Making small talk is a useful social skill that can be learned and improved over time. One of my coworkers has an easy conversation starter that he frequently uses: “So, got any big plans for the weekend?” It’s a good line because it gives people the opportunity to talk about what they look forward to.
This is a better approach than the blue man in the Mr. Lovenstein comic. Asking afterward forces people to think about how disappointing their weekend was in contrast to their original plans for it. It’s a lot easier to say, “I’m going kayaking and then to a pottery class this weekend” as opposed to “I stayed home, watched anime and cried all weekend.”