DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been suffering from a bad cold for a couple of weeks now. I still have had to work and go about my life. I have taken several COVID-19 tests — and every other test that the doctor would give me.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I live on the ground floor of an apartment complex. It is in the city, but it is surrounded by a small garden and fence. The other morning, I felt something weird and opened my eyes. Standing outside my window was a random man staring in at me. My bedroom is small. While there was a window between us, he was literally only about 10 feet away from me. I screamed, and he ran off. My sons went out to track him down as I called the police. My sons found him and showed the police where he was. The police talked to him and released him. I asked them to arrest him, but they said they hadn't caught him doing anything, so they couldn't. I am so worried about this. It was horrible waking up to him looking in on me. The police don't seem to be much help. What can I do? — Peeping Tom DEAR PEEPING TOM: I'm sorry this happened to you. It is frightening for something like that to occur when you are most vulnerable. Is there a neighborhood watch for your building or community? You can talk to them about community policing. If there isn't one, maybe you can start a group of people who will patrol your building and look out for each other. You can install a motion-activated video recording system, like Ring, to capture images of anyone who passes your window. Some of these devices also have lights that turn on automatically. That can help deter onlookers. You may want to install a safety grille over your window and invest in blackout curtains to protect your privacy. Also, keep the police informed if this happens again.
Gone are the days when kids were free to roam town and the only concern was if they were home in time for dinner. People of a certain age remember riding their bikes across town to meet up with friends or go to a store for a pop.
As a professor, I'm fortunate to teach a course called World Religions for Healthcare Professionals that prepares students for the spiritual and ethical issues they may encounter in their careers. But the class often boils down to life's big questions: What makes life worth living, and how should we live? How do you find your 'calling'?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a valued employee who has worked with me for several years. She is hitting her stride, doing very well for my small company. I fear that she is about to leave. I gave her a raise this year, which I thought was an incentive and proof that I value her, but I don't know if it's enough. I cannot give her another raise yet. My income is not stable enough. What can I do to let her know how much I value her and want her to continue to grow with me? — Please Stay DEAR PLEASE STAY: Talk to her about her plans. Ask her how she likes working for you and if she is happy. Tell her how much you appreciate her and want her to continue to work with you. Ask her if she wants to stay, and find out what her career goals are. Listen carefully to what she says. You may not be able to offer her extra dollars, but figure out if you can offer her other opportunities within your business to help her grow.