2006-09-18 - 3:29 a.m.

Poor guy...

I wanna give my dad a hug. He went to bed all miserable and guilty-feeling after the convo we had. Basically, my parents think it's the best thing for me that I move onwards and upwards (and out). It's cramping my style to be here; limiting and all that.
They also think it's the best thing for them that I move out. Bless 'em, they've had kids living at home now for 27 years (28 if you include back when Tom was, like, a foetus), and they'd quite like to move on to their autumn years now. Those autumn years are all the rage with their buddies; they're just trying to keep up with the Joneses.

Anyway, so Dad would say "it's not like we want you out"
Me: "well, yeah, it is"
I'd be smiling, of course (since I'm not upset or anything - it's no secret that they've been wanting this. But Dad just'd be feeling like this horrible, unkind guy, and would try to put a nice gloss on it

Dad: we want you to feel like this is home... and you're always welcome as a guest
Me: But those are incompatable. If a place is your home, you live there. You are not a guest
Dad: But... i... it's not like we want you to move on for our own sakes
Me: Although, from your point of view, it is prefereable that I not be here
Dad: um... I...
Me: I mean, you do want me out.

Essentially, he was trying to hide that part of it up. Not in a bad way; he wanted to spare my feelings, and push the positive angle. Certain conclusions were inescapable (but legitmate), but no parent would enjoy the conversation.

Bit of a "failure to launch" moment, really.

Seriously, though, it did impress upon me the importance of finding a place of my own (especially since he'd charge a bit more rent than I'd like to be paying... I've found some rather cheaper places online already).