Tag: insight

Dear Eric: I’m in my early 30s and seeing a really great guy. He checks a lot of boxes for me and I’m happy with him. My boyfriend and I said “I love you” to each other a few weeks ago. He said it first, and I said it back. We’ve been dating for about six weeks, so this feels normal. This isn’t my first relationship, but it’s moving more slowly than my other relationships have in the past. I’m OK with that for the most part.

But he won’t ask me to be his girlfriend. We’ve talked about it and he’ll say things like, “that’s definitely where we’re heading.” But that’s it. I’m getting frustrated about it. What can I do?

— Not the Girlfriend

Dear Girlfriend: You can ask him to be your boyfriend. Or, if you don’t want to be that direct, you can tell him that you are interested in taking the relationship to the next level and you want to know what he’s interested in.

If he feels you’re heading toward a committed relationship, it’s fair to ask questions like, how long is this road to a relationship? Are there any obstacles that you see? How fast are we traveling? Is it possible to step on the gas pedal?

Your relationship belongs to both of you, so don’t be afraid to ask for what you want or need. And don’t be afraid to tell him when something isn’t working for you. Love is communication. It’s not just saying “I love you,” it’s also saying “let’s talk about this” and “can you help me understand” and “wow, this one thing is not working for me but this thing between us definitely does work for me and so I’m excited to figure out how to work it all out together with you.”

Dear Eric: I have a loving and attentive husband, two adult children who stay in touch, lots of relatives (many of whom live near me and with whom I have monthly contact.) I am in my late 70s and know well enough that travel, hobbies, classes, causes, work and helping others are ways to get connected. I do these things, but they do not satisfy me.

Most of my closer friends have died or moved away, and I don’t see that attrition changing. I long to have a few close friends that I can call or visit to share daily chitchat and deeper communication. Instead, I have to do all the reaching out, and do not feel that my efforts are returned.

I am aware of “all the lonely people” around me. But I am most aware of my own loneliness. It is profound and raw and unabated.

What is wrong with me? What can I do about this? I think I am caring and considerate, and show interest in others. Why do I not have any close friends at this stage of my life, after being committed to my family and community for so many decades?

— In Search of Connection

Dear Connection: Sometimes when I get into a tough place emotionally, I ask myself “what is real and what do I feel?” Often, the Venn diagram of the two is one solid circle. At other times, there’s some distance. The distance doesn’t make either less valid. Feelings aren’t facts, but it is a fact that I feel and it’s important to honor that. However, feelings and facts often have different remedies.

In your letter, the facts are that you’ve experienced profound loss of some of your foundational connections. This is a part of life, but it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt. It also doesn’t mean that you won’t grieve these friendships and all the things they brought into your life. It’s possible that your grief process is making it even harder to feel connected to the loving husband you mentioned, or your hobbies or your other family members.

Dear Eric: I have been taking dance classes from the same instructor for years. There are a number of us students who would like to see more technique, as opposed (or in addition) to more steps, taught as some dance styles rely heavily on technique (West Coast Swing is an example).

We really enjoy the classes and the instructor’s commitment to providing lessons to anyone, regardless of their ability/level. Since I’ve never taught dance classes before, I don’t know if things work better keeping everything “simpler”, so to speak, or if they might be misjudging the capabilities of their students?

It’s tricky to bring this up as we don’t want to criticize their teaching style, but we also want to feel that we, and the other students, are getting some of the important techniques that are sometimes lacking.

— Movin’ and Groovin’

Dear Movin’: The question “how can I learn more about this?” is such a wonderful invitation and could, in your case, open the door to a more advanced class or additional technique lessons. I imagine that your dance instructor has a passion for the form. Many teachers do. So, try to have a conversation rooted in your shared enthusiasm. This will likely sound less like a critique and more like what it is: a desire to know more and to participate more fully.

Dear Eric: I have a neighbor who seems really interested in being friends with me. She always speaks when I pass by, sends holiday cards, et cetera. We’ve talked about getting together for a meal or something but didn’t get much past the talk.

I don’t have anything against her. She seems nice enough. But when I moved in another neighbor told me to avoid her since she’s a liar.

I don’t go in much for drama and gossip, so I haven’t asked for any more information. But I trust this other neighbor. (We were actually friendly before I moved into the neighborhood.)

Mostly, I just want to be left alone.

Do you think I should try to avoid the liar neighbor or what?

— Good Fences

Dear Fences: I’m no judge but there seems to be a lot of hearsay happening here. The neighbor who gave you the warning was vague in a way that perhaps suggests discretion, but in reality, only muddies the waters. Either say something helpful (and objectively true) or say nothing at all. But a blanket warning hews too close to gossip for my taste.

If you want to be friends with this other neighbor, trust your judgment and proceed with caution, just as you would with anyone else.

However, if you’re fine with an occasional hello and a holiday card, it doesn’t need to go beyond that. Sometimes the best neighborly relationships are the ones where everyone stays in their respective yards. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Dear Eric: “Contact with No Contact” wrote about a brother-in-law who had suddenly gone no contact and wondered how to navigate an upcoming wedding where the in-law would be. The letter writer wrote, “ I have developed close relationships with others in the extended family but dread dealing with these relatives again.”

This struck a chord with me.

When my sister-in-law told me she never wanted to speak to me again, I was relieved. Having made a diligent effort to mend the broken fence “of the moment” and being unequivocally rejected, I no longer had to chase a friendship that would never materialize.

But we are still relatives and therefore see each other at family gatherings. Internally, I pretend that I am meeting them for the first time. Every. Single. Time. Whether they snub me or not, either way, it doesn’t matter. I go to these events, and I enjoy them for what they are, and live in those moments without imprinting the scars of this failed relationship over those events.

