Twin Ideas
Fun fact about me is that my maternal grandmother is an identical twin. This last weekend we celebrated their birthdays and we started sharing stories about how people around us reacted through our lives about having twins in the family. My grandma and aunt had a great time and laughter was the main sound to be heard over dinner and cake.
I think my favorite moment was when my friends would finally meet my great aunt at my graduation parties or various significant birthday gatherings. They would see the two sisters sitting next to each other, come up to me and ask, “There is two of them?” I can’t help but laugh each time I get asked that question. Once I am done laughing, I take a moment and explain. Once I am done explaining everything is fine again and they laugh off their question.
In the past I have gotten asked if my grandma is cheating on my grandpa. That once also makes me giggle. My grandparent have been married for over fifty years. They are very happy together. So not only does the idea of it make me laugh, but the almost inside secret that I am privy to that others don’t know about. When I explain the whole twin situation, they usually get embarrassed for even asking the question. I have to admire them for even asking in the first place because it takes quite a bit of guts to ask at all. (Side note: A man who worked for a grocery store was the first one that I know of to make this assumption. My grandparents would shop at the same store as my great aunt and uncle but on different days.)
Having a grandparent who is a twin certainly come with lots of laughter. I love having something extra fun about my family that has become an inside joke for us. And honestly there is no real difference between my grandmas, maternal and paternal, even though one is a twin. It mostly feels like I was given an extra grandma via my aunt. Because they are identical, I do include her in my medical records, but that is all the real difference.
I love my family and the unique parts of it that make for interesting stories and tales. They make my life filled with laughter.
Thoughtful Questions
Occasionally I need to entertain myself when I don’t have my usual methods around. When the need arises, I find myself turning to what I have begun to call “Thought Questions”. These questions are usually prefaced by giving a scenario that is different from the world we know every day. My dad is often the source of these questions as well.
An example that my dad asked first and that I have asked many people in my life because I find it silly: If fish had fur instead of scales, how would they take care of their fur? Since the idea is all hypothetical, any answer can be valid.
A few answers that I have received are:
They would go to a beauty shop run by the Octopi.
They would have to convince land dwelling animals to assist them in procuring hair care products such as combs and brushes. This would also require the fish to assist each other due to the small size of many species’ fins.
They would use coral or other surrounding vegetation to serve as a comb.
They would have multiple fur dreads or mats.
Another thought question that has amused me quite often is: If you were to steal something from another person’s house, but only mildly upset the person by doing so, not actually hurt them, what would you take? Several of the answers that I have heard have made me laugh.
The plate out of the microwave
Their left shoes/half of each pair of socks
The backs to their remotes/the batteries out of them
The shoelaces out of all the shoes
Their forks/spoons
These are just a few of the questions that I have entertained myself with. Surely there are plenty more out there and I would love to hear them. Maybe it is my ADHD, but I really enjoy hearing how other people think things through and I feel like you can learn something about the person based on the answer they provide, or even if they refuse to play along.
I have found that the majority of people that I surround myself with will play along with me, and I think that is a good sign for the type of people in my life. They are willing to be silly and play a small game. What I really love is when they get passionate about their answer and discussing other people’s answers with each other.
Overall I think thought questions are a great way to learn about others, and entertain not only yourself when your options are limited.
The Power of Stories
Growing up I would always hear my Grandpa, better known as Papa, tell these incredible stories that just had people hanging off his every word. He could make people laugh and make them have a great day just by telling these stories about his life. Those stories are some of my best memories. Because of him, I learned the power of telling stories.
One afternoon at the annual family reunion I saw the usual circle of family telling jokes and stories back and forth, making everyone laugh. So I walked up to my Papa and asked if I could give it a shot. I took a deep breath and told my story.
I was around ten years old and visiting my grandparents at the family cabin. Standing at the end of the dock, I was holding on to a fishing pole, trying my best to actually catch something. I took a step forward without realizing that I really was at the very end of the dock. Falling into the water, I was at least grateful that I was wearing my swim suit. When I finally got out of the water and retrieved the fishing rod, I found out that my uncle had caught a blue gill. Turns out that he couldn’t do the whole catch an release, because when I fell into the water I shocked the fish into inhaling the hook and it got so deep that it couldn’t be released.
When I got done telling my story everyone was laughing and some were having a hard time staying in their chairs because they were laughing so hard. The thrill I got from making everyone laugh and happy was great. That moment made me even more determined to achieve my dream of becoming a published author.