After accident, employee dreads work

DEAR HARRIETTE: A few weeks ago, I had a really embarrassing accident at work. I tripped in the office and split my pants right in front of my colleagues. On top of that, I sprained my ankle in the fall, so I had to take some time off to recover.

Boyfriend lacks generosity with partner

DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend is incredibly generous when it comes to friends, family and even strangers, but when it comes to me, he’s surprisingly stingy, whether it’s time, attention or small gestures of affection.

Stopping opioids may require counseling

Hello, dear readers! Welcome to a bonus letters column. We have several interesting questions to address, so we’ll get right to them.– We recently wrote about precautions for using opioid pain medications and how to safely discontinue them.

Too much TV can have an emotional cost

Dear Doctors: Is there any connection with dementia patients and television?I am part of a group at my church that visits people living in memory care, and I noticed the television is always on.Now my mother is in the early stages of dementia, and her television is always on.

Depressed reader gets angry at friend

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been struggling with what feels like depression.I’ve never experienced these long periods of sadness, isolation and laziness before, but for the past year, I’ve been in a season of hardship, battling unemployment and other life changes.

DO JUST ONE THING

• Whether you’re frying an egg or sauteing vegetables, it matters what size pan you use on your cooktop. If you’re using a small pan on a large burner, you’re wasting heat and throwing money away.

Cousin doesn’t want to hear criticism

DEAR HARRIETTE: My cousin decided to plan a family reunion this year. We have a large family spread throughout a few states and a few countries. My cousin refused to allow anyone else in the family to help her plan this grandiose reunion, despite several people asking.

The effects of microplastics on our health

Dear Doctors: The more I read about microplastics, the more I want to do something to lower my family’s exposure to them. Any thoughts? Also, what is so much worse about microplastics than dust or pollen?

Tech worker wants to take a year off

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve been working in tech for the past five years, and I’ve saved up a decent amount of money with the intention of taking a year off to travel. It’s something I’ve dreamed about for a long time.

DO JUST ONE THING

• The paperboard boxes that grocery items like cereal and frozen food often come packaged in are recyclable materials. If the boxes are greasy, soaked or dirty, they should never be put in your recycling, since they are a contaminant.