Waking Ear

Extreme/"More Than Words" -- Remember what a weird hit this was? Those metal dudes getting all soft and cuddly. There was a rash of this stuff back then -- I think "More Than Words" coincided with that Mr. Big song and a bunch of other cheesy rock ballads.

My mom loved this song. She thought it sounded like the Everly Brothers. Mom was in town last weekend for a visit, along with her sister, who's 10 years younger than her. It's always interesting to hear your parent's sibling talk about them. You get this whole different, weird perspective on this person who raised you, with all the biases of sibling rivalry thrown in.

My aunt alternately wanted to be my mom and resented her for acting like her own mother. When my mom was dating my dad in high school, my aunt used to wait behind the door for him to come in, then attack him with a pillow. Then when they left, she would act out their date with Barbie and Ken.

My aunt grew up to be the hip, young, peppy one, while my mom was more reserved and responsible. It's strange that the same parents could produce such different people. It makes me wonder what my sister and I will be like when we're older.