Advice Archives November 2023

Dear Annie: Safe walking tips just in time for Halloween

Why Tho? When the world is in turmoil, it doesn’t mean you have to weigh in on social media

Dear Abby: Realtor’s fiance expects her to give up commission on his son’s house sale

Ask Amy: I’m worried my loud, squabbling family will make my quiet in-laws tense this Thanksgiving

Miss Manners: When dining out, how can I eat shrimp and mussels without making a mess?

Dear Doctor: At what age can someone with average risk dispense with colonoscopies?

Miss Manners: Wedding trend of having guests’ meals be ‘less than’ is in bad taste

Ask Amy: Exotic dancer mulls over why ex unfollowed her Instagram

Dear Abby: I’m embarrassed that my family wants nothing to do with me

Dear Annie: Wrinkle-hating gal wants kindness because she’s a person, not because she’s old

Dear Abby: Man with a variety of interests can’t find anyone interested in him

Ask Amy: Father-son tennis bonding time has son burned out

Miss Manners: Soup, salad, entree, main course, dessert - what’s the proper order of service?

Dear Doctor: What is the success rate of implanted combo pacemaker and defibrillator?

Statin side effects included muscle pain, but is this a legit solution? People’s Pharmacy

Miss Manners: What’s with ‘chirpy’ customer service reps? How about we aim for knowledgeable?

Dear Abby: Wedding’s open bar stirs worries over drunken antics of some invited guests

Ask Amy: ‘Happy Drunk’ wonders why he should quit if alcohol doesn’t cause him any problems

Dear Annie: Do I need to rescue my grandchildren from living with my daughter’s contamination OCD?

Ask Amy: Grandparents consider lowering amount of large cash gifts that go unappreciated

Dear Abby: Couple’s sex drives are heading in the opposite directions

Medicare Guide 2024: Big mistakes to avoid

Liz Weston: Will capital gains taxes apply for heirs of a home with a reverse mortgage?

Dear Abby: ‘Great woman’ ghosted him just as he was preparing to pop the question

Ask Amy: I can’t stand my wife’s family who regularly bully me

Dear Annie: Is it too late to find love in your mid 30s?

Dear Annie: My wife gives large amounts of money to her adult daughter, isn’t saving for retirement

Ask Amy: Concerns over the state of public schools has couple considering homeschooling

Miss Manners: Friendship ends over requests to sample wines at busy restaurant

Liz Weston: YouTube stock genius may be exaggerating her results

Miss Manners: Vaguebooking post ends up being serious. Is it too late to send written condolences?

Dear Abby: How do I tell my family my new boyfriend gave me a STD?

Ask Amy: Extended family’s thirst for gossip clouds what should be a happy event

Dear Annie: My only child blames me for my ex’s death by suicide

Dear Annie: Blended family breaks apart and parents don’t even know why

Ask Amy: Life can be overwhelming. Here are some tips to cut tasks down to size

Dear Abby: 9 siblings, with differing opinions, successfully navigate a politically-charged world

Dear Doctor: Patient considers Inspire as an alternative to CPAP machine

Miss Manners: Lack of landline phones makes setting up playdates a chore

Miss Manners: How can I deflect nosy hairstylist’s intrusive questions?

Dear Abby: Boyfriend struggles with depression after the death of his dog

Ask Amy: Should I warn my family my son will bring a boyfriend to Thanksgiving?

Dear Annie: Holidays get harried as family grows, changes

Do I have to post my opinions on global tragedies on social media? Why Tho? The Podcast

Ask Amy: Friend’s personal loan repayments stop when her husband dies

Dear Abby: Family feud has grandmother missing dinners, holidays together

Dear Doctor: Can AREDS 2 vitamins cause nighttime leg cramps?

Miss Manners: I don’t want to give my friend’s small yappy dog a treat

Miss Manners: Why am I the last to know about my close friends’ divorces?

Dear Abby: New mom’s commitment to baby having both parents around may tank her happiness

Ask Amy: Boundary-leaping friend won’t stop offering medical advice

Dear Annie: Grandpa presses peers to stop encouraging bullies

Ask Amy: Blood-pressure check results in awkward brush with tech’s body

Dear Abby: My new doctor didn’t have me undress for my annual physical. I’m very confused

Dear Doctor: Is it safe to get RSV and COVID vaccine, and annual flu shot all at the same time?

