As the holidays approach, most of us will have increased interaction with clerks in stores and servers in restaurants. Most of us know how to conduct themselves in these situations, but I often hear about people who complain about the … Continue reading →

Dear Dr. Hurd, I’m at a crossroads. I’ve fallen in love with my best friend whom I have known for years. The catch? She’s married with kids and dedicated to her family. I’m not entirely sure of the depth of … Continue reading →

A regular reader emails that she’s going through a difficult divorce. It’s not about money, and there are no kids to worry about. The problem is with her friends. It seems that they’re shunning either her or her former husband … Continue reading →

I recently had a close encounter (of the obnoxious kind) in a local grocery store. My regular readers know that these little adventures of mine frequently end up as columns, and this one’s no exception. A woman who showed no … Continue reading →

One of the great things about writing a newspaper column is wondering what’s going to show up in your email box. Every logon brings a vague sense of anticipation (or is that dread?). This morning’s ritual was no different, and … Continue reading →

It’s a rare Halloween season where I don’t get a few inquiries about the psychology of costumes and disguise. The mystical foundations supposedly stem from the ancient belief that if you disguise yourself on this special night, a confused Grim … Continue reading →

A reader kindly emailed that she liked my recent article where I answered a question about pity actually being contempt. She makes it a little more personal by asking if self-pity is also self-contempt. Affirmative again. It follows logically that … Continue reading →

Dear Dr. Hurd, I am a straight male who is attracted to a woman who is bisexual. She is also attracted to me. I want a committed, monogamous relationship, but am uneasy about making such a commitment with her because … Continue reading →

A website visitor writes, ‘I have a friend who projects her own shortcomings and personality faults onto others; holding them accountable for those actions or inactions. For example, she’s always late, yet she expresses anger when others are late. Why … Continue reading →

I have a friend who loves to proclaim, ‘Suffering strengthens character’ whenever anything goes wrong — especially if he caused it. I admit it’s kind of funny (if not a bit annoying), but I totally disagree with the idea. It’s … Continue reading →

Are you a snob? Do you know one? Obviously the word is not very complimentary. In order to know exactly what it means, we first have to explore why people achieve success. There are two kinds of achievers out there. … Continue reading →

There was a recent crime in Rehoboth Beach where Chris Johnson, a reporter from Washington DC, was attacked — on his birthday, no less. Three or four men ganged up on him, struck him repeatedly and stole his outdated iPhone. … Continue reading →