— Bitter But Better

Dear Eric: I’m 61, widowed, and still work full time as a registered nurse in a very busy hospice house.

I lost my husband four years ago, and since then went through a medical scare twice, diagnosed with cirrhosis, sleep apnea and chronic anxiety, have bought and sold two homes, purchased a new car and created significant credit card debt twice.

When I retire, I won’t be able to afford my house, so I will need to move (again). I understand and admit these poor financial decisions were possibly my way of dealing with grief, but now I am at a crossroads where I have an opportunity to retire next year and finally be able to decide how and where I spend my time.

You see, during my 36 years of marriage, we moved 13 times. I really don’t have roots.

My problem is that I don’t know where to land during my retirement years. How do I go about figuring this out? Because of my medical issues, sometimes I need help and probably should live near my family. But who? I can’t wrap my head around this. But I need to decide soon because I will need to move when I sell my current home next summer.

I think I’m afraid to make another financial mistake. I also fear that this decision will be somehow final. What are your thoughts?

— The Next Move

Dear Move: The first thing you’ll want to do is talk to a financial adviser, who can review your assets and debts and give you a concrete plan that will keep you financially solvent and help you get some peace of mind. Medical issues and money woes can create a fog of anxiety that obscures the path forward. It’s hard to make wise decisions or to feel confident you haven’t made a mistake.

If you don’t know where to look for a financial adviser, ask friends or relatives if they work with someone they trust, or reach out to the National Association of Professional Financial Advisors (napfa.org). Your local senior center or public library will also likely have financial counseling resources available.

Also, talk to your family members about the upcoming decision and the options you’re weighing. They’ll be able to give you insight about the places they live, and their capacity for showing up for you when needed. This will give you a sense of what your post-retirement life can look like and give you better information to help you make your decision. Talk to your doctors, as well. If there’s specialized care you need, they’ll be able to advise you on how to connect with it in other areas.

Lastly, talk to friends in retirement communities about their experiences. You may find that one of those is an attractive and affordable option.

You don’t have to make these decisions on your own; indeed, it’s wiser not to. Keep asking for more information until you feel more surefooted. I understand that perhaps you feel that you’re backed into a corner right now. But I want to assure you that you can find a next chapter that brings you happiness and gives you a sense of freedom.

Dear Eric: This is in reference to the letter about giving gifts to adults from “Feeling Bah-humbug” who wrote: “My significant other and I are at the stage in life where we really do not need more ‘stuff’ and would rather not deal with gifts that are generic at best and usually are re-gifted promptly via donation or gift-economy communities.”

We had the same problem. Solved it! Instead of buying gifts, we determined a monetary amount we probably would spend on a gift. We picked $50. Could be any amount.

Every year one person was in charge of collecting the money from everyone. That person donated that amount to their favorite charity. Next year, the next person collected the money and donated it to their favorite charity. Worked great!

— Regifting

Dear Eric: I allowed the daughter of a cousin, with whom I am not close, to move in with me while she finishes college. When she moved in last January it was supposed to be for a semester, but this is the longest semester I have ever seen.

We had an incident where she left gobs of hair all over my bathroom, which I had to clean up. I told her via text I didn’t like it.

She walked around my house for weeks so angry with me, and when I said something to her as she was leaving the house, she slammed the door in my face.

There were other incidents. When she moved in, she had at least nine big boxes in my living room. I have been asking for around seven months for her to move them, and she won’t.

So, we had a big blow-up because of that and now she is walking around sullen. She said she has to keep her peace; she won’t speak. She won’t do her chores anymore, either.

I want her to leave. She’s just plain rude. Am I wrong?

— Bad Housemate

Dear Housemate: It seems like she’s fallen into the pattern of being the sullen teenager, making you the nagging parent. But you’re not her parent and, if she’s finishing college, she’s probably not a teenager either. She’s a guest in your home and she needs to treat the home and you with respect. If she won’t contribute to the order of the home and won’t communicate with you, then it’s not working, and you should tell her that. She doesn’t get a free pass.

If you want to give her another chance before asking her to leave, then it’s time to have a “state of the arrangement” conversation where you lay out what your expectations are and ask her if she can accept those. Also state that there are consequences to the agreement not being honored, namely that this wouldn’t be a place where she was able to stay any longer. Lastly, get a timeline. How long is this degree going to take? How many credits does she have left?

From your letter, however, it sounds like you’re fed up and that’s fine. We’re coming up on the end of another semester. This may be the right time for her to find another option. Because your cousin made the arrangement, you might also loop her in so she’s not blindsided and so she can help her daughter to take responsibility.

Dear Eric: I recently spent the night with an old friend. We had a 50-year anniversary visit. We are thrilled to be reunited. My friend went out of her way to make me welcome and comfortable in her home overnight. That included washing the bed linens having used fabric softener and/or dryer sheets. The bed was overwhelmingly perfumed by these products to the extent that I was coughing and effectively lost a night‘s sleep.

The opportunity exists to spend more time in the future in her home, however, I cannot sleep in her guest room with those chemicals in play. How do you suggest I approach this one?

— No Aromas, Please

Dear Eric: The home next door is vacant. I think it is a rental property. There is a huge tree in the front yard that is coming over my property. A tree from this property fell on my house a few years ago. This caused my homeowner’s insurance to be canceled because it was considered to be an act of nature.

I need to see if this can be avoided because the tree is old and the dead branches are falling on my car. Do you have any idea what can be done?

— Neighbor Dilemma

Dear Neighbor: Start by collecting information. Your local tax assessor’s office will have a record of who owns the property and what their address is, if the house is not their primary residence. Be sure that if you search online, you’re on the state or local government’s site. There are many data-harvesting sites that will try to charge you for this free information. Don’t click on the first link you find in a search; scroll until you find a city, county or state site.

