Playful name-calling not fun anymore for beau

DEAR ABBY » My girlfriend and I call each other horrible, disparaging names as a form of “love.” Recently, I asked her to stop calling me names like that because it was fun at first, but now not so much. For me, it was just too negative.

I love her, and I want to show it by my actions. I want us to be a positive couple. I now call her “Bebe.” Am I wrong for asking her not to call me ugly, gender-based names? — No Dumb-A** In

California

DEAR NO D-A » Jokes can get old and stale, and the name-calling stopped being cute or fun for you a while ago. People who love each other are sensitive to the other person’s feelings and don’t do what your girlfriend is doing. If she persists, it may be time to step back and reevaluate this relationship.

DEAR ABBY » My husband of 34 years has really bad table manners. He smacks when he chews, makes gulping noises when he drinks liquids and stuffs huge amounts of food in his mouth.

I love him, but his lack of manners is embarrassing, especially when we are invited out or are over at a friend’s house.

What can I do?

— Rolling My Eyes in Tennessee

DEAR ROLLING » Have you talked to him about this? If you have, sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Hand him a mirror or record a video of him eating so he can see for himself how unappealing he looks when he does this. If that doesn’t persuade him to slow down and take smaller bites, consider putting less food on his plate before serving it. I can’t guarantee this will work, but it’s worth a try.