Living Wicked

Honest Tuesday’s: Barely Naked

Aug 2, 2010 Fitness Forward, Honest Tuesday's, In It To Gym It, Out with the Old Wicked in with the New Wicked, This Thing Called Marriage., Thoughts and Perceptions, Wicked & D Quotables, Wicked Wisdoms, bitch

**WARNING: You might not want to read this if you know me know me. If you do, you are reading at your own risk.**

Me: “Knock it off. I feel like I should be grazing in the grass. Chewing on some cud or something.”
D: “What? No! You are sexy.”
Me: “I am NOT sexy.”
D: “You are sexy to me!”
Me: “But I am not sexy to ME.”

I swear to fuck this ^^^ conversation has become a regular one in my Wicked domain.

I hate this conversation. I hate the way it makes me feel when my own issue hurts the feelings of the other person who matters.

But I can’t help it. A million people could tell me how pretty I look or how sexy I am … but if I don’t feel it inside … it truly doesn’t matter what they say. I have to be the one to feel that way about myself. Yanno?

It is all in my head. I get it. It is my own issue. Mine. Not his. Not yours. Mine.

I wake up and am reminded of it. I immediately pull my shirt down that has ridden up maaaaybe 2 inches and twisted itself around me while I slept, peacefully snuggled in between a 3 year old, a kitten, a new puppy (that is not really a puppy he is 2 but I am not sure I like yet) and D.

The first thing I think about when I wake up is whether or not my stomach fat shows. In my own house. Who does that?

Personal hell? I think so.

It is stupid to feel this way. I know it is. I am sure that what I see is probably not as bad as what you see, but when I look in the mirror I am repulsed. Like throw up in my mouth repulsed.

So then it goes a little somethin like:

D: “Do you wanna do it?”
Me: “No!”
D: (insert disappointed face)
Me: (insert feeling like an asshole)

I cannot make myself want something I don’t want. And it isn’t even that I don’t want ‘it’ … I simply don’t want to see myself naked and I sure as hell don’t want anyone else to either. Not even D. And we have been together for 10 years.

Gah. It is affecting everything. I am that wife. The wife I swore to God I would never ever be. But I see it happening. It is like I am stuck inside a sound proof bubble watching the fat unmotivated me take over the world and I am completely powerless over it.

Me: “I am tired.”
Me: “I have a headache.”
Me: “I don’t feel good.”

To put it simply, I am uninspired and I hate it. My life isn’t even all fucked up. I really have absolutely nothing to bitch about and I am bitching anyway.

I am barely naked and that sucks because I really fucking LOVE being naked. !!!!

Fuck. Am I really even writing this?
Someone tell me to getthefuckoverit already.

Ready, set, GO!

(p.s. I am getting my shit back on track. I am paying attention to what I am eating and firmly reminding myself that a cheeseburger a day does NOT keep the DR. away. Also, I worked out tonight and it felt great. Now to make it a habit again. Ya Digg!?)

What inspires you?

Oh The Places We Will Go!

Jul 27, 2010 All Things Charli, All Things X, Current Events, Family, Out with the Old Wicked in with the New Wicked, P.O.E. Biz, This Thing Called Marriage., Wicked MOMMY Wisdoms, Wicked Wisdoms, awesomeness

I want to go. To places near and far and in between. I want to drive there. Fly there. Hike there. Float there on a boat there. I don’t care if I am in a tent or a hotel or a resort.

I just want to experience life from another cultures eyes.

Working in a place where I talk about vacations 8-10 hours a day makes me hungry to travel.

It isn’t like I am sheltered; I have seen a nice part of the world in my life. Traveling with the Navy allowed me the ability to see places I never ever would have thought to travel to.

I have been to Australia, Singapore, Dubai, Bahrain … Hong Kong …

But there are places that I absolutely must get to.

Sooner than later.

I started thinking about this when we were driving over the Pass, on our way to camping. We drove through the cutest city. I have lived here my entire life and have never been through the city of Leavenworth.

Driving through, I have decided, I must make it there. Repeatedly. It is a Bavarian town filled with things like brats and good beer and blackberry ice cream. It is quaint and (from what I hear) an experience. All of the signs (even the MacDonald’s) are painted to go with the Bavarian theme. I was completely trippen when we drove through. I wish we had time to stop.

