NationStates Jolt Archive

I've been on here for quite awhile and have noticed that not many posters have nice things to say about their families. I find that very, very sad. :(

Your family should be where you feel safe and loved and needed. My wife and I disagreed on lots of things, but not that. We insisted that our children treat each other ( and their parents! ) with respect and love. Now, they come back to us and ask how they can accomplish that same thing with their own families.

Post something nice here about your family. If you can't think of anything nice about your own family, at the very least post something nice about a family you admire. What makes for a great family?

The booze is always free flowing and my mom always brings pot.

The booze is always free flowing and my mom always brings pot.
Oh, GROAN! That's your idea of "nice?" :eek:

I can certainly say something nice about my mother. She's an intelligent, hard-working, immeasurably generous woman who fought through many years of personal adversity to do her upmost for me, the rest of her family and her friends. I have a lot of admiration, respect and, of course, love for her.

Oh, GROAN! That's your idea of "nice?" :eek:

You've never been around my family when they're sober.

You talk to me when I'm sober ... now imagine 100 of me all in the same room.

Mine are scattered all over the world, so my place isn't crouded for the holidays.:D

Really though, My family are the coolest bunch of mis-fits, non-conformists, and unique individuals in the world and I wouldn't trade them for anything. (well the world maybe.)

I can certainly say something nice about my mother. She's an intelligent, hard-working, immeasurably generous woman who fought through many years of personal adversity to do her upmost for me, the rest of her family and her friends. I have a lot of admiration, respect and, of course, love for her.
[ cheers wildly! ] And when was the last time you told her that? Hmmm? :)

You've never been around my family when they're sober.

You talk to me when I'm sober ... now imagine 100 of me all in the same room.
OMFG!!! [ weeps uncontrollably ] :p

OMFG!!! [ weeps uncontrollably ] :p

That's generally my reaction too. :D

My dad's an alcoholic, but that's not the sum total of who he is. He's a great grandfather, a hard worker, and an absolute artist with metal (he's a welder). He's strange and brilliant and inspiring all at once. My mom is a rock. She raised us with a firm understanding of our culture, and instilled in us a pride in being aboriginal. Both my parents always pushed us to excel, and we did. We were raised in poverty, and sometimes we went hungry, but we never wanted for love.

My husband is a rotten bastard sometimes, but no more than I, and we share the responsibilities of our relationship, and parenthood. We push each other to reach for our absolute best. My kids are wonderful, and inspire me daily.

I won't talk about the rest of my very, very large family, because I don't want to write a novel at this moment. But suffice it to say that as with all things, you take the good with the bad, and hope others give you the same consideration.

I can play board-games with my cousins for days on end. That's pretty fun.

As for my parents and my brother, I like the fact that we each have space - and closeness too. I live in a very autonomous and open household, a sort of gathering-place of sorts for friends, students, and coworkers. My parents always encouraged us to be generous.

Nothing wrong with my immediate family. :)


My extended family though....hahahaha....yeah. No comment.

Ok ok ok ... I'll be serious ...

My family is very intelligent and very well educated and very liberal. I come from a family full of librarians, writers, politicians (only famous one being Wright Patman), and musicians. They are, for the most part, good and decent people, hard workers, and free thinkers.

They balk at authority, always question rules, and are champions for the underdog. They embrace cultural and ethnic diversity (as proven by my own wildly mixed blood) without even blinking and they never send a fellow human away hungry.

All in all, I like them.

You've never been around my family when they're sober.

You talk to me when I'm sober ... now imagine 100 of me all in the same room.
oy vey. Yeah, I think those words sum it all up.

Anyway, I love my family. Sure they're insane and my mother has an imaginary dog (don't ask) but I still love 'em. My parents have always pushed me to work hard and do well, and my sister has always backed me up (except for when she took my shoe off and hit me with it.).

I'm pretty lucky.

edited to get rid of the all in all because Keru used it 2 seconds before me. bastard.

[ cheers wildly! ] And when was the last time you told her that? Hmmm? :)Um...er...well... Shit. You've got me there. :eek:

Well, kind of. When we get into a discussion, she is credited for being intelligent and she does get the odd "I love you, mummy" now and again :)

*Cringes and hides*

I am really not a very emotional person IRL, but I honestly think she knows I feel as I do. I was an absolute bastard of a teenager, and frankly treated her like shit. I've spent the last four or five years doing my level best to make that period of arsehole-ness up to her. The ways in which I do that are subtle, I suppose, but important to her nonetheless, judging by her reactions.

there are no people id rather hang out with than my own family. theres nothing like spending a day with a bunch of ashmores.

