The article said that there is no nudity and the only thing of Fanning you see is her face and a hand, I think.

Yeah. She wore a flesh-tone bodysuit the whole time, and they said that most of what you see is her face, with a few shots of her shoulder and part of her leg.

From what I recall, Pretty Baby was far, far more graphic than that.

Thanks, Steph. I appreciate your listening. Part of the problem, though, is that I've been saying those things to her for two years. Sometimes she doesn't hear me, and sometimes she explodes. Sometimes she promises not to do it again, but as soon as she starts feeling upset, she forgets. It's not even the helping her that's getting to me, so much as the fact that she never listens, she never hears anything I say, and she never comforts me when I need it. She does try to, but within two minutes (I've timed her!) any conversation comes back around to her, and trying to get and keep her focus back on me is more exhausting than dealing with my problems by myself. It's just her personality; she's too fragile and too self-absorbed to give any of her limited attention to me, and this has always been true; it's not just since mom got sick.

She thinks we'll both be old maids together and live together after we retire. I pray for a husband, so I never have to tell her I can't live with her ever again.

I'm sorry for the TMI dump, but I'm sitting here at my desk nearly in tears after the conversation we just had, and I can't leave so I have to hold it together, and I feel rotten.

Zen, what Steph said. And if she refuses to see a therapist, she should at least talk to a physician about appropriate medication. Which isn't a good option, but at least it's better than nothing.

There are a lot of real rapes going on, every minute, and they're much more concerning.

Perzactly.

Part of the problem, though, is that I've been saying those things to her for two years. Sometimes she doesn't hear me, and sometimes she explodes. Sometimes she promises not to do it again, but as soon as she starts feeling upset, she forgets. It's not even the helping her that's getting to me, so much as the fact that she never listens, she never hears anything I say

Oh, I totally understand. It's not easy at all. But, honestly, when she calls you at work, you *do* have the option of telling her that you can't talk at the moment, and if she keeps going, tell her, "I told you; I have to go now," and then hang up. Hanging up on someone isn't rude in those circumstances.

Again, let me stress: I *know* that it isn't easy.

I think the objections were centered around using the child-actor to film the scene, rather than a body double.

Unless they want the scene to look like kiddie porn, there'd be no point to using a body double, because of the extremely stringent rules in place about how child actors can be used. At no point in filming was Dakota in any danger of being inappropriately touched -- body suits and trick camera angles take care of that.

I have the sudden urge to bring my old cat to work with me. I know it won't happen, but since all he does is sleep all day with occasional visits to food, water, and litter box, he'd be a perfect desk companion. I could skritch his ears, he could nap for hours, we'd both be happy.

Zen, what Steph said. It is really really hard to have to place boundaries around your family, but for your own sanity, you sometimes have to. And if she chooses to be upset with you because you are setting the boundary, then that is her choice and you have no control over that.

I am so sorry that family is causing you so much stress and that you don't get anything back from them. You make sure to take care of yourself first.

Of potential interest -- clicky fire stick shaped like a match!

Of potential interest -- clicky fire stick shaped like a match!

My house's life just flashed before my eyes. Someone distract Jilli and keep her out of Bitches today!