December 31, 2022 Issue, Page 5 of 8

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December 31, 2022 Activities The Elk City News - 5 Platonic Friendship Suffers GrmLex's elieve It or Not/: When Communication Dries Up like an insult - just me? Like Dear Abby Her latest excuse is, she’s ‘just not good on the tele- I need a reminder that I am Isé phone.” Abby, I know phone alone without a husband. CULTURAL HOLIDAY, DEAR ABBY: I'm a single I recently mentioned this to etiquette has changed and man who has a close female young people rarely use the a friend who told me he experi- NOT A RELIGIOUS ONE, friend who is also single. We phone these days. But we are ences the same thing when he live about a half-hour apart, so in our 60s, and for 25 years our dines alone. He, too, considers New Year's Eve, Greek for the last 25 years, much of relationship was largely on the HOUSEHOLDS OFTEN SERVE our relationship happened on phone. It’s one thing to want it insulting. Please share this the phone. We talked almost to cut back on that, or even with readers who work in the > CAKE CALLED VASGILOPITA, to stop calling me. But ignor- hospitality industry. - JUST INSIDE OF WHICH A COIN IS daily. ‘Two years ago, I noticed she ing my (now infrequent) calls MEIN COLORADO HIDDEN THAT IS SAID TO GRANT GOOD LUCK FOR had stopped calling me unless or texts seems hurtful. Is this THE YEAR TO WHOEVER it was to make plans to get normal, and shouldI still con- DEAR JUST ME: I’m print- together. Then I noticed that sider such a person one of my ing your letter, but I think you FINDS IT IN THEIR when I called her, she'd let it go closest friends? - GHOSTED may be reacting to a question siice! to voicemail and not return my IN THE WEST that may be more about pro- call for days. About a year ago, cedure than a social commen- she stopped returning my voice DEAR GHOSTED: A sud- tary. Your host or server may messages altogether. I tried re- den change in pattern is not ask that question because they ducing my calls drastically, but normal. SOMETHING has want to know whether the ex- no dice. I also tried switching changed. Because you can't get to texts, but she doesn’t re- her to explain what has caused tra place settings should be re- spond to those, either. this change in her behavior, moved from the table. You might conclude that consider taking a page out of she’s unfriending me, but her playbook. Communicate DEAR READERS: As I re- that’s not the case. We still get with her via email only in re- flect back on this past year, I together often for dinner or a sponse to her emails to you, also want to wish you a happy, movie, usually at her sugges- and find some other friends healthy 2023. Did it fly by for It'S CONSIDERED tion via email, and she still acts who will treat you courteously. you as quickly as it did for me? like we are close friends and Iwill join you tonight in “toast- GOOD LUCK TO nothing is wrong. But not re- DEAR ABBY: I am a widow, WEAR BED UW ing” a new year that, I hope, turning, or even acknowledg- and I miss my husband very will be a less stressful one for New Year's Eve. ing, my calls or texts sure feelsmuch. We used to go out to Distributed by Andrews McMeel for UFS._www.gocomics.com © 2022 Ripley Entertainment wrong to me. I have tried ask- dinner together often. I have all of us. If you are celebrating ing her about it, but she brush- friends I have dinners with, tonight, please take measures es it off by saying she “didn’t but sometimes I go out by my- to protect not only your own ‘ossword hear the phone.” Or she's “bad self. Every time I do, afterI say health, but also the safety of at checking voicemail and Tam dining alone, the host or others. Happy New Year, ev- ACROSS texts.” hostess asks, “Just you?” It is eryonel -- LOVE, ABBY 1 “Cheerio!” (hyph.) Current puzzle answers 5 Purse closer BEE) SSE alvin 8 ee ana a eMviLolsofl olds 42 Arab prince /9O| O/}TVES 1 }d SHAN 1S iy 13 Monopoly buy YSIS BINION GE TIVIS|S|VIA &3 18 oedgwick ala /n|Nivia ees | » i 16 Jungle warnin HIM BH V | 113) S/H/9 Cy oF 17 Sweater letter” VIN|3 18) V d| S| 1) V MO! SN 18 Deep black NEE] S@EMERIE! MEK 32 Emanation GME EROE SEIRIOE 21 Ignore 11/5 M1] | |OM 1/V|5 23 Extended d|S|S|4 9G SION Vid MOU WROTE ALLOE 25 Hang on to SIS|VId|A/GHIN|VARV YIN |v SRE OUTIONS | 26 Gas pump qty: REIN MEE) ENCE E5] RESOLUTIONS| eee MEISE! BIEIS) EME! Drabble Dailies 30 Thick cords _.) ENERT YEAR!” ead 33 By heart NV |W d/VIN SHBViL/Vit j 34 Police bust 1-228 ©2028 UFS, Dist. by Andrews McMeel for UFS 36 Blader ees DOWN 30 Plow into 40 Barbie’s beau 1 Prefix for 31 Sheik’s cartel 41 Kitten’s plea “trillion” 32 Eeyore’s friend 43 Skiing mecca 2 Love, for 33 Deliver a 44 Wrestling venue Colette message 46 African cat 3 Coronet 35 Chromosome 48 Utility bill abbr. 4 Fix flowers material 49 Showy and . 5 Long-handled 38 Clanked THEGH THRE TMS A EK. pretentious scoop 39 Cut, as wood Pearls Before Swine T READY JUSTABEED 4G 50 River ina waltz 6 Tent dweller 42 Mink or ermine 53 Feudal tenant 7 “Two fives for 45 Kind of pie TOMYREAD TODO 56 Hamburger eens 47 Diamond stat holder 8 Violin part 48 Sunflower 57 Grassy shoulder _9 Talking bird grower 59 Berlin article 10 Places of refuge 50 Pipes 60 Huge-cast films 11 Those opposed 51 Gainsay 62 Lotion ingredient 14 Tagged . 52 Wash out 63 Superstar 15 Smoked herring 53 Artery 64 Greek letter 22 Somber complement 65 Carnival evergreen 54 Verdi opera attraction 24 Breathe hard 55 Arrogant 66 Apprehend a 25 Franklin’s flyers person suspect 27 Vitality 56 Digestive fluid 1 FORGOT 10 THAT'S THE 365TH 67 Monster- 28 Body of water 58 Assemble EXERCISE TODAY TIME THIS YEAR hunter's loch 29 Claim on 61 Corral 68 Sugar source property Te S| e TO ]it Garfield 412 Hi te ; i} Ee 23 24 i E 26 og, 2 S105 1231 eS HAPPY {| wouoyourtne | = co a7 §) TOSTAYUPUNTIL JE — “= Ls _* NEW YEAR. f]_TENOCLOCKAND fa] BETTER oy 8) FAIL TO FIND SOME- | NOTHING b a6 47 “| THINGWEBOTH Je ae = L — Dilbert s{ _WANTTOWATCH JE is £] ONANY STREAMING 2 | & PF 4 ps 56 57 Hi SERVICE? 3 5) Commo 62 fs & ) Es 63 64 65 0 q 66 2 it Mm