She argues like an Israeli (given that she is one). I use avoidance and 'round the houses politeness' tactics like a Brit. Never the twain shall meet.

when she starts yelling, it's not personal, it's just Mediterranean.

coughs-to-choking I will reply on this later.

erin, I can really relate to that. I think, if I got your vibe right, that it's all about taking things personally. Too personally. And I don't think one can ever learn not to take it to the heart, but there may be methods to come to terms with it and not to sink in the Over Analyzing Pit Of Doom. Anyway, good luck.

coughs-to-choking I will reply on this later.

??? Did I offend? If so, apologies! Was just making observations that The Girl herself makes a lot...

Oh no, Seska.

It's just that as an Israeli, I guess, I have A LOT to say about it. All good.

as an Israeli, I guess, I have A LOT to say about it.

Heh. Now why doesn't that surprise me.

Three or four books to go... Would *really* like to have the reading done by today or tomorrow ('cause spending this many days without getting changed out of my pajamas is really not right).

[Real Irish wheaten bread, toasted.]

erin, I don't know what your job is, but I can relate to that. As a teacher of high-school-age kids I used to feel responsible for anything that went wrong for any of them. One Friday in my first year of teaching, one of the kids that I was a personal tutor to (I think that's like a guidance counsellor in the States) went into hospital after an overdose. I think I cried for the whole weekend. (She was fine in the end, thankfully.) Jobs where you're responsible for others are really tough. Wishing you all the best with yours.

[Real Irish wheaten bread, toasted.]

jealous

What they said, erin. I hope you were able to get some comforting rest.

They were taught not to speak directly about what they want and so a lot of them use this weird passive-aggressive shit which is MUCH more annoying than being forthright.

I swear, in my family, it's as much cultural as it is generational, because I see some of my cousins using this technique and it makes me nuts.

erin, I hope you got some rest last night.

when she starts yelling, it's not personal, it's just Mediterranean.

::SNORT:: That's FUNNY.

::SNORT:: That's FUNNY.

Not when you're sitting in the corner staring at the shouty woman, boggling, and thinking "This isn't how my passive-aggressive family handles confict", it isn't. :P

She seriously doesn't get me and my family, either. "You don't talk about anything. Ever." That's right. We're Anglo-Irish. The most we ever talk about is the weather...

erin, being a dispatcher is hard. You get a lot of calls where people are just too far out on the edge. I 'm sorry you had a rough one. I wish i could say there won't be others. But you do vital work and help a lot of eole.

Not when you're sitting in the corner staring at the shouty woman, boggling, and thinking "This isn't how my passive-aggressive family handles confict", it isn't. :P

It's funny because my very Cuban-American family is the same way--I'm the mutant weirdo who doesn't tend to be shouty but who doesn't understand the non-talkers either. My husband's family is just SO polite and they wouldn't dream of creating conflict whereas mine lives for conflict.

And they all wonder why I became a writer...