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Be Prepared to Answer Those Tough Questions Tomorrow!

DearSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:00:00 -0800

If there's a chance you'll be put on the spot tomorrow at your Thanksgiving dinner, make sure you're prepared to answer those tough questions your bold relatives just love to ask. I hope this helps! Source

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Tough Question No. 5: Have You Lost/Gained Some Weight?

DearSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:30:00 -0800

Weight is one of those topics that makes almost everyone feel uncomfortable. Calling out a person's weight gain or loss not only puts them on the spot, but it can easily do a number on their self-esteem. If Thanksgiving is the holiday that brings your family together, chances are you'll be seeing some relatives you haven't seen for a while, so if they comment on your weight, here are some ways to hold your own.

To see my responses for tough question number five, read more.

Looks are an easy thing to zero in on if you haven't seen someone in a long time, and most people tend to comment on weight. If it's not something you want to discuss, acknowledge their comments and quickly move the conversation along.
Weight fluctuation has a lot to do with diet and exercise, but personal issues can be another trigger. If someone comments on your noticeable weight loss, be short and say something like, "Yes, I guess I have lost a few pounds. It's been a very stressful Fall but I'm really looking forward to a great Thanksgiving dinner!" If you leave it at that, they shouldn't fish for any more details.
If you've admittedly gained a few pounds - 'tis the season! - and a relative approaches you about it, address it in a cheeky manner. Say something like, "Yes, I've been slacking a little, but now there's just more of me to love!" or "I'm embracing the holidays, Aunt Jessie - by Easter I'll be as slender as can be!"
If you've struggled with your weight, but you're finally where you want to be, take the compliments you're given this Thanksgiving. If you've worked hard to get back into your skinny jeans, be proud of yourself; reaching your goal weight is no small feat!

Have any of you had to face weight questions like this? If so, how did you handle it?

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Tough Question No. 4: When Are You Going to Start a Family?

DearSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:30:00 -0800

Is it just me or do most parents crave grandchildren? If you're married or at a point in your life where a baby makes sense, chances are your family will start prying this Thanksgiving. Having kids is a very personal decision, but loved ones certainly know how to lay on the pressure, so check out my tips on how to answer tough question number four! Click here to read more.

If you're not ready to be with child, the state of our economy is a great excuse. Tell your inquisitive family members that you're waiting until things get more stable before trying.
If kids are in your future, reassure them that you're going to start a family eventually, but you want to enjoy the freedom of being childless for a little longer - they've got to understand that!
If you're actively trying but have yet to conceive, don't let them in on your secret because they'll just continue to ask the same question until they get the answer they're looking for. Dodge it completely and tell them you're thinking about trying in the next year - that will buy you some time.
If you're newly pregnant but not ready to tell anyone yet, get ready to deliver an Oscar-worthy performance!

For those of you who've had to answer this question before, what route worked best for you?

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Tough Question No. 3: When Are You Getting Engaged?

DearSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:30:00 -0800

If you're dating and you have a job, don't think that you're exempt from the line of questioning at Thanksgiving - getting engaged is of course the next one! Some women enjoy just dating their significant other, but if you're actually waiting for a ring yourself, this question could hit a nerve. To see my suggestions on how to answer tough question number three, just read more.

If you're simply not ready to take that next step in your relationship, tell whoever is asking that you're just enjoying being together for now. Reiterate that you're not in a rush to get hitched and hopefully they'll back off.
Blame your youth. Tell them you feel too young and don't feel the need to be married just yet.
If you are ready for an engagement yourself, take a cheeky approach and say something like, "I've been asking myself the same question" or "I'm not sure, but if you find out when, let me know!" If you take the pressure off with humor, it'll make talking about it a lot easier.

If you're in a similar boat this year, tell us, how do you plan on answering this tough question?

Source

Tough Question No. 2: What Are You Doing With Your Life?

DearSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:30:00 -0800

Many of us have felt the effects of the worsening economy, so if you've lost your job as a result, I bet one of the questions you'll be asked this Thanksgiving will be what you're planning on doing now. Not only can that question be invasive, but it can end up making you feel even worse about your situation than you already do. To see my suggestions on how to answer that uncomfortable question, read more.

If you are in fact unemployed, as annoying as it may be to talk about (let alone think about), it's always a good idea to let as many people as you can know that you're looking for a job. They could be privy to an opportunity or they might be able to point you in the right direction.
Know that you don't have to have an answer to this question, and if you don't, be honest and say just that - sometimes change takes a little soul searching.
If your family members keep at you, politely ask them to back off. Tell them that you don't have all the answers right now but when you do, you'll be the first one to let them know!
Use interviewing as a distraction, or tell them you're researching new careers. Sometimes all they really want to know is that you're actively looking for a new job.

Have any of you had to answer a question similar to this one? If so, what approach did you use?

