Also, someone mentioned a trend of getting depressed about 6 months after the active infection subsided.

Oh, swell. Yeah, I'll add a note to the phone calendar.

Wow, guys, I know I mentioned I'm doing my annual Girly Party getaway next weekend, as GirlyParty/Bachelorette, but in explaning them to my therapist, I realized that 5 out of our group are the original crew, and we've been doing them for 17 years!!!

THAT'S CRAZY! I remember 17! Distinctly. 17 years -- how did that happen? I am MARRIED to these women.

~ma for Aims' sister. And for Jilli. And for P-C's Father's Day dilema (I think bonny has some excellent strategy for you). And... for other stuff.

I think Connie had a worse day at work than I did. I also don't want to try to rank worst days. But... I got kicked, a lot.

Taking 5mg of Ambien every night is better than you constantly being sleep deprived. Don't argue.

Wow. Can I have your doctor?

Fingers crossed for non-mono.

Oh, swell. Yeah, I'll add a note to the phone calendar.

If it happens, much better to be aware of it. Like bursting into tears and then realizing it's PMS. Makes it much easier. And you know it'll pass.

I am MARRIED to these women.

Hee. P and I have been friends for 27 years. The best. I got a text from her three nights ago, "We can really only date each other." No matter than she's been married since a few days after our high school graduation. And everything else. Thing is? She's kinda right. Thankfully her dude doesn't mind that she and I are kinda platonicly married too.

Heh. G and I have been best friends since we were 16, so... 31 years. Damn. Except for family, she's been the most constant thing in my life.

Great. Now even my little sister is on my case.

Brother,

You are not the only one who can write witty yet completely obnoxious emails to people. I know I am your sister and this may be a little out of place, but I can still get mad at you (though I don't know how effective it may be).

I know you are extremely frustrated with this whole marriage crap, but that does not give you license to treat our, no wait MY parents the way you have been. You have made it blatantly obvious that you do not see them as your parents any more. Just because you are all grown up does not give you the right to talk to your elders that way. I don't care how mature you think you are, but when you talk to the people who raised you in the way you have been, you obviously are not as mature as you think.

You may think it's your life, but don't forget who gave it to you (lame, I know). You don't know the struggles mommy and pappa went through when they raised you. If you knew some of the things that they did for you or did on your behalf, you would never say a rude word to them again, especially mommy. Basically, mommy saved your life, let's put it that way.

I know you hate how overbearing and pushy they can be, trust me, but they are your parents. You should be glad that they care so much about you. If you don't agree with something they say or want you to do religiously, then just say ok. You are in California, how will they know what you do? Don't give me the crap about "I don't want to lie to them anymore" It's more like, you have lost all respect for them and don't care about their feelings. If you hated something your boss told you to do, you wouldn't go give him tongue, would you? You know that there are felons out there who care more about their parents than you do. I still can't believe some of the things you have said to them! You are not the busiest person in the world and you most certainly are not the smartest, so quit acting like it. For someone who got a degree in English from a prestigious university, you certainly lack tact.

What I'm trying to say is that I don't care how much you dislike what they are trying to do to give you a better life, it doesn't give you any authority to treat them that way. You may have stopped caring about them, but they are still MY parents and I can't stand to see not only mommy but pappa this hurt. If you really feel such hatred towards them, then just leave them alone, but for the love of god (or whoever you do/don't believe in) please STOP hurting them.

Oh and by the way, I have tons of friends, a car, a successful (but ongoing) academic career, am respected by not only my peers but my family, can make amazing desserts, and even play a mean game of Fluxx, and even with all this stuff keeping me oh so busy, I still find the time in my crazy schedule to be kind to my parents.

Your sad sad Sister.

I can't take much more of this.

Aw, crud. {{{{{{Sunil}}}}}

Aww, P-C. See, at least when MY brother called me out and tried to guilt trip me about treating my parents badly, I was able to (a) be all "Oh please, you've been hearing this bitching from...our parents" and (b) point out that unlike HIM, I lived on the same CONTINENT as our parents and had a PHONE NUMBER they could call, which he did not. And while they might bitch to him that I didn't call enough, I called them at least weekly. Which was about four times as often as he did, so he should just STFU with his "our parents are old and don't have friends" sanctimonious (and ageist) BS.

...er, which is to say, how the heck old IS your sister, anyway? And when does SHE have to get arranged-married?

She's 19. She's probably got about four years until they start shopping her around.