I'm Going Nowhere. x (

[Jrd89]

(As i write this, i'm in one of my "you suck, Jared, you'll never make it or have a good life of your very own, you're 1/3 of the way to your grave at 23 years old and you've blown it.)  In short,  very pessimistic/powerless/hopeless  about myself. No offense to anyone.. it's just the mood i'm in right now as I write this thread)  : (  

I cant take this election, or the same old same old seriousness/too short on money for fun/no new car in sight for me and dad/  things going on in my family.   I'm a complete brain-dead idiot compared to some of you guys. I can't stand it. I have to speak out  (no offense to anyone)

For the election (personally)

Mom told me that Since Obama took office in January 2009, the national debt has grown another $6 trillion dollars.. to $16 trillion dollars and she said.  (You AND your children are going to have to deal with/have to help pay back that deficit that continued to grow more under Obama.  (great.. 2 generations.. that means.. 40 years of hell still ahead then.. It takes a VERY long time to pay back/even out a National Debt.. WAY TO freaking go!  > : (  some life i'm gonna go through. WHY was I born in such a terrible post-school world... what IS this..  Go to school for 13 years..then...... Suffer economic hell and a BROKEN Unemployed America.     Oh well.. happy school years are better than no good life at all from birth to death.  :unsure:  

I don't want Obama re-elected and serve until January 20, 2017... but Mitt Romney is not exactly the right candidate to replace Obama as the next president..
(Personally i'm more on getting obama OUT of office... than getting Romney into office.)  Our house is a Romney rally...   (yeah i'm voting for him : | )  and of course mom and dad are, we have a Romney sign in our yard and 2 romney bumper stickers on our car.  (the 2007 Mercedes ML 350, which is now 1,450 miles past-due on it's next service, with bad loud squeaking brakes, nearly BALD rear tires, and a burned out right rear brake light.)  

I'm 23, a mess, stuck with mom and dad, and you can forget everything on me even having any girlfriend. My car (stuck sharing with dad) has 246,000 HEAVY exhausted miles.. STUCK with it because dad's not earning enough money to get a new car. (because it's always spent on the always-usual food and house bills... and Then it's tight until dad next pay day.

Mom and dad owe me $11,000 DANGED BLASTED dollars.. Celebrating 5 YEARS (half decade) of owing me money!!

This whole election is such a migrane. the country is still in such terrible economic condition.  
 Here I am, stuck with a JUNK CRUD CRAP car ( 1995 Buick Riviera in the year 2012 with now 246,000 MILES on it, a LOUD groaning/ clunking suspension, POPPING Brakes/brake drums..)  and a crap boring crud job ($8 per hour part time) stuck with mom and dad. and it's so darn boring day after day, nothing new happens at my house, or my job.

My mom didn't even want me to read her the article about the new design of the 2015 Ford Mustang I saw in the November issue of "Car and driver" magazine today. she said "She does not like being read to."
 I remain a powerless "obedient dog" to mom and dad's fussy commands.  

Whatever they say is right.....I judge...as right for me....and whatever they say is wrong... is wrong for me.  : | it's seemingly the way i've always been "programmed" for in my head.

Some of your parents may have been a calm, easy-going, fun type, but mine are serious especially dad, the "let's get the work done" type. > : (
NOT even an afternoon out is fun for me because ALMOST ALLLLWAYS... mom calls me on the phone and asks me to bring something home.
i'm a brain dead box of rocks.. "who only does ollld time chores/ that junk.
What goes on in our house is dead boring.. family's a "tougher" type.. I GUESS it was because we came from a tiiiiiiny 'lil 5,000 person town in south western Michigan.
 I'm not gonna make it.
I hit/slapped my mom in the arm twice (once last december, and again in January)  from getting angry she SNARLS AND HOLLERS LOUD  "OUT!!!! NYYYOWWWWWW!!... NYYOWWWWW!!!" (Hollering loud "NOW s" )

that happened in December, and again in January. dad once TORE the sheets off of the couch bed back at the old condo last december.. the next morning and said "YOU HIT MY WIFE!!"   not "you hit mom" but "YOU HIT MY WIFE" AS IF i were some kind of total stranger, and not as a son.
the $11,000 will NOT be returned to me until that DANGED house in Michigan sells, OR if mom reallllllly KICKS butt HARD at the real estate office and really gets to selling a BUNCH of houses.
Graduated in June '07..      the years 08 sucked 09 sucked 10 sucked and 11 sucked
!!!  >  :   |

 HALF DECADE CUT OFF OF LIFE. I really canNOT stand mom/dad. THEY DON'T WANT to listen to new things or neat stuff. Dad says our LCD tv "REALLY USES up a lot of energy"
i feel like tearing the hair off of my head. I'm not an interesting person... I always NEVER have anything to freakin talk about. Ever!  

