For a long time we received unwanted jokes and chain letters from a mailbox shared by my sister-in-law and her partner - both mid-60s.
We repeatedly responded by e-mail that we weren't interested and only wanted to receive family news. We also explained that a technician said our computer was crashing from a virus contained in such widely-circulated e-mail.
Their "jokes" would always start up again.
Meanwhile, my sister-in-law said that she'd found pornography on their computer.
Her partner denied any knowledge of it.
The last straw was a "joke" featuring photos of undressed women in explicit sexual poses. I had our computer programmed to block all further e-mail from them, and told them why.
My husband felt, instead, that we should ignore it - causing a major argument between us.
Then, another relative received an e-mail from them containing cute characters with a directive that linked to child pornography.
My husband told his sister.
She didn't understand why this kept happening, she said only her partner uses the computer.
I'm now concerned about her.

- Harried in Hamilton

Your sister-in-law is either living with blinkers on, or doesn't want to rock her marital boat.
While her relationship is her business, it's time for your husband to tell his sister about the laws prohibiting the distribution of child pornography, and the risks to which her husband is exposing them both.
You've been wise to block their email address; your reluctant hubby should no longer be defensive and passive when hints of trouble for his family are fairly obvious.

There's a young lady colleague who comes to my office everyday to chat, sometimes for hours. When we talk about her homeland, she'll say, "I'll take you there."
However, there's never a concrete plan to do so.
We never talk outside of work, we've never even gone out for lunch.
My dilemma is that she's married, I'm single.
From our conversations, I suspect she's having problems at home. She never mentions her husband; after every weekend, she always tells me how she spent it with her family.
She was talking to a co-worker and was asked what she does now that she's living alone. I never followed up on that with her.
Once, she said she had something to tell me and didn't want me to be offended, but she started blushing and couldn't say what it was.
My company is having an outing in August and we're allowed to bring a partner. She's not doing so and asked me to hang out with her and her co-workers.
Am I reading too much into this?
Is it possible that there's an attraction on her part as there is on mine?
Should I say something?
My workplace has a very strong harassment policy, and I'm in a management position.

- Extremely Cautious

You're on the right track by going slowly and not jumping to conclusions.
Yes, it's possible there's an attraction but, with differences in background and perhaps culture too, it's also possible that she's merely being friendly, that her husband is travelling, and/or she sees you only as a co-worker/friend.
Continue to proceed at the pace she sets.
Hanging out with her at the party will certainly have people watching, so use the group approach as much as possible.
But listen closely: If she's interested, she'll drop hints.
If you two do strike up a connection beyond work, let your supervisor know that it's mutual, as quickly as possible, so there's no misunderstandings later.

I'm in a two-year relationship with a man who was incarcerated for 12 years.
It seems he doesn't have his priorities straight. He's been a free man for two years yet doesn't seem to want to go forward.
Should I leave him or wait to see where I'll be in the future?

- Confused

Waiting for him to decide your future is as mixed up as his "priorities."
He's shown bad judgment in the past, which landed him in jail. So why are you surprised, after two years, that he's not a well-thought-out planner?
You two need to talk NOW about your future together: what are his goals for his work and for your relationship, what are yours, and do they even match? What are each of you doing to reach those goals?
If he's unwilling to discuss this or the answers don't jibe with yours, set him freer.