(insert trip planning here)

I must go to Europe. For a month at least. I want to see Germany and Italy and Spain and England.
I must (thanks to PQ) go to Turkey.
I must spend at least 2 weeks in Bora Bora. In an over water bungalow.

I must take my kids to Disneyland. And on a Disney cruise.
I must take my kids (Xavier specifically) to Washington DC. He is super in to the Presidents.
I must spend at least a week in NYC so I can go to as many Broadway shows a girl can handle before living her life as if she herself was in a musical.
I must visit New Orleans. Once for Mardi Gras and Once not for Mardi Gras.
I must go to South America.
I must go to Honduras.
I must take D to Hawaii and the Caribbean.

I want to scuba dive. And snorkel. I want to hike up historical mountains. I want to dip in hot springs and stand behind waterfalls. I want to skydive and take pictures of my kids in front of monuments.

I think I will buy a world map and some fun thumbtacks so that we as a family can mark the places we have all been together. I will not scrapbook it, but I *will* have photo album upon photo album with our snapshots stuffed to the brim inside.

Our memories. My little family of 4 will travel together until it turns into a family of just us 2 back into a family of more than 4 when my kids have families of their own. We will create traditions and rituals. And we will look forward to our Christmas Eve’s and summer getaways.

As I have gotten older, I have grown less fond of material things to make me happy. (Don’t get me wrong, a sexy pair of stilettos get me riled the fuck up …) What I am finding makes me more happy more frequently is giving my kids the gift of experiencing life. I will continue to give them that as much as I possibly can because it is something that I did not get a great deal of as a kid.

I happen to think that, if possible … giving the gift of experiencing life … is one of the most important gifts that can ever be given to another individual.

What places will you go?
What places have you already been?
Best vacation ever?
Dream vacation?

Tags: Bora Bora, broadway, disneyland, europe, germany, hawaii, honduras, italy, mardi gras, new orleans, nyc, spain, vacation

I is for Impatient *or* I am Veruca Salt

Apr 25, 2010 Current Events, DUH, Out with the Old Wicked in with the New Wicked, Random

Have you ever met me?

I am probably the most impatient person on the planet. Especially when I get my mind set on something that I want or want to do. Or when it comes to irritation levels. It is pretty easy to get on my fucking last nerve. And when I am on a mission, please do not get in my way. I might cut you.

I am an impatient mom. I feel guilty about this fact, but it is who I am. I make a conscious effort to be more patient with my kids, however it is what it is. They get on my nerves, and then D comes in to save the day like a parent superhero. He can see on my face when the brim of patience is overfull.

I am an impatient driver. Get out of my way. I am in the car to get to a specific place. Point A to Point B. Not to lollygag at 55 on the motherfucking freeway.

My mom used to always tell me “Patience is a virtue”. I say fuck patience right in the ear. I don’t want to be patient. I want what I want when I want it. The end.

Where does this come from? I made the decision to cut my hair off. Like 3 days ago. Now, I am waiting to have it done. I hate waiting. I don’t want to wait. I want to do it now. NOW.

This is what I am gonna do:

Except brunette. I will never do blonde again. (Did you know that I was born a blonde? Weird, right?)

I love it. I want it to be on my head right now. N O W I say!!!

So that is that. I am impatient and I want my hair cut this instant. The End.

How was your weekend?
Are you patient or impatient?
Have you ever won a trophy? What for?

Tags: blonde, brunette, gweneth paltrow, impatience, patience, patience is a virtue

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

Apr 18, 2010 Current Events, Friendship, In It To Gym It, Out with the Old Wicked in with the New Wicked, P.O.E. Biz, Relationships, Thoughts and Perceptions, Wicked Wisdoms

Hello and HOLLAAAAAAAAAA @ Monday!

How was your weekend? Mine was pretty awesome, which is typical because I live and breathe awesomeness.

*shrug*

Anyawesome, I had an opportunity to spend some time with some awesome people this weekend.

Is it possible to know that someone is your friend, and then have it confirmed in a moment as simple as a conversation or moment?

I think that happened to D and I over the weekend.

I used to push people away from me and not allow them close. As I have grown and (as much as I hate to admit it) gotten older, (gah) I have had my theory of half assed friendships proven wrong over and over and over again.

