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My uncle told me to treat political talk like a bad radio station
At Thanksgiving in Spokane, my uncle pulled me aside after a tense debate about local elections. He said, 'You know how you hit a button when a song you hate comes on? Do that with your face.' He meant to literally change my expression to something neutral and then ask a totally different question, like about the turkey or a sports game. I tried it when my aunt started in on healthcare, just smiled and asked if anyone wanted more pie. The whole mood shifted in about ten seconds. Has anyone found a good 'station change' question that works every time?
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milaprice1mo ago
My friend uses "remember that crazy storm last summer" and it works like a charm.
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kim1911mo ago
That "change the station" advice is gold. My go-to is asking about a local restaurant that just opened or changed hands. Like, "Hey, did the old diner on Main finally reopen?" It's specific enough to get people talking about something real, but totally harmless. Everyone has an opinion on food and it pulls focus right away. It has saved a few family dinners for me.
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