Family Reunion

yardgames

Retired Administrator
I'm going to try and relate this to MITM, but I think I will most likely derail, which is why I placed it in the Grotto.

How many of you actually have to see your extended family on a regular basis? I'm not sure what European cultures are like, but for me, it's pretty similar to that of Malcolm--one side of the family every couple of years; the other a couple times a year.

The reason I ask is because today is one of those days when I have to see the side I don't see very often. It's similar to a family reunion, more or less, since most of these people haven't seen each other in years, but the whole point is because one of my cousins is going off to college.

To be honest, I don't really care. Hardly knew her anyway; I don't see why I have to go say good-bye to her.

What do you guys think about family reunions? Does anyone here actually like spending time with their extended family? How bad is yours, in comparison with Malcolm's? It's not that my family is "bad" like Ida--more like whatever Hal's dad is called--I mean, they don't hate my mom quite that much, but spending time with them is painful nonetheless, for a reason I can't quite pinpoint, other than that I would much rather be doing other things.
 

Ryebeach

Moderator
Families are always so different and our relationships often very complicated. For instance, I have a fairly small close immediate family. I do have siblings but for reasons far too extensive to get into, I see them rarely. My mother is an only child so her side of my family is pretty much nonexistant. My father's side of the family is quite the opposite. He, and as a result, I, have more cousins, aunts, uncles, etc than one could every begin to count. In 1987, his side of the family held a family reunion in New York. There were well over 150 people in attendance and even the most distant relatives came. It was nice for my Grandparents to get to see people they knew but hadn't seen in years but for me and my siblings, it was extremely boring. These people didn't know me from Adam and I could just about guarantee I would never see the majority of them again in my life. It was not pleasant. I spent hour upon hour shaking hands with people whom I didn't know, nor truthfully, cared to. But I put a smile on my face and made the best of it because it was the right thing to do for my father and my grandparents. It was a reunion they shall never forget for joyous reasons and it's also a reunion that I shall never forget although for slightly different reasons. ;)
 

yardgames

Retired Administrator
Ahh, interesting. You're lucky; to quote Malcolm, I have to see my family six times a year!

You seem like a wise person to be nice enough to shake people's hands; I probalby would have gone up and down in the elevator or something. Lol I'm really not a people person. If I don't know people, I don't care to meet them, and if I do, I spaz out to them. For example, today, I kept telling eveyrone about how the step to the door of the house was too large a step, because I tripped over it every time I went in and out.
 

NeCoHo

Retired Mod
Well, my fater's side has very strong ties to Sicily and Italy, it's a family rumor that if I say my last name in Sicily/Italy, I could get whatever I wanted. My great-grandparents came from Italy, and Sicily, then my great-grandfather always told my dad what is mentioned above. So, Everyone thinks I'm related to the mafia in Italy. I won't go anyfurther there. But, I am related to the Three Stoodges. My great aunt was married to a guy who was a cousin to the three stoodges, Moe, Larry, and Shemp. Curly wasn't a brother. My dad's side has so many people in it. It was very confusing when we had a reunion once, and I'm like "Whoa who are you? you look just like me, but who are you?" Of course we all asked each other the same questions. I rarely ever go see these people

My mom's side however, is much more defined, and non-mafia dominated. 9 cousins, 4 aunts and uncles, 5-7 people I don't know. I see this side of the family almost daily.We all live in a 15 mile radius of each other. My grandmother is a diabetic, so my mom does insulin for her often, so I get to see them, and my grandfather still belives he can shovel snow at 78, so we're over there when it snows, plus Saturday, Sunday, and Friday (afternoons) from Sept to June And since they live close to the beach, every day in summer, even though I never go to the beach. That is why I'm never at the chat.
 

arach

New member
Well I have 8 uncles and 8 aunts. Some of them I see only once or twice a year, some of them every several weeks and some of them several times a week, because they live in the same village.
Of course, during the year, when I'm away at college, I don't see them that much, but that doesn't count. ;)

I have 13 cousins, two of them already have children (not together, with someone else of course). One of my cousins is a close friend of mine, which means I see him every other day (when I'm not away at college of course).

