Brother’s ‘baby names’ best ignored

Advertisement

Advertise with us

 DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I’m furious with my older brother, who treats me like a baby and calls me Pooh Bear in front of his friends — even worse, sometimes just Pooh! I’m 13 and I’ve “developed” as they say, and I look at least 14 or 15. My brother is 16 and drives, and thinks he’s such a hotshot.

Read this article for free:


or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/06/2019 (2670 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

 DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I’m furious with my older brother, who treats me like a baby and calls me Pooh Bear in front of his friends — even worse, sometimes just Pooh! I’m 13 and I’ve “developed” as they say, and I look at least 14 or 15. My brother is 16 and drives, and thinks he’s such a hotshot.

I like one of the friends he brings over, and I know his friend is looking at me. He teases me, too. Doesn’t that mean he likes me? I just wish my brother would be more respectful. How can I get him to stop calling me baby names?

— Not a Baby! Fort Garry

Dear Not a Baby: Do you think these baby names make one bit of difference to the guy who’s looking you up and down? He’s probably not going to ask you out — at least for another few years — unless he wants your brother’s fist down his throat.

Just shrug or roll your eyes when your bro is teasing you, and show the guy who’s checking you out you have a sense of humour. In a few years he may call you and say, “Hey, Pooh Bear!” and your best response will be: “That’s me!”

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I’m a short man who has had a few taller women in my love life, which was fine with them because I have a much taller bank account than most guys, plus I’m funny and a good lover. You can get a long way with personality and a sense of funny.

Recently, I met a woman who is exactly my height (five-foot-four). We’ve been dating and it’s been going really well.

But when she came to pick me up at the gym in her convertible recently, she came right into the gym and heard this “buddy” of mine, say, “Can’t you afford the tall ones anymore, buddy?”

It was said in a half-funny, half-mocking way so I just tried to ignore it, and she and I went off. Unfortunately, she caught the remark, as it was said at the door of the gym. She said, “What did that idiot say about us being together?” She laughed, and went quiet. Then she said, “I know somebody who dated that guy for a while, and she said he was ‘stingy with his money and small where he needed to be bigger.’” We both laughed

Thankfully, those aren’t my problems.

What do I say next time that jerk makes a crack about my lack of tall? Got a smart comeback for me? Staying silent didn’t feel very good, and I can’t stand that guy at the gym now.

— “Tall” Where It Counts, Tuxedo

Dear “Tall”: Saying this old line — “I won’t even dignify that question with an answer” — is a good retort to show your disdain for a rude question. Staying silent with a disdainful look, would come in a close second, so you did OK.

This big-mouthed guy comes from a place of not liking himself enough to have a generous attitude to other men. He was probably jealous you had a new lady who came to pick you up in a hot car, and was trying to put you down to make himself feel better.

Mentally strike him off your list of gym pals, even though he’ll still be there working out. Instead of being buddy-buddy, discuss the weather with him, then say you’re there to work out, and amble off to the other side of the gym. After a few fake-pleasant freeze-outs, he’ll get the idea he’s not one of your gym buddies anymore, and maybe think about what he did to cause that.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: The other day, there was trouble in my new rural sweetheart’s family, and his mother phoned my place in Winnipeg at 7 a.m., apologizing for waking us and politely asking to talk to him. That told me a lot.

Momma has my phone number and didn’t call his cell. She knows where he sleeps in the city and wanted me to know she knows!

I’ve told him I think his mom is ready to accept our relationship. He insists it must have killed her to call him at his girlfriend’s house in the big city.

I think he’s wrong. I hear she’s a very lovely woman. Look at the great young man she produced. I’m willing to talk with her about anything, but he says, “No, don’t go there!”

It’s only been since Christmas we’ve been seeing each other so I’m in no rush to get married, just to suit his parents. But, we’re in love! How should this be handled?

— Ready For the Meet & Greet, South Winnipeg

Dear Ready: Respect your boyfriend’s judgment. What’s the matter with leaving it alone? The mother knows about you and maybe is a little uncomfortable about it, but she’s not demanding anything from her son or you. So just go along blithely as if nothing’s up and charm the family this summer, if you can.

Don’t force serious talks and confrontation. Take this relationship through six months and see if it develops or dies out.

“Love” isn’t always forever love, and there’s no need to hurry this relationship.

 

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

Miss Lonelyhearts
Advice Columnist

Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.

Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

History

Updated on Saturday, June 15, 2019 3:45 PM CDT: Headline changed.

Report Error Submit a Tip

More Stories

‘Amazing honour’: Winnipeg distribution centre continues award-winning ways for McKesson Canada

Aaron Epp 5 minute read Preview

‘Amazing honour’: Winnipeg distribution centre continues award-winning ways for McKesson Canada

Aaron Epp 5 minute read Yesterday at 6:00 AM CDT

After a three-year absence, the trophy is back in Winnipeg.

Last week, McKesson Canada named its 120,000-square-foot pharmaceutical distribution centre in the northwest part of the Manitoba capital its Distribution Centre of the Year. The award recognizes the facility’s role in helping essential medications reach communities across the province and some of Canada’s remote regions.

This is the fourth time the Winnipeg facility has earned the company-wide award since it opened five years ago. McKesson previously honoured the centre in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The recognition comes with a trophy, as well as a banner that was hung from the rafters on Thursday.

More than 100 employees work across the centre’s day-and-night operations, processing between 80,000 and 100,000 medication units daily. Last year, the centre distributed more than 21 million medication units while maintaining more than 99 per cent accuracy.

Read
Yesterday at 6:00 AM CDT

Waiver wire pickup leads Jets to victory in Pittsburgh

Ken Wiebe 6 minute read Preview

Waiver wire pickup leads Jets to victory in Pittsburgh

Ken Wiebe 6 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 11:12 PM CDT

PITTSBURGH – Now that’s a positive first impression.

