Category: Personal Safety

Link: The Answer To All Your Social Distancing Loophole Questions is “No.”

~ JenniferP

Rachel Miller is at VICE today getting an important thing out on the table: "The Answer To All Your "Social Distancing Loophole Questions is 'No.'" "But what about my Really Good Reason that I Must go out/gather?" you may be asking. Good news, it's covered in the piece! "Are there exceptions to this rule? Of … Continue reading Link: The Answer To All Your Social Distancing Loophole Questions is “No.”

COVID-19 Update & Questions #1258 (How do I help my friends?) and #1259: (Social-distancing for extroverts)

~ JenniferP ~ 283 Comments

Hello, readers, thanks for your emails, your support, and your questions in this time of global pandemic. How's everybody doing? (Yes, I know the first iteration misspelled COVID as Corvid, I ❤ ravens and crows and have been doing it all week, what can I say). Personal update: Mr. Awkward and I are both virus-free … Continue reading COVID-19 Update & Questions #1258 (How do I help my friends?) and #1259: (Social-distancing for extroverts)

#1243: “Broaching a service dog with dismissive family.”

~ JenniferP ~ 120 Comments

Ahoy Captain, This past year I (31/F) finally received a diagnosis for what I've been struggling with for over half my life. I have Complex PTSD/PTSD (I'll spare you the differences and overlaps) (Ed. Note: No worries! I, Jennifer, will link people to a basic explainer.) Encouraged by my therapist I shared the PTSD with my … Continue reading #1243: “Broaching a service dog with dismissive family.”

#1230 and #1231: Conversations that are mostly negotiations with ourselves and our feelings.

~ JenniferP

If you end up trying to negotiate with your feelings, especially Future Feelings that Future You isn't even feeling yet, use action there, too, like: "If this was a mistake and someday I feel the thing I'm so afraid to feel, what (if anything) will I do about it?" Feelings are coming one way or another, you aren't the boss of them but they definitely aren't the boss of you, either. Make friends with them, invite them in, see what they have to tell you. You can decide what to do about them. 

#1222: “Love my family, hate my mean red-pilling brother who is always around.”

~ JenniferP

Behind a cut for emotional abuse, misogyny, and discussion of these things as specifically related to recent gun violence and the possibility thereof, which is not what the Letter Writer asked, but definitely something I saw in the question. I did a giant dump of cat photos for patrons if you need to click on … Continue reading #1222: “Love my family, hate my mean red-pilling brother who is always around.”

#1221: “My husband’s friend Hulked out on him/us, accused us of bullying him, and isn’t taking our calls. Is it because he has a crush on me, and do I need to do anything about that?”

~ JenniferP

Dear Captain Awkward, Yesterday night, seemingly out of nowhere, my husband “Andy” (he/him) got a message from a friend of ours, “Marc” (he/him). In this very long message, Marc wrote that he felt hurt and attacked by Andy during his recent (2-3 days ago) visit to our house. Marc used words like "venomous" and "vitriol" … Continue reading #1221: “My husband’s friend Hulked out on him/us, accused us of bullying him, and isn’t taking our calls. Is it because he has a crush on me, and do I need to do anything about that?”

#1218: “Irritability and constant criticism in a marriage.”

~ JenniferP ~ 315 Comments

Dear Captain, My husband (he / him / his) is extremely smart and good in his job, has a close relationship with his sister, and good at figuring out mechanical challenges (e.g., setting up a new type of tent) patiently and thoroughly. But I can’t bear the constant criticism. He’s always miffed about something. It … Continue reading #1218: “Irritability and constant criticism in a marriage.”