This week’s etiquette question comes from a reader in Florida named RSFan999, who lives year-round in a condo complex with paper-thin walls. Guess what she hears at night? “When the married couple whose master bedroom and bathroom walls are adjacent to mine are here (for half the year), I hear the man snoring and also peeing many times throughout the […]
more about: relationships
Are You Ignoring My Facebook Friend Request?
This week’s etiquette dilemma: “It has been several months since I have made a friend request or two on Facebook that have yet to be answered,” writes a reader named JenniferBeck. “I know them on a very casual acquaintance level, but don’t believe that either of them would be highly restricting their friend requests,” she writes. “I can see their […]
Can I Say No to a Delicious (But Unhealthy) Gift?
A reader named EmilyMae writes: “Recently I have cut sugar out of my diet at my doctor’s request. How should I respond when my neighbors thank me for dog-sitting with a plate of cookies?” When you watched the dog, EmilyMae, you were doing a favor out of friendship, not a job for which you expected compensation. Your neighbors thanked you, […]
Sorry, But I Don’t Want My Kids Playing With Yours
This week’s reader dilemma: “How do you politely communicate that you are not interested in play dates with a persistent neighbor with unruly kids?” asks piper002. “Our children are very different in both temperament and age,” writes piper002, “and I don’t want to force my kids into a situation they don’t want to participate in.” Don’t worry, piper002, you can’t […]
My Best Friend and Her Husband…And Her Lover
This week’s etiquette dilemma comes from a reader, simplegirl504, who wrote: “My best friend is having an affair. She says it’s the love of her life (old college flame), but won’t leave her husband because they have a 2-year-old child. She wants my husband and me to socialize with the new guy and accept them as a couple, but keep […]
Shhhh! Can You Lower Your Voice?
This week’s etiquette question comes from a reader named julieannag, who is tired of hearing other people’s loud conversations on the commuter bus. “I commute to and from work daily on an hour long bus ride,” julieannag wrote. “Many passengers board and immediately start making numerous loud cell phone calls. Other passengers are eager to have lively conversations with the […]
A Reader Asks: If Mother-in-Law Chain Smokes, Will Exposure Harm My Baby?
“My mother-in-law is a chain smoker. My husband and I have always put up with it. But now we have a baby.” This week’s etiquette question comes from Quidditchgirl, who writes: “My in-laws live 3,000 miles away, so we don’t see them that often, but we are planning to visit later this year. It will be expected that we’ll stay […]
Glad You’re Here! Now, Leave (yawn)
The other night, when my husband got home from work at 8 p.m. (new job at a startup company), he was surprised to see the table set for seven people. “Don’t you remember?” I asked. “I invited Ted and Amy and Rahel and Greg and Emlen over for dinner.”Before he could answer, the doorbell rang. It was the next-door neighbors […]
Reply All? Email Etiquette Tips
We had a neighborhood potluck dinner the other night. We all got email assignments about what to bring. My friend Tina (cheese and crackers, veggies and dip) showed up with two big platters — and was shocked to see that the host had already laid out a spread of the same stuff. “I thought you said I should bring that,” […]
