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I feel a bit weird posting socially, if that makes sense. I usually just lurk and post in the show thread. but sometimes you just have to get things out. (backstory so that this makes sense-I'm a grad student in Savannah, my parents live in Alabama. I took my cats to my parents' house so that I could go on a week-long vacation to San Francisco.) anyway, I had a great time in San Fran, but on my last day, I tripped getting off of the bus and seriously sprained my ankle. the problem is that it's my right ankle. so basically I'm stranded at my parents' house because I can't drive back to Savannah. their new house is also about 30 minutes from the city, so my old friends don't necessarily want to pick me up or visit. it's been a week and I'm absolutely going crazy! I am so freaking bored! and my ankle isn't improving. I can't even play on the internet because my mom's computer is so old it keeps freezing. it will be a miracle if this post actually gets posted! so anyway, that's it, I just wanted to share my misery!

My sympathy goes out to you Emmie! Parents are wonderful, but once you've moved out and then get stranded in their home, with no prospects of relief, well, it can be tough. Hang in there, and I hope you recover soon!

Emmie, I totally feel for you! My parents have an ancient computer that takes about ten minutes to turn on with a 26K dial up connection. It is seriously like watching paint dry. As much as I love them, it's hard to be stuck in the house on the occassions where I have no car, especially for extended periods of time. No matter how much you love your family, spending 24/7 with them can be difficult. It's also weird trying to comform with their rules once you are an adult and aren't used to being treated like a kid anymore. I often find myself regressing when I'm there too long!

My recommendation is reading - I love finding my old books when I'm visiting my parents. See if they will rent some movies and watch them with you after dinner. Hope your ankle feels better soon!

Totally. My parental limit is around 3 days...

Last time Mr. S and I went to visit, they got up at 7am and turned the computer on top volume in the next room. they then proceeded to have a loud argument etc. After the visit was finished, my mother said 'well, I hope this was a relaxing break for you. did you get some good rest?'. Er, no. Partly because you get up early and make unnecessary noise. She denied all knowledge, saying it was at least 9am... no, it wasn't. I looked at my watch when I awoke because I couldn't believe it.

Hang in there - CG's right; find yourself a comfy chair, a good book, and a giant cup of tea and a slice of cake. You'll be fine!

Parents are tough because they want to remember you as you were when you left. To them you are still that same person. I've changed a lot since I left home but when I visit it like "you have to develope this combination you, on the spot". I'm always and edited version of myself when I'm home. I give them little doses of who I am now but not too much or you get that look of where did that come from? My parents are extremely judgemental, something that's ingrained in me that I struggle against constantly. So, anything new they can't just except, they must pass judgment. I hate that so I don't mention anything that might be controversial. It takes a lot of effort to sensor yourself all the time, so after a few days I have to escape.

Yup, that sounds like my family, everything you guys said. Especially what NM said about always sensoring yourself. My sister and I have whole lives we censor from our parents -- boyfriends they never knew we were dating, trips they never knew we took, why my ex boyfriend left college, or why I had to drive on our dates,... It's easy for me to keep up the ruse while it is currently relative, what's proving hard is, years later, when whatever it is doesn't matter to me anymore, and it's not always on my mind, I forget that I can't refer to certain things.

Jody Barsch* wrote:It's easy for me to keep up the ruse while it is currently relative, what's proving hard is, years later, when whatever it is doesn't matter to me anymore, and it's not always on my mind, I forget that I can't refer to certain things.

Ugh, I've had that happen once or twice, fortunately not with anything really bad, but just awkward to explain after the fact. Another catch is when someone who knows your secret, but doesn't know that it's supposed to be a secret starts talking with someone who doesn't know the secret.

Mark Twain wrote:If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.

yesterday we loaded up the horse and buggy and my mom took me into the big city. well, that's what it felt like after being in their house for a week! can you imagine? it's horrible because I had only planned on being here for a few days. I don't have any of my books or DVDs here, nothing. she took me to the bookstore and video store so I could load up on entertainment for myself. ha ha. the bad thing is that my mom doesn't work, so it's her and me 24/7. and literally all she watches is reality tv and court tv. I'm really sick of the Laci Peterson trial, but my mom can't get enough. I think we're getting cabin fever because we're starting to bicker over the dumbest things. like tv. ha ha. and suddenly my southern accent has come back! yikes!

and yeah, I totally get how you have to censor yourself. I can only tell her that reality tv sucks so many times, before I become mean. so many subjects are off limits, like politics. so basically I just sit quietly while my parents discuss the news or whatever is going on. why stir things up, right?

as a funny aside, my mom visited my apartment a few years back. there were some flowers from a guy in a vase. I wouldn't tell her who they were from because it was just too much to explain. and it just seemed like too much trouble, you know? to this day she will ask out of the blue who the flowers were from! it drives her crazy.

starbug wrote:Totally. My parental limit is around 3 days...

