open letter Wednesday

[mae0111]

Anything?

[186momx]

Dear Negative exponents
Wow you are confusing. I spent over 20 minutes watching the same video over and over on how to do them to help DD. It left me feeling stupid and overwhelmed. Maybe because it used a bunch of common core breakouts and other weird things?
Math Nerd mom who was in tears over math

Dear Math Teacher
I know you are flabbergasted that DD can't figure this out. I really hope once DD explains that she doesn't know how to multiple or divide using common core methods that you will be able to explain to her how to do this using the standard algorithm. She can stay after school so no one knows you are teaching her this method.
DD's Mom
PS she can do basic exponents in her head and we use it when I need to distract her from something scary

[mae0111]

Dear Friend -

Where the f*ck have you been for the past 4 years? I know that you had a stretch of bad news and that you were away from home for a long time caring for an elderly relative, and things had been bumpy. I understood that our text cadence became me receiving one response for every 4-5 texts I sent... because you seemed to be truly grateful that I continued to reach out to you. But you came home and didn't tell me. When things settled down, our text cadence continued to be one response for every 4-5 texts... so I stopped texting. I haven't heard from you since March, even though I sent several texts over the summer. My last communications to you were in July, and they went unanswered.

So WTF is with this weird text where you are offering me tickets to some show that I have no interest in seeing, after I haven't heard from you in 6 months? Because you've removed yourself from my life, you have no idea what has been happening with me... why would you even bother?

You're not too busy. You don't work, you have no kids, you don't volunteer, and from what I've seen on social media, you have lots of time for other friends.

You don't want to be friends anymore. That's fine. But stop randomly popping up and offering me weird stuff.

Signed,
Former friend I guess?

[mae0111]

Dear 186momx,

Negative exponents make fractions

So 3^-2 = 1/3² = 1/3 x 1/3 = 9

Does that make sense?  Or were there other specific issues?  I will help if I can!!

Signed,

Studied Math for 4 years to become a marketing person 

[waverly]

mae0111 , That was the problem I was having. People ghosting me because they had kids during a pandemic, which I get is a lot. The pandemic was brutal. But then after the ghosting, popping back up like we were besties. Um, it's been 3.5 years.....

The other one apologized, so I tried at the acquaintence level which was the one I posted about in the Monday thread with their sort of bizarre behavior. They used to behave in more socially acceptable ways, but I guess that all went out the window when they had a kid because it was SO difficult. It really amped up their controlling/ demanding. They basically are only interested in people that provide childcare/ other favors, and then when those people stop providing childcare (their cousin) then they stop seeing them again.

[rere]

Dear people who don't have the mental capacity to understand social media and can't discern things that aren't true (Including people who are related to me)

No, Donald Trump did not put on hip waders and slog through waist high flood water. He is also not a lineman. The 82nd is not being held on base because they are being sent to the middle east. They are not the national guard. My son is there, so that's pretty first hand information. Also, the hurricane was not man made to disrupt the election.

Signed, I don't care your politics, but let's not be morons.

Dear Ds,

Super excited to buy you plane ticket for November. One month and a long weekend home.

Dear Dd,

I am excited you will be home this weekend. I have chili fixings and scary movies on the ready.

Love mom.

[waverly]

Dear H,

I'm sorry that your boss was let go. I do understand that he didn't really do anything and made you do all his work, but the replacement sounds terribly unexperienced in the field. I hope your transfer happens quickly. It's a lot of turmoil, and makes it seem like the company doesn't know what they are doing.

Dear DD,
You've been doing better with your behavior. I hope I am not jinxing myself. Keep it up.

Dear DS,
Friday should be super fun with all your friends over running the neighborhood. Have a great party! I really need to buy you a present.

Dear Mom,

I hope you are having fun on your trip.

Signed Wife, Mom, Daughter

[186momx]

mae0111, that its? OMG that is so freaking simple. So how would you 3^-2 / 4^-4?
DD said all they did with exponents last year was power of 10. New curriculum has this as review and even DD who was really far ahead in the old i-ready said it never cover just simple 3^-2 exponents

[mae0111]

Ok on my phone so let me try to type this out…

3^-2 = 1/9

4^-4 = 1/4^4 = 1/264

But it’s really 1/1/4^4 = 1/1/264 = 264

So it’s 264/9. Anyone want to check me?? 😂😂

It gets really confusing with all of the dividing.

[sdlaura]

Dear self, you may be going a bit overboard with the travel planning lately.

Signed, but it is kind of fun to go on AirBNB and see 6 future rentals booked for the next year in two countries and four US states, some with family and some with friends


Dear DH, I'm sorry that your boss delivered the message that your job may be going away in a year. Hopefully that is motivating for you to show why he should keep your division.

Signed, I'm very glad you're a major saver

[supertrooper1]

Dear school,

I don't understand your candy bar fundraiser this year. Apparently it sold out within a week, which is great that the fundraiser went so well. But DS has orders for 2 more boxes, however he was only allowed to take 1 box at a time, but the neighbor girl's mom posted on FB last night that she has 4 more boxes to sell. How was she allowed to take more than 1 box at a time but DS wasn't? She of course will probably win a prize because she somehow was given more boxes.

