Stupid, hypocritical people really tick me off!

Another evening, and another annoying conversation with a family member......this one drifted into a discussion of home owners' associations. I was talking to my sister, over a messenger, and the topic of gardens came up. She mentioned she'd love to have one, so I asked why she didn't start one. You would think this would be a safe topic, but you'd be wrong. First, she started with the statement that she couldn't, because it would be too expensive, claiming she has "a half inch" of soil on the yard, and claiming that it would cost $1,000 to get enough soil for a garden. I then said that topsoil doesn't cost that much (having purchased some, and knowing even the higher, small-bag cost, and stated she could probably get enough for a garden plot for maybe $100. Then, she claimed there would be cost for railroad timbers to "hold the dirt in". Yeah, because the backyard is perfectly flat.....not! Huge yard, with enough uneven ground to easily find a place to add some soil for a garden, if someone actually wanted one. So, pretending that I still believed she really did want one, I offered a suggestion that would require a lot less work - plants in pots on the patio. At this point, she claims pots cost too much, and she can't get used ones, because the HOA supposedly tells them that pots in the BACKYARD have to all match. Now, I know for a fact that if they were that restrictive, she'd have been fined ages ago for all the kid clutter in the yard, when hers were small. I also know for a fact that she has mis-matched pots on the FRONT porch, which you can see in the Google street view picture of her house. So, I know she's flat-out lying at this point. Well, I then state that the HOA seems like it's run by Nazis. A bit argumentative, yes, but I know she's lying, and looking to be annoying. At that point, we get into a discussion of whether or not people have a right to tell their neighbors how they can paint and decorate their homes. She seems to have NO issue with it, because she believes that all the policies agree with her personal taste, and is apparently too stupid to understand that they might not always be that way. She can't seem to grasp that people should have a right to manage their own property, or that HOAs are in most new neighborhoods, leaving a would-be homeowner with little to no choice about joining one or not. She then stated that GNOMES would drive down property values, because SHE doesn't like them. In the middle of all this (you'll love this one), she states that she has FROG flowerpots, that she likes, but she hates gnomes, flamingos, and lawn jockeys. So, what she likes should be allowed, and what she doesn't like (well, her and the Nazis on the HOA committee) shouldn't be allowed. After all this, she decided she didn't want to discuss the matter anymore. So, since she'd already shut down one entire topic (related, get this, to an email SHE sent ME), I stated that apparently we weren't allowed to talk about anything of any consequence. She said, yeah, but claimed I was "putting people down" if I didn't agree with them. This, after claiming she has some right to put down and control her neighbors. I pointed out the hypocrisy there, of course, and that she had insulted me about the gnomes, since I HAVE ONE in my flower beds. NO apology was forthcoming, and she reiterated that my house is now deemed "tacky" because of the gnome. At that point, I simply signed off, before I said something she really didn't want to hear.

What the heck is WRONG with some people?!?!? It's people like her that are the downfall of the nation. No concern for personal freedom, no consideration of anyone but themselves, and gullible enough to believe whatever the evening news tells them is so. Yes, she watches that nightly, too. No matter what they say, it's "truth" in her eyes. That someone lies doesn't concern her. Politicians messing up doesn't concern her. World events don't concern her. If it doesn't happen on her block, she basically doesn't care. Why, why, why can't we choose our relatives...?

reply to post by LadyGreenEyes


You know your rant sucks!

I like what you posted though!

AK907ICECOLD
reply to post by LadyGreenEyes

 

You know your rant sucks!

I like what you posted though!

Well, I try to control the terminology! If I made it more angry, I would use words we really aren't supposed to post in here!

All in all, I think it's a good thing she and I live a few states apart. I think a requirement when the hubby retires and gets new work (military) is that it cannot be in that state! Several days away seems better!

You and your sister are cute.
She sounds funny.
I dont like gnomes. But theyre many magnitudes better than frog flower pots
You guys are lucky you dont have anything serious to argue about.

reply to post by LadyGreenEyes


Gotta give you a S&F as I HATE HOA's and their controlling ways.

