Conversation Skills

[Tea Earl Grey Hot]

Am I the only one who sucks at verbal conversations with people? I don't speak much at all mainly because I'm never around others often enough and I grew up homeschooled with limited contact to other kids compared to your average kid. I don't know if my homeschooling caused my problems or it is a pre-existing problem. When people do actually talk to me, carrying a conversation is a challenge mainly because I can't think of what to say or add to the conservation that is relevant half the time. Like somebody will go on at length about something they did or or something they experienced and most of the time I can't think of anything to say to that. The best I can come up with is "hmm" or "cool". There's in general a lot more awkward silence in my conversations.

When I'm good at conversations it's usually when I'm reciting stuff I prepared in my head long before the conversation took place. When I know I'm going to see someone, I prepare a list of things in my head to say and I preplan almost the exact wording I'm going to use. I also come up with some if then scenarios so if they say this I say that. I feel like a comedian going through a routine. It's all scripted.

I also have many other "scripted" statements or stories that I can say to anyone.

I guess what I'm saying is that little of my side of verbal conversations seem truly spontaneous.

I can talk at length however about stuff related to my interests but usually my interests are too arcane or too offensive for other people.

People interrupt me all the time whether it be it in a personal conversation or whether I'm trying to say something in class. I really hate that. It feels like being shoved.

I dread talking on the phone. I hate phones.

I feel much more comfortable with written communication. I can take my time. I can get the wording exactly the way I want it. I never get interrupted. I have access to an entire internet of interesting things that I can interject into a conversation. Written communication generally expresses my real self much more accurately.