Early morning Sage

Today's Seekers may be found here: http://www.slate.com/articles/life/dear_prudence/2011/11/help_i_m_too_pretty_for_my_own_good_.html

1. The Sage wonders whether this is truly a complain, or whether you are engaging in self adulation. Spend less time worrying about these comments and do your work. Some fawning on the part of others no doubt contributes to your success; however, this is fleeting. More importantly, you must learn to distinguish between joviality and solemnity.

V. The Sage commends you on your practicality in recognizing that your dog will likely predecease you, but would remind you that if you are approaching the halfway point in your life, so will half of the people youcare about. Unless you also dwell on the future funeral plans for your parents and other loved ones, try to enjoy your canine companion while you may. On a more cheerful note, it is entirely possible that you will actually predecease your dog.

2. The Sage would remind you that you are now an adult and have options other than returning to your parents to feed you for this holiday. You may, with the Sage's blessing, inform them that you have other plans this year. If you parents have other redeeming qualities, or if you have other relatives who regularly gather to be with them, consider going every two or three years, but make it clear that as an adult, it is now tome to begin making your own holiday traditions. Perhaps this will include assisting at a community celebration which includes those who have less for which to be thankful.

3. The Sages suggests that you tell your husband, "I take the bus in order to save us money, while Elaine has a good job and can afford to get her own car waxed." Explain that this is one favor too many for your marital comfort. In the Sage's long existence, never has the Sage has an automobile waxed, yet the Sage's modes of transportation have always looked clean and lustrous.

4. The Sage will permit you to be less of a good listener with you safe and privileged crowd, provided that once one of these individuals does face an actual crisis, you remain available to comfort them. Naturally, finding a different crown with which to hang is also perfectly acceptable.