My parents were great. They somehow struck a balance between providing my brothers and I with everything we needed, without spoiling us. They were both always there for us as they still are today. They are steady support that can be counted on without being invasive. I'm hoping my wife and I can do half as well for our kids.
My brothers are also my friends. Two guys that are fun to be around and jump to help in an emergency without being asked.
I couldnt ask for a better wife- she's intelligent, beautiful and shes a great mother. My kids are happy, healthy and intelligent. They are flourishing, happy with themselves and well behaved to top it all off.

I'm still not sure how any of them have anything to do with me.

I'm a lucky man.

My brother and his gf are both hard working parents with a beautiful 3 month old son. Hes in a metal band thats well known on the cornish music scene and never fail to make me rock out.

MY mum has worked so hard for me and my bro over the last 21 years and put up with all the shit weve thrown at her. I told her the other day that i love her for all shes put up with and done for me and my brother and she cried which made me cry.

My dad god rest his soul was mentally ill and divorced from my mum but he was on the mend before he died and did everything he could including starve himself for me and my bro so he could have enough money to give us a good time when he was down. I miss him but, where ever he is, hes looking over my familly and hes proud.

Oh, GROAN! That's your idea of "nice?" :eek:

It's certainly MY idea of nice. :D

Ok ok ok ... I'll be serious ...

My family is very intelligent and very well educated and very liberal. I come from a family full of librarians, writers, politicians (only famous one being Wright Patman), and musicians. They are, for the most part, good and decent people, hard workers, and free thinkers.

They balk at authority, always question rules, and are champions for the underdog. They embrace cultural and ethnic diversity (as proven by my own wildly mixed blood) without even blinking and they never send a fellow human away hungry.

All in all, I like them.
sounds alot like my family. Except we have a total science background (me and my sister are the first of any part of the family to major in English instead of some science in the last 4 generations)

My brother and his gf are both hard working parents with a beautiful 3 month old son. Hes in a metal band thats well known on the cornish music scene and never fail to make me rock out.
okay, first time I read that, I thought you were talking about the 3mo kid being in a metal band...yes, I'm an idiot, and I accept that.

That's generally my reaction too. :D
ROFLMAO!!! :D

sounds alot like my family. Except we have a total science background (me and my sister are the first of any part of the family to major in English instead of some science in the last 4 generations)

Well my dad was a departure from everyone else. He was a computer science graduate, an atheist, and a Republican. He was one of a kind in my family full of spiritualist/deist philosopher Democrats.

Probably just rebelling. ;)

My extended family on my dad's side is an eclectic mix of weirdness and scariness. Get them all together in the same place, and the feathers start to fly almost immediately, but at the end of the day everyone can get over various quarrels to help out someone else in the family. All in all, they're pretty cool, but very, very odd.

On my mother's side, it's hard-core Christian all the way. They're nice enough folks, I suppose, but I swear, there's only so many times someone can be told to "put Christ back in Christmas" before something terrible happens.

They don't live anywhere near me.

My family is just plain fun. Lots of it.

On my mother's side, it's hard-core Christian all the way. They're nice enough folks, I suppose, but I swear, there's only so many times someone can be told to "put Christ back in Christmas" before something terrible happens.

Just tell them to put the Malcolm back in Xmas. (thank you, DCD!)

They don't live anywhere near me.

You thieved that from my head, you thought thief!

okay, first time I read that, I thought you were talking about the 3mo kid being in a metal band...yes, I'm an idiot, and I accept that.
That's what I thought too - some talented kid, eh?

My dad's an alcoholic, but that's not the sum total of who he is. He's a great grandfather, a hard worker, and an absolute artist with metal (he's a welder). He's strange and brilliant and inspiring all at once. My mom is a rock. She raised us with a firm understanding of our culture, and instilled in us a pride in being aboriginal. Both my parents always pushed us to excel, and we did. We were raised in poverty, and sometimes we went hungry, but we never wanted for love.

My husband is a rotten bastard sometimes, but no more than I, and we share the responsibilities of our relationship, and parenthood. We push each other to reach for our absolute best. My kids are wonderful, and inspire me daily.
Sounds to me as if you have not only a good family, but an interesting one. Congratulations on raising some inspiring kids ... not always an easy thing to do. :)

The booze is always free flowing and my mom always brings pot.
Can I visit for Christmas?

You thieved that from my head, you thought thief!

Great minds... ;)

I can play board-games with my cousins for days on end. That's pretty fun.

