Q: My next-door neighbor is in love with his lawn. By 8 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday morning, he's outside working on it. In the fall and winter, it's with a leaf blower. In the spring and summer, it's a gas-powered mower. The noise drives me crazy. Am I out of line to ask him to start his lawn chores a little later in the day?
- A Late Sleeper in Sicklerville
A: Yes and no. There's nothing wrong with asking a neighbor to be a little more considerate when it comes to cooling it on noisy activities. But maybe the dude has a reason that he needs to start at 8 a.m. Maybe he works in the afternoon? I think you need to find that out first. Good communication is always a good place to start. You don't want to tick off your neighbor and start having him mow the lawn early every morning for spite. In February.
Q: I'm a hopeless romantic, which gets me into trouble sometimes. A guy came up to me at a bar the other night and said, "There are no stars left in the sky because the day you were born they were all put in your eyes." I thought that was kinda sweet. But my friends say it was totally cheesy. What do you think?
- Romantically Challenged in Narberth
A: Girl, no offense, but that's terrible. Sounds like the brother was quoting from some magazine top 10 list: "What not to say to a woman," maybe. A guy's working too hard when he has to use a line like that. Wouldn't you rather hear a sincere compliment on your appearance or hair or smile instead of him blaming some lame astronomical condition on you?