To the family:

We are coming upon the time of year in which you ask “what do you want for Christmas this year?”. My answer is the same as previous years, but what I tell you and what you hear are two different things.

( Read more... )

I'll be an uncle in April....

This past week has been a busy-work boat load of crap.

( My week... )

Been trying to set up a mediation date with the brother. Went through his marriage mentors, and they are aiding me now in at least setting up a meeting with them, myself, the fiance & Ben. However, such attempts have thus far been unsuccessful. I would like to think that Ben hasn't checked his email or found a workable few hours to set aside, but I ( Read more... )

As it turns out, my brother Ben has taken up the mantle and attitude of my mother ( Read more... )

 I managed to get my appointed week off of work, starting the 6th. At least, that's what was said to me. I have paperwork to back up my claim, so that's good. But now I'm thinking about what I'll be doing next week -- the inventory is the main idea, of course, but it means I'll need to conference with the extended family for a while. That I'm more ( Read more... )

 The only news I ever get from the family anymore is always about who died, was mangled, or what disease has taken over a person's life. Happy-go-lucky stuff doesn't qualify as news, or at least any news I should hear about. So when I get an email titled under a cousin's name, all I can think is "What happened now?"

Turns out my cousin Tim, whom ( Read more... )

 This past weekend was the funeral for my uncle. Three weeks is an awful long time to grieve, especially once you've already broken apart and healed, only to have the wounds ripped open once again. I managed sans tears in front of the family... barely. The funeral gave the extended family a chance to reunite, if under unfortunate circumstances. ( Read more... )