From the category archives:
Q: Some of my coworkers insist on chatting while we’re in the bathroom and each in our own stall. I find this annoying. Am I being a prude? A: Not at all. While some women feel perfectly relaxed doing this – and some even use an office bathroom as a kind of lounge – others, [...]
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Q: I recently started working for a very annoying boss. She talks very loudly and often interrupts or pushes herself into conversations. One day she even followed me into the bathroom stall to remind me something. What can I do? A:You’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. You like your job- but not [...]
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Q:A co-worker, who likes to “graze,” leaves his daily rice and bean concoction in the office microwave all day long. I asked my co-worker to stop doing this , but he just shrugged and hasn’t stopped. Our manager sees my point but isn’t inclined to get involved. What can I do? A:You’ve already tried the [...]
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Q: After I started chatting with a woman via an Internet message board, we gave each other our e-mail addresses to exchange recipes. Now she won’t stop writing me. Every day I receive jokes, chain letters, and other junk email from her. How do I call a halt to this barrage without changing my address. [...]
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Q: At a dinner out with friends, we ordered an expensive bottle of Chardonnay. When the bill came, they insisted that we didn’t need to include the cost of the wine when calculating the tip, only the food. Is this true? A: Your waiter is entitled to a tip on the cost of the meal [...]
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Q: Because I’m six foot four inches, I usually get an aisle seat when I fly. The problem is, the families sometimes ask me to move so they can sit together. Even if I turn them down with an apology, they act insulted. Is there a better way to handle this? A: If you have [...]
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Q: I’m invited to a work related awards banquet. A coworker told me I should wear something nicer than business attire but not formal. I’m clueless on where that leave me. A: Your profession and your location will influence what you wear. A safe course of action is going with a good suit or a [...]
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Q: When two women are having lunch or dinner in a restaurant and a third stops by their table, should they stand while greeting her? A: No, if the meal is a social one, but yes-briefly-if it’s business. Just be careful not to block the paths of waiters and fellow diners.
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Q: I’m a receptionist at a small office, and every single day at least one of the female employees asks me to run a personal errand-pick up dry cleaning, get a late afternoon yogurt, return a tape, you name it. I’m really too busy for this, but I don’t want to come across as lazy [...]
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Q: An acquaintance has bad body odor. What, if anything, can I do? A: Since you are just an acquaintance, it would be best not to say anything to him about his problem. Speaking up directly could embarrass him greatly. The only way you could try to help is to mention the problem discreetly to [...]
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