Wait.
What?!?
When?

Also, as a child there was a radio interview with some linguist who pointed out that in NZ an upper middle class British accent is listened to with more respect.

Guess what accent I use when public speaking &/or in a role of authority?

Huh.
Hadn't clocked that this was an ĂûDHD thing.
I'd assumed it was an "I'm an immigrant ESOL" thing.

Took a bit of workshopping to get the right balance of
I'm happy to be at home alone without causing possible upset / offence.

I love my parents in law.

Given a choice between spending time with them or my own parents, it's a no-brainer.
My in laws win Everytime!

e.g. Coparent suggested I indicate to my MIL that I am OK with not joining the family on Christmas day for Christmas dinner, because our dogs have never been left at home alone, and they can't come with us, so I'm staying home with them.

Sometimes I wonder if I *should* be feeling bad about something.

OTOH I feel deeply about things others don't seem to give a flying **** about, so I figure it mostly balances out

And mentally rehearsing possible conversations

Especially if they're important & I know I'll be uncomfortable

& don't want to be accused of being too sensitive when I have a mini meltdown (crying) because it's so hard for me to have that conversation

Or just repeating past conversations to check you didn't miss a vital clue in what was said... Up to decades after the conversation