I hate chit-chat.

The cleaning lady comes by my office and says, "are you surviving this snow?"

I die a little bit inside when someone tries to engage me in small talk. It's pointless. It's inane. It's annoying. It's a waste of time. It leads nowhere. It's superficial.

And the cleaning lady never gets the hint that I'm not interested in chatting. I stare straight ahead at my monitor, listening to my ipod. But she persists.

She's not a bad person -- I don't dislike her. I just don't like to engage in small talk. Not with anyone. It makes me feel insincere and empty.

So, if you see me passing by, really, you don't have to talk to me. It's okay.