ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel like a hopeless romantic. I am what some people would describe as a "lover girl." I am sweet and sensitive, and I enjoy nurturing, helping and catering to my loved ones. What I thought was a beautiful trait in me seems to be my weakness. I often get taken advantage of by my romantic partners. I can't tell if I am too soft ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have now been to three (!) weddings where I found out that the couple was already married, and just going through the motions.

The first was a couple who had gotten legally married weeks prior to the wedding so he could go on her health insurance.

The second was an older couple who said they'd never had a "real wedding." ...Read more

Dear Annie: Thank you for the work you do on behalf of the good. I often read your columns on boundaries, and I deeply appreciate your encouragement to not only set boundaries for ourselves but also respect those of others. Boundaries feel like such an important concept, yet sometimes they are hard to define in everyday life.

I often find ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: This letter is embarrassing to write. When calling in a fast-food order, my husband wants me to ask the price of each item and becomes upset if they vary from the online menu price. I understand that in this economy, there are bound to be increases.

One day, the difference was about $5. Because I didn't question it, a heated argument...Read more

I'm catching sight of, over the hill of another year, the third year of my 40s. I suppose that could be a surprise for those of you who haven't been reading this column long enough and were lured in by its title. That's right, us millennials? Solidly middle-aged.

At a civic engagement group a few weeks back, a speaker in their 20s lambasted the...Read more

Dear Annie: Families Anonymous could be a great help to many of the people who write in to you. The program is most often associated with families dealing with loved ones who struggle with addiction, but I discovered it has value in many other situations as well.

I first attended Families Anonymous because I was overwhelmed with anxiety about...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a 60-year-old divorcee. I am currently dating a Danish man and have been for a year. He asked me to marry him several months ago, and I said yes. He wants me and my daughter to move to Denmark. My daughter is 21 and high-functioning autistic, but she still needs me to help with executive functions.

Several months ago, I lost my ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a friend I've been thinking about cutting ties with for a while now, but I feel conflicted about it. I've noticed that the way he treats people, including me, is questionable. Whenever I need help or support, he seems to be conveniently busy or unavailable, yet he expects everyone else to drop what they're doing to be ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: On our neighborhood app, one of my neighbors cautioned that two young men had recently knocked on her door. She could see them on the security camera and she did not know them. She thought them odd, but opened the door anyway.

Nothing bad happened, but she felt unsettled and brought the interaction to our community's ...Read more

Dear Annie: Thirteen years ago, I started doubting my family's place in my life. I come from a family of four boys, but only one of my three remaining brothers keeps in touch.

My oldest brother is up in years and no longer able to get around. The middle brother and his wife are the only family members who keep in touch. The last brother lives...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been married 56 years. For the past year or so, we quarrel about everything -- major issues and minor, insignificant things. There is nothing but bickering, disagreement and conflict. We can have a couple of good days and then fight over some small issue, or an innocent response or comment from one of us -- and ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I accidentally referred to my friend with the wrong pronouns, and they snapped at me! We've been friends for nearly a year now, but I introduced them to some new friends and used the pronoun "she" to describe something about them. I felt awful. Just as quickly as I was about to correct myself, they were already yelling at me. ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I'm actively involved in a local writers group. Even though I'm a bit younger than the average member, I have more training as a writer, having earned a graduate degree that has led to a few publications. After joining, I took it upon myself to set up and run the email list that gets the weekly prompts out to the writers. I ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 11 years. We've always had a solid partnership with no major issues. But lately, I've been feeling like I'm just a supporting character in his life.

He recently started a new job that he's passionate about, and while I'm happy for him, everything seems to revolve around his schedule, his ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Both my parents had birthdays days apart and near a holiday. About 35 years ago, they started a tradition of having an elaborate party on or near their birthdays. My siblings and I were grown. The guests were their friends, and we were mostly bored out of our minds. As we married and had kids, we were invited to our own friends' ...Read more