Columns

My wife and I got married eight months ago. Whatever I suggest for the apartment — a paint color, a bathroom fixture — my wife immediately dismisses. For example, the living room couch she wanted was too huge for the space: a really awkward, uncomfortable fit. She kept ignoring objective facts about spatial relations — […]

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In 1904, it wasn’t illegal to use performance-enhancing drugs during Olympic competitions. Runner Thomas Hicks took advantage of this in the marathon race. The poison strychnine, which in small doses serves as a stimulant, was one of his boosters. Another was brandy. By the time he approached the finish line, he […]

ARIES (March 21-April 19): The Carib people from Surinam quote their mysterious Snake Spirit as follows: “I am the force of the spirit of the lightning eel, the thunder ax, the stone. I am the force of the firefly; thunder and lightning have I created.” I realize that what I’m about to say may sound […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]