The Daily Freeman-Journal, Webster City, Iowa, Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, Page 9 Daughter driving drives mom crazy Dear Annie: My Herman daughter, "Emily," has been dating "Ben" for almost two years. Ben is a Dear Annie great guy, aside from one By Annie Lane issue that's been bugging me: He refuses to drive anywhere and instead has you for advice. use closed captioning at Dennis the Menace my daughter drive him. He Dear Annie: I agree with least some of the time. says it's because a few years "What Did You Say" that While closed captions can ago he was in a car accident mood music in TV shows certainly be helpful, some often makes it hard to hear and has been scared to drive have pointed out that they're the dialogue. I would add far from perfect and, during since. (He was not hurt in that background noises the accident.) He has Emily some live broadcasts, the meant to create "realism" captions lag behind the drive him to and from work also frequently drown out every day. Emily never visuals. The following letter what the actors are saying. writer offers another tip to complains about it, but it Isn't the dialogue important drives me insane because try. enough to make it audible? Dear Annie: With regard Emily and her kids were Because the problem is in also in a car accident a few to the letter about TV the show itself, it doesn't dialogue: Very often the years back and suffer PTSD help much to turn up the from that accident. Ben is problem is that people have volume. If I turn it up their TV set for "surround Blondie aware of this, but doesn't enough to make out the seem to get it. He thinks it's sound" audio as if they dialogue, then the music have multiple speakers no big deal for Emily to get and ambient noise are so over her fear while avoiding when they only have the loud that it is annoying. TV speakers. This causes getting over his fear. I want My wife and I always to say something to him so watch shows with the closed the "background" track badly, but I haven't. And captions on. We find that to be louder because the every time I say something we even enjoy movies more "voice track" is expected to to my daughter, she gets at home than at the movie be broadcast from its own upset with me. How can theater because we can have speaker. -- Kate H. I approach the situation the captions on at home. It Dear Kate: This is another without making it worse? -- also helps a lot with BBC possible contributing Miffed Mom shows where the accents factor to the problem. Mutts Dear Miffed: Your and British slang can make The exact troubleshooting intentions are good, and your it hard to catch what is said. instructions will depend on irritation is understandable. But it would be even better the TV manufacturer. For But Emily is the one behind if the shows' directors and anyone unable to easily the wheel, figuratively and editors highlighted the find these audio options in literally. When she's tired of dialogue and turned down their TV settings menu, it's driving him, she can stop. the sound effects. -- Not worth reaching out to the Meanwhile, you can earn Ready for the Ear Horn in manufacturer's customer interest by keeping your Lafayette, Indiana service line. two cents in the bank: If you Dear Not Ready for avoid offering advice when the Ear Horn: You're Send your questions for your daughter hasn't asked, not alone. A 2017 survey Annie Lane to dearannie@ she'll be more likely to ask found that 98% of people creators.com. Dilbert Raynaud's features an aggressive response to cold extremities DEAR DR. ROACH: Sixty years ago, I was diagnosed with Raynaud's syndrome by my doctor. To Your Good Health I started taking nifedipine By Keith Roach, M.D. during winter months, but B.C. not during the summer. After moving to Colorado, I took the medication year- can sometimes make it for Disease Control and round because the weather intolerable. Prevention states that the here was often cool in the There are several other N95 masks may be used mountains even in summer. options, some of which may for an extended period as Then I was told to take two be surprising. Sildenafil long as they continue to tablets a day rather than just (Viagra) has been a very have a tight fit and have effective option for some one. I had been wearing not become contaminated. people. Nitroglycerine support hose for three years We use a surgical mask (the cream is reasonable for "light-blue flimsy" ones) on due to leg swelling. One day people who have limited I reviewed the medication top of the N95 to extend exposure, but isn't a good its lifespan. N95 masks paper that comes with choice for someone with Shoe should be