Family Ties

I do plenty of complaining about my family, but I am constantly reminded that it could be much worse. Here are a few families that I am glad are NOT mine:

• The Kennedys--wealth, power, status, prestige and then there is that curse.
• The Duggars--There is the issue of eighteen children. Also the Duggars' Christian Fundamentalism is so restrictive as to prohibit all forms of secular music, dancing, hair-cutting for girls and women, and birth control, among other things.
• The Gosselins--another weirdo Christian Fundamentalist TV family. Sextuplets and twins . . . on purpose! But like the Duggars, their religion does not, apparently, frown on exploiting one's own family for attention or financial gain. Then there was the outing to the creationist museum. Blech.
• The Palins--where do I start? Huntin', shootin', snowmobilin', shoppin', mutilatin' the language, just to name a few. No contraception in that family either.
• The Bouviers--wealth, power, status, prestige and the film/play GREY GARDENS.
• The Sopranos and The Hendricksons--luckily, both families are fictional