Dear Eric: My son is married; his wife is the chief breadwinner. They keep their finances separate; he pays half of everything, even though it is a real stretch for him.
After she had the baby, she wanted to return to her “pre-baby weight,” so she signed up for this expensive diet plan where all the food comes semi-premade in a box. My son has had to provide his own meals. They do not sit down to dinner at the same time.
When she does her auxiliary grocery shopping, he has to pay for half, as a lot of that is for the baby and their cat. But she does not buy groceries for him specifically and he has to stop at the store and pick up food on his own dime and prepare his own dinner when he gets home.
The child is now going on three, and she has not returned to her exact pre-baby weight because she does not adhere strictly to the diet, but she looks fine. And she is a good cook and seems to enjoy aspects of cooking. But she continues this expensive diet food plan and is not responsible for feeding her husband meals.
This is something I find incredibly unacceptable, but I know that things are different today. There is a part of me that feels it is the wife’s duty to make dinner, just as it is the husband’s duty to mow the lawn and take out the trash and that she is staying on this diet because it absolves her from having to plan meals and fix dinner. I struggle to have a good relationship with her, so I say nothing. But what are your thoughts on this?
– Dinner is Optional
Dear Dinner: You’ll be much happier if you stay out of their food fight. Because from what you’ve written, it’s not a fight for them, only you. Maybe this arrangement doesn’t work for your son and he’s tired of making his own food. But he’s an adult and thems the breaks. If it’s a problem, he and his wife have to be the ones to solve it together.
A simple solution, I should think, would be for your son to add his groceries to the list with the baby’s food and the cat’s, thereby sharing all food costs equally. Or he can start ordering the prepared meals, too.
But inserting yourself, even with unspoken opinions, is going to lead to hard feelings. More to the point, it’s not appropriate and you should choose another path.
You’ll find it easier to have a relationship with your daughter-in-law if you release her from your expectations (and keep your eyes off her scale). Try to see her as a person who is doing what she can to make the most of her time as a worker, a mother, a wife and someone who doesn’t always want to stare at the fridge wondering what’s for dinner.
Dear Eric: From time to time, I hear a piece of gossip about somebody that I know. I usually neutralize the comment by saying, “I find that hard to believe.” And sometimes I add, “I don’t like to believe comments like this unless I’ve had that experience myself and I just haven’t seen it.” When I can, I try to follow up with the subject of the gossip to get the real story.
Recently I was told to be careful because a person I know had been dealing with alcoholism in the past.
When asked, I found out that this was not true, and that my other friend might have gotten the wrong idea because they worked at an alcohol center as an advocate.
I’m glad I asked, and I think we would all be better off if we don’t jump to conclusions. Should I go back and talk to the original gossiper to share the alternate story?
– Truth Teller
Dear Truth: In the play (and film) “Doubt,” there’s a real barnburner of a monologue in which a character compares gossip to feathers from a down pillow, carried off on the wind, that the gossiper is instructed to collect and stuff back in the pillow. “It can’t be done,” the gossiper claims, realizing the magnitude of their act.
Gossip can be framed as simply relaying information, but in the instance you’ve laid out, it seems the gossiper was throwing feathers out recklessly, under the guise of warning you. They should know better and do better. Personally, I wouldn’t trust this person’s account going forward. You’d be doing everyone a service by going back to the gossiper and correcting their story. You might also remind them that spreading stories not based in fact has consequences – it can harm the person being gossiped about and it makes the gossiper untrustworthy.
(Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.)
CHICAGO (AP) — Justin Steele lanzó pelota de tres imprables durante siete entradas, y los Cachorros de Chicago vencieron 7-0 a los Rangers de Texas en una gélida noche de lunes.
Michael Busch conectó un doble y anotó en la segunda entrada. También persiguió a Nathan Eovaldi con un triple productor en la quinta que puso la pizarra 3-0.
Ian Happ tuvo tres carreras impulsadas. Su sencillo de dos carreras destacó en una sexta entrada de cuatro anotaciones, y los Cachorros ganaron por sexta vez en siete juegos en una noche de un grado Celcius.
Steele (3-1) ganó su tercera apertura consecutiva desde una derrota ante los Dodgers de Los Ángeles en Tokio el 19 de marzo. El zurdo ponchó a ocho y dio dos bases por bolas.
Colin Rea trabajó dos entradas para completar la primera blanqueada de Chicago este año.
Los Rangers habían ganado cinco seguidos y ocho de diez para comenzar la temporada.
Eovaldi (1-1) duró solo cuatro entradas y dos tercios, permitiendo tres carreras y cuatro hits, después de blanquear a Cincinnati el martes en el primer juego completo de las mayores esta temporada. El derecho de 35 años dio dos bases por bolas y golpeó a dos bateadores.
Por los Rangers, el cubano Adolis García bateó de 3-1.
Por los Cachorros, el panameño Miguel Amaya de 3-2 con una carrera anotada y una impulsada.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
KANSAS CITY, Missouri, EE.UU. (AP) — Kyle Isbel se fue de 4-3 con un jonrón y dos carreras impulsadas, Michael Lorenzen permitió una carrera en seis entradas y los Reales de Kansas City vencieron 4-2 a los Mellizos de Minnesota el lunes por la noche.
