Ask Maxy

Dear Maxy ,
I am dealing  with jealousy issues  at work  that I do not know  how to handle . My time is  split between commuting  to the office  and working  from home . My colleagues  have complained  that I have  a better life  because I am not  stuck  in the  office  five days  a week . How  can I change their perception  because  I do the same amount  of work .
Want  To Be A Team Player 
Dear Want To Be A Team Player ,
You may not  be able  to change  your  colleagues' perception  of  you . If  they are  jealous  that you work from home  when they don't, you can easily rectify  that . What you can do is  show them  how  present you are . For example,  when you are working  from home , for  a while,   choose  to be less  independent. Include them on video  calls  or traditional  conference  calls  with more  regularity . Call them up  and run ideas  by them for  the  projects  that you share . The point is  for  you to choose  to be  more  closely  connected  to them , even though  you are  in different places . One of the benefits  that people  experience  when they work  in the same  space  is  that they can bounce  ideas  off each other  and  generally  enjoy  the camaraderie  of  being together . Do  your  best  to cultivate  that type  of  connection  with them .
Maxy 

Dear Maxy  
Old friends  of the family  are  coming  to spend  Christmas  week  with my husband  and  me, and  we are thrilled  to host them . The  only problem  is that  we have  a family tradition  where  we go to  our annual  midnight  church service  on Christmas  Eve  and  our  friends   do not want to go . Do we skip  our annual  activity  in order   to be  good  hosts ? What  should   we  do ?
Host  Blues 
Dear Host Blues ,
Especially during  the holidays, it is  important  for  hosts  and  guests  to be  flexible . Just because  your friends are coming  to visit   does  not mean  that you have  to  be  by their  side  every minute of their stay . What you do  is to manage  their expectations  by letting them know  the itinerary  for their stay ... what you are already planning  to do  and some options  that might  be fun for them  to do solo and/or with  you and  your  husband . This  includes  your  midnight  Christmas Eve  service . But it  may also include  other  activities . Talk to your  friends  about what they  would like to do while they are in town . While  you don't  have  to be a tour  director, it  would  be great for  you to research a series  of options  of  seasonal  activities around town and  make  recommendations  . Be sure  to leave space  for  unstructured  time too . The best  visits  include  together  time  and time alone, relaxing .
Maxy

Dear Maxy ,
I received an offer online  to buy a luxury item  at a discount  for the holidays  . I was  so excited  because it meant  that I could  purchase  it  for  my daughter , who  has wanted that item for  so long . I quickly  typed  in all my information  and clicked away . 
Later , I thought  about it  and am worried  that I may  have  given my  bank information  to a phony company . The  offer was almost to  good to be true .
I feel like an idiot . I am usually pretty  careful . What can I do to protect myself  in case  this  company   tries  to take  my money ?
Possibly  Duped
Dear Possibly  Duped,
Check your  bank account religiously  to see  if any unusual purchases  have  been made . Verify  that  the purchase  you authorized  has  gone through  as well . Contact  your  bank  and alert  it to  the  situation . It  may suggest  that you close  out  your  card  and  get another . Follow  the  bank's protocol . When you  work with  your  financial  institution  immediately , you stand a better chance  of  being  protected .
Maxy