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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 DEARAMY»Mysonis in fourth grade. He is involved in a sport each season. Due to the size of the school, he is on teams with the same group of boys over and over. Many of the parents of these boys have become friends and socialize together. My husband and I are not part of their social group. We are older and we both work full- time jobs in law enforce- ment, while many in this group are stay-at-home moms. Consequently, while all the parents are social- izing, so are the boys, with the exception of my son. He considers these boys his best friends, yet is never included in their socialization, although they include him for birthday parties. He has other play dates with boys not in this group. Whenever this group sees my son, they are always excited and immediately include him, but we never get the phone call to have him meet them at a func- tion; it's just coincidence if we run into them. My son has not noticed this or expressed any concern. My husband says to relax, that in a few years the boys will make their own plans and socialize on their own. So should I just let things sort themselves out? —Upset DEAR UPSET » The first thing you need to do is to simmer down. Nothing that is hap- pening here is deliberate. At this age, socialization is all about opportunity. Fourth-graders pretty much go where they're taken and strike up friendships along the way. If you want the phone to ring more often, then you have to pick it up and make some calls yourself. This gang of kids sounds nice, fun and as if they like your son. So work the sidelines a little bit and get to know some of these parents. But most of all, do not create or inflate problems before they exist. DEAR AMY » My daughter is single, and she is upset at her brother and his wife for not informing her of their decision in making my daughter-in- law's brother and his wife the legal guardians of their two young children should something happen to them. My daughter agreed with my son's decision; however, she said that according to protocol my son should have informed her first. What do you say? — Caught in Between DEAR CAUGHT » I'm no ex- pert in the protocol con- cerning the legal guard- ian line of succession, but logic tells me that the first people informed of this decision should be the prospective guard- ians themselves, not the runn er-up or any other family member. That way, if the prospective guardians decline (and some people do decline), the parents can privately work their way through other candidates without involving other people. Fortunately, your daughter agrees with their ultimate choice. Mother worries son feels left out when kids exclude him 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)— Don't let emotional issues hamper your work. Mooning over personal disappointments will cause you to fall behind, making you appear to be unprofessional. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Your game plan will work out if you are secretive about it. The element of surprise will be the determining factor that will pro- pel you into a better position. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — Don't hesitate to form a partnership. You will be inspired by an offhand comment or sug- gestion. Express your thoughts and plans with passion. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Work issues will prove dif- ficult if your emotions get in the way. Avoid hasty outbursts or accusations. Be conscientious. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — Avoid an unsavory situa- tion with anyone in an authori- tative position. If the grass looks greener on the other side, it's likely that someone is coloring your view to manipulate you. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Follow through with your plans. If you become side- tracked, you will lose ground. You will capture the interest of someone who has much to contribute to your success. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Romance and relationships should take top priority. Express your desires honestly and be clear regarding your intentions and dreams. You can build a strong and stable future. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — You will feel the need to make personal changes. If someone is causing you grief, stress or worry, consider taking a time-out to reflect on the state of the relationship. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Your charisma will gain you favorable attention. Get out, mingle and enjoy being in the spotlight. You have the winning touch and you should make the most of your popularity. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Your stubbornness can lead to difficulties. Rather than get frustrated with friends or fam- ily, spend time doing your own thing. Mull over what's trans- pired and let it go. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Don't let anyone hold you back. Rely on your knowledge and ability to get ahead. Act on your instinct, and refrain from believ- ing everything you hear. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — You need to take care of your responsibilities. An important opportunity will slip through your fingers if you are too distracted by emotional issues to pay attention to what really matters. Horoscope By Eugenia Last SATURDAY, AUG. 16 SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2014 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM |YOURDAILYBREAK | 5 B