The Amazing Uncommonality of Common Sense
Certain behaviors are expected in certain environments. What you say and do with your friends isn't necessarily what you would say and do with your coworkers, or at the dinner table with your romantic interest's parents - but that's pretty obvious right? To you maybe, but there are quite a few people out there that just don't realize that certain topics of conversation aren't polite or even timely in certain circumstances. Perhaps it is unreasonable, but I quite frankly don't have any patience for these kinds of people.
A good rule of thumb - when someone's hands are occupied, it's not a good idea to talk to them on any topic besides what they are doing - if at all.
Let's say you're at a social gathering. There's food, pool tables, a TV area, and a dance floor. The person eating will be aggravated that you have interrupted their food consumption, the pool player will sneer at you for ruining his shot, the sports enthusiast will do his best to ignore you (note his hands are up in the air or clenched at his mouth), and the dancer will storm off the dance floor (note they are using their hands to dance too!) - all of them peeved that you ruined their concentration and enjoyment, because you took their attention away from what they were doing by bringing up a topic that interested -you- rather than what was currently interesting them.
This is doubly bad if you do two faux pas at once, and brag about yourself or your life when you interrupt their enjoyment - but it could be acceptable if your bragging is on topic. Let's say you're at the snack table, and you start a conversation with someone who is eating about the hot dog eating contest you won - they might like that topic. However, you would have a better chance of piqueing their interest if you talk about how fantastic the key lime pie is, and how you simply must get the recipe. In fact, if that person made it, you've just won major kudos too.
In circumstances with lots of background noise, it's pretty much a bad idea to try and talk to someone on ANY topic, especially if they're actively enjoying the background noise - such as the dancer, and the sports enthusiast. They can't hear you easily, so the simple fact that you said something has distracted them and already ruined their concentration - and it can be easily made worse by talking about something off-topic, and even worse if you're bragging. If they're in a bad mood to begin with, they're liable to punch you! ...and not in any kind of a fruity way.
Your social skills will determine your success - in fact, if you're dumb as a box of rocks but have social skills, you can be very very successful. If you really need an example of that, just look at Bush. Enough said.
A good rule of thumb - when someone's hands are occupied, it's not a good idea to talk to them on any topic besides what they are doing - if at all.
Let's say you're at a social gathering. There's food, pool tables, a TV area, and a dance floor. The person eating will be aggravated that you have interrupted their food consumption, the pool player will sneer at you for ruining his shot, the sports enthusiast will do his best to ignore you (note his hands are up in the air or clenched at his mouth), and the dancer will storm off the dance floor (note they are using their hands to dance too!) - all of them peeved that you ruined their concentration and enjoyment, because you took their attention away from what they were doing by bringing up a topic that interested -you- rather than what was currently interesting them.
This is doubly bad if you do two faux pas at once, and brag about yourself or your life when you interrupt their enjoyment - but it could be acceptable if your bragging is on topic. Let's say you're at the snack table, and you start a conversation with someone who is eating about the hot dog eating contest you won - they might like that topic. However, you would have a better chance of piqueing their interest if you talk about how fantastic the key lime pie is, and how you simply must get the recipe. In fact, if that person made it, you've just won major kudos too.
In circumstances with lots of background noise, it's pretty much a bad idea to try and talk to someone on ANY topic, especially if they're actively enjoying the background noise - such as the dancer, and the sports enthusiast. They can't hear you easily, so the simple fact that you said something has distracted them and already ruined their concentration - and it can be easily made worse by talking about something off-topic, and even worse if you're bragging. If they're in a bad mood to begin with, they're liable to punch you! ...and not in any kind of a fruity way.
Your social skills will determine your success - in fact, if you're dumb as a box of rocks but have social skills, you can be very very successful. If you really need an example of that, just look at Bush. Enough said.