The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • C2

He tunes out girlfriend for car stereo DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend, is obsessed with making his car stereo system the loudest in our school. I never get to see him in school because our class schedules are different, and on weekends we both have to work. It feels like I hang out with his best friend more, and he agrees that Justin needs to pay me a little more attention. Yes, I have told Justin how I feel, but his only reply was that he agreed he was being a jerk, he realizes he seen me and sorry. The next day, he was back at it, messing around with the wires and speakers.

What can I say to him to fix this problem? Miss Lonely in Connecticut DEAR MISS LONELY: Tell him loud and clear you think the two of you should spend more time together or your romance is history. In the meantime, explore your own special interests. DEAR ABBY: My nephew was married six months ago. I gave him and his bride a beautiful wedding gift. To date, not one member of the family or friends has received a thank-you note.

The bride has written to all of her family and friends, but she has refused to acknowledge any from the side. She told someone that it is his responsibility to write his own notes, and she is not going to In my opinion, the bride is self-centered and has no feelings or interest in the family. In my 75 years here on Earth, I have never seen a groom write a thank-you note. What do you think? Angry Aunt in Akron DEAR ANGRY AUNT: In world, most couples are both employed and share household and social duties. Please blame the bride.

aiming your anger at the wrong target. DEAR ABBY: My 78-year- old mother has a shopping problem. been going on for as long as I can remember. I used to organize yard sales once or twice a year to clear out some of the junk for her. We always had a huge turnout because Mom always had a nice selection of new stuff for sale.

Now that I have moved away, my sister is left with the mess, and there have been no more yard sales. considered addictive behavior? Our mother is hooked on the Home Shopping Network, as well as the sales racks at her local stores. We have pleaded with Mom to stop, but she always replies, might as well dig a hole and stick me in it That shuts us up in a hurry, because we were always taught to respect our elders. Have you any suggestions for us, Abby? Tired of the Mess in Montana DEAR TIRED OF THE MESS: Not unless your mother is willing to face the fact that she has a problem. There are self-help groups for spend-a-holics, and antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications that can help sufferers cope with the compulsion to spend.

One rule is that if going to stop a negative behavior it must be replaced with a positive one. But all this is beside the point if your mother has the financial resources and believe she needs help. Write to Dear Abby, P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069 or www.dearabby.com. DEAR ABBY JEANNE PHILLIPS By JOHN PAIN Associated Press Maurice Gibb, who with his brothers built the Bee Gees into a disco sensation that ruled the charts in the late with hits like and Than a died Sunday at the age of 53.

The bass and keyboard player had been admitted to Mount Sinai Medical Center four days earlier to have emergency surgery for an intestinal blockage. He suffered cardiac arrest before the operation. The Bee Gees, short for the Brothers Gibb twins Maurice and Robin and their older brother Barry were known for their tight, high harmonies and original sound. The brothers had nine No. 1 songs, wrote dozens of hits for other artists and sold more than 110 million records placing them fifth in pop history behind Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney.

Their 1977 contributions to the Night album made it the best-selling movie soundtrack ever with more than 40 million copies sold. Among their disco hits on the album: Than a Deep Is Your and The Bee Gees became members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and won seven Grammy Awards. Their last album was in 2001, Is Where I Came Their younger brother, Andy, who had a successful solo career, died in 1988 at age 30 from a heart ailment. Maurice, a recovering alcoholic, was much a tormented said Chris Hutchins, a former press agent for the Bee Gees. In a 1978 interview with TG Magazine, Maurice Gibb talked about the group and how their fans and others saw them.

accuse us of being nothing more than a disco band Gibb said. they know what talking about. If you listen to our records, find that dance music. But there are also ballads like Than a And there are some very beautiful, undanceable songs, Originally from England, the brothers gained fame as a teen pop group in Australia. They returned to England in the 1960s, and their first four albums contained hits such as New York Mining Love and their first U.S.

No. 1, Can You Mend a Broken They have lived in South Florida since the late 1970s. The Bee Gees followed Night with the 1978 album Having which sold 20 million copies. They wrote and produced songs for Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross and Dionne Warwick in the 1980s and wrote the Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton hit in the Janis Joplin, Elvis Presley and Glen Campbell recorded Bee Gees songs, as have newer acts such as Celine Dion and the Fugees. In the 1990s, the Bee Gees released three studio albums and went on a world tour.

The live album from the tour, Night sold more than 1 million albums in the United States. first wife was British singer Lulu. He and his second wife, Yvonne, were married for more than 20 years and had two children. A BEE LEGACY Maurice Gibb lamented disco identity MICHAEL CRABTREE Associated Press Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees, the fifth-best-selling artists in pop-music history, died Sunday at age 53. PEACH BUZZ RICHARD L.

