[joshuaxtree]

Oh man, Halloween — I love Halloween. After multiple years in a row of the Joker, I think it’s time for me to step up my Halloween game.

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

Halloween is maybe my favorite holiday.  We always do it up big with costumes in my family.  One year, when my youngest sister was just a baby, our parents dressed us up as the seven dwarves.

[joshuaxtree]

Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being pasty white. The Elmer’s glue-like complexion really brings out the eyes.

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

And I can be a ghost every Halloween, totally free of sheets!

[nxtaliedxwson-deactivated201611]

“You could say that’s the way that Chicano or Black Studies began, really. People protested for them, and got them.”

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

Yeah, but I think my class isn’t quite as important as those.

[xflorencekingsley]

“Good point. Still, though, seven kids sounds like a death wish - and that’s coming from someone who actually wants kids in the future.”

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

My mom and dad are both seriously odd ducks, to be fair.  I think if any parents were gonna have my sisters and I, I’m glad it’s them.  They were awesome at being parents to so many of us.

[nxtaliedxwson-deactivated201611]

“Make the students ask for the class. Might get you some recognition from a campus.”

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

I’d never have thought of that.  Maybe I can put it out on craigslist or something.  “Looking for the coolest class ever?  Start bothering your university president to invite me to teach.”

[codycarsongifs]

[joshuaxtree]

codycarsongifs:

“ I hate you….I hate you “ - Cody Carson

[joshuaxtree]

You’re right — I’ve ran into about ten of them here today alone.

You know, with having lived somewhere warmer than the Midwest, I would’ve expected you to be more tan…

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

My family actually makes fun of me all the time for how pale I am.  They all have the more common Cajun coloring with brown hair and eyes and more light olive complexions, and I wound up blonde, blue eyed, and pale.

[joshuaxtree]

A lot of people seem to like to talk down about it, but it’s a great place. Sure, you come across a questionable person or two here and there, but still.

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

Yeah, but I don’t really think there’s anywhere you can live without running into a questionable person or two.

[xflorencekingsley]

“Six? How does someone even have that many kids??”

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

Seven when you include me.  Mom and Dad insist that all of us were planned, and that they just wanted to have as many kids as they could provide for.  So I guess the answer to “how” is “on purpose”.

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

@AibanFTW: Happy Birthday beautiful @CJaLater.  I bet now you’re not so mad about the grocery trip.

[joshuaxtree]

Fair enough. At least it sounds like Brookfield’s been treating you well then.

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

It definitely has.  I love it.

[xflorencekingsley]

“How many is ‘a lot’? I only have the one brother, and honestly, he’s more than enough. I can’t imagine having more than one.”

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

A lot is six.  Six sisters.

[xflorencekingsley]

“Well, I guess that probably counts as a bias then yeah. How’d you end up in Brookfield?”

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

I have a lot of sisters, and I wanted to get as far away from being “the guy with all the sisters” as possible.  I kind of wanted to prove to myself that I could be off on my own without my sisters and my parents there backing me up when stuff goes wrong making it so that I’m never really having to deal with it myself.  I needed the independence.

[joshuaxtree]

So on a scale of one to ten —ten being the most dramatic— how likely are you to skip the flight back home and just stay down here with the palm trees and frog legs?

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

Maybe a two?  I mean, love my home state and all, but I’ve got a couple pretty good reasons to go back home to Brookfield.

[joshuaxtree]

Not gonna lie, I’m kind of jealous. The life of an only child is a lonely one, especially when you’re a kid. 

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

It can be great, but when you have as many siblings as I do it can also be a little crowded.  Though I’d never wish for it to be any different.

[joshuaxtree]

Definitely not in the pocket of these skinny jeans, but hey, maybe if you tried hard enough… I can understand that, for sure. Personally, I couldn’t bring myself to move out of the same state as my family, so you’re a much braver soul than I am.

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

I think one of the best thing about having as big a family as I do is that I had a lot of support when I decided to move.  Lot’s of people encouraging me and assuring me that I could always come home if i wanted to.

[joshuaxtree]

I feel like I have my own pocket tour guide now. And you moved to a place with no palm trees, why…?

[aib-solutelyaverage-blog]

I’m happy to be a tour guide, but I’m not so sure I’ll fit in anyone’s pocket.  I needed a change.  I wanted to be somewhere far away so I could establish myself as my own person without my whole family there to back me up when stuff goes wrong.  I needed to know I could do it on my own.