Katharinemaddison

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

You just have such weirdly strong emotions about conversations over meal times.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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And as I said I’ve lived with the same person for nearly twenty years with no issues. I personally like to give my full attention both to eating and talking. Food does get cold if you get caught up in a conversation.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Talking during a meal is not compulsory in order to live - or even live sociably with someone. Which is what your first comment to me said it was. This is because society is made up of a variety of people which includes many people who can’t or just don’t want to talk during meals.

Why are UK hotels not luxurious?

Posted by Three_Two_One_Minus@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 45 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

One time I was staying nearby a hospital because my partner was having surgery, it got pushed so I had to book another night in a different room but I appreciated the uniformity of the set out and the Unitarianism of the place because I literally just wanted a base to get back from the hospital to and it did the job.

Why are UK hotels not luxurious?

Posted by Three_Two_One_Minus@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 45 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

The mattresses are good to be fair.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I am so sorry you have to deal with that. I do have hyper mobility which I have to be careful of and a tendency towards foot blisters which means that whilst, no, I don’t know how you feel exactly, I have an inkling and I’m so sorry you’ve dealt with those responses.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I (think) I see what you did there.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I’ve been discussing that the preference I have has reasons behind it that other people might share for the same or for other reasons. You like to talk whilst you eat, I merely suggested reasons why people not you might not. And yet still enjoy social interactions. OP’s boyfriend is very clearly toxic I agree.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Anyone who lives with a person would understand whether or not they actually despise their conversation or just don’t like talking during a meal - and also, in OP’s defence if it was a personal eating preference would make that clear rather than declaring ‘boring’.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

It wasn’t, for example, obvious to me that you hadn’t misread the word dyspraxia or knew that they were different conditions.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

You’re saying context informs meaning?

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Sounds tough. I hadn’t heard of that. My own danger is as banal as food down my chin or a fork in my face. honestly though whatever the commenter above says there are so many unusual people like us that people shouldn’t judge people for not approaching meals they are, through their own specific physical state, able to do for being abnormal and socially maladjusted. I do wonder if some people are only collected together with their household/ family/ friends for the purpose of eating and that’s why the sociability of a meal in terms of conversation is so important to them. .

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Not clearly before your edit.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I wasn’t talking about dyslexia.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

It’s simple manners to talk with your mouth full?

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

It’s not the norm for all people with dyspraxia. It is the norm for some people without it. Stop expecting bang average to be universal.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Incidentally dyspraxia affects around one in fifteen children.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

What naked me abnormal? This is actually a close subject of mine. In education I’m a great advocate for presenting a variety of study methods because people without diagnosable learning disabilities/difficulties/differences might not find the bang average study skill guidance helpful. So too in other areas. The human brain is diverse in nature. Let people eat and talk as they like unless it’s from the skulls of their enemies. And let’s also avoid ‘people shouldn’t do x - obviously I don’t mean disabled/difficultied/different people’ in discourse.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I d said elsewhere I might lack a multitasking ability, not least regarding coordination. I’m very one thing at a time but full attention. Having dyspraxia I’m very aware of the process of praxis and the mental energy involved in turning thought into movement (which is what praxis means) and being somewhat intense I easily loose track of one task when involved of another. We in our house make a point of spending the evening together. If we watch something we often pause for conversation. Or we post music in the background and just talk. Or we do a jigsaw or something. Conversation is a big part of the evening because that’s the shared time. Just, in our case, not while eating.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I just like to focus on what I’m doing. Be that eating or talking.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I do like to focus on food especially when it’s good though. I might just lack a multitasking capacity, especially regarding coordination though.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I could as easily say that as I like giving someone my full attention when they’re speaking and become so interested in a conversation that it’s really not comparable with paying much attention to my food. Conversations aren’t just comforting noise to me, food isn’t just fuel for my body, so I attend to each in turn rather than looking at my plate and cutlery whilst I’m being told something or getting so caught up in a story I’m telling that my food gets cold. But I don’t actually think meal time conversers appreciate either food or conversation less than me. I’m a little weird about food temperature (I blister my mouth regularly) and have shocking coordination (dyspraxia). I do think that some people enjoy talking whilst eating and others don’t. And, to return to the post, calling someone burning is rude but expecting a full conversation from someone who doesn’t enjoy eating and talking isn’t reasonable either.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I’ve lived with my partner going on twenty years. We chat, we eat dinner, then we chat again. Works absolutely fine for us. But food does go cold and I like it actually hot. So I eat it as soon as it’s done.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Yeah that’s nonsense. You like with someone, see them every day, eat at least nine meals a week with them and it’s got to be a conversation every time? When we watch tv we pause sometimes either to discuss what we’re watching or we remembers something. We talk whilst we’re walking the dogs and driving somewhere and plenty of occasions. But for meal times I prefer hot food not to be lukewarm, not speaking with my mouth full nor seeing the food in other people’s mouths. Before and after, fine, but not during.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I get that. I do like hot food to be hot not lukewarm and don’t like talking with my mouth full or seeing other people do it - I think I’m glad I don’t live somewhere we’re mealtimes are such social occasions. But you’re right that people do need to make an effort talk to each other at home. At least at other times.

Is it ok in British culture for people to stay silent while eating together?

