Over saturation
I love my siblings, I really do. That said it is amazing how quickly staying with them becomes simply overwhelming. Maybe it is just the fact that I'm just coming into their "world" at a time when so much seems to be unsettled with them (which I can relate), Beth is just getting settled in San Fran/ about to go live/work on a farm hopefully but is in the middle of getting it all in place, while Ben is preparing to leave to pick up his bus and drive it across the country and move into it permantely, Aaron as usual is the most settled and calm of the bunch, but he was hit by a car the previous day, and while he is fine (just some bruises and sore muscles thank goodness) his bike was broken and had to deal with that. The first few day in the City were good, we chilled, we went to interesting places and had a good time. The 1st full day I spent with Ben (and met up with Aaron for lunch), the 2nd with Beth at the Botanical gardens, my plan was to stay a 3rd day and spend it with Aaron (today) but his accident/bike issues (which is his main form of transportation) took up most of his day. So instead I chilled with Ben and just walked around the city, which wasn't bad, but he dragged me to some odd locations far away so he could cash his checks, which was fine because he needed to get it done, but by the time we walked all over the city to find and meet up with Beth and Aaron I was tired, cranky and ready to be alone again.
I think the annoyance started with the idea that with the beautiful day we had that we should go to the beach. Now I like beaches and would be happy to go to one, the problem came when we started to discuss how to get there. The solution of my siblings is that I should take EVERYTHING out of the back seat of my car so we can fit people in instead... which if I was planning on staying in San Fran for more then a few days would be fine, but I'm not in fact at the time of the suggestion the plan was to leave FIRST THING in the MORNING the next day to head to my next destination. It took me a week to pack my car up. Now granted that involved packing up my apartment as well, but it is not like I have a backseat full of boxes with everything contained nicely and prettily. Most of the things are loose, shoved into any nook or cranny to make it all fit in, I don't open the back doors unless I have too because everything would fall to the ground, it fits and I can see out the back window, but the chances of loosing something, particularly in Ben and Beth's apartment, which while not unclean seems more closely related to a black hole then a livable space seem highly likely. Instead of listening to the fact that I really don't want to empty my car, all 3 tried to pressure me into doing it anyway (IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN) telling me, oh don't worry with all of us helping it won't take long to get it out, come on we want to go and do something fun. BLAH! I am not taking it out, I already felt like I have taken out more then I care too just to bring what I need into the house. Not to mention I'm staying in a city with a huge public transit system, my thought process about coming into the city was that I was going to be able to park the car somewhere for a few days and just take buses and the subway everywhere. Instead I was on the subway once and everywhere else I have drove (except today when we walked). I haven't minded driving to the locations, but I don't think my sibs have thought once about gas and cost, I understand they are all strapped for cash, but I'm trying to save money too. Over all that is not something that bothers me much because I know if I wasn't here they would just ride their bikes to the locations instead. The bit about the car that really bothers me is very silly, and I kind of knew to expect it just because it is their nature, I had a bag of Beef Jerky in the car, a very big almost full bag, 2 days of driving with Ben and Beth and the bag was down to crumbs. I shouldn't complain about that because they are putting me up and have cooked food which I have taken part in, but it is this knowledge that I have a bunch of food that I have for my trip, except for the perishables, I left them all in the car because I know if I brought them in they would be devoured with no compensation and only a quick (take a bite first and then) request permission to eat the food. As I said it was silly and the truth of the matter is that I don't mind sharing, but I've always had food issues (protective of "my" food) and I have a hard time sometimes keeping my good learned behaviors and habits at the fore front.
Reluctantly I have been convinced to stay an extra day beyond what I had originally planned, which means I still have to deal with them wanting to empty my car so we can go to the beach, and hike a mountain. Which of course is a whole other issue. I like hiking, I love being out in nature, but I also enjoy the activity of hike the most when I am either a) ALONE, or b) someone who goes at a similar pace to me naturally, or sometimes c) photo safari which is more about getting good pictures then moving at any pace or even going very far. My issues with hiking stem from a lifetime of memories of horrible experiences of either being left behind, or push/pulled over mountains, and there are many many examples of this happening to me. A lot of it has to do with my health, right before my bypass surgery was the worst time, but always I've struggled to keep pace on hikes. I tried to explain my trouble with the hike to Ben today and he just told me if I walk more then it gets easier, except I walk all the time recently in Ellensburg, between walking back and forth the halls at work and the fact that I walked everywhere I went in Ellensburg I barely was using my car (especially since I was car pooling to save money/gas). I tried to explain the problems that I've been having with my feet, which for a while were so bad I could barely walk at the end of the day after work and he didn't really answer me. I tried to explain that I get frustrated when going on hikes with others I go at my own pace, and others either rush ahead or chaff as they wait impatiently for me to catch up with them is also a catch-22 because they also get lots of rest breaks while they wait while I have to trudge gamely on non-stop. Still because of Aaron getting hit by a car and having to deal with his bike I haven't had an opportunity to spend as much time with him, so I'm staying another day despite all my frustrations.
