Hi! I just moved back home a few weeks ago and plan to live here until June. I recently got my professional degree and my dad is generous enough to let me live rent-free so I can save money until I take my licensing exam this summer.
Visiting home has always been stressful for me because my dad and brother are just plain ol' pigs. Not just messy, but everything is constantly covered in grime and nastiness. They spit loogies (god I hope that's what it is, at least) on the shower walls, leave milk to spoil in cups all over the place, leave the refrigerator door open while cooking, etc. One time I baked a cake for a family party the next day and my brother literally took a handful out of the cake overnight. Just generally frat house kind of stuff. I can adjust to a lot. I recognize that I'm a guest in my dad's house so it would be ungrateful of me to criticize their habits. I used to request changes in high school and it only starts fights. Now, I bite my tongue.
HOWEVER, for some reason, the #1 glaring thing I just cannot adjust to or get over is that they will not recycle. We have free recycling, a whole, full size 65-gallon can that's actually bigger than our weekly waste allowance. They just fill both indiscriminately with trash. The collectors won't pick up the recycling when it's obviously filled with trash, so we often have old trash sit for weeks in the garage.
Several years ago I bought a recycling bin to keep right next to the trash can in the kitchen so it literally takes no more time or effort. I thought making it as easy as possible to recycle would solve the problem. They just fill both with trash. Even paper and cardboard boxes. I've been going through and sorting what I can, but a lot has food drippings all over it.
I know it sounds like a nitpicky thing but it is just driving me insane and I feel myself filling with rage and frustration every time I go in the kitchen. I've tried asking them to please be mindful of it, I've made a rational case for it taking zero more effort to recycle, and yesterday I lost my cool and told my brother he was an "irresponsible, unconscientious ass." I said "Dude it's not optional!" and he said "Actually it is so I choose not to." My dad says I am being elitist by making a big deal out of it.
I know I could just move out since it bothers me so much, but I won't because the financial irresponsibility bothers me even more. I have to find a way to not get so worked up over it, but I really just cannot get over feeling like I'm obviously right and have to win this one. My attitude probably drives them to continue not recycling.
tl;dr: I'm a guest in my dad's home for six months. He and my brother still won't recycle despite it making it as easy as possible for them. I feel like I should let it go, but it's causing me significant frustration every time I go in the kitchen. Tips on how to chill out and/or talk productively to them about it?
Submitted January 05, 2017 at 05:36AM by FriendVriendin http://ift.tt/2icxc5a relationships
No comments:
Post a Comment