A6
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, JANuARY 23, 2019
Boyfriend is a lying abuser
Dear Annie: Recently, you carrots all over the table while
published a letter from someone we were out for dinner because
whose good friend was being he was mad! I was embarrassed
abused by a girlfriend physi- that he did that in public. I fin-
cally, verbally and financially. ished my meal and left. He since
I agree with your advice to the has angrily spit food all over the
letter writer to keep in
place twice. He calls
DEAR
me really foul and
contact with her abused
ANNIE
friend.
demeaning names —
My issue is this: My
saying I’m a misera-
ble you-know-what.
boyfriend is telling his
I tell him anyone in a
mother that I am abus-
ing him, and I am not;
relationship with him
he is the mean one. I
would be miserable.
am in the process of get-
Would it be OK to
ting out of the relation- ANNIE LANE spill the beans to his
Creators
ship. We both have lots
family about what he
Syndicate Inc.
of ties — homes, two
is really doing and has
businesses and more.
done? Or would it be
Because of what we have on best to just walk away when I
our shared plate, it is easier to am finally organized in a smart
say that I should get out ASAP, enough way to leave? I really
but it’s harder to actually do it. want to spill the beans to his
We are in separate rooms and mother. — Apprehensive
living areas of our large home,
Dear Apprehensive: Spill-
which helps during the breakup ing the beans wouldn’t get you
anything except more of a mess.
process.
Anyway, my boyfriend is Continue preparing yourself
not telling his mother that he is to make an exit. Seeing as you
the abusive one. He tells her that have properties and businesses
I call him names. He doesn’t together, be sure to consult a
tell her my anger comes from lawyer, if you haven’t already.
how he acts like a bully. He I’d also encourage you to stay
busts doors all over our beau- with family or friends or to get
tiful home, for one. Also, he a short-term rental if at all possi-
recently spat out a mouthful of ble. Breakups are always rough,
but breaking up while con-
tinuing to live together? That’s
torture.
Dear Annie: Socializing is
definitely critical to the develop-
ment of young children, as you
said to “Concerned Mommy.”
But it seems that the school is
effectively meeting her son’s
academic needs, and there are
activities other than school in
which children can interact with
their peers in ways that make
positive contributions to the
children’s development.
Two organizations that help
to produce well-rounded chil-
dren are the Boy Scouts and Girl
Scouts. The youths learn many
valuable things that they might
otherwise not, such as camping
skills, a respect for their coun-
try, compassion for others and
sportsmanship.
Other activities that can
allow for socialization while also
teaching useful skills often not
taught in school are music (espe-
cially singing in a choir), team
sports, participating in library
programs and volunteering.
I would strongly urge “Con-
cerned Mommy” to investigate
such activities, whether or not
she switches schools. — Scout
Leader of 38 Years
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your intuition will be
extremely strong, which has its upside (you know
who to talk to and who to avoid, and you can smell
a winning situation from miles away) and its down-
side (you’re sensitive to bright and noisy things).
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It’s nice to be needed.
It makes you feel important. But there are those who
will take advantage on this, leaning on you instead
of becoming self-reliant. It actually weakens them to
help too much.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Be willing to fight for
what’s yours. This is the nature of ownership. From
time to time, it gets tested. Maybe it’s annoying, but
at least this reminds you the value of a thing.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Assumptions are
bad for education. You can’t learn if you think you
already know. You’ll learn fast once you forget what
you’ve already got in your brain on the subject,
clean the slate and begin anew.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You’ve many ways
to renew your energy, some of them opposing.
Exercise restores you, but so does rest — sometimes
silence, other times song. Experiment. You might be
surprised what makes you feel better today.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). There’s a lot you’ll do in
the name of making others happy, especially those
you care a great deal about. But some of these activ-
ities just aren’t a good fit for you. It’s the best when
they smile just seeing you be you.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). People don’t appreciate the
things that are just handed to them as much as they
love the things they’ve worked for. Keep this in mind
before you give or accept anything today.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Aesthetic qualities
matter to you. This isn’t a signal of shallowness, far
from it. Beauty is a window into the vibrancy and
health of things. Color, feel, light, symmetry — they
are all signals.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). There’s nothing quite like
the feeling of people banding together for a com-
mon cause. The sense of belonging can’t be beat.
It doesn’t take away the risk, but there’s comfort in
knowing the risk is shared.
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
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). When you think of
boredom as a kind of dull pain, it makes sense to re-
lieve it. The best relief is actually healing, and it won’t
come from a distraction that takes away from an
experience, it will come from going deeper into it.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). It’s like you’re looking
for yourself, even though you’re not technically
lost. But you sense there’s more in the situation to
absorb, know and feel, if you can only bring yourself
fully to the moment.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). When people say, “You
remind me of ...” it’s not an insult. Rather, it’s a signal
of their limited experience and perception. Anyway,
keep striving to be so uniquely yourself that this sort
of comparison is impossible to make.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 24). It’s as though
your pleasure is a top priority for the universe. Many
pleasing situations show up requiring very little
effort from you. And as long as you keep appreciat-
ing, the gifts keep coming. March brings the sweet
end to a chapter and an exciting start to the next.
Travel and a business deal will be part of this. Pisces
and Leo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 3, 39, 1,
18 and 31.