And there ain't no how

2003-12-16 - 8:03 p.m.

Well, so much for being nice to my parents. I totally blew it tonight. I don't know why. I think it's because I'm tired. I'm like a two-year-old, I get crabby when I'm tired.

I came home from work today and put on my PJ's. I walked out to the living room and my mom said, "What are you doing? We're going out to dinner." So I changed back into clothes and we went out. I was tired, but everything went smoothly. When I got back home I started to sit myself down in the recliner when my mom asked me to help her with something on her computer. She dug up some old pictures of her and her sister when they were kids and she wants to scan one and frame it for my aunt for Christmas. Sure, no problem, I can help with that.

Turns out, she hasn't hooked up her old scanner to her new computer yet. I hooked it up, but it's old enough that Windows XP didn't automatically recognize it, it needed drivers. My mom couldn't find the CD that came with the scanner. I sent her off to search for it to keep her out of my hair while I downloaded the driver from the internet. I got it all set up just as she found the CD.

Turns out, my mom doesn't have a graphics program on her computer. Just as I was discovering this my dad came in and announced it was time to watch a Christmas movie on TV.

I don't know why, but it tipped me over the edge. It bugs the heck out of me that every free moment must be spent in front of the TV. And even more, it bugs me that every bit of TV watching must be a family event. And it all has to happen when my dad wants it to happen. And I'm the one who always has to set it up (find the right station, turn on the VCR, press play, you name it).

My mom, of course, immediately said yes dear let's watch TV. That pissed me off because I was trying to help her with her computer and in the middle of it all she didn't want my help anymore. No, now she'll want more help later. I went out to the living room where my dad was amazingly enough trying to work the VCR by himself. Unfortunately, there was already another tape in the VCR. It was too much for him to handle. And apparently it was too much for me to handle, too, because I yelled something at him--I don't even remember what I said now but it wasn't very nice--and then locked myself in the bathroom and had a good cry.

And now they're out there watching "Holiday Inn" while I'm in my room with the door shut using my mom's computer. And the frustrating part is that I really like that movie!