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Rant About Family Gatherings
11 years ago
I'm usually awkward in many social situations, espeically ones where I don't relate well with the people around me. When it comes to meeting relatives, it's usually a bad combination of involving people I barely know and people that are either too young or too old, with a vast majority being at least 20 years older than me. If there is one thing I dread most of all it's the evil hybrid of family gatherings which is the one where your dragged along to eat out with a large table of people you barely know. That's right, it's not just any regular gathering at home where you at least have a place to escape when the crowd gets to you... Nope... You're trapped at a table at a resturant!
Can't just drive home because your parents are like "why take more then one car!?" and either drive you there or you drove them there and are responsible for taking them home. Nobody in the group is a geek like me so there's nothing interesting to talk about. Forget trying to get into a conversation anyways because - and I hope I'm not the only one that experiences this - everyone else in my family seems to set up a "wall of conversation" that I'm oddly left out of at all times. Like, I'm not in the conversation while everyone else is, and there isn't a single place to enter it without interrupting and looking like an ass for it. The few times you enter the conversation is the predictable questions about your job or the horrible "so, you have a girlfriend yet?" After which you have to figure out the least awkward way to answer while trying not to reveal that you're gay among a bunch of people you're not sure you want to reveal that to... At least I have a job now so answering that question is a whole less awkward... If I'm lucky nobody in the group brings up politics, because you know who brings up politics who's level headed and open minded? Nobody. Ever. The people that bring up politics in a conversation are usually bigots who want to parrot their bigotism and impress people with it. I usually become quieter then ever during those conversations.
So what is there to do? Just eat your dinner, finish before everyone else (because you're the only one eating and not talking!) And kind of just sit there and quietly suffer it out until everyone decides it's a socially acceptable time to go the hell home. Sometimes it gets so bad I start reading that little booklet at the table that usually has the deserts and some advertisements. Then I'm reminded I can't even get a beer buzz to handle the situation because it's a family restaurant. >.<
Ok this is going to bug me now, what do you call that little booklet that has the deserts and advertisements, and usually the beer and cocktails? It's either tucked in behind the salt and pepper or free standing like a tiny ring binder on a stick.
"Bunny": 50% Partially finished
"Dragon": 50% Lineart completed
"Merc": 100% 0% 0% 0% First chapter complete
"Cantina": 100% 50% 0% Lineart complete.
"Roos": 50% 0% Lineart complete
"Wolf" : 25% Sketch compelte.
"Tauren" : 25% Sketch compelte
Can't just drive home because your parents are like "why take more then one car!?" and either drive you there or you drove them there and are responsible for taking them home. Nobody in the group is a geek like me so there's nothing interesting to talk about. Forget trying to get into a conversation anyways because - and I hope I'm not the only one that experiences this - everyone else in my family seems to set up a "wall of conversation" that I'm oddly left out of at all times. Like, I'm not in the conversation while everyone else is, and there isn't a single place to enter it without interrupting and looking like an ass for it. The few times you enter the conversation is the predictable questions about your job or the horrible "so, you have a girlfriend yet?" After which you have to figure out the least awkward way to answer while trying not to reveal that you're gay among a bunch of people you're not sure you want to reveal that to... At least I have a job now so answering that question is a whole less awkward... If I'm lucky nobody in the group brings up politics, because you know who brings up politics who's level headed and open minded? Nobody. Ever. The people that bring up politics in a conversation are usually bigots who want to parrot their bigotism and impress people with it. I usually become quieter then ever during those conversations.
So what is there to do? Just eat your dinner, finish before everyone else (because you're the only one eating and not talking!) And kind of just sit there and quietly suffer it out until everyone decides it's a socially acceptable time to go the hell home. Sometimes it gets so bad I start reading that little booklet at the table that usually has the deserts and some advertisements. Then I'm reminded I can't even get a beer buzz to handle the situation because it's a family restaurant. >.<
Ok this is going to bug me now, what do you call that little booklet that has the deserts and advertisements, and usually the beer and cocktails? It's either tucked in behind the salt and pepper or free standing like a tiny ring binder on a stick.
"Bunny": 50% Partially finished
"Dragon": 50% Lineart completed
"Merc": 100% 0% 0% 0% First chapter complete
"Cantina": 100% 50% 0% Lineart complete.
"Roos": 50% 0% Lineart complete
"Wolf" : 25% Sketch compelte.
"Tauren" : 25% Sketch compelte
The trick is to remember that you're an adult now and they can't stop you leaving the table. They may not like it but if you prefer not to keep their company then don't keep it. Go, eat the food, then make your excuses (politely, naturally) and leave the table.
*offers an hug* I'm sorry you're in this position, man. It is not a happy fun time.
This. Every time I go out with my family (and some times when I'm simply home with my parents), I get this question. Even worse, my family members always say things like "when you have kids some day, blah blah blah." Uh, no. Not gonna happen.