Comments on: My Selfish Sister?

By: Bethany

Bethany — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:52:32 +0000

Me again. The woman who wanted to know how to handle her son’s intention to provide her with a soon-to-be motherless grandchild had a real dilemma, Judy. She sees him making a lifetime mistake and turns to http://www.thecheckoutline.org for advice.
What does she get? ‘Butt out!” Even if that’s the bottom line, she deserves to hear the pros and cons.
Today a very selfish sister wants an entire family to put an entire mourning process on hold for a high school game, and we read a thesis. Anyone else see something lopsided here?

By: Judy

Judy — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:40:21 +0000

I do try not to be snippy — but curt? Yes, curt happens.
I guess I get curt mainly when someone is trying to intrude unnecessarily on someone else’s life
That’s what happened when I provided a one-word answer to yesterday’s emailer, annoyed that her son’s fiancee was trying to get pregnant despite her bouts of breast cancer.
As for today’s writer — Rita — I don’t think it’s a great idea for her to bring up her sister’s selfish nature just now. Funerals are incendiary occasions (no pun intended…); no need to ignite them with acute observations on the defects of family members. However justified…

By: Gerry

Gerry — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:59:21 +0000

I can’t help wondering: what happened between the sister and her late father to create such apathy??? Like she can’t bring herself to go to his death bed? Weird. Someone should explore this. Feelings like these seldom occur in a vaccum.
BTW, I agree with the previous commenter, Bethany: You do get snippy sometimes, Judy, at the expense of thoughtful analysis

By: Gina

Gina — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:48:00 +0000

I think the answer’s simple: Rita’s sister has no standing here. (You can tell I’m a lawyer, right?) She lost all authority when she refused to drop everything to be with her dying father. Sorry, but I’ve been there, so I know what I’m talking about.
On another subject: stop giving Judy a hard time. She’s right to be “snippy” as you phrase it, or curt when the occasion calls. Some of those who write in deserve “curt.”

By: bethany

bethany — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:46:22 +0000

Judy, you often provide very short answers when the issue is seriously complex — bad enough. Worse, in response to this no-brainer you wrote endless nonsense. A widow is expected to hold up her husband’s funeral to accommodate a highschool basketball game? Your email-er isn’t clear about why this is totally insane? I’m sorry. You lost it here…