|
| False alarm...So, I'm still in Jamestown, but my situation has improved dramatically.
I was able to tell everyone exactly how I felt. (Very therapeutic, I recommend it.)
This morning (the morning I was planning to move out) all of Gladys's children were here. Shirley actually admitted that they had been taking advantage of me and taking me for granted all these years. Sad that it took (the threat of) me moving out for her to realize that. Joyce asked me what it would take for me to stay. I told her it was a little late to be asking that question since I already had my car packed and two friends were already on their way to help with the rest of my stuff. Jewel then said if it was a matter of money they'd (meaning the rest of the "kids") work something out. So, I gave them my price. Told them that I didn't care how they worked it out or who paid what amount, but they'd better come to terms soon because once all my stuff was in vehicles it would be too late. After an hour or two of debate (on the verge of all out argument) about 30 minutes before Joey and Sherri got here they reached a decision and worked out how they could afford to pay me what I asked for.
They probably would have paid more, but I'm content with the deal. We'll see how long it lasts. If they think they can back out of it, then that's when I move out. If they think the same tactic will work next time, they're wrong, because next time the price will go WAY up and will have to be in writing. I am no longer taking their shit. And I hope I proved that to them today.
Maybe this was the wake up call they needed. Maybe not... Either way, I'm now getting paid (something that should have been happening since the beginning).
I feel like a new person. I no longer feel trapped. Telling my "siblings" off today was very therapeutic. Now I hope each of them realize how difficult it is to do what I do. If not, I have other options, and they KNOW that now. I may have pissed them off, but ask me if I care ... 
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/charitycam/aliens/happy.gif) content
Current Music: Van Halen - Right Now
| | |
| Bearing my soul....Ok, there may be some of you who read the following and think I'm a real asshole. If so, so be it.
I've explained previously how I'm living with and taking care of my elderly "mother" ... (also explained in a previous post why mother is in quotation marks... if you've forgotten, either ask me or go digging through the archives)
I've finally made my decision to move to Knoxville and get the fuck out of Jamestown, away from the controlling nature of Gladys and her children. Tonight she has the gall to ask, "Is there any way I can get you to change your mind? I'll give you $125 a month." ... I walked away at this point... but what I really felt like saying was - "Mom, for what I've been doing for the last 8 years, people get paid $15 an hour. For a 40 hour work week that's $600 a WEEK. $125 a MONTH just ain't gonna fucking cut it. If you REALLY want to help me, die in your sleep tonight. That way the inheritance money will allow me to make a fresh start." I didn't say that, but that's what I felt like saying.
Ok, so, that's not a very nice thought. Maybe I am an asshole for thinking that. I don't care. I've put up with her getting sick every time I want to go out of town and visit my friends for a weekend, her constantly belittling me about how I'm "too sick" to get and keep a job. I'm sick because of her. Oh, and here's an oldie but a goodie.... last year she was on the phone with one of her children (I forget which one it was right now) and I overhear "God put Jeffrey on this Earth to take care of me. I don't know what I'd do without him." .... Her "kind, loving, God" is no god of mine then. Any "god" who intends for one soul to be a slave to another soul is neither kind, nor loving and I want no part of "Him". Hell... it's not like I follow the same faith as she does anyway. And get this.... She tells me earlier today that when I move out, not to come back even to visit, not to call. It has to be a clean break. WTF? Okay, whatever. It's not like there's anything in Jamestown to come back for anyway. And she makes a point of telling me that she'll probably have to spend what would be my inheritance to hire someone to come and take care of her. Fuck.... she's willing to pay a perfect stranger what she isn't willing to pay someone she's raised since the age of 2 1/2 months? Fine... once I get a job (and I will) and start making a little money and get my own apartment I don't need her anyway. So, what the fuck am I hanging around here for?
I may not be as financially secure as I'd like to be before I move, but we can't always get what we want. I don't doubt that she loves me in her own twisted definition of the word, and will probably grieve herself to death (literally) within a month or two because I'm not there... but I can't be held responsible for that. And to tell you the truth, I honestly can't even bring myself to care at this point. Because if I do, I might change my mind and stay. I'm 33 years old. I need a life other than that of an indentured servant.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/charitycam/aliens/okay.gif) blah
Current Music: Godsmack - I Stand Alone
| | |
| Happy FUCKING Thanksgiving.
Just in case I haven't mentioned it before...
I FUCKING HATE FAMILY GATHERINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanksgiving day went as expected... the clan gathers at Shirley's. Those that get there early bicker and whine about those who show up late. Everybody eats, then separate in to their own little cliques, talk for hours, then bitch and moan about how they should have been on the road an hour ago, and finally leave 2 hours after the bitching and moaning starts.
