Talking about current events is very different because the information isn't owned by either party. The difficulty I have with what you're saying is that by ferreting out the personal information in order to then use it in some pre-planned way in the session, you essentially rob the T of the choice of self-disclosure. It's a kind of one-upsmanship, or some such thing. Of course, the T can say in response, "I would prefer not to discuss that," but then you've made an issue where none needed to exist, and I expect that you would be unhappy with that response. You have the right to disclose as you see fit; why do you want to deny the T the same right? How does that achieve your goal of feeling the relationship as more real or personal?