FEATURES
8A
Crunchtime at the workplace
Dear Annie: I am a 25-year-
old woman working at a small
company with an open floor plan
in a nice, spacious office.
I sit near “Sarah,” who seems
irritable about a lot of things,
including the sound of eating
or drinking. Because of my fast
metabolism and active lifestyle, I
need to snack every hour or two.
At first, Sarah would put on her
headphones, start blasting music
and sigh loudly when I started eat-
ing — even if it was something
quiet, such as a banana. She does
the same when another co-worker
drinks soda. When it became an
obvious pattern, I privately asked
a few co-workers (without men-
tioning Sarah) whether my fre-
quent eating bothers them. They
all told me it doesn’t bother them.
After all, we all snack at our desks,
including Sarah.
Today Sarah got closer to being
openly hostile, giving me a death
stare every time I bit a carrot stick.
I didn’t react, but I’m starting to
get uncomfortable. I would eat
only on break and lunch if that
were enough time, but it isn’t.
Should I just ignore Sar-
ah’s hostile attitude toward me?
Should I carefully ask her about
what’s bothering her or go through
Dear Annie
By
Annie
Lane
Creators
Syndicate
Inc.
a supervisor? We don’t have
human resources. — Girl Who’s
Gotta Eat
Dear Girl: The more time I
spend writing about this sort of
topic and hearing from readers the
more I realize there are two types
of people in the world: those who
can usually tune out background
noise and those whose blood pres-
sure starts rising the minute they
hear someone opening a bag of
chips. I’m guessing Sarah is in the
latter camp.
The next time you start snack-
ing and Sarah starts glaring, be
direct. Ask her whether your eat-
ing is bothering her. Then explain
what you told me — that you have
a high metabolism and need to eat
snacks throughout the day — and
say you’d like to compromise and
figure out a way for you to work
near each other in harmony.
It’s always better to clear the
air — especially when you con-
sider how much carbon dioxide
Sarah’s letting out with all those
exaggerated sighs.
Dear Annie: This is in
response to the couple who have
been married for one year and
have the “too hot/too cold” prob-
lem when sleeping.
My husband and I have been
married for 32 years. We had the
problem that he likes it hot and
I like it cold. Many years ago, I
bought a mattress pad that has
dual heating elements. My hus-
band sleeps with it on high every
night. When we had a king-size
mattress, I could feel some of
the heat. About 10 years ago, we
needed a new mattress. We were
living in a two-story condo, and
they couldn’t get a king-size up
the stairs because there was a turn
in the stairway. So we got two twin
beds and pushed them together.
The only difference I have noticed
is that I no longer can feel the heat
from his side of the bed. Hur-
ray! We have a heavier comforter,
and if I feel warm, I just throw it
off me. My husband sleeps with
it almost covering his head. —
Sleeping Like Babies
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016
Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your elastic
heart will go to the far reaches and then
snap back home. Because as much as you
are capable of loving those far away and
very different from you, the ones close to
you need you more.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Take the
pressure off. Save the hard goals for anoth-
er day. When you go in with the intention of
having fun, you’re more likely to hit a few of
your other intentions along the way.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You’re a giv-
er. You would never shoo the breadbasket
away without asking everyone else at the
table if they wanted some. As for those who
don’t share your good manners, well — to-
day you should take that as a red flag.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Love can
sneak up and startle or it can sidle up
like it’s always been there. Love is sure to
change tones over and over for anyone who
stays in long enough. Does it really matter
who says “I love you” first?
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Maybe they won’t
like you when you’re mad, but when you get
mad the very last thing you care about is
whether or not they like you. In this regard,
and in many others, it all works out today.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The best
thing to strive for today (maybe the only
thing worth striving for all week) is personal
improvement. The worst thing to strive for
is perfection, with approval coming in at a
close second in the category.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Very impatient
people are the very definition of uncool.
You’ll help yourself stay out of the catego-
ry by planning ahead to avoid the obvious
frustrations such as traffic and long lines.
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). Of course
it’s rude not to call people back, but it’s
maybe worse to engage in the inevitable
conversation that would happen were you
to confront instead of avoid the person.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Gener-
ally speaking, people don’t learn by talking.
There’s great potential to soak up exact-
ly what you’ve been wanting to know, but
you’ll have to listen more carefully than the
others to get it.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). It’s funny
about realizations. Sometimes they aren’t
so “real” after all, especially if they come
when tired or stressed or intoxicated. Write
them down anyway, and see what they look
like in the light of a different day.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You can’t
believe all you hear, or, in today’s case, all
you experience firsthand. As for the com-
motion that topples uncontrollably over this
day, history will balance the tale, reveal its
layered interest and also its usefulness.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’ll be
drawn to the winding, shady path. First of
all, it’s cooler. Secondly, there’s more mys-
tery when you don’t know what or whom
you’ll find around each bend.
THURSDAY’S BIRTHDAY (Nov. 3). You
know what you want, but you’re also open
to better ideas. Because of this, the year will
play out like a magic tapestry with beautiful
patterns interrupted by startlingly gorgeous
surprises. The next 10 weeks show you
pitching a big idea and winning. Improved
fitness and success in relationships will
mark 2017. Virgo and Gemini adore you.
Your lucky numbers are: 9, 40, 12, 22 and
18.