Ask Amy: Teen besties might not be a good match
The word “nibling” first appeared in this column in 2014.
This term is helpful if you don’t know the gender, don’t want to designate gender, or are referring to a group of people in the “nibling” category. Compared to other detailed and inclusive descriptors, “nibling” is also an efficient space-saver, which is always welcome in a column with constraints, such as this one.
Dear Amy: “Big Tipper” said that if you can’t afford a 20 percent tip, you shouldn’t go out to eat – and you agreed!
Really, you are saying that I can’t ever go out to eat if I can’t give a big tip?
My waitress mother would rather have the joy of meeting new people for a minimal tip than have the restaurant close because there are no patrons.
No, it's not generous, its entitled.
– Ready to Dine Out
Dear Ready: A few people called this my Marie Antoinette moment, but in my opinion (having been a waitress), the joy a restaurant worker receives from “meeting new people” is cold comfort, compared to compensation.
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(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
©2021 Amy Dickinson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
