The title of this post is perhaps my favorite line from the movie A League of Their Own, and a bit of an inside joke between babycarrot sister and I. The story behind the lines (and the inside joke) goes a little something like this:
The movie is pretty great (for a movie about baseball, ha! and is also) about a younger sister trying to step out of her older sister’s shadow. (It’s also about 101 other Very Important Issues, but I’m simplifying lest I plot spoil or send you screaming for the door with the length of this post.) The elder sister (played by Geena Davis and her pre-scary-plastic-surgery-face) is the shining star of the family, and her parents’ favorite. At least that’s the familial scenario as told by her kid sister, Kit (played by Lori Petty).
At one point early in the movie Kit (hilariously) defends the favoritism premise by recounting how her parents typically introduce the two of them to strangers.
“This is out daughter, Dottie,” Kit says with a sweeping hand motion and a voice dripping with mock adoration and pride. “And this is our other daughter,” she continues with a wretched face before again crooning, “Dottie’s sister.”
Ever since first watching the movie I have loved quoting those lines to Theresa, in half-hearted assertion that she is my parents’ favorite, the proverbial golden child. It’s funny because it’s (half) true and (half) vexing (to my sister, and isn’t that the job of an older sister? To protect and nurture and annoy her younger sister?).
“Yay for random endearing sister stories, Kerri, but, um, what’s the point?”
Right!
The point is: I miss my sister. A lot. Her currently living in a country that happens to be separated from this one by a very large ocean is exciting! and challenging! and other great exclamatory adjectives! It’s also particularly difficult during holidays, when our family is gathering together to give thanks and break bread and tell ridiculous stories that only families can tell. Will and Theresa are some of the best storytellers I know, and they are also two of my favorite people on this planet, and so I miss them.
Despite The Hearty Missing, Thanksgiving really is one of my favorite holidays, and as such I have every intention of enjoying every second of my four-day weekend, baking the best sweet potato pie (thanks! to Ali for the pie recipe and to Erin for the crust recipe) and watching copious amounts of football. There is also a plan to dress Iggy in a ridiculous elf costume and take pictures of him in the (Eek! Ack! Zoinks!) snow.
Oh, how being easily amused while owning a pug is endlessly amusing.
On the emotional front I’m just….really tired. Work has been obnoxiously monopolizing my time as of late, and while being so busy keeps my mind and my hands perpetually occupied, it also leaves me little time to process feelings I know I need to, and I’ve been feeling less “strong” and more “teetery” (which is totally a word, I just decided) as of late.
Work has also been devouring my preset time for NanoNano (as I like to call it), and I will herein admit that attempting 50,000 words in 30 days given my current emotional landscape was probably a bit too ambitious. I’m in no way quitting, and in fact as of today I have managed to write 14,200 words of which I am proud, and actually sort of like.
More than anything this month is teaching me that I do have time to write daily; I just have to make it. Which how elementary a revelation can you have, right? But it’s true, and it’s taken me awhile to get here. Logging 1400/1500/1600 words a day is 100% doable for me, if I possess the desire and the discipline to get up early or stay up late, or forsake that stack of dishes for two hours.
Prioritizing has become the name of my game, and slowly but surely I’m discovering how to maximize the hours in the days I’ve been given.
I hope this weekend you can find the time to tell everyone you want to how much they mean to you, and to give thanks for everything you have, and/or supremely stuff your face with large amounts of tasty starches and sweets while contemplating sending yourself out into the fray on Friday morning to elbow a woman in the face for a half-priced sweater.*
I’m thankful for (so many things this year, including) each and every one of you, truly, and I would never elbow you in the face, no matter how cute and half-priced the sweater.
*Don’t worry; I heard that woman totally had it coming.
I am thankful for you, friend.
I’m thankful for you daily. Sometimes, hourly. xoxo
Great post–I love you did a “I’m thankful” post without making the obvious list. I am thankful for that. and for you. and for gratitude in general. good stuff.
I use that line on a regular basis. I know a few pairs of siblings where Son B is only referred to as Son A’s brother.
xoxoxoxo
Hugs and love to you!
1) I’ve had Ali’s sweet potato pie and it is FANTASTIC!
2) Do you pronounce NanoNano like Mork from Ork? Nah-noo, Nah-noo? Because you should.
3) Have an awesome turkey day my friend!
14,000 words is amazing. Especially if they’re words you mostly LIKE. Well done, my dear.
Happy Turkey Day!
Day hi to Spokane for me! And happy turkey day! Can’t wait to get together soon. Loves!
I’m looking forward to a fabulous 7 hours in the car with you tomorrow on our way to some much-needed family time away from both work and school. I love you, my Frans. And am thankful every day for your friendship. xoxo
Happy thanksgiving to you, my dear DB!
I am so thankful for you, Kerri! Have a fantastic Thanksgiving. :)
Happy Thanksgiving friend! Hope it was a good one even if “Dottie” couldn’t be there.
I did all 50,000 and only came out with maybe 10,000 usable words, but they are words I never would have written otherwise. All of which is to say that I think you’ve got exactly the right attitude toward NanoNano. I discovered that I could plot. This was new information for me. The good in it is to get from it what you can without making yourself crazy.
I like teetery. I totally support creating your own words to describe how you’re feeling. If something makes me nervous or excited to the extent that I can’t stop fidgeting with my hands, I say that it is making me twisty. People understand what it means (especially if my hands are currently fidgeted into something pretzel-like.)
I am thankful for you. So much so that I would, in fact, elbow some lady in the face to grab a sweater for you, even if it was just so you could hold it up and decide that the sleeves are far too long and the neck is funny. Then I would put it back and glare at that meany sweater hog lady just for good measure.
a. LOVE that movie!
b. YAY 14k words!
c. Awww. Happy belated Thanksgiving. :)
“you see how it works is, the train moves, not the station.”
also a good one
:)
love you lady!
I really want to watch A League of Their Own now.
(thankful for you!)