A co-worker recently intimated to me that she isn't big on befriending people at work. When I asked her why, she said you never really know who you can trust. In her experience, sometimes the last people you would expect to stab you in the back are the ones who do. I couldn't refute what she was saying because I have experienced it myself. Some people pretend to be nice -- to like you, to be your friend -- but when the opportunity arises, they sell you out without blinking, wholly inconsiderate of your feelings. Does this mean we should be cynical with everyone we come across? Of course not. What it means is that you shouldn't confide in them until you know for sure that they're trustworthy, and that includes: Not divulging information about your relationships, finances, or other personal matters that they can then use against you if things go sour. Not doing favors for them (at least not constantly) before you know whether they've got your back ...

It can be, at least in certain situations. Here's my take: I feel I get to know someone better on a one-to-one basis. Adding a third person to the equation can change the dynamics of the encounter considerably. A third person brings their own opinions and idiosyncrasies into the mix, some of which you may not find agreeable. That's not to say that three or four close friends can't have a great night out. They certainly can. But when you're getting to know someone, bringing another person into the picture can hamper your ability to get to know him or her on a more personal level. This also happens when you already know the person and would rather talk about certain things you both like and typically talk about -- whether sports, the news, or celebrity gossip. I've found that when it's a party of two, both people open up in ways they wouldn't with other people around, or they just act differently. For example, when we first started dating, I ne...

Most of us have been there: We unexpectedly run into an ex boyfriend or girlfriend in a public place -- be it the grocery store, gym, or dry cleaners. It can be hard figuring out what to do in such an awkward situation. Some people feel the urge to say "hi" and then go about their business, while others might feel compelled to ignore the person completely. I once ran into an ex girlfriend inside the library of a local college. I felt the need to be courteous, so I said "hello" and proceeded to sit at a table to catch up on my reading. I think most people in this situation would want to be polite, but they'd stop short of actually engaging the ex girlfriend or boyfriend in conversation. People might be afraid, and reasonably so, that chatting the person up might send the wrong signals, like a desire to be friends, or, worse -- to get back together! My recommendation is simple: Either greet the person, or pretend you didn't see your ex and just keep ...