ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I wanted to do something special for my mom, so I decided to surprise her with a vacation for her birthday. She loves to travel, so I thought it'd be a nice opportunity for the two of us to get away and bond. My mom and I are not as close as I would like us to be. When I was younger, my mom took the "I am your parent, not your ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Strolling through a state fair, a couple run into a national celebrity. Husband asks if he can take a picture of the celebrity and wife together.

He clicks the shutter as the celebrity places a hand on the buttocks of his wife. Impropriety or playful humor? Would it be an exaggeration to call this a groping?

GENTLE READER: ...Read more

Dear Annie: I go to the same nail salon every few weeks, and lately I've noticed something that is driving me crazy. Almost every time I'm there, someone is talking loudly on their cellphone, watching videos without headphones or having a FaceTime conversation while the rest of us are trying to relax.

At my last appointment, the woman next to...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm in love with an older woman. I'm 41, and she is about 35 years older. I have known her since I was a kid. She's the reason I always dated older women. I want to tell her how I feel, but I'm scared she'll be shocked, and I wouldn't want anyone else to find out my feelings, like her kids. I grew up with them.

We always enjoy our ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: For our whole lives, my cousin has had it so much easier than me. Our moms are sisters, and we were born only a year apart. Growing up, her family was significantly wealthier and more connected than mine. As a result, she went to Harvard and became a dermatologist, and her husband got super rich from selling a tech company he ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am very fortunate to have found a number of good companions through my active participation in local clubs. However, most of my new friends are a generation or more older than I.

They are wonderful people, and I am grateful for their kind interest in me. Yet I find it uncomfortable when I am asked about my family.

I ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am desperate to declutter our house, but my husband has a very hard time letting go of anything. Our closets are overflowing, the garage is packed, and we have boxes of things we haven't opened in years. There are old tools, clothes that no longer fit, broken electronics, stacks of paperwork and even things from hobbies he hasn't...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Two years ago, I ran into an old friend I hadn't seen in more than 25 years. We went to dinner the following week. The dinner lasted three hours. Abby, she talked the entire time! It was a mix of grandiose stories, complaints about her health, complaints about her relationships and an attempt to make me feel guilty for not contacting ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm dating someone new, but we're having a hard time finding things we want to do together. I don't mean to sound posh, but I do enjoy getting dressed up and going to shows, nice dinners, live performances and more. The guy I'm dating is quite different from me. Much of his life revolves around health, fitness and training. He ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: You are a very stupid person if you truly believe that wearing white shoes after Labor Day is a breach of "etiquette." It really doesn't matter what color your shoes are, especially after a specific date or time. It is completely appalling that anyone would live by these rules you so vigorously advocate for.

I do believe that...Read more

Dear Readers: Wishing you all a very happy Labor Day. The expectation of this holiday is to take the day off, put our feet up and enjoy the last stretch of summer.

How many of you are actually able to take the time to reset and rest today?

We say we are going to relax, and then we answer a few emails. We clean the kitchen. We run to the ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a single mother of an 18-year-old son with autism. I have known "Cliff" for more than 20 years. We live on opposite coasts. I want to be with him and he with me, though he doesn't want my son to live with us at this time. He wants it to be just the two of us for a while. Abby, my son is not able to live on his own. Do you have any...Read more

Years ago, during the hot months in the desert, I adopted a short house dress style that I change into when I come home from work. I have probably about six that I rotate, but the original is old. It's old enough that a picture of my son and me when he was a baby included that dress. He's about to turn 11. I still wear that dress.

It is not ...Read more

Dear Annie: I travel fairly often from Miami to Europe and California, and lately I've been thinking I need to change the way I do it. I'm at the point where I'd honestly rather take fewer trips and enjoy them more than squeeze myself into economy for hours just to save money.

I'd love to fly business class about five times a year and maybe ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been married for eight years. For the most part, we are happy, but there is one thing that upsets me. He doesn't like to have people over for social events. In fact, I can't get him to participate in any social outing without him moaning and complaining the entire time.

I enjoy getting together with friends and ...Read more