ArcaMax

DEAR SUSAN: I've been writing to a man on an online dating service for four months. We're both single, and he seems to know I'm hung up on him. But now he says he doesn't want to write to me as often as before. He says writing to me isn't fun anymore! What can I do to let him know how much I care for him? -- Clara

DEAR CLARA: Four months does ...Read more

Dear Readers: As we step into the new year, pause to honor the journey traveled and embrace the endless possibilities ahead. Each January brings a quiet promise -- an invitation to start fresh, to grow and to live more fully. Approach that promise with open hearts and gentle determination.

The new year often tempts us to aim for perfection --...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm a 45-year-old male and have had many traumatic events in my past, including abuses too bad to name. My problem is, as I was growing up, I was so mistreated that I never learned how to feel. I had to suppress everything I was feeling and disconnect from my emotions and body to survive.

Now that I'm grown and have been seeking ...Read more

Dear Annie: My mother-in-law is currently living with my husband and me. She insisted she needed to move in with us, as she was divorcing her husband who received a much larger retirement than her and she was convinced she couldn't live on her own. She owned her house outright but refused to stay in it because she felt the upkeep of the land ...Read more

As the calendar winds down, I reflect on the lessons learned during my first full year as a city council member. One theme stands out: my commitment to operate in good faith, even when it hasn't always been reciprocated.

Good faith is about assuming positive intentions, engaging with openness, and striving to find common ground. It's about ...Read more

Dear Annie: For the past year, I have been in a "relationship" with Alex, who has simultaneously been involved with two or three other women. Despite this and a 15-year age gap, we generally get along well and share many things in common.

Recently, however, I've uncovered some deeply troubling truths about him. Alex is an addict, and his ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have known "Gabe" for 13 to 14 years now. We met through the website Meetup and have attended social events. He's awkward in social settings and wasn't included in groups. I felt bad for him, so I included him. At that time, I was planning on leaving town, so I thought the right thing to do was to continue to invite him every now...Read more

Dear Annie: I will be inheriting a modest sum of money and want to gift some of it to my two married children. I also want to gift some money to my daughter's two young children to be used for future educational needs. My son and his wife don't have children and will likely not have any in the future. They lost beautiful twins born prematurely...Read more

Dear Annie: I have three children, a son and two daughters. I am a widow, and my family has always been close and caring. My son lives in the same city as I do. He's very caring and checks on me every day.

My daughters live out of town, about two hours away. My oldest daughter and her husband come about once a month. They are very attentive. ...Read more

DEAR SUSAN: My mother and I have talked over the same question you asked today. And here's what I've come up with:

No. 1: MARRIAGE IS HARD TO GET OUT OF. I grew up thinking my father paid so little attention to my mother she might as well be single. And yet she was stuck -- unhappy, neglected, unwilling to divorce on moral grounds, maybe even ...Read more

It didn't ring a bell when he rolled down his window, but it did jingle with a light thump as I eased the car forward in traffic. There went one of my car antlers, not getting run over by a reindeer but instead by the tires of other commuters behind me.

This year, it felt like the candy cane to top a lackluster holiday prep season. I'm still ...Read more