DEAR HARRIETTE: My parents recently met my boyfriend. They liked him well enough but thought he was too quiet. They mistook his quietness as lack of personality, even though I tried to explain that he is shy and was nervous about making a good impression. How can I get them to see what I see in him? -- Misunderstood, Lake Charles, La.

DEAR MISUNDERSTOOD: Time is the friend you need to embrace right now. Your parents may have misinterpreted your boyfriend's quietness primarily because they don't have enough information to figure out what they think about him. But what they want most is for you to be safe and happy.

Tell your parents that your boyfriend is shy, and describe what you like about him in detail. Ask them to give him a chance and to allow time for him to share more of himself with them. Schedule activities so your boyfriend can get to know your parents and vice versa. If possible, organize things to do so that you aren't just staring at one another. After a while, your boyfriend should relax, especially if your parents decide they want to get to know him.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend graciously let me stay with him for a few days in his apartment. But the whole time, he was was very rude to me. He insulted me and generally acted like a jerk. I felt as though I couldn't do anything about it, because it was his apartment and he had authority. I know he was wrong to treat me the way he did, but I was worried he'd kick me out.

What should I do about this if it happens again? Next time should I speak up? -- Jerked Around, Saginaw, Mich.

DEAR JERKED AROUND: Don't allow yourself to be put in a situation where you are mistreated like that again. Do not stay with your friend in his apartment. Figure out another place to lay your head.

Call your friend on his behavior. Tell him that while his initial offer to board you was gracious, you are shocked by the way he treated you. You owe it to yourself to let him know how disconcerting it was that he treated you so rudely. Remind him of how he behaved by providing specifics, and ask why he chose to treat you that way.

It's possible he didn't realize his behavior. People are often so caught up in their own issues that they don't realize how they are treating others. That doesn't forgive the behavior, however. Reflect back to him what he did to you, and make it clear that you didn't appreciate it.

DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my best friends is gay, but our other friend still uses the word "gay" to describe things she thinks are stupid. She says our gay friend doesn't mind, but I think he does -- he would just never admit it. Should I act on my instinct and tell her she needs to stop, or should I just let it go? -- Keeping It PC, Miami

DEAR KEEPING IT PC: By all means, speak up. Words are powerful, and how we use them is important. Being insensitive to the use of a word like "gay" is actually what is stupid. (Do you see how even saying the word "stupid" is fiery? I believe in searching for uncharged words to describe feelings and thoughts.)

Talk to your friend about her choice of words and make it clear that you find her speech offensive. This is true regardless of whether she is in the company of your gay friend, by the way. It's important to acknowledge that wherever you are and no matter the company, using language in a charged way like that is unwise because it continues a narrative of insensitivity that is unkind.

Your gay friend may or may not mind. But that isn't even the point. What's key here is for your friend to recognize that words have the ability to empower or hurt. Choosing empowerment is the way to go.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I made a silly and potentially costly mistake. I received an email from a friend suggesting that I look into a way to earn money from home. The link looked like a site from a television station, with articles and testimonials from a variety of people who said they earned money in this way. I found it intriguing. I did try to reach my friend to see if he had tried it, but I didn't hear back from him. (Later, he said his email was hacked.)

I got lured into the promise of earning extra money and signed up for it. Of course it required a small fee, which I paid. And then nothing. I didn't ever get to the place where I would earn all this money.

Now I'm worried that my credit card may be compromised. What can I do? -- Hoodwinked, Los Angeles

DEAR HOODWINKED: Usually, if something seems too good to be true, it is. I'm sorry this happened to you, but all may not be lost.

Contact your credit card company and tell them that you believe the charge was fraudulent. Explain what happened and ask if they can stop payment and/or place an alert that the company you paid practices fraud. Credit card companies have departments set up to help customers with such things, so there's a good chance you will be reimbursed and your account can be protected from that company charging you again.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I carpooled to a party with some friends recently. The driver had quite a few drinks, and I really didn't want to ride back with him, but when I offered to drive, he got irate. We got home safely, but I wonder what a better way to handle this would have been. I know I risked my life by getting in that car. -- In Jeopardy, Chicago

DEAR IN JEOPARDY: This is an example of why I think you should always carry extra money. Never put yourself in a position where you have to get into an unsafe car. Have enough cash or a credit card to get a taxi or car service to take you home.

You could have asked the others who were carpooling with you to help you wrestle the keys from the driver. Together, your group may have been able to get him to listen.

You may want to check in with the driver to let him know that you are grateful everyone made it home safely but that you are sincerely concerned about his actions. Tell him you think he was intoxicated and it was unsafe for him to drive. Suggest that in the future he not drink and drive and that, if it inadvertently happens again, he should turn over the keys. He may not want to hear this, but we are talking about the possibility of saving multiple lives. Now is the time to step up.

You already know how lucky you are. Don't make the same mistake twice. If you carpool again, identify a designated driver in advance. Agree up-front who will not drink and will ensure that everyone gets home safely. But don't use the designated driver as license to be a passenger who gets drunk. Remain responsible.

DEAR HARRIETTE: Changing one's diet can dramatically improve or even cure acne. Try going off wheat, sugar and dairy. The reader's daughter who is suffering with acne may have celiac disease or be gluten- or lactose-intolerant. Also, stop drinking soda pop. -- Acne-Free, Chicago

DEAR ACNE-FREE: You make a great point: What you eat can directly affect the health of your skin. Eliminating or reducing sugar can be helpful to teens' overall health and may help to reduce the frequency of acne outbreaks.

It is important to remember that acne usually occurs in teens because of hormonal changes during puberty. Visiting a dermatologist can be incredibly helpful for anyone suffering with acne. Also, taking your teen to an internist for a complete physical can help you identify exactly what's going on in your teen's body. If there is another underlying condition, a medical doctor can help to identify it and recommend treatment.