The Friday knock-off drinks were casual, but I was nervous. I was meeting my fiancé's new work colleagues for the first time, and I wanted to make a good impression. On the way to the pub, I rehearsed some small talk in my mind. "How was your day, Alley?" "Great, thanks! I finally finished a book manuscript I've been working on for five months. Cheers to that." In my imaginary conversation, I clinked schooners with my new acquaintances in celebration.
In real life, however, the cheers-ing didn't happen - because the question never came.
Sitting at a table in the beer garden, I happily introduced myself to my fiancé's team. Excitedly, I asked about the week that was and the weekend ahead. Curious, I asked about the big project they were working on, their roles and how they got into the field.
With every question, I waited for the serve to be returned. And waited. But my questions weren't reciprocated.
I realised I wasn't playing conversational tennis; I was hitting a ball against a brick wall.
Don't get me wrong - the people I met in the beer garden weren't intentionally being rude or unsociable. They simply weren't engaging in a two-way conversation. I'm a journalist - I ask questions for a living - so I wasn't fazed by doing the heavy lifting.
Although I couldn't help but wonder (how very Carrie Bradshaw of me): Have we lost the art of conversation? Having the thought was like finding my first grey hair. Once I started spotting signs, I couldn't stop seeing them. Traces of the downfall of real talk were everywhere.
A former colleague, who had a baby at the start of the year, confessed that she can't remember the last conversation she had that wasn't about the baby. My hairdresser revealed her apprentice suddenly quit when she gently suggested she could work on her small talk with clients.
Denne historien er fra January 2025-utgaven av Australian Women’s Weekly NZ.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra January 2025-utgaven av Australian Women’s Weekly NZ.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BATTLE FOR THE THRONE
As word of a judgement leaks from the courtroom where the Murdochs have been tussling for power, those close to the throne suggest that the battle for the world’s most powerful media empire has only just begun.
AFTER THE WAVE
Twenty years ago, the Boxing Day tsunami tore across the Indian Ocean, shredding towns, villages and holiday resorts, and killing hundreds of thousands of people from Indonesia to Africa. Three survivors share their memories of shock, terror and loss with The Weekly.
Escape to the country
Raised in New Zealand, design icon Collette Dinnigan opens the doors to her family homestead, where treasures from her travels rest side by side with the sights, sounds and style of her Australian life.
Ripe for the picking
Apricots are at their peak sweetness now, take inspiration from our savoury and sweet ideas.
Grill-licious
The backyard barbecue has come a long way from the days of chargrilling some snags. Try our fresh batch of recipe inspiration for your next cook-up.
Reclaim your brain
Perimenopause made me realise that our brains need looking after.
Long and the short of it
If youre considering a chop and change, this is how to nail a hair transformation.
Have we lost the art of conversation?
In a world of thumbs-up emojis and one-way voice memos, are we forgetting how to converse? The Weekly engages in an experiment in listening and genuine two-way chatting.
Farewell, 1936-2024 Maggie T
At Lhe Weekly Maggie labberer was and remains our guiding light the epitome of elegance with a whip-smart intellect, naughty sense of fun and innate kindness. She was a one-off.
MEL SCHILLING Cancer made me look at myself differently
One year on from going public with her bowel cancer diagnosis, Mel Schilling reveals where she's at with her health journey and how it's changed her irrevocably.
