nationwide and cdot

Author's note: I started writing this blog last November and never completed or posted it. Here it is.

I have siblings. Lots of people do. No matter how mature you are as an adult, when you get together with your siblings, you tend to act like you did back in the day. It is pretty disgusting to act your age minus 30 years.

When my wife and I were first married (a very long time ago) she would get very upset with my behavior at family functions when my sibs and I reverted to our adolescently determined patterns. Of course, when we visited her family, she and her brothers did the same thing. None of us have grown up too much since then. It is fun, though watching the next generation establish their behavior patterns and drive their parents (us) crazy.

My brother is Nationwide. Read through some of my old posts and you'll learn quite a bit about him, especially about the best wedding gift we ever received. We are twins. Growing up with him was a real adventure. He and I have been known to get up before dawn and ride our bicycles to a pond to fish as soon as the sun came up. He did all kinds of crazy stuff as a kid. He once fired a shotgun inside the house. I don't think he meant too, but... My brother is a great example of someone who has overcome bad circumstances and adversity in his life.

My sister is Cdot. She was much younger than her two brothers but thought she could do anything. She usually did. This sweet little girl flew under the radar avoiding getting in trouble most of the time. She's had a dichotomous life. All of her life (to me) she's either been a precocious 7 year-old or a 30 year-old mother of twins herself. She's done a great job. She recently stole our very young mother (recently retired from teaching) to come and help out with the kids and be close to them. My sister is a great example of someone who has overcome physical and medical setbacks in her life.

My respect for both of them is many times greater than it ever was when we were kids.

However, when we get together for the next family holiday, expect the return of 1983 and "you better take that back" and "Star Wars is way better than Superman" and "who is Debbie Gibson" and "Michael J. Fox is a hero" and slapfights and shoulder punches and "mom and dad didn't love you" and "the five minutes before you were born were the best five minutes of my life" and "mine, too" and "you two were the wonderful children" and...and three very disgusted spouses/in-laws.

They say you only hurt the ones you love. Watch out siblings, I love you.