Three quick thoughts: 1. Relax. It's not a test or a contest, it's more like solving a puzzle together: what can we discover that we have in common. 2. Have a sense of warm curiosity about the other person. 3. Share details from your recent experiences and your reaction to them.

OK but this is not an algorithm - I was a bit excited, thinking he had a 1-2-3 formula to come up with a topic that always works in any context.

Pretending to know the secret algorithm to small talk.

Practice, practice, practice.

The same secret to everything else.

Realizing that it's play.