DEAR ABBY: My sister and I have no interest in body piercing

(except our ears), but we have seen it on friends and are not

impressed. However, our 44-year-old mom got her nipples pierced and

has started wearing jewelry there!

Our parents are divorced and she’s not in a relationship right

now, so it’s not to impress a man. She says she did it to feel good

about herself, which makes no sense to us. She takes off her top to

show her female friends when they come over, and we can see them

literally roll their eyes, but she doesn’t seem to notice.

She has now started showing off her piercings to OUR friends.

I’m talking about girlfriends, but even so, we find this beyond

embarrassing. They’re polite to her face but laugh behind her back,

and word about it has spread, which we find humiliating. I suppose

we should be thankful that at least she hasn’t pierced her most

personal place to show off to our friends like we’ve seen some girls

do.

We think some kind of midlife crisis or hormonal imbalance is

causing her to act this way, but we wish she’d find a better outlet.

If she wants to make a fool of herself in front of her friends,

that’s one thing. But we don’t think she has the right to embarrass

us in front of our friends! What can we do? — EMBARRASSED IN THE

WEST

DEAR EMBARRASSED: I agree that what your mother has been doing

is inappropriate. That she has done it among her friends is one

thing, but for her to disrobe to show your friends her nipple

piercings is wrong. She may do this because she wants to prove to

them (or herself) that she’s still young and ”with-it.” If that’s

the case, it’s pathetic.

If you haven’t told her that when she flashes your friends it’s

embarrassing and you want her to stop, you should. If she realizes

she’s making herself a laughingstock, she may stop. However, if she

doesn’t, then you and your sister will have to accept that you can’t

change her, and realize that what she’s doing is no reflection on

the two of you.

******

DEAR ABBY: I am a ”catfisher.” I use a fake Facebook account

with pictures of an attractive woman to attract men. I specifically

target married or committed men. I talk to and flirt with them

online to see how far they’ll go. They often ask me for more

pictures and invite me to meet somewhere for sex. I never give real

information or meet any of them.

My question is, should I let the women these men are involved

with know that their men are unfaithful or keep it to myself? —

KARMA IN GEORGIA

DEAR KARMA: How can you be concerned for the wives and

girlfriends when YOU are the person providing the temptation? I

think you would be better served if you worked on your own problem

before you try to resolve the issues of people you have never met

and never will.

******

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne

Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact

Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA

90069.