ArcaMax

Make sure they understand that you will not make up for this expenditure, and make sure that you will be there for them (emotionally) when they get burned. Unfortunately, there is a high likelihood that this purchase will not be a good investment.

Dear Amy: My husband has OCD. He refuses to seek treatment. His behaviors annoy and irritate me in many ways.

However, the worst for me is when we must ride in the car together.

He cannot be still and simply drive the car.

We both love listening to music. However, he must add a jaunty whistle, an enthusiastic percussion drummed on the steering wheel or his lap, or, most annoyingly, a "ch-ch-ch-ch" sound.

Without going into detail, suffice it to say that the music we listen to is NOT enhanced by jaunty whistling. There is no point in asking him to stop, because he will immediately turn it back on me and come up with something I do that he doesn't like.

Instead, I sit in the car and dig my nails into my fists. I want to slice my ears off.

What can I do to make this better?

-- Not Van Gogh

Dear Van Gogh: If you and your husband learned how to lovingly and respectfully communicate, you might be able to tackle this together.

It's possible that you each have ironic and repellant disorders: OCD for him and misophonia (an outsized rage-reaction to certain sounds) for you. What are the odds?

Given that he won't even acknowledge or validate your struggle with his various tics, you'll have to resort to your own fixes. Deep breathing and earbuds might help to distract you.

Dear Amy: Thank you for your practical advice to "Travel Bugged." If you don't enjoy traveling with family members, then don't do it!

-- Solo Traveler

Dear Solo: Once people have successfully suffered through an experience -- and survived it -- they sometimes feel locked in for a repeat. Don't do it!

(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)