Feel free to skip if you're tired of hearing the same thing over and over again. Although this one is kind of new!

My mom called to berate me about my job situation, saying that I'm just being jerked around, and if they really wanted to make me full-time, they would have done so by now. She's still unhappy that I got an apartment before definitely having a job.

"Don't worry," I said.

"I'm your mother," she said. "Who else is going to worry? Do you have anyone else who worries about you?" Because she is the ONLY PERSON IN THE GALAXY WHO CARES ABOUT ME.

"Many, many people," I said, to no response.

She told me I should start applying to other jobs; this wasn't the only job. What happened to all my big talk of "Everyone's going to want to hire me, they'll come looking for me"? I was going to turn 25 next month, and look at me! When was I going to make something of myself?

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore, and I just said, "I don't need to hear this."

She said, "What?" I repeated myself. I don't remember her specific response.

She went off on me for not consulting anyone and making decisions for myself. When I decided to drop the Ph.D. program, did I talk to her or my dad? No, I "just" dropped it. Because I think I'm better than everyone.

"How can I think that when you keep putting me down all the time?" I asked.

She said she wasn't putting me down; she was just giving me the reality. But she wasn't putting me down. She kept telling me to do things, and I never did them. Why didn't I give her a reason not to "put me down"? Why didn't I tell her one good thing I had done?

Did I call my relatives like I was supposed to? Did I call her?

"I don't like talking to you because I get this all the time," I said.

"Fine," she said, "then don't talk to me."

"Maybe if you said something nice about me once in a while."

"Fine," she repeated without listening, "then don't call me," and hung up.

{{{PC}}} That must have been so hard for you to say, but I am proud of you for saying so. Sticking up to those who have been shitty is very important and people don't do it enough.

Good for you for standing up for yourself, PC.

That must have been so hard for you to say

It wasn't actually that hard to say, per se. I just did it without thinking too much. What's hard is the shaking for the last fifteen minutes and wondering what's going to happen now.

What's hard is the shaking for the last fifteen minutes and wondering what's going to happen now.

Oh, you know. Pestulance, drought, flooding, and all tv stations showing a man in a chicken suit teaching Spanglish.

Pestulance

That's pestilence, Aims.

Pestulance

That's pestilence

It could be a pestilence that presents in pustules. Particularly in the petulant. In which case, "pestulance" would be perfectly appropriate.

{{{PC}}} You had to say something, Sunil. I think you picked a good moment.

I'm staying away from the ebay Hannah Anderson. After my Little Tikes experience, it's best to not go there. Besides, looking at the SIX storage tubs of baby girl clothes in her closet--how many clothes does one child need?

Em is a chip off the old block, that's for sure.

P-C, you said what you needed to, even without thinking too much about it. The genie's out of the bottle, which may be the best thing for all.

I stepped on one of the spikes holding the landscape timbers in place (the timbers are sort of sunk into the ground now) and it went right through my shoe.

::waits for Hil to show up with competing injury::

P-Cow, I don't get why she doesn't understand that you have successfully moved across country, found an apartment and gotten a job in your chosen field. These are not insignificant things.

Incidentally, please don't follow her work advice. It's as bad as your uncle's apartment advice. You're in an excellent position with your job and in demand.