he tells me he wants us to talk more and then expects me to talk over him and talk in tandem as if that’s not 1) rude 2) very distracting 3) intimidating. Just talk. Just say a thing, pause for a response or ask what I think. Don’t just keep acting as if you’re not monologuing. Do you not realize that to get someone to effectively engage in conversation, you have to try to involve them in it, meet them half-way in finding some reason for them to be interested in the topic. Do not expect them to interact under the same assumptions as you and actually make an effort to show you are interested in their thoughts. Otherwise, and maybe I’m a dick and a bad girlfriend for saying this, but I’m going to patiently listen and focus on you only as long as I can. And if I never find an opening or have time to think of a response, well, I’ll continue half-listening but will find another way to engage my brain so that I don’t feel like I’m listening to coked-up ramblings ffs
