I'm older than LW and would like to shack up with someone. I met a guy who had a lot of sterling qualities, but was a psychological downer. He kept dwelling on some sad stuff from years past and then dumped me for someone who enabled his moping and reminiscing. Initially, I was angry, but the next day I was sitting and playing computer games and whistling. I sang to my cats. I did Happy Feet. I never ever ever do those things.

So, that guy did not work. I met someone else and sing and dance and do happy feet, even though we've only had a couple of dates. He might turn out to be the one or not. I still would like to find a partner.

But, the instructive thing here is that if the prospect of being with someone is a downer and you are already aware of it (unlike me; boy was I Cleopatra, Queen of DeNile), then you have the gracious opportunity to use your career as a gentle excuse to take your leave of the guy.

Perhaps your new profession will send you toward someone more appropriate.

BTW - last year I attended several weddings. They were all first marriages. Every single person getting married was over 40. Just a data point.

the dingleberries running the Republican campaign are not reading this and saying, "Ooh, let's attack the wife and kids and see if we can get him mad on camera."

If you have to sit in a tin can going 400 miles per hour for more than a few hours, take business class. Better yet, join the 21st century and get some good web conferencing hardware and software. No one needs to travel for business anymore, unless they're doing a plant inspection.

Its probably not that interesting a job. She probably sits and reads import-export manifests and marketing data all day, punctuated with making meaningless Powerpoint presentations for variety.

Three little initials: TSA

Dr. Gottman is an expert on marriage. His ideas can be applied to friendships of all sorts. Ask yourself what you get from the relationship without taking into account the arguing. Then, ask yourself how you two communicate your differences. There can be very successful, lengthy, yet stormy partnerships that survive because both parties get something from it and both parties know how to argue without damaging their relationship. One thing he says to be careful about is stonewalling, which is what you were doing by ignoring her messages. Its better to get stuff out in the open than play the avoidance game.

Quite honestly, some of it is touchiness on your part. I mean, how important is your favorite singer in your life? Really.

Travelling together was instructive all around, because a holiday with one other person seems like a crucible, a make-or-break thing with the person.

I think you need to sit face to face with this person and say that the differences really stress you out and ask how you can negotiate that kind of stuff. If she blows you off, then ask yourself what kinds of things can you let go and what kinds of things are dealbreakers. If one outweighs the other, but you still kinda want to hang out, then say that you like her, but she wears you out, so you probably won't want to travel with her again. Its better than "the silent dump" and you might actually find a way to keep the friendship light and workable.

The real reason why the talking heads are diversifying? Blogs. People like us. If they can't hold our attention because there aren't people like us, whatever we are, we will turn to the internet. Its as simple as that. Interesting that Maddow's employers are a network and a software company.

If you meet someone who is hot, how about being his friend first? How about doing stuff you like and making friends with people. Then, you have already said a lot of things. For example, you join Habitat for Humanity. After saying, "Pass the hammer, please" or "Could you help me hold this two by four in place?" and then talking about what you are doing, you will realize that you can talk to the guy. Don't think about having sex with him. Just think about what you have in common and what you can talk about without that.

As for ugly guys, I wish I had your problem. I can only sleep with good looking guys. I am now in my 50s and, well, those are thin on the ground for a woman my age. I would dearly love to be able to get fired up over a guy who is shorter, fatter, balder, or whatever. There are lots of them in my social circle and they are dear, sweet men. If I was even able, I would be overrun with men.

Consider it a gift. Find a smart and funny ugly guy. Get married. Have funny looking kids. You can thank me later.

I've been following her stories in DTWOF since, oh, 1986 or 1987 thereabouts. She mixes humor, storytelling, political commentary and just excellent draftsmanship in every strip. The book is just a subset of all of her work. Those are, I believe, still available if you find yourself jonesing for all of them. The individual books also have multipage stories that, I believe, neither appeared in this new volume or in the newspapers that published her work.

Don't forget to get "Fun Home", if you haven't already.