Entry for June 6, 1997

Friday, June 6, 1997 -- Denoument and a new conflict

Mom update: She's home and feeling well. She starts back to work on Monday When I got home last night, the power was back on and my clock was blinking 1:02, 1:02. That means the power had been on for just over an hour, and had been cut on soon after I left. The ice in the freezer was frozen solid, and the tea was cold.
So much for that little disaster. I just dinged my debit card and bought some chili-cheese fries. No more disaster.
LadyDawn never showed up. Oh well, that happens. I found out this morning that it was just an ISP problem. Typical Internet instability.
I did some more work on my room, and got ready for the Big Laundry Trip tonight, or this weekend. Or soon, anyway. I even played a little more Heroes of Might and Magic (didn't play long enough to lose last night...I've never had a game that consistently kicked my butt, but that I still liked. Of course, I don't really understand the game yet, so it's still new.)
Around 9:30 Dad called to ask how I was coming with my toilet repair. In the heat of the moment, I'd forgotten about it...I'll have to do it tonight, now. He also wanted me to look at some sort of Health and Nutrition web page thing. I had a sinking feeling I knew what Dad was up to, and I searched for it. I didn't find it right away...that was a good thing.
My father loves pyramid schems. Or Network marketing/Multi level marketing as he call them. I have two basic problems witht hem for me.

I can't sell a product that I don't use, and heartily endorse. That leaves out most things, I use Windows95 everyday as an integral part of my life, and I wouldn't sell it.
As a professed geek and computer programmer, salesman bother me. I'm sort of an anti-salesman.
Of course, Dad doesn't understand how I feel abou these things. Mom understands, and agrees...as I confirmed with a phone call this morning.
I don't know what has happened with my Dad lately. About a year ago, I told him that while I needed his help, I wouldn't accept it. I needed to solve as many of my problems on my own as possible, and start putting together my life.
Family is probably the most important thing to my Dad, and when I told him he couldn't help me, I really hurt his feelings. And I only meant financial help, I still ask him for advice, and listen to what he has to say. I don't always agree, but that's understood. I even called him to get help with my toilet...
A few months after I turned down his help, a mysterious box appeard on my doorstep. It was from some company I'd never heard of, and was full of paperwork, phone cards, and a videotape. I plugged the video tape in, just to see, and it was a NetWork Marketing scheme. Not knowing, but still believing it was from Dad, I threw it away. Even the phone cards which were real, usable items. *poof* right into the trash.
A few weeks later he asked me if I'd gotten anything like that. I told him I didn't know what it was so I threw it away. He told me that he thought I'd guess it was from him, and would call him. I told him that he should have called me in the first place, and I'd have told him not to waste his money.
That's the kicker with these things, you pay them to sell their product for them. It cost my dad 100 dollars to sign me up for it, and I threw it all away. I felt bad that dad was out 100 dollars. I was sorry I'd hurt his feelings again. I was, and still am, angry that he did that without asking me.
I asked him to never do that again, and he agreed. Our relationship has been even more strained since.
We used to be super close. I used to be able to tell him, or ask him anything. Now I have a secret I won't tell him...my bisexuality..and we can't talk at all. It's all golf, work, and gardening.
I don't garden. I've played golf 2 times in the past three years. Dad doesn't understand my job. At least I udnerstand his.
Meanwhile, Mom and I who used to fight like cats and dogs, are real friends. We go shopping together. We talk about serious topics. Even though I have the same secret from her, we can still talk about things.
I want to have that with Dad, too. I just don't know how. Someone suggested that these MLM things were an attempt to reach out to me, and I can understand that. But in using them, he demonstrates a basic lack of understaning about who I am, and what I stand for. I just want him to know me alittle better.

Today is [Barbara]'s last day. Her email will still be active, and I've offered to post Barbara updates here, for those of us who want to know. This is my little way to keep in contact, and keep up with her. She said she hopes to be back in August, so that will be great.
LadyDawn doesn't think she will make it this weekend. We're currently trying out ideas for other plans...I'll let you know how things work out, as they evolve.

