Scientists at the International Association of Human Behavior say that not all Swedes are taciturn, Italians are not universally excitable, and not every Frenchman looks down his nose at you.
• Did some little ones take crayons to your walls to create a mini masterpiece? It’s easy to remove with just one thing: toothpaste.
DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my friends recently made a comment while we were hanging out and looking at pictures from earlier this year. Out of nowhere, she pointed to one of the photos and said, “It looks like you’ve gained a few pounds since the first day of the year.” To be honest, she’s not wrong. This year has been extremely stressful for me in ways that she may not even fully understand. I’ve been juggling a lot and, like many people, when life gets overwhelming, I’ve found it hard to keep up with things like exercise and meal prepping. My focus has been on surviving, not necessarily thriving, and as a result, I’ve put on a little weight.
It’s a common and correct impression that Donald Trump is a man without principles, but he actually does have one immutable guideline: Anything that helps him, personally or politically, is good. Anything that hurts him is bad.
It’s been a big year for our cat, Felix.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve been feeling overwhelmed at work. I was hired as support for one team but have now been expected to regularly cover two large teams. I sometimes find myself struggling to efficiently and seamlessly complete tasks for my main team while juggling tasks on both ends. Per my year-end review, I think my manager noticed a shift in my attitude in the office and with my colleagues (specifically, that I’ve been less social and much more uptight). As a result, my manager let me know that if I would prefer to support only the team I was originally hired for, I just need to let them know, and they’ll begin looking for another hire.
The young Jimmy Carter was a political nobody the first time he ran for governor of Georgia.
• CHS Shootout winners for Clinton were Brooke Castle, Angela Mosburg, Shannon Castle, Jessica Giles, Michelle Douglas, Mindy Scales, Jacey Stone, Kaci Klein, JaJa Jefferson, Laurie Ellis and Dee Dee Long.
Dear Doctor: I’m a 53-year-old woman, and I’ve been athletic all my life. I’m in a soccer league and have a grinding pain in my right knee. I’ve had knee injuries in the past, and now I’m told I might need a partial knee replacement. Why would that be? What does it entail?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m in a difficult situation with one of my friends, and I don’t know how to handle it.