Sure, it's hard. And yeah, sometimes I get defensive, especially when I'm convinced I'm right. (Which is more often than not. Just ask my boyfriend.) But if I've done something wrong or misunderstood someone, I don't have a problem admitting it — and trying to improve the situation.

So when a student employee didn't get paid for two weeks of work last semester — due, mostly, to a misunderstanding on my part — I admitted my failure and tried to fix the situation.

He's getting paid, albeit late. But this was part of the response I got from him after I sent him a sincere apology and told him how much our staff had enjoyed working with him, even if just for two weeks:

are you freakin' serious? you MISUNDERSTOOD? my goodness, when you don't understand what's going on or you don't hear back from someone you CHECK goddamnit ... you are BY FAR the STUPIDEST, LAZIEST woman i have EVER met!

Here's what I don't understand: what's the point of responding this way? Why be rude?

Sadly, this isn't uncommon. I've heard stories from other instructors, from journalists, from lawyers, from business owners, from waitresses — all of whom complain about rude remarks made by people who aren't happy with something, from bad customer service to a seemingly slated story in yesterday's newspaper.

While I think people should voice their opinions and dissatisfaction about the way they've been treated, let's say, there's got to be a better, more productive way than by being rude.

Or am I wrong?

***

Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@thecatdish.com.

But lately the commercials have been disappointing to say the least.

And this year wasn't an improvement.

Sure, the game itself was thrilling. The New Orleans Saints rallied to upset the favored Indianapolis Colts, 31-17, to capture the franchise's first Super Bowl title.

But the commercials — which, let's face it, are usually the big draw during the game — wasn't that memorable.

Sure, there were a few, namely the one for hosting network CBS with David Letterman complaining about being at the "worst Super Bowl party ever." In a surprising twist, the screen widens to reveal Oprah Winfrey and Jay Leno as guests to said party. Clever.

Another was a "Simpsons" ad for Coca-Cola, in which the townspeople of Springfield rally around C. Montgomery Burns after he goes broke.

The Wall Street Journal liked, among others, the Snickers ad featuring a battered Betty White.

So what did you think about the commercials? Seen better? Good enough? Which ones stood out? Or did the game overshadow anything that happened during the timeouts?

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To see more Super Bowl commercials, check out the NFL's Web site.

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Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@thecatdish.com.

Now — with this chilly weather, variable winds and intermittent rain — eating gelato or frozen yogurt isn't on the top of my to-do list.

Except I crave it. And even in last night's sub-zero temperatures — OK, maybe it was about 75 degrees — I convinced the boyfriend to accompany me to Milano Freezer in Manoa Marketplace.

Outside Milano Freezer, which opened last summer.

I wasn't the only one hungry for gelato. Even an hour before closing, there was a line of customers.

Unlike other frozen yogurt places — I'm talking Yogurtland and Orange Tree — Milano Freezer also boasts gelato, the popular Italian frozen treat that has a lower fat content than ice cream. (It tends to have more sugar, though, which is good for me.)

Best part? All the gelato is made in-house. That ensures freshness and quality control. Sweet!

A dad and his two kids check out the gelato display case, which is always tempting.

Milano Freezer features gelato flavors such as amaretto, pistachio, coconut and lemon ice.

You can buy fro-yo and gelato in either 20- or 32-ounce containers, too.

And even cooler than that are the gelato sandwiches.

What I like about Milano Freezer — aside from the great customer service — is that everything here, from fro-yo to smoothies — are made with fresh ingredients every day. And the flavors change, too. Some days it offers passion fruit gelato. Other days it has latte-flavored fro-yo. You just never know.

Here are yesterday's flavors.

I'm a big fan of the chocolate gelato, which I like to top with mini M&Ms ($3.75 for a small 6-ounce cup, 75 cents for one topping).

The boyfriend tried two flavors: caramel and tirimisu, topped with Almond Roca.

I sampled the not-too-tart plain fro-yo topped with the new strawberry tapioca. A great combination!

In addition to candy toppings, Milano Freezer has a nice selection of fresh fruits and nuts. And for your die-hard mochi ball fans, they've got that, too.

The gelato here is smooth and perfectly sweet. Even the passion fruit flavor, which I had expected to be either too tart or too sweet, was nicely balanced.

I wound up getting chocolate gelato again — it was out of chocolate fro-yo — with pieces of white, chocolate and red velvet cake and fudge syrup. It was decadent — and the mini M&Ms were a little bit of an overkill. But I was happy.

It probably makes more sense to eat these tasty frozen treats when the weather isn't so chilly. But then again, when is it ever a bad time to eat great gelato?

Milano Freezer, Manoa Marketplace, 2752 Woodlawn Dr. (Also in the Westridge Shopping Center in 'Aiea) Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Phone: 988-7744. Follow on Twitter @milanofreezer or check out the blog Milano Freezer Hawaii.

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Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@thecatdish.com.

(The one that hurt the most was when Kimuraya Bakery and Suzuki Japanese Restaurant on Koko Head Avenue both closed in 2008. I still think about those glazed donuts.)

