ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend is celebrating her son's first birthday soon! We are all excited to be there for him, but it seems like my friend left a few people off of her guest list -- my mom being one of those people. We have been best friends since we were 13. Our parents are close, and my mom is always there to support her for special occasions...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a Ph.D. student in a college town where the local public bus also serves as the campus bus, and students get free fare. As a result, it is often very crowded, mostly with undergrads.

At my advanced age of 30, I have learned (or at least thought I'd learned) that on a very crowded bus, it is accepted practice to get off ...Read more

Dear Annie: After 45 years of marriage to a man who has no hobbies, no real friends of his own and little interest in life outside of his routine, I'm struggling with a mix of guilt, resentment and sadness.

For decades, I lived under his controlling ways -- so much so that when I finally started doing things for myself, I felt guilty for not ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My ex-husband was found dead in his home three months ago. He was a bitter man who never forgave me for leaving him. We were divorced for 30 years before his death and have two children and four beautiful grandchildren. For years, he bitterly complained to our children and refused to attend special events because I left him. When ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My sister is trying to become a content creator. While I want to support her dreams, it's starting to take a toll on our relationship. Every time we spend time together, whether it's getting coffee, going on a walk or just hanging out at home, it somehow turns into a content production day. She's constantly filming, taking ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have skills and interests that are rather unusual in modern times. I enjoy these hobbies immensely, though I make a point of not bringing them up with new acquaintances, since they are not likely to make a two-way conversation flow.

When I meet a friend of a friend, however, my interests are invariably a part of the ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am 40 years old, and my husband is 44. When we first got together, he treated me well, but things changed. Now, whenever I visit him, he drinks heavily and becomes violent. He has beaten me more than once, and I am ashamed to say it has happened many times.

He has also cheated on me. He has four children, and despite everything,...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband works out of state for an oil rigging company 20 days out of the month. He gets 10 days off. When he comes home, we may have two days of quality time together. The rest of his time he spends on his phone outside.

When I recently had spinal surgery, he came home supposedly to assist me. My doctor gave him instructions to ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a family member who is dying. She is a grumpy woman, and everybody in my family is tired of dealing with her. Same goes for the people in the assisted living facility where she lives. They tolerate her, but they don't do anything extra because she complains constantly. She has always been grumpy, talking down to people and...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have had season tickets to the orchestra for a couple of decades. For evening concerts, the orchestra wears white tie, and women soloists wear evening dress. For afternoon concerts, the soloists still wear evening dress, and the men in the orchestra wear black suits, black shirts and black ties.

The musicians who are women,...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I recently agreed to sell our old lounge furniture, since we're in the process of buying a new set. We made the decision together, so I assumed we'd also agree on who it would be sold to.

He later called to say he found a buyer, which I was happy to hear -- until he added a twist. The buyer would be paying in ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I was sexually abused as a child. Because of this, as an adult woman, I have issues around being touched. I have had therapy, and I am doing much better, but I'm still uncomfortable with physical contact. I simply request that people ask me before they touch me, and I usually agree.

The issue is my mother-in-law. She refuses to ask ...Read more

There's a quote that's been following me around lately, showing up in podcasts, books, and the back of my own mind: "You can do anything, but not everything." Supposedly, that's from author David Allen, but it feels like the whispered wisdom of every millennial who's run headlong into the wall of their own limits.

I bounced off that wall again ...Read more

Dear Readers: Today is Father's Day, a day that means something different to each of us. For some, it is a time to fire up the grill, hand Dad a new set of tools and enjoy the kind of quiet, comfortable time that fathers often prefer. For others, it is a bittersweet day, filled with memories, longing or unresolved emotions. Wherever you find ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I recently moved out of state. His only living relative, a sister, recently came to visit. She has never been married. She is a retired professional and has a good retirement, especially since she has no children.

During her visit, she gave us a housewarming greeting card with a $50 Visa gift card. This was unusual as ...Read more