Show r s J ' v v DEARANNIRI received a “couple baby shower” invitation from a cousin At the bottom of the invitation it stated that cake woukf be provided but we must purchase our own dinner and drinks My husband and I fig- -i used that after a $25 gift $40 for dinner and $15 for a baby sitter for my three kids it becomes a mighty expensive shower Is this a new custom to invite people and expect them to bring a nice present as well as pay for their own dinner and drinks?— Bakersfield Calif DEAR CALIF No it’s not a new custom it's a shakedown And it’s being perpetrated by too many newlyweds and expectant parents think it is somehow acceptable to Mil their guests We suspect it’s only going to get worse because the more such tasteless greed is toler- ated the more people think it’s OK FeeT to send your regrets The gift is optional DEAR ANNIE I have raised my stepdaughter since she was 6 yean old “Heather” visits her mother and stepfather reg- ulariy and each time it creates a major prob- lem Although Heather has a dress code her mother often challenges our rules When Heather was 13 Mom bought her a backless ' When she was 13 Mom allowed - ' ' ' ' ' ) v vvjv y x- ’ v- Av-- ThHeralrf Joucpal Logan Utah Saturday April 102004 — B5 K auerfMeirVaa umkktvwmaH ouaevewMoer rmfiiirtiwina sa ex-wi- ' "r ’a j' j AMMUDgNIU sarmtaoNTiu ruwsrl fe r -- si i GILBERT WALLY DO YOU HAVE THE APPROVED VENDOR Hj&T? ITS I 1 ON THE NET THE PASSWORD WALLY IS SO FIRST ILL FIND OUT THAT THE PASS- - HMM YOU ALWAYS 6AY INFORMATION ISON THE NET WHEN I KNOW ITS NOT YET BY MENTIONING A PASSWORD IT SOUNDS : PLAUSIBLE WORD HAS CHANGED THEN I'LL FIND OUT ’’ THAT THE LIST IS OUT QFDATE WHAT AM I FORGETTING? uwi con-wh- ' i FOrt BETTER OR WORSE Heather to wear jeans slung so low she shouldn’t have been out in public Last weds Heather returned from her mother’s upth her bellybut- ton pierced My husband's new job means that be is gone a lot ao I'm often the one oh the front lines when there is a problem with the Heather had asked us earlier about piercing her navel and we told her it was unacceptable We’ve also told Heather that the niles can be changed depending upon her level of respohsi- -' bility and how much we trust her! If she is truthful with us we will consider her desires and occasionally give in Quite honestly I may have changed my mind about letting bar pierce her navel if she had been upfront and not cho- sen to do it behind my back I have asked Heather to remove the piercing but she refuses I also worry that if my other children see it they will want one too Am I' wrong? — Stepmoml in North Dakota o DEAR STEPMOM: You are right to be cemed that Heather's rebelliousness will affect the other children You are wrong however to pit yourself against Heather’s mom when it " ' ‘ fl§ si By Kattnyn MKchaN IllareySugv Creators Syndicate Inc ' ' r ' va: ' V" 'fi sees you as the bad guy and Mom as an ally It also makes Heather’s mom more likely to undermine your authority in an attempt to gain control over her daughter's life You sound like a loving stepmother but Heather is 17 and it might be time to change your Approach Contact the Stepfamily Associ- ation of America (saafamiliesorg) 650 J Street Suite 203 Lincoln NE 68308 (1 for suggestions 00-dress 735-032- 9) needs second opinion IBS Peter H Gott MD Newspaper Enterprise Association fore your specialist has diagnosed IBS a com- mm affliction that can result in serious and troubling symptoms of gas maldigestion aiul discomfort I cannot comment on (or judge) this conclusion after all he is the specialist But I can recommend that you obtain a second opinion from another specialist DEAR DR GOTT Are the jokers who inhale helium to change their voices harmed in ' “ any way? DEAR READER: Helium is plentiful in our environmental air However when it is inhaled in high concentrations it altos the timbre and raises