FEATURES
6A
Overcoming vices with love
Dear Annie: When my hus-
band and I got married a little over
three years ago, we both had our
vices. Mine was that I was smok-
ing a pack a day of cigarettes, and
his was that he was 20 pounds
overweight and did not watch what
he ate. We vowed to really try to
overcome our unhealthy habits. I
quit smoking within six months of
being married, and he started eat-
ing better and running five times a
week. Within the year, he had lost
his 20 pounds. We were both feel-
ing great. I have not had a cigarette
in three years, and he had kept off
the weight until recently.
About a year ago, he was laid
off from his job, and he’s not been
able to find a new one. He has been
trying really hard but with no luck.
Needless to say, he has been very
discouraged and is not feeling great
about himself — which has caused
him to start back with some of his
old unhealthy eating habits. He has
stopped running and is eating a pint
of ice cream almost every night.
I don’t want to say anything to
him about our pact because I know
that this is a stressful time for him
and I want to be supportive, but it
hurts me to see him going down a
self-destructive path. Should I say
anything to him about our pact, or
Dear Annie
By
Annie
Lane
Creators
Syndicate
Inc.
should I wait to see whether he gets
a job and starts to feel good again?
— Made a Pact
Dear Pact: When is the ideal
time to improve my physical fit-
ness? The answer is always the
same: Now.
Your husband doesn’t need to
wait to get a job to start getting back
in shape. In fact, if he starts eat-
ing better and exercising more, he
will probably have a better chance
of finding a job, because he’ll feel
better about himself and exude
more confidence. Gently remind
him about the pact, and help him
put down the pint of rocky road for
some healthful bedtime snacks.
Make clear that you’re coming
from a place of love, not judgment.
Keep an open line of communica-
tion and check in on his emotional
well-being.
And congrats to you on quitting
smoking. That is no small feat.
Dear Annie: One of your read-
ers asked what the benefit is of
putting yourself out there to heal
wounds between kin. I can tell her.
My siblings and I got into a
long-lasting argument. Finally,
when my husband became ill, each
began to talk to me. They were not,
however, talking to each other.
When my husband passed away
and my brother got ill, I moved
back home to take care of him in
July. Still, I only saw one at a time
until, at Christmastime, I had a
party and invited both of them. I
told each the other would be com-
ing, and I expected both to be there
and act decently toward each other.
Imagine my delight when my
sister came in, went directly to my
brother and gave him a huge hug,
which he returned!
Since that time, we have all
been close to one another, helping
whenever it’s needed, enjoying fun
times and realizing how much we
missed with the previous quarrels.
The quarrels were not about minor
things, but the coming together as
brother and sisters was larger.
It’s worth the effort, because
family is the one thing we need
around us. — Happy to Referee
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016
Tomorrow’s horoscope
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). They are acting
as though the situation calls for restraint. Not
really. It’s just that no one is taking initiative.
Get in there and make things memorable.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Many wonder-
ful ideas started out as dreams. You’re familiar
with this phenomenon; you’ve experienced it
yourself, and you will again meet a prophecy,
solution or generally actionable idea in dream-
land.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You can’t stand
the idea of “phoning it in.” If you don’t feel fully
committed to the performance, you’ll take it as
a sign you need to reach deeper and try hard-
er. You expect the same efforts from others.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Before you go
into battle, ask yourself if it’s necessary or if
you’ve merely gotten so used to struggling that
you’ve made it your default. Stop fighting for
your freedom and start behaving as a person
who is already free.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Sometimes your
high expectations stop you from fully enjoy-
ing what is. Not today! As long as you remain
open-minded, your projection of what might
occur will only serve to make things more
magical.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). This started last
night. The ideas you went to sleep with threw
a caucus in your head, and their decisions will
make you a different person today than you
were yesterday, as evidenced by an unusual
choice you make.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You know what
it’s like to be your own worst enemy. There was
a time when, inexplicably, you acted against
your best interests, but now you seek victory
over that part of yourself and your better an-
gels will win out.
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). Boredom
isn’t just for spoiled kids and over-privileged
inhabitants of First World countries. It’s actu-
ally a genuinely soul-sucking danger that you
should take rather seriously and preemptively
defend against.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). As for the
ones who act as though the rest of the world
was born to serve them — no one benefits
from this dynamic. Be bold. Burst that bubble.
Draw the boundaries, and restore the balance.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Those
who were born into unconventional home
situations often long for what they believe is
normalcy, while the so-called “normals” seek
a life that defies tradition. Whichever category
you’re in, you’ll stretch into the other.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your rela-
tionship with time will be a focus. There’s this
pull to do something different with your min-
utes, as you’d prefer them to feel like they are
flowing one to the next instead of merely sep-
arating events.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The one you
love will love you back, though perhaps not
in the manner you would prefer. This is partly
about selfishness and partly about misinfor-
mation. Don’t hint. Just tell the other person
what to do.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Nov. 9). You
know who needs you, and you know why.
Being there for others brings you a profound
sense of satisfaction, never mind the fact that
efforts and energy will boomerang back in
triplicate. You’ll be a mentor in January and a
student in March. An investment will pay off
handsomely in May. Cancer and Sagittarius
adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 6, 30, 15,
4 and 34.