So by now you know that I recently spent a few days and nights gallivanting around DC with elected officials. Wait. That sounds bad, doesn’t it? Gallivant may be the wrong word as I am not — and will never be — Rielle Hunter. But I did spend time at The White House and at […]
Small Talk for Dummies
Small Talk at The White House (yes – that White House)
I’m going to a cocktail party at The White House next week. Yes, Debra Fine will be drinking champagne at The White House. Do I sound like I am bragging? I’m not. Well, maybe a smidge. But I am, in a word, thrilled. I have a feeling that Mrs. Obama and I will […]
Making International Conversation Without An International Incident
Dear Debra, My partner and I travel often for work and pleasure, and while we are great traveling companions, we disagree on how to converse with the people we meet. When traveling internationally, specifically to poorer countries, is it condescending not to ask your taxi driver if he’s ever been to the U.S. (thus […]
She Said WHAT? Ten Things Not to Say at the Thanksgiving Table.
Two topics seem to dominate the morning shows during Thanksgiving week: what is the most fattening thing on the table and how to create the most decadent holiday menu. Is it just me, or does it seem counterproductive to dish on the heart-attack-inducing fat and calories in sausage stuffing while also talking about how […]
Why Inappropriate Money Questions Don’t Make Cents.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/debra-fine/dear-debra-how-should-i-a_b_4252516.html
Talk Tyrants and Their Victims | A Small Talk Series | The Interrupter
Beware: There are small talk criminals lurking everywhere. The coffee shop, your kids’ school, the gym, the office, the dinner party. These brazen bullies strike quickly and without warning – and they don’t care who they hurt. My ongoing series, Talk Tyrants, serves two purposes: it allows you the chance to escape the attack […]
