Dear Queenie,
My husband and I have 2 children who will both graduate from different schools on the same day.
Queenie, how do we decide which graduation to attend?—Undecided parents
Dear Parents,
Perhaps you could go to one graduation first, early, and arrive late at the other. Or you could attend one and your husband the other (you might have to draw straws to decide which one of you goes to which event).
Talk it over with your children and let them help you decide what to do.
Dear Queenie,
My husband likes to be naked in the house all the time, even when he is cooking or doing the dishes. I’m afraid someone might see him like that, but if I say anything he just tells me if I don’t like it not to look at him.
Queenie, is this kind of thing normal?—Worried wife
Dear Wife,
Apparently it is normal for your husband. As long as he cannot be seen through the windows or when someone comes to your door, I see no problem.
If necessary, put curtains or blinds on the windows, and cover him up before answering a knock on the door.
And be sure to thank him when he cooks and/or does the dishes, while having some therapeutic supplies handy in case he spills something too hot on a tender part of his anatomy.
Dear Queenie,
I have a lot of tattoos that I like a lot. I cover them up when I have to, but not always when I’m out in public and sometimes people comment on them and even tell me they are ugly and that I have ruined myself by having them.
Queenie, what is a polite way to answer them?—Tattooed woman
Dear Tattooed woman,
Why try to be polite to someone who is being so rude to you? If you do not want to be rude in return, just say something like “Thank you for your concern.”
But also feel free to tell them, “I may be ugly for having tattoos, but you are rude for making such a comment about them.”
Dear Queenie,
My boyfriend and I have been going together for almost a year and every time we go somewhere it’s always up to me to make all the plans for the outing.
I don’t want to hurt his feelings, but I wish sometimes he would be the one to make the plans.
Queenie, how can I get him to do it?—Tired of planning
Dear Tired,
Have you tried talking to your boyfriend about this? Ask him where he would like to go, what he would like to do, and suggest that he make the arrangements and surprise you. And once he has done it, be sure to tell him how much you enjoyed the outing. Maybe all he needs is a little encouragement.
Dear Queenie,
My daughter is smart and beautiful and earns a good living. She has had a couple of long-term relationships over the years, but never got married.
So, Queenie, what do I tell people when they ask me if she’s married and has children?—Proud mother
Dear Mother,
Tell them what you have told me: how successful your daughter is and how happy she is with her (single) life. Then change the subject by asking them about their children.
