Dear Annie,
How does one stay cheerful when the world is so down? The daily news is full of crime, economy is weak, people are mean. What people do to one another gets me the most. I can't believe we haven't come further than this, that this level of inhumane behavior is the best we can do, this late in the game.
Sees No Sun, Randle, WADear Sees,
Wow! You, my friend, need to talk to a doctor about your depression. And if you don't have a doctor, find one. Do not delay. I am not kidding here, I'm very serious in my concern for you. Please make an appointment with a physician and tell him or her what you have told me. Take this column if that helps. Those who struggle with depression often feel dismayed at the state of the world, but in reality, there's a lot to be hopeful about.
Freedom of speech rocks the planet, those who wish to follow their faith find more freedom to do that than ever, there are programs in place to help crime and disease victims, children, disabled, low income and senior citizens. The United States of America sends more help out in the form of our armed forces, volunteers, money and aid to poorer countries than any other country in the world.
We've got a lot to be proud of. We might not get everything right, but we're out there trying. We don't just lie on the beach and ignore the underprivileged. So be of good cheer. The first thing you need to do, though, is, if you're not already under a physician's care for this, go see someone about your depression. Now. Don't delay. The world's a good place to wake up in every morning.
You'll be all right. Take care.
Annie
Please write to:
Annie, P.O. Box 1084, Eatonville,WA 98328
E-mail: letters_annie@hotmail.com
Past Ask Annies:
March 19, 2008 Totally Depressed, "Sees No Sun"
March 12, 2008 Bridesmaids All Different Sizes: Small to XXXL
March 5, 2008 Beloved Departed Left No Will - What A Mess!
February 27, 2008 Sour Apples At Work Complain About My Award
February 20, 2008 Pre-School for ALL Kids, Disabled OR Not
February 13, 2008 Lay Pastor Bonked In Nose By Rowdy Pre-schooler
February 6, 2008 Personalized Work Cubby Draws Criticism From New Manager
January 30, 2008 Mom With Co-Habitating Daughter Complains
January 23, 2008 "Ya But" Response To Dirty Wife's Husband Column
January 16, 2008 Military Wife Racks Up Late Fees In Dirty House
January 9, 2008 Cleaning Queens Rate Schedules Raise Havok
January 2, 2008 I Love Christmas! Happy New Year!
December 19, 2007 PJ's In Public Not Good Etiquette
December 12, 2007 Button Boss Hires Zipper Dude
December 5, 2007 Handmade Christmas Cards, Wreatths, Gifts THE BEST!
November 28, 2007 What To Do With Socially Inept Fiance'
November 21, 2007 Volunteer Board Position More Trouble Than Worth
November 14, 2007 Trespassers Pilfer My Property Again
November 7, 2007 Mountain Living Pays Crummy
October 31, 2007 De-Icer Chemicals -Car Paint Erosion
October 24, 2007 De-Icer Chemicals On White Pass and Hwy 12
October 17, 2007 Divorced Dad On Limb For Medical Bills
October 10, 2007 Kool Aid Play Do Recipe For Grama
October 3, 2007 Grama Caring for Daughter's Kids during Chemo
September 26, 2007 Nightmare Father-In-Law GET HELP
September 19, 2007 Trespassing Hunters Could Lose License
September 12, 2007 Nightmare Father-In-Law Live-In
September 5, 2007 Nightmare Mother-In-Law On 3-Hr Car Trip
August 29, 2007 Awful Conditions Of Puppy Cage In Store
August 22, 2007 Local Thugs Pick On Boy Who Is Mentally Slow
August 15, 2007 House Sitting - A REAL Job
August 8, 2007 Annie Reflects And Thanks Her Readers
August 1, 2007 God Help The Unattended Child In Van
July 25, 2007 Ridiculing Teen Workers At Dad's Summer Job Site
July 18, 2007 Bossy, Controling Person Chides Previous Annie Advice
July 11, 2007 Housesitting Job Too Much w/5 Dogs Plus Teenager
July 4, 2007 On No, Bossy Sis-In-Law Coming For Weekend!
June 27, 2007 Friend Won't Talk After Being Told She Has "Mouth-a-Tosis"
June 20, 2007 Area Thrift Shop Vounteers Are Awesome
June 13, 2007 Tyrant Manager Chases Away Good Workers
June 6, 2007 Co-Worker Has Chronic Bad Breath, What Do I Do?