Source

Tough Question No. 1: Why Aren't You Dating?

DearSugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:00:00 -0800

A common fear many women have as Thanksgiving approaches is how to answer those intrusive, uncomfortable, and sometimes rude questions by family members or old acquaintances. To help get you prepared for turkey day, I'm here to offer my suggestions for how to respond to the line of questioning most everyone gets this time of year. Let's start with question number one: Why aren't you dating?

To see my answers, read more.

Even if you don't know the answer to this question yourself, fake it. Exude confidence and respond with either of these:
I just haven't found that special someone yet. Honest and straight to the point.

I am dating, just not dating anyone seriously, that's all! This lets them know you're not lonely, but also makes it clear that they won't be meeting him (or them!) anytime soon.

If you want the questioning to end ASAP, you can take a more aggressive approach and fib with either of these two statements:
My boyfriend and I just broke up and it's really hard to talk about. If they keep prying, ask them if you can please change the subject.

I'm taking a hiatus from men until after the holidays. This will let them know not to ask you the same question when you see them at Christmas!

If you've ever been in a similar situation, tell us, how do you answer the question, "Why aren't you dating?"?

Source

The Office, "Shareholder Meeting": Best Lines of the Night

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:30:00 -0800

Looks like The Office is trying for a little economic relevance. While it sort of knocks you over the head this week - e.g. showing the Dow Jones sign - you can't blame the writers for making the story timely. Michael travels to New York for a shareholders meeting with Dwight, Andy, and Oscar in tow, but instead of being honored for his work at the branch, he steps into what's essentially a sounding board for grievances.

Lots of great quotes in this episode, so let's recap some of my favorites, shall we? (Don't worry, I've included Michael's big speech.)

"Recyclops will drown you in your over-watered lawns."-Dwight
Obviously the writers had to plug NBC's Green Week like the rest of the network, but The Office's is one of the most creative. I especially enjoyed Jim's side story about how Recyclops's fictional planet was attacked and he "vowed to destroy the planet he once loved." Oh, and his nemesis Polluticorn, which is actually a Power Rangers reference. They could've made the entire episode about Recyclops, and I would've been happy - if for nothing else, just to see Dwight rock that weird eye headband.

For more quips from the evening, including a deleted limo scene, read more.

Dwight: "Oh, I'm sorry were you raised in a household with no consequences?"
Woman in line: "It'll just be a second."
Dwight: "Oh, if onlys and justs were candies and nuts, then every day would be Erntedankfest."
Dwight lays into the woman in the microphone line when she wants to use the bathroom, but his special comeback phrase really made me laugh. I plan on reciting it myself at least once this week. (By the way, I googled "Erntedankfest" and it's Germany's Thanksgiving. Dwight taught me something!)

Pam: "Well, I can't really imagine you yelling at anyone."
Jim: "Oh, I yell, you've heard me yell."
Pam: "Oh, okay. I've heard you exclaim, like the time you said, Hey look, we parked over here."
Jim: "Well that was apple picking day. There's no need to yell that day. You know, I was just excited to find the car. Perfect end to a perfect day."
Aw, Jim. You try so hard to be tough. But you've got to admit that putting Ryan in the closet is genius. Not only does it teach the guy a lesson, but I'm considering it payback for all of those weird getups that Ryan's been wearing recently. (Remember the fedora?!)

"We're gonna come back with a plan for you, it's a 45-day plan, 45 days to get us back on track, 45 points. It's a 45-day, 45 point, one point per day, we get the 45 points. We are back in business. And you can take that to the bank. And limo lady, we are going completely carbon neutral! I love you New York!"-Michael
Best. Speech. Ever. God forbid anyone ever give Michael Scott a mic - serves them right. Oh, and speaking of limos, check out this funny deleted scene of the boys in their ride.

"I just want to say that I believe that there are options out there. A take-a-number option like they have in a deli. What about line varieties? Like an express line for quick comments of ten words or less that could move much more efficiently. What about ropes along the lines that you can hold on to?"-Dwight
I was always welcome a ridiculous Dwight rant, and this was one of his better ones.

Alright, so your turn! What'd you think of the episode? The whole situation has me questioning what's going to happen to Michael in next week's episode. The guy destroys the shareholders meeting, his CEO is annoyed, and then he runs off with the limo - are there going to be repercussions?

If you're a Dunder Mifflin fanatic, head on over to The Office! group in the BuzzSugar Community!

Photo and videos courtesy of NBC

PopSugarUK Meets The New Moon Cast Part Three: Robert on Music, Immortality and Harry Potter Versus Twilight!

