Dear So and So

[Biciclista]

Stick to your guns, Blueberry, you're RIGHT!

[Sky King]

Dear Parks Department,
Why is it that the biggest park, known for a meeting place for cyclists doesn't have decent bike rack? Seriously, there are bike riders who use their bikes for transportation, not just sport and we'd like a safe spot to lock our vehicle (ie bike) I had to ride a 1/2 mile away to the local brew pub for a decent bike rack so I could go on a hike with friends.

[channlluv]

Blueberry, I recognize this pattern of behavior. Your mother doesn't want to deal with your partner because he's been better for you than she ever was. You've accomplished a lot on your own, without her help, and maybe even in spite of her actions or non-actions. She's probably feeling guilty for not being a better parent to you, and that's the source of her laying guilt trips on you. If you feel guilty for not being a better daughter, she can ignore her own part in your upbringing.

I think I'd dump every piece of furniture or whatever she's dumped on you. Just donate it to Goodwill or have Amvets come pick it up or something. It's obviously not blessing you. Let it bless someone else.

I get rid of more stuff like that. It's not blessing me. Let it bless someone else. I wish it were that easy to get rid of the non-blessing emotional attachments.

Do you feel responsible for her? My mother sometimes calls me four or five times a day. She's lonely a lot and needy, but I had a similar lack-of-parenting upbringing. I often ignore her calls. She'll leave a message. I can return it or delete it, but it's my choice.

You're doing the right thing. Stand tall.

Roxy

[Owlie]

((Blueberry))
Dear jerk in a Cadillac--
I can only go as fast as the vehicle in front of me. When this vehicle is a semi on a winding road, that isn't going to be all that fast. Riding my back bumper is not going to magically make me go faster, nor is it going to make that semi disappear. Moron.
By the way, had you rear-ended me with the bike on the back, I'd have jammed that old tube in the back seat down your throat. FYI.

The Honda driver.

(Not-so?) Dear LBS,
I've always had my reservations about you, but you were the only game I knew of at the time, you are the only one in town that carries Giant (so I figured you should know about its little quirks, which you do), and the fact that I liked the wrenches (at least, most of them) made up for the sometimes spotty customer service record. (And just so you know, while the managers and a few other people are really good, the sixteen-year-old salespeople...let's just say I know more about what they're selling than they do.)

Your new location, while extremely convenient, has sadly put another shop out of business. While I haven't dealt with this shop much (its location on a busy road doesn't help anything), the couple times I went in there, the salespeople knew their products. The owner took half an hour to check what was wrong with the fit on my Giant, offered some suggestions (even though this shop didn't offer fitting services) to make it more comfortable, and ran through some specs with me of the Madone models I was looking at. I don't know how, but the way you do things has put a really nice little shop out of business.

I feel dirty.

[Becky]

Dear Laptop-

First, your battery life went to he!! in a handbasket, and now the battery won't charge at all I sincerely hope that the new battery that I just ordered fixes the problem....it really wasn't money that I had planned on spending!

Love,
Grouchy

[Blueberry]

Thank you Tulip, Mimi, Roxy & Owlie - I'm feeling better about my decisions, and do plan to stick to my guns

[NbyNW]

Dearest wet puppydog,

I love you very much, but please let me eat my dinner in peace.

Love,
That person who takes care of you when your "fun parent" is away.