Whether I have reconnected with old friends (shout out to my bitches) or made new friends … I am super surprised at how many true friends surround me. It is refreshing and comforting and uncomfortable all at the same time.

I think that the biggest change, at least in my own life, came with my job. For the first time in a really long time, I actually like the majority of the people that I work with. At the last 3 previous employers, I had absolutely nothing in common with the square ass folks whom I shared space with for the majority of my time. Thank God that isn’t the case anymore.

So, I want to say a big fat ‘Thank You’ to all of you who are my friends. Not just my friend on Facebook … not my friend because you think that you might gain something from being my friend … but my friend because we share common interest. Because we are compatible. Because you love my family. Because you, like me, understand and appreciate fully what it means to be a true friend.

To my oldest friends — I love each of you wholeheartedly. We have grown up together and have grown together. I look forward to many a moment of bitty-ness with you.

To my newest friends — Thank you for coming into my life. I am elated to get to know you are.

To my fakest friends — If you haven’t been eliminated … you will be.

To my friends who are farthest away — One day we are going to have the means to be closer more frequently. I hope that I am the one that can make this happen because I need you all more than I can express in words, on the phone, on FB … on a regular freaking basis.

In other news, I made the decision to be a part of In It To Gym It. I am back working on my fitness, and I am super excited to surround myself with others who are also working on it too. So I will be posting all of my eating right/fitness/weightloss related business there from now on. Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd … I posted my very first blog there … Dear John, (i.e. Dear Cheeseburger) (which will be posted early early in the AM) and would be super appreciative if you showed me some love. (And all of the other awesome bloggers that are putting their journey’s out there for the world to read.)

What kind of music do you dislike most?
If you had a choice of birthday cakes, what kind would you want someone to make for you?
What were your high points and low points of the weekend?

Tags: awesome, awesomeness, Friendship

Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better!

Apr 11, 2010 Completely Hypothetical and Generally Specific, Current Events, DUH, Etc., Friendship, Out with the Old Wicked in with the New Wicked, Ranteriffic, The Tarably Wicked Show, Thoughts and Perceptions, Wicked Wisdoms

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaappy Mothereffing Monday Peeps!

How was your weekend? Mine was rad. I spent time with my D and my kids and my friends … some old and some new. As much as I hate people, within the past few months I have been surrounded by awesome new friends.

Saturday night, we went to a friends house to celebrate his birthday. As with all house parties … there are a few regular “types” of people.

The Douchebag. You know him. He is too drunk and all up in everyone’s face, thinking he knows something about everything and everyone. He will challenge you. He will test every fiber of your patience. He is annoying. He is a bugaboo. He usually is related to someone so you cant ever not invite him without it being a BFD.

The Drunk Slut. Yup. I am sorry (not really) in advance if this is you. She usually is not cute until you have had 3-5 beers/shots. She *thinks* she is the hottest fucking thing on the planet. She flirts with husbands, boyfriends, fiances and single men. She talks shit about all of her “competition”. (i.e. any bitch cuter and more awesome than she is)

The Clingy Broad. She came with a friend of a friend who had since ditched her and now she is following you and all of your friends around the party like a mangled lost little puppy dog. She laughs too loud at shit that is not that funny. She tries to be funny … and really, the only thing funny is to make fun of her stupid ass.

One type of party goer … is more of an endangered species. A rare form of asshole that is seen only once in a blue moon.

This type of person emerges when its tiny little form of “manhood” is tested by something far more awesome than it is.

Example: Saturday night. D, Tarable, Kim and I show up at the parlay ready to get down.

Before I will go into it, let me preface this with the fact that I LOATHE talking about work when I am not at work unless it is a work function. And even then. When I am kickin’ it … getofmyfaceaboutthepoebiz. Also, I am not a braggart. You and I both know that I am awesome, so there is zero need to broadcast it to everyone.

Ya digg?

Anyway, within 10 minutes, we were approached by fuckers who thought it to be important to start competing with us. About work. A few comments pissed me off and riled me up a great deal. I said my piece (duh) … but today, after thinking about it, it simply made me glad that me and the people who I work with/associate with simply are not that way.

It is tacky and douche-y and childish.

