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Features

Being needed isn’t the same as being seen

Dear Annie: I am wondering if I am the only one who feels this way, though I suspect I am not. From the outside, my life looks full. I have family, friends, responsibilities and a calendar that rarely seems empty. Yet somehow, I often feel lonely right in the middle of it all. I spend so much ...

Carrying the weight of a one-sided friendship

Dear Annie: I am writing about a friendship that has weighed on my heart for quite some time. I have known this woman for more than 20 years, and in many ways, she has been a loyal and lively part of my life. We have celebrated happy occasions together, seen one another through disappointments ...

Giving thanks for a gift is important

Dear Heloise: I cannot go without responding to Bob, in Santa Ana, California, who said that not thanking someone for a gift is somehow acceptable. I feel confident that most people don't give gifts to receive a thank-you note, as he implies. Gifts are defined with the caveat of "not expecting ...

Feeling lost in the pew

Dear Annie: My question is: Can I still keep going to my church or is it time to cut ties? This is complicated because my husband was a pastor and I appreciated him greatly as a preacher. He took early retirement, but we stayed in the same town because I had a good job and we needed my income ...

Cleaning ovens with tablets

Dear Heloise: Greasy oven buildup used to take far too much time and effort to clean, especially after heavy cooking days. I found a much easier method by using a dishwasher tablet. I dip the tablet in warm water and gently rub it over baked-on grease and food spots. The tablet acts as a mild ...