For the things that never make any sense! XD

[catshem]

Alright, I think I need a Moped or something just to get around town in. 2 packages have arrived at UPS but I can't get them because I don't have the car ;_;

[knittnkitten]

my mom has a facebook... and has friended several of my friends. its akward, but its worked out okay so far.

[OkamiKodomo]

lol yeah if I blocked her on facebook, she'd have a tantrum about that, too. She has fits if I don't answer her calls or respond to emails or texts.

[fleacollar999]

I can top all y'all.... my grandmother has a facebook. So no cursing for me! lol

[OkamiKodomo]

My grandmother has one too. But she isn't on my friend list XD

[famedglory]

Actually my grandmother also has a facebook and technically I am friends with her. But my mom set it up for her, trying to get her to be less afraid of the internet and she refuses to touch it.

[Vetinari]

meh beyond obligatory (many, many, lots!) cousins I make a point of not friending family... Too many generational differences in what's acceptable behaviour... So even if they disapprove they can't complain to me directly... It's more or less worked... My smother disapproves of even mild cursing like the use of the word bloody, even though it is often used perfectly inoffensively sigh...
(Luckily though my father curses like a sailor so he gets the blame if I slip up anywhere near her... It's all that Derek and Clive I tell you...)

[OutBriefCandle]

Decided to use my last day off until probably late next week doing laundry, putting the last of my winter stuff away and putting my summer sheets on my bed. Got the third load in the washer, finished putting the sheets on the bed, sat down, and suddenly felt like I'm gonna die. Why is it so hot so early? I've got the A/C on and the fan going in my room and everything. Usually I like the heat but there just hasn't been any time to acclimate yet. At least it's passing now. @_@

[Linteia]

Lol, my gramma has a FB too. She's on my friend's list but she's on blackout so all she can see is pictures. I love her, but she has absolutely no respect for us and I don't want to deal with her BS when I don't have to. Every once in a while she'll get one of the other family members on my list to plead her case, but last time I uncensored her she posted a bunch of anti-military comments on a convo between me and a few of the other girls whose husbands were deployed with mine at the time.

[Trethowan]

I have a program for my counselees in dealing with manipulative behaviour like freaking out over face book, whining about phone calls unreturned, etc. Manipulation follows a course of behaviours time-tested to get the other person to respond the way they want. Dad yells and expects us to cower. When we recognize what they're doing AS manipulation it's easier to analyze it and prepare responses for certain situations. Instead of giving in we have certain phrases we repeat. Like, "I'm sorry you feel this way but I can't always respond right away. You'll have to wait for a time that I'm able to sit down at the computer and respond to your email." Or "I'm sorry that I missed your call but I will get back to you when I am able to." And my favorite, "Let me check my calendar before I confirm any plans." That's the best, it gets you off the phone so you can think and check your schedule before committing (especially when people are pushy.)

New responses put the ball back in your court but more than that, it establishes that you indeed are in control of your own schedule and that you demand respect for yourself, your time, and your life. You're not controlled, you are in charge. The new response mechanisms are intended to replace previous responses that don't work, (like excuses, apologies, giving in, etc) and will jar the manipulator's preconceived notion of what you'll do. They'll begin to see you differently. And it doesn't get easier at first, it gets harder. They'll escalate the manipulation until they reach the final stage, anger. Anger either fizzles out or turns to violence but it's usually just more blustering.

Once THAT blows over they'll have lost the battle. It will set a new precedent and over time you can literally re-train the manipulative people in your life. I had to do this with my parents. Love them dearly but I'm too old to be controlled or pushed around. The key is consistency and being firm, calm, and all that jazz. We retrain with respect, calmness, and clarity. Most people don't realize they're being trained like dogs. They just see that you've developed a backbone and have set new rules and perimeters in your life.

Obviously one dinky paragraph doesn't begin to explain it, there's a lot more to it of course, but this is the bare-bones basic idea.