As for my parents and my brother, I like the fact that we each have space - and closeness too. I live in a very autonomous and open household, a sort of gathering-place of sorts for friends, students, and coworkers. My parents always encouraged us to be generous.
Sounds like an intellectually great place to grow up. My hat's off to your parents. :)

Nothing wrong with my immediate family. :)

My extended family though....hahahaha....yeah. No comment.
LOL! Hey, everyone has a few out-laws in amongst the in-laws! :D

Can I visit for Christmas?

By all means! I'd never turn anyone away. How are you at lighting the menorah when drunk and/or stoned?

I hate my parents, but I love the family of my wife ( and it is very big ) ;)

Ok ok ok ... I'll be serious ...

My family is very intelligent and very well educated and very liberal. I come from a family full of librarians, writers, politicians (only famous one being Wright Patman), and musicians. They are, for the most part, good and decent people, hard workers, and free thinkers.

They balk at authority, always question rules, and are champions for the underdog. They embrace cultural and ethnic diversity (as proven by my own wildly mixed blood) without even blinking and they never send a fellow human away hungry.

All in all, I like them.
Kewl! I knew there was some reason I liked you! :D

"Mutts" iz da best, man! :D

Great minds... ;)

Exactly! You must have stolen it. There is no other way.

LOL! Hey, everyone has a few out-laws in amongst the in-laws! :D

Ugh ... I am *not* about to get started on the in-laws. *shudder*

I will say, though, that I am deeply awestruck that such a backwoods, uneducated, hick bunch could have produced someone as intelligent, thoughtful, and lovely as my wife.

Well my dad was a departure from everyone else. He was a computer science graduate, an atheist, and a Republican. He was one of a kind in my family full of spiritualist/deist philosopher Democrats.

Probably just rebelling. ;)
its no fun to rebel when they say "do what makes you happy". The only way to rebel is to be miserable, which makes you happy because you're going against what they said, which is actually going along with it. what did I just say?


On my mother's side, it's hard-core Christian all the way. They're nice enough folks, I suppose, but I swear, there's only so many times someone can be told to "put Christ back in Christmas" before something terrible happens.

swap that to hard core Jews, and that is my dads side. The last time I saw them was for a funeral and bar mitzvah (in the same weekend...quite a weird few days) between the little old jewish ladies screaching "I haven't seen you since you were this tall! So handsome, he is! What, a year in boston and no calls?! No visits?! I could die" and my uncles telling me I can't be burried in a jewish cemetary with my eyebrow ring (I failed to mention my tattoo, and the fact that I don't believe in god), i just wanted to curl into a little ball and sleep.

I'm pretty lucky.
Yes you are. :)

Sounds like an intellectually great place to grow up. My hat's off to your parents. :)Thanks! Yeah- mine too, I can't love them enough for what they've given me. And that includes math problems in bed when we were tiny, to hammers, nails and anything we could build/destroy outside, to free reign of the kitchen. And hugs.

I'm sometimes amazed that my mother is still in one piece, and moderately sane.

Just tell them to put the Malcolm back in Xmas. (thank you, DCD!)

Heh, I'll try that next time! It may result in my being dragged to some church though, which would be unfortunate.

LOL! Hey, everyone has a few out-laws in amongst the in-laws! :D

Okay, well, in my case it's not just a few... :/

Um...er...well... Shit. You've got me there. :eek:

Well, kind of. When we get into a discussion, she is credited for being intelligent and she does get the odd "I love you, mummy" now and again :)

*Cringes and hides*

I am really not a very emotional person IRL, but I honestly think she knows I feel as I do. I was an absolute bastard of a teenager, and frankly treated her like shit. I've spent the last four or five years doing my level best to make that period of arsehole-ness up to her. The ways in which I do that are subtle, I suppose, but important to her nonetheless, judging by her reactions.
Wanna give her a truly great Christmas present? Write out how you feel about her and have someone who knows Calligraphy transfer it to parchment, then give it to her. I guarantee she'll cry. :)

By all means! I'd never turn anyone away. How are you at lighting the menorah when drunk and/or stoned?
Is it wrong to light a joint off the menorah?

its no fun to rebel when they say "do what makes you happy". The only way to rebel is to be miserable, which makes you happy because you're going against what they said, which is actually going along with it. what did I just say?

Oh ... he was miserable ... killed himself with cigarettes and booze by 43.

"I haven't seen you since you were this tall! So handsome, he is! What, a year in boston and no calls?! No visits?! I could die"

I see you know my aunts.

Is it wrong to light a joint off the menorah?

Chanukkah's all about freedom, ain't it?

there are no people id rather hang out with than my own family. theres nothing like spending a day with a bunch of ashmores.
Kewl! Do they know your nickname is "Legs?" :D

It's certainly MY idea of nice. :D
Man ... you are one sick lil puppy! :D

Oh ... he was miserable ... killed himself with cigarettes and booze by 43.
ouch...sorry to hear that.


