October Tribute I

I remember many things about the year I spent in 3rd grade. Most of my recollections have nothing to do with school per se, but are more closely related to a time and a place. This was back when my family size was two-thirds of what it ultimately ended up being. The year was the transition point between living in Hopkinsville, Kentucky and moving to Mt. Laurel, New Jersey.

This was the year I lived in the small town of McAdoo, Pennsylvania.

The reason behind this one year sojourn to McAdoo was simple: My father was being stationed in South Korea for the year, and my mother wanted to move closer to her family. And so we moved.

Some memories that stand out during that year include:
1) Skipping little league practice on Saturday afternoons so that I could watch WWF and perform wrestling maneuvers on my pillows.
2) Taking a hula-hoop out to the backyard and naively hammering a young chick to death before feeding it to the neighbor's dogs.
3) Strutting around the block, boom box in hand, blasting The Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyptian" and "Manic Monday."
4) Faking it in swimming class by simply walking across the pool while freestyle stroking with my arms.

However, what sticks out most to me, was that it was the first time I can remember my sister Amber and I talking about what we wanted to be when we grew up.

My aspirations at the time were to be an exterminator or a zoologist, and I supplemented these dreams by vigorously reading every Funk and Wagnalls Wildlife Encyclopedia A-Z, as well as memorizing all my Wildlife Treasury cards, the ones that came in the green plastic carrying case. And while my career did not pan out how I had intended at the tender age of 8, I still look back at that time fondly.

Meanwhile, my sister had much larger goals. Her ambition had a much broader scope. She wanted to be a Cabbage Patch Kid, and then later, Strawberry Shortcake. And while this may have seemed amusing and youthfully cute, the fact remained, she was onto something. She had picked the two things that most excited and entertained young girls at the time. And my sister slowly turned into an entertainer herself.

While I was immersed in every animal, reptile, amphibian, bird, fish, insect, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species, my sister would be in her bedroom, practicing a song or dance routine to entertain us with. Whether solo, or with help from her friends or cousins, she would always elicit laughter and a smile from anyone in attendance.

Fast forward 22 years later and my sister is still living out her childhood dreams. She has transformed herself into an entertainer extraordinaire. What started out as runway modeling shows at FIT has evolved into something beyond most people's comprehension. Print modeling in catalogues and magazines, swimsuit modeling in Miami, Hawaii, Spain, and the Bahamas, small parts in TV series and on the big screen, and appearances on a multitude of websites devoted to a variety of topics were just the beginning. Then came the Howard Stern Show, and with that many new doors opened, including the one which she is most famous for: Obama Girl.

Around the same time Obama Girl took off, I also "took off." Mine was more literal, as I actually did leave the United States to move to China and start teaching. And despite living under The Great Firewall of China, I was still able to follow my sister's exploits and adventures over the computer and on the phone. I watched a satirical video catapult her into a household name. I saw her go from my little sister to the sexiest woman on the web and one of MSN's most influential women of 2007. I read about her trips to California to host an award show and her jaunt down to the White House to dine with the President. And I cheered her on every step of the way.

Recently, I have seen her branch out even more. While she is still playing the Obama Girl role to perfection (situational comedy with Ralph Nader and amazing Sarah Palin impersonations), she has also started on her jewelry line (with my mother) as well as her music career. With her fashion designing background and my mother's knowledge and expertise, she should have a hit on her hands. And having grown up with her, as well as attending many concerts with her, I can vouch for her love and desire of all things musical. I know that no matter what she sets her mind to, she will put every ounce of her being into it, because that is who she is.

So here, on your 27th birthday, I say this to you sister: I am extremely proud of you. Everything you have done and everything you will continue to do. I see how hard you work, and I see all the good and bad that comes with the territory. I know that no matter what happens, you will succeed in anything you want. You are a wonderful, beautiful, talented, smart, funny, and versatile human being, but more importantly, you are a great sister. I love you.

Happy Birthday Amber!