I knew my girlfriend wasn’t right for me, and I was super unhappy. Friends I confided in kept saying “Relationships take work” and “Take the good with the bad.” I listened to them and stayed in the relationship, which led to an ugly breakup. When evaluating a relationship, how much should you take advice and […]
Columns
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Free Will Astrology – Week of March 10
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Singer, dancer, and comedian Sammy Davis Jr. disliked the song “The Candy Man,” but he recorded it anyway, heeding his advisors. He spent just a brief time in the studio, finishing his vocals in two takes. “The song is going straight to the toilet,” he complained, “pulling my career down with […]
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Ex Salad Sandwich
My boyfriend of a year is caring and thoughtful and perfect in nearly every way — except one. He’s really good friends with his ex. They grab lunch every week, and she’ll call him to vent or get advice. He assures me they’re just friends, but I can’t help but feel threatened. Is it crazy […]
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Free Will Astrology—Week of March 3 2022
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries author Isak Dinesen defined “true piety” as “loving one’s destiny unconditionally.” That’s a worthy goal for you to aspire to in the coming weeks. I hope you will summon your deepest reserves of ingenuity and imagination as you cultivate a state of mind in which you adore your life just […]
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Grille Cheese
Female, 25, straight, single, and looking for a boyfriend on dating apps, as are my female friends. We’re all wondering what’s with these guys who post profile photos of themselves lying across the hood of a Lamborghini with their ridiculous greased abs on display. It’s like the opposite of cool; it’s immature and ostentatious and […]
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Mud About You
Mud About You I’m a recently divorced woman. With COVID restrictions easing up, I’d like to go out to bars again. I’m rusty on flirting etiquette. Should I have a “pickup line” or wait for a man to make the first move and then hint I’m interested? —Unsure Men do not speak hint. Hinting to […]
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Free Will Astrology—Week of February 24
ARIES (March 21-April 19): “I not only bow to the inevitable,” wrote Aries author Thornton Wilder. “I am fortified by it.” Wow. That was a brazen declaration. Did he sincerely mean it? He declared that he grew stronger through surrender, that he derived energy by willingly giving in to the epic trends of his destiny. […]
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Dense Like Nobody’s Watching
I read your column about why women apologize more than men, and the science makes sense. What you didn’t address is why men don’t admit they’re wrong or apologize. So while women operate according to the survival instincts you described, men oafishly bumble through life without a clue they screwed up and owe someone an […]
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Free Will Astrology—Week of February 17
ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’re slipping into a phase when stuff that has been invisible will become visible, at least to you. You will have extra power to peer beneath the surfaces and discern the hidden agendas and study the deeper workings. Your interest in trivia and distractions will dissipate, and you’ll feel intensified yearnings […]
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A Long Way from Lupercalia
Ellen Waterston’s column on ageism and ageing is back with a special Valentine’s Day edition
If you think the history of Valentine’s Day is all about cupids, roses and chocolates, think again. Though the origins are obscure, what is known is they had more to do with bacchanals and blood. Blame it on the ancient Romans, who, for centuries, annually celebrated the fertility festival of Lupercalia on Feb. 14. Randy […]