I still feel very behind/outdated too.      I don't watch movies/play video games/ etc.. like you guys do.  Slave/obey commands/chores commanded by mom and dad... or they'll get angry/mad and nag at me.  "Jared, you still haven't done *this chore* yet"   I suck.  

May I also mention my dad hates the internet and says that "physically talking on the telephone gets it done better than doing it on the internet" and he doesn't trust the internet either.

(You guys most certainly may also be going through some tough times too, but even in these times.. it seems to me like you're still managing to enjoy yourselves more with all your interesting/neat hobbies.  than what i'm going though currently.)  

(I often repeat myself or type nervously because well..  :unsure:  :unsure: I AM Nervous, and am always afraid.. if I say the wrong thing.. I WILL be yelled or fussed at. :unsure:  :unsure:   Whenever someone says "hey" at a place, such as the mall.. i may lowwly mumble.."mmh..hey.." and just keep walking on.    > x (  I have a MILLION miles to go before i'm even caught up with you guys  (to me, personally.

I don't even know what you guys think about me sometimes.)  : (    I don't even know if some of you say bad stuff about me behind my back.

I'm always saying "no I don't know what that is/never heard of it" whenever I may messages a GOF member here..or on Skype.  :unsure:  


Btw, in case you do use Skype, and wanted to add me as a contact.., my Skype username is "jrdkck89"

Sorry for having this crazy breakdown.   I think the u.s. is never going to heal or ever be the best country in the world for living/jobs/economics/manufacturing.  < X (   < x ( Economy was so good in the 90's  COLLAPSES in '08   and will take i don't know HOW MANY YEARS to fully rebuild to it's '90's levels. !!!   !!!  !!!  That hurts really really hard!  

[Nick22]

Pomney will not improve the economy Jared. hes a stuckup rich millionaire who has made his money by draining the health of companies into bankruptcu by paying himself huge fees and walking away with the cash when the company goioes bellyup, destroying jobs liveloihoods and dreams of the workers. Since 1940 the Us has added 102 million jobs, of those only 35 million came under Republican presidents. yje only times the economy has reggistered surpluses came under Democratic presidents. Obama will probably win re=election, the power of incumbency reelects most politicans and is increased with the presidency. We need a new New Deal in this country, spending 10-15 trillion on rebuilding infrastructure, work projects and protecting open spaces. taxes need to go back to what they were in the 70s, where the top rate was 70 or highr, but you peg it to those making 100 milion or more a year. you get rid of the subsidies for oil gas industries and give it tio the green industries instead. As for your personal strugfgles, you sare still only 23, you still have a large portion of your life ahead of you. you have a car to drive, many people do not even have that..

[Jrd89]

A-ha, then my parents are the big dummies then.  

My dad, although a Romney supporter.. thinks Obama will still win the election (saying it negatively)  

I think my parents have not percieved Obama the correct way. They think Romney is this "guy here to save the day and do what Obama promised to do, but didn't. My dad was yelling "WHOOO HOOOOO!" at the tv in the first debate when Romney was attacking Obama..  as if his favorite NFL team had JUST WON the Super Bowl.  

Another "New Deal"  Like Franklin Roosevelt did is an EXCELLENT IDEA!    It worked then.   We just have to pray that we'll have a president who will create a new "New Deal" in the close future.

And if Obama wins a second term,  we'll see what things he gets accomplished in that time frame. : |

[Nick22]

the ptroblem jared is that about half the eligible voters in this country.. dont vorte. its even worse when its local and state elections. its hard to get into polotics, because if you dont have money, ambition, and connections, you're not going anywhere. its worse if you are a democrat in repuublican area or vice versa, you're noty getting elected there.. the country had a surplus  last month of 75 billion, which dropped the defictit below what was expected. the unemployment rate is below 8% not great but better than whenb Obamas took office. Furthermore the Republican have not lifted a finger to help him since when he took office, trying to make him a one term presiident. how incredibly sekf-centered! Look Obama isnt perfect, there are issues i disagree on, but if you get 80% of what you like in a candidate, thats pretty darn good.

