Aidanisms

Ok, so my three year old, Aidan, is all about talking and conversations now.

Renee and I can't have a conversation without him saying, "cuse me (he can't say the 'ex'), what are you talking about?"

I think it's annoying. But then I think, well, he is saying excuse me, so we've done something right.

Here are a couple of recent conversations I had with him -- of course centered on poop.

Now, I should say that poop is a big topic in our house because he's (finally) using the potty for that. Of course, it's the potty that was at my in-laws, so when he goes he says that he has to use Mimi's potty. I don't care whose potty it is, as long as he's going. And he is.

So I sit down for dinner last night and Renee says to Aidan, "Tell Daddy what vegetable you tried today."

"Pepper, daddy."

"Mmm. I love peppers. Wasn't it good?"

"No. I spit it out in the toilet and flushed it and its down in the septic tank now."

Dramatic pause.

"Might be stuck in a poop."

Yes, we were cracking up hysterically.

This morning at the breakfast table it starts like this:

"Have to go poop, daddy."

"Ok, bud, let's go upstairs to the potty."

As we walk upstairs he stops, turns to me and says:

"It might be a big mushy gushy one."

"Ok, well you let me know."

After he comes out, I say:

"So how'd things go?"

"Good," he said. "It looked like a boot."

What else? I got nothin'.

Am I the Greatest Boss or What?

First of all...stop the presses. Look at me doing two posts in one day.

Ok, now back to your regularly scheduled blogging.

So, Molly is out today. Not only does she work for me. But she works next to me. Yup, we share an office. A small office. An office in a building that was built in 1841. An office where the floors aren't exactly, um, level.

We had a great office. The best office in the building. But then we got a new boss. And he wanted that for his space. I honestly can't blame him, because it was great space. And Molly and I are team players and all that, so we moved.

But we weren't happy about it. "From the penthouse to the outhouse" was our saying.

But, again, I digress.

So she's out today. She had a pretty rough migraine yesterday (no doubt brought on by either the super rich and delicious brownies Anna made or the hot fudge sundae provided by Larisa). So, she left early. And called out today.

And that's fine with me. She works hard. She deserves a day. I get migraines, so I know how ridiculous they can be.

My general theory is, get your work done and I don't care what you do. Call in sick. Work on your blog. Whatever. Just get the work done. We have to get along. Why? Well, did I mention our office?

Anyway...what I've discovered in the last couple of hours is how good it can actually be when Molly's not here.

For example, I can put the AC on high cool and not worry if she's really cold. It's a male/female thing. I like the office cold. She probably doesn't like it as cold as me, but that's no problem today. It's freezin' in here and I like it!

I can also shake my leg all I want. No, I'm not a dog, but I'm probably a good candidate, really, for restless leg syndrome. I am constantly shaking a leg up and down. Only when you're in a building constructed in 1841 with crooked floors there can be issues.

Let's just say that whenever I shake my leg -- and in thise case, only my right leg -- Molly's entire desk shakes, but most particularly her monitor, causing her to have to say, "You're shaking" or "Foot" or somthing to get me to stop, or at the very least, to switch feet. Sometimes, I don't even know I'm doing it. I just do.

So, no worries about shaking today. I've been shaking up a storm in a very cold office. And you know what, it's been great.

But, that doesn't mean Molly isn't missed. She is. I mean, I swore I thought of her one time today. Probably when I was having another sundae and thinking, "I bet Molly isn't having one of these today!"

What else? I got nothin'.

This is Nuts

So guess what I had in my lunch today?

(Yes, Clink, it's a good thing to bring your lunch. Helps cut down on those take-out trips.)

Left over home made mac and cheese (a Renee specialty). Watermelon. Yogurt (Dannon Light Lemon Chiffon -- the only kind I'll eat. Not that I'm picky.). A bottle of water.

And, for dessert?

Dora cookies. Yup, you know, Dora, Dora, Dora the Explorer.

My son has watched Dora for more than a year now. And, I've got to say, it's good TV for kids, first in terms of the stories and secondly for its bilingual speech. Kind of cool how they do it.

And, as a father of two, I gotta tell you this, nobody is better at marketing than the folks at Dora. Walk through a supermarket and Dora is on everything. I couldn't believe it until I actually started paying attention to this stuff.

She, of course, is on cookies. Yummy almost animal cracker-like cookies. Delicious cookies, in fact. My favorite one is the cookie in the shape of Boots the Monkey. You don't know Boots the Monkey? What planet are you from? Boots is Dora's best friend. Because, who doesn't have a monkey as a best friend. First it was Eastwood, now it's Dora. Makes perfect sense to me.

Anyway, well, by now you want to know why I had a bag of Dora cookies for dessert today.

I had them because of five little words my wife discovered on the label:

May contain traces of tree nuts.

A month ago and that would have meant nothing. However, now that Aidan has been officially deemed allergic to tree nuts, we have to know this stuff. And that, apparently, means reading labels on things you wouldn't normally read.

I mean, nuts in Dora cookies? No, but possibly nuts used in the same factory or something like that.

But, let me tell you, once the doctor prescribes an Epi-Pen for you to walk around with wherever you are with your child, you're not into taking risks about this stuff -- even if he hasn't had any issues with Dora cookies before.

I'll spare you the story of what led us to discover Aidan was allergic, but the corresponding bloodwork did confirm the tree nut allergy, with an overwhelming allergic response to pistachios and cashews.

Our biggest concern was peanut butter. And, for the time when we waited for the results, Aidan couldn't have any type of nut whatsoever (per doc's orders). Now, he's back to his beloved peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Thank goodness for that!

So, some research for us to do -- learning more about this tree nut thing. He's been great about it, even asking the other night if watermellon has nuts in it.

But, in the meantime, or at least until the bag is finished, I'll be enjoying my fair share (and then some) of Dora cookies.

What else? I got nothin'.

Fifty and Fabulous...But I Want More...I Think!

OK. So, I'm fifty and fabulous.

No, I don't have an AARP card. Rather, yesterday was a highlight for me. How so? Let me explain.

Fifty of you came to read my blog yesterday!

Can I get a woo-hoo?! Excellent. Thank you.

Then, well, why am I depressed? Well, depressed is too strong a word.

I think I'm blog jealous.

Let me explain.

