I agree with you. People are looking at it with modern PC lenses and not looking at it from the perspective of when it was written. Back then, women and men didn't sleep together or stay overnight with each other (even w/o sex) without the potential for people whispering about it. I think she wants to stay out late, is trying to make flimsy excuses about why she can't...what will people say? Totally cute song and anyone who thinks it's about rape can drag their narrow, self entitled brains out of the gutter and see me in hell where I'll give them a lesson in history.

maybe she genuinely thought you were too busy to meal plan and shop, not that you are poor and need a handout. Either way, never tell anyone, esp you MIL it seems, anything that you don't want passed around the gossip circle.

I'm sure it was just who thought of and executed it all. I know I've worked office jobs where different people would take it upon themselves to do different things for people...birthday, showers, going away etc. I might feel closer to coworker X or be privy to some inside information that others aren't so I decide to host a shower or whatever, someone else who I'm not close to has an event and no one they work directly with steps up to organize, so the boss throws a pizza party instead. It just is what it is. Be thankful for the nice card, the job w/ people you get along with and get on with life. It's also possible they didn't know where to send the flowers or they did send them and they were misdelivered or something like that.

feign a headache and opt out. Read a good book and enjoy some downtime.

I read somewhere not too long ago that being a martyr like that is a form of narcissism. Maybe read up on that and see if there are any tips from knowledgeable sources that can give you some insight on the best way to deal with her.

^^ For whom would sharing their DNA info be a problem? Anyone could look at me and see my last name and make a pretty accurate guess about my heritage. Why is having that info out there a problem?

I'd cut it down to once a month or once every few weeks. Sounds like they don't really care about their daughter maintaining that relationship and the daughter may well be getting to the age where she's having more fun with friends. Does she get excited to see you? Do you still get excited to see her every week despite the lack of gratitude?

i'd probably lean toward staying home and relaxing. Start some traditions ofyour own with your daughter. Hit the at home bucket list and To Do lists.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My ex bought me a tacky candy dish one year.... He had not so subtly hinted that he wanted a fancy coat for months and I got it for him. I tossed the candy dish in the dumpster, it was so not me, after dating for 10 months he was clueless and cheap. That was the beginning of the end.

well, I hope you opened it to make sure something else wasn't tucked inside before you clogged the landfill with it.

Opened a tacky candy dish?

uh, did he just hand you the tacky candy dish or did it come in some type of box/bag/wrapping?

Anonymous wrote:I am so loud. I don't really care if it annoys people.

We just moved to an open floor plan at work and I had 2 women complain about my "loudness"... I tell them to tell the survey.

Good news I am getting a promotion and an office in a few weeks and that will piss them off more than my "loudness".

My NY friends are louder.

The issue the other people have has less to do with the loudness (though it's certainly a problem if they're complaining) but it's your attitude of "the world revolves around me and screw everyone else" that's the problem. If they had gone straight to your boss or HR to complain you'd be mad that they didn't come to you first and deal with you like an adult, face to face. Well they did, and your attitude is why people going behind other people's backs to the boss or HR instead of trying to deal with issues head on.

I'd probably skip unless I knew at least two other people who were FOR SURE going AND if I thought the refreshments were going to be REALLY good, not some processed crap from Costco or Trader Joe. But I'm a food motivated introvert so take my attitude with a grain of salt.

audiobooks? My grandma really liked those as she got older.

fruit basket? That might be diet friendly.

spending a couple of hours with them (one at a time) to record their life story and then type it up (or pay someone to type it up.)

framed picture of their parents/siblings/kids/something like that?

Your kid had 9 bags of toys? That's way to many. No kid needs more than 1 bag's worth. That might have been contributing to the behavior...visual clutter, over stimulation, etc. And face it, kids are jerks sometimes. They just are. I hope it gets better for you!

stay at a hotel next time...that's what I'd do. I'd also head home in the morning or sooner if that's possible.

I wouldn't order a picture I hated of me. Totally fine to decline. Ask the photographer to delete it.