Š*k Book by Pavel Šlajs - HTML preview

What To Avoid

• Taking about past relationships and partners is a real no, no. this can end up intimidating the other party and certainly making them feel very uncomfortable indeed. No one wants to be in a position where there is a possibility of being compared to someone else, especially if it is not in a favorable light.
• Discussing sex is also something to be avoided on a first date as this will automatically put the other party on alert mode and effectively create an uncomfortable and defensive body and mind aura. Talking about sex on the first date will only show the person as having a one track mind and this is defiantly off putting for someone who is interested in building a relationship that is not just based on sex.
• Talking about politics and religion is ok, if it can be done in a light and non judgmental way. In most cases this is rather impossible; therefore it would be safer to avoid these topics, lest the date turn into an argument. Most people have very strong feelings about both these topic and are often very set in their perceptions, and any attempt to change these perceptions or thoughts will be met with probable contempt and disdain.
• Taking about bad habits is probably the most disgusting and off putting topic to pick for a discussion during a first date. It is even more disgusting if the individual taking about the habit is an actual practitioner of it.

EP 5:

How to Avoid Awkward Silences

During the course of a conversation, there are bound to be instances where there is a lull in the flow of the conversation. This can usually be handled effectively or simply ignored, however if the lull occurs during a conversation on the first date or when new friends are getting together, the awkward silence can be deafening.

The following are some tips on how to successfully overcome this awkward situation as pleasantly and smoothly as possible:

Avoiding Silence

Doing some research before the date or encounter, would definitely help to arm the individual with topics to inject into the conversation when there is any occurrence of awkward silences. Finding out a little about the other party’s likes and dislikes, would help in choosing the topic to discuss. Failing which, injecting any popular topic of the particular time, would also be something that should be considered when there is an awkward silence.

Relaxing and allowing the mind to feel at easy will probably also be something that should be mastered, as when a person is relaxed, the confidence levels exude would effectively cover any awkward silence without seeming to make the individual uncomfortable and this will spill over into the general atmosphere around the date.

Listening and paying attention to what the other party is saying will also give the individual clues of what topics to pick up on during the conversation, so that when there is a lull, these clues can help conjure up things to talk about. Also looking around with an observant eye may help the individual come up with something to comment about and thus effectively start a new topic of discussion. However this observation should not take too long as it might be perceived as boredom and thus be insulting or uncomfortable to the other party.

EP 6:

Keeping the Conversation Flowing

This situation is very similar to that of the conversation having gaps of awkward silences which stresses both parties especially if they are new to each other and on a first meeting scenario. The problem here would be to keep an ongoing conversation going without the need to get flustered and panic when the individual runs out of things to add to the conversation.

The following are some pointers that should be helpful if followed with careful consideration and attention: