ArcaMax

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I'm no more a fan of call waiting than Miss Manners is, but I do want to defend its limited utility. I was co-owner and manager of a small business for several years, and I frequently had to act as receptionist by answering our office phone.

If I'm on the phone and call waiting sounds, I ask Party A to wait 15 seconds while I...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm struggling with my mother-in-law, "Linda," and it's starting to cause tension in my marriage. My husband, "Jake," is an only child, and they have always been very, very close. At first, I thought it was sweet, but I've come to realize that when Linda and I have a difference of opinion, Jake will always be Team Linda.

Last week...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband retired three weeks ago, and he has been driving me crazy ever since. I'm a night owl, and he's known it since we met 10 years ago. Today, he told me he'd be playing golf with an old friend tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. at a course 45 minutes away and needed to get up at 6 a.m.

I asked if he could be extra quiet in the morning and...Read more

Terrorized by the possibility of being pulled back into the mire of second-class personhood, women these days have put men on trial. It's not usually a conscious decision, more like a self-defensive reflex, and it masquerades as snide criticism, sharp-tongued retorts and guilt-inducing comments. Anything and everything to put him on the ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm getting out of prison soon, and I'm worried about what comes next. When I left home, things were a bit rocky with my family. Some people have stayed in touch, and others created distance, but I wonder if there is space for reconciliation. I am truly sorry for any difficulty I have caused my family. How can my family and I ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am curious what the etiquette is at a gathering when music is playing in a friend's home on the voice-controlled device.

Is it OK for a guest to speak directly to the device to ask it to play a song?

GENTLE READER: Many of us remain skeptical of manufacturers' claims that if only we keep paying for upgrades, tomorrow's ...Read more

Dear Annie: My mom, "Janet," lost her husband -- my dad -- almost three years ago after 45 years of marriage. Their relationship was strong, full of love, laughter and quiet routines. His death was sudden, and it shattered her world. Since then, she's been living alone in the house they shared, and despite gentle encouragement, she refuses to ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have been with my boyfriend for 3 1/2 years. Before me, he was known for sleeping around. He has never cheated on me that I am aware of, but when we go to social gatherings (or just out), he flirts with other women. If there is another woman in the room, he keeps his eyes on her like I can't see it happening.

When I told him ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: A woman at my job has been giving me hell. She works nonstop. She's often sending emails at 9 p.m. or 4 a.m. -- and she actually expects a response! Recently she chewed out one of my colleagues because she requested something at 6 a.m. and didn't hear back until 8 a.m., which is still outside of our normal business hours. It may ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I work as an usher at a popular field house that hosts a large number of sporting and entertainment events (concerts, comedy shows, etc.). One of the rules is that we are not allowed to accept tips.

On occasion, a guest will offer a tip, usually for something I have done above and beyond simply helping them find their seat. ...Read more

Dear Annie: On a recent cross-country flight, I had an uncomfortable experience that left me wondering about basic airplane etiquette. I was seated in coach, where space is already tight, when the person in front of me reclined their seat all the way back -- immediately after takeoff, without a word. Suddenly, my tray table was inches from my ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My best friend of 45 years and I are 65. She has been married since 1985; I have been divorced for many years. She recently shocked me by claiming that a mutual friend told her I have been having an affair with a married acquaintance! This is false, but I now wonder whether she said it because she suspects it herself.

When I got ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I've been dating my boyfriend for over a year now, and we get along great in most areas. However, I've noticed that we have different approaches to money. I'm focused on saving, investing and planning for the future, while he prefers to live in the moment and spend freely. He likes to buy random infomercial items off of the ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: From the files of "good manners run amok," is it ever impolite to be friendly?

I work in a bustling environment where my sole 30-minute break is in a shared break room, where I like to read or just eat quietly and enjoy the peacefulness. One colleague comes in daily to use the microwave and always announces her entrance with ...Read more

Dear Annie: A few years ago, my husband -- always kind, patient and gentle throughout our nearly 40-year marriage -- began behaving in ways that shocked me. He became verbally cruel, aggressive, and would erupt in sudden fits of rage over seemingly nothing. It escalated to the point where he threw a plastic water bottle at me and threatened to...Read more