How to mingle?

Few days ago my friend told me he is bit worried that he just don't get small talk at all. I'm probably not the best person to give that kind of advice, but let me tell you a Finnish joke instead:

Two guys, let's call them Jukka and Pekka, meet after a long time apart and they go to a sauna to have "one" beer. They drink vodka for a couple of hours. Pekka asks how Jukka has been doing. Jukka says nothing, but continues drinking for a couple of hours. Then, slowly, he replies: "Did we come here to babble, or did we come here to drink?"



(My favourite Kaurismäki clip)