ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I cut things off with my boyfriend recently. Unfortunately, I do not think it was the right time for us to be together. Throughout our relationship, we had many problems that all stemmed from us not being mature enough to be in a serious relationship.

Breaking up has been hard. We decided to go no-contact so we don't fall back ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am planning a birthday party for my 3-year-old daughter. Last year, for her second birthday, we did a small event at home, and she was pleased about it. I only invited friends from her daycare to make it special for her.

For her first birthday, I invited her friends and their parents to our home. I also invited her daycare ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband has three children from his first marriage. For the first 20 years of us being married, everything was great. But the last 15 years have been hell with two of the children. They became super religious and political to the point they are always pushing their way of life on us.

We told them to stop, that we have our own ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My mother and stepfather, "Pop," divorced a few years ago. He was the only father figure in my life and was good to me, so I want to maintain a relationship with him. What happened between them is a "he said, she said" situation. I don't know where the truth lies, and I have tried hard not to take sides.

Last year, Pop and his new ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: Sometimes my husband will bend the truth just to prove heÕs right, and honestly, it drives me a little crazy. HeÕs always been stubborn, but at this point in our lives, I donÕt understand why ÒwinningÓ small, meaningless arguments still matters so much to him. ItÕs not even about big issues -- it's little things. For ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I know that I should never invite guests to a party and require them to contribute food or money. But how does that work with political fundraising parties?

If my husband runs for office, how can we spread the word without making people (and in particular, our friends) feel that they have to pay?

GENTLE READER: By not ...Read more

Dear Annie: My brother-in-law is constantly making offensive and over-the-top jokes. Whenever I call him out, he tells me I'm "too sensitive."

To me, that's the same as saying, "I don't care about your feelings and I'm going to blame this conflict entirely on you!" I always point this out, but it seems to fall on deaf ears.

This is ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a 59-year-old divorced woman living with my 54-year-old boyfriend. We have lived together for seven months. He purchased the home we live in. Since we have lived here, I have made all the house payments. I also pay for the internet, utilities and all the groceries. We have four cats and five dogs between us. I feel like I'm ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I caught my 16-year-old daughter smoking cigarettes out of her window today, and IÕm beside myself. I asked her how long sheÕs been doing this and who got her into smoking, and she told me this was her first cigarette and nobody told her to smoke. When I looked at her cigarette pack, it was half empty -- she was lying to me! I ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: A friend of my wife's always calls her using videoconferencing. Always. It's as though she comes into the house uninvited, takes a seat and starts talking.

My wife is from the South, and is reluctant to ask her friend to change. I'm not exactly sure what advice you can give me. Perhaps I'm looking for you to agree that this ...Read more

Dear Annie: I live in a 55-plus community and have met many people and made lots of friends since moving in here. I am not a prude, but I find it very disturbing how the F-bomb and swearing is so prevalent in this community. I'm in my 60s, a baby boomer, a Christian and not a sheltered person, but I'm extremely annoyed by this behavior, ...Read more

Now that you've assembled a group of medical experts, I'm going to suggest you find the need to use them as seldom as possible -- which is my way of saying you should feed yourself well. Here's how:

--Give your mealtimes importance by thinking about their goodness. While you're eating, consciously appreciate the food's taste, the love you've ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I confided in someone I thought was a close friend about some pain points and concerns I experience with my brother. This was hard for me to do because I prefer not to discuss family matters with other people, but I guess I was feeling overwhelmed and really needed to vent in the moment. I thought I was in a safe space when I ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a young college student, but my dilemma seems to be shared by almost everyone I know. Both on campus and at home, I am subjected to the advances of evangelists for various causes -- not only religious, but also political.

They tape flyers to my door or slide them under it; they go door-to-door, interrupt me when I am ...Read more