Welcome to another country. This is not the one you grew up in. This is an entirely different nation, with completely different values and vastly different experiences and expectations.
19
DEAR HARRIETTE: For the past few months, I have had a lot of dreams about my late father. We had a complex relationship. I know he loved me, but he was really hard on me. It felt like nothing I did was good enough. He really did a number on my head. And now, more than 10 years later, he is still in my head.
Liberals have been outraged, and rightly so, over the war on free speech and thought launched by right-wing activists. As I wrote recently, “a nationwide movement is gathering steam to ban books” featuring characters that are not straight white male Christians.
My husband, Peter, is trying to impress a local collie. Peter knows better than this. He had a collie for many years. Collies are not easily impressed. They have their own priorities and their own agenda and if it happens to coincide with yours, you can pretend they did something on your behalf — but you’d be lying to yourself.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been working with a team for about a year, and one member of the group is the weak link. His shortcomings directly impact me every time we work together. I have brought my concerns to his attention pretty much every time there is an issue. Still, nothing happens. I did tell my boss after a few months because it got under my skin he was getting credit for work that I was doing on his behalf. Everybody thinks he is great, but I’m the one following behind him doing everything to make it great. I don’t think he even realizes how poorly he does his job, in part because I can’t help but fix the errors. Finally, my boss decided to speak to him about his work. It got really uncomfortable because this man then thought of me as a traitor. How can I get him to understand how to do his job better? Since they aren’t firing him, I’m not sure what to do. — Do Your Job DEAR DO YOUR JOB: Since your boss did speak to your co-worker, go back to your boss and ask for a plan of action to get the work done better. Mention that things are awkward now, and you need support in getting the work done between you two.
CLINTON DAILY NEWS APRIL FOOL’S DAY HUMOR
The Conversation Associated Press
Anyone who has visited a shopping mall understands the big idea behind a food court.
Dear Doctors: I am a 77-year-old woman diagnosed by my orthopedist with reduced cartilage in my right knee, probably due to wear and tear and arthritis.