Of course there are some relatives that I really like and some that I don't, but I guess that's normal. I don't really like spending time with the one's that I see hardly ever. All that small talk like "Hey how are you doing", "you have grown up" and "how's college" makes me uncomfortable. But what else should a stranger ask you?

Of course we had those family reunions 2 or 3 times a year, at which we don't participate anymore, because it was all organized and payed by my grandmother, with which my parents had a fight so they don't talk anymore, but that's a long story.
So there are other ways than family reunions to see those hardly-ever-seen-family-members. They simply visit us every once in a while. Not all of them of course, just one family and then another family, which is even worse, because I have to talk to strangers even more often (I liked it more when we had those family reunions. You just get over it twice a year and that's it).

Oh and I have no grandfathers anymore, but 2 grandma's.
 

yardgames

Retired Administrator
Thanks for sharing everyone. it sounds like some of you have some very extravagent families. I don't know why we don't traditionally just move out of the house when we're ten years old and never see our families again. Like dogs. I wouldn't miss them.

@J how come you live next to a beach and never go to it?

@blinddevil so you're from Engalnd then? How come you moved to Canada?
 

arach

New member
yardgames said:
I don't know why we don't traditionally just move out of the house when we're ten years old and never see our families again. Like dogs. I wouldn't miss them.
You talking about your home? How come you wouldn't miss them?
And: Do you live at your parent's house the whole year?
 

arach

New member
yardgames said:
Yeah, I'm in high school, so I live with my parents the whole year. I don't know, I just wouldn't.
Well probably you will just notice that you are missing them when you don't see them so often anymore. My sister and I were always fighting, but since we both moved out, we are getting along great. I'm also getting along with my parents much better. It's because they can't really control my life and watch everything I do anymore. Sometimes, when I thought they were bossing around, I later figured out that they were just giving advice. Moving out really changes relationships. You should try it out. :D
Are you going to college when you are ready with High School?
 

NeCoHo

Retired Mod
yardgames said:
@J how come you live next to a beach and never go to it?
Spoken like someone who's truely never been to the beach often.

It's like "I've been there all my life, I've seen it from every angle ever imagined and then some. It's boring." Sam, did you ever have tourists come to your town and be amazed at everything they see, when you've already seen it, done it, and take it for granted? It's the same thing. Same thing happens to me, the shoebies (excuse my slang for "non-local") are amazed by the fact that the sand burns when you first step on it, then becomes cooler as you move closer to the ocean. I take stuff like that for granted, just like the fact that if you dig deep enough in the sand, water will gush in, it's quite fun and enjoyable (it's a must do if you've ever gone to the beach), but you must dig down at least 5 feet. I guess thats the best way to explain it. Don't think of me as a surfer dude, think of me as an enlightened coastal resident.:D
 

Ryebeach

Moderator
J. said:
Spoken like someone who's truely never been to the beach often.

It's like "I've been there all my life, I've seen it from every angle ever imagined and then some. It's boring." Sam, did you ever have tourists come to your town and be amazed at everything they see, when you've already seen it, done it, and take it for granted? It's the same thing. Same thing happens to me, the shoebies (excuse my slang for "non-local") are amazed by the fact that the sand burns when you first step on it, then becomes cooler as you move closer to the ocean. I take stuff like that for granted, just like the fact that if you dig deep enough in the sand, water will gush in, it's quite fun and enjoyable (it's a must do if you've ever gone to the beach), but you must dig down at least 5 feet. I guess thats the best way to explain it. Don't think of me as a surfer dude, think of me as an enlightened coastal resident.:D
Living in a beach town myself, I agree with every word in your post J. I live very close to the beach and do occasionally walk the beach but other than that, I avoid it. I'm used to it, I guess is the best way to describe it. And as such, it doesn't really thrill me to go to it. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else though, I love living on the beach but I rarely actually go sit on the beach or go swimming. And the summer months are the worst when the tourists flock the area. While good for the economy, they are aggravating with their total disregard for the environment. Trash is left everywhere. It's very sad really.
 