Miss Manners: What can I say when I’m invited to event I know I won’t enjoy?

Miss Manners: Departed friend’s cousins aren’t welcome to scour his house for items

Ask Amy: Volunteer’s ‘fix’ of submitted photos probably violated copyright laws, is certainly insulting

Dear Abby: Lady of faith ‘waiting on God’ to fix feud between group leader and her husband

Dear Annie: Reader finds weight loss, health success with intermittent fasting

Dear Annie: Have something important to say? Don’t leave it to a text

Why Tho? Readers weigh in on grocery store whistlers

Ask Amy: ‘Cool’ granny suggests she and the grandkids get matching tattoos

Dear Abby: Springing your new lady friend on the family during son’s wedding is a bad idea

Dear Doctor: What can you tell me about estetrol hormone therapy and its risks?

Miss Manners: In-law’s rules on formal use of surname kept son’s fiance distant

Ask Amy: Man considers rekindling lost flame with widow of an old friend

Dear Abby: Most of dad’s horrible meals end up in the trash. ‘We beg him not to cook’

Dear Annie: Woman loves the freedom of life after living with lazy, do-nothing husband

Dear Annie: Stepson, his wife, no longer talk to us as they feel we chose my grandson over their kids

Miss Manners: Should adult children be soliciting cash gifts for parents’ 50th anniversary?

Ask Amy: Dad ties tight strings to monetary ‘gift’

Dear Abby: Closet cross-dresser wants to go out in public on Halloween, but his wife nixes the idea

Drug combination shut off urine flow, ruined vacation cruise: People’s Pharmacy

Dear Doctor: Can neck nerve compression cause a seizure?

Miss Manners: Wedding guest irked by invite specifying clothing color choices

Ask Amy: Israeli-American couple struggles with husband’s desire to fight in the war

Dear Abby: Good friend jacked up price of resale Taylor Swift ticket. Is that what friends do?

Dear Annie: Woman feels the pull of returning to her incredibly controlling, verbally abusive ex

Dear Abby: My wife suggested I write my own obit, but now has edits, argues about it

Ask Amy: Was invite from European in-laws to stay for the holidays rescinded?

Medicare Guide 2024: Key deadlines for open enrollment in Medicare Advantage

Liz Weston: Transfer-on-death deed may be a simpler, cheaper way to get property to heirs

What do to about smelly, slimy soil after overseeding a lawn? Ask an Extension expert

Ask Amy: Big church wedding has been pared down, and this guest feels slighted

Dear Abby: My sister finally stepped up to host Thanksgiving, but has no idea how to cook a turkey

Dear Annie: Lonely woman longs for visits from her daughter, grandchildren, but no one is coming

Ask Amy: Valued art collection sits unclaimed for more than 10 years

Miss Manners: Effort to beef up excuse for missing an invite falls flat

Medicare Guide 2024: What’s new for the coming year

Liz Weston: Are 401(k) accounts subject to abandoned property laws?

How to overwinter strawberries? Ask an Extension expert

Miss Manners: How long must I hold stray items left at my home by my children’s guests?

Dear Abby: Why am I the only one concerned about my mother-in-law’s declining health?

Ask Amy: Husband calls wife’s distaste for laundry chores a ‘trust’ issue. But is it?

Dear Annie: I’m fed up with supporting a grown man

Dear Annie: Worker’s plea for more help at doctor’s office falls on deaf ears

Ask Amy: Observant Jew considers ways to teach young relatives about their holidays

Dear Abby: Neighbor retrieves his paper in the nude every morning. Is he unaware of Ring?

Miss Manners: Intuitive cook tires of request for recipes that don’t exist

Dear Doctor: What can you tell me about Leqembi, the new drug for early Alzheimer’s disease?

Miss Manners: Do proper manners require one to respond to any letter, even an impertinent one?

