I sit next to my boss, who talks to herself all day. It’s as if she’s having full-on conversations with another person. Besides being distracting, it’s also bizarre — I don’t know if she’s even aware that she is doing it. Can I politely ask her to be quiet, or would that be completely out of line because she is my boss?

Have you tried going all De Niro on her (“You talkin’ to me? Well, who the hell else are you talking to?”)? If that’s too far a leap for you — either because of your lack of acting range or because she’s your boss — then you may be able to raise the issue with her, depending on your relationship. Some medical research shows that talking to oneself could have mental health benefits — but on the flip side it could be a sign of a mental health problem. Since you can’t play doctor, you could try joking around about how much she talks to herself: You could say how you wish you had an imaginary friend to keep you company all day, too — or ask her if whomever she is talking to makes more than you! You could also take a more straightforward approach, and quietly make her aware that the level of discourse between herself and herself is a little distracting. Good luck with this one.

Can you help my loving and wonderful husband? He is 61 and out of work after spending 16 years at a major firm. Finding full-time employment has been difficult, given his age. He worked at H&R Block during tax season and is now collecting unemployment. But he wants to work and spends hours looking for jobs. Should he get a new degree at this point in his life, or do we just hang in there until he turns 62 and collects his Social Security?

You sound like a loving and wonderful wife, too. There’s no denying that finding a job after 60 is more of a challenge — but it’s not impossible. In fact, many employers looking to fill part-time or even full-time hourly positions prefer mature, experienced workers who tend to be more reliable than high school and college-age employees. Organizations like AARP offer resources and direction for seniors looking for work. And NYC’s Department for the Aging (hate the name but love what they provide) offer Senior Employment Services, such as job placement, referrals, retraining and job search counseling to anyone over the age of 55. Check them out online or by calling 311 and asking for the Department for the Aging’s Senior Employment Services.