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DILBERT ScottAdams PEARLSBEFORESWINE StephanPastis PICKLES BrianCrane BABYBLUES JerryScott&RickKirkman PHOEBEANDHERUNICORN DanaSimpson ZITS JerryScott&JimBorgman SHERMAN'SLAGOON JimToomey ARGYLESWEATER ScottHilburn BIZARRO DanPiraro DEARAMY»Yearsago,I landed a great job with an excellent company. I've been very happy here, except in the past 15 months or so. My good friend retired and a young woman was hired to take her place. When she's in the office, she has all of our co-work- ers trying to help her with every little thing and covering for her many sick days. Most of the time she's out of the office claiming some horrible illness. My co- workers are nice people but from my vantage point, they are a bunch of suckers. Recently, my frustra- tion got the better of me and I started complain- ing about her absences. Someone overheard me and clued her in. I prom- ised I wouldn't talk about her again, but now it's tense and I'm even more unhappy. This breakdown of mine turned me into a "mean girl" and she is the victim. I don't really have proof that she's lying about her illnesses — it's just a hunch. I don't have to deal with her directly and her excuses and absences don't really affect my work. Any suggestions? —(NotReallya)Mean Girl DEAR NOT REALLY » Your retired friend might be a good person to talk to; she knows you and understands the dynamic at work. I'm also going to sug- g es t a b ra ve an d r a d ic a l option, which has helped many a "mean girl": Get to know this co-worker better. Who knows — you might see what the fuss is all about. Regardless of the outcome, you will have done everything pos- sible to make this right. I think you will be happier if you do. DEAR AMY » My husband and I have been together for three years. We have one daughter together and another on the way. He was often gone long hours and I began to question if he was having an affair. When I was five months pregnant he confessed that he had actually been doing drugs for the past five years and staying away from home. It's been three months since his confession and I wonder if I will ever trust this man again. He is a great father and trying to be a better partner, but I feel strange around him. We have done counsel- ing and he promised to seek drug counseling but nothing came of it. How do I put this behind us? — Confused DEAR CONFUSED » Three months is too soon for you to put all of this be- hind you. Your husband hid his drug use for five years; you would be wise to assume that this could happen again. Educate yourself about drug abuse and continue to go to counseling. Ask your therapist for a rec- ommendation for a local group you could attend to communicate with others whose lives have been impacted by drug use. 'Mean girl' at office wants to shed title, gain respect back 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 Cancer(June21-July22)— Your original agenda may have to be discarded in order to deal with chaos, but in doing so, you will show others how competent you are. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Don't be too open about your personal affairs. Someone may be looking to sully your reputa- tion, so be discreet. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You will have less to worry about if you stay in control. Your decisions should be based on factual information that you gather on your own. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — A chance meeting will introduce you to someone who will have a definite impact on your future. Putting yourself in the middle of the circle will have benefits. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — If you are lax in performing your household duties, you will hear about it. Deal with your tasks first in order to avoid un- necessary disagreements. Being accommodating will win favors. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — Mixing business with pleasure will turn out well. At- tending a job-related event will improve your business status. Your thirst for adventure will be satisfied if you try your hand at something out of the ordinary. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Moneymaking opportunities are apparent and should oc- cupy your time. You risk losing a friendship if you meddle in someone else's personal life. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Deception is apparent. You have been given an unrealistic view of a current situation. Until you are sure what the outcome will be, don't make a commitment. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — It will be disappointing to discover that someone close to you has let you down. Stay positive. Don't blame yourself for someone else's behavior or shortcomings. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Honesty is always the best policy. Stick to what you do best in order to gain the support you need to get ahead. Don't allow minor setbacks to quash your dreams. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Test the waters before making a major financial investment. Real estate and property deals will prove lucrative if you do your homework and negotiate with finesse. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Find something that intrigues you and check it out. You won't know what you can achieve until you try. Love and romance are highlighted and will improve your personal life. Horoscope By Eugenia Last SATURDAY, JULY 4 | YOURDAILYBREAK | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2015 4 B