ELDREDGE, About 3,000 guests, mostly women and many shaking white and blue pom-poms, piled into the Gwinnett Civic and Cultural Center. Tina Turner boomed throughout the exhibition hall as Weight Watchers members greeted each other with hugs at the New resolutions-themed The star attraction, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was in a nearby room Friday sipping from a china tea cup and contemplating the tidbits of tomato and cheese in front of her. in England really approach the notion of New resolutions with the level of zeal that Americans Ferguson told Buzz, looking fabulous in a black-skirted suit and matching boots. could perhaps do with a bit more self-improving. As for me, working on it, daily, Ferguson, who has spent the better part of two decades in the public eye after marrying and divorcing Prince Andrew, shares some of the knowledge gleaned in her latest book, I Know Now: Simple Lessons Learned the Hard (Simon Schuster, $16).

The book reads like Ferguson is a friend sharing life experiences over a leisurely cup of Earl Grey. Evidence of hard-won emotional well-being percolate through the pages. years ago, I have been able to do this facing a room of 3,000 Ferguson said matter-of-factly while stroking a stray strand of her red hair out of her face. learned how to hold your corner. I be the doormat.

not so afraid of the ramifications of rejection any Pausing for a second, Ferguson laughed and added, I like that. Perhaps, use that Ferguson, who will promote her upcoming U.S. TV daytime talk show at an industry convention in New Orleans this month, is looking forward to the project slated for a Fall 2003 debut. like she said. can go out to eat in this country and not be chased down the street by A reel reunion The first time former FBI agent Joseph Shea met con man Frank Abagnale it was 1968, and Abagnale was a wanted man.

Shea arrested him at a Smyrna motel and hauled him off to a Cobb County pokey. The next time they got together was in the late 1980s, and Abagnale was wanted for different reasons. Having served his time in prison, the reformed check kiter and impersonator was in demand as a consultant to law enforcement agencies and happened to be speaking at a convention of FBI retirees in Kansas City. He sought out Shea to shake his hand, and he even came to visit him in tiny Greensburg, where Shea, retired since 1977, kept a few cows and grew some tobacco. Now a resident of Marietta, Shea, 83, got back together with his old nemesis recently during the Hollywood premiere of Me If You in which Shea is portrayed by Tom Hanks and Abagnale by Leonardo DiCaprio Shea says Hanks was very cordial and that he enjoyed riding in a stretch limousine to the Westwood Theater in Beverly Hills, but adds that still not exactly famous.

we got out of the limo, the paparazzi were popping their bulbs at me, and that was a new experience, but after taken my picture you could see them talking among themselves saying is roots prove prickly Spock has been exploring his roots and, wow, really captured some attention. Leonard Nimoy who spent years being logical on the original TV series, has been connecting with his Jewishness and getting in touch with his artistic side. One result is Hebrew for feminine aspect of an exhibition of photographs that Nimoy says are linked with scriptural mythology and ancient spirituality. The exhibit, which opens in Atlanta on Thursday for two months, has caused a bit of a stir in the Jewish community. Some happy that it focuses on women wearing prayer shawls and other ritual items.

Many happy that all the women are wearing. The photos, 13 gelatin silver prints, can be seen at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. Hours: 1-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 1-6 p.m. Sundays.

Celebrity birthdays Actor Robert Stack is 84. Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus is 42. Actress Penelope Ann Miller is 39. Actress Nicole Eggert is 31. Actor Orlando Bloom Lord of the is 26.

Contributing: Bo Emerson and news services. If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or e-mail: The duchess of self-improvement Nimoy Ferguson ASSOCIATED PRESS Los Angeles Audiences ignored the critics and propelled the Brittany Murphy and Ashton Kutcher comedy to the top of the weekend box office. Lord of the Rings: The Two which had been No. 1 for three straight weekends, slipped to second place with $15 million in receipts, but that pushed its total domestic gross to $283.6 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

stars Murphy and Kutcher as mismatched newlyweds on a chaotic, slapstick honeymoon in Europe. Generally disliked by critics, appealed solidly to young moviegoers, with people younger than 21 making up 65 percent of the audience, according to distributor 20th Century Fox. The movie debuted with $18 million, the amount it cost to shoot. Here are estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.

(final figures will be released today): 1. $18 million. 2. Lord of the Rings: The Two $15 million. 3.

Me If You $14.8 million. 4. Weeks $6.7 million. 5. $6.3 million.

6. $5.6 million. 7 (tie). in $5 million. 7 (tie).

of New $5 million. 9. $3.8 million. 10. $2.9 million.

bumps off top DOONESBURY By Garry Trudeau THE BOONDOCKS By Aaron McGruder RLIFE0113OC2FLIFE0113OC2 4 Star 2C 2C RR RR BlueRedYellowBlack BlueRedYellowBlack C2 Monday, Jan. 13, 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 4.