Sometimes it’s helpful to get your family involved with trouble you’re having in a relationship. Other times, not so much. I’ve been both the complainer and the complained about, so I have definitely experienced this from both sides. One previous partner discussed absolutely everything with his parent and sibling, and as a result it made me very uncomfortable. Knowing that they were making judgements about me when they didn’t have the whole story had a very detrimental effect on our relationship. He also went to them for every important decision in his life, but would get furious if I ever tried to offer any advice. We’re exes now, and a lot of our troubles could have been avoided by respecting boundaries about our relationship as well as about my personal business that they had no right to know about. I’ve also done my fair share of complaining about him to my own family and friends, and I now realize that this also created problems for our relationship because my family would get very upset when I’d decide to stay with him or get back together with him. I understand that it’s important at times to share if you’re in an abusive situation, but sharing without telling the people you’re complaining to about your own bad behaviour is going to do much more harm than good. It’s too late for that relationship I guess, but at least I’ve learned something for the future.

I know it’s stupid, but I’m turning 30 this year and just learning how to drive. Even though I’m tackling it now, I still feel super embarrassed about taking driving lessons now. I could never afford a car. I didn’t have parents around to teach me. I was in school most of my 20s so I just transited to school. I didn’t need a car per say. In fact, I kind of don’t need one now. It would be useful, but I don’t really need it. But there were many times when I went on dates and the question of “do you drive?” came up and I sometimes got some super rude looks when I said I didn’t. But yeah, so I just paid for driving lessons. It’s more than a decade late, but whatever, I’m dealing with it. Maybe I’ll go on a road trip when it’s all said and done.

So do approximately 2% of the population in Canada. Not 97%. Often, it is difficult for me to do normal things, like just go to bed, prepare a meal, or get out of my house, because of rituals. This is neither cute nor fashionable. Yet, every second person I meet drops these gems in conversation "Oh I'm sooo OCD, I like all my pens the same colour/my belt must match my shoes." First of all, this is not OCD, but OCPD. Look it up. Approximately 1% of the population in Canada have Celiac disease. Not 97%. Somehow every second person seems to need gluten free everything. Just the reported percentage of people who have been raped is a lot higher than either of these stats -- with the unreported, much higher. I can only imagine how actual rape victims must feel when they hear about people claiming "MeToo" because someone inappropriately touched their shoulder in public at an office party. Come on people. Find some other things to talk about and ways to seem with-it than to minimize the true SUFFERING of others. Why are we alluding to suffering anyway? Is this because nothing is new anymore?

I heard a song that was someone I dated's "them song" for the first time since we broke it. It just made me feel sorry for that person.

For all of us coming from dysfunctional families with narcissistic, unloving, critical, abusive mothers, this day is nothing but a painful reminder of our past.

Unfortunately my parents are aging and my brother and I are in discussions as to how to move forward. I really want to talk about this with. His wife however is always beside the phone telling him what to say and is offering other non invited opinions and sitting in on our discussions. I've lost it twice on her and also let my brother know that he needs to put on his Man Pants and talk about this with just the two of us. I'm raging. She seems to believe she is entitled and my brother let's her so I have to be prepared for battle a lot. I'm feeling ganged up on and very disrespected by both of them.

The worst part about desperately missing someone who isn't dead is that they're still out there somewhere.

Mr ridiculous brother in law gets into such a deep funk to the point he has trouble getting out of bed over the state on the planets environment and how that will impact his two children's future. They live in a four bedroom home with a den, dining, family, and a living room that's never used and the last child is leaving home next week and they have no plans to downsize. They own three cars. Two daily drivers and a collectable with a carburetor and exhaust that wouldn't pass emissions if it was manufactured in the last 20 years. They go to Hawaii or a cruise three times a year. He had an opportunity to move to the UK but turned it down because the living space in that country was too small so that gives you an idea where he's coming from. Needless to say, their carbon footprint is f#%king enormous! That generation feels it's their birthright to live like that but when confronted with idea they might have to downsize and do something for somebody else or even their children's future in this case, they refuse to make the effort. It's a generation of children raising children.

I am tired (and exhausted)of having to ignore evil glares, off-handed comments and abusive behavior on the bus and train when I sit in the assigned/designated seating for seniors and/or disabled. I may not look "disabled"enough for you, but my stage 4 breast cancer has qualified me for disability and that seat. Let me die with dignity and ride transit in peace; I am tired of debating with random strangers why I get to sit.

I hooked up with some girl a while back and realize now how wrong I was. She actually liked me and I guess I liked her too. We dated for a bit. But I just didn’t feel ready for a serious relationship. Time went by after we split up. I ran into her today and said hello. She turned around, looked at me and then walk away. I went home and just can’t stop crying because I feel like I’ve become what I hate: douchebag fuck boys that are all about chasing pussy. That guilty feeling I have is sinking in now and I feel terrible. I’ll acknowledge how stupid I am and it feels painful that I hurt someone. But I want to change my ways. I don’t want to be any of those fuckboys anymore. I just want to meet a kind hearted, spiritual woman, build a strong connection and settle down happily.