What happened to social skills?

Do you know what really really REALLY irritates me?

(I know you're mentally going through the list right now; tomatoes, white walls, using the wrong homonym, the list goes on...)

Well today, what really bothers me is when people ask me 'how do you feel about (insert personal issue here)'.

First of all, let me be clear, there is no reason, no logical reason to call me and say, 'Hi, so I heard (whatever), how do you feel about that'.

(Well YOU probably could, but you know, the populous in general cannot.)

My life is not some reality TV show confessional booth. You cannot just call/text/email with that line and expect an answer. I don't work like that. (And frankly, chances are good that I don't really care) Furthermore, the answer is almost always that it's none of your damn business.

Which brings me to another point. One about personal questions.

You know me. I have no secrets. No part of my life that is too personal for discussion, but that doesn't mean someone can just waltz in and start asking me personal questions.

There's a method to it - it's a dance we do together. One in which personal information is offered up, mutually for discussion, which then evolves into a conversation. We catch our own rhythm, like good friends do. We move through topics together. Pausing to display our trophies or our wounds. Then moving swiftly on.

You can't just show up with your hands out, spouting phrases gleaned from Therapy for Dummies and expect me to spill my guts. It doesn't work that way. My life is mine, and I'll only discuss it on my own terms.

I'm like that bitchy cat (*gestures at Mittens*). I'll let you scratch my head, but only when I feel like being scratched...and just because I'm sitting in your lap doesn't mean you're not going to get bitten. Hard.



It's been one of those days. You know the kind...when everyone comes out of the woodwork and tries to start conversations with me in ways that are counter intuitive, and down right annoying. It's hot, and it's humid, and really, I don't want to have a conversation with anyone, except YOU or Goose about anything other than the weather, or what I would be willing to do for a glass of lemonade. Enough said.