Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/358511
DILBERT ScottAdams PEARLSBEFORESWINE StephanPastis PICKLES BrianCrane BABYBLUES JerryScott&RickKirkman GETFUZZY DarbyConley ZITS JerryScott&JimBorgman SHERMAN'SLAGOON JimToomey ARGYLESWEATER ScottHilburn BIZARRO DanPiraro DEARREADERS»Your questions and dilemmas never take a holiday, but occasionally I must. Like a soft-serve twisty cone, they are sometimes even more enjoyable as a sec- ond helping. DEAR AMY » Recently I was in my 16-year-old daughter's room, where I thumbed through what I thought was a sketch- book. In fact it was a diary/journal, and although I know I should have closed it at that time, I read the last entry. It was written after we had a recent quarrel, which I thought on a 1 to 10 scale to be about a 3. In it she called me her "God D--- Mother" and said she wished I would stay away from her and that she is only happy with her friends. I was shocked because I thought that we always had a much-better-than- average mother/daughter relationship and was hurt by the amount of anger she had toward me. In the past any angry barbs that came my way I just brushed off as teen- age angst, but now I won- der if it is more personal. She is in general a great kid and has spared me any other worries (knock on wood). I'm having trouble getting past this (it's been a couple of weeks now). I just feel something has been lost. Any suggestions? —MominaMuddle DEAR MOM » I ran this question past my own 16-year-old daughter and asked her if she thought you should confront your daughter about this. She quickly reminded me that diaries are full of exaggeration and are never meant to be read by anyone else. She thinks that if you tell your daughter you read her diary, she might find this violation of her privacy unforg iva ble. Right. Now I have my own reaction. Though I agree with my daughter on this, I feel your pain. One of the burdens of mother- hood is that your kids can hurt you, and you still have to soldier on and be the mom. Remember when your daughter was 3 years old and pitched an epic fit and called you "bad mommy" in the hard- ware store because you wouldn't let her buy the chain saw? This is like that. She is calling you "bad mommy," and you're going to have to go ahead and love her anyway. That having been said, if your daughter's out-loud outbursts or angry barbs include the sort of language she used in her diary, or if she seems particularly or chronically upset, sad or angry, then I think you really need to try to get to the bottom of it. Teenage angst and all — it's not normal, and it's certainly not acceptable, for kids to heap abuse on their parents. That's what diaries are for. (2004) There's never a vacation from teen parenting questions You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@tribune.com and follow her on Twitter @askingamy. Amy Dickinson Ask Amy Sudoku Instructions:Theobjectistoplacethe numbers1to9intheemptysquaresso thateachrow,eachcolumnandeach 3x3boxcontainsthenumberonlyonce. AnswertoPreviousPuzzle CelebrityCipher ByLuisCampos Instructions:CelebrityCiphercryptogramsarecreatedfromquotationsbyfamouspeople, pastandpresent.Eachletterinthecipherstandsforanother. NEACrossword Leo(July23-Aug.22)— Plan to have some fun today. If you have been taking life too se- riously, now is the time to spice things up. Avoid individuals who tend to be negative. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You can achieve good results if you network or combine busi- ness and pleasure. Stand tall and exude confidence. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — Work on your to-do list and fix- it projects that are long overdue. Follow directions and don't scrimp on detail. You can make your life more comfortable. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Don't try to put on a brave front. Let your family in on what has been worrying you. They will be able to help clarify and deal with any perplexing situations. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — Play to win, but stick to the rules. Visit someone you haven't seen in a while. You can gain a new perspective from discussions with a distant rela- tive or friend. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Community activities will allow you the chance to hone your leadership skills. By par- ticipating in local events, you will increase the likelihood of meeting someone who shares your concerns. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Choose your friends care- fully. Someone you know quite well will purposely get you into trouble. Don't blame others for your shortcomings. Take responsibility for your actions. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — A career event will enable you to make some promising con- nections. Things are looking up in your personal life. Make plans with a special someone. Aries (March 21-April 19) — You have a take-charge attitude that will win you favor with friends and family. Your com- munication skills will help you defuse an unsettling issue with an opponent. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — You will get quality results if you are a good listener and have the patience to let others carry the conversation. Attempting to dominate matters will alienate you from your peers. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Don't give anyone the chance to meddle in your affairs. Keep your personal life private. You will meet someone interesting while working on an exciting and novel project. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — By enhancing your looks, you will improve your self- esteem. Use your newfound confidence to your advantage, and plan a good time with a friend or lover. Horoscope By Eugenia Last TUESDAY, AUG. 5 TUESDAY,AUGUST5,2014 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM |YOURDAILYBREAK | 3 B