Latest news with #MissLonelyhearts
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Procuring coveted item can call for some charm
Opinion DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I told my wife I went all last summer wanting a hanging basket 'cove' chair, but didn't buy one. Why? Because she (the almighty dictator) said $1,495 was too much for my 'spacecraft designed' chair that makes you feel like you're floating in the clouds. I would go try one out in a store after a bad day and start nodding off in minutes. Do marriage partners have the right to deny you an expensive item you really want? — So Annoyed, East Kildonan Dear Annoyed: Do what my dear old dad, Bill Scurfield did in this kind of situation. Make it a treat and bring it home proudly. Having paid for it on your own, you quickly bring it in and install it. For instance, my dad's mint-and-emerald-green '57 Chevrolet Bel Air sedan comes to mind — sitting out in the driveway in Manitou. That beautiful car suddenly appeared and dad was proudly taking everybody for rides in it for the next week. I seriously doubt my conservative mom Cynthia would have chosen a flashy car to go with the already bright greenhouse. On second thought, dad's decisive car choice may have inspired his wife to suddenly choose the charcoal-and-pink bedroom drapes that went up a week later, and the powder-pink bathroom to go with it. Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I met a girl alone, running the same trail near the zoo as I usually do. I asked her if she wanted to run with me for company. We had a nice time and sat down at the end to talk a bit. I thought she was very attractive — and she wasn't wearing a ring either. At the end, I asked her for her name and phone number, and she gave it to me, no hesitation! But, then she said, 'That's the home phone, so be careful. My husband might pick it up!' What the heck was that supposed to mean, and why didn't she give me her cellphone number, if her husband is a jealous guy? Then she just waved and jogged off to her car. Was she flirting with me? What happened there? — Don't Understand Her Moves, The Park Dear Don't Understand: This woman made a point of mentioning her husband, so perhaps she just enjoyed your company, but wanted you to know that's all she's after. Still, it's annoying of her to warn you of her husband. So, don't bother calling her to initiate meetings for more runs. If you run into her again, and you run with her again for a little company, don't ask her personal questions. Runs definitely go more quickly with someone along for company, and it's safer for a woman to run with a companion in the woods. It could possibly work out for both of you, if you can just keep it light. Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@ or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6. Maureen ScurfieldAdvice columnist Maureen Scurfield writes the Miss Lonelyhearts advice column. Read full biography 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.
Winnipeg Free Press
26-05-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jumping to jealousy has trashed this romance
Opinion DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: It's been like seeing a ghost since I got back to work. I can see my recent girlfriend, but she acts like I don't exist. I can tell she doesn't like working here anymore and her unhappy face makes me feel nervous and sick to my stomach. She's been sitting where she asked to be moved to the day after she got home from her holiday in Quebec and heard some news about me through the grapevine. I took a friend of hers out for a fancy dinner while she was away in Montreal with a single girlfriend of hers from here and two others from Quebec. I was feeling jealous and thought she had to be cheating on me when she was away. Last week the friend who travelled with her told me what a jerk I was for not believing in my true-blue girlfriend. So, I tried to apologize to my ex, but all she had to say to me was, 'You wouldn't believe me and I have no time for men like you.' How can I get her back? I love her so much. She won't take my calls and ignores my texts. — Want Her Back, downtown Winnipeg Dear Want Her Back: The problem is she doesn't want you back with the way your jealous mind has led you into bad decisions. It's time to move on and also to look into what's driving your destructive jealous thoughts. See if your workplace health plan covers any personal counselling, and even it doesn't, you might want make the investment anyway, so you don't repeat this. As for your co-worker ex-girlfriend, stay off her case, and if you do have to communicate or work together as part of your job, be a professional and stick to the task at hand. Who knows? If you take your introspective work seriously, maybe things will warm up between the two of down the road, but don't get too caught up in that possibility. Plus, workplace romances can be difficult, even at the best of times. If you find it too hard to see your former partner on a daily basis, you may want to consider transferring to a different part of your workplace operation (if that's even a possibility) or think about finding a different job. Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: My new boyfriend touches me like he thinks I'm a china doll who might break — but I'm not. I'm a seriously athletic woman who also loves a real romp. How can I tell my guy that without sounding like a female beast? — Not Fragile, Crescentwood Dear Not Fragile: Before your next intimate encounter, smile and tell him, 'Let me take charge this time.' Then show him the degree of touch and enthusiasm you really like. Maybe on another occasion when you're relaxing before lovemaking, tell him something else you would enjoy. Some cautious people need to get information or instruction on what's welcome before they can act, so help him out a bit. Nobody should want to disappoint their lover. Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@ or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6. Maureen ScurfieldAdvice columnist Maureen Scurfield writes the Miss Lonelyhearts advice column. Read full biography 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.
