THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2018
FEATURES
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
Finding affordable therapy
Dear Annie: I want to do have a specific problem that
therapy, but I don’t think I can you are dealing with, you could
afford it right now. I’ve done a ask the psychiatry department
few sessions in the past, but I for recommendations to help
don’t want to keep hopping from you with your issue. Instead of
doctor to doctor; I want to find online groups, you could also try
someone I vibe well with and to find group meetings with peo-
ple who are facing chal-
stick with that person.
DEAR
lenges that are similar to
So, my problem is this:
yours. Keep trying and a
How do I afford a good
ANNIE
solution will appear.
therapist?
In my experience, the
Dear Annie: Your
cheaper therapists aren’t
response to “Holding the
as good at their jobs (or
Chair Down,” the gen-
tleman who recently lost
at least haven’t worked
his mother and is find-
for me). I know there are
ing himself depressed
lots of online counseling
Lane
and uninterested in his
options, but they don’t Annie
Creators
Syndicate Inc.
old hobbies, may have
feel as effective as meet-
ing with someone in per-
missed something. He
son. I figure I’ll just have to see mentioned that he no longer has
which therapists have availabil- many friends whom he keeps in
ity and take my insurance, but touch with, and you said that his
I’m hoping there’s some way old interests and friendships will
to make that process easier. — come back in time.
Thinking of Therapy
It may be that the loss of
Dear Thinking of Therapy: his mother has affected him
Your decision to have face-to- more profoundly. Caring for
face therapy is a great one. If his mother may have filled his
you live near a medical school, retirement and given him mean-
you should check to see whether ing that he is now looking for. It
it offers counseling from stu- may be that his old solitary hob-
dent residents and interns. Many bies do not give him the social
medical schools offer such ser- interactions he needs. I would
vices at reduced rates. If you suggest that he make an effort to
find a couple of places where he
could volunteer his time in the
company of other people. He
also could take some classes in
new subjects. Political parties
always need help at the polls,
and he might find like-minded
souls that way. He could volun-
teer at his house of worship. And
are there local libraries that need
someone to volunteer time with
student groups? Are there tutor-
ing or literacy groups he could
help? Maybe he could volunteer
at a hospital. Maybe he could
teach a continuing education
course in car repair or assist in
an ongoing course. He could try
dance lessons; many clubs are
always looking for men willing
to learn.
He should try to do some-
thing soon, and he should make
a commitment to himself to stick
it out for at least three months
before quitting. There are many
places where he could make new
friends and feel useful again. I
wish him success and happiness.
— Esther
Dear Esther: Thank you so
much for your wonderful sug-
gestions. I think “Holding the
Chair Down” will appreciate
them, too.
3C
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Happiness gives
you so much, including improved health, vitality
and self-control. So it really is powerful to know
and gravitate toward happiness and all of its
fortifications.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). While you like a
good mystery, you also note that there’s a differ-
ence between a mystery and a vat of confusion.
Mysteries have elegance and the potential to
stretch out and be known. Vats of confusion are
more like garbage.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). There are those
who are happy to take whatever personal power
and resources you hand over. Don’t! Remember
that you are equally entitled to living a good life
as anyone you may be employed by or obligat-
ed to serve.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ll be in a
position to create a system of doing things. It
starts with you figuring things out for yourself,
and soon you’ll realize that there are others
who need to know, too. That’s when things get
clearer.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). As you’ve already done
a certain kind of work, you can appreciate what
it takes for another person to do the same job.
It changes how you interact and increases the
amount of respect flowing through your scene.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Humor is a shortcut
to connection. To make a person honestly laugh,
or even just smile a little, is to skip 10 steps
toward rapport. But it’s a risk, because eliciting
a false laugh or causing an offense is 10 steps
away from rapport.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It’s a strange day
when you actually sustain a high level of
productivity by doing very little. This has to do
with knowing when to be quiet and when to let
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
people fill in the blanks and do the work they
want to do.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The conflict is a
part of life and life could not be without it. But
the level of engagement will be up to you. If you
steer away from dramatic situations, you’ll still
have enough conflict to keep things interesting.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’ve been
touched by the efforts of people you don’t know,
but you don’t have to have a personal interaction
to derive meaning and to get real value from
someone’s work.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Redundancies
are fine when you’re learning something or
when you must double-check things for safety
reasons. But unnecessary redundancies are
boring and cumbersome. You’ll get rid of some-
thing like this today.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You will learn
so much about people by observing what they
default to, do by accident or talk about when
there’s not much else going on. You’re “people,”
too, of course.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The robin’s song
may sound sweet to us and to other robins,
but it’s not even close to the sort of honk that
a goose prefers. Whatever your “song” today,
there’s someone out there who will appreciate it
over the others.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 1). Each
solar return you become wiser, more loving and
more powerful. Some years this happens in a
natural, easy flow. This year, it’s more of a rocket
ride where you get out in an entirely different
world from the one you started in. Also featured:
a key aesthetic choice, a memorable celebration
and a career twist. Cancer and Aquarius adore
you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 13, 25, 1 and 11.