ArcaMax

Dear Annie: Last month, an old boyfriend contacted me. I hadn't seen "Bud" in 30 years. We had a wonderful conversation. I visited him at his home. He even sent me a large sum of money to help pay off a mortgage bill. We now talk at least twice a day and always say "I love you." Bud speaks of a future together, but I told him that I want a ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm in my early 20s and have been dating "Aidan" for a year. He attends college two hours away. He doesn't socialize much and stresses a lot about his grades. His only real friend is "Cara," a girl we went to high school with. Cara lives in a house with several other girls.

The first time I met her roommate "Lisa," I felt ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am becoming excessively annoyed by a new trend I'm seeing with my friends who have recently become parents -- the "naked mommy."

I'm 27 and have not yet had children. Several of my friends are having their second or third, but most are on their first. I work in a physician's office, so I see a lot of medical-related nudity, and it...Read more

Dear Annie: My father and I have never had the best relationship. He was domineering, controlling and verbally abusive to me as a teenager, and as a result, I rebelled and did things specifically to irritate him. Several times, he kicked me out of the house, saying I forced him to behave the way he did. I always apologized because it was easier ...Read more

Dear Annie: After more than 40 years of devotion to my husband, I have finally realized what a stonehearted jerk he is. I have done everything in my power to love, respect and encourage him. But I've fallen into a pattern of picking up the pieces of my heart and overlooking my own hurt in order to give him another chance and keep peace in our ...Read more

Dear Annie: My brother and sister and I had an amazing childhood. Our parents stressed the importance of hard work and education. The three of us got advanced degrees, and my sister and I entered the workforce after graduation.

Our brother, "Dennis," however, seems content to live with my parents, working a seasonal minimum-wage job. He was ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband's sister "Kelsey" filed for divorce a few months ago. Her soon-to-be ex-husband kept in touch. He told me that Kelsey had been cheating on him with the guy she is currently seeing. I didn't want to believe him, but in the past few weeks, I've discovered that Kelsey has been lying to her parents, her brother and me about ...Read more

Dear Annie: Five months ago, I met "Abby" at my job. We have a lot in common and have become close. We flirt with each other. Here's the problem. Abby is 41, and I am 20. She looks and acts much younger.

Abby is in a terrible relationship with her narcissistic soon-to-be ex-husband "Dave." They have two young children. Dave is jealous and ...Read more

Dear Annie: A few months ago, my husband mentioned that he'd responded to an email from a girl he used to know. I didn't think much about it, but then I saw him composing an email, and every time I walked near him, he shielded it from me. He started spending more time on the computer, and I got curious. Finally, I checked his account and saw ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am married to "Chris," a wonderful man. He was previously married and has major trust issues because of his ex-wife. I can handle most of this, but one thing has become worse over the past two years.

Chris has this idea that I wear outfits that show too much skin and attract other men. But, Annie, I don't wear clothes like that. ...Read more

Dear Annie: For the past five years, I've been with the most wonderful woman. "Jane" and I plan to marry, but we haven't set a date because she has two adult daughters who still live at home, and their future plans are unsettled.

Her younger daughter, "Trudi," is 24 and recovering from a debilitating gambling problem. Trudi lost her job, got ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been happily married for eight years, and we have two beautiful children. Recently, an ex-boyfriend called to let me know that his father had died. I hadn't heard from him in 12 years.

"Matt" and I began speaking regularly and even spent some time together. My husband knew all of this and was OK with it. One ...Read more

Dear Annie: My brother-in-law, "Travis," has been in a relationship with his girlfriend, "Kristin," for eight years. They now have two young children. Kristin has cheated on him too many times to count and continues to do so. They fight about it constantly.

The problem is that Travis is so wrapped up in what Kristin is doing with various other ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am a college senior, graduating in May. I am currently undertaking two internships, and one of them will include a job offer when a position opens up. But I don't know if I should take it.

I have always had a passionate desire to live in Europe. Since childhood, I have never wanted anything so much. Last year, I studied abroad in ...Read more

Dear Annie: Twenty years ago, my 16-year-old son left my home in North Dakota to live with his mother in Arizona. He was tired of my drinking and the poor living conditions we had. Not long after he left, I went into alcohol treatment and started a long affiliation with AA. I now have nearly 20 years of sobriety.

For a number of years, I was ...Read more

Dear Annie: Four months ago, my wife of 22 years left me. She moved in with her parents, filed for divorce and said she is going to find happiness. She had an affair, and we tried to work through it, but she wanted me to heal according to her timetable, not mine.

I have custody of our children, and she rarely sees them. When she does, it is all...Read more

Dear Annie: We have two children and a 13-year-old grandson. Two years ago, our 48-year-old unmarried son very reluctantly told us that he has been diagnosed with gender identity disorder and considers himself to be female. This came as a complete surprise, but we decided to support her wholeheartedly, and we find her to be much happier than ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 11 years. We have three young children and a great relationship.

We recently decided to move from Boston to Georgia. My husband, children and I believe it is the right choice. The problem is my mother-in-law. Right now, we live within a mile of her. She is devastated that we are moving and is ...Read more

Dear Annie: My 25-year marriage is falling apart. My husband's 40-year-old daughter, "Sally," has been living with us for eight months. She occasionally buys a few groceries, but otherwise pays nothing. She does no work around the house. I've asked her to help clean the shared bathroom. She says she doesn't think she should have to do any ...Read more

Dear Annie: You frequently print letters from husbands whose wives show no interest in sex, but I've never seen a problem like mine. My wife loves sex. However, she will never initiate it or act seductively. If I don't initiate sex, it doesn't happen. We can go for weeks without it. Yet when we are intimate, she adores it. She frequently says, "...Read more