Life Advice
/Health
/ArcaMax
Single File: The Other Woman Speaks
DEAR SUSAN: This is my response to your recent column about single women dating married men. You tell us that when the man's wife learns of the affair and gives her consent, single women seem to lose all interest in continuing it. Well, Susan, I disagree mightily.
In the past, I happened to be the other woman, and I desperately wanted him to ...Read more

Ask Dating Coach Erika: 'When is the best time for the 'what are we?' question?'
We have a selection of questions today, ranging from “feminine energy” to the sometimes dreaded “What are we?” conversation. I’m here to shed some light on, and hopefully, demystify a few common dating questions.
Q: What does it mean to be in your feminine energy?
A: I don't use language like this, so I’m not 100% sure what the ...Read more

Asking Eric: Lifelong ‘loner’ struggles to make connections post-retirement
Dear Eric: I retired a couple of years ago. I, like many people, I think, have realized that most of my friends and even acquaintances were work-related. My family doesn’t live close. I’ve always been a loner, so this doesn’t normally even bother me. I recently had a health issue come up where I needed a “responsible adult” to drive ...Read more
No Claim After Decades Together
Dear Annie: My husband and I have been together for 34 years, married for 25 of them. We both brought children from previous marriages into the relationship; he has two and I have two. A week before our wedding, he surprised me with a prenuptial agreement. I had no time to consult an attorney. The choice was to sign or cancel the wedding. At ...Read more

Asking Eric: Friends disrupt concert outings by talking
Dear Eric: We go to a lot of concerts and sporting events, and I want to watch and/or listen. However, so often, others just want to talk. I need a polite way to ask them to leave me alone so I can watch and enjoy the event. Any ideas?
– Here for the Band
Dear Band: It’s probably easiest to address this beforehand. If you’re going with a...Read more
Unwanted Attention, Lingering Doubts
Dear Annie: I have been married to my wife for 25 years, and overall, we have a strong, trusting relationship. But something happened recently that I cannot seem to shake, and it has been gnawing at me more than I would like to admit.
My wife's best friend's husband, whom I will call "Charlie," came to her with a very strange request. He told...Read more
When Intimacy Fades
Dear Annie: I married my best friend 19 years ago, but we have known each other for nearly 40. Our shared history runs deep. We have weathered life's highs and lows together, raised children, supported each other through illnesses, job changes and the inevitable challenges of growing older. In many ways, our bond is strong and steady.
However...Read more
Millennial Life: Presently Aware of Too Many Things Not on Socials
A TikTok video I saw the other day suggested that I should reclaim my attention to the present. Mid-scroll, the app that makes money off my distracted brain suddenly wanted me to log off and be present. That's like the bartender telling you to quit drinking while he pours the next shot.
Be present, as if the present is some enchanted meadow we'...Read more

Asking Eric: Single mom wants to start relationship with handyman
Dear Eric: I'm a 40-year-old single mom of twin 5-year-olds. I'm a professional woman, but due to my commitments to my children and the overall daily grind, I have little to no time for socialization and dating.
However, I need occasional help around the house, and my cousin (let's call her Jen) was kind enough to refer me to her handyman. He's...Read more
The Power of the Pause
Dear Annie: I read the letter from "Sideline Mom With a Heavy Heart" with deep empathy. My husband coached both of our sons, now grown men, in baseball, wrestling and football. While he was not as intense as the father described in that letter, he certainly had his moments.
Early on, I sat him down and said, "No one feels worse about missing ...Read more

Asking Eric: Grandmother wants invites to grown grandchildren’s birthday celebrations
Dear Eric: My three daughters have grown children and celebrate their children's birthdays by each family going out to dinner with its immediate members. When my grandchildren were small, the families had at-home celebrations to which I was always invited. I miss those times, especially since I am no longer invited to the out-to-dinners, at ...Read more
Haunted by the Skeletons in My Wife's Closet
Dear Annie: I've been married to a wonderful woman for almost 50 years. That alone should explain our relationship: 50 years. I've never loved anyone else. Our courtship and marriage were wonderful. She was everything I wanted my wife and the mother of my children to be, and she has been, except for one detail. She lied to me about her sexual ...Read more

Asking Eric: Boyfriend’s daughters refuse to meet new girlfriend
Dear Eric: My boyfriend and I are in our early 80s. I am divorced and his wife died over two and a half years ago; we have been dating slightly more than a year. We do not plan to marry, but we are in a lifelong, committed relationship. We feel blessed to have found each other at our age.
My family and friends have warmly welcomed him into ...Read more
Husband Holding Hostage My Birthday Gift
Dear Annie: I recently had my 50th birthday. My boyfriend and I have been dating for seven years, with a two-year break. His friend recently asked me if my boyfriend gave me a present from him. I hadn't received the present, so I didn't say anything to my boyfriend, hoping maybe time just got away from us and he forgot. It has been over six ...Read more

Ask Anna: How to handle conflict when your partner only wants to text
Dear Anna,
My girlfriend and I have been long distance for about a year, and one of the biggest points of tension between us is communication style. She only ever wants to text — she doesn’t like phone calls or FaceTime, even when we’re just catching up. The thing that really drives me up the wall, though, is that when we fight or need to...Read more

Asking Eric: Husband’s loud singing taxes marriage
Dear Eric: My husband sings at the top of his lungs to any song that is playing in a movie or a commercial or in the car or otherwise. It’s like nails on a chalkboard for me. I’ve tried telling him, but he takes offense. He tells me everyone tells him he has perfect pitch (he doesn’t), and it has come down to serious discord at times.
I ...Read more
Sluggish Grandson Won't Get His Act Together
Dear Annie: I am at my wits' end. I don't know what to do for my 29-year-old grandson. He needs help, but I don't know how to help him.
This is what I call a wasted life. He has no motivation to better himself. He has been living at my house for five months. After he got here, he got fired, so he sat here until the end of July doing nothing but...Read more
Dear Jon Letters
DEAR READERS: Do you think being me is easy? Do you think being behind a computer much of the day -- pounding out advice meant to be helpful -- is all fun and games? Well, think again. Just recently, some pretty strong stuff came my way from online readers (creators.com) who were simply delighted to have a chance to vent. Their reactions follow....Read more

Ask Dating Coach Erika: When is it time to take a dating break?
I was searching for a client on Match.com recently, looking for men in her age range who she might like to send a message to, and I came across this profile:
“I’m tired of being rejected on this site by conceited, snobbish women who proclaim they are looking for an honest, humorous man, when in reality all they are really looking for is a ...Read more

Asking Eric: Son’s new girlfriend has a rude way of joking
Dear Eric: My son is 35 and his new girlfriend of three months is 32. They're both very smart. They are both very well educated. She's funny. She's smart. I really enjoy my time with her except for when she falls into these pits where she talks about him like he's not there and puts him down. She says things like “Well, I told your son to do ...Read more
Inside Life Advice
Popular Stories
- Ask Anna: Why do I keep obsessing over people I can't have?
- Ask Dating Coach Erika: Should I lie about my age online?
- This podcaster who will solve your emotional dilemma by pairing you with a stranger
- 'Marry Lisa' billboard campaign attracts scores of potential suitors to woman seeking love
- Ask Anna: Screening out phone time on date night