people
I hate people ruling my life for me, a select few examples are:

Job, REME Officer, dad chose it for me.

Not being able to join the army as a Craftsman (REME Private).

GCSEs again dad chose them for me.

A Levels, dad again. (I did get to choose my reserve A Level.

School 'mates', not letting me talk to my girlfriend, (fair enough we broke up for a while, but we've gotten back together).

Not being able to wear what I want at home because my sister will through a hissy fit.

Not ruling my life but I teach drill at my local ACF detachment and there are cadets who don't know their arse from their elbow and can't even cock a L98A2 Cadet GP
(oliver4858 packing to go back to school at, Mon 5 May 2008, 16:59, 3 replies)

I sympathise.
When I was a very small child, my mum decided I should be interested in history, because she was when she was at school. So periodically she would waste pounds and pounds of her own money on buying series of history books so I had hundreds of pages of dusty information about the Egyptians, the Romans, the Tudors, the Stuarts, the Middle Ages and every other period of history. This just served to make me annoyed.

Then later on when it was decided I have a "flair for languages" suddenly my entire family started buying me French books, and asking me to "say something in French" every time I saw them. Again, angry mini-Maladicta. Kids should just be allowed to make up their own minds about it, and parents should keep their ideas to themselves unless actually consulted!
( Maladicta, Mon 5 May 2008, 17:05, closed)

I nearly did that
Dad told me I should be a REME officer. Went to Welbeck. REalised I'd never, ever learn practical engineering skills. Got online. Applied to Rolls-Royce for an apprenticeship. Even got the principal to give me the necessary reference. Told Dad I was applying.
I now know a good grounding in machining-its loads more than I knew, yet I've only scratched the surface. I play with big fuck off CNC lathes making jet engines, and ride two motorbikes (not both at once though). It can be done, you just have to take the first blind leap.
Oh, and two useful words: Fuck, and off. Use in response to "you should do..."
( Greenbat, Mon 5 May 2008, 21:10, closed)

not nice but true
grow some balls, you are your own person. it has been said above (better than i can) but realy dude make your own choices. and be more vocal about them. you know your way around a firearm and can not speak to your family?

my advice may not be good but it is given with the best intentions. take it or not i wish you well
(Patfish, Mon 5 May 2008, 21:28, closed)