Dear Newbie ~ > So it's too late to "out-empath" him/her. And how do > you out-empath flu btw :-) ? Ouch! Tough question! My recommendation is this: Treat your empathy as you would an allergy. What I mean is, expect unforseen and sudden reactions. While adopting this attitude, also work on avoiding acting on or submitting to impulse. In the case of sniffles coming on, just react with indifference, or rather "ahh, it's just a temporary reaction". Don't initially resist, but don't submit either, if you get my drift. I know, easier said than done! ;) Anyhow, give it a try. Well met Vovin