….moving. And small talk.

I hate small talk. I think often times it’s thoughtless and insincere, done more out of social obligation than genuine interest. (And I suck at it.) People ask the perfunctory, “How are you? “ - but do they really want to know? If you started telling them about your shitty morning where you spilled your breakfast onto Dry Clean Only pants, or how the power went out so you overslept, you would most likely get “The Look.” The look where he or she politely nods and smiles at you, but his/her eyes are saying, “oh dear God, get me away from this person now, I was just being polite.”

This is how I feel when people ask me, “how’s the house?” Most, if not all, do have a genuine interest knowing that I just bought my first house in a new neighborhood. But I guarantee they don’t want the verbal diarrhea that I spew forth as I tell them about the myriad problems I’ve encountered in the past month.

Or worse, they probably don’t want to hear that I’m really not adjusting well to the move. How my routines are all off. How my stove’s cooking temps seem to be way higher than any other gas stove I’ve ever cooked on. How the nearest drop off mail box is now so far out of my way. How, despite only moving 1.5 miles south, I feel so far removed from EVERYTHING. Like I moved to a borough.

They want to hear, “Oh, it’s great! I love it! Best decision ever!” But if I said that…I’d be lying.

Now by no means do I hate the house/new ‘hood. I don’t even think I regret buying this house. I just REALLY miss the area I lived in for the past four years. It was fantastic. It’s like going away to college and really missing home. You know you’re in for good times; you just have a hard time getting past what you left behind.

So, to anyone reading this who knows me – unless you really want to know how the house & new location are going…don’t ask. I suck at polite small talk.