ArcaMax

Dear Eric: A few years ago, I was directly responsible for saving “Peter’s” life. I did not know Peter before this event and soon afterward he and his family reached out to thank me and ask to meet me, obviously under better circumstances.

I agreed to the meeting and, to be blunt, I regret it completely.

Peter is a perfectly decent ...Read more

Dear Eric: About two years ago, my husband was “invited” to resign his managerial position at a local company. This followed two less-than-great performance reviews which he claimed were the result of not getting along with his boss.

Fortunately, he was able to find another comparable full-time position quickly. He says he likes his job. ...Read more

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Robert Lyles has spent more than two decades raising children, but he says he is still learning what it means to be a father.

“I don’t know everything,” Lyles said.

With eight children ranging from 23 to 1-year-old, Lyles has learned that parenting looks different for every child. He joined Durham’s Nurturing Fathers ...Read more

Dear Eric: I am finding myself more and more fearful of AI. I have family and friends who casually upload their personal images to be AI-altered. That’s their prerogative so I never have talked about my AI aversion.

Recently though, a few family members uploaded group photos including me to generate lighthearted/silly AI images. This bothered...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- On a recent Sunday morning, nearly 50 people in long pants and sun hats, some toting loppers, gathered beside the Mississippi River.

It was the second meeting of the Minneapolis Buckthorn Removal Singles Club, a group of mostly 20-and-30-somethings circling up for an icebreaker.

Attendees shared their dating preferences and ...Read more

Dear Anna,

I’ve (19M) been with my girlfriend (18F) for just under four months, and things have gotten serious enough that we’re starting to talk about having sex for the first time. She’s never had sex before, and early in our relationship she told me she’d always imagined sharing that part of herself with only one person. She says if ...Read more

Dear Eric: I’m a senior with three grown kids. After divorcing young, I rebuilt my life, earned a degree and worked hard to save for retirement. Two of my children are independent, but my third child, with his family, still lives in my house despite many conversations and arguments about moving out.

This prevents me from selling my home as ...Read more

I have a new client, Sandy. She lives in San Francisco, she’s in her mid-60s, and she hasn’t dated in over 30 years, since before she was with her late husband. Dating has changed a lot since then.

She and I had a few pep talks about first dates — what to wear, where to meet, who should pay, and how to end a date depending on how it goes...Read more

Dear Eric: I’m going to college out of state in the fall. My boyfriend was supposed to go to the same school as me but now it looks like he’s going to have to defer because of money. We’ve been together all through high school. Now he’s telling me he wants me to defer, too, so we can be together.

He’s being nice about it, but he says ...Read more

Dear Eric: Today I was shopping at one of the major chain stores, where I shop often. I checked my items out at the self-checkout line.

When I got to my car and unloaded my purchases, stuck in the back of the shopping cart there was a small item that I had completely overlooked.

I immediately took the item back to the store, checked it out and...Read more

Dear Eric: My family has always left shoes at the door, except for occasional circumstances like parties, et cetera. Those who prefer wearing shoes, have shoes that they only wear indoors.

My significant other does not really understand this concept. He makes numerous trips to the garage and outdoors and wears those gritty shoes in the house. I...Read more