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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 5, 2018)
6A FEATURES Sibling’s gift-giving concerns Dear Annie: As the holidays However, seeing as he loves draw near, I like to be prepared games, what about a board game? and buy my gifts early. Every That way, you could play with the year, I get stuck when it comes to whole family and engage with one thinking of a gift for my younger another while at least temporar- brother “Henry.” Henry is a teen- ily avoiding the dreaded “screen ager whose only interest is playing time.” Another possibility is to video games. For Christ- get tickets for a game or DEAR mas, the only things he theater performance that ever asks for are video might interest him. ANNIE games and money. I have Dear Annie: Could made very clear to him you please say something that I don’t want to get him about people who want to electronics or money for stay with a friend or rel- ative and want to have Christmas, but he never their pet with them? I tells me anything else that am an animal lover and he would like. Lane I have given him Annie have two dogs and a cat, Creators Syndicate Inc. gifts that I thought he but I worry about having would like, but the books strange pets in my home go unread, and the hobbies go — especially if the visit is more untouched. I am to the point where than a day or two. I may just buy him socks for Pet owners insist their pets are Christmas this year. Do you have friendly and very well-behaved. I any advice for how to shop for believe them, but when their pets video game-playing teenagers? — come to my home, my dogs can be Stumped Santa possessive and my cat unpredict- Dear Stumped Santa: The able. It seems that their pets may decision not to get your brother be nervous in strange surroundings any more electronics sounds like and not be the perfect pets they are a great one. Gift-giving is tricky at home. I’d feel awful if anyone’s in this situation because you love pet were injured. I hate to sound your brother yet don’t want to unwelcoming to people who want encourage his passion for video to visit me, but when people bring games. pets into my home, I’m distracted and worried, and I can’t enjoy their visits. — Marilyn Dear Marilyn: I’m happy to print your letter to encourage more thoughtfulness around this issue — but I hope you’re also vocaliz- ing these thoughts to your visitors. Everything you said in your let- ter would be appropriate and help- ful to explain to would-be guests. I don’t think anyone ought to take offense to your perfectly reason- able explanation. Dear Annie: This is a response to “Upset Employee,” who is bothered that a supervisor’s friend was hired over other employees. Employment law is rather tricky. If the supervisor’s friend was qualified, then it was legal. Noth- ing in the rules says an employer has to take the most qualified can- didate. And someone in the posi- tion of “Upset Employee” is not supposed to know what anyone else’s score was. That’s a violation of employment law. So, “Upset Employee,” if you like actually working there, you just need to let it go. Life isn’t fair. If it were, then this would be heaven and not life. — Christopher Dear Christopher: Thank you for the insights on employ- ment law — and the nature of life. THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2018 TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc. ARIES (March 21-April 19). Tune into the subtleties of your language. Avoid using words that convey pessimism, cynicism or sarcasm. Ditch the negativity, not because others are listening, but because you are. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Anyone not at the meeting gets talked about. So go to the meeting. It will show your solidarity with the group. Maybe lower your expectations first. It could get boring. Little will be decided or learned. Go anyway. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). It’s one thing to accept that you’re human and you’ve made mistakes and quite another to actually love your mistakes because they contributed to who you are. Also, no one can (or wants to) relate to seemingly flawless people. CANCER (June 22-July 22). Good living is like good chocolate; there’s a little bitterness in there but not too much. Acknowledge and explore your negative feelings (they are part of the recipe, too), but don’t dwell there. Life is mostly sweet! LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’ll advise and be advised today. A good thing to keep in mind is that no single piece of advice fits every person. Even if it were the soundest and best line of thought in the entire world, it still wouldn’t be right for all. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Because you want to experience more, you’ll meet different sorts of people and let them influence you, all the while never losing sight of who you are. You can do this because your roots grow deep. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). No one likes being in environments they can’t, at least to some extent, control. An environment has become stifling. You may resent having to be there. But 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 you can influence this place. Look for ways. There are untried options. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Unencumbered people move quickly. Something is weighing you down. Throw the baggage overboard. A person without baggage is a person who will soon be getting new things. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). While there’s nothing less funny than a person trying too hard to be funny, you appreciate the effort. In this and other ways, people will try to impress you. It’s flattering. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Each phase of the day has a gift. Morning gives you your freshest mind. Afternoon gives you a body warmed up and ready for the hardest thing it has to do today. Night gives you the need to give and receive for loving comfort. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). There is no “perfect.” And if there were, it would only close your mind to new ideas and standards. Instead of seeking the ideal, seek a solution that’s as quirky and flexible as you are. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You may be ag- itated by today’s sky because it calls for more honesty than you feel would be kind. Perhaps the poet Kahlil Gibran can help: “If indeed you must be candid, be candid beautifully.” TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 6). Don’t worry about being heroic. Heroism is the byproduct of doing the right thing consistently. That’s the true aim of your heart so you can’t go wrong. More highlights: the purchase of property, a leadership role in which you share what inspires you, inspiring others along the way, and countless escapades with a jolly friend. Pisces and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 20, 7, 22 and 19.
