Tokyo, Procrastination
One time when I was sitting in the kitchen with my mom, my dad came in and started to make some potato salad. After he cut up the potatoes, eggs and a bit of green onion, he turns to my mom and I and asks if we would prefer mayonnaise or miracle whip; a lot or a little.

My mom and I politely said, "mayonnaise, just a bit." My mom and dad make a pretty good potato salad so I was really looking forward to it.

When it was served, my first impression was, "Whoa! That's a lotta mayo!" After taking my first bite, my first impression was, "HEY! That's not mayo!"

When I asked my dad why the potato salad had half a jar of miracle whip on it after he had asked us and we requested the opposite, he replied, "because that's what I wanted to eat."

Okay, fair enough. But then why bother to ask me? And especially if I'm sitting right there the whole time, why not bother to mention that? Not to mention the possibility of splitting up the ingredients before any miracle whip was added.

Sigh..............................................................................................

Oh, well.

Comments
on Jun 28, 2006
Aren't families fun?

So where have you been? at your blog with pictures? I forgot about that until I noticed it on your recent articles.

It's great to see you back.
on Jun 28, 2006
I've been lurking mostly for a bit. Didn't really have much to write about. Been feeling at low ebb creatively and I didn't have much to write about unless it was ranting and didn't feel like focusing on that negative energy. Some funny stuff happened at work but it's not so complimentary to some people and I try not to blog about work because I work at a school.

That article about my family isn't really a rant. I just had a similar episode happen to me and it was easier to blog about potato salad.


Is it better to ask someone what they want and then completely ignore that and do whatever you planned to do in the first place or is it better to say, "This is what's going to happen"?

I prefer the latter. Then I don't have any expectations of my preferences being accomodated. Then I KNOW I either have to suck it up or negotiate.

Gah, I'm going to go have some ice cream.
on Jun 29, 2006
After 30+ years of my father agonizing over gifts for my mother only to have her ask for the receipt. After 30+ years of seeing him watch with eager anticipation as she opened the gift only to be shot down, my dad asked me, " What should I get your mother?" I told him, "Say these words...'our anniversary is coming up and I want to get you something really special so I'd like to take you shopping.'" Ok, so it cost him a full carat, but she still tells the story of how he said he wanted to get her something really special...

I also told mom at about the same time. "Mom, say these words...'Do you know what I would really like for our anniversary?' For the love of Mike stop dropping hints that he doesn't recognize. You get mad that he didn't get it and he gets hurt that you return it."

They had no clue. How did they make it this far???

Families... You can't live with them, you can't beat a murder rap.
on Jun 29, 2006
I feel so much better now. Thank you for the potato salad. Forgive me for ranting. But it felt good.
on Jun 29, 2006
Is it better to ask someone what they want and then completely ignore that and do whatever you planned to do in the first place or is it better to say, "This is what's going to happen"?


Yes, I think if you aren't going to follow through with a asked for recomendation you should just keep quiet.

My husband will do this, ask me where I want to eat and then shoot down everything I suggest. When I get aggravated after suggesting three or four different places and say "you pick" he acts like I'm the one being a jerk. ugh. If you didn't want my input, why did you ask for it?

and hey check out that creativity portal website and the 52 projects. Maybe you will be inspired.
on Jun 29, 2006
Mrs. Mitchell... feel free to rant here anytime you like!

Would you like miracle whip or mayo with that rant?


If you didn't want my input, why did you ask for it?


Maybe we are supposed to use our psychic powers to tell them the answer that they really want to hear? Dunno.

I'm glad I'm not psychic. Just based on the random wierdness that goes on through my mind, I hope no one can read my mind. And I'm pretty much Mrs. Vanilla Ice-cream when it comes to "interesting" thoughts (I'm reading an erotica book a friend picked up at a book conference for me hence this kind of idea) I think I'm probably glad I can't read other people's thoughts. Some things are probably just not for public consumption.


That whole mind reading your spouse thing could be a very interesting blog topic.


hey check out that creativity portal website and the 52 projects

on my way there now!

on Jun 29, 2006

Would you like miracle whip or mayo with that rant?

Ah Miracle Whip.  I can only think of it at this time.

on Jun 29, 2006
hey check out that creativity portal website and the 52 projectsLink please?


Link

I got them from locamama's site at the above link

also see...
http://www.52projects.com/52_projects/photos/index.html
http://www.creativity-portal.com/