Equivalent Exchange or Not?

Human kind cannot gain anything without giving up something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. This alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange.
~Opening Sequence from Full Metal Alchemist

I just got home a short time before starting this entry. A bit bitter, mind you.

Out of fear that the weather may not be pleasant tomorrow (and partly due to a misunderstanding), my mother made my father drive her and myself to the mall so that she could pay for an external hard drive I was going to use for my studio classes. As far as that event is concerned, things went about as normal as they could. I got the hard drive; Mom said that I owe her as she always has. She implied that this debt of mine would be pretty immediately. What that was going to be, I had no idea. All I knew is that it would be art related and it probably was something that was way over my skill. Seriously, I wish she would stop overestimating my skills as an artist. She thinks I can do anything as far as the arts go.

Like I said, I'm rather bitter. The same is pretty much for my dad, who didn't want to drive at night simply because he thought it was a waste of time. Even with my mom's weather concerns justifying the trip, he still didn't like it.

Mom got over her bitterness towards me and how "hostile" I was becoming as soon as we go home. Why? Dancing With The Stars was on.

I'm not personally bitter about the fact my mom is trying to exploit my art knowledge. I just wish she knew that I have limitations. That's what is getting my goat right now. It's bad enough that I saw someone that I have class with working at Best Buy causing me to feel a combination of guilt and depressed insecurities (which I won't go into given that feeling has died thanks to above), but the fact that my mother keeps doing this to me is just starting to get on my nerves.

When will she learn that the reason I'm going to school is so that I can actually make those things she wants me to make instead of telling me to do what I know I can't do because I don't have the skills? Seriously, when?

It's a wonder that she hasn't taken back everything she's bought me since I started college. She's obviously getting the short end of the stick with our little deals. Then again, the only thing that gives her any joy to help her sleep at night is knowing that I have to pay back the Student Loans.

Expect an entry about money soon. I can feel it coming out.