I've noticed a lot of my connects traveling & so forth for their family reunions & a lot of them seem to be during Labor Day Weekend.
In all my 30+ years on this earth, I've known my maternal family to have had one organized family reunion. We've had picnics here & there, but not the whole custom t-shirts & paying dues kinda thing.
The one reunion I recall was about 13/14 years ago was in KC, MO - our family base. Neither my mother, my sister, my uncle nor myself attended. I was only working part-time, my mother was caring for my 2 sisters on her widow's pension and my beloved uncle is a crackhead (yes, sadly he really is). Needless to say the funds for traveling were few & far between. Even tho I wanted to see Muda & a few others, I didn't lose any sleep over not being able to go. My mother, on the other hand was livid and her feelings were hurt. My uncle could've really cared less.
My mother knew that everyone knew her situation and her feelings were hurt that no one at least offered a place to lay her head, at the very least. I could've gotten her a damn RT bus ticket. She was livid because we (the STL family) were the last to know about this alleged reunion. My reaction - fuck 'em!
I come from a large family (due to my uncles' male whoredom) on both sides, but rarely have anything to do with the majority of them, esp. my daddy's folks.
There are just too many folks with way too many issues. Call me crazy, but I'd rather be alone than mixed up in their misery.
Does your family have reunions on the regular and what part do you play, if any?
Wow,am I glad u said something. I have to get the labels done for the invitations to send 'em back to Aunt Terry. Aunt Terry (my father's sister) coordinates everything. she reserves the location (it's at the same place every year), decides what games we're playing, what door prizes, everything.
ReplyDeleteUsually all I have to do is show up, and help get stuff from the locale to my gram's house or her house, or vice versa. I'm really hoping that my idiot wasband clears the date so Alex can come.
I'm still coming home at the ass crack of dawn on Sunday though cause I want to see the folks that are visiting in the area (at least the ones that want to see me.) *smile*
We have our family reunion every year during memorial day weekend. It was a combination family reunion and birthday party for my grandmother, but she passed away last year. We are still keeping the tradition though. It varies from year to year as to where we have it and how much and all that. This year two of my brothers got together and got pictures from at least 30 years of our family reunions and made a slide show of them. That was amazing, seeing myself and other family members through the years. There was pic of me when I was 3 lol.
ReplyDeleteThe last one I went to was in 1999. That was my Grandmothers (on my Mom's side) people. It was around the time of my birthday and I was JUST turning 13. Sadly, Granny died 3 days after we came back..but it was one of the things she always talked about doing before she died was to go to her hometown and see her family. She got her wish...and we saw them negros again at the funeral and at the house. HEHE.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have reunions every year when I was growing up. They were always in my hometown in NC, and always on my Mom's side of the family. My Dad's side is much smaller and alot more spread out, so there was never really anything more than a get-together here and there going on.
ReplyDeleteI guess "our" generation is too busy or too lazy to organize a good old-fashioned reunion like our older aunts and uncles used to do. Oh well, most of my cousins are on Myspace, so we "union" quite often. LOL
it's funny ... my grandmother is the third oldest of her thirteen brothers and sisters... and some of them are gone now. It's more the old folks that come to the reunion...the youngins caint be bothered. Me and my sister are some of the youngest there.
ReplyDeleteWe have had a few, but not in a while. We get the kids together once a year, and usually there is something else during the year that brings us together... death, wedding birth... I have family far and wide, Hawaii, etc... so we dont see them that often. The last actual planned one was in 2003.
ReplyDeleteGirl, my family did the same shit. Our reunion is held throughout the continental U.S. but the year they rolled thru the Chi, do you think my nuclear family (mom, sis, and me) got an invite??? --this is my great-grandmother's side of the family.... I was so heated behind that mess. I attended a few as a child but I don't really recall them w/much detail. I attended on in Columbus, OH a couple years back but no other time after that. I just got word a week or two ago about the gathering which is to take place in Jacksonville, which is very inconsiderate since I would have to book travel for me and my kin that will cost us a pretty coin. The reunion fees are nominal themselves, something like 40-55 bucks per person...30 for the kids. We do the obligatory family picnic and banquet. I'm probably not going this year and will instead take the ppl of the utmost importance (my kids & hubby and maybe momma & sis if they are up to it) to Wisconsin Dells maybe in August. And if I don't end up owing this extraordinary unexpected bill--which may be an error on the creditors part, I may see ya'll at the Multiply reunion in D.C., as the airfare is actually quite affordable which I did not expect.
ReplyDeleteYou feel me? I got my DC trip booked & paid for. Let my "blood family" come up with something & I'll think about it & get back with them becasue 9 times out of 10, I won't be participating.
ReplyDeletePlease don't let those negros roll thru STL looking for a place to lay their heads (there are a few exceptions to that rule). No sir! I'm gonna treat y'all just like y'all treated my mama. {I'm a vengeful bitch like that at times.} You'd do better sleeping in your car.
