FEATURES
6A
Tomorrow’s horoscope
Adult tired of protective parents
Dear Annie: I have epilepsy
with very minor seizures that
occur roughly once every three
weeks. Because I am currently
unemployed, I am forced to live
at home with my parents as I
search for another job.
Even though I am over 30, my
mother wants me to stay at home
unless I have a job interview or
one of my parents is with me.
She insists someone else drive
me wherever I go. She is even
fearful of me walking to appoint-
ments two blocks from the house.
A sad irony is that my mother
has a Ph.D. in sociology and
doesn’t hear me when I tell her
that the social isolation that she
insists on imposing makes me
depressed. This is still the case
even after I pointed out her high-
lighting that very issue in her
own sociology textbooks. I have
attempted to get my father to
intervene, but he wants Mom to
control the show.
I’ve tried to quietly put up
with the idea of “Mom’s house —
Mom’s rules.” But I don’t know
how much longer I can stand it.
Do you have any suggestions for
dealing with the enormous stress
I’m under because of her need to
control my life? — A Frustrated
Annie’s
Mailbox
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
Kathy Mitchell
and
Marcy Sugar
South Dakotan
Dear Frustrated: Your moth-
er is being overprotective, but
it comes from her fear that you
will have a seizure and no one
will be around to assist you. Her
advanced degree is irrelevant be-
cause she is not thinking clinical-
ly. This is personal. She especial-
ly worries that something will
happen when you are driving or
walking alone. She knows it cur-
tails your social life and could
increase the odds of depression,
but she considers those concerns
to be less important than your
safety.
Your best bet for finding
assistance and support is
through the Epilepsy Foundation
(epilepsy.com). Aside from
chat rooms and other social
networking to help alleviate your
isolation, the site may provide
ways to reassure your mother and
get her to lift the chains. We hope
you find a job soon.
Dear Annie: For several
years, I have been giving identi-
cal amounts of money to my fam-
ily on Thanksgiving so that they
could spend it on Black Friday
to purchase their own Christmas
gifts. I have 19 people to buy
for. These same family mem-
bers were asked to bring their
purchases to me for wrapping
so that they could open them on
Christmas.
Last year, I asked instead
that they wrap their own gifts
and bring them to our annual
Christmas Eve party. It worked
out great! Obviously, there were
no returns or exchanges, and
for a change, I got a kick out of
seeing them open their presents
instead of knowing what the gifts
were ahead of time. This is easier
on everybody. (It also allowed
my teenagers to see that money
only goes so far because they
knew what amount I had given
each person.)
I have learned to enjoy the
holidays again. — L.
Dear L.: You are both gener-
ous and smart enough to find en-
joyment where you can.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2016
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You know your
weaknesses and limitations, and you deal with
them head on. This is why you keep improving.
Someone notices. You could even be promoted
for this.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Stellar results
often come from positivity, optimism and men-
tal steadiness. But they can also come from
calamity, disaster and darkness. The key is not
to discount any of your moods. Move through
them instead.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Is it heartening to
know that you are someone’s sun? With your
position at the center of the system comes the
responsibility of staying vibrant and not disap-
pearing for any long amount of time.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Some things
are only true because you believe them. Then
there are things that are true regardless of
whether you believe, interact with or acknowl-
edge them at all. Luck comes from investing in
that second category.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Providence speaks
to you through seemingly arbitrary outcomes.
You’ll interpret the message better when you
believe it was meant for you; then assign light-
hearted associations.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Lateral moves
don’t excite you. You crave improvement.
Change takes energy, and you don’t want to
misplace your energy by putting it into some-
thing that will make a difference that’s not an
improvement.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When you decide
to, for instance, leave the house at one time in-
stead of another time, you are not thinking about
changing history. And yet all will be altered. Still,
you make your choice with conviction. That’s
confidence.
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
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You’ve mas-
tered the fine art of appearing to be carefree and
confident while inwardly chasing down exactly
what you want. Certain people around you feel
how serious you are and will be duly impressed.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). It would
be foolish to brush your shortcomings aside as
if they didn’t exist. When you claim them instead,
you’ll find the up side of the flaw. Bonus: others
will understand you better and make your life
easier, too.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Conven-
tional types warn against “losing yourself,” but
once you’re into something, you get so intensely
focused that you can’t help but become the proj-
ect. Your immersive approach is what makes
you great! Don’t change.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You would like
to be known and acknowledged for your mean-
ingful achievements, not for the meal you’re
about to eat. Do your choices regarding social
media reflect this? Either way, you’ll gather fans
today.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). A rush of shy
energy is actually an invitation addressed to
whatever part of you feels smaller than the sit-
uation. The invitation reads, “You belong! Wel-
come! You’re as much a part of this as anyone
else here!”
WEDNESDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Feb. 3). The
very nature of adventure is that it’s unpredict-
able. The more you try to plot out your year, the
better your year rebels against you, promising
you fun and excitement! So ditch the plans,
hitch your wagon to the wild card and hold on
for dear life. The ride goes until April, when you’ll
regroup and make new goals. Gemini and Leo
adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 7, 49, 31, 10
and 28.