ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: A couple months back, I met a guy at a local festival. We exchanged our names, numbers and social accounts, and in the week following, we spent several nights on the phone talking and getting to know one another. We talked for hours and hours, and he asked me on our first date. He said he'd plan it within the next few days and ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I find the word "perfect" is now overused to the point of confusion. It seems to have replaced "OK," "thank you" and even "message received."

I hear "perfect" as I'm filling out forms or giving someone information. But the speaker doesn't mean "no mistakes" or "that's correct." It just means that I have the information that ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm starting to wonder if headphones have gone out of style. Last week, I was sitting in a doctor's waiting room when a woman across from me put her phone on speaker and had a very loud, very personal conversation for nearly 20 minutes. Everyone in the room could hear about her sister, her husband and what sounded like an argument ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My wife and I have been married for 20 years. She's an academic, and we've lived a transient lifestyle to accommodate her career. She had a greater professional vision than I ever did, so I opted to stay at home and raise the children. I became Mr. Mom at great social cost. It was hard to make friends, and many in my social circles (...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My mom finally got the chance to ring the bell! She beat the big C! After nearly eight months of supporting her through her diagnosis, her treatments, her hair loss, her mastectomy, her good days and her bad days, it feels unreal to begin putting this behind us. My mom is resilient and presses on, but I can see how tired she ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: For work, I often attend meals with assigned seating -- not just assigned tables, but individual chairs. I really enjoy these events, since they are opportunities to talk with seatmates I may not know well, or at all.

So I returned to using assigned seating at dinner parties in my home, hoping to replicate the opportunity for...Read more

Dear Annie: I have worked for the same company for six years and, until recently, truly enjoyed my job. I have always had strong reviews, good relationships with my co-workers and a reputation for being dependable.

Eight months ago, we got a new boss, and the entire mood of the office changed.

She rarely raises her voice or says anything ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My father is in his mid-80s. He has been to the hospital several times in the last month because of age-related medical conditions. A family member is vacationing here and wants to stay at dad's house for a week instead of a hotel or bed-and-breakfast. Dad told me he's not feeling up to it, but he doesn't know how to tell them without...Read more

There's a consultant who comes to give us a quarterly report, and each time, I marvel at their ability to speak and smile at the same time. They also give slight nods when they would like you to agree with a point they are making. It is a class act, especially since I have spent the week noticing how few people seem able to read a room, let ...Read more

Dear Annie: Two members of my extended family have ADHD. One is receiving counseling and medication year-round and is doing very well. My grandson, however, is being treated quite differently.

He takes medication for ADHD, but as far as I know, he is not receiving counseling or much help understanding what ADHD actually means. What worries me...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a retired executive chef, divorced for many years with three adult children. My son was also an executive chef, but no longer. He is a mean alcoholic. He stays drunk when not at his job, and he says cruel and nasty things to all family members. His older sister has written him off because of all the hurtful things he has said ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently read my teenage daughter's diary. I wasn't looking for anything in particular or worried that she was hiding something from me -- I was honestly just being nosy. She often leaves her diary lying around, so I convinced myself that perhaps she didn't consider it completely private. What I read, however, has left me ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I'm a college student who used to share the common area of my dorm room with one girl, Missy, while a third roommate, Artemis, has her own room with a door. She has a boyfriend (with his own apartment) who is over all the time, which I didn't mind, because he's a nice guy.

But since Missy left, Artemis and her boyfriend have ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been a teacher for 19 years. I've quit my job and have what I think are panic attacks when I think about going back.

Throughout my career as a mandated reporter, I've had to call the authorities multiple times, and I've always been a shoulder for children who've been abused to cry on. I never let it interfere with my attitude...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have a group of friends who get together once a month, usually for a casual dinner. Next month's gathering will be to celebrate three birthdays, one of which is mine. While planning this gathering (via text), I asked if we could skip exchanging presents and just enjoy our time together. The response from my friends was "No! We're ...Read more