FEATURES
6A
Co-worker romance izzles
Dear Annie: I am a 31-year-
young man with a question about a
woman who is 28. This story started
in August of last year with my ask-
ing this woman on a date. We work
together but were in different depart-
ments at the time. She said she
doesn’t date the people she works
with. I didn’t buy it, so I kept lirting
with her. And she’d lirt back.
This went on until December of
that year, when we saw each other
in a neighborhood bar. She came up
to my friend and me and pulled on
the hood of my sweatshirt. Then she
started to walk away, but my friend
stopped her by standing in front of
her. I talked to her like normal. Then
I kissed her on the cheek. Then my
friend left, and we hugged. I rubbed
her back, and she rubbed mine. I
kissed her hand. Then she turned
away, and I playfully smacked her
on the butt. We left at the same time
but went our separate ways. The next
day, we saw each other at work, and
she came over to me and gave me a
peck on the cheek.
After that, it all went downhill. I
saw her sitting on another guy’s lap at
work. (He works in a different depart-
ment than we do.) I took it personal.
Here she was, the girl I was attracted
to, sitting on this guy’s lap.
I felt as if she’d lied to me. I think
Dear Annie
By
Annie
Lane
Creators
Syndicate
Inc.
that maybe she’d forgotten I asked
her out, but I have told her I want her
to be my girlfriend on several occa-
sions. So I think she knows how I feel
about her. After all this, I’m not sure
what to think. Any help would be
appreciated. — Pining
Dear Pining: Dating co-workers
is great — if your goal is to save time
by simultaneously ruining your per-
sonal life and your career. I would like
to know why you didn’t buy it when
this woman told you she doesn’t date
co-workers, because you should have
bought it, thrown away the receipt
and gotten the message in your head,
even if she later sent mixed signals.
Save yourself a lot of strife and
look for love outside the work-
place. This sounds like an astonish-
ingly immature group. Case in point:
Unless it’s Bring Your Child to Work
Day, no one should be sitting on any-
one’s lap at the ofice.
Dear Annie: I have just turned
65 and recently retired. My spouse is
several years younger and not able to
retire for four more years.
Although I am staying active,
including handling all of the house-
hold chores, she seems to be resent-
ful that I’m enjoying an unstruc-
tured schedule. She grills me every
evening on what I did all day. Some
days, I just like to sit around reading
a good book. This makes her angry
and makes me feel guilty. It seems
as if every conversation ends in an
argument.
I worked my whole life and have
looked forward to this time, but now
I’m considering going back to work
part time at nights just to avoid this
daily confrontation. — Retirement
Unrest
Dear Retirement: Kick up your
feet and enjoy that good book. You
earned it! Jealousy is rearing its ugly
head here. You haven’t done anything
wrong.
With that being said, marriage is
about communication. Talk to your
spouse and ind out why she’s so
resentful. Show empathy and rec-
ognize her hard work. But don’t be
afraid to remind her that you are in
fact taking care of all the household
chores.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016
Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your mind op-
erates differently from the minds of others.
Be glad for your unique mental process and
you’ll set up your work and domestic flow in a
way that supports the way you think.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). If you can’t
add value to the situation, you won’t even
want to be in it. When you get lost (a nat-
ural response in such unfamiliar territory as
where you’ll be traveling today) just remem-
ber that you’re there to bring the goods.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). However low
or high it may be and however long you’ve
been in it, you never take your position for
granted. Humility is the way of the angels
and saints and of all the forces of good in
the world today.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). No yawns
allowed: It’s time to think! As the scene
grows stale, the person who has intriguing
ideas and a fresh perspective automatically
becomes the most attractive person in the
room.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The short-term
perspective isn’t giving you enough juice to
stay motivated. So what about the more dis-
tant future? Does it shimmer enough to keep
you reaching? If it’s not glowing, perhaps it’s
time to pitch your goals a little higher.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). In order to be
persuasive, you have to get the facts right —
a no-brainer for you. Details and integrity are
the spokes in your wheel. Now you just need
to give those facts an emotionally compelling
context and you’ll be set.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The opportu-
nities come to you — a result of your hard
work. Capitalizing on these opportunities will
be a matter of skillful communication. Your
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
influence is growing exponentially.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You will have
many people wanting different things from
you today, and you’ll somehow make each
feel like his or her needs are the most im-
portant and pressing in the universe. Brilliant!
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). When
projects go off the rails, people often look
back and note that calamity could have been
avoided were people paying attention to the
job at hand. Look. Listen. Check twice. Stay
aware. Something is at stake.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). When you
take the time to understand the concerns of
the people you’re dealing with, you’ll save
yourself from a lot of wasted effort in trying to
solve a problem that no one is having.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You make
others the star of the show — even when it’s
your show. Maybe that’s why your social de-
mand is higher than you’ll be able to meet.
Expand your network and reach by getting
people together in groups.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You love to
come across a problem you already know
the solution to, but what you love more is
learning something new. Today you’ll be an
especially quick learner with an exceptional-
ly wonderful teacher.
THURSDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 25).
You’re a visionary and a world-class planner.
You’ll lean on this strength with extremely
positive results this year. Loved ones will also
thrive as you include them in your dreams
and schemes. Leave little to chance for the
victory in November. Creative brilliance will
bring in big bucks and new friends in De-
cember. Sagittarius and Scorpio adore you.
Your lucky numbers are: 5, 49, 3, 33 and 16.