Hi Deborah: I'm a very cheerful and generally happy guy, but people tell me my general affect is usually somewhere between pensive to brooding. Inside, I'm just just enjoying life to it's fullest. But students and coworkers have told me I have a loud silence and, even a look can command attention. "Watch out for 'the stare". I've used this for effect - apparently it works. I can stop lecturing and (from my viewpoint, I'm just looking) lock eyes with the distracters and it paralyzes! My, maybe I have Super-Powers..."Beware of the Stare-Man"!. Anyway, my point is making eye contact is sometimes all that is needed. Standing next to talkers will shut their chatter, or (do this with caution), a gentle touch on the shoulder as you're talking. This can be effective in a non-verbal communication-sort of way. Regards, Barry