when you're talking to someone, talk to them.

i never want to have a meaningless conversation again. I don't know what it is sometimes - you see the person there but you know that they're really somewhere else, they're just filling up the space between you and him or her out of a feeling of obligation or self-interest or boredom. I understand much of it has to do with the context of the situation and what kind of a day they're having and the necessary stage of getting past formalities and what not. And I'm certainly not imposing unconditional wide-eyed interest as a go-ahead for me to want to get to know someone better. But it is a nice feeling to know you're not just talking for the sake of talk. Wanna have a conversation? Let's have a real one. You don't even have to say that much, just be sincere. Please, let's be candid and interested and openminded and present. I don't care how important you are or how many gold rings you're wearing or how many shows you've been in or played. Don't talk to your beer or the TV or the person behind me or ask me what my name is five times. It's insincere and it's irritating.