PopSugarUK — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:55:18 -0800

Robert Pattinson is back in Los Angeles ahead of New Moon's premiere tonight, bringing his promotional tour of Europe to a close. I was lucky enough to meet Robert, Kristen and Taylor when they visited London, and Rob looked gorgeous in a white shirt and suit, which he later wore to the UK fan event. I've already brought you Rob and Kristen's response to questions about their relationship, as well as the pair's revelations about their kissing scenes, and now I've got the lowdown on Rob's future music plans, what he thinks about immortality versus ageing, and the differences between working on Harry Potter and Twilight:

On whether he's concerned Twilight will overshadow his music:
"I want to do gigs again, and I guess the only way to do gigs is you have to get an album to silence everyone and then you can play as many gigs as you want. I really miss it. I am really afraid of being overshadowed by it. That's why I haven't done any gigs or released anything for ages. I think it does make you set your standards higher, because you need to overshadow this massive thing, so it's tough. You've got to be winning Grammys before you do another open-mic [laughs]."

There's still lots to come from all three stars, but for now, to find out what Robert had to say about immortality and the differences between Harry Potter and Twilight, read more.

On whether immortality would be a good thing or a bad thing:
"It depends. If I stayed my exact same mental capacity then I would not want to be immortal [laughs]. I don't know. I wouldn't want to be considered young forever. I like the innate wisdom that comes with being old. People just think you know more, and treat you with a little bit more respect. I'd like to be able to just choose however old I am whenever I wanted."
On the differences between working on the Harry Potter and Twilight franchises:
"When I went into Harry Potter it was the fourth one, everybody knew each other. The crew had been working together for 10 years... people had married each other! Everything was so well oiled. Starting Twilight, I don't know if it would be like the first Harry Potter, but it's interesting to see there's so many different warring energies. The studio knew they had a trilogy at the time so it seemed like people think that certain criteria need to met to set up that kind of franchise. Catherine obviously had an Indie background, me and Kristen really had strong people, so it was a very volatile set in a lot of ways. But the success of the first one made everything clear for the second."

Rob's clearly an intelligent and funny guy. Check out video footage of Robert at the UK press conference, and watch his interview with Molly too. Stay tuned for my next installment of cast interviews, where Taylor reveals all about stunt work, hobbies and getting into Bella's mind!

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5 Savvy Ways to Save and Spend Smart This Weekend

SavvySugar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:30:43 -0800

If you spent Monday through Friday monitoring your spending and trying to be productive and efficient, don't erase all your hard work with a wild weekend of spending. Consider these smart saving tips before you whip out your wallet this weekend.

Save Big When You Eat Out - Tough times for consumers mean empty tables at restaurants - and to fill them, restaurants are making menu changes and slashing prices, or offering discounts. Take advantage of the deals by researching in advance.
Plan Inexpensive Things to Do This Weekend - More than half of you admit that spending more money on weekends is a given, but that doesn't always have to be the case. Challenging ourselves to occasionally be more mindful of our money on weekends may make us think twice before blowing our budgets on those days when watching our wallets isn't necessarily on our minds.
Shop For the Best Buys at Warehouse Clubs - Almost every list of saving tips includes some mention of buying things in bulk. But if you’re not the Gosselins or the Duggars, are warehouse clubs (like Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale) really that great of a deal? The answer is yes - if you know how to shop smart.

For the rest of my tips, read more.

Calculate a Purchase in Terms of Hours Worked - As much as we all promise ourselves that we'll only buy things we absolutely cannot live without, sometimes in the heat of the shopping moment that mentality is substituted by one of like, not love.
Take a Hands-Off Approach to Spending Less - Research shows that you don't necessarily have to stay out of stores altogether, but you should be mindful of where you put your hands if you want to refrain from spending.

Do you have a tip for readers? Join our How Do You Save? group and share your helpful suggestions. Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Tell Mommy Your Thoughts on Paying Cash For Extra Credit

babysugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:30:52 -0800

Would you work a little harder on a task at the office if your boss offered to give you a bonus upon completing it? Many would answer that question with a resounding, "Yes." What if that same situation was applied to schools with teachers and their students? Kids earn extra credit points a number of ways but one North Carolina school came under fire for offering its pupils 20 test points (10 points to be used on two tests of their choosing) if they brought in a $20 donation to the school.

Like many schools across the country, Rosewood Middle School is facing tough economic times and was looking for innovative ideas in fund-raising. After the parent advisory board came up with the concept and then the principal endorsed it, it looked like the fund-raiser was a go, but it never actually took off. The state education officials got wind of the practice and stopped it before it was ever set in motion. They believe it is teaching children the wrong lesson - that grades can be bought. Instead of cash, they insist the students should be rewarded bonus points for knowledge gained, not green paper. In defense of the program, Principal Susie Shepherd made the point that two test bumps won't make a difference in a student's final grade but that the money would have been helpful in upgrading the computer lab and their classrooms.

Do you agree with the state education officials or do you think the fund-raiser was a legitimate way to get kids involved in the school's improvement efforts?