Last time Mr. S and I went to visit, they got up at 7am and turned the computer on top volume in the next room. they then proceeded to have a loud argument etc. After the visit was finished, my mother said 'well, I hope this was a relaxing break for you. did you get some good rest?'. Er, no. Partly because you get up early and make unnecessary noise. She denied all knowledge, saying it was at least 9am... no, it wasn't. I looked at my watch when I awoke because I couldn't believe it.

Hang in there - CG's right; find yourself a comfy chair, a good book, and a giant cup of tea and a slice of cake. You'll be fine!

Ahh yes, I firmly recommend a 3 time zone distance from parental units. This does tend to help with one's mental stability and outlook on life.

Naps are great, also I endorse Candy's book idea. You can burn away many enjoyable hours reading while on the mend. I hope your ankle heals soon so you can go home.

Forbidden subjects: Yes I had vivid memories of that one. During the first divorce my dad became a John Birch Republican while my mom worked on Jesse Jackson's campaign. My sibs and I had to keep track of where we were, and what political opinions we were allowed to express at any given time.

-LanceMan

lance wrote:Ahh yes, I firmly recommend a 3 time zone distance from parental units. This does tend to help with one's mental stability and outlook on life.

Forbidden subjects: Yes I had vivid memories of that one. During the first divorce my dad became a John Birch Republican while my mom worked on Jesse Jackson's campaign. My sibs and I had to keep track of where we were, and what political opinions we were allowed to express at any given time.

-LanceMan

LOL! yeah, my entire family is Southern Baptist. you aren't allowed to have an opinion.

I like the 3 time zone distance theory. I am only 6 hours away. it's inconvenient, but not quite far enough. especially since I am an only child!

emmie wrote:

lance wrote:Ahh yes, I firmly recommend a 3 time zone distance from parental units. This does tend to help with one's mental stability and outlook on life.

Forbidden subjects: Yes I had vivid memories of that one. During the first divorce my dad became a John Birch Republican while my mom worked on Jesse Jackson's campaign. My sibs and I had to keep track of where we were, and what political opinions we were allowed to express at any given time.

-LanceMan

LOL! yeah, my entire family is Southern Baptist. you aren't allowed to have an opinion.

I like the 3 time zone distance theory. I am only 6 hours away. it's inconvenient, but not quite far enough. especially since I am an only child!

Yes,

There are some advantages to having sibs. Case in point most of my teenage years were spent doing the vast majority of chores in the household. My two younger sibs evaded most of these. At one point I had become rather disgusted with the whole ordeal and told my brother as much.

He, looking very much like Sherlock Holmes at that particular moment, spun in his chair and regarded me thus.

"Elementary my dear Lance. For you see our sister is a social butterfly and never at home. I pretend to do homework and thus get out of doing many a chore. But you, like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car, get stuck with the chores."



I do hate it sometimes when he is right.

A friend of a friend took my timezone theory much further. A native Cincinnatian he at first went to Indiana, not far enough. Then he went to California, still not far enough. Then he went to Hawaii, better but still not far enough. He is now happily teaching English in China. That is apparently far enough from his parents for him.

Emmie, by the way did your ankle ever heal? Did you and your cats ever make it back to Savannah?

-LanceMan

when I was in high school, my three closest friends all had older siblings. whenever they would fight, I thought it was the greatest thing. I would smile and say, aw, wish I had someone to fight with!

ah, no. I'm still at my parents' house. I still can't walk on my ankle and it's been almost 2 weeks. ugh. my mom lovingly calls me names like crip, frankenstein, hobble, and a reference to a cripple character on GunSmoke. I am so utterly bored. and I feel like such a bum because all I do now is hang out on the net. I feel like I'm wasting time. but there is literally, nothing else to do! I might get another outing tomorrow, yippee.

emmie wrote:my mom lovingly calls me names like crip, frankenstein, hobble, and a reference to a cripple character on GunSmoke.

Hahaha, when my sister broke her neck, she was outfitted with a halo so we got to make plenty of jokes at her expense. Her boyfriend asked her if she was able to get good radio reception, we referred to her as No Neck Joe (funny if you have seen Spike and Mike - No Neck Joe was created by Craig McCracken who also did the Power Puff Girls), all kinds of stuff. There is a picture of me with my sister and one of her friends. I am wearing a No Neck Joe shirt and he is wearing a blue shirt with a handicapped symbol, and we are pointing at her. Feel the love!

emmie wrote:. I still can't walk on my ankle and it's been almost 2 weeks. ugh.

That's a long time. Are you sure it isn't fractured? not to sound like the voice of doom but maybe a trip to the hospital to check?

candygirl wrote: ...my sister broke her neck

Oh my god - I hope she's ok now. still, if you survive that, I'm sure you can stand more than a little family humour to help you recover

She's fine now. There is always a concern that once the halo comes off, they will still have to go in and do surgery but luckily she didn't need to have that done.