the joys of family dynamics

[sandra]

I'm thankful for these threads that keep me grounded and make me think. I understand what you are dealing with and it's not easy.

Life's not always fair. It doesn't seem fair when some seem to get all the lucky breaks and others don't. It's often difficult to celebrate with someone when we are envious of there achievement or wishing we had similar opportunities.

I know at times in my old life we have been on the lucky end (mostly because of what my husband has accomplished and not me) but I have been hesitant to share it with my family because they are envious. To my family it probably appears that we have it easy, but my husband and I have worked hard for everything we have. The occasional "lucky breaks" couldn't be helped.

It's also hard to toot your own horn. Is it possible that your brother knows how you feel and wanted to spare your feelings?

I see it as a character building opportunity for you to try to take yourself out of it and congratulate your brother and be proud for him.

Hugs to you.

[bmccasland]

Thanks ladies and gent - Haven't made any chocolate cake, yet. But there IS a bag of chocolate muffin mix I bought by mistake, that if I doctored...

Yes Big Brother did *work* - but then he's also a genius. Graduated top of his class at the Air Force Academy (first time he actually had to work for grades), then got Masters and PhD from MIT. Astronautical Engineering = "rocket scientist". While in high school, his nickname was Mr. Spock. Which was very fitting. The man doesn't show emotion very often. And having a conversation with him is like pulling teeth.

ME -- average student, I worked for the A & B's in H.S. Then got really challenged in college, flunked a couple of classes. Discovered I don't learn by rote memorization. Never went to grad school. But I do like to read. I just have to go over and over and over something to learn it. I like biology, and most of those jobs are *soft* money (ie, grants), so when the grant runs out, you go. Also most jobs are government, which are sometimes dependant on the whims of the capitol (county, state, or federal). I like being a biologist. Today I got paid to go ride around a flat boat all day with an interagency team assessing a proposed swamp/marsh recovery project. In the rain, driving rain. (that made it work). The stress around here really is the Hurricane Katrina recovery. Sometimes I think about moving away, especially since I have no family ties to New Orleans. On the other hand, with the depressed housing market, I'm not sure I could sell my house for a decent price (like recover my down payment and pay off the loan + the second that paid for the bathroom repair). And frankly I'm tired of starting over. I do have good friends here, and that means a lot.

Thanks for letting me grumble. And whoever told me that life can be fair LIED!! but I knew that already

[LBTC]

And whoever told me that life can be fair LIED!!

I can't believe somebody actually told you that!

Hugs and happiness butterflies,
~T~

[sandra]

Girl, I keep forgetting! You are only an hour and a half from me! You should move here! Everybody else and his brother has from down there.

[boy in a kilt]

I was one of the NG Troops in New Orleans after Katrina. We got there about a week after the levees let go. I still don't know how to describe the experience. The smell of crap, burning buildings, rotten meat and the occasional corpse is still burned into my memory.

Still, it was probably easier for me than one of my buddies who grew up in New Orleans.

Hell is relative.

[Mr. Bloom]

Beth, I may be stating the obvious, but it's not your brother's fault he's a genius...but it's also not clear to me that the "Dr. Spock" nickname was a compliment either...there are often "social trade-offs" that come with extreme intelligence...but enough about him.

As to you: WOW! A biologist in the Mississippi Delta, an area that has been environmentally devastated following Katrina. I know that you can be anywhere you want to be...but it seems to me that you've chosen that place for a reason...even if it is the most humid place in the world

As a guy who got a "c" in biology in high school and avoided it in college, I'm glad that we have people like you who enjoy and are committed to working on the things you do as well.