Ok...that's pretty much all I've got.

....the downfall of the nation.

Ha hah haaaaa Lol

You can't tell somebody that! Lol

All I can say is that if someone really believes a neighbor having garden gnomes will drive down property value, that's looking at all the wrong things to look at for a place one would live for years.

It may drive down house flipper value...but that's the inflated mess that popped the whole market 6-7 years ago anyway.

....I'll also say if lawn ornaments were the worst or even average of the problems I've had with neighbors in my life, I'd petition to have the street renamed Utopia Way and charge admission.

HOA's are about HOA's, IMHO..not homes or individual owners.

reply to post by LadyGreenEyes


Ok...can't stay away. I love my family, but we can only stand each other for a short period, maybe 4-5 days. We are all individuals. But one thing I have found is that since they're family, they know what buttons to push. Well, you should know what buttons to push as well.

Next time you visit your sister, make a mention of how one of her flower pots has mildew or some such and how it distracts from the rest of her flowerbed.

Or maybe mention how her garden reminds you of an aquaintence who lives in a trailer who had a similiar arrangement. (No offense trailer folk! But we know how snobs are, don't we?)

Snobs are so easy to mess with...even if they are family.

dashen
You and your sister are cute.
She sounds funny.
I dont like gnomes. But theyre many magnitudes better than frog flower pots
You guys are lucky you dont have anything serious to argue about.

edit on 14-1-2014 by dashen because: (no reason given)

Well, that's just a minor thing. The bigger issue is the whole idea of HOAs telling people how they can and can't decorate their own homes. Hers, for example, won't allow a paint change beyond a few very limited shades. Plus, she uses it as an excuse for too many things. Satellite television, for example. She claims they don't allow a dish, which flat isn't true. You can see some in the satellite views of the neighborhood. She lies about too many things. She claimed, for instance, to not have a cell phone for years, and not need one, when she actually called me on the one she has now (same number), several years ago, when I didn't pick up when she called from her home phone, because she was trying to convince me to allow her and our brother to rip off my share of the inheritance when our mom died. She even talked about her son putting the phone in her purse, when she didn't want it there, and didn't even realize she was contradicting herself. The lies aren't even about things that should matter; all stupid things like having or not having a cell phone! Lately, she tried telling me the laptop she's using was "30 years old". The specs she's given me before didn't even exist then, and the HD space she claims to have wouldn't even hold Windows. Serious issues? Had enough of those, too. We avoid them now only because we talk mostly via the computer, and don't see each other in person. I love my sister, but I don't often LIKE her.

TDawgRex
reply to post by LadyGreenEyes

 

Gotta give you a S&F as I HATE HOA's and their controlling ways.

Ok...that's pretty much all I've got.

Me, too, and pretty much anyone with half a brain! She's developed this weird attitude in recent years that controlling people is a good thing, spying on them is fine and dandy, etc. If ever people started informing on relatives, as happened in Germany, she'd be one informing.

EA006

....the downfall of the nation.

Ha hah haaaaa Lol

You can't tell somebody that! Lol

Well, I didn't tell her that, though I did call HOAs Nazis. I'd like to tell her some things, but then I would end up reported to the government as a potential terrorist.

reply to post by LadyGreenEyes


I can understand your issue, I got a good laugh.

Good thing she does live a few states away!

reply to post by dashen


Well with the gardening topic, and a slight off topic comment.

My mother spends $1,000's on her garden every year, mind you everything dies in the winter in Alaska.

She buys those Gnomes, I hate them... they always stare at me. So every time I visit I take each one and move them around to F with her.

It seems to be working and I have inserted and conditioned into her mind they work... so she now buys more and more each summer.....(shakes head)

Wrabbit2000
All I can say is that if someone really believes a neighbor having garden gnomes will drive down property value, that's looking at all the wrong things to look at for a place one would live for years.

