By Judy Seifert (Contact / Staff Bio)
November 7, 2009 - 08:53 a.m. EST

Thank you.

Some of you are “getting me”.

That’s my understanding anyway, based on recent fan mail I’ve received.

Not all of the mail has been nice. But that’s okay. I’m not nice at times either.

Their ire seems to be with the way I write about my brother-in-law.

If they met him, their feelings might change.

But there I go again, picking on him.

Anyway, I’m just happy that a few of you took the time to write me and that some of you realize that much of what I write is with “tongue in cheek.”

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - you have to have a sense of humor if you want to remain sane and live with my family. If everything that was ever said across holiday dinner tables was taken to heart – well, we’d have killed each other years ago.

Subtlety is not in our DNA. Not one of us.

If we have something to say to each other, we say it. Sometimes with finesse, most of the time by just blurting it out.

And don’t think for a minute that my brother-in-law is guilt free, he’s the worst among us at times.

But that’s why we all love him. He’s adjusted to “our ways” and has learned to stand up for himself and fight back.

That’s also why the “men” in the family have their “man caves” at each of our homes.

During a family get-together, they disappear into their caves and talk about guns, hunting, fishing, sports, everything that they believe us “women-folk” don’t want to hear about.

They’re right.

It also gives them the opportunity to discuss us – why the women in this family act the way they do, why are they so bossy, why we’re so hard on our men. They compare notes and try, I believe, to figure us out.

There’s no figuring.

I asked my mom the other day - who in our family tree was the most outspoken, the most opinionated, the strongest, the most stubborn, the bossiest?

Her answer, “well, both your grandmothers and your great-grandmothers on my side and your dad’s side were very independent. Maybe you girls got it from them.”

There it is. The answer.

That’s a double-whammy dose.

Anyway, thank you all for writing. I respect your opinions. I welcome them.

Maybe my New Year’s resolution will be to try and become a kinder, gentler soul.

Hmmm. I don’t think so.

That’s it for me this week.

Bye.