ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently applied for and interviewed for an internship in the city. I felt like the interview went well, and I was told I met the requirements and qualifications for the role. The company ended up going in a different direction, and I am at a loss. I normally get everything I want and apply for, and I have never faced rejection...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I would like to explain why some people put their feet on the furniture, or tuck their feet under and sit on them.

The women in my family are short. Most furniture is designed for people taller than us. Our feet do not reach the floor, nor do they reach the stools or ottomans that are usually placed a long-legged length away....Read more

Dear Annie: I'm writing for advice about a dear friend, "Meg," who we've known for more than 40 years. She has a son, "Rodney," who went to high school with our son and who has always been on the edge of being an outlaw.

Over the years, we've seen Rodney continuously depend on his parents to finance his escapades. We saw him wreck his car and...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I married when I was 20 and my husband was 32. I grew up with a conservative view of marriage, so in a sense, I believed marrying early would grant me the most freedom as a woman. We have been married for five years and have a child.

Over the years, many people have offered unsolicited advice about how I "missed out on my 20s," or ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: As I've grown up, I've always tried to do my best whenever I can. I try not to limit myself with mediocrity and always push myself. This has been a main driver of my successful moments; however, it definitely impacts the way I treat myself in private. Although people see me as a high achiever, I find myself constantly critiquing ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I hosted a former colleague for a weekend. Like any proud grandmother, she wished to show me a video of her granddaughters singing, to which I happily consented.

I was less pleased, however, when my houseguest proceeded to scroll endlessly through her phone during our simple repast at the dinner table, searching for a ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm 29, living in New York City, with a job I love and a great group of friends -- none of whom are single. Half are married or engaged, the other half coupled up in serious relationships. I'm generally OK being single, but going out as the perpetual third wheel is wearing on me. I've thought about making new friends; I've even ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have cancer. I have been expecting to be diagnosed with it since I was a teen. It is my family's disease. My mother is 100 and still has her faculties, but she is frail. I have shared the diagnosis with my children, and I assume they told my grandchildren. My husband and my best friend know of my condition. The doctors say that ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My daughter just told me she's spent thousands of dollars on a matchmaker to help her with her love life. I can't seem to understand why she would do such a thing. My daughter is beautiful, smart and accomplished. I imagine she should be able to find love for free. When she told me about this, I could barely conceal my shock. I ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Is it acceptable to invite more people to your wedding than may be accommodated, on the theory that inevitably some invitees will decline? Does it matter whether the limit is set by law, venue policy or logistical necessity?

GENTLE READER: How much of a gambler are you?

Most people invite more people than they expect to ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been married for 35 years and have four children and seven grandchildren. We are a blended family. All the children lived with, and were raised by, my husband and me.

One of my daughters was always kind of a black sheep, always doing things outside the box. As a young child, teen and adult, she always did it differently. So ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: At 82, my father continues to live alone and unassisted. He's generally in good healt, but is starting to recognize that he won't be forever. One thing he really wants to do while he still can (or thinks he can) is take a road trip -- by himself -- to visit his sister on the other side of the country.

He regularly does shorter drives...Read more

This could be you: making more money than ever and moving away from the pack, only to discover that in pulling yourself up, you're pushing men away. In the small hours of the morning, you catch yourself wondering whether the old days of money-blindness were better than the isolation solvency is bringing. In your heart of hearts, you know there's...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have always liked to experiment with sewing my own garments. In my culture, it is common for people to make their own clothes or at least be able to repair what they buy. As time goes on, skills like sewing have become more uncommon, especially here in the United States. However, developing these skills at such a young age ...Read more