[Jrd89]

Yeah Nick, very true, no Republican help.. They just want to throw Obama OUTTA there as fast as they can (not helping at all!)

Self centered? Yes.   Has the unemployment rate gone down since he was sworn in? Yes.  Could it continue going down if he's elected to a second term? Yes.

Do my parents not fully understand Obama in all of his areas? Yeah.  lol. ^_^

Did U know Nick, that my parents have voted for the losing candidate in the last 3 elections? (Gore, Kerry, and McCain?) Yes, it's true.

(Can't remember if they voted for Dole or Clinton in '96. I was just 7 at the time and I can't remember.)

Yes, republicans constantly say he's wrong and won't work with Obama in the least of ways. FIGHTING isn't going to help a THING or get anything going. < : (

You know Nick, I say my parent's don't understand the FULL picture on Obama or the FULL picture on Romney.  (dad has said, we're gonna vote that n**ger out of here and send his black a** packing)  

I'm sorry you had to read that Nick. But I have to tell you the facts.  I'm saying my parents don't understand the full, big,  in-depth picture.   (i'm keeping "neutral" when I discuss the candidates with them)  I don't want to get into yelling battles/election fights with them,  (it's a Romney house..  3 votes.  Sorry Nick. It's my parents)   If Obama loses though,  i'll bet it'll be by more than just 3 votes. :|


(I think that my mom and dad aren't "open" and don't understand the complete in-depth deep picture on Obama, as I said before.)

Maybe good things are to come in his second term if he wins, I don't know,  that's for us to find out.  :|

As for me nick.. I think i'm gonna be a better person in life than my Dad!  Lol!  ^_^  

I'd never want to send Pterano's red a** packing if he were in an election.. Lol!  

[Nick22]

my first time being eliugible to vote was in 2004. i voted for kerry, but it was more an anti-Bush vote. I voted for Obama in 2008 and will be voting for  him again  in November. as i get older my lean towards the democrats get stronger. The republicans have abandoned their former reputation as fiscal tightwads, and abandoned positions that they took even 20 years ago
 what they deride as obamacare was the republican alternative to the clinton healtcare attempt in 1993. funny how they reject thier own ideas when the other guy uses them..

[Jrd89]

It was an anti-Bush vote for my mom and dad, too back in '04. My parents think they understand everything about Democrats and Republicans... but nope.  They don't know the details like you do for example.

No republicans are certainly not the same party as they once used to be. (my parents can be so negative and say "no that's wrong!  that's bad! it's GONNA hurt!"  when it may not be all that bad. heh.

I don't like having parents who aren't open as other people are.. and "have their own ways in understanding Democrats/Republicans in elections."  My mom actually says she votes for whoever SHE thinks is right.   Not ALWAYS voting for the democrat or ALWAYS voting for the republican. She votes for what kind of person they are.

I'll face it. My parents do not understand Obama in all of his areas correctly. I'd say they are preeeety dumb. heh.

Mom sometimes says. "That's your generation... That's your generation..."  she (and more heavier with my dad..) think that we young people don't understand the picture and that their age group (late 40's and older) KNOW what's going on and that we young people don't know/haven't got a clue).  *my dad really hates that we're all goofing off texting each other, playing with our cell phones, and spending WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY too much time on the computer/internet and not getting any REAL work done around here.  *   (even though I don't have a Facebook account, or Twitter account.. hey, it's not like i'm required to have a Facebook or Twitter account anyways.  <_<   )

heh. Oh God.  :huh:  :blink: Lol.

In the future, I think i'm going to be a better and smarter person than my parents. heh. I'm already saying stuff that my mom says "Huhhhh?  what?  what's that? .. uhhh ok, whatever that is..." to.    

[Mumbling]

Hey Jared I'll add you on skype so we can talk so now and then, kay?

As for your problems, as far as I can see most of the frustration is because you're still living with your parents. I know most young men of your age are still living with their parents these days because of the economy... But from a certain age onwards the difference between your parents and you will become too great and you will be in arguments all the time. The longer you stay the worse it'll get, simply because you have your own brain and your own personality and they have theirs.

