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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 22, 2017)
6A FEATURES Siblings are not much help Dear Annie: I am 63, and I taking. To properly take care of help daily with my 94-year-old anyone, you first need to take care mother, who lives by herself. I run of yourself. If your batteries are errands, and I keep her yard nice. constantly drained, they’ll eventu- I have a brother and sister who ally be past the point of recharg- live out of state. They come back ing. Look into hiring some pro- to visit from time to time. When fessional help to supplement your they do visit, they expect own care of your mother. DEAR me to entertain them. I Many insurances, includ- feel that because they are ing Medicare and Med- ANNIE staying with her, it is my icaid, include some form time to take a break. They of hospice coverage. Visit don’t seem to realize the https://hospicefoundation. pressures I go through org. every day, when I wonder As for your sib- whether she will answer lings, how they want to the door or I will find her treat your mother is their Annie Lane on the floor. choice. Though you can’t Creators Syndicate Inc. force them to spend more Am I being unreason- time with her, you can able in wanting to be able to “escape” mentally and physi- stick up for yourself and ask them cally for a couple of days when- to stop shifting blame onto you. ever it is convenient for them to You are a wonderful daughter. “escape” their out-of-state lives Don’t let them make you think oth- and visit? I’d like to be able to erwise because of their own selfish visit my children and maybe travel motives. Dear Annie: I can no longer a little bit. They not only try to make me feel guilty but also put take this digital world. I cannot program my new my mom up to calling me on their behalf. — Needing a Break in dishwasher to a one-hour setting instead of letting it run for two Pensacola Dear Needing a Break: It is hours; my old dishwasher ran with absolutely reasonable — and smart nothing but a push of the start but- — that you want some time alone ton. I cannot get an ice cube from and away from the stresses of care- my new refrigerator. It’s like an algebra problem. I used to get ice cubes from my old refrigerator by opening the freezer door and grab- bing the ice cube tray. New refrig- erators do not come equipped with ice cube trays. My old TV set used to turn on with the click of a single button on the remote. My new TV requires three or four clicks before the pic- ture turns on. I used to play a tape by simply pushing “play” and turned it off by pushing “off.” I am still trying to learn the steps that one has to go through to turn off a DVR. This is the reason mental problems are on the rise for people over 80. — Digital Victim Dear Digital Victim: I feel your pain. I hate having to use two remotes and a considerable amount of brainpower just to turn on the nightly news. But look at it this way: These technological chal- lenges, although frustrating, are working your brain. Cognitive psy- chologists have found that learning new skills helps to ward off demen- tia by strengthening connections between different areas of the brain. That said, you don’t have to drive yourself crazy figuring things out on your own. Ask a store associate for help next time you’re buying such a product. THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017 TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc. ARIES (March 21-April 19). Stop over- thinking. Make a move. Whether a move is wrong or right, it tells you what the next move should be. This will stop you from going in circles in your head and will get you going on a straight line instead. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You’re being marketed to all of the time by those who would like you to choose their products or services. Market to yourself. It works. Surround yourself with symbols and messages about what you want yourself to choose. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Fear is energy that can be directed in a positive way, but that’s not how it’s used very often. To direct your fear well, keep reminding yourself of what it is you want to achieve, and breathe toward that aim. CANCER (June 22-July 22). Long blocks of focused, uninterrupted concentration are necessary to accomplish anything worthwhile. There is something (or more likely someone) preventing you from hav- ing time to focus — a situation that must be remedied. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Risking rejection is no fun (even for extroverts) but it must be faced in the name of progress. Go where the opportunities are and make friends. If you don’t know where they are, go where you think they are. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). As the mountain cradles the lake, your earth-sign nature will hold a water-sign individual very dear. These are the Pisces, Scorpio and Cancer people, and they could really use someone with your reliability. FRANK AND ERNEST BLONDIE THATABABY SALLY FORTH PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN B.C. LOLA DILBERT SIX CHIX BIZARRO MUTTS NON SEQUITUR BABY BLUES WIZARD OF ID ZITS ROSE IS ROSE LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Sometimes you wonder if you’re too brave for your own good. You’ve been known to jump into the spotlight unprepared, but that’s better than missing out. After all, opportunities usually don’t wait around until you’re ready for them. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The people who have the best perspective about the job will be the ones who have done it. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). As it is with anything, what you pay attention to loves you back. When you give attention to your deeper feelings and the subconscious layers of yourself, too, you start feeling more resoundingly fulfilled. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The tools used to create will be a focus, but don’t be fooled; the tools do not make the creation. Creativity is in the head and heart. Fancy, expensive tools can actually work against the art. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Customs matter — but not really. Following the right movements in the correct order will show respect when you don’t yet have the other person’s. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You sense you’re being flattered. That doesn’t mean the compliments aren’t true; it just means your flatterer is smart enough to grease the gears. TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (June 23). You’ll thrive in many kinds of relationships this year. You’ll have an easy give-and- take with some. For others it’s a give and give, and this will teach you and grow your heart, too. You’ll be repaid in July.