ArcaMax

ATTENTION "SINGLE FILE(R)" EDITORS: THE FOLLOWING COLUMN WAS PREVIOUSLY RELEASED IN 2018. THANK YOU. -- CREATORS

Meeting Blues

DEAR SUSAN: As a heterosexual man, I found that very little of your columns titled "Feelings Inventory" rang true for me. But I admit I do have trouble meeting decent, stable women. At age 56, I'm a bit worried for my ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: A few months back, my boyfriend was laid off. He's done his part to manage financially, but emotionally he's been rather down, and it's put a lot of pressure on our relationship and me. With less to do, he wants more of my attention and to spend more time together. Unfortunately, my schedule and responsibilities haven't changed. ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I went to the symphony, which I've done for many years now. I know that proper symphony etiquette is to refrain from clapping between movements. However, it seems to me that many symphony attendees are not aware of this rule. This has given rise to a rather awkward situation: About half the audience knows the rule and does not...Read more

Dear Annie: My 13-year-old daughter recently came home from two weeks at sleepaway camp, where she became very close to another girl in her bunk. At first, I was thrilled. My daughter has always been a little shy, and she came home talking nonstop about how funny, confident and "grown-up" this new friend seemed.

A few days later, I learned ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: There are two significant secrets in my family, and as I'm a member of the oldest generation and likely in my last decade, I wonder if they should see the light of day.

The first involves my cousin. He's a year older than I am and doesn't know he was adopted. My older sister was 10 when his parents brought him home. She remembers it ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My current form of birth control is about to expire, and my partner does not want me to renew it. He knew this time was coming, but it feels like he deliberately waited until just a few days prior to my procedure to tell me he doesn't want me to renew my birth control. It feels as though if I move forward with the procedure, my ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: At times, a grocery checkout line will be very long, with only one cashier available. Someone with a full cart, three or four customers ahead of me, will offer a customer approaching the long line with only a couple of items permission to go ahead of them. They thereby award the same permission on behalf of all customers ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am in a relationship with my hot-and-cold fiance. I caught him cheating after we moved in together. He had been courting someone at work. I eventually forgave him. That was five years ago. In the time since, he has changed completely -- for the worse.

He doesn't take me out, shows me no affection and rarely talks to me about ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend proposed to me at my best friend's wedding, and I am livid at him for thinking that I would like this type of proposal. It was such a distasteful idea on his part, because I am the type of person who hates to take away attention from people when it's their special day. My boyfriend did ask permission from my best ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My son and daughter-in-law are expecting their first child. I broke the happy news to my best friend by telling her she would soon receive an invitation from them to their baby shower.

Instead of being excited and congratulatory, she huffed and said that expectant mothers were not supposed to throw themselves a shower. She ...Read more

Dear Annie: My mother is German, and my father is American. Growing up, I was raised with traditions from both cultures, but I have never felt fully part of either one.

Last Christmas, my mother made a traditional German dinner and invited several relatives. I tried to join the conversation, but my German is not fluent, and everyone kept ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have been with my wife for 17 years. We have three daughters. She doesn't work, doesn't have a driver's license, doesn't clean and rarely cooks. I often find myself so frustrated at her lack of commitment to the family that I drink and go to bed after I cook dinner.

I work 60 hours a week to provide for our family and am not ...Read more

I went on my fifth police ride-along this week. The first one was before I was elected, slightly on a whim. I put in for both the city police and the university police. The university emailed me back faster.

That day we patrolled the university land, much more expansive than I knew, even having worked there for years. The patrol officer mainly ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 15 years, and we agree on most things except how to spend our free time. I love to travel. Even a long weekend in a new city makes me feel excited and alive. I enjoy planning the itinerary, trying local restaurants and coming home with stories and memories. My husband would rather stay home, ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: After a nearly 20-year marriage, my first husband, "Lloyd," told me his feelings for me had changed. He said we needed "some time apart," but he didn't want a divorce. He immediately went to a lawyer and executed a financial settlement for me, still insisting he wasn't going to file for divorce. Six weeks later, I bought a house and ...Read more