Natalie has had a national digitally-syndicated advice column with UExpress since 2016. This column explores the relationships that surround love, work, family and ourselves. Readers can also engage with the content through her Instagram series “Ask Natalie” which explores these topics through different angles.Tardy Thank-You Notes. Annie Lane on Mar 22, 2024. Dear Annie: My daughter received some lovely gifts for her quinceanera (an important milestone in Mexican and Latin American cultures that celebrates a girl's 15th birthday). Unfortunately, there were a few without cards or tags. I am not sure if the card became accidentally separated from the ...Apr 23, 2024 · Dear Readers: Periodically, I publish “updates” to previous questions and answers published in this space. The following was published in 2018. The update follows the original Q&A. Dear Amy: I grew up with two siblings — a brother and a sister. My brother, his wife and three children lived near our parents. My family and I (wife, two children) lived some distance away. We maintained ...Dear Amy: My son's ex-wife, "Tammy," recently had a baby with her new husband. Tammy also has two children with my son. I recently made slippers for my grandsons and sent the slippers to them. I told my son about it, and now he's asking me to make a pair of slippers for the new baby. I don't think I need to, as that baby is not my grandchild. Should I go along with this, or is there ...Life Advice / Dear Annie / May 21, 2024. Dear Annie: My brother-in-law passed away 10 years ago, and tragically, my sister, his wife, passed on two years later, leaving behind their three boys: "Tom" (14), "Freddie" (17) and "Dennis" (22). Initially, my wife and I offered to take in Tom, the youngest, but the boys wanted to stay together.Life Advice / Ask Amy / May 13, 2024. Dear Amy: In 1964, I met my wife "Laura" and her infant baby "Beth." (Laura had gotten pregnant with a married man.) Laura and I were married, and I adopted Beth when she was 1 year old. We raised Beth as my biological daughter and never heard a word from her actual biological father.Dear Annie: Our granddaughter had been on drugs for several years. She had been in and out of jail and rehabs. She had two children, ages 1 and 2. She basically abandoned them, so we all decided tough love and prayer were the answer. She was found by the side of the road where someone dumped her, dead or dying from a drug overdose.Annie Lane on Mar 15, 2024. Dear Annie: Please give me your opinion. I am an 84-year-old widow. I have one child, a son, and one grandchild in town. My other children live hours away. I no longer drive. I am financially independent and have someone to come clean twice a month, drive me to run errands, go to the doctor, do grocery shopping and ...Dear Amy: I am writing to you because I have hit a stalemate with my relationship with my mother. We were always politely distant, but now that my father has died, the distance between my mother and me has grown. For the past few years I have sent her flowers on the anniversary of my father's passing. In return I receive a polite email "thank you," as if she is speaking to a neighbor and ...What are my options for changing my immigration status so I can work at a startup in the U.S. within a year or two? Here’s another edition of “Dear Sophie,” the advice column that ...Michael Barone Biden Not Fooling Voters on Economy. Michael Reagan President Xi makes our homeless disappear. Mona Charen Biden Can't Blow the Debates. Neil Patel. Oliver North and David L. Goetsch. R. Emmett Tyrrell. Rachel Marsden Cannes Film Festival stars slam the right, oblivious to their own ...Grieving Friend Produces Off-The-Wall Accusations. DEAR ABBY: I am a happy, decidedly single woman with a large group of friends who are all married. Most of us grew up together, and all of us have been like extended family for the past 25 years. This year, one of the wives lost three family members within three months.Dear Amy: I have tenants I have bent over backwards for. I cut their late fees in half, and allow them to pay the rent by the 15th of each month. I take care of their home before my own. Their credit is not great, but I still approved them to move in. They do pay their full rent each month, but they seem to get some attitude when I make simple requests, primarily to not interfere with ...Proposed Mother's Day Memorial Tribute Doesn't Work for Everyone. DEAR SOMEONE ELSE'S MOM: Every Mother's Day for the past eighteen years, my sisters and I went to our mother's house and got her garden going. She had THE best herbs and vegetables, which she grew sin... more. May 03, 2024.Getting Curious Instead of Getting Defensive. Annie Lane on May 20, 2024. Dear Annie: After