THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017
FEATURES
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
Last-minute parties are irksome
Dear Annie: I have a sister- and struggling to stay organized.
in-law who always has spur-of- Encourage her to cut back on a
the-moment birthday parties for few of the activities. In the long
her children — usually just giv- run, she and her kids would bene-
ing us all one day’s notice. They fit from a “less is more” approach.
Dear Annie: This is my first
are active in school activities and
sports. All of these activities have correspondence to any advice
columnist — and I go
schedules planned weeks
DEAR
way back to the days
in advance, but my sis-
of Ann Landers. Your
ter-in-law’s excuse is
ANNIE
response to “Scuffed”
that the parties have to
was wrong from the salu-
be “squeezed in” when
tation to the period of the
they have time. Well,
last sentence! “Scuffed”
what about my time?
wrote to you because
I am expected to drop
her sister-in-law’s fiance
plans and sacrifice my
“scratched” her car with
own children’s activities
Lane
his truck tires backing
so they can go to their Annie
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
out of the driveway and
cousins’ birthday par-
he refused to pay for the
ties? I feel disrespected.
I’m sure her kids wonder why no damages. “Scuffed” had been
one comes to their parties. How leaving her children there for
should I deal with the next sur- her sister-in-law to baby-sit but
prise-for-everyone party? — was reconsidering that arrange-
ment. You told her to follow her
Party Pooper
Dear Party Pooper: The next instincts and not leave the kids
time this happens, go to the party, there anymore.
You would have her cause a
because your little nieces and
nephews really shouldn’t have family upheaval involving young
to pay the price for their mom’s children because of scratches to
mistakes. But afterward, sit down a car? Really? Just because you
and have a talk with your sis- feel you should always follow
ter-in-law about her schedule. It your gut feeling? And then you
sounds as if she is a bit under- told “Scuffed” to just invite the
water with the kids’ schedules sister-in-law to her house to visit
with the kids instead and said she
would probably want an excuse
to get out of the house anyway
because of her fiance’s “lousy
attitude.”
It’s as if she had an angel and
devil on her shoulders and all
your advice came from the one
holding the pitchfork. How about
taking the high road and a deep
breath and worrying about more
important things in life? In the
fleeting precious time we have
on this earth, keep the peace and
show the love. You’d have her
give that up because of paint on
a car door. C’mon. — Older and
Wiser
Dear Older: I appreciate your
outlook about keeping the peace
and showing the love, but I think
you misunderstood my point. I
wasn’t suggesting that “Scuffed”
stop speaking to her future broth-
er-in-law. I only meant that she
should stop leaving her children
with the couple. Given the man’s
bizarrely aggressive response
to the incident — calling up
“Scuffed” and her husband to
tell them that he’d never apolo-
gize — it seems plausible he has
anger issues. Why risk expos-
ing your children to that sort of
volatility?
5A
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Everybody
needs somebody, and you’re the somebody
who is so needed now that somebody else
seems fastened to you. Being needed so
intensely could bring up mixed feelings.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Money isn’t
inherently emotional, but somehow it will end
up being a hot-button topic today. You’ll be
the reasonable one; you know to separate
your own value from the monetary one in
question.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). There’s some-
thing you want that requires a lot more atten-
tion than you planned to give it. Until you can
lend full focus, it will remain out of reach. The
question now is: How badly do you want it?
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’re not the
casting director for every scene in the grand
play of life. But when you do have the power,
use it. Surround yourself with nice people
and you won’t have to teach people to be
nice.
of the effort.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). As it is with ev-
eryone, your powers of magnetism ebb and
flow. They are flowing now. You may notice
that you’re getting special treatment. Enjoy
this, and don’t give into the temptation to play
with your power.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Today
you’ll be reminded of the inherent tally inside
every relationship. Don’t worry; everyone
involved knows the score, and life is about to
settle a few things up.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You belong
to many groups, though one stands out as
being more central to your well-being lately.
You’ll put your focus there, and you’ll become
an even more effective member of that team.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Those who
obsess over others don’t have quite enough
going on in their own inner circle. You can
help that. Actually, this is a good opportunity
for you to gain support for your cause.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You don’t befriend
anyone just because you think it will take
you places. However, there are some special
friendships that generate such a fantastic
energy that you can’t help but soar upward,
regardless of your original intention.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Things are
about to get busy again. If the arrangement
isn’t working, this is the moment to have a
talk, change the agreement or decide on
a different kind of relationship. Do what’s
needed, and do it quickly.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Hesitate and you
will lose the opportunity, or worse, cast doubt
in the mind of the one who’s doling it out. To-
day’s one of those times to just say yes. You’ll
learn all you need to know along the way.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Feb. 22). Your
times of wishful thinking are over. You’re
ready to make it happen this year. March
sees you well-connected, and relationships
lead to prosperity in the months to follow.
You’ll choose assertiveness over diplomacy
in March, and appropriately so. You’ll update
your environment in April and May. Gemini
and Cancer adore you. Your lucky numbers
are: 9, 50, 3, 24 and 14.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Higher learning
will be featured in your day. This may be
costly in values of time, energy and money,
but you’ll never be sorry, as your richer life
will eventually reflect all the potential benefits
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