I see you know my aunts.
every time they said "I could die", I had to bite my tongue to resist saying "you're next". But alas, it was my great uncles funeral and my 2nd cousins bar mitzvah, so I restrained myself. I did point out that I've been taller than most of them since I was 6, tho.


and happy hanukkah. Maybe this year I'll just replace the candles with joints all together.

My extended family on my dad's side is an eclectic mix of weirdness and scariness. Get them all together in the same place, and the feathers start to fly almost immediately, but at the end of the day everyone can get over various quarrels to help out someone else in the family. All in all, they're pretty cool, but very, very odd.

On my mother's side, it's hard-core Christian all the way. They're nice enough folks, I suppose, but I swear, there's only so many times someone can be told to "put Christ back in Christmas" before something terrible happens.
LOL! I KNOW how that feels! :D

Look on the bright side: at least you know how to spell "eclectic!" :D

They don't live anywhere near me.
That bad??? :eek:

Surely you can find something else "nice" to say about them???

My family is just plain fun. Lots of it.
Good! I inherited my sense of humor from my father, I suspect. It's something that has stood me in very good stead over the years, particularly when everything seemed to be going wrong.

You thieved that from my head, you thought thief!
Don't feel too bad, Fass. All of us here love you! :D :fluffle:

Considering the fact that I've been looking for ways to legally sever all ties with my mother, I don't have much nice to say about her. One thing I will say is that I got my love of reading from her.

In many ways, my father is the antithesis of the stereotypes of a father.

To me, though, family isn't just about blood relations. It's about love. I don't have any siblings by birth, but I can think of a couple of people with whom I have a sibling-type relationship. Garth Brooks once sang, "blood is thicker than water... but love is thicker than blood."

Ugh ... I am *not* about to get started on the in-laws. *shudder*

I will say, though, that I am deeply awestruck that such a backwoods, uneducated, hick bunch could have produced someone as intelligent, thoughtful, and lovely as my wife.
Strange what interesting things you find in the gene pool, yes? :D

Thanks! Yeah- mine too, I can't love them enough for what they've given me. And that includes math problems in bed when we were tiny, to hammers, nails and anything we could build/destroy outside, to free reign of the kitchen. And hugs.

I'm sometimes amazed that my mother is still in one piece, and moderately sane.
Mothers have a secret force-field that protects them against everything! :D

And the last time you told them how you feel was??? ;)

Okay, well, in my case it's not just a few... :/
Mine either, but hey ... at least they provide a bit of comic relief! :D

LOL! I KNOW how that feels! :D

Look on the bright side: at least you know how to spell "eclectic!" :D

Oh yeah. I've observed and been involved in some really great arguments with the family. And my family on my dad's side is HUGE. Those people pop out kids like they're going out of style.

As for "eclectic", yeah. It's a great word, and one I find myself needing to use all the time. People always seem to assume I'm a Wiccan for some reason, and I have to correct them.

My husband is my rock - partner, best friend, lover, goad, and general all around favorite best everything.

My daughter is a joy - she's funny and creative, and smart, stubborn as her Dad and I combined and wildly curious about everything. Did you know that pancakes taste great with salt and pepper on them? Discovered by my daughter.

My younger brother is also great -- he's passionate about music, a comfortable and competent business man, and as open minded as you can get without your brain falling out.

I love them all dearly, and tell them so regularly.

Elicere

My Father: He is an intelligent, hard-working man who has somehow kept the home together even after my mother became the victim of a terminal sickness a little more than ten years back. He is usually willing to admit when he needs help, and he admits that things would be more difficult without me in the house. He has also served his country in the Iowa Army National Guard in the neighborhood of eighteen years.

My mother: She was a sweet, kind lady before her illness forced us to send her to a nursing home. Even though she sometimes can't remember my name it is still nice to be around her when I can be.

My Older Brother: He and I do not always agree on things. Hell, I once told him quite bluntly that if he ever hit one of our other siblings, I would put him in the hospital, and I would have if it ever came down to it. It never came to it, though, and aside from a few serious arguments, we get along great a lot of the time. He has joined the Navy in recent years, and we do not see a lot of one another anymore, but we stay in touch with emails.

My Younger Sister: In all honesty, this girl makes we want to rip my hair out a lot of the time, what with her somewhat arrogant attitude. She believes she knows better than everyone in the house, etc... She is a sweet young lady, though, when she isn't being an upstart ;)

My Younger Brother: He is pretty much the same as his sister at this point.

~ Romandeos.