Dear Abby: Couple’s social circle is dwindling as woman distances herself from those with babies

Ask Amy: Widower wants to start dating. ‘But when it comes to wooing, flirting, I’ve got nothing’

Dear Annie: Friend who takes photos at a funeral needs a talking to

Dear Annie: My only son’s girlfriend has poisoned him against me

Consider specialty earplugs to drown out annoying people: Why Tho? The Podcast

Ask Amy: We work hard to host my husband’s sister and her family on every holiday. I’m done

Dear Abby: Son came home to visit her ex in hospital, never stopped by to visit her

Miss Manners: Why does sick guest expect me to make the call if they should attend dinner or not?

Dear Doctor: Could moderate weight loss alone be cause of significant decrease in cholesterol?

Miss Manners: How can I stop friend’s rude husband from crashing ‘ladies only’ night?

Ask Amy: Her brother borrows their car, doesn’t fill the tank, racks up many miles

Dear Abby: 60-year-old mulls over job change to be with her love in another state

Dear Annie: Has my best friend’s new husband encouraged her to dump me?

Ask Amy: Sometimes sober friend is considering drinking again. Should I say something?

Dear Abby: I’m ready to dump husband’s best pal’s overly dramatic wife

Miss Manners: My niece was rude to us when we explained why we’ll miss her wedding

Dear Doctor: Is it possible histamine intolerance is increased when eating high-histamine foods?

Miss Manners: Quality of cleaning service has slipped. Customer considers a pay cut

Ask Amy: Cancer treatment forces cruise cancellation. Shouldn’t friend pay half of lost deposit?

Dear Abby: Married lesbian finds herself ‘wondering’ about men she meets online

Dear Annie: Student considers dropping out of ‘dream’ college when best friend quits

Dear Annie: Blunt husband doesn’t care if he hurts people’s feeling; says ‘I’m just telling the truth’

Why Tho? Do I always have to take my shoes off in others’ homes?

Miss Manners: How can I stop a 95-year-old from blowing his nose during dinner?

Dear Abby: Our son broke rules of his lease on our property by getting a cat

Ask Amy: How should I respond when friend reveals another friend is talking trash about me?

Dear Doctor: Can by-mail prescription delivery damage med’s effectiveness in extreme heat?

Miss Manners: How do you excuse yourself for giggling at a funeral?

Ask Amy: Violent assault in her home has woman not wanting to see stepson again, ever

Dear Abby: Raising children in family home becomes a problem when young nephew acts out

Dear Annie: Woman just can’t let go of cherished friendship

Dear Abby: I’ve bought the dress, shoes. Now I just need boyfriend of 7 years to finally agree to marry

Ask Amy: I cut my mother off after my child was born. Now she reached out to my mother-in-law

Dear Doctor: Could my new frequent headaches be related to IBS?

Miss Manners: What’s a shower without presents? A delight!

Ask Amy: Woman’s desire to rescue guy, teach him to be a decent human, fails spectacularly

Dear Abby: What can I do to get my fiance’s adult children ‘off our case’

Dear Annie: Family reunion plans squashed by members whose views trigger isolation, exclusion

Ask Amy: Retired cleric bemoans the lack of ‘good’ funerals

Dear Abby: Feuding co-workers had planned to attend a concert together. This could get awkward

Medicare Guide 2024: What you need to know about your options

Liz Weston: Required minimum distributions and Roth conversions can’t be combined

Medicare Guide 2024: Most Americans choose Medicare Advantage

Ask Amy: Wonderful husband is a slob in the kitchen. His debris is now attracting mice

Dear Abby: Can we just stop with the holiday newsletters, please?

Dear Annie: Persistent pal disregards my wishes, boundaries and shows up to ‘help’ after surgery

Dear Abby: Friend who moved away still contacts me regularly. Do I need to formally say ‘I’m done’?

Miss Manners: How can I ditch husband’s golf buddy’s wife when they visit us for a week?

Ask Amy: Is woman’s tradition of mailing gifts to her elderly friends doing more harm than good?

Liz Weston: Does a spouse automatically inherit everything if their partner dies without a will?

Miss Manners: What should I have said to art student who gifted me a large (unattractive) painting?

Ask Amy: Friends back away from angry woman going through a divorce

Dear Abby: Getting back together with my ex is starting to feel like a mistake

Dear Annie: Husband explains why he wishes he’d stayed celibate until marriage

Dear Annie: Man is desperate for a path toward keeping his marriage together

Miss Manners: No matter how much food is put out, 1 family member always raids the fridge

Ask Amy: Grandmother’s diary holds horrible secret. Would sharing it help or harm?

