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Someone compared my baby to a corgi. Did I overreact?

Clearly, this person is not familiar with the one simple rule of commenting on strangers’ babies, notes our Modern Guru.

  • Danny Katz

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Dealing with one-upmanship in conversation is fraught, but somewhat inevitable - especially where storytelling is involved.

Conversational one-upmanship gets me down. Is there anything I can do about it?

You cannot defeat a competitive one-upmanshipper, advises our Modern Guru. But if you’re faced with one, there’s a tactic you can use.

  • Danny Katz

How do I tell my mother she has terrible table manners?

See it as part of the role reversal that sees your parent doing all the things they told you not to do as a child, advises our Modern Guru.

  • Danny Katz
What is footy without lusty, operatic, gritty or sensual Dixieland trumpet tunes?

How do I convince my new partner to get a kick out of footy songs?

The combination of music and footy must result in the greatest of all human achievements – namely, the AFL club team song, advises our Modern Guru.

  • Danny Katz

Is it rude to keep listening to my podcast while my partner is talking to me?

In our ear-budded, double-screened, tech-distracted lives, sometimes we need to focus on just one thing, says our Modern Guru.

  • Danny Katz

Is it bad luck to throw out my old Bible?

Modern Guru hears your concern: most of us can, occasionally, be struck down with a chronic bout of the Just-In-Cases.

  • Danny Katz
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How do I ensure neighbours don’t think a house-guest’s thong-undies are mine?

If you can’t lower the Hills-Hoist to hide your laundry, our Modern Guru has an alternative suggestion.

  • Danny Katz

Am I being precious about how to use my tea towel?

Everyone should honour the tea towel, advises our Modern Guru, noting that its 18th-century origins did not embrace spill-blotting or fly-swatting.

  • Danny Katz

Should I hassle a fellow passenger to switch his phone to flight mode?

Yes, says our Modern Guru … unless the plane is already plummeting to the ground and people are texting their final goodbyes to loved ones.

  • Danny Katz

Help! My new partner doesn’t wash his hands after going to the toilet

You can’t be sure what he does in the bathroom, notes our Modern Guru: many activities may be going on behind that closed door.

  • Danny Katz