Mine either, but hey ... at least they provide a bit of comic relief! :D

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....call me weird but I don't find being around heroin addicts and alcoholics (among others) to be much fun ;)

Strange what interesting things you find in the gene pool, yes? :D

Well, the unfortunate side-effect is that one of my daughters acts and thinks *exactly* like my mother-in-law (that is to say my mother-in-law thinks like a 7 year old).

I do not forsee an easy time of maintaining good relations with that child in the future.

ouch...sorry to hear that.

Meh ... I was 16 when he died and while very rarely does a day go by that I don't miss him, he's better off. Also, he died before the Clinton administration and, frankly, that would have killed him. (like I said, he was Republican)


every time they said "I could die", I had to bite my tongue to resist saying "you're next". But alas, it was my great uncles funeral and my 2nd cousins bar mitzvah, so I restrained myself. I did point out that I've been taller than most of them since I was 6, tho.

Isn't it strange how funerals bring clans together? Way more so than holidays.


and happy hanukkah. Maybe this year I'll just replace the candles with joints all together.

ROFL! Now there's an idea .....

My father has managed to keep his job and his sanity, and give me his support and advice whenever I needed it, in spite of the fact that my mother and sister are not sane. That must take something special. I hope he has enough of it left to last him to retirement.

Ok I will play. Let's see.

My wife is a hell of woman. Crazy in her own way but a saint to put up with the likes of me.

My kid is a cute, happy, bright child. She is a kind soul as she befriended and brought out 2 extreamly shy kids out of their shells(their parents parents told me they never said much and now they chatter like a normal kid now). Her Christmas list has 7 things and 3 of them are for the dog. Don't know where she gets it. If she didn't have some of my features I would wonder. ;)

My mom has delivered over 40000 children in her career. A hippy in her own right.

My grandma was chasing men and traveling the world till the day she died(she was 89). For 30 years my mom said she was not going to be around much longer.

Ahmmmm thats all I could do without my morning cup of stimulent......

I've been on here for quite awhile and have noticed that not many posters have nice things to say about their families. I find that very, very sad. :(

Your family should be where you feel safe and loved and needed. My wife and I disagreed on lots of things, but not that. We insisted that our children treat each other ( and their parents! ) with respect and love. Now, they come back to us and ask how they can accomplish that same thing with their own families.

Post something nice here about your family. If you can't think of anything nice about your own family, at the very least post something nice about a family you admire. What makes for a great family?
My family rules.

My parents are perceptive, witty, charming extroverts.

My little brother is a goofy, generous, amazing young man, who has somehow managed to keep his cool while enduring the first serious throes of puberty.

My one living grandparent is a globe-trotting grandpa who worked on the Manhatten project (so you KNOW he has good stories to tell).

My honorary aunt and uncle are the best family I could have asked for, even if we aren't blood relations (uncle is my dad's best friend from college, aunt is Mom's best friend from high school, we introduced them and they got married in our living room).

My godson (age 18 months) says "Punk Wok" and likes Spiderman. 'Nuff said.

My lover is passionate, articulate, creative, and one nubile sonofabitch.

I hit the freaking jackpot with my family, and I make sure to tell them whenever I'm lucky enough to get to visit.

about my family (me, my husband and kids) we love eachother, and treat eachother with respect, and we have tons of fun together.

about my in-laws They help family out when family needs help, they will always be there for you no matter what

about my husband's in-laws (aka smunkee's extended family) they are fun to play board games with. (sometimes)

i don't know two more hardworking, generous or kind people than my parents. somehow they've managed to stay together through an awful lot of crap (mostly involving being penniless for most of their lives). they're smart, loving, they provide support unconditionally and they're always willing to help.
i don't think i could ask for a better family :)
just like eut, the idea - the thing that works between us - has always been one of respect. they've always treated me with respect and like a 'mini-adult' and never as "just a kid"
they've continually sacrificed for me, given me a good education and always making sure my needs were met first. i was a spoiled little fucker at times and i didn't deserve it. now i realise just how lucky i was, and i appreciate the time i have with them, becasue it won't last forever.

i hope to one day be as good a parent for my kids as they were me :)


sadly that just about constitutes my entire family. both grandparents dead in the war, grandmothers practically ignore us, cousins/aunts/uncles all live in different countries. we're on our own and its kinda hard only having each other sometimes. but we manage, and we're stronger for it :)

My one living grandparent is a globe-trotting grandpa who worked on the Manhatten project (so you KNOW he has good stories to tell).



Its a small world- my mother's uncle worked on the Manhattan Project as well.

Considering the fact that I've been looking for ways to legally sever all ties with my mother, I don't have much nice to say about her. One thing I will say is that I got my love of reading from her.

