Mommy Dearest

What does Mom say to me after seeing me for the first time since Christmas? "Aiya!!! Why did you get such an ugly haircut!! You are going to ruin all of our pictures!!" She said this in front of everyone, including Jian (my brother-in-law) and his parents, who I had just met for the first time. It was even more unpleasant than the time freshman year when I came back with a $25 haircut from this fancy hair salon -- I was too embarrassed to leave after finding out the exorbitant price -- only to hear Sachin say, "What did you tell them to do? Make you ugly?"

Later Mom told me my tasteful, classy dress shirts look like they were made for "Xiang Li Ren," or country bumpkins. I know she loves me and isn't trying to be malicious, and I love her too, but sometimes I'm glad I don't live at home anymore. I stopped talking to her for a while because I was so pissed off, but then I came to my senses. No matter what she says, I know she has a kind and generous heart and would never intentionally embarass me. I just wish she can be a little more tactful and considerate in front of people that I have never met before, even if they are now part of our family. Not that I should cast the first stone. To be honest, I think some of her brutal honesty has rubbed off on me.