All I can hope for is not to lose my temper with them in the mean time, and then I'll get to hit the road again and really appreciate the joy of alone time.
I think the annoyance started with the idea that with the beautiful day we had that we should go to the beach. Now I like beaches and would be happy to go to one, the problem came when we started to discuss how to get there. The solution of my siblings is that I should take EVERYTHING out of the back seat of my car so we can fit people in instead... which if I was planning on staying in San Fran for more then a few days would be fine, but I'm not in fact at the time of the suggestion the plan was to leave FIRST THING in the MORNING the next day to head to my next destination. It took me a week to pack my car up. Now granted that involved packing up my apartment as well, but it is not like I have a backseat full of boxes with everything contained nicely and prettily. Most of the things are loose, shoved into any nook or cranny to make it all fit in, I don't open the back doors unless I have too because everything would fall to the ground, it fits and I can see out the back window, but the chances of loosing something, particularly in Ben and Beth's apartment, which while not unclean seems more closely related to a black hole then a livable space seem highly likely. Instead of listening to the fact that I really don't want to empty my car, all 3 tried to pressure me into doing it anyway (IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN) telling me, oh don't worry with all of us helping it won't take long to get it out, come on we want to go and do something fun. BLAH! I am not taking it out, I already felt like I have taken out more then I care too just to bring what I need into the house. Not to mention I'm staying in a city with a huge public transit system, my thought process about coming into the city was that I was going to be able to park the car somewhere for a few days and just take buses and the subway everywhere. Instead I was on the subway once and everywhere else I have drove (except today when we walked). I haven't minded driving to the locations, but I don't think my sibs have thought once about gas and cost, I understand they are all strapped for cash, but I'm trying to save money too. Over all that is not something that bothers me much because I know if I wasn't here they would just ride their bikes to the locations instead. The bit about the car that really bothers me is very silly, and I kind of knew to expect it just because it is their nature, I had a bag of Beef Jerky in the car, a very big almost full bag, 2 days of driving with Ben and Beth and the bag was down to crumbs. I shouldn't complain about that because they are putting me up and have cooked food which I have taken part in, but it is this knowledge that I have a bunch of food that I have for my trip, except for the perishables, I left them all in the car because I know if I brought them in they would be devoured with no compensation and only a quick (take a bite first and then) request permission to eat the food. As I said it was silly and the truth of the matter is that I don't mind sharing, but I've always had food issues (protective of "my" food) and I have a hard time sometimes keeping my good learned behaviors and habits at the fore front.
Reluctantly I have been convinced to stay an extra day beyond what I had originally planned, which means I still have to deal with them wanting to empty my car so we can go to the beach, and hike a mountain. Which of course is a whole other issue. I like hiking, I love being out in nature, but I also enjoy the activity of hike the most when I am either a) ALONE, or b) someone who goes at a similar pace to me naturally, or sometimes c) photo safari which is more about getting good pictures then moving at any pace or even going very far. My issues with hiking stem from a lifetime of memories of horrible experiences of either being left behind, or push/pulled over mountains, and there are many many examples of this happening to me. A lot of it has to do with my health, right before my bypass surgery was the worst time, but always I've struggled to keep pace on hikes. I tried to explain my trouble with the hike to Ben today and he just told me if I walk more then it gets easier, except I walk all the time recently in Ellensburg, between walking back and forth the halls at work and the fact that I walked everywhere I went in Ellensburg I barely was using my car (especially since I was car pooling to save money/gas). I tried to explain the problems that I've been having with my feet, which for a while were so bad I could barely walk at the end of the day after work and he didn't really answer me. I tried to explain that I get frustrated when going on hikes with others I go at my own pace, and others either rush ahead or chaff as they wait impatiently for me to catch up with them is also a catch-22 because they also get lots of rest breaks while they wait while I have to trudge gamely on non-stop. Still because of Aaron getting hit by a car and having to deal with his bike I haven't had an opportunity to spend as much time with him, so I'm staying another day despite all my frustrations.
All I can hope for is not to lose my temper with them in the mean time, and then I'll get to hit the road again and really appreciate the joy of alone time.