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Ask Philip: July 2013

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Common values. Uncommon sense. Gratuitous pop culture references. Thursday, July 11, 2013. Lend in Haste, Repent at Leisure. We own a small house in a beach town. At least a few times every summer, I am “guilted” into letting someone I barely know use the house. Sometimes it’s a friend of a friend, or one of our relatives’ friends. Last month it was someone I know through my exercise class. How interesting that you use the concepts of guilt and obligation interchangeably. (Mom? Didn’t think so....Your as...

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Ask Philip: September 2013

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Common values. Uncommon sense. Gratuitous pop culture references. Friday, September 27, 2013. Ready to Run Away? Maybe It's TIme to Regroup. I am 26 and work for an insurance company. I hate my job. It was the only decent one I could get after college, so I took it, and now I’m scared I will be working here forever. Ready to Take a Chance. You know that old expression about running away and joining the circus? Wait, how could you? That’s what you’re really asking, Ready: Should I run away? Well, here&#82...

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Ask Philip: November 2013

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Common values. Uncommon sense. Gratuitous pop culture references. Thursday, November 14, 2013. Handling 'Rudeus Interruptus' and the Ex’s Babe. I get along with my brother-in-law very well, except in one respect: he can’t stop interrupting me. This weekend, at my parents’ house, I was halfway through telling him a story when he turned to my father and started talking to him about a completely different subject. It was as if I wasn’t even sitting there. Should I confront him? Cut (and Ticked) Off. That&#8...

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Ask Philip: March 2014

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Common values. Uncommon sense. Gratuitous pop culture references. Thursday, March 27, 2014. Where There's a Will, There's a Dog. Pet Free by Choice. Dear Pet Free,. Reason number 3,475 that dogs are better than people: they don’t let their sensitivities get in the way of good decision making. Finally, encourage your mom to keep a list of all the important things someone who cares for her dog would want to know. Are there foods he needs to stay away from? Yours in tummy scratching,. My niece (a high schoo...

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Ask Philip: March 2013

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Common values. Uncommon sense. Gratuitous pop culture references. Thursday, March 28, 2013. And Deliver Us from Cool Parents, Amen. He argues that what those parents do is the same as what we do when we allow him a drink at home as long as he isn’t going to drive. Is he right? You’re worried your son may have a point? Of course what those folks do isn’t the same as what you do when it comes to alcohol. You and your husband are parents. They’re idiots. And maybe something worse. So talk to your son, inste...

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Ask Philip: October 2013

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Common values. Uncommon sense. Gratuitous pop culture references. Thursday, October 31, 2013. When the Friendship Has Become a Nostalgia Act. I want to know if it’s time to break up with a friend I’ve had since college. We’re both in our 40s, now.). I’m feeling sad and confused because we were as close as sisters. We were in each other’s weddings and have spent countless vacations together. However, lately it has become a chore to see her even though she lives just a half hour away. What do I do? Memorie...

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Ask Philip: Where There's a Will, There's a Dog.

http://www.askpvm.com/2014/03/where-theres-will-theres-dog.html

Common values. Uncommon sense. Gratuitous pop culture references. Thursday, March 27, 2014. Where There's a Will, There's a Dog. Pet Free by Choice. Dear Pet Free,. Reason number 3,475 that dogs are better than people: they don’t let their sensitivities get in the way of good decision making. Finally, encourage your mom to keep a list of all the important things someone who cares for her dog would want to know. Are there foods he needs to stay away from? Yours in tummy scratching,. Need a little advice?

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Ask Philip: January 2014

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Common values. Uncommon sense. Gratuitous pop culture references. Thursday, January 23, 2014. How Can I Be Sure About My (Older) Boyfriend? I am dating a man who is seven years older than I am. That does not sound like a lot but right now it feels like it is, because I am 22 and he is 29. He is a great guy and treats me very well, but I think he is ready to settle down while I have only just gotten out of college and started working, and am not ready for a serious commitment. Here’s the problem wit...

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Ask Philip: April 2014

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Common values. Uncommon sense. Gratuitous pop culture references. Thursday, April 10, 2014. Parenting is Hands-On, But Punishment Shouldn't Be. Is spanking a child okay? My wife disagrees, and thinks my father is awful for even suggesting it. Is she right? Your dad certainly has an interesting way of measuring success: spanking didn’t ruin you, so you should ignore the reams of evidence that it’s a bad idea (and not particularly effective), and go ahead and strike your child. Now we do. Plenty of rec...

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Ask Philip: May 2013

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Common values. Uncommon sense. Gratuitous pop culture references. Thursday, May 23, 2013. My Column Goes to the Dogs. This is the first time my wife has shown interest in a pet, and it has caused a little tension that I have put my foot down. I wouldn’t mind having a dog, but I don’t want the added responsibility. How do I make my family happy on this score without ending up resenting them? We now have two. And I have an inhaler. Small pet ownership is a great vehicle for parenting, in that it allows you...