AUTHOR: Anonymous TITLE: Is it just me? DATE: 11:04:00 AM ----- BODY:

Despite the great time I had in Vegas with my sister, I’m a bit perturbed about the reception I received from my cousins. Our trip to Vegas coincided with my Uncle’s 80th birthday party. Relatives from as far away as Wyoming and Connecticut gathered to celebrate. There were about 30 of us; most I hadn’t seen (albeit briefly at my Aunt’s funeral last year) in five to ten years and a couple for as long as 23 years! What puzzled me was not one cousin asked about my husband or children, what I did for a job, whether I went to college – nothing! And later talking with my sister, she found the same was true for her. Having been in the corporate working world and customer service for the last 20 years, I have developed skills for drawing people out and engaging them in conversation. You may call this small talk, but I am genuinely interested in those I come in contact with; especially cousins I haven’t seen in 20 years. I know that ~

Cousin Kathy loves country music and is a manager at Longs Drug;
Cousin Jason is fluent in Spanish and is working on becoming a certified elementary school teacher;
Cousin Greg says he’s in “banking,” but it turns out he really only sells ATM systems to chain stores;
Cousin Eileen has trouble with her demonstrative Italian in-laws;

And on, and on… I’m not implying that my life story is so interesting (I work, I knit, I blog, oh and I have a family too) that their lives would be eternally changed, but a little common courtesy and give and take would be appreciated. Is it a sign of the times that people generally are becoming so self-absorbed that they can care less about those they come in contact with—unless, of course, they want something. Or is it that they have a hard time getting beyond their comfort zone and reaching out to others?

Is it just me or am I the odd one? I’d be interested in what you think.

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