I upvote this very mature answer. If this Q does get closed, it has already got one very good answer. Is it possible the friend is sending a signal to OP by being "too busy to meet", not necessarily that the gift is an unwelcome advance, but that he does not feel like reciprocating the attraction? — English Student 1 min ago
12:14 AM
#12315 English Student (7557 rep) | A: what can I say to a friend who knows I bought an expensive gift for him months ago, but will not get together with me so I can give it to him? (score: 1) | posted 1 hours ago by Jon (547 rep)
4 hours later…
11 hours later…
3:06 PM
+1 for the next to last paragraph. With regard to your first two suggestions, I am not going to apologize to these people for anything. Nor am I going to be defensive. I am looking for an aggressive response that is not as aggressive as "if you don't like it, get out", which I have had to bite my tongue several times not to say. As for never inviting them, it is only once every year or so, and they are my husband's close relatives. — ab2 1 min ago
#12322 ab2 (3485 rep) | A: How to shut someone up while being only mildly offensive when they incessantly criticize my house? (score: 1) | posted 8 minutes ago by baldPrussian (9375 rep)
3 hours later…
Thank you for trying to help. I know very well where they are coming from: They criticize eveyone, not just me. Their way is the right way, period. I'm not going to make apologies about my house, especially in my own house, nor am I going to soft pedal my utter fed-up-ness. Thus your last suggestion is the only one I would use -- the others are, excuse me, I don't mean to be offensive to you, too mealey-mouthed. I really am on the verge of saying: If you don't like it, get out and don't come back. +1 for your last suggestion. — ab2 1 min ago
#12323 ab2 (3490 rep) | A: How to shut someone up while being only mildly offensive when they incessantly criticize my house? (score: 3) | posted 2 hours ago by Kate Gregory (15820 rep)
7:10 PM
#12327 person27 (101 rep) | A: How to shut someone up while being only moderately offensive when they incessantly criticize my house? (score: 1) | posted 49 minutes ago by Zebrafish (111 rep) | edited 37 minutes ago by Zebrafish (111 rep)
2 hours later…
8:57 PM
+1 I had to look up "throw a strop", and thought I had a question for English Language and Usage, but found this answer on World Wide Words. — ab2 1 min ago
#12328 ab2 (3495 rep) | A: How to shut someone up while being only moderately offensive when they incessantly criticize my house? (score: 2) | posted 32 minutes ago by RyanfaeScotland (241 rep)
1 hour later…
10:27 PM
#12315 Jon (579 rep) | A: what can I say to a friend who knows I bought an expensive gift for him months ago, but will not get together with me so I can give it to him? (score: 3) | posted 23 hours ago by Jon (579 rep)
« first day (344 days earlier) ← previous day next day → last day (213 days later) »
