Thanks, you gave me things to think about.

ita, that's the thing: I don't want to be rude. If I wanted to attack them in anyway, I'd say "no, I have a girlfriend" and watch them twist in their seats, but... I know they're not doing this to piss me off. It seems like a legitimate question, but God help me, I can't understand WHY it is.

Or I'll go with the usual sharp deadly "no", or with the "yes/no" through out the evening, so no one will know.

Arrg, weddings.

Thanks for asking, but I generally don't discuss these matters.

Oh, I hope that will help. Though knowing Israelis, automatically the next question will be "why?" and it will look like I ran in order not to answer it.

"So, do you have a boyfriend?"

"His wife hates it when I call him that!"

You might want to go with something more like Wolfram suggested, although I always preferred a dodge, "Thanks for asking! What's [name of asker's husband/child/etc] these days?" because then they get distracted answering your more open ended question.

I don't have the energy to deal with "So, do you have a boyfriend?" questions in the wedding I'm going to today.

Any suggestions to answers that will imply people, who I don't necessarily dislike, that this is not their business?

I don't want to be rude.

Oh. So that excludes "I KEEELLL YOU!" while brandishing a steak knife.

You could just try bursting into tears. Pretty soon word would get around and nobody would ask you ever again.

Thanks, MiracleMan. I needed the laugh.

I don't know, Shir. I suggest a simple, "No." And a bright smile. The less information you give, the better. It also helps if you immediately change the subject to something you know they like to discuss.

Without this guy and the announcement of Favorite Band of Mine on dates in Israel yesterday, I'd send the world to its fiery oblivion.

Oh well, back to work now. Where's my coffee IV?

Shir is Israeli Shrift! This could get confusing.

I don't have the energy to deal with "So, do you have a boyfriend?" questions in the wedding I'm going to today.

I usually laugh and say "No, do you know anyone nice?" Which depending on the person asking, I guess, could end up with them trying to awkwardly set you up. Whenever I've done the person asking would get confused and change the subject.

I'm leaving at 4 for vacation!!! If they'd only stop jackhammering outside my office I could concentrate and get this doc finished that REALLY needs to be done before I leave.

I don't know, Shir. I suggest a simple, "No." And a bright smile.

Thing is, that does little to imply it's none of their business.

I tend to verge on the ruder side and roll my eyes with a bit of a reproachful smile, since I don't want to satisfy what I consider inappropriate curiosity.

Thing is, that does little to imply it's none of their business.

I don't often smile brightly, so when I do, it tends to make people nervous.

I've mostly trained my family not to ask if I'm seeing anyone. Weirdly enough, it's my father who keeps asking if I'm dating. I have no idea why my lack of a boyfriend dismays him so. I suspect he's a little too old-fashioned for his own good.

my family knows I wqould tell them if I was serious with anyone, also that I have no time. Anyone in my family who forgets the above, gets something along the lines of "good God no".

Strangers or not close friends - they would get a puzzled look hopefully conveying the lack of acceptability in the inquiry, then probably a laugh and "with what time?".