It may drive down house flipper value...but that's the inflated mess that popped the whole market 6-7 years ago anyway.

....I'll also say if lawn ornaments were the worst or even average of the problems I've had with neighbors in my life, I'd petition to have the street renamed Utopia Way and charge admission.

HOA's are about HOA's, IMHO..not homes or individual owners.

The real kicker is that she has NO intention of moving, ever. She stated that when they moved in, so the "value" going down would only lower her taxes, which would be a good thing. Basically, she simply lies, and makes up reasons to put people down and be disagreeable. That, and she is a total sheeple. She actually tried telling me that people won't buy houses in places where they can be painted in various "tacky" colors, meaning anything but neutral tones. Weird....I thought we had neighbors, and houses here are in all sorts of colors! Guess she never visited Florida, either, lol!

I don't care what color the neighbors paint their house, or what lawn decor they have (barring something obscene); I simply like quiet people that don't act like jerks. The one of those we had moved ages ago, too, so all is well here!

TDawgRex
reply to post by LadyGreenEyes

 

Ok...can't stay away. I love my family, but we can only stand each other for a short period, maybe 4-5 days. We are all individuals. But one thing I have found is that since they're family, they know what buttons to push. Well, you should know what buttons to push as well.

Next time you visit your sister, make a mention of how one of her flower pots has mildew or some such and how it distracts from the rest of her flowerbed.

Or maybe mention how her garden reminds you of an aquaintence who lives in a trailer who had a similiar arrangement. (No offense trailer folk! But we know how snobs are, don't we?)

Snobs are so easy to mess with...even if they are family.

Tempting! The catch is, I would have to visit....... I have actually considered visiting the city she's in to see some old friends, and not telling her I was there. Is that bad?

I am seriously tempted to email her a copy of the screenshot of the front of her house, that I got off Google street view, with all the mis-matched flowerpots on the front porch, and asking her how big the fine was for having them there. Must have been a real financial burden!

Trailers......that would tick her off, for certain! She's already labeled 90% of our family as "trash" ONLY because they live in the Southeast, and aren't snobs. According to her, that automatically makes one a trashy redneck, racist, etc. Conparing her front porch to that would be.......interesting......

reply to post by AK907ICECOLD


I like the oodball gnomes.

But I do find it hilarious that you move them around.

If you can afford it...try replacing them with others that are different from the others. And then insist that you have seen them for years.

(But you do have to let her in on the joke after a bit of time...otherwise, that's just plain mean.)

AK907ICECOLD
reply to post by LadyGreenEyes

 

I can understand your issue, I got a good laugh.

Good thing she does live a few states away!

VERY good thing! This way, I don't get arrested for homicide.

AK907ICECOLD
reply to post by dashen

 

Well with the gardening topic, and a slight off topic comment.

My mother spends $1,000's on her garden every year, mind you everything dies in the winter in Alaska.

She buys those Gnomes, I hate them... they always stare at me. So every time I visit I take each one and move them around to F with her.

It seems to be working and I have inserted and conditioned into her mind they work... so she now buys more and more each summer.....(shakes head)

That's too funny! I like gnomes - some of them - but that's hilarious! Funny, too......Sims 3, which I play, has these magical gnomes they can get, that move around while the sims are sleeping! So, your mom thinks hers do this? You'll have to get creative with locations, poses, etc......

reply to post by TDawgRex


Thank you! LOL

My Dad even says to me "its just plain wrong that you would do such a thing to your poor mother!"

"Don't worry son, I do it too."

"I hate those things, your mother is weird , but I love her."

That's a good idea to buy different ones, but the manly man I am. I would not be caught dead buying one, nor justify paying $$$ for one,

reply to post by LadyGreenEyes


This has to be the best read on ATS this week, Thank you

I love cartoons, very much so.

But because I do not like Gnomes, I have yet to see the movie.

Can anyone here tell me if it's worth the money?

reply to post by LadyGreenEyes


Homicide? Is that the message you convey in your avatar?lol