The title here comes from this comment: "The mood [in the new pastry shop in my neighbourhood] among the customers was unusually good humoured. As I stood there, enjoying the pastry smells and the friendliness of the place, I felt that I had stepped into a generous little haven of old fashioned good will." From a radio interview with the author of 'Love Song', a novel by Australian writer Alex Miller For this captures nicely the ambience which is co-created by the host and participants in Conversare gatherings. The purpose of these is to provide opportunity for anyone who wishes to join in to...
Read More Post a comment (0)The American comedian, Joan Rivers, by asking her signature question, "Can we talk?" invited all of us both explicitly and implicitly to confront the question, “Can you and I talk?” The history of her quip is that when she asked the question, “Can we talk?” she received a huge laugh. She said it was the laughter that prompted her to continue using it in her comic routines. Why do we laugh at the question, "Can we talk?" One answer is: “You’ve got to be kidding!” “Talk? We don’t talk, not really!” Living in the world today, we are provided with frequently occurring...
Read More Post a comment (0)The first of these novel events in Australia happened on 26 March 2012. The company was lively and friendly. The venue, the Whitmore Hotel in Adelaide, was beautifully set up for the occasion and the food was superb. The show 'downunder' is well and truly on the road! The idea of Conversare is simple. It is a social gathering in a public place in which whoever comes is welcome to join in the fun. The core activity is having a meal or other refreshment with someone you don’t know to learn about each other in conversation. By participating in this way...
Read More Post a comment (2)Have you had the experience of going to social events such as birthday and housewarming parties and finding that people hived off into little nooks and seemingly only mixed with those they already knew? Or when you did get to meet someone new to you this person asked no questions nor expressed any curiosity about ‘who are you?’ You are not alone! And so we go home with the sense that the event was ‘OK’ yet could have been better. ‘If only’ everyone present understood and appreciated that ‘giving of themselves’ contributes greatly to the success of any social event. Conversare gatherings...
Read More Post a comment (3)Hello again To let you know that there will soon be substantial changes to this site, both in design and content. These are related to remarkable developments associated with my being back in Adelaide in South Australia. For this has led to connections with a range of people and organizations who have expressed great interest in the potential of this Conversare enterprise. Those of you who have been following my entries here will likely not be surprised, knowing of the unique elements which comprise this way of getting together in public places with the guiding hand of a host. A new way of socialising...
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