I'm petty enough to kind of want you to have retaliated with the "old" dig

I'm not saying I wouldn't, ever; just that I didn't, last night. I know myself well enough to know that I'd do it if she got nasty enough. I may have gained some mental health and ability to recognize my mom's bullshit and walk away from it, but I'm no saint. And when I'm cornered, I fight dirty.

Hell, *she's* the one who taught me how to fight dirty; she should expect it.

Your mother does sound disconcertingly like Anne Eliot's dad, from Persuasion.

She is, almost 100%, Lila Wingo from The Prince of Tides. I can't stress enough that, when it sounds like I'm exaggerating about my mom, I'm really, REALLY not.

Also, let me point out that being spun hard by parental bullshit is NOT proof that a person has made no progress, mental-health-wise. (Though I'm still insane.) It's just proof that the parent or parents are being JACK.ASSES.

you said it yourself better than I could have.

As far as the boy ...well he does occasionally step in it.

and while I haven't met your mom, I believe you. While it is not my personal experience, it is true that sometimes what you learn from a parent is what not to be. And as far as I can see that pain doesn't go away.

Oh god, given where I come from, I never assume exaggeration when people talk about their parents. Besides, it's all relative. Each person's pain varies!

My grandma was Lila Wingo too, Tep. Borderline personality, much?(Thanks, Dr. Melfi. Because she was Livia Soprano, too. With better hair and make-up)

Oh Teppy-- that sounds like quite a day.

I am so glad my mom never mentioned my weight or my looks, through many weights and oddly dressed phases. I think HER mother was Lila Wingo. Unfortunately, she is paranoid and depressed, and annoyingly enough, sometimes she is right in her paranoia! People are out to get us, and mean, nasty creatures sometimes-- but the grudges she holds, man! I would prefer to forget some of the things she hates people for doing to me in elementary school, frankly. It was a long time ago, and I hope those people have grown since then.

When I need a little comic relief, or to be reminded that it could worse, I like to visit Postcards from Yo Momma.

I would prefer to forget some of the things she hates people for doing to me in elementary school, frankly.

My mom does that, too! She still remembers People What Done Me Wrong when I was, like, 7. *I* don't even remember it, so she needs to let it go.

It's just proof that the parent or parents are being JACK.ASSES.

Skipping shamelessly to {{{Steph}}} and say to the above, Oh, hell the fuck yeah.

say to the above, Oh, hell the fuck yeah.

Goodness, you sure have that in spades right now, don't you?

Parents. Sheesh!

It would be so much easier if we were all hatched from eggs wrapped up in $100 bills.

Actually, the really unfortunate thing is that the girl who my mother most remembers as being mean to me in elementary school now works with my cousin. Weirdly, she was fine to me in high school, so I sort of forgave her-- I think she was trying to get in with the in crowd-- and could be perfectly pleasant were I to meet her. My mother, on the other hand, would probably rip her to shreds. Which, on one hand, I sort of appreciate... it must be horrible to listen to your child's tales of being treated poorly... but on the other hand... it was almost 30 years ago!