I started this for me. Really. But, since you started coming, I kind of like it. I want more of you to come and check things out. That's not such a bad thing, right?

My average viewers per day has climbed, believe it or not, all the way to 35 people a day! Can you stand it? I know, knock me down!

But, hey, 35 is more than 15.

But, 917 is also way more than 35. That's how many people came to read Molly the other day.

Now, don't get me wrong, Molly's good. Real good. I know. I hired her.

Still, that's a lot of people. But, she comments all over the place. And, the key, she's a she. And a young she. And those types of shes, it seems, are big bloggers. And I'm fine with that.

She has a defined audience. Which also helps.

Me? Scattered. Completely scattered.

One day I'm writing about my kids. One day about my brother. One day about music. One day about my flooded basement. One day about sports. I'm all over the place. And, just so you know, I will one day be writing about my day with Bob Denver! You can't escape it!

And, here's the thing, I can relate to the young twenty something bloggers, but are they going to relate to me on a regular basis? Not sure.

What about blogging daddies? Well, if there are some, I'm sure I can relate to that group, but will they relate to me on a regular basis? I don't know.

It's weird. I want to be read. I really do. But at the same time, I don't care about it. Does that make any sense at all?

I've always been one to have a very tight circle of friends. And I love that. Maybe that's what this is going to be for me, too. And that's OK. Because, after all, I did start this for me. Not for you.

And, even with my little circle of blog friends, it's been a cool way to learn more about them -- even learning more about those I talk to every day. But, this blogging thing has allowed us to share and learn more about each other than I could have imagined. And that's a cool thing.

So, while I, of course, would welcome more readers, I'm thrilled with what I have. I really am. I mean, here we are. I think for the moment that I'm just as happy going with quality over quantity.

What else? I got nothin'.

A Kid Update

I'm already becoming that parent. You know, the kind that no longer takes pictures of his kids.

That said, this picture was taken on my cellphone. The story is below.

I hate that parent. I need to stop being that parent. The camera hasn't been clicked in about 10 days, so I really don't have anything new to show you. Particularly of Erin -- who since her birth June 10 has sprouted into a real live little girl.

Of course, she wasn't happy today at her two-month appointment. Three shots. Two in one leg, one in another. I couldn't go because of work stuff, but Renee says she had a pretty good scream and then settled down. She's sleeping soundly tonight already, so it could have taken a lot out of her.

But, in terms of measurements, did I mention she's growing?

She was born at 8 pounds even and 22 inches long.

She's now just shy of 14 pounds and is two feet tall (well, long). That's the 95th percentile in both height and weight.

She smiles now, too, which is cool. Hopefully I can catch one of those on camera soon. She's definitely got her own little personality going, which is pretty cool. And, heck, ask Anna or Molly, but she almost rolled over last night, too.

Of course, they, and others, were only able to see her last night when she was out of her carrier and the stroller. You see, big brother Aidan is quite protective of his little sister. Her carrier has its own mini canopy on it. And, well, if she's in the carrier and you want to see her, good luck.

Step close and Aidan is watching you -- so much that he comes over and covers her face with the canopy, refusing to let go and putting his body in front of it, too, so you can't see her.

"He's just very protective," we say.

He loves her though. No doubt about that. He had "100 questions" for the doctor today when he went to her appointment. He wanted to know when she would talk, when she would crawl, when she would walk and when she would be ready to play with him.

We're working very hard on the sharing thing. It's a challenge. Probably the biggest one I think we've dealt with, including more stressful than the whole poop thing.

Until recently, he wouldn't poop on the toilet here. Only at my in-laws. But, the last couple days, he has done it here.

He even called me today to say, and this is a direct quote:

Daddy, I did a super duper big mushy gushy one on the potty! I flushed it down the toilet right into the septic tank. That's where it is!

Yup, that's my boy.

A big milestone was crossed Wednesday morning for him, too.

The dentist!

After having a rough morning, we almost didn't go to the appointment. I think Renee and I were both concerned how he would do, given his morning behavior.

But, he did great! His only challenge was sitting in the chair. Not sitting in it, per se, but trusting that he wasn't going to fall out when he put his head back and the hygenist adjusted the chair.

Once he got that down, no worries at all -- despite a little nervous look on his face. He opened super wide when he was asked and really enjoyed having his teeth polished -- mainly because he picked out the grape flavored toothpaste.

And, when he was done, he looked at the hygenist and said, "Where are the prizes?"

Pictures soon. I promise!

What else? I got nothin'.

For Tim

For the newcomers to this blog, my brother, Tim, died unexpectedly June 16.

This blog was my emotional release during that time. If you want, take a look back in the archives and learn more about my brother and the emotional time it was for me and the rest of my family.

One of the revelations of the entire process was learning about the side of Tim I didn't know. His work side. It was amazing to hear all the stories from his colleagues about his professionalism, his sense of humor and his overall performance.

I knew he worked in wire and cable, but I didn't know much more -- until today. My family and I went to his workplace for a ceremony this morning.

In the picture above, you'll see a gorgeous red maple they planted in his memory. There's also a stone there, too, with a nice tribute to him.

This manufacturing plant basically stopped for 10 minutes this morning while folks came out to pay a tribute to my brother. One of his colleagues said a few words, as did my mom and me. We had a moment of silence in his honor, too.

Very simple. Very meaningful.

Then, we got a tour of the plant. And, while I still don't know exactly what he did, I can say proudly that he ran this operation of more than 100 people and it was impressive to see. And the guy who showed us around was saying how Tim knew everything about all of these machines -- more than I could count doing things I've never seen before. That he knew everyone by name and that he was constantly having fun -- all while being productive.

We heard more stories about him from the people that worked for him. All funny. All touching. All to be remembered. And for that I am thankful.

Perhaps the best comment I've received yet came from another colleague. The plant makes all sort of wire, including fiber optic cable and other stuff that gets used for computer networks and such. So, as I sit here at my desk, it's possible that the wire connecting my computer to our network could have been made by my brother's plant.

With that in mind, his colleague asked me if I enjoyed my visit to the plant.

"I enjoyed it immensely, but I still don't understand it," I joked.

"Just think of your brother every time you turn on your computer," she said.

So simple. So hokey. But, you know what, incredibly comforting.

Lucky 13

There's nothing superstitious about the number 13 for me. Especially this year.

