ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friends and I made plans to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art last weekend to visit the rooftop before it closed (not just for the season, but for the next five years due to upcoming renovations). I was really looking forward to it since it felt like a once-in-a-long-time experience we'd all share together. Unfortunately, I...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I took a long cross-country flight, during which I was assigned the middle seat. The gentleman seated by the window insisted on asking me about my relationship with Jesus, showing me photos on his cellphone and trying to engage me in conversation, while I was very pointedly trying to watch a movie.

The flight was full, so ...Read more

Dear Annie: My sister "Michelle" and I used to be close, but things changed after she had her second child. She rarely returns my calls and only texts if I reach out first. When we do talk, it's always short, and she seems distracted or annoyed. I've offered to help with the kids or bring meals by, but she always says she's "got it handled."

...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I are celebrating our second anniversary. For the most part, we're very happy. He's the best friend I've ever had. The problem is his family. They're wonderful people who have welcomed me with open arms. But they are also extremely clingy and lack common boundaries.

We recently moved to a larger home that's closer to ...Read more

Relax your body before you start this questionnaire. It's important you start this with shoulders loose and mind clear. Don't rush through the following questions, because chances are they'll lead to still more probing. (For now, jot down those additional questions on a separate sheet of paper for future reference.) The best way to do these ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend is upset with me because I didn't defend her during a heated argument in a group chat with some of our mutual friends. I didn't feel I should get involved. The conversation had escalated quickly, and I thought it was better to stay neutral. Now she's distant and barely responds when I try to reach out.

I feel caught in...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: For the past 15 years or so, my wife and I have been hosting a potluck feast for Thanksgiving, with about 30 friends and family joining us at our house.

In our invitation, we announce that we're supplying the turkey, soft drinks, booze and a few other staples, and ask others to bring an appetizer, side dish, dessert, etc. We ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am 60 years old and the mother of five grown children. I raised them mostly on my own after my divorce, and those years were not easy. There were slammed doors, late nights waiting up and more than a few tearful arguments. My daughters, especially during their teenage years, could be painfully cruel with their words. But somehow,...Read more

DEAR ABBY: For the past two years, I have been trying to conceal from my family (with modest success) that I'm asexual. I overhear conversations my parents have been having with my older siblings on the subject of dating, and I'm becoming increasingly frustrated that my experiences have been so different from theirs. I have never dated the same ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I've been a therapist for over 20 years, and while I've found deep meaning in helping others heal, lately the work has become emotionally exhausting. I listen to people's pain all day, and I can feel it sinking into me. Sometimes I come home completely depleted, with nothing left to give to my own family or myself. I've tried ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is the etiquette for who cooks the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner? We have family members who requested that our daughter cook and bring the turkey -- after she makes a 12-hour drive with two toddlers and her husband.

GENTLE READER: Whoops, etiquette does not have a rule designating the turkey cook.

Should it be the ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a dear friend of 49 years. She has been married for more than 50, while I only married seven years ago. She stood beside me as my matron of honor, and over the years, we have shared so many memories, laughs and life milestones together.

Since my marriage, my husband and I have hosted this couple for dinner more times than I...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My sister is cheap. She's also not good at choosing gifts for people. Often, the things she gives are worse than if she'd done nothing at all. An example: She was just here visiting and brought my 4-year-old a toy car she'd picked up at a garage sale (fine, so far), but one of the wheels was broken off. She had the wheel in her purse ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am in a very one-sided friendship. My friend has been out of work for an extended period and is suffering as a result. I have gone out of my way to help by setting up a job search online and monitoring it (he has no computer), by occasionally giving him cash when he needs to buy food and by being as supportive as I can.

The ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have an unusual, "made-up" first name. Nowadays it's common for kids to have a uniquely spelled name, but I'm in my 60s, so it wasn't common growing up.

The way I've managed it is: I only correct the pronunciation if I expect to see that person again. This way, I'm not constantly feeling rude by correcting everyone. And the...Read more