Author: staff

Lifestyle

Ask Amy: ‘Friends with benefits’ relationship is neither

Dear Amy: I’m a 48-year-old woman. I’ve been told I look about 35 to 37.I take very good care of myself and dress in a youthful style.AdvertisementA while back, I met a man on a dating website who is 37.We both weren’t looking for anything serious. We live near one another.AdvertisementWe had a nice dinner, got along great and he gave me a long hug when we parted.However, once I revealed my age, he told me he is not into dating older women. Since then, we hang out twice a week, cuddling on the couch, making out and even ended up having sex.He also says my name when we’re sexual, implying our connection, which I believe is a strong one.He is very physically affectionate when we’re together. He texts me every morning when he wakes up and texts me throughout the day.We both go on dates with other people, but we both feel like it never goes anywhere because we don’t click with others.The problem is, he treats me like a girlfriend – but I’m not. Am I just being used?Is he just getting everything without the commitment?I’m not mad at him because we both agreed to be “friends with benefits,” but I thought it would be with less emotion or physical interaction on his part.AdvertisementHe went through a bad divorce a year ago and is scared to make the same mistake.I believe that deep down he wants to be with me, but is scared to admit it to me or to himself.What do you think I should do?– FWBDear FWB: You wonder if this man is using you, but … are you using him?Based on your description, couldn’t one interpretation be that you are using him as a boy-toy, while you continue to seek other men?AdvertisementUnless you two are brave enough to talk about things, you’ll be left to interpret his internal motivations.Assigning deep motivations behind behavior is how people fool themselves and relieve their partners of any responsibility to communicate. Some examples: “Deep down he wants to be with me.” “He’s scared to love me because of his bad breakup.”If you have a question about your relationship, ask him. If you have fallen for him, you should tell him.If he says, “I don’t see older women,” then this will tell you either that he can’t count, that he is basically lying to himself (because he is seeing you, you are older, and you are a woman), or – most likely – that he is happy to sleep with you but will never take you home to meet the folks.Ongoing relationships are the result of spark plus timing. If you have the spark but the timing is off (because of the age difference, or his recent breakup), then there is not much you can do about it.If you are able to enjoy this “friends with benefits” relationship, exactly as it is, then – keep going. Otherwise, keep moving.AdvertisementDear Amy: Because I contribute to several charities, I receive tons (and I mean tons) of blank note cards, birthday cards, etc.These cards are quite beautiful and I’d hate to just recycle them.Can you think of any organization that would want these cards? I am at my wits’ end. (I spent hours yesterday and today sorting them into categories, matching envelopes, etc.)– Carded OutDear Carded: Start with your local library. If they sponsor a book sale (as mine does), they can accept these pristine cards and sell them to support literacy programs in your area. Also check with local assisted living and nursing homes.Otherwise, St. Jude’s Ranch is a national charity that will accept your cards. Check stjudesranch.org and search for “recycled card program” to learn the parameters of their program and how to donate.AdvertisementI think it is also important for you to contact the charities sending these to you and ask that they stop. This is expensive and wasteful.Dear Amy: “Heartbroken Mom” wrote to you about her daughter and the daughter’s fiancé. Both of them sounded like dysfunctional “users” who expected financial support from her parents.Heartbroken reported that her other children were pressuring her to financially support their sister, otherwise she would “lose her.”Ask AmyDailyNo-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. For a limited time, sign up for the Ask Amy newsletter and get the book “Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from America’s Favorite Advice Columnist” for $5.Thank you for standing up against this kind of blackmail.If the siblings feel so strongly, perhaps they should financially support their sister.– GratefulAdvertisementDear Grateful: I wish I’d added that idea to my answer. Thank you.Got a question for Amy? Enter it here and we’ll send it to her.Sign up here to receive the Ask Amy newsletter to get advice e-mailed to your inbox every morning, and for a limited time — get the book “Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from America’s Favorite Advice Columnist” for $5.©2021 Amy Dickinson.

Sports

Chicago Cubs can’t hold a 9th-inning lead and lose 5-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals in 11 innings

Juan Yepez singled home automatic runner Nolan Gorman to lead off the 11th inning, Brendan Donovan doubled in an insurance run and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on Sunday night at Wrigley Field.Yepez lined his tiebreaking hit and Donovan delivered off Daniel Norris (0-4), who had pitched a perfect 10th.AdvertisementGenesis Cabrera (3-1) tossed four innings in relief of Adam Wainwright, including a perfect 11th, and allowed a run on two hits for the win.The Cardinals won for the sixth time in eight games and took the rubber match of a five-game series. They tied it at 3 in the ninth after the Cubs broke through for a 3-2 lead in the eighth.AdvertisementHarrison Bader’s second hit of the game was a triple to the wall in center off Rowan Wick leading off the ninth. Bader scored on a single by pinch hitter Lars Nootbaar, tying the game and dealing Wick his first blown save in five chances.Cubs pinch hitter P.J. Higgins looped an RBI double down the right-field line off Cabrera to break a 2-2 tie in the eighth. It scored Patrick Wisdom, who had lined his second double of the game.Jason Heyward and Frank Schwindel had RBIs to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Nolan Arenado singled in two runs in the fifth to tie it.Paul Goldschmidt chopped a pair of infield hits, stretching his on-base streak to a career-high 42 games. The NL batting leader has hit safely in two straight after his 25-game hitting streak ended in the opener of Saturday’s doubleheader.Cardinals designated hitter Albert Pujols continued to inch up baseball’s all-time lists. The 42-year-old singled off Wisdom’s glove in the fourth for his 3,319th hit, tying him with Paul Molitor for ninth. He also played in his 3,001st game, tying him with Cal Ripken Jr. for eighth.Cubs center fielder Christopher Morel loses his bat during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field on Sunday, June 5, 2022. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)Cubs rookie Christopher Morel singled up the middle in the third to push his career-starting on-base streak to 20 games, extending a franchise record. Nico Hoerner had a double among two hits and scored a run.Both starters were workmanlike in seven-inning no-decisions.Wainwright allowed two runs while scattering nine hits and two walks. He struck out none.AdvertisementChicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Justin Steele limited the Cardinals to two runs (one earned) on seven hits. Steele’s solid outing was his longest this season and tied for the longest of his career. The second-year Cubs left-hander hasn’t won since April 9.The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the first on Schwindel’s sac fly.Hoerner legged out a double down the line in left in the fourth and scored on Heyward’s single to make it 2-0.The Cardinals tied it in the fifth on three straight singles, with Arenado’s smash up the middle driving in the runs.Wainwright and Yadier Molina made their 315th start as batterymates, third in major-league history. They’re one game behind the Boston/Milwaukee Braves duo of Warren Spahn and Del Crandall for second place.Cubs manager David Ross said rookie OF Seiya Suzuki (sprained left ring finger) batted in the cage Sunday and could resume full baseball activities Tuesday. … Ross said INF Jonathan Villar (mouth injury) could return when the Cubs play in Baltimore on Tuesday. … LHP Wade Miley (left shoulder strain) tossed a bullpen session Sunday.AdvertisementCubs RHP Keegan Thompson (6-0, 1.99) faces Orioles RHP Kyle Bradish (1-3, 6.82) on Tuesday in Baltimore.

