ASK THE DOCTORS
The government shutdown lasted 40 days before Senate Democrats abandoned the filibuster that closed offices, left workers without paychecks, threatened supplemental food benefits for millions, saw the beginning of a gradual shutdown of the commercial aviation system, and much more. The question is: Why did those Democrats hold out for so long? Why did they stubbornly play a losing hand even as millions of Americans suffered?
DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend recently moved in with me, and ever since then, my cat’s behavior has completely changed. She’s been acting out: scratching furniture, hiding for hours and even refusing to eat sometimes. She used to be calm and affectionate, but now she seems anxious and territorial. My partner is trying to be patient, but I can tell he’s getting frustrated, especially since the cat hisses at him whenever he walks by or tries to sit near me.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve been talking to a guy for about a year now. It has been casual for two reasons: He is unemployed (for quite some time now) and struggling, and I am in the beginning of a divorce – a messy scenario.
Hello, dear readers! Welcome to our monthly letters column. The holiday season is here, which means rich food, festive drinks and frequent gatherings.
DETROIT – Here in the Mariners’ Church, planted in the shadow of the Renaissance Center at the corner of Woodbridge Street and Woodward Avenue, the gales of November seem to swirl in the air.
ASK THE DOCTORS
DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently got into a heated argument with my dad, and it’s been bothering me ever since. The fight started when I told him I wanted to move to a different city for a job opportunity.
When George W. Bush ran for president in 2000, he faced a widespread public perception that he was callow and inexperienced, even though he was 54 years old and the governor of Texas. That’s not an unheard-of situation in presidential politics; the solution is for the less-experienced candidate to pick an older and more experienced running mate to give the ticket some gravitas. That is what Bush did.
• Among the most annoying things when painting a room are all of the drips along the edges of the can. It can become extremely messy and make it difficult to reseal the can when you’re finished. To prevent drips, do this: Stretch a rubber band over the paint and across the center of the opening. Each time you dip the brush, run it across the rubber band so excess paint drips back into the can and not over the sides. How easy is that?