P.S. I Like You(31)

To answer your other question: I am pro Thanksgiving break. As pathetic as I’ve obviously made my home life seem, a break from school is a break from school. I don’t usually hang out at home anyway. I go out with friends, drive, walk, read. Now, as for Thanksgiving day, when I’m forced to stay home and celebrate, that’s a joke. My mom and stepdad order a bunch of “homemade” food, my grandparents come over, their friends come over. Someone ends up yelling, usually the stepdad, my mom ends up drinking too much wine, and we all wish we would’ve pretended it was just any other day. What about yours? Hopefully your Thanksgiving traditions are better than mine.

My response:

Is being crazy considered a tradition? Because that’s what our tradition is. Okay, we actually have a real one: The double-blind taste test. First, both my mom and dad make pumpkin pies. Different ones, mind you, but both pumpkin. Then they cut the pies in the other room and put pieces on different plates. One each for everyone there. Then they force us—force us—to eat it blindfolded. Then we have to tell them whose is better. We can’t say they both taste the same or they are equally good. Nope. We HAVE to choose a side. It’s quite obnoxious. So my siblings and I have a little competition of our own. We always try to even up the score so someone has to be the tiebreaker. But anyway, the winning parent brags about it the entire year. My parents are strange.

Other than that, it’s loud and disorganized and exhausting. But the food is actually homemade and we do laugh a lot. So I think I win. But … hang in there.

I’m convinced we do speak the same music language because Track 11 on Serendipity is on my favorites list. (As for your “song” about us speaking the same music language. Just … no.) I wonder if we compared our playlists what percentage would be the same. I wouldn’t want it to be one hundred percent because that’s too similar. You have to bring something new to the table to help balance out my music tastes or I’ll learn nothing. You did introduce me to The Crooked Brookes so I think we’re safe for now.

Tuesday from him:

Good thing we’re safe. I didn’t realize the music list conversation could put us in jeopardy. I feel the need to present a new band to you so we’re safe for another couple weeks. Maybe I have that backward. I already did my part. Where is my new band from you? I could really use one. I’ve had a bad couple of days.

Have you ever tried so hard to live up to expectations only to fall short every time? That was vague and cryptic, wasn’t it? Okay, so my stepdad. He’s a super demanding jerk and I feel like if I could do or be what he expects me to be, then he’d be nicer to my mom or happier, or something. He’s been in my life for six years and I still can’t figure out exactly what it is that he expects of me. He’ll ask me to do things, I’ll think I do exactly what he asks, but he is never satisfied. I know you said you’re not good at sage advice, but what would you do in this situation?

Tuesday from me:

I don’t know. I’m a bit of a people pleaser so I’d be horrible in that situation. It sounds like maybe you are too. I guess if I were trying my hardest, that’s the best I could do. But it sounds like it’s his problem, not yours. If you haven’t figured out what his expectations are then they are undefined, which makes them impossible to live up to. Have you tried talking it out with him? Asking him?

You need a new band to help you deal with this? How about Better Than Yesterday? Are they new to you or are we in sync again?

Wednesday from him:

They aren’t new to me but I love them, of course. However NSYNC better not be on your list or we might be done.

Ask my stepdad. Now there’s an obvious solution that I haven’t tried yet. I just thought if I kept running as fast as he said for as long as he said that eventually I’d catch him. I don’t know why I care what he thinks so much anyway. Like I said, he’s a jerk to both me and my mom. I shouldn’t worry about it, especially because it doesn’t help. But for whatever reason his approval still means something to me. I do like your advice though. I should try that. Does it work for you when you talk to your parents? Are you a parent whisperer? (More lyrics: She’s a parent whisperer and that’s why she rules the world.) Tips would be helpful.

Wednesday from me:

Hey, I just give advice, I don’t take it. Tips for talking to parents … hmm … maybe write a letter so they have to listen and can’t interrupt. I don’t know. I talk to my parents a lot. For example: Can you pass the butter? Can I stay home from school today? Can I borrow the car?