When Conversation Stops Being Shared- When bores bore each other.

We’ve all met them.

The person who can hold the floor without drawing breath. The one who doesn’t quite notice when someone else is trying to speak. The conversation that somehow becomes… one-sided.

In this episode of Mind the Gap, Michael Comyn takes a thoughtful and quietly humorous look at what it really means to be “a bore.”

Taking inspiration from a line in Dancing Queen by ABBA, “I’m nothing special… in fact, I’m a bit of a bore,” this episode moves beyond the joke to explore something more revealing.

Because being a bore isn’t just about talking too much.

It’s about awareness. Or the lack of it.

It’s about what happens when conversation stops being a shared experience and becomes something more like a performance, with an audience that never quite agreed to be there.

But rather than pointing outward, this episode turns the lens gently back on ourselves.

Where do we miss the cues?

Where do we hold the floor a little too long?

And what does it take to bring a conversation back into balance?

This also marks the 80th episode of Mind the Gap since the podcast began.

A small milestone, and perhaps a fitting moment to reflect on something so central to the series itself, how we connect, how we listen, and how easily we can miss what’s right in front of us.

There’s humour here, certainly. A moment of social theatre you may recognise.

But there’s also something more useful underneath it.

A reminder that good conversation isn’t about saying more.

It’s about noticing more.

In this episode:

• Why being “a bore” has less to do with talking, and more to do with awareness
• The subtle signals we miss in everyday conversation
• How one-sided dialogue quietly erodes connection
• Practical ways to rebalance conversations without confrontation
• A simple question to carry into your next interaction

If you enjoy Mind the Gap, follow or subscribe and share the episode with someone who values thoughtful conversation.

Michael’s books are also available on Amazon.