TresSugar

Awkward! What's Your Sign?

TresSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0800

"What's your sign?" This might be the most direct way to find out a person's astrological sign, but often the curiosity is disguised by less ugh-inducing words. "When's your birthday?" is what I often hear. "So you're a Pisces? Aries?" And then, inevitably, silence. Quietly judging silence.

The last time this happened to me, I fired back with, "What does that mean to you?" I never got an answer. Why ask the question if it's not going to segue into a new discussion?

Don't get me wrong - I read my horoscope almost every day, so it's not like I don't want to believe. It's just that I wouldn't use astrology as a tactic to get to know someone or, worse, seek a rationale behind someone's actions. Do sign seekers, overt or covert, ever make you want to unleash some Scorpio-style wrath?

(By the way - if you have some awkward tales of your own, join our Awkward! group to share etiquette questions and stories with other readers.)

Source: Flickr User Leo Reynolds

Share Your Most Awkward Thanksgiving Moments!

TresSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:46 -0800

Back in the day, one of my favorite things about Thanksgiving was the annual Friends Thanksgiving episode. Specifically, Chandler's complicated relationship with the holiday always cracked me up. You may remember that when Chandler was nine, his dad used Thanksgiving as a chance to announce that he was gay. And years after that, Monica accidentally cut off the tip of Chandler's toe on Turkey Day. In Mr. Bing's honor, I thought it would be fun if we all shared our most awkward Thanksgiving moments in the Awkward! group in the TrèsSugar Community. Share your story, and I will feature the most festively awkward posts on Très! (If you're not clear on how to post to community, check out this helpful post.)

Awkward! Not Sure About Inviting Boyfriend to Thanksgiving

TresSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Since the Holiday season can be rich with awkward moments, a friend of mine is trying to sort out a relationship dilemma before Thanksgiving arrives. Read her story, and see if you can offer her any advice.

"My boyfriend and I have been dating for about six months. Thanksgiving is coming up and I will be going to my parent's house, which is about two hours away from where I live now, for the weekend. Each year my extended family and I celebrate Thanksgiving at my aunt's house, which is right near my parent's. Since my boyfriend's family lives really far away, I would love to invite him to come. My only concern is that it might be overwhelming for him. He's met my parents when they came to visit, but this would involve staying at their house, not to mention meeting all my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Then again, it seems like a natural step in our relationship. Should I ask him to come along, or is it putting too much pressure on him?"

(By the way - if you have some awkward tales of your own, join our Awkward! group to share etiquette questions and stories with other readers.)

Ruh Roh! Employee Sends Steamy Emails to Co-Workers

TresSugar — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:00:00 -0800

A tech consultant at Cornell did what we've all had nightmares about doing: he accidentally sent personal emails to everyone he works with. And they were quite the Freudian sends.

Gulp. But what makes it worse is that his emails were of a sexual nature. Big whoop, you say? Um, yeah. It gets more awkward. He's married - and so was his partner-in-crime.

Good lord. Has anyone ever done this? I can't imagine how humiliating this would be! Not to mention the fact that their marriages are probably over. Oh, the schadenfreude!

Awkward! She's Worried Everyone Thinks She's a Lesbian

TresSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0800

Looking around our Confession Booth group I discovered that one reader finds herself in a very awkward situation. Here's what she has to say:

"Last week, I went out with a few of my girlfriends for drinks and we all got a bit tipsy and headed back to one of their homes to sleep. I ended up on the floor next to an acquaintance, and we chatted before we went to sleep. One thing led to another and she kissed me and wanted to take it further. I was tipsy but still realized that I wasn't a lesbian and wouldn't feel happy with myself the next morning, so I said no and went to sleep. The next morning she asked me what it meant and when I replied that it was a silly drunken mistake she got really upset. I later found out she told all of my friends what happened. I don't know what to do and why this is happening, but I'm worried rumors will get around to family and other friends that I am something I'm not."