reading the letter from "Family Friend," who is concerned about the development of the 2-year-old child of a friend, I wanted to share my own experiences. Perhaps this child may not be speaking well because he is not hearing properly.Dear Annie: When my parents divorced, they could barely stand to be in the same room with each other. This went on into my adulthood. One day, several years ago, I called my father and asked him to remove a negative post on Facebook he had made about my mom. He had made a post calling her a liar, among other things.Dear Amy: I am a single woman in my mid-50s. I never married or had children and like it this way. I enjoy people, but am a classic introvert who recuperates her energy by being alone. I enjoy going to museums and restaurants on my own. There is a restaurant/bar right down the street from me that I enjoy going to. Recently, I went to this restaurant by myself and sat at the bar to have a drink ...Apr 24, 2024 · April 10, 2024. Ask Natalie: Son wants to move back home but doesn’t want to pay you rent? Had a baby and now your husband belittling everything you do? DEAR NATALIE: My 22-year-old son and his girlfriend want to move in with us to save money. They both work in the food industry and just can’t seem to make ends meet.St. Patrick's Day Inspiration. Annie Lane on Mar 17, 2024. Dear Readers: Happy St. Patrick's Day. Here are some famous and uplifting Irish blessings to add a little sunshine to your day. An Old Irish Blessing for St. Patrick's Day. "May your days be many and your troubles be few. / May all God's blessings descend upon you.Stingy Husband Frustrates Generous Wife. Annie Lane on May 23, 2024. Dear Annie: My husband and I are both in our late 60s. We've been married about six years and we both have very decent retirement funds, with him actually very financially secure with lots of money put back. We split the bills and groceries, including eating out about three ...Ask Amy: Father and daughter disconnect over disclosure. Life Advice / Ask Amy / May 13, 2024. Dear Amy: In 1964, I met my wife "Laura" and her infant baby "Beth." (Laura had gotten pregnant with a married man.) Laura and I were married, and I adopted Beth when she was 1 year old. We raised Beth as my biological daughter and never heard ...Husband Prioritizes Blood Family Over Wife. Dear Annie: I have been married now for just over three decades to who I thought was the love of my life. For years, I have noticed that my husband regards his birth family to be No. 1 and our immediate family No. 2. He was hooked on his beautiful and caring mom until she was tragically taken back ...Dear Amy: "Sandy" and I are close friends from college. Our friend group has stayed close, despite living in different states. We have a group text chat, and occasionally get together. Recently, Sandy has been going through a rough patch after a painful divorce. She is something of an "influencer" on social media and has been sharing all of her personal experiences about her mental ...Dear Amy: I am in my 40s and a single adoptive mother of two girls. Many years ago, I met "Jeremy" on an internet dating site. While I wasn't romantically attracted to him, we became friends. From our first meeting, Jeremy made it very clear that he wanted more than friendship from me. I was honest in stating that I viewed him as a platonic friend and that it wouldn't go any further than that. ...Michael Barone Biden Not Fooling Voters on Economy. Michael Reagan President Xi makes our homeless disappear. Mona Charen Biden Can't Blow the Debates. Neil Patel. Oliver North and David L. Goetsch. R. Emmett Tyrrell. Rachel Marsden Cannes Film Festival stars slam the right, oblivious to their own ...Enduring Love Beyond Addiction. Annie Lane on Apr 28, 2024. Dear Annie: I lost my 32-year-old son (the baby of my three kids) almost two years ago to a fentanyl overdose; we all battled his addiction right along with him for more than a decade. He was in and out of jail, and actually skipped out on a court-ordered rehab (which of course led to ...Dear Amy: My boyfriend of 10 years (with a few breaks) does not have a close relationship with his parents and really no relationship at all with his two siblings. Little things have happened through the years that have upset people, and no one ever communicates or makes up with each other. He also doesn't have good relationships …Annie Lane on Apr 1, 2024. Dear Annie: My longtime friend seems to be outspoken when I'm around her lately. I have a nervous habit of biting my nails, and when my friend is at my house, she yells at me to stop doing that, saying it's disgusting. It made me angry and hurt to be yelled at in my own house, but I only replied, "It's a nervous habit ...What are my options for changing my immigration status so I can work at a startup in the U.S. within a year or two? Here’s another edition of “Dear Sophie,” the advice column that ...DEAR ABBY: My narcissistic father feels entitled to do whatever he pleases. He has always insisted that since he makes the money, far more than my mother's income, he should be waited on and cleaned up after. If he stays in my home, he leaves messes everywhere. He's 70, but he acts like a 4-year-old.2 days ago · Life Advice / Dear Annie / May 21, 2024. Dear Annie: My brother-in-law passed away 10 years ago, and tragically, my sister, his wife, passed on two years later, leaving behind their three boys: "Tom" (14), "Freddie" (17) and "Dennis" (22). Initially, my wife and I offered to take in Tom, the youngest, but the boys wanted to stay together.Amy Dickinson, Tribune Content Agency on Dec 26, 2023. Dear Readers: As I offer my 20 th annual year-end “charity roundup,” I’d like to remind readers that while charity truly does begin at home, it need not stay there. Those who can afford to share their material wealth should give abundantly, donating locally to the local library, after ...Setting Boundaries and Seeking Balance. Annie Lane on May 14, 2024. Dear Annie: I have a younger co-worker who I met at a work social event, and we started talking a bit about novels we are writing as a hobby. A few weeks later, he came by my cubicle to ask me more about writing, so I gave him a few resources to a local writers …Natalie Pirks is a prominent figure in the world of journalism and broadcasting. With her years of experience and dedication to her craft, she has become a master storyteller. One ...Retirement is a milestone in one’s life that marks the end of a long and fruitful career. It is a time to celebrate the achievements and hard work of your dear friend as they embar...Dear Amy: I am an art historian, out of graduate school for about five years. I am now pursuing my Ph.D., also teaching, and am starting to get invited to do presentations and sit on panels at academic conferences. My problem is that my boyfriend says he would like to come with me to my first conference to, as he says, "Cheer me on." I'm uncomfortable with this. Honestly, I'm pretty ...Dear Amy: I made friends with “Bruce” at a yoga class about 10 years ago. We’d meet for classes and then grab dinner. I moved away about a year into the friendship, and we lost touch. Just before the pandemic, Bruce was visiting the city where I lived and looked me up. We grabbed dinner and he told me he had no close friends (his previous …Family Tensions and Legacy After Loss. Annie Lane on May 21, 2024. Dear Annie: My brother-in-law passed away 10 years ago, and tragically, my sister, his wife, …Easter and Springtime Joy. Annie Lane on Mar 31, 2024. "The great gift of Easter is hope." Jessica Harrelson. "Spring adds new life and new joy to all that is." Victor Hugo. "Dawn and resurrection are synonymous. The reappearance of the light is the same as the survival of the soul." Oscar Wilde.Dear Readers: Periodically, I ask for "Updates" regarding questions which have been published in this space. I am naturally curious about how things might have turned out for people who have received my advice. This column is devoted to a Q&A that was originally published in 2021. You can read the original question, followed by my answer. The update follows that. Dear Amy: My boyfriend of ...Ask Amy: Newly married wife receives a windfall. Amy Dickinson, Tribune Content Agency on Feb 16, 2024. Dear Amy: My wife "Mel" and I are newlyweds. After the wedding, my wife's grandfather sent her a check for $10,000. I jokingly asked her to hand over my $5,000 share as her new "partner.". She responded with an angry rebuke, which ...Rekindling Romance. Dear Annie: I've recently reconnected with a former co-worker with whom I had lost track of after her first husband committed suicide. She divorced her second husband when she found him in bed with another woman. She has an adult son from her second marriage. After reconnecting, we've been talking three or four nights a …LEAD STORY -- Field Report. Figuratively Speaking. Figuratively Speaking for February 03, 2023. Andrews McMeel Almanac. Andrews McMeel Almanac for May 25, 2024. View All. UExpress is the destination site for the biggest, most-trusted names in advice including Dear Abby, Miss Manners, Sense & Sensitivity, Dr. Nerdlove, and more.Amy Dickinson, Tribune Content Agency on Jul 4, 2022. Dear Amy: I was married for 46 years to a man who probably shouldn’t have been married at all. He was not affectionate, even during sex, cheated on me at least once, and when I asked why he married me, he said, “Because it was the thing to do.”