B6
East Oregonian
PEANUTS
COFFEE BREAK
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
DEAR ABBY
BY CHARLES M . SCHULZ
Bride-to-be attempts to keep
costs and hurt feelings down
FOR BETTER OR WORSE
BY LYNN JOHNSTON
B.C.
BY JOHNNY HART
PICKLES
BY BRIAN CRANE
BEETLE BAILEY
BY MORT WALKER
Dear Abby: I have an awkward
Dear Abby: I’m a 67-year-old
wedding conundrum I hope you can
woman. I’ve been single all my life
but now wish I could find a compan-
help me with. I am getting married in
ion to share my later years with. My
April and want to invite two co-work-
ers with whom I am very close. One
problem is, I’m not interested in a
of them is married; the other, “Sara,”
sexual relationship. I have never been
is in the process of divorcing her hus-
good at the physical part of intimacy.
As a result, I’ve had limited experi-
band. Sara was unhappy for years
J eanne
ence and not much luck with men.
with her almost ex-husband, and we
P hilliPs
When I was younger, I had a rea-
witnessed the deterioration of their
ADVICE
sonably healthy sexual appetite, but
marriage over several years.
couldn’t seem to do “the act” right,
About a year ago, while still mar-
although I enjoyed the prelude.
ried, Sara began an affair. She’s still
My idea of a relationship now would be
“seeing” this man — sneaking out, meeting
with a kind, supportive man who likes to
him on his lunch break, going to motels —
dance and enjoy life, but who’s OK with no
while she goes through the divorce process.
sex. Is this a reasonable expectation at my
She considers them to have been a couple for
age, or should I just give it all up? I don’t even
the past year.
know how I’d go about finding such a partner
I’m keeping a very tight grip on my guest
without fearing I’d have to prove myself and
list to control the costs. I don’t want to pass
experience more loss.
judgment on Sara, but I don’t think her situ-
Incidentally, I had counseling years ago
ation at present qualifies as a true, committed
about other issues, and the strong possibility
relationship, which is the parameter I set when
arose about childhood sexual abuse, but it was
deciding who gets to bring a plus-one. I also
vague and not resolved. — Wanting This But
don’t want my wedding to be the event where
Not That
she “debuts” her new man.
Dear Wanting: I can’t guarantee that you
I know she will feel slighted because in her
will find a partner, but there is a website for
mind he’s her boyfriend, and they are a cou-
ple. I have met him only once, but because
asexual people that offers a lot of information
they have been so secretive, he’s a complete
as well as a way to connect with the rest of
stranger to me. Sara may resent that I invited
the “ace” (short for “asexual”) community.
our other co-worker’s husband and not her
Its members call it AVEN, which stands for
“boyfriend.” Is there a way I can handle this
Asexual Visibility and Education Network. It
tactfully? — Bewildered Bride
can be found at asexuality.org. You and many
Dear Bewildered: If you invite one close
others may find it helpful, and I wish you luck
in your quest to find a loving relationship.
co-worker’s significant other and exclude the
Dear Readers: Well, contentious 2019
other, there are guaranteed to be hurt feelings.
is at an end! Please accept my heartfelt good
If you explain that you don’t feel she is in a
wishes for a happy, healthy and success-
committed relationship (after a year!), you will
ful 2020. And if you plan to be out partying
get yourself deeper into hot water because she
tonight to ring in the New Year, please be sure
will be insulted. Believe me, if you do what
you have appropriate transportation arrange-
you are considering, it’s going to cost you far
ments and be safe! — Love, Abby
more than the price of two dinners.
DAYS GONE BY
GARFIELD
BLONDIE
BY JIM DAVIS
BY DEAN YOUNG AND STAN DRAKE
100 Years Ago
From the East Oregonian
Dec. 31, 1919
Tomorrow the gridiron champions of the
east and west will meet at Pasadena, Calif.,
when the University of Oregon team and the
Harvard eleven battle for supremacy. In accord
with its usual plan of good service the East Ore-
gonian has arranged for a special report giv-
ing a summary of the game by quarters. This
report will be received by wire between 3:30
and 6 p.m. and will be bulletined in full on the
East Oregonian’s bulletin board at the corner
of Webb and Main, as fast as it arrives. Those
desiring news of the game and who are unable
to see the bulletins may obtain the information
by calling the East Oregonian, Phone 1.