My father's paternal family (is that right?), with the exception of 2 first cousins, are located in the same city as us and I can recall on one hand the amount of times we've all been together. Never had anything formal. My father's maternal family is the Missouri folk and we get together about once every five years and in between we just kinda say we'll be at the park on such and such day, come if you can.
ReplyDeleteMy mama's family? The paternal family is a bunch of high sadity (sp) pretty bitch-ass people who can't even speak. Whoever heard of going to a family reunion and turning your nose up at folks because you didn't know them? We stopped going to those reunions years ago. The maternal side...UGH. Don't get me wrong, I love my aunts and uncles (most of the time) but that's the same bunch of folks who weren't there when my grandmother had to be transitioned from the hospital to the nursing home last week. *eye roll*
I love MY family. Harmony's, Rob, Mike, Monni, Gigi, Ncogniglet and the rest of you lovelies.
Good! Cuz I'm flying out around 6 pm!!
ReplyDeleteDee reminded me of something. My mother's mother side of the family never has had a reunion. I thought it sad at one point, but now that I've witnessed many of them mutate into these ultra-ghettofied, hoodlum-ish/crack head-ish trifling trash, I rather not be around that element at all. I love ya'll but it's from a distance, until someone else dies.
ReplyDeleteThe last reunion I attended was in the summer of 2000... It was based in Jackson Mississippi... In the heat of the hot July month... Anyway, I didnt wanna go, but somehow my daddy convinced me.. We didnt fly, we didnt take the train, we drove... Damn near 20 + hour drive... Well lets see... We had this mini van... My dad did most of the driving.. and there was my goofy but cool cousin (whose name escapes me), my grandma (who can be a lil bossy and boring sometimes), my grandma's aunt (lawd, you know her age is up there), then we had my grandma's foster son Rapheal (was maybe 10 or so and a pain), then we had me (vivacious young lady stuck with old folks) and finally we had Anthony (my nephew, who was only a few months old)... So, lets recap... 2 old farts, 2 semi old farts that think they're the hottest men walking the planet, 2 kids (1 a baby and the other acting like a baby), and finally ME... (totally pissed I have to go).....
ReplyDeleteAnyway, we get to Mississippi and come to find out I gotta share a hotel room with granny, old aunt and the nephew.. This sucks... Cant fucking watch tv after 9pm,,, Then get there and NONE of the cool cousins and relatives show up for the family reunion... Im surrounded by a bunch of old farts and gotta have old fart conversation and do old fart things... for 5 days....
So, that was that... After, being on the road this long with old farts and not being able to listen to my music cuz the old farts wanna keep complaing that it was noise and why do we have to listen to it... I was never so ready to be home...
I vowed that I would NEVER go to another family reunion again... And so far, Ive kept my word...
So, nawww yall can keep the Johnson-Jones-Brown-Perry-Rogers-Coleman and Chu family tshirts... Cuz I'll pass this year...
Me & Gigi will be hanging out until Tues afternoon.
ReplyDeleteYou already know! You are more welcomed to crash when you need to. Most of my blood will never hear me utter those words.
ReplyDeleteMy mother's family ... whew lawrd. Ten siblings... three gone as well as Mama and Daddy... you'd think they'd know how to treat each other. I was really surprised that my auntie Val even came to Mommy's funeral.
ReplyDeleteAwwwww I luvs me some Butters too...
ReplyDeleteI'd sanitize a spot for some of y'all mofos too.. if you were ever in Baltimore and needed storage and facilities.
ReplyDeleteLOL!!! I don't know why this tickled me so!
ReplyDeleteIf you ever roll thru STL (not that I'm inviting yo ass either *lol*), you can watch TV all damn day & night if you choose....just don't bother me before noonish.
Hey... can you take me for a ride on the bike? And if so, where can I get a hot pink helmet... ?
ReplyDeletejust don't turn the wrong thing, unless you have satellite television and know what you're doing! I turned the damn channel one night and had to turn the whole tv off cuz I didn't know how the hell to fix it! LMAO
ReplyDeleteYour family too huh? It's seems like most black families fall completely the funk out after the matriarch passes on. Our family ain't been right since my granny died. And last year Big Daddy (my great-grand dad passed on).. Now, I really see no reason to try to kick it with anyone on that tree branch, especially after how those folks acted a hot mess at Big Daddy's funeral. The way they showed out, I may have to skip Big Momma's when the time comes.
ReplyDeleteDidnt I tell you I wake up 6am Everyday... what the heck am I gone do til noon... Thats 5 fucking hours... Too much time to be watching TV, and if I surf the net too long, I'll only end up looking at porn and I dont wanna do that, and aint to many ppl I can call that early to talk to that wont cuss me out for calling so early, and Im not gonna be just wondering about in your house for 5 hours, cuz I might start doing some laundry or something... And you know my 2 pile rule... So yo ass is gone have to get up at least by 9am... Im just saying...
ReplyDeleteI'll make you sign a waiver... I'm not great with passengers... LMAO
ReplyDeletebut I can show you where to get a hot pink helmet...
