Me and My Family

It's really not obvious or anything that we're a family, huh?  Ya right.  It'd be hard to say we weren't just cause we all look alike! My parents were born in 1947 (they won't appreciate that remark but oh well) I was born in 1969 and my brother in 1976.  I love my small family dearly!

What I find immensely amusing about my parents is that they are the epitomy of "opposites attract".  My dad was born in a small town of only 600 people in south-central Nebraska and my mother was born in big city California.  They were raised in these areas and only met because my maternal Grandmother (that's mom's Mom) was brought up in the same area as my father and her and her husband had moved back to Nebraska.  They hit it off immediately as I understand it.  Talked for hours during and after a party they were both attending, oblivious of the passing time.  Now here's even more funnies with them:  One is a liberal democrat, the other a conservative republican.  One was in the Air Force, the other in the Navy.  Yup, my brother was in the Army.  Is there any wonder I shyed away from military life?   Anyways, one likes dogs, the other prefers cats.  One likes sports, the other science-fiction.  AND THEY'RE STILL MARRIED!!!!  Thirty-three years of marriage, battles over the silliest of things and always, always my brother and I could come around a corner and find the two of them giving each other a quick kiss or a quick hug.  Here's the thing that's the funniest of all though when it comes to these two "opposites".  My father is the strict German disciplinarian.  My mother is the more easy going Flower Child.  However, when it came to punishment, Mom's the one that doled it out because Dad was the softy, couldn't do it.  (OK, you see, soon as they read this I'll be grounded by simple dint of having figured out the chinks in their Parental Armor, but don't worry folks, I know how to get out of it!)  In all honesty though, my parents have become my best friends over the last few years.  Here's something else with these two:  Mom is a Lay Pastor for our church but she tells the dirtiest jokes out of the two.  Dad is the laid-back type that everyone loves and trusts (key word here) and is the most mischevious little devil I know.

Side note quote:  "Why does it look like your dad just got done coating all the doorknobs in the house with mayonnaise?" (question asked by Altruist{LOA} ) My answer, "Because he probably did and Mom knows and is simply waiting for the first person to holler after grabbing the knob so she can finally laugh!"

My brother, who will be turning 26 this year is still my best bud.  We've not seen each other much in the last few years due to the distance there is between us, mileage-wise.  We live about a 15 hour drive apart.  He's a very quiet and gentle man.  Strong.  But, he's also a softy when it comes to children and animals and old people.  In fact, you can watch him happily wrap himself around their collective little fingers.  How did such a softy survive the Army?  Easy.  It suits his quiet and strong demeanor and his love of organization and Honor.  He's no longer in the Army and is currently loving life as a Bouncer!  Yup, my softy little brother doesn't tolerate idiocy one iota and being a bouncer lets him "make things right".  He's very good at what he does too.  The bar he works for was featured in that city's newspaper as "The Toughest Bar To Get Into With A Fake ID" and it's all because of my brother.  He can spot a fake ID easier than I could spot an elephant wearing a pink tutu and riding a unicycle.  From what I understand, not only did the newspaper reporter and several of his buddies try to get in, on purpose of course, with fake ID's but I guess some cops tried to pass off fake one's as well.  They were doing a study / report of the security of several local bars.  My bro didn't pass a one of the fake ID's through his door.  He simply said, "I'm sorry.  You'll not be getting in tonight and would you please go visit that gentleman over there," and pointed at a uniformed police officer so they could be issued a ticket.  I guess in addition to his salary, he gets paid $25 for every fake ID he finds and is verified as fake.  One Friday night he spotted / verified 20.  He also gets tips.  Who says working in a bar doesn't make a lot of money?!  I don't envy his children when he gets around to having some.  When they get to be "that age" and try pulling the wool over their Daddy's eyes they're going to be in for a rude awakening!  He's going to make some woman very, very happy and I just know he's going to be a great Father.  OK, I'm a little prejudiced, but I'm allowed.  However, I'm not the only one who's said that about him.  Why isn't he married yet?  In his words, "Because I don't believe in divorce or marriage just to be married.  When I get married I want it to be the forever woman like mom is for dad.  My future wife is around here somewhere and if we're supposed to be together, we'll get around to meeting each other when the time is right."  I'm thinking I will love my new Sister very much when he finds her. 

As for me, I'm just me.  Quiet for the most part.  Mischevious for the other.  Lots of times when people look at the picture of me (at 29 yrs. of age) above, they ask me why I look so angry.  I'm not angry in that picture, I'm tired and the photographer who caught me with my head down on my desk startled me into turning around so he could get my pic.  So I'm also a little surprised but too dang tired to really look it!  I'm single as well.  I believe the same as my brother:  no divorce, no marriage for marriage's sake.  There is a man I love dearly but we're not compatible.  There is another man I would marry but he's too busy trying to figure out who he is and he don't want to get married until he does know who he is.  I can't blame him there actually.  There's a lot of left-over pain in his soul from past experiences that he has to come to terms with for himself.  I'll be there for him as a friend to help and he knows it.  He's a good, good man.  In the meantime it's just me and my Siamese cat, Blood.  Yes that's his name, dear reader.  He earned it as a kitten but he's a total lap cat now.  The epitomy (there's that word again) of the Original Warm Fuzzy.  You can see him by clicking on the "Furry One" link on my main page.  Some of my hobbies include: cats (of course), antiques, quotes, baskets, cross-stitching, computers, web-page design, internet gaming, my friends (they're always an adventure), reading, candles (I sell Partylite Candles, email me if you're interested!) and so many more I simply can't list them all.  I can be a tempermental person and I don't tolerate stupidity well at all.  My biggest pet peeve is men who aren't Gentlemen.  I could rant on that one for hours but trust me, it's a huge pet peeve.  When someone tells me they're going to do something, I expect them to do it and do it well.  Sounds harsh but I also expect the same of myself.  Otherwise I'm a pretty laid-back person like my whole family.  I was brought up to have no prejudice against anyone unless they've done something to me personally and to not hate the whole group, just be really disappointed in the one person.  But, enough about me, if you want to know more, all you have to do is ask, I'm honest about myself. 

On to more pictures!!  hehehehe

My Hometown

Yup, this it.  All of it.  My hometown.  Population:  188  This is the town where I was brought up.  Hard to believe such small towns still exist but they are the backbone of the USA.  This is the same town my Maternal Grandmother was brought up in, though at a farm straight north about two miles.  (north is towards top of picture)  I started off going to school in this town until the school was closed because there weren't enough students to keep it open so I was bussed 7 miles east to the next town which is where my Dad was born and went to school and it's from there that me and brother graduated high school.  If it wasn't for the bad job market in the area of my hometown, I would be living there now instead of where I am currently at, which isn't even in the same state.  I miss it badly.

Me at 19 years of age just before a formal dinner.

Me, with my best friend Kim (center) and Becky on the right.  This was taken for New Year's 1990 when we were in New York City.  I was 20.

midi on page:  Rondo Brilliant in E flat