But Mom, I've got my own cheddar..

I got an email from my mom this morning. She said that she and my dad were worried about me driving this weekend. I'm going to Indiana for training for work, and I decided it would be fun to drive instead of flying. She said that maybe I should think about splitting it into two days - and if it was money that I was worried about as far as a hotel went, they would be willing to chip in.

I'm kind of annoyed. Not by the concern, or the fact that I'm 27 and my parents still seem to worry about every little thing I did - hey, that's what they do, and given my own tendency to worry and overanalyze stuff, I can't really fault them for it. I'm annoyed about the money comment.

See, I am thrifty. OK, I'm cheap. I'll go out of my way to save a buck, I don't spend much on myself, and I never pass an opportunity to make extra money, be it working overtime or selling stuff I found in the trash. That probably makes me look like I have less money than I do. I'm not rich, but I certainly have enough saved up that I don't need to hit my parents up for cash. I'm driving 10 hours in one day because I think I can do it, because I don't really want to spend 4 days on the road if I can do it in two, and because I'd rather spend those two extra nights at home in my own bed while my cat tries to kill me.

I have an older brother whose four years older than me. In a lot of ways, he's been more successful than me - higher class rank in high school, better musician, smarter, taller. The one thing I have on him is finances - we bought our first houses within a few months of each other, despite the fact that he's four years older than me, and that I was living on my own and paying rent after graduation while he was living at my parent's house, rent-free. I've also managed to furnish my house, while he was using plastic patio furniture as living room furniture for while - of course, it probably helps that I live across the street from Ikea. I thought that the 'rents had recognized and appreciated my financial prowess, but I guess not.