What is the question you dread the most?

1. 68

   Rosie2010posted 13 years ago

   What is the question you dread the most?
   
   I hate it when someone asks me "How old do you think I am?"  I am not good in guessing people's ages.  What if I say 50 and the person is only 40.. OMG! that would hurt the person's feelings and I certainly don't want to do that.. so I try to guess wildly off.  What about you?

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2. 72

   theseusposted 13 years ago

   I guess the most dreadful question that one can ask me at this time is "Are you ready now to see your bestfriend die?". Dreadful because I don't think that I can ever be ready.

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3. 54

   David.Reedposted 13 years ago

   "So why were you off work last week?" (from Manager to Me when I've just pulled a sicky!)

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4. 59

   Right On Timeposted 13 years ago

   "Do I look good in this" when they look...anything but good...in what they are wearing in the shop. What can you say? I don't want to lie but I don't want to hurt their feelings. So often I say, "wow" something in a cool kinda way which isn't actually a compliment but sounds nice.

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5. 64

   tenordjposted 13 years ago

   when i'm asked how someone looks in something. I always try to be courteous and compliment them, even when I think otherwise. I have never liked to try to judge what others like as long as they like it thats what matters.

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6. 71

   Darknlovely3436posted 13 years ago

   Are you pregnant again?, I know that i have a  little fat around the waist line, however, stop asking me that question.(

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7. 61

   Gaylyposted 13 years ago

   What do you feel? One wrong answer and everything will change.

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8. 60

   Ashantinaposted 13 years ago

   "..you don't have any kids??"
   .........they expect every black woman by age 21 to have at least one or three by then!

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9. 0

   Butch Newsposted 13 years ago

   I've racked my brains and haven't been able to come up with anything.  I get asked a lot of questions because of my internet presence.
   
   Yesterday a 14 year old asked me on one of my websites about an itchy scalp and some sores on their head and they were afraid to tell their parents because it might be bed bugs.  I assured them it didn't sound like bed bugs and some likely causes.
   
   It's very difficult getting those kinds of questions from a complete stranger who is a kid online and who doesn't want to talk to their parents.  Very difficult because you want to encourage them to seek help but don't know how to deal with the parent situation.  They didn't say what country they lived in but I gave them the Canadian Kids Help Phone number.
   
   I get questions about cameras that take a lot of work to answer but I usually try even if I have to do some research.
   
   And I get asked questions about physics that are sometimes over my head but usually try to give it a shot.
   
   I guess with more than a dozen web sites I'm open to questions and just deal with it.

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10. 59

    Jaymeyarochposted 13 years ago

    When someone asks me how old I think they are my answer is invariably, "18.  Give or take a day."
    
    It always makes them smile.
    
    The question I dread the most is, "Are you OK?"
    
    What seems like an innocent question about the status of someone's well-being actually contains several properties of assumption and insinuation.
    
    By asking me you are doing several things:
    First you are indicating that I am in a state that is not 'ok' and therefore invalidating your question from the beginning.  Whatever external stimulus prompted the asking of the question can reasonably be construed as evidence of one 'not being ok.'
    Second you are indicating that I am incapable of recognizing this particular state that lacks my well-being, and thus indicating that I am incapable of a plethora of other things, including personal maintenance.
    Third the question is too general to be polite, creating a lack of commitment in its asking and a lack of commitment to doing anything if the answer is averse.
    Fourth, as part of the third bit, is that because of its generality this question is a terror to answer.  If you say 'yes' then you are lying, and that is wrong, and if you say 'no' you may be leaving yourself open to being ignored, hurt again, or worse, helped by someone you didn't want to help you.
    
    Of course, that is just my interpretation of the question, and I fully recognize that at any time the person asking it could be genuine and sincere in their commitment to helping the person in question.
    
    I just feel that it is very unlikely that I know any of those good people.

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11. 0

    surlyoldcatposted 13 years ago

    "Does this make me look fat?"
    
    The surest way to either getting your face smashed with a foreign object, an emotional eruption, or the cold shoulder for several days.

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12. 61

    perfectperceptionposted 13 years ago

    I hate when a guy asks "Can I be your special friend?", after I've already told him I'm taken. lol! What is that?

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13. 81

    kallini2010posted 13 years ago

    Well, well, well.  Apparently we lack communication skills. Innocent/loaded questions frighten us and we had no idea how to handle them.  "It's better to lie than give some honest (?) opinion".
    
    I am not saying I am better.  I used to overreact to the phrase "You are beautiful!"  And that it is not a question.  It just made me so uncomfortable.  Somebody helped me with this simple scenario.  Once memorized, comes to mind and mouth automatically without anguish.
    
    "You are beautiful!"
    
    1. Thank you. (Acceptance)
    2. I know. (Dismissal)
    3. Go jump in the lake. (Extreme cases).
    
    We need to pinpoint our the most dreaded questions and stop agonizing every time they are asked.  That is my opinion, anyway.
    
    When I was younger (in my teens), there was a question that could not be answered.
    
    "Are you in love with such and such?"
    
    If you say "yes", it is a confirmation, but if you say "no" it's a dead giveaway!
    
    So, "Are you in love with such and such?"
    
    1. Yes
    2. No
    3. Maybe
    4. None of the above.
    5 All of the above.
    6. Does it matter?
    
    "Your question makes me uncomfortable, so pick the answer yourself."  "No, I would not buy that dress, it is not  really flattering, but it is your decision."
    
    "I am not OK, thank you for asking, but I think I can handle it."  Can I?

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14. 93

    Faceless39posted 13 years ago

    Why don't you eat meat?  It seems like a simple enough question, but 1) I don't like to proselytize, 2) I consider it a serious subject that can't be answered glibly, and 3) It's a boring subject.

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15. 61

    LABrashearposted 12 years ago

    How about "You got a minute to talk?" or "Can we talk?"  Those are never good conversations!

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