Posted by Sufficient_Act_24@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 598 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I mean some people are just tired and want to eat their dinner. I don’t see every meal as a social occasion. But saying op was being boring was wrong.

What "cereal" is served in a Full English Breakfast?

Posted by johannisbeeren@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 233 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

The only place cereal - well oatmeal - has in a full English is in a black pudding. However maybe so porridge. That is a breakfast food.

Would the dress I have fit into day dress dress code in the uk?

Posted by AdUnlikely2600@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 505 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

More a practicality - what is the material like? I wear dresses and top-shirt combos with this much coverage in summer because I’ve found that for me bare skin is not a way to stay cool. But even so this looks a little warm.

Is it inappropriate to walk to the shop in a bikini top?

Posted by KeyYam3564@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1414 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

There’s been autumn winter and spring sun. We just don’t live in a hot sun all year round country. We’d have had more sun in the winter had it been colder.

Is it inappropriate to walk to the shop in a bikini top?

Posted by KeyYam3564@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1414 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

We’ve had sun over autumn winter and spring. This late spring is very summer-like but let’s not pretend it’s a rip off that high summer has just arrived in late May/

Is it inappropriate to walk to the shop in a bikini top?

Posted by KeyYam3564@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1414 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

A loose thing top is better but it kind of kills me to see women ask if it’s ok if they just have the nipple area covered whilst we’re in the season of wall to wall naked male torso. Not that I’m advocating for not covering the nipple area. Just because where you want sun burn…

UK Heatwaves - do you love them or loathe them?

Posted by Chocolateforlunch37@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1298 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Me too.

Is it OK to refer to women as girls in the UK?

Posted by Fun-Injury9266@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 869 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I think if in the same context you’d say boys, or girls and boys it’s fine.

If I said "next Friday", would you understand that to mean the upcoming Friday (22nd May) or the following one (29th May)?

Posted by perishingtardis@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 139 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

The following. This Friday is this coming Friday. Next Friday is next Friday week.

What do I do about our pest seagull?

Posted by SoulTormented@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 131 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Could you just give him some leftovers from your own food? Seagulls are pretty brutal about ignoring their young once they reach a certain age. Poor gull’s for trauma.

Do you wash your clothes after every single wear, or do you rewear some items before washing? What’s your rule for workwear, hoodies, gym clothes?

Posted by Extreme-Banana-9@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 126 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I wear dress shields etc to get more wears out of my nicer clothes.

Why are run-on sentences more acceptable in British English?

Posted by Icy_Mixture1482@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 368 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

This person Victorian novels.

What are your favourite Golden syrup recipe ideas?

Posted by WhatThisGirlSaid@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 81 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Oh yeah - made out of oats and butter and golden syrup, baked and cut a bit like brownies. I think you use the word for a kind of pancake?

What are your favourite Golden syrup recipe ideas?

Posted by WhatThisGirlSaid@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 81 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

The answer.

You have bought a nightclub. What are you naming it ?

Posted by JohnnyOneLung@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 312 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Puzzles.

How long does a "leftover curry" last in your household?

Posted by Lps4thewin@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 110 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Next day breakfast.

How often do you see people asking for the service charge to be removed?

Posted by tmr89@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 240 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Yes I think sometimes the thing with social media is that we started seeing writing that was more like speech than we’re used to. Text messages first possibly, especially when they could get longer.

How often do you see people asking for the service charge to be removed?

Posted by tmr89@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 240 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Staring at the fee meter and hoping it’ll come to enough under a tenner so you can just say ‘keep the change’ without hunting for coins…

How often do you see people asking for the service charge to be removed?

Posted by tmr89@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 240 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Yup. My parents and my grandparents used to tip ten, fifteen for really good service.

Is it ok to ask for a service charge to be removed from the bill at a restaurant?

Posted by emzeebub@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 205 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Yeah it’s always been when the bill is paid by card we’d all put in some cash for the tip. Which is apparently still the best way to do it for the tipee.

Is it ok to ask for a service charge to be removed from the bill at a restaurant?

Posted by emzeebub@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 205 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

Thank you! Feel like I’m going mad sometimes.

Is it ok to ask for a service charge to be removed from the bill at a restaurant?

Posted by emzeebub@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 205 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I mean ripping between ten and fifteen percent at a restaurant or saying ‘get one for yourself’ at a pub isn’t brand new. People even used to tip servants of houses where they were staying. It’s less ingrained and is seen more as a bonus than making up part of the wage though.

Is vaping really considered 'giving up smoking'?

Posted by chupamina@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 673 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

No it feels slightly burny in a not unpleasant way (I guess for one still missing vaping) but nothing lingering. My mental state actually improved when I started smoking. Smoked for ten years vaped I think slightly longer than that so the habit side of it is a little hard to get past. I’ll actually forget about the spray sometimes and then realise why I feel weird. Going on for two months though.

Is vaping really considered 'giving up smoking'?

Posted by chupamina@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 673 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

I switched from cigarettes to vapes and then recently from vapes to nicotine spray. I’m not fussed about giving up nicotine itself.

As a Britsh person what kind of time frame are you thinking when you use the phrase 'the other day'?

Posted by mrjonnyt@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 302 comments

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Katharinemaddison@reddit

The literal other day is a few or a day ago. The metaphorical/hyperbolic other day can be any time ago. It either means just now or it feels like just now.