The art of a good conversation!

My thoughts exactly, if I start a conversation as soon as I have said my bit I automatically ask after the person I'm speaking to - how is the family, how are you, whatever. It is good manners and too many people don't have them these days.

One reason why I don’t have many friends left those that did like to listen and enquire seem to of all died in the last couple of years ?

I have a family member who could talk about herself, her life & her child’s life all day long with never a pause to ask how me and my family are. I could be phoning her with sad or bad news but because I can’t get a word in edge ways. I could hang up or leave from a visit without imparting my news, because somehow I know it won’t be that important to her. She would bring the conversation back to her.

After years of putting up with it, I avoid her like the plague now.

This situation is not uncommon. I had the same issues with some work colleagues too.

Not got any tips unfortunately but, if you find any, please pass them on. One of my friends just bombards you with information about her mental health, her physical health, how she's coping with it all and what her practitioners are doing about it. She can ramble on for well over 3 hours, barely pausing for breath let alone to ask about anyone else. I'm afraid she's garnered such a reputation for it now that several of us avoid meeting up with her.

It is a real problem isn't it? Our recent long sitting visitor treated us to a four and a half session of his life story, views, opinions and experiences. After he finally left DH looked at me and said 'He didn't ask us anything about us at all.' It was true. We did try to interject at times but with no luck.
Conversation has to be a two way thing unless one side has a real problem and needs to talk about that. Empathy is probably the key and not everyone always has that.