Dear Queenie,

My girlfriend thinks she is always right and when we argue about anything she breaks up with me and I am always the one who has to get in touch with her and patch things up and get us back together.

Queenie, I love her. Do you think we have a chance of being happy together?—Getting fed up

Dear Getting fed up,

I do not think so. If you stay together you will always be the one who has to “patch things up” and I do not think your relationship will last very long.

Dear Queenie,

When my sister was coming to visit me she let me know when and how long she could stay and she asked me if there was anything she could bring. I said she could bring some food that we all like and told her how many people would be there. She said it was up to the host to provide food for their guests.

Queenie, I always bring something to eat when I go to visit them. Was I wrong to ask her to do the same for me?—Offended brother

Dear Brother,

It is up to the host to provide food for his/her guests. The fact that you always bring something to eat does not mean they have to do the same for you, although it would be good of them to do so. And your sister should not have made the offer if she was not willing to do as you asked.

You owe each other an apology, and please do not let this incident become a cause of family estrangement.

Dear Queenie,

My boyfriend is a sloppy eater, He takes big mouthfuls and chews with his lips open, so you can see the food in his mouth, he makes a big mess and doesn’t wipe his hands when he gets food on them. My family have commented to me about all this and he has a job where there are frequent lunch meetings, but when I tried to talk to him about it he just laughed at me.

Queenie, is there anything more I can do?—Offended girlfriend

Dear Girlfriend,

Warn your boyfriend again that his poor table manners could affect his reputation at work and possibly his chance of getting a promotion, as well as his social life. Offer to help him learn to do better and hope he is smart enough to try to do so.

Dear Queenie,

I work in a diner and the boss wants us all to be well dressed so he takes a picture of us each day and at the end of the month he gives a bonus to the one he thinks was dressed the best.

Queenie, do you think this is right?—Offended employee

Dear Employee,

I think your boss has a right to insist that his employees are well dressed, to make a good impression on his customers. If he immediately sent home anyone he thought was not dressed well enough, causing them to lose a day’s pay, he would leave himself short-staffed, especially if there was more than one penalised employee that day.

However, he should give you an idea of how he wants you to “dress well”. And perhaps he should have you wear uniforms while working, which he could provide. It probably would not cost him any more than the bonus he is offering.