Dear Abby: My roommate’s addicted son is stealing from us, but his dad won’t ban him from the house

Dear Doctor: Friends should advise friends against taking unproven medications

Miss Manners: Mom feels balance in the family is skewed as grandparents share their resources freely

Dear Abby: Caring for mother-in-law’s grumpy, elderly cat is becoming a messy problem

Ask Amy: Is this older guy falling for a textbook online romance scam?

Dear Annie: Our son’s fiancee cut us off at the mere mention of his ex’s name

Should shoes stay on or come off in other people’s homes? Why Tho? The Podcast

Miss Manners: Shouldn’t my daughter-in-law’s mom refer to me as more than her ‘friend’?

Ask Amy: How can I get my mother-in-law to stop commenting on my weight loss?

Dear Doctor: Having kidney disease makes blood pressure control more important

Miss Manners: Small city employee finds office environment objectionable

Ask Amy: Adopted woman finds out she’s related to someone famous. ‘Should I contact him?’

Dear Abby: I’m not sure I want to move in with my elderly in-laws to be their full-time caregivers

Dear Annie: Compassionate friend’s ability to deal with other people’s drama is dwindling

Dear Abby: I suspect my fiance’s niece is actually his child. How do I get him to come clean?

Ask Amy: Family caring for child with chronic condition could use some support

Miss Manners: Will inviting someone to dinner, last-minute, make them feel second-best?

Dear Doctor: What are some side effects of taking finasteride for benign prostatic hyperplasia?

Miss Manners: Co-worker’s perfume cloud nearly sends me to the hospital

Ask Amy: Widower has fallen in love with deceased wife’s sister. ‘How do we tell the family?’

Dear Abby: Sister ready to hang up on brother’s uninterruptible political lectures

Dear Annie: My fiancée still lives with her ex-boyfriend and 2 kids

Dear Annie: Wife of a cheater feels it’s too late to leave, find a better life

Why Tho? Random whistling or singing makes me really upset. Can I ask people to stop?

Miss Manners: Demanding guest needs to be shown the door

Ask Amy: Can I still display family photos if one of my grandchildren has transitioned?

Dear Abby: Wife doesn’t feel much obligation to husband’s family who never reach out

Dear Doctor: Does drinking coffee reduce the absorption of thyroid hormones?

Miss Manners: No, you can’t tell uninvited dining companion to ‘get lost’

Ask Amy: 70-year-old considers discussing abuse he suffered as a child with his bully brother

Dear Abby: How do I convince my slovenly cruise pal to bring nice clothes on our next trip?

Dear Annie: Widow wants to dump deceased husband’s selfish, self-centered, jerky best friend

Dear Abby: Joint birthday party invite comes with joint gift expectations

Ask Amy: Spoilsport stepdad balks at trip to Paris to celebrate son’s anniversary

Dear Doctor: How can you tell difference between heart problems and an anxiety attack?

Miss Manners: Stepson always brings uninvited guests to dinner, even if stepmom says no

People’s Pharmacy: This common medication led to brain fog, depression

Dear Abby: Wounds from 40-year-old affair are still fresh and deep

Ask Amy: After my soulmate died, I found out he was living a double life

Dear Annie: Boundaries, balance add benefits to marriage where one spouse is a twin

Ask Amy: I’m not thrilled about sitting on hay bales at my friend’s rustic/formal wedding

Dear Abby: Dad finds himself outvoted when wife and kids demand a dog

Liz Weston: Can money paid to student loan provider by a grandparent be considered a ‘gift’?

Ask Amy: Neighbor weighs calling social services on drunk couple next door whose kids are in danger

Dear Abby: Medical premium increase causes a row when dad asks adult child to help pay

Dear Annie: How do I tell my wife I’ve been hooking up with her dad?

Dear Abby: Son’s new wife shut me out after she was told of my concerns about their relationship

Ask Amy: Traveler annoyed by foreigners who talked during minute of silence for 9/11

Liz Weston: How do I dump my underperforming broker and manage funds on my own?

