Columns

In a feature I call “Your Turn,” in which you, the readers, get to answer the question, I’m presenting the following letter without commentary from me: I have been seeing a guy for about seven months, but I am worried to become more serious due to his family situation. He supports his entire family, meaning he works a lot and money is really tight. I wouldn’t have such an issue with it if I didn’t feel that his family was taking advantage of him. His mother does not work due to medical issues, so I understand helping her. But both of his sisters have children with no support from the fathers, yet…

In a feature I call “Your Turn,” in which you, the readers, get to answer the question, I’m presenting the following letter without commentary from me: I am writing to you for some advice on how to be mature and forget these feelings of jealousy I am having about a budding friendship between two of my girlfriends. I’ve known the people in my social circle for many years, but I’ve noticed over the past few months that two of the girls, “Meghan*” and “Kristen,” have gotten VERY close. They talk on the phone every night, write cute messages on each other’s Facebook walls, and always want me to take pictures of them….

I’ve been dating my guy for six months, though we’ve been seeing each other for about nine months altogether. We have an amazing relationship now, but before we became official we went through a tough time together. It’s a kind of complicated story, but basically I found out he had a serious drug addiction through some message board posts I discovered through links on his computer (I wasn’t snooping, just looking for some dirty German porn or something to tease him with, I swear). I’m 10 years clean myself, so I told him immediately that I couldn’t be with anyone who was using. He asked me for help quitting, and since I…

In a feature I call “Your Turn,” in which you, the readers, get to answer the question, I’m presenting the following letter without commentary from me: I’m a 41-year-old unemployed, divorced mom of a 4-year-old. I have a question that probably lots of people can relate to. I haven’t been dating much nor, for that matter, have I wanted to. I’ve been busy with my daughter and at one time work. In 2010 I had two jobs and lost both — one because I didn’t have reliable child care to get my daughter to school and the second because the job relocated. So I haven’t worked in a year. I have been…

It’s time again for Shortcuts. For every question, I’ll give my advice in three sentences or less, because sometimes the answer to a person’s question is so obvious and the need to hear it so great, being as clear and frank as possible is simply the best way to go. Today we discuss texting ex’s and family shunning.

In a feature I call “Your Turn,” in which you, the readers, get to answer the question, I’m presenting the following letter without commentary from me: I really dislike my job. The work I do is meaningless and boring, I’m not at all passionate about or interested in the industry, and my boss is an extremely cold and unforgiving person. I took the job out of college because I couldn’t mooch off of my parents, and because at first it wasn’t so bad. Plus, it’s close to home, it pays decently enough, the hours are good, the health insurance is fantastic, etc. But I’ve been here almost a year and a half…