Introverts, how is your day?

[Fantasy Lover]

I'm not sure of the exact sequence, but it's my impression from watching period dramas that early corsets flattened the bosom.  In which case, the shocked reaction I was talking about may have been to the first women who wore corsets that supported the bosom, rather than to bras as such.  But that reaction must have occurred at some point.  Or perhaps at several points, as fashions came and went.

I was under the impression that it was meant to flatten your stomach, and when the modern bra was created people were offended because how dare you walk around like a peasant .

[Carol the Dabbler]

That too, more than likely!

[J.P.]

It changed with the fashion style, sometimes totally flat, sometimes very curvy.

[Carol the Dabbler]

OK, like hemlines, then.  Even so, ladies who had grown up during a flat era must have been appalled the next time the styles went curvy.

[Pseudonym]

Does anyone else find this question really hard to answer? 

"So, what have you been up to?"

It's always asked as if you should have an exciting answer on hand. Um, I've been working, sleeping, sometimes walking on the weekends. That's it. 

[T.o.b.y]

On 7/20/2018 at 11:36 PM, Pseudonym said:

Does anyone else find this question really hard to answer? 

"So, what have you been up to?"

It's always asked as if you should have an exciting answer on hand. Um, I've been working, sleeping, sometimes walking on the weekends. That's it. 

I don't think a real answer is expected. It's just smalltalk. I find that difficult in general, I would rather have an authentic conversation. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

I think some people intend "what have you been up to?" as a way of asking what would you like to talk about.  If there's nothing that you care to tell them, the usual response is "oh, not much."

You can then fulfill your own social obligations  by asking "and how have you been?" which usually will merely elicit another pro-forma response -- but some people will actually *tell* you, so use with caution.

[Pseudonym]

I don't know, i've been asked twice recently with the eye to a genuine answer, where I have said not much and they have continued to stare at me waiting for me to expand upon my answer. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

That is odd.  Do you get the feeling that they already know what answer they're expecting, and just want you to confirm it?

[Pseudonym]

Nope.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Hmm.  Was it the same person both times, or two people from the same crowd -- or two random people?  And how well do you know them?

[Pseudonym]

No, no, and one person a stranger I met once before a year ago, one person I've known for twenty years. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

I give up.  Phase of the moon?

If it was people from your Meetup groups, I'd say they were trying really hard to Show Interest in You.

[Fantasy Lover]

I'd would say not much because it's just to hot to go outside.

[Carol the Dabbler]

37 minutes ago, Fantasy Lover said:

 

 

FL, maybe it's just my phone, but I don't see anything in your post. 

 

[Fantasy Lover]

It's not you, my phone acted weird and somehow I posted a message that contained nothing but symbols. So I deleted the text and was about to change it to something that made more sense. I just hadn't enough time and inspiration to edit it and you just saw my empty draft.

[Van Buren Supernova]

On 7/21/2018 at 5:36 AM, Pseudonym said:

Does anyone else find this question really hard to answer? 

"So, what have you been up to?"

It's always asked as if you should have an exciting answer on hand. Um, I've been working, sleeping, sometimes walking on the weekends. That's it. 

Over the years I have developed a system. Mainly because I don't really want to be too close to anyone new and people are way too curious to my liking.

So my normal answer is  "Staying alive." "Still alive." 

The first time I used it, it was relevant at work, not mainly in literal meaning, of course. Mostly people found it too weird to respond or laugh at that, although some have follow up question like "I mean how is your weekend" for example. For weekend question, I always reply "too short".

For work question "Same shit different day."

Anyway, those are followed up by exit strategy like moving somewhere or if trapped on the same room, I'do do something with very full concentration like staring at my coffee intently while stirring as if my life depends on it, then get surprised to see that they are still in the room when they start to talk again. But the most effective one was to turn around the questions, because people like to talk. So they could probably have shared the overall history of their great grandfather before asking me to elaborate my answer. It works most of the time.

 

Anyway, this is a contraption we could use.

 

[Arcadia]

I have nothing new to add, those seem like good strategies to me. I am curious, though … Pseud, what HAVE you been up to?  

[Van Buren Supernova]

I had stayed in number of hotels, and found a lot of annoying ones, and it's getting more common I suppose; the trend to use glass for bathroom wall.

Most of the time it is regular hotel, regular room (not honeymoon suite or something specific). Whatever happens to privacy?

Except one without door (I suspect it's the local habit) the rest are proper hotel with reputable chain.

There was one service apartment style (in a hotel) that housed four person, consist of living room, two bedrooms and two bathrooms, it was a huge but more like studio style (no walls), well, except bathrooms. I stayed there with three friends, we were two females, two males. We had bathroom beside out beds, so were the guys. I don't think it means that each bathroom served the respective bed area, because they have different fixtures. So ours came with bath tub, closet and long basin. The other came with standing shower, closet and outside basin. The problem is, our had glass wall, it was frosted glass but you could see all silhouette etc. We had to barricade it with towels, curtain. The other similar one where, again, four bedded room, but this was more like converted room from apartment, had glass wall, only with frosted part near the torso. So for shorter person you could see huha for taller person you could see tata. I mean, these were CLEARLY meant for four people, do they expect swingers or nudists?

For two person regular room, I had also encountered glass bathrooms, happened with apartment style (those room for longer stay with pantry, washing machine etc) and regular hotel. Again, you could be travelling with friend, and anyone else that you'd rather not showing yourself that way. Gah!

It happened more recently that it seems like modern hotels nowadays have the same idea. I get that it makes the room looks bigger but grrrr.

Below is at a dog friendly hotel from reputable chain. I'm close with my dog, but still....  how could I concentrate doing business...

And this is actually the decent example that the frosted part still manages to cover most of your torso, but not when you are sitting on the closet, which was the condition I was in taking these pics..

 

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Mercifully I've never yet encountered that.  What are they thinking?!  Even if it's a single room -- people often use their hotel room for business meetings or parties.  What if someone needs to pee?

Even when it's just Alex and me at home, I simetimes chase him out of the bathroom.  Don't think I'd care for a glass wall at all.

Do they at least make it easy to hang towels or whatever for privacy?

[Pseudonym]

5 hours ago, Arcadia said:

I have nothing new to add, those seem like good strategies to me. I am curious, though … Pseud, what HAVE you been up to?  

*clears throat* "Staying alive... barely."

When I was in uni halls of residence the first place was great, a self contained room and ensuite, very modern, though they were split into flats so there was one kitchen per four rooms. The second halls I stayed in, in a different uni with older facilities, you had to share a bathroom but you got your own sink and shower in your room. The shower was just a glass cubicle, which is fine when you're on your own but if you have anyone staying with you there was no privacy, I had a to buy a wooden fold out screen to put around it. 

 

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

When I was in college, I lived in the old dorm, where all the toilets and showers were in one room per corridor.  The toilets were in stalls, but the showers had glass doors, so we'd drape our towel or bathrobe over it.  If we were careful, they didn't get too wet.

But we were all girls, and used to running around in our underwear.  So I think the glass hotel bathrooms are way worse. 

[Pseudonym]

Definite brain fog today, can't seem to grasp anything.

[Van Buren Supernova]

20 hours ago, Pseudonym said:

*clears throat* "Staying alive...

And if the other person replies with.. "Stayin' alive! It's so boring, isn't it?

It's just...... staying."

 

Quick, hold on to your buttcheek and dangle him over the edge. I guess I wanted to say cheekbone, but oh well.

[Van Buren Supernova]

23 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

Do they at least make it easy to hang towels or whatever for privacy?

Nope they don't. We used anything we could, but kicking the other person out to the lobby is the best solution.