FEATURES
8A
Pastor seeks appreciation
Dear Annie: I am the pastor of a
beautiful church in a small commu-
nity. Because we have a beautiful
sanctuary, we get a lot of requests
to have weddings in our church.
Because I think it’s important for
every human to know a minister
to whom they can turn in the case
of an emergency, I am willing to
do these weddings and have never
charged a fee for doing so.
At one time, the couples I mar-
ried appreciated this effort and
sent thank-you cards, small gifts or
honorariums. However, the most
recent couples I married did not
even bother to send a thank-you
note. These are people who spend
$15,000 on a wedding and appar-
ently don’t think the minister’s time
is worth appreciation.
Please, for the sake of ministers
throughout the country, would you
remind your readers that churches
do not pay their pastors extra for
weddings and it is considered good
manners to make some effort to
compensate a minister for the time
they put into a wedding. In the
meantime, unfortunately, my pol-
icy now includes a mandatory fee
to cover my time. Blessings to you!
— Unappreciated Pastor
Dear Unappreciated: It’s
unfortunate when a few bad apples
Dear Annie
By
Annie
Lane
Creators
Syndicate
Inc.
spoil the barrel. I agree with you;
it was rude of those couples not
to give a donation or even send
a thank-you note. You were kind
enough to volunteer your time
The fee sounds like a reasonable
solution, and as long as you keep
it relatively small, it shouldn’t dis-
courage people from getting mar-
ried at your church.
Whether or not every couple
fully appreciates you. I’m grate-
ful there are people like you doing
good work in the world.
Dear Annie: My husband and I
met at a casino in Las Vegas. I was
on a bachelorette trip for my best
friend, and he was on a bachelor trip
for his brother. We were sitting with
all our friends at the blackjack table,
and we both kept getting blackjack.
It turned out we both lived in San
Francisco, so it just felt like com-
plete fate. And it was!
For our fifth anniversary, we
went to Vegas to celebrate where
we met, gambled the night away
and had fun. Our 10th year is com-
ing up, and he is asking me to go
again. But over the past five years,
he has been gambling online a great
deal. He has been hiding part of
his income from me and gets very
defensive when I ask him where the
money is going. I’ve stopped ask-
ing because it just causes fights.
I am beginning to think that he
has a problem, and Vegas is not
where I want to go to celebrate
our anniversary, as I don’t want to
encourage of this type of behavior.
— Married to a High Roller
Dear Married: It’s time to take
off that poker face and have a real
conversation with your husband
about his gambling. This is a very
serious addiction and needs to be
treated as such.
The nonprofit Gamblers Anon-
ymous provides support for com-
pulsive gamblers who wish to stop.
The best anniversary gift for both of
you would be his attending one of
the group’s meetings.
His road to recovery may be
rough and meandering. Look
after yourself so that his addiction
doesn’t destroy your psyche.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2016
Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). The work will
be hard, but it’s the kind of hard you choose
for yourself. Because this challenge was one
of your own deciding, you’ll approach it with a
glad heart and a willing hand.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). People will tell
you that the past doesn’t matter anymore. In-
correct. The past matters a great deal. It’s the
foundation for what you’re building now. Sift,
sort and reframe it if you have to, in the name
of self-empowerment.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You’re willing
to accept that you have to take on some of
the dull or difficult work to better yourself.
But does it all have to be dull or difficult? Of
course not. Get your fair share of fun in there.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Time to drop
that person who makes you feel undeserv-
ing. You’re not doing anyone favors by feeling
guilty for wanting to be your own person, live
your own life and claim the freedom that is
your birthright.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’re in a mood to
compartmentalize, to devote yourself entirely
to what you’re involved with, no looking back
(or sideways, or forward for that matter). With
this attitude, you’ll be mightily productive.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). If you have the
privilege of spending time with one who has
not yet been molded by society in the sense
of right and wrong and its prejudices and
manners, you will learn quite a lot. The un-
der-8 set can be wonderful teachers.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The most fun
you’ll have today will be in doing something
you’re more or less awful at. There’s some-
thing about knowing it’s not going to be good
that will set free the laughter of your soul.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). People can
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
be very unfair, self-serving and just plain
strange in what they choose to acknowledge
or ignore. If you’re not getting the validation
you crave it may be because someone is
threatened by your fabulousness.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). If your
relationship is a muscle group, empathy is
the dumbbell you need to lift again and again
in order to strengthen it. Tired of being empa-
thetic? Set it down. Shake it off. Take a break
before you go another round.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Hard work
doesn’t always pay off in the result it was
aimed toward, but it always pays off in some
way. Character, self-esteem, the attainment of
skills and relationships — it will come back to
you in some way, believe it.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Spend as
much time as you can with people who live
the way you want to live, who achieve the re-
sults you value and who make you feel good
about what you have to offer. It’s a no-brainer,
but it bears repeating.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Serenity and
attachment won’t go together today. The ac-
tion of bonding will involve friction. You can
still find happiness, though. Either accept that
relationships are going to be emotionally tax-
ing or opt for solitude.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Nov. 8). If
your life were a novel, this chapter might be
called “A Year of Celebration.” It’s not that
you hedonistically seek constant fun; it’s just
that the blessings keep coming. You find joy
in work. Relationships will be healed. New
friendships will bring adventure to your world.
Bonus money comes in July and September.
Aries and Virgo adore you. Your lucky num-
bers are: 9, 30, 50, 2 and 15.