sometimes I am reminded why I chose a university two thousand miles away

[bedlamsbard]

You know that episode of The Big Bang Theory where Leonard and Penny are fighting and Sheldon freaks the fuck out? That's my reaction to conflict, which doesn't really work when your mother is trying to tell you something (for, granted, about the five millionth time, and possibly the fifth in as many minutes) and you're screaming at her to stop, just stop, please god, just stop, and then she looks at you and goes, "You have a problem."

Which doesn't really help the situation.

Especially since my reaction to that is to repress, repress, repress, and pretend it never happened after running out of the house weeping. Since there's actually nowhere to go, I watered the plants, probably excessively, and then came back in, put the bread in the oven, and remarked that the parsley appears to need viagra.

Also I think my parents are talking about me downstairs.

(Yes, I have issues. I have National Geographic's worth of issues, probably.)

Comments

[georginasand]

I have a very similar reaction to conflict actually, especially to my mother--as does my sister. Either we have the same parents or we are not alone in the world. Probably the latter, hang in there.

~Georgie

[bedlamsbard]

Thanks, hon.

It's kind of soothing to know that my reaction to conflict is not atypical. Reasons I will never be a lawyer: I really, really hate arguing.

[georginasand]

Anytime.

I actually wanted to be a lawyer until about 6th grade when I realized bursting in tears in front of a jury wasn't going to win me any points.

[resolute]

Hi.

You don't know me from Adam's off ox. I read your fic, and adore it. But it's not like we're more than bare acquaintances, honestly. So, this is worth what you've invested in it, and nothing more.

But.

If you do indeed have National Geographic-sized issues, then I strongly encourage you to be proactive and try to find resources to give you tools with which to file those issues. Or read them. Or, or give them away? The metaphor is running out from under me here, I think.

Not because there's something wrong with *having* issues, that's silly talk. And not because there's anything wrong with people who have issues, which is ridiculous and indicts the whole human race. But because having better tools with which to handle one's issues give one more time to devote to one's interests. Like college or graduate school or whatever it is you're doing right now? And writing, and fic, and friendship and cooking and getting a decent job and owning a pet or merely keeping houseplants alive.

We have forebrains and opposable thumbs for a *reason*, and it's because we are tool-using mammals who can outwit our problems. And if your parents are indeed muttering darkly about you in the family room, you could assuage your dire suppositions and spike whatever hypothetical plans are in the works by brightly and cheerfully announcing that you think you'd ALL be so much happier if you, Bedlam, were in therapy and could they kindly pay for it please. Or something to that effect.

Erm. What I mean to say is; you're not alone. At least half the people reading this know what you're talking about. And take care.

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Hugs and good thoughts from another near total stranger headed your way. I always the reason why my mother and sister could push my buttons in 5 minutes flat and reduce to be screaming lunatic was because they in fact knew where all the buttons were and knew just when to push them. I, of course, assumed it was all THEIR fault until my husband observed one such memorable episode and said, "You know, you are a bit nicer and a lot more patient around others than you are around your mother and sister." Ironic that our nearest and dearest manage to bring out our very worse so often.