Irresponsible Teachers, Racist Grandparents, and Motherfucking Neighbors!

The BBQ Pit
1

My subject says it all! But I think I will elaborate. This isn’t going to be much of a flame though, just need to get it off of my chest.
Irresponsible Teacher
This woman, whom we’ll call Carry, is driving me crazy.
She wants us to treat her like a coach, because, technically, she is our Forensics coach. Great, I will treat her and respect her like a coach, when she starts acting like one.
For example:
We’re having Mock Trial try-outs this week, for attorneys. We were told to write an opening statement for prosecution and defense for a certain case. So far, so good, right? The only problem is, more than half of the people trying out don’t know what an opening statement consists of. “Then why are they trying out?” you may be inclined to ask. Simple answer: they are Freshmen, and they want to be involved! So, she didn’t tell them what to do before giving them the assignment, and they are being judged on how well they do!
It frustrates me that she is not teaching what these kids should know. So far I have been coaching them and telling them what to do, along with my friend Marty, because our “coach” won’t take the time to do it! And believe you me, I have better things to do with my time (4 AP classes, and 1 Honors, plus Student Gov keeps me pretty busy) But when it comes time to take credit, we all must worship her and great coaching abilities. I have zero respect for this woman, and she has had more than a year to earn it. And I am not the only one who feels this way.
I have so many rants about this woman that I could write a fucking book. I shit you not. But for now the previous example of her ineptitude is enough.

Racist Grandparents
As some of you may or may not know, I have a boyfriend. Here is a picture. I want you to notice two things about this picture. That Jim is black, and that we are both extremely happy. Don’t we look happy?
I could literally spend hours telling you all the reasons I love him, and all the reasons we were made for each other. But no one has that kind of time, and quite frankly, it suffices to say that he completes my life. We’ve been together for two wonderful years now, and I’m hoping we have 50 more equally wonderful years together. So what is the problem?
The problem is my grandparents. They are racist, and they don’t like my BF. Jim lives with us, and they refer to him as “the boarder”. They make snide comments about him, but never to me. They always gossip behind my back to their neighbors, family, friends, everybody. My grandfather lies to me on a regular basis. And the kicker is, he thinks I don’t know! I’ve had it up TO HERE! Especially since I know a few juicy family secrets that are about a billion times worse than anything I could have done, or probably will do. I won’t use it against them unless I am pushed, but right now, they are pushing me pretty hard.

Motherfucking Neighbors
Well, the motherfucking neighbors stole my cat. I’m pretty pissed, and my lil sister is crying and my mom is heartbroken. Stupid, shit-for-brains, maggot-infested, putrid, ugly, assholes! There, that feels a bit better.
Well, I feel slightly better now. Thanx for listening.

2

You want me to send a squad of SHARP’s over to your house pepperlandgirl? I know some who could be quite accomodating.

Hey, at least your grandfather isn’t trying to eat you! SQUEEEE!!!

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<Useless Tangent>

Pepper, your boyfriends name wouldn’t be mark by any chance would it??? I’d swear on anything that’s holy that I work with that guy. I don’t mean that your boyfriend looks like this guy, I mean he IS this guy!!! This is the scariest thing I have ever seen…today

</useless tangent>

If you’d like some advice on the neighbours then if you’re certain that they did steal your cat then call the cops. Either that or get some revenge. (I recommend waiting until they’re on holiday or something then phoning up the utility companies and getting all their gas/water/electrical supplies shut off, works a treat hehheh)

As regards your grandparents, well, it’s like the saying “You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family”, you’re stuck with them I’m afraid. If I were you I’d just try to ignore them, have as little to do with them as possible, that might let them know how much they’ve upset you and they might refrain from making nasty comments. Or you could perhaps introduce them (if you haven’t already) and show them what a nice guy he is, that might help too.

As for the teacher, she sounds like a moron, I’m sure you’re smart enough to ace your studies in spite of her ineptitude and remember “Those that can do, those that can’t coach”

Hope I helped.

4

They stole your CAT???

How the hell did they do that?
Why did they do that?
Are they killing it, or keeping it?
Are you sure they have it?
Oh my god! Get your dad, or BF to go to the door and say “I see you found our cat, thanks” and put out his hand.

They stole your cat???

Oh my god! I would go nuts!

5

PLG, I feel for you and the lost cat, I hope you recover it. My daughter had an absolute zero for a teacher during college, she did nothing until she finished the course and then she and the entire class requested a meeting with the dean. It worked, the teacher no longer pulls the stunts she had been pulling.
Bless you and your boyfriend. My wife and I have always encouraged our children to follow their hearts. We are not concerned with anything more than them being happy with the ones they love. We only ask the person they love to treat them well.

6

Kelli, our cat wonders around the neighborhood. Well, the old woman next door to us died, and her granddaughter was living with her. Because the kid occassionally feeds the cat (and I mean once in a great while) she thought it was hers! She moved to the next town last weekend, and we couldn’t find the cat ANYWHERE. Well the granddaughter told my lil sister today, “Oh, by the way, we brought Muffy with us to Pittsburgh.” WTF?! If I knew WHERE in Pittsburgh, I would go get him back. At least they didn’t take my other cat, too.

