ArcaMax

Dear Anna,

I went on a date with a couple recently. I’ve been a unicorn before, so I’m not completely new to the experience, but I wasn’t sure whether it was something I still wanted — and, honestly, I’m still not sure. The date itself was fine! We had fun, and afterward I wanted to see them again, so told them as much. But now I’m ...Read more

How many times have you heard something like this?

“I don’t want to waste your time.”

“You’re too good for me.”

“I’m too old/young for you.”

“I’m too short/tall for you.”

“You’ll get annoyed with me trying to keep up.”

Generally, these lines are in response to an initial message on a dating app. For example, a...Read more

Dear Eric: My longtime friend has a 39-year-old son who refuses to look for a job. His last job was seven years ago. His mother found the job for him, but his employer passed away. He is bright, likeable, talented, good-looking and in great shape.

His excuses, to name a few: his father died 18 years ago; he has sleep anxiety disorder so he ...Read more

Dear Eric: What should one consider if thinking about divorce? My spouse and I have been married for more than 40 years; the first 41 were very positive. We both worked so were not underfoot, were supportive and loving of each other and had many wonderful experiences.

Now over time in retirement, daily life has become unpleasant. We both had a...Read more

Dear Eric: I’ve recently started a new relationship with a man who has a very public job in our town. I’m more introverted naturally and I’ve found it really taxing to always be out and about, watching him schmooze with people as I slip into the wallpaper. Before we get more serious, I’m considering breaking it off. I’m not sure I have...Read more

Dear Eric: My husband and I are retired. We each have significant (and equivalent) retirement savings. We keep our finances separate, except for periodic deposits into a joint account that covers utilities, taxes, et cetera.

We decided to remodel our ’80s kitchen. The process has caused some huge arguments.

My husband is a cheapskate. He ...Read more

Dear Eric: My husband of more than 40 years left a note for me to come home to and was gone. It came as a huge surprise as every day he told me he loved me, up to the day before he left.

Our then-25-year-old son, too, was blindsided.

My husband ran to a recently widowed “friend.” It’s been five years. I have never heard from him again, ...Read more

Dear Eric: Recently I was dumped by my fiancée after dating for two years (no great loss according to my mother and friends). I noticed at work a young girl,18, just graduated from high school, who is cute and seems very nice. I am thinking of dating her, but my friends said she is too young – five years – and, as I have a four-year college...Read more

Dear Anna,

I (31F) called off my engagement about a year ago and moved to a new city. A few months later I matched with a guy (26M) on an app — the second person I dated post-breakup. We hit it off immediately, but I wrote him off as relationship material: He’s five years younger, still finishing grad school, and had never had a serious ...Read more

For years, I’ve worked with clients who come to me saying the same thing: “I just can’t find the right person.” When I dig a little deeper, a common theme appears — they’re clinging to a very specific idea of who their “type” is. (It often starts with a physical attribute, but it goes beyond that.) Here’s the kicker: That type ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On a summer Tuesday evening, a group of 18 young women gathered at Alma Wine Bar in downtown Sacramento — most of them complete strangers to one another.

By the end of the evening, fueled by a few glasses of wine and a handful of casual board games, new friendships were forged and potentially long-lasting connections ...Read more