Life Advice
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When a Dog Opens the Door
Dear Annie: For most of my life, I've struggled with feeling isolated. As someone on the autism spectrum, I've often found social situations confusing or overwhelming. I longed for connection but wasn't always sure how to reach for it. Then something unexpected gave me not only companionship but also a sense of purpose: my dog.
She's not just...Read more
Asking Eric: Wife to stepdaughter – ‘this is war’
Dear Eric: My wife and our 6-year-old daughter went to the wedding of my older daughter from a prior marriage. My wife and daughter have always had a rocky relationship. My younger daughter was a flower girl, and she was asked not to wear a tiara. My wife gave me lots of arguments as to why my daughter should be allowed to wear a tiara. My older...Read more
The Weight of Sharing a Diagnosis
Dear Annie: I've recently been diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer. The prognosis isn't good, but right now I feel OK and haven't changed my daily life. My husband is here for me, and we are considering possible treatment plans.
I haven't told my daughter yet. Truthfully, I don't know how. She has newborn twins and a 6-year-old daughter. ...Read more
Ask Anna: My boyfriend was sexting an AI -- is it cheating?
Dear Anna,
I’ve been with my boyfriend for almost two years. He’s a total tech guy — the kind who buys every new gadget, talks to his smart home like it’s a pet, and stays way too late tinkering with AI tools “just to see what they can do.” I’ve always thought it was kind of endearing, if occasionally exhausting.
But last month, ...Read more
Ask Anna: My boyfriend was sexting an AI -- is it cheating?
Dear Anna,
I’ve been with my boyfriend for almost two years. He’s a total tech guy — the kind who buys every new gadget, talks to his smart home like it’s a pet, and stays way too late tinkering with AI tools “just to see what they can do.” I’ve always thought it was kind of endearing, if occasionally exhausting.
But last month, ...Read more
Asking Eric: Neighbor is friendly but drives drunk
Dear Eric: I have an alcoholic neighbor with whom I am friendly. We do minor favors for each other. I am aware that he drinks and drives home from a nearby bar, which I have issues about. He drives a shuttle for airport crews and others, and I don't believe he drinks before he does those rides. But he frequents the bar often, and then drives ...Read more
Trust Withdrawn
Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 11 years, and we've always kept separate finances. It worked well until about a year ago, when he got laid off and started dipping into our joint emergency savings without telling me. I only found out when I went to pay our property taxes and the account was almost empty.
When I confronted ...Read more
Asking Eric: Niece grows distant from family after wedding
Dear Eric: My 35-year-old niece married a 45-year-old man with two teenage kids in a small ceremony. I have always been close with her. My sister and my niece have had a somewhat up-and-down relationship. They are each strong-willed.
But over the past 18 months since my niece met her now-husband, she has pretty much turned her back on her ...Read more
Sisters, Secrets and Starting Over
Dear Annie: A few months ago, my younger sister, "Kate," announced during dinner that she and her boyfriend were moving to Nashville to "start fresh." Everyone wished her well, but I was blindsided. What she didn't share was that she'd already told me she was leaving our family business -- the bakery our parents started 30 years ago and that ...Read more
Single File: Agree or Disagree? (Part 1)
Here's another quiz for your enjoyment. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
--Being single means being alone and lonely.
--Single women have a tougher time than single men.
--Men don't want the same things from a relationship as women.
--All women should marry and have children.
--A woman is incomplete without a man.
--...Read more
Ask Dating Coach Erika: I feel him pulling away. What do I do?
We have a range of questions today, from hairpieces (!!) to the ghosting (hint: don’t do it) to someone slowly pulling back after a number of great dates.
Let’s get into it…
Q: On our third date, he admitted that he's bald and wears a hairpiece. Am I wrong to feel cheated?
A: If somebody does something to enhance their looks to make ...Read more
Ask Dating Coach Erika: I feel him pulling away. What do I do?
We have a range of questions today, from hairpieces (!!) to the ghosting (hint: don’t do it) to someone slowly pulling back after a number of great dates.
Let’s get into it…
Q: On our third date, he admitted that he's bald and wears a hairpiece. Am I wrong to feel cheated?
A: If somebody does something to enhance their looks to make ...Read more
Asking Eric: Prolonged grief complicated by obsessive-compulsive disorder
Dear Eric: My cat died in 2013. Everyone said I treated him like a child. He got so sick, so suddenly, it freaked me out so badly.
Then my dad died out of nowhere in 2018. I wanted to die to be with him, because he was my best friend.
Now I'm afraid I'll lose anyone at any time. I have OCD and all my rituals are focused around keeping my mom, ...Read more
Keeping the Peace at Thanksgiving
Dear Annie: Every year, Thanksgiving turns into a tug-of-war in my family. My siblings and I all live within driving distance of our parents, but the holiday always comes with arguments about who's hosting, who's cooking and which in-laws get priority. This year feels worse than ever. My sister insists that everyone come to her house, but my ...Read more
Asking Eric: Friend drags up addiction-related offenses, 31 years later
Dear Eric: I have been in recovery for alcohol addiction for almost 31 years. Needless to say, my life is wonderful and so good compared to those years when I was active in my addiction.
Recently I was with someone who knew me before recovery. In a room with people who really didn't know me very well, she told the story about how I was drunk, ...Read more
When Giving Becomes Too Much
Dear Annie: I am struggling with what feels like a small thing, but it weighs on me. I have several great-nieces and great-nephews, and over the years I've tried to remember birthdays with cards, little gifts or even just a phone call. Lately, though, I feel overwhelmed. Between the number of children, the cost of presents and my own busy life...Read more
Asking Eric: Volunteer’s memory issues pose challenge for a church
Dear Eric: I am in a leadership role at my church. Our community is very loving. We have a relatively new member who is a dear older woman. We think she may be dealing with a bit of dementia.
he is very grateful for our community and wants to be involved.
The problem is she signs up to do many of the tasks needed for Sundays and for other ...Read more
No Kisses, Please
Dear Annie: I have recently become acquainted with an older gentleman who is about the same age as my father would have been, well over 100. He is surprisingly active for his age, much more than I am, since I deal with some mobility challenges. We have gone out to lunch a few times, and I have even driven him to different events because he ...Read more
Millennial Life: The Hours Before the World Wakes
The hour or two before sunrise was the hardest time with a newborn. When the schedule was two to three hours between feedings, it was the last stretch that felt the longest. You watch the clock and calculate how long until the next one, your mind foggy but still somehow alert to every rustle and sigh. Sunrise meant survival; one more day ...Read more
Asking Eric: Coworkers called stingy for not contributing to honeymoon fund
Dear Eric: Should I tell a coworker that many of her workmates are criticizing her as selfish and self-centered? She got married a year ago but didn't go on a honeymoon then because the couple, who are both in their 40s, had just returned from two weeks in Europe.
Now they've decided they want a "dream honeymoon" at a luxury resort. To pay for ...Read more
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