Winnipeg Free Press
21-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Reckless behaviour signals need for serious help
Opinion DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I was at our cottage for two weeks finishing a project I'm writing up for my boss out east. He was paying me triple time to finish it up for the people there. My wife doesn't like lake life, so she wouldn't come with me. That made it feel a bit empty, but somehow even better for where I was finally headed — off the rails. I had my favourite booze, music and nobody to love me, only my on-again/off-again younger girlfriend who came up to visit me for some recreational old-man sex to fill her day. There is no mistaking it for love, that's for sure. In the meantime, my wife had a little time to herself and my spies who came up on the weekends reported to me that she didn't seem to be suffering from loneliness while I was gone. I realized that was code for 'another guy on the scene,' so I got up and drove home pedal-to-the-metal. Who cares what could have happened — I got home in record time. Imagine the shock when I came up the driveway to wide-open doors of the house with my wife gone and just a note saying she had moved in with a friend. She didn't say which sex, but then again, she likes both of them. She took everything — all the furniture except for a bed, some lamps, my guitars, the electronics I need for work and the things she bought me as gifts when she used to love me. She dumped all my clothes in the bathroom for some reason and soaked them. I was left with a pair of jeans and two T-shirts. It galls me she could gut my beautiful world when I was at the lake and defenceless. She insulted the home we decorated together and didn't even leave me a letter to say why. I don't even know where she is laying her head out there in the world. I used to love her so much. — Bare and Broken, Winnipeg Dear Bare and Broken: What were you feeling when you opened the door and saw your wife had stripped it bare of everything that made it beautiful? Between the angry words you write here are clear darker feelings of emptiness, pain and bewilderment. This is what happens when broken lovers finally decide, 'That's it, I'm done.' But it sometimes takes too long to leave and then they finally slash their way out of their nest in the cruellest, wildest, most careless ways possible. You need to tap into people who can support you now — the good old friends, family and people at work who know you, and will help you through this breakup so it doesn't become a serious breakdown. Your reckless behaviour speeding home in who knows what state was highly irresponsible and points to troubling thoughts you really need to work through so you don't harm yourself or anyone else. You need your family and friends to help keep you afloat. If you don't already have psychological support, see your doctor to find some counselling to support you emotionally and with appropriate medication, if needed. It's time to go into full repair mode and reassess all parts of your life. Please send your questions to lovecoach@ or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6. Maureen ScurfieldAdvice columnist Maureen Scurfield writes the Miss Lonelyhearts advice column. Read full biography 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.
Epoch Times
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
‘Lonelyhearts': Unraveling Secrets of the Heart
NR | 1h 40m | Drama | 1958 Robert Ryan stands out in films with his clear, powerful voice, and intense presence. When he's paired with other performers, there are moments when he he's matched, even balanced. ' In 'Lonelyhearts' (1958), he's paired with Montgomery Clift, another heavy-hitter, though of a completely different stripe. William Shrike (Robert Ryan), in 'Lonelyhearts.' (United Artists). Adapted from Nathanael West's 1933 novel, 'Miss Lonelyhearts,' and later a 1957 stage play, the film simplifies the title but keeps much of the existential despair and social critique intact. Clift plays Adam White, a young journalist scraping by for a shot at a job in major media. Hungry for a Better Life White stakes out a bar where he hopes to run into people who work for the Chronicle, a major newspaper that's headquartered nearby. He strikes gold when he meets Florence (Myrna Loy), who happens to be the wife of William Shrike (Ryan), the paper's editor-in-chief. Adam White (Montgomery Clift) and Florence Shrike (Myrna Loy) meet at a bar, in 'Lonelyhearts.' United Artists Shrike soon shows up at the bar and interprets his wife's actions as flirtatious with White. Despite a rather conflicted first meeting, Shrike offers White a job. When White shows up the next morning, he discovers to his dismay that he's been assigned to the titular, 'Miss Lonelyhearts,' an advice column, instead of something he considers to be real writing. Desperate since he intends to marry girlfriend Justy Sargeant (Dolores Hart), he takes the position. Related Stories 3/18/2024 4/7/2025 Justy Sargeant (Dolores Hart) and Adam White (Montgomery Clift) are in love, in 'Lonelyhearts.' United Artists Shrike treats cynicism like an art form and condescension like sport; he delights in watching White sink under the weight of desperate letters from the hopeless and heartbroken. He dares White to actually meet one of the column's correspondents, Fay Doyle (Maureen