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DILBERT ScottAdams PEARLSBEFORESWINE StephanPastis PICKLES BrianCrane BABYBLUES JerryScott&RickKirkman THEDUPLEX GlennMcCoy ZITS JerryScott&JimBorgman SHERMAN'SLAGOON JimToomey ARGYLESWEATER ScottHilburn BIZARRO DanPiraro DEARAMY»Mybest friend and I live together in a house. We are both in our early 20s, but have different lifestyles. I a m ac ti ve , h av e a f ul l- time job and serve on our local school board. My best friend helps his dad farm and in his spare time just likes to stay home and party. For the most part we make great roommates, but recently he has been drinking a lot. This past weekend he got so drunk that he was stumbling and trip- ping everywhere. He also has been inviting "questionable" people over. I am afraid he is becoming a bad alcoholic, as the drinking has been going on for quite a while and has recently become a real problem. I don't want to kick him out because we are still best friends and I really care about him, but I also don't know how long I can put up with this. I have tried speaking to him about his drinking and he just becomes upset with me. What should I do? —BestFriend DEAR BEST FRIEND » First this: Understand that you may not be able to have a significant impact on your friend's drinking. However, you have the right to live in a household that is peaceful and safe. Secondly, it will help if you realize that your friend will definitely be upset with any sugges- tion that his drinking is a problem. Being upset and lashing out at those trying to help are two weak weapons that alco- holics use to deflect the impact of their drinking. So — stop caring if your friend gets upset. Simply expect it. The next time he is drunk and crashing around the house, capture some of his behavior on video. Then, during a sober moment when you think he might be able to pay attention, send or show the video to him and say, "Dude — this is you." You should tell your friend that you really care about him, but you don't want to live like this. If his behavior is extremely disruptive or dangerous, you shouldn't live together. Best friends tell one another the truth, even when the truth is very hard to hear. DEAR AMY » "Recovering" is a private person who doesn't want to explain her skin cancer scar to colleagues. Not wanting to ex- plain a burn on my chin from a mishap with my hot electric curling iron, I responded to questions from the men I work with using this simple explanation: "I cut my- self while shaving." We had a laugh and this ended the queries. — Recovered DEAR RECOVERED » Great answer. Best friend worries about his buddy's excessive drinking You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@tribpub.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 Aries(March21-April19) — Keep the peace. Being open and upfront will help you avoid a dispute. Focus on self-awareness and personal improvements. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Put your goals first. An opportu- nity will spring from a discus- sion you have with someone quite unusual. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Don't share too much informa- tion regarding what you are up to or your personal background. Maintaining a bit of mystery will draw more interest. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Delve into a project you feel passionate about pursuing. With a little thought and effort, you can make your life and sur- roundings more convenient. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Get your plans up and running. Your charm and enthusiasm will make someone think about proposing a partnership. Put love on a pedestal and make romance a priority. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Make a focused effort to have fun and to participate in events or conversations that allow you to show your playful personal- ity. Use your intelligence to win favors and approval. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — Make a heartfelt attempt to let someone know how you feel. Finding out where you stand will enable you to make important decisions. Let the response you receive guide you. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Consider what you have to offer and lay it out for someone you'd like to work with. Don't underestimate your talent when negotiating a deal. Form part- nerships based on equality. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — Honesty may get you into trouble, but it will also help you move forward. Put an end to old habits or outmoded methods and prepare to implement new plans. Romance will improve your life. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Seek out people you enjoy spending time with. Honest conversation will lead to positive change. Don't take a challenge that involves physical risk. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Avoid troublesome situations that make you feel insecure or nervous. Personal gains can be made if you focus on updating your look or romancing someone you love. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — You can learn a lot from observing how others handle confrontation. A practical, intel- ligent approach to anyone op- posing your ideas will sway him or her to your way of thinking. Horoscope By Eugenia Last WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13 WEDNESDAY,APRIL13,2016 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM |YOURDAILYBREAK | 3 B