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stranger.  Hey, there was no casket!  How could we have known? Still, how do you make a graceful exit after you've gone into a silent, tear-producing laughing fit?  That's awkward.
• Newly minted adults might try to keep up with Christmas and birthday cards, because that's what adults do, right?  If someone passed away that we actually knew, we understood that we should send a sympathy card.  But what if you sent a sympathy card to the husband of someone who, as it turned out, was healthy as a horse (and, by the way, still living)?  That's awkward.
• What if you hugged someone who didn't know about the three-second rule?  Is it rude to let go before the other person is done hugging?  Maybe, but it is definitely awkward.
• Awkward is needing to go to the bathroom while having a root canal.
• It's a mom helping her teenager shop for an athletic cup.
• And who knew that when someone says "You have a good one," it's a suggestion, not an observation.  Yeah, that's awkward.
• I think I may be allergic to being uncomfortable.  Typically, I turn red and start stuttering incoherently.  But, ironically, as much as I dislike feeling uncomfortable, if it weren't for awkward situations, I wouldn't have had 700 things to write about.
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• Laura Snyder is a nationally syndicated columnist, author & speaker.  You can reach Laura at lsnyder@lauraonlife.com Or visit her website www.lauraonlife.com for more info.