?
December 2, 2010 8:05 AM Subscribe
Conversation questions: I'd like to make a "Conversation Jar" for my aunt and her partner for Christmas. I need help coming up with a bunch of good questions.
They tend to travel a lot. In fact, I'll be seeing them soon as they pass through my state in their RV. I thought a conversation jar would be a fun way to pass some of their time as they drive.
I'm thinking of questions like, "What was the most exciting thing you've done?" But, I'd also like some totally off the wall ones too - stuff that'll really make them think.
Ideas?
They tend to travel a lot. In fact, I'll be seeing them soon as they pass through my state in their RV. I thought a conversation jar would be a fun way to pass some of their time as they drive.
I'm thinking of questions like, "What was the most exciting thing you've done?" But, I'd also like some totally off the wall ones too - stuff that'll really make them think.
Ideas?
You could cheat and use a bunch of questions from this book: 4,000 Questions for Getting to Know Anyone and Everyone.
posted by John Cohen at 8:17 AM on December 2, 2010
posted by John Cohen at 8:17 AM on December 2, 2010
Best answer: Have you ever had a premonition that came true?
Do you agree with the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover"?
Looking back at your life, do any moments stand out as "sliding door" moments, where a seemingly unimportant choice was the first link in a chain of events that turned out to be very significant?
Would you rather have the power of flight or invisibility?
If you had to choose, would you rather be blind or deaf? From birth, or later in life?
If you could give your teenaged self a piece of advice, what would it be?
Who are your fantasy dinner party guests? (They can be from any point in history, dead or alive or even fictional)
What are your earliest memories? Do you think they're genuine, or re-created from stories and photos you encountered later?
Who are the most remarkable individuals in your family?
Is it better to be liked, or respected?
When you were 30, what did you expect to be doing at the age you are now?
What were some of your most notable birthdays or milestones?
What is the yuckiest chocolate bar?
Have you ever had a particularly notable encounter with an insect? (Bug stories tend to be funny and colourful)
posted by pseudostrabismus at 8:17 AM on December 2, 2010
Do you agree with the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover"?
Looking back at your life, do any moments stand out as "sliding door" moments, where a seemingly unimportant choice was the first link in a chain of events that turned out to be very significant?
Would you rather have the power of flight or invisibility?
If you had to choose, would you rather be blind or deaf? From birth, or later in life?
If you could give your teenaged self a piece of advice, what would it be?
Who are your fantasy dinner party guests? (They can be from any point in history, dead or alive or even fictional)
What are your earliest memories? Do you think they're genuine, or re-created from stories and photos you encountered later?
Who are the most remarkable individuals in your family?
Is it better to be liked, or respected?
When you were 30, what did you expect to be doing at the age you are now?
What were some of your most notable birthdays or milestones?
What is the yuckiest chocolate bar?
Have you ever had a particularly notable encounter with an insect? (Bug stories tend to be funny and colourful)
posted by pseudostrabismus at 8:17 AM on December 2, 2010
What is your earliest memory?
What would be your last meal?
posted by jadepearl at 8:44 AM on December 2, 2010
What would be your last meal?
posted by jadepearl at 8:44 AM on December 2, 2010
What is the best trip you've ever taken? That usually leads to some nice discussions.
posted by bookgirl18 at 9:15 AM on December 2, 2010
posted by bookgirl18 at 9:15 AM on December 2, 2010
What is your preferred method of eating a sandwich that's been cut in half - do you take your first bite from the middle, the top or bottom "point", or....? Have you always used the same method?
What is the most unusual item you've seen for sale in a gas station while on the road?
What was the worst hotel/motel/campground you've ever spent the night in?
If you were the only one who knew that a loved one had committed a serious crime and there was no chance that he/she would ever be caught, would you turn him/her in?
posted by Oriole Adams at 9:38 AM on December 2, 2010
What is the most unusual item you've seen for sale in a gas station while on the road?
What was the worst hotel/motel/campground you've ever spent the night in?
If you were the only one who knew that a loved one had committed a serious crime and there was no chance that he/she would ever be caught, would you turn him/her in?
posted by Oriole Adams at 9:38 AM on December 2, 2010
Best answer: If your pet could answer just one question, what would you ask it?
posted by FormerMermaid at 9:39 AM on December 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by FormerMermaid at 9:39 AM on December 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Some of my favorites from when I was an organizer and had to do thirty relational meetings a week (warning, some are intense):
Can you describe something that has happened to you that you would fight to prevent happening to someone else?
Have you ever been tricked or cheated by someone in authority?
If you could deliver one message to yourself, ten years ago, what would it be?
Do you feel powerful?
What specific, concrete things (i.e. not philosophical or abstract ideas) do you value in your daily life?
What community or communities are you a part of?
What sort of power do you wield? What sort of concrete changes could you effect this week to change the world? How about your state? How about your city/town/neighborhood/block?
If you were wrongly detained by the police, how many people could you call to pay your bail?
When you walk out the door in the morning, describe for me something you see in your community that makes you angry. Why?
Do you own a vehicle? What kind? Why did you pick that vehicle?
posted by Baby_Balrog at 9:45 AM on December 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Can you describe something that has happened to you that you would fight to prevent happening to someone else?
Have you ever been tricked or cheated by someone in authority?
If you could deliver one message to yourself, ten years ago, what would it be?
Do you feel powerful?
What specific, concrete things (i.e. not philosophical or abstract ideas) do you value in your daily life?
What community or communities are you a part of?
What sort of power do you wield? What sort of concrete changes could you effect this week to change the world? How about your state? How about your city/town/neighborhood/block?
If you were wrongly detained by the police, how many people could you call to pay your bail?
When you walk out the door in the morning, describe for me something you see in your community that makes you angry. Why?
Do you own a vehicle? What kind? Why did you pick that vehicle?
posted by Baby_Balrog at 9:45 AM on December 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I think that you get a lot of mileage out of "first". First kiss, first pet, first car, first love, first sex, first lie that you remember telling, first lie you remember being told, first memory, first real disappointment that you remember, first time you remember seeing me, first job, first thing you ever saved money to buy. Tack "why" on the end where appropriate.
posted by dpx.mfx at 10:12 AM on December 2, 2010
posted by dpx.mfx at 10:12 AM on December 2, 2010
Best answer: I've always found the answers from these questions by Chuck Klosterman to be pretty interesting discussion fodder.
posted by Hot Like Your 12V Wire at 10:13 AM on December 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Hot Like Your 12V Wire at 10:13 AM on December 2, 2010 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by griphus at 8:07 AM on December 2, 2010