When I talk, she lets me talk, but she doesn’t leave much of an opening and I have trouble shoe horning my stories in.___

Tell them to be quiet and let you speak.

I had this problem with my brother. He would talk and talk and talk and talk and then, when he asked me a question, I’d answer for a few seconds only for him to interrupt and talk and talk and talk again.

He did this for years up until about six months ago when I just told him “can you please let me talk?” explicity and, almost immediately, he started controlling himself more. I rarely have this problem with him anymore.

Moral of the story is that people don’t actually have any fucking clue what’s going on in your head, you have to tell them (even if you feel like they shouldn’t have to be told).