The results are just about in ...

The little holiday survey to the left is about to expire - tomorrow, I believe -- and so far, the results are pretty much how I thought they'd come in. Shown below the possible answers is the # of votes each has received thus far, and the percentage it represents. Interesting !!!

So the question was:

When is it okay to exclude FAMILY MEMBERS from a family gathering?

The answer choices were:

Never - if everyone cannot be included, don't throw the party
-0- 0%

Only under Extreme Conditions - like they are certified sociopaths or recently escaped from Prison on Murder Charges
-3- 16%

When they are Step Relatives (like that makes a difference?)
-0- 0%

If the cut-them-from-the-list-mood strikes, like "I can't handle too many guests, so I will just leave out some of the family"
-2- 11%

Ooooh, that's not cool - in fact, in OUR household, ALL comers are welcomed - even NON-relatives who might not have anywhere else to spend that day
-13- 72%

Being the author of the blog, and so the Survey itself, of course I voted - but one can only vote ONCE - if one tries to vote again, it CHANGES your vote - you get ONE chance to voice your opinion. I like that. {if only political elections were this smooth ...}

I'm the first to admit: YES, I am grousing about this issue. Still. Call me crazy, I don't mind; my husband does, and so do some of my friends. I still love them {mostly, anyway}.

IF YOU HAVE NOT YET VOTED, now is your chance!

And by the way, there is no end-purpose for this Survey. If the individuals that "inspired" it in the first place ever visited my blog, I'd fall out of my chair -- although I have my wonderings -- might they have cast those two votes, making up 11% of the responses? Technically, the choice above re: "step-family members" and the one beneath it re: "leaving out some of the family 'cause I can't handle too many guests" -- could & should have been combined, because after all, that IS where the line was drawn.

OK, now I just sound paranoid. And I'm not. Now, I simply don't care any more. They win !!!

-- D.

Like they say in the movies: Names Have Been Left Out to Protect The (semblence of) Innocent.