Friday
Mar272009
MBTD is My BFFL
Friday, March 27, 2009 at 12:01AM
My brother, the doctor, (herein referred to as MBTD) is my guaranteed best friend for life.
If you know me in real life or have listened to me on any Internet radio show, you already know this. I'm positively obsessed with him
I would never admit this to him in person, of course.
In person, I comfortably display all the signs of alpha sibling (i.e., unbearably bossy). And he uses our interactions for repercussion free expressions of his complete disdain for authority (i.e., wildly antagonistic).
(Yes. I am the authority figure simply because I'm older. It's the natural order, people.)
There's a freedom in our relationship, though, that allows us to express ourselves without worry.
I will always love him, he will always love me, so let's not worry about useless little social graces like tact and decorum when we speak to one another.
MBTD can say things that nobody else could possibly get away with saying to me without being dismembered.
Saaay, for example, "Of course, you're not stupid. I never said you were stupid, I think you're smarter than me. I'm just saying that what you believe is stupid."
Or "If you want to be original, then you should..."
Or "Did you learn that from the Internet..."
Heh. Awesome.
Or we might have a conversation like this.
That might not be exactly how it goes, but that's how I hear it.
Still, he is the one friend that I could not do without.
He might be standing in the back, making faces and rolling his eyes, but he has always been present. He's always there.
He reminds me of everything that is wonderful about me when I'm feeling crappy.
He reminds me of every crappy thing I've ever done when I act like I'm better than other people.
He knows about the painful, messy stuff that has happened in my past that I don't want to talk about. He doesn't have to be told and I don't have to remember it in order to explain. He already knows because he was there.
He just gets me.
He goes out of his way to listen to what I have to say. He carefully considers my point and measures the value of every thought I share before he tells me I'm completely wrong about all of it.
He's a friend.
The best kind.
The forever kind.
If you know me in real life or have listened to me on any Internet radio show, you already know this. I'm positively obsessed with him
I would never admit this to him in person, of course.
In person, I comfortably display all the signs of alpha sibling (i.e., unbearably bossy). And he uses our interactions for repercussion free expressions of his complete disdain for authority (i.e., wildly antagonistic).
(Yes. I am the authority figure simply because I'm older. It's the natural order, people.)
There's a freedom in our relationship, though, that allows us to express ourselves without worry.
I will always love him, he will always love me, so let's not worry about useless little social graces like tact and decorum when we speak to one another.
MBTD can say things that nobody else could possibly get away with saying to me without being dismembered.
Saaay, for example, "Of course, you're not stupid. I never said you were stupid, I think you're smarter than me. I'm just saying that what you believe is stupid."
Or "If you want to be original, then you should..."
Or "Did you learn that from the Internet..."
Heh. Awesome.
Or we might have a conversation like this.
Me: I'm so tired.
MBTD: Tired of what?
Me: You know, I'm just tired. Sometimes, I get tired of trying to be something I'm not. Or even tired of what I am. Does that make sense?
MBTD: Not really.
Me: You mean you don't ever feel pressured by others and even yourself? As if you're constantly defending your choices?
MBTD: Not really. Why would I feel the need to defend being so F*&^%$# awesome?
Me: Well, you know, I just feel like maybe I'm putting too much pressure on myself and {blah, blah, blah, blah, it's all about me}
MBTD: Wow. You're really messed up. Let's talk about me and how much I hate the people I work with for the next ninety minutes.
That might not be exactly how it goes, but that's how I hear it.
Still, he is the one friend that I could not do without.
He might be standing in the back, making faces and rolling his eyes, but he has always been present. He's always there.
He reminds me of everything that is wonderful about me when I'm feeling crappy.
He reminds me of every crappy thing I've ever done when I act like I'm better than other people.
He knows about the painful, messy stuff that has happened in my past that I don't want to talk about. He doesn't have to be told and I don't have to remember it in order to explain. He already knows because he was there.
He just gets me.
He goes out of his way to listen to what I have to say. He carefully considers my point and measures the value of every thought I share before he tells me I'm completely wrong about all of it.
He's a friend.
The best kind.
The forever kind.
tagged MBTD
MBTD
Reader Comments (18)
Oh, that is so nice. Sounds like a great relationship...how a bro/sis relationship should be. Plus, he's a doctor so that's free medical advice, right?
He sounds like someone I would both want to buy a beer and give a shot in the head to.
Definitely someone I'd get along with.
Aww, how sweet. Is it his birthday or is he dying or something? I mean, why else would you be so nice? :)
Awww - I love it!
