the weather???
 

When people talk about the weather, it seems to me , like they have nothing else going on...whether(sp) it be a conversation with a friend, or on a blind date...who really cares?!! It just seems like a lame conversation starter. When you, the fine people of the TFP, start a conversation with a total stranger, are you talking about the weather?!!! or something else...
name this thread...when striking up a conversation with a stranger...your thoughts...

My thoughts... I dont ever know what the weathers gunna be anyway, and I dont really care what its been. Therefore, I dont talk about the weather at all costs. When someone else starts the conversation.... I still try to shoot the weather topic down.

My wife and I have had a rule since we were dating. You never talk about the weather unless it is causing a mutual discomfort (e.g., you're both getting wet in the rain because you lost your umbrella).

One of our biggest jokes has been to say "Oho, they're talking about the weather. That's a bad sign."

The weather isn't much of conversation starter in normal situations. We usually try to start out asking about something of interest to the person. A lot of times that will be asking them about themselves.

"And I feel, so much depends on the weather
So is it raining in your bedroom?"
-- Plush, Stone Temple Pilots


Nothing wrong with talking about the weather, in my book. But it's all situational, as G_Whiz briefly mentioned. If I'm talking about it because it's playing an active role in the moment, fair enough. If I bring it up because I'm nervous, then I should be hit with a shovel.

The weather has been a significant topic since Lebell has arrived in Oregon. I wonder if I should be concerned or if it truly is because it has been such odd weather? (80's when he first arrived in October, none-the-less, down to the 30's just 2 weeks later.)

Truly, nothing wrong with talking about it as long as it is not the focus.

Weather is a good conversation starter. While it would be nice if we could just jump into our life's problems and our deeper feelings and philosophies and it is definately what we should shoot for, weather is a nice bridge for now to get to that point.

I'm a meterology major and so are most of my friends, so its what we talk about. With anyone else though it can get kinda boring.

I make it a point to talk to strangers every day.
The weather is a fine topic for this.
It is a common bond we all share.

That's why it works...

Used in this way it is just sort of a code for being friendly.

Hmm, I usually just find a way to throw out some interesting little factoid from www.thestraightdope.com or www.snopes.com. If it involves the weather, then so much the better.

Without weather we wouldn't have anything to talk about in the doctors' waiting room.

without the weather we'd wither.

(weeds wood too)

The importance of weather is relative to where you live.
The Inuit have a dozen or so words for 'snow'; whereas there is no word at all for 'weather' in the Hawaiian language.

In areas with frequent severe weather it can be the major story of the day, and it would be wise to consult the weather forecast before making important plans. In some areas, the weather is hardly an insignificant factor in daily life.

What ARTele said. We all know about the weather. We're all experienced in the field and it affects us all, so we are all capable of talking about it until something interesting comes up.
That said, in my group of friends, "32 degrees [celsius] tomorrow!" (even in the middle of winter) is a less-than-subtle suggestion that some participants in the conversation wouldn't mind a change of topic.

I talk about the weather more than most, because I am of the firm conviction that weather here is half-arsed. Never gets cold enough to freeze, and people start bitching about the heat before it even hits 40!
Don't get me started on this stupid business of raining in Winter (Or, for that matter, having 4 seasons).

OK...I was a bit annoyed yesterday, when I posted this. I work at a store, and yesterday I was inside just about the whole day. I tell you, everybody who came in there, was like..."I'ts getting cold"...or It's kinda nasty out there".....I know those people don't know eachother, and don't show up just to talk about the weather. It's just crazy how many people use it as a conversation starter, and I happened to really notice it yesterday. Our customer base is largely farmers, so maybe that's why they talk about it....they have things to do outside, so they comment on the atmosphereic condition at the time. I feel better about the situation now. I think I was venting yesterday.
I just like it when people say..."Gee, GuttersnipeXL, How's everything?" or "My, you look handsome today!"...or something like that. I think I'm going to start counting the amount of people who say something about the weather to me. I'll get back with results...