Asking Eric: My wife is heartbroken about her no-contact daughter, and I’m just angry
After all the help we've given her, she offered no explanation.
Advice
Harriette Cole: I ask for a little favor and my boyfriend blows up at me
The first few times, I just thought he was having a bad day. But is...
Miss Manners: Also, there are finger-snapping gangs in my alley
Plus: I'm uncomfortable with this man always picking up my dinner tab.
Dear Abby: My sister has never apologized for her teenage betrayal
She says she slept with my boyfriend because she could.
Asking Eric: My daughter’s open relationship has completely blown up
She finally got a boyfriend and realized what she has been missing.
Harriette Cole: Should I tell my bumbling boss that the team is annoyed with her?
Her laziness is incredibly frustrating to us.
Miss Manners: I ruined a grumpy shopper’s day with my checkout line tactic
Plus: After my restaurant humiliation, what sort of tip should I have left?
Dear Abby: I can’t tell my best friend I’m in love with him
We text nearly constantly, but he has a partner.
Asking Eric: My boyfriend talks too much, but he says I’m rude to interject
Apparently he has been told this at work, too.
Harriette Cole: My co-worker’s skirts don’t flatter her deteriorating body
I'm not body shaming but this does not make her look strong and capable.
Miss Manners: How to perform a Cut, a Dead Cut and a Cut Absolute
Caution! To be used only in extreme cases.
Dear Abby: I know what my nephew did, but apparently I’m not supposed to say
My mom wants to protect him even though she was the target of his anger.
Asking Eric: I threw out all the unsafe food, and my husband had a tantrum
Plus: Should we go ahead with the wedding if my child might not come?
Dear Abby: A trail cam in the woods caught my husband cheating
He blamed me for his infidelity. I don't know if I can stay with him.
Asking Eric: I don’t tell people I’m not Christian anymore, but then there’s this problem
Plus: When you need a security guard at a funeral.
Harriette Cole: I’ve said no, but my husband keeps arguing for another kid
He says he needs a chance to "make his case." I don't want to hear...
Miss Manners: If a stranger holds the door for me, do I also go first in line?
Plus: It seems weird to treat her to dinner with the gift card she gave...
Dear Abby: I’m infuriated that my parents are back together again
My mom discounts my discomfort, and I feel so hurt.
Asking Eric: My sister tried to butt in to my neighbor hangouts
I enforced boundaries, and now she's not talking to me.
Harriette Cole: Your kid isn’t ready for the Marines? Well, who is?
A former high school honor student responds to "Bad Mom."
Miss Manners: I spent the entire concert being jostled by Mr. Penguin
He played along with the orchestra, flailing his arms, and I didn't know what to...
Dear Abby: We have to shower every time we come home from her place
Plus: My husband mispronounces a lot of words. How do I correct him politely?
Asking Eric: I learned of the wedding two days later by text
Plus: My son doesn't realize how controlling his wife is.
Harriette Cole: If her boyfriend just goes silent, that’s a red flag
Plus: They ask if I've talked to my friend about her drug use. But is...
Miss Manners: How can I educate this woman on appropriate gift card amounts?
I was surprised when she gave me a $25 card toward a pedicure.
Dear Abby: My vampire co-worker sucks the life out of me
She is insufferable, but she says the boss is her friend so I have no...
Asking Eric: They won’t even take a 10-mile detour to visit me
And that's after I agreed to go to Quilt City with the wife.
Harriette Cole: I just met him, and he said he loves me. How should I feel about this?
Maybe he just casually says he loves people?
Miss Manners: People with these chic names don’t realize the problems they create
Plus: What if a guest who shouldn't be drinking asks for wine?
Dear Abby: After her confession, I no longer see her as my wife
She said she had been afraid to tell me and she doesn't want us to...
Asking Eric: I haven’t gone back to the restaurant because I’m confused about what happened
I know this woman is married. Maybe she's just very gregarious?
Harriette Cole: I made the mistake of asking if I could date his sister
Now that he has said no, is it worth risking our friendship?
Miss Manners: There’s no drinking at my fireworks party
People show up with coolers full of beer without asking.
