FEATURES
6A
Obsessed with missing out
Dear Annie: My friends have
brought to my attention that I have a
chronic case of FOMO (fear of miss-
ing out). I have to admit they’re right.
With social media, I can’t help but
constantly check what’s going on. I
have anxiety that I’m not going out
enough, not socializing enough and
not making enough friends. I keep
deleting my social media accounts,
but then I cave and reactivate them a
few days later.
For instance, I recently went to a
concert with my boyfriend. We were
having a great time, but then I saw
a picture of a lot of my friends at a
housewarming party. They looked
as if they were having a blast. My
boyfriend immediately noticed my
expression as I looked at my phone
and got angry that I was obsessing
over what else was going on again.
My previous boyfriend also com-
plained that I was always on my
phone and I seemed to be somewhere
else mentally. I know they’re right,
but I still do it. I can’t help but feel
anxious that I’ve missed opportuni-
ties. How do you squash this feeling?
— Stereotypical Millennial
Dear Stereotypical: Sadly, you’re
not alone. The fear-of-missing-out
plague runs rampant among today’s
youth. The irony is that FOMO actu-
ally makes you miss out on life. The
Dear Annie
By
Annie
Lane
Creators
Syndicate
Inc.
constant anxiety about what you may
be missing prevents you from living
in the present. Scrolling endlessly
through photo feeds on social media,
worried there’s someplace else you
should be, you have no awareness of
your surroundings or the people you
are with and can actually talk to.
Look into mindfulness medita-
tion, and try taking a break from social
media again. There are programs out
there (one has the apt name of Self-
Control) that allow you to block your-
self from accessing certain websites.
And keep in mind that everything
looks much more fun the way people
present it on the internet.
Dear Annie: My husband and I
both have Facebook accounts. We
are friends on Facebook, so I see his
posts and he sees mine. Occasionally,
he will comment on a woman’s pic-
ture (usually a younger woman) to
say that she is very pretty or “looking
good” and that her husband is a lucky
man to have her.
I have told him that this both-
ers me. In the 49 years we’ve been
together, he has never once told me
that I am pretty or attractive or that he
is a lucky man to have me. Yet he con-
tinues to make these comments about
other women on social media.
Am I being overly sensitive, or is
he being overly insensitive? I never
make comments like this about men
because I know it would make him
angry. — Feeling Ugly in Arkansas
Dear Feeling Ugly: Oink, oink
— what a pig. If anyone should feel
ugly, it’s your husband for being so
insensitive — not only to you but also
to people he may be bothering with
these unsolicited comments (such as
the women’s “lucky” husbands). You
have every right to be upset about that.
But the part of your letter that
really got me to sit up indignantly
in my chair was that in 49 years,
he hasn’t told you you’re attrac-
tive or said he’s lucky to have you.
Though people have different ways
of expressing love, everyone needs
words of afirmation now and then.
Tell your husband how good it would
make you feel if he complimented
you sometimes. A little goes a long
way.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2016
Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You don’t need
it; it’s dragging you down. And yet, there’s an
inexplicable attachment going on that makes
it difficult for you to cut ties. So, stop trying to
explain it and cut anyway. This is a case of ad-
dition by subtraction.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). If you had the
power to change the world in any way, how
would it change? You’re learning that you have
more power than you think. Fantasize along
these lines and then dial it down to the action
you can take today.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Face it. If it
weren’t for you, a certain item on the list
wouldn’t get done. You’re the only one who is
both responsible and capable enough to ac-
complish this. Is it perhaps time you trained a
replacement?
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your
open-hearted ways leave you vulnerable, and
you’ll quickly learn that this is a good thing to-
day, as mutual attractions and reciprocal inten-
tions make you richer in joy and dollars.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Trying to convince
someone of your rightness will be a waste of
time. You’re better off moving along to find the
person who already accepts that you know
what you’re talking about and will build with
you from there.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’re well-con-
sidered, and this will be apparent when what
people are saying about you gets back to you.
You don’t put tons of stock in the opinions of
others, and yet you realize that a good reputa-
tion is a cherished possession.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It takes discipline
to flow attention toward the things and people
you know are most important to the situation
when such attractive distractions are being
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
strategically and deliberately thrown in your
path. This is a test!
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). First you were
trying to get someone’s attention, but now that
you’ve achieved what you set out to do, you
could care less. With nothing to prove and no one
to prove it to, you’ll move with what moves you.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Offering
advice makes the conversation about you.
No matter how good your advice may be (and
yours would be exceptional, considering your
experience) a listening ear is still the best thing
you could offer.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Because
you’re mentally and physically going at a faster
pace than 90 percent of the population today,
the urge to interrupt will come often. However,
the right time to interrupt is never.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Even though
you accept the people around you just as they
are, you tend to be extremely hard on yourself.
There’s something you’re trying to achieve, and
until you rise to the occasion, you can’t seem to
let up on yourself.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). It’s as though
you’ve been growing this sense of purpose in-
side you and it’s suddenly become so strong
as to drive your whole being. It’s always been
there, but in its seedling form the world didn’t
notice like they will today.
TUESDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Sept. 6). You’ve a
lot of explaining to do, not because you’ve erred,
but because your natural leadership qualities
put you in a teaching position. Your contribu-
tion will touch lives in an overwhelmingly posi-
tive way. Next month puts bonus money in the
bank. Consider using it to travel. May features
passionate kisses. Gemini and Scorpio adore
you. Your lucky numbers are: 10, 1, 3, 33 and 14.