Dining with strangers

[GUT2407]

6 hours ago, Mike981 said:

 

Very interesting. I didn't include all of my careers, but you have me beat.

Strewth can’t count how many jobs I’ve had.

[Luckiestmanonearth]

IHonestly what may be at the core of all of this is awkwardness in people meeting strangers and only having a few go to small talk questions (easiest being work and family).

 

Friendship takes time and you’re not going to generally get that over a nightly 2 hour dinner with strangers.  Some strangers are delightful and funny and some are just strange.

 

We’ve been on 15 cruises and have sat at dinner with many nice people and do you know how many of those relationships lasted past the cruise....zero.

 

Face it.  You’re there to enjoy yourselves and pass the time during a meal.  Nothing else.  So if you’re looking to have a little fun with people and embellish about yourself, go right ahead as you are hurting no one.  We don’t do it but if it was done to us, I would have no idea.

 

Edited January 27, 2019 by Luckiestmanonearth

[K32682]

What may influence opinions on dining with strangers is the reason people are cruising in the first place.  There are some who cruise to be part of the arguably fading "grand cruising tradition" which includes formal nights and enthusiastic participation in dinner-time conversations with strangers. 

 

Then there are those of us who cruise because it is the best means to travel to a region that is otherwise hard to get to, lacks tolerable tourist infrastructure or allows the pursuit of some other travel objective.  For us the cruise is a means to an end not an end in and of itself.  Our interest and involvement in the "traditions" will be perfunctory to non-existent and we can fully enjoy our cruise without them.     

 

    

[Aquahound]

This topic comes up from time to time and it always baffles me.  I guess I've grown out of touch with today's reality but at what point in time did it become taboo for ice-breaking conversation to be questions like....what's your name, where are you from, what do you do, etc?  

 

That said, I did embellish 1 time.  But that was only after having to listen to a couple talk about themselves, all their money and all they've done for over an hour.  It was I, I, I, I, I for almost the entire dinner.  They didn't even know our names yet.  Finally, I told them I was a recently patrolled convict who was still working on rehabilitation for violent tendencies.  I was just having fun but my wife almost killed me when I said that.  We immediately went and changed to My Time to avoid a week of misery with that couple.  

 

The only conversation that tends to bother me is politics, especially when folks want to impose their beliefs on me.  No offense to Canadians but they always seem to be the common offenders at this topic.  

[JMorris271]

Try spooning for a conversation starter at the dinner table of the MDR.

 

 

[Haoie]

When in doubt, talk about the ship and the trip!!

[calliopecruiser]

I was thinking about this thread this past weekend, when I was dining with my sister at a long 18-person table at a restaurant.  Most of the diners were in groups of 2 (like us), and we were seated when a previous pair left, and everyone else at the table was in various stages of their individual meals.   It was the first time I'd eaten in a situation like that for dinner in a well-known restaurant (other times have been for a casual lunch in a casual cafe).  FWIW, we didn't chat with the others, and they didn't chat with us.

[Ashland]

11 hours ago, Aquahound said:

This topic comes up from time to time and it always baffles me.  I guess I've grown out of touch with today's reality but at what point in time did it become taboo for ice-breaking conversation to be questions like....what's your name, where are you from, what do you do, etc?  

 

That said, I did embellish 1 time.  But that was only after having to listen to a couple talk about themselves, all their money and all they've done for over an hour.  It was I, I, I, I, I for almost the entire dinner.  They didn't even know our names yet.  Finally, I told them I was a recently patrolled convict who was still working on rehabilitation for violent tendencies.  I was just having fun but my wife almost killed me when I said that.  We immediately went and changed to My Time to avoid a week of misery with that couple.  

 

The only conversation that tends to bother me is politics, especially when folks want to impose their beliefs on me.  No offense to Canadians but they always seem to be the common offenders at this topic.  

