ArcaMax

Dear Eric: I have to work with a very arrogant person, and it is hard to manage his dismissive attitude and grumpy remarks.

The thing is, I am paying him to do work on my home. He is a talented and skilled person, but his personality is very off-putting as he seems to honestly believe he is the smartest person in the room, which is ridiculous. ...Read more

Dear Anna,

My boyfriend of two years is extremely into optimization and data tracking — he logs every workout, tracks his macros, uses a smartwatch to monitor his sleep, and so on. I’ve always found it a little intense but mostly harmless, and honestly, his discipline is part of what attracted me to him in the first place. He motivates me ...Read more

A question that often comes up is, “How honest should I be when telling someone that I don’t want to see them again?”

My quick and easy answer is that, in the early stages, say four or fewer dates, the perfect level of honesty is that you “didn’t feel the connection you’re looking for” or “don’t see yourselves aligned long-...Read more

Dear Eric: My wife and I own a guest house up the street from our home. When we’re not using it for ourselves, my wife rents it out on Airbnb. The Airbnb guests pay a nightly rate and also pay a cleaning fee, which we use to pay the cleaning staff after they check out.

I like to let friends from out of town stay there for free when they are ...Read more

Dear Eric: I am 60 years old and have had hearing loss since grade school. I’d flunk all those screening tests. My two younger siblings also have my same type of hearing loss and have worn hearing aids since their 40s at least.

My siblings are persistent in trying to get me to buy hearing aids which they feel I need. Yes, I probably need them...Read more

Dear Eric: My boyfriend of almost two years seems unable to break away from his former spouse's family. The marriage lasted 15 years. There were no children, so he has virtually no contact with the wife.

However, he seems unwilling to refuse any invitation from the family to have dinner, lunch and go on weekend trips to their bay house. ...Read more

Dear Eric: Why should I go to my 50th high school reunion? I received a phone call from a former classmate who wouldn't give me the time of day when we were in school together. “You need to go!” No, thank you.

The cost is outrageous. Plus, most of the people I would like to see are either not going or are deceased.

During my high school ...Read more

Dear Eric: Often when I’m eating at a restaurant or cafe, I’ll notice other tables leaving half-finished food to be thrown out. In these situations, I’m tempted to either ask if I can have the remaining food, or to just pick it up from the empty table. I don’t like food waste and am completely unbothered by the thought of sharing food ...Read more

Dear Anna,

I just got back from spending Christmas with my boyfriend’s family for the first time, and I’m still reeling from how badly it went. His mom made multiple passive-aggressive comments about my job as a freelance graphic designer, his sister openly questioned why we’re not engaged yet after one-and-a-half years together, and his ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- The dust cloud billows up behind your bumper whether you’re headed toward Katie Elvehjem’s farm or away from it. And on a Friday evening in spring 2024, Elvehjem was dreaming about leaving.

“I felt like driving 95 miles per hour down a road somewhere just to get out some steam,” she said. Her cows were calving, and that ...Read more

Dear Eric: I send birthday and Christmas gifts to my great-niece (8) and great-nephew (3) who live in another country. I haven't seen my great-niece since she was 6 months old and I've never met my great-nephew. I am not close to their parents, my nephew and his wife.

We communicate via WhatsApp. I ask them what the kids would like and get ...Read more

Dear Eric: I am getting older. I have lived in my home more than half my life. I raised my children, educated myself, had a career and launched my kids while living here as a long-divorced person.

In the last few years, my body has changed. I now use a walker. My mind works just fine. Many confuse mobility issues with thinking issues.

Today, a...Read more