Every time I hear about yet another local business closing, I wince. It hurts. I feel like a part of my past — my childhood, my memories — is disappearing.

That's how I felt when I heard that Hungry Lion Coffee Shop in Nu'uanu served its last meal on Tuesday.

For 27 years, this throwback coffee shop served up local-style dishes like loco mocos, oxtail saimin, ginger pork, chopped steak, katsu curry and, of course, the June Jones special (fried rice with Spam, corned beef hash, Portuguese sausage and two eggs).

I loved this place. Not just because of the local-style food. But this place opened late — 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays — and became a frequent late-night spot for my friends and me. (Plus, who didn't love that banyan tree?)

According to The Advertiser, Hungry Lion had about eight years left on its lease but fell behind and was eventually evicted by Walgreens, which bought the aging shopping center in May 2008.

Too bad.

Another local landmark closes. And there's nothing we can do about it.

I feel torn: progress and change can be good. But when it is too much?

So I'm curious: what do you miss? Here's my list:

• Kimuraya Bakery
• Kanda lunchwagon at Kewalo Basin
• Suzuki Japanese Restaurant
• Komokata Restaurant in 'Aina Haina
• Columbia Inn
• KC Drive Inn
• Manoa Bakery (and its stick donuts)
• Little Sicily Pizza in the old Makai Market

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Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@thecatdish.com.

Answer: OK, so I get questions like these every now and again. And while my first instinct was to ignore it, I thought, "Hmm. Maybe there's something there."

So I'm going to answer it — or at least try to start a conversation about it.

Boxers or briefs. This is one of the most over-asked questions I can think of. The first time I heard it — which was a long, long time ago — it was funny, unexpected, different. Now it's cliche.

But it's still a legitimate question. Because, apparently, there's an inherent difference between the two. And for some reason, your choice is indicative of some kind of personal philosophy on underpants and, perhaps, life.

In fact, the question reached Facebook glory when guys started posting their choice in their status updates, a la the bra color campaign to raise awareness for breast cancer. (If you're on Facebook, you know what I'm talking about it.)

In any event, the question remains: which do you prefer?

Briefs tend to get a bad rap. Tighty whities, as they're often called, aren't the coolest thing to be caught wearing after, oh, ninth grade. But why not? They're functional, practical, comfortable and machine-washable. What's wrong with that?

But boxers tend to be the cooler cousin, the free-spirited choice that says, "I'm not a little boy anymore." Guys tend to think women prefer boxers. The truth is, we just like to borrow them.

But there's more to men's underwear than those two choices. What about boxer-briefs (my favorite), Speedo-style bikini briefs and — of course — nothing at all.

So let's hear the straight truth: Guys, which do you prefer and why? Women, chime in. It should be an interesting conversation.

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Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@thecatdish.com.

I read an article in this month's Glamour magazine and a bunch of guys confessed what women do that drive them crazy.

Like hair in the tub. Reading labels on everything. Taking too long to order at a restaurant.

Here are some excerpts:

“Whenever we have guests stop by for a quick hello or come over for dinner, we have to clean the bathtub. Cleaning the bathtub is not a bad thing; I like a clean bathroom. But when guests come over to say hi or for a nice meal, are they really going to take a bath?”
— Dennis, 31

“It’s pretty annoying when women call or IM but have nothing to talk about—that and talking to their pets when they’re on the phone with me. Even worse is telling me what said pet is doing as we talk about nothing.”
— Chuck, 22

“When I change the temperature to a comfortable setting, my girl will sneak in behind me to change it back—she keeps it low in the winter and high in the summer. I just want to be comfortable in my own house!”
— Charlie, 32

Really? Are these things that bad?

Ladies, I bet we could come up with our own list.

So let's cue it up! What annoys you about your mate?

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Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@thecatdish.com.

Yes, I got another dog. A shih tzu-silky terrier puppy, just seven weeks old. And he needs a name.

Meet the little guy, just seven weeks old.

He's definitely cute — but we're not looking for a cutesy name.

Sunny doesn't mind the new addition to the family.

They even fell asleep together in the car.

C'mon! This is cute overload!

A woman who frequents the Hawai'i Kai dog park brought two puppies, both males, both ridiculously cute.

I liked this little guy, whose tongue seems to perpetually stick out. He's calm, curious and adventurous.

And we can't seem to come up with a name that fits. (I had the same problem with Sunny, remember?)

I sent a call-out to my friends on Facebook and Twitter. Some suggestions: Wookie, Wicket, Roscoe, Cinnamon, Max, Gizmo, Shadow, Killer, Jamocha (as in Almond Fudge), Oscar and Pancho. We like Max, Augustus (Gus for short), Apollo, Rocco and Otis.

We want something different — but something that fits him, too.

Last month Veterinary Pet Insurance published its list of 2009’s 10 most popular cat and dog names. Here's the list:

1. Bella
2. Max
3. Bailey
4. Lucy
5. Molly
6. Buddy
7. Maggie
8. Daisy
9. Chloe
10. Sophie

Got any suggestions?

