Tag: interpersonal

  • I count myself lucky in that I’ve always had a good relationship with my mother. I never gave my parents any trouble growing up (unless being a chronic know-it-all counts) and she repays the favor by rarely nagging me about my career, when I’m going to get married, how I dress, etc. The most intrusive…

  • Photo by Thomas Hawk “This is for you?” A voice behind me and I nearly jump three feet. A young Italian waiter holding a pizza box on his way through the connecting lobby between his ristorante, my hotel and the other pensione next door. I told him it wasn’t. He picked up on my accent…

  • We were discussing famous feminists recently and a friend couldn’t believe that I’d never heard of Betty Dodson.  A quick Google rectified that, as did watching and listening to several of the artist/author/sex activist’s videos and podcasts to which my friend insisted on sending me links. While a fair chunk of Dr. Dodson’s writing, commentary…

  • In a recent email interview (you're gonna dig this one, kids), I asked the interview subject which moments in his current life stand out as ones he would never have believed plausible or possible a few short years ago. The question actually prompted me to ask the same thing of myself.  As it stands, my…

  • Recently, I took a little business trip.  Being a consummate pre-planner with specific dietary quirks, I always do my homework when it comes to identifying restaurants that fit my needs in the city I happen to be visiting,  which explains how I found myself in a vegan anarchist coffee house. The fact that I am…

  • Sometimes, I look at the searches that bring people to this site and I want to put my arm around the internet and give it as many cookies as it takes to make things all better.  I’m equal parts natural born fixer and adamant eschewer of drama. It’s an odd combination to be sure. A…

  • Dear GenMeh; I don’t know what to say or how to keep a conversation going when I meet people. I even have trouble with friends and that awkward silence, not to mention my paranoia that everybody thinks I’m a loner loser. Are there any tips on better social interaction for dummies? -Tongue-tied At first glance,…

  • A friend of mine was remarking recently about how much she admires people with the courage not to let quotidian concerns stop them from following their dreams and how she wishes she could be this way. Considering this was a woman who arrived from Romania with only two suitcases and a couple hundred bucks in…

  • Hate To Break It To You is a recurring feature wherein we dispense succinct home truths that everyone could benefit from facing up to, unpleasant as they may be. This is the first installment. Photo by Sister72 No one cares as much as you do. Whether it’s your wedding plans, your grandfather’s death, your favorite…