I just returned from spending 8 days with my partner's family in South Dakota. Yes, South Dakota. One may not know but South Dakota is the home of Mount Rushmore. And that's probably all I can say about it. It is beautiful country but not to live in. Which makes it even more interesting that my "in-laws" moved there. But, I'm not here to discuss that.

Let me just say that eight days with your "in-laws" is three days too much. Especially when you find much of their behavior irritating. Like having everyone wait for them whenever there is some sort of excursion. If it were not for the fact that I love my partner, I would never spend more than a few hours with them. Because this vacation tested my patience. And more often than not, they got the gist that I was not pleased with their behavior. But, I'm not here to discuss that either.

What I am here to discuss is this: does anyone really think that hanging out with your in-laws is fun? I mean, even if you like them, at best, it can get irritating. No? I never expect my partner to have fun with my parents. I don't. My parents are someone I find fun... for about 5 hours. Then, I got to go. I can't imagine anyone would find them fun for much longer than that. So, when I ask for some away time from the in-laws, why would anyone question it? Plus, at the age of 39, I really don't feel I need to explain why. Figure it out.

Here's the thing. I like them. I don't adore them. I have little in common with them. I don't share common experiences with them. I am a gay Filipino, born and raised in Nigeria. I was an Electrical Engineer, who became a fitness instructor, who got his Culinary Arts diploma, and worked EVERYWHERE while strung out on smack. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, donated it, over it. Very little excites me or puts me in awe. I'm not jaded. I just need a lot to get me excited. Very little gets them excited. We're just not a match. Does that make sense? Later.  ¶ 12:30 AM