ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I started making pottery as a new hobby, and I love it, but my roommate keeps making jokes about how messy it is. She calls it a "mud factory" and even moves my supplies around without asking, which makes it hard for me to focus or enjoy my work. At first, I tried to laugh it off and tell myself it's harmless teasing, but it's ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: A genteel, proper tea at a traditional hotel requires one to sit demurely at a table too diminutive for any other posture, while awaiting the arrival of the scones, cream and jam. These are followed by the finger sandwiches, then by miniature pastries, whilst sipping from cups of tea before, during and after each course. (Only...Read more

Dear Annie: After 30 years of friendship, raising kids together, losing our parents and a very good mutual friend, traveling together with our families and so much more, my friend told me after the election last year that she had trouble being around "people like me." In other words, I voted wrongly. I told her that I loved her and that our ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My ex, "Hank," and I have two sons together. Both are smart, kind, college-educated, hardworking and independent young adults.

Hank is estranged from our younger son, "Andrew." Andrew could never live up to his father's expectations. This is one of the reasons I fell out of love with my husband. He would initiate a verbal ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend recently moved in with me, and ever since then, my cat's behavior has completely changed. She's been acting out: scratching furniture, hiding for hours and even refusing to eat sometimes. She used to be calm and affectionate, but now she seems anxious and territorial. My partner is trying to be patient, but I can ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is the polite way to eat large sushi rolls? Sometimes they're too big to comfortably eat whole without gagging!

GENTLE READER: Dissect them.

Miss Manners does not usually condone deconstructing food in public, but these are desperate times. Use your chopsticks to pull out the insides and eat them separately. Then either...Read more

Dear Annie: My friend "Caleb" and I have been close for six years. We met in college, stayed in touch and still talk almost every day. He's been in a relationship for a while, but I recently realized I have feelings for him.

We've never crossed any lines, but it's getting harder to ignore my feelings. I've tried dating other people, but no ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I often see ads about stopping smoking. I'd like to share my story of success in overcoming this filthy habit in the hope that it may help someone else.

I smoked four packs of non-filtered cigarettes every day. At the age of 37, I knew I wanted to quit. I set a goal to stop one month away, and on that day, cold turkey went into ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My fiance and I dated for a little while in high school and rekindled after college. About a year ago, he proposed to me, and I said yes. At the time, I was living with my parents but spent many nights at his place, so eventually, I moved in. It wasn't planned, but I am the oldest of a family of seven children, so I spent a lot ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I are disagreeing on what a proper RSVP is. I sent out digital invitations for my son's birthday party and requested people RSVP to me. Many of his family members "liked" the digital invitation, but did not specifically respond as to whether or not they were attending.

I told my husband that no one from his ...Read more

Dear Annie: My daughter "Kate" recently got engaged to her boyfriend of three years. He's polite and responsible, and they seem happy together. The problem is that Kate doesn't want to invite her father -- my ex-husband -- to the wedding. She says it's her day and she doesn't want the stress of dealing with him.

For context, her father and I ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My brother has ALS and lives in another state. He has a wife and children. His wife has decided that when family visits from out of state, they need to stay in a hotel instead of their house because she does not have the capacity to host.

I understand that it is stressful to have houseguests while also being a caregiver for someone ...Read more

These are the core questions asked of every participant in my sexuality survey of single people. See how your responses stack up against the majority voice.

--Have you experienced close friendships with people who could have been sex partners that did not lead to physical intimacy? (About 85 percent said yes.)

If so, did you become closer or ...Read more