ArcaMax

Dear Annie: I've been married to my husband, "David," for 12 years. We have two kids, "Ella" (9) and "Lucas" (6). Lately, I've been feeling like I'm doing everything alone. David works long hours as an accountant, and I understand that his job is demanding, but when he gets home, he zones out on his phone or watches TV while I handle dinner, ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm reaching out with a heavy heart and a mind full of memories. My oldest son, who once called me frequently and with whom I shared countless stories over long phone calls, now seems a stranger. He's married, has two wonderful children and lives out of state. Recently, family drama -- something entirely unrelated to me -- has cast...Read more

Dear Annie: Three years ago, my older brother received a $60,000 settlement, and I believe it changed his perspective on family and our relationship. One day, he offered to loan me $5,000 to either repair my car or put a deposit on a new one. He told me to wait two days, and then he would call me to meet him at the bank.

Up until that point, ...Read more

Dear Annie: It saddens me to see so many people who don't enjoy their jobs. I was fortunate; I spent 42 years as a teacher, and while my first year in a middle school was the toughest, the rest of my career was incredibly fulfilling. I truly loved what I did.

Beyond the classroom, I also coached two or three sports for most of my career, only...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been with my girlfriend for 15 years. The first few years were wonderful -- no complaints. We worked together and spent a lot of time together, and everything felt great.

Then, out of nowhere, she started falling asleep -- bam! -- nodding off in social situations, especially when we were out with my parents or their friends. ...Read more

Dear Annie: I moved into my bungalow six months ago. My new neighbor, we'll call him "Jeremy," who I share a very thin party wall with, seemed friendly at first -- in fact, overly so. He called first thing every morning -- up to eight times a day -- mainly to see if I was going out that day so he could pester me to bring things back for him, ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have noticed things missing in my house. After visiting my daughter's house, I have noticed some of these things at her house. For example, a bracelet that I had been looking for, for months, as well as a coffee mug and a small decorative vase.

How should I go about this? Her boyfriend, who I never trusted, lives with her. I ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've known my friend "Ella" for over 50 years. In the last few years, for whatever reason, she only wants to communicate with me via texting. She has no medical or mental issues. I just saw her at her sister's funeral.

I've told her that I don't wish to communicate through texting only. I keep asking her why we just can't talk on ...Read more

Dear Annie: From the time I was in second grade, I knew I wanted to be a writer. But everyone around me insisted it was a terrible idea. So, I chose the "safe" path and became a teacher, spending two years in a high school English classroom before transitioning to a role as a school librarian.

I also married a man I believed was the love of ...Read more

Dear Annie: I went on a 10-day girls trip with five other women, including my best friend. By the third day, I realized I was being singled out for having different opinions and struggling to keep up physically. I have lung disease, but these women (all older with their own limitations) dismissed it as something an inhaler could fix.

We had ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband pouts and refuses to come with me when I visit our kids and grandkids, choosing instead to stay home watching TV and playing on his computer. I used to make excuses for him -- saying he was busy or doing chores -- but now I just tell the truth: "Grandpa's crabby and staying home."

His father used to fake stomachaches ...Read more

Dear Annie: My cousin, who is more like a sister to me, has been making a series of reckless and concerning choices over the past year. After having her second baby, she left her husband and began dating a string of borderline-abusive men. Now she's signing over full custody of her children to her ex-husband and impulsively buying a house out ...Read more

Dear Annie: For 32 years, I've been married to a wonderful partner who comes from a loving family. There was a crisis a year ago when my spouse was on business, and while they were working to get back home, our families stepped up to support us. A relative of my partner's showed particular concern, which surprised me. I care about this ...Read more

Dear Annie: I was out having lunch with a friend I've known for many years. We met when our children were babies; they are grown adults now.

We have only been meeting up once a week for lunch since April 2024, as we both have more time now that I have retired and she works part time.

The thing is, I'm feeling quite overwhelmed at the moment....Read more

Dear Annie: How do I get across to a sibling that she can't order me to come and be a caretaker for our ailing mother? Mom is almost 92 and is recovering from a stroke. It has affected her vision, so there are many daily things she cannot do for herself. She no longer drives; her poor motor skills don't allow her to cook or handle hot items on...Read more

Dear Annie: I never thought I had a screen time problem until my daughter called me out. The other night, we were sitting on the couch together, and she was excitedly telling me about her day. Without thinking, I picked up my phone to check a notification. She stopped mid-sentence and sighed, "Never mind, you're not even listening." That hit ...Read more

Dear Readers: So many of you wrote in about the nurse column, and I truly appreciate your feedback and your service. Nursing is one of the most vital professions, and nurses deserve both respect and protection for the critical work they do.

Below are two perspectives from fellow nurses.

Dear Annie: As a fellow veteran nurse, I wanted to ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been married to a wonderful man for seven years, and we have a strong, loving relationship. However, after Valentine's Day, I found myself feeling a bit sad.

In all our years together, my husband has never given me flowers -- not for Valentine's Day, our anniversary or any other special occasion. Gifts, in general, don't seem...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm a 64-year-old woman, and I have a wonderful boyfriend whom I love deeply. We've been together for over a year, and he's a kind, loving man who happens to be on dialysis. I take care of him, and while I don't resent it, it does make life more complicated. I've also been through a lot -- 35 years of marriage that ended in divorce...Read more

Dear Annie: I retired early from a stressful job about a year ago and now work part-time in an office with one other full-time secretary who started at the same time I did. She pushes most of the work onto me while she spends most of her day on her cellphone or shopping online. When my work is done, I sometimes use my phone for personal tasks,...Read more