. He passed away in 2021, disabled …Dear Amy: I've been with my partner for almost 16 years. Throughout this time, he has said some ridiculously mean things to me, thinking he's just being funny or making a joke. Most recently, in the course of a conversation, he "jokingly" called me an "old bag," thinking that how he said it was clever and "just a joke." He's always so proud of himself when he makes a "funny ...DEAR NATALIE: I've just started dating someone new that I'm really excited about. We're keeping it casual because he just got out of a long term relationship, which works well for me. He still lives with his ex-partner in the house they own together. Based on what my date has told me, they have a neutral relationship that doesn't bother ...Dear Amy: My husband and I have a very sweet 8-year-old son. His dad and I adore him. We're having a great time going through life together. Recently he has been emotional and sensitive. He has said several times that he doesn't want to grow up. When I ask him why, he says he'll miss all of the things we do together, like reading together ...ADVICE COLUMNIST. Natalie has had a national digitally-syndicated advice column with UExpress since 2016. This column explores the relationships that surround love, work, family and ourselves. Readers can also engage with the content through her Instagram series "Ask Natalie" which explores these topics through different angles. Natalie ...UExpress has Abigail Van Buren's (also known as Jeanne Phillips) Dear Abby column archives dating back to 1991. Archives. latest May 22, 2024. Grieving Man's New 'Friends' Concern Wife of Four Decades. DEAR ABBY: I have been married for 42 years. Three months ago, I started seeing changes in my husband's behavior. He had lost two good friends ...Sense & Sensitivity offers sound, supportive advice from best-selling author and entrepreneur Harriette Cole. Boasting modern advice for contemporary problems ranging from etiquette to relationships to depression, Cole's empathetic, sincere and well-researched answers provide information to those seeking answers.DEAR ABBY: My wife recently had her DNA tested so she could learn more about her genealogy. She then decided to make her results public so other possible relatives could contact her. Not long ago, she received an email from a man, "Stan," claiming a DNA match. Stan said he was adopted, and his search to find his birth parents had hit a dead end.Dear Amy: I've been with my partner for almost 16 years. Throughout this time, he has said some ridiculously mean things to me, thinking he's just being funny or making a joke. Most recently, in the course of a conversation, he "jokingly" called me an "old bag," thinking that how he said it was clever and "just a joke." He's always so proud of himself when he makes a "funny ...Amy Dickinson, Tribune Content Agency on Oct 5, 2022. Dear Amy: My wife and I are both retirees. We have been together for a total of 32 years. All of our retirement income goes into a shared bank account. About six months ago, out of the blue my wife told me that she wanted a divorce. She explained that due to reasons having to do with …Someone who is saying thank you for a monetary gift should acknowledge the money, without mentioning the amount. For example, they should say “Dear Aunt Jude, thank you for your ge...Dear Amy: Many years ago, my father married a woman 30 years his junior. “Sharon” is only two years older than I. She is younger than my older sisters. I was not in favor of the marriage, but Dad apparently was happy. Sharon has a brash personality, a grating voice, and is very self-centered. My siblings and I tolerated her for our father’s …Life Advice / Dear Abby / May 12, 2024. DEAR ABBY: I'm a 67-year-old father to a wonderful daughter. She has decided to stay with her boyfriend, who recently got out of jail for stealing $200,000 from his grandparents. Because of this, I do not want to leave her a large sum of money when I pass.Life Advice / Dear Abby / May 12, 2024. DEAR ABBY: I'm a 67-year-old father to a wonderful daughter. She has decided to stay with her boyfriend, who recently got out of jail for stealing $200,000 from his grandparents. Because of this, I do not want to leave her a large sum of money when I pass.Balancing Boundaries and Support. Annie Lane on Mar 8, 2024. Dear Annie: I have been dating my boyfriend for four years and am very lucky to call him mine. He loves me well, gets along with everyone he meets and is very giving. His mother, on the other hand, is a taker, financially and emotionally. She hates her job and where she lives but is ...Dear Amy: My husband's entire extended family enjoys going on vacations together. While these family members are amazing, these