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Equal Parts Heart Over Equal Parts Money
Dear Annie: My husband and I work comparable hours, but I earn less than half of what he does and have little discretionary income. I come home to my "second shift," which includes cooking, cleaning and picking up after this man, who …Read more.
Valentine's Day Sex Therapy
Dear Readers: Happy Valentine's Day to one and all, along with our special good wishes to the veterans in VA hospitals around the country. And our particular thanks to those readers who have taken the time to send valentines, visit the vets and …Read more.
Too Much Power in an Ex
Dear Annie: "Ron" and I have been living together for more than a year. I love him and believe he loves me. We are both in our 60s and retired.
Ron is good to me in all but one way: He can't seem to cut off contact with his old girlfriend. …Read more.
Wannabe Doc Has No Time for Mom and Dad
Dear Annie: Our 22-year-old son is in college. He lives at home, and we pay all his expenses, which is fine with us. He was never particularly interested in school until his last year of high school. Now he's doing really well.
The problem is, he …Read more.
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ANNIE'S MAILBOX(R)Dear Annie: My 15-year-old niece recently told me she craves the taste of blood and feels like a freak. She said her mom absolutely lost it when she told her. I know this must be a symptom of a medical problem and told her so. I also said she needs to talk to a doctor or therapist about it, as they are in a better position to help her. But she's too scared to talk about it with anyone. She asked me to find more information about any medical condition that might be causing her cravings. But when I looked it up, I found very little useful information and a lot of oddball theory and rumor. I told her the cravings are the body's way of telling us it is lacking something. I also reminded her that giving in to this particular craving could make her sick, and that it may not be safe. I'm not sure what else to tell her. Do you have any suggestions for how she might approach a medical professional so she feels more comfortable? — Concerned Aunt Dear Aunt: Your niece is lucky to have a levelheaded person like you to talk to. Unusual food cravings are often due to a mineral or vitamin deficiency. One possibility is pica, which manifests itself as a craving for inedible items, most commonly dirt or wood. Blood cravings have been linked to iron deficiency. Encourage your niece to discuss this with her pediatrician or family doctor. If she is reluctant, offer to go with her so she is less nervous. She needs to be reassured that it's not because she's watching too many vampire movies. Dear Annie: Let me begin by admitting my obsessive germophobia. It naturally escalated after I had my two children. I know I take it to an extreme level, being extra cautious to wash hands to reduce the spread of disease. Still, I can't help wondering what is wrong with people. Just this week, I was in a children's clothing store and was rendered speechless when the father of a snot-nosed toddler boy said it was OK for the kid to kiss my 2-year-old daughter.
I can't seem to get away from these young children who want to touch my 10-month-old on the head, face and hands. Often, the parent isn't around or isn't paying attention. I try to avoid confrontation, and so far I have done nothing other than pull my child away. What is the appropriate way to handle such encounters? — Germophobe Mom in York, Penn. Dear Mom: It's OK to nicely tell strangers (children and adults) that you'd prefer they not touch your child, and to relocate yourselves if hands reach out in your direction. But we hope you will keep your more germ-phobic behavior in check so your children don't have the same aversions. A certain amount of exposure can build immunity to everyday germs and actually be a healthy thing. Dear Annie: I had to run to the computer and respond to "In Shock in Kentucky." She said she just moved to Kentucky and heard the term "double buckle." I live in Kentucky and am sick to death of people making unfair comments about my state. I have lived in Kentucky all of my life and would never dream of putting two children in one seatbelt. Please tell her not to assume all people from Kentucky are doing this just because she first heard this term there. Stereotyping people by the state they live in is horrible. She should stop blaming my state and look at the people she is hanging around with. — Proud of My State Dear Proud: We don't believe she was singling out Kentucky. We've heard the term, and we live in Chicago. But we're sure Kentuckians are with you on this. Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailbox@comcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, P.O. Box 118190, Chicago, IL 60611. To find out more about Annie's Mailbox, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS.COM
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