCIAL engineer!'

Philosopher's pub with 24 hour thinking.

Driving Distraction.

"Frankly, I just want to talk about how great I am non-stop and uninterrupted for 50 minutes every week on a long term basis."

"Can't you just take surreptitious looks over my shoulder...like a normal person?"

'I'm going to restate what he just said - especially the part about my being a good listener.'

"I don't mind emotional trauma if I can turn it into a really funny anecdote."

"I finally learned how to really listen to people...big mistake!"

"Don't get me wrong, Ted. I like you, but you're not a special person. I'm a special person."

"Can a rising tide list a boat that has a huge hole in the bottom?"

Bla Bla Bla

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said. I was listening to my body."

"The way I see it, head and tails are just two sides of the same coin."

Small Talk Lounge

"Wonder how those fires in California and out west are doing? Cough...."

"Note cards, like a TV talk-show host! Now I can talk intelligently on any subject!"

"I can't stop you talking to yourself, so I'm prescribing a dummy mobile phone..."

'It's funny - I'm a Bourbon, but I've always preferred Scotch.'

'But enough about me...Let's talk about you!'

'I've found taking a sip of another table's wine is an effective conversation starter.'

'Blunt women are usually dull.'

Man breathing into jars/"Don't mind Bob, he's just saving his breath."

'No idea. He's been there for as long as I can remember.'

'Yak, yak, yak.'