May 30, 2007 Trouble Brewing With Wife On Computer Nightly With Old Flame
May 23, 2007 College Son Laments Over Widowed Mom's Nasty Dirty House
May 16, 2007 Renting Neighbor Dogs, Kids, Cars Driving Me Nuts
May 9, 2007 Typecasting, Pigeonholing, and Prejudice - We All Do It
May 2, 2007 Smoking Grama Laments No One Will Come Visit
Apr. 25, 2007 Daughter Complains Of No Help For Ailing Mother
Apr. 18, 2007 Wallowing In Our Pity Parties
Apr. 11, 2007 Crafty Ideas Not Always So "Crafty"
Apr. 4, 2007 Grieving Friend Pleeds, Make Your Will Now
Mar. 28, 2007 Voices In My Head; God Or Not
Mar. 21, 2007 Teenage Son Racks Up Balance Due At On-Line Auction Site
Mar. 14, 2007 People Take Financial Advantage TOO Much
Mar. 7, 2007 Husband Invites His Mother To Bawdy Event
Feb. 28, 2007 Smelly Scents Can Be Offensive And Activate Allergies
Feb. 21, 2007 Hubby Wants To Give $2000 To Our Neighbor...NOT!
Feb. 14, 2007 Grandma Concerned About Excessive TV Watching of Her Grandkids
Feb. 7, 2007 Sick Of Mom's Cig's When I Visit
Jan. 24, 2007 Mr. Step-Monster Gives Own Opinions On Disrepectful Step-Children
Jan. 17, 2007 My Lady Friend's Kids' Manners Drive Me Nuts
Jan. 10, 2007 Maid of Honor Comments "Wedding, Wedding, Wedding..."
Jan. 3, 2007 Family Christmas Gathering Gift Exchange Goof-Ups
Dec. 20, 2006 Warnings About Holiday Party Pill Poppers And Lecherous Gropers
Dec. 13, 2006 Taxpayer Grumbles Over Having To Pay Use Fee For Wedding At School
Dec. 6, 2006 33 Years Wed Thankful For Etiquette AND Mrs No Thinks Etiquette Is Old And Tired
Nov. 29, 2006 Grateful Mike Gives Thanks To Crest Trail AND Wedding Etiquette-Who Pays For What
Nov. 22, 2006 Motel Offered Rooms Accepting Dogs And Was Gracious In Other Ways
Nov. 15, 2006 Refused Motel Space During Floods Due To Dog
Nov. 8, 2006 Fat Headed Bill Tries To Help Out Newly Separated Buddy
Nov. 1, 2006 My New Hairdresser Has A Foul Mouth AND OOPS! Used Bosses Long Distance
Oct. 25, 2006 OOPS! Forwarded Email To Boss When No Internet UsageIs Permitted On Worksite
Oct. 18, 2006 Wheelchair Mishap Solved
Oct. 11, 2006 Made A Mess In Girlfriend's Bathroom
Oct. 4, 2006 Fair Event Office Responds Favorably RE Wheelchair Spot Already Taken
Sept. 27, 2006 Neighbor Won't Leave Me Alone At Work And Wants Me To Drive Her Kids
Sept. 20, 2006 Relative's Son Dies in Fire AND Reserved Wheelchair Spots Not Available at Fair Event
Sept. 6, 2006 Guy Makes Obnoxious Innuendoes In Small Town Store
Aug 30, 2006 My Friend Lost Library Book and I Don't Want To Pay
Aug 23, 2006 In-laws Not Sensitive to Couple's Financial Situation on DisabledVeterans Income
Aug 16, 2006 Middle-Aged Woman Married to Middle-Aged Man in Middle-Aged Marriage
Aug 9, 2006 God, Please Shut My Mouth
Aug 2, 2006 Unique "BYOC" Wedding Invitation
July 19, 2006 Son-In-Law Tardy or Reluctant?
