resolved:

[coraa]

I'm swearing off all giving of unsolicited advice for Lent. (No, I'm not observant, but it's a useful timeframe.)

I'm doing it because I have discovered how incredibly bleeping annoying unsolicited advice is, and I need to recognize that, as helpful or useful as I think a particular nugget of insight (ha ha) is, to someone else, it might very well be the same kind of incredible bleeping annoyingness that I loathe.

For the sake of sanity, 'unsolicited advice' does not include, 'tonight it would be a good if you would do the dishes, dear,' because that's not advice -- it's an observation/reminder that I need the dishes done if I'm to cook dinner tomorrow. I can also offer solicited advice. However! If someone asks for advice on a topic, I can't offer adivce about a different-but-related topic. If they say "How can I save money buying meat?" I can say, "I save money with [meat-buying methods X, Y and Z]," but I cannot say, "I save money by eating more vegetables!" That's not what they asked. (And this is also a realm in which I get readily driven crazy: "How can I protect myself from [virus] on Windows XP SP3?" is not usefully answered by "Get a Mac!", and "How can I deal with [social problem caused by introversion]?" is not usefully answered by "Become an extrovert!" So I should avoid crazymaking others in the same way.)

We'll see how it goes.

Comments

[porfinn.livejournal.com]

Thus far, I have received no unsolicited advice from you so I'm not sure if you hand it out. Now I'm curious! And being contrary: I want advice! Personally, I throw the stuff around like Mardi Gras beads! Weeeee!

Who ever encouraged you to become an extrovert needs to squished into a magic lamp and kept there for a few hundred years. Why would you need to be extrovert? Why would anyone aspire to that? It is a very mediocre skill and only useful in very peculiar situations.

Good luck!

[donaithnen.livejournal.com]

"tonight it would be a good if you would do the dishes, dear"

That is not unsolicited advice. That is a politely worded COMMAND! And as long as such are being directed from a cute girl towards her SO (i'm kinda presuming jmpava thinks you're cute at least ;) then all is well with the world :) (Although clearly i have a couple of biases in that regard =)

I can't remember being bothered by unsolicited advice from you very often, but obviously i am not everybody, so i am not going to presume to comment on whether this is a good idea or not :)

[jmpava.livejournal.com]

tonight it would be a good if you would do the dishes, dear

Actually, it's even simpler then that. That's not advice, that's a very simple logical pathway: "The kitchen is too cluttered. Therefore, tonight would be a good time to do the dishes, because otherwise I will be unable to cook and you will get no food and starve, mwa ha ha."

[ceph.livejournal.com]

I feel compelled to concur with the other commenters in noting that I can't recall receiving very much unsolicited advice from you at all--but perhaps that is simply because I'm not very sensitized to it. Regardless, I shall certainly let you know if I notice you attempting to provide any this month.