THE BULLETIN • SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 2021 C3
DEAR ABBY
Write to Dear Abby online at dearabby.com
or by mail at P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Dear Abby: Our 21-year-
old daughter has been home
since March when the pan-
demic began. She has al-
ways been a homebody. Our
house is small, and my wife
and I no longer can be alone
or be physically intimate
because our daughter pre-
vents it.
If we hug for an extended
period of time, she will make
a comment. If we want to
watch a movie, she wants to
hang out, and we can’t watch
it without her. My wife and
I need privacy, and we need
our adult daughter to cut the
cord.
Our marriage really
evolved and we grew even
closer when “the kid” moved
out for college. Now we can’t
escape her. I miss my wife
and our alone time. What
should we do?
— Frustrated in the East
Dear Frustrated: This is
your home, and your daugh-
ter needs to accommodate
you, rather than the other
way around. What you must
do is have an adult conver-
sation with your homebody
daughter and explain that
you and her mother need
time alone. Establish a date
night so she knows when to
disappear.
I’m assuming that she has
a job and friends. If that’s the
case, she should be accumu-
lating enough money to live
apart from you. If you are
not only sheltering her but
also supporting her, you will
need to create a plan so your
daughter can become inde-
pendent. It may mean con-
tributing to her rent for an
agreed-upon period of time,
if necessary, so be prepared.
Dear Abby: I was won-
dering if you could give me
some advice on tipping. I
frequent coffee shops in my
area as well as when I travel.
The baristas usually are
younger women. Usually,
there will be a tip jar located
next to the cash register.
A typical latte costs $4 to
$5, and I leave a dollar in the
tip jar. I realize that many
servers may be distracted if
they’re waiting on other cus-
tomers, but is it normal for
them to never acknowledge
someone who is giving them
a tip? Is the tip just expected?
Again, I realize there could
be distractions, and maybe
the baristas don’t notice me
tipping them, but it seems
like the rule rather than the
exception. I think it comes
across as lousy customer ser-
vice. How hard is it to say
“thank you”? Is this another
example of a generation of
poorly raised people?
— Sipping & Tipping in
Connecticut
Dear S & T: It’s not only
good manners but also
GOOD BUSINESS to thank
clients/patrons — just as
it’s considered proper eti-
quette to thank the person
who served you. I hesitate
to paint an entire generation
with the same brush, but the
individuals you are dealing
with could benefit from a re-
fresher course in courtesy.
Dear Abby: I’m 56, dis-
abled and live with my mom,
who is 86. I’m really scared of
what’s going to happen to me
when she passes.
— Scared in Nevada
Dear Scared: You should
not be in limbo regarding
this question because your
concern is valid. It’s import-
ant that you talk to your
mother about your fears and
ask her that question. The
answer may involve her es-
tate and whether she has a
will that provides for you in
the event of her death. I am
hoping that her answer will
put your mind at ease.
YOUR HOROSCOPE
By Madalyn Aslan
Stars show the kind of day you’ll have
õ õ õ õ õ DYNAMIC | õ õ õ õ POSITIVE | õ õ õ AVERAGE | õ õ SO-SO | õ DIFFICULT
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR SUNDAY, JAN. 24, 2021: Admired,
magnetic and active, you9re so attractive that you9re often worshiped. This
year, you decide what you really want and go after it. It proves to be very
successful and wins you even more fans. If single, a passionate yet sometimes
stormy relationship is on the horizon. You don9t commit this year. If attached,
your partner needs more encouragement and support from you. Then bliss
ensues. GEMINI makes you laugh.
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
õõõõõ Today heightens your communication. Your clever use of words
will make an impression on someone important. Promote ideas and make
suggestions. They will be very well received and win you admiration. To-
night: Catch up with old friends through emails and calls.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
õõõõõ Today brings delight. It is time to relax, socialize and purchase
some new trinkets. The financial picture has brightened, so you can afford
to indulge a bit. Be good to yourself and spoil yourself a little. You deserve it.
Tonight: The old rules are changing.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
õõõ Gemini is concerned with channeling words, thoughts and ideas. To-
day brings revelations concerning a close friend. There is time to reconsider
the value of longtime associates and old goals. Learn from the past, then
release it. Tonight: A more progressive trend begins.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
õõõõ You will be aware of the secret needs and worries of others. Quiet,
good deeds generate positive karma. There are opportunities now to be
helpful, almost acting like a sort of guardian angel to those less fortunate.
Tonight: Feeling good about yourself.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
õõõõ A new sense of direction and purpose develops today. Accept invita-
tions from friends or plan a get-together. You realize the blessings of friend-
ship. You end the day in a pleasant, nostalgic mood. Tonight: You accomplish
much in record time.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
õõõ People from the past call or visit. You9ll feel haunted by an old wish or
goal that proved elusive. Be very realistic if you9re tempted to give it another
try. Practical guidelines provide the best route to success just now. Tonight:
Mulling it over.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
õõõõ Your intellectual curiosity is heightened today. It9s a good time to
enroll in classes or join a book club. Someone from another cultural or spir-
itual background can become a romantic prospect or at least a new friend.
