Neil Freiman

Good morning, Brew Daily Show.

I'm Neil Freiman.

And I'm Toby Howell.

Good morning.

Crazy weather we've been having lately, huh?

Pretty hot.

I hear it's going to stay like this until Friday.

Neil, what?

This is the most boring start to a conversation ever.

Sorry, sorry.

I'm just making small talk because new research shows it's not as bad as we all think.

A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people enjoyed talking about nothing way more than they expected going in.

And if you avoid small talk, which we all seem to do, it can come at a significant cost to your mental health, relationships, and mood.

The Michigan PhD candidate who ran the study said people underestimate how interesting and enjoyable conversations about boring topics will actually be.

The weather is quite crazy.

Okay, this episode is brought to you by On Investing, an original podcast from Charles Schwab.

Each week, host Lizanne Saunders, Schwab's chief investment strategist, and Colin Martin, head of fixed income research and strategy for the Schwab Center for Financial Research, bring you fresh insights into what's happening in the markets and why, and what the implications might be for your portfolio.

Happy Tax Day to all who celebrate.

Individual tax returns are due today, but not worried about you guys.

I know you're a wholesome, proactive bunch who always meets their deadlines.