The above picture was taken 13 years ago -- August 6, 1994. The day I became the luckiest man in the world. Yeah, I said it. The world.

As I sit here and type this, I can't even fathom all that has gone on in those 13 years. All I know is I couldn't have made it on my own. And, fortunately, I didn't have to. Renee has been by my side. Each step of the way.

We've created life. We've endured death. We've started new jobs. We've built a house. We've moved from one state to another. From the happiest moment to the hardest, it's only been one way -- together.

Can't really ask for more than that.

My only hope today? That she believes I've lived up to my end of the deal as much as she's lived up to hers. I certainly have tried. But, I gotta tell you, she sets a mean example.

She has seen me at my best -- and at my worst. She has put up with so much -- and then some. And I'll never be able to express how appreciative I am.

She's an unbelievable teacher.

She's an amazing mother.

She's an incredible wife.

But, mostly, she's a fabulous friend.

Happy 13th Anniversary, Renee.

Love you. Mega.

What else? I got nothin'.

That's What I Like About....Me

Well, I've been tagged again. Molly did it. Only this time she wants me to write about 10 things I like about myself. Hmmm. Interesting.

Ok, let's see what we can come up with here -- in no particular order:

1. I'm a great dad. Honestly, better than I thought I'd be. I've got work to do, but for a guy who didn't want anything to do with kids, I think I'm doing pretty well. I'm not nearly as good as the mother of my children (who happens to be my wife!), but I'm trying hard. I really am. I can, and someday I will, spend post after post on how cool it is to be a dad.

2. I'm a great husband. Just ask Renee. She'll tell you! Or at least I hope she will. We're celebrating 13 years next week. That just blows me away. It really does. The key? We were friends first. Great friends. And, you know what? We still are.

3. I'm a good son. Ask my mom for her feelings, but I think she'd agree. At least I hope she would! Yeah, she would. Right?! Never caused my parents any trouble -- or at least none that they let on about. They raised me in such away that I strived to succeed by not disappointing them. And I don't mean that in any negative way. Basically, if I worked to my capacity, they would never be disappointed, regardless of the result. I hope I can instill that into my kids.

4. I'm a good writer. Well, you're here, aren't you? Got the writing gene from my mom and couldn't be happier about it. I believe in the thank you note, a well-written letter, and I'll spend an hour working on the same paragraph, just to make sure I said it in the best possible way. This paragraph alone took two hours. :)

5. I'm good at my job. I'm a publicist. I'm a news junky, which helps in the job because I understand what the media thinks is and isn't important. I've gotten great results wherever I've been, and I'm in a great position now, despite all the griping I do. It really is a good gig.

6. I'm a great friend. I've never been one to have a large circle of friends. I prefer a smaller tight-knit style group. And I've got that. Amazing friends. And, I believe they would say the same about me. I can't say it any simpler than it's about being there for each other. For anything. Plain and simple. No questions asked. My friends do that for me. I do it for them.

7. I'm funny. Well, I try to be. Not laugh-out-loud funny. More subtle, dry wit funny. I seem to be able to make people laugh and smile -- so I'm going with it.

8. I'm involved. Probably too much, but, oh well. I'm getting ready to plan my 20th high school reunion. I'm on the school board of my Catholic elementary school. I'm the head of my church's Parish Council. And I'm sure there's one or two more that I can't think of. Basically, it's about giving back. I've taken a lot....now it's time to give back. And that's what I try to do.

9. I'm a sensitive sap. I can't help it. I just am.

10. I've got a great ass. I mean, come on, have you seen it?! :)

There you have it. Ten, er, nine and a half things I like about myself!

Thanks for listening.

It's Monday...and I'm Rambling

So, you have spoken. Dylan is your favorite 90210 character. Can't really say as though I blame you. Figured it would be between Dylan and Kelly -- but since more women read this than men, I understand the results. And I'm ok with that.

I held off on the favorite Melrose Place character poll. That'll come though. And soon. I just didn't want to do them back to back. Although, speaking of back to back, when they were on FOX one after the other, I'm not sure I've ever been happier in front of the TV.

It's hot. Not just hot. Humid. I hate humidity. It does such things to my hair. Sorry, just was trying to relate to the readership! :)

So we've been thinking about changing the name of my son to Sybil. He's like the weather in Vermont. Don't like it? That's ok, it'll change in two minutes. I don't mean this to be cruel at all, but the fact is, we're having difficulty with two things -- poops and sharing.

He will only poop on the toilet at my mother-in-law's -- no matter what we try to bribe him with. It's hard to "don't worry about it, just let it run its course." We know he can do it. He knows he can do it. But I guess it's just a control thing.

The other thing is sharing. One minute he's threatening to "hide all my toys" and the next minute he's offering his juice around to anyone and everyone. Again, he gets it, but he's just not into this sharing thing completely.

I know we'll get there, but it can be extremely frustrating and it tries your (well, mine) patience (as well as Renee's) incredibly so. But, we're hanging in there. These, I guess, are the trying threes. Perhaps our punishment since we never dealt with the terrible twos.

Erin, who is filling out like a little linebacker, has smiled -- but not for me. Mom, Aunt Steph and Aidan have seen it. But not daddy -- at least not yet.

Some of my favorite Aidanisms over the last couple of days:

His 8-year-old cousin Collin is visiting. They were getting changed to go in the pool. Both naked at the time and Aidan says, "Why is his penis bigger than mine?"

And, staying with that same theme, I was going the bathroom and the door was open. Aidan was down the hall. He heard me going (um, I was standing, not grunting....) and came running down to, um, watch?

"Where's the potty coming from, daddy?"

"My penis, Aidan, just like when you go."

Turning his head for a better look, he says, "That's a big one, daddy."

You know, these sharing issues don't seem so bad after all!

What else? I got nothin'.

Joey, Justin and Lance Would be Pleased...

...to know that you, the readers of I Got Nothin', have voted N'Sync as your favorite boy band of all time, edging out the Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block. I'm sorry to say that nobody cast a vote for LFO. Shocking.

So, I have no idea what questions are going to come up on this poll, but for today's edition, we're going back to one of TV's alltime greatest shows.

That's right. I could only be talking about Beverly Hills, 90210.

Admit it. The theme song is going in your head right now.

What else? I got nothin'.

It's Too Quiet Around Here

So my family is on a road trip. Only, I'm not with them.