I don’t need to play the “Anything you can do I can do better … I can do anything better than you” game. Because bottom line: It is a horrible display of character. Anyone who needs to make people feel like shit for any success … is a piece of shit in my book. And I am not one to voluntarily associate with pieces of shit.

So for the record: I don’t give a fuck. Period. If you are a better salesperson or any other kind of person than I am, fantastic. But if you think that trying to rub the news of it in my face is going to gain any sort of respect from me, you are sadly motherfucking mistaken. Furthermore, if you have to be “that guy” …. then I am pretty sure that you suck.

Oh. And one other thing. You don’t fucking know me. So keep my name out of your motherfucking mouth.

Kraft Mac & Cheese OR Velveeta Shells & Cheese?
Name Something:
wonderful
weird
wild
wrong
warm
weak
white
wet

Tags: anything you can do i can do better, kraft mac n cheese, place of employment, velveeta shells and cheese

Affirm – A – Tive – Ly Speaking.

Apr 7, 2010 Current Events, Etc., Out with the Old Wicked in with the New Wicked, P.O.E. Biz, bitch

I suck and so do my sales.

Those who know more than I do say that it is important to invest in myself and re-affirm my abilities and not focus on the negative things like how it has been almost THREE selling weeks since I have popped a deal.

(did I say that out loud?)

Fine. I won’t be all bitter and cranky and hateful and negative and mad and cunty and bitchy and mean to Rob about it and shit. Fine.

Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine.

*inhale*

I am good at my job.
I am really pretty. And smart. And awesome.
I have sold credits which means I can sell more credits.
I will make copious amounts of money. And use it wisely. (not on hookers or anything silly like that.)
I have great legs. And tits. And eyes.
I will do whatever it takes to hit Presidents Club. It is not out of my reach.
I am a good mom. And wife. And friend.
I will listen. And absorb. And apply what I learn.
I will invest in myself.
I will sell credits.
I will sell credits.
I will break this streak of nonsellingbullshittery.

*exhale*

Carry on. And fuck YOU. Yeah you. I still hate your face.

(Oh. And go ahead and throw some personal affirmations out there. It might make you feel better about something that you may or may not be internalizing.)

Would you rather date someone who’s feet consistently smelled or who’s breath consistently smelled?

Tags: affirmations

Shit and Stuff and Things

Mar 28, 2010 All Things X, Completely Hypothetical and Generally Specific, Family, I WIN!, Out of Wicked's Mouth, Out with the Old Wicked in with the New Wicked, Random, Ranteriffic, Suck It!, Thoughts and Perceptions, bitch

Welcome to a new week. I would say “Happy Monday” but fuck that. Idontwanna.

I hosted my grand opening Tupperware party this weekend! A big fat shout out to the ladies who came and supported me in trying something new. If anything, any extrah mooh-lah that comes from it will help pay for my shopping addiction.

Anyway, whether you are a Tupperware virgin or not … please take a peek on my website and see if there is anything that you simply would die without owning in your house. The closing for this particular party is on Friday.

WickedCourtni’s Tupperware Website

/end shameless self-promotion.

So I was laying here, after the aforementioned party … completely exhausted and a little sad that I had nothing left to distract me from all of the bullshit going on … I started FB stalking. Yep, I am an offender of silently stalking people that I would not really be interested in talking to ever, but am curious as to how their lives have played out. Whatever. I know that at least 90% of you have done it.

I landed on my H.S. Alumni list of peeps. Class of ‘97 WOOT WOOT! (totally kidding)

I came to re-realize a couple of things while checking in on these peeps:

1) I really hated high school. Like, H A T E D it.

I am pretty sure that my hatred for all things high school had everything to do with the fact that I never really was at a school long enough to build life-long friendships until the 9th grade. Even then it was a difficult thing for me to really fit in.

So, I said fuck it and was a cunt to pretty much anyone that looked at me funny.

2) I don’t recognize over half of the people I graduated with.

Thank god I am friends with the pretty people because there were some Fugly’s and Butterface’s in my graduating class. Seriously.

How did I ever get laid in H.S.?

Oh yeah. I had boy toys OFF campus. *winkwink*

So the other evening, Xavier comes rushing out of his room. He is known for his jokester ways, so I am always interested in his latest attempt at comic relief. (Like when he tried to get me with a whoopie cushion the other day. Little shit.)

