Dear Harriette
Dear Harriette by Harriette Cole
Friend wants woman to raise her standards DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a friend who has always had low standards for the men in her life. She goes out of her way to do everything for them and is consistently disappointed in the end because they don’t even show a fraction of the same care she gives them.…
Read MoreRemote employee’s move causes challenges
DEAR HARRIETTE: I am writing to ask for advice about how I should handle my employee moving out of the country while we remain a fully remote team. Obviously, she is allowed to work from anywhere she wants to, but scheduling has become a challenge because of the time difference. I’m struggling with finding ways…
Read MoreIt’s not too late to reach out to friend’s dad
DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel so bad. A friend of mine asked me to talk to her dad about a project he is working on. I agreed right away, but then I got distracted. First, I got sick with whatever bug is making its rounds. Then I got so busy playing catch-up at work that I…
Read MoreFriend wants to see woman outside of work
DEAR HARRIETTE: I ran into a woman at work I hadn’t connected with for more than a year. We have been saying that we were going to get together for dinner, but neither of our schedules would match up. I’m going to say we made dates and broke them about four or five times. When…
Read MoreOverworked employee needs a break
DEAR HARRIETTE: I work in a high-stress environment with an unreasonable boss. She often makes us work through lunch, sometimes without even having time to go to the bathroom. It’s crazy, but when we are in production, she expects all hands on deck — no matter what. The other day, I worked a good 10…
Read MoreNew employee worried about demands of job
DEAR HARRIETTE: The prospect of starting my new job is a little intimidating. After years in a role with plenty of freedom and lenient management, I feel like I’m about to enter the deep end of a totally new environment. I’m sure there will be rules and regulations that I’ll have to follow, and a…
Read MoreFear of medical expenses leads to avoidance
DEAR HARRIETTE: It’s somewhat frightening how many people I know who are having serious medical issues. I arrived at an off-site job earlier this week only to learn that a woman I hadn’t seen for a few months had been away due to open-heart surgery following a heart attack. A male friend of mine is…
Read MoreAcquaintance has trouble with names
DEAR HARRIETTE: Every time I see a particular woman in my wife’s friend group, she looks at me, says hello and asks my name. I want to say that I have been in her company for a good 15 years — though not closely. We do go to the same parties every year and share…
Read MoreFriend suspicious of fishy request for money
DEAR HARRIETTE: I heard from an old friend from college the other day. I have not talked to him in about 30 years. He reached out to me on social media, asking me for help. It was a bit weird hearing from him, but I would never want to leave somebody stranded. It got awkward,…
Read MoreFriend irritated by know-it-all
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a friend who is a know-it-all. As we are talking and catching up, she regularly interrupts me to explain that she knows whatever the subject is already and gives an example. Rarely do I get a whole sentence out before she jumps in to put her personal stamp all over it.…
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