My friend Sam and his fiance Liz came to visit Sam's family for Thanksgiving, and then were heading to Knoxville to visit with our friends Joey and Christi for a couple days. I realize that I was just in Knoxville a month ago, but I had to get away from the family in-fighting, so, I followed Sam to Knoxville Thursday night. Friday night, my brother, Danny, calls my cell phone asking when I'm coming home. Apparently, my being in Knoxville interferes with his plans to go "four wheeling" on Saturday. I tell him the same thing I told him when I left... "I'll be back either Sunday night or Monday afternoon."
I had a great time in Knoxville except for J&C's dog eating the majority of a pizza I ordered in the time it took me to go outside and smoke a cigarette. But I guess that's my fault for leaving where she could get to it.
Before I leave Joey's I call mom to let her know when I'll be home, because last time the storm doors were locked and I had to call her from my cell to get her to unlock the door. I did not want that to happen again.
It did.
Then I get blamed for Shirley and Danny having an argument. Danny went four wheeling on Saturday anyway, apparently leaving mom home alone. Shirley cussed him out for it.
First off... Shirley has no fucking right to bitch at Danny for going four wheeling since that was what he had planned to do when he got up here anyway...
Secondly... Shirley lives 3 miles from here and we're lucky if we see her for more than 2 HOURS per WEEK!!!!
Thirdly... WHERE THE FUCK WAS SHIRLEY AND WHAT WAS SHE DOING THAT SHE WASN'T THERE FOR MOM?
Fourth... How the fuck is it MY FAULT that they argued?
I've fucking had it.... I came home from North Carolina to take care of mom after she went into the hospital in April of 1998.
Joyce moved to Sunbright (30 miles away) this spring and we've *maybe* seen her once a month since she's been living there.
Jewel lives in Manchester, TN (80 or so miles away) and ever since her husband passed away in April, claims she "can't make the drive up here" by herself .... even her own daughter says "Bullshit... she used to make that drive all the time." to that one.
Shirley, like I said before, lives 3 miles away and visits an hour or two per week.
Danny, I can forgive, since he's the only one left who lives in another state.
ALL of them have reached retirement age, and have nothing better to do with their time.
And then there's me, the adopted son who was never legally adopted... doing ALL the fucking work for nearly 8 years now. Well... That's gonna stop.
I'm going to find a job in Knoxville, stay with Joey and Christi until I get on my feet... and I honestly don't care who takes over first, but until EACH of them has done their 8 years (and God-willing she lives that long) I don't want to fucking hear from any of them.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/charitycam/aliens/angry.gif) pissed off
Current Music: Godsmack - Go Away
| | |
| And The Wheel turns.
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a chill autumn wind blows across the Cumberland Plateau of middle Tennessee. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.
The wind mussed Jeff's hair as he went outside to meet the mail carrier who had turned into his driveway because the package was too big for the mailbox. "You must be expecting something." she said.
"Yes, I am." he replied, wondering whether it was the books or DVD set he ordered that was arriving this day, or dare he dream -- both?
Alas, only one package. "I'm expecting a couple of things, actually." Jeff told his mail carrier.
"Only one this time, but I'll keep an eye out for the other one" she replied. Jeff thanked her as she backed her car out of his driveway. He then rushed inside to open the box and see which of his orders from Amazon.com had arrived.
Ah... that new book smell.
...
Now that I have book 11 of the Wheel of Time in my grubby little hands. I will be occupied until I have finished perusing through it's pages.
I'm off to join, Rand, Mat, Perrin, et al. on another turn of The Wheel.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/charitycam/aliens/sleepy.gif) relaxed
| | |
| Idiots! ... Idiots everywhere.
I was channel surfing today, no different than any other day, but today something on PBS caught my attention.
Now, I stopped watching anything on PBS when they stopped showing "Dr. Who", but in the act of channel surfing, I heard "There are only four oceans on Earth." ... I had to go back and see what this idiot woman meant by that, Because I have always been under the impression that there are five oceans on Earth.
I was not surprised to see that her show was not about geography. Her show was a cursive writing lesson. Anyway, her forgetting about the Indian ocean is not the only idiotic thing this woman did. After writing "Atlantic" and "Pacific" in perfect cursive. She then writes "Antartic" and "Artic" ... yes, THAT'S what she wrote (Note: she also said those words the way she spelled them).
While her handwriting was textbook perfect, I'm afraid I have to give this woman a failing grade in Spelling. She misspelled 2 out of 4 words. That's 50% and a failing grade at ANY level.
The Department of Education should really screen these programs before they sponsor them on PBS. Because now, there are several hundred preschoolers who are going to not only think there are only four oceans on Earth (because this woman said so) they are also going to misspell "Arctic" and "Antarctic" (and by extension "Antarctica") until told otherwise. Not to mention the students of lazy teachers who use PBS programming to keep the kids occupied while the teacher sleeps, grades papers, slips brandy into their coffee, etc... and otherwise not paying attention to what their students are watching.
Current Mood: annoyed
| | |
|
