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copy-bratty
Tuesday night was Opposite Night at Casa Alex y Deb. Not exactly a planned event, it just sort of happened when Alex brought up again that maybe, maybe I could let him cook dinner once a week (this means he’s craving chicken and I almost never make chicken because, well, I don’t like it enough and let’s just not forget who it’s all about here) and I realized that meant I’d have to do the dishes and so I decided I’d instead do that thing where I rinse them and pile them in a large bowl of soapy water and get to them in a day or two, during which time we’d have too few dishes to cook with and just end up ordering Thai (my original purpose anyhow). Confused yet? Yeah, me too.
Alex, quick-witted one that he is, realized I was making fun of him and decided to say in his brattiest, poutiest voice, "I’m bored! We never do anything fun!" to which I responded all huffily, “Oh, we neeever do anything fun. Didn’t we go out for sushi last night? Have your friends over on Sunday? Go out with them on Saturday? That wasn’t fun? Okay, fine. What would you like to do that’s ‘fun’?”
Alex: I dunno.
Deb: Well, I can’t do "I dunno."
Alex: I just, well, I hate it when we just come home and watch the Daily Show and have dinner and go to bed!
Deb: Is it so bad if we don’t go out every single night? That we spend a night or two at home?
Alex: Hmmph! I just! You know! I’m bo-ored!
Deb: You’re going to have to learn to use your words.
It was frightening, really, the way we’ve got each other’s most grating traits down. I mean, he even had the dramatic sighing and pseudo-distressed facial expressions. Who taught him that!
Alex: I’m thirsty! Water?
Deb: Can you say please?
Alex: You never made me before! Are you trying to civilize me? I think you’re trying to civilize me, and it’s not going to work. Even if you did, you wouldn’t like me as much because I might get bored of doing irrational, tasty things like making pizza dough from scratch on a Wednesday night! [Ed note: Yes, I’d said exactly this to him minutes earlier.]
Deb: You didn’t say please.
Alex: Please. Can I please have some water? [Sneers.]
Deb: Yes.
Alex: I was crossing my fingers the whole time! Nya-nya!
Oh man, I mean, thank goodness getting married doesn’t necessitate you being a grownup, because Alex has had decades of practice at being the badgering older brother, and me, I’ve been bratty younger sister my whole life. Isn’t it great that we can feel so comfortable with each other?
Later, getting into bed, Alex fidgets, fusses, and then furiously shakes his pillow into a fluffier shape.
Deb: I do not do it like that!
Alex: Okay, then, cchrrrchrrr cchrrr
Deb: I don’t snore!
Alex: Sure you don’t.
Deb: I… I… I! MAAA HE’S COPYING ME!
Alex: [Smirking.]
Deb: [Glaring.]
Alex: …
Deb: …
Alex: I win.
comments (8)
Can you post your pizza crust recipe? I've attempted to make it multiples times and it's always crap.
1 | Jenny | March 31, 2006 12:19 PM
Ah, yes you know each other well!
2 | kelli | March 31, 2006 01:08 PM
My ever so wonderful boyfriend and I have similar banters. I get really frustrated with him when I come home after a long day, and he has dinner ready for me, and directly after dinner he wants to watch TV in the bed room. (I know, my life is really rough, right!)
But I do this thing where I sort of whine and pout (he actually has a really cute picture of it) when I don't want to do something, and he thinks it's adorable. It doesn't however mean that I always get my way. And he in tern does this thing where he acts like a child, which, I think is adorable, and we giggle at each other. Yes, thatâs right, giggle!
It's nice to know that just because we are "adults" doesn't mean that we always have to act like one. And it's really comforting to have someone you can act like a child with and not be judged or ridiculed by. I consider myself extremely fortunate.
3 | Smilin.N.ny | March 31, 2006 02:31 PM
I discovered your blog last week & started reading the archives daily (about a month/day). Yes, I have one of those jobs. This morning I was reading March '04 & it read:
"Alex wasnât feeling well, I was over-tired. Weâd picked up dinner at Whole Foods, came home and watched The Royal Tennenbaums. By 10:00 PM, I was bored.
Panicked thoughts flood-rushed into my head: This is never going to work..."
I think that the juxtaposition of that blog and today's blog of dinner, the Daily Show & bed accompanied by "Deb: Is it so bad if we donât go out every single night? That we spend a night or two at home?" is quite interesting & very cute.*
I'm jealous (the low cal kind) of your wit, but I am thankful for it because it has been entertaining me for hours :)
*please pardon that terribly-phrased sentence
4 | baby ghanoush | March 31, 2006 04:09 PM
I love reading your entries. This one had me laughing just about the entire time. LOVE it.
5 | Caitlin | March 31, 2006 05:42 PM
Here is the recipe for the pizza crust:
3 c flour
2 t salt
1 t yeast (less than a packet)
1 c water, + 1-2 T if needed
1 T olive oil
Pulse everything but the liquids in the food processor on the dough setting for 30 seconds, then add the liquids and turn it back on. It forms a dough very quickly. (I sometimes add dried herbs or garlic.)
Knead it for a few minutes on a floured surface, let it rise in a oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap for an hour (or more, up to 2).
After the hour, knead it lightly again on a floured surface, forming it into a slightly-flattened ball. (I make two discs - I like mine thinner. If you leave it whole, it's more bready.)
Once it has puffed a little again (20 minutes), roll it out. I bake it on a pizza stone, with some cornmeal to keep it from sticking, at my oven's top temperature for about 10 minu
6 | Jen | March 31, 2006 05:42 PM
I reposted the recipe because I just asked Deb for it in an earlier post and look forward to making it this weekend! :D
Deb, I love your ability to capture your conversations so that the reader feels like he/she is observing you two in action!
7 | Jen | March 31, 2006 05:43 PM
This sounded exactly like me and my hubby! After almost 4 years of marriage, it's even more fun to copy my husband when he acts like a big baby or to see and hear him copy me when I'm acting just slightly irrational, though I'm sure you'd believe me when I say that hardly ever happens!
Your blog has left me entertained for hours on end and gives me a sometimes much needed break from my own reality!
8 | Terri | April 1, 2006 09:50 AM