"So - what have you been up to?"

I feel like I have been running into acquaintance after acquaintance lately. The former high school classmate at Winco (sorry, I'm going to hug you, but I don't remember your name...). A co-worker at the microwave, a neighbor while I'm taking the dog out for a walk - WHATEVER. They're EVERYWHERE.

And the conversation is always the same.
Hey!
Heey!
How are you?
Good - you?
Gooood - thanks for asking!
Sometimes an awkward pause....

Then here it comes...always some version of: "So, what have you been up to?" Or "What's new in life?" or "How have you been?"

I never know how to respond to these questions. New since I last saw you? Huh. I moved away studied cried learned laughed loved fell in love graduated got engaged traveled fell down a lot was humbled a lot failed a lot grew up started a new job may lose that job am loving the ecomony voted in the last election learned about Jesus and - what's new with you?

How do you make that answer exciting, honest, and appropriate to the acquaintance social rules? I can't tell you that I was elated to fall asleep last night because I have fuzzy flannel sheets on my bed - a little personal. Would love to tell you about this weird transition out of my past life as a student, or about the hugeness of preparing to get married, but you just don't know me well enough to understand without a week's worth of catch-up conversation, and I don't have time.

So - awkwardly, I'll probably open my mouth, and the filter between my mind and movements will yet again short out, and I'll come up with something like: "Oh you know...doing the same thing. Just working. I wish I had an exciting story to tell you, but the plastic poopie-bag on my dog's collar isn't earth-shatterning. It's to keep her from going to the bathroom. Because if I have it, she won't go. If I forgot and left it at home, she'd go and I'd be stuck trying to figure out what to do with it. Normally I use a Safeway bag, but I couldn't find one this morning, so I'm using a newspaper sleeve." *Smile like an idiot.*

Another awkward pause. Okay - see you later!

Mercy.