Archive for the ‘Relationships’ Category
Who Should Call Back When You Get Disconnected?
Can You Hear Me Now?
If you own a cell phone (and who doesn’t) you will experience the “dropped call” from time to time. You’re talking away, and all of a sudden you find yourself wondering if the person on the other end of the line is a.) listening attentively, or b.) gone.
What Happens Next?
There doesn’t seem to be an established etiquette on who calls who back. Personally, I end up either staring at the phone while I wait for the other person, or I take the bull by the horns and call back myself. (The latter choice seems to cause the most problems, as you end up interrupting the other person, who is calling you back, via call waiting.)
The Conversation…
The madness must end – so let’s settle it once and for all, here and now. Consider it a winner takes all cage match for the future of cell phone etiquette: WHO CALLS BACK?
The Podcast…
Podcast: Download
What’s The One Thing Every Newlywed Should Know?
A newlywed once asked me for advice just after she returned from her honeymoon. I came up with something about the importance of “communication”.
It’s Work
What I should have told her is that a relationship is work and if you don’t put in the effort – which, paradoxically, also involves working on your own crap – you’re headed for trouble. The problem is that no one tells you this stuff before you get married, so you better learn to be brutally honest with yourself first, and only then should you consider getting involved in a serious relationship.
The Conversation…
What would your advice to a newlywed be? Join the conversation by clicking here.
The Podcast…
Podcast: Download
How Do You Cope With The Loss of a Loved One?
The Real Life Survival Guide is dedicated to solving “life’s little problems”. The thing is, there are big problems too, and the death of a loved one is among the biggest.
A Trip on De Nile
A natural first reaction is “this isn’t happening”. (I guess that’s the “denial” that everybody’s always talking about.) Nah.
Grief
At first, I usually try to think about death philosophically (“he/she lived a good life”) but in the end it just sucks for the people that are left behind.
The Conversation
So, how do you cope with the loss of a beloved friend or family member? Please share your experiences by clicking here.
What Do You Do When Someone Is Talking Behind Your Back?
There are several versions of the “talking behind your back” phenomenon, and they all suck. Therefore, as a public service, I have decided to identify and categorize the various manifestations of this (all too common) phenomenon, in the hopes of combating these thoughtless assaults on our fragile egos.
The “Direct Hit”
The direct hit occurs when you’re standing right there and the person doesn’t know it.
The Glancing Blow
The glancing blow is when you’re not actually in the room but, but close enough to hear the jerk.
The Ricochet
The ricochet is when someone is talking behind your back and you hear about it from someone else. (See gossip.)
The Conversation…
So, the assaults having been neatly categorized, how should one respond when another is “talking smack”, (as the kids like to say)? Please share your thoughts by clicking here.
How Do You Say The Things You Don’t Want To Say?
There are so many little things that friends, family members and coworkers say (and do) that drive us nuts. The problem is that it’s almost always easier to clam up and say nothing about it. (In fact, if passive aggressive behavior could power our automobiles, we probably wouldn’t be dealing with that oil spill in the Gulf right now.)
The Easy Way Out
It’s one of those deals where you know you should say something, and you know things would be better if you did – but you don’t. You remember the times you said something and nothing changed. The person becomes so difficult to deal with if you do say something that you figure “why bother?”. The thought of simply leaving the relationship enters your mind, but you sense you’ll have the same problem with the next person.
Better Off Said
We all know what the answer is: you’ve got to say what’s on your mind. You’ve got to have have those difficult conversations. The question becomes how, where, and when. I imagine some do this well and others don’t, so it’s up to the pros to teach the neophytes.
The Conversation…
If you’re a “pro”, we need your help: please share your secrets by clicking here.
