Tis the season!!
Well… try telling that to my family. Christmas at home, away from Uni, means stress, arguments and a lot of cleaning of my mother’s home. The second I stepped foot through the front door of my parents place, having spent the first few nights back down south at mine and Matt’s place before visiting the parentals, my mother had ordered for me to clean her kitchen for her, which was in an appalling state. I reminded her that I no longer actually lived there, and that simple statement created the first of many arguments. Sigh. She will never change it appears. As much as I remind her that this is her home and therefore her responsibility to keep clean, she insists in screeching tones that YOU LIVE HERE TOO! I then remind her that I in fact pay rent in another area of the country altogether, and prior to that, had my own house with my boyfriend, effectively ceasing my “living” with her contract.
Her latest excuse to do absolutely nothing at all is that “she’s working allllll the time.” Well, in actual fact she finishes work at 2.00 in the afternoon. In my view, that leaves plenty of time to clean the dishes from hers and her husband’s meal the night before, rather than leave it for a couple of weeks until I come back to visit and ask me to do it for her. When I was living with her and in full time work, she was unemployed, and would sit in front of the television all day, moving only to perhaps pull a weed from the garden, and give herself a pat on the back for a hard day’s work. I would come home from a ten hour shift and two hours worth of travel time, to a house I was expected to clean for her and a meal to cook.
I no longer live here but apparently these conditions have not changed. I see the fairness here.
In other news, Matt completely spoiled me for Christmas this year. He gave me a lot, including a white gold necklace and earrings set, a silver anklet, a TONNE of chocolate, hair straighteners, dvds, perfume… the list goes on. He really spoilt me- made a huge difference to receive presents from my boyfriend instead of just giving them, as it was before. Last year I got a card. Which was the same one I received from Rob’s mother- so just one out of her pack. He in return got a watch, a ring, dvds, countless clothes etc. So it was lovely to actually get some stuff back. Though I felt it was too much, and I expressed so, to which he simply replied “shut up, you’re worth every penny.”
I’ve had such a busy few weeks it’s amazing. I’ve spent time with all of my friends, having to allocate a day for each of them, or a group of them, which has taken up a lot of time, as well as spending time with family over Christmas. Tomorrow Matt and I are going to see his grandmother and family for the day. We also saw them on Boxing day after an afternoon with my grandparents. I’ve not been able to fit in any uni work yet at all, which is stressing me out a lot, as I have a huge amount, but for this afternoon I have a bit of time free, so I’m able to catch up on emails and get some work done too, while avoiding more arguments with mother, the last one was only an hour ago so I’m keeping away before she yells at me again for something I was meant to clean of hers and I haven’t, or that I’m a terrible daughter for some reason or another. The causes of these arguments don’t vary much, so I tend to stop listening as I’ve gotten used to the jist of them after living with her for so long. I can zone out and still know what she’s on about, or somewhere in the area of it anyway.
New Year’s is coming up too. I’ve already decided on my resolutions. I’m going to start another 365 project, and I’m going to complete it this time. I’m excited for it. I hope it will improve me as a photographer and keep my work at uni up to date too, as I’ll have a new photograph and concept every day. Another is to start reading more again. I used to read new books all the time, but I find I don’t have the time for it any more at uni, but I’m determined to make time for reading, as I miss it. Less time on Facebook, more time reading 🙂
The last is to DO ALL MY ASSIGNMENTS WHEN THEY’RE GIVEN TO ME, NOT AT THE LAST MINUTE! I was terrible for it last semester, leaving me in a stressed fit of panic every night before one was due in. So this semester, and for the year, I will learn from this mistake and actually do my work when it needs doing, not when I can be bothered to get around to it. I need to focus better- I’m paying for education now, and it’s not cheap. I need to take it a bit more seriously.
Hope everyone’s had a wonderful Christmas and have a Happy New Year! See you all next year! Let’s hope the 2012 myth doesn’t come true. 😉
Thoughts, musings, and ramblings... 