I hate being around angry people--it makes me really uncomfortable. Even when it's nothing to do with me.

Me, too. Actually, it depends on how the anger's being expressed. But yes, generally. And I had the same experience with my dad, tommyrot.

My dad had a very bad temper but I don;t have those issues. Maybe because he really tried to control it and we all knew when we were setting him off, so it was predictable. The third time he asked you to do something or if you were rude to my mom in his presence, watch out. There was yelling and sometimes spanking or a clout on the head. But I have no problem being around anger. I don't like it, the DH and I work hard not to lose out tempers with each other, but I don't have the visceral reaction a lot of friends do.

But how is Rose old enough to enjoy dress up?? Isn't she like, a year old?

Well, she'll be two next month, but she definitely enjoys things like silly hats and glasses and wearing Daddy's shoes. A lot of the dress-up stuff she won't use for a while, but I think she'll start playing with some of it pretty soon.

Burrell and Kat, thank you so much for offering costume things! I would gladly take them off your hands if you feel like sending them my way, but I do have a good amount of stuff already, so don't feel like you have to.

msbelle, I don't have any idea what song you're referring to, but I'd be curious to know the answer!

My Dad's anger is why I'm in therapy. It's why I have such crippling self-esteem issues.

I'm not really good at dealing with other people being angry. Or, at least, with them yelling or shouting or calling people names or any of that stuff. That just didn't happen in my house when I was a kid -- I can count on one hand the number of times I can remember somebody shouting at someone else (well, other than us kids shouting at each other). I kind of don't know how to cope with that stuff -- people getting visibly obviously angry just freaks me out, because it's such an unfamiliar situation and I don't know how to deal with it.

Hil describes it best. My family never yelled or showed anger. It was a real world shock when I encountered people that did and I never understood or got used to it.

When DH and his brother and friends are playing sports they will seem to me that they are angry and upset with each other, but they tell me that is just how they play. I have to remove myself because it is just upsetting to me.

I'm with Hil. The anger style in my house was cold and based on cutting each other out. Hubby's family's style is yelling, maybe with some throwing involved. I was not accepted until I proved willing to yell right back at them, then they allowed me to withdraw from the field of battle when the yelling broke out. Till then I was that mousy creature who wasn't worthy of being in the family.

But it is deeply unpleasant when people start yelling at each other or being vicious.

When DH and his brother and friends are playing sports they will seem to me that they are angry and upset with each other, but they tell me that is just how they play.

It's a problem I have with the Iron Man movies, Tony and Pepper snarking at each other, and I only see "These people only seem to insult each other or are angry with each other! Why are they together?" instead of affection or sexy sparks.

I can't handle people being angry, because -- no surprise -- my mom was not exactly a healthy model of expressing feelings. She was allowed to lose her shit in an epic manner at whoever was within reach and unleash all manner of abuse, but we were never, EVER, allowed to be angry in return (or even protest the bullshit hurled our way). I still have a hard time expressing anger towards someone. (I get angry about situations, with no problem. But never towards someone. Ever.)

It's a problem I have with the Iron Man movies, Tony and Pepper snarking at each other, and I only see "These people only seem to insult each other or are angry with each other! Why are they together?"

But I have no problem with differentiating snark from anger. I express a lot of my affection through snark, and expect it in return. (Tim, I think, would prefer a little less snark, but I would also prefer it if, when I tearfully ask him why he married me and if I have any redeeming qualities whatsoever, he didn't answer -- in all seriousness -- "You make good scones", so I think we'll call it even.)