Conner sees his word choice may have hit a brick wall. But it hits nonetheless. He nods in approval; no need to harp on the relationship between effort and reward. Bold words for the strongest woman in the room.
Her next response...seems neutral at best. Either a conversation for another time...or a death knell for future ones. But Conner sees an opportunity; she hasn't called his bluff and left the table. I guess all that work on socializing is actually paying off.
He looks intrigued at her mention of traveling. "I remember planning a lot of travel...before. I just never got around to it. Life got in the way." Or unlife. "That's why I want to make up for lost time; and a city like this is the perfect place to do it. The West Coast in general is a melting pot of different backgrounds, cultures, and styles." So easy to lose yourself in. So many secrets to find. He thinks on 'Sofia's' next question, but his thoughts are coming more quickly now. He's growing more comfortable with this social interrogation. "Community. I was very insular before; I had my bubble and that was all I needed. Then the bubble popped, and it was just so overwhelming." The Embrace; what was lost before it; what was lost after; what continues to be gained. "I had to re-orient myself as part of a larger whole instead of an island. I guess you could say it was a cubicle/desk mentality: you're so tethered to something so mundane that your world shrinks up into what little space you have for yourself." There's a rueful smile as he thinks of the olddaily grind as opposed to his new nightly one.
"And what about you? What was the hardest lesson for 'Sofia' to learn?" A new advance in the pieces. Conner isn't going to let him be the only storyteller here.