Thursday, September 11, 2008

Meet "The Brickman"

I must say that I have really enjoyed the blog scene; Anna had introduced it to me during our time of engagement. And by introducing, I mean that she brought me into the small corner that makes up the network of the family. Being IT, I had already known what blogging was, I actually had a section on my website that was devoted to blogging... I found that I never updated it, because it just wasn't any fun. But this is not what I wanted to talk about today. Today, I want to reflect back on my first encounter with the beloved Brickman. I was introduced to the Brickman back in January; it was during my initial trip out to meet Anna's parents before I proposed to her. Though my intentions at the time were not poised on getting married, I honestly just had the desire to see where her family lived and meet them. Looking at this in retrospect, I can see where I might have had subconscious ulterior motives. It was a smart move on my part none the less; we got engaged 3 weeks latter. I feel it's a good idea to meet the parents before you call and ask permission to marry their only daughter. :-) But this story can, and should be told by Anna; she has remarkable storytelling talents. Now if she could just get over the whole blog posting anxiety. And again, I am off target.

Anyway, my trip out to Washington was supposed to be a meet the parents. Little did I know it was a meet the family. By chance, and I don't know if it was chance or planned, Alan and Christina where there with the kids. So I thought, ok, this isn't too bad; a couple more strangers to meet, and then stay with for a couple of days. Not to hard. In this type of situation you hope you are liked, or else it can be a very uncomfortable couple of days, especially when you are staying at their home. These were things I hadn't thought about until I was on the plane headed for the island, no turning back now. So I start to get to know the family and then I find out, I will be meeting more. Enter Brickman and Janet stage left. Wow, at this point I was starting to develop all kinds of conspiracy theories about my supposed meet the parents trip. The introductions are not over yet, I got to meet grandma after that. So, for those of you who are counting, that makes nine people. Keep in mind that Anna and I were only dating at the time. Some people might think that this is not that big of a deal, they might take this experience in stride and enjoy meeting new people. Me, I was terrified, and without a transferable ticket... not to mention I was trapped on an island. At that point, all I could do was hope that I would be accepted, being liked would be a dream. My fears were squelched as I was warmly received and loved. Even if they did end up not liking me, I never would have known. This brings me to my point, finally.

My introduction to the Brickman is one I fondly remember. I was downstairs in the Hopper House, probably couriering with feelings of fear and nervousness, when Anna came and told me that her Uncle and Aunt had arrived. As I started the long assent up the stairs, I heard a booming voice coming from the hall. My first encounter was classic Brickman, it is one that we, ironically, have all scene before. For those of you who attended the family reunion, you might remember the anti-talent show. It was quite an experience, filled with laughter and great performances. Just last night, I downloaded the movies I had taken of the show from my Camcorder. I had totally forgotten about them. I honestly wish that the movies were of the same quality as the pictures I took; as you will soon see, it is obvious that my skills in filming are lacking in comparison to taking pictures. So, as you might have already guessed, I filmed the famous CARROT DANCE! It was this same dance that became my introduction to the Brickman back in January. Needless to say, after seeing this, all my anxieties and fears disappeared. So, it gives me great pleasure to present to you all; The Brickman, & his famous Carrot Dance, enjoy!

Now you might wonder why I posted the second movie below, what relevance does it have to the Carrot Dance? I unfortunately stopped filming at the end, before the applause was given, so I wanted everyone to see that this act was wildly accepted and loved by all who were able to witness it.

I have many more movies that I will be posting, so keep checking back.

Mezo
p.s. I find revenge is a dish best served in the foliage. ;-)

5 comments:

the letter "J" said...

Very funny! These videos will be greatly appreciated for all of us sorry saps that couldn't make it to the critically acclaimed reunions!! :o)

Melanie said...

that was a great post! isn't it amazing how awesome our family is?! There are few families that can put a person at easy so quickly. i believe it to be a special gift. hopefully andy won't comment for awhile, i'm almost beating him in the comment department so now i want to win! anna, no anxieties, it's just us:)

The Brickman said...

I remember our first encounter with Jonathan. I was totally amazed at how perfectly he fit in. He even was adept at Cathy and Janet's speed scrabble and card games. I will never forget how much I enjoyed him. By the family reunion I had to be reminded that he was new to the family. It seems like he has always been with us. I remember how much I enjoyed meeting his parents. It was one of those experiences that you never want to forget. Just as Jonathan, we were made to feel at home immediately. The conversation was spontaneous, fun, and fascinating. I was mesmerized by both his mother and father. I will never forget the wonderful dinner and especially the generous servings of the delicious dessert.
Jonathan has been a great blessing for our family.

Momma said...

Nobody was more nervous to meet the Anderson clan than I. After the first 30 seconds I decided that loving Rich was a bonus-I'd marry him for his family!!!(cindy)

Anonymous said...

I know what you mean, I told Anna I was going to have to stick with her, I loved her family too much! :-)