ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I think my sister hates me. I'm in college right now, and my sister just finished her freshman year of high school. When I was away from home, she made new friends and started getting into trouble. A few months ago, she ran out of a gas station with a case of alcohol and was chased by the police. Luckily, the cops felt bad ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have been dating a wonderful man for a couple of years. He has generously given me several gifts, but I have found most of them to be kitschy and I don't really want them in my house. I'm trying to minimalize my home environment, and I'm getting rid of things instead of adding more. I have displayed some of his gifts in my ...Read more

Dear Annie: My mom and I have always been close. I'm 35 now, but we talk almost every day, even though she's in Virginia, where I grew up, and I moved to Washington state after college. We make an effort to see each other as much as possible, but of course, it's never enough.

Recently, a work trip brought her to San Francisco, but I didn't ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend, "Adam," and I have been together for four years. We are very much in love and share similar views on most things. We agree that a marriage license is just a piece of paper and our relationship is already a marriage, so we don't need one.

We have also discussed the idea of having children in the future, and we agreed we ...Read more

On every page of your daily calendar, write the following: "If it's 7 p.m. and I'm still at my desk, go home!" Write the same message on slips of red paper tucked into your purse or wallet -- and any other place they'll be noticed. But writing notes is one thing; following through is what takes guts.

Carve out time in your daily routine for ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently was in a relationship with a boy who was never officially my boyfriend. However, we went on dates almost every week and often hung out. We progressed like this for three months until he went radio silent. I was hurt at first, especially since he made it seem like he wanted more. My friends even thought that he was more...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I do a lot of recreational traveling, and often take local tours in the countries we visit. In these tours, there are often many comments using America as a punchline. How should I handle this? Just stand there and be humiliated?

GENTLE READER: One cannot open an American newspaper without reading that there is...Read more

Dear Annie: I am a working mother of two young children, and lately the guilt is eating me alive. I love my job. I worked hard to get where I am. But every morning when I leave the house, my 4-year-old asks why I have to go again, and my heart sinks.

My husband is supportive. We have good childcare. Still, I feel like I am missing the little ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I recently started dating a guy I have known for 30 years. He has moved in and asked me to marry him. Our relationship is perfect except for anything having to do with social media. He has an account on TikTok using a sexually suggestive name.

He's following 500 women and has just as many following him. I'm worried this will lead to ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My best friend booked a trip, and she's going to be gone on my birthday. I have been planning my 30th birthday for four months; I put so much time and effort into planning it, and she won't be attending. We've been friends for eight years, and I just assumed that she was going to be there. I asked her why she scheduled her ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Since some political figures have demonstrated and encouraged boorish behavior, what was once seen as good breeding is now eschewed as unnecessary or unmanly. Is there still a place in such a world for civility?

Many cringe-worthy statements are applauded by a (thin) majority of people in the U.S.

GENTLE READER: Well, that's...Read more

Dear Annie: I always pictured summer as the one time of year when our family could finally slow down. During the school year, we are all racing from homework to practices to carpools to late dinners. I thought summer would bring beach days, lazy mornings, cookouts and maybe one real vacation where we could reconnect without everyone checking a...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Our nephew "Conrad" is engaged to be married soon. For several reasons, we are unable to attend the wedding. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't hesitate to send a generous gift as I have for our other nieces and nephews. However, Conrad is not normal. He doesn't speak to me, my husband or our children, two of whom are his age. We ...Read more