Is "reshingling his roof" a euphemism for something sexual? it sounds rather naughty!

I firmly believe that with general chatter, less is more. One should not talk more than one is willing to listen. If you think other people's feelings are mostly trivial and that they should be dealing with them quietly as much as possible, well, the same goes for you. E.g., don't whine when other people won't do menial favors for you that you wouldn't do for them - clearly, your feelings are just plain unfair and not worth voicing.

(I have a good male friend who likes to talk in long monologues and can be pretty contrary - but he also allows me to talk in long monologues, so we get along very well.)

However, refusing to talk about MOST things, on dates, just because you might be used to saving talk for aggressive debates, is never going to work - and yes, it IS seen as anti-social.

Oh, BTW, I didn't have a baseball bat at hand, but yes, I was the one who checked for intruders, since I figured (foolishly, maybe) that the sooner you confront them when you hear a window smash, the more likely they are to flee before they get up the stairs. (It was likely some teen running around and throwing rocks through the plastic windows in old apartment doors - but one never knows.)

Lenona, wise advice, I think, on less being more.

My husband recently got up every half hour to make sure I didn't bleed to death in my sleep (after a miscarriage gone all wrong). When I asked him to go to the store for chocolate, Gatorade and Kotex, he didn't bat an eye. And he came back with a freaking mountain of chocolate.

I'm much better now and making him all his favorite meals to try and thank him for that level of dedication. I think we'll be together forever.

OMG! Yes!

It is one thing when that kind of "let's talk about feelings" happens in personal relationships; but, my current boss wants to talk about "feelings" all the time at work!

Stupid stuff like "We've just been given a really tight deadline; let's talk about how that makes us feel."

I kid you not.

It is really starting to piss me off! How about we get busy on the work instead of talking about our feelings? How's THAT for expressing my feelings?!

So say that. "It makes me feel like getting started right away!"

"We've just been given a really tight deadline; let's talk about how that makes us feel."

How anyone says this in a workplace without dying of embarrassment, I really have no idea.

MonicaP, so sorry for what you went through. But what an awesome husband you have.

Thank you, Amy. Lots of stuff in life is easier when your partner is one of the finest humans on the planet.