The keys to social dexterity are: Be friendly. A smile is an excellent icebreaker because it puts others around you at ease.

I’m somewhat shy, and I can be uneasy in conversations. I don’t always know what to say if there is a break in the conversation.

I’m a man in my early 30s who has made a career switch. My new field requires me to be more social because I will be meeting ...

I’m somewhat shy, and I can be uneasy in conversations. I don’t always know what to say if there is a break in the ...

DEAR ABBY: Our neighbors, “Wanda” and “Bob,” have agreed to care for our house and cat when we vacation. We told them we’d ...

I’m sure we can return the favor if they leave town, but we have the means and time to vacation more often than they do.

Frankly, I don’t see this as keeping in touch at all. Would it be rude, after all these years, to stop writing her back?

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips.

I’m afraid it would be rude to tell them the truth about the bed. I’m running out of excuses about why I can’t visit.

DEAR ABBY: I have a friend, “Chris,” from our teenage days. We’ve been performing music together for decades. We live in ...

DEAR ABBY: A couple of days a week, when I have no plans and no place to go, I stay in my pajamas. Related Articles Dear Abby: Can I drop this woman after years of her lackadaisical texts? Dear Abby: ...

DEAR ABBY: I have been with my girlfriend, “Ivy,” for eight years. We see each other mainly on the weekends, as she lives and works out of town. She says she is tied down to her house and daughter and ...