I'd like to amend the list below of the only topics typically discussed among adults:

1. the weather
2. traffic
3. what road you took to get to the (office, party, etc.)

** 4. holidays (Christmas, Valentine's Day, MLK Day, etc.)**

Holidays - as something large groups of people share like, say, roads - are easily transferrable in conversation from new person to new person. For example, talk around the newsroom this week has focused mainly on one thing: Christmas gift shopping. Have you finished? What'd you get your brother-in-law? Is everything wrapped?

Oh, and of course there was also talk of how, even though the warm weather melted the snow on US-41, traffic was still awful getting to the mall for last-minute gifts.