Today is my little sister's 20th birthday, so it's time for...

Ten Reasons Why My Sister Rocks

1. She's studying to be a math teacher. She's brilliant and could do just about anything, but she's going to use her smarts and her talents and her enthusiasm to teach kids.

2. She's one of the most grounded people I know. Even as a little kid, she was very confident and self-aware, and happy to go her own way instead of constantly trying to be "popular" or "cool."

3. She's very kind and caring.

4. She constantly surprises me, whether it's with her writing or her perception or just by being thoroughly herself.

5. Her belief in me makes me strive to be a good person. When I see her looking up to me, even now, I want more than anything to live up to her expectations. From an essay I wrote for a class in January of 2004: "My sister recently read The Odyssey in her 11th grade honors English class, and had to write an essay about a modern hero. She wrote her essay about me, and so a few months ago I found myself sitting in my parents’ living room, learning how I was like Odysseus, except more wise and considerate. I really didn’t want to get teary-eyed, so it was a bit of a struggle. After all, we’d just spent the two weeks that she was studying The Odyssey making fun of how often Odysseus and his men weep throughout the story. I didn’t want to end up weeping large tears as the rosy fingers of dawn once again swept over the horizon."

6. I think she's the reason--at least partially--that I've been responsible and generally a good girl for most of my life. I was never pressured to be that way, but when someone as good-hearted and full of love and downright adorable as my sister is coming up behind you, it makes it a lot easier to be a good role model. She was the kind of kid that anyone would be proud to have looking up to them, if that makes sense.

7. She's funny and fun to be around.

8. She's strong and independent and thinks for herself.

9. We are extremely almost eerily similar in many ways, and yet she is and always has been very much her own person.

10. I find that I look up to my sister in many ways. Another piece of my essay: "She may be younger, less experienced, and someone I feel that I need to look out for, but she’s also the person in my life I most want to grow up to be like. It’s kind of funny how it worked out, but I guess that’s the essence of sisterhood...you never quite get what you expect."


Happy Birthday, Little Sis...I hope you had a fantabulous day and kicked butt on your calc test! I love you!



Reading: Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Playing: Secret Samadhi by Live


Packing Report: It's definitely time to panic.