The Winnipeg Jets swept a two-game road trip, thanks in part to Clay (Mud) Stevenson making 30 saves in his debut with the team that claimed him off waivers one week earlier.

Stevenson was excellent in a 3-2 victory for the Jets over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night at PPG Paints Arena.

“He obviously made some big big stops, right up to the end of the game there,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “He was real solid and confident and looked comfortable. It was great to see a kid come in here like that, a new organization late in training camp. He came as advertised.”

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 11:12 PM CDT

Telekinetic teen hits small screen

Denise Duguay 4 minute read Preview

Telekinetic teen hits small screen

Denise Duguay 4 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

At desperate times like these, it’s good to be reminded that one person can make a difference. A telekinetic high schooler, grieving lover, ambitious law firm, frantic father and spiritual climber offer a variety of inspiring lessons in this new offering of TV recommendations.

Carrie (series premières Wednesday, Oct. 7 on Prime Video)Famously over-the-top filmmaker Brian De Palma (Phantom of the Paradise, Dressed to Kill, Scarface) directed the 1976 Carrie into its status as one of the scariest films of the time and beyond. It became better known than the debut horror novel by Stephen King from which it was adapted. It even trumped the three adaptations that followed. This new TV series looks ready to challenge that supremacy. Taking the title role made famous by Sissy Spacek, Manitoba actress Summer H. Howell (see Randall King’s interview at wfp.to/carrie) plays a homeschooler thrilled to finally be allowed to attend public high school. But when the mean girls begin circling and blood manifests in scary new ways, the new girl’s telekinetic potential blossoms in spectacular fashion. Also of horrific note as Halloween approaches: Below (Netflix miniseries premièring Thursday) stars Josh Hartnett as a fisherman trying to protect his family and town from a mysterious sea creature; Eternally Yours (sitcom premièring Thursday, Oct. 8, on CBS/Global) is a new vampire comedy; and Crystal Lake (thriller series premières Oct. 15 on Crave) stars Linda Cardellini (DTF St. Louis) as Pam Voorhees, single mom of a tormented kid named Jason, in this Friday the 13th origin story. Boo!

 

Small Prophets (series Canadian première Wednesday, Oct. 7, on Apple TV)Canadian fans of British TV have been champing at the bit for this quirky series since its acclaimed U.K. première in February. It’s a shaggy, quietly hilarious character study in the vein of Detectorists (2014-22, AcornTV), both of which were created by Mackenzie Crook (Pirates of the Caribbean), who also starred in Detectorists and plays a supporting role in Small Prophets. When the new story opens, Michael Sleep (Detectorists’ Pearce Quigley) is living a life of quiet desperation, visiting his father (Sir Michael Palin) and pining for the return of his disappeared beloved, Clea. Until, that is, Dad shares a loony alchemical recipe that sparks hope in Michael that he might be able to summon spirits to then summon Clea to … the garden shed? Not as creepy as it sounds? A tale of hope, frustratingly indirect action, meddlesome and ineffectual neighbours and, of course, true, true love.

Read
2:00 AM CDT

Mayoral candidates Klein, Vogiatzakis continue to snipe over inducement allegations

Chris Kitching and Joyanne Pursaga 6 minute read Preview

Mayoral candidates Klein, Vogiatzakis continue to snipe over inducement allegations

Chris Kitching and Joyanne Pursaga 6 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 5:50 PM CDT

Winnipeg mayoral candidate Mike Vogiatzakis told reporters Monday he will contact the city clerk to report his allegation that rival Kevin Klein offered him a job to drop out of the race.

Vogiatzakis and Klein both doubled down a day after accusing each other of offering the other a position at city hall, if they were victorious in the Oct. 28 election, in exchange for a withdrawal.

“Do I want to get him charged? Not really. I don’t want to destroy anybody’s life,” Vogiatzakis told reporters.

“Kevin’s a good guy. I thought he was a friend of mine, but he’s not. Kevin uses leverage to get ahead, and he tried to use me as leverage.”

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 5:50 PM CDT

MPI lowers speed limit on tech upgrade with ‘IT roadmap’ following Project Nova debacle

Carol Sanders 5 minute read Preview

MPI lowers speed limit on tech upgrade with ‘IT roadmap’ following Project Nova debacle

Carol Sanders 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 9:44 PM CDT

Manitoba Public Insurance is now using an “IT road map” and phasing in new technology and systems after pulling the plug last year on its failed $164-million overhaul known as Project Nova, its annual report says.

Read
Updated: Yesterday at 9:44 PM CDT

Estate of woman who died from local anesthetic injected into blood vessel sues Morden dentist, his business, clinic

Erik Pindera 3 minute read Preview

Estate of woman who died from local anesthetic injected into blood vessel sues Morden dentist, his business, clinic

Erik Pindera 3 minute read Yesterday at 4:08 PM CDT

The estate of a 23-year-old woman who died after receiving a local anesthetic during a wisdom tooth extraction at a Morden dental clinic has filed a lawsuit over her death.

Virginia Blatz never returned home after she went to Boundary Trails Dental Centre to have her wisdom teeth removed on Nov. 27, 2024. An autopsy later confirmed she died from local anesthetic systemic toxicity caused by an inadvertent injection into a blood vessel, her family has previously said.

Her father, Dulaney Blatz, filed a lawsuit in the Court of King’s Bench on behalf of her estate late last month, naming Ronald David Janz — the dentist who performed the procedure — his dental corporation and the dental corporation that operates the clinic as defendants.

None of the defendants have filed statements of defence in response to the claim, which has not yet been heard in court.

Read
Yesterday at 4:08 PM CDT