Wednesday, April 27, 2011

.......

I haven't blogged for awhile but I need to get something off my chest.

I am really fucking pissed off at Tristan right now.

His birthday was April 25. He had planned a get together with his friends three months ago to be held on April 24 and pretty much all of them accepted. Problem is though that he and his friends didn't realize that April 24 was Easter Sunday and everyone backed out on him a couple weeks ago.

So, what would anyone else do? Probably plan another get together for the weekend after when everyone will be free?

Well, not Tristan. He decides to throw a fucking tantrum.

I should elaborate that Tristan, for reasons that aren't really known to me, absolutely hates Christianity. I'm an atheist, but I think everyone has the right to believe what they want and religion does provide some good to people. He grew up in a Christian family so I don't know if something set him off a few years ago or what but he can not stand it now. I think this has caused some problems within his family (his mother is big on family ceremonial things), but I digress.

Anyway, he decides that he's boycotting Easter. He leaves religion alone if it leaves him alone and apparently Easter got in the way of his plans. So, he's still holding his get together on April 24.
I told him over Facebook, that he's making his friends choose between spending time with their families and him and that he's probably not going to like the answer. He says he doesn't care.

So, on that Friday (April 22), there was a dinner at his parents house that was a combination of a birthday dinner for him and an Easter supper. Which was extremely nice.

Anyway, after supper, it was gift giving time. He first opens up the gift from his parents. New shirts and a new jacket, both pretty expensive looking.
His reaction? Stares at them for a minute, shrugs his shoulders, and says "Mom, I told you not to give me any more clothes."
......WHAT? As his aunt beautifully said: "Why don't you just say 'thank you'?"

Yes, his Mom does get him new clothes for pretty much any occasion. But you know what? He's a hard guy to buy for, he's into geeky things that she doesn't know about and she loves clothes shopping. Hell, if I got new, brand-name, expensive clothing for my birthdays and Christmas, I'd be in fucking heaven. He's not really into clothes, but at least give a positive reaction and stop being a brat.

Oh, and my favorite thing about that dinner: his Mom hands him two cards. One is a birthday card for him and the other is an Easter card addressed to both of us. He looks at the Easter card and says "I'm going to pretend I didn't see that" and throws it down.
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
The look on his Mom's face was the most heart-breaking thing I've ever seen.

So, flash forward to Sunday. I had to work that night, unfortunately, but when I came home at 11pm, I noticed that he deleted himself off Facebook. So, I immediately think something is wrong and decided to text him. Here's the conversation:

Me: Is everything alright?
Tristan: Yeah, just peachy.
Me: :( What's wrong?
Tristan: Just had a spot of false hope, that's all. Learned to stick with my initial predictions.
Me: I take it no one showed up tonight?
Tristan: Not a soul.
Me: That's too bad. But Easter is important to alot of people, whether they are religious or not.
Tristan: Obviously, if they are willing to shirk a 3 month commitment for it. I guess you could say I'm jealous of Karl.
Me: Who is Karl and why are you jealous of him?
Tristan: A friend of an online friend. Similar situation, only for the entire weekend. Difference is they stuck with their initial commitment.
Me: Entire weekend? Sounds like he planned a trip or something. Which is a bit harder to get out of.
Tristan: Nah, just had people over everyday. At least the friend I know was sleeping at home.
Me: Ah, sounds like a real shindig. But please tell me that you aren't mad at your friends for not coming to yours.
Tristan: I'd be lying if I didn't say I feel like I've been just casually discarded.
Me: They didn't do this just to spite you. If you give people a choice between a get together which could happen any other weekend and a holiday where family gets together, they will probably choose family.
Tristan: Which is no consolation to someone who would stick to whatever was committed to first.
Me: You've never pulled out of something that you were committed to?
Tristan: None that I can recall, although I' really tired and more than likely there was a mistake or two. But if I say yes, I'll try hardest, other events be damned.
Me: People make mistakes. Things come up. It's life. And it's not like they informed you last minute that they couldn't make it.
Tristan: Compared to how far in advance I planned it, it practically was.

