DEAR ABBY: I am a gay woman. My male best friend has had a crush on me for more than a year. It is so intense that he is almost delusional. We have talked extensively about it. He knows where I stand and that it will never happen, and he says he accepts that. But he can’t stand the thought of me spending time with a woman, even if it’s just a friend. He wants all of my time and doesn’t want to share me, even with mutual friends.
DEAR HARRIETTE: There has been a lot of growing tension amongst my family members. My family is normally easygoing and eccentric; however, lately things have been a bit toned down. One such incident that sparked this awkward tension is when my uncle openly stated his conservative political views. He made some pretty extreme comments to my aunts, who are all liberal. They had a huge fight, which led to screaming at the top of their lungs. Thankfully, the argument subsided after a while, but afterward, they have been talking less frequently. What can they do so that they can carry on the bond they once had and settle their differences? — In the Middle
The majority of the more than 25 million Americans living with asthma enjoy active, healthy lives. But for others, despite using high dose asthma medicines and avoiding triggers, severe symptoms are a part of daily life.
DEAR ABBY: I dated a guy for 10 months. We constantly fought because of his lack of trust. He had been burned in previous relationships. He said, “Trust is earned, not given,” which isn’t my philosophy.
DEAR HARRIETTE: When my friend was in elementary school, there was this boy in my class who would constantly harass her. His bullying was so severe she was almost always crying and would ditch weeks of school just to avoid him.
Dear Doctor: Our mom had half of her face go numb for a few minutes, and she also had trouble speaking. She went to the doctor and was told she had a ministroke. What is that? Is it dangerous?
The House Utilities Committee passed legislation to prevent telemarketers from replicating phone numbers and misrepresenting the origin of a phone call.
DEAR ABBY: Fifty years ago, at the age of 17, I was raped by a high school classmate. At the time, I was living in an apartment with a friend, “Becky.” She and three male classmates witnessed the attack, stood by and did nothing. (They were drunk.)
Dear Reader: You’re one of the estimated onethird of Americans who decided to change something about their lives in the new year. And according to a recent survey by YouGov, your goal to start exercising is among the most popular resolutions. (Saving money, losing weight, healthy eating and lessening stress round out the top five.) But as the hundreds of self-help books published each year remind us, change is hard. Even the most disciplined person does better with a game plan.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My neighbor, who is a good friend, confided in me that she is having an affair with a guy at her job. It came up because she asked me if I would watch her kids last-minute one evening. When I asked her what was going on — because she is usually well-organized and responsible — she admitted that she was going to meet up with this guy. This was so awkward for me. I took the children, but I don’t want to be in the middle of this. I am friendly with my neighbor’s husband, and I don’t want to be complicit in the machinations of an affair. It’s not easy. My friend has already asked me to watch her children again. That wouldn’t be abnormal, but now that I know why she is asking, I want no part of it. What should I do? — In the Middle