Tonight: Stimulating chat online.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
õõ A dream or psychic vision should be heeded. Your intuition is right on
target. Do background research and check claims that others make. Your
feelings will be very intense today. Add a note of humor if you sense you9re
coming across as overly opinionated. Tonight: Relax.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
õõ Choices must be made regarding loyalty and commitment. Others cling
to you, a situation that can be uncomfortable for the free-spirited Sagittarian.
Today illuminates your options and marks a turning point. Tonight: Talk it
over with old friends who know you best.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
õõõ Today finds you faced with some rigidity. Play by the rules patiently.
Make the most of the status quo. Short cuts won9t work right now. Hesitate
if you9re considering a huge change. Ideas suggested in casual conversation
are worth examining. Tonight: Write your mission statement.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
õõõõ Friends and lovers may change roles. Travel opportunities are very
promising through the summer solstice, so you can start to plan. Don9t let
your potentials slip away. Do your part to let a memorable experience unfold.
Tonight: In some considerable wonderment.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
õõõõõ Make happy changes in living arrangements and help family mem-
bers reach goals. Hang an updated photo of your family in your workspace
to symbolize the positive interaction of home with your professional life.
Tonight: Feeling very proud of yourself and good in the world.
Finding workers is getting harder for homebuilders
BY ARIANNE COHEN
Bloomberg
As industries go, residential
construction in America has
largely weathered the pandemic
thanks to steady demand and
low interest rates. Worksites
nationwide are humming with
good, paying jobs at a time
when 1 in 8 workers are receiv-
ing unemployment checks. So
why on earth are some con-
struction firms complaining of
a labor shortage?
U.S. construction is sprawl-
ing, employing roughly 5%
of the nation’s workforce (7.3
million employees) at some
680,000 firms, according to
the Bureau of Labor Statis-
tics (BLS). The industry is es-
sentially its own economy,
building hundreds of billions
of dollars worth of structures
each month. It’s true that many
parts of the sector are hurting
because of the pandemic. But
in others, there’s actually too
much work to go around.
A survey by the National
Association of Home Builders
(NAHB) found that builders’
top concern is labor, with 85%
expecting future cost and avail-
ability problems, up from 13%
in 2011. It’s a conundrum that
predates the pandemic, but one
that’s certainly been exacer-
bated by it.
While unemployment
peaked at almost 15% in 2020,
empty construction jobs nev-
ertheless hovered between
223,000 and 332,000-about
the same number of open slots
back when unemployment was
George Frey/Bloomberg
A worker frames a house under construction in Lehi, Utah, on Dec. 16.
only 4.1%. So what gives?
“You’ve got a lot of folks who
are recently unemployed, but
still don’t think of construction
careers as an opportunity,” said
Brian Turmail, vice president
of strategic initiatives and pub-
lic affairs at Associated Gen-
eral Contractors of America
(AGC), which in the spring
plans a nationwide recruiting
campaign called “Construction
is Essential.”
“There’s an impression that
construction careers are like a
job of last resort, and not a re-
warding kind of middle-class
career,” he said. “Yet in many
respects, they are a lot more re-
warding than sitting in some
kind of fluorescent-lit cube
farm.”
But if you are one of those
unemployed Americans will-
ing to try, be forewarned: entry
level construction workers are
not what many firms are look-
ing for. You have to know what
you’re doing.
Daniel Lane, vice president
and installation manager at
Flint, Michigan-based Ameri-
can Metal Roofs, said he tried
to fill 10 positions last year for
seven residential roofing crews
throughout Michigan. It took
him more than six months-de-
spite paying his employees
bounties for bringing in suc-
cessful new hires. “A third of
our applicants can’t read the
tape measure,” he said.
Pre-pandemic, the industry
was already partnering with
correctional facilities to find
day workers to keep projects
moving. Now, wage-wars have
erupted, inflating starting rates,
Lane said. “We’re all fighting for
that same guy-in our region, at
$18-an-hour plus paid-travel
time, you’re not going to get
anybody replying to your ads
but entry level.”
This is the secret about con-
struction that many people
don’t get: positions that typi-
cally pay good money require
technical knowledge and sig-
nificant training, while others
can mandate certifications and
college degrees. Add to that
common misperceptions that
keep many people from con-
sidering construction work in
the first place, and you have the
recipe for a labor shortfall.
Such hiring lags have be-
come a huge headache for
some developers. “I’m looking
to reduce all of my construc-
tion costs, and I see the prices
of everything are going down,
but the labor is not,” said Eran
Polack, chief executive of HAP
Investments, which had seven
projects underway in New York
City. “There was a 16% unem-
ployment rate in New York, so
I’m asking...everybody, ‘how
come you can’t reduce the
cost?’”
In 2019, construction ca-
reers paid laborers on average
$42,320 a year; carpenters took
home $53,150, while manag-
ers earned $103,960, accord-
ing to the BLS. Certifications
differ for trades like electri-
cians and plumbers, as well as
for types of construction such
as residential, commercial
and industrial. Training time
varies from 4-week introduc-
tory courses to two-year trade
school certificates.It’s this re-
quired training-both the ex-
pense and unavailability-that
may be deepening the the labor
problem.