Messages By: darkmagyar

 I come from a long line of packrats. My mother and father raised me in a cluttered house filled with clothing, books, furniture, etc. My mother's parents were packrats too - saving everything.

Now I'm a packrat and my son is following in my footsteps. Recently he cleaned his room by shoving all his old stuff in the closet. <sigh> I wish I still had closet space to shove my stuff in.

If that's not bad enough my boyfriend is a packrat and was raised in a cluttered home. He still has some of his old 8 tracks, even though we don't have an 8 track player. He says they're cool, so we have them cluttering up a shelf in the dining room. He doesn't see a problem with the clutter and all the stuff we have.

Last week I snuck all the old phone books he was saving out to the trash. He doesn't know that they're gone yet.

Just recently I put out a bag of clothing to the curb. Later that night it dissappeared, hopefully to clutter someone else's closet. We took all the wine bottles and vinegar bottles we had saved and put them around the flower bed as a border. Looks nice. My boyfriend claims it's not a matter of getting rid of all our stuff, but finding something to do with it all.

What do I do, when the other half doesn't want to change the behavior? I'm ashamed of how awful  and messy the house is.

 We can cut down on the amount of fuel we use. If you live close to your work, bike ride, walk or jog to work. You get the added bonus of exercise and you don't have to sit at stoplights or in traffic.

If that's not an option, carpool! Buy a car that's fuel efficient. Our lust for big vehicles is driving up the prices. Make sure the vehicle you have is tuned up and the tires aren't worn; a well tuned vehicle uses gasoline more effiiently.

 There is something we can do about this.

I only saw the first part of the show, but every person on that stage (except for Dr. Phil) pissed me off! I wanted to shake them and scream "grow up already."

They are all acting like redneck juveniles. I'll bet their young children behave better than they do.

I had a boyfriend cheat on me once, but that was in Senior high, oh so many years ago! I guess I've made better life partners in my wise old age of 32 ;0) I don't believe in hanging out with exs or calling them all the time to just "keep in touch".  JMHO.

My sister and I were spoiled growing up, we got all the toys in the world and candy, however, there comes a time when even spoiled children grow up.

I went on to college and graduated and learned the value of a dollar. I worked all throughout high school and college and earned my own money. Sure my parents helped me out with a place to stay and food and help with my son, but I always had a job and helped out with the groceries or chores around the house even if I couldn't afford to pay them rent. I paid my own tuition and books and school supplies with my own money or took out a student loan in my name.

My sister, on the other hand, has always let my parents pay her way. She quit high school because she has learning disabilities and couldn't cope. Guess who paid for her GED classes? My parents. She tried a couple classes at the community college, but failed because they were too hard and she has a learning disability. Guess who paid for those classes? My parents.

Now she and her lazy ass husband (who is also a spoiled child) can't find jobs because the job market is bad in that area and they have to take care of their little girl, are living with my mother. Gues who pays the rent and groceries and their cigarettes? My mother of course!

Now I am hopping mad about this because my sister and her husband had stolen a few thousand dollars from my parents in the form of forging checks, fradulant use of credit cards and pawning jewelry to support their drug habit. My mother has kicked them out, taken them back in and kicked them out and now they are living with her again! She refused to press charges against them, even though they admitted that they stole money and jewelry, because "K" can't cope with a criminal record and they have the little girl to think of.

I am so glad that I live over 1,000 miles from my family, because if I get my hands on my sister......

I am raising my son to be like myself - independant. I want him to be able to get a job and support his family when he has one. I want him to be successful and happy and fulfilled in life. He's seen too much of the drama in my own family; that I hope that it's a good teaching lesson and that he wont follow in their footsteps.

I do have to draw the line with my son. At 14 he wants certain style of clothes and ipod and a cell phone, and I have to tell him "no".  And just because I have the money does not mean I will buy it for him either.