I didn't know about my half-uncle until I was 11. And grandma's first husband wasn't brought up until I was 16.

In all cases, it wasn't a big secret, everyone just assumed everyone else knew.

Which might explain my brother. And that was only a couple month's delay.

I was just debating whether to ask for some health~ma in Press, and it occurred to me that the Buffista "-ma" tradition is tantamount to prayer

true, but it allows everyone to give ~ma the way they like to. some people will pray to a Christian god that everything will go okay, some will ask Gaia, some will light a candle on an home altar. ~ma=prayers=blessings=good wishes=happy thoughts.

And, we're _giving_ you the ~ma, not forcing it on you :)

I suddenly have a vision of seeing someone sneeze on the street and saying "I'm sending you health~ma" snerk.

I suddenly have a vision of seeing someone sneeze on the street and saying "I'm sending you health~ma" snerk.

When I picture this, the ~ma-er sort of wiggles his/her fingers at the sneezer. No idea why.

Oh, yeah, then there was finding out about my husband's other kid, who predated the daughter I knew about by about ten years. "I must have told you," he said. "I would remember," I replied.

I once mentioned to a cousin that her mother had a glass eye.

She was pissed.

I assume she was projecting her anger at me, because it's not like I COULD HAVE HAD ANY IDEA SHE DIDN'T KNOW.

Took me a while to work out my father's parents were never married to each other. But I guess no one ever told me they were.

I'm feeling out of the family loop. I found out that my cousin got a divorce just because my mom mentioned his divorce in passing.

Gud -- I found out about one cousin's divorce and another cousin's daughter's wedding the same way. What's wrong with our families?

Oh, yeah, then there was finding out about my husband's other kid, who predated the daughter I knew about by about ten years. "I must have told you," he said. "I would remember," I replied.

Bet that wasn't as big a shock as when he told you he was related to Billy Idol.

I was 40 before I learned that the "cerebral hemorrhage" that killed one of my mother's brothers had happened because he was fighting with another brother.

Bah. I packed a lunch today for the first time this week. It (including the Rainier cherries) is still in my kitchen.

I can't eat in the work caf again today. I can't bear watching the unbound hair swinging over the food prep.

Plus it doesn't taste good.

Maybe lame sushi.

I am now grateful to my brother for sending the e-mail with the attached picture of his marriage license only three days after he got married.

I picture finger wiggling/waving with the health~ma, too, Calli. Maybe it signifies the "~"

Now I'm gonna have to put effort into not doing that to people who sneeze at the office. My rep is weird enough.