Generic Joe's A Typical Male

Friday, June 6, 1997 -- Denoument and a new conflict
Mom update: She's home and feeling well. She starts back to work on Monday		When I got home last night, the power was back on and my clock was blinking 1:02, 1:02. That means the power had been on for just over an hour, and had been cut on soon after I left. The ice in the freezer was frozen solid, and the tea was cold. So much for that little disaster. I just dinged my debit card and bought some chili-cheese fries. No more disaster. LadyDawn never showed up. Oh well, that happens. I found out this morning that it was just an ISP problem. Typical Internet instability. I did some more work on my room, and got ready for the Big Laundry Trip tonight, or this weekend. Or soon, anyway. I even played a little more Heroes of Might and Magic (didn't play long enough to lose last night...I've never had a game that consistently kicked my butt, but that I still liked. Of course, I don't really understand the game yet, so it's still new.) Around 9:30 Dad called to ask how I was coming with my toilet repair. In the heat of the moment, I'd forgotten about it...I'll have to do it tonight, now. He also wanted me to look at some sort of Health and Nutrition web page thing. I had a sinking feeling I knew what Dad was up to, and I searched for it. I didn't find it right away...that was a good thing. My father loves pyramid schems. Or Network marketing/Multi level marketing as he call them. I have two basic problems witht hem for me. I can't sell a product that I don't use, and heartily endorse. That leaves out most things, I use Windows95 everyday as an integral part of my life, and I wouldn't sell it. As a professed geek and computer programmer, salesman bother me. I'm sort of an anti-salesman. Of course, Dad doesn't understand how I feel abou these things. Mom understands, and agrees...as I confirmed with a phone call this morning. I don't know what has happened with my Dad lately. About a year ago, I told him that while I needed his help, I wouldn't accept it. I needed to solve as many of my problems on my own as possible, and start putting together my life. Family is probably the most important thing to my Dad, and when I told him he couldn't help me, I really hurt his feelings. And I only meant financial help, I still ask him for advice, and listen to what he has to say. I don't always agree, but that's understood. I even called him to get help with my toilet... A few months after I turned down his help, a mysterious box appeard on my doorstep. It was from some company I'd never heard of, and was full of paperwork, phone cards, and a videotape. I plugged the video tape in, just to see, and it was a NetWork Marketing scheme. Not knowing, but still believing it was from Dad, I threw it away. Even the phone cards which were real, usable items. poof right into the trash. A few weeks later he asked me if I'd gotten anything like that. I told him I didn't know what it was so I threw it away. He told me that he thought I'd guess it was from him, and would call him. I told him that he should have called me in the first place, and I'd have told him not to waste his money. That's the kicker with these things, you pay them to sell their product for them. It cost my dad 100 dollars to sign me up for it, and I threw it all away. I felt bad that dad was out 100 dollars. I was sorry I'd hurt his feelings again. I was, and still am, angry that he did that without asking me. I asked him to never do that again, and he agreed. Our relationship has been even more strained since. We used to be super close. I used to be able to tell him, or ask him anything. Now I have a secret I won't tell him...my bisexuality..and we can't talk at all. It's all golf, work, and gardening. I don't garden. I've played golf 2 times in the past three years. Dad doesn't understand my job. At least I udnerstand his. Meanwhile, Mom and I who used to fight like cats and dogs, are real friends. We go shopping together. We talk about serious topics. Even though I have the same secret from her, we can still talk about things. I want to have that with Dad, too. I just don't know how. Someone suggested that these MLM things were an attempt to reach out to me, and I can understand that. But in using them, he demonstrates a basic lack of understaning about who I am, and what I stand for. I just want him to know me alittle better. Today is [Barbara]'s last day. Her email will still be active, and I've offered to post Barbara updates here, for those of us who want to know. This is my little way to keep in contact, and keep up with her. She said she hopes to be back in August, so that will be great. LadyDawn doesn't think she will make it this weekend. We're currently trying out ideas for other plans...I'll let you know how things work out, as they evolve.
Generic Joe's A Typical Male

Friday, June 6, 1997 -- Denoument and a new conflict

Generic Joe's A Typical Male