-Oftentimes when people see my last name, they ask if I’m related to the makers of Karo Syrup – a popular brand of corn syrup that most twentysomethings have never heard of but that their parents have surely cooked with at some point.  I tell those who ask that, although I keep a bottle of Karo Syrup on my desk for good luck, the name is just a coincidence and unfortunately I’m not heir to the fructose fortune.  Lately, though, I’ve begun to think of Karo Syrup not just as the brown liquid on my desk with a whopping 63 carbs per serving, but, more symbolically, as the common bond between my family.  My parents, my sister, and I are an eccentric, idiosyncratic, and independent bunch.  It’s safe to say we’ve all decided not to drink the Kool-Aid… and opted for the Syrup instead.

-I can never tell my mom that I went out with a girl because she’ll inevitably ask me if we’re “going steady.”  Though I can’t help but snicker at my mom’s use of the phrase “going steady,” I usually just play along and tell her that I’ve even given the girl my letter jacket and fraternity pin.

-To me, talking to my parents is like being a producer for CNN – even if nothing is happening, I still have to come up with some sort of news to satisfy everyone.

-My dad calls my guy friends “the fellas” and refers to any type of pants that aren’t jeans as “dockers.”  This is actually progress.  He used to refer to jeans as “dungarees” but I convinced him to stop because all the fellas were making fun of him.