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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 21, 2017)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2017 FEATURES Happy with small-town life Dear Annie: I currently live ties? Well, yes, sometimes. But in a small town in rural Mis- I’m happy here. And I’m happy souri. I grew up here, and my Jessica is here, too. When not husband grew up here, and we complaining, she’s an incred- plan on raising our own family ible friend. How do I keep my here, as well. The only time I friendship without disregarding left was for college. I moved to my town? — Country Catie St. Louis for four years Dear Country DEAR and enjoyed the new Catie: It’s time to adventures of big-city remind your city-lov- ANNIE life, but I moved back ing friend of the value home right after grad- of small-town humil- uation. One of my best ity. Be very clear with college girlfriends, “Jes- Jessica that though you appreciate and under- sica,” who’s also from stand what she loves here, recently moved about a big city, you and back for family reasons Lane your husband prefer the after having stayed in Annie Creators Syndicate Inc. quiet of the country. Tell the city for another five her that when she’s not years. Annie, my issue is that Jes- complaining, she’s an incredi- sica is always complaining to ble friend. In the end, she will me about how boring our home- appreciate your honesty. And town is and how she can’t wait perhaps it will cause her to to leave, and she draws out old pause and reflect on her current college experiences to make me life, what’s making her unhappy agree with her. I’ve tried tell- and what she could do to change ing her that though I did love it — as opposed to reminiscing being in a big city, I’m really about her glory days in college. Dear Annie: A recent col- a small-town person. However, she refuses to listen and keeps umn of yours addressed peo- pressuring me to move back ple’s making comments about to St. Louis with her. Don’t I a person’s height. (The letter miss the culture? The art? The was from “Had It Up to Here.”) restaurants? The job opportuni- Even more common is the prac- tice of commenting on a per- son’s body size, either positive or negative. It seems that many people are flattered when some- one comments about weight loss. I, for one, am very uncom- fortable when people make any comment about my body size. It seems that it is now also accept- able to say, “Oh, I see you put on a few pounds.” When did we become a society that accepts such personal comments from people we barely know? And if a person does not want to receive such comments, what response could possibly be appropriate? — Comments Too Personal Dear Comments Too Per- sonal: I agree that comment- ing on a person’s weight is never advisable, no matter how well-intentioned. Sometimes a sarcastic response (“Gee, thanks”) is in order; sometimes it’s better to just let such com- ments roll off your back and leave them behind you, where they belong. But I’m printing this let- ter here as a PSA: Please don’t comment on another person’s weight loss or weight gain, height, shoe size, hair loss, etc. Zip it. 3C TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc. ARIES (March 21-April 19). A deal is on the table. The scope of this feels large — like it will bring you everything forever or nothing ever again. Try to calm down about it because it’s not as drastic as it sounds. Anyway, it’s too early to decide. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Maybe nothing is anyone’s responsibility. Bickering over who should do something to help is petty, ugly and weak. Your philosophy: Those who got lucky and are doing OK should help those who didn’t, period. So don’t worry. You’re not missing much by skipping the doors that are closed to you. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Your day will be inspired by love and guided by knowledge. Wanting anything beyond this is just greedy — but hey, that’s a part of being human. Keep your joyful tone and much will be accomplished. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Life can’t go according to plan if you have no plan. Maybe that will be a good thing today. There were some shortsighted aspects to your vision and that will be remedied once you get away from it a while. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your aim to increase the happiness and/or reduce the suffering of those around you will be fulfilled at little cost to yourself. You’ll simply and nat- urally move toward the thing that feels better. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your life will be more of an inspiration than your words ever could be. So before you set out to inspire anyone, think about what would feel inspiring to you and do that. CANCER (June 22-July 22). As for the bad decision back there, it’s time to forget it. Did you really have that much of a choice? Anyway, that’s how it went and there’s no benefit in thinking further into it. What’s your plan today? That’s what matters. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). There’s a chance that meaning inside the main event of the day is nonexistent until assigned. You’d be wise not to chase it or think too hard about it. Just name it and move forward. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Socially skilled, you are punctual, you order fast and you get to the point. Making people wait is rude unless you can’t help it, or unless you are artfully helping people anticipate what is to come to heighten their ultimate enjoyment. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You have something worth sharing, so do. Be crisp. Use as many words as you need to get the point across and no more. Be transparent. Hold nothing back. Make the other person’s understanding your only desire. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). What’s complicated isn’t smarter; what’s costlier isn’t richer. Today’s inaccessible things aren’t worthwhile anyway. 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 PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Our brains already tend to build the narratives that we prefer to believe. What’s going to happen when we can take it to the next level with memory implants? The science-fiction future will be today’s creative playground. TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (July 22). You want to be admired and supported, not en- vied and controlled. You’ll get free of oppres- sive influences and shine in new ways this year. Your tendency will be to work very hard. Taking vacation days may actually prevent you from having to take sick days! November and March bring opportunity to deepen love. Scorpio and Capricorn adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 27, 1, 29 and 45.