Do you have any advice for this reader? (And if you have some awkward tales of your own, join our Awkward! group to share etiquette questions and stories with other readers.)

Martha to Christina Hendricks: I Thought You Were Older

TresSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Good thing Martha Stewart never went into the etiquette business! In just under four minutes, she manages to say a couple incredibly awkward things to Christina Hendricks, better known as Joan Holloway on Mad Men.

First, she tells the 34-year-old actress, "I thought you were so much older." And then, about her on-screen husband, she asks the no-doubt confused actress, "Do you love him?" We're going to give Martha the benefit of the doubt and assume she means does her character love him, in which case that ~~makes total sense~~ barely makes sense. Between raping Joan last season and being a professional failure this season, what's not to love?

Awkward! I'm on a Plane and Person Next to Me Wants to Talk

TresSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0700

We've all been there. You're on a plane. You have a long flight ahead of you with some choice reading material and hopefully a few movies to keep you occupied. And then it happens. The person in the adjoining seat starts giving you that vibe that they want to talk . . . and maybe talk and talk and talk. CNN.com found one such complaint on a site I can't wait to visit:
flightsfromhell.com. How would you respond to the following awkward situation?

"As soon as the guy beside me sat down in the aisle, I knew he was itching to strike up a conversation. I avoided eye contact like the plague, but he wasn't a master of social cues. I grabbed my book and made the mistake of turning my light on, an action that inspired him to break the ice. Immediately, he was completely facing me, leaning into my seat and asking me questions."

If you have some awkward tales of your own, join our Awkward! group to share etiquette questions and stories with other readers.

Source

Awkward! My Married Friends Have No Boundaries

TresSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0700

My friend just vented to me about her married friends who like to divulge details about their sex lives without realizing that they're sharing way too much! (Sound familiar?) Here she described her dilemma:

"My good friend just sent me an email telling me that she and her husband are 'trying' for baby number two. She went on to tell me that they've been 'working on it' for a month now, and she assured me that she will keep me updated. Why do all my married friends think that it's suddenly not awkward to talk about their sex lives when there's baby-making involved! Not OK!"

Do you have any advice for my grossed-out friend? Do you think she's overreaching, or is she justified to feel like this is TMI? (And if you have some awkward tales of your own, join our Awkward! group to share etiquette questions and stories with other readers.)

Awkward! My Friend Keeps Oversharing Her Sex Life

TresSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Thanks to a reader with an issue (sorry, reader!), we have an awkward scenario requiring your advice. (Have some awkward tales of your own? Join our Awkward! group to get etiquette advice from other readers - that's where we got this gem!)

"I have this really good friend. I love her to death, but she tends to overshare with me, and it's pretty uncomfortable at times. Every time she has sex, I get a text. "Just had amazing sex!" "He's soo great in bed . . . just had the best sex ever!" (Just some of the examples that come to mind.) I get one of these texts almost daily, and it really drives me nuts. I'm afraid that if I say this to her she'll think she can't tell me anything. (She tends to react dramatically.) We are really close and do share a lot, but I don't need an update everytime she gets it on. I don't know what to do!"

Awkward! My Roommate Kicked Me Out

TresSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

A friend of mine is looking for a new place after her roommate, who also happens to be her co-worker, asked her to move out. Here are the extremely awkward details:

I moved in with my co-worker, who is also a friend, about three months ago. Things had been going relatively well until this one week when she started acting cold toward me. I figured she was having a bad week, so I just gave her some space around the house and at work. Then out of the blue, she told me she wants me to move out. Technically she can tell me to leave because I'm not on a lease. Her parents own the place. She told me that she thought it was too hard to spend that much time with me, since we worked for the same company and lived together.

I'm so frustrated. I just got situated in my place. It's going to be expensive and inconvenient to move again, but I can't exactly make her let me stay. I would just suck it up and move on with my life, but even after I do that I need to face her at work!

Do you have any advice to offer my friend? (And if you have some awkward tales of your own, join our Awkward! group to share etiquette questions and stories with other readers.)