THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017
FEATURES
Spreading germs around
Dear Annie: We have an
Dear Sanitizing: There are
“open office” format, so during some solutions short of wearing
cold and flu season, we’re a hazmat suit to work. For one,
pretty much always passing talk to someone in your human
around something or other. resources department. If people
My co-worker “Dana” keeps are constantly out sick, it’s no
getting sick with colds, the good for your employer’s bot-
tom line. The company
flu, sinus infections,
DEAR
should promote work-
etc., and I’ve noticed
place cleanliness and
that Dana seems to be
ANNIE
employee health, per-
patient zero for the rest
haps by sending out a
of us. She comes in
companywide memo
with the sniffles, and
with tips on how not to
a week later, we’re all
spread illness. If Dana
dropping like flies.
keeps up her germ-fac-
Another
thing
tory ways, I do not
I’ve noticed is that
Lane
think it would be out
she doesn’t wash her Annie
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
of line for you to talk
hands after using the
to her privately. Per-
restroom at work. I’ve
also seen her sneeze into her haps lead in by giving her the
hands. She uses hand sani- benefit of the doubt. Say, for
tizer at her desk, but I don’t see example, “I’ve noticed you
how that can get rid of all the often use hand sanitizer at your
germs properly. I’m so grossed desk. I didn’t know this myself
out. I want to say something to until recently, but that doesn’t
her, but I don’t want to sound actually eliminate a lot of the
judgmental. Is there any tact- germs.” Though you really
ful way to encourage her to be shouldn’t have to tell her how
more hygienic and more care- to properly wash her hands, it
ful about not spreading germs? wouldn’t hurt to mention that
Or should I just start wearing she should use clean running
surgical masks? I’d appreciate water and lather, scrub and rinse
some help here. — Sanitizing her hands thoroughly. With any
luck, you’ll be able to wash
My Desk
your hands of this situation.
Dear Annie: “Slapped in
the Face” wrote to you about
how her husband had wanted
her to meet his new sweetie.
You told her that he must be
“miserable” to try to bring her
down that way, because “the
happier a person is the more
he or she wants others to be
happy.”
He isn’t necessarily “miser-
able.” He’s probably just ego-
tistical, self-centered and clue-
less. My ex wanted me and the
children to congratulate him on
the wonderful new life he was
going to have and was actually
surprised and angry when we
didn’t.
Though “Slapped” won’t
believe it yet, she’s the one
who will have the wonder-
ful new life she can’t imagine
now. She’s learning something
valuable about herself. Mean-
while, he’s going to make the
same old mistakes because he
won’t have to learn. — Burl-
ington, Vt.
Dear Burlington: Congrat-
ulations on the fact that your
louse of an ex is no longer in
your life. “Slapped” is indeed
better off, too.
3C
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). The perfect thing
for you now is a system that allows you to
operate freely within it — even break out of it —
because you know it’s a loose guide and not a
stone tablet gospel.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The key to being
“on” in the moment when it matters may be in
being “off” before it matters. All that you do to
rest and recharge today will count toward next
week’s success.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You’ll deal with the
difficult people again, because you’re often the
only one in your group who can. Just remember,
the loudmouths are usually trying to project
a bigger sense of themselves to hide deep
insecurities.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). The meditator
aims to master the mind by emptying it. Logical-
ly, it would seem that fewer thoughts would be
easier to manage. Another, perhaps easier, way
to have fewer thoughts will be to lose yourself in
your favorite activity.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It’s like you’re given a
key today — just one, but one is all you need.
The same key will open the door to a few differ-
ent opportunities, some of them most enjoyable,
some terrible. So go with caution, testing things
out along the way.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). When you think
you understand but don’t really, it’s worse
than knowing you’re clueless. The latter is an
invitation for learning, the former an invitation
for mistakes.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Stick too close to
the tradition, routine or plan and the result will
have less life in it than the zingy unpredictability
of your inspired whims. Surround yourself with
people who get this.
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). The Zen
proverb says, “The wild geese do not intend
to cast their reflections. The water has no
mind to receive their images.” Unintended
validation, beauty and grace will be part of your
day.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). In all matters
of life, from choosing a mate to choosing a
teacher (home-repair person, tour guide,
babysitter or any role at all that needs filling in
your life), what matters is not that it’s a perfect
match but that it’s a good fit.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). No matter how
much money a person has, there will always be
options that cost more. So don’t wish for wealth
as you face today’s financial decisions; wish for
wisdom.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). To seek “the”
truth may be a waste of the day, as there are
thousands of informational bits to sort through,
held together by only the most tenuous threads
of the stuff. Instead seek “your” truth (also diffi-
cult, but less so).
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your fortunes will
be augmented when you are sweet to your fam-
ily for an hour, unless you are too busy: Then
your fortunes will be augmented when you are
sweet to your family for two hours.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (March 11). You
don’t have to know your way; the map is in you
and the map is you. Friends will inspire you to
travel. Family will provide you with a money-
making opportunity so you can do it right. Next
month: Rethink; revamp; remodel. June brings
a fork in the road and a big decision, but don’t
stress; revert back to sentence one. Aquarius
and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are:
10, 4, 44, 48 and 1.