Ask Tim...

This is the place where Tim answers your questions about all that ails ye.
Send your questions to asktim at thebigt.com (subject: Ask Tim) and
Tim will pick some each month to offer his wise advice on.
For past month's columns, go here.

I have a problem...I chew on the INK PART of pens! It's a really odd/hard to stop habit. Please
help me break this habit!

               Help you break this habit? Why???!! Who will I make fun of when the pen breaks and
               they turn into Pen Face? WHO, I ask you??!! If you really want it to be someone else's
               turn to be Pen Face, you can always take up pipe smoking (non-crack). Although those
               kind of smell. Maybe you can just chew on the pipe without actually lighting it or smoking
               it. And wear a robe. You can be eccentric robe/pipe guy instead of pen eater. See?
               Problem solved!

          One of my best friends for like 4 no 5 years now and I have been drifting apart. We use to always talk
          and for the last couple of months are longest conversation was hi how was your day. And I think she's
          getting a new best friend, She's always with this one girl now. No names. and I think she's mad at me
          because I've been calling and hanging out with another girl. And now I've been more attractive to boys
          for some reason and they talk to me a lot, and ignore her, she used to be the guys choice. What should I
          do about my broken friendship?

               This one is simple - you really need to just talk to her. It's quite possible that she's a
               jealous that you are getting all of the guys' attention now and that you're hanging out with
               another girl. Why have you been drifting apart? You could just be outgrowing each other.
               That happens. I'm just curious as to why you're suddenly trying to save the friendship
               when you could have been doing it for the last couple of months. Maybe her hanging out
               with the new girl is making YOU jealous. And now you've just gone through the looking
               glass and put yourself in her shoes. See how it feels? Talk to her if you want to make it
               right. Plain and simple - but leave out the part about the boys liking you better now.

          I like this guy but he doesn't ever remember my name. How do I get him to notice me? My
          friend knows him pretty well and he knows her name, but not mine. How do I get close enough
          to him so he can at least remember my name and eventually more. Maybe even like me as I
          like him. How can I get through this so-called crush?

               A lot of guys are flakes and don't bother remembering such things as names. First you have to
               find out if this guy is like that. If he is, then make him notice you. Every woman has some kind of
               a secret weapon that she can whip out. Use yours, but not too much of it. Make him want more.
               However, if he's not flaky and doesn't remember your name, this means one of two things: either
               1) You haven't made yourself a presence in front of him enough for him to remember your name, or
               2) He's not worth the effort, because if he was interested, he'd know your name. Guys are silly
               like that. So it looks like you'll need to do some research on this one before you figure it out.

          Good luck!