(Rant) When I go to lunch, I don't want to talk about work !!

[Ohio Rusty]

We did our work luncheon today at Ponderosa. When I'm away from work, I don't really want to stay immersed in my job. Sometimes ... You need some time away, even if it just an hour. My co-workers just constantly talked about work ... like I never left work. It's like they know nothing else to talk about except work. Sometimes ....I find other subjects more interesting. None of my co-workers are preppers or have any belief in sellf-reliancy of any kind. I've tried to bring up subjects before about the economy, prepping, food storage .... and they just look at me like I'm an alien from Mars ..... All of them are hunter-haters.
Now ...I just keep my mouth shut and become the 5th wheel when around my co-workers as we have nothing in common ...... No break from work today .... I'll feel tired when I get home tonight ....
Ohio Rusty ><>

[AngieM2]

don't go to work with them.

Get a book and find a place and let your mind really get away.

[sevenmmm]

Lucky you still have a Ponderosa nearby!

Don't feel obligated to shut up as sooner or later the people still hanging around will be like minded.

I treat it like a game, always smiling when I speak my mind. It is really funny to watch their expressions as they try to figure out why I am happy to welcome the coming changes.

Even though you are apparently already ahead of the crowd, I still wish you luck!

[emdeengee]

I don't like talking shop when it is a social occasion. I try to sit next to someone I know feels the same so at least we can talk about other things when the group starts back stabbing or sucking up. And I keep a mental note in my head about the subjects that people like. Everyone has a hobby horse that they like to talk about and usually all you have to do is throw that in the ring and away they go. Not many preppers around me either but I find that I can always get people talking about the price of things and that can lead to prepper talk.

[HeelSpur]

Start coughing when they bring up work, they'll catch on.

[OkieDavid]

Try wearing a badge for a living.... It's not just your coworkers that want to talk shop but every Tom, Dick and Harry that walk by your table feel like they have to put in their two cents as well. I don't mind that much as it comes with the pay but I would ocasionally like to finish my meal while it's still hot.

[J.T.M.]

Better to talk about work then politics ..............IMO.

[plowjockey]

I'd try to bring up non work, personal topics, THEY might be interested, in discussing. I'd try to interact, if i'm up on the subject, or ask questions about the subject, if I am not.

Conversation, ideally, should be a two way (or more)street. We talk about your stuff for a bit, then we talk about my stuff for a bit. Then maybe we talk about commom interest topics (other than work). It's always best to avoid politics, IMO.

It does not always work out that way, but that should be the goal. Some people don't care (or are not aware) or may be nervous and dominate conversations, dismissing someone elses, input, going back to their own stories. Sometimes they can be turned around, with conversation tactics, sometimes, just politely listen and move on.

Conversation is an art form, everyone should (and can) learn how to master, IMO.

I'll push my favorite book, Dale Carnegie's "How to win friend and influence people" Greatest conversation and people book ever written. As relevant today, as when it was first written in 1936. Used copies can be had for $2.

Six Ways to Make People Like You
1.Become genuinely interested in other people.
2.Smile.
3.Remember that a person's name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
4.Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
5.Talk in terms of the other person's interest.
6.Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_...fluence_People

[plowjockey]

Originally Posted by J.T.M.

Better to talk about work then politics ..............IMO.

+1 here.

Politics can turn a conversation, into a huffy argument, in about 90 seconds.

Besides, 99.999% of the time, it just turns into complaining anyway. What fun is it, to listen to that, during lunch?

[Old Vet]

When I go out to lunch with people that I work with I rarely know what to talk about with them. I am not friendly with the people that I work with and do not want them knowing about what I do for enjoyment. That either leaves work or porn to talk about but since I do not like porn that leaves work.

[MO_cows]

I work for a very small business, we all know each other pretty well and can talk about many things besides work, although talking about work is still OK, too. I remember my days at bigger companies and how awkward it was sometimes, to be outside the workplace with your co-workers and try to make halfway interesting conversation.

[Ohio Rusty]

I think Old Vet and Mo_Cows hit it on the head about how I think and feel about lunching with workers. Virtually all of them are computer people ...and when they got off work ...they go home and sit in front of a computer all night gaming or whatever else ..... They have no lives and I'm suprised they even know how to tie their own shoes since they a computer can't do that for them. When I'm at work ... I still feel alone in a room full of people ....
I guess a better description is I feel like a lone Petunia in an onion patch ..... If I told anyone I was having venison for lunch, they would probably file a grievence as they would be appalled that Bambi is dead and I did it ......... Or I was eating something 'gross', and they didn't like it. There has already been a rumor about vegetarians in our company complaining about the meat eaters and trying to get eating meat in the staff cafeteria banned. Maybe 12/21/2012 can't come too soon ..........

