Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/366548
DILBERT ScottAdams PEARLSBEFORESWINE StephanPastis PICKLES BrianCrane BABYBLUES JerryScott&RickKirkman GETFUZZY DarbyConley ZITS JerryScott&JimBorgman SHERMAN'SLAGOON JimToomey ARGYLESWEATER ScottHilburn BIZARRO DanPiraro DEARAMY»Iworkas a funeral director and em- balmer in a small, family- run funeral home. I take a lot of pride in my work. I spend countless hours en- suring that every detail of my clients' funerals goes off without a hitch. You can imagine the stress that this entails, dealing with clergy, cater- ers, news- papers, the government, etc. I do my best to be understanding and patient, because these poor people are going through a lot. However, after I've worked and answered phones far past my bedtime, my patience wears thin. Every once in a while, one of the family mem- bers will find a small detail that I've somehow neglected, had no control over or plain sc—wed up. I've been verbally abused, criticized and just plain treated rudely. I take it personally and am often reduced to tears. How can I learn to take these in stride? —LosingPatience DEAR LOSING » I assume that for every disgruntled client, there are many families who are very sat- isfied with your service. If clients have written to you in gratitude, post these cards and notes in a place where you can see them during your workday. The most successful professionals apologize quickly for mistakes and do everything necessary to make things right. Your profession is extremely emotionally taxing. You are dealing with people at their most vulnerable. You must pace yourself in terms of your own workload. You can't serve people well if you are exhausted or overwhelmed. Seek the counsel of someone who is more sea- soned in your business. Find outlets that take you far outside your work and feed your mind and body. Yoga or swimming could help. DEAR AMY » Every year a friend generously offers her vacation cottage in a popular beach town for all of her women friends to have a gathering. We are eight women in our 50s. We provide meals and gifts for the cottage, and when we go out, we all very happily pay our friend's share. My only issue is that at the end of our four- or five-day stay, she hands us a broom and vacuum and asks us to clean the cottage. We are seven meno- pausal women, sweating profusely, and some of us cannot bend very easily. Meanwhile the owner is reading magazines on the couch! We obviously love the cottage and are happy to change sheets, etc. Suggestions? — Cinderella and the Gang DEAR CINDERELLA » Beach towns usually host a variety of professional cleaning services where yo u c an h ir e cl e a n e r s f or a vacation turnover. Let's say this fee is $100 to $200. Split among seven of you, this would be a bargain, and you could kick back for one last beachfront brunch. Funeral director's patience dying with clients' behaviors 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)— Trust your intuition. Get any deals or promises in writing. If something seems dubious or uncertain, look for an alternative way to get what you want. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Show your support. If you fight for the underdog, your dedica- tion will be noticed and com- mended. Set a high standard for yourself that others will follow. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — Don't let a professional differ- ence of opinion deteriorate into an emotional debate. Get your facts straight. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Take action and show every- one how industrious you are. Present your ideas in a confi- dent manner. Your enthusiasm will be contagious. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — Compromise will be need- ed in order to resolve a battle of wills. Don't cave to pressure or let anyone bully you. Stand up for what you believe in. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Tread carefully today. Oversensitive peers and family members will require an under- standing and calm approach. This is an ideal day to work on personal documents and avoid interaction with others. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Group efforts will go smooth- ly. You will be able to get along with your colleagues, and much will be accomplished. Take a position of leadership in order to boost your popularity. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — Creative projects will keep your imagination and mind stim- ulated. All work and no play will lead to irritability and dissatis- faction. Make romantic plans for the evening hours. Aries (March 21-April 19) — You will need a lot of strength to deal with negative people and those unable to see the possibilities at hand. Keep your emotions in check. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — You will be able to get every- thing done if you focus. Your generosity and approachable manner will enable you to get the help needed to reach your goals. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Don't get so caught up in daily trials that you neglect financial matters. Be mindful of how your decisions will influence those around you. Think before you act. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Take extra care when it comes to the way you present who you are and what you can do. The compli- ments you receive will please you and boost your confidence. Horoscope By Eugenia Last WEDNESDAY, AUG. 20 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM |YOURDAILYBREAK | 3 B