The Year Off

I started looking at the idea of starting a tech blog for myself and my business. I opened this blog and realized that it has been a year since I posted anything here. It kind of makes sense that I haven't posted, the last year has been a whirlwind of drama with my family, and looking back it was kind of a blur. I started this blog after my dad died, and it went on pause when my mom, sister, and brother moved back to Michigan. 

My mom and I have had a strained relationship ever since we started the restaurant together. I think it takes a really strong family to work together, and even stronger to fail at a family business. My relationship with my mom wasn't a fraction of the strength needed to do either of those. We both went into the business pretty ignorant of what it takes to run a restaurant, and my mom is not one who admits doing anything wrong. That makes it impossible to learn to do things right. I'm at the other end of the spectrum where I try to analyze everything and find solutions. I tend to focus on solving problems, and I am usually unaware or don't think emotions are relevant. That with a bit of a stubborn streak makes for a flammable situation. 

When my mom moved back she had a lot of health issues, and her mind was not working on all cylinders. I tried to help her, but her paranoia got the better of her. She really thought her entire family was trying to steal all of her money, and in her world that was the most important thing. She also had a handyman, who was trying to steal her money, putting thoughts in her head and working to separate her from her kids.  In the end, my son and I had to fight her in court, just so we could see my brother who has downs syndrome. I spent thousands of dollars just to be able to visit with him once a week and be treated like a deadbeat dad. The X chromosome side of my family has stabbed me and my son in the back so many times and spread nasty rumors of how we are trying to screw them over that it has been a real drain on us mentally. 

At the end of the year I gave up trying to see any more of my brother. It wasn't worth all the fighting and negativity. My son still sees him when he is in his bowling league, and he brings him home for a couple of hours, but that is the limit of our involvement now. My kids and I have a good life, I am in a good relationship, and I really like focusing on positive things. People say family should always come first, and I agree when it comes to my children and my direct family unit, but if others in your family only serve to bring you down, then it is far better to cut the ties and moving on. 

I was going to mention some of the positive changes in the past year, but I think I will save that for another post. I will end this post here and I am going to try to keep up with posting this year and get my tech blog started.