ArcaMax

Dear Readers: Happy Fourth of July! Here's one of our favorite pieces, originally written in 1955 as a public relations advertisement for the Norfolk and Western Railway company magazine (now the Norfolk Southern Corporation) and updated in 1976. Although some of the statistics have changed over the years, the sentiment remains the same:

"I Am ...Read more

Dear Annie: I recently broke up with my boyfriend of two years. I had been having doubts for a few months and one night he took me out for a surprise picnic. On the way to the picnic, I thought he was going to propose and the only thought I had was: "How do I tell him no?"

We had a great relationship, but I'm not sure he's the one I want to ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am gay. Two years ago, my partner of 34 years told me that my brother-in-law had touched her breasts inappropriately. I didn't believe her and we had a huge fight over it. She never confronted him or told my sister, and she has continued to socialize with my family.

Last weekend, we attended my niece's graduation, and much to my ...Read more

Dear Annie: My father passed away many years ago and my mother remarried and moved to a vacation home. However, she still owns the house we grew up in and two of my siblings now live there for free. My sister is 60, and my brother is 46. Neither has worked for years.

I talk to my mother about it all the time, telling her she is not doing them ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have two sons, both married with children, living in two different states. For several years, my older son "John" has refused to talk to his brother, "Teddy." I don't know why, except that John's wife initiated it.

My husband and my sons and their families were at a wedding a few years ago. John's wife refused to acknowledge Teddy...Read more

Dear Annie: Not long ago, I discovered that my husband of 25 years was living a completely secret life. This life included pornography, voyeurism, physical affairs, emotional affairs and flirtations with hundreds of women he met through his sales job. Many of the women thought he was going to divorce me, even though he was manipulating them to ...Read more

Dear Annie: My sisters and I have always been close, but some changes have occurred this year that threaten our relationship.

My youngest sister, "Carrie," separated from her husband of 13 years and it has been a tumultuous four months for all of us. She began dating again a month ago, and one relationship has progressed nicely. She has already...Read more

Dear Annie: I used to be one of those people who, when I heard that someone was ill or injured, would say, "If I can do anything to help, please call me." I meant it with all of my heart, but of course, no one ever called, so I wrongfully assumed they were OK. Then disaster struck our home. My husband fell down some steps and suddenly was a ...Read more

Dear Annie: My father-in-law "Ron" is having an affair. At first I was not sure, but now I have proof, and my husband has seen his father with this woman, as well. Even my in-laws have told us that they only coexist with one another. I am not sure if my husband's mother knows of the affair. She might.

Since we saw my father-in-law with this ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for nine years. When we were dating, we had the best conversations. He would remember events that happened in my life and would follow up with questions later. He talked about things going on in his life and would include me in the conversation, asking my opinion.

After we married, he has either ...Read more

Dear Annie: My father is starting to have trouble managing his banking. He has a decent fixed income, but somehow, he is now living from one check to the next and he's getting costly overdrawn notices. I have started to write out his bills, and I try to keep his checkbook balanced.

Last week, I went to the bank with him for the first time. He ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am 50 years old. After 10 years of marriage, I feel I must tell my wife of the reason for my declining ability to perform in the bedroom.

After three months without intimacy, she requested that I see a doctor and I agreed to do so. However, what she doesn't know is that in order to have a marriage with this wonderful woman, I have...Read more

Dear Annie: Is it unorthodox to have a one-year anniversary party? A friend of mine was married last summer. By November, she had created a save-the-date on Facebook for a one-year anniversary party. "Leona" invited everyone who had been on the wedding list, whether they attended or not. So far, only a handful have responded. Leona has since ...Read more

Dear Readers: Happy Father's Day to all of the men in our reading audience who have had the pleasures and responsibilities of raising children. This includes fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers and those who have stepped in as father figures for children who need them. Bless you all. Having a caring father is not only one of life's great joys, ...Read more

Dear Annie: My mother had a stroke seven months ago and now cannot walk, read or speak. She will never be able to return to her house, which will need to be sold should she run out of money for the care facility in which she now lives. Her house sits exactly as she left it, full of her things, and we maintain her lawn and check her mailbox for ...Read more

Dear Annie: For the past 20 years, a good female friend of mine and I have gotten together every few weeks for walks, lunch and movies.

The problem is, whenever we go to the movies, she always picks. I'm a pretty easygoing person and will see whatever she wants because even if the movie doesn't sound great, I'm willing to give it a try. But ...Read more

Dear Annie: Recently, I insisted a dear friend move into my home so I could help him after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After a lengthy surgery, doctors managed to remove it. Two weeks later, I took him to a rustic cabin retreat so he could rest.

The morning we were to leave for home, I woke up and went to open the front door, but it ...Read more

Dear Annie: A couple of years ago, my husband and I introduced ourselves to our new neighbor. We helped her catch her dog when it took off down the street and lent her our cellphone when her dog locked her out of the car. We waved hello and goodbye. She told us that her husband was in the service. He came home and before we knew it, he was ...Read more

Dear Annie: My friend, "Josie," recently joined a popular online dating site after her husband decided he'd rather be single. Josie met several interesting men on the site, and after chatting with them for a week or two, every single one of them asked her for money. She refused.

Finally, one asked her to cash a check for him. He spent about a ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have two daughters-in-law who seem disrespectful to me. The first one only visits on Christmas day. Yet she has no problem calling when she wants me to take her kids to a doctor's appointment or pick them up from school. The other one does the same, but her excuse is that they are too busy to see me because they are spending time ...Read more