ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: A longtime friend came to visit me and my family this summer. We had a nice visit. As I was driving my friend home at the end of his visit, he commented in a by-the-way fashion on what he observed about my interactions with my wife. She and I have been in a simmering war of words for a long time now, and he clocked it. He didn't ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently paid for an Airbnb rental for four days. The host was extremely attentive and accommodating leading up to my check-in date. When I arrived, the place was not what I was expecting at all. It looked nothing like the pictures. I immediately contacted the host and requested a refund, then canceled my reservation through ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: The other day I was driving home with my husband when he got a call from a good friend of his. His friend was venting about being unhappy with the base salary at his new job. My husband then revealed that he should be happy with that salary, and how it is more than I am making now. Though I don't believe that my husband had ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been suffering from a bad cold for a couple of weeks now. I still have had to work and go about my life. I have taken several COVID-19 tests -- and every other test that the doctor would give me. All they say is that it's a cold, but I continue to cough, so people look at me like I'm going to kill them when I am out. I ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I live on the ground floor of an apartment complex. It is in the city, but it is surrounded by a small garden and fence. The other morning, I felt something weird and opened my eyes. Standing outside my window was a random man staring in at me. My bedroom is small. While there was a window between us, he was literally only about ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my close friends wore a very revealing dress to my wedding. While I want to be open-minded and understanding of her choices, I couldn't help feeling uncomfortable and distracted throughout the day. I even had a few guests ask me if I was upset with how my friend was dressed. I lied and told them it was fine.

I think what ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a valued employee who has worked with me for several years. She is hitting her stride, doing very well for my small company. I fear that she is about to leave. I gave her a raise this year, which I thought was an incentive and proof that I value her, but I don't know if it's enough. I cannot give her another raise yet. My ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: There is a new girl at work, and although I have been nothing but friendly and helpful to her, she has this annoying habit of talking to me as if I'm the newbie in the office. Sometimes she even goes to the extent of explaining things that I already know like the back of my hand. I'm very good at my job, and I've been promoted ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have always been an outsider, and not by choice. It just seems to happen. I started a job this year where I thought it might be different. We all go into the office, and on many occasions a group of people my age go out after work for drinks or whatever they do. They have never invited me. I'm kind of shy, so I haven't gotten ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been having a great time this summer hanging out with friends, and I'm sad that it is coming to an end. My favorite time of the year is summer, and I start to dread the cold weather the moment this season ends. It's weird. My attitude changes almost instantly, and I get moody. I want to figure out how to keep my spirits up...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: A good friend of mine is a video content creator. The other day while we were having lunch, I suggested a concept for one of her videos. She seemed uninterested in the idea at the time and sort of brushed it off. A few days later, I logged on to Instagram and saw that she did, in fact, create a video incorporating the concept ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: Every year, people remember 9/11 for the horror of the day and also the solidarity that it brought to our country. I wasn't born until after it happened, so I only know it from reading and from my parents' recollections. Sometimes I feel disconnected from the impact of the disaster. My parents lost good friends in the World Trade...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a university student going into my junior year. I have wanted to study abroad in Spain since I was in middle school. My sister recently returned from her semester abroad in Spain and said that she felt at peace there. I recently set up a meeting with my financial adviser, and she made me feel defeated because my family's EFC...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I've noticed that my neighbor's dog is often left outside, even in the middle of the day when the temperatures are scorching hot. It breaks my heart to see the poor animal suffering from the heat, panting heavily and looking extremely dehydrated. I've tried talking to my neighbor about the situation, but they seem dismissive of ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been spending time recently with a powerful woman in my field who has asked me to do some work with her in the fall. This is an incredible opportunity that may be very good for my brand. Being aligned with her will take my work to a much more visible, high-profile level.

The problem is that this woman is high-maintenance ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: An anonymous account has been sending me strange, threatening messages, and I am beginning to suspect the identity of the sender. I don't want to jump to conclusions and falsely accuse the wrong person if my suspicions turn out to be wrong. What steps can I take to investigate and potentially confront the sender without damaging ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I hung out with some relatively new friends last weekend. We got to drinking champagne, and the stories started flowing. It turns out that we have a couple of mutual friends -- including my first true love. I can't believe it, but I told them details about how we broke up and how much I still care for him. Never mind the fact ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I moved out of the United States at the beginning of this year to live in a Latin American country. During my time here, I've befriended my neighbor, who has lived here her entire life. Despite the language barrier, we've formed a close friendship.

Recently, my neighbor attempted to give me a piece of "art" that depicts a racist...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I've been looking for a roommate for some time now, but it's been challenging to find someone who fits my criteria. Recently, a girl who used to date a friend of mine saw my ad on social media and reached out to me. She is also looking for a roommate, and I thought this could be a perfect opportunity. However, when I mentioned it...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I ran into a woman the other day whose face was vaguely familiar. We were at a restaurant, and I was dining with other people, so we said hello but no more. As I was leaving, she asked if I was still working at a company that I left more than 10 years ago. I told her no and shared what I am doing now. Then I left. Clearly this ...Read more