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This OT Can Hang With Me

Another week almost done, Persephoneers! Anything new and exciting going on in your lives? Come on in and tell us all about it.

Here’s a little something to get you in the home-stretch-before-the-weekend mood:

142 replies on “This OT Can Hang With Me”

Dad’s 60th birthday party tomorrow (just the extended family invited, thankfully), the place a complete mess because of as-yet-unfinished redecorating, Mom needing all the help she can get with cooking and cleaning, and I have an article to finish. Whoo!

Hello! This is a little late in the open thread, but as a long-time lurker and now official member, I just wanted to say hi and introduce myself!

I’m an American girl currently living in South India (thus my name) and I credit my feminist spirit to six years at an all-girls school, awesome supportive parents, and lots of late-night rants with my college friends. My New Year’s resolutions were to ride an elephant and learn to make macarons, one of which I’ve already accomplished (yesss). The one thing I miss the most about the U.S. is pumpernickel bagels. My ideal pet is a petite lap giraffe.

Since I’m a little sleep-deprived, I’ve decided those facts are the most important things you need to know about me. I’m happy to “officially” be here! :)

 

First of all: your life doesn’t have to be 100% horrible for counselling.
Second: it’s not up to you to keep the peace/keep the family together. Tell your mother how you feel, also tell her how you fear for her when she looks relief in drinking (if you’re that close), tell her what you want to do and how she could help. Same with your little sister. By letting others know what’s on your mind, you might be able to form a firm ground that you can take support from.

Thirdly: it sucks, Matzukado and I’m sorry you have to experience it.

Thank you for even reading that monster post I left before. I’ll take some of your advice to heart, but I’ve talked to a few people before and they’ve all just kind of left me to it. But I’m going to try counselling. Thank you.

Jumping in on freckle’s bit: Fourthly: DON’T APOLOGIZE. We’re here to listen.

I read your long post too, and was just coming back to comment. Life can be shitty. Don’t be embarrassed to lean on people, even if you’ve never met them before – sometimes it’s so much easier to talk about things when you can’t see your listener’s face.

It sounds like there’s quite a bit for you to process and work through at the moment. If you need P’neers to help you, then P’neers are here for you.

Thanks for the support :) You’re right. I just need to work through all this – I just guessed that maybe the internet wasn’t the best place to do it.

 

Thank you so much for your kind words. This community is the best.

Guys, there seems to be a lot of assiness going around these parts, judging by the comments in this thread.  I just want to give you all a big group hug and blow a big fat raspberry at all the stuff making us collectively feel less than stellar.  PBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBT.

Okay, time to try this sleeping business again.

You guys, it’s 5:30 am here, and I can’t sleep.  I have SO MUCH to do tomorrow (er, today), and doing it on two hours of sleep that I got before I woke up full of anxiety seems like a less than stellar plan.  I’m anxious about telling off someone who most definitely needs telling off but who runs a group I’m in (and am quitting) — I *know* I’m in the right (taking my time for granted, not responding to any email, not following through on committments, etc) but calling him on it in front of people is making me way more anxious than I expected.  (I expect the other group members to be supportive — that’s not the issue.  It’s the I’m-calling-you-on-your-shenanigans-in-front-of-people-ness of it — I’m much more of a a quit quietly and fume alone sort of lady.  But this group is so dysfunctional that someone needs to say something, so….. time for my Grown Up Underpants.  Any advice/encouragement/etc?

So sorry you have to deal with this – it’s so tough to do. I guess just keep it courteous, and remain calm and a little detached (without coming across as too cold). Just keep reminding yourself that you’re in the right, and that you’re doing something for the greater good. If it helps, make a little prompt list of what you need to talk about in case you get nervous and lose your train of thought (that happens to me so often!). Or maybe you could take someone else in the group aside that you trust and let them know you’re relying on some support?

 

Good luck – you can totally do this.

Good luck!

I’m a big fan of sticking to one message “you don’t follow through, that’s why I’m leaving” and repeating if necessary. Don’t get sucked into an argument “as I said, you don’t follow through”.

Though, just to be a nay-sayer. What is in it for you to call this person on their bullshit if you are leaving the group? Forget about moral righteousness. If the people staying know, then they can deal with this individual. What do YOU get out of this?

Let us know how it goes?

The satisfaction that I stood up for myself and called this guy out on his shenanigans?  Also, one of the other group leaders doesn’t quite know what’s going on — stuff’s just getting done (cause I’m doing it), and she should probably know about it.  I’ve already given a handwavy reason as to why I’m leaving, but I do care that this group gets its act together for a number of reasons, and me laying out what’s been going on (or not going on) will clarify things for the rest of the group, too.

It’s last day of term here before the Easter holidays and I’m trying to think how to entertain an almost-five-year-old for two weeks! Have picked up a picnic blanket and practical picnic things. Think we may just spend the whole time in the park, with the odd bike ride thrown in. At least, so long as the weather holds out. At the moment we have sunshiiiiiiiine!

My parents will get here this afternoon!!!!  Yay.  :)

In other news,  I bought new sheets yesterday.  They feel lovely and I spent way too much money on them, but oh well.  I’ve been wanting new sheets for the last 2 years and I kept putting it off thinking I’d put it on my registry whenever Mr. Nonsense and I got engaged.  Well we’re finally engaged (as of 3 months ago), but I got tired of waiting.  I wanted a small registry anyway.

Not sure if this is the best place to put this, BUT…if you feel like doing a good deed, I know a senior in high school who could use a little financial help right now. Her name is Erica, and she is simply amazing. She’s a tiny little lady who plays point in basketball and brings sunshine wherever she goes. Seriously, I’ve never seen a smile like hers anywhere!

Long story short, she is going to Guatemala for a short trip to work in a local hospital, and she still needs to gather some more funds before this trip can be a reality. She went to Guatemala with this same organization last year and fell in love with the country, and this year, she is going back as a leader. She has a ton of potential and wants to see the world changed, so I would encourage you all to invest in the future of this young woman/future world changer/leader. :)

Here’s a link to where you can donate to her cause as you feel inspired. :)

Thanks, Persephoneers!

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