Opinion

Today is the 188th day of 2023 and the 17th day of summer. TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1898, the United States annexed Hawaii as a U.S.

I have friends who routinely ask where I’ve traveled of late and where I plan to go next. The answer is that, except for a recent trip to New York, I haven’t gone anywhere. As for my plans for future travel, plans, yes, I have them. I plan to not travel.

Dear Annie: I’ve been with my boyfriend for 22 years. It’s been up and down, and I’ve learned to keep quiet about things that upset me. He’s never reacted well to me mentioning things or asking for help with chores. If I do have to say something because I am out of patience, I’m always carefully crafting the way I say it and trying to be as polite as possible to avoid conflict.

Word out of the White House is that President Joe Biden wants to tout his economic successes. He’s even embracing the slogan “Bidenomics” -- which most people think of as a term of derision and policy flops.

Customers Give SSA a Thumbs Up Q: In a recent column, you highlighted some harsh words from a guy who was critical of the government in general and the Social Security Administration in particular. I just wanted to tell you that my recent experience with the SSA filing a claim for retirement benefits could not have gone more smoothly.

Everyone who cannot abide the way that liberal networks attempt to mangle Republican presidential candidates in primary debates is having the same thought: If the Democrats never award a primary debate to Fox News or Newsmax, why on Earth should Republicans subject themselves to CNN or MSNBC or the rest?

Dear Annie: I had a chat interaction with a person on a website a year ago that sounds similar to the concerns of “Concerned Daughter,” whose 81-year-old mother was the target of an internet scam, and others who have written to you to tell of suspicious experiences online. On the site I visited, there was a picture of a man in a military uniform. I don’t think it was an American uniform. I think he started a chat with me because I use a picture of my folks, who both are wearing Army uniforms.

I would like to give a special shout out to several folks in the Ponca City community. By way of introduction, I purchased the Smith Bits property on north Waverly by the airport a year ago from Schlumberger.

Dear Annie: I’ve been married to my ex-husband for three years after 20 years of separation. Previously, I’d been seeing a man for almost a year who told me he was not looking for anything serious. At the time, I was fine with that because I wasn’t, or didn’t think I was, either.