In many ways, my father is the antithesis of the stereotypes of a father.

To me, though, family isn't just about blood relations. It's about love. I don't have any siblings by birth, but I can think of a couple of people with whom I have a sibling-type relationship. Garth Brooks once sang, "blood is thicker than water... but love is thicker than blood."
You're very fortunate to have good friends to turn to.

After meeting my 1/2 sister for the first time and hearing her talk about our mother, I'm very pleased that she elected to leave me and my dad right after I was born. The though of having been raised by her gives me the willies! [ shudders ] This is one reason I tried very, very hard to make sure my children ( both biological and adopted ) knew beyond any doubt that they were loved. :)

i don't know two more hardworking, generous or kind people than my parents. somehow they've managed to stay together through an awful lot of crap (mostly involving being penniless for most of their lives). they're smart, loving, they provide support unconditionally and they're always willing to help.

i don't think i could ask for a better family :)

i hope to one day be as good a parent for my kids as they were me :)
That's great, man! Just great! Make sure you let them know how you feel about them on a regular basis. Parents need to hear that. :)

:) My parents are really generous and nice,I don't tell then all I should do, because thery are quite old fashioned but I know they love me and I love them:) :) :)

about my family (me, my husband and kids) we love eachother, and treat eachother with respect, and we have tons of fun together.

about my in-laws They help family out when family needs help, they will always be there for you no matter what.
This is a GOOD thing. :)

Children who grow up in that sort of environment tend to become very stable and compassionate adults. They have that deep, deep well of self-confidence that comes from knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that their parents loved them. Kudos to you, nice lady! :fluffle:

:) My parents are really generous and nice,I don't tell then all I should do, because thery are quite old fashioned but I know they love me and I love them:) :) :)
TELL THEM, you twit! :D

Regardless of what they say or the impression they give, they would LOVE to hear that! :D

Mothers have a secret force-field that protects them against everything! :D

And the last time you told them how you feel was??? ;)oh, quite often. Maybe not often enough, but she knows! :)

My husband is my rock - partner, best friend, lover, goad, and general all around favorite best everything.

My daughter is a joy - she's funny and creative, and smart, stubborn as her Dad and I combined and wildly curious about everything. Did you know that pancakes taste great with salt and pepper on them? Discovered by my daughter.

My younger brother is also great -- he's passionate about music, a comfortable and competent business man, and as open minded as you can get without your brain falling out.

I love them all dearly, and tell them so regularly.

Elicere
You are indeed a fortunate woman. Keep up the good work ... you're obviously doing something right! :D

oh, quite often. Maybe not often enough, but she knows! :)
Good. It's one thing to know that your children love you, quite another to hear it from them. :D

My Father: He is an intelligent, hard-working man who has somehow kept the home together even after my mother became the victim of a terminal sickness a little more than ten years back. He is usually willing to admit when he needs help, and he admits that things would be more difficult without me in the house. He has also served his country in the Iowa Army National Guard in the neighborhood of eighteen years.

My mother: She was a sweet, kind lady before her illness forced us to send her to a nursing home. Even though she sometimes can't remember my name it is still nice to be around her when I can be.

My Older Brother: He and I do not always agree on things. Hell, I once told him quite bluntly that if he ever hit one of our other siblings, I would put him in the hospital, and I would have if it ever came down to it. It never came to it, though, and aside from a few serious arguments, we get along great a lot of the time. He has joined the Navy in recent years, and we do not see a lot of one another anymore, but we stay in touch with emails.

My Younger Sister: In all honesty, this girl makes we want to rip my hair out a lot of the time, what with her somewhat arrogant attitude. She believes she knows better than everyone in the house, etc... She is a sweet young lady, though, when she isn't being an upstart ;)

My Younger Brother: He is pretty much the same as his sister at this point.

~ Romandeos.
LOL! You don't say how old your younger siblings are, but I suspect they will grow out of that phase. Sometimes you just have to cuss under your breath and remind yourself that you love them ... again ... and again ... and again! :D

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....call me weird but I don't find being around heroin addicts and alcoholics (among others) to be much fun ;)
Oh. Heh! My bad! :p

Most of them are not speaking to me any more. I find that rather nice of them :D

Well, the unfortunate side-effect is that one of my daughters acts and thinks *exactly* like my mother-in-law (that is to say my mother-in-law thinks like a 7 year old).

