I totally thought food was a ticketing offense on the el. Yes? No? I do sometimes sneak a closed coffee on a CTA bus, refraining from drinking it until I reach my destination, but I thought the rules about eating on CTA (especially something totally messy and obvious like that) were pretty well-enforced. I try to…

Yep. They had house guests staying with them from out of the country who wanted to cook the rehearsal dinner for them, and they were like "Uh, thanks but no thanks," as in, "That's a little too Old World casual for us," and then went out and bought the aforementioned lasagna that wasn't enough for everyone.

Totally agreed. I was just talking with a friend who is going to an out-of-town wedding of a close friend this weekend. The family of the bride had suggested that they get together at some other point in the weekend so that they could also see my friend outside of the wedding. But they didn't invite her to any of the…

This. Keep your wedding simple if you prefer, but remember those who are going out of their way to make things nice for you. I was maid of honor at my then best friend's wedding, and she continually referred to the corners they would be cutting because they needed to save money for their European honeymoon. That's all…

Nothing about you is a work of art, unless the Smithsonian built a Dickhead Museum when I wasn't looking

IKR? That's not long at all, AFAIC.

Or something Dutch.

With regard to 4), this happens because too many people are lazy about it, and don't know any better. This is why languages get watered down to a dumber level.

It all depends on the way you are treated when stuff like that happens. They did right by you, and you recognized it was an accident and accidents happen. The last time I was poorly treated at a restaurant, I still tipped, but only 15%. I was unhappy with about 4/5ths of the things we ordered, and although the server…

You're an English language teacher and you think that using "no problem" to mean "you're welcome" is OK in any setting whatsoever? And why would the OP "get mad" at Spanish or French speakers for saying "you're welcome" in their own languages? "De nada" and "ne rien" mean, literally, "it's nothing," and are both…

I believe there are many, many reasons why the rest of the world thinks we're idiots, probably too many for one post.

I think that's what the OP is concerned about. It's informal and fast. Why does everything have to be informal and fast, especially if you are dining out in a nice restaurant? I wouldn't gauge my tip on a server's use of the phrase "No problem," but it's amazing to me the number of people who think that the dumbing…

I agree with you. I hate lazy speech, and that phrase is a perfect example of the dumbing down of the English language. I wouldn't get all irate about it while I'm in a nice restaurant (and I wouldn't let it affect my tipping), but the amount of blowback you are getting for stating your opinion is a little unhinged.…

Ritter Sport with Marzipan. Not quite enough marzipan, but considering how hard marzipan is to find unless it's Christmas time, I'll take it.

Nopenopenopenopenope. Not even close. Top 5, in no particular order:

Something similar happened to me about 20 years ago after a move. Cards addressed to me from an old boyfriend started showing up at my parents' house. Turned out that a box I had mailed (with old letters and keepsakes inside) had come open and some items had fallen out. Although the stamps had been cancelled, the…

Regarding the genetic memory thing, I think it's a little bit of both. I feel like it's a revulsion from a primeval version of myself, a kind of "Altered States" scenario, if you will. But I also feel like it's related to my own genetic material. I would occasionally be creeped out by this thing as a kid, but it…

I haven't googled trypophobia, but I know exactly what it is based on the other comments. For me, it has something to do with over-intricate symmetrical patterns. I feel as if it is some kind of weird genetic-memory thing that is a fear of biological patterns coming into contact with, or clashing with, man made…

Is that what it's called? Now I'm afraid to watch the video. I have it in varying intensities depending on my anxiety level. So glad to know I'm not alone with my weird ickiness thing.

I too read The Long Secret as a kid. I still puddle up when I re-read Harriet the Spy too. When Ole Golly, left. Well. I can't even imagine the loss. The movie sucked. Hugely.