It keeps the conversation moving.

This is One Thing, a column with tips on how to live. Years ago, I wrote an arsenal of quippy one-liners that I keep tucked away in my mind to help prevent myself from oversharing or overreacting—reactions that can be satisfying in the moment but that I know I’ll come to regret. If a friend of a friend asks, “Can I borrow money?” or worse, “How much money do you make?” I never discuss financial matters after 3 p.m./before dark/without my accountant present. As a pronounced extrovert, I crave conversation with others, yet I marvel that people think they’re owed private information all the time. This slant puts me back in charge and lets the person on the receiving end know they’ve crossed into personal territory without shaming them or letting the conversation wilt.