ArcaMax

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I receive a lot of unwanted telephone calls from telemarketers and real estate buyers who are seeking to buy my house. Many of these callers start out by asking for me by name and then inquiring how I am doing.

Every once in a while, one of these callers turns out to be a recruiter instead of a telemarketer, so I wish to ...Read more

Dear Annie: When my nephew was a toddler and his family visited, my mom (his grandmother) got big furniture boxes discarded from stores and made forts and tunnels in our large family room. She got down on the floor and played whatever character he chose her to be in this turf maze. She didn't care if she played a dinosaur or the Lone Ranger.

...Read more

DEAR ABBY: We recently moved to a new neighborhood. My 8-year-old son, "Joey," has become best friends with a classmate, "Paul," who lives on our street. We know from research we did when we bought our house that Paul's stepfather, with whom he lives, is a sex offender who committed crimes against children and served time in prison.

Paul has ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: There is a concerning situation involving a boy I know who is intelligent but not considered cool by his peers -- he' a nerd. The girl he likes has been using him for her personal gain, manipulating him into doing her assignments and projects. Despite my attempts to warn him about her intentions, he does not seem to heed my ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have nine beautiful grandchildren, and beginning this year, I will attend high school graduations for the next several consecutive years. My issue is that I am so hard of hearing that I cannot understand the speakers at these ceremonies.

For me, it is as though the speeches are in a foreign language. I applaud when others ...Read more

Dear Readers: We recently ran a letter from someone who complained that cashiers at grocery stores rarely thank them, the customers. I heard from many of you who have worked as cashiers at supermarkets, and I am grateful for your letters as they provide a firsthand account of the other perspective.

Below are two of those letters. The second ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I grew up in a big lower-class family in which there has always been drama, fights, gossip, etc. I made a vow to myself that when I had my own family, I would raise them better. I keep myself and my children distanced from all of that. Am I wrong for keeping them away from my family? I don't like drama or problems. Sometimes I miss my...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a 29-year-old woman from Phoenix. My boyfriend and I have been in a relationship for five years. I thought that he was "the one" for a long time -- until this year when he fell terminally ill. I've had to watch him slowly fade away for three months now, and the doctors say he will continue to do so until the end of the year....Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: About once a month or so, when I attend a social function, I bring a gift or floral bouquet to the host. Often this involves carrying the gift or flowers on foot through a public area on the way to the gathering -- for example, along the sidewalk, if I park a block or two away from the host's home, or through the lobby of a ...Read more

Dear Annie: I could have written the letter from "Regretful," who was sad that she and her husband had left the city and moved into a rural area where she is missing out on so much that had made her life fun. For me, it's been 12 years of misery. I used to see my daughters and grandkid almost every day, and now I'm lucky if it's once a year.

...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am 34 and recently found out I have started menopause. I knew it might come early for me because most of the women in my family began in their 30s and were done by 50. I have no biological children and now probably never will. I guess I waited too long for the right time, the right person, etc. I was always careful to use birth ...Read more

The alert on my phone tells me that my package is seven stops away. Clicking into the app, there's a little outline of a truck, but what pulled up was a white sedan, someone's personal car with a few years and more than a few miles on it.

I'm of two minds. Sure, if you're in a neighborhood where you might question whether your package will ...Read more

Dear Annie: My only brother is 70, two years younger than me. We've not been close or communicating for months. I still resent his failure to acknowledge my marriage years ago. He was not present at my wedding, nor did he even send a greeting card. He missed out on all the formative years of my three children, never attending their events. He ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Years ago, my spouse's friend "Valerie" invited us to lunch. I had never met her, but had previous contact with her through email. Valerie clearly did not like me. We sat over lunch for four hours, and during that time, although she sat across from me, she never looked at me, never spoke to me and never acknowledged my presence. It ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am doing an internship at an energy company, and I am working on a solo project. I have been taking my time because this is my first internship, and I want to make a good impression. This week, I was sitting in a meeting with a lot of senior executives, and my boss's boss started screaming at me because I was taking too long on...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My best friend and I graduated from college together 50 years ago. We have fished together all these years and had many wonderful times.

I helped him apply for his first job as a teacher when he got out of the Navy (I knew the school superintendent). When he wanted to purchase some land on the water so he could sail, I helped...Read more