...I suspect there is no thrill activity that will please her as much as drinking, and you may have to cut her loose. But if you do need to end the friendship, it will be hard for you, but please tell her why.

I'm been in the situation your friend was in, now sober nearly 12 years. When my drinking started to get out of control, my normal friends dropped me without a word. I do't blame them, not at all. But I wish just one of them had told me why, that might have helped me wake up to the reality of what I was doing to myself.

Schools who run graduate programs like this, good god, an art major is bad enough, but non-traditional art, what does that mean, designs with tin cans? - should require their students to sign waivers indicating that they know they will probably not be able to find a job, probably not be able to earn a living, and most likely end up in some dead end job.

I think the LW's best options is to go to grad school, and learn a marketable SKILL for heaven's sake, and do art on her own time.

I've had two - and absolutely never again - tenants who were art grads. What that turned out to mean was unemployable deadbeats,

I'm going to try my Sunlight dish detergent tomorrow. Waste not, want not.

Marc that was hilarious...thanks for the morning LOL. I suspect that is the way that story actually ended.

LW, I dated the opposite of your GF. I dated a wealthy man who gradually got cheaper and cheaper - when he was with me, anyway. The last time we spoke he had come from abroad and brought a gift for me. The gift was a silver bracelet so cheap that the color came off on my skin.

One thing I've learned, is that you can't change someone. If this bothers you now, it will bother you later, and even more. Enjoy the relationship, and then move on.

After 20+ years in cubical hell I've learned that many, if nost most, jobs underutilize people. It sounds like things are going great for you, stay there - I echo Marc's sentiments, the US is on its way out as a superpower, there is no health care here, etc, for gods sake stay there and enjoy your life. And, if you return, you will probably never get this chance again.

Also seriously agree, one of Cary's best. I will have 13 years of continuous sobriety soon, and LW, if you follow Cary's advice you will be helping your friend towards the same, one day at a time. Good luck to you both!

I am the descendant from some English and Scottish hooligans who were deported here generations ago. I like to visit England and I always wonder about those street signs.

And by the way, thanks, also, for the morning readings you do on NPR. I listen to them every day on the way in to work, they are part of my morning routine.

You MUST leave this guy alone, hire bim less and less. I know it's hard, you want to help - but a substance abuser is a bomb looking for a place to go off. Find a charity to volunteer time to, where you can be sure of helping someone, if you want to do that.

This resurgence of interest in jello is part of a = hopefilly = short-lived trend. I noticed at my local deli another 1970's food product similar to jello I haven't seen in years...I think it might have been called Watergate salad. Pistasto flavored pudding, tinned pineapple, and marshmallows, I recall eating that as well as jello when I was a kid. Equally icky.

..Afghanistan isn't worth one Western life. No matter what the allies do, they are going to stay primitive, Islamic, barbaric, determined to stay in the 4th century.

LW you are an asshole. I am sure your impatience is obvious to the people that bore you. Many (most?) office environments are small, mean, and petty. You can be sure that these people you insult will pay you back.

As other posters have noted, otherwise you are just about crackpot. A lot of our mental health care system is just about stuffing a person with enough drugs to function in a job and contribute to the economy. Good luck with your endeavor, I hope you will be able to make a difference for many people.

I am a woman, and your response gave me a good laugh. I've known "womyn", womanists, etc, and seen this odd thing about periods, or, 'moon times' 'wisdom times' etc. I agree with you, it is dead tissue,a part of life, just clean it up and toss it out. And it hurts some months, sometimes quite a bit! Yech!

Happily, I am past the age where that is a monthly inconvenience.

Benn there, done that. You are succeeding, stick with this guy for at least six months. After your first year is up, one day at a time, go back and read this letter. It will be self-explanatory.

I have nearly 12 years of sobriety, one day at a time....hang in there.

As usual, you hit the nail on the head.

her comment referring to astrology as if it were real instead of a bunch of superstitious crap shows just how worthless IQ measurements can be....