ArcaMax

Dear Annie: When my daughter was little, I met with a potential employer who asked about my family. I told him I had a 2-year-old, and he said something I've never forgotten: His daughters were grown, and his greatest joy was talking with them as adults and realizing he had raised two amazing women. Now, at 75, I understand exactly what he ...Read more

There's a joke that goes, "I wouldn't tell anyone that I won the lottery, but there would be signs." Most recently, I told a friend that I'd buy her a vintage car that could park next to my brand-new-to-me DeLorean.

My fantasy of coming into money -- maybe through the lottery, or forgotten Bitcoin, or a long-lost magical trust fund -- always ...Read more

Dear Annie: When my husband and I retired, I imagined we'd spend more time together -- relaxing, traveling, maybe picking up some hobbies. But to my surprise, he dove headfirst into a new phase of life, setting up a home office to work on electronic projects he never had time for during his career.

The problem was, I kept interrupting him ...Read more

Dear Annie: I recently reconnected with a former co-worker I was very close to -- so close that many of our co-workers once thought we were dating, which was a big no! When we ran into each other, we shared a longer than normal embrace, and she gave me a peck on the cheek. I did the same. We agreed to a dinner date that upcoming weekend.

When...Read more

Dear Annie: I enjoy reading your advice and hope you have some for me.

I've always been the person people come to with their problems. I'm told I'm a good listener, likely because of my own counseling journey. I often suggest therapy or AA to others, especially when addiction is involved.

I grew up in an abusive, alcoholic environment and ...Read more

Let's celebrate your singleness in a new way, making the celebration a family affair. After all, the most telling show of your enhanced pride will be with your parents, those people of a different generation who do their very best to understand yours. They may not always fully "get" the message in your undependence, but in the end, their ...Read more

There was a running joke with my in-laws that a compliment on cooking would be, "Well, now you can get married." This started after I began collecting the most exotic peppers at my Mexican grocery store, names I had never even heard of before, and threw them together in a blender with boiling water, chicken bouillon, and some cross-border, ...Read more

You've done everything else with your singleness -- denied it, hid it, apologized for it, wished it away. Well, this is the moment to make a 180-degree spin and actually celebrate your single life! Maybe, just maybe, it's not so bad to actually control your finances, your time, your close circle of friends. When you think about your daily ...Read more

I told him that heaven was this: the midmorning light, a beverage in hand, and us heading to the porch. The kids are at school. The chores can wait. Some mornings aren't about doing. They're about being. If you're lucky, you can be with someone who makes even your weirdness feel like it belongs.

This morning, I was on the porch with my husband....Read more

Just how bad is it to be without a mate? If you really want to know what's going on in your inner life, jump into the following and show yourself what you really think about this unmarried life by agreeing or disagreeing with these statements. (This is an equal-opportunity quiz; both genders are invited.)

--Being single means being alone and ...Read more