Thursday, January 27, 2011

The value of Quirkiness

One of the things that I treasure the most about growing up with my mom is her quirkiness. I have been awash in a sea of normality. Let me tell you, it gets old.
Mom always had, and still has, a one-liner for almost any situation, a quick witticism, a masterful pun, or just a play on words. She understands the need to put fun into life. Lets face it: there's not enough fun in the world.

Some examples:

Mom referred (and probably still does), to the monthly bills as "William"s. She said she "didn't want to get to friendly with them".

Our vacuum cleaner, when I was a kid, had a name. It was Malcom. Malcom the Vacuum. Pronounced so that it rhymed. Malcom the Valcom. (this causes me to chuckle to this very day.)

Mom required me, from the age of about 11, to watch all the original SNL, Almost all of Mel Brooke's films and everything with Gene Wilder in it. She even let me listen to Richard Pryor (eventually, he's not for the super young... obviously). The puns, quotes and one liners flew fast and furious in our house.

The best of our punning together created the classic oneliner "I shot Chopin, But I did not shoot Debussy." To the tune of "I Shot the Sheriff." If you don't get that, go study some music history.

Another of mom's fav's: What's in the bag Dad? a: Iraq.

Thanks Mom, for teaching me the value of wit and humor. You can do it like no one else.

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