Has there been something about a group of friends or co-workers lately that taught you something you didn't know before? Have you recently been surprised at someone's kindness? Did you bond with someone you didn't think you could be friends with?

Is there something in your life that constantly shows you new things?

-- Anonymous, October 01, 1999

Answers

I learned some really valuable things this week. First of all, when you're having problems with a roommate and his new girlfriend, having bitchy co-workers on your side can be a real tension reliever. I've lost track of the number of times these guys have made me laugh when I really wanted to cry.

Having a mom and a cousin on your side helps too.

I guess what it all comes down to is that I was in a really nasty situation with the potential for a lot of legal entanglements, and I learned who's really in my corner. I guess it shouldn't have surprised me, but it did.

Between my family and my friends, I learned that I can stand up for myself and really have it work out. (And if you want the whole sordid story, it's here.

-- Anonymous, October 01, 1999

I have learned that when comics think something is really funny then that means it will not be funny to "civilians" in the rest of the world. When comics think something is funny that should be a bright red flag saying "DANGER! ANYONE WHO IS NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF BEING FUNNY WILL NOT GET THIS!" Good comics are Dadaists at heart and prefer a violently negative reaction to no reaction at all. . . . . . . .

-- Anonymous, October 01, 1999

i have learned that a certain little bay pony is the key to curing my depression. i have learned to love my best friend's boyfriend, and he to love me, after getting over our mutual distrust of each other. he has since become one of my best friends. i have learned that the people who are majoring in studio art at my school have frequent bonding experiences when we have to pull all- nighters to get pieces done. i have learned that i really love reading "squishy" every day.

-- Anonymous, October 01, 1999

i learned that it snows in minnesota on the first of october, your best friends are right there when you're not even looking, and political science SUCKS if you happen to be an english major and a theater rat.

oh, and working on fridays leaves time for partying on saturdays and recovering on sundays.

-- Anonymous, October 01, 1999

I have learned, or rather, RE-learned not to catastrophize when a few things seem to be going "wrong" and that not everyone is a back- stabbing drama queen.

I had learned not to catastrophize (that is, run that movie in my head with all the bad endings based on a few situations not going as I'd like) a few years ago, after much soul-searching. After having had a very dramatic year (moving from California to NY, living in every borough of NY, moving 7 times, and the death of my father)...I had gone around the bend and been tying together every bad even from the past 18 months and living them all at once, at all times. That's a real suckhole.

My department at work gave an all-day presentation to the Marketing department and some Senior Executives and, besides a few snafus, it went rather well. Afterward, my boss came over to me with the most earnest look in his eyes and thanked me for all I did to help make it happen.

Though I'm on the books as a secretary, he gave me full credit for all the projects and technical things I do in front of this group and included my name along with the others who helped put the department together. Most assistants don't get that sort of credit, as a matter of course, so my opinion of my boss and my comfort level in the department and the company have grown ten-fold.

I had been thinking so much of the cut-throat reputation of NY business, that I forgot all about individuality and human potential.

-Erica

-- Anonymous, October 01, 1999

Wow, the lessons I've learned this week! My mom passed away last Sunday (my dad passed away Sept. 20, 1997). I've learned the things I really thought we're horrible things in my life really weren't that bad until these tradgedies happened. You have to say "Oh, well...life goes on". You're getting divorced? You're best friend said a horrible thing about you? You're sister is moving across the country? Oh, well...life's too short to be too caught up in this stuff. I've learned to be strong, not to let people walk on me, to tell the truth. I've learned my sister and three brothers are great people and when we pull together we can do anything. I've learned I have to grow up and act 29 years old. I've learned I can't depend on my parents anymore but then again you shouldn't count on anyone but yourself anyway. I could go on but......

-- Anonymous, October 03, 1999

I've learned that even though two people I love very much hate each other, that does not mean that I have to choose sides. Also, even if her last boyfriend was an idiot, that doesn't mean that my sister's current boyfriend can't be incredibly nice to me. Lingerie shops can yield the best and cheapest homecoming dresses. I do my best schoolwork when I'm pissed at my friends. No matter what the hell they do, the speech and debate team can always put me in a great mood.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 1999

I have learned that just because you've loved george clooney since his "facts of life" days.....doesn't mean his movies are any good and you should know better by now.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 1999

I just learned I got a new job at the place I interviewed at today! The Manager gave me a flyer and told me to make a web page that looked like that, and I made a table and approximated the hex colors, and the Consulting Firm just called to tell me they're signing a contract for me! My commute is a 15 minute train ride everyday, for a job coding HTML!

The Moral: good things happen to selfish people! Hee Hee Hee!

-- Anonymous, October 04, 1999

I learned that people who write letters to Oprah Really do get to be on the show! But I also learned that making one of those goofy tapes where you tell your story to Oprah in 30 seconds is not nearly as easy or as cheap as one would think!

-- Anonymous, October 05, 1999

I've learned in the past week the following:

Never ever take a design job without a contract.

That guy you've liked for months, but never really returned your ardor can still do something really sweet like buy you a going-away cake, and then get drunk at your house and fall asleep. :)

Don't go 80 miles an hour on the highway when you have a luggage bin on top of the car. It might blow off. (It didn't)

Meet new people whenever you can, and don't get lost on the way to meet them.

Take lots of pictures. A cross-country trip happens once (or, if you're me, twice) in a lifetime.

Hug your mother when she arrives at the airport with only one small suitcase so she can save room in your car.

Sing at the top of your lungs in the car, and yell at other drivers "get out of my way, I've got a long way to go!" and then laugh hysterically, because 3000 miles is funny.

Never ask your friends to take sides. No one ends up happy. (I didn't, but the other party did)

Sleep.

-- Anonymous, October 05, 1999

Working at the party store in my town, which is surrounded by lower class and income people, I have learned a lot. I have really learned to really not judge a book by it's cover. There are a lot of people that come into the store who are filthy and smell funny - but they are a hell of a lot nicer than most of my friends. That's sad. They don't take anything for granted and they enjoy the things they have. Which reminds me not to be so "materialistic" and to look at the love I have from friends and family and the fact that I have friends who care. It just makes things look a lot different.

-- Anonymous, October 05, 1999

I've learned not to take anything for granted and that people never fail to do so.

-- Anonymous, October 05, 1999

I've learned that when Pamie doesn't update for several days in a row, I go through severe withdrawal symptoms.

Oh, I also learned that living in suburbia without a car sucks.

-- Anonymous, October 05, 1999

It's more like... "Is there SOMEONE in your life that constantly shows you new things?"

After almost 20 years, I am constantly amazed by my two best friends. That I still enjoy every moment with them; miss them terribly when I don't see or talk to them regularly; that I am still able to learn something new about them after all of this time; for those reasons (and many others), I am totally in awe, and I love them both dearly.

-- Anonymous, October 05, 1999