Week 2.17: Comedy

Week 2.17: Comedy is a photo taken by my dear Wasabi Pea/Schmee of her (annoyed) Nana, Alice Rivera. I love this picture! I love things that make me smile and/or laugh, and this moment of time will forever make me do both. In fact, you can see me hiding in the left corner laughing at Schmee as she took the picture.

Who doesn't like to laugh? It's a universal that can bridge the widest gap in seconds. I love how infectious laughter is. I love how it can bond two people together like nothing else does. I love how it can buoy someone, anyone through some very rough waters.

So, let me tell you why Comedy makes me smile and laugh. Nana and her husband, Tata Monty, the young man in the picture, have been married for 60 years. They've seen quite a bit together over those years. I've had the pleasure of knowing Nana and Tata for about 15 years. Nana has had a rough year. She's been hospitalized more than once this year. She has to take medication she can't pronounce. She can't remember people sometimes. She definitely doesn't remember me.

That's okay. I remember Nana. Anyway, to say that Nana didn't like my camera is a huuge understatement, but her family members insisted that photos be taken because none of us know how much longer we get to have Nana with us. So, on Christmas Day, at Christmas dinner with the Clan of Schmee, I took pictures. And Nana's family members took pictures. And we told stories and joked and laughed...and Nana even swore at me in Spanish, but we were all still having a great time.

My amazing sister-in-law, Rennie, aka Wren, was in town from Cali and I dragged her to crash 6 Christmas gatherings on Christmas Day. What a sport! She took all of the chaos in stride and commented that it felt like we were going from one comedy club to the next. I guess if it's not your actual family it's Comedy. Well, we had some good times on Christmas Day together as we crisscrossed the city.

I think The Clan of Schmee was our funniest stop because of all the people we surprised there. Schmee forgot to tell her family that she had invited us...until the doorbell rang. Theirs was the only house/location where the door was actually locked and the doorbell had to be utilized. Anyway, Schmee says I bring out the worst in her family. I have to admit, there was general disorder and conversations running amok. And I loved every minute of it.

MommyBee told a very dramatic recounting of how she fell out of her bed and mangled a finger...conveniently for her, the middle one which she waved around with reckless abandon while telling the story. Sal and MommyBee told their love story (one of my favorite stories) to us, and according to people in the know, it was Piranha Love. Get it right, people: Deb watched him like a piranha, not a shark. Sal, as it turns out, is a big teddy bear, in spite of being accused by his now-wife of being a potential serial killer/raipst. Oh, romance, thou art not dead yet!

Tata Monty's only request was that all photos taken of him make him look young...no photos of slouchy Tata, only the ones of him sitting up straight, please. Nana made faces at everyone. And then we asked Tata to tell his love story with Nana. I can't tell you all the details, but I can tell you that their love bloomed in Madrid, NM when Nana wore bobby socks that drove Tata to distraction; and Nana played the field before she settled down with Monty.

Sal told stories of Christmas shopping and how he (surprisingly) enjoys trance music...even though his music hunting trip started out with a search for lounge music...a genre surprisingly unavailable at Hastings. And cats were categorized as "little ladies in fur coats." That's right, AIDS Cat and Ryoko: you're both little "ladies in fur coats" regardess of your gender!

Before we knew it, the much anticipated football game was on and Sal and Monty were done. A few minutes more and Rennie and I were out the door with cookie plates in hand and on to location #5 of the day: the Chinese buffet restaurant that Grandma and Grampa H favorite. Good times. Good times. Comedy times.

A special "thank you" to all my friends and family who provide me with an endless streaming feed of Comedy, also referred to as "Good TV" as it relates to my family members. I love each of you so very much and I am so thankful I got to spend Christmas with you. God has blessed me more than I could've ever dreamed of. The best is yet to come! Happy 2o10, all!