It might sound odd for someone in the media to admit this, but I am not good at conversations. For some reason, I freeze up, devoid of anything I would consider interesting to spark a good social interaction.

My problem is, the things I find interesting are usually so obscure that if I tried to introduce them at a party, I would alienate everyone and end up in a corner, talking to myself. For example, I have found scientific articles on the possibility that both warp drive and time travel might be achievable, subjects that make my co-workers roll their eyes.

Is there a solution? I went to the Web for answers. Fortunately, there is a site called “Conversation Starters” for just such an occasion, offering over 200 topics on which to base a chat.

The list started off with “What was the last funny video you saw.” Um, no. I see people whipping out their phones to force tedious segments from TikTok or YouTube onto poor trapped people all of the time. Hard pass.

Next came “What do you do to get rid of stress?” My answer is always avoid situations like this. “What is something you are obsessed with,” “What three words best describe you,” and “What are you going to do this weekend” were other suggestions.

The questions went on like this for a while, and suddenly the questions began to feel more like giving pointers to aspiring stalkers than helping them navigate socially.

If someone walked up to you and asked your opinion on tattoos, would you answer them? Then, as a follow-up, they ask if you have any. That is not, in my opinion, a stellar way to strike up a conversation.

More interrogative deep dives included “What is a controversial opinion you have?” Yeah, that question would go over well. “How often do you stay up past 3 a.m.?” Why, do you want to burgle my home? “How much time do you spend on the internet? What do you usually do?” Sadly, wasting too much time, especially researching web sites like “Conversation Starters.”

“What benefit do you bring to the group when you hang out with friends?” Not the gift of gab, obviously, or else I wouldn’t be wasting my time on this list.

The site covers specific targets, like television, movies, music, and books, but I considered them more conversation non-starters instead of starters. “What apps do you use” and “How often do you check your phone” were barely better.

Next comes the sports section. Folks, if I knew anything about sports, I would not be visiting sites about conversation starters.

What about food? We all eat food. Suggestions include talk about one’s favorite restaurant, what was the worst diner you have patronized, and what would you do if the restaurant was filthy, but the food was amazing were samples.

I perked up when I came to the Technology section of the site. At least I would have a fighting chance. “What was the best invention of the last 50 years,” “Which emerging technology are you most excited about,” and “What do you think the next big technological advance will be” all are fertile ground for interesting discussions. Just not quite the opening line at a party.