Top 5 Tuesday: Emily Berry

Yes, I've decided to change the theme for Tuesdays from "TV Tuesday" to "Top 5 Tuesday." Why? First and foremost: people love lists. They're compact, definitive, and lots of fun to debate. Second: TV Tuesday lacked the longevity and potential that Top 5 Tuesday does. In asking my wife, sister, and golden retriever what they thought I should write about, I got "ice cream," "greatest characteristics of my sister, Emily," and "arrrrrnolllld palmerrr." Since I'm about as stuffed as I can get right now with a fantastic hamburger made by my sweet love, I'm not exactly eager to weigh and judge another food group. Maybe I'll do ice cream next week.

So, without further ado, the Top 5 Greatest Characteristics of My Sister, Emily Berry.

5. Her dance moves. The girl can move it. Whether it was at my wedding or just around the living room intimidating the Cheif, she's the kind of person who just loves to have a good time. Music runs in our family's blood. My Mom actually went college for it. It's half the reason that I have Music Monday: I constantly have songs running through my head, and I'm willing to bet decent money that the rest of my family is the same way. I like to think that, even when she's not dancing out loud, my sister is dancing in her head.

4. Her determination. I remember a moment about half way through Emily's second year at college when many of her friends had moved back home or decided to go to other schools, and she was really started to feel the pressure of college. I told her to stick with it, to finish strong, and she took a deep breath and nodded. Another year later, we had a similar conversation, and I told her the same thing. Through encouragement, support, and her own constant determination to make a better life for herself, she did finish strong. And after that, when Meghan and I invited Emily to stay with us for a while as she looked for a job and tried to find her own place, she bit the bullet and did everything she could to find work. Within a week and a half, she did. That's determination.

3. Her giving spirit. This Christmas, while most everyone was struggling to find a way to make ends meet, my sister was no different. So instead of just shrugging and telling everyone that she couldn't do anything about it, she thought outside the box and did what she could. Little presents and hand-written notes let everyone know that she cared without having to break the bank. She's always there and waiting with a helping hand if anybody needs anything, which is part of why I've always been willing to help her out just the same. The fact remains that this is one of her deepest personal attributes.

2. Her catchphrases. Growing up, Emily was always going through phases where she had some kind of goofy catchphrase that made everyone laugh, not because it was clever or ingenious, but usually because it was so off the wall that you couldn't help but smile. From adding "tioz" to the end of everything "Daddytioz," "Mommatioz," "Jasontioz," or even "puppytioz!" ... to "DIRTEE!" ... to, well, just about anything, these have always made me crack up laughing. Which brings us to number one...

1. Her laugh. Anyone who has ever met Emily has more than likely heard her laugh at some point in time. It's one of the most heart-warming, smile-inducing, infectious experiences you will ever have. I believe that part of why I've become as funny (and humble, might I add) as I am today is so that I can continue to make her laugh. When she giggles, you want to giggle. When she laughs hard, you want to make her laugh harder. When she enters "silent laugh" mode, you know you've hit the jackpot. That's when she'll start laughing so hard that she can't make any noise for fear that she won't be able to breathe. However, she'll take a sharp breath, then continue to silent laugh for a few more seconds, then slowly but surely work her way backwards through the cycle of laughs. Silent laugh leads to loud laugh, loud laugh leads to mid-level laugh, mid-level laugh leads to quiet laugh, quiet laugh leads to exhausted, but smiling, sigh. It's my favorite.

So there you have it. My Top 5 Greatest Characteristics of My Sister, Emily Berry. Now she can't suggest herself for at least another eight weeks or so... Unless she laughs her way into getting another suggestion through the filter... which is entirely possible.