I do love them. Do you ever have an experience with someone where you were trying to help them solve a problem? You see a clear path to resolution but since you can't walk the path for them, you just point it out. Then you stand back and you watch them wander down the path until they come to a point that you didn't anticipate, a side road? I know that everyone has watched someone do a u-turn and do exactly the opposite of what you expected they would do. The most frustrating part is that your pupil/disciple/child/little shit brother feels completely happy doing whatever it is that he is doing and feels that this has totally resolved his or her problems! DRAT THAT BRAT!
Well, to be honest, it was a long time coming that I devoted a blog to thanking my family for sending me down those paths: )
Maman
Thank you Maman for teaching me how to eat and enjoy good food. All of your children have adopted this attribute, we are all food snots and we all refuse to eat poorly. You should see my refrigerator/freezer: juices, fruits, veggies, unsalted butter, good jam (not jelly), good bread. Then you should see our cupboards, extra virgin olive oil, loads of herbs and spices, tea, good tea, more good tea, some tea that doesn't quite meet our standards (a gift, but we appreciate it nonetheless), real pastas, tomato paste, home made lasagna, lentil soup, ham and cheese sandwiches, etc.... Also, I've become a snot about grammar (especially because I understand it so much better now) and an intellectual elitist. None of this really shows when I'm around Dornbrooks because we all agree but, well, outside of our little circle, I'm a general asshole. Nothing that you wanted to achieve there but I appreciate it anyhow:)
Papa
Need I really say? I like and have Raman Noodle, Mac and Cheese, bad food that is bad for me, and creative swearing. "Can we talk about something else now, Mendon?" This creates a dilemma because I secretly crave food that is going to drive my blood pressure, my cholesterol, and my stomache to the breaking point and is against my food snot standards (not health reasons but for quality issues). Yum, Arbies, Yum, Soda!
Nahan
MUAH HA HA HA HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Sorry Nae, don't read it if you really don't want to know this. I can pretty much attribute two really big things to Nathan that I'm pretty sure are the only reason that I decided to write this blog. Nathan you can still back out now, if you want, because I'm pretty sure that you're going to kick yourself hard for them. Are you sure? OK, if you really want, keep reading. Here they are, Nathan helped me to develop my love for Psychology and decide to choose psychology as a career choice. The other major decision that Nathan has helped me to make was to get married. No, I didn't call Nathan and ask, "Hey should I marry Kristen?" Rather, Nathan helped me to figure out that that was what I wanted to do. In other words, he introduced me to both psychology and marriage in the hopes that I would see the error of my ways (?).
Mara
Uh, I can't really think of much for mara. I'll bet that she can though. Pretty much Mara has helped me out a lot. I owe a lot to Mara; she was a fantastic role model for me out while I was struggling to figure things out. Thanks Mara. OH, yeah, for Nathan again, you taught me that Mara is a wonderful role model, when the two of you are not in the same room.
Rachael
I still can't tie my shoes right. Rachael taught me how to read, I'm sure that there's a problem in that. Oh yeah! I read every single sign on the side of the road, out loud, when I'm travelling. This probably bugs kristen more than it bugs Rachael. There might be some other things that I can talk about for Rae because she was definitely my best friend through highschool and, today, is probably my best friend (but Andrew gets the title because he's not family). It probably sounds a little creepy, but when I met Kristen I got along with her so well because she has similar traits to Rachael that I think everyone probably wants to have (warm, friendly, loving, cool as all get out). So, other than teaching me how to read and tie my shoes I probably can't think of anything.
One thing you might want to thank Mara for is lodging while you're on your honeymoon in Israel.
Also, driving Kristen down to Oxford.
Also, for helping to take care of Maman while you studied for your finals, even though this meant flying from Israel to Mentor.
Just a few. And I don't mind if I helped you figure out that you wanted to get married, that's fine.
If you're going to be a psychologist, for the love of God don't screw up your kids. Every psychologist I've ever met has had screwed up kids . I mean really, really screwed up kids.
Except for Linda Gould and Luke. Luke was cool as a cucumber.
Posted by: Nathan Dornbrook at December 15, 2005 12:27 AMThe Sabet kids are pretty cool, too. :-)
Oh yeah, I'm totally with you on the food snot and not-so-food snot complex! My favorite food is STILL yellow cheese w/ yellow mustard on a saltine cracker! (though, no, I do not want this for my 30th birthday) Did I just mention my 30th birthday . . . oh, yeah, it's in, like, two weeks. But you know, whatever.
By the way, Kristen & Mendon - rumor has it that it's going to get chilly here soon (as in, going down to the 50s) - just so you know. See you soon!!
Posted by: Mara at December 15, 2005 12:55 AMYes, thanking Mara (and you) for all of those things is probably necessary but, well, they weren't awkward moments of realization that everything had gone astray. Well, they were, but in a different sense of the phrase.
Posted by: Mendon at December 15, 2005 7:04 AMNae, Mensch was thanking for things taught, not for all things. That is why the limited list.
Posted by: Ma at December 15, 2005 6:09 PM One day the whole world will enjoy cheap mac n' cheese with extra noodles added and a touch(4-5 drops of yellow salad mustard,French's, stirred in to give a better flavor. Food snot it does not make you;nor look like it. And we shall all have unity of thought. ie. '......this is not the end all or be all of cuisine I had hoped for..' But my kids will like it! Oh yeah! You're welcome!
While we're thanking each other for stuff...thanks for a wonderful summer with you and Kristen and a special wedding which Mama got to witness and participate in.