Microsoft Word Check Out The Most Amazing Wallpapers doc

Different Bait for Shrimp or Sharks
A fisherman uses different bait to bag bass or bluefish. And you
will obviously throw out different conversational bait to snag sim-
ple shrimp or sophisticated sharks. Your hook should relate to the
type of person you’re speaking with. I’m originally from Wash-
ington, D.C. If someone at, say, an art gallery asked me where I
was from, I might answer “Washington, D.C.—designed, you
know, by the same city planner who designed Paris.” This opens
the conversational possibilities to the artistry of city planning,
Paris, other cities’ plans, European travel, and so forth.
At a social party of singles I’d opt for another answer. “I’m
from Washington, D.C. The reason I left is there were seven
women to every man when I was growing up.” Now the conver-
sation can turn to the ecstasy or agony of being single, the per-
ceived lack of desirable men everywhere, or even flirtatious
possibilities.
How to Make “Where Are You From?” Sound Exciting
65
Technique #15
Never the Naked City
Whenever someone asks you the inevitable, “And where
are you from?” never, ever, unfairly challenge their
powers of imagination with a one-word answer.
Learn some engaging facts about your hometown
that conversational partners can comment on. Then,
when they say something clever in response to your
bait, they think you’re a great conversationalist.
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In a political group, I’d cast a current fact from the constantly
evolving political face of Washington. No need to speculate on the
multitude of conversational possibilities that unlocks.
Where do you get your conversational bait? Start by phoning
the chamber of commerce or historical society of your town.
Search the World Wide Web and click on your town, or open an
old-fashioned encyclopedia—all rich sources for future stimulat-
ing conversations. Learn some history, geography, business statis-
tics, or perhaps a few fun facts to tickle future friends’ funny
bones.
The Devlin debacle inspired further research. The minute I
got home, I called the Columbus chamber of commerce and the
historical society. Say you, too, are from Columbus, Ohio, and
your new acquaintance lays it on you: “Where are you from?”
When you are talking with a businessperson, your answer could
be, “I’m from Columbus, Ohio. You know many major corpora-
tions do their product testing in Columbus because it’s so com-
mercially typical. In fact, it’s been called ‘the most American city
in America.’ They say if it booms or bombs in Columbus, it
booms or bombs nationally.”
Talking with someone with a German last name? Tell her
about Columbus’s historic German Village with the brick streets
and the wonderful 1850s-style little houses. It’s bound to inspire
stories of the old country. Your conversation partner’s surname is
Italian? Tell him Genoa, Italy, is Columbus’s sister city.
Talking with an American history buff ? Tell him that Colum-
bus was, indeed, named after Christopher Columbus and that a
replica of the 
Santa Maria
is anchored in the Scioto River. Talk-
ing with a student? Tell her about the five universities in Columbus.
The possibilities continue. You suspect your conversation part-
ner has an artistic bent? “Ah,” you throw out casually, “Columbus
is the home of artist George Bellows.”
Columbusites, prepare some tasty snacks for askers even if
you know nothing about them. Here’s a goodie. Tell them you
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How to Talk to Anyone
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always have to say “Columbus, Ohio” because there is also a Co-
lumbus, Arkansas; Columbus, Georgia; Columbus, Indiana;
Columbus, Kansas; Columbus, Kentucky; Columbus, Mississippi;
Columbus, Montana; Columbus, Nebraska; Columbus, New Jer-
sey; Columbus, New Mexico; Columbus, North Carolina; Colum-
bus, North Dakota; Columbus, Pennsylvania; Columbus, Texas;
and Columbus, Wisconsin. That spreads the conversational possi-
bilities to fifteen other states. Remember, as a quotable notable once
said, “No man would listen to you talk if he didn’t know it was his
turn next.”
A postscript to the hellish experience I had with Columbus.
Months later, I mentioned the trauma to my speaker friend from
Columbus, Jeff. Jeff explained his house was really in a smaller
town just minutes outside Columbus.
“What town, Jeff ?”
“Gahanna, Ohio. Gahanna means ‘hell’ in Hebrew,” he said,
and then went on to explain why he thought ancient Hebrew his-
torians were clairvoyant.
Thanks, Jeff, I knew you’d never lay a naked city on any of
your listeners.
How to Make “Where Are You From?” Sound Exciting
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Third only to death and taxes is the assurance a new acquaintance
will soon chirp, “And what do you do?” (Is it fitting and proper
they should make that query? We’ll pick up that sticky wicket
later.) For the moment, these few defensive moves help you keep
your crackerjack communicator credentials when asked the
inevitable question.
First, like Never the Naked City, don’t toss a short-shrift
answer in response to the asker’s breathless inquiry. You leave the
poor fish flopping on the deck when you just say your title: “I’m
an actuary/an auditor/an author/an astrophysicist.” Have mercy
so he or she doesn’t feel like a nincompoop outsider asking, “What,
er, kind of actuizing (auditing, authoring, or astrophysizing) do
you do?”
You’re an attorney. Don’t leave it to laymen to try to figure out
what you really do. Flesh it out. Tell a little story your conversa-
tion partner can get a handle on. For example, if you’re talking
with a young mother say, “I’m an attorney. Our firm specializes in
employment law. In fact, now I’m involved in a case where a com-
68
How to Come Out a
Winner Every Time
They Ask, “And What
Do You Do?”
✰
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pany actually discharged a woman for taking extra maternity leave
that was a medical necessity.” A mother can relate to that.
Talking with a business owner? Say “I’m an attorney. Our firm
specializes in employment law. My current case concerns an
employer who is being sued by one of her staff for asking personal
questions during the initial job interview.” A business owner can
relate to that.