Child birth?
Slipping on ice and
bruising your tailbone?
Jamming your pinkie
while playing teatherball?
False.
The most painful
experience in human existence is…
Awkward silences on dates.
We would rather hear
a junior high choir sing “It’s a Small World” over and over again.
We would rather
professors go back to using chalkboards and scratch their car keys on it.
We would rather stand
on a street corner with a big fat sign around our neck that says, “Still not
married” than have an awkward silence on a date.
A Spinster emailed us
this week asking for tips on how to squash awkward silences on dates.
Fact of Dating
Sometimes no matter
what you do, no matter how great a conversationalist you are, no matter how
many topics you think of….there will be awkward silences.
Helpful Tips
“Nest it”
If you have a great
story to tell or a question you want to ask and don’t want to forget it, but
your date is already saying something else or you are ordering food just “nest”
it.
Now, nesting must be
secret or you will look like a fool. Simply do something with your hands to
help you remember what you were going to say.
·
If you
were going to ask him about his favorite type of car, form your hand into a
“c”.
·
Or if you
were going to tell him about the time your plane left without you in Hawaii,
rest your hands on top of each other so it looks like plane wings.
This sounds idiotic
but IT WORKS! The key to keeping up a conversation is being prepared.
Use your surroundings
If your date has gone
quiet and isn’t helping you out, look around and you’ll get ideas of what you
can talk about. If you see a skateboarder going past you, ask if he’s ever
skateboarded. If you drive past a billboard with an ad for “The Avengers” ask
if he’s seen it or if he likes super heroes or tell him you were the pink power
ranger for Halloween.
Double Dip
When your dates asks
you why you decided to become a CNA or if you like dirt biking, give your
answer, then throw the question right back at him. Answering a question then
sitting there waiting for him to talk again is a rookie mistake.
This is if you start
scraping the bottom of the barrel, but joke pirate to your heart’s content.
For those of you unfamiliar with joke pirating, it is basically telling
other people’s stories as your own. Will your date fall in love with you
thinking you are someone different? Probably. And when he does, just give him
your friend’s number at the end of the night. You can be a bridesmaid.
Gert and Char