ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I want to take a vacation with my best friend, but I don't have the money to do so right now, and I feel incredibly embarrassed about it. We typically take a trip together every year, and it's something we both look forward to because it helps us reconnect and make memories. This year, however, everything is different: I lost my ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was in line at a busy cosmetics store. The line wasn't moving very fast when the woman behind me asked me to save her place: She said an employee had forgotten to give her something, and she had to get it. I was approximately fifth in line and there were at least that many people waiting behind me.

I looked at the people ...Read more

Dear Annie: Lately, I feel like I am running everyone's life but my own.

I work full time, I have two school-aged kids, and my husband is a good man but seems to think the house, the calendar, the social life and the emotional needs of the whole family magically manage themselves. Spoiler alert: They do not. I do.

I am the one who remembers ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My son has completely given up on dating. Whether it's blind dates, casual meetings with members from our church or dating events I pay for and make him go to, he still hasn't found a wife. At 36, he should already have children and a partner, but despite the best efforts of my wife and me, he remains unmarried.

Our son is 6 feet ...Read more

I think I saw my first TikToker in the wild.

For a split second, I thought it might be a politician filming a video. He wore a black vest, a burgundy shirt, and a cowboy hat, and he repeated the same forceful upward motion with his hand. He'd freeze, lean toward a phone on a stand, and do the same routine again.

He had an older white work ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a friend, "Marcy," whom I've known for about six years through a mutual group of acquaintances. She was very kind when my mother was alive, often coming over to help, and she has also helped with my kids. Over time we became friends. Marcy is single, on disability and doesn't drive. I'm married and work full time, and I've ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My parents were married for 50 years. My dad remarried a nice lady a year after Mom died. Within two months of meeting her, they were engaged.

Dad made more than a few missteps, including announcing the engagement on Facebook before informing Mom's sister, inviting the new wife to Mom's delayed out-of-town memorial service, bragging ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My next-door neighbor has two young children and often seems to be stressed out. She is married, and her husband helps out some, but most of the work falls to her. I see her looking exhausted all the time. The lights are on in her house before dawn. I can see her cooking from my kitchen window. There's always a pot on and dishes ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: In 2023, I gave my husband's niece a lovely wedding shower at a restaurant. It included lunch and mimosas. The luncheon was about $1,500 with gratuity. I also paid for the cake, favors and game prizes, to the tune of another $500. I also gave a gift ($100). Later that year, my husband gave the bride and groom another gift from...Read more

Dear Annie: In 1996, I met a man while traveling. At the time, I was a single mom of three in a new city and state away from family. I was struggling with finances, child care and transportation. My family and I weren't close and had many disagreements, so I moved far away. When I arrived at my destination, this man got off with me and did not ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My sister recently became very ill and had to be hospitalized for four days. When I called and told our daughter, she was concerned and supportive. Then, I called our son, "Isaac," and left a message to please call me because it was important. He did not return my call.

A couple days later, my husband left another message for Isaac ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: While most of my family members moved away when they went to college, I stayed in town. Fast-forward to 40-some years later: I'm still here, and I am the one everyone is relying on.

Recently, my father passed away, and the arrangements were totally left to me even though I have several siblings. This came after I organized all ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am female, and I have a male friend who likes to flirt with other women when we go out for dinner or other occasions. Seeing as we're just friends, I don't think I have any justification for asking him to cool it.

On the other hand, I feel like he uses me in a way and disrespects me by constantly turning his attention ...Read more

Dear Annie: This letter describes my life experiences with bullies and how I managed to succeed. I was a scrawny, pimple-faced little kid growing up, had a weak voice, got fists shaken in my face while being held to the ground several times, was held underwater in swimming class and nearly drowned, was mocked for not having a girlfriend until my...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a 55-year-old man who dated a very special lady, "Dawn," for 12 years. We were both married when we met. I fell in love with her, and after we divorced our spouses, we continued being together.

I have two kids. Dawn didn't get along with the older one. My daughter wasn't rude, but she obviously didn't like Dawn. I proposed to ...Read more