FEATURES
6A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JULY 6, 2015
A little distance might help
Tomorrow’s horoscope
Dear Annie: My father has al-
ways been especially unkind to
my sister, “Portia.” She always
has had behavioral problems, not
to mention she is a bit paranoid
and has a ferocious temper. Portia
also drinks too much and contin-
ues to contact her abusive ex-boy-
friend.
My older sister and I try to
show Portia lots of love, but Dad
usually deals with her problems
with anger, insults and general vit-
riol. Though he has occasionally
shown her support over the years,
he usually singles her out as the
“problem” child. There have been
times when he has screamed and
even intervened physically when
my sisters have fought, always
pinning the blame on Portia.
Recently, Dad’s anger has
grown and he reacts testily to ev-
ery comment or question Portia
makes. He even reacts poorly to
my mother, and is now talking
about moving in with his sister in
another state until his depression
and anxiety subside.
Dad’s behavior seems really
disturbing to me and borders on
abuse. Yet my mother submits
over and over to his anger. What
should we do? — Afraid of Esca-
lation
ARIES (March 21-April 19). If love is your
school you will graduate with honors. When
a relationship settles into a groove, don’t be
quick to call it a rut. Be proud of your persever-
ance and savor the comfort of getting along.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). There are
times when being organized makes the differ-
ence between success and failure -- not now.
The world won’t wait for you to process, sort
and file, so just dive into the glorious mess.
You’ll discover treasure.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your friends will
baffle you. The reason their actions don’t make
sense is that you don’t have the full story. Be
fine with that. You’ll learn what you need to
know in time. For now, just send your com-
passion.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ll start
a lively conversation -- so lively that ending it
may be a problem. This is the perfect excuse
to collect contact info and make a new friend
so the fun is to-be-continued...
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Everyone has a
job to do today. You take yours seriously, and
some of the others seem to think nothing of
drifting off course with nothing to show for it.
Your biggest challenge will be keeping your
cool.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Some things
are important to do, and some things are nice
to do. Your main problem today is that you be-
lieve that it’s important to do what’s nice to do,
and therefore your to-do list is too full. There’s
always tomorrow.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). There are
lots of solutions out there, but the right
one for you may be uncommon. You’re
different from your loved ones, neighbors
and colleagues. This is the ideal time
Annie’s
Mailbox
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
Kathy Mitchell
and
Marcy Sugar
Dear Afraid: There’s not
much you can do for your mother,
who doesn’t see this as a serious
problem. She is accustomed to
Dad’s moods and prefers to avoid
confrontation. Would your father
see a doctor about his depression
and anxiety instead of waiting for
them to “subside” on their own?
Portia’s issues may be genetical-
ly linked to her father’s, and she
also is likely to benefit from both
medical intervention and therapy.
If your father wishes to move
in with his sister for a while, then
that will provide an opportunity
for everyone to calm down. Dad
obviously recognizes that he has a
problem and that a little distance
can help. Perhaps his sister will
convince him to talk to his doctor.
Dear Annie: I’m responding to
“Feeling Unloved,” the divorced
dad whose teenaged kids don’t
seem to want to spend time with
him:
First and foremost, if your kids
are angry or resentful, encourage
them to talk about it and simply
listen without being defensive or
blaming the other parent. It hurts,
and it’s hard to hear, but it’s what
they need. They are kids navigat-
ing a difficult situation they feel
powerless to change.
Second, remember that they
are teenagers. Most teenagers can
be a bit self-centered and focused
on friends rather than family.
Finally, don’t expect them
to call you. Invite them places,
even if it’s out for pizza. And if
they decline, then ask them when
would be a good time. And don’t
give up. It will get better. — G.
Dear G.: Thank you for your
sage advice. Navigating parent-
hood with teenagers is already
complicated, and divorce adds to
the difficulty. If the parents were
living together, they could see the
situation more clearly, but sepa-
rated, they aren’t certain what’s
going on. They sometimes blame
the child or the other parent for
a change in the relationship, but
often it is simply growing pains.
Teenagers require a revised play-
book.
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
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
to experiment and find what works for you.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). One study
suggested that the average person gets dis-
tracted over 30 times an hour. If you’re testy
with your interrupters it’s because you pride
yourself on being productive. Take measures
to shut out the world for a while.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Stub-
bornness is for the young, the ignorant and
the person who senses that the leader is an
idiot. None of those applies to you today. You’ll
comply with the orders so that when it’s your
turn, you’ll lead with confidence.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). No one
likes to get sucker-punched by life. And yet,
everyone seems to like people who’ve had
the experience and triumphed past it. If you’re
down, keep going in the knowledge that you
truly will be better for it.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Complicat-
ed people have a way of complicating even
the simplest of tasks. Avoid them. Do this at
the first red flag because it will be easy then.
If you wait until red flag two or three, you’ll be
stuck.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Even if you’re
feeling a little needy today, don’t give into it.
Make the effort to rise and shine and do your
duty. Caring for others will be more fulfilling
than letting them care for you.
TUESDAY’S BIRTHDAY (JULY 7). Your so-
lar return gifts you with the power to release an
old pattern that no longer suits you. The love of
family and friends will make you feel unstop-
pable. Events in the next 10 weeks open you
to magic. You might even fall deeply in love.
Wherever you go in October, revelry will follow
you. Scorpio and Aquarius adore you. Your
lucky numbers are: 47, 1, 28, 14 and 9.