vacations are very stressful for me. From trying to figure out what to pack, getting to the airport, checking in, the actual flight, collecting bags etc., the entire process is an anxious one for me. Then, while we are at our destination, I feel like I completely ...Woman's Choice of Partner Is About To End Inheritance. DEAR ABBY: I'm a 67-year-old father to a wonderful daughter. She has decided to stay with her boyfriend, who recently got out of jail for stealing $200,000 from his grandparents. Because of this, I do... more. May 11, 2024.Gifting Gone Wrong. Annie Lane on Jan 22, 2024. Dear Annie: On Dec. 19 of 2022, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Ahead of time, my husband and I talked with both sets of our parents and we all agreed that we would not be exchanging Christmas gifts that year. I wanted for Christmas to be quiet so that I could focus on my newborn and ...Dear Annie: My son survived heroin addiction 18 years ago. He was quite young and only used the drug for around two years, but they were a terrifying two years. …Dear Amy: My stepson and his wife and 3-year-old daughter live in Hawaii. My wife and I are on the West Coast. We visit them several times a year, and they visit over the Christmas holidays when they can. The times we spend together are always warm and drama-free. We're on good terms, and I adore them. My one issue is our daughter-in-law. While sweet as she can be, she video calls every day, ...Life Advice / Dear Annie / Apr 09, 2024. Dear Annie: I'm 74 years of age, and I rent a room from a lady who has a 15-year-old son. I pay $600 a month for rent. I pay her $350 in cash, and I work off the other $250 by cleaning and cooking. I vacuum and make her bed and clean the restrooms.Dear Amy: Several years ago, my father and his wife visited me for a week. I spared no expense trying to ensure that they enjoyed themselves, particularly his wife. (She married him after I was grown. My own mother died when I was five.) The week was full of shopping, casino time, outdoor activities, and sightseeing. I thought it went great. After our "guests" departed my wife dropped a bomb ...Abby shares more than 100 of her favorite recipes in two booklets: "Abby's Favorite Recipes" and "More Favorite Recipes by Dear Abby." Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $16 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Cookbooklet Set, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the …Ask Amy: Father and daughter disconnect over disclosure. Life Advice / Ask Amy / May 13, 2024. Dear Amy: In 1964, I met my wife "Laura" and her infant baby "Beth." (Laura had gotten pregnant with a married man.) Laura and I were married, and I adopted Beth when she was 1 year old. We raised Beth as my biological daughter and never heard ...Ask Amy: Father and daughter disconnect over disclosure. Life Advice / Ask Amy / May 13, 2024. Dear Amy: In 1964, I met my wife “Laura” and her infant baby “Beth.” (Laura had gotten pregnant with a married man.) Laura and I were married, and I adopted Beth when she was 1 year old. We raised Beth as my biological daughter and never heard .... Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, LEaster and Springtime Joy. Annie Lane on Mar 31, 2 DEAR ABBY: My narcissistic father feels entitled to do whatever he pleases. He has always insisted that since he makes the money, far more than my mother's income, he should be waited on and cleaned up after. If he stays in my home, he leaves messes everywhere. He's 70, but he acts like a 4-year-old.Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. To receive a collection of Abby's most memorable -- and most frequently requested -- poems and essays, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby -- Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. Ask Amy / April 24, 2024. Dear Amy, I'm a 45-year Dear Amy: I have an open relationship with "Brett," my partner of many years. I allow Brett to have sex with other women as long as I am comfortable with the woman and privy to all communication between them. Only sex is allowed, with no dating or relationship. Recently Brett saw "Charlotte," a single female (with my approval). When he started seeing Charlotte too often and without ...Dear Amy: I'm in my 40s. I have grandchildren, and also my own toddler at home. I feel very blessed to have had a baby at my age, but something that has eluded me is female friendships. I live in a rural area, but I know that's not really the problem. I long to have a trustworthy friend. My only friend died over two years ago, and since then I've been fooled by women who later turned on me. ... DEAR ABBY: My parents have been divorced fo...
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