About 2 weeks ago, my father calls me. Now, when my father calls me and mother is not home (she's out of the country again), it's usually not good. This time was no different. He asked me to take some vacation days, Oct 6-Oct 10 to go to California with him and my younger sibling.
Yeah. That again. One of my younger siblings just HAS to go somewhere, since they started working (and hence, making some money). She picked CA and booked her flight. And my dad's flight. My dad wants me to tag along. Other than the flight, nothing has been prepared (hotel, car, activities, meals, etc). Not to mention a airfare ticket there is over $380, plus about $80 for parking at the airport. So no, I am not going to CA. I didn't go to Chicago because the airfare was too high, why would I go on a whim to someplace I really have no true interest in, with such short notice?
I wont lie, though. I did think about it a lot. I could make it work and make the money back with my PT job and nobody would even know the money was gone. It pains me that my dad may be stuck there, and I know he'd like me to come along. We get along better, and have more similar interests. He's been wanting to have a family vacation for a while, but thus far, it's been individual vacations here and there. And as much as I'd want to and can make it work, it irritates me they do these things without thinking and try to guilt others into joining. I'll gladly wear my anti-social label, if that spares me from this drama.
Sure, money can be found. Time can be arranged. But it is only whimsical and a bit inconsiderate of my sister. Why choose a Sunday to a Thursday? Oh, that's right. Because she works odd days and hours. The rest of us work the regular Mon-Fri with additional weekends. It's not like any of us (most importantly, she does not) have extra money to spend. It irks me they go and almost impose on others these half-planned ideas.
I lied and said I couldn't get the time off (which is half true, since we're down one on a 4-person department, due to maternity leave). I haven't asked, and won't either. Though it'd be awesome, that money would be better left where it is and save for things that really matter. And I'd be a total PF hypocrite. That's sufficient enough "excuse" not to go.
Not that you need an "excuse" not to go anyway, right? lol
ReplyDeleteSo why is your dad going? Did he get guilt-ed into it too?
Yes and no. He'd do anything any one of us kids would ask him to do (even though he *really* cannot afford it), and my sister sort of made his flight before he had much say on it.
DeleteWhat is in CA that she HAS to go?? Stay home.....sounds like drama in the making.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be devil's advocate here. I don't think its that bad that they're going. They have the money now for a ticket and they are unlikely going to have the money again for a vacation.
ReplyDeleteI have taken vacations in the past where I charged the tickets on a credit card and picked up more shifts at work, waiting tables, to get the cash needed for my trip. I didn't carry a credit card balance and it was paid off the next month. It wasn't very financially responsible but I made memories to last a lifetime.
When you don't have anything and you have the opportunity to travel or buy something really neat you won't get to do again, why not do it?
Tanner, you have made the step out of poverty of having a long term plan. They don't have that yet. You are educated and have direction that they don't.
I always play the DA. Heh. But saying that they have the money is a truth in disguise. They don't budget for anything or get money in excess, so guess where that money is coming from... yup, other bills that will fall behind. And I'm afraid one of the bills will be the car insurance bill. Which may get them kicked out because they've been cancelled twice before.
DeleteThough I totally encourage travel (heck, look at me going to random places all the time), I make sure all my bills are paid and that I wont have to scour for months to make up what was spent. I think the stress isn't worth it for me, but they don't see it as stress, just as a fact of life.
I have mixed feelings. I LOVE to go to new places, and do new things - sometimes at the expense of my budget. California is a place I'd love to see more of (one week in Palm Springs working in August hardly counts as seeing California.) On the other hand, to expect you to drop everything on essentially a moment's notice simply isn't very nice! I wouldn't ask off for almost a week off from work on 3 week's notice! That's not fair to my co-workers. Not to mention, if they want you to come that badly, the least they could do is offer to cover the plane ticket. I do think you can simply say "thanks, but it's not in the budget right now" which is the truth, even if you could "make it work".
ReplyDeletePeace <3
Jay
I would love to just travel all over the place, I'm right there with you. My half brother is from CA (though he's in FL), so I am sure I will end up visiting those 2 states soon enough. Just not right now. (And budget doesn't exist in their vocab.)
DeleteMy mom does this to me all the time. One year she wanted to go visit her dad but didn't want to go alone. At the time I had a 3 year old and a six month old. She offered to pay for my daughter's seat so that I would go. I agreed but then felt guilty since it wasn't like I couldn't afford my daughter's ticket, I just hadn't really wanted to spend the money. So I ended up paying for my daughter's ticket too. I'm glad I went because my grandpa is getting older and since we stayed at his house and ate most meals there, it was actually a pretty cheap trip.
ReplyDeleteBut its frustrating. I'm the type that needs to think about spending money on something and then plan for it. I hate when things are sprung on me. My mom does this a lot, offering to pay for part of it. Then it leaves me feeling guilty again because I feel like I'm just being cheap. When really I would probably enjoy doing some things if I just had some notice and time to plan for them.
Whew! Sorry, you got me on a roll there! I understand where you are coming from, especially on such short notice. But I can see how it would be tempting.
At least they offer to pay, which is nice! My dad would probably offer to pay, but I know he probably couldn't afford that either.
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