When our relatives are at home, we have to think of all their good points or it would be impossible to endure them.

I don't want to live near my family when I have my own life. I want to be able to make my own decision and stick by them without any unnecessary interference.

There has been this issue that the older family members have with my youngest aunt, who is about 34--last time I checked, which was several years ago, I think. She wants to divorce her husband because she's in love with someone else (my mom's friend from high school), but the big family says no since my uncle by marriage is such a decent guy and she won't do better with the new guy. That's her own decision. They can counsel her, which is fine, but if she chooses not to follow their advice, then it's out of their hands. She's an adult. She makes her own decision. I was defending her today because I don't want that kind of things on my hand ten years from now.

My older male cousins are having the same problems now. The adults want the cousin who's going to be a dentist to stop dating his girlfriend because she's not pretty enough for them. That's none of their business. All of my cousins' girlfriends are scrutinized and dismissed if the girl wasn't Vietnamese. Well, this girl's Vietnamese, and she's getting the same treatment. Thank God, my cousin's sticking up for her and they've been dating for three years. I'm kind of ticked because I'm not that pretty either and I don't want to be treated like that.

I just think they just have to stop meddling! It's really none of their business how each of us lives our lives; it's our own preference, not theirs. Not at all.