Trivia, facts, small talk, and anecdotes...facets for being an interesting dinner partner. Have you ever been in a situation where you were seated next to someone you have never met and forced to spend the next hour or so eating and conversing with some verve and intelligence? You could always talk about the weather, but that takes care of only a mere five minutes.
Before heading out for an evening of socializing, take a few minutes exploring websites that will help you with interesting snippets of information that could flourish into full-blown debates.
- For trivia.
- Word of the day. This website will send you a word each day with the modern and possible antiquated meaning, how the word can be used in conversation or correspondence, and the etymology of the word so you can learn how and where the word was first used. All you need do is sign up once you go to Dictionary.com. You may be surprised how many words you already know.
- Interesting facts of the day. Along with the above website, Reference.com can give you more trivia than you could ever retain. When you sign up for an e-mail each day, you will find a subject highlighted, then memorable events throughout history, and births and deaths.
- Expanding word choices. Are you stuck on using the same word time after time? Our brains thrive on adding new choices and Thesaurus.com may fit the bill for expanding your vocabulary. This site is especially useful if you are a writer.
- News sources. The mainstream media gives us sound bites for what is going on locally, nationally, and worldwide. At a dinner party, we could spout those sound bites and impress a few people. But if you are interested in digging a bit deeper, Talking Points Memo and Christian Science Monitor will give you in-depth information and reporting.
- Progressive ideas. If you are more interested in zeroing in more on what is important to the United States, a couple websites deal with politics and the deeper story. The mainstream media has been slow to recognize the “blogosphere” for their reporting, but with growing interest in the “net-roots” work being done, Daily Kos and Digbys are worth spending time with. Many of the sites in this article can also be accessed from these websites.
- Humor and parodies. But let's not take life too seriously! National politics and world events get an interesting look-see at Sadly, No!, TBogg and Firedoglake.
By writing this article, no website is endorsed for its accuracy or content. But if you consider the internet as yet another way to get your information, check out these websites. The best way to be informed and expand your knowledge is to contrast and compare information offered. Enjoy exploring these sites – and enjoy your conversation at that next dinner or party!
