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Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar work together on "Annie's Mailbox," a unique advice column written for the modern reader. The two began their ...
Read more about Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar.
Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar work together on "Annie's Mailbox," a unique advice column written for the modern reader. The two began their ...
Read more about Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar.
Annie's Mailbox
Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar
Dear Annie: I'm a 14-year-old girl who is having relationship
problems. My new boyfriend and I just hooked up over the weekend.
"Carter" and I go to church together, and he has always been my best
friend. I was too shy to ask him out myself, so I had my friend
"Justin" help me.
We got together while our youth group met at church. Everything was going perfectly. We were holding hands and cuddling. But on Sunday morning during greeting at church, Justin came up to me and said Carter told him I'm weird to be with and there's another girl he likes more.
Justin isn't very happy with Carter, and neither am I. We both talked to my mother, and she said I should back off and let Carter chase after me if he's interested. She says she doesn't want me to appear too easy. Is she right? What should I do? -- Perfect Relationship Gone Wrong
Dear Perfect: Listen to your mother. Spending a morning holding hands and cuddling does not constitute a relationship. Carter was interested enough to check you out, but apparently not enough to consider you his girlfriend. It's also possible Justin is giving you inaccurate information. Either way, it's best if you let Carter make the next move.
Dear Annie: I find trick-or-treating annoying. I was raised in a religious group that didn't celebrate Halloween. My mother hated having to answer the door constantly and took out her anger on me. I once suggested we stop opening the door or put up a sign saying, "No Trick-or-Treating here, please," but she wouldn't. I think she was afraid they'd throw eggs.
My brother and I still find it irritating. I don't want my doorbell ringing all night. I don't want to get up and open the door over and over. I'm sure I'm not the only one. Think of those who are disabled or have just brought home a new baby or are caring for a sick child. Answering the door all evening is an unwanted imposition. I also resent these kids coming onto my property asking for candy. I think it's just plain wrong.
What can I do to keep them away? I don't want them to graffiti my property or toilet paper my trees. I can grab them if they do, but if the police are busy, they might not come and then I'd be stuck with the kids indefinitely.
Could you put up some kind of warning in your column asking parents not to let their kids trick-or-treat unless they know the homeowner? -- Elizabeth, N.J.
Dear N.J.: It's too bad you can't enjoy greeting children with a smile and brightening their day once a year. Most parents supervise their kids and prefer they stay within familiar territory. And most kids will skip unwelcoming homes where the lights are off or the treat is a breath mint. But if you are concerned about becoming the neighborhood curmudgeon, put out a generous basket of candy on your front steps with a big sign saying, "Please don't ring bell. Take a piece of candy. Happy Halloween." Refill it once or twice at your leisure. When the basket is empty, the kids will know the cupboard is bare.
Dear Annie: I completely disagree with your response to "Just Wondering in Indiana," who was bothered by the tooth-brusher in the bowling alley restroom.
You never know someone's personal situation. What if that young girl recently underwent oral surgery and was required to keep her teeth brushed after eating?
"Indiana" should take a bottle of hand sanitizer with her and use that to cleanse her hands because brushing one's teeth is hardly the worst thing that happens in a public bathroom. -- Pennsylvania
Dear Pennsylvania: We were surprised by the number of people who like to brush in public places. As we said, if there is a good reason to be brushing in the restroom, fine, but in general, personal hygiene should be done at home, and we are sticking with that.
Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailbox@comcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, P.O. Box 118190, Chicago, IL 60611. To find out more about Annie's Mailbox, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
Copyright 2009 Creators Syndicate Inc.
This news arrived on: 10/15/2009
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Posted Comments:
10-15-2009 20:16
Jolene wrote:
Halloween
Boy, are you naive if you think turning out your light gets you a pass on Halloween. They still ring the bell, peer in the window, call out rudely, and sometimes vandalize.
10-15-2009 16:33
october fan but no trick-or... wrote:
halloween
Dear Annie,
I agree with the woman that is irritated by Halloween. I use to love sitting out on my front porch and giving out candy. But now in my neighborhood, the kids are bigger and older, dont bother dressing up and just come door to door with a pillow case! They come back for 2nd and 3rds!!!! So I just dont bother anymore!
I agree with the woman that is irritated by Halloween. I use to love sitting out on my front porch and giving out candy. But now in my neighborhood, the kids are bigger and older, dont bother dressing up and just come door to door with a pillow case! They come back for 2nd and 3rds!!!! So I just dont bother anymore!
10-15-2009 16:12
C andace wrote:
Trick or Treat night
We live in an area of town that gets over 300 'visitors' every Halloween. My husband (when he's home) or I will sit on the front steps, and dole out the candy. That way we don't have to get up and down, we can have a good idea of who's coming by, and sometimes even have time to chat with a supervising adult. Halloween is what you make of it.
10-15-2009 16:11
East of Eden wrote:
Tooth Brushing
I don't see why anybody would get bent out of shape over this. Good grief, compared to what else we do in washrooms, a bit of foam down the drain is nothing. I have been brushing my teeth at work for decades and nobody has ever commented. In fact, most of my colleagues also brush their teeth in the washroom at work. I'd rather that than smell people's lunch on their breaths.
10-15-2009 09:35
greens wrote:
pennslvania
i'm with cindy. a public restroom is the place to brush, not the parking lot. i fail to see what is so unsanitary-was someone planning on licking the sink? after several thousand dollars worth of dental work due to gum disease, i wish i had been one of those brushers the writer was complaining about!
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