It's probably really hard to move away from your parents or find somewhere to move at all. I don't know if you have a job, but if you at least have a way to build up a small fund for finding a new place. To be honest, living in a small place on your own really isn't that bad.

So yeah, there's my advice, find your own place. I did it, and therefore it's still working out great between my parents and I. I know it might suck having to hear this from someone who is younger than you, but it honestly did it for me and hopefully will for you as well.

[DarkWolf91]

I agree with Iris on the parents thing, my mom and I get along worlds better now that we don't have to live with one another

I used to be afraid a lot too... Just remember that nobody is perfect Accept yourself for who you are, make your mistakes, learn from them, and don't beat yourself up over them! I know it's hard being nervous, I'm a rather nervous person myself, but it's something that can be overcome with confidence and patience. You have just as much a right to be here and be heard as everyone else does!
There are always going to be people who try to tear you down... but they can only succeed if you let them

As far as the election goes... bleh. I just don't like how divisive it is :/
It feels like we're two countries living on top of one another, and no matter who wins, we end up with half a nation of malcontents.
I have issues with both of the candidates, but I am voting for Obama, for a number of reasons.

[jansenov]

Jared, this is painful to read. It's completely wrong for you having to pay for your parent's excesses. You said your family is short on money to buy a car (which I understand is a necessity where you live) because everything goes on house bills and food. No wonder, because you're living in a large house with a swimming pool! Your parents obviously have great ambitions that they can't fulfill. And then they take your money when its tight.

Since you probably can't convince them to move somewhere cheaper, here's what you should do. Once you find a full-time job, you should move out. Especially if, once you have more money, they start demanding more money from you. It may actually be cheaper (and definitely better for your sanity!) for you to share a place with roommates of your age than to continue to fork out money for a large house.

It may seem unfair to leave your parents and make their financial situation even more difficult (once you move out, you can, and in fact, you should help them out now and then; but only when YOU want and how much YOU want) but that is perhaps the only way to make them think and change their ways.

[Cancerian Tiger]

I'm sorry you're dealing with these problems, and aside from what others have said already, I don't have much else to add.  The only other thing I can say is, at twenty-three years old, the last way you want to handle your anger is by hitting others, even if it's someone you can't stand.  You're not a minor, and you could easily go to jail if the other person were to file assault and battery charges.  Besides the law, it's just not nice or appropriate to take your anger out on others physically.  Have you thought about getting into an intense workout routine, like distance running, boxing, martial arts, etc.?  It works wonders for your mental, emotional, and physical health, and nobody gets hurt in the process .

[Pterano]

Yeah Jared, I've been telling you this for awhile dude. Your parents aren't completely knowledgeable on everything that's going on with the candidates, and the fact you're striving to at least be different from them (when you rightly perceive them as different) is a good thing. Just keep your head up, and I would do what the others are saying: move out as soon as you can. It might not be right away, but make that your new goal from now on and start living your own independent life. It may be extremely hard at first, and it could even take until you're in your 30s (my one friend wasn't able to move out until then after all) but you'll get there eventually. You're still extremely young (hell I'm older than you are ) and you just gotta see it as it'll come eventually. Just enjoy the times you can enjoy, and focus on getting out and moving forward when you can.

[landbeforetimelover]

Okay.  I don't want to be the person that has to tell you these things, but the people on GOF are far too nice so it looks like I don't have a choice.  Now some of the things I'm about to say are probably going to be offensive to you and other GOF members.  Before I start this I just want to say that all I have to go on are the things you've told us.  I'm not living your life right now so I may not have a complete picture.  But from what I've read in your past few posts like this, I must say I'm distressed at how you're looking at and handling your life.

The first thing you need to understand is that most of what you've said is "just life."  Meaning get used to it.  Most people have a crud boring job they don't like.  And if you don't go off to college, chances are you're going to be stuck living at home for probably a decade.  That's not a new thing.  Millions of other young adults in the US are in the same boat you are.  The difference is, you own a house.  More than that, you own TWO houses.  There are millions and millions of Americans, even twice your age that don't own even one house.  

