Life Advice
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Asking Eric: Meet-and-greet with musician leads to infatuation
Dear Eric: I’m 70 and very happily married (together 38 years). We both love music and lately after seeing a performance, there’s a meet-and-greet with the musicians. A particular musician and I have chatted several times. The last time, I got an autograph and a hug. I am on cloud 9!
I love my spouse (I would never cheat) and I have assured...Read more
Future Student Wants To Minimize Financial Burden
DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm looking to level up in my career, and I want to pursue a master's degree. I'm someone who does not want to accumulate too much debt, based on milestones that I see in my future. I have no issue with higher education, and I don't have much anxiety around the program itself; I am just more concerned about making sure I have ...Read more
Outdoor Parties Should Remain Outdoors
DEAR MISS MANNERS: Is it rude to host an outdoor event at our home and limit the indoor access to restroom use only?
My husband is one of seven siblings, who are all married with multiple children; some of those children are grown and married with children, as well. Needless to say, our combined immediate family is very large. We come from ...Read more
A Season of Distance, Not Goodbye
Dear Annie: I am an 86-year-old mother of three children, a grandmother of six and great-grandmother of eight. We have always had a great relationship with our children.
Our youngest daughter, who has always been close to us, went through a stressful divorce. Her husband had an affair, and she divorced him. She always came home every few ...Read more
Wife's Transformation Creates New Issues At Home
DEAR ABBY: I've been with my wife for 23 years. We have three kids and are in our early 40s. My wife has always struggled with her weight, but two years ago she started a plan and has been successful. Her weight loss has prompted me to notice her more, and I've noticed as I've paid more attention to her in the last few years that she has a ...Read more
Single File: Workaholism (Part 1)
When career becomes life and there are virtually no boundaries in between, work is no longer a connection. How could it possibly be? There's nothing it can connect you to! In the same way an alcoholic hides behind a bottle, you could be using your work to protect yourself from life beyond the office walls. If so, you could wake up at age 60 with...Read more
Ask Dating Coach Erika: What dating app seems to have the best luck in finding a partner?
Another day, another set of dating questions.
Question: What dating app seems to have the best luck in finding a partner?
Answer: You may not love my answer, but it's not about luck or "finding" someone. It's about being proactive and using the apps efficiently. You can be successful, or unsuccessful, on any app depending on how thoughtfully ...Read more
Ask Anna: I've been poly for 12 years. Why am I crying in the bathroom?
Dear Anna,
I’ve been happily married for 12 years, and my husband and I have been poly for eight of them. Overall, it’s been a really positive part of our relationship. We’ve had our trials, of course, but we communicate much better than we once did, we both date other people occasionally, and I genuinely experience compersion much of the...Read more
Asking Eric: Neighbors react badly to person with autism spectrum disorder
Dear Eric: I live with autism spectrum disorder and have been in regular, independent housing since I was 19. I'm 55 and I've managed to work full time for almost 10 years in spite of previous employment where I was harassed due to discrimination because of my neurodiversity. I'm settled into a new career in an accommodating environment that's ...Read more
Creating Balance Is Important
DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm someone who keeps a very busy schedule. I thought I enjoyed being busy because that's what made my mind feel at ease. However, therapy and self-discovery have led me to realize I feel like I must stay busy because my mind does not feel comfortable being relaxed. Having a packed schedule is sustainable as a teenager, but the ...Read more
Is There Etiquette For Running A Generator?
DEAR MISS MANNERS: We lost power from a hurricane for 10 days. We were lucky we suffered no major damage to our home or our property.
However, once gasoline became available, some neighbors began running generators 24 hours a day. It was so noisy that we had to close our windows to sleep, which became the worst part of the hurricane experience....Read more
Marriage Is More Than Co-Managing
Dear Annie: I have been married to my husband for 18 years, and in many ways he is a good man. He works hard, pays the bills, shows up for our children and has never been cruel or unfaithful. From the outside, I am sure people think I have nothing to complain about.
But inside our marriage, I feel painfully alone. My husband is emotionally ...Read more
Wife Suspects Man Is Still Up To His Usual Tricks
DEAR ABBY: How can I tell if my husband loves me? We have been married 41 years, and during our entire marriage he's been cheating on me with other women. He takes good care of me and is always there for me and our family. We hardly have sex. I try to give him a romantic kiss, but he only gives me a peck.
I have suggested that we go on date ...Read more
Asking Eric: Perimenopause treatment prompts awkward questions
Dear Eric: Like many women in perimenopause, when my hormones started getting out of whack, I gained about 25 pounds due to a sudden and uncontrollable hunger (estrogen helps moderate ghrelin, the hunger hormone). When I finally started hormone replacement therapy, I got the constant hunger and other issues back under control and worked hard to ...Read more
Great-Aunt's Ailing Health Causes Desire To Reunite
DEAR HARRIETTE: My great-aunt is in heart failure and was told she has less than a year to live. Growing up, we had an amazing relationship and she introduced me, as a little gay boy, to makeup and cosmetics; she would paint my nails and let me play with her makeup. I wrote my college entrance essay on her and how she helped me fall in love with...Read more
White Not Off-Limits For Everyone, Everywhere
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I attended a bridal shower for my friend's future daughter-in-law. Little did I know that I was going to be raked over the coals by my daughter and her friends for wearing a casual white dress.
My daughter called me selfish, and her friends stated that if it was their shower, they would purposefully spill red wine on my dress...Read more
One Parent's Dream, Another's Heartbreak
Dear Annie: My husband and I are in a painful disagreement about our children's education. He went to boarding school as a teenager and says it was one of the best things that ever happened to him. He talks about the independence, friendships, the sports, the teachers and the confidence it gave him.
I did not go to boarding school. I grew up ...Read more
In-Law's Sunny Comments Get On Woman's Nerves
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have four children, two of whom have congenital health issues we've been managing. One child is leading a "normal" life and is a spunky little kid. Our other child may be more impacted down the road, and we continue to seek answers. If people ask how either one of them is doing, we are open to sharing. Depending on ...Read more
Asking Eric: Niece bars aunt’s boyfriend from wedding
Dear Eric: My niece, age 31, is getting married in the fall and has told me that I can't bring my boyfriend ("S") of five years because there isn't "room." I offered to pay for his meals, extra seating, et cetera, but she will not budge.
I found out that the real reason is that she hasn't met him and they only want people they know at the ...Read more
Daughter Upset About Leaving Private School
DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I are making the difficult decision to pull my daughter from private school and put her in public school. Our family simply can't afford it anymore because they keep hiking the price for tuition. My daughter is crushed about it because she's been going to this school for five years and all of her friends are here. ...Read more
Inside Life Advice
Popular Stories
- Ask Anna: I've been poly for 12 years. Why am I crying in the bathroom?
- Ask Dating Coach Erika: What dating app seems to have the best luck in finding a partner?
- Ask Anna: Is my partner protecting me -- or controlling me?
- Ask Dating Coach Erika: He's only been separated for 6 months. Is this a deal-breaker?
- Ask Anna: Is this love bombing? And should I play matchmaker?






















