DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend and I have been dating for almost a year now, and for the most part, things have been going really well.
CLINTON’S HISTORY 10, 20, 30 AND 40 YEARS AGO
Dear Doctors: At about 26 years old, my father became sick and lost all of his hair. Not only did he lose hair on his head, he had no eyebrows, eyelashes or beard and even lost the hair on his arms and legs. Do you have any idea what might have caused that?
The Democratic National Committee is holding its summer meeting in Minneapolis.
Dear Doctors: I’m puzzled by people whose doctors diagnose a problem but write to you to answer their questions. I believe you publish these questions and your answers to educate your readers. But might there be a way to present them without making those who ask them look foolish for not asking their own doctors first?
DEAR HARRIETTE: My younger brother got married last year. This is his first marriage, and he’s in his 50s. In some ways, I think getting married later can be a bit easier: You know what you want, you know your boundaries and you are likely more established (professionally and financially). I think in some ways that rang true for my brother, but I think after they made things official, his wife has shown him different sides of herself. She moved into my brother’s longtime home when they got married and is now requesting that he purchase something new with more space – despite having two spare bedrooms in their current home. She works fulltime but does not want to contribute to any bills. My brother seems somber. He’ll talk to me about the pressure sometimes, but he tries his best not to express anger or resentment. He’d been planning for early retirement but is now reworking his plans to stay in the workforce a bit longer. How can I support my brother as he tries to handle this new pressure gracefully? – Sister-in-Law DEAR SISTER-IN-LAW: While marriage does require compromise, not every requirement or request has to be honored.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently received a job offer from another company that comes with a significantly higher salary than what I’m currently making. The role is in a field I’ve been wanting to move into for years, and while it’s a little intimidating, it genuinely excites me. When I told my current employer about the offer, they surprised me by countering with a raise that slightly exceeds the other company’s offer. On paper, it sounds like a win, but here’s the problem: I don’t actually enjoy my current job. I’ve stayed mostly because I have great relationships with my co-workers. I know the systems inside and out, and it feels stable. The work itself leaves me bored, unmotivated and drained by the end of the day. Now I feel torn between taking a leap into something new that could be more fulfilling, or staying in a comfortable role for the sake of security and familiar faces.
• Here’s a simple way to help keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer: Check your ductwork. Many newer homes have ductwork with dampers that are adjustable, and when they are installed, they are often marked with two words: summer and winter. Shifting the switch to the correct season will ensure that the airflow in your home is maximized to direct either warm or cool air into the rooms where you need it most.
ABritish soldier began writing “The Fall of Gondolin” while in a hospital bed, stricken by “trench disease” from the lethal front lines of World War I.
Sparkling wine flowed, hors d’oeuvres were passed, speeches were given. There were panel discussions, an archives tour, a reception and dinner. I wasn’t there, and you weren’t either. Nor was anyone you know. And the occasion?