Whether it's a hot new movie, a huge sports event, or a TV show that it feels like everyone is watching, it's no fun to be caught out of the loop during water cooler chats or party conversations. If you want to be a part of it all, let go of your pride and ask some dumb questions about it.

A few years ago, most if not all of my friends were single. On any given weeknight, I'd meet with one or five of them for a drink and we'd swap stories about bad dates, bad sex, and bad crushes who refused to give us the time of day.

Not many of us aspire to be Moth-winning level storytellers, but being known for spinning a good yarn has its social uses.

Although concerts can be transcendental experiences that inspire collectivism unlike anything else on this earth, anyone who's been to a show has at least one story about another audience member tainting the experience with some form of disruptive behaviour.

Funerals are a time to remember loved ones and say a heartfelt goodbye, not draw attention to yourself. Still, some people do exactly that. Just because you're all dressed up doesn't mean a #funeralselfie is warranted.

There's a lot of pressure to stand out on a first date, and that stress inevitably carries over to your wardrobe choices. But there's no need to have a silly outfit changing montage before you head out to meet someone for the first time. Comfortable, casual staples like a good pair of jeans are all you need.

It's better to give then to receive. So, why do we still expect to receive something after giving?

Nobody likes someone who interrupts people all the time. It's rude and it actually thwarts clear communication from happening. Some of us interrupters, though, are aware of our problem and tired of being the jerk who cuts people off. Here are a few tricks for shutting yourself down.

You probably know that adding people to your inner circle takes time, but how much time it actually takes to go from strangers to buddies has been somewhat of a mystery -- until now. A new study suggests you need to spend at least 90 hours with someone before they consider you a real friend.

Meeting new people and making good friends gets harder as you get older. You get less adventurous, fall into comfortable routines with significant others, and you don't have school to force you to interact with different groups of people any more. But if you have at least one friend, you do have an easy option for finding some fresh faces to spend time with.

In "How to Email Busy People", startup founder Jason Freedman gives several good tips on getting what you want from busy and important people. The most crucial tip, as quoted today by designer Tina Roth Eisenberg, is to be explicit instead of coy.

When I was in high school, I found out that my friends didn't like me. One of the girls in my "group" told me I wasn't invited to a birthday party because "everyone" thought I was annoying — which, to be honest, at 15 I probably was — and for months I was ostracised. It took some time for me to worm my way back into the gang, but until then, I was devastated and I swore I would spend the rest of my life being likeable.

Being a good storyteller can improve your presentations at work, boost your social skills and make you more likeable in general. But it's not an ability that comes naturally to everyone. If you're not sure how to go about telling stories that captivate an audience, these simple dos and don'ts will give you a good place to start.

Puns have long been the ugly stepchildren of comedy, derided for generations as the dull weapon of choice of trying-too-hard dads and uncles. But what was once considered the lowest form of humour has quietly risen in the ranks, and in recent years, the pun has gotten a makeover. Thanks to the rise of competitive punning events, including Brooklyn's seven-year old Punderdome event, punning has started to resemble something like art, or at least colourful graffiti.

In comedic improvisation, the principle of "yes and" means that first you agree with your partner's premise, and then you add to it. Without this essential principle, the scene couldn't go anywhere. And while applying "yes and" to real life is a bit of a business-world cliché, I've found that it's a great way to redirect potential arguments into jovial banter, and keep everyone on the same team.

In this episode we're talking about the lost art of conversation-making. Joining us is podcaster and raconteur Ken Plume, who has conducted extensive interviews with the likes of Mel Brooks and John Cleese. We discuss how Ken got his start feeling comfortable talking to just about anyone, how he handles the awkwardness of a cocktail party (hint: It involves a fern) - and then we invent an acronym that will help you handle any conversational challenge. (Sort of.)

Some people love to hear themselves talk so much you can't even get a word in edgewise. Well, part of the problem is that you're waiting for them to pass the conch to you -- and they're not going to do it. You don't have to straight-up interrupt them, though; you can simply use your body language.

Men! Mule Design co-founder Erika Hall has seven ways for you to counteract sexism at work. Some will help you shut down overt sexism; some address more unconscious habits such as interrupting women. And you don't need to be in a position of power to use them. Hall's article is free of filler, so read it all, but here's our favourite tip.

Quietly, all around you, countless times a day, a woman sends a nude picture of herself to a man she's seeing, and the man gives a crappy response that hurts the woman's feelings. (Presumably this also happens in other gender combinations, but it sure is easy to find men who do it to women!) Writer merritt k has categorised the crappy responses so that you can avoid them, and maybe be deemed worthy of more nudes.