<p>I do not consider my current career goals ridiculous: yes, I realize I change them every one or two months, but they have been shifting in this direction for a while. Regardless of how often my plans may change, at least I always have one. Ask your eldest son what he's going to do with his life: "uh, I don't know, journalism?" And then you deride me for having a plan to major in Accounting? It may not sound interesting to you, but firstly, I am not you, and secondly, you have no idea what options an accountant has. I simply want a stable, medium-to-high-paying job.</p>
<p>What do you want of me? To "reach for the stars?" To say, "one day I'll be the Ambassador to France," or "one day I'll be a multi-millionaire!" Just because half the other kids in college are just that--kids, with childish dreams and equally childish behavior--doesn't mean that those of us who simply want a nice job and the time to raise a family are drones who have no ambition. And I would appreciate it if you would recognize the fact that your elder son has a terrible job now and will probably have a terrible, low-paying job ten years, and that I will be the one with the means to properly raise your grandchildren. That is all.</p>
<p>Really, do you listen to a thing I say? I asked for your input on the initial travel plans, and I made them earlier this week with your OK. Then, last night, I find that we can't travel on those days because of a previous engagement you hadn't put on the calendar (and that you didn't remember when I asked you). So, I redo them all this morning, and NOW you have another problem with the amount of time spent with your family???!! I gave you two options and you picked the one that meant less time there. Your choice. I'm sorry that you didn't realize that, but it's not my fault and I WILL NOT redo these plans again.</p>
<p>Mr. General Contractor:
You get paid a percentage of everything on the job. For that money, you are supposed to coordinate the trades. That means that if I call you to inform you that no one from my company will be at your site tomorrow and you don't pick up the phone it is YOUR problem and not mine.
Do your job and do not go off on me again.</p>
<p>You venomous hag. For six+ years I've laughed off your persistent references to my third child - before he arrived and in his company ever since - as "your little surprise." </p>
<p>It's possible payback may be headed your way. Yesterday, S2 asked, "what does she mean, that I'm a surprise?" </p>
<p>So we explained that while it might seem shocking to him, there apparently are adults who don't know where babies come from, and that you must be one of them. </p>
<p>Please enjoy his sympathy, if he chooses to express it to you!</p>
<p>PS - As much as it makes me grind my teeth, I will never, ever explain to you that as a matter of fact, I lost a pregnancy right before the one that resulted in my "little surprise." S2 was the result of a lot of planning - it's D, MY OLDEST, who surprised us. Chew on that, you mendacious toad.</p>
<p>to my sister in law....go away....your opinion after all this time does not matter. Since 6 years ago you did not like hospitals or seeing your mom sick and refused to visit (even though you were only an hour away, we were 3K miles), we made all the necessary unplesant decisions. We did not ' pull the plug' as you say. Had you taken an active role in trying to decide what was best you might have seen things differently and not be living with all those 'should have could have' regrets. The next time you call my house and harass my H you are going to end up talking to me and I promise you it will not be pleasant...Call someone who cares, because we don't. UGH</p>
<p>Who is the consultant that told every single charity that they'll get more donations if they send out address labels with their solicitation? If I saved them, I think I'd have enough address labels to attach to every piece of mail I might send out the rest of my life. So please keep your address labels and save that money for your supposedly worthy cause, they don't guilt me into donating.</p>
<p>"Right turn on red AFTER a complete stop, IF the intersection is clear."
"Right turn on red AFTER a complete stop, IF the intersection is clear."
