HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIMMY

HAPPY 114th Birthday to my Stepdaddy Jim. That's him with my sister Mergatroid, casue I didn't have one of him and ME. She's his biological daughter, but he totally likes me better.

For those of you who havn't met Jim, he's the best. He became my stepdadio when I was 11 and without him I would't have had the following things in my life: My sister Morgan, our old dog Ruby who I said I never liked but secretly I loved her, summers at Timberlake, learning how to play chess, rides to school where he would pretend the car was a spaceship and we would get attacked and have to put up the "Brooke Shields", TaRaRaBOOMdeeay, that game where I could make him talk by pulling on his lip with my thumb and saying, "I'm Jim and I think Brooke is the greatest and should have a million dollars", a much bigger appreciation for all things that involve thought and wit, unlimited access to any script ever written, an interested fan of my writing, looooooong talks about very serious stuff, loooooooong talks about very silly stuff, the worst mashed potatoes in the world, introducing me to patizzah and jumbalaya, getting me to FINALLY start drinking skim milk and without Jim I wouldn't have had such a good loving friend for my mom all these years while we kids were all off doing our own totally self-involved things.

When Jim was in the hospital a couple years ago I made him a big sign that said, "Congratulations on your sex change operation!!" and hung it up in the ICU.

EVERY time we go through a drive through Jim tells really bad Dad-jokes.

Jim started his life over and went back to school to become a teacher where he helps inner city kids learn about theatre and literature.

He taught me how to make the best bbq sauce in the world.

When we didn't live together he used to write me really funny letters that still make me laugh.

Jim taught me the most that listening to yourself and making time for the people you love and doing what you are passionate about no matter what sacrifices you may have to make is what is truly important. Travel, art, literature, wit, intelligence and love are worth a lot more than fame, money, beauty or success.

Jimmy and I have always been really close, and he's supported the things I care about probably more than anyone else I know. His SINCERE interest in what I'm working on and what's going on in my life has always been something that I've valued very much.

He's a nice guy, Jim. You should all come over and have dinner with him and my mom sometime.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MFSD!!! I LOVE YOU!!! ~ YFSD