ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I just got promoted to senior manager at the finance firm where I work. The company is less than five years old, and, although it has been successful, there's still a lot to be done to stabilize it, just like any other startup.

I was not the original choice for this promotion; when I tried to gossip around about why I was ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I sent out a dinner invitation to my in-laws. My brother-in-law called my husband to confirm attendance. He added that he will be bringing his boyfriend, and will require certain food accommodations because the boyfriend was just discharged from the hospital a couple of days ago after a major organ transplant surgery.

I ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am writing to you basically needing advice on a matter of snobbery and arrogance.

This in regard to one of my relatives. They say money changes people, and in this case, I think it has.

I'm now past 70 years of age. I have a male first cousin near my age. We grew up in the same Midwestern town only a few miles apart. Let's call...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have been talking to a man for a little more than a year. Things are wonderful between us, but he doesn't seem to want to make a commitment. It's not that I feel he's using me for sex, because he shows me off to his friends, we go out together and he texts or calls daily.

He's kind, and I don't have a single bad thing to say about ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: When the pandemic hit, I gained over 45 pounds. This change was quite noticeable on my body, especially since I am only about 5'2". My boyfriend, a fitness trainer, has never given me any reason to feel insecure about my body. However, I can't stop comparing my physique to his clients' when we work out together, which makes me ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a woman who works at a home repair store, where I routinely help customers load heavy merchandise into their vehicles. I am a small woman who is strong for her size. A lot of times, customers are surprised to see this, but most people let me do my job.

Once in a while, I'll get somebody who doesn't approve. One woman ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been with my husband since high school, so we've been together for 14 years and married for seven. I love him very much, but I'm starting to hate him.

He is angry every day. He comes home from work and doesn't pay attention to our children. I do all the cleaning in the house. He's been getting into his religion again; I'm ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband's uncle died by suicide in his home six months ago. It was a shock to the entire family. Since the funeral, we have helped to settle his affairs, including cleaning out his home to get it ready for sale.

My husband's cousin (the uncle's daughter) has had an understandably difficult time coming to terms with the loss of her...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm a 35-year-old man who recently decided to get a nose job after years of feeling insecure about my appearance. Growing up, I was always self-conscious about my nose; it was large, and I felt it didn't fit my face. For as long as I can remember, I've dealt with teasing and comments that made me feel like my nose was a defining ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I would like you to address behavior at the open mic at a funeral. Some people have a knack for comforting the grieving and eliciting gentle laughter with a sweet story. Others have droned on about knowing the deceased very well ... cutting to the chase, it turns out they just filled their gas tank a few times. (True story!)

...Read more

Dear Annie: I enjoy your column, and I appreciate your perspective. I have a family member whom I have loved dearly and shared family tragedies with.

Over the years, he has become a severe alcoholic. I have had to create boundaries, namely not answering rambling phone conversations. I respond to long voice messages with texts. I express my ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have been in love with a married man for more than 16 years. It started before he married, but I was married at the time, so he married her. He always told me he wouldn't leave his wife, but I hoped he would.

Three weeks ago, I told him I could no longer go on this way and to have a great life. Two weeks later, he emailed me asking...Read more

--Readiness is all. The same person who didn't stir you 10 years ago might just knock your socks off today because you've grown and now see their better points ... and maybe -- just maybe -- because you're now ready to make the commitment. Stay open.

--How many people do you know who look at marriage as an experience rather than a commitment? (...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I accidentally discovered through a viral TikTok video that my childhood friend has been using my personal stories and experiences as material for her stand-up comedy routine. We used to be neighbors, and naturally, we used to share everything growing up, from secrets to dreams, and I always trusted her to keep my personal life ...Read more