....Okay.
First of all, why would you plan something like this three months ago? Yes, it's a good way to try to guarantee people will come but as we can see, shit happens and people can't possibly know what they'll be doing in the days around your birthday if you plan it that far in advance. Unless it's like a trip or something.
You know what Tristan planned? A games night. Something that you could do on any night and not something appropriate to have on Easter Sunday.

Secondly, when you find out two weeks before that there is a conflict, there is plenty enough time to reschedule, even if it will be on a later date. There's really no need to cause a fuss and it is not really last minute.

Thirdly, just because you don't care about Easter and other religious holidays, doesn't mean other people don't. One thing I can not stand is when people force their beliefs on to other people, which is exactly what Tristan is doing. Religious aspects aside, I love Easter because it means a turkey dinner and spending time with family. That beats a games night any day.
Also, I'm really not seeing how he thinks he's been "casually discarded". Seriously?

Fourthly, I'm calling bullshit that he's never shirked a commitment. No one is that perfect.

Fifthly, have some god damn respect. If your own mother gives you a card, no matter what the occasion is, you DON'T THROW IT BACK IN HER FACE. And I was taught at an early age to always give a positive reaction to gifts, even if you hate it. Someone spent time and money to give you something and there is nothing more horrible than to just not give a reaction or just to scowl at the gift. It's just basic manners.
Also, I always believe you should be respectful of people and their beliefs, including if they give/say something that goes against yours. Unless the person is harassing you or something. I had a teacher in high school that would always say "God bless you" whenever you got your homework done. I was never really bugged by it. He wasn't forcing me to join a religion, he's just giving me a compliment based on his own beliefs. Nothing more to it than that.
Plus, when you start insulting people based on what they believe in, you are the one with the problem.

Sixthly, look at the fucking calendar before you plan a get together three months in advance. Especially since you should have some knowledge if there's a holiday around then.
Also, how the hell can an "arbitrary religious holiday" get in the way if it's been on the calender SINCE LAST FUCKING YEAR?

Seventhly, this is Tristan's 26th birthday. Depressing, isn't it?

There's probably more but I'm getting angry again.

I'm trying to be a supportive girlfriend and trying to make him feel better about this but he's acting like his party was just too important to miss. And because everyone said they could come three months ago, they should still go, Easter be damned.
No. It does not work like that. You planned your party on Easter weekend, you suffer the consequences.

I think I might have to talk to him about this. I hate having confrontations, but I just think this whole thing is just so fucking stupid and I hate the fact that he's alienating friends and family over a simple mistake which could have been easily fixed. And his behaviour at his parent's dinner was just fucking inexcusable.

Anyway, I'll try to post a happier blog as there are good things happening in my life (graduating! YAY!) but I just really needed to get my thoughts out on this.

3 comments:

Maureen said...

Huh. I do agree with Tristan that you're supposed to keep your commitments, but from my religious (and family-lovin') point of view Easter is kind of a de facto commitment you make to your family or church if it's a tradition for you. You work out the details when you get closer to the holiday.

And sometimes you forget it's happening until two weeks before. It's not Easter's fault that calculating the date is hopelessly convoluted. He wouldn't plan a non-Christmas party on Christmas, would he?

Anyway I'm going to stop commenting on other people's boyfriends, because it's not my place. I hope he becomes tolerable again soon, though.

Megan said...

Hey, Maureen! No long, not talk! :)

But, yes, I agree with you. You should keep your first commitments but there are exceptions. I would think Easter would be considered an exception but apparently not in some peoples eyes.

I have calmed down a bit since I wrote that. I'm seeing him tonight and the topic will more than likely come up. We'll see.

Maureen said...

Ha, Easter's not an exception, it's a commitment that's made the moment the date is calculated! This is absolutely how religious minds work. Trust me. It's like birthdays. I never verbally committed to calling my brothers on their birthdays, but I do it. I take time out of my day and from other people to do it. You know?

Anyway, good luck with Tristan. Moral of the story for me: Always look up the date of Easter at the beginning of the year.