Here's some strategies that work for me..........
Unless they are old...They usually know what they are doing...I promise.......they probably just like telling the story or reminissing, wether the person cares or not. Sometimes when people are thinking of a memory they get very emotional inside, that they start thinking out loud, rather than actually having a conversation, which is pretty annoying, selfish, off-putting. Did you ever notice someone is rambling or just thinking out loud, and don't even notice you are even there? They started thinking out loud and don't even notice sometimes...emotions do that to people....
I usually do the opposite...instead of letting them know Im annoyed I say something like, WoW you must have realy loved that time"....or wow you must have realy loved that experience..
Cause thats why they tell it so much any way....they really have strong emotions attached to it, and want you to know it...once you tell them that you acknowledge how important it is to them....the cycle is over......its like a ghost with unfinished business.....once they solve the unfinished busines...They can cross over to the light.
Another technique I do is when someone is always acting condescending to you like saying "I never interupt people like you"....I say in a honest-neutral tone....."thats a very admirable trait to have...being patient is good".....Or if someone says "I wasn't raised to be late like you" I say in a hounest-neutral tone...I admire you for that...it's good to be on time...Basicaly you take away their power
This will stop them dead in their tracks, and they will make a mental note, not to fuck with you in the future....If you develope a reputation and a pattern for being socialy advanced, skilled, and always ready to say what needs to be said....people won't criticise you, annoy you, vent to you, ect.....cause they will know you are more socialy advanced than them.
I had a smart phone for two years now, and when ever I get into a verbal disagreement, or something, right afterwards I think about what I would say next time, and make I note in my Iphone, and I keep a record of my personal teachings, and lessons I learned. And I review them like once a week. Have you ever learned a lesson, but forget, only to think of it again later on??? Thats why I now (thanks to technology) keep records of these things and review them once a week. I keep records in Yahoo Note Pad located in the email, in MS word or excel on a Memory stick, ect. You have all the answers you just have to think and record what you learned. I also when I watch movies or tv, I write down any cool saying or catch pharses to up my cool vocabulary...I like to watch reality shows with up scale, celebrities, ect that have been in high class social situations for a while...you can pick up a lot of social and conversational phrases, techniques, ect from them. For example, believe it or not, you can learn alot from the kardashians, like keeping up with the kardashians ect. Their dad was a lawyer, they have been around some of the biggest celebrities their whole lives, and they have a big family......of course they have experience in every social situation....instead of paying attention to what they wear and how cute they are, listen to them, observe, ect. Another show I learn from is House Hunters...its about couples looking to buy homes....so right away you know they have a successfull marriage, and they have good careers to be able to afford good homes....so pay attention to their catch phrases, mannerisms, ect....cause they are successfull, and socialable. I always have my Iphone, or something to write with, when I watch TV or movies, to be able to write down Ideas, catch phrases, ect....to become more socially inclined.
But to reiterate what I do with people that repeat the same story...Let them know that you can tell they realy love that memory, and understand the reason they keep reminissing that event....cause it was great and it stirs up strong emotions in them.....Say "wow you must Realy love that memory and reminissing it...and I can see why, that is a great memory that you like to relive" Sometimes this is like a break through in psycology for them...they may not have known exactly why they kept telling the story..and if people are around, this will make this revelation even more powerfull!!!!