ArcaMax

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I live in a four-family apartment building in a middle-class neighborhood. All of the tenants are very nice people, but the landlord is notoriously unresponsive.

I live on the second floor, and the young lady in the apartment next door to me has everything delivered to her. We share a common front stairway.

The other day, a ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I'm a single woman who is frequently asked about my plans for marriage. The individuals making these inquiries have no business asking this question, let alone hearing the answer.

I typically smile and change the subject without answering their question. A few times, when particularly startled, I have responded with, "I beg ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: The culture of my academic field is very casual. I'm interviewing for professorships at several places, and the faculty committees in the interviews -- all "doctors" by title -- invite me to call them by their first names.

Having just completed my Ph.D., I'd like to ask them to recognize this, at least for the period of the ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am expecting my second daughter in March. Our families are both looking forward to having a baby shower for two main reasons: This will be the first shower we've had, because we lived too far away last time, and also because I've had two miscarriages prior to this pregnancy.

Obviously both sides of the family are very ...Read more