Sami’s Blog: Chit Chat Help

During this “Festive” time of year many of us are forced to make painfully boring chit chat at all sorts of functions with all sorts of people.  Strangers, half acquaintances, friends of friends and worst of all, random distant family members. Those relatives we only see once in a blue moon bring with them a whole different punishment when it comes to making Christmas small talk.  Great news is I have some gold nuggets for you, tips to lubricate the conversation wheels and save you from constantly drawing a blank when it comes to banal banter.

Fact one: Crows can hold grudges against humans for as long as seventeen years. Isn’t this the coolest. New research shows crows are super smart and more than just black-feathered figures cawing from tree-tops. They are masters of memory and grudges and will remember you if you are mean or aggressive to them.

Fact two: Female frogs fake their own death to avoid mating with males they do not like. Scientists have discovered that female frogs have developed several ways to get out of sex, including rolling, grunting, and even faking their own deaths. A brutal but brilliant way of rejecting someone if you ask me! This fact makes me laugh out loud every time I think about it.

Fact three: Some people in the world are afraid of bananas.  This phobia is called Bananaphobia.  I kid you not. 

Fact four: A 110 year old Perth woman has credited a glass of beer every day as being the reason for her longevity. Bridget Grocke just turned 110 and is officially Australia’s second-oldest person and enjoys one glass of Emu Export beer every day. A bush chook a day keeps the doctor away. As one of Australia’s oldest residents, Ms Grocke has lived through two World Wars, a Depression, a Recession we had to have, and a Pandemic.  Despite all these challenges she has never skipped a daily ale. The former David Jones worker has 4 children,10 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren, no wonder she needs a beer at the end of each day.

And if these facts fail when it comes to making that painful chit chat with Uncle Gavin, then ask him what his inner Drag Queen name is. Your Drag Queen name is your grandmother’s first name and the last sweet you ate.  Mine for the record is Margaret Cookie.