I do not forsee an easy time of maintaining good relations with that child in the future.
Heh! Yes, well there is that. My three oldest children ( from my wife's first marriage ) seem to have inherited a few ... um ... questionable characteristics from their biological father's family. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I chose them as much as I chose my wife, and that I choose to love them exactly as they are, 'cause they sure ain't gonna change! Heh! :D

That's great, man! Just great! Make sure you let them know how you feel about them on a regular basis. Parents need to hear that. :)
i do let them know. often :)
there's nothing wrong with sharing or being open about emotions we all have imo
i tell them frequently how grateful i am, how much they mean to me, how much i respect them (and am "proud" of them... even though its not really for the kid to be proud of their parents if you know what i mean), and, of course, i tell them i love them :) (not all at the same time tho cos that would be a bit too much lol)

sometimes i come accross as mushy i'm sure, but i don't care :p

thankfully they're just as open with me, so its all good :)


...


we hug a lot :p
(i'm really a big ol' softie at heart!)

i do let them know. often :)
there's nothing wrong with sharing or being open about emotions we all have imo
i tell them frequently how grateful i am, how much they mean to me, how much i respect them (and am "proud" of them... even though its not really for the kid to be proud of their parents if you know what i mean), and, of course, i tell them i love them :)

sometimes i come accross as mushy i'm sure, but i don't care :p

thankfully they're just as open with me, so its all good :)

we hug a lot :p
(i'm really a big ol' softie at heart!)
Hehehe! Reeeely??? :D

( Me too, but don't tell anyone. I have this "rep" to maintain! ) :D

Hehehe! Reeeely??? :D

( Me too, but don't tell anyone. I have this "rep" to maintain! ) :D
*looks around*

*shiftyeyes*



*moshes for good measure*

there, see, i'm still really a big mean ol' metalhead... yeah http://www.ironmaiden.org/images/smilies/extras/eusa_shifty.gif

... there, see, i'm still really a big mean ol' metalhead... yeah http://www.ironmaiden.org/images/smilies/extras/eusa_shifty.gif
Uh huh. You didn't have this old bird fooled! Well ... perhaps for all of a minute or two. :p

Uh huh. You didn't have this old bird fooled! Well ... perhaps for all of a minute or two. :p
mwuhahahaha!

*goes back to being mean* :D

Most of them are not speaking to me any more. I find that rather nice of them :D


you cant be THAT bad. I mean, my family still associates with me. Even though my mother told my wife not to marry me and has told me I'm in league with demons.

My father has managed to keep his job and his sanity, and give me his support and advice whenever I needed it, in spite of the fact that my mother and sister are not sane. That must take something special. I hope he has enough of it left to last him to retirement.
Me too. People are a continuing source of amazement at how resilient most can be. I've seen people not only survive incredible hardship, but actually thrive. Most seem to fall into two categories: either hardship crushes them, or makes them much stronger. I seem to have this great sense of humor that has enabled me to survive things which would probably have crushed me without it.

you cant be THAT bad. I mean, my family still associates with me. Even though my mother told my wife not to marry me and has told me I'm in league with demons.
ROFLMFAO!!!! I've had some of my ( former ) fundy friends say much the same thing to me! It would irritate the crap outta them when I would just point at them and laugh my fool head off! :D

you cant be THAT bad. I mean, my family still associates with me. Even though my mother told my wife not to marry me and has told me I'm in league with demons.

No, really. After I dragged my father to court so he would cough up some child support for my two brothers (who, due to German judical system couldn't at the time do it themselves, and my mom would have had to pay too much on the legal fees if she had done it), that whole half of my family happily pretends I don't exist, including my grandparents and the numerous cousins I have.

My mom was at the time trying to get all three of us through on a nurse's salary, while my father is everything but a poor man (think Monty Burns...)

mwuhahahaha!

*goes back to being mean* :D
Well, I just happen to have the cure for that! :D

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/7269/smileytroutsmack9xi.gif (http://imageshack.us)

No, really. After I dragged my father to court so he would cough up some child support for my two brothers (who, due to German judical system couldn't at the time do it themselves, and my mom would have had to pay too much on the legal fees if she had done it), that whole half of my family happily pretends I don't exist, including my grandparents and the numerous cousins I have.

My mom was at the time trying to get all three of us through on a nurse's salary, while my father is everything but a poor man (think Monty Burns...)
SIGH! I consider myself to be a pretty good student of human nature, and can forgive virtually everything ... except a father who refuses to support his own children when they're not yet capable of doing so themselves. :(

During one mercifully brief period in my life, I was working two jobs and teaching three nights a week at a local community college to help pay our bills. If I were ever going to have had a nervous breakdown, it would have been then.

LOL! You don't say how old your younger siblings are, but I suspect they will grow out of that phase. Sometimes you just have to cuss under your breath and remind yourself that you love them ... again ... and again ... and again! :D

I always follow the advice of the late Mark Twain.

