Vortex, I often don't agree with Greenpeace's tactics, but that is hilarious.

smonster, I get it. I have to keep telling myself I AM working (and working hella hard) because sometimes, it doesn't FEEL like work!

Here's hoping I can continue to drum up enough biz to meet my budget goals, because so far, freelancing is fucking awesome.

And my break is over in a few minutes! Back to the bathroom cleaning...

I'm a little worried by how content I am to not have a job and just sleep, putter around the house, and hang with friends.

OMG YES. I miss it a lot.

My feet and legs are killing me. Also my middle finger has a blister where I burned in it with hot glue. I was stupid and put my fingers right in the hot glue.

And I wasn't doing anything fun or crafty, I was trying to glue together boxes for the temp job.

I've never done assembly line or manufacturing type stuff and it's not the worst thing ever but I don't want to be doing this for a long time. Plus there's no more work until next Tuesday.

On the way home though I filled out a volunteer app at the humane society.

I'm back in Pennsylvania now, for a few weeks. Then back to NJ, then to Maine, then back to PA, then to Kentucky with a stop in West Virginia, and then back to PA again for a few weeks before classes start. I'm going to be very sick of driving by the time this summer is over.

Why Vacationing With Family Can Suck:

Tim's Dad pissed me off and embarrassed me this morning by launching into a -- speech? diatribe? extemporaneous humiliation? -- to Tim and me about how he (Tim's dad) would go talk to the priest of the Catholic church in our neighborhood about planning our wedding, but of course first Tim and I would have to go through the classes that converts go through, because of our "fallen-away" status.

Note: there has been NO talk of marriage from Tim or from me. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

Why Vacationing With A Family That Is Not Your Own Family Can Suck:

I couldn't tell Tim's dad to fuck off.

I am rarely left speechless, but what the fuck do you say to that? That's worse than friends who "tease" us about when are we getting married, etc.

And if that man launches into one more anti-Obama sentiment, I will not be responsible for what I say. I have to keep leaving the room, and everyone knows why, but no one will tell him to shut the fuck up about politics, because they are the most non-confrontational family on the planet.

And, as such (c.f., non-confrontational), Tim won't tell his dad to leave the marriage/Catholicism stuff alone. So all I can do is seethe, and think, "Oh my [non-Catholic] god, it's only Tuesday."

I could tell my own family to fuck off. But then, they don't meddle in my relationship or my faith. And I suddenly have this urge to tell my mom what a good parent she is. *That's* a switch.

Wow, Tep. That's pretty stunning. ...I guess...just keep swimming?

You...I....wow, that's hard, Tep.

Damn, I totally applaud you for keeping your cool.

That would be so hard...and, um, in your position, I would totally understand why my BF wouldn't want to confront his dad...but I would be also be HOT at him not stepping into say "You need to back the fuck off NOW." Politely.

We had 13 years of my FiL asking us what was wrong with us and why we wouldn't get married EVERY TIME WE SAW HIM. I learned to just smile. If he says something like that again, i d suggest enthusiastic agreement. ""You kids would have to go to class because you are sinners." "Thanks for the advice! It is SO thoughtful of you to be thinking about us this way!" I find agreement often takes the wind out of the sails of naggers.

As to politics. My BiL and his parents used to drive me nuts. I had to leave Thanksgiving dinner once in the middle of the meal. Jason finally cured me of that. He said, you and your family are proud of being open and you are all tolerant of everyone on Earth---except conservatives, and with them, frankly, you act like any other bigot. That was a shocker. He said,"Jim is not going to change and you know he isn't, so why do you waste time being furious about what he thinks? You aren't here on Earth to educate him. He's a blowhard, so why can't you ignore him, the way you do when anyone is tedious, like when my mom tells endless stories about people we don't know?" That really helped me.

Damn, Tep.

Why Vacationing With Family Can Suck

I was like, uh, the family part?

Yikes, Teppy. That sucks. That's what I meant the other day when I said in-laws can be difficult. I wasn't trying to say anything bad about my own, who are mostly wonderful. However, when in-laws do something like that, you can't just tell them they are being jerks.

ETA: Although I think you can say, that you have no plans to get married at this time, in a nice way.