Ohio Rusty ><>
Life is like being in your own movie, and you are the star !! You can make it either a drama, a tragedy or an adventure.

[JuliaAnn]

To be honest, and if I were in your position, I would nix the prepper talk with them. While they are probably decent people, you never know when someone (anyone!) is going to get some strange idea about what exactly you're doing at home. How often do we see negative 'Ruby Ridge' type stories in the media about preppers, or programs where preppers are likened to hoarders, illegal weapon fanatics, or dope growers? I underestand it's interesting to talk about, but having been in a situation very similar to yours, I figured out pretty fast not to talk about prepping, gardening, hunting, canning, seed saving, wildcrafting, survival skills, etc. Those subjects are just mumbo-jumbo to most people, and could potentially be used to *your* disadvantage by them. Just sayin'.

If you're just a fifth wheel in the group anyway, take a book or magazine with you, sit off to one side and entertain yourself. Take your cell phone and call your wife and talk while you eat. If they are inclined to ignore you, you can safely do the same.

[Ohio Rusty]

Ohio Rusty pats JuliaAnn on the back for some great advice .......

There is no sound more lonely than a cold and quiet anvil .....

[AngieM2]

Originally Posted by JuliaAnn

To be honest, and if I were in your position, I would nix the prepper talk with them. While they are probably decent people, you never know when someone (anyone!) is going to get some strange idea about what exactly you're doing at home. How often do we see negative 'Ruby Ridge' type stories in the media about preppers, or programs where preppers are likened to hoarders, illegal weapon fanatics, or dope growers? I underestand it's interesting to talk about, but having been in a situation very similar to yours, I figured out pretty fast not to talk about prepping, gardening, hunting, canning, seed saving, wildcrafting, survival skills, etc. Those subjects are just mumbo-jumbo to most people, and could potentially be used to *your* disadvantage by them. Just sayin'.

If you're just a fifth wheel in the group anyway, take a book or magazine with you, sit off to one side and entertain yourself. Take your cell phone and call your wife and talk while you eat. If they are inclined to ignore you, you can safely do the same.

Yep, not talking about certain things in mixed groups, may be to your advantage should something serious happen in your area.

[JuliaAnn]

No kidding!! Think about this---heaven forbid something bad did happen, those people you work with but have nothing in common with will want to come to your house, and then it would be like going to lunch with them but 24/7 for however long they decided to stay! You'd end up in an asylum somewhere...

[beaglady]

Usually, I'm lucky. I work in a small office with folks I've known for over 15 years. We all live in the country, most hunt, or at least have grown up with it.

On the rare occasions we go to lunch with clients, we can usually talk about our pets. If conversation turns to golf or sports, I'm in trouble, though.

[Home Harvest]

IMO it depends on who is paying. I've been on both sides of this. When we have visitors we generally take them out somewhere, and the lunch is just part of the workday. Most work sponsored functions includes some sort of presentation, usually by the top guy, but sometimes by the department head, depends on who's paying. I expect to talk shop at these events. In fact it is often a good time to touch base with people I may not see that often. (we used to call this networking in business. My wife just calls it schmoozing. I'm a world class schmoozer. I try to know everyone, and make sure everyone knows me.)

OTOH, if I'm going to lunch or dinner, and paying for it myself, then I want to relax and kick back for a spell. There may be some gossip, or story telling, but no strict shop talk.

[jwal10]

Momma told me not to talk with my mouth full, lol. I ate, said thanks all and got up and left. If pot luck I made jerky from racoon and they all dug in, a year or 2 later I told them what it was. I had no problem with the 3-4 in my division, it was the suck ups at city hall thet thought they were so much better. THEY learned to cater the party....James

[anniew]

They probably don't want to talk about prepping about the same as you don't want to talk about work.
Ask them questions about topics you might be interested in. Someone likely will also have the same interest, as long as it isn't prepping.
Ask about sports, gardens (generally, not prepping-wise), pets, fixing a ____ on your vehicle, health issue, quirky news items...etc.
People love it when you ask them about themselves and it diverts the work talk. When they answer a question, ask another as a follow up to what they've already said, and it keeps on going as others add to it.