Yup, my wife, my three-year-old son and my six-week-old daughter are in Vermont. Joining them is my wife's sister, who is visiting from Florida for a couple of weeks.

They left Sunday morning. I was then busy until about 6 p.m. Sunday night. But when I got home, instead of finding my son playing with his trains and my wife most likely feeding my daughter, I found, well, nothing. Except left overs in the fridge.

So they are in Vermont visiting my wife and her sister's favorite aunt. They have an amazing house on, basically, a farm. Just picturesque Vermont. But, I've got work and other stuff going on, so I didn't make the trip.

Now I'm wishing I had. I like my time, don't get me wrong.

But did I mention how quiet it is?

There are some pros -- like I can have the air conditioner on all night, I can leave the dishes until the morning, I can wait on the laundry (as long as I get it done before they get home).

But there are three obvious cons -- the people I love the most aren't here. But, they'll be back soon enough. Plenty to keep me busy.

There's no debating with my son about whether or not we're going to read two, three, four or more books for bed. But, there's also no going in his room to check on him and just watch him there in his loft bed, breathing peacefully and recharging his batteries for another day on the go.

There's no changing one diaper for my daughter and end up changing three at one time because she wasn't really done with her poop afterall. But, there's also no falling asleep with her on my chest as we rock the day away.

There's no picking up all the laundry for my wife to put in one or two loads at night. But, there's also nobody to spoon with when I rollover in the middle night.

Renee, Aidan, Erin. Enjoy Vermont. Take lots of pictures.

But do me one favor.

Hurry home.

What else? I got nothin'.

Mixing It Up a Bit

Ok, so who noticed that I changed my color scheme on here a couple of weeks ago?

It's ok if you didn't. I still like you.

The fact is, more people are coming here (and probably wondering why once they've made it), so it seemed like I should spruce the place up a bit.

You'll also noticed that I've added a poll feature to the right.

If you're wondering what brought about the first question, let me explain.

Molly and I usually have music on in the office throughout the day. And it usually comes off my iPod.

We had a little BSB going the other day, which then caused me to switch to NKOTB and then finally to LFO.

I'm a guy in my mid-30s. Got a problem with me liking boy bands? Good!

So, not sure what type of questions will go up there from time to time, but it'll be fun to get your answers. So, have at it!

What else? I got nothin'.

Crazy Eights

Well, this blogging thing has been pretty crazy for me lately. First, I was a guest blogger for Molly while she was on vacation (in Vegas).

Now, I've been tagged. And, in the process of tagging me, Anna has described me as big time.

Can the bar be set any higher than that? I'm thinking not.

Apparently this act of being tagged or tagging is something about a meme. Beats me. I may be big time, but I don't understand all of this blogging terminology all the time. All I know is that it's called Crazy Eights, and I'm supposed to tell you eight things about me.

I have to post these rules before I give up the goods. Each player starts with eight random facts or habits about themselves. People who are tagged are now obliged to write an entry telling us eight things about themselves and post these rules. At the end of your blog entry, tag eight new, unsuspecting bloggers and list their names. (Oh, and leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged JUST IN CASE they missed that day on your blog.)

1. I'm in a movie. A real movie, actually. It's called Heavy. Good chance you haven't seen it. But it does exist! It stars Shelley Winters, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Liv Tyler and Debbie Harry. I was working in New York at the time, for the The Culinary Institute of America. The movie was being filmed in New York and the director wanted Vince's character, an aspiring chef, to come on a tour of the CIA. I was one of two people working with the film crew on everything. When it came time for the scene, they needed a tour guide. That would be me. So, during the movie, if you can find it somewhere, you'll see me briefly on screen, but you'll hear my voice for about two minutes. This is all midway through the film. And, maybe you haven't seen Heavy, but you have seen more from the director. Check out what else he's done. And to think it all started with me!

2. I once rode around in a limo all day with Bob Denver. You know, Gilligan. I'd tell you the story, but when I offered before, nobody cared.

3. I love live music. Love going to concerts. My first concert was Kiss. I was 10, if you can believe it. The last concert I saw was Cheap Trick. You'll see my taste in music varies wildly as I list for you other bands/artists I've seen live: U2, Bon Jovi, Eagles, Poison, Cinderella, Warrant, Ratt, Winger, Tiffany, Cheap Trick, Robert Plant, Bob Seger, Whitesnake, The Alarm, REM, Tom Petty, Brian Setzer, Eddie Money, Pat Benatar, Kansas, Matchbox Twenty, Sugar Ray, 38 Special, Van Halen, Scorpions, Metallica, Dokken, Michael Buble, Whitney Houston, Kenny G, Five for Fighting, Goo Goo Dolls, The Bangles, Peter, Paul and Mary, Aerosmith, Richard Marx, Allman Brothers, Dennis DeYoung, Mike & the Mechanics, The Outfield, The Hooters, Barenaked Ladies, Billy Joel, Elton John, Celine Dion, The Corrs, Firehouse, Def Leppard, Gavin DeGraw, George Winston, Heart, Huey Lewis & the News, Indigo Girls, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Jewel, Journey, Kristin Chenoweth, Motley Crue, Sugarland and Train.

4. I'm addicted to fantasy baseball. I play in two leagues (down from three). I've been playing for almost 20 years.

5. I might have the worst skin ever. Very sensitive. Very dry. Hate shaving -- but will never grow a beard.

6. I don't read as many books as I should -- or would like. Usually, I read in streaks. If I manage to pick something up, I buzz through it and then want another one right away. But, right now, as I write this, I can't tell you the last book I read.

7. If I was a celebrity and was chosen to be on Dancing with the Stars, I'd want Cheryl or Edyta as my partner.

8. I was one of the last people (Matt, who is tagged below, is the other) to play on my all-time favorite mini golf course before it was sold at auction. I have such good memories from there, that I bought things from the place at auction -- including part of the 18th hole, which was a clown's face where you could get strokes taken off your score depending on whether you put the ball in the clown's nose, mouth or eyes. It sits in a basement now, and it's something that I'll never be able to get rid of.

Ok, so now you know a bit more about me. Still like me?

I'm going to break the rules a bit. I'm not going to tag eight people. Truthfully, I may be big time, but I don't have eight good people to tag. Besides, Anna took two of my would-be taggers. So, I'm giving you what I've got.

