Most of the time I think this is a good thing, I like doing for others. I help out my brother with groceries during the winter when bug-killing work is hard to get. I let him come over and do laundry and barrow movies. I don't mind. As far as I am concerned that is part of being in a family. But he gets jealous of me. I have a steady income, and I recently got some extra as leftover school grants. So I paid off my bedroom set (which was rentacentered) and bought some electronics that I didn't NEED, but I wanted, and they've made life around here calmer and more smooth. I also have budgeted enough that we can eat out or order Pizza once in a while.
I know he's struggling right now, I invite him along when we go places and I treat him when we are out. But he still makes the side ways remarks about "why won't anyone help me with my bills" I didn't know dropping $500 to catch up his utilities was my sisterly duty.
Then he's going on and on about how much his job sucks, the secretary is trying to screw him over and the boss isn't honoring the contract they have. I know jobs can suck, but its not like we have a great economy here. He showed up in town about six months ago with a great life plan: hitchhiking to California. I talked him into sticking in the area and gave him a month on my couch to do it. In that month he stole from me and fought with my son, basically because he didn't know how to be around kids.
He seems to have come a long way since then. He hangs out with Isaiah and has apologized for using my credit card without permission. But now he's acting like he's going backwards and I don't know if I want to appoint myself as responsible for keeping it from happening. His life plans usually have about a six month self life, and its there. So as much as I love him, I don't know how many more times I can talk him into paying his rent and not quitting his job and sleeping in his car.
Then there are times when my caretaking nature works out well. Last month at work the people who had been serving lunch quit and we were left without a hot lunch program. I thought it would be nice to organize a teacher's pot-luck. It would be a chance for fellowship and a treat. So I wrote up a proposal and volunteered to do the big dish the first week.
And another teacher took credit for the idea. For the longest time it was briana's idea to everyone. The record eventully got set straight, but it was a surprize to see something I thought up attributed to another staff member. Weird. Guess it was a good idea.
And then there's this friend I have. I met her in the Grad program. She has two little boys Isaiah's age. She's a nice lady. But unless she needs a textbook I already have or clarification on an assignment, I don't hear from her much. I like hanging out with her, and I have a plenty busy life myself. But I've noticed.
Plus sometimes I think she only wants to go out on the town with me because I'm shorter and heavier than she is, perfect wing girl material.
I guess its a matter of setting and sticking to boundries, like I will buy tom a burger or let him do laundry, I will not listen to him gripe about his job, his bills, his broken PS3 for hours on end. i will do nice things at work because I think it makes work nice, but I wont get into a pissing contest about whose idea the nice thing was, I will hang out with a friend and help her with school work if I can, but I will not be the dumpy, slightly socially inept backdrop to her night out on the town.
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