Sports

Notre Dame baseball advances to the NCAA super regionals — and will face top-ranked Tennessee

STATESBORO, Ga. — Jack Findlay got the final four outs, surviving a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Notre Dame won the Statesboro Regional with a 2-1 victory over Texas Tech on Sunday.The Irish (38-14), the No. 2 seed in the regional, beat third-seeded Texas Tech twice by a run and No. 16 overall seed and regional host Georgia Southern 6-4 in winning a berth in the super regionals.AdvertisementNotre Dame will face Tennessee — the No. 1 overall seed and top-ranked team in the country — in a best-of-three super regional next weekend in Knoxville, Tenn.Findlay entered in the eighth with two outs, two on and a run in after Alex Rao walked the only batter he faced in relief of starter John Bertrand (9-2). Findlay struck out Owen Washburn to end the threat.AdvertisementParker Kelly singled with one out to get the Red Raiders (39-22) going against Findlay in the ninth. Cooper Swanson walked and Kelly moved to third on Easton Murrell’s flyout to right.Swanson stole second and Findlay plunked Cole Stilwell on a 1-2 pitch to load the bases, but Findlay induced a groundout to first by No. 3 batter Jace Jung for his second save of the season.Notre Dame took a 1-0 in the third when Spencer Myers doubled and scored on Ryan Cole’s single to left. The Irish scored again in the fourth when Zack Prajzner doubled and scored on a two-out single by Cole.Texas Tech scored when Murrell doubled with one out and scored on Jung’s two-out single.Bertrand worked the first 7⅔ innings for Notre Dame. He allowed one run on nine hits, striking out seven without a walk.

Sports

Golden State Warriors even the NBA Finals at 1-1 with a 107-88 rout of the Boston Celtics

SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry scored 29 points, Jordan Poole connected from just inside midcourt to cap a huge third-quarter run and the Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics 107-88 on Sunday night in Game 2 to even the NBA Finals.Poole finished with 17 points for the Warriors, who outscored the Celtics 35-14 in the third quarter to turn a two-point halftime lead into a 23-point edge. And when the Warriors scored the first six points of the fourth, the Celtics waved the surrender flag and emptied their bench.AdvertisementThe Warriors also got 12 points from Kevon Looney on 6-for-6 shooting and 11 apiece from Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson.Jayson Tatum scored 21 of his 28 points in the first half for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown added 17 but fought through a 5-for-17 shooting night, and Derrick White scored 12.AdvertisementJust like in Game 1, a huge run decided everything. The Celtics went on a 48-18 run in the second half to decide the opener; the Warriors didn’t wait that long in Game 2, going on a 43-14 burst from late in the first half until early in the fourth quarter to turn a tie game into an absolute runaway.Game 3 is Wednesday in Boston.

Sports

Chicago Sky pull away from the Washington Mystics in the 2nd half for a 91-82 win

Emma Meesseman had 13 points, six assists, five steals and four rebounds against her old team, Candace Parker had a double-double and the Chicago Sky defeated the Washington Mystics 91-82 on Sunday at Wintrust Arena.The Sky took control in the third quarter, outscoring the Mystics 31-22 to take a 67-56 lead when Dana Evans hit a half-court shot at the buzzer.AdvertisementKahleah Copper led the Sky (7-3) with 15 points. Parker had 12 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, and Evans scored 12.It was the Sky’s second win over the Mystics this season, and they’ll go for the sweep Wednesday in Washington. The Mystics hope to have coach Mike Thibault and assistant coach Shelley Patterson back after they missed the game because of health and safety protocols. Associate head coach Eric Thibault was the acting head coach.AdvertisementMystics leading scorer Elena Delle Donne sat out the game to rest.Tiana Hawkins had 21 points off the bench for the Mystics (7-5), and Myisha Hines-Allen added 13 and surpassed 500 career rebounds.The Sky were 9 of 20 from 3-point range and shot 55% overall. The Mystics were 8 of 23 from deep and shot 45%.The Sky led 36-34 at halftime but quickly got the lead to 10 as Meesseman and Copper combined for 11 points and a 47-37 advantage on Messeman’s assist to Copper at the 7:27 mark.Parker’s two free throws a couple of minutes into the fourth quarter had the lead at 75-58.