ArcaMax

Dear Eric: I'm 65 and have been retired for the past two years. To stay active, I went to work as a personal driver for a very wealthy man. I'm salaried, so when he travels (on average one week a month) I still get paid. It's really not about the money; I enjoy the position.

What I don't like is getting the schedule on Friday (for my personal ...Read more

Dear Eric: My 26-year-old grandson has never held a job. Three years ago, he earned a master’s degree. Despite his achievement, he engages in all-night computer gaming, sleeps during the day and lacks motivation to seek employment.

His father is out of the picture, and his mother, my daughter, maintains him in every way. She loves him and ...Read more

Dear Eric: We play music with a group of friends on a regular basis. It is an informal, open group in a public space and generally everyone is welcome to join us and play along at whatever skill level they have.

However, there is one woman who comes along with her husband, who is a good player, but she has no skill at all, and her playing is ...Read more

Dear Eric: I'm an African American man in my late 60s. Nobody would call me the most religious guy on the planet, but the center aisle in the church would not open up and swallow me if I walked in.

I have a white friend, proud of his Jewish heritage, who I have known since we were kids. He spends as much time in the synagogue as I spend in the ...Read more

Dear Eric: For the past several years, our family has celebrated the new year with another family at a very specific location on the Jersey Shore. It’s been a lovely yearly tradition.

This year, for whatever reason, we did not book the hotel. There was no mention of the trip all year, with us assuming it was not happening.

Then, a couple of ...Read more

Dear Eric: During our morning walks, my husband and I became acquainted with “Ron”, a homeless man who always sits on the same bench and always has a cheery hello. During the holiday season, we decided to gift him a box of homemade cookies and a Christmas card with $200 in cash slipped inside. I’ve imagined him treating himself to a decent...Read more

Dear Eric: My sister's daughter is getting married in the fall. My 20-year-old daughter has not been invited because it is “adults only.” This upsets both of us because she is close to her cousin.

When I asked if she could attend the wedding ceremony, I was told that I wasn't even invited to the wedding ceremony because it was immediate ...Read more

Dear Eric: I live in an apartment with my 22-year-old daughter. She had a really bad high school experience that was broken up by Covid, so remote learning didn’t go well either. She eventually got her diploma but since then has not been able to find a job. We are going on about a year and a half now. She applies but doesn’t even get ...Read more

Dear Eric: My 40-year-old daughter has been living in a house with a very nice older, recently retired gentleman for about 10 years. He has an adult son and daughter-in-law who are drug addicts.

Recently, because of domestic violence in front of their 4-year-old child, the daughter-in-law was arrested and has an order of protection to stay away...Read more

Dear Eric: I am a 58-year-old woman who was diagnosed with cirrhosis three years ago. I did not have an alcoholic problem but had to give up drinking due to the condition.

I do admit I miss alcohol; however I’m doing well every day except for holidays or events. It triggers me when I have to be somewhere where everyone else is drinking and I ...Read more

Dear Eric: My wife and I have been married for more than 40 years. She’s great. But a reoccurring point of friction and, really, anger on my part is over the dishwashing and laundry at our house. She’ll let them accumulate beyond what I can stand.

So, long ago, I began just doing all of my own laundry and cleaning up the kitchen.

Most ...Read more

Dear Eric: There's a gal in my social circle who makes a habit of attending birthday parties and, in addition to the piece or two of birthday cake she consumes at the party, wraps pieces of cake to take home "for my family.” Sometimes she even does it without asking permission.

On my 37th birthday, I had a gathering of about 12 of the gals ...Read more

Dear Eric: I have spent a year helping my elderly parents sell their house and pay off tremendous debt, mostly due to my

mother's spending and hoarding. My father is unable to handle anything due to health issues. I have had help from my family so I'm not alone in this. I am still very involved with helping them with finances and doctors.

They...Read more

Dear Eric: I was in a relationship with a man 45 years ago who I loved more than I loved anyone in my life. Then he married someone. He didn’t tell me, I heard it from a colleague.

I was able to get myself together with a lot of counseling. I married a wonderful man who loves me with all his heart, and I love him the same. I was able to stay ...Read more

Dear Eric: My husband and I are in our early 70s. We're both in good health. We have one child who is an adult and lives independently but close by.

My husband and I enjoy marijuana now that it has been legalized in our state. Between the two of us, we smoke one joint after 7 p.m. about four days a week. We also enjoy it on special occasions ...Read more

Dear Eric: My significant other and I have been together 10 years now. Lately, since he reconnected with childhood friends, we stopped doing things together. We stopped doing things as a family (we have children). He is with them all of the time. I expressed how I felt and gave suggestions on how we can balance and improve, but he only gets ...Read more

Dear Eric: I have had a best friend, Beth. I’ve known her since we were 23 years old. We have not always lived in the same city nor seen each other regularly, but when we do, it’s as if no time or distance has passed. We connect immediately.

My problem is that Beth does not always return texts or calls in a timely fashion. I mean weeks will...Read more

Dear Eric: I have friends who have Alexa in their homes, and I understand that Alexa is a valuable tool when used as indicated. I also understand that it “listens” to any conversation carried on in its presence. This bothers me, because we often have intimate and/or professional conversations.

Is this a legitimate concern, or am I being ...Read more