18 Questions That Everyone's Too Afraid to Ask

Replace shingles with whatever horrible malady you'd like: a lump that requires a biopsy, a tapeworm, a hysterectomy. But understand that this question is a bit of a trick. First, you're looking to see if there's somebody in your life you'd share intimate and upsetting news with. Second, you're examining if that person would make you feel better or worse about the situation. Calling up a critical mother or an old close friend who's become noticeably more distant, for example, may mean that you are willing to share your life—just with the wrong confidante.