THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018
FEATURES
In need of walk-in showers
Dear Annie: My wife and I walk-in showers available. At
are both in our 80s, and though least then, travelers could have
we do not travel as much as we a choice. — W.C. in Waycross,
once did, we are still able to Ga.
get around a bit. I am in fairly
Dear W.C.: You raise an
good physical condition, but my excellent and important point.
wife must use either a cane or a Though I can’t offer you a solu-
tion, I can open the dis-
walker. The problem is
DEAR
cussion up to my read-
this:
ers, as well as use this
When we stop at
ANNIE
a hotel or motel for
platform to implore
the night, it is almost
hoteliers to consider the
impossible to get a
safety of seniors (and
room with a walk-in
anyone with limited
shower. Even if we get
mobility) when design-
ing their bathrooms.
a “handicapped” room,
For many, grab bars
it will usually have a tub
Lane
aren’t enough.
with a shower and pos- Annie
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
sibly rails. It is impos-
Dear Readers: I
sible for my wife to get
recently published a let-
into a tub, and I cringe at the ter from “Waiting Games,” who
thought of having to stand in a was tired of her good friend’s
tub while showering. I can’t help chronic tardiness. I heard from a
but wonder just how many peo- lot of you about your own expe-
ple traveling take a bath in a tub riences with this issue.
of water as opposed to using the
Dear Annie: I used to be
shower.
chronically tardy. For me, the
I have tried to get the atten- tardiness was based on my
tion of some of the motel chains untreated depression and lack
about this, but I seem to get of self-esteem. So sometimes
nowhere. Perhaps you could get tardiness is caused by some
your readers to weigh in on this underlying issue. Some days,
and see what the general feeling it was so hard for me to get out
is on the subject. I would surely of the house. I can put on a fake
like to see more rooms with “everything is fine” face, and no
5A
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
one asked why I always seemed
to have a hard time getting to
places. But asking why is not a
bad place to start a discussion
with someone you care about.
Just sayin’. — Moki
Dear Moki: Shrewd point,
and yet another testament to the
power of leading with empathy.
Thank you for writing.
Dear Annie: I used to be
15 minutes late to everything. I
would leave the house the time I
was supposed to be places. When
I was finally psychologically
ready to change that, I tricked
myself by telling myself to be 15
minutes early. I also wrote notes
with the time I needed to leave
instead of the time I needed to be
somewhere. The flip side is that
the friend can adjust her think-
ing, expecting the arrival 15
minutes later than planned. —
Susan in Santa Fe
Dear Susan: The phrase that
stuck out most in your letter to
me was “when I was finally psy-
chologically ready to change
that.” It seems that many chron-
ically tardy people have a psy-
chological block of some sort.
I’d be curious to know what
finally removed that for you and
others.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You’re not always
in control, and that’s part of what makes your
life so magical. In your highest hopes you
wouldn’t have come up with some of these
great twists and turns.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). How are you
taking care of yourself now? If you were to take
10 percent better care of yourself, what would
that look like? Ten percent may not seem like
much, but it’s more than enough to land you in
a completely better circumstance.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). With your powers of
visualization augmented by the cosmic climate,
imagining the best for yourself opens doors in
your psyche. You also currently have access
to far greater wisdom than you ever knew was
inside of you.
harden their hearts and turn away from need.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). At the end of the
day you will owe your success to a flexible man-
ner of thinking. It won’t go according to plan, but
it will go, because you had a plan and a goal
that you kept moving toward.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Even
when you’re subject to the will of others and
immutable laws of nature you’re still perfectly
aware of what can be used to your advantage.
This keen consciousness will benefit all around
you.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Strong choic-
es are definitive. They cut you off from the other
options. There’s beauty in this if you accept it. A
decision will be required of you. Once you make
your choice, own it.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Responsibilities
won’t be assigned, and responsible people
don’t need them to be. They step in and handle
what needs to be done like a boss, knowing
that the dutiful are also the ones with the most
influence.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Writing matters.
Writing can reveal the message of your heart
you didn’t even know. One way to galvanize
your inner forces is to channel them through
the ink of a pen and let them bleed purposefully
onto the paper.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). If you’re going to mea-
sure yourself, you’ll use your own standards of
excellence for the comparison. You’re relatively
unconcerned with the competition, which is one
of the secrets to your success.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your time is too
valuable to waste on trying to figure out things
that have long been perfected by others. Pony
up for the expert work so you can spend your
hours taking projects you care about to the next
level.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). History is written
by the winners. Losing the battle is often also
losing your chance to tell the story your way.
Knowing this, you’ll look back and wonder what
else there is to learn. The concept will apply
both personally and globally.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You’ve been through
hard times, and it’s why you’re so compassion-
ate with those who are going through it now. It’s
also why you’re so frustrated with those who
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
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 10). Unseen
powers conspire to delight you all year long.
Your heart will be light. Someone younger will
lift, inspire and motivate you. Unexpected cash
will solve a problem before March. The obstacle
in May is lucky! You’ll find a much better way.
Summer brings education and mind-expanding
travel. Virgo and Libra adore you. Your lucky
numbers are: 4, 2, 11, 40 and 26.