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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 2017)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017 FEATURES Roommates are ruining coffee table Dear Annie: Help! My cof- defense is a good offense. Call a fee table is slowly being ruined, local custom glass-cutting busi- and I don’t know how to prevent ness and have a protective top it without seeming like a control made to the dimensions of your freak. table. This should be relatively This table was my first big inexpensive (between $40 and furniture purchase, after years of $60) — well worth the peace of Ikea bargain pieces and Craig- mind. slist freebies. I got some Dear Annie: Thank DEAR really cute coasters right you for publishing a away, hoping to protect recent letter from a per- ANNIE the table. But no mat- son in need of a kidney transplant. Kidney dis- ter how many times I’ve asked my roommates, ease does not get the they keep forgetting to attention it deserves. Thirty-one million peo- use the coasters. They’ll place a cold drink right ple — babies, young next to a coaster but not children, teenagers, Lane adults and senior citizens on it. It drives me crazy! Annie Creators Syndicate Inc. I’ve asked at least 10 — are dealing with this times now. They are start- illness. Some aren’t even ing to get a bit better about it and aware they have kidney disease are remembering sometimes, but until symptoms appear. There is no cure for kidney failure. their friends are not. On Jan. 3, my sister died from I feel awkward going in there when they have guests over and complications of kidney failure. placing their drinks on the coast- Her last two years were not quality ers. I don’t want to make anyone years. Even dialysis has devastat- uncomfortable, and I’d love to be ing side effects. She was in and out more relaxed about this, but I’m of the hospital too many times. She already noticing rings on the table fought long and hard. She leaves and some warping. How can I behind a young teenage daughter get my roommates to listen to me and a husband, who stood by her without blowing up at them? — side every step of the way. As her sister, I could not sit by Coaster Crazy Dear Coaster: The best and watch her suffer. I tried every- thing to find her a living donor. I purchased a billboard where she lived. I posted on Facebook. I put my request on the back window of my car. I did radio, newspaper and TV interviews on her behalf because my sister and her fam- ily were financially, mentally and physically exhausted. The transplant hospitals do not look for living donors for those in need. This is the responsibility of the family. I will always won- der what else I could have done. Like my sister, some become too sick or die before getting a second chance at life. My beautiful sister is just a statistic now. There are currently 98,000 people on the kidney transplant waiting list. I know many people who are registered organ donors. This is not enough. Take it one step further and be tested as a liv- ing kidney donor. Call your local hospital and ask for the procure- ment center it works with. — A Grieving Sister in Kansas Dear Grieving: I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved sister. Thank you for raising awareness about the importance of living kidney donors. Readers inter- ested in becoming donors, visit https://www.kidney.org for more information. 5A TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc. ARIES (March 21-April 19). When they say, “the strong one” or “the one you can always count on,” who pops into your mind? This person needs more attention and love than you might have guessed. It’s worth a call today. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It’s said that living well is the best revenge, but why wait until you’re retaliating to start living well? Begin now for no reason at all except that you deserve excellent self-care and it benefits everyone. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Maybe your hopes for the situation are a bit unreasonable, but don’t give them up yet. In archery and other pursuits, you have to aim above the target to hit the goal. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your friends will say nice things to you. And your good friends will also say harsh things to you if such things will benefit you in the long run — or, at the very least, they’ll tell you when you have spinach in your teeth. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The emotional terrain that stretches before you is uncharted. You’ve the toughness of an explorer, though, and that’s what’s needed to brave these wild hills, dark but full of diamonds. CANCER (June 22-July 22). Set down the remote. The entertainment in your personal life will render other forms of drama superfluous. Bonus: Tonight brings even more spontaneous excitement. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The old-school wisdom that you should not trouble another person for what you can do yourself flies in the face of effective management. Bottom line: You will not advance to your full potential while taking on every task yourself. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’ve an important moment coming up. Practice to the point where the desired result is automatic. If this doesn’t seem to calm your nerves, don’t worry too much. The best training for getting over nerves is being nervous. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). No one is untouched by her community and environment. Even if you decide not to converse, volunteer or join your efforts in any way with those around you, you’ll feel the good thoughts and intentions of those present. 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 CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Is there some higher morality than the one that feeds social stability, justice and peace? It’s a subject of debate today, and yet it’s pretty obvious what people need. “The people’s good is the highest law.” — Cicero AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Some will keep score, but it’s a waste of time. And don’t be over- ly concerned about who gets the last laugh, ei- ther. As long as everyone laughs at some point, the comedy of life is playing out as it should. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). There are many privileges to be enjoyed. Luxuries are nothing to be embarrassed about, as long as they are paid for. Some say that even being in the world is a luxury. What responsibility do you assume for the trade? TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (April 19). The worries go away. All that was blocking your signal will move out. In May, the love you feel for someone will make you bold. Follow through with spontaneous ideas: Go big. What you do to make another person remember you will be how you remember yourself. A fine mess turns into an opportunity of a lifetime in July. Cancer and Leo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 20, 16, 21 and 33.