56 Minutes

My brother Jim was in town for a few days. He was busy coaching in a basketball tournament with my Uncle Jerry so I only got to see him in short clips. Jim is the youngest out of the 9 of us. He is also my mother’s favorite son. As a matter of fact I received a phone call from my mother to make sure that Jim was picked up at the airport and that he was fine. My dad pointed out that my mom only called because it was Jim. If it were any one of us, besides Jim, she would not have called. After I thought about it, she never called when my brother Kevin was in town. So it becomes even clearer that Jim is her favorite.

Jim and Uncle Jerry came by the house and visited for a while. It was nice for Max to see some of his relatives, although he was acting all shy for most of the visit. During our conversation Jim mentioned that he is getting much more insight into Lauren from the stuff that I post here. We also had dinner with Jim on Sunday night.

Mom,
He is doing fine and he flies out today (Monday) I am now relinquishing all responsibilities of my 30 year old brother, who is married and has three kids, back to you.

During the visit my Uncle Jerry mentioned that he has seen me more in the past few days than he normally would see me if I was living in Pennsylvania. He, as well as my dad, tends to think that I am anti-social when it comes to family functions. Just for the record, for 8 years I worked in the nightclub and restaurant business I rarely attended family parties and functions because I had to work. If the party was in the afternoon, I was usually asleep because I worked until 4 in the morning. If the party was at night, I was working. I had to make a living.
Also some family functions are based around events that either do not interest me such as the yearly 4 day golf outing (I do not golf as of yet), the family fantasy football league (I love fantasy football but have never been invited to be in the family league) or engagement parties, which I feel, is a strange party to have.

I have 8 siblings who are all married, 19 nieces and nephews, 22 aunts and uncles by blood or marriage, and 45 first cousins. I have made attempts to attend every graduation party. I have been at every one of my first cousins weddings (those that have gotten married). And I have made attempts or have attended every other type of party that comes around. That is NOT anti-social. Sure I am the co-founder of the 56 Minute Rule ©1985-2005, but hey, I try.

56 Minute Rule © 1985-2005

My brother John, AKA the Lawn Whisperer, and I, in our teens established the 56 Minute Rule. For events and parties that were going to be attended by a lot of people we would show up and leave in 56 minutes. We established that 56 minutes is the perfect amount of time to:
1. Greet most people
2. Have a soda or cocktail
3. Eat a snack
4. Work the room so people could see that we were at the event
5. And say goodbye to people that we did not greet.
56 minutes is the perfect amount of time to make a presence and have people see you and then leave to go do other things. There is an art to it. We perfected it. This may sound anti-social but there are people who would not even attend these parties. That is anti-social.

I am not mad about the observation of being anti-social. I am just trying to clarify the situation.

On another note, Emily is coming. Not the hurricane. My mother-in- law, Emily. If it was the hurricane we would be busy nailing plywood to the windows and making sure the house was secure. Since it is the mother-in-law, Emily, we are busy cleaning and vacuuming and making the house sparkle. I am not sure which requires more work.