Lifestyle

Dear Amy: I am a 25-year-old female who has been single for over a year and a half, after my previous relationship of five years ended. At the end of this summer, I decided to venture out and start meeting people.

Dear Readers: Keep important information and records in one spot in your home or in clearly labeled files online. Organize it in a way that works for you. Make sure it’s also easily accessible in case of an emergency. And be certain that family members know where the info is kept. Here’s what to do: Make photocopies or scan all key home documents and store them in your designated area, either on your computer, in the cloud or in your home. Also, if you have videos or photos of antiques and valuables for insurance purposes, duplicate them. Keep them with your other important data.

Dear Amy: I was troubled by your response to Cathy S., who told her family to leave all their old hurts and issues at home for the holidays. Suppressing those feelings may lead to more pleasant holiday get-togethers, but it also sounds like a recipe for superficial, distant relationships.

Dear Amy: I am a (female) hairstylist and own my small business. I love my profession and am proud of what I have accomplished.

Dear Heloise: For many years, I have given my grandchildren cash for their birthdays, with this caveat: They can spend one-third however they wish, one-third is to save, and one-third is to donate to their favorite charity. The onethird that excites them the most is their donation, and they cannot wait to tell me which charity it is, plus this gets them into the habit of regular charitable giving when they are older.

Dear Amy: I have always been against senseless consumerism. I am a minimalist in almost all aspects of my life. I do not try to impose my beliefs on anyone, however, whenever I am invited to birthday parties, I almost wish I wasn’t.