LOL! Except for the fact that the kid is dead! Are you serious?

Gross. Also, we should hang, because I'm in Chicago, and I have suspected that U Chicago is full of intellectual mysogynists.

I have had this happen. So. Many. Times. Guys, for some reason, don't know how to respond with a simple, "no, this is not a good time," without thinking that it is ruining their entire hook up arrangement.

Oh my gosh, thank you for this post. I have been in LW#3's position with some weird friends, except the "friend" stealing was happening over guy friends (and potential dating interests), because these "friend stealers" are too shy, and kind of neurotic and fucked up with their own baggage, to have healthy…

Ooooh, where was the bookstore? I love bookstore gossip :)

Word.

Oh my gosh! I want to go to the Chicago meetup and I think I can! Awesome!

I am in Chicago too! (A newish transplant, but originally from the Midwest). I would love to meet some new friends!

Ooohhh, oohhh, oooh, girlfriend, I had this exact same thing happen to me with a girl in my group of friends. A group of us used to be friends in college and one girl in particular has a very queen bee personality, thought she ruled the roost and everyone around her, and would talk crazy shit about people behind…

It's amazing that you published this post, because it was literally earlier this week that I had a conversation with my advisor at work who told me it was ok to "be a dick" every once in a while to keep order and respect among the students I teach.

Wheezer801, this may be a big risk, but I've been in situations similar to this where there is nothing left to do but blow your top to show people how serious you are about your mistreatment. And the risk is this - call him out. Threaten the mother fucker with an employment discrimination lawsuit. Start making…

You see, behavior like this - keeping tabs on what everyone around you is doing - I think actually reinforces your sense of fear about the world, and your need to keep an eye on things. At least that's what I see in people who constantly watch, but never interact with the person that they're silently judging while…

I have an entry level job horror story. It wasn't an internship, but I was getting paid so little for working full time, it might as well have been. My first position out of my film and media program was working for an independent female documentary maker, out of her home office.

In my field (the arts) I've actually encountered more women who initiate inappropriate relationships with co-workers (or at least try to) than I have seen men do. Just sayin...

That's a great suggestion actually - thanks for that. Kind of similarly, I've been finding interesting solace in moments of stress from my creative life from doing concrete things like relearning how to do certain kinds of math problems (also studying for gmat exam, ha).

What are your thoughts on changing your environment, if you find that you are around people with whom you can't civilly and honestly communicate? I've been in a few of these situations myself, and it might not be possible in every situation, but when I've realized that I can't be myself without people taking things…

This. I usually keep my mouth shut/try to show support when people are venting about problems they have. However, I had a friendship-ending incident a while ago, when I got real with a friend of mine who was very upset about a guy that she met (through me) not wanting to date her.

Reposting this response to another comment, because I think criticisms of the writer really miss the point that working in delicate international relations situations in the military can be highly stressful - in war zones, and in other nations where political relationships are tenuous:

I really disagree with these criticisms of the writer. As civilians, we often protest about the brutality of our military operations, the decisions about which are mostly decided by men. Having an outsider civilian point of view, ESPECIALLY a female point of view, who might be able to better see nuances in…

You are a most excellent friend ;)