Ah, my frustration is complicated.
You see, I am a pacifist by nature (when it comes to people). I do not like fighting. I think yelling, shouting, and screaming your way in a conversation does not solve any problems. There are easier ways to talk, you see, and the trick is to remain calm. So WW3 is about to break out in my family, and suddenly I've become the peacemaker. Or rather, I'm the one that everyone is talking to and wanting to find a solution, but no one will actually listen to me. They're all trying to convince me that they are fighting for the Just and True Cause, and the other side is clearly wrong. What I can't seem to get across to all the parties involved is that they're all steaming mad, and no one is right (in fact, my very honest opinion of the matter is that everyone involved have lost their minds).
You know how they say that twins get along better than anyone else in the world? Well, if you believe that, I'd like to introduce you to my mother and her twin sister, who've both taught me everything about twins I never wanted to know. You see, my theory is this: Twins either love each other like no one else on Earth, or they hate each other with the fiery passion of a thousand burning suns. Their latest spat has nearly split the family in two.
So for three days, while I'm trying to finish my book so I can get it to the prospective agent in time, I'm fielding phone call after phone call of crying, depressed and angry family. They all say they want my advice, but they don't really want to hear it (unless I'm validating their side of the story... which I'm not taking sides in this mess). My mother is angry that I'm not automatically taking her side. My aunt is angry that I'm not taking her side. I want to scream "CAN'T YOU BOTH SEE HOW CRAZY YOU'RE ACTING?!" But that would be a bad idea, probably.
Why in blazes are they even calling me, asking for my advice (because they say I'm so "levelheaded" and "calm") when they're clearly not interested in listening? I mean, they suggest they want to talk to me because I'm calm-natured and would be able to tell if they're acting out of anger. So when I suggest they might indeed be acting in anger, and they should put a few days between the event in question and their response (so they can calm down), they get frustrated.
I don't mind talking to (or mediating for) people who'll listen, but this is like beating my head against a brick wall.
