White Castle Fries Only Come in One Size

Things I have done because of the Beastie Boys:

1. Made my now-husband take me to White Castle just to see if their fries only came in one size like they said in "Slow and Low" on Licence to Ill. Since that was 2005 and not 1986, White Castle now has fries in three sizes and I was sad.

For the record, White Castle is kind of gross. And they are surprised when you say "I would like two cheese burgers." They expect you to get four.

2. Developed a pole-dance routine to "So What'cha Want" because I felt at the time (and still do) that that song was meant to be stripped to.

3. I hum "She's Crafty" almost every time I do x-stitch.

4. Every breakup I have had since 1995 has led me to play "Sabotage" over and over again at high volume.

5. I cried when I figured out this line in "Sure Shot":

"I want to say a little something that's long overdue
The disrespect to women has got to be through
To all the mothers and the sisters and the wives and friends
I offer my love and respect to the end."

6. Googled "Saduharu Oh".

Adam Yauch, a rapper and founder of the pioneering and multimillion-selling hip-hop group the Beastie Boys, died on Friday in Manhattan. He was 47.

I've posted a bit about MCA's passing a bit on Facebook, so I apologize for bringing this up once again if you're tired of hearing about it. I don't usually get so concerned for dead celebrities but I think I have to accept that the death of a Beastie Boy for me is kind of like having a Beatle die. They are a part of the soundtrack of my life.

Namaste, muthahfuckah. The likes of Yauch we will not see again.

Math

When I was born…
I had a mum and a dad.
Two grandmas and two grandpas.
Three great grandmas and three great grandpas.
Two aunts and two uncles.
One first cousin.

When I was five…
I had a mum and a dad.
Two sisters.
Two grandmas and two grandpas.
Three great grandmas.
Two aunts and two uncles.
One first cousin.

When I was ten…
I had a mum and a dad.
Two sisters and one brother.
Two grandmas and two grandpas.
Two great grandmas.
Three aunts and three uncles.
Two first cousins.

When I was fifteen…
I had a mum and a dad.
Two sisters and one brother.
Two grandmas and two grandpas.
Two great grandmas.
Three aunts and three uncles.
Four first cousins.

When I was twenty…
I had a mum and a dad.
Two sisters and one brother.
Two grandmas and two grandpas.
Three aunts and two uncles. (The third uncle is still alive, he’s just not my uncle anymore.)
Seven first cousins.

When I was twenty-five...
I had a mum and a dad.
Two sisters, a brother and a brother-in-law.
Two grandmas and one grandpa.
Three aunts and two uncles.
Seven first cousins.

When I was thirty...
I had a mum and a dad.
Two sisters, a brother and a brother-in-law.
One nephew and one niece.
Two grandmas.
Three aunts and two uncles.
Seven first cousins.

When I was thirty-five...
I had a husband.
I had a mum and a dad.
I had a mother & father-in law.
Two sisters, a sister-n-law, a brother and a brother-in-law.
Two nephews and one niece.
Two grandmas.
Three aunts and two uncles.
Seven first cousins.

Now at age thirty-six...
I still have them all, except I’m down to one grandma.

This is my family's math; addition and subtraction over the years. Even though we've lost the matriarch of my paternal family, we're still a bigger bunch than when we started out.

I wish I knew my grandma better than I did, but what I did know made for some lovely memories.

My heart was with them yesterday, even if I wasn’t. I am filled with gratitude that I have had these people in my life; even though I have disappointed them, have major personality clashes with them, they drive me crazy and I drive them crazy. They are my people, my clan. I miss them right now more than I ever thought I would.

I hope that my grandmother had a good life and that in her last moments she was able to recall that there were at least 19 people whose life was forever changed by her being in it and loved her for it.