The Buffalo News : Life

Dear Abby: My boss wants my cell phone number for “work purposes.” He has trouble with limits, and I am reluctant to give it to him. I don’t want to receive text messages, unsolicited calls or contact outside of work. My private life is just that—private. (Updated: 11/06/09 6:58 AM )

Dear Abby: Please print this for me on behalf of myself and all the other well-intentioned folks out there who have lent money to others. “Dear Friend, Family Member or Co-Worker: You came to me in a state of panic unable to make your car payment, pay your lawyer’s fee, your taxes or the light bill. You asked for my help. I gave it to you because I respected and trusted you. Please honor your promise to repay me without my having to ask you. (Updated: 11/05/09 8:01 AM )

Dear Abby: My wife and I were visiting our children and grandson, “Rhett,” age 24. Rhett is a college student who lives at home. He had his girlfriend, “Peggy,” who lives in another town, at the house for the weekend. (Updated: 11/04/09 7:16 AM )

Dear Abby: Thank you for your response to “Alarmed in Apple Valley” (Aug. 28), who was concerned because her teenage nephew shows so much affection toward his mother. I raised a very affectionate son who, to this day at age 30, hugs and kisses me no matter where we meet. I raised him with the principle that because he is male does not mean he has to hide his feelings as generations before him did. My daughter-in-law tells me often that she could not ask for a better husband and father to her children. (Updated: 11/03/09 7:11 AM )

Dear Abby: I have a 19-year-old daughter, “Caitlin,”whom I love very much. Despite a few rocky periods, we have a great relationship. (Updated: 11/02/09 6:43 AM )

Dear Abby: I have strong feelings about the word “love.” I use it only when I truly mean it. My husband’s family, however, bandies it about as a common word. (Updated: 11/01/09 6:44 AM )

Dear Abby: As a fire officer, I have seen far too many families fall victim to accidental home fires. It is devastating to find out that a life could have been saved if someone had only taken that simple step of replacing a dead battery in a smoke alarm. Did you know that 19 percent of American homes lack a working smoke alarm because the batteries are missing or dead? (Updated: 10/31/09 7:50 AM )

Dear Abby: My daughter insists that she’s a “multitasker”—too busy to telephone or text except when she’s driving. It scares me to be in the passenger seat while she’s talking on the phone or picking up toys the baby has dropped from his car seat. (Updated: 10/30/09 8:07 AM )

Dear Abby: In August you printed a letter from an aunt who was upset because her sister, the mother of a child with autism, doesn’t have time to join in fundraising with her and the rest of the family. While I commend the writer and her family for raising money for autism research, that woman needs to cut her sister some slack. (Updated: 10/29/09 8:13 AM )

Dear Abby: I attended a business-related function with my boss and some co-workers. I had way too much to drink and ended up having sex with my boss. (He offered me a ride to my car and took advantage of me.) If I had been sober, it would never have happened. (Updated: 10/28/09 8:09 AM )

Dear Abby: I’m engaged to the man of my dreams. Our wedding is two months away, and I couldn’t be more excited about starting my life with “Jeff.” (Updated: 10/27/09 8:09 AM )

Dear Abby: My brother, “Luke,” died young due to drug addiction. When our son, “Adam,” misbehaves, my husband blames me. He says Adam is going to end up “just like Luke,” and it will be my fault. (Updated: 10/26/09 7:08 AM )

Dear Abby: My husband, “Harvey,” and I have operated a home-based business for more than 20 years. Harvey is an amazing technician, extremely efficient with his time on the job. The problem is, he is always in a hurry to get to the next job. (Updated: 10/25/09 7:27 AM )

Dear Abby: I was raised from an early age that if you play a game, you have to play fair and obey the rules. Those rules were never bent regardless of what the game was or who we played with. (Updated: 10/24/09 8:24 AM )

Dear Abby: My wife, “Laura,” and I have been married 15 years. She recently had gastric bypass surgery and has lost 80 pounds so far. (Updated: 10/23/09 7:15 AM )