50 Years Ago
From the East Oregonian
Dec. 31, 1969
Many Pendleton businesses are affected by
travelers. The new freeway poses the threat of
guiding these travelers past the city without
their stopping. “A lot of people are going by
that shouldn’t because of deceptive road sign-
ing,” said E. M. McClure, owner of the Impe-
rial 400 motel. A common gripe from down-
town merchants is that the signs don’t indicate
a city center.
Earl Storey, operator of a Phillips 66 sta-
tion on Highway 30 west of Pendleton, said his
business is definitely hurt, and is at least 25 per
cent off. “I think eventually it will even itself
out once people learn to get on and off the free-
way,” he said. The Chamber of Commerce,
the City Council and other organizations are
trying to get the state highway department to
change the exit signs.
25 Years Ago
From the East Oregonian
Dec. 31, 1994
The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation will take over complete
administration of Indian Health Services from
the federal government at a cost of up to $1
million more than it is operating on now. The
General Council passed a resolution Thurs-
day allowing a team to proceed with negoti-
ations that will give the tribes control of the
remaining IHS programs at the Yellowhawk
Clinic. With the takeover, the tribes will have
more control over how they spend their money
on equipment rather than following mandates
established by the federal government.
TODAY IN HISTORY
DILBERT
THE WIZARD OF ID
LUANN
ZITS
BY SCOTT ADAMS
BY BRANT PARKER AND JOHNNY HART
BY GREG EVANS
BY JERRY SCOTT AND JIM BORGMAN
On Dec. 31, 1986, 97
people were killed when fire
broke out in the Dupont Plaza
Hotel in San Juan, Puerto
Rico. (Three hotel workers
later pleaded guilty in con-
nection with the blaze.)
In 1879, Thomas Edison
first publicly demonstrated
his electric incandescent
light by illuminating some
40 bulbs at his laboratory in
Menlo Park, New Jersey.
In 1904, New York’s
Times Square saw its first
New Year’s Eve celebration,
with an estimated 200,000
people in attendance.
In 1951, the Marshall
Plan expired after distribut-
ing more than $12 billion in
foreign aid.
In 1972, Major League
baseball player Roberto Cle-
mente, 38, was killed when
a plane he chartered and was
traveling on to bring relief
supplies to earthquake-dev-
astated Nicaragua crashed
shortly after takeoff from
Puerto Rico.
In 1974, private U.S. cit-
izens were allowed to buy
and own gold for the first
time in more than 40 years.
In 1985, singer Rick Nel-
son, 45, and six other people
were killed when fire broke
out aboard a DC-3 that was
taking the group to a New
Year’s Eve performance in
Dallas.
In 1987, Robert Mugabe
was sworn in as Zimbabwe’s
first executive president.
In
1999,
Russian
President Boris Yeltsin
announced his resignation
(he was succeeded by Vladi-
mir Putin).
Today’s
Birthdays:
Actor Sir Anthony Hopkins
is 82. Actor Sir Ben Kings-
ley is 76. Actor Val Kilmer
is 60. Singer Paul Wester-
berg is 60. Actor Don Dia-
mont is 57. Rock musician
Ric Ivanisevich (Oleander)
is 57. Actress Gong Li is 54.
Author Nicholas Sparks is
54. Rapper PSY (Park Jae-
sang) is 42. Actor Ricky
Whittle is 40. Actor/singer
Erich Bergen is 34.
Thought for Today:
“Youth is when you’re
allowed to stay up late on
New Year’s Eve. Middle age
is when you’re forced to!” —
William E. Vaughan, Amer-
ican newspaper columnist
(1915-1977).
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN
BY DANA SIMPSON
BIG NATE
BY LINCOLN PEIRCE