With this information, you can reach out to the owner directly, or you can reach out to the housing authority. Many housing authorities have task forces specifically charged with monitoring code violations. Even if yours doesn’t, a phone call to the housing authority will alert you to other options that might be available to you.

Dear Eric: I just can’t come to grips with the new style phone etiquette where you send a direct question or comment to someone (texts mainly, or emails, messenger, etc.) and it seems now optional to answer or respond, or at best get a “liked…” or a smiley face wearing sunglasses in reply.

My communications are important, take thoughtful effort to compose and like in the old days, you’re supposed to call the person back. I’m not talking about silly status posts on Instagram; this is two-way conversation and so many people interpret a texting response as optional!

Is it just me or is this an epidemic that is killing courtesy and good manners in modern society? What should I do, fire my friends and family? It’s tempting.

— Text Back

Dear Text Back: Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to label it an epidemic. But it’s true that texting etiquette — and texting practices in general — can lead to miscommunication and frustration. Because it’s relatively new, at least in comparison to the telephone or, say, writing letters, we’re still iterating on it as a culture.

All that to say, don’t fire your friends and family. If you want a text back about sometime specific, include that request in the text. Or consider having a broader conversation with friends and family about how you’d like to communicate. It’s good to ask for what we want. They may not always be willing or able to comply, but they won’t know this is something you’d like unless you tell them.

And, when all else fails, just don’t text. If you have something to say, you can initiate the phone call, thereby sidestepping any emojis.

Dear Eric: I read with interest the letter from the woman who had rooms in her house painted in colors other than what she’d specified (“Painted Over”). She wondered where the fault lied.

How about this: I placed a cookie order with a new local bakery. My husband picked up the order. Well, the order was botched – not even close to the cookie flavor I’d ordered. When I notified the baker, he apologized, saying that my email address was similar to that of someone else who had also placed an order. He offered to do the correct order for me for a “discounted” price. Huh?

Why should I be made to pay again for an error that was not my fault? Needless to say, I have not done business with this bakery since.

What are your thoughts on this? I did not agree to this resolution. Instead of paying again, I just kept and used the incorrect order, despite my disappointment. Some customer service!

Dear Eric: My 40-year-old daughter and spouse live in an apartment with their children. Both were raised in clean, tidy homes.

I know they have always paid the rent on time wherever they live. The issue: they’re both nasty slobs. They’ve been in their current apartment less than six months. Their patio is full of trash, unused plant pots, vacuum cleaner, patio furniture and kids toys, the only unit like this in the whole massive complex. I know the inside is just as bad.

In the past I’ve offered to clean up with them, but they were so offended, they wouldn’t communicate for a month because I was judgmental, and then they withheld the children.

Every year the landlord won’t renew their lease. Happens every year. They get angry and say they don’t understand why. Don’t landlords issue warnings for fire hazards, pest control? The expense and kids changing schools can’t be easy for them.

Is there any way to approach them without raising their ire at me? It’s difficult for me to even look at it (can’t avoid it, it’s a front patio) when I pick up the kids weekly, but we’ve clashed before so I must be extra careful.

— Trash Clash

Dear Clash: It sounds like they’ve got to learn how to clean up their own mess, literally and proverbially. Your offer of assistance was really kind and, from your telling, did more than just point out the problem. But if something like that is going to raise their hackles to the point of cutting off communication, I fear there’s nothing you can say that won’t prompt a similar conflict.

There are two options, then. First, if you believe the mess is harmful to their children, you can reach out to 311 to get them help for their hoarding tendencies. Many fire departments have members trained at intervention. They can pay the apartment a visit. You could also reach out to a social worker, but it doesn’t seem from your letter that you think the children are in danger and so this option might be too extreme.

The other path is just letting it be. They obviously have a sensitivity to even the mention of the mess. And, as you wrote, their living habits are impacting their ability to find consistent housing. They could benefit from counseling and coaching around this issue and any emotional underpinnings that might be getting in their way. But they have to be willing, and you may not be the right person to step in.

For now, take a step back, reach out to 311, and see if they can help get the ball rolling without implicating you.

Dear Eric: I am writing because I don’t know where to start and how to begin getting out of horrible depression. I can’t turn my mind off. I’m afraid of dying and what’s after death. I’m afraid of being alone for the rest of my life (I’m 54 years old). I go to work and come home, or I’m watching my grandkids (who I just adore). I can’t lose weight. Nothing is positive and/or worth getting out of bed for. I feel so blah, yucky and worthless. Please, where do I start? And how do I start?

— Cure for Sadness

Dear Cure: I understand how overwhelming this constellation of feelings is. And even making a small start can feel like a huge task. So, don’t be hard on yourself and keep in mind that feeling better is a series of small changes, efforts, trials and practices that can snowball.

Dear Eric: My 35-year-old niece married a 45-year-old man with two teenage kids in a small ceremony. I have always been close with her. My sister and my niece have had a somewhat up-and-down relationship. They are each strong-willed.

But over the past 18 months since my niece met her now-husband, she has pretty much turned her back on her family who have always been there for her. While my relationship with my niece has always been great, lately it has just been OK. There is an underlying tension within the family that she is creating.

She is not an easy person to discuss things with. For a wedding gift I gave them a check for $3,500. I still have yet to receive a written thank-you note. To my knowledge, none of the other 50 or so wedding guests have received thank-you notes, either.

I know they are busy, but between the two of them, they should be able to take a couple of hours to send out this small number of thank you cards if they truly appreciate their friends and family.

I am not a person who gets his feelings hurt easily. If I do not receive a note from them before Christmas, would I be wrong to not give them any Christmas gifts this year? I hate to make the situation worse, but I also don’t want to be made to feel like a fool going forward.