Signed,
Mom of a disappointed kid that loved selling

[archiethedragon]

Oct 2, 2024 14:42:15 GMT -5 mae0111 said:

Ok on my phone so let me try to type this out…

3^-2 = 1/9

4^-4 = 1/4^4 = 1/264

But it’s really 1/1/4^4 = 1/1/264 = 264

So it’s 264/9. Anyone want to check me?? 😂😂

It gets really confusing with all of the dividing.

you are correct, except your arithmetic is off.   4^4 = 256, not 264. 

[186momx]

mae0111, archiethedragon, thank you! Hopefully DD will be able to grasp this. I just explained to my dad during lunch and he was like that makes so much sense and there was no crossing off numbers, circling numbers, or pretending numbers don't exist.

[mae0111]

archiethedragon, would you believe I did it on a calculator and still did it wrong?? Amazing!

[twinmomma]

Dear DH,
I love you, but your argument style is utterly exhausting. Listening to you argue with your business partner makes me want to tell you to just shut up. You take beating a dead horse to a whole new level. You do the same thing with the kids sometimes. Just make the point and move on for the love of god. I know I've given you this feedback before, your best friend has given you this feedback, and I'm sure your therapist is telling you the same thing. Maybe take the hint and do it?
Signed,
Wife who is eavesdropping on your work call and ready to go insane

[mommyatty]

Dear H,

Whenever DS is sick, you send an email to the school admin. And every time you do that, you get an email from the school district warning that DS has an unexcused absence. And then you call the school and the admin goes “whoops, we will get that fixed now!” So, here’s an idea: why don’t you just call them instead of emailing them? It’ll save time.

signed,
Inefficiency Makes Me Batty Betty

[186momx]

WPs
DD jaw dropped to knees when I showed her mae0111, way of doing negative exponents. She was like then why does school have to make it so stinking confusing? Their assistant principal is out on maternity leave and has 8 different staff from around the district covering for him. Yesterday was the high school principal and he told DD she was ingenious on how she figures out the math word problem without doing any math.
186momx

Dear Gym coach
Can we please plan ahead for private lessons. You decide ya or nay the afternoon of the lesson is really hard because it screws up what DD can or can't eat. If you cancel last minute DD has all this protein and energy and nowhere for it to go plus, she gets cranky for watching what she ate all day for no reason.
Gym mom with a kid dealing with allergies and dietician plan who needs to plan a little more than normal

[mae0111]

186momx, reach out anytime! I love to help with math homework when no one is yelling at me (like in my own house). Hopefully I can do the arithmetic correctly next time LOL!

[k3am]

Dear DH,

So far this “family trip”, I have coordinated activities for the family while you met for drinks and coffee with two college students, while you presented at a campus meeting (that you agreed to the night before) and now you’re asking to coordinate a meetup on our last night with a former colleague who is just here by coincidence. Meanwhile, my idea of getting a massage or facial has been cancelled twice, and when I mentioned not getting to go to the ONE beach I wanted to go to this trip, you’re response was “meh”. Then you have the questionable gall to ask.. is something wrong? 😑

Can I make the best of it and try to enjoy my time while making sure everyone else in my family gets to have a good time? Sure. Is it a miserable trip? Not even close. But for once, I just wish you could lead the charge in making sure we (or even just I) get to do something specifically because I want to for me. And before you start making excuses, the things we’ve done that I suggested so far? Those were all FOR THE KIDS.

Signed,
Feeling like being selfish.

[waverly]

k3am , I hear you wanting to be more selfish. I was the default parent for many years when DH traveled for work. Then, he worked long hours with a commute, so still me.

Now that the kids can be home alone without me, I have finally, after 13 long years, started just planning things without thinking too hard about the rest of my family. I still ask, but I just joined a volunteer organization, and discussed with DH that I would/ could attend something 2 times per month. Something entirely on my own without bringing a family member, and these are mostly no kid events too!

I've started going to dinner with friends and concerts. It's been great. I say just go to the beach and whoever want to join can join and whoever wants to stay home can uber to where they want to go.

[186momx]

k3am, go to the beach you want to go to and be selfish.
Beach lover

Dear Circles in the sand
You are an hour away from me next weekend. Why did you change the dates from Friday and Saturday to the full weekend and from 3-5pm. Normally these art events are first thing in the morning. By 3pm walking the beach is like walking through a sandblaster most of the time.
Really wanted to see you and now double thinking going over
Beach lover

[k3am]

186momx, there will still be a beach. Just not the one I wanted to visit. The kids will prefer the one we’re going to today more, as will DH. We only have one car here and today’s our last day.

He did realize the error of his ways and is trying to find a way to make it work for tomorrow morning, but I’d rather not drive in the opposite direction of our 3 hour drive home. Really I just wanted him to at least be sympathetic when I expressed disappointment it wouldn’t happen this trip.

[mae0111]

Dear WP -

I’m going to vent if that’s ok. I’m feeling sorry for myself. It’s been a shit week.

