211
votes
How to get my coworkers and family to respect my hobby
No Dad, I don't care how many more rings Tom Brady has than Big Ben please keep your handegg anecdotes to uncivilized company
I find it strange you’re expecting acceptance and respect for your hobby, ...
- 1,439
205
votes
Appropriate response when someone announces pregnancy?
When confronted with news that could either be good or bad, pick the response that is most common.
Pregnancies, even unplanned, are normally met with cheer in the US.
Congratulate them. That's just ...
- 5,124
158
votes
How to turn down 'stay in touch' proposal from manipulative ex-coworker when leaving job/moving?
It is very rude to bluntly say you won't use her email address.
In my opinion you shouldn't turn her down at all. Take the email, thank her and just don't use it if you don't want to use it. In this ...
- 8,520
151
votes
Accepted
How do I answer a question about not enjoying a party without revealing sensitive information?
My boyfriend doesn't like parties either. Music makes his ears hurt, smoke from cigarettes irritate his eyes, and he hates when drunk people come to ask him why he doesn't drink and how come that he ...
- 14.3k
148
votes
How do I answer the question "why are you vegan?" honestly, without making them resent me?
When you say "ethical reasons" you are implying that you have made the right choice (morally correct choice). This has an inherent implication that every one else has made the wrong choice.
The ...
- 7,674
104
votes
Accepted
How to determine if someone is busy or just doesn't want to spend time with me?
If you want to know if he's genuinely interested, just tell him to tell you when he's available. Tell him you want to meet, but you acknowledge he's a very busy person, so you leave up to him when to ...
- 1,830
93
votes
Accepted
Boyfriend always responds "I didn't mean to" when he gets feedback
"I didn't mean to" is a one-fits-all, automatic answer, akin to the "sorry" he was saying before. It's a sort of automatic protection. For what you tell, it looks like he's a very ...
- 9,773
90
votes
How to get my coworkers and family to respect my hobby
You'd be surprised at how little most people care about most things. Model trains isn't a weird hobby, as long as you don't make it your entire life or something; tell most people offhandedly about it ...
- 1,046
85
votes
How can I handle a co-worker awkwardly forcing herself into conversations?
You're basically describing a fairly typical introverts' behavior, so I'm going to try and give some insight into what she's doing, and why. It could be wrong, but since you've described every ...
- 2,320
72
votes
How can I convincingly communicate to a friend that I don't have a 'personal' mobile number?
Just tell the person that your mobile phone is only for family calls:
"I'm sorry, but I only use my mobile number to contact my family. I do have a phone number, though: <home number>"...
- 817
67
votes
Is it rude to ask someone where they are from originally?
Yes, It is rude. The person asking is trying to get confirmation on whether the person is really from the place they say based on their physical appearance and/or name. But, context matters and it ...
- 9,779
62
votes
Accepted
It's my birthday! How do I tell people who don't know, who might want to know, without being awkward?
For work, I bring in donuts for everyone and let them know I brought them in to celebrate my birthday. This is a pretty common gesture at many workplaces in the Midwest US. Alternatives are cupcakes,...
- 2,377
59
votes
Is it rude to ask someone where they are from originally?
I can speak from experience when I say yes, it is rude. Most phrasings translate to something like:
Alice: Where are you from?
Bob: I'm from mycity
Alice: But where are you really from?
Which ...
- 699
56
votes
How to respond when people mock a skill or talent they just found out you do/have?
What is important is continuing the joke with more joke rather than taking it overly seriously. I'm sure that it's very serious to you and it's certainly reasonable to respond in a way that will ...
- 14.3k
56
votes
How can you distance yourself from people you have nothing in common with without being a snob?
Here's the key:
I am constantly asked about topics I have zero interest in and it's quite hard to fake interest when asked about topics you don't follow
At some level people just won't take to ...
- 5,955
52
votes
How to avoid short answers when talking to my family?
One thing missed by other questions: reciprocity. If all your communication is one way (they ask, you answer) that can get pretty annoying and boring quickly.
Imagine that your partner in chat doesn'...
52
votes
How do I politely indicate that I want to go home?
One thing you can do to deal with this situation up front is to make it clear that you have a limited time line with which to do things when you meet up, or even before.
Hey A, it's great to see ...
- 4,236
49
votes
Appropriate response when someone announces pregnancy?
But I have found out that this remark is not always appropriate-
notably when the pregnancy is unplanned.
In general, if a person is publicly announcing her pregnancy, she has decided to keep the ...
- 2,938
48
votes
How to get my coworkers and family to respect my hobby
Normally, this isn't the answer I would give for such situations, but this one comes from personal experience.
As a huge fan of Pokemon in my mid 20s, I get a lot of flak from co-workers. I used to ...
- 2,619
46
votes
How do I tell my friends that I want to be included in activities beyond our gaming sessions without alienating them?
I recommend going to your "best friend" you mentioned, ask him in a 1 to 1 talk if you could be included and ask him for his honest opinion why you are not included.
I would also like you to ask ...
- 642
43
votes
Accepted
How do I tell my friends that I want to be included in activities beyond our gaming sessions without alienating them?
My plan is to have our scheduled session on this upcoming Saturday, then before we end for the evening, bring up how I feel directly with them.
I wouldn't recommend that:
(In my experience) people ...
- 4,754
42
votes
Accepted
WhatsApp: read and not reply without sounding rude?
It is in my opinion rude, but maybe not for the reasons you could think.
You have the right to think their texts are pointless, of course. And you have the right to tell them :
Sorry, I'm somewhat ...
- 923
39
votes
WhatsApp: read and not reply without sounding rude?
It isn't rude to read and not reply directly. But from the three examples you gave, I would say it would definitely be considered rude by the other person if they never go a reaction from you.
To ...
- 33.9k
39
votes
How do I answer the question "why are you vegan?" honestly, without making them resent me?
The safest way is to relate your reasons to you directly, instead of making them so-called "global truths".
For example, saying
The treatment of animals in slaughterhouses is disgusting.
can be ...
- 22.7k
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