Vinnie Pasquantino conectó un doble impulsor temprano para los Reales. Lorenzen (1-1) permitió cinco imparables sin bases por bolas y tres ponches.
Carlos Estévez consiguió tres outs para su tercer salvamento. Cedió un sencillo productor con dos fuera a Harrison Bader antes de retirar al bateador emergente Edouard Julien con un rodado con dos en base para finalizar el juego.
Pasquantino bateó un elevado alto por la línea del jardín izquierdo que cayó frente a Bader para un doble que impulsó a Jonathan India —quien había conectado un doble al inicio del primer inning— para darle a los Reales una ventaja de 1-0.
El boricua Willi Castro conectó un doble productor con dos outs en el segundo rollo para los Mellizos.
Isbel impulsó una carrera con un sencillo dentro del cuadro en la parte baja, y el venezolano Maikel García anotó cuando Bobby Witt Jr. pegó un rodado para darle a los Reales una ventaja de 3-1.
Isbel, bateando noveno, añadió un cuadrangular solitario en el sexto para su primer jonrón de la temporada.
Por los Mellizos, los puertorriqueños Willi Castro de 3-1 con una producida, José Miranda de 4-1.
Por los Reales, el venezolano Maikel García bateó de 4-1 con una carrera anotada.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Juan Soto conectó un doble que puso a su equipo por delante en la tercera entrada y Kodai Senga se combinó con un bullpen destacado para la segunda blanqueada de Nueva York en cuatro días, una victoria por 2-0 sobre los Marlins de Miami el lunes por la noche que extendió la racha ganadora de los Mets a cinco.
Firmado con un contrato récord de 765 millones de dólares por 15 años en diciembre, el dominicano Soto envió un cutter al campo opuesto en el jardín entre izquierdo y central frente a Valente Bellozo (0-1) para impulsar al boricua Francisco Lindor, quien había conectado un sencillo para iniciar la entrada, el segundo de sus tres hits.
Soto también bateó un sencillo para su primer juego con múltiples imparables con los Mets. Ha conseguido hits en nueve de sus primeros 10 juegos esta temporada.
Tyrone Taylor añadió un sencillo productor de carrera en la octava entrada frente a George Soriano.
Danny Young (tres outs), José Buttó (seis outs) y Ryne Stanek (tres outs consecutivos para su primer salvamento con los Mets) se combinaron para un relevo de dos imparables, un día después de que el bullpen lanzara cuatro entradas y un tercio sin permitir carreras en una victoria por 2-1 sobre Toronto. Los relevistas de los Mets lideran las grandes ligas con una efectividad de 1.19.
Nueva York ha permitido tres carreras durante los primeros cuatro juegos de su estadía en casa.
Senga (1-0) permitió cinco hits en cinco entradas para su segunda victoria desde su temporada de novato en 2023.
Por los Mets, los dominicanos Juan Soto bateó de 3-2 con una producida y José Siri una anotada, el puertorriqueño Francisco Lindor de 4-3 con una anotada.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
The Chicago Cubs used aggressive base running, timely hits and a stellar outing from left-hander Justin Steele in a 7-0 win over the Texas Rangers
on Monday at Wrigley Field.
Chicago Cubs third baseman Jon Berti (5) scores past Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka (11) on a fielder’s choice from Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (8) during the third inning at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs third baseman Jon Berti (5) scores past Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka (11) on a fielder’s choice from Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (8) during the third inning at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (27) gestures from first base after hitting an RBI single during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch (29) hits an RBI triple during the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch (29) celebrates after hitting an RBI triple during the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (8) catches a fly ball from Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka (11) during the eighth inning at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker (30) hits an RBI single during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker (30) slides into second base before getting tagged out by Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien (2) during the first inning at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (8) hits a two-RBI single during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (8) scores on an RBI single from Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker (30) during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch (29) gestures after hitting a double during the second inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya (9) hits a sacrifice fly to bring in Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch (29) during the second inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs third baseman Jon Berti (5) celebrates in the dugout after scoring off a fielders choice from Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (8) during the third inning at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (8) hits a fielder’s choice to bring in Chicago Cubs third baseman Jon Berti (5) during the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Cubs third baseman Jon Berti (5) steals second base past Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) during the third inning at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) gestures from second base after hitting a double during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs third baseman Jon Berti (5) dives for a single from Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis García (53) during the first inning at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) catches a fly ball from Texas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford (36) during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker (30) catches a fly ball from Texas Rangers third base Ezequiel Duran (20) during the eighth inning at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele (35) fist-bumps Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya (9) after pitching during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele (35) pitches during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17) walks on the mound after hitting Chicago Cubs third baseman Jon Berti (5) during the third inning at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy takes out Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17) after Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch (29) hit an RBI triple during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Cubs pitcher Colin Rea (53) pitches during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs third baseman Gage Workman (25), first baseman Michael Busch (29) and pitcher Colin Rea (53) celebrate after the Cubs defeated the Texas Rangers, 7-0, at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch (29) walks on the field before the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) walks through the dugout before the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Fans sit under blankets while the Chicago Cubs play the Texas Rangers after the bottom of the fourth inning at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell (11) walks through the dugout after the Cubs defeated the Texas Rangers, 7-0, at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (7) walks through the dugout after the Cubs defeated the Texas Rangers, 7-0, at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Texas Rangers players warm up in the outfield before the Rangers play the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)