Rules

After an awkward day trying to talk to people I do not know very well, I have compiled the following rules.

Never try to force a joke at the end of a serious comment.
- I do this habitually, which just confuses people. 

Never blog when in a terrible rush.
- people thought I was odd for posting to my blog while walking down the street.

Never assume the details do not matter, only the main point. 
- like knowing the names of characters, etc. Some people pay a great deal of attention to each sentence a person states, and if each one is not in keeping with their understanding, then it throws off their interpretation of the whole. My PhD committee told me this, and I know it is true, but when I am tired, I find it hard to get each detail right.

Never force a connection where none exists.
- An academic conference is no place to try out test theories.  

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