Miss Manners: Cancer patient seeks a snappy reply when someone rudely cuts in line

Ask Amy: Yard maintenance worker searches for ways to get customer to resume pay schedule

Dear Abby: I’m overwhelmed trying to maintain relationship with clinically depressed friend

Dear Annie: Bachelorette party plans has maid-of-honor missing money-making opportunity

Dear Annie: Attending events with a large family can be a logistical challenge

Miss Manners: Older mom resents those who assume she’s a grandmother

Dear Abby: Roach-infested family member brings pests with them when they visit

Ask Amy: My mom’s memory is fading. Should I correct her when she repeats herself?

Dear Doctor: How can I know if I am allergic to gadolinium dye used in MRI scans?

Miss Manners: Wife insists any party must include a full meal, even a 2-year-old’s birthday

Ask Amy: Single mom worries 10-year-old may balk at her changing his surname

Dear Abby: Passive-aggressive new wife puts up roadblocks when faced with any project

Dear Annie: Widower, devoted to his dog, may find like-minded ladies in dog-loving social groups

Dear Annie: Is my nightly drinking keeping my wife out of the house 14 hours a day?

What can you do about loud people in public spaces? Why Tho? The Podcast

Miss Manners: A wedding isn’t the proper place to order off the menu

Ask Amy: Volunteer sees safety, protocol lapses at nonprofit food organization, wants to quit

Dear Abby: Divorced father with health issues doesn’t want to lose touch with adopted son

Dear Doctor: How does omeprazole work and is it safe to use long-term?

Dear Abby: Out of nowhere my husband unfriended me on Facebook. Is that a red flag?

Ask Amy: Friend told me I’ve done ‘1,000 things to hurt her’ but wouldn’t tell me what any of them were

Dear Annie: Private religious school discipline remembered as negatively affecting student’s life

Dear Abby: Engaged couple, who live in different cities, considers video intimacy

Ask Amy: Abusive upbringing likely to affect siblings in different ways

Dear Doctor: What’s the difference between homeopathy and allopathic medicine?

Miss Manners: What can I do the next time a co-worker blows up at me for a small mistake

Ask Amy: Son’s plans for huge wedding nearly a year after civil ceremony seem like a cheat to parents

Dear Abby: My husband of 6 years left me for my sister

Dear Annie: Deep cleaning of home’s A/C unit results in fewer respiratory issues

Dear Annie: Long-married wife resents husband who used their marriage to hide his homosexuality

Why Tho? Are my friends ditching me for their babies? Yes, yes they are

Ask Amy: Hairstylist’s in-laws refuse to pay for wedding if her hair is anything except a natural color

Dear Abby: Mom can’t get over missing the mother-son wedding dance, even after 10 years

Miss Manners: When co-worker shares info on doctor visit, do they expect me to ask about it?

Dear Doctor: Isn’t prune juice still recommended for people with constipation?

Miss Manners: Why is it hard for people to just firmly, honestly respond to an invitation?

Miss Manners: Is it OK to lie about start times to husband’s habitually late relatives?

Ask Amy: Wake-up call - Your aging parents may be tired of hosting you for the holidays

Dear Abby: Woman finds herself choosing another man with money troubles

Dear Annie: Older couple stays unmarried, keeps assets separate. But his kids are shutting her out

Ask Amy: Valued employee gets her kicks pointing out the errors of others

Dear Abby: Paranoid next door neighbor thinks I stole from her

Miss Manners: House guests announce dates of arrival, but not always when they’ll depart

Dear Doctor: What’s hyaluronic acid and is it safe to use for joint pain?

Miss Manners: It feels rude to address my college professor by their first name

Dear Abby: I’m done paying to see my step grandkids

Ask Amy: Is my good friend’s brazen, obnoxious, and creepy new husband sexually harassing me?

Dear Annie: How can we stop adult neighbor from berating 11-year-old niece?

Ask Amy: What’s with people who feel they need to take their dogs everywhere?

Dear Abby: My mom constantly berates my young daughter’s looks, tells her to wear makeup

FAFSA delay? What to do before redesigned student aid form is available in December

Liz Weston: How long after a spouse’s death should ID cards be kept?

Ask Amy: Man wants out of smothering relationship with woman who says she’s ‘madly in love’

Dear Abby: Son blindsided by dad who lost his job due to inappropriate work behavior