Can he adopt me as a sister?! My brother is insane and a complete ass. I'd like to share yours, please.
:)
@Kimberly: Thanks, as for medical advice, I try not to ask him. That money paid for services actually puts quite the filter on a doctor's mouth when he/she is talking to you about your responsibilities with respect to the state of your health. I like paying for the filter.
@SciFi Dad: That pretty much describes it.
@Avitable: He's going ot be a cardiologist. This is all part of my plan to get him to by us a boat one day.
@Sybil Law: You're already his Internet sister-in-law, so...
Dammit Faiqa.
I'd give you a comment that was full of wit and humor and maybe a little dash of sarcasm but my freakin' estrogen is getting in the way of things.
But then I saw that you spelled your name wrong and it kinda made me giggle.
P.S. Do you know how many Faiqa Kahn's there are on Facebook? A lot. And none of them look like you.
My last name is not "Kahn." It's K H A N. :) As in "KHAAAAAAAN" (from Star Trek). Or Chaka Khan, I wanna rock you... :)
How many years apart are you? My brother and I are close in age and we get along great, but I wouldn't call us best friends. On the other had, we're both writers in a family with none.
And, ironically, "Kahn" is a Jewish surname.
You're soooooooo lucky I don't have a blog....it would be called "What Faiqa DOESN'T Think About"...
Thank you for the kind words. BTW, how I hear the conversation is:
MBTD: Hey
Faiqa: What do you want? (digusted or apathetic tone)
MBTD: Just wanted to see how things are going..(enthusiastically postive tone, as always)
Faiqa: Here...talk to Nooners
Nooners: HIIIII...whadda you doooing?
MBTD: Well, I'm working on cleaning the house and I was going to call your mom to see how things are.....
Nooners: OK That's GREEEEEAAAT...BYE BYE
Faiqa: haha she hates you and only wants to talk to her momani hahaha...BTW...Barack Obama sucks!
MBTD: Why you gotta hate?
Faiqa: WHY CANT YOU LET ME BELIEVE WHAT I WANT TO BELIEVE? WHY ARE YOU GAY FOR BARACK OBAMA, YOU CRAZY RELIGION HATER... A FATWA ON YOU!!
Of course, the conversation may last for ninety minutes, but I suggest the conversation continues mostly in the tone above...
anyway, I love you, too
....Saaay, for example, “Of course, you’re not stupid. I never said you were stupid, I think you’re smarter than me. I’m just saying that what you believe is stupid.”
Wow, that was ballsy for me to say. I don't think I could say that to almost anyone in the world. Thanks for letting me be honest where otherwise I can't be.
@Finn: We're 2 1/2 years apart. ' “Kahn” is a Jewish surname.' Heh. I know. I didn't point that out myself because I didn't to come off as being offended, which, of course, I wasn't. Offended. At all. I love Jews. Cough. I do. Really. Ask anyone.
@MBTD: I like how you emphasize what you said as being "ballsy" as opposed to *me* being extraordinarily patient with you. And you're welcome.
P.S. If you had a blog it would be called "What Faiqa's BROTHER Thinks About." 'Cause *then* people would actually care. Just FYI.
AND I JUST NOTICED WHAT SHEILA WAS TALKING ABOUT REGARDING MY NAME BEING MISSPELLED. "FAQA" apparently means the mentally challenged version of Faiqa.
I am jealous. I have handful of half brothers and sisters. And I'm not close to any of them. In fact, I don't even have any of their phone numbers, except for one. And I talk to him maybe once a year. I really envy people who have built in sibling support. Enjoy it...and enjoy being the wiser one as well ;)
@Becky: I do enjoy the it... most of the time.
i am totally jealous of the relationship you have with your brother. perhaps one day i will write about the clusterfuck my childhood sibling life was. and why i am back to being an only child.
Everyone should be as fortunate as you and MBTD! Me, I cannot stand to be around my brother for 90 seconds, let alone 90 minutes, LOL! You two reeeeeeeally are cool kids, and I say that with the utmost adoration.
Chaka Khan...too funny! I remember always saying that when you'd come in the office! Where have you been anyway? When are you coming to visit me? And, MBTD, too? I really do miss seeing you two!
Not really. Why would I feel the need to defend being so F*&^%$# awesome?
hahaha your brother DOES sound f$%@ing awesome, and i lowve that he came by to comment on your post, too!
hello, I can't find your contact information but your web design layout looked off on opera and internet explorer. Anyways, i just suscribd to your rss.