Happy Thanksgiving, Sparklers! And welcome to round two of our big, fat Round of Updates from letter-writers past. Because when you're stuffed to the gills and surrounded by relatives, there's no better precedent to your turkey coma than a few happy endings to other people's problems. Read on!
Our Sparkler with the sexist friend writes back to say:
So I took your advice, and I've started making it clear when I think he's being insulting. I don't think he's really changed his views very much, but I have explicitly told him not to say derogatory things directed at females in my presence, and he is slowly but surely putting a stop to it.
Success! Sort of! Yay! And this Sparkler also wants to assure us that, despite his disparaging attitude to fully half the population of the planet, her friend is an otherwise good guy with multiple redeeming qualities. (We'll take her word for it; personally, I still think he sounds like a bit of a butt trumpet.)
Meanwhile, our Mankler from "Tools Rush In" got in touch with the following update:
Thankfully, this whole ordeal calmed down a lot since I sent the letter. I don't actually hate her, it's just that the situation was a little frustrating at the time. Rejection stings, it's never cool. I'll admit that maybe the confusion was partially my fault, and this was a lesson in humility that I will be sure to learn from.
And also, for those of us (i.e. me) who were wondering, he also offered an answer to a much-debated mystery: I never called this guy "mister tool" out loud.
Too bad! That would have been hilarious.
Plus, another Mankler update: "Free, Clear, and College-Bound" decided to give it a go with the girl of his dreams, even though they were both off to college. And while it didn't work out as he'd hoped, he did score one for maturity by handling it like a motherfranking adult:
Things went pretty well and we were pretty happy! Even after I moved away we were still going strong. But then her financial aid situation for college got kinda screwed up so she ended up staying in our hometown, which would normally be a good thing because she could still go to the community college and she'd be closer to where I lived. Sadly, that wasn't what she had in mind. It turns out that she wanted to be a housewife the whole time and just went to college because she felt pushed to go. So after a week or two after hearing this news, I decided to break up with her because our interests were headed separate ways.
And our sad Sparkler, who was guilt-ridden after learning that her former classmate had committed suicide, wrote back to thank us (and you!) for the support and sweet comments:
It did make me feel a little better, and even more importantly, I think I can look at myself honestly now and be more open about my faults that I need to change, and how I can be different in the future.
We're proud of you!
And finally, y'all, we heard back from our friendless college freshman, who says:
I will definitely start taking your advice, in the meantime I shall channel my depression into my art, as Van Gogh did, just without the self-mutilation.
Um, yes, please. Leave the self-mutilation OUT. And in the meantime, we're going to see if we can't help our lovely interfriend connect with some fellow Sparklers at her school! So if any of you attend Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA, holler at us—we're going to plan you the best meetup ever.
Which of these updates if your favoritest favorite? Tell us in the comments! And to get advice from Auntie, email her at advice@sparknotes.com.
Related post: Who Loves Updates? WE Love Updates!
Topics: Advice
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