I'm really terrible at being charming. And I can feel it on my face—every single social mistake, all the awkward phrasing, and every negative reaction to my pitiful attempts at being “comfortable.”

Why am I so bad at relaxing around people? I try to be welcoming, calm, and pretty much as “light” as possible, but it all feels so mechanical when the act is set in motion. The pitch in my voice raises a bit too high when I say, “have a nice day.” I can't find the strength to return the...

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T.v. Games shows - My mother was watching television yesterday, so I sat down on our living room couch for a while (even though I hate t.v.) just to spend time with her. Within a few minutes, I was already cringing. I asked her, “Don't these game shows make you feel depressed?” She just looked at me, “no, that's weird,” also granting me an additional eyebrow raise in case I somehow missed her point—that no, one should not feel depressed watching pitiful game shows of indeterminable generation. But...

My Dearest Voyeurs,

     When people ask me, “Are you okay?” I give the same generic answer: “I’m fine, don’t worry about me.” Like a firefighter who coughs himself to sleep at night is okay—he means that he’s alive, which is all that matters to the person asking anyway. We count casualties, check vital signs, “You okay?” awaiting a nod for confirmation—“I’m fine,” but you’re not really fine and you know it. Not everyone is a professional though. Not everyone has the etiquette of their

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