Have you ever encountered someone who doesn't know how and when to shut up? I can just picture you nodding your head. I don't think these people purposely do it to annoy others. They may not be cognizant of the fact that they go on and on far longer than others may care to listen. My coworker Veronica is this way. She talks about everything under the sun -- from her daughter's shopping habits to her dog's eating habits -- and doesn't know when to quit. Much to my chagrin, these drawn-out conversations -- what many of us would call chit-chat or small talk -- are usually devoid of substance. I would love to find people conversing about history, psychology, or the wonders of the universe for an hour, but that seldom happens. Those are the kinds of deep, enthralling subjects that great conversations are made of. Beyond that, there's an obvious reason a person shouldn't ramble on that long: a conversation consists of more than one person, and the othe...

We all know them: the blabbermouths. They're the people who know no limits when it comes to conversing. They're masters in the art of chit-chat. They talk so much that you've convinced yourself they must love to hear their own voice -- for hours on end. We all have at least one coworker, friend, or relative like this. I don't think there's anything wrong with someone who's overly talkative -- that is, until he or she prevents the other from getting a word in edgewise. I also take issue with people who talk over or interrupt others while they're speaking. Not only is this majorly rude, it's disrespectful. In order for a conversation to flow smoothly, both parties should take turns listening and speaking. If one person is hogging all the time for himself, it makes the exchange seem too one-sided. I quickly lose interest in continuing a conversation once I see the other person attempting to hijack it. As interesting as the person's stories m...