You seem incredibly ungrateful to me.  Not that I can blame you.  With the way the media portrays how "normal" life is supposed to be, who wouldn't be in your situation?  But you have to understand that the way these corporations make life seem is NOT reality.  And those that try to live like that end up with a horrendous amount of debt and end up being miserable while they suffer the rest of their lives trying to pay off that debt.  Normal people don't go on cruises, buy a new car every 2 years, have a desktop, laptop, smartphone, tablet, iPod & a billion other gadgets that just came out 6 months ago.  And those that do are either up to their necks in debt or have the money to burn.  

And just so you know, most people that really have money don't do all that crap.  These corporations live off exploiting the working poor.  You know, people that can't make ends meet but are wracking up those credit cards then spending 30+ years paying them off making the minimum payments.  

You need to get comfortable in the knowledge that you will never get to live that fantasy life these corporations portray.  And if you try to do it anyway like everyone around you is, you're going to end up a miserable old man with no friends, shit tons of debt, and no assets to speak of (house, car, etc.).  You need to find out what your means are and live UNDER them.  Does this mean your life is going to be shit?  That's 100% up to you.  Your first step is to accept reality and get your head out of the clouds.  Sit down and write out all your expenses.  Then categorize them into WANT and NEED categories.  You'd be surprised how little is under the NEED category.  Even something like a dishwasher isn't a NEED.  You can wash dishes by hand and save some money in the process (both in the cost of the dishwasher and the expensive soap).  

Next take a look at the WANT category.  Throw out anything you don't really care about.  Then add in other things you really DO care about.  You want a new XBOX?  That's great!  You can have one.  You just have to EARN it.  If it's important to you, put it at the top of the list.  But enough with the budgeting rhetoric.  

You're going to find that in order to have a happy life, you need to participate in activities that bring you joy.  Sure an XBOX can bring you some entertainment, but you'll eventually realize that entertainment and joy are two entirely different things.  Take up writing, or reading.  Become your own philosopher.  Take long walks.  Go volunteer somewhere.  Do SOMETHING that brings you joy.  If you're extremely fortunate, your job will bring you joy or at the very least entertainment.  But for the other 99% of the population, their job isn't going to be something that brings them joy.  

You need to look at you mom and dad as your family unit.  Especially in these hard times, families need to come together and form units and help each other.  That $11,000 technically was yours, but you need to stop looking at yourself and your mom and dad as two separate things.  You're working to help support your family.  Any assets or income made by any family member under the same roof is shared equally.  As for moving out, you'd just be running away from the problem.  A group of people, no matter how different, can live together under one roof amicably if everyone agrees to treat everyone else equally and with respect.  You're all adults.  Act like it.  You need to treat your mom and dad as equal to yourself and vise versa.  

When you're unhappy it's easy to blame everyone else around you for your unhappiness.  Moving out would definitely help temporarily, but your unhappiness would certainly return.  You need to change the way you think and find things that bring you joy in order to attain and maintain true happiness.  

One thing that really bothered me was this quote:

NOT even an afternoon out is fun for me because ALMOST ALLLLWAYS... mom calls me on the phone and asks me to bring something home.

So your whole afternoon out is ruined because mom wants you to pick up some milk from the grocery store?  Am I the only one that sees a problem here?  You need to put things into perspective.  On the surface reality completely and totally sucks.  I know you don't want to hear any of this.  But once you accept reality, you'll find ways to make yourself happy.  Constantly wanting things and feeling deprived is a great way to make yourself miserable.  You need to find free or nearly free things to do that you like.  Learn how to budget so you can save up for those cool gadgets.  Sure you'll get the new XBOX 2 years later than anyone else and you'll have a 3 year old desktop, but at least they'll be yours.  You won't be in debt and you'll have a nice little cash reserve and retirement saved up.  And you'll be 100x better off than everyone else around you.  They just won't realize it until it's too late.
________________________________________________

In case you're wondering, I'm not just talking out my ass here.  I've lived in hard times before.  I was a billion times worse off than you just 5 years ago.  My family is pretty wealthy but they all made it in real estate and as you know, the real estate industry isn't great.  Many of my family members got cleaned out and went from pulling in 6 figure incomes to working a minimum wage job.  I myself didn't start doing well until my business picked up.  Just 5 years ago my family was driving a 1990 Ford Bronco II.  Now we have a 2011 Chrysler Town & Country minivan.  I've personally helped many of my family members dig themselves out of the hole.  I was broke just a little over a year ago from helping my family.  Now I've got about $35,000 saved up and make about $9,000/month in revenue.  