Today was my birthday.

DH ran out this morning after I was already up to buy me a card. That was the extent of his plan for me.

DD1 wished me happy birthday. Dd2 did not. The kids had the day off. I offered to give them money to walk to a nearby pizza place for lunch, just for something to do. They got their own money and mine, and went for pizza and shopping. I told them I wanted change from lunch since DD1 has a spending problem.

They came back with gifts… and DD2 told me she spent the leftover lunch money on my gift - a blanket from the pharmacy.

DD1 bought me a package of chips ahoy (which I never buy because they’re gross) and took some mints I bought and put them in a bag that I bought and said it was my gift. Then she showed me that she spent all of her money on a body scrub. She has 6 other jars of the same body scrub.

DH worked until 9 so we didn’t even get dinner. Certainly no cake. I ordered a sandwich, it was gross, I threw it out and went to bed at 830.

I’m so f-ing angry at my whole f-ing selfish family.

[sdlaura]

Happy birthday, mae0111!

I put the birthday fail on your DH, definitely. He should have stopped working earlier and helped the kids get you something. I think you deserve a birthday do-over this weekend. I usually just tell my DH what I’m doing and where he can make the dinner reservation! Also send him a link to something you want

[186momx]

mae0111 happy birthday!
I would boycot all kid activities this weekend and go do something for yourself. You 100% deserve it!

[mommyatty]

Dear mae0111-

Happy birthday! I’m sorry it was shitty. I recommend you declare a do-over. Today tell all three that you’ve rescheduled your birthday for Sunday. They have until then to get their shit together. And you will put EXACTLY the same effort into their Christmas and next birthday as they put into yours, so think and act wisely. You will be decamping to the beach house until Sunday, so they can take that time to figure it out.

And remind your H of exactly the position he’s in and that he better up his groveling skills because he just suffered a major setback.

Sending love,
An Internet Friend

[rere]

@mae0111 this would be a good lesson in empathy and gratitude for your entire family. You should be done and doing bare minimum for a while if this is the appreciation you get. I'd probably take a day for me and shop, buy myself something fabulous, have good coffee, nice dinner by myself, and let them figure things out for the weekend. Bending over backwards for them doesn't seem to be doing them any favors, particularly your Dh who should be the example.

[twinmomma]

mae0111, Team you, 100%! Sounds like you're going to have an amazing weekend at the beach doing whatever you want and the kids and DH will be making some phone calls to get their lives together. And if they miss some games this weekend, natural consequences are real. Not that you'd say this to the kids, but I'd say it to DH... "Sucks to suck." No one is going to die if they don't get to their weekend plans because mom can't do it. Give yourself permission to release it and take a mental health break.

[sdlaura]

Dear MIL,

Thank you for the text this morning telling me that DH and SIL can work out how to take care of you in your later years and I won’t need to be involved. In what world? You are delusional. We live across the country from you, so if you don’t have your ducks in a row, my husband is going to be flying across the country to help, taking him away from our immediate family, and it’s my kids’ college funds that will be negatively impacted if we have to help financially. Which I primarily funded as our family’s primary earner. I’m glad you found the meeting with the elder care attorney helpful. While DH and SIL were on the call, I’m the one who suggested it needed to happen.

Signed, DIL who is keeping my mouth shut anyway, despite you being so off base that I won’t have to be involved

[rere]

Oct 4, 2024 9:20:15 GMT -5 sdlaura said:

Dear MIL,

Thank you for the text this morning telling me that DH and SIL can work out how to take care of you in your later years and I won’t need to be involved. In what world? You are delusional. We live across the country from you, so if you don’t have your ducks in a row, my husband is going to be flying across the country to help, taking him away from our immediate family, and it’s my kids’ college funds that will be negatively impacted if we have to help financially. Which I primarily funded as our family’s primary earner. I’m glad you found the meeting with the elder care attorney helpful. While DH and SIL were on the call, I’m the one who suggested it needed to happen.

Signed, DIL who is keeping my mouth shut anyway, despite you being so off base that I won’t have to be involved

This is about to hit the fan at my house with both sets of parents. I'm still resentful that DH wasn't particularly helpful during all the years dad was sick. Now his mom and dad are both starting to need assistance. I'm tempted to be like, good luck buddy, but in reality, I'm sure I'll be involved whether I want to or not. They haven't really planned anything including how to make their house safer. And balk against doctors recommendation until it's a complete shitshow.

And mom. Good grief. We can't figure out if she's mentally declined, drinking, or this is just her, but with age she's become unrestrained. I feel like she's spending thousands on her newest hobby. She's had to be bailed out by family my entire life financially. She still owes money on a 40 year old home loan thanks to continuingto borrowagainstthe house. I have never offered financial assistance and my plan is never to do so. I saved my entire adult life to get my kids off to a good start in adulthood by paying for school and still helping Ds while in the army (we will need to pay for housing next year at the electrician, lineman school and we usuallypay his travel)and to not be a burden on them financially. I'm not going to jeopardize that because of her lifetime of acting like rules don't apply to her.