There's this one:
and this one for the cruiser chicks like me (but I'm sorry, I still wear a full face joint)
I'm sorry that looks like a glorified bike helmet...
I really like this one too:
Now Red done reminded me about our long ride to Columbus on the family rent-a-van with the relatives who confirm the CP time myth! NEVA AGAIN will I rely on the "family transportation." I'll see ya'll when you get there. HOLLA....
ReplyDeleteThe bottom one looks hot... Almost like I would look like a Mighty Morphin Power Ranger But I can dig it..
ReplyDelete@ Kels... No more road trips for me, unless its with my honey or good friends and its something we just wanna do... But not that long ass boring, cant hurry up enough type road trips... lol
ReplyDeleteI have like three friends I can road trip with.... rest of y'all better call Greyhound.
ReplyDeleteNow that ya'll mention it, that's when my aunt (from my mom's adoptive family) lost her cotton pickin mind.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother had her will made out long before she got on her sick bed. The house would go to both my mom and aunt to either keep or sell, whatever they decided. The car, my grandfather's coin collection and her wedding ring went to me. My brother got her floor model tv, my grandfather's ring and an undisclosed amount of money and my sister got another ring and my grandmother's collection of Hummels.
Why when Grandma's will got read, did my aunt come out like a fuckin bandit? She got the house, the car, and a lot of money. My mom was completely in the dark. See Grandma had already told us what she was giving us.
My aunt knocked down a wall and made 2 bedrooms into one big one. Moved her bitch ass girlfriend in (sorry, that's the nice name for her) and lost it all within a year. The house got repo'd for $1500 in taxes and by the time I found out (I had an acquaintance in real estate), someone had bought my grandmother's $150,000 house for $1500.
My aunt picked up and moved to ATL where she is now. Good F*in riddance.
Ain't that the sad & awful truth?! When my granny's health went down hill, it was pretty much a wrap for this clan.
ReplyDeleteIT DOES LOL
ReplyDeleteI mostly dont like seeing some family... especially the "so holier than thou's" thats always asking "So, what are you doing with your life?" Which always makes me wanna respond by saying..."Well, Im getting pretty good at this hoeing thing, Im making a pretty penny every night... but Im just doing this to put myself through Nursing school" But of course I'll never say that... but I hate when they ask that shit...
ReplyDeleteI am real lucky because a majority of my family members are cool. NOT ALL OF THEM, but the majority. I have been participating in family reunions on my father's side of the family all my life. They even have a family club where they meet once a month at a different person's home, plan the annual family reunion and the annual Christmas party.
ReplyDeleteMy mom's family just started having family reunions a few years ago. While they aren't my favorite thing to do in the world, I get pleasure in watching my parents light up when they see someone that was important to them when they were growing up. That gives me joy. And you know how we do...parents want to brag on their kids and let everybody know how things are going.
But I do understand and have heard the horrors of family reunions. If they are not organized well or you have a thief in charge of the money, you are in trouble!
I thank GOD for my family.
I was about to say, am I the only person that likes my family LOL
ReplyDeleteNOPE! =)
ReplyDeleteMaybe not everybody, but I like most of them! HA!
I can count the number of people in my family on 3 hands. LOL Seriously. LOLOLOL
ReplyDeleteI have almost more people than that in just my immediate family LOL(seriously, just my parents + us is 13, well 11 now that my mom and my brother have passed, but you get the idea)
ReplyDeletedang. LOLOL me and my parent equals 2. LOLOLOL
ReplyDeleteplus minime is 3!
ReplyDeleteNOPE, and even if we did, I am not sure that I would go.
ReplyDeleteI love them, but summa'dem jokers I don't like!
ReplyDeleteBut when we are having good time in a positive and loving way, it's all good. For example, we used to play Taboo at the family BBQs or after Thanksgiving dinner. But let somebody fall out or start arguing over petty stuff, it's a wrap on all the lovey-doveyness. Actually, our Memorial Day picnic this year was one of our best get togethers. Everyone decided to show up, so it was a huge group of kids in attendance smiling, laughing, and playing --that's a beautiful thang seeing the next generation getting along so well. And the drinking was to minimum this time, so that meant no one got tore up and began acting a fool. Unfortunately, with the way that things are going, the next generation (my kids and their second cousins) may not all grow up together because we don't see each other much.
You know what's funny & sad? I've had get-togethers at my house many times with friends - including ones I met online. I know they respect me & my property. A couple of them even crashed here a few times, but my blood? A gang of my relatives at my house for a get-together? Ain't no way! All it ever takes is one fool to have one drink too many and it's on like a pot o' neck bones! They will not be tearing up my crib & the cops will not be responding to a disturbance call.
ReplyDeleteOr better still, family will STEAL from yo ass! My hubby and I STILL can't find our class rings after hosting Christmas at our home one year. And it's because of that I no longer volunteer my place for the family holiday. It's a damn shame you have to lock up things in your own home.
ReplyDelete