Small Talk (Story Blog 1.1)

Small Talk (Story Blog 1.1) 

Hey guys! I’m sure you have noticed that I have named this post “Story Blog 1.1”. Before I get into the post, I'm going to explain what that means. The word  “story” means this blog post is part of a bigger narrative than just the post itself. The 1 before the decimal illustrates what narrative it is part of. The 1 after the decimal illustrates what part of the narrative the post is. Without further ado, it's story time:

I have a big problem,but I think I have a solution. My “sisters” range in age from 22-15. The oldest, is going to be an anthropologist, and will graduate at the end of the fall semester. She plans to get a summer job out of state and she will most likely move after graduation. The second oldest is going to be a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, and she will be graduating this semester. She wants to get a job in Colorado. The third is a senior in high school and is thinking about ROTC or the military before (or after) she goes to school. This only leaves the youngest of our group, and myself in the Columbus area for the foreseeable future (if all goes to plan). The group ending, but that's not the main problem.

After a almost a decade of consistent friendship, I don’t think we need the group to stay friends, we will always be friends. The problem is, the number of friends I have actually made. I myself have only made (and kept) 6 friends: my “sisters”, S.M, and Max. Any other friendship I have were created by circumstance (ie. Kroger/people I live around etc.), family connections (ie. my Church/Cousin Simple, etc.), or though those 6 friends (ie. friends of my “sisters’”/Sam's Fans/H.L.C. after “Dr. Mitch”). Now, am I saying that these friendships are not as important to me? No, of course not! I’m not bringing this up to bash 99% of the people in my life. My point is that I because of the circumstances, I have a weakness. I’m lacking a very important social skill that I have not needed before. An ability that even “normal” people have problems with. This skill is of course, small talk.

Now, I’m an incredibly confident person. I've played countless piano recitals, I sing every week in the choir at Mass, and once I get to know a person I am crazy and I will for sure become the weirdest guy the person knows. If I have to talk to a new person I don’t know in a setting without people I know though, I get all insecure and scared because I don't know what to say. I understand these are normal feelings that a lot of people have, I really do, but that doesn't mean I’m ok with it.

I have decided to set some personal goals. One is reading a book called How to Start a Conversation and Make Friends, by Don Gabor. I will have finished it by the end of this semester. I will then use the information in said book to master small talk. By next school year I will be fluent in small talk, and I will use it to to build friendships. Hopefully, this journey will be helpful for me, and any of my readers who need help with something similar.

Have a greattastic day

J. Mitchell Ulibarri.