I need a major friend refresh/revamp. What are actionable steps I can take to find like-minded people, and in particular people that will both give/take in the fun department? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 3:55 PM - 12 answers

Need to update an out of the loop narcissistic sibling about our Mother's declining health. Wish do do this without fueling her issues and having it turn into a blame game. Snow storm details ahead! [more inside]
posted by cat_link at 2:19 PM - 25 answers

How to explain in a concise way why I'm not interested in dating anyone now and anytime soon? [more inside]
posted by chrono_rabbit at 12:10 PM - 43 answers

How to deal with heartbreak and the logistics of 'what next?'. [more inside]
posted by hellameangirl at 11:52 AM - 30 answers

I wish I could forget about the girl who broke my heart when I was a teenager, but it seems the world doesn't want to let me, because she's famous now, while I'm struggling. How do I deal? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:43 AM - 45 answers

A woman i know through business network and common friends entered into my life after a series of events which seems like a fairy tale. However it might also be a a very bad cosmic joke. Now i am struggling to deal with the situation, help me to find my feet. Long version below. [more inside]
posted by yamamato at 9:34 AM - 13 answers

I quite conclusively ended the friendship. Now I'm seeing her at social events all over town, and she doesn't seem willing to play my 'you don't exist and I can't see you' game. What do I do next? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:50 AM - 32 answers

I work in a small shop in a male dominated trade. I am 26 but read younger (by up to 10 years if you have a weird idea of how teenagers look) small, blonde, and need to dress casually (jeans and a tshirt and sneakers) due to the nature of my work. Customer's ask me on a near-daily basis if I'm my boss's daughter. I hate this, I feel it undermines my value as an employee who has worked hard to be in the position I'm in. I'd like to think of a response that makes them feel like a ninny for one second, without offending customers. [more inside]
posted by euphoria066 at 7:32 AM - 47 answers

My days are full, though sometimes full of heart-ache. At night, once the pets and child are asleep, I am alone. Going out is not an option, and sometimes books, music and movies just aren't going to cut it. Did anyone find something surprising or helpful to them after a breakup that might help me get more comfortable with my alone time?
posted by SarahBellum at 6:11 AM - 18 answers

I honestly don't understand how "chemistry" works or what it means for "sparks to fly". When I go on a date it looks like this: I ask a question, she replies; she asks a question, I reply; I make an observation, she concurs or demurs; she makes an observation, I concur or demur; repeat for an hour or two, after which we both say "it was nice meeting you" and each go home. Sometimes I ask for a second date, and if she agrees, the second date looks exactly like the first. At what point are you supposed to go "Oh yeah, I went backpacking in South America once too, and don't you think Natalie Portman was pretty good in that movie, and now if you don't mind I am going to lean in and kiss you." I know you're supposed to flirt and try to make the girl laugh, but I'm not much good at doing this and when I try it comes across as wooden at best, creepy at worst. What I want is to see this process modeled. I would like to see actual footage of real people dating and crossing the boundary between "platonic small talk" and "romance". I know this sounds weird -- who'd videotape a date? -- but stranger things have been found on the internet. Any leads?
posted by zeri at 7:30 PM - 46 answers

My office was submitting a grant and the wrong application was uploaded to the grant agency website. My coworker submitted the final documents - and it is clear to me already that he will find a way to throw me under the bus if he has to, to protect his interests. How do I approach this? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:18 AM - 12 answers

An adult woman who used to bully me in elementary school flaunted an ugly childhood memory in my face while serving my coffee today. How to tactfully deal? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:24 AM - 77 answers

I'm having trouble getting everyone to get along. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:22 AM - 18 answers

Should I find a new therapist when I'm only in town for 6 more months? [more inside]
posted by guessthis at 2:41 AM - 6 answers

Is there a polite way to ask my alcoholic parent to please stay sober for my college graduation, or is this an inappropriate subject to broach this late in the situation? Any tips for handling a visibly intoxicated relative without being rude or putting them on the defensive? Help! [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 8:46 PM - 34 answers

I'm afraid one of my best friends is going to start getting into full-on pseudoscience. Many of my friends are already interested in things like organic medicine, 9/11 truth movements, etc but they're easy to ignore since I don't see them much. I just avoid the topics and block them on Facebook. But now one of my closest, oldest friends has started linking to NaturalNews, a well-known medical crank site. I know he's already heavily into Robert Anton Wilson and Bill Hicks, and I'm worried he's going to start getting into full-on crankdom. How do I stop this before it happens, or deal with it when it does?
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 6:21 PM - 24 answers

A while back my sister left a message on my mom's answering machine, saying "Hi mom, we had a baby girl..." and then she goes on to describe the birth of her daughter and how cute she was, basically leaving an audio record of this wonderful occasion. For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to save this recording. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:43 PM - 33 answers

I just had an unsettling dating experience. What exactly happened here? [more inside]
posted by timsneezed at 1:50 PM - 72 answers

My partner of four years has suddenly shut down. What gives? [more inside]
posted by aholeinthehead at 7:06 AM - 28 answers

I've got codependency issues, and I'd like recommendations for books to help me understand what's going on and how to get over it. [more inside]
posted by tumbleweedjack at 9:05 PM - 6 answers