A6
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THuRSDAY, JANuARY 24, 2019
Tired of the sore loser
Dear Annie: My boy- phone instead. His child-
friend, “Mark,” can be a ish behavior was annoying
sore loser, and it’s begin- for everyone, and frankly,
ning to ruin game night.
I was embarrassed by him.
Every week, a few of We’ve talked about this
my friends get together before, but it keeps com-
ing up. And in the
to play games —
DEAR
moment, I don’t
video games, board
ANNIE
want to have to
games, anything that
nag him to play
can be played with a
nicely. I’m close
big group. Most of
to uninviting him
the time, I go alone,
to game night.
as these friends were
What should I do?
made before Mark
— Tired of Play-
and I started dating.
However, he gets ANNIE LANE ing Mom
Creators
Dear Tired of
along really well
Syndicate Inc.
Playing
Mom:
with everyone when
How exasperating
we’re out at parties
and events, so he’s always for you and embarrassing
invited to play. Last game for him. A year from now,
night, we played a diffi- nobody is going to remem-
cult strategy game that I’ve ber who won at Monopoly,
only played once but a few but everyone will remem-
friends are very proficient ber who almost flipped
at. They play aggressively, over the board.
If Mark acknowledges
so I matched that enthusi-
asm. I ended up winning, his rudeness and irratio-
but any pride was ham- nality after the fact, per-
pered by Mark’s sulking. haps you two could come
About halfway through up with a warning signal
the game, he decided he can give you when he
that he “got cheated” and feels himself starting to get
couldn’t win, so he stopped upset or a signal you can
engaging with the rest give him when you notice
of us and scrolled on his it. Also, you might sug-
gest playing some cooper-
ative games together rather
than competitive ones. If
he doesn’t admit that this
is a real problem or doesn’t
make a real effort at chang-
ing it, tell him that you’re
not going to keep play-
ing with him if he acts this
way. You’ve been more
than fair.
Dear Annie: Recently,
you published a letter
from a fellow who said
he has social anxiety and
is uncomfortable during
social events his wife plans.
He even avoids parent
night activities at his chil-
dren’s schools because he
fears “awkward” moments
alone.
Don Gabor wrote a
wonderful book on how
to make small talk, titled
“How to Start a Conver-
sation and Make Friends.”
I tried the advice in there,
and it really worked!
The book came out in
1983 but is still in print,
believe it or not, which is
a testament to how much
people get from it. I hope
you’ll pass this on to your
readers. — Virginia
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Something in you
wants to wander in search of new inspiration.
Wherever you go, you bring your heart, thoughts
and desires with you to mingle with what’s there,
including fresh landscapes, people and adventures.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When you’re around
a certain person, there’s an increased sense of
stability, order and optimism in your world. You feel
clear-headed and capable. It’s a good reason to have
this person around more often.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). It’s not about the job;
it’s about how you do it. When you’re true to your-
self, you can’t help but execute like only you can. So
while others might be able to do the same job, none
will do it quite the way you do. You’re irreplaceable.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). What do delu-
sions of grandeur and delusions of insignificance
have in common? Both are delusions spun by the
perceptions of fragile ego. The way to a balanced
view of yourself is through self-acceptance and love.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). When it’s right, it’s right.
You don’t have to talk a lot about it, or list the pros
and cons, or run it by your friends and teachers and
experts. When it’s right, you just know.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You’re not afraid
to do what your heart tells you to do. And for this
reason, it will feel like your spirit is larger than your
body, larger than the room, larger than the whole
situation you happen to be standing inside.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’re respectful of
people’s time, including your own, and therefore
you find redundancy and inefficiency downright
unacceptable. You’ll root it out, remedy it and have a
surprisingly good time organizing your next efforts.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). There will be a reason to get
realistic in your assessment of your abilities. Maybe
you’re neither the best nor are you the worst in the
room, but “the room” actually doesn’t matter. Other
people have nothing to do with what you can do.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). When it comes to
friendship, you don’t need a certain number of them
to be happy, you just need to be certain of the ones
you’ve got. You’ll see who you can count on, and it’s
both a good feeling and a good thing to know.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You’ll tell the truth, but
you’ll do it in a way that doesn’t shock, anger or up-
set anyone. You’re sensitive. And you’re coming from
a place of love and possibility, so that helps, too.
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
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). There must be a
solution to the problem that has two people meet-
ing somewhere in the middle, each sacrificing and
endeavoring, if not to an equal degree, then at least
to a comparable one.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You will communicate
so clearly, talking to people instead of about people.
This is the way of becoming more powerful in your
own life and more influential in the world.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 25). You don’t
think of common sense as a talent, but it is. So is
your enormously capable style and generally sunny
attitude. These are the gifts that will send you to the
top of the invite list for all sorts of opportunities,
jobs and relationships. Exciting adventures are born
out of your extreme trustworthiness. Gemini and
Virgo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 7, 40, 44,
38 and 18.