5 years ago I was living in a mobile home without a pot to piss in.  And you know what?  I think I was happier back then!  And now I live in a 2,200 square foot 5 year old house!  Happiness is NOT dictated by how much money you have or the things you own.  Sure I wanted the latest desktops and such, but I had to wait.  I built my own stuff using used parts and would occasionally use new parts once I saved up enough money.  And I had quite the master rig.  But was that the source of my happiness?  Not even close.  I got happiness by being with friends and saving money.  Dicking around the woods and playing my old video game systems (Super Nintendo, SEGA Genesis, etc.).  I spent exactly $5 a month on entertainment and saved $20.  I found things to do that didn't cost money.  

I didn't find all this out until about 8 years ago.  I was miserable back then.  I was always wanting things and not being able to have them.  I spent every cent I had trying to find happiness.  All I could see was what other people had that I didn't.  It was a horrible existence.  But then I got a reality check and found out how to be happy.  'Till the day I die, I know I'll always be happy regardless of how much money I have.  And that's a good feeling.  You need to figure out how to be happy and look at things for what they really are.  And once you do that you'll be able to free yourself from the bindings of money and the influence the media has on the life you choose to live.

[Jrd89]

I appreciate everyone's kindness so far on this thread! I thank you very much.

Pterano: Thank you for your advice. glad you're also there for me on Skype.

LBT lover:   :blink: !!   Yeah, those are true, bare-bones, down-to-earth facts.. and every person's want list will always be longer than their need list.

sorry for being a whiner. I was in a sad fit for a few hours while I posted that. I hope my life gets better.  
As for these digital gadgets nowadays, I don't have any of the "so called latest and greatest". and I don't need any of those in order to live a proper life.

 I play cd's in the year 2012 and I don't own any apple electronic gadgets such as the ipod and iphone5.  (i have my lbt dvd's hiding in my closet in a bag so my mom and dad can't find them) And for movies, I don't do things like "download" movies on netflix.

Like Pterano said, I do hope one day to be on my own and not have parents always controlling me.  At one point in time, I hope to have my life back on track.  I didn't mean to whine to the point of annoying people here in this thread in my opening post.  

And I can truly say, I have never had a rough point in my life as rough as landbeforetimelover had pointed out on where he was 5 years ago in his own life.

It does still kind of hurt me when mom and dad owe me $11,000. I hope things improve for me in my future.

*the reason  i type/act so nervous, is because i'm afraid i'll get yelled at by someone. (it doesn't take very much for mom and dad to shout/yell at me. : (  they are a more.. on the "serious" side, and on the "tough" side. ... but still, hitting mom in the shoulder back in January was still the wrong choice.

*the nervous acting.. though, is because i'm afraid i'll say the wrong thing and might get yelled at by mom or dad for doing something wrong.

Thanks Pterano, (lbt lover's long post of wisdom), jansenov, and Mumbling, too. That's a great Petrie sculpture on deviantart, mumbling (the one with him holding the treestar with the #28 on it).

And in any case, I DON'T NEED any Iphone 5, or Ipad 3, Ipod, etc.. to be an LBT/Don Bluth movie/Petrie fan.  I personally will take any Don Bluth movie over today's CGI/Computer animated movies any day of the year.

(Guys, when I was little, in about.. 1993.. I had this recorded tape that mom recorded for me... it was long.  I remember what it had on it, too.

Babar (30 minute cartoon) /The Jungle Book (1967 Disney)/The Grinch Grinches the Cat In The Hat/Rikki Tikki Tavi (Chuck Jones 1975 version)/The Rescuers Down Under/and then the last movie on the tape was "All Dogs Go To Heaven". ^_^  and I watched that tape a LOT when I was little, guys.

I DON'T need to own any stupid, silly robo, cyber, digital Apple gadgets/iphones/pods/pads.. to be "with it", "popular" or "cool".  :blink:    I've lived without all of those perfectly ok.

[Jrd89]

**As you can see, I went and updated my post above**  

I've seen those apple gadgets come up all the time CONSTANTLY  <_< "Introducing the all-new Iphone 5"... or "the all new Ipad". or "....now available on Blu-ray!"  in tv shows/commercials, and thought I was "behind everybody" and needed to get caught up.

