What to do when you fall into an awkward silence during a phone call.

This post was inspired by a recent Facebook status update. It's due to the comments that I got that made me decide to share.

It was one of those days where curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to know what other people did when they fell into awkward silences during phone calls because I happened to have been through a few. What do you do? How do you get out of it?

I gave my friends a couple of options to find out if at all we use the same methods to get out of those awkward moments. Judging from the response I got, I am an Angel!

The first three are the options that I listed as some of the things I have done and the rest that follow are the responses from my friends.

Rush the other person off the phone so you can hang up. This is where you talk fast and rushed acting like your busy doing something. This makes the other person think that your mind is elsewhere and they'll end the call.

Switch topics to something interesting; I usually do this for someone I like. Sometimes conversations get a little hard if you're into each other. You don't know each other well enough to know what to or not to talk about. So I choose some fun topic so we exchange ideas and thoughts. A friend actually said she uses this method and ends up spilling family secrets.

Hang up then proceed to switch your phone off for an hour; Majority of my friends said they do this. I don't know if y'all have ever been into very bad conversations that made you go to the extreme. I do this when there is no hope for the conversation and frankly when the interest is not there. You don't tell the other party good bye. Just press the NO button then proceed to switch off for the hour. This is to discourage persistency.

Avoid picking calls from someone you have nothing in common with; We all have those people we see but never talk with because we have nothing in common worthy of talking about. Like when you meet someone you went to school with, then they ask for your number with or without the intention to call. What do you talk about when they decide to call? Isn't that just an awkward silence in the making? Some people get offended if they call you several times and you never pick their calls. Does it never occur to them that there is nothing to talk about?

Pretend to Lose network; Y'all should know the antiques that go with 'pretending' to lose network. I absolutely had a huge laugh over this. Majority have pretended to lose network by shouting 'hello?' 'hello?' 'hello?' into the phone to the other person. The idea is for the other person to know that phone reception is poor for the person they are calling hence they say, 'Oh… Network is poor?' then they proceed to hang up.

Leave the conversation going without the phone on your ear; I have done this but to guys who stalk me. First of all they never tell you who gave them your number yet they expect you to talk to them when they call. The person who suggested this one said she picked the call and then dropped the phone back in her bag whilst the other person continued with the call. Who loves the sound of their own voice than people who never realize that there are no replies or odd noises from the person they are talking to?

Pick the call from a persistent person and pretend to have been woken up by the call; I have done this several times and it works, all you have to do is make your voice sound husky. So, when the other person asks if you've been sleeping, agree immediately. This will make them end the call sooner rather than later.

Speak in tongue; I don't know how you go about this because the idea of actually speaking in tongues is insane! The only people I've heard speak in tongue are the Saved ones, during their fellowship services. I guess someone who is experienced with this can handle it well.

There my friends, is how you get out of awkward silences.

xxxShanahxxx

Facebook Relationships.

Facebook as we all know is a social networking site. I think its one of the greatest creation of our generation. Not only does it allow you to keep in touch and re-connect with friends from school and distant family, it allows us to witness the budding and ending of relationships amongst our friends.

The beginning of a relationship on Facebook is one of the most interesting things that can ever be witnessed, I think. Its more interesting when the couple decides to list the people they're in the relationship with instead of just changing their relationship status to 'in a relationship.' I always wonder why they do that. Do they do it for their friends so they can check out the person they're with or is it a warning to other interested parties?

In the beginning, you get to witness how the couple always spends time on each others walls by writing lovey-dovey messages for all to see. Like they have no phones to either text or call up the other person, or maybe Facebook is that cheap? When you read the posts and comments between them, you wonder as to why they don't get a room?

As the relationship progresses, the lovey-dovey messages and status updates stop, to be replaced by issues and grievances going in the relationship. The couple starts talking about the other party's bad habits seeking advice from their respective friends. This as a mutual friend is when you know that things are going sour!

What I really find amusing is the end of the relationship and its aftermath. Some of them let everyone know how and why they have broken up, they go ahead to 'remove' each other from their respective friend's list and onto abusing each other on their pages and status updates.

The funny thing is, after de-friending each other, one of them will send the other a friend request which will be accepted. You'd think they're going to sort out their problems and get back together but it’s not the case! They go as far as writing about the other party's shortcomings until one of them gets fed up by the feedback from the comments and decides to take the high road by blocking the other party.

I'm not all for airing dirty laundry in public.  As someone I know asked, 'when your parents have a fight, do they go and talk about it in their local News Paper?' It gets annoying when the girls as usual, mourn about end of the relationship and start talking shit about their Ex. What's wrong in being the bigger person by keeping the negative feelings to you? Much as a lot of wrong went down, there were some bits that you loved about the person, enough to be in a relationship with them.

I find that some things are too personal to let everyone know and trashing your Ex all over a social networking site doesn't make you look good. 

xxxShanahxxx

April Highlights.

I decided to do a roundup of what I was dealing with during the month of the Fool or Fools.

I have been sick for the longest time! Unfortunately, I am not one of those that happen to be endowed with good health throughout the year. I envy such people! But in my religion i.e. Islam, sickness is a way of expiating on your earthly sins which is a good thing but on the other hand, I must be such a Sinner! The good thing about all this is that my best friend and a few of my good friends were there for me in spirit. I love them for that. Nothing makes one feel better about themselves than knowing that they have someone who absolutely cares, no matter what!

I suffered a crushing disappointment from someone who really did not have the option of disappointing me. It took me awhile to wrap my brain around the fact that he really did it but I got over it. We all have expectations in others because we want to see a little of our own kindness in them, when we don't receive nor see any of it, it absolutely hurts. We live and learn everyday and it’s because of this that my faith in the person has diminished a notch.

April saw the beginning of the 'walk to work' protests in Uganda led by the opposition leaders. They were meant to be peaceful protests but the outcome and damage caused wasn't what they had hoped for. I got to witness police brutality and also found out just how much power the police have in their hands. Why don't we have a disciplinary committee for the police? Why must they assault citizens and get away with it?

The hugest highlight of last month had to be the wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. She looked so beautiful and her doing her own makeup was a bonus because she got it right. I think Harry looked better than the Groom but hey, it was his day. David Beckham (massive crush) looked so handsome and dashing in his morning suit. I loved his sleeked back hair. Victoria is a lucky woman. The British have a thing for hats because, it was a HAT show. Kate deserved her prince and this showed that fairy tales really do come true.

The exit of April marked the beginning of one of my favorite TV shows Big Brother Africa. The adverts throughout the month were making me anxious. Tension was at its peak due to the fact that I wasn't sure of who was going to be our representative. They ended up being revealed on the forum just a week from the premier and it wasn't all bad. There is a massive provision of male eye candy!

Now, that we said bye to April. I am happy to finally see the arrival of MAY which happens to be my birth month. So excited! And happy to be better so I can enjoy it and everything.

Have a Fantastic May everyone.

xxxShanahxxx