THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2018
FEATURES
Married, but still alone
Dear Annie: My husband is going on with you and your
and I have been married for husband, it’s clear the status
almost 30 years. Sometimes I quo isn’t acceptable. Partners
think I don’t know him at all. should not begrudge each other
He hardly calls or texts me for having dinner with friends
when at work, but he would or talking often to siblings. It
call his siblings at any time sounds as though you’re both
of the day. He doesn’t
stuck in a toxic cycle,
DEAR
answer my calls or
and it’s going to take
an outside force to
respond to my texts
ANNIE
break you out of it.
messages, either. He is
Ask your husband to
often late from work,
usually arriving two
attend marriage coun-
seling. If he refuses,
hours after he’s done
seek therapy on your
even though it’s 30
own; websites such as
minutes away.
I feel isolated and
BetterHelp and Talk-
Lane
space connect patients
lonely. I’m often per- Annie
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
plexed by my hus-
with health care pro-
fessionals via video
band’s reaction when-
ever I tell him how I feel. chats, text messages and phone
Recently, I told him, “I don’t calls, so you don’t even need
think you love me.” And he to leave your house to get
replied, “Go tell your friends help. But please, do get help. It
that.” He isn’t happy if I go out could change your life.
for dinner with my girlfriends.
Dear Annie: I disagree
He seldom goes out, because I with your answer to “Doctor
caught him lying once.
Mother,” who noticed a lump
I feel trapped and tired in on her son’s girlfriend’s neck.
this relationship. What should My husband, “Bob,” was sit-
I do? — Is This Married Life? ting next to his boss, “Roger,”
Dear Is This Married who is a doctor and health com-
Life?: Trapped, isolated and missioner. Roger noticed that
lonely — so much sadness in Bob’s neck bumped out when
such a short letter. Whatever he swallowed. Roger exam-
5A
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ined Bob’s neck while he swal-
lowed again and said to go for
a biopsy. It was thyroid can-
cer in both lobes of his thyroid,
which he then had removed.
A year later, I noticed a
lump in my daughter’s neck
during a visit. She was in her
early 20s. She followed my
advice and had it checked
out. A biopsy revealed can-
cer in a lymph node that had
come from her thyroid. She
had the thyroid removed one
month later. Had I not insisted,
the cancer could have spread
even further. I don’t even want
to think of that possible out-
come. Today she is 39 and can-
cer-free. My husband is also
cancer-free.
So my advice for “Doc-
tor Mother” is to speak up and
tell her son’s girlfriend to get it
checked out. Better to be safe
than sorry! A lump isn’t always
a skin condition. It could be a
swollen lymph node. — WNY
Reader
Dear WNY Reader: You’re
absolutely right. I should have
more seriously considered the
stakes. I’m printing your letter
to correct the record. Thanks
for writing.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You won’t be able
to put your finger on exactly what’s changed.
You’re you, only happier. With a cursory look
at the situation, it will be hard to say why. But
closer examination just might reveal the culprit:
love.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The joke sug-
gests we are all equal, but some are more
equal than others. While you don’t believe
you’re superior or special, you’ll get so much
validation from the outside world today that it
will be challenging to remain humble.
appease them, consider whether or not these
are truly reasonable requests.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Language will be
the difference. It will make something happen
instead of nothing. It will be the reason A hap-
pens instead of B. Put some thought, planning
and intention behind your choice of words.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Since you
can’t very well surprise someone by giving
them what they were expecting, you’ll think
broader and more creatively before making
your move.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Should you do it?
Someone in the media is doing it. A friend is
doing it, and it’s working great for that person.
But is it right for you? The question is, is it af-
fordable for you? This one is really only worthy
of a small risk.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The yogic
Triangle Pose, or Trikonasana, requires open
eyes. Today will require similar balancing
tactics. Find a point of focus in your sky-high
dreams while grounding yourself. Reach up
and down at the same time.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Revel in your
amateur status in some regard today. Ama-
teurs are not bound by the rules of taste or
commerce that experts are held to. They can
express more freely their unique take on the
subject.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The power
move will be to recognize where you’re not as
strong, and where there might be gaps in your
resources or knowledge, and then plan a way
to solve for those gaps.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). When you listen to a
band, you may be actually hearing five to 60
different instruments playing parts, but what
you experience is a song. Don’t get too caught
up in the elements today. None of them are all
of you. You’re all of them.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’ll find yourself
in a position to defend, confront or dance
around an issue. Consider employing the
enormously useful power of misdirection, as a
distraction will do wonders for the situation.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). They’ll tell you they
need it sooner, that you should move faster,
that it’s not quite enough. Before you move to
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). You’ve been sur-
prised before by your friend’s uncharacteristic
behavior, only now it’s not surprising because
it has indeed become a part of the character
you now understand your friend to possess.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Feb. 28). Let your
loved ones celebrate you. This will strength-
en relationships and keep them from taking
you for granted, too! You’re getting faster at
delivering stellar results, and your profits will
reflect it. Next month brings three new friends.
Sign a deal in May and/or December. In June,
invest in a lifestyle that suits you better. Leo
and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers
are: 9, 4, 33, 27 and 11.