NeCoHo

Retired Mod
Ryebeach said:
Living in a beach town myself, I agree with every word in your post J. I live very close to the beach and do occasionally walk the beach but other than that, I avoid it. I'm used to it, I guess is the best way to describe it. And as such, it doesn't really thrill me to go to it. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else though, I love living on the beach but I rarely actually go sit on the beach or go swimming. And the summer months are the worst when the tourists flock the area. While good for the economy, they are aggravating with their total disregard for the environment. Trash is left everywhere. It's very sad really.
Thank you Ryebeach.

Here that everyone? "Total disregard for the enviroment." Truer word have never been spoken when discussing summer at the shore.

But it's getting off-topic, so I'll make a futile attempt to bring it back.

I love having younger cousins. having 7 of them, my Reese personality never dies with them, just 4 hours ago, I was pummelling one for changing the channel on me. He got some rug burns, neck pinches, and pressure pointing, and I got to watch "The Real DaVinci Code" on the Discovery Channel. Having no siblings, I enjoy being with my cousins more then most people do. One, being almost my age, we get to discuss older stuff, and most being younge, I get to "guide" them painfully and nicely on what not to do, such as not to read in your free time, as I just recovered from that socially since 6th grade, now I'm in 9th. But being in the band gives major social points to me in my school. And now, I am rambling about my social mistakes, almost as Malcolm would do. I will now cut tat short before I rant and save you from that trouble.
 

yardgames

Retired Administrator
Ok, ok, so beaches are only popular if you don't live near one. I live near the shore of Lake Michigan; if you keep track of football, you know where Green Bay is, and that's where I live. There are beaches within an hour or two, but I can't say I live in a beach town, per se.

I do have a similar experience though, when we have visitors. My dad is a home automation specialist (in other words, he designs smart houses) so we have a big home theatre in the basement--people are always amazed the first time they see the 133" screen drop down by itself.
 

packer-backer

New member
Hey yardgames can i come over to your hous. lol. Anyway on the topic I hate getting in big family reunions. Not that anybody is mean because theyre all very nice but I'm very shy and i never really talk to anybody. Usually after an hour or two I am alot more comftorable being around evrybody though. Anyway I USED to have a very small family. But a couple of months ago my mom re-married somebody who had 9 brothers and sisters. Thats right nine. And almost all of them have at least 5 or 6 kids.:mad: :eek:
 

Jimmy Junior

New member
When I was younger I used to get dragged along to all kinds of family events, but now I'm an adult I can see whoever I want, whenever I want, which is freakin' sweet!

I go and see my Dad about twice a year, my Grandma and 2 Aunts live near Luton (about 2 hrs drive away) so theoretically I could go and see them whenever I wanted to, but apart from that I don't see any of them any more - I haven't seen my mum for about 3 years.


Going back to the beach debate, almost everyone where I live goes to the beach on a regular basis, although to be fair it's right in the busiest part (somehow doesn't feel right saying 'centre') of town so in the summer it's where everyone goes to meet.
Even in the winter the seafront is busy because there are loads of bars and clubs down there.
The place locals steer clear of is the pier, because it's always full of Londoners who come down here to argue with their families and eat chips.
 

yardgames

Retired Administrator
And British "chips" are American "French Fries," right? Wouldn't it be easier if you called everything the same thing no matter where you went?
 

Jimmy Junior

New member
yardgames said:
And British "chips" are American "French Fries," right? Wouldn't it be easier if you called everything the same thing no matter where you went?
Pretty much, yeah, although "British chips" are thicker than "American french fries".
One universal language in one universal dialect would certainly make things much easier, albeit boring as hell.
 

samboo1

New member
My mum is half australian, half american and my dad is english so i have a lot of relatives in other countrys. Its too bad ive never met most of my mum's family, because ive never visited them in other countries. Ive never been to a family reunion, but i hope i do as i would like to meet all my foreign relatives:)
 

yardgames

Retired Administrator
Maybe it would be more fun if you got to travel to another country and see something more than farm fields.
 
Top