ArcaMax

DEAR SUSAN: Responding to your recent survey:

-- How late in the week can a man call you for a date? ANS: Whenever he wants to, provided he doesn't show up at my doorstep unannounced! If I'm busy, I'll say so. If not, I'm happy to accept his invitation.

-- Do you think he respects you more if you set a deadline? ANS: No. Deadlines are for the ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have read the letters from the grandmothers who are feeling left out. I am in the same situation. My mother always told me that when your son marries, he will be more connected with the wife's family. I have found that it is true. They have not forgotten us. We get our share of holidays and are acknowledged on birthdays, ...Read more

Dear Annie: A relationship I had for two and a half years has recently ended. I met a woman, "Marie," through mutual friends, and we quickly became best friends, eventually turning romantic. She was the first woman I ever dated, and while our relationship had its ups and downs, the challenges were unique. She had rare health problems and a ...Read more

Dear Annie: How do you know when it's time to let go of a marriage?

Twenty-eight years ago, I had an affair. We managed to work through the turmoil, and we've had some good years since. But lately, we're just coasting through life, merely existing.

Not long after the affair, he started drinking. To this day, he still blames his behavior on ...Read more

Creating effective advocacy for activism is about more than passion -- it's about strategy, collaboration, and persistence. In a world facing issues from climate change to racial injustice, successful activism requires both a clear vision and a plan to turn that vision into reality.

Effective advocacy begins with a deep understanding of the ...Read more

Dear Annie: It's been two years since my husband passed, and at first, my friends were wonderful -- calling, visiting and sending cards. But now that I'm ready to get out again, something strange has happened: I'm rarely included anymore. My husband and I used to be invited to dinners, so why am I left out now? What's the difference between ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've reconnected with a high school friend, and it's been fun catching up. However, she constantly talks about the past, and I'd rather focus on the present. How can I gently shift our conversations to more current topics without making her feel like I'm dismissing our shared memories? -- Ready for the Now

Dear Ready: It's quite ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm a 50-plus married empty nester with a full-time job and three dogs. Life is still busy for us.

My mom, stepfather and younger half-brother live in another state. My father died when I was young, and my mother remarried and had my brother. At 17, I moved out and have been mostly out of sight, out of mind to my family. Although ...Read more

Dear Annie: I don't know how to act. My husband's nephew is getting married in another state. We heard all the aunts and uncles were invited, but we never received a save the date or an invite.

My sisters-in-law and mother-in-law are aware that we didn't get an invite. A couple brothers-in-law asked if we were attending the wedding -- ...Read more

Dear Susan: I was widowed in February after being married 35 years. My husband and I married in our 30s, so I do have some experience being single, but now I'm sort of lost. Our marriage was so close we kept our friends at the periphery, which only adds to my problems. Have you some back material I could download or purchase online? Thank you. -...Read more