The-Burg.com - Central Virgina's Arts, Culture and Entertainment Weekly

Dear Emily: I recently broke up with my girlfriend “Maureen,” but she keeps calling me. She makes up excuses, like, she thinks she left something at my apartment or she just wants to see how I’m doing. A couple of times she has asked if I wanted to get lunch and just hang out as friends. The thing is, I’m afraid she doesn’t just want to be friends. Should I keep taking her calls and going out with her to ease the blow?
-  Break-up blunders

Relationship questions? You can ask Emily.

Dear Emily: I fear that the New Year isn’t going to be such a happy one. I charged up way too much debt on my credit cards this past month, and I don’t know how I am going to pay them off. The only solution is to ask my parents for money, but I am 24 years old, and I don’t want to have to run to mommy and daddy for help.
— Taking Charge

Dear Emily: I have had my cat, “Buster,” for five years and have always loved having him around. But then my boyfriend moved in with me, and Buster has been acting up — not using the litter box, scratching up the carpet and being more aggressive. I can’t think of anything to do, other than get rid of Buster, but I don’t want to have to do that.
Any ideas?
– Bad kitty

Me or the dog. What to do?

Dear Emily: I went to my friend’s house for Thanksgiving this year, and brought my famous sweet potato pie with me. Another guest at the party asked me for the recipe, and I politely explained that it was a family secret I didn’t care to divulge. The guest got mad at me and, very loudly, said she thought I was being childish. Am I in the wrong here? I know many people who don’t like to share their signature recipes, and I don’t feel I deserved the response I got.
— Recipe refusal
Dear Recipe refusal: If Chef Emeril Lagasse can share his recipes on television day after day, I’m not sure why other people can’t share theirs. After all, a great dish doesn’t turn out great just because of the measurements and ingredients; it’s about the skilled person who puts them all together. But that isn’t really the point, is it? It’s your prerogative to share or not to share, and no one should belittle you in public for your choice. The guest at the party was the one who was acting childish. Plenty of people refuse to share their recipes, and just because others don’t agree with that choice doesn’t mean they have the right to be rude.

Dear Emily: My girlfriend “Fiona” loves to shop, and for some reason, loves to take me with her. I hate going from store to store in the mall, watching her try on millions of outfits, and having to give her my thoughts on the things she tries on. I don’t want to hurt her feelings, but I dread the shopping experience, and need to find some way to tell her I don’t want to go.
— Sore shopper