— A Hurt Uncle

Dear Uncle: Here’s my quarterly exhortation to the universe: thank-you notes are not a lost art. Send a note, a text, a card — something. Even if it’s later than you wanted it to be. Communication! It matters to people.

Now, that said, I think you have two courses of action with regard to your niece. First, try to find a way to talk about the state of your relationship. “I love you and I care about you. I feel we’ve grown distant in the following ways. [Give one or two examples.] I’d like to be closer again, if that’s something you want. [Make one or two suggestions.]”

Your objective is clearer communication with your niece, something that, when achieved, can make questions about the family distance or the thank-you notes easier to answer.

The second course of action: send a Christmas card in lieu of a gift. Sometimes we use gifts to express our love and appreciation. And they can be great at doing so. But in a situation where a few wires seem to be getting crossed, it’s best to save yourself more frustration and find a simpler, more cost-effective way of sending your love.

Dear Eric: I’m a big fan of your column and really enjoy hearing your responses to readers. (Here it comes, though.) I do feel that you missed something with “Grandma On Hold”, who was frustrated that her son and daughter-in-law let their children interrupt adult conversations. When children visit someone’s house, it’s a really good time to instill that they need to be polite and respect the rules of others. When you’re at home it’s totally different and you can expect to be much more relaxed, but when going to Grandma’s, or a restaurant, or the grocery store, it’s a great time to reel it in and practice our social skills.

Our mother would give us a brief talk on the way to our destination about manners and my brother and I found it to be valuable, because we learned social skills that made people like us and want to invite us back.

I think you underscored Grandma’s feeling of being undervalued by telling her to sit back and allow the kids to interrupt. Thank you for your time.

— Manners Matter

Dear Eric: I’m in my 60s and have a crippling disease that kept me housebound for nearly five years. My daughter moved back home around that time after her sister took her life and left behind a young son, whom we have been raising together.

A new medication for this disease was recently approved. I’ve been taking it for two years, and it has led to incredibly impressive improvements. I have a new lease on life!

The manufacturers of this medication invited me to be a patient ambassador for them this year. I receive a good stipend for traveling once every other month or so to talk with physicians, pharmacists and other patients struggling with this condition. The trips are very short (one to two days), and my physical needs and limitations are respected and accommodated.

My daughter is angry about this and wants me to stop. She gives a number of reasons: That I’m shilling for Big Pharma, the time it takes for me to recover from trips, all the “what ifs,” (nonexistent) financial burdens, leaving her behind to cope with a recalcitrant teenager, et cetera. She refuses to participate or support my efforts in any way.

I suspect there’s something else going on. Could she be worried about the time I will leave her behind permanently?

What’s the best way to discuss this with someone who refuses to talk about the fact that I will not always be around, no matter how safe I try to be? I intend to grab this chance to provide a patient perspective and support others struggling with this disease. It matters to me. Yet I also want my family to accept and support me just as I support them.

— Patient Patient

Dear Patient: I’m sure you’re right: there are probably a lot of other emotions and triggers influencing your daughter’s position. This is understandable, but the first thing to remember is you don’t need her permission to live your life. Every family system is interconnected, and yours is no different. Collaborating to raise a child, who is surely still grieving the loss of his mother (as you are also still grieving) makes that interconnectedness even more complicated. Communication is key here, as is compromise, but I don’t see your daughter’s demands in that spirit.

For the moment, table debate about your trips. You needn’t stop them, especially if they are helping you feel you’re living your purpose. But you, your daughter, and your grandson should participate jointly and individually in family therapy. Focus initially on the grief and the new dynamics of your family. Sometimes, when a loved one dies and life has to be dramatically rearranged, we make the first or most immediately available choice. After some of the initial shock has subsided, it’s good to revisit those early choices to make sure they still work for us. I’m not suggesting that your co-raising arrangement needs upending, instead therapy can be an opportunity to process what your shared goals are, how you’re working toward those goals, and any places where those goals don’t align.

Your daughter may never be fully comfortable with your trips. Much of that is her work to do. But by continuing to have conversations that acknowledge how much has changed, you give each other the opportunity to keep changing and growing, too.

Dear Eric: I wanted to respond to your advice to “Lonely At Night”, whose marriage was in trouble and whose husband refused to be physical. The letter writer wanted to get a dog for company, to which the husband was also opposed. You stated if the wife wants to get a dog and the husband does not, she should get a dog anyway. This is a dangerous recommendation for the dog.

I have worked in dog rescue and adopt my own rescue dogs.

I have seen way too many times that when one person wants a dog and the other does not, that poor dog suffers from neglect and quite often physical abuse from the party who never wanted the pet. Then they end up kicked out of the home, given to dangerous shelters or just suffering from the stress of moving to a new home.

Dear Eric: I am the mother of a wild child. The other day, she ran into our house and asked for a Band-Aid because her friend scraped his knee. The boy had what I would describe as “the most gnarly gash” I’ve seen since I left the military.

The cut missed major blood vessels, but at least partially severed a tendon. We sent a messenger to his mom, treated him for shock and covered the wound, but didn’t really do anything medical. When mom showed up, I did the magic trick of distracting the boy while showing mom how bad it was. I offered to watch her other kids until she could get a family member or sitter they knew. Turns out they had grandma over, so I wasn’t needed.

The next day, we found a thank you note and a $100 gift card in our mailbox. I don’t think I did anything worthy of that. I think I did the bare minimum required of a human being and did not expect anything from it.

My question is, when my own daredevil scrapes her knee this way, is there a reference guide on how to express gratitude to the bystander or first responder? Does the dollar amount of the gift card change depending on the severity of the injury?