July 12, 2006 Kids Swimming Unsafely
July 5, 2006 Modern Day Hillbillies We Know (Repeat)
June 28, 2006 Husband Got Ugly Tatoo
June 21, 2006 Obnoxious People Might Not Be Invited To Graduation Party
June 14, 2006 Not Invited to Son's Girlfriend's Graduation Party
June 7, 2006 Iraq: Torn Between Supporting Troops and Wanting Them Home
May 31, 2006 Mom Doesn't Approve Box-Boy Son's Job
May 24, 2006 Church Organists in Conflict
May 17, 2006 Let's Not Push Disabled Kids So Much
May 10, 2006 Overweight Remarks #2 and Gifts for Dad
May 3, 2006 Fund Raising Can Be Heartwarming
Apr. 26, 2006 Groom Withdraws Invitation to Flower Girl
Apr. 19, 2006 Part 2: Man She Fell For On Internet Told Her She's Too Fat
Apr. 12, 2006 Man She Fell For On Internet Told Her She's Too Fat
Apr. 5, 2006 Loves Partner But Aways Fighting, and Hubbie Behaves Terribly at Yard Sales
Mar. 29, 2006 Therapist Sister Wants Eveyone To Be In Therapy
Mar. 22, 2006 What It's Like To Be Mom Of A Disabled Child
Mar. 15, 2006 Close Friend and Spouse Don't Get Along
Mar. 8, 2006 College Gal Wants Freedom in Distance Relationship
Mar. 1, 2006 Mom Won't Accept Daughter's Expertise On Cosmetics
Feb. 22, 2006 Craft Projects Look Amateur
Feb. 15, 2006 Crocheting Doilies (Repeated)
Feb. 8, 2006 Chocolate Cherry Cake
Feb. 1, 2006 I've Lost the Sarcasm
Jan. 25, 2006 More Intestinal Gas & Thanks to White Pass Highway Crew
Jan. 18, 2006 New Chick in Office Brags But Shirks Work
Jan. 11, 2006 Gas After Beans & Christmas Thanks
Dec. 21, 2005 Saying Merry Christmas
Dec. 14, 2005 Penny Pincher in Family Gift Exchange
Dec. 7, 2005 Young Visitor Kept Hat On In Church
Nov. 30, 2005 Kids Scared of Santa and Hubby's Rotten Teeth
Nov. 23, 2005 Wants to Invite Guests Who Are Fighting
Nov. 16, 2005 Wonderful Host Teases and Separates "Olds" from "Youngs"
Nov. 9, 2005 Parents With Untrustworthy Dog Invite Family With Children
Oct. 26, 2005 Single Man Complains That Most Single Women Have Kids
Oct. 19, 2005 Really Memorable Christmas Gifts for Adult Children
Oct. 12, 2005 Bank Balance May Include Courtesy Overdraft Protection
Oct. 5, 2005 Another Husband Reluctant To Have Children
Sept. 28, 2005 Scared Husband Fled When Wife Became Pregnant
Sept. 21, 2005 Husband Wants to Delay Having Children
Sept. 14, 2005 Couldn't Express Condolence Without Crying
Sept. 7, 2005 "Old" Lady Slowly Walking Across the Road
Aug. 31, 2005 Part 2: Well People Using Handicapped Facilities
Aug. 24, 2005 Well People Using Handicapped Facilities
Aug. 10, 2005 More Feeding Wildlife and Appropriate Delivery of Agendas
Aug. 3, 2005 Feeding Wildlife and Employee Wears Same Clothes Every Day
July 27, 2005 Overselling Our Agendas
July 20, 2005 Put Bothersome Deer in Freezer, and Offer Help to One Lone Pearl
July 13, 2005 Sixty Years Single But Suddenly Lonely
July 6, 2005 A Really Mean Co-Worker
June 29, 2005 Some Think We Should Enjoy The Deer and Elk Eating Our Gardens
June 22, 2005 Elk & Deer Eating Gardens Again
June 15, 2005 Mechanic Brother Doesn't Tune Her Car
June 1, 2005 Friends Are Along With Us Too Much
May 25, 2005 Fiance's Parents Badmouth and Shun Her
May 18, 2005 More About Charitable Cards and Janitorial Work
May 11, 2005 Funeral Guests Laughed and Friends Sent Charitable Organization Cards
May 4, 2005 Employee Expected To Do Janitorial Work
Apr. 27, 2005 Lamenting Bad Parents
Apr. 20, 2005 Tribute to Fine Parents
Apr. 6 & 13, 2005 Boyfriend Acts Silly
Apr. 6, 2005 Wife Made Doilies When Angry at Husband
Mar. 30, 2005 Over Fifty's Showing Midriff
Mar. 23, 2005 Momma's Boy Has Some Good Points
Mar. 16, 2005 Momma's Boy 2 and Smelly People 2
Mar. 9, 2005 Disposing Girlfriend's Mom's Things and Boyfriend Always Has Cell Phone In Ear
Feb. 23, 2005 Noisy, Un-private Hospital Childrens' Areas
Feb. 16, 2005 Unkind Remarks and Brother-in-Law Who Wants Son's Bedroom
Feb. 9, 2005 Stop Complaining and Smelly Employees
Feb. 2, 2005 Daughter Caretaker for Complaining Mom
Jan. 26, 2005 Pestered Employee Might've Been a Man
Jan. 19, 2005 Pay Less Attention to Relatives' Crude Remarks
Jan. 12, 2005 Fellow Employee Guy Pesters Her
Jan. 5, 2005 New Gung Ho Leader in Volunteer Group
Dec. 22, 2004 Guy She Helped A Lot To Move To Packwood Found Packwood Lady
Dec. 8, 2004 Wife Drinks Too Much At Parties
Dec. 1, 2004 Holiday Spirit: Proud of Her Country, Co-workers and Family
Nov. 10, 2004 Bearded Guy's Wife Won't Shave Legs
Nov. 3, 2004 Daughter Finds Father's Remarriage Difficult
Oct. 27, 2004 The Bravest People Are The Elderly, and More About Bringing Guest Home to Crude Family
Oct. 20, 2004 Another Bringing New Beau Home to Rude Family plus This Divisive Election
Oct. 13, 2004 Bringing New Beau Home to Rude Family
Oct. 6, 2004 Recipe a guy can make: Cinnamon Rolls
Sept. 29, 2004 Stop complaining and appreciate what we have.