Dear Abby: We were friends, but now my co-worker has turned against me
She tattles on me any chance she gets.
Asking Eric: Do I just keep cringing at her disgusting habit, or tell her what I think?
She doesn't know why she's not allowed in our kitchen.
Harriette Cole: I shared my good news, and my friend turned cold
It would have felt weird to keep it a secret.
Miss Manners: Who’s in the wrong in this dispute over babysitting a sick kid?
My son isn't speaking to us because he had to miss a concert.
Dear Abby: My daughter, the bride, says I have to pay for my friends to attend the wedding
Plus: I thought I was marrying a sweet man, but he changed so fast.
Asking Eric: Our daughter insists she’s ready to go to college
We want her to take a gap year. She won't even consider it.
Dear Abby: Am I reading too much into my boyfriend’s family dinner?
It bugs me a lot. He suggested I write you and get your take.
Asking Eric: I took a DNA test to debunk my sister’s gossip. It turns out she was right.
Now I have a big secret and I need to decide who to tell.
Harriette Cole: I was so embarrassed about the yoga disaster
I feel horrible that I pushed my friends to go with me.
Miss Manners: I was hurt by the old girlfriend’s post on my husband’s memorial page
Plus: How can I dissuade my friend from bringing food for her children when they...
Dear Abby: I made one typo and my reputation has been damaged
Am I wrong to be upset that my co-worker didn't just call me about it?
Asking Eric: We saved for our daughter’s wedding. Should we give her the money or have a party?
It seems she won't be getting married, but she does want to buy a home.
Harriette Cole: Our date was amazing until the bill came
He asked me out, and then said it was unfair to expect him to pay.
Miss Manners: Am I allowed to send back a tiny restaurant meal and request real food?
Plus: Some people are surprised by my ban on jokey e-mails, but I'm serious.
Dear Abby: My grandchildren’s mom has strange ideas about vacation
I want to do fun stuff with the kids. She wants to sit in the...
Asking Eric: He made me laugh and also cringe. The cringing won out.
What's a non-hurtful way to say I'm not going to be spending time with him?
Harriette Cole: I’m the neighborhood crone, and you need me more than you know
Plus: Is my mental health more important than networking?
Miss Manners: They ask me to make copies like I’m not an attorney
Plus: Am I supposed to lead my guest up the stairs or follow?
Dear Abby: I hide my resentment, but it has fueled my deathbed plan
Problem is, my son and best friend aren't on board with it.
Asking Eric: The grandma was insulted but I get why her gifts went unopened
Plus: I think my son-in-law screwed up concerning the Mother's Day card.
Harriette Cole: I was told my siblings don’t trust me to handle the estate
I am shocked. Should I confront them about their request to our parents?
Miss Manners: It was a nice dinner until my friend took their socks off
Plus: Why are restaurants now delaying my cocktail?
Dear Abby: My family fell apart and I don’t know how to fix it
I think they wish it had been me who died, not my husband.
Asking Eric: My mother is in a tailspin, and she’s trying to blame me
After her intentional overdose, I sold her house and she moved into assisted living.
Harriette Cole: We’ve had one date and I want more, but he won’t text me back
He checks a lot of boxes for me. Should I keep trying?
Miss Manners: I tangled with a stranger in the doctor’s waiting room
The dispute over her phone video escalated to a threat of violence.
Dear Abby: My friend won’t speak to me because of this birthday dinner dispute
It never occurred to me that I was in the wrong. Was I?
Asking Eric: I think I understand the man who freaks out about home repairs
Plus: I can't enjoy our trips because I'm always on high alert.
Harriette Cole: I didn’t know my friend was behind me, and I said something regrettable
Since then, things have been awkward between us.
Miss Manners: Must I stay quiet when they ridicule America?
Plus: These comments about my age make me uncomfortable.
Dear Abby: My husband is angry that I won’t share my dad’s estate with his kids
Am I wrong here? This is causing a lot of stress in our year-old marriage.
Asking Eric: It just feels wrong for me to go to the wedding
The bride's father abruptly stopped speaking to me.
Dear Abby: I revealed my health concern. He talked about himself.
Am I selfish for being upset by my partner's reaction?
