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Woman regrets inaction over campus abuse allegation

By Amy Dickinson, Tribune Content Agency on

So yes -- you should reach out. Do so privately -- not on social media. You can express compassion, concern and an expanded understanding of the impact of your virtual abandonment. Apologize on your own behalf. Express remorse, and tell her you hope that she can find it in her heart to forgive you.

Dear Amy: My husband and I have been friends with a fun couple for many years now. Unfortunately, they have just joined a multi-level marketing scheme predicated on targeting friends and family for sales.

While we are happy they have something to be passionate about, they are no longer a fun couple to be around.

Now when we have them over for dinner, their product is all they want to talk about. Every conversation that we manage to steer away from this eventually returns to it, even though we have told them we are not interested.

I can't imagine inviting them to dinner parties with our other friends, as we used to, knowing that they will be aggressively working the room for sales. Should we confront them and explain things, or should we just stop inviting them?

-- Curious

Dear Curious: You should certainly try to offer this couple a course correction before ditching the friendship. Convey your thoughts: "We're really happy you have this passion for your product, but it seems to have taken over your life. Sometimes I feel like you're still trying to sell to us. Even though you know we're not interested in your product, we're still interested in you. But have you lost interest in us?"

After that, yes -- if they have become one-note selling machines, you should stop entertaining them. This seems a natural consequence of their current choices.

 

Dear Amy: "The Invisible Wife" described how her husband's addiction to his electronic devices is leaving her completely out of his life.

You suggested that she should put together a cute video as a bid for his attention.

I think she should dump him.

-- Boom

Dear Boom: Well, dumping is certainly one way to go. However, "Invisible Wife" said that she loved her husband. She didn't want to dump him. She just wanted to get his attention.

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(You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or "like" her on Facebook.)


 

 

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