First, I tag Matt. He has no problem making lists about movies or songs, so giving up eight things about himself shouldn't be hard. Besides, he hasn't posted in a while and he needs to keep it going.

Next up is John, a dear friend from college with a unique perspective on life. You'll see what I'm talking about when you learn more about him.

Hallie's next. She's new to the blogging world. I find her incredibly funny, and she's a great friend. She's a single mom raising three kids, so I'm not sure when she'll get to this, but I have faith.

I'm going to do half the job -- literally. I'm tagging four. And, the fourth is someone I met in person only one time. She has, however, one of the coolest names. Her name is Nova, and her blog is here. Nova is a great friend of Christine, whom I would have tagged if Anna didn't already do it. So, Nova, you're the one I'm going out on a limb to tag. Hope you don't mind!

Ok. What else? I got nothin'.

Nothing Specific

Ok, so I just sat here for five minutes thinking of a title for this post. And, like the title of this entire blog, I got nothin'.

I feel as though I should, however. Lots going on around these parts. So, for this installment, just a few ramblings for you.

One thing is true. I am reaching a new level in this whole blogging thing.

I wouldn't quite say I'm hitting the big time, but it's damn close. Well, ok, maybe not damn close. Maybe just close.

If you don't know, Molly works for me. She's technically my assistant, but it's not like she gets me coffee or anything. Besides, I don't even drink coffee.

Well, those that are regulars to this wonderful land of my blogging life have Molly to thank for me actually being here.

And, well, Molly's on vacation this week. She's off to Vegas, in fact. Oh, how I love the Vegas.

So, before she left, Molly asked me to be a guest blogger on her site, which you can find here.

I mean, how in the world could I pass that up? She blogs like there's no tomorrow. She could have picked a lot of people. But she picked me. I think that's pretty cool. The only problem? In the rotation, I'm up after her mom. Talk about a tough act to follow. I gave it my all, however.

So, faithful readers, new readers, heck, any readers, be sure to head over here to check out my guest spot Tuesday. I'm guessing it'll be posted early Tuesday afternoon.

Ok, now that it took me forever to get that out of the way. A few more random things from me.

My sister-in-law arrives Tuesday from Florida. Think your chocolate chip cookies are good? You haven't had hers. Best. Ever. Bar. None.

Doctor's appointment today for the newest edition to our family. She's grown an inch and put on two pounds. Woo-hoo.

Dentist for me tomorrow (Tuesday as you read this). Love going to the dentist. Why? Because he's a Yankee fan, and I'm a Sox fan. It's good to go in there when leading the race.

Today (Monday) is my Dad's birthday. He would have been 73. Miss you, Dad.

Humidity and I don't get along. Yet I still haven't gotten my car's AC fixed (it hasn't worked since last August). Pathetic, I know.

So we all went to Erin's doctor's appointment today. The doc was running late, so we were reading books with Aidan while we waited. Erin was perfectly content to just chill out on the exam table.

There were five or six books in the exam room. We'd read one, and then Aidan would ask us to get another book -- a good one. As I was pulling them out to show him, I came across the classic story of Cinderella.

"That's for girls, Daddy."

Ok.

This last thought is a little gross. But, I'm sorry. I can't resist. I mentioned to someone that I had to "take a dump" today. This person, who I might add, is female, raised an incredible question I've never even considered. And, candidly, I'm shocked this hasn't come up anywhere before.

"Why do we 'take a dump'," she asked. "We're not taking anything. In fact, we're leaving something!"

I can't think of anything more brilliant than that. ;)

So what else? I got nothin'.

Aidan's First Movie Adventure

Our son Aidan is three.

Oh, and you should also know, he's the cutest three-year-old you'll ever meet. Smartest, too.

(What did you expect me to say about him?!)

That aside, ever since he turned three, I've wanted to take him to his first movie. For some reason, that seemed the right age. Now we just needed the right movie.

Enter Ratatouille. (Not even sure if I spelled that right nor not. Honestly, too lazy to look it up.)

I certainly didn't expect him to grab the entire plot and all it had to offer, but the idea of a big screen, popcorn, animation and, more importantly, a first-time experience with my son, was really what I was after.

So we went Sunday afternoon. It was a no nap day, but I figured a new experience would give a new perspective on the day. Usually no nap days can get dangerous in the late afternoon. This was a gamble I was well aware of, but I decided to take the risk anyway.

While we were driving up, he kept asking about popcorn. I told him we could probably get some, but that we were going to have some animal crackers first. Successfully smuggled in animal crackers, I might add.

The previews were on when we found our seats. Stadium style, so we had to climb up a few rows to get to the great seats. On the aisle, of course, in anticipation of any early exit needs.

I should mention, too, that my son is a huge Thomas the Tank Engine fan. And, on his t-shirt were two Thomas stickers. This will matter in a minute. Honest.

As the previews played, Aidan's first question, in between bites of cracker was, "This the movie, Daddy?"

"Not yet, bud, but it's coming soon." I then explained what a preview was. Or at least I tried to.

So the movie starts and he's busily snacking on the crackers and sipping his juice. And, I think he was actually enjoying the show.

I pulled the bag of crackers away after a bit (this would turn out to be my move of the day).

A few minutes later, he asks, "Popcorn now, daddy?"

Just a minute, I reply, hoping he'll forget it, but knowing he won't.

Two more minutes. "Now, daddy?"

"Sure, bud, let's go."

We left our seats and went out to the concession area. I spent $7.50 for a small popcorn and soda. We went back to our seats. He seemed to like this 'mission.'

We climbed to our seats, I took a sip of the soda, a bite of the popcorn and handed some to him.

Tears.

"I don't like it," as only a three-year-old could whine.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't like it."

OK, so, like I said, score points for me for saving a few animal crackers. They came in quite handy and everything seemed ok for another 15 minutes.

More tears.

"What's wrong?"

"Thomas stickers aren't sticking anymore."

I told you they would be important!

I held on to the stickers for another five minutes.

No tears this time. But, instead it was, "We go now?"

"You sure?"

"We go now?"

He's sure.

Other than the popcorn and sticker dilemmas, I'm still counting this as a successful trip. We were about an hour and 10 minutes in, which is the longest he's watched anything, so I was pretty happy.

But, come on, at the same point, I was like, "Yeah, I'm the parent that the other parents are probably saying, 'Who takes someone that young to the movies?' or 'Look at that poor guy, having to take his kid home.'"

