ASK THE DOCTORS
DEAR HARRIETTE: I often find myself feeling like a third wheel when hanging out with two close friends. This sensation can be quite uncomfortable, and I worry about it affecting our friendship. How can I deal with this feeling without making my friends uncomfortable or negatively impacting the dynamic of our friendship? I want to address this situation in a way that preserves our bond and ensures everyone feels at ease during our time together. – Third Wheel DEAR THIRD WHEEL: There really isn’t too much to say. In groups of three, it is natural for two to become closer. Sadly, you are the odd person out.
Donald Trump’s MAGA movement is fundamentalist at its core – with fundamentalism being understood as a psychological rather than a religious concept. Pretty much every large-scale public movement, secular or sacred, has its share of extremists, and as the religious columnist Paul Prather has argued: “Remove the labels, close your eyes and quickly the fundamentalists in one group start sounding uncannily like the fundamentalists in all other groups, as if they were reading from the same script.”
DEAR HARRIETTE: I want to start cooking more often. For about two weeks, I cooked for every meal, and I felt much healthier and more productive when I prepared my own food. However, when school started to pick up and I had to study more, my time to cook shortened tremendously. I no longer had the motivation to cook because of how drained I was from schoolwork, and when I ran out of groceries, it felt as if there was too little time before break to order more food. I spent a lot of money on takeout and barely finished all the food I ordered due to the ridiculous portion sizes and grease.
• Does pet hair seem permanently trapped in your carpets, and no amount of vacuuming will free it? While a vacuum can do a great job at suctioning up dirt, the weight of the vac can actually compress the fur more deeply into the fibers of the carpet. To free trapped pet hair, head to the shower and grab a squeegee. Running the squeegee across the rug creates static electricity that draws up pet fur. As it comes up, the fur will clump and be easier to collect.
The year slouches to an end, no one mourning its passing, none among us hesitating to turn the calendar page. What lies ahead is more misery in the Middle East, a dispiriting presidential campaign between two old men the country would rather not see compete again, and more debate about what constitutes hate in a country that once liked to use the phrase “good neighbor.”
ASK THE DOCTORS
DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend lied about going to a work thing and instead went to the movies alone, saying I’m “too clingy.” Hearing this felt like a huge blow. I want to give him some space, but how can I talk to him about the lie without making things worse?
Idrove my parents to their cabin this week.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a single mother, and I recently discovered that my 12-year-old son has been engaging in bullying behavior at school. I received a call from his teacher expressing concerns about his interactions with classmates and some reported incidents. I am shocked and disappointed because I’ve always tried to instill values of kindness and empathy in him. I never thought my child would be the one causing harm to others. I’ve talked to him about it, and he seemed remorseful. I want to make sure he understands the gravity of his actions and learns to treat his peers with respect. Additionally, I am worried about the potential consequences if this behavior continues. How can I talk through this situation as a parent and help my son become a more compassionate and understanding individual? – Stop the Bullying