ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I said "I love you" during sex, and I meant it. I've been dating my guy for less than a year, but I appreciate everything about him and our bond. We have grown so close in so little time, but I don't think he's quite there yet. When I said it, I really wanted him to know -- but my timing probably wasn't the best. I was just ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When my friend of over 50 years and I lived only an hour and a half from each other, I spent a great deal of time at her house. This included spending time with her husband, and we all got along very well.

But on their 45th wedding anniversary, which was my last time to visit as I was moving away, her husband propositioned me...Read more

Dear Annie: I recently returned from a lovely two-week vacation to Europe with my husband. It's rare that we get a trip like this, so we were looking forward to it, and it did not disappoint!

I set clear expectations with my team at work beforehand that I'd be fully off work. Everyone respected that -- except my boss, who texted me not once ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My fiance gets annoyed and calls it weird that I talk to my daughter every morning on my way to work and in the afternoon on my way home. She's a wife and young mother of two, ages 1 and 4. I'm proud of how well she is doing.

I work full time, and she works part time. We're both always busy, so we don't see each other as often as we'...Read more

If you've been musing on the power of bitterness and the awfulness it can play in a life, that's a step in the right direction. It tells me your complacency has been a bit rattled by my words and you may just be considering (for the first time?) your role in shaping the unpleasant endings in your life. Knowing this is just between you and me, ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My son is only two weeks into the school year, and he already got suspended for a week for making a politically inappropriate joke in class. His dad made the joke the night before, and our whole family laughed, so my son thought it would go over well in class. We told him there is a time and a place for these types of jokes and ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I are professionals who contribute generously to many charities. Of late, however, we are noticing an unsavory practice of certain "society hosts" who head various charities: They invite us to their galas and parties, charging for the honor of being invited in order to raise money for the charity.

We have ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have lived in the same house for nearly 15 years and have always had a friendly relationship with my neighbors. About a year ago, a new family moved in next door with two large dogs. They seem like perfectly nice dogs, but my neighbors let them outside constantly -- early in the morning, throughout the day and sometimes well into ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My two youngest children have special needs. Both have the mentality of a 7- or 8-year-old. Today, my daughter (13) told the school counselor that her brother (15) has been touching her inappropriately. I feel like I'm reliving a nightmare. Six years ago, my oldest son touched her. He was charged and tried as an adult.

My daughter is...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I got into a car crash eight months ago, and it has left my face permanently scarred. I am still not used to the way my face looks, and I'm extremely insecure. I can tell my husband isn't as attracted to me as he used to be, and my toddler looks at me like I am Frankenstein's monster.

I want to find ways to be more confident, ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Why is it considered rude to ask an adult his or her age?

It's a fact of life, just one aspect of a whole person, and it's not like keeping it a secret is going to prevent the onset of old age.

GENTLE READER: The sad answer is that our society considers growing older to be a misfortune, if not a personal failing.

People, ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been married to a dear man for more than 40 years, but for much of that time, I have felt as though we are not really a team.

My husband can be very kind in practical ways. He will happily run errands, fix things around the house and do small tasks for me. But when I truly need his support, especially during stressful or ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: As an 80-year-old man, I'm up against a problem I cannot deal with. I've been married to an amazing lady for 57 years whom I love to death. She has put up with a lot from me, and I am so grateful. Now it's my turn, and I'm falling woefully short. Her mother died of complications from dementia, as did her older brother. My mother had ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm in an interracial relationship for the first time, and I'm struggling to figure out whether I'm genuinely uncomfortable or simply overthinking things because this is new territory for me. My partner seems to bring up race more often than I anticipated, even when it doesn't seem particularly relevant to the conversation or ...Read more