ive me your confused, your aggravated, your bewildered. Send me your perplexed, your rattled, your befuddled masses yearning to breathe free.

Yes indeed — I'm the new advice columnist at TheWeek.com, and I'm here to steer you right on dating dilemmas, parenting pickles, workplace woes, and every juicy quandary in between. 

As a veteran journalist, I've reported on opportunities that spring from wise decisions, and unfortunate incidents that arise from bad ones. And like you, I've been through some stuff.

Named for a song in the rock musical Hair, in which my father starred naked, I survived a Hollywood hippie childhood to become a news reporter, music critic, travel writer, and often overwhelmed mother of two. Life's messy — but advice shouldn't be.

Sensible and straight-talking, I'm the opinionated best friend you never knew you wanted. The gal who tells it to you straight. The occasionally snarky voice of reason. The this-is-gonna-hurt-you-more-than-it-hurts-me coach and confidant.

I don't like liars, I have no patience for whiners, and in truth, I'm not even a great listener. But I'm an excellent reader, so type your troubles to me — we won't publish your name! — and I'll help you find freedom from what flummoxes you.

Send me your dilemmas via email: ToughLove@TheWeek.com. And follow me on Twitter: @ToughLoveAdvice. 

Before I start answering questions, I asked readers to share the best advice they've ever received. Some of the responses were cheeky, some sincere, but everyone can find one piece that applies to their own life. Send your piece of advice to me on Twitter, hashtag #goodadvice.