It didn't matter though. Who cares what they think.

We're halfway out of the theater and he says, "Can I have my stickers?"

"Sure, here they are."

But, here was one, not the other. I lost it. Or, as it turns out, I misplaced it. We, of course, couldn't leave without both of them. A few steps retracing our path and I found it. Thank God.

We weren't two steps out of the door when my favorite line of the day came out.

"We go back now, daddy? Movie still playing?"

So he did like it!!!

"It sure is, bud, but we can't go back now. Another time."

"Ok."

"What was your favorite part?"

"The big screen. And the waterfall."

There was no waterfall, but there was a scene with rats being rushed through a sewer system, so that was his waterfall.

Ten minutes later, driving home:

"We go back, daddy?"

"Another time, bud."

Defintely another time.

What else? I got nothin'.

I'd Like to Thank the Academy...

I rock.

Don't just take my word for it. Take Molly's.

After all, today she dubbed me a Rockin' Blogger. I'm not really sure what that means, other than that she likes my stuff and now a bunch of her readers have been here to check me out.

I know you've been here. I've been watching you!

Just hope that you've found something to come back and visit from time to time. And, hey, I love comments as much as the next guy.

So, thanks, Molly, for passing it along. Thanks Molly's readers for checking me out.

Enjoy the 4th.

Next up -- the story of a three-year-old's first trip to the movies.

What else? I got nothin'.

One Day at a Time

I wish this post were about the TV show that shared the same title.

I probably could write for hours about Valerie Bertinelli.

Instead it's about life and what's been going on in mine and trying to get back to 'normalcy' -- if there even is such a thing.

Besides, when I get around to it, and that will hopefully be soon, I have a funny tale to tell about bringing my three-year-old to his first movie this weekend. The one about the rats. I'm not even going to try and spell it, but you know what I'm talking about.

But first, to those who have read my last few posts about everything -- thank you. I wasn't trying to make you cry. I wasn't trying to over-share, I was writing first and foremost for myself, and if along the way you learned a little bit more about my brother, then that's a good thing.

I can share one other thing with you. I mentioned he was an organ donor and two people got a new kidney because of him. Well, my sister-in-law heard from one of the patients via the organ donation people (I'm sure they have a name, but organ donation people will do for now).

One of the patients is a man in his mid-40s. He has three kids. His oldest daughter is getting married later this year. Because of the gift he received from my brother, he now looks forward to being able to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding, something he wasn't going to be able to do before this.

Again, not trying to make you cry. Just saying.

And to all of my friends that have absolutely been awesome through this, my thanks. I am amazed at the outpouring of concern that I (and my family) have received.

It often takes a hardship to realize how good people can be. And how many people really are 'there for you.' It's pretty cool to know that I have friends that drove more than three hours to spend five minutes with me at a wake. Or to know that tonight a friend is bringing over dinner for us. Or that I didn't have to worry about anything at work. Or that the big pile of laundry was done and folded for us. And I could go on and on and on.

The fact is -- I have awesome friends. And I thank you.

The Funeral

Note: This all starts with Life is Precious on the right. Start there and read up. My regulars, you'll be shocked to see how much I've posted today!

What a beautiful day for a funeral. Really. I mean, this is what you think about. Or what I think about. Besides wondering if I'll make it through my talk.

We assembled at the funeral home, said our final farewells, a few prayers and made our way to the church.

It was packed. Absolutely packed. Mom and Lynn didn't want to walk down the aisle, so they went in the side door.

The rest of us were in the back of the church. The priest started with a prayer, we spread the pall over Tim's casket and then walked forward to our pew.

Uh oh. It was hitting me now. Not now. I love this song (Eagle's Wings) and I want to sing it. I couldn't. I wasn't crying, but I couldn't sing.

Renee was doing the second reading, and I could see her walk to the altar out of the corner of my eye. She was sitting in back with Erin, just in case she had to feed her during the service. I knew she would do an awesome job, but I couldn't look at her. She did us proud. She nailed it.

Then, I was feeling OK. I could sing, I could talk, I didn't have to bite my lip.

I was thinking ahead and was worried about the sign of peace, thinking I would lose it then. I didn't.

OK, I thought, I'm going to do this, but then I was worried about Brendan and Tommy, and whether or not they'd get through their talk.

The time came. Tommy went first. He was nervous. But he nailed it. Perfect humor and perfect explanation of the 'twin thing.' I joked with him before he went up and said, "I hope you don't mind, but I'm not going to listen."

I went first at my Dad's, and I think that's how I made it through that one -- barely.

Tommy finished and I was still feeling OK. Brendan and I went up to the altar together. This 13-year-old stood in front of about 300 people, not too mention his Dad's coffin, and hit a homerun. He was fabulous. I had told him that people would laugh, and they did. That helped him. And I thought it would help me.

I was wrong.

I had a very general opening and then a couple of jokes. I got through that without too much trouble, but I knew as soon as I opened my mouth that I wasn't going to get through the entire thing -- the best thing I've ever written, and I wasn't going to be able to finish it.

It was five pages long. Midway through page three, I lost it. Then I dropped the papers. Picked them up and said, "good thing I numbered them." Everyone laughed. I thought I could do it again. But this was just the part where I was getting to the more emotional parts.

I knew I was toast.

I looked over to Father Perkins and he (thankfully) came over to pick up where I left off while I sat sobbing like a baby.

I knew where he was, heck, I practically had it memorized. I also knew that I wanted to say the last line myself. So as he got to that part, I stood up, moved closer to the lectern and he realized what I was doing. I then said the last line like I wanted to and returned, still sobbing madly, to the pew.

The first thing my Mom said was, "You were right. That was the best thing you've ever written."

I could hear sobs everywhere. I wasn't trying to make people cry. Or feel sorry for me. I was trying to get them to know Tim better than they did. I had learned so much about him in the past few days from his work colleagues. I wanted them, and others, to know the Tim I knew. And, regardless of whether I read some of it or the priest read some of it, when it was over, they knew.

So, if you'd like to read what I couldn't make it through, here it is -- my eulogy to my brother Tim -- the best thing I've ever written:

Note: It's written in all caps. That's not a mistake. It's just how I type things when I'm giving a talk. Hope it's not too difficult to read.


