Activities Galore

DEAR ANNIE » I’m interested in so many things that I think I have become a jack-of-all-trades.

Unlike the many people who pick up new things and drop them after they lose interest, I carry everything with me. Over the years, I’ve been so busy keeping all my hobbies that they have become jobs for me. But at the same time, I feel it would be a pity to drop any of them, as I’ve invested so much time, and I’m actually doing pretty well in all of them. What should I do?

— Amy W. DEAR AMY W. » There are many benefits to turning hobbies into sources of income, but doing so comes at a price >> When an activity that used to help you unwind from work actually becomes work, you may not enjoy it so much.

Remember that just because you can do it all doesn’t mean you should. Be honest with yourself about what you really want; prioritize that, and drop the rest. Make sure there’s space in your schedule for free time — no work, no activities. Pauses allow us to reflect on the things that truly keep us going. DEARANNIE » I consider myself a good driver and follow the rules of the road by keeping up with the flow of traffic, etc. I drive a small, newer model car that I think has good pickup.

Twice in the past few months, I have experienced encounters with aggressive drivers, each time by someone driving a large pickup truck.

I am not calling out all truck drivers. However, it does seem that more often than not, the larger the vehicle the more ag- gressive the driver. In my case, both of these drivers acted very aggressively and dangerously. In one instance, the driver swerved around me on the highway and then cut me off just to get ahead of me. This truck had been tailgating me, and this action appeared to be his way of showing his annoyance at the speed I was going.

I wonder where he was headed that was so important that he almost caused an accident. I was always taught to not be in a hurry when you get behind the wheel of a car. It is better to be late than to drive recklessly.

The purpose of my letter is to plead with all of your readers to slow down. There is nothing as important as someone’s life, and if one person sees himself in this letter, then I will be happy.

— No Slowpoke

DEAR NO SLOWPOKE » Tailgating is dangerous and rude. It’s also ineffective, as it might provoke the person in front of you to slow down in retaliation.

To all drivers: If you find yourself getting angry on the road, don’t let safety take a back seat to your emotions. Use techniques to calm yourself down, such as focused breathing. Remember that people make mistakes. It’s possible the person who cut you off did so accidentally. Give others the benefit of the doubt, and focus on getting where you’re going safely. DEARANNIE » I want to comment on the topic of people leaving their pets behind. I live in a small town in western New York. Every year, I see cats, kittens and puppies that have just been tossed out on the side of the road to fend for them- selves. The few that actually survive to make it to a house that won’t turn them away is minuscule. I find it appalling that people think this is an OK thing to do. On one occasion, during a particularly bad winter, someone left a 5-month-old puppy tied to a telephone pole. The pup would have died had it not been for my other half. We raised the pup, and she was with us until it was her time, 14 years later. We’ve rescued many cats the same way.

We cannot handle every little kitten, cat, puppy or dog that people drop off in the country. Those of us in the community who can help do, but people need to understand this: Domestic pets are not able to survive on their own. Country roads are littered with the bodies of these pets.

I live in a small town — with a population of fewer than 9,000 people — yet our local veterinarians come together at least four times a year to offer discounted spaying, neutering and shots. Payment schedules can be worked out sometimes, and sometimes they’ll even waive fees, depending on people’s income.

If you want to own a pet, do yourself and the pet a huge favor: Get the little critter fixed. Please do not add to the unwanted pets in the world. — Animal Lover, Small

Town, USA

DEAR ANIMAL LOVER » Hear! Hear! The ASPCA provides a database of low-cost spay and neuter clinics around the country on its website. Go to https://www.aspca.org and click on the “Pet Care” section.