I think this is the ideal conversation starter and a refreshing spin on the daunting “how have you been?” question. It’s still casual enough that you don’t feel like you’re reading index cards but can lead to tangents, possible mutual interests, and insights into a persons day to day life. Maybe they’ve started a new hobby or a good book or they’re taking a class or they are like me and have become a total iPad baby to fill the long summer days. If someone says “ugh just a lot work” you could go in the “what do you wish you were doing instead?” direction and see where it leads. The best thing to pair with a conversation starter is genuine curiosity and intrigue no matter how mundane you may find the response to be. People are more willing to open up if you make them feel interesting.
How have you been spending your time lately?