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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. This week's "best of" columns come from deep within the Ask Amy vault. Like a soft-serve twisty cone, dilemmas sometimes beg for a second helping. DEAR AMY » I recently had a business meeting with a noticeably overweight person. He was go- ing to pull a file from a different office and get back with me. I then said this: "Sounds great, just get back to me after you waddle up to ..." I was not sure if I was using "waddle" in an offhand way or whether it was an unconscious reference to how he walked. I felt terrible, so I fol- lowed a friend's advice and sent him a brief card apologizing for my com- ments and that I had not meant to draw attention to his weight. Another friend said I should not have sent the card, as it just drew atten- tion to a slip-up that was best forgotten and would not have changed the incident or the embar- rassment it caused. So w ho i s co rr ec t? —Flummoxed DEAR FLUM » I don't know if there is any "correct" way to gracefully pull your foot out of your mouth, but I know what most people do — they do nothing and then just avoid the victim for the next 40 years or so. So good for you for trying to clean this up. But now I'm worried that you're tempted to apologize for your apol- ogy. Please don't. You've done enough. (2003) DEAR AMY » I have been trying to shake a cold for weeks. I have co-workers who have been fighting the same thing I've been fighting. I'm sure we're simply giving it back and forth to each other. But what do you do when a co-worker is con- stantly coughing in your face without covering his/ her mouth? Our desks face each other, and we are face-to-face for hours each day. I find it impolite, but there's truly no way to say something without sounding like a jerk. I realize that some- times you still have to come into the office when you're sick. But can't people who are coughing cover their mouths for the sake of the rest of us? — Mr. Sniffles DEAR SNIFFLES » Disease- spreading aside, I find the worst part of this problem is the fact that you don't seem to think your col- league is adult enough to be able to handle a simple request from you. Even if he isn't adult enough, you need to proceed as if he is. Short of install- ing a sneeze guard over your cubby or wearing a surgical mask, what if you spoke to or emailed your officemate: "I can tell you're so sick, but now I'm afraid I'm getting it. Could you do me a favor and make sure to cover your mouth whenever you sneeze or cough?" This news might be best delivered along with a box of tissues. (2004) During vacation, readers offer their issues at the office 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)— Make a move now. If you are offered an interesting position, accept the challenge. You are overdue for some changes, and this can be the first step. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Stay in control of a situation that will influence your future. If you take action quickly, you will receive positive results. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — Keep your opinions to yourself. Others may be particularly disagreeable, so work on some- thing that you can do alone. Ar- guments will be a waste of time. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — The use of all your talents will lead you to a new business venture. Keep working toward your goal, and an amazing and profitable project will develop. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — Avoid getting involved in joint ventures. Your generos- ity will cause problems. Control your spending, and keep tabs on how much you have and how much you owe. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — If you don't want to do some- thing, don't be afraid to say no. Have a heart-to-heart talk with someone who is making life difficult or uncertain. Trying to please others will be emotionally and physically draining for you. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Unless you have the relevant details, don't feel that you have to make a decision. It's likely that someone is withholding the information you need. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — Meeting people is easier if you participate in community activities and events. If you follow your intuition, you will meet someone who will lead you down an exciting new path. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Don't be too ready to offer details about your plans. Giving someone personal facts or fig- ures could set you up for a fall. Guard your interests carefully. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Spend more time doing things you enjoy. Downtime is just as important as time spent work- ing, especially when it comes to mental health. Gather your friends and have a good time. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Take a look at your bank ac- count and possessions. You may have miscalculated expenses. Do away with non-essential purchases until you can get your finances sorted out. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Get all the facts. Serious dis- cussions should be postponed until you feel ready and capable of acting responsibly. Legal or governmental matters are best handled with facts to back up your position. Horoscope By Eugenia Last SATURDAY, AUG. 9 SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM |YOURDAILYBREAK | 5 B