More in tune with Trump or Biden?

There was an extraordinary Senate debate this week in Orem, Utah, between Sen. Mike Lee and challenger Evan McMullin. It was extraordinary in part because McMullin, who is running as an independent and says that if elected he will not caucus with either Democrats or Republicans, agreed with Lee in many policy areas, like federal spending and regulatory overreach. “I think our difference is in approach,” McMullin said at one point.

Older sister’s comments cause great offense

DEAR HARRIETTE: My older sister and I are very close. She is much older than me, so she's been more like a second mother to me than a sister. My sister has always struggled to find her footing. She is approaching her 40s and just recently moved out of our family home into her own place for the first time. Something she says to me regularly is that she thinks I am a lot like her — a late bloomer. She thinks that I'll probably have to deal with a lot of the same struggles that she has had in her adulthood. I am only 22, and I don't think it's fair to write me off as a late bloomer just yet. I struggled in high school a bit, but I'm on track to graduate from college, and I've always been a hard worker. It offends me a little bit when she assumes that I will struggle in life. Should I say something to her about this? — Not a Late Bloomer DEAR NOT A LATE BLOOMER: Yes, you can talk to her. Point out what you are doing right now to build your life. Thank her for her support over the years. And ask her to stop diminishing you with her predictions of struggle. Ask her to wish the best for you and to say it out loud. Tell her that what you need most from her is cheerleading, not doomsaying.

Junk food is engineered to taste good, not satisfy

Dear Doctors: Can you please talk about what makes something count as 'junk food'? My diet has been less than stellar during the pandemic, and not only did I gain weight, I also just got the news that I have prediabetes. Specifics about how those kinds of food are bad for your health would help a lot.

So where’s QAnon when you need them? We’re talking about the secretive cult of conspiracy-mongering crazies who believe that Democrats are pedophiles prone to making meals of their victims at the behest of evil Hillary Clinton and who worship Donald Trump. We’ve noticed that the former president has taken to wearing a Q pin on his lapel, but in the interest of truth, justice and the American way, we ask, how can these folks stay anon when an actual elected official in the great state of Texas has, by his rank incompetence, abetted what would appear to be actual cases of child sex-trafficking?

DO JUST ONE THING

Even in an age of digital media, printed books are still in demand and can be donated if you're ready to make room on your bookshelf at home. The rule of thumb for donating books is this: If the book was published in the last two or three years, donate it to your local library, which will resell the book at a fundraiser for their valuable work. If it's older than that, donate it to a Salvation Army or Goodwill store.

Mom wants to know how daughter’s doing in college

DEAR HARRIETTE: My daughter is a freshman in college, and I have no idea how well she is doing. Students don't have to tell their parents anything about their grades, even though we are paying for it all. This seems ridiculous to me. I am not a meddling mom, but I do want to know how things are going and whether she needs help. The fact that she is not talking about it concerns me. How can I get her to open up about this important subject? — Talk To Me DEAR TALK TO ME: Schedule a time to talk to your daughter. Let her know that you are checking in about school. Ask her directly how she is doing in her classes and what her grades are now. Invite her to walk you through her classes and tell you what she likes about each one and what is challenging. Do your best to find out if she needs any support in understanding or completing her work.

Pages