Oooh, thanks for the link to the Metafilter thread on UVA. Here's an awesome comment in there, considering that the issue in question appears to be on a shift away from supporting Classics and other non-business-relevant areas of study:

seismologists all over the Eastern Seaboard are picking up some kind of odd activity, which seems to be coming from a rapidly spinning object located at latitude 38°00'43N and longitude 078°27'03W

Nicely done.

My parents weren’t alcoholics, they just abused me emotionally. It makes it harder for me to understand why they did it, and easier to blame myself.

Javachik, others got there before me, but yeah, ACOA is Adult Children of Alcoholics - or addicts, or emotionally screwed-up barely-functioning people; the psychological profiles of their children tend to be similar. My sister has the "take control and make things work" personality; I have the "hide until it goes away" personality. And that's a very bad off-the-cuff explanation. Someone else can probably do it better, if you're interested.

Yes, sadly well aware of the situation, personally. I just didn't know the common initials. Thank you!

It makes it harder for me to understand why they did it, and easier to blame myself.

Well, as they're not my parents I'm completely willing to write them off as Bad Human Beings with Poor Parenting Skills who didn't appreciate or do very much to help the young Tom Scola. Who - while not perfect - was certainly a very sweet, smart, talented kid who could've used some parents who were sensitive and supportive instead of mean, petty and undermining. Or in the case of your Mom, weak.

Feel free to print that up and take it to your therapist and say, "Hey, my friends say my parents were total dicks? Is that it?"

Man, I'm working on an incredibly boring project. Why won't it end?

I think I am going to have ice cream for lunch, yes I do. And I think I will go now.

Happy birthday, Plei!

In completely unrelated news, cat peed on the bed again this morning. I honestly think she's too stupid to open the bedroom door. sigh.

Happy birthday, Ple! I hope somebody remembers to give you some weirdasss Canadian candies and/or cookies that you can't get stateside.

Eh, I'll be up there next month.

Thanks, all! So far it, it's been meh.

msbelle! I had ice cream for lunch.

I think I fit some of that, from growing up with my mom being so sick. That's ... sort of enlightening.

You might, Amy. The common denominator is the child having to take on a parental role because the parent - for whatever reason - is not capable of taking charge.

Oh. OH. Huh. That ... explains a lot.