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Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@thecatdish.com.

Literally.

My parents used to grab lunch there back when it was located on 9th Avenue more than 30 years ago. (In fact, they still refer to W&M as "9th Avenue.")

Outside the burger joint on Wai'alae Avenue.

Over the years it's become one of my favorite burger spots. Not because the barbecue hamburger is packed with flavor — and perfect with a dollop of mayo and ketchup — but because it's that nostalgic place that reminds me of my childhood, driving around the island with my family in the bed of a truck without a care in the world. No cell phone bills, no car payments, no student loans. Life was good.

Maybe it's because the place hasn't changed for decades. Even the menu — simple, with just options for barbecue burgers or barbecue steak sandwiches (and the newly introduced barbecue hot dog) — is the same.

Don't get me wrong, the burgers are the draw. Let's face it, there aren't many places that serve up this kind of flame-broiled burger topped with a sweet barbecue sauce, all made to order right there.

The place is so popular, the eight parking stalls fill up as soon as the place opens. (Nearby merchants have long complained about people parking in their stalls to eat at W&M.)

The most popular has to be the Royal ($3.60), a barbecue-flavored patty topped with lettuce, tomato, onions and cheese with your choice of dressings: mayo, ketchup, relish, mustard.

The Royal, one of the burger joint's most popular burgers.

After a bite!

I'm boring. I like the Cheese ($3.45), which comes with — guess! — lettuce and cheese.

My favorite is the Cheese burger — which simply has lettuce and cheese.

I don't know where W&M lands on my list of all-time favorite burgers — but it's up there in terms of nostalgia. And sometimes that's all it takes.

Got a favorite burger spot?

W&M B-B-Q Burgers, 3104 Waialae Ave. Hours: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Phone: 734-3350.

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Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@thecatdish.com.

His message: reassure Americans and rebuild in them confidence in government, especially when it comes to the economy, education, energy, health care and national security.

The New York Times described his speech as "confident performance, more defiant than contrite, more conversational than soaring. He appealed to and scolded both parties, threatened vetoes, blamed his predecessor and poked fun at lawmakers. The agenda was largely the same, dressed up in fresh packaging, as he offered point-by-point rebuttals to the litany of critiques he hears with increasing frequency. He acknowledged only a failure to explain his policies without retreating an inch on the policies themselves. His main message: 'I don’t quit.'"

Watch reaction from columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks as they break down President Obama's first State of the Union Address on the PBS NewsHour.

“I campaigned on the promise of change; ‘change we can believe in,’ the slogan went,” he said toward the end of the address. “And right now, I know there are many Americans who aren’t sure if they still believe we can change — or that I can deliver it.

“But, remember this,” he went on. “I never suggested that change would be easy, or that I can do it alone. Democracy in a nation of 300 million people can be noisy and messy and complicated. And when you try to do big things and make big changes, it stirs passions and controversy. That’s just how it is.”

But did it work? Did Americans respond favorably to his promises and rhetoric?

According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey, 48 percent of speech watchers had a very positive reaction, with three in 10 saying they had a somewhat positive response and 21 percent with a negative response.

A CBS News Poll showed 83 percent of viewers approved of the proposals the President made. Just 17 percent disapproved — typical of the high support a president generally receives among those who choose to watch the State of the Union.

What did you think?

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Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@thecatdish.com.

While the nation is tuned in to this historic event, many others will be downloading, YouTube-ing and reading blogs about another big speech: the much-anticipated product release by Apple at a press conference this morning.

Oh, yeah. This press conference will get a lot of attention. In fact, news sites, blogs and Twitter feeds — check out @bxchen and @GadgetLab for real-time updates — are all ablaze about this, particularly the unveiling of the highly speculated tablet computer. (The company also plans to announce updates to the MacBook line and iPhone OS.)

Apple has been considering tablet designs since at least 1983, according to an interesting article in Wired about tablet prototypes.

The tablet is rumored to look like a 10- to 11-inch iPhone or iPod Touch that can serve as a slate-like substitute for magazines, newspapers and books. Think iPhone meets Kindle.

The price? Well, that's been speculated between $500 and $800, according to a story in Business Week, not including the wireless carrier cost to access the Internet.

At what point do we just have too much technology? When does it end?

I get frustrated at all the updates I do for my work computer. Add to that the fact that I'm using outdated technology — a first-generation iPod, a second-generation iPhone, a MacBook from 2008, a boom box that takes (get this!) batteries — that I feel like I just bought. Now I have to buy something new, something better — and I just got a pay cut!

I have a love-hate relationship with technology, for sure. I want all the newest stuff, the latest mp3 player, the coolest cell phone. But at what point is this just too much? Do I really need two iPods and an Shuffle — when my iPhone can do all that, too?

And now I find myself desperately wanting this tablet computer, looking at my savings account to see if I can afford it when I should be tuning into Obama's speech to the nation instead.

What have we become?

Or maybe it's just me.

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Ask Dr. Dish will return next week. Send your questions to cat@thecatdish.com.

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Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@thecatdish.com.