u/NoBad115

I took all the supportive advice from this crowd and just...didn't call my mom today to be talked at. I texted her the truth (I had a very long, physically and mentally taxing day at work) and let her know I would catch up tomorrow with an update on (important work thing she definitely should know about but probably doesn't).

She left me on read, which should feel fine, but it doesn't. It's like I can feel her seething at me from miles away and hear the tantrum she is having at my dad. Does this feeling go away? It's like I can predict that she is incredibly unregulated and have to help calm her down even though I'm nowhere near her. I am meeting with a new therapist next week and am hoping she can help me sort through stuff, but for now, things are painful in a way I didn't expect.

My mom expects me to talk to her every day for 30 minutes or more (unless she is busy, has a hair appointment or other captive audience, etc). If I "skip" a day, she freaks out and asks why I am punishing her, pouts, and generally acts out. I realized recently that despite her "needing" to talk to me every day, she doesn't actually give a shit what I say. If it's interesting gossip or immediately relevant to one of her few interests, sure, but she doesn't ask follow up questions or engage otherwise. If I don't respond with interest to her first rant topic, she will sit for about 15 seconds of dead air on the phone before picking another. If I respond with anything about my day, it's the same thing - long pause, followed by "anyway, your father and I are..." It's like she wants me to call to make sure *I'm still interested in what she has to say* instead of because she's at all interested in what I have to say, and it's exhausting. Is there a way to deal with this other than just emotionally disengaging, grey rocking, etc?

Hi all! I am a mid 30's woman, no kids, 8-5 job looking to join a volunteer organization with people around my age. I recently found out about the Junior League and that seems to be a decent fit, but I'm a little wary of the $150 member fee. Does anyone have firsthand experience with what members actually do, the commitment involved, etc?

I booked for my first tattoo and am so excited! There's just one thing that I have consistently heard that has me a little worried/weirded out. My tattooed friends have pretty much all said a variation of "yeah, you'll forget you have them". I am getting a small piece for now but would eventually look toward a larger sleeve. I just...don't see the point if it's something I never think about after a while. If they truly blend into the background and are only thought about in professional "keep them covered" or "those are going to clash with a patterned outfit" situations, that feels like a questionable investment. Am I just not understanding what they mean? Did my friends get mid tattoos at 18 that they just aren't attached to 15 years later? I want to love and be proud of my art throughout my life and hate the idea of tattoo apathy.

Edit: thank you to everyone who answered, truly appreciated and it has made me even more excited to someday have a decent chunk of my body covered with something beautiful.