Gomez, my BF’s name Jaime.
Also, my grandparents have known Jaime for two years, I introduced them at the very beginning of the relationship. And they know him fairly well, as well as my parents do at least. They KNOW what a nice guy he is. However, he is black, and he’s related to them “damn thieving injuns” (actual quote from Dear Old Grandpa), so it doesn’t matter.

Oldscratch, I’ll get back to on that one. I’m not ready for them yet, but it’s close.

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OMG pepper, unbelieveable about the cat! I don’t know what the hell to tell you…

Shame about the family. True that you can’t do much about it now, but soon you will be able to free yourselves and not have to hear it every day. Make it a priority.

I hate teachers who want to be “pals” or “coaches”- fuck you, just DO YOUR JOB!

8

Clear something up for me. If this your parents house, and your grandparents live there as well? or is it your grandparents house, and you and bf are living with them?

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Jim lives with me, in my parent’s house. The first year he lived with us, we lived in Utah, just a few miles from my grandparent’s house. Now we live in CA. The reason they are causing me problems is that they are in town, visiting.
And they have always referred to him as “the boarder”, though my parents literally treat him like a son, and he doesn’t pay rent. (At least, not directly. He makes my car payment, buys my clothes, buys random things for the house, etc etc)

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My cousin married a nice young man from Puerto Rico, who is at least as dark skinned as Jim. My grandparents love him. Now, having never been a racist jerk before, I don’t understand the rationale. A dark Puerto Rican is OK, but a dark American is not? Jim isn’t even “black” really, he’s hispanic/black/Indian/white.
So, is it just skin color, or something more? I honestly don’t understand.

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ARGH! If someone stole my cat I’d be calling the fucking FBI!
I say press charges on that bitch!

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Pepper, I have to say I’m very saddened to hear things are really this bad between your grandparents and your relationship with Jim. I know we’ve chatted about it, but it seems this is a bit more serious than I thought.

I will put the following scenarios out for you -

  1. It is very possible that after you are “legally” married that your grandparents will stop fighting and start supporting you. I have seen this happen a couple times, where the wedding was protested against very heavily, yet after the wedding everything went well.

  2. It is also possible that your grandparents will never accept the situation. This is the worst possible case of all, and in this case I would have to say to go with Jim if you believe in him, and leave the grandparents behind. You are trying to build your life based on the future, and your grandparent’s opinions and beliefs seem firmly rooted in the past.

Una

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pepperlandgirl…You are having a bad day…Sorry about the cat,teacher and grandparents…I agree w/ Anthracite…I had a similar problem w/ my family when I married a black man…I walked away from anyone in the family that had problems w/ it…And 5 kids later, never missed any of them…Good luck w/ your life…

14

This is a really bad couple of days. An american ship being attacked, the Mets are now tied with the Cardnials, and now this note from pepper. I cannot understand your grandparents attitude either, pepper.

15

Pepperlandgirl, you look a little like Kate Winslet. That’s a compliment.

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I’m in Pittsburgh, pepper. If you have any clue where this cat stealing loser is I can go beat the crap out of them and steal the cat. (Well, I’d probably just go demand they give it back, but I can take big scary guys with me and look mean…grrr)

Sorry about loser teachers too. Refuse to give her the respect she doesn’t have. Don’t give her what she wants, try to find a way to meet with her and discuss your problems. Do so clearly and with as little anger as you can manage. (Use her first name, it makes you feel better to kill the title of respect and save it for the teachers you do respect.) Be clear, reasonable and open, but remember that no one can demand you respect them without earning it.

I’m sorry I can’t help too much on the racism issues. My background has never held any such behavior. You are on the right side of this one though, don’t let your grandparents get you down. Its not their relationship to persue or consider. Its yours, you are happy, they can shove it.

17

Your cat stealing neighbors can be traced by the forwarding address they left with the post office, through the telephone company who will give you their address so long as they have a listed phone and through any bills they are still paying.

You could mail them a letter to their old address, it will be forwarded to them, telling them you want your cat back and either bring it back themselves or you’ll be glad to go get it. Be nice. Say you understand how they might have mistaken it for a stray. (Take any veterinary records to prove it.)

18

The neighbors stole your cat…geez, I thought MY neighbors were horrid!

As far as your grandparents go, you have a decision to make. Do you want to preserve the relationship with your grandparents or with Jaime? No it isn’t fair that you have to choose, but there it is. Jaime isn’t forcing you to choose between love and family–your grandparents are. If you really love this man, then know that your grandparents won’t accept it and it may end your relationship with them. Is he worth losing them?

I am estranged from my grandmother, btw. And I can tell you two things: 1) It hasn’t affected my life negatively; and 2) But I was never close to her anyway.

Good luck!