ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am 22 years old. While on vacation, I connected with a man on a gay dating app. Honestly, he fits the description for many things that I like in a guy: He has a stable job, owns his home, works toward his personal goals and ambitions and has a football player physique. However, many of his great qualities come with one caveat: ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I work in a fast-food restaurant, in which we only go by our first names.

Often, when customers decide that I am the cause of whatever is not going their way, they ask me for my name. My first name is clearly spelled out on my name tag, but I always say it for them anyway, as it is difficult to pronounce. It is an unusual ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I are at a full-blown spring break standoff, and the kids are watching it like it's a sport.

He wants to take our two kids skiing. He's already talking about "fresh powder," early lift tickets and how this is the perfect chance to make "core memories." He grew up skiing, and it's his happy place. I can see how ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I've been with my boyfriend for 17 years. He has a friend, "Byron," whom he hangs out with multiple times a week, sometimes up to six days. Byron's wife, "Crystal," (married 22 years) is always attached to Byron's hip. They do everything together.

Crystal needs to be the center of attention. She constantly brags about herself and ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently lost a significant amount of weight, and it has been a journey to adjust to a different lifestyle. The majority of my clothes don't fit me properly, my curves aren't as curvy as they used to be and many people feel it is OK to comment on my new body. I never hated my body no matter the size, but it has been difficult ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: People want to feel loved and cherished. An invitation to share a meal in your home is a special example. So when dinner guests ask me what they can bring, I tell them something specific: ÒOh, I would love some pink peonies. Those would be so beautiful.Ó Or I might request a bottle of maple syrup, or a recipe card for the ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm a 64-year-old woman who thought making new friends at my age would be simple: find someone kind, show up, bring snacks, repeat.

A few months ago, I met "Jill" at a community class. We clicked right away. She's funny in that dry, smart way that makes you feel like you're in on the joke. After class we started lingering in the ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: Recently, I started attending a new church at the invitation of my significant other. I've been enjoying the services and sermons, but upon attending, I realized that my partner is quite popular with the ladies there -- which may be why he waited so long before inviting me. No one was rude to me, but I heard women whisper about ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My adult daughters learned etiquette from me. It was passed down from my mother. Somewhere along the line, the old etiquette has been forgotten and new manners have been invented by their husbands.

Examples of the new etiquette are:

-- Arms on the table.

-- One foot on the chair with the knee sticking up over the table.

--...Read more

Dear Annie: Lately, it feels like I am failing at everything, even though I am constantly running. I work full time, try to be present for my family and friends, and still keep up with all the texts, emails and group chats. I'm the one people come to for help and advice, yet my own life feels like it's held together with coffee and to-do lists...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am having a baby in five months. My doctor is recommending that anyone who visits the baby in the first three months be up to date on vaccines (Tdap, flu, COVID and RSV, if age 60-plus). We have decided to follow our doctor's recommendations.

Some of my family members are resistant to getting these vaccines and want us to consider ...Read more

When you publish a column each week, you rarely imagine that one day someone will ask you to stand in a quiet library and account for all of it. Columns are written in response to motion. You build a shape with 800 words around it before the next deadline arrives. The work feels immediate, but somewhat temporal.

Then my syndicate decided to put...Read more

Dear Annie: My sister and I used to be close. Not "talk every day" close, but close enough that I could call her with good news or bad news and feel like she was on my side.

Lately, I feel like I'm auditioning for approval I never get.

It started small. If I mentioned a promotion, she'd say, "Must be nice," and then change the subject. If I ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: At a recent family gathering, my sister-in-law "Paula" asked my husband if she could use our bathroom. We have three in our home -- one off the kitchen, one upstairs and one in our upstairs bedroom suite. Despite the fact that she and my husband both know of my incontinence problem, she asked him to use our bathroom "for privacy."

I ...Read more