ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have an amazing husband who genuinely makes our marriage feel like a partnership. Not only does he pay all the bills -- even though I have a job and make a pretty good living -- he also helps cook, clean and take care of the kids. He does all of this and never complains about any of the support he gives his family. My husband ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Do you think it is rude to question one's motives? If so, what's behind that thinking?

In court, this is the jury's business, and considering one's motives has to do with our boundaries -- whether or not we should trust someone, become friends with someone, or go into partnership with them with something very important.

In ...Read more

Dear Annie: I was married for 30 years, and some of them were very happy. The man I fell in love with was joyful and excited about life. Over time he grew bitter and withdrawn and critical about nearly everything I did. We tried counseling twice. In the end, we were two people who were no longer compatible, and we divorced.

I'm now 60 and ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been happily married for 30 years. We both were previously widowed and have grown children and a large number of grandchildren. From the beginning of our marriage, we funded many things for our children -- cars, college, weddings, eating out, shopping trips, vacations, etc. Because we're now retired, we can no ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: It's been almost two months since my boyfriend and I moved in together. He's lived with romantic partners in the past, but this is my first rodeo, and I'm struggling to adjust. It's not anything that he does -- except for the fact that he looks forward to being with me every day, every night, every morning, every meal ...

I feel...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When meeting people -- job interviews, the doctor's office, the bank, or just meeting new people socially -- I have encountered an idiosyncrasy that bothers me. When coming face-to-face with someone for the first time, I have often been asked, "What was your name?"

This strikes me as odd. Since I am currently still using my ...Read more

Dear Annie: What do you think about friends who give gifts such as thrift store items or items that they no longer want in their homes? I have one friend who gives thrift store items to me as gifts. They are almost always cracked or chipped with the thrift store tag still on them and wrapped in used tissue paper.

Then I have another friend ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: There is an 8-foot privacy fence all around my backyard, except for a small path that goes from the corner of the driveway around the side of the house. You can't see the path or the backyard from the street.

The other evening, I was grilling dinner when a pair of young women walked right up inside the fence. One of them introduced ...Read more

"She makes me laugh. We have fun together." "Just being with him is fun." It's more than possible that the same person who brings a smile to your lips has soul mate potential. Let that thought percolate awhile and my hunch is that pretty soon you'll be nodding in agreement. Thing is, finding humor in the same things could be an important common ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: If I want to start a conversation with a stranger -- say we're next to each other on an airplane -- I might comment on the book they're reading. Similarly, is it OK if I comment on their tattoo?

Especially if it's a tattoo of a name or other words, it seems like it was put there so people could read it.

GENTLE READER: You ...Read more

Dear Annie: Every year, as soon as October rolls around, my husband and I start having the same argument: Whose family gets us for Thanksgiving?

We've been married for 12 years and have two children, ages 7 and 10. Both sets of grandparents live about an hour away, and both families expect us to spend Thanksgiving with them.

My mother starts...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I was sexually assaulted at work about 20 years ago. I went through an off-and-on cycle with that supervisor for almost a year. He used many different tactics: isolating me, befriending me, apologizing insincerely, stating that he was a pillar of the community and no one would believe it, and even telling me I hadn't meant it when I ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My life partner and I are blessed to have a tight-knit family and a small group of close friends. We have a nice, modest home and we are pleased to host the above on holidays.

We have twice run into issues with our sewer lines being plugged. On both occasions, the technicians have pulled out "flushable" wipes from the system....Read more

Dear Annie: My in-laws are in their mid-80s, and for most of their lives, they appeared to be quite wealthy. They lived in beautiful homes, entertained lavishly and traveled frequently. They were successful in real estate and should have been financially comfortable in retirement.

Over the years, extravagant spending, poor investments and ...Read more