DEAR Jasminda, AFTER a couple of weeks away, my husband and I have realised that we get along much better when we are away from home. Our relationship improved, we both relaxed for the first time in a long time, and it became apparent that we are soft touches and often feel that others take […]

DEAR Jasminda, There has been so much hype around the gotcha moment when Astronomer CEO Andy Byron was caught in an embrace with his chief people officer at a Coldplay concert. Why is there so much interest? Jerry P. Dear Jerry, Coldplay songs cover the gamut of emotions. It’s one thing to drive a loved […]

DEAR Jasminda, Since the recent heavy rain events, we now have a flock of bin chickens in our yard. They are not a very attractive bird, but I can’t seem to shoo them away. How do I get rid of them? Jonathan R. Ah, Jonathon Using the term bin chicken tells me everything I need […]

DEAR Jasminda, My wife is preparing for the latest weather event like we are getting ready for a world war. What can I do to put her mind at ease? Kevin B Dear Kevin, I received your conundrum during the calm before the storm, so to speak, at which point some media outlets were using […]

DEAR Jasminda, I WAS scrolling through the local community page on the weekend and came across a cheeky post. The post didn’t raise an eyebrow, but what did was the pile-on from adults hating on this young person. It seems strange that people over a certain age would stoop this low. Why are people so […]

DEAR Jasminda, WHEN I was in the hairdresser last week, I overheard the woman opposite me tell the hairdresser that she wanted a new style because she was about to leave her husband after 18 years of marriage. On my way out, I took a quick glance at the person in question, and realised, to […]

DEAR Jasminda, I am going away with a group of school friends and we are sharing rooms. To save money, we booked a room with two queen beds, but one of our group members has become an incessant snorer. I’m a light sleeper. How do I tactfully ask that she is not my bed companion […]

DEAR Jasminda, It’s Normine B again. It was so much worse than you imagined. As my brother in law was ripping down the driveway, he knocked over my prize geraniums, breaking the pot and my heart while he was at it. The dog thankfully came away unscathed, but the cat wasn’t so lucky. He now […]

DEAR Jasminda, MY new girlfriend sleeps with her dog (Brutus) in the bed. I really like her, but I find this behaviour bizarre and, frankly, a relationship breaker. How do I navigate this? Gerard P. Dear Gerard, The early phase of a relationship is often marked by constant affection, but this should not include waking […]

DEAR Jasminda, WE are organising a large birthday function and there are relatives that don’t get along with each other. How do we ensure no one feels left out while still making it an enjoyable experience for everyone? Harriet P. Dear Harriet, If your large family events traditionally look like an episode of Dr Phil, […]