FIRST OF ALL, ON BEHALF OF THE O’FARRELL FAMILY, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT. IT’S A PRETTY AMAZING THING. I KNOW NOT EVERYONE WILL BE AT THE CEMETERY, BUT I DO HOPE YOU’LL JOIN US AFTERWARDS AT THE CALABRESE CLUB IN WESTERLY FOR FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP.

ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS FOR ME THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN LEARNING ABOUT TIM’S WORK LIFE. THE WORDS PEOPLE HAVE EXPRESSED ABOUT TIM HAVE BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING.

ONE CONVERSATION IN PARTICULAR, REALLY TAUGHT ME THAT THERE’S A DIFFERENT SIDE TO TIM I NEVER KNEW. THE WORKING TIM.

THE PERSON I WAS TALKING TO ACTUALLY USED THE WORD DYNAMIC TO DESCRIBE MY BROTHER. I SAID, TIM O’FARRELL, RIGHT?

OH YEAH, HE TOLD ME. ABSOLUTELY DYNAMIC. HE MADE PEOPLE LAUGH. HE CRACKED JOKES. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS PERSON TOLD ME, HE GOT THINGS DONE. AND PEOPLE RESPONDED TO HIM.

THAT I BELIEVE. MY BROTHER ALWAYS GOT THINGS DONE.

BUT DYNAMIC? I’M STILL NOT SURE I BELIEVE IT.

RESERVED? YES.

STOIC? NO QUESTION.

SERIOUS? WITHOUT A DOUBT.

THOSE ARE WORDS I WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE MY BROTHER TIM.

BUT THEN IT HIT ME.

THIS PERSON KNOWS ONE SIDE OF MY BROTHER. I, AND OTHERS, KNOW OTHER SIDES OF HIM.

AND FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MINUTES, I’D LIKE TO SHARE SOME MEMORIES WITH YOU ABOUT THE TIM O’FARRELL I KNOW.

SEEMS LIKE EVERY HOLIDAY MEAL, WE END UP REHASHING FUNNY FAMILY STORIES AROUND THE TABLE. ONE OF MY FAVORITES IS THE TIME TIMMY HURT HIS WRIST OR ARM – I DON’T REMEMBER WHICH. WHATEVER IT WAS, IT WAS BUGGING HIM SO MUCH. BUT MY MOM DIDN’T BUY IT. SHE FINALLY TOLD HIM THAT IF HE WANTED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL, HE SHOULD TAKE THE INSURANCE CARD, GET ON HIS BIKE AND GO. IT WASN’T LONG THEREAFTER THAT MY MOTHER GOT A CALL. TIMMY NEEDED TO BE PICKED UP. HE WAS IN A CAST!

PHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH TIM ARE ALWAYS FUN. IMAGINE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

HELLO.

MICHAEL.

YEAH.

YOU GOING TO MA’S?

YUP.

WHAT TIME?

NOON.

SEE YOU THEN.

OK.

NOW THAT’S DYNAMIC – WOULDN’T YOU SAY?

MY BROTHER TOM GOT MARRIED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO IN INDIANA. I FLEW OUT. TIMMY DROVE – AS DID MY MOM AND MY SISTER. LYNN AND MOM LEFT AN ENTIRE DAY BEFORE TIMMY. HE CAUGHT UP TO THEM NOT TO FAR FROM THE FINAL DESTINATION – MAKING UP NEARLY A DAY’S HEAD START.

THEN, ONCE HE GOT THERE, HE HAD TWO THINGS ON HIS MIND – NEITHER ONE OF WHICH SEEMED TO BE HIS BROTHER’S WEDDING. NOPE. HE WAS MORE FOCUSED ON FINDING A PLACE TO WASH HIS TRUCK AND THEN GETTING BACK TO THE HOTEL QUICKLY BECAUSE IT HAD FREE SPEED CHANNEL.

ON A MORE PERSONAL SIDE, I DON’T THINK ANYONE HERE EVEN KNOWS THIS – YOU KNOW US O’FARRELLS, WE’RE NOT KNOWN FOR SHARING A WHOLE LOT – BUT TIM SAID ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL THINGS ANYONE HAS EVER SAID TO ME.

THE IRONIC PART OF THIS STORY – HE SAID IT AT MY BACHELOR PARTY.
THAT NIGHT, I FOUND MYSELF THE BUTT OF MANY JOKES AS MY FRIENDS WENT AROUND THE TABLE ROASTING ME.

MY BROTHER TOM GOT IN THE ACT, SHARING SOME EMBARASSING STORY. EVEN MY DAD GOT INVOLVED IN THIS LITTLE GAME, REALLY TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUST ON ME.

THEN IT WAS TIMMY’S TURN. I HAD TAKEN SUCH A VERBAL BEATING, HE COULD HAVE EASILY JUST PILED ON AND FOLLOW THE LEAD OF HIS BROTHER AND FATHER.THAT’S WHAT I EXPECTED.

BUT HE DIDN’T DO THAT.

INSTEAD, HE TOLD ME HE RESPECTED ME AND HOW I GOT TO THAT POINT IN MY LIFE. HE THEN TOLD ME – AND THE REST OF THE GROUP – THAT HE WAS PROUD OF ME. I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT. I NEVER EXPECTED IT. ESPECIALLY THEN – AT MY BACHELOR PARTY.

IT’S SUCH A SIMPLE PHRASE. BUT IT CARRIES A LOT OF MEANING. AND GIVEN THE TIMING OF WHEN HE SAID THAT, IT MEANT THAT MUCH MORE TO ME.

IT ALSO MEANT A LOT TO ME BECAUSE, DESPITE HAVING TWIN BROTHERS, THAT THREE MINUTE OR SO HEAD START TIM HAD OVER TOM IN THIS WORLD CLASSIFIED TIM AS MY BIG BROTHER. TOM IS MY OLDER BROTHER. TIM IS ALWAYS MY BIG BROTHER. AND WHAT LITTLE BROTHER DOESN’T TRY TO IMPRESS HIS BIG BROTHER?

WE NEVER TALKED ABOUT WHAT HE SAID TO ME. NOT LATER THAT NIGHT, NOT EVER. BUT IT HAS ALWAYS SAT WITH ME AS A MEANINGFUL MEMORY.

