Iknew it was going to rain. I looked up the weather before I headed out, and there was a 94% chance of rain at 7:00. That was precisely the hour I planned to walk home.
DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my close friends has recently started gaining a lot of attention on social media, especially on TikTok. She’s gotten popular almost overnight, and ever since then, things have changed between us. She used to be someone I could talk to every day; we’d text, call, hang out and just be there for each other. Now, she barely responds to my texts and completely ignores my calls. I’ve tried to be supportive of her success – including engaging with her content – but it feels like I’ve been pushed aside now that she’s getting more attention online. I can’t help but feel like she thinks she’s better than me, like I’m not worth her time because I’m not an influencer.
In 1775, the Second Continental Congress established a postal system.
DEAR HARRIETTE: As parents, I’m sure most of us have experienced a squabble or disagreement between our kids. I definitely have, but they’re usually shortlived. Currently, two of my girls aren’t speaking and haven’t been for a few months. This all started because my older daughter made a joke about me owing her back pay because my younger daughter’s college tuition was more expensive than hers. My younger daughter, who is usually quite docile, blew up at the comment. She called her older sister ungrateful, rude and spoiled. They argued like I’ve never seen before, and they haven’t spoken since. I tried talking to my younger daughter about it, but she won’t apologize. I don’t think her sentiments were wrong; the joke was in poor taste. I think as a family we should never be so hostile toward each other. How do I get my girls back on track? – Family Disagreement DEAR FAMILY DISAGREEMENT: Rather than continuing to fish for apologies, look for a way forward.
Dear Doctors: My ex-husband had a certain musty smell before he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
CLINTON’S HISTORY 10, 20, 30 AND 40 YEARS AGO
DEAR HARRIETTE: My 17-year-old daughter recently got into a car accident. Thankfully, she wasn’t seriously hurt, but the car was totaled. After talking to her about what happened, it became clear that the accident was due to her not paying attention: She was distracted, and it cost her.
Dear Doctors: This year our family vacation is a camping road trip. There will be a lot of hiking and outdoor exploring, so my wife and I have put together a good first-aid kit. Now I think that learning CPR is a good idea. How do you take classes? Can our teenaged kids learn, too?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve worked in the entertainment industry for a while now, and with that comes a lot of work with adjacent industries like beauty and fashion. A friend of mine admires the work I do. They’ve had a longtime interest in leaving the corporate world to pursue modeling full-time, and they currently model on the side. When I share stories about events I’ve attended or people and brands I’ve worked with over the years, they’d always ask, “Why don’t you introduce me?” So more and more I’d bring up their name subtly or ask for contact info on their behalf, but whenever opportunity came knocking, my friend would make excuses. I decided to stop advocating for them. I’m not sure if it’s nerves or if they’re simply not ready for this undertaking, but either way, I decided not to prioritize helping them in that way. I expressed this to my friend recently to set a clear boundary between my career and theirs, and they accused me of “hindering” them. Am I wrong here? – Ungrateful Friend DEAR UNGRATEFUL FRIEND: You are not wrong. Remind your friend that you made an effort on a number of occasions to give them a leg up into your business, and they didn’t follow up. Your reputation is important, and if they are not going to take your introductions seriously, you cannot afford to keep making them. It makes you look bad, like you don’t have serious contacts. They are hindering themselves, whether or not they realize it. Followthrough is essential. By not doing it, they shut the door on the opportunity.
• When it’s time to get new pillowcases for your bed, don’t toss the worn-out cases into the trash. They are great “pockets” to repurpose in the closet to help with clothing organization and storage. When you’re switching out your seasonal clothing this winter, consider packing summertime essentials like bathing suits and shorts inside pillowcases; they’ll be able to breathe but still be protected from dust and insects. When it’s warmer outside, place a few sweaters inside pillowcases to protect them. You can store accessories and shoes in them, too.