I’m absolutely crushed

Listen, sport, what you don’t understand is that you can be a great mechanic, but that doesn’t mean that you know SHIT about the race. Fact is, you’re gonna just carefully turn your corners, brake when you should accelerate, and stay in the pit when you could be circling those losers on two broken axles. Yeah, sure, you risk a little spinout once in a while. You just gotta get the car back straight and get in the race again. And yeah, you might crash. That’s why you wear a flame-retardant suit. And yeah, the fiery explosion might kill, maim, and injure all the fans, their children, burn all the small defenceless animals in the vicinity, and the resulting pollutants will likely give cancer to the staff & crew. But that’s what the insurance is for! And yeah, it’s expensive, but y’all got to get together and pool your money, or else people in the racing seat don’t get their trophies for winning, or exorbitant salaries as consolation prizes.

stole the joke right outta my thumbs

This is great, sometimes you need to have those solid, clear boundaries.

If you want to be somewhat “diplomatic,” what I’ll do is give a response depending from whom it comes from.

Not my boss: “please check with my boss to see if he wants me to drop anything to help you.”

my boss: “I’m doing x, y, and z. Which do you want me to drop so I can do this new task?”

Pasting dildos on top of snails? Aye, a good round of fun, but rather cruel for the little critters

Just guessing, but she probably felt hurt and rejected. Doesn’t matter how kindly you phrase it, her hopes and wants were built on fragile insecurity in the temperament of turbulent emotions. The slightest breeze of sincerity, no matter how warm, was all it took to break down her shelter of dreams. It left her naked and exposed to the elements of loneliness, within the closed borders of her skull - what chance did your kindness have when the envoys find themselves crashing upon walls, and her ears herald that they must be under attack?

I mean maybe you just said something really wacky but elsewise nah you’re fine

We are all Ken M’s waifu on this blessed day

Thank you. This post has haunted my brain on occasion over the years. I couldn’t remember the person’s reply, just the set-up and the joke. You have released me from my torment for the next two weeks until I forget again.

I’ve been pronouncing it all-e-glucky

“Hey, I was wondering if you could help me figure something out. I was really flattered by your invite the other day, but I’m not interested in dating right now. I enjoy your friendship and I don’t want to jeopardize it. Is there a way we can comfortably set boundaries without ruining that?”

IMO this way you let them know you’re interested in maintaining a relationship but at a friendship level. You demonstrate that you care about their feelings while clearly establishing the need for specific boundaries.