need advise in greeting and talking?

[Johnny]

Always had trouble talking to people, and i still create that awkward silence since i don't know what people want to talk about when a subject is over. where should i say?

There has also been a few times i've run into people from my past and most of the times people who i actually would think they would remember me don't and people who i would think they would forget me, remember me. I think thats odd.
Well actually both those things happened this past weekend. I was like "hey wassup" and the guy just looked at me like "wtf" and kept walking didn't say a word. and then the next day while in a rush i saw this girl who i knew from school i didn't try to greet or anything but then she waved at me and i waved back.

Well anyways i remember everyone, I rarely remember names but always faces. well anyways should I still greet them?

Also There are a few people (i feel a bit terrible) but i have acted like i don't remember them. If i were to see them again, should i just play it off and be like "hey how are you" ?

Also how do I follow up
person: "how are you"
Me: "good"
Me:????????

In my head i always say the "appropriate" response should be"an yourself": but i really don't like how that rolls off the tongue so i never say it. What would be a good replacement for "an yourself"

also what subject should i follow it with?

 

[InundatedinSF]

The whole trick to making conversation is to offer the person you are talking with something to pursue conversationally. If X goes "how are you?" you say "I'm good, in fact, I'm great because I just got out of school for the weekend!" That gives the other person a chance to wonder what you've got planned that is so wonderful so they can ask "yea? what you got planned?" and you carry on from there. If you know that person well enough and know what they generally do or like, you can ask about those things: "yea, that's what I'm doing this weekend. What are you up to this weekend, anything fun?" If they say, no, just the same old stuff, you can ask " well, what is the same old stuff?" And they'll tell you and you can say "well, that doesn't sound so bad" or whatever. Set up your answer so they have something to bite on (like a fish on the line).

And as far as the people you remember from your past but don't remember their names--just go, Hi. If you get no response or they make a face like "who the hell are you?" you just be friendly and go "you remember, we were in band together about 3 years ago?" Give them a little reminder of where you know each other from and usually you'll see a light go on in their face and they'll go "oh yea, you played the tuba and fell over once from the weight of it." And you can then go "so, you still in the band?" or "what have you been up to?" Most people will feel honored that you remember them.

And if someone comes up to you and says they know you but you have no recollection, just say, "sorry but how do you know me?" If they say "I know you from catecism classes" and you never attended catecism classes, you can smile and say, "you have me confused with someone else because I never took those classes." But if you do remember but still don't recall that person, just admit it and ask for their name so next time you'll remember. We're all human and often need reminding (some of us more than others)--if you accept being just another fallible human being, admitting that you don't remember someone, or don't remember their name, will not be embarassing (I sometimes have to ask a few times before it sinks in)--and it allows the other person to be a faulty person too.