"When you are angry, pray. When you are very angry, curse."

In any case, I plan to join the Armed Forces soon, if everything works out, and I suspect that will help smooth things out between us, as it did for me and my older brother a few years back.

~ Romandeos.

I always follow the advice of the late Mark Twain.

"When you are angry, pray. When you are very angry, curse."

~ Romandeos.
LOL! Good advice! :D

LOL! Good advice! :D

Indeed it is. I usually try to keep a civil tongue in my head, so most people know that when I start bellowing curses openly, it's time to stop bugging me. ;)

P.S> Did I mention I'm cursing more and more these days? :P

~ Romandeos.

I'd also like to add that the divorce rate in my family is very low. I grew up in a family where death didn't even separate most of them. If their spouse died, they never remarried (in one case, that was nearly 40 years) or even dated.

The gay members of my family and their partners are welcomed with open arms and nobody talks about them behind their backs - except in the usual family gossip way ("Did you see his boyfriend?" "Yes ... he's adorable, but that moustache *has* to go!").

Relationships, especially those of lovers, are taken very seriously.

Meh ... I was 16 when he died and while very rarely does a day go by that I don't miss him, he's better off. Also, he died before the Clinton administration and, frankly, that would have killed him. (like I said, he was Republican)

Isn't it strange how funerals bring clans together? Way more so than holidays.

ROFL! Now there's an idea .....
that last part about your dad made me snicker a little.

and this family isn't immediate. My dad has one brother, who had no children. His father only has a sister. However, go to my grandmother, and the family explodes. Not to mention that the way that family works is that family gatherings go out to around the 10th cousins.

I'd also like to add that the divorce rate in my family is very low. I grew up in a family where death didn't even separate most of them. If their spouse died, they never remarried (in one case, that was nearly 40 years) or even dated.

The gay members of my family and their partners are welcomed with open arms and nobody talks about them behind their backs - except in the usual family gossip way ("Did you see his boyfriend?" "Yes ... he's adorable, but that moustache *has* to go!").

Relationships, especially those of lovers, are taken very seriously.


...
are you like, my long lost brother or something? Or is this another part of that mystical "dirty jew" thing?

"Say something nice about your family"?

Er...
Well...

They've got me!:D

Edit: Oh, and we live loong. Current record: 103 years (my grandfathers uncle, who bought a speedboat at the age of 90 :eek: )

Next to the rest of them I don't really look all that crazy.
And we stick together no matter how much we want to kill each other.

they have taught me how to be strong, control anger, and not surrender.

their bad example in so many regards was probably the most effective way of making me learn how and who i want to be. i am thankful.

i was allowed to grow up in a very "intellectual" environment, i truly am eternally grateful for that.

after all has been said and done, they have fed me well all those years, we have both gotten over the phase of considering to have me go to a childrens' home thingy, and after a decade of struggling, they even have come very close to accepting me and my sexuality.

i guess they were nice.

are you like, my long lost brother or something? Or is this another part of that mystical "dirty jew" thing?

Lol! Well ... this is why I always call being a Jewish a "cultural identity" ... the similarities between Jewish people - even Jews of different ethnicity, background, and national origin - are staggering. Too staggering to be coincidental. Even converts adapt quickly and readily (but, then, I always learned from the Orthodox that converts are Jewish souls misfortunately born into goyisher bodies).

It's what gives us our magic powers, you know. shhhhhh.

Lol! Well ... this is why I always call being a Jewish a "cultural identity" ... the similarities between Jewish people - even Jews of different ethnicity, background, and national origin - are staggering. Too staggering to be coincidental. Even converts adapt quickly and readily (but, then, I always learned from the Orthodox that converts are Jewish souls misfortunately born into goyisher bodies).

It's what gives us our magic powers, you know. shhhhhh.


ooh! being jewish by blood, do i get to be on the inside too?

Lol! Well ... this is why I always call being a Jewish a "cultural identity" ... the similarities between Jewish people - even Jews of different ethnicity, background, and national origin - are staggering. Too staggering to be coincidental. Even converts adapt quickly and readily (but, then, I always learned from the Orthodox that converts are Jewish souls misfortunately born into goyisher bodies).

It's what gives us our magic powers, you know. shhhhhh.
Its true. Our women have the power of...Guilt. And lots of it.

Its true. Our women have the power of...Guilt. And lots of it.Oh god...the Polish Mother syndrome. My mum hasn't got a drop of Polish blood in her, but she could easily fool me at times.

SoWiBi, you're definately in. Welcome .... *gets knife*