There is nothing more awkward than a silence so heavy it can be sliced with a knife between guests who are seated and facing each other at a dinner party. How can a host/hostess avoid this? The status of the weather (be it hot or cold) and the cruel fluctuations of the stock market aren’t even interesting topics to many and depressing to more than a few. So what do you do to keep everyone happy and talking? Consider the following ideas. One thought is to always pair talkers with listeners and to keep spouses, bosum buddies and conversation huggers … Continue reading →