Apple is nuts, WITH SUCH QUICK introductions/releases of all of their phones/ipads...

.. with only (I believe) an 11 month gap between the release of the Iphone 4S and the Iphone 5! I don't need any stupid Iphone. That's just Apple trying to get richer and richer and richer with all their new tech. gadgets/gimmicks.

I'm not going to buy something i'm not going to use a whole lot,  and I don't need to buy/own ANY of those silly Apple gadgets in order to be "cool" "with it" or "popular" here.  <_<   I'll buy an Iphone or Ipod whenever that time comes when I feel like it.

I'm not required to own one right now! (plus i don't even know how to use an iphone or ipad in the first place.)

I'll stick to my own cell phone, cd's and LBT dvd's. I'm doing great with the things I have right now.    and i'm still one cool Petrie/ flyer /LBT fan here.  

I don't need to own the most popular/latest electronics/iphone/ipad/ipod to be a cool here!   and NONE of those things existed when "the stone of cold fire" came out,  and we all lived just fine.

Here on the GOF, we don't pick on each other about a tech/electronic item that another member may not currently own....

 So why should I even feel "left out"/be worried about the new tech. gadgets I don't have?   it's SILLY! I am capable of living without any iphone, ipad, or ipod! It's not a life necessity to own any of those.

Thanks, everyone!    

[Jrd89]

Update: Well, i'm still hanging in there. Tonight I feel kinda lonely/blank/and empty. I've been working hard, but still no new car. the loaning money out to my parents continues. I DON'T know when mom'll get going on selling real estate. So far this winter she's had only ONE closing, this is the busy season. After April, the busy season is OVER! X (  

the Riviera's engine BLEW on New Year's Eve morning, rendering the car useless. it was towed to a repair garage for an analyzation. It will need a new engine, after 249,000 miles..  We got a rental car..  after 3 weeks at a repair garage, it was towed home and pushed into the left stall of the garage.  So far in 2013, it's been rental car or Mercedes ML-350. we have only ONE car that's ours now, and a rental car (because we cannot operate on one vehicle with mom, dad, and I and our jobs between the 3 of us, and my sister's school and school activities!! > x (

dad's paychecks keep getting CHOMP CHOMP CHOMPED up in just a couple days. WE'RE HANGING ON, though. We're getting by, and i've still been loaning money out to them when they need it and ask me for any.

At the store, there will be an opening for the grocery/stocking department this coming June because there's a worker who's leaving.. I have my name on the "registration of interest" list for the job of "grocery clerk". So this June, I may have a shot at going to the grocery/stock department, which is the second-highest paying department in the store (only behind the meat department)  Currently i'm getting $8.25 per hour, and my hours have been between 32-35 hours a week in this busy winter season (January-April)

Yes things STILL SUCK. Still spinning on a hamster wheel working, getting nowhere on a growing bank account. LOAN LOAN LOAN out to mom and dad. The renters at our old house in Michigan LEFT WITHOUT TELLING US.. (apparently jusssst couldn't afford to buy it.  >8 ( !!!!)   DAMN IT! > 8 (    We have a new agent who's selling our house now, and my mom says she's a very good selling agent, too.  I hope it works.     Still no news on anyone who's interested in our old house in Michigan. It's back to being vacant, no renters, but we have a new selling agent though. :|  

My dad and I are doing our parts at our jobs, but mom's not making any money in real estate. only 1 closing so far.. back in December.   Not enough money to get another car currently. too many bills to catch/keep up on. and there's never enough left over for my dad to get a replacement for the Riviera.  It's been the Mercedes and a rental car since January,

I get angry/scowly whenever I see a Bentley or even a Rolls-Royce drive by. I also got angry at a show that was on this evening, (fictional), where a man was at an auction and bought a bottle of wine for $1,000,000!!!   Mom said "Jared.. Jared.. take it easy." and told my grandma *my mom's mom, not my dad's mom.* (who's visiting us now from Michigan..) that.. "he's just acting jealous"   <_<

I never said I wanted to be a millionaire in my life, but i'm sick of being stuck on the hamster wheel, working and working, but getting nowhere.  I'm trying and trying, working the hours. I hope mom can get going on the real estate, because dad and I together isn't working, mom's the missing link we need in order to get the money going to a better, more normal level again.. and not so on the edge-tight.

