The French reaction to the submarine thing seems so undignified. Like, OK, the Australians don't think your submarines are good enough, so you're going to have a tantrum and withdraw your ambassadors over it? That can't be good for relationships with other potential customers. If the Australians breached a contract, just take it to the ICJ or some kind of arbitration, like a civilized country. I feel like there must be more going on behind the scenes to have provoked such a reaction.
Possibly California changing its laws a couple times in the past few years?
The conversation suggestions link is very nice, thanks for posting. Superficial, but reminds me a bit of Deborah Tannen's writing, which I like a lot.
If France can come up with a good price, I'd like to buy a nuclear submarine.
Oh, 2 is to OP2, not 1. I was trying to figure out why France would not even finish its Brie because we ended single-family zoning.
Hard conversations are usually pretty easy to avoid because the other party doesn't want to deal with it either.
The conversation suggestions link is very nice, thanks for posting
Agreed, and I also liked this recent article -- about building structure for conversations: https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/09/delaying-conflict-better-venting-relationships-scheduled-disagreement/620057/
4: The only thing that stops a bad guy with a nuclear submarine is a good guy with a nuclear submarine.
Right, but I'm hoping they won't sell one to a good guy.
It would make a good test case for a more expansive reading of the second amendment that SCOTUS probably supports now. Didn't Scalia say there were reasonable limits on things like bazookas? Fortunately that liberal squish has been replaced by a true conservative.
The founding fathers clearly meant that I need enough explosives to regulate a militia.
8: That is a good article, but I had to skim the second half because I was preoccupied with finding out whether or not the main couple's son died or not.
The correct way to have difficult conversations is, of course, to get increasingly grumpy until someone blows up, then sort things out in the lulls between bouts of biting each other's head off.
Or at least that's my advice to Macron.
OP2: Overall nice, but this?
Rather than causing shock by blurting out news that is unexpected, begin by giving the background or (often better) by asking the other person to tell "the story so far". For example, you could say: "I want to talk about Mum's health. Tell me how you think she's been recently ... ". That initial recap creates a space where the new, unwelcome information is less unexpected. Now you can add the bad news, beginning with: "I'm sorry to tell you ... "
Sounds like a recipe for disaster. How do you think Mom's health has been? Seems like she's turning a corner! Glad she has such a great team of doctors! How do you think our relationship is going? Fantastic! I am so crazy about you! Wouldn't change a thing!
Well, I'm sorry to tell you . . .
16: I agree, but I also can't think of an alternative approach that feels better rather than worse.
17: I think just giving the background (as the article does suggest) is better. As you know, Mom's numbers are steady, but they aren't improving. As you may have realized, I've been a little checked out lately. Then, you can pause to make sure the other person seems like they are at least with you on the intro facts and ready for bad news.
"Your mother is now a nuclear submarine."
19: I though reincarnation didn't really work like that. I'm refraining from a joke about sailors inside my mom, FWIW.
Wait being a little checked out is a warning sign? I've been getting less and less interested in a bunch of outcomes for about 10 years now.
Wait being a little checked out is a warning sign? I've been getting less and less interested in a bunch of outcomes for about 10 years now.
but of course am not having any problem focusing on clicking that button.
I agree that 16/18 is an improvement.
16. Reminds me of the "your cat fell off the roof" joke.
"As you know, your mom has gotten steadily worse at catching mice."