I hope you said "paroled" and not "patrolled".... Great cover story though 

[ldubs]

On 1/26/2019 at 5:23 AM, SRF said:

 

I look down on shoe sales people.

 

But that is because a lot of the time, they are below my eye level. 😄 😄

 

I am fine with whatever someone does. 

 

[Aquahound]

8 hours ago, Ashland said:

I hope you said "paroled" and not "patrolled".... Great cover story though 

 

Yes.  Paroled.  Thanks for catching that. 😀

[SRF]

On 1/26/2019 at 11:53 AM, jagsfan said:

I have shared tables with attorneys, doctors, construction workers and bus drivers. We always had a lot in common with all of them, including a love of travel and especially, cruising. 

 

This ^^^^^

 

I do not judge a person on their profession.  And I have learned things from people from all walks of life.

 

I may judge them on their behavior. 😄

 

[SRF]

On 1/26/2019 at 4:39 PM, lenquixote66 said:

I am likely a lot older than you because I have had a lot more careers.I sold Disability Insurance ,worked for the Dept .of Labor, reviewed records for Warner Brothers,notarized music contracts, acted in theater .I was also in Banking, and was a Health Insurance Frauds Investigator . I have been writing fiction and non fiction since 1964.I played 2 years of semi pro basketball .All of the above over a period of nearly 60 years.

When asked what I did for employment I generally choose one.

 

For a period of time, I did not change jobs without changing careers.

 

But then got stuck (not really, I enjoy my profession) in my current one for 34 years now.

 

But I made up for it with a series of various outside pursuits. 😄

[lynncarol]

Normally my husband and I love having other folks to dine with at meals.  Only once was it uncomfortable for us.  We were on a Vantage River cruise where unbeknownst to us, a large contingent of people (all booked through the same tour agency) were monopolizing the dinner conversation about how much they disliked then President Obama and his 'socialist agendas'. One guy even said, "Well maybe someone will finish him off. At that, I spoke up and pleasantly said, "Well, I for one DO like him"  There was dead silence and after that whenever my husband and I were seated first at a table, none of the members of that group would join us. (Not that we cared).

Edited January 28, 2019 by lynncarol

[ldubs]

On 1/27/2019 at 9:23 AM, JMorris271 said:

Try spooning for a conversation starter at the dinner table of the MDR.

 

 

Wait-- What?   I thought I knew what spooning is but am now not so sure.  

[JMorris271]

Spooning is an old game in the MDR on a ship  where a t spoon is placed and hangs  in balance on one's nose . It is very childish but is actually very infectious and fun sort of like a flash mob once the snobs get into it.

Edited January 29, 2019 by JMorris271

[Go-Bucks!]

12 hours ago, lynncarol said:

Normally my husband and I love having other folks to dine with at meals.  Only once was it uncomfortable for us.  We were on a Vantage River cruise where unbeknownst to us, a large contingent of people (all booked through the same tour agency) were monopolizing the dinner conversation about how much they disliked then President Obama and his 'socialist agendas'. One guy even said, "Well maybe someone will finish him off. At that, I spoke up and pleasantly said, "Well, I for one DO like him"  There was dead silence and after that whenever my husband and I were seated first at a table, none of the members of that group would join us. (Not that we cared).

 

I had the exact situation happen a few years ago but the politics of the people involved were the opposite. 😂

[C_hasRedBottoms]

At this point in my life, it’s a table for our party only. I’m not interested in the lives of others.

[ldubs]

17 hours ago, JMorris271 said:

Spooning is an old game in the MDR on a ship  where a t spoon is placed and hangs  in balance on one's nose . It is very childish but is actually very infectious and fun sort of like a flash mob once the snobs get into it.

OK, thanks. Haha.  

 

The more common meaning (besides what you do to soup) isn't something you really should be doing in a dining room.   

[VennDiagram]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

OK, thanks. Haha.  

 

The more common meaning (besides what you do to soup) isn't something you really should be doing in a dining room.   

 

Spoilsport 😉