FEATURES
8A
Let the newbie take care of it
Dear Annie: I’ve been a
certified nurse’s aide for about
eight months. I’ve been working
at my newest job, at a nursing
home, for six months.
I work with two veteran
aides in my unit. Though I love
my job and caring for the resi-
dents, lately I’m feeling like the
gopher in the unit. I am always
answering the call bells, getting
residents who need to be up for
breakfast out of bed and doing
hall trays and feeding the resi-
dents who can’t feed themselves
at breakfast. I end up doing hall
patrol every day at breakfast,
and I’m getting tired of it.
I’m happy to help them with
tasks, but whenever I ask for
help, I get dirty looks and eye
rolls.
Also, toward the end of the
day, I’m always answering the
call lights during documenta-
tion time. The others ignore
them.
Is it me? Am I asking them at
the wrong time when it comes
to asking for help? I don’t know
how to address this with the
other aides and the supervisor.
— The Gopher Nurse’s Aide
Dear Gopher: There’s being
a team player, and then there’s
Dear Annie
By
Annie
Lane
Creators
Syndicate
Inc.
being played by the team.
Maybe these veteran nurses are
picking on you, the new kid on
the block, because they under-
went a similar stripes-earning
process. Regardless, you have
to stand up for yourself. Be
clear about what you’re willing
and not willing to do. When you
really need help and no one is
offering, be direct. It’s not as if
you’re asking a personal favor.
It’s work, and you’re all trying
to get the same job done.
So stop burrowing in your
hole. Even gophers have teeth.
Dear Annie: A person wrote
to you about dealing with her
children’s disputes among one
another. I am one of those chil-
dren. My brother and I have
not spoken to each other for
months. I struggle daily with
trying to repair this relation-
ship, but honestly, so much has
been done and said that I see
no reason to repair it — except
for my parents’ sake, of course.
I would like to hear from oth-
ers on how they have dealt
with sibling disputes. What
is the benefit of putting your-
self out there in a relationship
that has caused such pain in
the past, even if it is family?
— Estranged
Dear Estranged: Lov-
ing your family doesn’t mean
always liking them. In fact,
sometimes it means just finding
a way not to loathe them. I urge
you not to give up on your rela-
tionship with your brother.
First forgive him, and then
accept him. Part of that accep-
tance means knowing where
to draw boundaries so that you
don’t get hurt again and again
because you’re too vulnerable.
Detach with love in whatever
areas you need to.
You and your brother might
never be the close, best-friend
type of siblings, but you can
still be part of each other’s life.
If you’re grounded in realistic
expectations, no one can let you
down.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2016
Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You let noth-
ing stop you from learning — everyone
loves this about you, how you’re constantly
evolving, stretching and growing into a per-
son of your own creation.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You are so
sensitive these days. Don’t direct your sen-
sitivity inward; it will be too difficult. Instead,
observe art, listen to poetry — you’ll under-
stand it in a way you never did before.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). What hap-
pens organically is working so great for
you: You’re doing mighty fine. The fact of
this will give you pause as you try to mud-
dle through some plans. Plans are good to
make. They focus you, whether or not you
follow them.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Only a fool
speaks every thought. After all, many of the
thoughts aren’t even yours. They float into
your mind from friends, media, the collec-
tive unconscious and elsewhere. All must
be filtered through that wonderful system
of yours.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). By showing up,
on time, with a good attitude and a fair
amount of energy to burn, you’ll earn the
trust of someone who does not give such
things very often.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). If you tell your-
self over and over what you’re not going to
do, you’ll wind up doing that thing. Who is
to blame? Not your rebellious spirit. There’s
a universal law here about attracting what
you focus on, for better or for worse.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It’s an easy-
going day, partially due to your accept-
ing mood. Roll with whatever comes, and
you’re likely to turn it into something inter-
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
esting, lucrative and memorable.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When your
emotional needs are met, the physical
needs don’t seem as important. Neither
do the other needs. So how can you make
yourself happier on a daily basis?
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’ll
meet impressive individuals who might
have you feeling stumped for conversation.
No worries. Start with an open-ended ques-
tion with the word “what” to get the whole
thing rolling.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your per-
spective is about to shift big-time. What was
uncomfortable will become bearable when
you adjust your mind and get more expe-
rience.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). When you
commit yourself to the task of making your
life better going forward, sometimes this en-
tails checking yourself by taking a few steps
backward to see if you accidentally dropped
your happiness back there.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’re a
serious powerhouse today. You have the
same 24 hours in a day that everyone else
has. But what you do with it makes every-
one think you magically were given at least
36.
TUESDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Oct. 18). This
year puts you in a stronger position by mov-
ing you toward balance. Instead of shunning
what’s bad for you, you accept the com-
plexities of life. You will be thereby enabling
yourself in many directions at once. A new
addition to your family will happen in De-
cember. There’s a financial spike in March.
Pisces and Aquarius adore you. Your lucky
numbers are: 20, 5, 33, 31 and 17.