— Mom of a Wild Child

Dear Mom: Try as I might, I haven’t found a price list for “treatment of grievous bloody injuries” outside of an insurance company’s website. You mention your service in the military, and I wonder if you’re downplaying the comprehensiveness of the care you gave to your daughter’s friend. The gift card may be a reflection both of the mom’s appreciation and also an expression of how impressed she was by your levelheadedness and competence. Neither is a guarantee. Her gift is a kind gesture and not required.

After a quite scary emergency department visit for a food allergy reaction, I sent an Edible Arrangement to convey my thanks, but that reflected my emotions (“thanks for snatching me back from the jaws of death; food is weird, right?”), rather than a repayment of a debt. It really is the thought that counts, so a card with a genuine note can be just as meaningful should your daughter need the aid of a bystander or EMT.

Also, if you feel uncomfortable about the amount of the gift card, consider using it to treat your daughter, her friend, and maybe the friend’s mom to a fun lunch or day at an activity center (maybe one of those pad-covered ones where they’re less likely to get hurt).

Dear Eric: My 15-year-old grandson moved in with me about seven months ago. We are fine together but his mom refuses to allow him to go to a “brick and mortar” school. He has Marfan Syndrome and must be careful of his heart. But he was removed from public school and really wants to be a more normal kid.

My daughter apparently gets her medical for her whole family covered under my grandson. She wrote to him saying if he goes to a school here where I live then he’d have to use my address and he’d be responsible for her dying, her dad going mental and his older sister hemorrhaging all because they’d lose their medical if he lived with me.

My daughter says my grandson and I are both selfish to want his “social life” over his family’s health.

Might I add that there are four adults in the house and when my grandson was there, he slept in a closet! Is there any option besides turning her in to CPS?

Dear Eric: I’m a 64-year-old male and I have a 59-year-old girlfriend of a couple years. My perception is that my girlfriend is constantly seeking attention from other men. For instance, we were out on an ATV ride with another couple and a third man. Our ride brought us through many miles of back country. We stopped at a bar/restaurant to use the facilities.

My girlfriend goes into the bar, and she’s in there for a while. I stayed outside and talked with the other guys we were with. She finally comes out and admits that she was talking to a couple of guys and had a shot of whiskey “to check market prices.” Seriously? I’m supposed to believe that she couldn’t have just asked the price?

Later in the day, we stopped, just the two of us, at another bar/restaurant and had something to eat. After I settled the check, I decided to use the restroom. I leave the restroom, and she is nowhere to be seen, so I go outside and interrupt a conversation between her and some random guy on the deck by himself drinking. There was an immediate awkward pause on the guy’s part, and she blurts out “That’s his bike.” My tastes run to Harleys. which I have a couple of, and his bike was just another cheaper imitation race bike.

Then on the way home she tells me how her niece has been trying to set up a girls’ night, including her at a local bar, kind of letting me know, presumably so she can say “I told you…” Clearly, I have a problem with this but I’m trying to keep an open mind. You know what they say: intimacy doesn’t begin in the bedroom. So, I know what I think I should do but I’m looking for an outsider’s perspective.

— Being Taken for a Ride

Dear Ride: Look, there may be something else going on here that I’m not seeing, but I think the message you need to take away from this gut check is not that your girlfriend is necessarily doing something inappropriate but that you’re not feeling secure about the relationship. This isn’t a personal failing; you’re allowed to feel the way you feel. But the response may be a different one than you’re thinking of.

While you can end things, as you seem to be suggesting, consider first talking to her at a neutral time about the state of your relationship and what you think it might be lacking. Try to use “I” statements, like “I would like to be closer” or “I don’t feel like we’ve been in sync recently.” Then try to lay out what happened and how you felt about it without accusations. “You were talking to guys and ‘checking the market price’ of the whiskey, and that was confusing to me.” Ask her if she can see where you’re coming from and why it might make you feel less uncertain. But also listen to her response and see if you can see where she’s coming from.

You don’t have to be OK with how things are going, but from the instances you’ve described, it may be less that she’s interested in other men and more that she’s interested in other drinks.

Dear Eric: I just had my 93rd birthday, so have been on Medicare for some years. But I recently ran across something different. My newest doctor — a podiatrist — told me first that she would give me only token care since she got only a token payment. Then a second time she said I could pay her the difference and get full treatment. Is this right morally and legally?

Dear Eric: I’ve been friends with a girl for at least 10 years. Recently she had a birthday and our circle of friends planned on going to a local bar to celebrate. I decided not to attend because I wasn’t able to afford a $10 cover charge. I told her that and she seemed to be OK with it.

But then I noticed that I wasn’t hearing from her like I usually did. I asked another friend, and they said they were under the impression that she was upset and disappointed with me because I didn’t go out for her birthday, so I sent her a text apologizing and saying that I really couldn’t afford it and that I live from paycheck to paycheck and I thought she’d understand.

She responded by saying she understood because she lives from paycheck to paycheck and also that she considered me a close friend and that she was upset and disappointed I didn’t then come out for her birthday and she went on to say that if it hadn’t been on her actual birthday she wouldn’t have minded as much, which never made any sense to me.

She also said she needed time and that she should eventually get over it. Well, it’s been three months, and I haven’t heard anything. I feel like texting her again to say if she doesn’t consider us friends anymore then I would like to know because I have some stuff, she asked me to keep at my house, and I would give it back.

I told two of my other friends and they feel she’s being childish about the whole thing. What are your thoughts?

— Weary Friend

Dear Friend: She’s being more than childish; her response is unfair and uncaring. She’s allowed to make whatever plans she wants for her birthday — and everyone deserves to feel special — but she’s also an adult and adults understand that sometimes we can’t afford to do things we want to do. Adults also understand that special occasions can happen anytime. After the age of, say 16, missing a birthday party is not a reason to sever a friendship.