He is out of breath. Excited. Animated. And he says:

X: “I have invented a knew move.”
Me: “A dance move?”
X: “No. A kung-fu move.”
Me: “Reeeee aaa lly.”
X: “Yup. I call it to-fu.”
Me: “Is that right.”
X: “Yup. It is a move that goes straight for the toe. Badum CHING”
Me: “Wow. HA HA HA!”

My kid. I wish he was always like this and not like how he has been with his bad ass.

Also, bug-a-boo’s are annoying. People who are just in your face with some shit that you just do not give a fuck about.

Also Also, Squishy is getting married soon and I am freaking the hell out about that fact.

Also, I am teetering on a bout of writers block. I need some suggestions on stuff to write about for my weekly’s: Honest Tuesday’s & Whatever Happened to Wednesday’s. And I also need some TMIThursday guest posts: email me! wickedcourtni@gmail.com

Alllllllllllsoooooooo, I think that people who don’t know me who are around me need to figure it out. I am not the one and I promise you that if there is a continuous assumption on your part that I actually am the one … you will get phased out quick like Quick Draw McGraw. Don’t play me. You will lose the little high school games you are attempting (horribly might I add) to play.

My quote of the week: “What doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger.”

Done and done.

Would you rather lick day old dirty dishes clean in the sink OR clean the toilet with your toothbrush and then brush your teeth right after?

What is your quote of the week?

Tags: high school, make you stronger, party, quick draw mcgraw, tupperware, what doesnt kill you

Honest Tuesday’s: I Fall

Mar 22, 2010 Honest Tuesday's, Out with the Old Wicked in with the New Wicked, Plunges, Random, The Tarably Wicked Show

Welcome to Honest Tuesday’s! A place where you can come and be totally honest about shit that you normally would not be honest about.

If you have never met me, or … if you have not had the pleasure of being surrounded by my awesomeness for extended periods of time … you may be completely unaware of the following:

I fall.

While standing.
While walking.
Going from sitting to walking.

I.
Fall.
The.
Hell.
Down.

For instance, today. Tarable and I were walking to get Skittles and ice water like we do pretty much every night, and BAM!

Like almost down the stairs. One of my shoes broke … Yeah.

I fall.

Or how about a couple of weeks ago when I was standing, talking to one of my bosses … (we call him MOM) … and while I was simply fucking STANDING there … BAM!

I fell.

Or when I fell down while trying to slide into my cube at work in my tights. Do you remember sock skating across smooth surfaces?

Yeah. I was sliding down the walkway in between cubes … slide … slide … slide … and then … BAM!

The best story though. Go ahead and laugh work peeps. It is cool. Re-live it.

So I was at my desk. Working. When I work, I usually will have one leg under the other in my chair.

This fateful day, I must have sat on my leg too long.

I jumped up out of my chair for some odd fucking reason that I cannot remember due to the utter mortification of the following events:

As I went to stand up on both feet (IN HEELS MIGHT I ADD) I started to walk, not realizing that my foot and leg were completely fucking numb from the knee down …

Wanna guess what happened next? Of course you do.

BAM!

Yep. I fell. But the worst parts happened in the next 2.5 seconds …

1) I fell WHILE walking, meaning that I slid on my knees into the cube across from mine while wearing a skirt and tights … so what happens? There is a HOLE in my tights that I have to live with for the rest of the night.

2) My 2 bosses, and my co-worker in the cube across from mine as well as another few random co-workers all witnessed my awesomeness literally fly across the fucking cubes and into my co-workers lap.

3) The “THUD” and then the “LMFAO”s throughout the office.

4) My bleeding and scabbed knee.

5) How I am never and HAVE never and WILL never live it down. Ever.

What do you need to be honest about this week?

Do you have an embarrassing moment similar to my falling down all over the damn place? Spill it. Make me feel better.

Tags: bosses, cubical, fall down, heels, Honest Tuesday's, lmao, work

Honest Tuesday’s: I Don’t Like You. It Is Easier That Way.

