Life Advice
/Health
I Really Can't Talk Right Now, Bob
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was in my office when I got an urge to go to the bathroom. I hate to do this at work, because I work in a converted townhouse where the bathrooms are just one toilet and one sink, like in a house. But I had no choice.
I was sitting in there when I heard my boss outside the door: "Kaitlin, are you in there?"
"Yes. Why do ...Read more
Resisting The Urge To Multitask On The Phone
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have a few old friends scattered around the country who will only talk on the phone if they're actively doing something else. This leads to a variety of acoustic challenges: wind or traffic noise, transactions with shopkeepers, dishes banging, etc.
One of my oldest friends even says, when I call, "Wait, I'll put on my ...Read more
Waiter, There's A Bottlebrush In My Soup
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I ran into an unexpected soup situation.
My sister flew cross-country to visit my mom and me, and my mom spent hours making a delicious soup so my sister would have a hot meal ready when she arrived. My mom is a great cook.
Unfortunately, as we all sat down to eat, we noticed that a small brush, used for cleaning bottle ...Read more
Hard To Ignore The Bunny In The Videoconference
DEAR MISS MANNERS: The office where I work has about 20 people, half working in person and half remote. A young woman early in her career, who works remotely and is on several of the regular video calls I attend each week, is friendly and goes out of her way to say nice things to people. She is always the first to notice a new haircut or pair of...Read more
'how Do You Do' Never Made Much Sense
DEAR MISS MANNERS: Do people say "How do you do?" anymore when being introduced to someone? The phrase seems to have faded away.
If it is no longer used, what should I say when being introduced to someone new?
GENTLE READER: You are right about this convention's having fallen into disuse.
It tended to confuse people because it seemed to be a ...Read more