I'm joining the entire Red Room community in writing a short blog post on this week's trio of topics: "Sex, Religion, and/or Politics." The form and the content of the blog entry are open to personal interpretation--you can blog about one or any combination of these subjects. We'll choose at least one of these blogs to be featured on Red Room's homepage next week, and we'll choose three blog writers to receive free books from Red Room Authors. Submit your blog entry by Friday at 10:30 a.m. PDT [GMT-0700] for consideration. Be sure to tag the entry with the keyword term "SRP” so we can find it.

When it comes to modern etiquette, merely speaking about sex, religion, or politics isn't a problem--even at the dinner table. (Looking back on recent enjoyable dinners with friends, I can say that either sex or politics was the topic more than half the time.) In fact, these topics can be politely discussed in just about any context.

It's the politely part that causes a problem for a lot of people. But if you (a) can handle disagreements without making personal attacks, (b) know when and how to "agree to disagree" even if it means letting someone else have the last word, and (c) avoid both mean-spirited gossip and broadly offensive language, you're certainly mature enough to let your conversations range far and wide, even into touchy subjects.

That is, except for the topics on this list. I don't want to see or hear about any of these things at my next dinner party.

Charles's New Dinnertime Taboos

1. Past incidences of food poisoning
2. Gastrointestinal problems in general (especially stories that involve vomiting)
3. PowerPoint
4. Your gym routine and gyms in general
5. Leeches
6. Any activity that typically occurs in a bathroom
7. Transformers (unless you're seated at the children's table)
8. Professional sports (exceptions will be granted in some cases, such as tennis and ice skating, as long as the conversations do not exceed 10 minutes)
9. Foods you hate
10. Burning Man
11. Slasher movies
12. The film Forrest Gump
13. Housework
14. NASA
15. Graphically medical situations
16. Jingling car keys
17. Musical cell-phone ring tones
18. Especially "Ode to Joy" (see number 17)
19. Michael Savage
20. Canned peas
21. Shark attacks

I'll add to this list as I think of new things I don't want at my dinner table--and don't get me wrong; many of these things are just fine with me in other contexts.

Do you have any suggestions for me? What are your dinnertime taboos?