Comments on: My Hillbilly Kinfolk or Gordon’s Lament.

By: Linny Binny

Linny Binny — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 03:31:37 +0000

How funny. I’ve lived in the north GA mountains my whole life and I say “Showed her ass” or variations thereof all the time. I thought everybody said it. Apparently not?

By: Skye

Skye — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:43:33 +0000

“Maybe it’s only family that can make you seem so small.”
Yes, it IS generally the people that raised you, clothed you, fed you, educated you, etc., etc., that can make you feel so small, and generally do. They’re the people who raised you and then make you feel like sh*t (am I allowed to curse on here?) because they know how to. Thing is that they seem to just dislike you because you’ve done something with your life and because you’re happy. They treat you like that because they’re miserable and if they aren’t happy (even though they’re unhappiness is a product of their own doing), they don’t think you deserve to be happy either. If someone says something, just…headbutt them, then before they recover lean over and scream in their face that your name is Chief Smackaho, and-Oh, wait. They’re family.

By: CharlieAnn

CharlieAnn — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:39:23 +0000

Oh poor Gordon…I’m so sorry you deal with original hillbillies. My family is from the farmland in Kansas and that’s a whole other brand of craziness…All of your readers (if they’re like me) love you and Ilona like distant cousins who made good and sometimes it’s better to choose the ones who love you instead of the ones you were stuck with at birth. Let the kiddos run a bit wild, “show your ass”, and just shrug afterwards. We really don’t want to need a fund entitled “Gordon and Ilona Andrews Bailment”. Good luck with the family.

By: Catsie21

Catsie21 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:55:02 +0000

There is one saying that was told to me when I was younger and whenever I see certain family members I think of it “You may love your family but that doesn’t mean you have to like them.”.

By: Kat

Kat — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:41:01 +0000

I just wanted to say “thank you” to Gordon for sharing this with us all.

Being the confirmed black sheep of my own tribe I too have had to “show my ass” a time or two. I love them but they do drive me crazy.

Recently after spending the afternoon being subtly reminded of all of my deficiencies (I’m not married, I’m not going to heaven and neither is my son, I’m not the right weight, I don’t live in the right place…blah, blah, blah) I realized that all of the unrealistic expectations, selective memory and one-up-manship being lobbed my way was amazingly “NOT MY PROBLEM”. Did it make me want to take after the biggest offender (my aunt) with the salad tongs from her artfully arranged veggie platter (made especially for me, by the way) and do some serious damage? You bet! Did I do it? No, damn it, because underneath all of the craziness and well meaning manipulation they are my family.

I realized that all of their crap has helped me define exactly what I don’t want to be or do in my life. Being the black sheep has motivated me to not be just like the rest of the flock…thankfully. So I say baaaa-baby-baaaa! Good luck and givem’ hell.

By: Carol

Carol — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:53:56 +0000

If you “show them your ass” and have had enough, you are welcome to come have Thanksgiving at our house. Virginia isn’t far and everyone who shows up is welcome (asses hanging out and black sheep as far as you can see). Life is short, have fun while it lasts.

By: Audrey

Audrey — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:47:02 +0000

I applaud the effort you make to keep the old family ties. It certainly doesn’t sound easy.

Often the successful people in a family are looked upon as being strange, or the black sheep, because the rest of the family doesn’t like to look at themselves in the success’ light.

Try not to let it bother you. You have the family you deserve in Ilona and your children. Not to mention the extended family of fans!

Incidentally, I hope they read the story. That should give them PLENTY to talk about this Thanksgiving. Let me know if you want me to send you some ear plugs!

By: Debby

Debby — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:53:56 +0000

Thanks for your story Gordon. I once had a very wise person
tell me, that if you had a belly button you came from a
dysfunctional family(always made me feel better). My
husband is the first adult in Idaho history to be adopted
at age 32 yrs. I say take names and kick-ass if you have to.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:58:16 +0000

I never thought of it like that. LOL.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:55:49 +0000

Family make me glad that in the UK we don’t have thanks giving as well as Christmas. I don’t think I could cope with two family holidays in as many months.
I’m sorry that your family don’t appreciate you Gordon and I sympathise with how you feel. I’m somewhat under-valued myself.
I’m happy that you and Ilona have a family together. Perhaps you can’t make everybody who should appreciate you but, the ones that count most do I’m sure. You will value your homelife far more after you get home again.
I hope you both remain unemployed and writing your little books for many years, (just so that I can read them) and if you want to escape for Christmas this year come to the UK and I’ll put you up. It won’t be a swanky hotel though.