As the blog turns

So I have spent the past week debating about whether I should share the stories of Melrose Place, my name for my current building. Normally I would share the stories but then I have become friends with one of my neighbors -- who is the center of the best building story. I have held back on this story because she recently asked for my blog address. (If you haven't figured it out yet, Dagny is an alias. Bonus points, or perhaps baked goods, to the person who can correctly say where I found the name. Sorry Gloria but you are eliminated from the competition.) Needless to say I thought I was totally tapped for post topics but then my mom came through.

Tonight I was on my way home from work when my cell phone rang. Looking at the caller ID I realized it was my mom and quickly hung up on my dad. (Perhaps I'll devote another post to my parents and how truly dysfunctional they are.) So glad I did because mom provided the requisite drama that had been missing from my life -- today.

My mom lives outside of the US most of the year and returns to Cali in the summers. She apparently met this other ex-pat in the last few months in her "real home." (OK. It is her real home because she has been living there for ten years now.) This guy has returned to the States and wanted my mom to meet him in the LA area. My mom called me earlier in the week to say that I would have to take her to the airport. (As she said this, I had flashbacks of the last time I went to visit her. I was looking for something and mistakenly opened a dresser drawer. The drawer contained a jumbo box of condoms. I really should discuss this with a therapist because I know that I have been further scarred.) My mom has had some misgivings about this planned trip as the guy is in SoCal meeting with a religious group. Today she finally got him to give her the name of the organization. If I could remember the exact name of the group, I would provide you with a link. My mother, upon learning the name, did a little research. She confirmed that the group is a cult. She called me because she wanted my advice on how to tell this guy "no." I told her to start the email with, "I regret to inform you that I will have to decline your invitation..."

Being sick and twisted as I am, I immediately thought upon hanging up the phone that I should have told her to go. I mean, can you imagine the quality blog posts I could have gotten out of the whole thing? I think the deprogramming thing could have been worth at least two weeks of posts...