If she’s not serious about wanting to rebuild this friendship, then returning the items you’re holding for her and wishing her well is the best option.

Dear Eric: My younger brother (54 yrs) is a chronic alcoholic. He’s now developed Cirrhosis and he has little time left.

I’m his older sister, who realized more than 30 years ago that binge drinking and alcoholism seemed to affect us siblings, so I stopped, completely.

I never got on his case about his drinking, but we drifted apart due to his excessive drinking and the erratic behavior it brought out.

Sadly, this diagnosis is what has brought us back together. I call him weekly, talk about funny stories from the past and try to keep his spirits up.

We lost a sister years ago, when she was 7 years old, to a childhood illness. My parents were devastated as it was sudden and unexpected. My mother is gone, but my father, still going strong in his 90s, is still with us.

My father lives too far away to visit my brother and they only rarely talk on the phone. There are four adult children in our family.

There is a disagreement as to whether we should tell my father. I believe that a parent has the right to know. They have been through more than their adult children give them credit for and should be able to say goodbye. Others are saying we shouldn’t say anything because “it could kill dad.”

There is no question my brother will pass before my father. Do you think a parent should be told that their child is sick and passing?

— Sad Sister

Dear Eric: I’m a newly married 69-year-old woman who was previously a widow after 43 years of marriage. My present husband and I have been married for a little over a year. We dated in high school and coincidentally ended up together.

Prior to getting married, my husband didn’t ever mention he wanted to go on an African Safari with his adult son and now it has come up frequently. I have made it clear it upsets me that he wants to do this, travel without me, and made it clear I am not paying for this adventure of his. Why would I not be included? But I would never desire to go on an African Safari either.

I don’t understand it, this wanting to be away from me for that long. It hurts me deeply that they didn’t do this stuff all those years when he was single. Now he’s retired so possibly that’s why his son has come up with this idea. His son barely comes around as he struggles with anxiety.

I do not know how to handle this. It tears me apart to think this man I’ve fallen in love with thinks nothing of being away from me for so long. I married this man to be a couple through thick and thin.

Please help me come to grips with all of this. Am I being unreasonable and unfair?

— Left At Home

Dear Left: Let’s look at this from your husband’s point-of-view — he’s recently retired, so he finally has more time for bucket list items. He’s also newly married, so it’s likely that his free time is less available for events with his son than it might have been before you were together. It makes sense, then, that they’d want to do this once-in-a-lifetime trip together. I would strongly encourage you to celebrate this with him, instead of begrudging it. In short, it is unfair to hold this trip against him.

Be happy for your husband but don’t beat yourself up too much. Transitioning to this new relationship after a 43-year marriage is going to take some adjustment. You love each other, but you’re also still learning about each other.

But, for the health of your relationship, it will be important for you to remember that both you and your husband have full lives. While you’re committed to building a life together, there are going to be things that each of you does on your own.

This safari trip is not about you; it isn’t an example of your husband abandoning you. Try to see it for what it is — a rare opportunity for him to pursue a dream and a chance for you, back home, to find something that brings you joy, as well. When you’re reunited, you can tell each other what you’ve learned and discovered.

Dear Eric: I met an interesting man recently and agreed to a date, and within a few minutes of the start of it we realized we had grown up in the same town and already knew each other. I was younger by a couple of years, and we didn’t know each other well, but we shared an extended friend group. I have a vivid memory of being in the back of his truck when he intentionally hurt an animal while driving. He did not express any remorse, quite the opposite.

He wouldn’t pull over and I became physically ill. That image has stayed in my mind.

He says he’s a different person now, nearly 15 years later. I’m having a hard time even thinking about getting past it. Should I even try? Can a 17-year-old horrible person turn into a 31-year-old person with integrity and empathy? Should I try to get over this image that was seared into my 15-year-old brain?

— Old Habits

Dear Eric: My mother-in-law, Dana, 79, was married for 51 years before her husband passed six years ago.

She still visits us frequently. When she does, she stays at either our house or one of my husband’s sister’s homes.

Within the last six months, my MIL began dating another senior gentleman, Peter. Apparently, Dana and Peter knew each other in high school and recently reconnected.

As of this writing, only the two sisters have met Peter. Now there is discussion of the Thanksgiving holiday. Dana would like to bring Peter to meet the rest of the family, and she’s upset because there are conflicting opinions on where she and Peter should stay.

I told my husband I would not feel comfortable hosting my MIL and her boyfriend in our home over the holiday weekend. We only have one guest room. Equally, I think my sisters-in-law feel the same. My nephew said he does not like the idea of someone, not his grandfather, staying in their home at all, especially a holiday break. Again, I’m not in disagreement.

Meanwhile, Dana is upset because she feels no one is giving Peter a chance. I suggested that Dana and Peter stay at a hotel, but Dana feels that we should be more accommodating to her and Peter, especially since they will be traveling to our area via train and neither will have local transportation. I feel it’s a lot to ask to include someone else who is essentially a stranger to us in our homes. I’m sure Peter is a nice man, and my MIL enjoys his company, but am I, or my sisters-in-law, being unreasonable?

— Crowded House

Dear House: Your home, your rules, your comfort level. However, it would be helpful for everyone involved to consider Dana’s position here, as well. Six years after going through the grief and disruption of her husband’s death, she’s found new companionship, which can be wonderful but also has its own challenges. This is new territory for her as well as for you. There are bound to be some hiccups.

Much of the letter was focused on Peter being a stranger. And I acknowledge that is a hurdle, maybe an insurmountable one. But I wonder if Peter is really who everyone is thinking about here, or if this is more about holding a space for Dana’s first husband. Peter’s presence doesn’t displace Dana’s first husband in the family structure, nor — I presume — in her heart. She has to understand that everyone grieves and adjusts in their own way. But everyone else has to understand that Dana is still alive and this relationship is part of her life now.

