Happy Birthday, Bro-seph!

Happy 30th Birthday to my brother Joe!

He is freaked out a bit by this milestone birthday. I decided it would be a nice gesture to give him a shout-out. So here's a little dedication to my bro: the top 30 things I love about him.

30. He has a great laugh.
29. He has an amazing sense of humor.
28. He can make sitting down to a meal an extraordinary experience.
27. He finds ways to take ordinary jokes and incorporate his friends and family into them, making them much more enjoyable.
26. He finds pleasure in simple things, like the nicknames of our grandparents' friends.
25. He is loyal.
24. He still has a strong sense of wonder and awe about things happening throughout the world.
23. He enjoys the "small stuff."
22. He can find ways to incorporate Seinfeld into daily conversations.
21. He is one smart cookie. Ask him about history and geography and be prepared to be impressed by his great wisdom.
20. He recognizes the ridiculousness of his own circumstances, and finds ways to enjoy them no matter what.
19. He is an amazing role model for young students and athletes.
18. He is a great friend to the knuckleheads he surrounds himself with.
17. He still gets excited about things he's done a million times, like playing golf.
16. He'll encourage you to try out things he likes, so he can share his joys with you, like his current infatuation with South Park.
15. He gets excited for things he loved in his youth, like Star Wars.
14. He supports his teams to the bitter end - even when they break his heart.
13. He'll do anything at least once.
12. He sends really funny text messages.
11. He can use the word "neat" and not sound like a complete doofus.
10. He can dish it out as well as take it.
9. He'll go the extra mile to help someone in need.
8. He knows how to appreciates pure, comedic genius.
7. He has an amazing ability to tell great stories.
6. He has strong-rooted convictions, particularly in his politics and his faith.
5. He is a passionate coach who dedicates copious hours to the youth.
4. He is even more passionate about education and teaching his students to open their minds to new and wonderful learning experiences.
3. He "understands" those things only he and I can truly understand.
2. He is always there for me, especially when I need him most.
1. He's the best brother anyone could ask for.

Happy birthday, Joe! Here's wishing you another amazing thirty years!