All right, I hate to keep bitching about my middle brother, but this is Bitches, right?

So MB calls me this evening (the bro who said to me that he knows that he doesn't call me often, but he feels like we're in touch because he reads my Facebook page) because he read on my Facebook page about Lulu getting put to sleep. Which was nice. And we actually had a nice conversation for a little while. He lives in Chicago, and I confirmed that his car wasn't abandoned on Lake Shore Drive somewhere. His wife's Chinese, we discussed the Lunar New Year, etc. The conversation turned to our other brother, naturally, and how he's been off the feeding tube for over five weeks, and so on.

Now, some of my friends have this sort of awful joke about my middle brother, about whether he'll actually go to our older brother's funeral when the time comes, given his history of general flakiness. We kind of chuckle about it, but don't really mean it, because OF COURSE he would go, right? His two kids, our brother, and I are the only biological family he has left. The idea of him not flying to NY for the funeral is just unfathomable, right?

So at the end of our conversation this evening, he says that he hates to say it, but he hopes that our brother doesn't die either this weekend or next, because he has two big three-day meetings those two weekends, and he can't miss them, or his job would be in jeopardy. And I was like, "They'd fire you for going to your brother's funeral?" And he was like, "No, they'd give me the time off, but I'm the only person who can blah blah present this whosiwhats I don't even know what the fuck he does." He's all, "In the corporate world, you have to understand that..." WHAT? Who is that fucking irreplaceable, anyway? Buffistas who work "in the corporate world," don't you have backups and contingency plans? Or, if you, say, knew your brother was dying, wouldn't you plan ahead and put some in place?

I mean doesn't this sound like ego-stroking bullshit? If Obama's brother died and he had to be gone for three days, Biden could do his fucking job. My brother is a fucking dentist. And idk when he changed jobs and became so irreplaceable in the corporate world, but last I heard (because we never talk, and he doesn't update his Facebook page) he worked for the ADA.

The joke may actually come true. Douchebag.

Or, if you, say, knew your brother was dying, wouldn't you plan ahead and put some in place?

If my brother was dying, my job could go fuck itself.

Seriously. And I may not work in the corporate world, but if I stayed at work and missed my brother's funeral, my co-workers would think I was insane. They'd probably send me home. Or drive me to the airport.

Do not let it get as bad as I did without doing anything.

Yes'm

Barb, go get your iron tested. ::fierce face::

And yes'm

I just hate this, y'know?

amyth, with all due respect, your brother is being a douche. No one is that irreplaceable.

I just hate this, y'know?

I do understand, trust me.

If my brother was dying, my job could go fuck itself.

This.

(the bro who said to me that he knows that he doesn't call me often, but he feels like we're in touch because he reads my Facebook page)

I honestly do this to my sister. Well, I don't tell her I do it. That would be so rude. But I figure I keep up with her (kids) through Facebook and that's enough for me because well, family shit.

That said, I would and have dropped heaven and earth when she's had health things and I would do it tenfold for a funeral.

What the fuck?

Ugh, amyth, just ugh.

What the fuck?

Seconded.

if I stayed at work and missed my brother's funeral, my co-workers would think I was insane. They'd probably send me home. Or drive me to the airport.

B would change the door code so you couldn't get in.

He's a total douche and/or he is finding excuses not to go because he absolutely cannot handle unpleasant emotions.

Right. Bed.

skimmed again...

smonster, I'm glad Angry Girl is doing better! Somehow I've become invested in her progress. I'm probably projecting my worry about my niece.

everyone take care of yourselves!

points at Daniel REST. I know from back pain, dude. Don't fuck with it; it's mean as shit and carries a grudge.

I am definitely an introvert, and while I can be outgoing, I do often share too much; I do have boundaries, but they are invisible to the naked eye. I don't know that I have shields, per se. I think my shield is the persona I developed when I was stripdancing. You can't make any money or have any fun as a stripper if you're shy! For some reason, I really wanted to be a successful stripper, and from my first turn on stage, I loved it; I felt like I could let loose a part of me that I'd always suppressed whenever I was "in costume" (even if "costume" = naked). I was "Shannon", a loud, funny, drunk, fearless, sexy bitch, and Shannon was me, just a different version of me. Now, whenever I'm with a bunch of people and being all gregarious, that's Shannon, even if I'm not in costume (or, y'know, naked). When I run out of energy for Shannon, I go somewhere I can be alone - bathroom, stairwell, balcony, patio - until I recharge, then I come back. Either no one noticed I was gone, or someone cries "Where were you?!" and I'm all coy and don't quite answer, because by then I'm flushed from alcohol and my hair has messed itself up, so they'll just think I was making out with someone.