THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2017
FEATURES
No one is calling her back
Dear Annie: I am in my mid- all of us. My parents were preoc-
60s. I live in a small town, where cupied with him and expected the
I know lots of people but have rest of us kids to take care of our-
only one friend I can count on. selves, and because there were no
Another really good friend had to other kids in the neighborhood to
move out of state for her job. And befriend, I feel that I was unpre-
another friend I have known for pared to make friends. I could
have been a better friend
35 years, but I get abso-
DEAR
to people as I became an
lutely nothing in return.
adult but didn’t really get
We only get together if I
ANNIE
it at the time. I get along
reach out to her. I’d like
fairly well socially now,
to cut her off, but I have
but there is no one I can
no one to take her place.
call and say, “Hey, let’s
My extended fam-
do something.” I also
ily members are not too
worry about what would
far away, but they are too
happen if my husband or
busy to make a phone
Lane
I got sick. Whom would
call or send an email. Annie
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
I call for support?
I’m friendly with my
Facebook makes me
husband’s family mem-
bers, but they never call or make sad because it appears that others
any effort to keep us informed my age are still enjoying a very
of family news. My husband active social life. Has our culture
has never helped in that regard created an atmosphere in which
because he doesn’t keep in touch no one cares, or is it just me? —
with them, either. He also makes Nobody Calls
Dear Nobody Calls: First
no effort to get together with
friends. I have a happy marriage off, there aren’t any people who
but need more than my husband are having as good a time as they
seem to be on Facebook. If look-
to keep me company.
Having no friends is a prob- ing at those posts is bringing you
lem I have had my whole life. down, log off for a while. Sec-
My family was rather dysfunc- ond, the best way to get some-
tional, with a brother who was body to call is to call her first. I
troubled and made it difficult for know; you have tried reaching
out. But keep trying.
Check out Meetup, a website
designed to bring people together
in real life over common inter-
ests. There’s a group for every-
one — amateur quantum phys-
icists, alcohol-free adventurers,
beer-drinking
book-clubbers,
puzzle enthusiasts, bridge play-
ers. The point is that you need to
get out and try new things. .
Dear Annie: Your advice to
“Broken Living Room,” missed
the mark and may cause the
breakup of a friendship.
Chairs are constructed to
withstand years strain of over-
weight bottoms. If this friend
was capable of getting to “Bro-
ken Living Room’s” house and
getting herself seated, her weight
was not the cause of the chair’s
failure. The chair in question
was either of poor quality or well
on its way to failure before the
friend sat in it.
“Broken Living Room”
should replace the chair with a
quality chair, or she should find
a place to put her fragile chair
where heavy friends won’t use it.
Then she should forget the inci-
dent and nurture her friendship.
She shouldn’t blame the friend.
— Overweight Chair-User
3C
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Everyone makes
mistakes. You’re apt to forgive and forget when
the mistake is someone else’s. Forgive your-
self, too, so that you can go back to believing
wholeheartedly in your own goodness.
like someone you get jealous of anyone who’s
ever had a piece of that person’s heart. Of
course, if you keep going along these lines, it’s
going to be an exhausting journey. Feel free to
stop anytime.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Even though
sacrificing much and working very hard isn’t
a cakewalk, the one who makes you work
harder will, oddly enough, be your hero. You
don’t know what’s inside you until you open it
up and put it to the test.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). It’s not
going to be fun if you’re too worried about
what other people think. It’s good, however,
to know how other people think. That will help
you create a logical and comfortable flow to
interactions.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). When you have
a flair for something, your time yields more
potent results. Invest yourself there! You might
make colleagues angry and jealous at first, but
they will get over it in time.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). This isn’t a
thing about timing. It’s real, and it would contin-
ue to be real in any time frame. You love, and
you are loved. You give fun communication,
and you get it back. What it’s really saying: You
love and you are loved.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Most of the
armors we build around ourselves are not
truly hard and impenetrable. Instead they are
like decorated parchment paper, easily poked
through for the person with such an intention.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Stop judging yourself
in terms of being good or bad at something.
Your innate talent is beside the point. The
thing to focus on is progress. Figure out how to
improve. That’s what’s important.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). If you haven’t
achieved to the level you think you’re capable
of, these are the days you’ll push yourself. How
can you give, love, extend a little more? You’ll
figure it out and execute.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Maximize the input
from your team. It’s no small thing to have peo-
ple around you who believe in you and support
you. Also, you’ll learn today that the one who is
on your side is really, really on your side.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When you really
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
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The giddiness
you’re experiencing might remind you of some-
thing that visited your stomach in a classroom
when the test was being passed out, or when
that certain very attractive someone was
strolling by.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The passion is
there. It’s alive. It’s in you. The work doesn’t
seem to be channeling it, and that’s where you
have to push yourself. You know how to do this.
Just do it.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 14). Cosmic
boldness will have you making more money
and taking more chances in the first three
months of the year. You’ll see how shrinking
wasn’t serving you. In May, your wishes will be
the wishes of others, and the collective energy
will push things up, over and out. New living
arrangements will help your work in July. Leo
and Libra adore you. Your lucky numbers are:
2, 22, 28, 5 and 9.