ArcaMax

Last year, the waves lapping on the beach convinced a mountain girl that the sea has its own charms. This year, the waves reminded me that parts of me that I feared had sailed away were actually just in murky depths, waiting to be stirred up and brought forward by the tides of change.

Our second trip to Puerto Penasco got a bit of an upgrade, ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am not someone who talks easily. Most of the time, I respond when spoken to, but otherwise I keep to myself.

I grew up in a home where silence was a weapon. When my mother was angry with my father, she would stop speaking to him. Sometimes it lasted for days. Sometimes, believe it or not, it lasted for years. Somehow, they are ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been married for 35 years. The week we were to celebrate our 34th anniversary, he invited a female friend to our vacation home for an overnight rendezvous. He was unaware that our adult children had placed a trail cam in the woods -- and he was caught red-handed. He was called out for his behavior, forcing him to...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I are in a standoff right now regarding children. We already have three kids, but he wants one more. I told him that I don't have the physical or mental capacity to take care of another child. My body has already gone through so much from my first three births; I can't imagine having another child, especially now ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is the proper way to protect one's bosom while eating?

To put it in perspective, I am quite short. When at a restaurant, the table often hits at my bust line. When I eat, I am sitting away from the table, and am not tall enough to lean over slightly. Anything that falls, from soup to nuts, so to speak, lands on my "shelf...Read more

Dear Annie: Although many years have passed since my husband died, I don't feel any peace. There was no justice whatsoever.

A young girl talking on her cellphone (cellphone records proved this!) lost control of her vehicle on a busy early morning on the highway. Four witnesses testified to her weaving erratically all over the narrow highway ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am estranged from my father and have been since I was 12. (I'm currently 26.) He was emotionally, psychologically and physically abusive to me, and cutting ties with him has been good for my well-being.

My mom recently revealed to me that she has reconnected with him and they are dating again. This is infuriating, and I have been ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: As a member of Gen Z, many of my social media feeds are filled with rotating headlines about the latest global news. I have noticed that many of my friends are unsure about how to develop as young adults during such a transitional point in time. As a generation that grew up during the rise of technology and experienced many major...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was taught that women sit with their legs together, just crossed at the ankles. My daughter is trying to have her daughter not cross her legs, but she sees all those TV women sit that way.

GENTLE READER: Miss Manners has noticed that a few notable women on TV (as opposed to "TV women") have actually been crossing their legs...Read more

Dear Annie: I am an adult now with grown siblings, but it seems my mother's anxiety is growing right along with us.

My mother is an incredibly anxious person. I try to be empathetic, but she hasn't seen a therapist in years, and she completely dismisses any logical or positive reassurances meant to comfort her. At this point, I am at a loss ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I've been a widow for nine years and just got engaged. When I asked my fiance if I could put a picture of my late husband in our new home, he became upset. He said he shouldn't have to walk into his own home and look at pictures of a man who once "had" me.

I have three kids with my late husband. We were high school sweethearts, and I...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been friends with someone for close to 10 years now. Over that time, we have seen each other through many transitions and changes. As we move into young adulthood, we are facing a lot of unexpected challenges that are getting harder to solve. My friend has started using drugs that are getting increasingly stronger. I am ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am an aunt to a niece who is married with two sons. She's always been somewhat naive about certain things. This last Christmas, she gave me a $25 gift card to a place where I get pedicures. I was somewhat surprised, as a pedicure here costs $49.

She and her husband make a combined income of over $150,000. They recently ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am middle-aged and lost my job during the pandemic when the company I had been with for years eliminated my position. Despite my experience and education, I have not been able to find anything permanent or full-time since.

I feel like I am too old to be hired and too young to retire. My husband and I live in an economically ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have worked with "Bev" for 12 years. She is insufferable. I love my job and my other co-workers, but they all feel the same way as I do. Bev is a domineering, bullying, entitled woman in her late 50s. She has two "friends" in the entire facility and, unfortunately, considers me one of them, as well as our boss, "Janet," who I am ...Read more