I would hope I would have the ability to walk over and walk him away from the fracas were I in this situation. He needed reassurance that his mother wasn’t in any terrible danger and that people were on the way to help. Even had my mother been the instigator in a fight like this, my instinct would always be to defend…

My wonderful sister-in-law was two months pregnant at my wedding to her big brother. She hadn’t told anyone yet, but got really sick on the plane ride down and finally told her mom who was wondering why she was so exhausted and barfy. She had planned to keep it a secret through the whole wedding. Once mom knew, the…

I finally asked my Dad to stop buying me the New Yorker subscription. I checked and between him and my grandma, I’m going to be getting them until 2018. Every six months or so I have to throw them all out. I do love reading them, but between that and Vanity Fair and my life it is TOO MUCH CONTENT.

“Ted Wells and Exponent have a history of doing shit like this so it should be no surprise that they provided a report that told their employers exactly what they wanted to hear - even though it was built on no solid evidence.”

I know we don’t really know each other, but can I tell you that I love you without it getting weird?

One of the other mothers in my kid’s daycare is a lovely woman, but she is into all sorts of cleanses, “natural” foods, oil pulling, and other varieties of anti-science woo. She was going on and on about bone broth the other day and in my head I was screaming, “it’s soup!!!! It’s just soup!!!!” From the outside I was…

Plus, once you’ve taken a picture with someone, they have free rein to do what they will with your body. It’s in the Constitution.

Good for you. Report them to the health department too.

On heckling: when my mother was a little girl, she shouted "EASY OUT" at a game, loudly enough that those on the field could hear her. This would be unremarkable, except that she was shouting it at Mickey Mantle. Which I still find hilarious.

Ruthless, chatty. Ruthless.

This morning I had a guy fumbling around with his ticket in front of me at the entrance to an orange line station in Boston. I started through my gate, holding my wallet to the little sensor so my fare would be deducted from my card, when I noticed he was right behind me. When the gate opened, I moved through and he…

I used the Easy Off fume free without gloves. Am I a mutant that doesn't burn? I just saw _kath's pictures and I might have to go lie down.

I get it. I think it was the marriage of insensitivity to adoptive families and white supremacist notions that made the whole exchange so appalling. I've found that just saying, "You have a beautiful family" makes everyone happy and covers so many different situations. Are you meeting a gay couple with two kids who…

Someone asked my friend (mother to an adopted child with skin a couple shades darker than hers): "Didn't you want a white one?" I'm being totally serious. WHO DOES THAT?

At 9 months I got "You got twins in there?" Me externally: "Just the one. Ha ha ha." Interior monologue: "I wonder how much trouble I would get in if I try to stab this guy with a straw? Can I even make it over the counter in this condition?"

Excellent thought. Mine involved an epic nosebleed.

The universal "I'm done with my meal" utensil position is fork and knife parallel with the tines and blade pointed somewhere between 11 and 12 o'clock. "I'm resting" is crossed (European) or fork pointed toward 11 and knife placed across the top at an angle (around 1 o'clock) (American). Anyway, that's how I learned…

A reuben on wheat? HERESY.

Bob, I'm down below you at the bottom of the pool, waving hi!

I've been debating whether to comment here because I thought the column was excellent and full of good advice. So this comment is not a criticism, but more of an add-on. For many who suffer from depression, these steps might seem unimaginable to take. And of all of them, I think the first is the one that is utterly…