Conversations

I adore hanging out with people from time to time, chatting, playing games, eating the foods, but I listen to myself sometimes and discern that my conversation topics might actually be able to lull a caffeinated squirrel into a torpid state. I spend an inordinate amount of time expounding on the weather: yes, I'm Canadian, and that seems to be a particular habit of my culture, but when so many other topics consume my daily quotient of brain power, why do I stick to the mundane?
I know that I have other things to talk about: I read obsessively about new discoveries in several fields of science, from astronomy to medicine. I scan the daily headlines for news stories of consequence. I daydream about crucial skills that would be required during an apocalypse. I learn new crafts and practice arts in my spare time. I watch odd movies and hilarious tv shows. With all that going on, why do I devolve into a "chatter," become an insignificant spouter of "We sure got a lot of snow that week!"
If I'm not expounding on the mundane, when I first meet new people, I fall back on my journalism training and become the "asker" in the exchange (check out this link for 101 conversation-starter questions). Apparently, John Steinbeck said "Perhaps the best conversationalist in the world is the man who helps others to talk." I do like asking questions -- open-ended, tell-me-more questions that require more than a yes or no answer -- and this technique certainly keeps a conversation going, even with the most reticent companion.
Sometimes I am certain I talk about the weather or my dog (a sweet old thing who requires a lot of my time, so I find her antics entertaining) because I am afraid to reveal too many personal thoughts and feelings at one time. There must be a middle ground in the realm of topics, somewhere between soporific and trepidation-inducing personal revelations.
Is there a support group for people who want to learn better conversation skills? I tried Toastmasters for a while, and that really helped in many ways, public speaking, job interviews, meeting new people, keeping conversations going. Maybe I need a refresher.
Or, maybe I just need to visit Gameopolis more, play games instead of worrying about conversations.