...to deny you all the intense joy presented by the unveiling of yet another Thursday diversion. I realize that I've not been very forthcoming in the past few days with entertainng matter for your reading pleasure, having instead to provide nutritious snacks (in the form of my furry haunches) to the variety of alligators that are firmly latched onto my buttocks.
BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME! It is about YOU and YOUR fun. So let me stop what I'm doing and do this. For you. Because I'm just here to serve you, like some kind of slave.
As you can guess, this is going to be the Guilt Trip Version of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!
SO, take a moment, if you can, and you're not too busy to participate, after I went to all the trouble to stop my work and come up with these questions, and answer these three questions:
1) Who is the best person in your family at inducing guilt in others?
2) What is the last thing you did or didn't do that you later felt guilty about?
3) Is there anyone in your family who is immune to shame and guilt?
There now--all done--JUST FOR YOU! Leave your answers in the comments below, or a link to your blog. If it's not too much trouble. Because Lord knows it was no trouble at ALL for me to do this, just because I'm covered up with paperwork. NOOOOoooo, I do this for you because I know at least a couple of you enjoy it. Not that I ever get to enjoy anything anymore, but at least SOMEone can. [Following maudlin 4,564 word statement redacted for lack of space. Ed.] OH SURE, the EDitor can come in here and just cut me right off. Figures. Just go answer the questions.
1) I would have to say my mother. Or maybe I'm just more susceptible to it. But no matter--she's still quite good at it.
2) I was going to take the laundry room door off the hinges and move the old washer and dryer out of there so it wouldn't be so hard for the delivery of the new ones. I didn't get that done. Because I was so bleedin' tired Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Visibly so. But that didn't stop someone from asking me, "Terry, weren't you going to move the old washer and dryer out?"
3) Oldest.
So there you go.
Posted by Terry Oglesby at April 12, 2007 09:09 AMI feel guilty that I'm the first one up.
Posted by: Diane at April 12, 2007 10:58 AMMmmph, looks like folks are on holiday or somethin'. Hope last weeks T3 didn't drive them away.
1. It's difficult to say who is the "best" since best implies getting results with the exercise of a guilt method. Therefore, it should be someone who uses it sparingly yet sufficiently to obtain a desired outcome. Typically, extroverts in the family will be known for trying to use guilt but not having success, while the introverts won't even bother (I'm in the latter group), or employ guilt in a clumsy manner. Since I'm usually not affected by guilt, I can't say who is the "best".
2. Not loving enough (LAZY!), and looking for love in all the wrong places.
3. Answered in #1 (that'd be me), although my son has not developed a sense of guilt yet. Some kids take their time doing that, while others are very sensitive to guilt starting with the toddling stage. It's a little bit funny.
Posted by: Marc V at April 12, 2007 12:29 PM"It's a little bit funny."
Sorta like being attacked by a tiger in your pajamas...
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at April 12, 2007 12:47 PMA tiger wearing my pyjamas?
I suppose the funny depends what perspective you happen to be coming from, like most everything else in life.
Posted by: Marc V at April 12, 2007 01:27 PMEspecially if you're the tiger.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at April 12, 2007 01:30 PM1) Who is the best person in your family at inducing guilt in others? My Mother-In-Law.
2) What is the last thing you did or didn't do that you later felt guilty about? I don't do the guilt thing which drives my M-n-L crazy.
3) Is there anyone in your family who is immune to shame and guilt? Me and my son.
Posted by: Larry Anderson at April 12, 2007 02:53 PM1. I never knew the whole concept until I grew up and slammed crash-bang into the world of Other People. No names, but her initials are Mother-In-Law who visited such thunderous waves of guilt upon her poor daughter that therapy was required. Problem solved. I think.
2. It would be something I didn't do because even though I am known as the busiest person in the whole world; I often feel that beneath it all, I am bone lazy and just want to lie around reading books all day.
3. My own family had no truck with shame or guilt, if I read the question correctly, which I probably do not. That is to say, there were no guilt-trips or passive-aggressive guilt transfer attempts between family members when I was growing up. This has possibly led to a degree of naivete in some members in aspects of life; in others just a totally sweet nature.
PS: No tiger's getting into my pyjamas. I don't wear any.
PPS: I love 'redact' and look forward to using it soon.
Posted by: kitchen hand at April 12, 2007 06:48 PM"Tant guilty oh nuttun, that's me story... at least rite now. BTW I made seafood gumbo today and will make chicken & andoulie tomorrow. Should I be guilty of waist expansion?
Posted by: Chef Tony at April 12, 2007 11:54 PMTony, a waist is a terrible thing to mind.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at April 13, 2007 08:01 AMAnd Kitchen Hand, I wouldn't want to wear tigers, either.
(Or "tygers" for you William Blake fans, since it seems we're spelling things using the letter Y in place of the more normal vowelish things.)
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at April 13, 2007 08:04 AM