the pitch of the voice leading to speech that sounds like that of cartoon characters The practice of occasionally inhaling helium is not considered by most authorities to be a health hazard By PEAR DR GOTT IV have suffered for a year with abdominal cramps gas fatigue diarrhea or constipation and malaise After my gastroenterologist performed an upper endoscopy and colonoscopy he diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome My stomach was “a mess’’ but he found no cancer or ulcer Why do I feel so sick? DEAR READER: Unlike many readers who write me about their IBS but had no testing you have had an appropriate work-u- p fora variety of ailments All were negative There - GRtZZWELLS CANYoUlMAGIC rflJKfDEKT AWhHE ACTUALLY FWED CHICKEN EKTOGUI& WltUM FINGERS -- ZITS Horoscope ' By Bornico Bodo Osoi Newspaper Enterprise Association poor attitude about doing yqur job today will make your chores quite distasteful and even ' harder to accompbsh — VIRGO (Aug 22) Try to treat life as a game today instead of taking everything dot happens around you or what you do too seriously LIBRA (Sept 23 --Oct 23) — Keep outsiders or totally out of your family’s affairs today especially those issues you’re trying to resolve SCORPIO (Oct 22) — Even though you may feel overwhelming inclinations today to level some choice commoits at a person who is way out of line SAGITTARIUS (Nov 21)— Your sales resistance could be far lower than usual today so you’ll need to be especially careful when shopping that you don!t give in CAPRICORN (Dec 19) — Someone with whom you’re closely associated could unchanictenstically be in a temperamental !" ’mood today AQUARIUST(Jan 19)— You may have some difficulties with which to content today that are not of your own making ' PISCES (Feb Should one 20) of your friosds have a chip on his shoulder v wife his bite being equally as bad as his bark ' let him get his frustration ouL ’ For Saturday April 10 2004 Your birthday Qualify your targets in the year ahead and don't waste time and effort on things you might not want once they are accomplishedYour ambitions can be - GARRELD 24-No- v! : ARIES (March 19) —There is no need to puSh people around in order to get than to do what you think they should be 21-Ap- ril 23-D- ec doing TAURUS (April 20) — Subdue tendencies to overreact by coming on too strong if others express viewpoints or opinions today ihat are contrary to yours 20-M- ay 22-J- anybody the i ment for you without first checking with you CANCER (June 22) — You’D only be asking fix frustration and rotation if you get yourself involved with someone today who doesn’t appreciate the value of teamwork LEO (July 22) — Going in with a 21-Ju- pt in-la- ws fiil-fill- ed V 23-Se- : ’ 20-F- eb : ly ALLEY OOP 20-Mar- ch " 23-Ai- ig an Crassword April 10 2004 nundes ' 28Nothlng 1 Necklace part 28 Heckle: 5 Gloss target 33Pu!fiImin ' : 8 Study hard "35 Cheyenne abode’ 12 Pinnacle 13 Grounded " 36 Habitual :v bifd 37 Perches 38 Feel sore of 59 Conceal 14 Embraced ' 15 Haik wearer 39 High moun- - 60 Luge !''16 Bargains tain wsieh ! 18 Nope QiyplU 20 Monkey 41 Feedbag V in 'Aladdin 42 Mexican ' 21 i : morsel Pimdeaner - 0C1I1 iiBn 000 H0BH (3000 BBE HBCTHBED A— raHn-QD- B IAILILIE1YJ C1Q0B ''A TtftNTTXm 0000000 QC0ffln00C!000 0n0 1 mill ! i ISAILIUtAI IyIrIsLInIeItIsIjsIlIyTj K :pOWN :: y 1 Bleat - 10 Confederate:- 2 Pantyhoae 11-- Dejpfc - Binnbay V mumHLs 41h)idilfshoot Bnmm 00HH iit-' tVlMNTLY 1UA$ diALLiNGlNG 61PFCbosa 62 Nighty in Want ads dsr 3 nsnny:y''s 0man uuuiiuq Bra i ' - J WAS THOUGHT PROPOGNtf TO v SALLV tUT )V BH0 1 SHOO II BHD3 UBUMowa J 'r - wraps " 22 Eaiiy 45 Golfenr org '"''iMtnMMHnier' 48 Lab animal Sound at the 49 Throw in the 25 sni jir I FRANK AND ERNEST 3 Brown of renown 6 Mar 7 Spahisl 8 Tai: Ldi'uan’' 9 INOtpnony 17 store- inventory ' ! 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