ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: Lately, my anxiety has been keeping me up at night, scaring me away from windows, crowded places, public transportation and tall buildings, and causing excessive overthinking. With recent developments between the United States and countries like Iran, I am afraid all the time. Social media doesn't help by simply mocking all this ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was dining within inches of an occupied table for two at a restaurant. One of the men at that table asked his dining companion if he knew where the restroom was located. He didn't.

I had asked the same question of a waiter, now nowhere in sight, 15 minutes earlier. I told the diner that the restroom was outside the main ...Read more

Dear Annie: I never thought I would be writing to an advice column, but here I am, because my heart is full and my mind is spinning.

I am a Catholic woman in my early 30s, and I have fallen deeply in love with a wonderful man who is Jewish. He is kind, thoughtful, funny and steady in a way that makes me feel safe. He remembers the little ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I are in our early 60s. For the last five years, we have been having some great fun. We dress up, role-play and invite friends to join us from time to time. It has been wonderful and has kept us young.

Then one of our adult children had to move back home. He never goes out. His girlfriend comes and stays the weekends. ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: There's a guy who's constantly liking and responding to my posts on social media -- I'm talking for two years and counting! A few years back, he was married to someone I'm only a few degrees separated from. I didn't know the woman, but I'm friendly with her sister. So even when they divorced and he started complimenting me on ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My brother and sister-in-law invited my family of four for a dinner of corned beef and cabbage to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. They also invited my mom and dad, along with my aunt, who was visiting them from out of town.

My aunt does not like corned beef and cabbage, so my mom said that they would bring pizza for her. I had ...Read more

Dear Readers: Wishing you all a very Happy St. Patrick's Day! Today has a funny way of sneaking past the noise and landing somewhere tender. Yes, there are parades and pints and an impressive amount of green, but underneath all that is something quieter: a tradition of wishing one another well.

That might sound small, but it isn't. A good ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend, "Roy," is a quiet person. His ex-girlfriend put him and his family through something so terrible that he shuts down and pulls away from me a lot. He won't introduce me to his mother, although I have met his son. We've been together almost 18 months.

Five months ago, Roy stopped making love with me. I accused him of ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I've recently gone sober for health reasons, and it wasn't an easy decision, especially because my social life has always involved going out for drinks, celebrating with cocktails and bonding over happy hour. When my friends and I went out last weekend, they were pressuring me to drink. I ordered a mocktail, and almost ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was invited to a dinner party and to watch an awards show on TV. One of the hosts yelled repeatedly about the results, complained about just about everything and dropped a lot of F-bombs. He also fast-forwarded through the award categories that he thought were boring without asking if the guests minded.

After yet another ...Read more

Dear Annie: I adore my cousins, I really do. We grew up together, and when they suggested coming to stay with us for a long weekend, I was genuinely excited. I pictured late-night laughs, good meals, maybe a hike, maybe some time catching up without phones buzzing every two seconds.

Instead, it turned into "Spring Break: Middle-Aged Edition."...Read more

I'm the one who ends up getting the emails when no one else answers. This time, it was suckering me into taking a board role because the original email request was responded to by crickets. Of course I'd help.

The woman who had filled the role was winding down, not out of desire, but just from the weight of days that turned into decades. She's ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've lived in my home for eight years, and it's always felt like a peaceful place to land. My husband and I have put a lot of care into it, not because we're perfect but because we enjoy sitting outside and making our yard feel welcoming. We planted a few shrubs, we keep the grass trimmed, and I love tending to my small flower bed ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My parents have always been wonderful and supportive. As they grow older, it's hard to see them deal with the aches and pains that come with age -- especially my mother, who has rheumatoid arthritis. In an effort to ease their burden, I pay for a monthly cleaning service to help them maintain their large home. While I'm happy to ...Read more