discarded after the prescription and saw symptoms year-round. that nifedipine could be high-risk procedures, such Fluoxetine (Prozac) is as performing an intubation causing leg swelling. So, helpful for some, as is the I discontinued taking the on a patient with severe blood pressure medicine COVID-19. prescription last summer, losartan (Cozaar). In but I am really struggling Surgical masks do general, I wouldn't provide some protection: with symptoms in my hands recommend stopping a and feet. Is there any other They protect you to some medicine without talking extent, but they protect medication available to to your doctor about an improve my circulation? others around you, and alternative plan. that probably has more Even wearing socks and DEAR DR. ROACH: I gloves all day is not helping keep hearing, inconsistently, public health benefit. The this winter. -- M.W. that N95 masks should be current thinking is that Zits ANSWER: Raynaud's used only once or twice people are most infectious phenomenon is an and then discarded. I've in the day or two before overexuberant body been wearing the same they develop symptoms. response to cold, causing one, uncleaned, since Wearing your mask, even color changes in the COVID-19 began. Doesn't if you have no symptoms, extremities, such as fingers, smell bad, is a little dirty, protects the people around toes, and earlobes. Severe but seems like the filtering you, if you should have cases can cause tissue qualities "look" unchanged. an asymptomatic case of damage, even leading What is your opinion and COVID-19 or you haven't to gangrene. In addition recommendation? Second, developed symptoms yet. to avoiding cold places are those light-blue flimsy I recommend a well- wherever possible and masks that come in the 100 fitting, multilayered cloth wearing protective clothing, pack any good at all? So mask, since they provide medication treatment can be much space around sides of better protection than very effective. Nifedipine, the face. -- T.A. surgical masks. We should a calcium channel blocker ANSWER: Many of save N95 masks for the approved for use in the my colleagues are reusing front-line hospital workers Baby Blues United States in 1981, is their N95 respirators due who most need them. Cloth one effective treatment, to limited supply. Current masks should be washed but the swelling of the legs guidance from the Centers regularly. The handy hairdryer hint Dear Heloise: Whenever you have trouble opening a tight jar Hints from Heloise lid, set a hairdryer on high By Heloise

Garfield and, in a circular motion, move it over the lid. The heat will release the seal. Works every time. -- J.R., cleaning. -- Elizabeth S., opened, they were labeled Toronto, Ohio Lebanon, Ohio and placed on a high shelf. TOOTHBRUSH ANOTHER VINGAR Pens and paper were set HOLDER HINT HINT out, and only after the Dear Heloise: Some Dear Heloise: I've notes were written did the toothbrushes are too found an easy way to clean toys come down from the large for many toothbrush my microwave. I have a shelf. The children could holders. I keep mine spray bottle that is filled then play with them with in a small vase filled with a 3-to-1 ratio of no nagging from Mom. with glass marbles. The white vinegar and water. I Today my children are marbles and container are spray my microwave oven in their 50s and they still easy to clean. -- Ann E., thoroughly to clean. Then write thank-you notes for let the spray sit for a few gifts. -- Anita P., Laguna

Judge Parker York, N.Y. Ann, now, that is a moments before wiping Woods, Calif. really clever idea, and down with a wet dish cloth. Anita, I like it! People I'll bet it looks lovely on I also use the spray on my sometimes think writing your bathroom vanity. -- laminate floors followed a thank-you note is old- Heloise by a wet sponge mopping. fashioned, but it's not. It's SAFETY FIRST -- Mike in Mascoutah, Ill. simply good manners and Dear Heloise: For THANK YOU a classy thing to do. It cleaning, especially the Dear Heloise: Always shows the sender that you bathroom, I cover my at this time of year the care and are appreciative eyes with safety glasses. subject of thank-you of the gift. They also fit with my notes seems to arise. At our house we solved Rex Morgan regular glasses. They keep Send hints to Heloise, my eyes safe from harsh this easily. My children P.O. Box 795000, San learned very early how chemical cleaners and Antonio, TX 78279- important receiving the sprays. I keep them with 5000, or you can fax it to my cleaning supplies and notes meant to the senders. After the gifts were 1-210-HELOISE or email it wear them until I'm done to [email protected].