ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: A couple of months ago, I got back into the dating scene after focusing on myself for a while. I met a handsome guy who goes to church, has a good job and is ambitious and sweet. Dating him has been great, and it's exactly the sort of romance I prefer. I decided to open up to my friends about this new person, and I learned that a...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have been married to the same man for 40 years. He has recently decided that opening doors for me, serving me first at dinner, and other forms of respect and thoughtfulness are "sexist."

I fix dinner for him daily, do his laundry, etc. -- all of the things that a "traditional wife" does. I recently retired from a great ...Read more

Dear Readers: So many of you wrote in about the nurse column, and I truly appreciate your feedback and your service. Nursing is one of the most vital professions, and nurses deserve both respect and protection for the critical work they do.

Below are two perspectives from fellow nurses.

Dear Annie: As a fellow veteran nurse, I wanted to ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Over the last few years, my family has faced a lot of loss, especially my mother. In the span of three years, she has lost her parents, my father and my brother. We had a little joy with my son being born. He brought a lot of happiness when everybody was heartbroken.

Right after my brother's death, we found out we were unexpectedly ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I've been seeing this guy for a few months now, and while I like him, I'm unsure about taking the next step. Recently, he brought up the idea of making our relationship official, but I have some reservations. One of the biggest issues is that he's always gone. He travels frequently for work or other commitments, and I feel like I...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I love scrapbooking and physical photo albums, and I have several proudly displayed on a shelf in my living room. We love to entertain, and while guests usually see the albums on the shelf, they rarely ask about them and almost never pull them down to look through!

The albums contain photos of family and friends through the ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been married to a wonderful man for seven years, and we have a strong, loving relationship. However, after Valentine's Day, I found myself feeling a bit sad.

In all our years together, my husband has never given me flowers -- not for Valentine's Day, our anniversary or any other special occasion. Gifts, in general, don't seem...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My brother just got engaged to the "WOAT" (Worst of All Time). They have been dating for 2 1/2 years, and nobody in the family has anything good to say about her. In the past, he always had stable relationships with girls we really enjoyed. But now he's getting older, his friends are getting engaged and it seems like he's settling and...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm a 64-year-old woman, and I have a wonderful boyfriend whom I love deeply. We've been together for over a year, and he's a kind, loving man who happens to be on dialysis. I take care of him, and while I don't resent it, it does make life more complicated. I've also been through a lot -- 35 years of marriage that ended in divorce...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am blessed with two sons who live with me. They are in their mid-20s. The younger one is an amazing young man. He's strong, confident but not cocky, and happy. He's in college, works part-time and plays in a band, among other things.

My older son is the opposite. Since he was 16, he's had countless jobs and is (again) currently ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My mom passed away this year suddenly and tragically. I am still in shock about it. I was her only child. All we had was each other, and that's all I let her leave with. I never graduated from college or had a great career; I never bought her a house or helped her move out of the one she raised me in. I feel like I failed her, ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am the president of a social club that organizes activities for the LGBTQ community and allies. Our club is part of a regional association of similar social clubs that are not geared towards the LGBTQ community.

Several times a year, the regional association has a social event for all of the regional clubs. Generally, ...Read more

Dear Annie: I retired early from a stressful job about a year ago and now work part-time in an office with one other full-time secretary who started at the same time I did. She pushes most of the work onto me while she spends most of her day on her cellphone or shopping online. When my work is done, I sometimes use my phone for personal tasks,...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have been in a relationship with someone for 11 months. We're both each other's first relationship after being single for a few years following traumatic breakups. During our entire relationship, he has not cut his hair, left his house or socialized with anyone besides me, except via text.

He doesn't visit me, but he always leaves ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: What do you do if you're a bridesmaid, but the wedding expenses are mounting? This is my best friend's wedding, and I'd hate to miss out, but some of these things are too demanding: engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette party, dress, hair, makeup, alterations and more. The list of events and expenses just keeps growing. ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When sharing stories, anecdotes or facts in conversation, I usually cite my source. For example, I might say, "I recently read an op-ed in (newspaper) by (author) where they said ..."

But in my attempt to give credit where credit is due, I feel that I'm coming off as elitist and/or condescending. What is your opinion on when ...Read more