If the unmarried grandchildren in your family aren’t allowed to bring home significant others to stay in the same room, then explain to Dana that this policy has to be universally applied. However, if that’s not the case, don’t make her the victim of a double standard. See if there’s a time between now and Thanksgiving that she can bring Peter down to meet you casually. That will make him less of a stranger.

Dear Eric: When my dad passed away, with my mother already gone, it took my brother seven years to settle his estate.

He was living in dad’s house and not in any hurry. I spoke to him several times trying to encourage him to get it done. But nothing worked. So, I finally got a lawyer’s help. It worked and now he will not talk to me. Was I wrong in thinking it took too long?

— Estate Dilemma

Dear Eric: I’m a 40-year-old single mom of twin 5-year-olds. I’m a professional woman, but due to my commitments to my children and the overall daily grind, I have little to no time for socialization and dating.

However, I need occasional help around the house, and my cousin (let’s call her Jen) was kind enough to refer me to her handyman. He’s helped me with several projects over the last year, and I sense a mutual physical attraction.

I am aware that my cousin had a sexual relationship with this man at some point long ago, but it was never serious, and she is currently in a new relationship and very much in love. Would I be awful to pursue this new friend? I am lonely and find very few opportunities to meet new people with my time constraints. I could really benefit from some fun.

— Lonely in NYC

Dear Lonely in NYC: Awful? No. If you’re worrying about betraying your cousin, she can’t (and doesn’t seem to want to) lay claim to every former paramour. But there are a lot of intertwined relationships here, so I would tread more carefully than if the handyman was just a casual acquaintance.

First, there’s the fact that he’s working for you, specifically in your home. If you were to pursue a relationship with him, I’d first find another handyman and be clear with him about why.

But you’re both adults and any adult entering into a romantic or sexual relationship should be communicative about boundaries, pitfalls and needs. So, you and he should have an adult conversation before going any further. What are your needs, what are his, what are the concerns, where do things get hazy? Is what you want — something that fits into your life and schedule — what he wants?

It sounds like your ideal situation right now is something simple. And even though he’s attracted to you and already in your home sometimes, I don’t know that this is as simple as it seems. If this was a Hallmark movie — call it “Mr. Fix-It,” perhaps — the courtship would be sealed by a series of glances and a sudden rainstorm. But life is not a Hallmark movie. No offense to Hallmark movies, we’re better for it because we get to talk things out and avoid confusion. No rainstorms needed.

Dear Eric: My sister and her husband visit my area at least once a year. They presume they’re going to stay at my home with each visit. In turn, she expects my husband and I to visit her while we travel through her area.

I can no longer do this.

She’s a loud, chaotic and competitive narcissist, who I cringe being around. Her noise battery never runs out and the thin ice on our relationship is ready to crack.

It’s taken me a lifetime to work through the scars created by her insecure, never wrong, center stage, toxic ego and I’m living my life no longer behind her.

I’ve quietly and repeatedly tried to help, for I know she struggles with herself, but my attempts are fruitless.

For my own sanity, I won’t host her here any longer, or visit, but I don’t know how to approach this without her having one of her typical major meltdowns. I value your thoughts.

— Love Her But Dislike Her

Dear Love Her: A guest can’t simply put in a reservation for your house without your say. So, you can avoid her visits by making yourself and your home unavailable the next time. Tell her you don’t have the capacity to host, or you’ll be out of town, or you just can’t make it work.

Dear Eric: My son is 35 and his new girlfriend of three months is 32. They’re both very smart. They are both very well educated. She’s funny. She’s smart. I really enjoy my time with her except for when she falls into these pits where she talks about him like he’s not there and puts him down. She says things like “Well, I told your son to do this and, of course, he didn’t” or “I told him this he didn’t think that was right and, of course, I was right, and he was wrong.” He laughs it off, she laughs it off, and I change the subject and laugh it off.

But it’s not funny to me. I have my own experience of living with a manipulative person who started small and grew, too. Basically, controlling my whole life.

She really likes me and aside from this I like her as well.

I don’t want to overstep my bounds at all. What should I do? I’m just uncomfortable with it and I don’t know what to do.

— Uncomfortable Mom

Dear Mom: As it’s only been three months, your son and his girlfriend are still learning their relationship, and you’re still learning your relationship with his girlfriend. So, this is a great time to define a boundary for yourself and incorporate it into how you and the girlfriend interact.

Because she’s directing her comments to you, it’s not overstepping to tell her “This isn’t a way I like to be spoken to about my son. Let’s find a different way of talking.” It can be gentle but firm. It need not create conflict. She may come from a family that needles or teases. She may have seen relationships where this behavior was modeled. That doesn’t mean that it has to stand, especially with you.

It’s up to your son and his girlfriend to define how they want to communicate with each other, but you’ll be setting a good example for both of them if you clearly communicate to her what you’re hearing and what might be getting in the way of more closeness. She may think she’s joking, but she’s misreading her audience, and you should tell her that.

Dear Eric: My mother is 90. Years ago, I moved 800 miles away for college. Since then, I have visited my hometown at least once a year. I am now 63.

We talk on the phone weekly or biweekly. My parents are divorced. I have no relationship with my father.

My mom has always favored my brothers financially. One brother for at least $100,000 over the years, the other somewhat less but still substantial — new cars, medical bills and other things.

I am proud that I pay my own way. But the inequity hurts me.

When I tell my mom I am hurt, she just looks at me and says I would do the same for my son. Well, after the recent death of my brother my mom needs to update her will. She just told me she is thinking about leaving everything, around $500,000, to my niece.

I am so hurt. The reason she wants to cut me out of her will? I don’t need the money. Again, I am left feeling less than. And I find it is more than I can deal with. I am fighting tears constantly, feel unloved, like the afterthought, marginalized. And just so darn hurt.

