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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 2016)
FEATURES 8A Career on cruise control? Dear Annie: I’ve been working at the same car dealership for ive years, since I graduated high school. When I started, it was just a job. I thought I would do this and then igure out what I really want to do. Then I started to make some money, and I got decent at selling. A week turned into a month, which turned into a year, and here I am at 23. I got married last year, and my wife and I now have a 6-month- old baby girl. She is the love of my life, and I wouldn’t trade her for the world. But part of me regrets that I never went to college before start- ing a family. I don’t want to be a car salesman my entire life. I’d really like to pursue a degree and study business. I am only 23 and know that I have a long way to go, but the past ive years have lown by so quickly, and I want to make sure that I am not on a path I will regret. I love my daughter and her mother. I don’t hate my job, but I can’t imagine doing this for the rest of my life. What should I do? — Stuck Salesman Dear Stuck: Car salesmen get a bad rap, but really, it’s not an easy job. They have to be persistent, quick-thinking and good with peo- ple. If you have the inesse to be a good car salesman, you can proba- Dear Annie By Annie Lane Creators Syndicate Inc. bly do pretty much anything you set your mind to. Look into seeking a degree online or through a local college that offers night classes so you can con- tinue working and supporting your family while laying the ground- work for a new career path. The U.S. News University Directory can match you to a reputable online pro- gram that meets your needs. The skills you’ve honed over the past ive years will take you far. With real-world experience plus a degree, you’ll be iring on all cylinders. Dear Annie: I have two healthy, beautiful kids — one boy, one girl. My daughter is 6, and she is really into reading. She can’t wait to go to bed and devours her nighttime reading material. She was reading on her own before kindergarten. THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2016 Tomorrow’s horoscope By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc. She sounds out words and sits and listens and igures things out. But my son is 4 and can’t sit still. I open a book and he gets up. When it’s bedtime, he has zero interest in any of the books on his bookshelf. We’ve tried every book there is, from Dr. Seuss to Eric Carle to Shel Silverstein to Mo Willems. These kids have the same genes. How can one be so into books and the other want nothing to do with them? — Reading Rain-bro Dear Reading: You’re raising siblings, not clones. Of course they won’t have identical aptitudes. Although there’s no deinite “right” age by which all kids should be reading, it usually happens around age 6. It sounds as if your daughter was a bit of a prodigy. As long as your son is in the healthy range of his age group and is getting a hang of the pre-read- ing fundamentals (such as identify- ing letters), he should be ine. Don’t give up on trying to get him excited about books, though. Read to him for short periods of time to hold his interest. Pick stories about subjects he loves. Your son may never be the bookworm your daughter is, but the bottom line is he will go to college knowing how to read. ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your life is controlled by an extremely powerful force — you. So why does someone seem to be pulling the strings? One fix would be to just to cut those strings altogether. The attach- ments make things complicated. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Believing it’s possible to have something big will auto- matically increase your chances of getting something big. So will your application of practical solutions and daily vigilance. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Allow for the obstacle. Spend time thinking about how you’ll handle it when it, or its cousin obsta- cle, finally shows up. Something will happen and it will set you back or make you late un- less you deal with it in the hypothetical first. CANCER (June 22-July 22). People show the parts of themselves they want you to see. Your ability to see past the facade and accurately predict a particular human nature will make you a great leader. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Time doesn’t need to be managed. Time does a good job of be- ing consistent without any help. All the ac- tivities you’re trying to stuff into those hours — that’s where your focus can effectively change outcomes and improve results. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’re friend- ly and inclusive and yet still careful about forming new friendships, because you want to make sure you’ve the time and energy to nurturing the relationships of your inner circle. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The task at hand will require equal parts restraint and enthusiasm, a ratio you should, given your balanced nature, hit rather easily. You’ll help the others figure out what exactly to do and 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 how much is just right. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). By now, your pattern is so predictable to you that you’re astounded when those close to you don’t seem to know what’s coming next. Shouldn’t they pay more attention? Consider doing something surprising to capture it. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’re the “fun one” today and this social respon- sibility will come with phone calls, logistics and demands on your attention that will, luckily, be a pleasure to fulfill. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Make moves on what you want or someone else will; given the competitive feelings you’ve had lately, you probably wouldn’t like how that might go down. Use it or lose it. Put a “ring” on it. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). It is said that mediocrity only recognizes itself, while brilliance recognizes a full spectrum of tal- ent, intelligence and beauty in the world. You’ll see and be seen for your unique gifts. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The line between business and friendship will be seemingly blurred; however, do not mistak- enly think that this means no one is keeping track. When it comes to money, everyone keeps track. WEDNESDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 3). This month brings loving support and fi- nancial luck from the blue. Use some of it to help your family and invest the rest in ed- ucation. March represents another financial high. Your connection with like-minds will lead to powerful groups and social change. A competitor will spur you to new heights in December. Virgo and Libra adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 3, 20, 6, 13 and 44.