My mom gave me popcorn.

It's one of the things she has passed on to me. Like a nice piece of jewelry, fine china or an appreciation for cooking and the theatre.

After S.Rube was born, I was at a Mommy and Me discussion about food and they asked us what food traditions and customs we wanted to give to our children. When it came my turn to answer, I didn't have one. I didn't consider popcorn. Without ever having had children before, I didn't really consider anything. "Does eating in front of the TV count? I want to be able to still do that."

It is now apparent to me, 4 years later, that the custom of popcorn in my family is inherently being passed down to my children. As my mom passed it down to me.

We eat popcorn. A lot of popcorn. It is probably the one food that I would choose to have on a desert island. With butter and salt, of course. I can assure you that I've survived solely on popcorn at various times in my life; of which university was definitely one. It is my favourite food.

We've always had our own bowls of popcorn. You can't share a bowl of popcorn. And don't you dare put your hand near my bowl. I'm like a dog guarding its bone. And it isn't a small bone.
We have big ass bowls of popcorn. More carbs than any of us need before bed at night. I don't care how much fiber is in there. It's more carbs than any of us should eat in a week.

And we have popcorn pretty much every night. And have been for 30 years. As you can imagine, we have run the gamut in making popcorn through the decades- from stovetop, to hot air blowers, to all different variations of microwave. We have run the gamut in adding exciting things to the popcorn, like caramel, pepper, parmesan and other cheeses, salt and vinegar powder, oregano and garlic powder.
I currently put kernels into a paper bag, fold the top over and put a little piece of tape there to hold it shut. Then I throw it in the microwave for about 1.50 minutes. I melt some butter (okay, a lot of butter) and add some salt (okay, a lot of salt) and voila.... the best popcorn in the world.

Anyone who has experienced it will tell you. It's the best. I've had childhood friends on facebook who comment on remembering my mom's popcorn. It's a legacy.

As I got older and was staying out later, my mom would still make popcorn for me when she made hers each night. And she would leave a bowl on the counter. A big ass bowl. It would be 1:00 am and there'd be nothing better than my book and my popcorn in my bed.

I find that I can't make popcorn for myself anymore. Exactly like my mom must have felt for all those years. How many times did I come back downstairs to get popcorn after I'd already been put to bed ?
S.Rube will come out of bed HOURS AFTER she's gone to bed if she hears or smells the popcorn. She'll be up at 11 pm eating popcorn with me, if I let her.
Which I do.
Cuz I'm a popcorn pushover. (and a pusher, for that matter.) And I'm just passing the good stuff down from generation to generation. I don't care that it's midnight. Or that she's only 4. She has some catching up to do. And a legacy to uphold.