A health conscious concern: I have several friends with children who just feed them junk food. These are people that eat good food themselves, but they give their kids processed junk that is loaded with high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. Can I say something to them?? LISTEN: No. That was easy, wasn’t it?
A picky eater asks: I don’t like French food, but most of my friends do. Every dinner out we end up going to one of three or four French places they all really like. I go along and have a salad, but then I end up spending a lot more than I wanted when we […]
A delicate flower wiltingly asks: I have recently found out that a new friend of mine is Mormon. He never mentioned it before, and I don’t know how I feel about it. Not just the strangeness of the religion, but the intolerant social policies the church espouses. What should I say? Now I feel uncomfortable […]
Sad bunny says: Every Easter I have brunch with my family, and at some point people try to shove deviled eggs in my face. I hate eggs. I. Hate. Eggs. And every time it’s the same thing, people pushing me to try a new recipe or whatever. “No, thank you” doesn’t work – they almost […]
κάτι τρέχει στα γύφτικα! Say it after me – Katatraya stayeftika!- meaning – “There is trouble in the Gypsy village!” It also means “Who gives a shit?” or “Who cares?” I think that’s a wonderful launching point for this glorious mid-week. Put your life into context every once in a while. When presented with an issue, a […]
Back-aching, a guest writes: I recently stayed with a friend (of a friend) who had a sleeper sofa. It was a new, very expensive thing from a designer store, and he was obviously quite proud of it…but it was horribly uncomfortable. That morning, he asked me how I slept, and I’m afraid I was honest […]
A vexatious version of events: What can you say to shut someone down when they ask you really personal or inappropriate questions? My brother-in-law routinely asks me and my husband how much money we make (we’ve never answered), and my sister asks WHEN am I going to have children or WHY don’t I have them […]
An economically disadvantaged discussion: I have a friend who recently came into a great deal of money. It wasn’t the lottery, but years of hard work that paid off dramatically. Now he can afford much nicer things, and I find myself insecure about returning any kind of hospitality. He’s never said anything one way or […]
An incensed reader complains: For an etiquette blog you’re (sic) advice is kind of rude. I guess those who can’t do teach. LISTEN: First of all, you’ve misplaced your comma. You’ve accidentally turned it upside down and used it an apostrophe. Second, you have an extra e there. Let’s see if I can find a use […]
A dilemma: I was dog-sitting for some friends and they live on a second floor overlooking a busy street. It is very fun to watch the street and foot traffic, but then this happened: A man in a white truck pulled up in front of an apartment next door, then he looked around and suddenly […]