The best way I've found of dealing with social settings where I don't know many people or feel uncomfortable: Ask people about themselves.  People absolutely love talking about themselves.

Prime example: "Hi, how are you?" is a classic greeting and we were taught at a very young age that the correct response for the sake of politeness is: "I'm fine thanks.  How are you?". 

But seriously, how many times have you been talking to someone who answers: "Oh, I'm fine..." and then they're off, filling you in on all of the nitty gritty mundane details of what's happening in their careers, at home and in their families - all before you've even had time to take a breath?

Just for once, I'd love to say what I was thinking, something along the lines of: "You are really not as interesting as you think you are.", and walk away.

But I couldn't.  Because of social norms, and being a (somewhat) nice person, and keeping a level head when someone makes you want to gouge your eardrums out rather than be forced to listen to another syllable that they're saying.

How many times have you been having what you thought was a conversation with someone, only to realize that the other person is not interested or listening to anything you say? Their eyes are glazed over, and they're just waiting for you to stop talking so they can talk about themselves again?

I don't know how or why some people manage to make it through life being so completely self-involved.  Maybe I'll never get it.  But I know that when someone asks my three year old how he is, he always answers "I'm fine, thank you.  How are you?"

"There's a million and one things you don't know about me... because you never ask, and I don't want to inflict things on people unless I think they're actually interested... but I've never really had the impression that you were.  But you just take it for granted that I'll be interested in you, don't you?"

Just one of the reasons I hate most people.

Happy New Year!