Wish me luck, guys. DAMN it this sucks!! > X (  It's like i'm stuck in this puddle of deep thick tar and can't pull myself out of it!

At least dad and I are still very busy at our jobs, working and making steady money. Things continue to be tight if it's just dad and I making money. I wish mom was able to get in the game and make money, too. Then they wouldn't ask me to loan them money as frequently.

At least we're all healthy and have the essentials that we need. House, food, and dad and I have our jobs and we're able to pay for the utility's and necessity bills all fine. There's just no room for any extras or special stuff right now. We ARE still getting by. It could be MUCH worse, guys.

Still, I wish my family could catch a break!! x(  This sucks!  I HOPE my mom can get going on SELLING! because you can't make money as a real estate agent UNLESS YOU SELL something!  My family is long overdue for good luck. I'm so tired of getting more and more "bad hands" dealt at my parents.

We're in our "sunflower place" house, my parents still pay the home bills ok, and the food and gas and utilities to keep the show going ok.  (and I still pay the tv bill like I do every month, and loan money if my mom asks me.. because my mom knows when they need money, and not my dad.)  I always call mom if dad asks for money, because dad blows through it quicker. (when he was younger, his mom used to always gave him money and she never knew when to tell him "No, not this time."  She just kept giving him money whenever he asked for some. > : ( She didn't know when to say "No."    

I'M so grateful for my mom. She said "be sure to ask me, before you loan any money to dad, ok?"    and so far it's worked out great.  Mom's on my side, guys. She knows what's going on.

Dad's been getting extra work time at the power plant in this past week (some nights he works 12 hour shifts instead of his usual 8 hour shifts) Extra time helps. and he DOES have outages at the power plant coming this fall (2013) and spring (2014) too. So things look good for dad, work hour-wise for this fall and next spring.

And I may have a shot of going into the grocery department this June, when there'll be an opening. Wish me luck on the possible promotion in June, guys. If I get it, I think i'll be making about $2 more than what I am in my current position of bagging. It's a very small amount, but it IS a larger wage than what I am now in my bagging position.

There's my update. Yes, it sucks that things are so tight right now. I just wish things would get going on the right track soon!    I hope good luck will be heading my parents way and my way soon.

I'll be able to get my loaned money back, like I said.. when mom gets going on selling houses/condos, and/or our old house in Michigan finally sells. I worked for the money, I earned the money, it's my money. It's just been loaned out right now whenever mom or dad ask for me to help/loan them money.  

Mom's told me: "Jared, you've been a HUGE, tremendous help to us, and you WILL get your money back."  

Like I said: Mom selling more houses/condos..and/or our old house in Michigan selling can cure and end this long spell of bad luck and tight money.

[bushwacked]

I'm really sorry things haven't got better for you yet, Jared. The people renting your house in Michigan that left without telling you sound so inconsiderate. How big was the gap between them moving out and your family finding out?

Still, things could be about to get better with the new agent you're using, and your possible promotion to the new department. My fingers are crossed for you being able to regain your loaned money soon, nobody deserves it more than you.

Sorry I haven't been able to catch you on Skype lately. But I'm always ready to listen next time we're on together  

[vonboy]

I hope things get better for you, Jared.

Hey, are you off Tuesday or Thursday? I'm off those days, And I'd be around to talk to you in length if you need it.

[Jrd89]

Bushwacked: It wasn't very long, fortunately. <_< It was about a week after they left when we found out. !!! :angry: !!! We were waiting and waiting for them to pay the rent for March.. but each day, no phone call, we had someone, I think it was my grandpa up in Michigan, go over to our old house, and there was noone there. Empty. The renters left. Apparently, maybe they thought we were "cluing" into them to eventually buy the house.. But they abandoned ship on us!! Apparently they juuuust couldn't afford to buy it.  :angry: !!   I'm sorry you had to hear the bad news, bushwacked.

Man, it really sucks! I thought we had something going on there. But the renters left at the end of February.

Vonboy: Sorry. The only day I have off this week is Wednesday, but i'll see you on skype in my free time if you happen to be in.

[StrutEggStealer]

If you ever need to talk, you have my Skype, and I have yours. Drop me a line if you need a listener and/or a talker. I can do both