Stapleton). This creates a brewing storm that ripples through White's life and rattles the lives of everyone around him. Hidden Secrets , Long Monologues Unfortunately, the movie retains much of the stage play's talkiness, for better or worse. Nowhere is that more evident than in Ryan's role. Every time he shows up, you can practically set your watch for a lengthy monologue—philosophical, cynical, and often laced with contempt for humanity. He also doesn't spare his long-suffering wife, whom he hasn't quite forgiven for an old affair, despite her regrets. Ryan's performance, however, keeps things engaging. In lesser hands, the part might've sunk the film under the weight of its own verbosity. Instead, Ryan brings a sharp intensity to Shrike, making his scenes work. I found myself sighing 'here we go again' with a half-smile, not dreading the routine but recognizing it as part of the film's rhythm. Clift holds up better than expected, especially considering this was one of his first roles after the 1956 car accident that nearly ended his career. While his reconstructed face shows subtle signs of strain, most notably a stiffness around the mouth that occasionally affects his diction, he still radiates sincerity. Clift was nearly 40 when the film was released. Though his frame and posture give him a slightly fragile appearance, the dynamic works well against Ryan's larger, more imposing presence. The contrast between the two men—Clift's quiet vulnerability and Ryan's commanding cynicism—adds a noteworthy dynamic to the film. In some ways, 'Lonelyhearts' reflects its lead actor, Clift: a little wounded, a bit uneven, but quietly affecting. It's not a polished film nor a particularly brisk one, but it has a thoughtful core. Beneath its drawn-out dialogue and moody tone lies a meditation on loneliness, redemption, and the challenges faced when trying to connect with others. Stick with it, and it offers a modest but meaningful payoff. 'Lonelyhearts' is available on Amazon, Hoopla, and Tubi TV. 'Lonelyhearts' Director: Vincent J. Donehue Starring: Montgomery Clift, Myrna Loy, Robert Ryan Not Rated Running Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes Release Date: Dec. 26, 1958 Rated: 3 1/2 stars out of 5 What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
Winnipeg Free Press
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Don't fear reaching out to folks, post-meltdown
Opinion DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I can't afford to live alone, but I'm feeling sicker by the day, living a lie. My fiancé says goodnight and then goes off and spends hours after midnight in his secret room in the basement, chatting about sex under a made-up name. I've listened at the door and it's pretty freaky. I have one female spy I know in his online world, so I found out where he goes online, for his weird late-night entertainment. I have listened at his locked door and he sounds sexually obsessed when he's online. Now what do I do? I want to leave him. I already know I'll have to sneak out with one suitcase because my partner works from home a lot, like I do. I don't know what to tell my parents, but I really need a rescue. When I left home, I broke my dad's heart. I told him and my mom this guy loved me to the moon and back and would take care of me. They looked suspicious and upset — and for good reason, it turns out. Now what do I tell my dad? Help. — His Baby Made a Mistake, North End Dear Baby: Grown kids in families can make some bad mistakes, but a parent is not going to judge when they hear them say: 'This is what's going on now. You were right and I was wrong. Now I'm scared and I need help, please.' The biggest mistake you could make would be not reaching out for help when you know you're in a bad situation. Most parents want to protect their children, no matter what their age. Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I saw my old girlfriend going into a movie theatre. I quickly grabbed my ticket and called her name before the movie started. She sounded delighted to see me. We went into the movie and sat together and had a lot of laughs. When we came out of the movie, I jokingly asked her if she remembered why we broke up and she said it was because I never had a job and she always had to pay for everything. Then she laughed and added, 'I can afford to take myself to the movies now and have popcorn too.' I laughed, but it wasn't very funny. Why did she have to say it that way to me? I'm older now and have a job and can afford anything on a date, but she still had to give me a kick in the stomach about the popcorn and the past. — Don't Get It, River Heights Dear Don't Get it: Your old girlfriend was still carrying some unexpressed resentment and she finally got a chance to let it out. It's likely she felt better — but you felt worse. You know what that behaviour says about her? She's not a person who has the guts to say what she really feels when she feels it, but it will come out later. Be glad she's not your wife. You would never know what was going to come at you or when. That's not a fun way to live. Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@ or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6. Maureen ScurfieldAdvice columnist Maureen Scurfield writes the Miss Lonelyhearts advice column. Read full biography 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.
