Graduation

My high school graduation was this past Friday. Like so many things involving my family, it was incredibly complicated. It starts two weeks before when seniors are trying to get final projects and other things done (see Procrastination if you want to read about that). During this time their parents are also trying to figure out who's coming to visit for graduation. It doesn't seem like it's be that complicated, but in my family everything is complicated.

It started with my Mom, Dad, Grandma, Younger Sister, Grandpa, Aunt, Other Aunt, and Uncle coming. Doesn't seem that complicated. Now let's get into the details. My Other Aunt and Uncle don't get along in the slightest with my Grandpa and Aunt. As well as that, my Dad and Grandpa (despite having the same personality and interests) can't stand each other. It all worked out though because my other aunt and uncle couldn't come. That cut out at least one argument. It also worked out because my Aunt is apparently wanted in the state of Colorado (honestly, the story's not as bad ass as you'd think), so she and my Grandpa didn't come. No complaints from me. It makes things a lot simpler when my family doesn't come.

My older sister couldn't come because her boyfriend had to work and she'd have to rent a car if she wanted to be out here for graduation. It evens out though because I missed her's due to a vomit inducing migraine. She just came out here later and is hanging around for a few days.

Throughout the entire time we trying to figure out which of the crazies (what I commonly call my family) were coming, there was a feeling of impending doom as another one of my aunts (commonly referred to as MAM) was plotting to come out here. Her plan was to bring out a car load of her crap, leave it here, and bring my grandma back to the house of yet another on of my aunt's. (Note: The bringing out of crap and leaving it at our house is a common practice among my family, known to happen almost every summer. I believe on one occasion someone actually brought out a toilet.) This posed more problems than the fact that we don't have a place to put this crap (mostly because the house is already filled with their crap).

1) It would mean that I would have to clean up my room and move everything out of it and into my sisters room. (I'll explain this another time.)
2) I would have to sleep on the couch throughout all finals.
3) My family doesn't understand the concept of going to bed, so that someone sleeping on the couch can actually go to bed themselves.
4) My family doesn't understand the concept of being quiet so the person sleeping on the couch can actually sleep.
5) My aunt would either stay long enough to attend my graduation or would take my grandma before my graduation.

Luckily none of the above happened. (Note: An aunt coming out just in time for finals did happen to me last summer.)

Now, what is complete, without a family argument on the way. While we were trying to get out the door so we could actually go to my graduation there was pointless arguing. Lot's of "We need to go!", "We'll be late!", and of course, "Get in the car!" None of these things are actually helpful when trying to get out the door. They usually just lead to someone yelling back, taking even more time.We did manage to make it to graduation alive, sort of on time, and sort of in a good mood.