ArcaMax

DEAR SUSAN: OK, so there are shy men and shy women -- and not-so-shy men and not-so-shy women. Why should shyness be seen as something bad, something that needs correcting? Shyness isn't always bad; assertiveness isn't always good. We're just trying to be ourselves in a world that demands conformity. And, Susan, please don't promote women ...Read more

Dear Annie: When I married my husband, I was completely inexperienced and unaware of his interest in kink. Six months into our marriage, a woman contacted me claiming to be one of his submissives. She said she couldn't live with the guilt of me not knowing. I had just found out I was pregnant, and the stress led to a miscarriage.

We went to ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been married for over 25 years, and from the outside, it probably looks like we have a stable life. We raised kids together; we pay the bills; we attend family functions. But inside the walls of our home, I feel painfully alone.

My husband and I barely talk anymore unless it's about schedules, errands or something to do with ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm a 66-year-old woman, married to my second husband for nearly 17 years. Like many couples, we've had our share of struggles -- serious enough that we were close to separating. Wanting to save our marriage, I asked him to attend counseling with me, and to his credit, he agreed. We've been doing much better since then and have ...Read more

For the first story I ever had published in a paper, I was almost run over by a mail truck. I'll tell you, the driver was none too pleased by a faux reporter jumping in front of his hood for a quote. I don't blame him. But here I am, more than 20 years later, writing for the same paper.

But I should back up. I spent my first year in college at ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been dating a wonderful man for five years, and for the most part, our relationship is strong and loving. We don't live together, so we typically see each other just a couple of times a week, with more time together when we go on vacation. That time feels precious to me. But lately, I've found myself increasingly frustrated, ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been struggling with my relationship with my older sister for some time now. Unfortunately, I have little time to pursue counseling, and finding an available, competent therapist in my area is difficult.

My older sister hosts the annual holiday dinners, which I used to enjoy and even help out with. But over the last few years...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband had a period of infidelity. He met a co-worker, and I was sick with mold poisoning. I wasn't giving him the attention I normally did. He said he found in her what I wasn't giving him. He told me about her but refused to stop seeing her, swearing they were only friends.

I tried to be friends with her only to find that ...Read more

Dear Annie: My parents have been in a rocky marriage for as long as I can remember. I'm 16, and my brother is 20 and away at college. My dad has left and come back a few times, and now he's telling my mom again that he's done and wants her to move out. She's heartbroken, and it's really hard to watch. I've seen her cry more in the past few ...Read more

Listen up, because you never know when it will happen to you. Your dear friend lets you know she has just unearthed the most wonderful hunk mankind has ever created, and she knows for sure he's just right for you! You must meet him, she says, searching your eyes for a response.

That's the scenario -- could happen anytime -- for which I most ...Read more