August 25, 2006

HALLMARK MOMENT

If you're ever out with a couple of friends and the conversation starts to fade with the beer buzz 'cause you've all stopped drinking so you can drive home sober. There are a few sure fire ways to rekindle everyone's interest. We all have a lot in common with each other but I've found that bringing up "core" subjects is the perfect way to get the ball rolling again.
The first core theme, for the expats living in Japan is food. I'm talking about the real stuff that you just can't get here.

STANDARD PHRASES
I wish this place had____________ !
Man, I could kill for a ___________ right now!

Now you have to be careful about who you're drinking with. I don't get excited over Kebob or Poutin, but if i'm sitting with an Englishman or a Canadian, I'll be damned if the're eyes don't light up.

Now If you happen to sitting around with a table of empty plates 'cause you've all just finished scoffing down the local delicacies, then you're gonna need some different ammo.

STANDARD PHRASES No.2
Did I ever tell you about the time I almost died!?
When I was ___ I was almost killed by a ________!
These statements don't neccesarily have to be true. You can put them into the third person and talk about some distant cousin or your sister's - boyfriend's - uncle's- wife or some shit like that.
I generally do like to use real stories, you tend to tell them a lot better.
Note: All stories have to have a funny ending or strange twist to them. No one really cares about your experiences they just want to tell their own.
The next set of logs to toss on the dwindling campfire conversation are the most difficult to use. They involve bodily functions. You can't just bring up pissing and farting or nose picking into the pow wow without the right timing or attitude. I don't have any "standard" phrases that I can give you but I often use these~
NYD's personal zingers
If public urination were an Olympic event ________ would win hands down!
I love catching someone picking their nose __________
(in a car while waiting for the light to change, behind a newspaper on the train, etc)
The summer is still here and I'm certain that you will have plenty of opportunity to try these out at the local beer garden or pub drop me a line and let me know how they work.
P.S. I'll be posting my conversations next chance I get
NYD.

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