My advice column has been a little slow lately. (Maybe it’s the weather…most people are too hot to think about interpersonal problems!) As I wait for my own mail, I’ll recommend an online advice columnist I like. I’ve linked to her before, but she’s worth another look: Emily Yoffe, a.k.a. Prudence (or “Prudie”), the advice columnist for slate.com. Here’s her latest column.

Prudie sometimes rubs me the wrong way. She can be a little rough on people. But for the most part her thoughts are insightful, and I resonate with her moderate but firm take on things. For example, she corresponded recently with a group of office workers who pitched in for an expensive baby-shower gift for a co-worker, and felt miffed when they didn’t receive thank-you notes from her. I agree with Prudie: someone should tell the co-worker how her colleagues feel, and encourage her to acknowledge their generosity. Later in the column, another reader writes Prudie to say that if the co-workers were really giving a gift, they wouldn’t expect to be thanked. That sounds good: I often think that what people call “gifts” are really economic transactions, social behaviors that are performed precisely because they are reciprocal. Even so, a thank-you card is always, always, always a good idea. Whether you’re late or not, and whether you think you need to or not, you can’t go wrong when you drop someone a note that says “thank you.” And if you’re a co-worker who just wants a little gratitude, that’s not out of line.

Anyway, Prudie’s pretty good. Check her out!

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