THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2015
FEATURES
5A
Distance growing between them Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
Dear Annie: Twelve years ago, I
married my best friend, lover and the
woman I believed to be my partner for
life. Before we married, my wife and I
were physically active: hiking, biking,
skiing, rollerblading, you name it. We
enjoyed movies, plays, board games
and talking for hours. We also had a
fantastic sex life.
Seven years ago, all of that began
to change. She lost interest in outdoor
activities and board games. Hours of
talking have been replaced with hours
in front of the TV or staring into our
cellphones and computers. Our sex life
became nearly nonexistent. We’ve both
put on a little weight, but for me, it’s 10
pounds, and for my wife, it’s 40. I still
think she’s incredibly sexy and tell her
regimen and a few years ago started
competing in triathlons. My wife views
this as encroaching on our social life.
I love my wife, but I’m no longer in
love with her the way I once was. Not
long ago, we had a heart-to-heart, and I
said I no longer wanted to be married
to her and told her why. She responded
by telling me she recognized that I had
been pulling away and understood why.
She said she wished things could be
different, but she would move forward.
Since “the talk,” my wife has been
extremely clingy and insecure, wanting to
know my whereabouts and activities at all
Annie’s
Mailbox
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
Kathy Mitchell
and
Marcy Sugar
times. Where I suffered sexual frustration
in silence for years, my wife is now quite
vocal about having her sexual needs met.
Annie, I can’t manufacture feelings
for her, sexual or otherwise, and I am
still leaning toward the exit. I feel staying
is dishonest, but leaving means I’m not
giving our relationship a chance. What
do I do? — Crossroads in California
Dear Crossroads: Your wife
doesn’t want you to leave. That is why
she is clingy, insecure and demanding
more sex. In the past seven years, you
have gradually become disillusioned
with your married life, but you only
told your wife about it recently. You
haven’t given her the time to work on
to leave, please get into counseling with
“best friend” and “partner for life” you
married. It’s not too late.
Dear Annie: I am a 67-year-old
widow. My husband died six years ago.
We enjoyed a good sex life, and I miss it
very much. I would like to relieve my-
self (masturbation), but I don’t know
how the Catholic Church feels about it,
and I don’t want to ask my priest. Is it a
mortal or venial sin? Or are they more
lenient these days? Can you please,
please help me? — Frustrated
Dear Frustrated: According to the
New Catholic Encyclopedia, masturba-
tion is still a mortal sin. However, there
are “conditions of anxiety or other psy-
chological or social factors that lessen
or even extenuate moral culpability,”
making it a venial sin. We know the
Church’s position matters to you, but
our position is that masturbation is a
perfectly reasonable alternative for
someone who is widowed. Please con-
sider talking to your priest about this.
He has undoubtedly heard it before.
Dear Annie: I read the letter from
“California Patient,” who complained
I would suggest “California” talk di-
rectly with the physician regarding the
long wait times. When I experienced
this same problem with my kids’ pedia-
trician, I discovered the doctor was not
aware of the problem. It was his staff
that scheduled the appointments too
close together. The pediatrician thanked
me for letting him know, and the wait
times decreased substantially after that.
— Been There
FRANK AND ERNEST
BLONDIE
THATABABY
SALLY FORTH
STONE SOUP
B.C.
LOLA
DILBERT
SIX CHIX
BIZARRO
MUTTS
NON SEQUITUR
BABY BLUES
WIZARD OF ID
ZITS
ROSE IS ROSE
ARIES (March 21-April 19). There is a
difference between ignoring advice alto-
gether and choosing to disregard it. You’ll
educate yourself and then deliberately
forget what you learned in favor of finding
your own way.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). One way to
assist yourself in making positive choices
is to make them far in advance of when you
must. Planning your food, work, play and
rest very carefully will help you incorporate
the new habits you want to establish.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Powerful
people need friends, too! Befriend the
high-ranking officials of the group. Tonight,
spending money on yourself won’t make
you nearly as happy as spending it on
someone else would.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your cre-
ative mind is abuzz and needs to wander
and explore. At some point during the day,
you would benefit from giving yourself a
stretch of free time to see what you can
come up with.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Certain people
have a way of contaminating your clarity.
Limit your exposure to these people today,
and a strong sense of purpose will rise to
the surface to guide your every move.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). As hard as
you try, you can never completely under-
stand your love. Embrace the mystery, be-
cause it provides delightful tension in your
relationship.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Instead of
thinking about what could be, think about
what is. The current reality holds so much
beauty and utility in it, and you’ll miss it all if
you waste too much time wishing.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Why sur-
vive when you can thrive? Add more re-
sponsibility to your plate, and you’ll quickly
find out what’s really important. Tonight,
someone will send you subliminal love
notes.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Avoid
giving the impression that you are angling
for something, especially if you are. People
will throw up resistance if they know you
want something. Play it mellow, like there’s
nothing in the world you really need.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You’re
a sponge for knowledge. The best teach-
er of all will be firsthand experience. Dive
in. Things will not happen in the expected
order, but everything will get handled none-
theless.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You like
and admire a certain person, but you will
not take the relationship to the next level
until you feel sure that your styles mesh
well together. Tonight will bring a test in this
regard.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). It will take
a shift of perspective to move you to the
next income level. This can’t be forced, but
just knowing that you’ll have to see things
differently will help free up your vision.
FRIDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 9). Your ca-
reer will get a boost this month because
of the confident way you present yourself,
especially to strangers. Joyful relationships
will lead to adventures in February. Go
into business in April, and you’ll start mak-
ing money right away. May brings a lucky
surprise for your family. Libra and Scorpio
people adore you. Your lucky numbers are:
40, 16, 2, 23 and 45.