Mi Famiglia

First things first - SYTYCD:
**Best: Jordan/Tadd Vulture contemporary tied with Melanie/Marko Dee Caspary contemporary (cheer up, Dee). I can't believe I'm going to say this but Clarice and Jess have really grown on me - loved their routines last night, he can do just about anything even though he's an irritating baby boy when he's not dancing. Oh, and I actually liked a Tyce Diorio routine, I was happy that Sasha and Alexander actually got to tear into it. Worst: Caitlynn/Mitchell hip-hop. It's not totally their fault, "message" dances make me want to poke my eyes out. Still they could have danced it better. I'm just hoping it won't send them home because I like him a lot and she hasn't done anything to piss me off. I think that Alexander and Ryan should go tonight, though they'll never willingly send their darling Ryan home for whatever reason. I'm so excited to hear about the all-star announcement tonight I can't even tell you.**


ANYway. As vacation beckons, I have gotten to ruminating about my family, as I always do, since we'll be spending so much quality time together. I came upon something I wrote a few years ago after one of my friends saw pictures from my cousin's wedding and remarked about how our smiles might be our best shared family trait. I wrote:


It's true, there's something behind there, like we know something and that we're capable of some intense revelry at any moment. I've decided it basically comes from a lifetime of taking for granted that we are awesome. I don't mean it like, oh man we are perfect and can do no wrong and every bad choice we've made has been unconditionally supported and there's always been someone to fight our battles. Far from it. It's true that none of us have ever felt like we can't turn to our family - knowing that they have our back certainly gives a sense of safety that lies beneath it all. They gave us just enough rope, and so far, luckily, nobody's used it for hanging. We're tough, independent cookies to a one. From the time we were born it was subconsciously instilled that we were loved and that there wasn't anything we couldn't do if we wanted. And something about that produced a generation free from general insecurity. I don't know how our parents managed to make us this way, but I commend them for it and I hope I can do the same for my kids. I know it's a fine line between that and totally spoiled and/or assholishly egocentric.


I think you can just tell by meeting us and how we interact with our significant others how we were raised. It is not uncommon to see us roll our eyes at each other when our dudes get whiny and needy, and I'm convinced it's our family's fault that we have no patience for it. There was no patience for us when we tried it. 


In sum, my family: sacred and profane and aggressively loving and kind of a pain in the ass at times. But we are the most fun you can imagine. And if you ever met our parents, you realize it's not accident. 

I still feel this way, maybe even more strongly now that I know what it's like to be raising a child (though the jury will be out on my own parenting skills for a long time). I have the best examples to work from, so here's hoping I don't screw it up.

Also: Happy 60th birthday tomorrow for the one, the only, Peter Perry. Love you Dad - this one's for you.