Perhaps it is the long, lonely winters; perhaps it is the isolation of the great farms. Whatever the reason, Iowa is a state of profound quiet. The first time the Southern novelist Allan Gurganus went to a dinner party there, he grew uncomfortable at the long silences around the table – two minutes, then three, then four, when the only sound he heard was "fresh corn being masticated by molars around the room."
My mother has found the perfect pet. She just doesn't realize it yet.
DEAR HARRIETTE: An older employee is getting credit for my work. He and I are both regularly required to do extensive research for interview subjects, but his research is never up to par. This employee has seniority over me, so I'm afraid to speak up about what's going on. He doesn't ever take full credit for the work that the two of us do together, but the fact that he gets any credit for my work is disheartening. Should I speak to him about this, or go directly to our boss? – Taking Credit
Who is the Democratic version of Ron DeSantis?
The package arrived last week and, I have to admit, I was surprised.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My employees and I have been speaking openly about the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. As a women-run company that employs mostly women, I think it's important to leave the floor open for my employees to express themselves on a topic that can affect them so deeply.
30 YEARS AGO
This week the public learned the current operator of our city-owned hospital had decided not to renew its contract that is set to expire at the end of the year.
Dear Doctors: I had lunch with a coworker, and she's on a keto diet. She says she can have only 35 grams of carbohydrates per day. The label on the candy bar she was eating said it had 26 grams of carbs, which is almost her whole carb budget. But she said it only had 6 net carbs. What does that mean?
DEAR HARRIETTE: I am the mother to a 25-year-old daughter who has no real plan for her life. I want to start off by admitting that it is completely normal and acceptable not to have it all planned out when you're in your 20s. In my 20s, I had no clue what I was doing.