The moment strikes - a conversation begins to form in the wilderness of a friendly dinner. Fortunately, I’ve surrounded myself with friends who have mastered an organic quality to human interaction though I’m rarely able to return the favor. “Did you hear about X with Y during Z?,” I’ll say. I’ve fallen back on my Ask Jeeves of conversation starters.

But it becomes problematic when I stop initiating with broad questions and start performing the types of queries reserved for only the most underground of college libraries. “What did you think about Space X’s docking procedure on their recent virgin voyage?” Friendly smiles and awkward silence.

“Abort line of questioning,” my mind insists, but it is too late. I’m asking questions above my intelligence and someone else at the table has taken interest in the conversation.  ”I have to pee,” I awkwardly mutter, rushing to the nearest bathroom to spend the next five minutes researching space flight on my phone.

Another transition from Internet to human interaction made successful