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.