Mar 8, 2010 Completely Hypothetical and Generally Specific, Current Events, Etc., Friendship, Honest Tuesday's, Out with the Old Wicked in with the New Wicked, Thoughts and Perceptions, Wicked Wisdoms

’scuse me while I ramble a bit… and feel free to relate if you wish.

I am sure that I am not alone when I say that I feel most content surrounded by the people I love. But I am probably one of few that doesn’t have that many people surrounding them anymore.

It seems like no matter how hard I try, the people I love the most diminish with time and happenings and exchanges of words. It makes me sad. It breaks my heart. It causes me to look in the mirror and ask myself what I as a friend could have possibly done to push them so far away.

But then, maybe it isn’t me.

I am difficult to love, and I like it that way. Why should my devotion come so easy to everyone? Is it fair to think that the people in my life should work hard to earn my love, trust and loyalty? I would work hard to reciprocate for theirs. In every relationship that I have ever encountered, I have worked hard to show them exactly how important they are to me.

I wonder why I find less and less people willing to do the same. As if, it is acceptable to give 50% in a friendship all of a sudden?

D tells me that so many people are terrified of me. Intimidated even. That they are afraid of what I might say to them. What do you mean? You are afraid of someone possibly telling you the truth? Is that what “friendship” has come to? Lying to one another? It makes me sad to know that people walk on eggshells… but at the same time, my guard remains up because really, I don’t give a fuck. I am gonna be me and say what I think, and ask for forgiveness later if it comes down to having to.

Fact is, I don’t like people. I don’t trust people. So excuse me if I don’t run and hug you and tell you all of my deepest, darkest secrets when we first meet.

Regardless, my life and my love are mine… and I choose who to share them with. If it isn’t you… then you haven’t proved to me that you are worth my love. If I shared it with you, and it was betrayed by you… then shame on me for allowing you in in the first place… It is too bad that you are gone, but with or without you…

I am going to love life, and live love.

Because that is how I roll.

Thoughts?

If you could have any car you wanted, which car would you choose? Would it be practical or flashy?
Imagine you woke up one morning to find you had switched bodies with me. What would you do?

Tags: eggshells, Friendship, guard, intimidate, love

An Opportunity to Say Hello.

Mar 7, 2010 Family, Friendship, Out with the Old Wicked in with the New Wicked, Thoughts and Perceptions, Wicked Wisdoms

When did I become such a big ball of emotional?

I know, when I realized that 1) I am a grown up and 2) the friends I have mean more to me than I could ever express into words.

I feel like I am consistently reaching out. Phone calls, Voicemails, Texts … Emails … Many of them go unreturned and that is okay. I know that life is busy and that the world doesn’t revolve around me. However, I just want for them to always know that they are loved and thought of by our family. Fact is, we used to have a tight knit group. Our family. Most of them were boys, and as boys do … the revolving door of female counterparts was a frequent one.

Anyway, the tight knit group have since dissipated. Most of them have moved away and started lives with different friends and love interests. I get it. It is rare that what happened 10 years ago will happen 10 years from now and the entire group of friends will grow old together, spend holidays together … have their kids grow up together. What is hard for me to accept is that, in everyone’s lives … the importance of those friendships aren’t that much more important when distance is involved.

Or is it just me?

D and I found out that one of (or so I thought) our closest friends and his wife and daughter came home for a visit this past week. We found out the day that they left. I hate to be this way, but it stung a little bit to know that, after all of these years … we weren’t important enough for a phone call. It doesn’t really matter how long or short the trip was. It doesn’t make a difference to me. If it were me, I would make every effort to include all of the most important people in my life. If it didn’t work out, then fine … but at least they knew that it was important to us to wrap our arms around them … share a laugh … have a drink … break bread. Whatever. Something.

Even just the opportunity to say hello.

I am watching through photographs. Kids are growing and all of these memories are being made. I want to know them. I want their babies to remember me and love me like I love them. But as it stands, I am a stranger to them. That hurts my heart. Especially because my kids have uncles out there … and now nieces and nephews … whom they barely know. Not by blood, but by bond. Bond to me is that much more solid than any blood relation ever could be.

But I guess I cannot expect the world to see things through my eyes all of the time and I sure as hell cannot expect it to give as much of a shit as I do about the people in it whom I care so God damn much about.

Tags: brotherhood, distance, emotional, Family, Friendship