6A
FEATURES
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
Left out of her brother’s group
Dear Annie: My elder Your best friend suddenly finds a
brother, his girlfriend and I have better friend; or two friends start
always been very close. Let’s dating, and you go from third
call them “Ryan” and “Beth.”
amigo to third wheel; or you get
We used to text and call one to your crew’s lunch table and
another often and even hang out find there’s not a seat for you;
a lot. But a few months ago, I or, perhaps more apt these days,
introduced my friend
you find out a new group
DEAR
“Donna” to Beth. And
text has been made, and
for the past few months,
you’re not included.
ANNIE
they’ve been hanging
Though the expe-
rience is pretty much
out more and more. Now
universal, I know that
they are the ones who
doesn’t make it any less
hang out and talk a lot,
lonely to go through.
leaving me out of the
But you need to
picture. Ryan and Beth
stop worrying so much
always tell me that I’m
Lane
about Donna, Beth and
still their best friend and Annie
Creators
Syndicate
Inc.
Ryan. Focus instead on
that Donna isn’t even
expanding your horizons
really that close to them.
They say she has been so rude by making new friends. The big-
ger your world the smaller your
and hurt them so much.
I just don’t understand why problems will seem. And by the
I’ve been left out after they way, Ryan isn’t going anywhere.
promised I would be their best He’ll always be your big brother,
friend or why I’ve been replaced a built-in best friend.
with someone who has suppos-
Dear Annie: I was interested
edly been mean and rude to them to read the comments from the
— and someone who was my woman who volunteered for a
friend to begin with. — Feeling crisis hotline. She said, “If you
Replaced
want independent children, help
Dear Feeling Replaced: I them to learn to solve their own
gather you’re in high school, problems.” I agree, but now there
because that’s when most people is an umbilical cord that reaches
experience something like this. from Mom to her adult children
all around the world. It’s called
a cellphone.
Had an argument with your
spouse? Call Mom. Hard day at
work? Call Mom. Feeling sick
at 11 p.m.? Call Mom. It never
ends. Problems that, for the adult
children, end up being solved in
a day or two must worry moms
indefinitely. I feel sorry for them.
We have independent sons, but
even so, our cellphone is off
except when we need it. — A
Free Mom
Dear Free Mom: I don’t
think there’s anything wrong
with a child’s talking to his or
her mother after a hard day, no
matter whether the child is 15
or 50. It’s only if this relation-
ship becomes codependent that
it’s regressive and unhealthy.
But I do hope your letter inspires
some other parents out there to
turn their phones off and not feel
guilty for needing space.
Additionally, I agree that
routinely venting to your par-
ents about marital problems is
unwise, not just because it might
make them resent your spouse
but also because it prevents you
from talking out those problems
with the person you should be
talking to: your spouse.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). While the big
dogs seem to have a clear advantage today,
the words of Dwight D. Eisenhower are also
true: “What counts is not necessarily the size
of the dog in the fight. It’s the size of the fight
in the dog.”
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). What is misery,
really, other than a conflict between what
is and what we would have it be? Avoiding
misery is not easy, but it’s so simple. The
acceptance of reality doesn’t give misery an
inch. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Anyone
who has waited tables before can tell you that
hungry people can be mean. Being a nicer
human today will be a function of getting what
you need before it becomes a pang.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Curiosity can
be a very attractive quality, especially when
directed toward the people around you. Today
your curiosity will lead you to delightful and
enlightening interactions.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). For some, getting
ready for a party is more fun than the party
itself. Hopefully that won’t be the case, but
since it’s a possibility, you might as well have
as much fun with the preparations as you
possibly can.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Feelings may be
generally mutual, but they are not specifically
the same. It will take time to understand how
another person thinks of you, though you’ll
never understand it fully.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Though you take
great pleasure in fantasizing about what will
happen on that distant day when the tables
turn, your plans come together and your hard
work pays off, do be mindful not to wear out
the day before it gets here.
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
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It’s one thing to
know what you need and quite another to be
bold enough to ask for it. You win on both ac-
counts, and though your courage may not net
the thing you want right away, it will impress.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Socializing
is like a group dance. When the solo comes
up, the rest of the company shouldn’t go limp
and lifeless. They should serve as support,
either in movement or stillness, poised to
frame the big picture.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your next
move is one to consider carefully. How will it
affect the others? Who will agree? Who will
object? Should you inform all beforehand?
Sometimes it’s better to ask forgiveness than
permission.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You may not
fully understand your feelings for another,
and you would be hard-pressed to define the
relationship. Right now it’s how you treat one
another that really matters.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). With a person
who will only give 10 percent to the relation-
ship, 90 percent will be required of you. Are
you willing? Is it worth it? Consider the big
picture. The answer isn’t as obvious as it
seems.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (April 13).
Knowing that it’s the sensory experiences
that will be remembered for years to come,
you’ll travel, take in different foods and make
an effort to meet new people during this vivid,
fast-paced solar return. Relatedly, you’ll be
extremely creative. You’ll apply that creativity
to pursuits spanning the personal and finan-
cial. Aquarius and Virgo adore you. Your lucky
numbers are: 17, 32, 48, 3 and 8.