Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/252097
5C Friday, January 31, 2014 – Daily News DILBERT Scott Adams PEARLS BEFORE SWINE Stephan Pastis PICKLES Brian Crane BABY BLUES Jerry Scott & Rick Kirkman GET FUZZY Darby Conley ZITS Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman SHERMAN'S LAGOON Jim Toomey ARGYLE SWEATER Scott Hilburn BIZARRO Dan Piraro DEAR CAROLYN » Many years ago I had a good friend who shared the news of her pregnancy with me and one other girl, with instructions not to tell anyone else until after the first trimester. Then, we were supposed to share the news with all to spare her the necessity of telling every- one herself. I kept her request faithfully, but the news got out early anyway. I was blamed and criticized for breaking the promise after the other girl pointed the finger at me. I believe she was the one who broke the promise after telling her husband, who has many shared friends with all of us, and then blamed me when she saw how angry our friend was. I was shocked and, as is typical for me, did not say much because I did not understand at first what was really going on. Then, because she was pregnant, I did not want this to escalate and cause a lot of drama and I guessed the lying friend prob- ably would not have told the truth anyway. I was crushed that she never even asked me what the truth was. I see that they are still friends now, and I still get the cold shoulder from my friend. What bothers me is that she still does not know how deceitful the other girl was (is) and that I actu- ally was a good friend and valued her friendship. We do not live in the same area anymore, so I am not really wanting to be friends again, but part of me would like to finally set the record straight. Is that a good idea? — Not the Bad Guy DEAR NOT THE BAD GUY » The problem here was structural, and significant: You thought you were a friend, and she thought you were under contract to her company, All About Me LLC. Asking you for your side of the story is what a friend would have done; firing you uncer- emoniously is what an employer would do — an incompetent one, at least. Next time you see her, sure, ask her rhetorically, "Did it ever occur to you that I wasn't the one, way back in the day, who leaked your pregnancy news?" Just don't name the true perp, since you only suspect, and don't expect satisfaction — it's the articulating, not the response, you're after. And even if she does, don't allow yourself back within her reach. Per your description, she appar- ently remains unaware that feelings other than her own matter, and that friendships run two ways. You were a good friend who valued her, yes, but I'm not seeing where she returned that favor. Look at it that way not only to help you move past this chronic insult, but also to remind you not to sign on again to serve as an egoist's lady in waiting. Unfinished business is painful, I get it, but interacting with these two sounds more so. There's an adage for this: Live and learn and be grateful you live somewhere else. Friendship falls apart after leak of pregnancy news Carolyn Hax Ask Carolyn Email Carolyn Hax at tellme@washpost.com, follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ carolyn.hax or chat with her online at noon Eastern time each Friday at www.washingtonpost.com. Sudoku Instructions: The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the number only once. Answer to Previous Puzzle Celebrity Cipher By Luis Campos Instructions: Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another. NEA Crossword Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Dealing with an emotional partner will be a challenge for you today. Try to take an im- partial view of the situation. Do not allow other people to deflate you or cause you problems. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — Experiences in or around hospitals may leave you feeling a bit dejected. Try not to take anything too personally at this time. Your instincts are good, so follow your gut feelings. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a good day to initiate professional changes. Inter- views or a good discussion with your boss could lead to ad- vancement if handled correctly. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — A spontaneous outing will turn into a social event. You will gain a lot of insight from talking to peers or relatives today. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Making a financial deal with someone will require caution, as deception is likely. You may also have personal difficulties with someone close to you. Ad- ditional responsibilities are likely unavoidable. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Conversations with your busi- ness partner or lover may yield undesirable results. Now is not the time to make a force play. You will be frustrated by the obstacles you face. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — A work situation is likely to make you emotional. Females may cause professional difficulties for you. An opportunity to make a career change will be benefi- cial, if taken. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Avoid impulsive or eccentric individuals who offer you a busi- ness proposition. Take advan- tage of any possibility of travel- ing. Romance is in the stars. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — Deception is present in your home environment. It would be best to deal with it head-on. Be clear and direct, and you will find a solution to your problem. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Evasiveness in communica- tions is likely to occur. In-laws may be meddlesome or may try to throw you off course. Avoid making any life-changing deci- sions today. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — Get out and socialize with friends. Do something physical in nature, and you may meet some interesting new people. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — You will have a hard time handling an emotional partner today. Try to face the truth of the matter. Don't let other people crush your spirit or cause you grief. Horoscope By Bernice Bede Osol FRIDAY, JAN. 31