LW you need therapy. You don't think highly of yourself and tend to fall for anybody who flatters you. I am quite sure this is not the first time that someone has basically smiled at you and you have given them much more than you should have. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy will help and it will probably take fewer than ten sessions. Your health insurance, if you have it, will pay most of the cost.

This man on the other hand, I would throw out of my office.

Not really, he would never come in, I'm sure he thinks he's perfect.

The letter might make things worse. And, yes the Alcoholics Anonymous step about making amends sounds fine but sometimes backfires by making the victim uncomfortable. And, it's all about NOT making the victim uncomfortable again, isn't it?

If you can - donate to an organization that represents the offense, for example if your remark was racist, sexist, or had to do with sexual orientation.

If not, take the advice of several of us and pay it forward. Do something nice for someone else and live your life in the present and future the way you wish you had lived it in the past.

Forget the guilt and get on with your life. And, smile. We need more smiles.

So, if the polling is done by phone and most younger people and many older people use only cell phones, which aren't listed in phone books, are their opinions being counted?

You can call her doctor's office and ask her/his nurse to put a note in her file advising that her daughter thinks her mother is suffering from anxiety. It's that simple. Chances are this woman frequents her doctor often, anxious people do. You are not violating any confidentiality standards and it is up to the doctor whether to take the note seriously or not, s/he will.

If her doctor advises therapy and or medication I think this woman will take it seriously.

Life is usually more about making the decision right than making the right decision.

Glucosamine is marketed for animals, too. I gave some to my horse who has arthritis. It works great. She can trot and walk even canter - when before walking was obviously painful. So, as a psychologist I really have to doubt that the horse could read my mind and think that it would help her with her pain(the placebo effect). I just mix it in her grain (without her watching).

The problem is that we don't have real exact measurements for pain. So, how can you prove that something relieves pain?

Try horses.

Sorry, but no.

And then plan something nice for yourself and people you really care about. Like a day at the park.

LW if someone came to you with this problem, what would you tell them?

That is the advice and action that you will feel the most comfortable with.

Do it.

Call her or don't call her.

In either event you are going to need more than one friend. You need to evaluate your life for outreaching activities. When people state they need a friend what they are often saying is that "I stay inside all the time, only go out to work and shop, and really don't like people very much unless they do something for me".

There are many opportunities out there and just maybe you need to get a dog to start. And then, walk the dog! Get out of the apartment and talk to people.

You appear to be rather needy and that often has the effect of turning people off. Is it possible you are not a very forgiving or generous person?

Unfortunately I'm afraid the defining work of art of our time is going to be the movie, 'Idiocracy'. Really, I'm afraid.

McCain suggested yesterday that his wife would be a good candidate for a topless motorcycle award at at motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D. And she gleefully nodded.

Heaven help us.

Because the LW never specifies a reason that the separation happened - I suspect that he thinks he is at fault. Probably was controlling, perhaps emotionally unavailable, likely hot-tempered. I admit I may be reading between the lines but LW does the shoe fit?

If you were at fault and she has moved on because she wasn't quite brave enough to get a divorce please be kind and start divorce proceedings. Since there appears to be no children this should not be terribly complicated. You may be able to receive minimal help from an attorney for property division and do the rest yourself with internet forms. In the state where I live she does not even have to show up at the courthouse if she has signed the property division forms.

Then, or at the same time, seek help for your short-comings. There are many excellent self-help books on anger and controlling behavior I recommend them for many men as a starting point. Or, seek the help of a shrink.

It's possible she may tell you to take a hike. If so, consider it a lesson well learned. If she sighs and says, "Oh, well there's a few things I lied about too.....", consider it a lesson well learned. Well heck, no matter what happens just consider it a lesson about lying. But if it all works out fine and she finds it endearing please remember that lying makes life complicated. Do you want a complicated life?