Mum proud

(yes, the title of this post is an inside joke for people who play Hackmaster)

I have always felt I could never do anything right in the eyes of my mum. She wanted to teach me knitting, embroidering and sewing. She wanted me to do girlie stuff, and I indulged her by spending some time horse riding and I even did some ballet.

At the age of 10, my mind of my own kicked in though, and I wanted to play computer games and read fantasy. She tried to chase me out of my room; she wanted me to go play outside. None of her schemes ever worked; I got rid of my barbies and demanded my own pc. I spent warm summer afternoons playing Final Fantasy while she would have liked to see me play hide and seek in the park.

Ever since I started roleplaying when I was 16, she nagged at me. The roleplayers I hung out with were the wrong crowd, according to her. ("What do you see in those guys?") And she still wanted me to go outside and hang with neighbourhood friends or do sports. ("I don't want you to become as pale and puffy as they are.") Sorry mum, I never listened.

When I was above 18, she gave up. She still talks about her own knitting and sewing, about how nice the weather is, but she knows it doesn't interest me. She doesn't ask about roleplay, or about all the nerdy guys I know. She sometimes comments on how pale and puffy I've become and that some exercise would do me good, but she knows it's not her business anymore.

But recently, something changed. I started live roleplay, which she still thinks is weird, of course. But it has some very interesting side effects. I have taken an interest in sewing, especially costumes for my characters. I sometimes spend a whole weekend outside, with plenty of exercise (running and hiding from all the people who want to whack me). With a triumphant smile, my mum agreed to help sew a costume when I asked her today. She is looking forward to it and has all kinds of ideas about what we're going to make.

Maybe my mum's proud of what I've become after all...