Life Advice

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Health

Late arrivers don't get to sulk in the kitchen

By Amy Dickinson, Tribune Content Agency on

You were the people running late. Your message to your sister should have been: "We're so sorry. We don't want to inconvenience everyone else; please go ahead, and we'll catch up when we get there."

I'm not sure why you and your family would choose to stand in the kitchen, internally sulking, when you could have taken your plates outside and enjoyed the fine Maryland weather along with your other relatives. Arriving late is one thing, but you don't get to sulk when you do.

Dear Amy: My co-worker and friend is spending a lot of time and money playing Pickleball and going to Pickleball tournaments.

This seemed to be a healthy activity at first, but it has evolved into a time-consuming and expensive obsession -- to the detriment of business and family.

I am starting to worry where it will end, especially since we rely on him doing his job well for the business.

We're noticing slips in his work (and I'm worried others can see this too) and he's frequently distracted, not prepared, and is shuffling more work off to others, which is making us nervous and also irritated. He also seems to be struggling financially and the additional expense of coaching, travel, and tournaments alone have to be adding more stress to an already stressed-out life.

 

Do we say something to him at work? Is there any hope? I'm worried for him, but also for the business.

He has a history of similar behaviors with other activities.

-- Anonymous

Dear Anonymous: I recently heard about the modified-tennis game, Pickleball, for the first time from a seatmate on a plane. It does seem like a very healthy -- and addictive -- game.

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