How to ask my friend to stop talking about the same thing….

[Chatterbecs]

I’m on a girls trip with one of my closest friends.

She’s an absolute delight to spend time with - very intelligent, interesting and fun.

However, she is absolutely obsessed with a man she’s been on 2 dates with and she won’t stop talking about it, and is repeating the same stories and statements about him over and over again. It’s almost bizarre. They only spent a grant total of about 8 hours together, so she’s told me the details of that same 8 hours, honestly about 100 times.

She’s a very self-aware person so it’s surprising that she doesn’t recognise that she’s doing it. It’s not in keeping with the rest of her character at all.

It’s not even that it‘s annoying. It’s just dull and I’m running out of things to say in response!

I’m looking for a polite way to ask her to stop. I’ve made lots of comments about how perhaps she should wait a few more dates and see how it goes, or that I’m happy to hear it went well but perhaps she shouldn’t keep dwelling on it too much right now.

I know some people would be blunt, but that really isn’t my personality and really not the dynamic we have.

So a more polite alternative would be great!

Aww, it sounds like she's just smitten and excited. If she was my friend I'd just keep letting her know that I was buzzing and excited for her too. Obviously if she's still doing it in a few weeks when/if they're past the initial whirlwind, then I'd be telling her to give it a rest

Kill joy! It’s exciting falling in love. Remember you’ve got to buckle in for the break-up too. 😬

its a mix with some people, like its their omg latest thing, till the next thing that distracts them

I like this idea. It gives the message in a nice way

I agree with saying something along the lines of 'You must really like this bloke because you can't stop talking about him!' I think it's kind of cute when people are like this though.

“Babe / darling / Mabel whatever you call her - I know you’re excited but you have told me all this 153 times already. I think it’s probably good not to invest any more energy until you have spent some more time with him - let’s keep your brain busy with something else”

"Yeah, you mentioned..."

Or "Jenny do you think if i set a timer for 20 minutes you could go that long without talking about this guy?"

She’s in love, Op!

Totally what I think too.

I would do this

It really isn't cute in an adult woman who is currently being shit to her friend.

The trouble with not being direct is that she thinks you are ok to listen to her. Finishing the story for her, saying “ I know” or you “told me this” is that none of it says there’s a problem. It is a problem she’s boring you ridged.
The best course is honesty. “Can we talk about something else because you’re repeating yourself” or “right no more talk if Dave because it’s getting boring”. You aren’t saying she is a dull person but her conversation is. She won’t mind as she knows she’s talking about nothing else.

"Can we talk about something else?"

Sorted.

She sounds like Shona on married at first sight. Tell her to watch that and see how that went.