ANOTHER THING I’VE LEARNED RECENTLY IS JUST HOW PRECIOUS LIFE IS. MY BROTHER TOM CALLED ME LAST MONDAY WITH THE NEWS OF TIM’S COLLAPSE JUST AS MY WIFE AND I WERE GETTING READY TO TAKE OUR NEW DAUGHTER HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL.

I ALMOST DIDN’T BELIEVE TOMMY. HOW IN THE WORLD COULD WHAT HE WAS SAYING BE POSSIBLE? BUT, IT WAS MORE THAN POSSIBLE. IT WAS TRUE.

AS WE LEARNED MORE ABOUT TIM’S CONDITION, ONE OF MY THOUGHTS WENT TO MY NEW DAUGHTER, ERIN.

I WAS ALREADY FEELING JEALOUSY FOR HER TOWARD HER LESS THAN YEAR OLD COUSIN, LAUREN, MY SISTER LYNN’S DAUGHTER.

YOU SEE, LAUREN DOESN’T KNOW IT YET, BUT SHE IS A VERY LUCKY GIRL. EVERY TIME TIM WAS ANYWHERE NEAR LAUREN, HE HAD TO HOLD HER AND PLAY WITH HER.

IT WAS ALWAYS FUN TO SEE BECAUSE THAT WAS A SIDE OF TIM I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE. AND I REALLY NEVER GAVE IT SOME THOUGHT – UNTIL I REALIZED THAT MY DAUGHTER WILL NEVER GET TO PLAY WITH HER UNCLE TIM.

WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT SIDES. AND IT’S RARE THAT ONE PERSON SEES ALL SIDES OF ANOTHER PERSON. EVEN TIM’S WIFE SUE WILL LEARN MORE ABOUT HER HUSBAND AS YOU SHARE YOUR STORIES WITH HER.

BUT WHATEVER SIDE YOU SAW OF TIM – THE STOIC, THE RESERVED, OR, OK, EVEN THE DYNAMIC – HOLD THOSE MEMORIES CLOSE. DON’T LET THEM GO. DON’T LET HIM GO.

REMEMBER MY BIG BROTHER AS YOU KNEW HIM – A CHILDHOOD FRIEND, A COLLEAGUE, A FAMILY MEMBER – WHATEVER HE WAS TO YOU..

BECAUSE I KNOW, HE’S WATCHING US RIGHT NOW. HE AND MY DAD. I KNOW THEY ARE WATCHING. AND I KNOW THEY ARE LISTENING.

SO, TIM, IT MAY BE THIRTEEN YEARS LATER, BUT JUST AS YOU SAID TO ME, I SAY TO YOU NOW – I’M PROUD OF YOU.

The Wake

Note: This 'series' begins with Life is Precious. Catch up on the right, starting there and working up if you're just starting. Loyal readers, both of you, can catch up, too, since I'm posting a bunch at once.

I remember planning my Dad's services. My Mom didn't want a wake. "Nobody will come," she said.

More than 200 people showed up.

Growing consensus was that Tim's was going to be significant. It was. And then some.

One of the local papers put the obits online and creates a virtual guest book for people to leave condolences. Tim's was up to more than five pages long -- mostly from his work colleagues. That was just incredible to see. We knew they were going to show up -- but were amazed at the actual turn out, both at the wake and again at the funeral. It really showed us a great deal about Tim and the lives he touched.

The wake was from 5 to 8 p.m. It was almost non stop the entire time, save for the last half hour or so. More than 400 people came to pay their respects. More than 400! My friends, Lynn's friends, Tom's friends, Mom's friends, Sue's friends, Marc's friends, Brendan's friends. Just unreal.

Probably 75 people from Tim's work came. They travelled more than 90 minutes to be here. One guy even came from New Hampshire. All had glowing words about my brother. Again, it was just incredible.

We laughed a lot. It was comforting.

My sister and I were standing next to each other, trying to figure out who was who in line. Then we had to say a number of times that we were brother and sister, not husband and wife. That was funny.

We were keeping track of some of our favorite lines throughout the night -- including one guy who came right up to Lynn and said, "Good to see you. Who are you?" We just cracked up.

Then there was this guy who leaned in to kiss Lynn. I was like, Who's kissing my sister? I had no idea. She had no idea. Turns out it was our neighbor from across the street while growing up. Neither of us recognized him.

Renee and Erin were there. It was Renee's first time to really be a part of this, besides dealing with me during the course of the ordeal, and keeping our homelife in order. Erin was the star of the show, everyone wanting to see the new little one who was bringing so much needed joy during such a horrible time in our family.

We were exhausted afterwards. Three hours on our feet, 400 people. It was a lot. But it was good. It was, dare I say it, fun. We learned so much. We heard so much about the good time brought to a lot of people.

And, jeez, as I say that I forgot one other element that I should have mentioned earlier.

We had heard a couple days earlier about the organ donation process.

They were using Tim's liver for research. But, more importantly, two patients got a new kidney because of him.

That was the best news. I wonder if someday we'll learn more about those people. But that's not nearly as important as them learning one day about the person whose kidney they now have.

Tim, Part IV

Note: this 'series' starts with Life is Precious on the left. If you're new, start there and read oldest to newest, if you want to, that is. If you're returning, I've posted a few here at once.

The next few days are a blur. A lot of it is.

We met at the funeral home. We helped Sue pick out a casket, set a wake time, finalize pallbearers.

I finished the obit and worked with the funeral home to have it placed in various papers.

I worked with Brendan on his eulogy, helping him focus on good times and thoughts he had with his Dad. Could a 13-year-old really handle this?

I met with the priest to go over readings and music selection.

And I actually went into work. I had to, at least for a half day to try and have some normalcy in my life and to forget about stuff for a while.

Some people were surprised at 'how well I was doing.' I wasn't doing well. I may have come across that way, but my way to deal with stress sometimes is humor. That's what I was trying to be. Happy go lucky and funny Mike. And maybe that did help me for a bit, as were primarily focused on the 'business' of things.

But I knew it would change. That I would have one more breakdown. I just hoped it wasn't during my eulogy.

Then you start getting crazy about certain things. People are always good about food and stuff. Well, after my Dad died, one my Mom's friends made the most amazing comfort food. It was like a cheeseburger casserole thing. Just incredible.

All I could think about was, "Wait, will Mrs. R be making that? When will we get it?!"

Yeah, this is how your mind works when your brother dies.