Advice from Judith Martin, Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin.
What is an appropriate and polite response to a compliment that I know is disingenuous? And upon receiving such a compliment, am I required to return one that is equally disingenuous?
Mind you, she does not recommend such an approach. The point about ambiguously delivered compliments is that they are ambiguous -- and can be misread. Better to return genuine thanks to someone who appreciates messy hair than to insult someone who does not.My wife and I have a new home, which is an exciting milestone.
How do we politely deter their attempts to invite themselves over, just so they can poke around every room and closet? We may eventually have them over, but I want it to be on our terms and not because they wore us down.“We’ll let you know” puts the initiative back where it belongs. But Miss Manners suggests that next time, you do not have your cellphone available during dinner.I have had a primary care physician for many years, but I never really liked his style.
I’d like to switch doctors, but I wonder if I owe my longtime doctor an explanation, or perhaps a “thank you” for our years together. I also worry I will cause a problem for this new doctor, as they are in the same practice.
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