Sept. 22, 2004 It's the long-married who need the household gifts.
Sept. 15, 2004 How Do I Be The Bride's Maid?
Sept. 8, 2004 Political Signs in Morton Jubilee Parade
Aug. 11, 2004 Adjusting to the loss of loved ones and appreciating the family we have.
Aug. 4, 2004 Mom Was Right About The Guy & Reply to a Critic Of Proud To Be An American
July 28, 2004 Go See and Enjoy Your Family
July 21, 2004 Readers Suggest Solutions to Doting Wife
July 14, 2004 Wife Dotes on Husband After Retirement
July 7, 2004 Canadians Think Americans Are Too Proud
June 30, 2004 Annie Column "Trivial?" plus More Supporting Parents
June 23, 2004 Repeat: Packwood Flea Marts
June 16, 2004 Doesn't Want to Marry Older Guy
June 9, 2004 Rented to Friend's Kids
June 2, 2004 Daughter Reluctant to Help Brother Support Parents
May 5, 2004 Strife While Building a House
Apr. 28, 2004 Blessings in a Physically Challenged Child Hunting Easter Eggs
Apr. 21, 2004 Pushy people who keep telling us, "You should..."
Apr. 14, 2004 Abusive Dad, Discourteous Telephoning
Apr. 7, 2004 Guilty About Inadequately Reciprocating to Wonderful Giving Friend
Mar. 31, 2004 Kids Selling Cookies
Mar. 24, 2004 Big Girl Wants to Avoid Brother's Fancy Wedding
Mar. 17, 2004 New Manager Getting Gifts from Subordinate?
Mar. 10, 2004 Loaned Money to Roommate
Mar. 3, 2004 Complaining about Boring Older Peoples' Talk
Feb. 25, 2004 Give Kid's Items to Food Bank
Jan. 28, 2004 Bad Phone Manners
Jan. 21, 2004 Avoid Church Because of Flu?
Jan. 14, 2004 Boyfriend Breakup But Gift, Also Relative Tells Private Life
Dec. 24, 2003 Memories of Good Parents
Dec. 17, 2003 Christmas Gift for Wife?
Dec. 10, 2003 Thanks to Food Bank Helpers
Dec. 3, 2003 Child's Names on Belongings & Appreciating Family at Holidays
Nov. 26, 2003 Big Family Thanksgiving with Paper Plates
Nov. 12, 2003 Husband Driven Nuts To Do Crafts By Wife
Nov. 5, 2003 Dreading Husband's Retirement
Oct. 29, 2003 Move back home from boyfriend's house?
Oct. 22, 2003 Did I raise my daughter to do these things?
Oct. 15, 2003 Misunderstanding about School Workers' Kindness
Oct. 8, 2003 Prayer for Brown Sisters Killed and Change Schoolyear to Oct.1 to June 30
Oct. 1, 2003 Response About Non-tipping Lotto Winner
Sept. 24, 2003 Church-goers Inattentive
Sept. 17, 2003 Friend Sells My Stuff on Ebay
Sept. 10, 2003 Lottery Winner Didn't Tip Clerk
Sept. 3, 2003 Business Insults to Consumers
Aug. 27, 2003 Divison of Wedding Expense
Aug. 20, 2003 School Workers' Kindness & Men's Attractiveness
Aug. 13, 2003 Attractiveness Hints
Aug. 6, 2003 Annie's Husband's Accident at Work
July 30, 2003 Deer Automatic Sprinkler Best & Stores Don't Stock Washington Clothes
July 23, 2003 Scarecrows and Halloween Decorations Scare Off Prowlers Too
July 16, 2003 Redhead Asks Attractiveness Advice
July 2, 2002 Atomatic Deer Scarecrow Blasts Prowler