They won't let her chill at her salon

DEAR AMY: I know this isn't the biggest problem in the world, but it bothers me. I am a mental health professional. When I go for a relaxing spa treatment such as a massage or pedicure, the technician asks what I do for a living and then proceeds to regale me with stories of friends' or relatives' problems. Amy, do they not realize that this conversation is exposing me to the very things I am trying to recover from, such as workplace stress? Stressed Spa-goer

DEAR STRESSED: You may not want to discuss your problems, but for many people, a visit to the barbershop or the beauty shop provides an opportunity to wind down, share, laugh and solve the problems of the world.

However, when you take your appointed place at the salon, you own that chair -- temporarily, anyway.

Your aestheticians should not share their problems, but should read you well enough to understand your needs.

As a mental health professional, you should know how to convey boundaries. Say, "I'm going to just sit here quietly and try to unwind." Then dive into the most recent copy of Us Weekly and vicariously enjoy the only problems worth having: celebrity problems.

DEAR AMY: That letter from "Good Grad" smelled familiar. She needs to know that no matter how nice this boyfriend is, his body odor shows a lack of consideration for her and others. I know. My great guy didn't even wear deodorant on our wedding day. Next came onion breath, fish smell, cigars and sweaty hugs after running. I finally told him he had killed my sexual desire for him: Clean up or it was over. After years of marriage, he heard me. I regret not drawing the line earlier.The Nose Knows

DEAR NOSE: I'm sure your husband has other people in his life (co-workers, fellow airplane passengers) who are silently grateful to you.