Active Listening

Dear Elyse,
Whenever my boyfriend and I have conversations , he interrupts the conversations and either says that he doesn't want to hear my story and finds the story boring or he just jumps in and starts telling an anecdote of his own. I feel very frustrated by this.
Yours,
Seen but not heard

Dear Seen but not Heard,
How dare your boyfriend not listen to what you are saying? I recommend taping his mouth shut, stapling him to the seat and demanding that he listen to you. And don't forget to strip down to nothing when you do this and then it will be impossible for him not to agree to listen. Not. It sounds like you feel like your boyfriend not listening to you means that he doesn't care about you. This is a rational fear. However there may be other reasons that your boyfriend interrupts you. I would try to discern if there is a pattern to why your boyfriend doesn't listen to what you say and insists on dominating the conversation. Is it when you speak about a certain topic? Does he not know that much about that topic or find that topic uncomfortable to talk about? Is it because you don't include him in the conversation by asking what he thinks? Is it because he has something he wants to talk about that can't wait? Try over the next few weeks to discern the answers to these questions and see if by making adjustments you can improve the flow of conversation. Remember that good conversation is a two way street not just a monologue. If you find that the flow of conversation doesn't improve, confront your boyfriend. If you feel the urge to spit out a random diatribe, get a twitter account or talk to your cats.
Yours,
Elyse