Audrey, if it is a matter of a broke laptop, try a chromebook. I got a new acer one for less than 300 at Bestbuy. It boots fast and surfs the internet faster than my windows machines.

SS, thank you for the tip! My sons have Chrome books - they're provided by the school district, and they love having them. A free laptop! What's not to love?

Our issue was resolved today, thank goodness, and our WiFi is back on. We live in Bumpkinville, and our area just got good interwebz. We were having it installed today, but had turned off our Hotspot last week. There were a few snafus with installation, but they were straightened out. I'm so spoiled! 

Joining in today because I need to *****!

• My manager is ******g me off. Just got back from 4.5 days of vacation and I'm barely doing anything because she is barely allowing me to do anything and it's driving me INSANE. I've been here for about 5 months and she just won't unclench enough to allow me to do things on my own. I've tried to bring this up to her and she says 'when we get through x' we'll address the next thing and train me on it and then I'll be able to do more. But what she doesn't get is that in HR there is ALWAYS a next thing. I took this job to get more of a Generalist experience but I'm driving an hour 1 way and I'm really starting to regret taking it :( And that's the first time I said that out loud.

• I have to see my brother and SIL in about 10 days. I hate them so much. They make me feel genuinely badly about myself. They aren't horrible people but they are completely self involved and only care about themselves. They have never once come to visit me in the hospital through any of my bazillion surgeries, when I had cancer and couldn't drive because of restrictions and SIL lived 10 minutes away she never offered to help even though I lived alone and couldn't even manage to pick up my ******g prescriptions much less WORK which I needed to do to keep my insurance. GAH, I hate her so so much. Anyway, I have to see them in about 10 days and I'm PRE-stressing about it because it will be my parents, them and their kids. They always manage to make me feel like **** Their lives are soooo much more important than mine because they have kids. (That's seriously the whole story there in their heads).

 I'm sorry your brother and SIL are such ****s. I adore my children, but I don't think parenthood has made me any more precious than anyone else, and I'm sorry their attitude is that somehow they are better than you.

I would gladly offer my high-level snark abilities if I didn't live so far away. 

If I didn't know better I would think we have the same SIL. I too get anxiety when I have to deal with her.

I suppose it's too much to hope they get a raging case of poison oak on their butts and have to stay home.

To make it worse they have SIX children. We can't have kids and chose not to adopt. So this makes them six times better than us don't you see? She makes me want to tear my hair out.

But if they don't show up I will want to go to their house a beat them because my Mom never asks them to do anything because they are so goddamn selfish. Catch 22.

Oh brother. My SIL (who works for a well-known charity and never lets anyone forget it, thankyouverymuch) just roped my MIL into babysitting her two offspring (2 years and 3 months) at SIL's home because daycare isn't good enough and too expensive for them. In addition, my MIL has some serious back issues. Bleh.

I'm truly sorry they are ****ty to you. They suck, and you don't.

Wow.  Do we have the same relatives?

My sister was at the hospital when I had surgery for colon cancer.  I didn't see her after that.  She never offered to help me when I was undergoing six months of chemo, although we live about 25 minutes away.  The world revolves around her, apparently     I remember going to my nephew's recital when I was undergoing chemo and feeling like absolute ****  I wanted to be there to support him.  The chemo I was on made me extremely sensitive to cold.  I couldn't touch anything cold, or drink/eat anything cold.  At the recital, my sister handed me a bottle of cold water and it felt like my fingers were burning.  She knew about this side effect, but didn't care enough to remember.

I saw her and my nephew last Sunday.  Although the day wasn't excessively horrible, the stress leading up to it was overwhelming.  The only time I hear from my 23 year old nephew is when he needs something, or it's time for his birthday or Christmas present.

I realize the situation is never going to improve so I do my best to avoid any interactive situations.  My buddy from work told me to "take care of those who take care of you," and it's good advice.  Not so easy to do with family members all the time.

Wow. I swear I'm having flashbacks reading this. I went to my niece's dance recitals when on my chemo and it was hell on earth. SIL  couldn't understand why I wouldn't want to go though.

I've come to realize over the last 3 years while trying to work on my mental health that the situation with my brother and SIL will never get better so I've distanced myself and I don't interact with them unless I have to which means I don't get to see my nieces and nephews much anymore which sucks but I have to protect myself. My Mom cannot understand why I am like this and don't want to spend all the time with the kids. But when I leave from spending time with them (and through them their parents) I almost always am in tears and feel like **** for weeks after. So avoidance is key for me too.

I don't hear from them unless it's a holiday or birthday as well. We have the same freaking family. I don't want other people to feel like **** but it's comforting to know I'm not alone in it.

 You are not alone. And sadly, I find comfort in knowing that I am not the only person whose family members offered no support during the worst time of our lives.

My mom died from colon cancer. A family  friend reminded me that when my mother was going through treatment, my sister basically dumped her too. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.

I've discussed my feelings with my sister after she mailed me a Christmas present rather than making an effort to get together. I confronted her on how I felt abandoned by her when I had cancer. Her excuse? She felt jealous that my best friend who lived in NYC sent me little gifts the day before my chemo treatments. She "couldn't afford it." That was her rationalization. *****

And I'm with you. Less contact, the better. For my own mental health.

 yes to this. I have to limit contact with my mother for my sanity. I blamed myself for years for her crazy behavior until a very smart person explained to me that she says what she does to make her actions right in her own head so she can live with herself.