THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2018
FEATURES
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
Family’s vaccination dilemma
Dear Annie: My wife is preg- to get the vaccination. Approach
nant with our first child. She’s due your mom with empathy, and then
in a few weeks and recently asked with facts. Tell her that you under-
me to get a vaccine for whooping stand her skepticism; she never
had to ask her parents to get vacci-
cough (Tdap). I got the vaccine.
However, now she is talking nated before they held her babies,
about everyone who will be around after all. But then explain what’s
the baby getting the vac-
changed. In the last sev-
DEAR
eral years, whooping
cine, including my parents.
cough has made a come-
I can just imagine me tell-
ANNIE
back. In 2012, there were
ing (not asking) my mom
around 48,000 cases,
to get a whooping cough
the most on record since
vaccine before she can
1955. And according to
hold her grandchild and
Dr. Nancy Messonnier,
her laughing maniacally
the director of the National
in my face. Actually, that
Center for Immuniza-
would be a good response.
Lane
tion and Respiratory Dis-
I could also see her flip- Annie
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
eases at the CDC, “Babies
ping out, not doing it, my
who get whooping cough
wife getting upset with me
(obviously) and everyone being often catch it from family mem-
bers, including grandparents, who
unhappy.
I know vaccines can be a may not even know they have
charged issue, but this is more about whooping cough.” Visit https://
being stuck between my wife and www.cdc.gov/whoopingcough for
my mom. I have to back my wife, more information that might per-
but I cannot control my mom’s suade her. And if she’s still not
actions. How should I approach my convinced, perhaps you could ask
mom? — Vaccinated Into a Corner your doctor to speak with her.
Dear Vaccinated into a Cor-
Dear Annie: How do you get
ner: It sounds like you are between your relatives to bring the right
a rock and a hard place — your food at family gatherings? Last
wife’s insistence that your mother year, I sent out emails and asked
get vaccinated and your antici- each couple to bring a specific
pation that your mom will refuse item: i.e., four sandwiches or other
items so that our hostess (namely
Grandma) wouldn’t have to cook
or prepare food.
All the couples brought huge
sandwiches from a franchise and
we had way too much food! We
thought that they would prepare
ham and cheese sandwiches or
roast beef and cheese sandwiches,
etc., and cut into four pieces to
arrange on trays for perusal. Why is
it that young people now think they
have to purchase items? Can’t they
make something? Is it too much to
ask? — Not Enough Cooks
Dear Not Enough Cooks:
You can look at the sandwich tray
half-full or half-empty, and right
now you’re glaring at the crumbs.
Instead of criticizing your family
members for buying food rather
than preparing it, be grateful that
they brought food — and that
you have leftovers. A great family
activity would be to take the left-
overs to a local homeless shelter or
food bank. Be sure to call first and
check that they can accept perish-
able foods.
And if you insist that your rel-
atives must make food themselves
rather than buying it, invite every-
one over for a cooking party. I’m
sure they would love to learn some
of Grandma’s recipes.
5A
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You are a firm
believer in fresh starts, and the clean energy
of this special day renews you like a trip to
the oxygen bar. Your high spirits create dis-
tance between you and yesterday’s problems.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The key is
not to expect people to do things they are
incapable of doing. This, of course, requires
you to learn the capabilities of others. You can
learn something by observing, and more by
testing, too.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your friendships
work in the larger context of your friend
group, but they must also work in the smaller
one-on-one context to satisfy you. Today
you’ll finally get the individual attention you
need.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Middles sag.
That’s the very nature of middles. Whether it’s
a story, a body or a project, it takes tremen-
dous effort to create lift in the middle. Put in
the work so you can get the satisfaction at
the end.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’ve often felt as
though you’re doing the right thing with the
wrong person, though you’ve almost never
felt the opposite of that. Because when you’re
with the right person, whatever you do, even
nothing at all, feels so right.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Life is zesty for
people in love. And even if you’re not quite
there, a flow of positive feelings and thoughts
is still creating a bubble of happiness around
you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Mental expan-
sion ignites other parts of your life. It actually
doesn’t even matter what you’re learning.
Regardless of the subject matter, going from
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
ignorance to mastery is the thrill that makes
you feel most alive.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You can ac-
complish quite a mound of work in the span
of a few hours. You’ll get busy, and you won’t
stop until the agreed upon time. The end of
the day will bring a well-deserved boon.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You un-
derestimate how others feel about you. While
it’s better to err on the modest side of such
matters, you should know that if you don’t
show up, certain people are going to be very
disappointed.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Most
people you know could use a little help every
now and then. Then there are those who are
needy on an entirely different level. You may
feel ready to help someone like that, and it
will be a most rewarding experience.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’ll get the
chance to fine-tune the image you present to
the world. Actually, you could do this at any
time. But today will give you both the motiva-
tion and the necessary tools.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). After years of
tolerating others, you’ve become spiritually
robust. The generosity that used to seem like
work to you is now innate. To be the bigger
person will require no thought at all.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (March 20). As
your personal life settles in, you’ll gain clarity
on a goal. Analyze the power structure; figure
out the different roles how they work together
and why. With a studious approach and a
willingness to change and grow, you’ll quickly
rise up the ranks of an organization. Cancer
and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers
are: 9, 20, 13, 27 and 41.