Sometimes, I Don't Need Your Opinion

Fact:  When I'm sitting at dinner with you, talking about my house and some things I'd like to do with it this year, this is not the opportunity for you to sit there, scowl, roll your eyes, or tell me why anything that I would like to do with the house I paid for is dumb.

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I find myself in this little scenario more and more now that I've bought my house.  At first I was really good at ignoring it.  Six months later, I'm having a hard time not being freakishly defensive any time my friend interrupts me to tell me that what I want to do with my house is a waste of time.

I get it.  I really do.  You don't like the carpet.  You think I should tear it all out because the hours and hours of your life that has been spent downing bottles of wine while watching HGTV has taught you these worldly notions.  You think my countertop ideas are stupid because my house is "common" and "cookie-cutter" and "too conventional" for my plans.  You think my desire to paint my house is dumb because you've been in your house for years and haven't painted a thing.  You hate where I live because 

I get it because it's all I ever hear about.  I don't even know why I try to talk about my house anymore.  

But while you sit there and drone on and on about how I was an idiot for buying my house on the west side (though I don't know why you care because it's not like you come visit anyway - I could live five feet from your house and I'd still be coming to you), it would be nice for you to pay attention to the fact that I never say anything remotely disparaging about your house.  I don't tell you that you should invest some money and fix your backyard fence, or that a fresh coat of paint would do wonders for the walls.  I don't tell you that if you were to invest in some new windows ask someone about better ways to insulate your house that you wouldn't have to leave it at 64 degrees in the winter to keep a relatively decent gas bill and 78 in the summer so your electric isn't through the roof.

So go ahead.  Judge me for spending money and that my hands are splattered with celery green paint that might be on my skin until the end of time.  Make fun of me for wanting to repaint the molding and my doors and for ordering and installing super snazzy light fixtures from West Elm.  

Because while you're yapping and wondering why I'd even put forth the effort, all I have to do is remind myself that I bought a nice house in a great area that I can get to and from work easily.  I have a nice backyard for my nephews to play in.  I have two full bathrooms so I can have a clean one for everyone to use and then the disaster that is the one in my bedroom that if I'm lucky - gets cleaned twice a month.  And best of all - I can keep my house warm in the winter and cold in the summer without going broke.  

But don't worry - I won't tell you any of this while you're droning on about how dumb my ideas are. Because that's just rude.  

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Sometimes, I wish there was an internet site that would help you find new friends.  I'm more interested in that at the moment than I am about dating.