I am a firm believer that environment directly affects behavior. I've not only been witness to it but I've experienced it first hand. Staying at my aunts for 90% of my Christmas Vacation was totally different than day to day life here at the old homestead.

Even the Jujee was all active and fun to be around. Then V and J left with the kids and we came home and its back to normal. The Jujee is back to old bad habits, smoking in the house, getting nothing done for days at a time... and I am back to getting frustrated and aggrivated so easily. Why is that?

I'll tell you one thing though, spending that much time with one's family in close quarters makes me really start to dislike them. Not so much V and J, although they had their moments too. But mostly just my aunt actually. She is so stubborn and irritating and obnoxious and so much like me. Seriously, it drives me crazy. Seeing V with her own family now and me being so extremely far from any possibility (partially through my own choice) makes me wonder if the two of us are going to end up like my aunt and the Jujee.

To be perfectly honest, though I see myself in both of them, I would rather not be like either of them. One is completely overbearing, stubborn and hypocritical, the other is hypersensative, neurotic and a little immature. Which is not to say that they don't have good qualities too. But neither of them is very happy with their lives. It makes me sad. And frustrated.

Well it's time for me to display my own failings as I go back to my slothful ways and procrastinate elsewhere.

p.s. thanks for listening.