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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THuRSDAY, JANuARY 31, 2019
Who should pay for dates?
Dear Annie: Have things was to dress modestly and not
changed since I was dating, have sex before marriage, etc.
which was a long time ago? I married, raised a family and
Does the male still pick up the have been devoted to my reli-
check, or is the female also gion, family and country. I am
now 68 years old and
paying sometimes?
DEAR
find I enjoy something I
My grandson is start-
ANNIE
ing to date, and my
never considered before.
daughter has told him
I now enjoy being with-
out clothes for short peri-
that the female should
ods of time in my house.
sometimes pay. I was
It might be before a bath
brought up with the
or after or just on the spur
custom that the male
of the moment. I find it
should pay for every-
thing, but after think- ANNIE LANE very relaxing and pleas-
Creators
ant. I think I am nor-
ing about it, I guess
Syndicate Inc.
mal but wonder why this
it only seems fair for
would be something I find
the girl to also pay
enjoyable later in life rather than
sometimes. — Grandma
Dear Grandma: Your something I discovered when I
daughter is right. Today it’s was younger. — Stripped
standard for women to pick
Dear Stripped: I can’t know
up the check at least some of why you’d enjoy this now ver-
the time, if not half the time. I sus earlier in your life (though
agree that it seems fair. It’s also I’d guess that earlier in life, you
become acceptable for cou- never had the privacy or the
ples to go Dutch and split the time) — but really, the “why”
bill 50-50. This is fine if it suits seems unimportant. Retire-
them, but I’ve always thought a ment is about discovering new
more elegant approach is to just things, relaxing and delighting
alternate who pays. And on first in the here and now. It sounds as
dates, the person who asked the though this hits all three marks
for you. No need to overthink it.
other out should pay.
Dear Annie: I was raised
Dear Annie: I read your col-
in a home with strict values. I umn every day. You recently
missed an opportunity to help a
self-pitying letter writer see the
light.
The person wrote, “In this
country, how many young peo-
ple ever ask for advice from
older generations on any-
thing? Almost none. ... The
result is that millions of older
folks feel invisible, isolated
and depressed and that younger
folks make some big mistakes.”
The younger generations
have a lot on their plates! Job
prospects are limited. Wages
have not kept pace with the
economy. And the pressures
of ever-changing technol-
ogy weigh on them. Now they
are also expected to keep the
older generations happy and
engaged? Seems to me it is the
reverse. Older people, includ-
ing me, have the time, knowl-
edge and resources to help
younger people. Young peo-
ple need mentors. If you are
elderly and want to be engaged,
become a Big Brother or Big
Sister, or mentor a new hire at
work. There are many young
people who need advice and
mentoring. But let’s not put
the onus on them. — Your Avid
Reader
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You don’t need to
take the safe path. It’s not scenic or more direct.
It’s not smoother really. The only redeeming
thing about that path is that it’s known. Take the
unknown and less traveled path.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). When you like a
person, you often like how they laugh, sound,
look, smell, reason and more. But if even one of
those things is off, it can impede the progress of
the relationship.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). If you feel you know
everything about a person, you’ll be uninterest-
ed in that person until something happens to
shake it up and remind you that you can never
know everything about a person.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You don’t mind be-
ing a servant (everyone is in one way or another)
but you want to make your own terms for your
servitude, and this you should do. Spell them
out. Write them down. Understand your rights
and responsibilities.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When one person
in the couple is happy, the other is, too. That’s
love. Compassion takes it one step further — to
be happy because another human is happy,
perhaps a human you don’t even know. That’s
great love.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Noisy, super-
fluous thoughts could easily distract you from
what’s useful and important if you weren’t so
vigilant. Ways to mentally quiet down include
meditation and exercise.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The new
currents will be strong as riptides. How does
one keep from getting caught up in something
as powerful as that? Don’t fight it in a polarized
way. That’s futile. How can you move sideways?
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). To be someone’s
soft place to land is a beautiful role. You’ve need-
ed that in your own life, when it wasn’t there
and when it was. You know the difference, and
so you’re happy to provide.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Make a move to show
that you know your own value. You are one of
a kind. As you honor your unique character, the
world will seem to cater to your sensitivities and
proclivities.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Sometimes it takes
laser focus to progress, and other times, like
today, it just takes moving forward in the same
direction all the others around you are going,
like you’re one fish in the school.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Critiques are not
personal and shouldn’t be taken as such. The
proverbial red marks on your essay are signals
that there’s room for improvement. Take the
note; get better. Before you know it, you’ll be a
master.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Feb. 1). Dare to
make happiness a priority. People will mirror
your happy state. Because they feel happier
around you, you’ll get better results, sweeter
deals, more pleasing relationships and the
satisfaction of knowing you made people’s time
here better. March shows you in a new position,
and you’ll be boosted again in May. Leo and
Gemini adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 4, 22,
24, 19 and 1.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Doors open and close
quickly today. Drink more water. It will keep your
brain sharp and ready to jump through the op-
portunities as they open up, without hesitation.
FRANK AND ERNEST
BLONDIE
THATABABY
SALLY FORTH
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN
B.C.
LOLA
DILBERT
SIX CHIX
BIZARRO
MUTTS
NON SEQUITUR
BABY BLUES
WIZARD OF ID
ZITS
ROSE IS ROSE