Had a friend stay at the weekend. Someone I’ve known since school and don’t see regularly as we live hours apart. She sort of invited herself but I was happy to host.
I was pretty surprised at the conversation to be honest. She spends a lot of time talking in great detail about her day to day life - who did what at work, updates on her friends/family (who for the most part I don’t know or have maybe met once or twice). Things like her SIL moved to a new commuter town, it’s really nice, but it takes her 90 minutes to commute into London and the local school isn’t great.
After the weekend, I know SO MUCH about her life - that her kids have sausage and broccoli every Thursday and Mac n Cheese on Fridays, that the facilities manager at her work is useless and has just been fired. Etc etc. She’s not got any hobbies so it’s just really work and kids. I tried to generate conversation - she said she was going on holiday soon to somewhere I had been for example and I asked what she wanted to do and what her interests were there but it’s very hard to get anything out of her.
With most friends obv we do chat about life but mostly talk about ‘other things’ that interest us. Or we have shared interests. It’s not like we are debating international politics all the time but we don’t just talk about our day to day lives.
So what’s normal? Are people actually interested in this level of detail of their friends’ lives? Or is she just a bit self absorbed/boring?! The weekend felt so hard I honestly don’t think I could do it again!
YABU - this is normal and people do enjoy hearing about the ins and outs of friends lives
YANBU - she lacks conversational skills and awareness