ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: At the beginning of last year, I met the man of my dreams. He continues to amaze me in more ways than one: He prioritizes me; he's really considerate and affectionate; he's accomplished and ambitious; AND he's hilarious. Lately, though, I've been having some concerns about what our future will look like. He has three children ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: A friend from college works in Europe now and asked to stay with me for 10 days when he was here visiting. I made sure he had fresh towels every day.

His first day here, he flooded my bathroom floor while taking a shower (he said he "forgot how shower curtains work") and called for help. I quickly grabbed a towel and threw it...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a very dear friend who is like family. I am 20 years older than she is, and at times I feel more like a surrogate mother than a big sister.

I know she has mental health problems, including anger management, trust issues, obsessive-compulsive disorder and, at times, I think, narcissistic tendencies. But she truly is a good ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have four kids, so there are many, many appointments to make and keep. We both have full-time jobs, so we split up the responsibilities by category; I get the pediatrician visits, and he does orthodontist and dentist. This works fine for me, but for some reason, these offices are stubbornly unwilling to communicate ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my friends recently made a comment while we were hanging out and looking at pictures from earlier this year. Out of nowhere, she pointed to one of the photos and said, "It looks like you've gained a few pounds since the first day of the year." To be honest, she's not wrong. This year has been extremely stressful for me in ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I are frequently invited to another couple's parties. We are all gay, male seniors.

One member of this couple seems to be going through some cognitive issues. He tells everyone assembled the same lengthy jokes and goes on and on about his religious and political views, always offending some present.

We have ...Read more

Dear Annie: I just finished reading the letter from "Caged Bird," and my heart broke for her. The reason is because I lived that same life, and her letter could have been my own.

What was done to her by her mother and to me by my mother were not the products of "motherly love" or "misguided motherly concern." These were the actions of a ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My siblings and I are estranged. I live in a different state. My brother and I never got along and stopped speaking many years ago. My older sister and I, after a long, toxic relationship, finally had a blowout after Dad passed. We haven't spoken since. My younger sister took my older sister's side and doesn't speak to me either.

I ...Read more

Realizing that sex is an integral dimension of well-being, I will incorporate sexual fulfillment into my singleness in ways that mesh with my personal morality.

Being of adult age and with a reasonable amount of life experience, I will aim toward being both sexual and autonomous, assuming full responsibility for my decisions.

I will adopt a ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have two young daughters. One is 3 years old, and the other is just 8 months old. I invited my sister to stay with us during the holiday season because she lives far away and the rest of our family is in Delaware. However, my sister failed to tell me before she arrived that she was battling a nasty cold. She came to stay with ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a lifelong nonsmoker and naturally do not permit anyone to light up in my home or in my car. No exceptions. But when I'm a passenger in a vehicle driven by a friend who smokes, they will inevitably light up without asking if it's OK.

They'll crack their window and blow the smoke out through the crack. Even so, the wisp ...Read more

Dear Annie: I spent my early childhood years with a loving foster family, and today, at age 75, I have a great relationship with my foster brother.

I lived with my biological family from age 7 until I left for college. I have one biological brother, and long story short, we are not close.

Today, I can hardly stand him or his family. He brags ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have anger issues that were passed down among the men in my family. My mother is a strong woman and wouldn't let my father get away with too much, but still, the impact is there. As a young adult, I realize I am exhibiting some of the same behavior as my dad.

I've never raised a hand to anyone. I can hang onto my cool when arguing ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I've been feeling overwhelmed at work. I was hired as support for one team but have now been expected to regularly cover two large teams. I sometimes find myself struggling to efficiently and seamlessly complete tasks for my main team while juggling tasks on both ends. Per my year-end review, I think my manager noticed a shift in...Read more