ArcaMax

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

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

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

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

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

DEAR MISS MANNERS: After several miscarriages, a friend is finally pregnant via IVF. While the couple is thrilled, they often find themselves in the presence of others who are having trouble conceiving or who have given up.

Since they had their share of trouble, they certainly understand, but it's as if their mere presence is now resented. At a...Read more

Dear Annie: I work in a small office where our boss is almost never there. She comes in late, leaves early, works from home whenever she feels like it and is often "unavailable" when problems come up. Meanwhile, the rest of us are expected to answer clients, meet deadlines, handle emergencies and keep everything running.

The frustrating part ...Read more

A friend recently told me they had been canvassing for a local candidate. As we talked, I mentioned that I hoped the candidate understood what comes after Election Day. Campaigns are built on conviction, but governing is built on collaboration, which often means working with people who disagree with you, voted against you, or have questioned ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am the single mom of a 19-year-old daughter who copes with bipolar 2, ADHD, anxiety and depression. She has a mental age that's younger than her adult self. Over the years, she has gone through therapy and changes in medication.

It has been recommended that my daughter attend a residential therapy program, but she refuses. Since ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently applied for and interviewed for an internship in the city. I felt like the interview went well, and I was told I met the requirements and qualifications for the role. The company ended up going in a different direction, and I am at a loss. I normally get everything I want and apply for, and I have never faced rejection...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I would like to explain why some people put their feet on the furniture, or tuck their feet under and sit on them.

The women in my family are short. Most furniture is designed for people taller than us. Our feet do not reach the floor, nor do they reach the stools or ottomans that are usually placed a long-legged length away....Read more

Dear Annie: I'm writing for advice about a dear friend, "Meg," who we've known for more than 40 years. She has a son, "Rodney," who went to high school with our son and who has always been on the edge of being an outlaw.

Over the years, we've seen Rodney continuously depend on his parents to finance his escapades. We saw him wreck his car and...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I married when I was 20 and my husband was 32. I grew up with a conservative view of marriage, so in a sense, I believed marrying early would grant me the most freedom as a woman. We have been married for five years and have a child.

Over the years, many people have offered unsolicited advice about how I "missed out on my 20s," or ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: As I've grown up, I've always tried to do my best whenever I can. I try not to limit myself with mediocrity and always push myself. This has been a main driver of my successful moments; however, it definitely impacts the way I treat myself in private. Although people see me as a high achiever, I find myself constantly critiquing ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I hosted a former colleague for a weekend. Like any proud grandmother, she wished to show me a video of her granddaughters singing, to which I happily consented.

I was less pleased, however, when my houseguest proceeded to scroll endlessly through her phone during our simple repast at the dinner table, searching for a ...Read more