Off-kilter crooner could be in for cruel jeers

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This article was published 10/05/2022 (1282 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: My girlfriend loves to sing, and she sings with such passion and purpose. At first, I thought it was cute, but now her off-key, high-pitched singing is triggering headaches. She sounds awful.

She wanted me to go to this certain watering hole with her. Surprise! It was karaoke night, and she had a song. My girlfriend is absolutely gorgeous, so when she walked up to sing, I could hear the cat-calls. I could see she was loving all the attention. Then she started to sing.

There were a few giggles, and others covered their ears. It was heartbreaking to see. When she finished, she came back to the table with a huge smile and said, “Wow, that was fun!” She was oblivious to what was going on around her. Now she wants to make this a weekly thing. I love her and it hurts me to see she’s being made fun of. Should I tell her?

— Loving My Off-key Beauty, West Winnipeg

Dear Loving: Some people, who can’t hear themselves on a mic, can hear it at home on the playback of a karaoke machine. Tell your off-key beauty you don’t like public karaoke nights, but you’d be glad to buy her a karaoke machine so she can practise and go with her friends.

They might be able to get away with telling her she’s singing off-key — but you have your whole love life to lose. And if it turns out she really doesn’t care what others think of her singing, then bravo for her and her fortitude.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I’ve been writing my thoughts in diaries since I was a teenager. It was a way of sorting through my feelings and highlighting positive experiences. I’m now a married woman with young children and have continued writing in a diary.

My husband found it. I know because suddenly he started making underhanded jokes at my expense. I confronted him. He was upset about me writing about an old boyfriend that I recently bumped into. It was a short talk, then we went our ways. Later that night, he was in a real snit.

My husband has always been the jealous type, but now he has brought it to a new high. He’s demanding to read my diaries to make sure I’m not cheating on him physically or emotionally. I told him I will just quit writing.

I feel at a loss. I can’t breathe and I feel trapped. Was I cheating on my husband by expressing my thoughts about this old boyfriend I ran into?

— Wanting My Diary Rights, Tuxedo

Dear Diary Rights: Most married people enjoy the free space in their heads to think about anybody they want, in any way they want. Your husband probably does that.

How would you feel about his writing secret thoughts about an old girlfriend he ran into recently in a diary of his own, hidden away from you? Committed to a secret diary, the words would have more importance than they should.

That’s why the best diaries come with locks — although in my experience as a teenager, my clever brother always found a way to pry into them.

Another place to express your feelings about your present man or exes is with a girlfriend you trust completely. And, if you want some expert help working out a big problem — with anyone past or present — consider talking with an expert, like a relationship counsellor.

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.

Miss Lonelyhearts
Advice Columnist

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