"Right turn on red AFTER a complete stop, IF the intersection is clear."</p>
<p>I love that my organization wants to save the planet, but sitting in the same chair in the same windowless office staring at the same computer screen all day is killing me. HOW DOES ANYONE DO THIS FOR A LIVING?</p>
<p>...and all I want to do now is run off and be a photojournalist and be creative and unconventional and have life experiences and good stories to tell. But even though I'm a pretty good photographer, I know that's probably pretty unrealistic.</p>
<p>Ahhhhh being a drive-thru cashier. I love being productive, but PLEASE make food safety protocol clearer. Am I being too soft-spoken? I've asked this a lot of times. Is it that I must wash my hands AFTER every little coin I take at the window? I thought so, but no one says ANYTHING while I'm washing the dishes and then I'm expected to run back when the headset beeps to take the cash, then be expected to cut bacon and prepare wraps when it's called for? Why is it that I the newbie am the only one washing hands every 5-10 minutes for everything little thing I switch from? Is it okay to deviate from "central headquarters" policy? Is the idea that as long as we use separate gloves for different activities, washing hands can be a half-hourly/hourly thing? I guess I don't want to ask a question as blunt as, "oh, it's okay to deviate from standard policy?" I mean, I see people washing the chilli beans with water from the same tap as the dishwashing sink? Yet the restaurant gets high food safety ratings and has an excellent track record so maybe this newbie doesn't know something? Ahhh. I mean, it seems to me that some of the potential "deviations" I may have observed are probably sensible. If you drop a newly-washed dish (or a dish used 3 minutes ago to hold fresh fruit) on the floor, you don't have to start all the way at the beginning at stage 1 of the washing process (pre-detergent rinse and scrub), but rather stage 3 (pre-sanitiser rinse). But in other activities, do you have similar rules? I guess I'm scared of asking when you don't have to follow hygiene rules to the letter -- "damn newbie doesn't know how to value safety." (Company protocol: "Food safety -- ALWAYS.) </p>
<p>Also, this morning I mentioned I had a running nose and yet no one said anything when I was called on to prepare bacon, fold wraps, prepare buns, AND be a drive-thru cashier AND wash the dishes. Like, I would love to be so busy on a normal day, but today I was rather ill (but I didn't want to forfeit hours). I was using a whole box of napkins bihourly and must have washed my hands a million times. It took me half an hour to cut the bacon (normally a two-minute job) because I had to go wash my hands a dozen times through the process, every time I had to take cash or stem my running nose. No one said anything. I forgot to use the chain mail gloves (on top of disposable gloves, to prevent accidents) and had to realise it myself, but it would be nice if the many people who passed by in the ten or so minutes I had been cutting <em>without</em> chain-mail gloves had reminded me, ya know? </p>
<p>You guys are part of a great and friendly workplace, but damn, I don't know how to talk about unspoken rules. Is it something that a newbie learns without being taught? Where is the line between food-safety-Nazi (half your time is spent washing hands) and unacceptable cutting of safety corners?</p>
<p>OK - six months after moving my office outside the city, you turn around and tell me that you are moving us back downtown? Thanks for doubling my commute and that of many others right at the time when gas is $4.50 a gallon. Not only that, but you spend thousands of dollars making sure we have the capability of dialing in from a remote site to do our work in the event of a pandemic, but God forbid we ask if we can do my jobs from HOME to save what little increase we are getting (that will no doubtedly go for gas)...</p>
<p>Would it have been incredibly difficult to go over the information in the introduction speech you were giving for me? Not only was the list of my accomplishments grossly inaccurate and outdated, but it was just that - a list. I know you don't prefer me as much as some other students because I don't have the opportunity to suck up, but seriously, why give me such a weak intro to my graduation speech?</p>
<p>Note to relapsed helicopter parent: He has to choose his courses himself. Just because he's running a bit behind schedule doesn't mean you should search the course catalogue for options. Keep it under control. You are acting like the parents you always complain about.
Sincerely,
Your Other Personality (the calm and rational one)</p>
<p>My family had a lower income and higher (unavoidable, not frivolous) expenses this year than last. Last summer, my parents' work forced my family to relocate to a city with a significantly higher cost of living than where we lived previously. My mother has no guarantee of employment past July. We have a mortgage and no savings. Our cars are from 2001 and 1994.</p>
<p>So what would ever make you think it was acceptable to reduce my grants by $2,000 per term, a $6,000 increase in our family contribution for the year?</p>
<p>I had to take out a $15,000 loan just to pay for freshman year. On campus, I work 10 to 12 hours every week. There is no money here. There never was. What more am I supposed to do?</p>
<p>With all due respect, I ask you to reconsider.</p>
<p>Stop being so critical. Just because my choices are different from yours doesn't make them wrong. Personally, I think your goals and priorities are kinda screwed up but that's your choice and I keep my thoughts to myself. It'd be nice if you could do the same.</p>
<p>So your D "hates drama, and usually just floats above it." Classic Queen Bee's Mother comment. </p>
<p>This weeklong trip is a team event. Yet your daughter, the team superstar, has apparently decided it's all about her. Is she really oblivious to the fact that she keeps excluding half the team? Are you that dense, too? It's been going on all week, and even the girl most people think is Superstar's best friend has decided Star is a b*tch.</p>
<p>Last night was the most flagrant example. My d had wanted to visit a certain attraction since we got here. She and another girl made plans to go, then invited everyone else on the team to join them. Another girl suggested they all go "immediately after X happens at our tournament." But during X, d and 2 teammates couldn't find everyone else. Turns out Superstar decided to go BEFORE x was finished, and left with her friends without bothering to notify D (who had originally suggested the outing)! Texting to ask the speedy kids to wait up didn't help. When D and her 2 friends arrived, the others already had their tickets and Superstar actually BLEW THEM A KISS as they headed into the attraction without them. </p>
<p>So yeah, your D "floats above the drama...."</p>