I want to go no-contact. She has shown me many times over the years I am last. How do I cut her out of my life at this point? How do I forgive, again? How do I move on, again?

— Hurt Daughter

Dear Eric: “Sue” and I have been neighbors and friends for more than 50 years. She and her husband are godparents to one of our children, we are members of social groups together, like book club and bridge group. We have shared many occasions together, at the holidays and with our families.

A couple of years ago her husband (and our friend) died after a short illness. After the funeral, I called her many times, let her talk and asked her out for lunch. She was always “busy” with appointments or “kids coming” so we never got together. In the meantime, she has told me about her “wonderful neighbors” and that they “are just like family.” It is very hurtful and puzzling.

I don’t know how to feel or what to think about this. We have had her over to our house a couple of times. Things went well until it was time to leave. She told me I don’t know what it is like and wouldn’t until my husband dies. She never calls me, so I have given up on that, too.

I know everyone deals with grief differently. But what should I do when I have been “ghosted” by a long-time friend? (I see this person at social events like book club, bridge and at church.) Do I just go on and hope that she will “come out of it”? (Frankly, I’m not sure I like her much now.) Or have I lost a long-time friend?

— Hurt Friend

Dear Friend: One of the things that makes this so hard is that both you and Sue are hurting but you’re hurting in different ways and for different reasons. Those differences have made it difficult for you to align, but it’s not impossible. It sounds like, when Sue told you that you don’t know what it’s like, she was attempting to communicate something very complex. And while it may not have seemed like it at the time, I think it was her attempt to let you in.

When some people lose a spouse, or a parent, or a child, the world gets split into two segments: those who have been through it and know what the pain is like. And those who don’t. Grief is isolating and it’s ever-changing, and it’s all-encompassing sometimes. So, this sorting can be an act of self-preservation — a way of making sense of a world where all the rules have changed.

You can have sympathy, you can show her love, you can show up in a myriad of ways, but right now there are aspects of your life that trigger her or are hard to navigate. So, I want to strongly encourage you not to write her off. I know you’ve reached out repeatedly; please don’t take it personally that she needs this distance. Your friendship has changed, just like every other relationship in her life. But that change is not an ending. If you continue to be present, friendly, and loving in those small social interactions, the bedrock of your relationship will remain intact and you may be able to build something new, a relationship that’s shaped around the people you both are now.

Dear Eric: I’m responding to your reader “Raising Voices”. Raising Voices had two friends who refused to wear hearing aids and RV was frustrated trying to talk with them. You were right in your advice to RV to tactfully encourage them to see an audiologist because hearing loss can lead to dementia as well as a greatly diminished quality of life.

As someone who has worn hearing aids for 15 years and got them in my early 40s, I would like to also add that, when people ask you to repeat yourself, please don’t say the same exact words only louder — it’s frustrating for both the speaker and the listener.

Oftentimes, it’s certain sounds in words, like the S and F sounds, that are difficult to distinguish and make understanding difficult. If someone asks you to repeat yourself, use different words that mean the same thing. My husband sometimes yells at me, and I still can’t understand him, even with hearing aids (and he should know better since I’ve had hearing loss since I’ve known him, but that’s another story).

Dear Eric: I started a new job a year ago. I took over as a supervisor at a municipal agency and from an individual who was retiring and who is a friend of mine.

The position that I took over for had a number of employees who were retired and had part-time jobs. They were very loyal to him, and he let them do what they wanted as long as it got done. There was no structure at the workplace.

I tried to implement small things while starting out and, each time, I would get the response that that’s not how we have done it before.

I didn’t want to make it like it was my way only, but things needed to change. If I complained to my supervisors, then they would think I was doing the complaining and that I could not get along with anyone. They wouldn’t listen to me at all.

It’s to the point where every time I walk in the door and ask to get something done, the employees do the exact opposite. It’s embarrassing to work there. I have no support on either end. I enjoy the job, but my staff does not respect me.

I am at a loss for what I should do. I don’t know who is in charge there because I don’t feel like I am.

Do you have any suggestions or ideas about what I can do?

— Disrespected Supervisor

Dear Supervisor: It can be very difficult to inherit someone else’s workplace culture. And, when you’re in a supervisory role, a lot of the negotiation becomes about what you need to adjust to and what you need to change. That’s a dance that goes on for a while. Respect from the employees you supervise is important here and I don’t want to dismiss that, but it’s also crucial to think about the expectations that are being placed on you, the expectations that you’re placing on yourself and the expectations you have for the workplace.

To that end, see if you can get clarity from your supervisors about what success looks like for you, how they measure it and what systems are in place to encourage growth. These systems may not exist — many workplaces are imperfect. But this information could help you to modify your expectations of yourself and, in turn, take some of the frustration out of the working relationships you have with the employees you supervise.

You also might want to talk to your friend. He created this imperfect system and, while you clearly don’t want to perpetuate it, he might be able to give insight or cheat codes. Ask him, “how do I deal with these people?”

Shifting a culture is more akin to turning a cruise ship than a speed boat. Smaller steps are going to be necessary and the first should be finding one thing about your job performance that you feel good about and pouring your energy into that.

Dear Eric: My best friend and I, both females and in our 60s, used to do everything together. Last year, she met a nice man and after a brief courtship, they married. I even performed the wedding ceremony.

Now, we barely see each other, and maybe text or call once a week, if that.

I knew and understood that our friendship was going to change once she married and I expected that, but I never thought it would be so drastic. Her husband gets upset if she wants “girl time” with me and even other friends. I feel really hurt and discarded. I’m not sure if I should talk to her about it or leave it be. I don’t want to cause a rift between us or make it awkward.