FEATURES
6A
Tomorrow’s horoscope
Grade keeps student from play
Dear Annie: I am a middle
school student, and I signed up
for drama at the beginning of the
semester. I’ve been working really
hard at it.
The problem is, I failed one of
my classes (out of seven). Because
of that, I am not allowed to partic-
ipate in drama. I have a speaking
role with 17 lines and I don’t think
they can replace me in such a short
time.
This really upsets me, especially
because in the high school I’ll be
attending, you only need to pass
four classes to participate in drama.
What’s worse is that they didn’t
give me or my parents any warning
about how close I was to failing. I
did know that I wasn’t doing well in
that class, and I was trying to bring
up my grade. But I have anxiety
issues and get panic attacks when I
try to talk to teachers or people of
authority (even my mom).
My parents emailed the school
with a complaint, but I was won-
dering what you think I should do.
— Was Ready for Showtime in New
Hampshire
Dear New Hampshire: We
wish we could help you, but schools
routinely penalize students by pro-
hibiting them from doing special
activities if they fail a required
Annie’s
Mailbox
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
Kathy
Mitchell and
Marcy Sugar
class. (It happens to football play-
ers and other athletes, too.) Such
consequences are how schools hold
students accountable.
You can try talking to the drama
teacher to see if he or she would
intervene on your behalf, and you
also can talk to the teacher who
gave you the failing grade, explain-
ing that you were working hard
to improve and didn’t realize this
would happen. If you have anxi-
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ures, try imagining that you are in
a play and this is what your char-
acter does. It’s good practice. You
also can ask your parents to speak
to these teachers directly, instead of
leaving messages.
But if this is the policy of the
school, there isn’t much you can
do. Consider it a learning experi-
ence, and keep it in mind for high
school, when you can try out for
drama and be motivated to put your
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better.
Dear Annie: I am writing in
response to the letter signed, “Is
This Normal,” whose girlfriend
bounces her 10-year-old son on her
lap for 30 minutes.
Your response was not strong
enough. This is child abuse. This
mother should immediately be
reported to the Department for
Children and Family Services in
their local community. The entire
family can then receive the help
they need, and this child can be
protected. The report can be anon-
ymous and can be done by calling
the Department directly or by noti-
fying the local police.
Please tell “Normal” to take the
steps to protect this child from fur-
ther abuse, and also to protect his
young sister from having to watch
her brother be abused on a daily
basis. — Social Worker
Dear Social Worker: Many
readers suggested that this mother
is a child molester. Perhaps so. But
we think she is simply misguided
and has gotten into a bad situation
that she doesn’t recognize or know
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agree that the situation must be
dealt with immediately.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2016
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You know
yourself pretty well, and yet you are also
open to the possibility that you haven’t yet
become who you really are. Under these
youthful skies you don’t mind trying on differ-
ent personas to find the perfect fit.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). “This is the
short and the long of it,” wrote Shakespeare.
Today’s short version of the story will tell just
as much, if not more, than the longer version.
In all things, get to the point.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Those who are
excited to be in a particular environment will
help you understand what’s good about it.
For this and other reasons, the company you
keep will matter much to your experience of
the day.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ve medi-
tative powers, activated by your appreciation
of beauty. It will be as though your mind is
its own kind of deep space — an expanse
of awareness you’ll touch for brief, utterly re-
newing moments.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Embody what you
value. Turn it into a verb — an action you can
take to become the very thing you’d like to
see more of in the world. Right now that has
to do with creativity, novelty and whimsy.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). When the cure
won’t stick, perhaps it’s not really a cure at
all — or even a Band-Aid, as most of those
are at least sticky enough to cover up the
wound a while. Back to the drawing board
to find what’s really needed for your healing.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). There won’t be
any great space between what you say you’ll
do and what you’ll actually do. You will quite
simply declare and deliver, gaining the trust
and awe of those you help along the way.
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). Someone
has to provide the entertainment and color!
You’re inclined toward it, so go for it, even if
it means appearing foolish. You’ll be doing
your entire scene a favor (even though a lot
of them won’t realize it as it’s happening).
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You
were in a different mind-set when you start-
ed this journey. This is the time to check in:
Are you still on board with this? “If we don’t
change direction soon, we’ll end up where
we’re going.” — Irwin Corey
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You value
respect from others but do not require it. In
fact, you may decide to go without this for
the sake of moving forward. The ones you’re
having trouble with will catch up later. There’s
grace in your decision.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Focus on
what you can do instead of what you can’t
do. Your natural gift for humor is something
you can act on right away, to good effect. In
fact, making another person laugh will be
some of your most important work.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Through the
ages, people have built the most sacred of
temples in once-obliterated places. You’ve
done this in your life and it will be from that
monument of sacred beauty that you help
another.
FRIDAY’S BIRTHDAY (April 15). You’re
doing away with the learned helplessness of
the past. You’re so in touch with your internal
locus of control this year that you effectively
prepare and act in most situations to make
your life better. The next five weeks will solve
a financial snafu. June brings a happy new
“Hello.” Capricorn and Pisces adore you.
Your lucky numbers are: 2, 19, 45, 16 and 32.