LA TIMES CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Calibri, Arial, et al. 6 Early show featuring Robin Roberts, for short 9 Jargon
14 Childish retort 15 Sought office
16 Not just in one’s
head
17 Actor who voices the panda in the “Kung Fu Panda” films
19 Layered dessert 20 Addams cousin 21 Visionary 23 Source of an oil with medicinal properties
26 Ireland’s “Amhrán na bhFiann,” for one
29 Brazilian supermodel who’s a face of Maybelline 32 Original Beatle
Sutcliffe
33 Carol contraction 34 “Queen Sugar”
creator DuVernay 35 Flying Cloud and
Royale 8
36 With 40-Across, a punny title for this puzzle
39 Some amount 40 See 36-Across 41 North Carolina
university
42 Org. that approves
cosmetics
43 “U slay me!”
44 “I’ll take that as
__”
45 “Slumdog Millionaire” actress
50 Vex
52 “Totally fine” 53 “Give me one
moment”
56 Sat. antecedent 57 Wake-up call, for
many
59 “Family Guy” voice actor who co-created “Robot Chicken” 62 Leads
63 Mature 64 Meaningless 65 Fine and dandy 66 Walk very quietly 67 Pop-__
DOWN
1 Sizzling serving 2 Provided an
address
3 Hummingbird’s
drink
4 Sound of shame 5 Blubber
6 Primo
7 Spice related to
nutmeg
8 “Diana” singer
Paul
9 Cuban woman,
perhaps
10 “You beat me” 11 Water between Antwerp and Aberdeen 12 Belly
13 Loving words 18 Property claims 22 Title in Tibet 24 Nashville athlete 25 Parade spoiler 27 Hugh Laurie’s
alma mater 28 Tousle 30 Hawaiian island 31 Dartmouth, for
one
35 Artifact 36 Try, as a case 37 Radius neighbor 38 Excursion during
a lunar landing 39 Beverage suffix 40 Good songs,
casually 42 Worry
43 Close securely 45 Floppy 46 Intermittently
fasted, perhaps 47 Daredevil quality 48 Sign in an apartment window
49 QB protectors 51 Factor in Hindu
reincarnation
54 “Quickly!” letters 55 Video game giant 57 “Got it!” 58 Summer fire sign 60 “Scram!” 61 Molecule in some
vaccines
Adapted from an online discussion. Dear Carolyn: I’m a stay-at-home parent who has been trying to keep on top of everything while also recovering from a fairly serious illness, all the medical administrative stuff around that and piledup house/kid/life stuff. My spouse was supposed to take off work, starting today, to pitch in so I could catch up and maybe rest.
Instead I’m getting, “OK, be there soon, but I have a call and I have to log in for a few hours and …”
I hung my hopes on this, and instead I’m doing laundry with a small child underfoot while sick as heck. I have a therapist, but what I need is hope that doesn’t get crushed.
No Cavalry
No Cavalry: To spouse: “No. You agreed to help me. I need the help. I am not OK, and this ‘I have a call’ is not OK.” Stand there till you get the right answer – the help you were promised.
I am sorry it has come to this.
A reader noted, correctly, that you need to walk away from the laundry. Another suggestion:
You have another cavalry. Call the neighbors, friends, siblings and people from afar – they will come. We had friends who couldn’t come but paid for a dog walker. Tap into your network. This is their moment. And hire the rest out if you can. I literally put out a social message saying: I need help with X, Y and Z (kid pickup, groceries, cleaning, dogs). You will be surprised at who shows up. Do not depend on someone who always puts you second.
Dear Carolyn: I feel stuck right now. The political climate and the generally depressing daily news have taken a toll on my happiness. I am not depressed, but I don’t think I’ve experienced true joy in a while. I’m also at a crossroads in my career. After working part time from home for years, it is time for me to find something new. Some friends have suggested a completely new direction or reinventing myself, but the idea of starting over feels overwhelming. And while I fantasize about doing something amazing to help solve the world’s problems, that doesn’t sound realistic either. How do I get out of this rut of feeling somewhat helpless about everything?
Stuck
●
Stuck: Do you have any knack for caregiving? Maybe that’s difficult to assess, since someone can be great with the elderly and hopeless with kids, or great with littles but awkward with teens, or nope with humans but magical with shelter animals, or catastrophic with fauna but happy all day in a garden.
And if you’re not a nurturer, would you like reading to someone, cooking/cleaning for someone in need, doing crafts with someone, doing heavy lifting for a food pantry … ?
Give it a good think. Then look around for ways you can even micro-contribute toward a better … whatever. If it can’t be a better world, then a better piece of it – town, neighborhood, school, block. Or a better afternoon for someone who could use it. You seem hungry for novelty, purpose, connection, positive impact, and you work only part time, so giving your energy to those who need it seems doable and ticks all those boxes.
Email Carolyn at
tellme@washpost.com.