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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 2017)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2017 FEATURES Liking the independent life Dear Annie: I moved out they are just missing you. Don’t and started living on my own let them make you feel guilty. several years ago, and I have You might point out to them that fallen in love with living inde- they did such a great job raising pendently. However, over the you that you have the self-con- years, my parents’ insistence fidence to live independently that I move back near home and start your own life. You’re only 300 miles away has increased. Despite DEAR — which, by the way, being only an hour is driving distance — away by plane (about ANNIE so perhaps plan a few 300 miles), they insist more trips home this that I “need to be within year. And who knows? driving distance in case If you decide to have anything happens.” kids someday, you My parents are both might want to be close still working and by no to home so Grandma means need to be cared Lane and Grandpa can help for. If they do need Annie Creators Syndicate Inc. with baby-sitting. to be cared for when Dear Annie: This is they’re older, I will probably move back closer to in response to last month’s letter from “Dog Lover,” who wants them. I’m an only child. But right now, the guilt trip- to get another dog but can’t ping is getting out of hand, and because his wife has refused. I it makes me enjoy my phone can understand the wife’s posi- calls with them less. Lately, tion. I have been married for I don’t feel like calling them over 53 years and have had much, but that bums me out, many cats and dogs as pets in too. How do I let my parents the household. Granted, I have know that I need to be on my been the one to bring them own without hurting their feel- home, but I have also been the one who has done all the care- ings? — Child Forever Dear Child: As annoying taking. My animals have always as it might be, you will always been trained and well-treated. be their little girl, and I’m sure My husband has enjoyed them all but has never put the time in. I have to do the work necessary to have a healthy, happy pet. A dog is like a child. Some- one has to train it (which most people don’t even know how to do) feed it, give it quality time, clean up after it, take it to see a doctor, be prepared to expend large amounts of money on it if necessary, groom it, keep it clean and, most of all, love it like a family member. Many people get pets and then, after a while, totally drop the ball, ignoring or even abus- ing it. Then it’s off to the pound or thrown out of a car on a back road. I suggest that this man vol- unteer at a shelter. When the right animal comes along, he can invite his wife to meet it, and they can decide together whether they want the responsi- bility of a pet and discuss who would be responsible for what. If they decide together it’s the right thing to do for them, then they can give a needy furry friend a home. All my pets have been res- cue animals, and they have all been wonderful family pets. — Mary 5A TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc. ARIES (March 21-April 19). Face and process your emotions in a controlled, safe environment — home alone, writing in a diary or hitting the pillow or the punching bag. This will prevent your feelings from coming out in uncontrollable ways. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You feel nervous around certain people. Maybe it’s not as cute as it is in the movies. Maybe your body is really trying to tell you something about the dynamics of the relationship. Maybe your body is saying, “Run!” GEMINI (May 21-June 21). When there’s no clear path, you either make one or turn around and go home. Much will depend on how im- portant it is to you and yours that you reach the destination you had in mind. CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your worth isn’t tied to another person, no matter who — no matter how powerful — that person might be. Seize the opportunity to assert your indepen- dence, if only to prove to yourself that you’re whole on your own. you” by making bad, self-destructive choices. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It’s not always the case, but today things will work when they’re right and they won’t work when they’re not right. Therefore, don’t spend a lot of energy on trying to make something work when it’s just not click- ing in. Move along. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’re in a mood to ignore what you need to do, but the fact that you need to do it doesn’t go away. Remem- ber why. Remind yourself of the end goal. Want harder, and the motivation will come. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The silliness and absurdities of life don’t get past you. Making someone laugh will be your specialty today, and it will make you happy to know you spread gales of joy across the heart of another. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). True, there’s much you have to fix and more you have to do, but don’t focus there if you can help it. Focus instead on growing what’s already going excep- tionally well. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The performer in you comes with a thicker skin than most — part of the package deal. Because of this, you don’t realize how delicate some people’s feelings really are — something to be extremely aware of today. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’ve been known to lose track of what makes you happy. When something makes you smile and laugh, make a note. It will help remind you to make more of these moments happen. Plus, when you look back, you’ll relive the joy. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Of course you want fun; who doesn’t? But letting yourself have it whenever you want it is a recipe for weakness. Like a good parent, gently remind your inner child of the rewards for sticking to the job at hand until it’s done. TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 4). Your path of compassion will lead you to care for needy individuals who turn out to give you exactly what you didn’t know you needed and so much more. A reunion is in store. April begins a kind of treasure hunt. It’s something else that makes your heart happy in March, but the extra money doesn’t hurt, either. Scorpio and Cancer adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 4, 20, 18, 3 and 22. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). To have a vendetta in your heart can be a very motivating and positive force if used correctly. The “I’ll show you” energy is powerful. Just note: No one ever “showed 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