[General] Right expressions in two situations...

[Ali Hsn]

Hello!
Dear natives / teachers,

I'm looking for the right statement in two distinct hypothetical situations. Please assume the two scenarios below:

1. A group of friends are wittily talking about a topic, kidding and laughing. A few minutes later one of them wants to say something serious about that topic, so s/he needs to change the atmosphere and declare that what will come next isn't a joke or kidding. In such a situation and in daily conversations what a native speaker would say?

2. What is the opposite expression of "parking"? What do we say when we want to take a car out of the place in which it was parked?

Thanks in advance!

 

[SoothingDave]

1. "All kidding/joking aside..." "In all seriousness..."

2. Normally people would say something like "I pulled out of the parking spot." But "unparking" would be understood as well, if not very common.

 

[Ali Hsn]

Special thanks! And sorry for being late on appreciating your very helpful reply.

 

[Rover_KE]

Your appreciation is welcome, Ali, but there is no need to write a new post to say Thank you or to quote our replies back to us. Simply click the Thank button on any posts you find helpful. It means that we don't have to open the thread again to read your new post and then find that it doesn't include any new information or an additional question.

It saves everbod'y time.​