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[quote=Anonymous]I'm in my mid 30s and single/no kids, so "going home" now is just as it was 10 yrs ago. Thing is 5-10 yrs ago I COULD NOT WAIT to get home for Thanksgiving, long weekends etc. We just aren't a fun, exciting family that does stuff (I want to be, but we're not) -- but just sit around and talking was fun. My parents were still working, I was new to the working world, I was happy to share my tales re friends, life in the city etc. Just being together -- meals, sitting around, trips to the mall etc. were comforting.

But now -- my parents are retired (for 5+ yrs), I'm not particularly happy in life or work, and visiting just isn't fun or comforting anymore. Talking consists of - them telling me the same gossip over and over re relatives - always judgmental, never good; or health related things; or religious preaching (which only started after they stopped working). My dad was very career oriented and is VERY involved in my sister's career - as in she calls home nightly and talks to him about work. I used to have a good career for 7-8 yrs, but it's just not my MO to talk about work outside of work; and then I lost that job, was unemployed for 18 months, and picked up a new job that I really dislike and am freaking out about whether I'll be stuck there for life. They know this and STILL it's questions about work -- as they believe it's SOO interesting and prestigious (it isn't); and if I say "i hate it" or "i don't want to talk about it" they get offended.

How do I navigate the holidays? I would love to recapture that feeling of comfort, but I know that's unlikely; so how do I get thru the holidays without feeling like I have to be totally fake and putting on a show?[/quote]

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