Asking Eric: How can I fend off the hometown curiosity about my boyfriend?
I'd like to stop hiding the fact that we're a couple.
Harriette Cole: Should I skip her baby shower because of my values?
I declined to be her maid of honor for the same reason.
Miss Manners: Was I wrong to refuse my houseguest’s demand?
She could've worn earplugs. Or gone to a hotel.
Dear Abby: The bosses won’t do anything about our annoying co-workers
Plus: Am I being petty about the small gifts from my in-laws?
Asking Eric: I just found out my friend has been lying all these years
Do I confront her and tell her I know the truth?
Harriette Cole: My boyfriend’s mother said something troubling about him
It felt like a warning. How seriously should I take this?
Miss Manners: I asked about the missing wedding invitation and I got this load of hooey
We received a save-the-date card -- and then nothing.
Dear Abby: I called the customers ‘ladies’ and they bit my head off
If people are going to be offended, they'd better start tattooing their preferred pronouns on...
Asking Eric: I’m worried about my neighbor’s future mangoes
Plus: Should I leave my son a letter, or just let him find out he's...
Harriette Cole: I’m being blamed for a child’s playground injury
My niece is usually very good on the monkey bars. This time, she slipped.
Miss Manners: I got the newspaper to correct this woman’s obituary, and her daughter is furious
Apparently she was behind the omissions of fact.
Dear Abby: I’m a good mom, and my daughter turned on me
She made up stories about abuse and broke off communication.
Asking Eric: I’m keeping a secret from my family and my work
What's the best way to break the news?
Harriette Cole: There are days when my anxiety is out of control
I've tried various things, but I don't think there's a single fix.
Miss Manners: What’s the rule about greeting strangers on the park trail?
Plus: My daughter's mother-in-law was acting concerned, but I know better.
Dear Abby: I notice women cruising my wife wherever we go
I also think she's hooking up with women she meets online.
Asking Eric: Our car died, our neighbor helped, and now he won’t talk to us
My boyfriend says my thanks were not sufficient.
Harriette Cole: She’s a good friend but a bad partyer. Is it OK to ditch her?
Plus: My father says it's my fault that my mom is depressed.
Miss Manners: They didn’t comment on my body, and I’m offended
I told my husband I don't want to see his brother anymore because of this.
Dear Abby: I made a mistake with this man I met on the dating site
I felt awful, and I texted him. I haven't heard back.
Asking Eric: He dropped his Marines plan but kept the money from the party. Seriously?
Are we right to be angry he didn't give it back?
Harriette Cole: I’ve been getting yelled at when I’m at work
I know I shouldn't take it personally, but it's hard not to.
Miss Manners: How should I react when they say my name is ‘different’?
Plus: I think it's rude that people want to leave when the opera is over.
Dear Abby: Who should tell our friend that his wife is not allowed on our cruise?
We know from experience that she will ruin the trip.
Asking Eric: My friend lost $20,000 to a dog scam, and I’m worried about what will happen next
How do I warn her without insulting her?
Dear Abby: Our friend’s behavior around our grandchildren is worrying
Plus: Our divorce came as a surprise to me.
Asking Eric: She seemed to be joking about my injury, and things snowballed
I went back to the store to try to set things right. It didn't work.
Harriette Cole: My friend’s parents want me to talk her out of ‘shameful’ art
Plus: My grandmother tries to manipulate us with lies and gossip.
Miss Manners: The wedding couple was furious about a guest’s white shirt
It escalated to the groom's mother intentionally spilling red wine on her.
Dear Abby: I adore my boss. Her fiance is another story.
Plus: I wish I weren't pregnant, and my husband has already told everyone.
Asking Eric: My partner says I need to split all possessions with his wife
For 18 years I've paid his household expenses, while she just takes and takes.
Harriette Cole: My boyfriend insists that driving is part of his role as the man
I wanted to take the wheel for the day, and now he's not talking to...
Miss Manners: My son’s new wife hyphenated his name with her ex’s. Why would she do that?
I find this very disrespectful, and I think my son must be embarrassed.
Dear Abby: We unwittingly committed to a road trip with a Jekyll-and-Hyde driver
He becomes a different person behind the wheel.