DR. WALLACE: New Year's Eve is in a few days, and I want to attend a party I was invited to via a friend of a friend. I don't know the hosts at all, but two people I do know are also supposed to be going, even though they won't be going with me on the drive to the party.

The party is about 25 minutes from our home, on an industrial road out by the large interstate highway that skirts our outer city limits.

I would not be driving to this party as I have a rideshare account, but now my father is forbidding me to be out "on the roads" on New Year's Eve!

He calls it "amateur night" and said that many people drink way too much and some of them (or a lot of them) drive drunk that evening. So now I can't go at all! This is strange because my father is usually reasonable and does allow me a fair amount of leeway and freedom to do what I want 95% of the time. I've tried reasoning with him in various ways, but he won't budge. How can I get my father to finally relent and let me take a rideshare ride to and from this party? — My Plans Are Blown, via email

MY PLANS ARE BLOWN: Based on your letter and the night in question, I side with your father on this one.

You mentioned that you don't know the hosts, the event is about a half-hour away via car and the two people you do know might go, but then again, they might not. You wouldn't know until you arrived since they are not planning to travel with you.

Also consider that your father, as you confirmed, is usually lenient with you. His concerns here are valid in that New Year's Eve is often one of the most dangerous nights of the year to travel on local roads and highways.

Make alternate plans and listen to your father this time. I trust he'll make it up to you soon. He's concerned about your safety because he loves you and because you might be out on your own far enough from home on that evening to make him nervous about your safety.

MY DAD EXPECTS ME TO EAT RUBBER PIZZA

DR. WALLACE: Our family loves pizza, and over the holidays every year my father orders a lot of pizzas! Of course, everyone loves this, but there are the inevitable leftovers since he orders so much. As a high school student, I know all about the wonders of pizza!

But when I want to heat up a slice or two of leftover pizza the next day, my father won't let me use our oven!

He says that the kitchen is a "no cook, no clean" zone since my mom does so much in the kitchen all year. But here's my problem: Dad tells me to put the cold pizza in the microwave to heat it up, but it always comes out of there like it's made of rubber! And if I leave it in just 10 seconds too long, it's totally inedible, not to mention gross. I've even told him that I'll clean the oven myself, but he does not want anyone messing with "mom's kitchen"!

What can I do about this? I love pizza but hate heating it in the microwave. — My Dad's Rules Make No Sense, via email

MY DAD'S RULES MAKE NO SENSE: I agree with you on this one, and I'll venture that a fair amount of readers will agree with you as well.

I suggest that you ask mom for an early birthday gift! Request a small toaster oven that can hold two or three pieces of pizza.

A quick look online will show you options for new ones under $100, and not only can you use it to enjoy your pizza, but you can help out the entire family as well.

And when you're ready to go to college or get a job and set out on your own, you'll have your own trusty toaster oven by your side.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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