Step One:

1. Step One: The person I will be speaking about is my brother Brian Franciszak.

2. Step Two: The occasion I will use to speak about him is his wedding where I will be giving the “Best Sister” toast.

3. Step Three List 2-4 NOUNS or ADJECTIVES to best describe this person. NOT PHRASES!! Impulsive Gleeful Honorable Kind

4. Step Four Four Specific Anecdotes 1. He’s always been honorable. I used to throw toys down the steps so the he would get in trouble and he would always take the punishment even though he knew he hadn’t done anything wrong.

5. Step Four Four Specific Ancedotes 2. Brian has always been very gleeful. He received his first unicycle on a very cold, snowy Christmas morning and I remember him spending the whole morning in his pajamas teaching himself to balance correctly.

6. Step Four Four Specific Anecdotes 3. Brian has always been very impulsive. He called me once during his senior year of HS and said, “Hey Sissy, guess where I am?” He had skipped school to spend his girlfriend’s birthday in Brooklyn and gotten lost and wanted me to break the news to our parents.

7. Step Four Four Specific Anecdotes 4. Brian has always been very kind. He spent the morning of my wedding with me instead of with the guys. He made my favorite breakfast and kept me from becoming too nervous.

8. Step Five Figures of Speech 1. Metaphor: Brian is my rock. He’s the crutch that always holds me up and keeps me from crumbling even when life throws the worst possible curveballs at us.

9. Step Five Figures of Speech 2. Simile: Brian is as stubborn as any mule. On the Christmas morning when he received his first unicycle, he spent hours in his pajamas teaching himself to balance on one wheel, like a flamingo propped on a single leg.

10. Step Five Figures of Speech 3. Alliteration: As a child, Brian was always an absolute angel.

11. Step Five Figures of Speech 4. Imagery: For the longest time, Brian had blue hair. Not the pale blue of the sky or the weak blue of the ocean on a calm day, but rather the deep blue of the bluest things; irises, Lego bricks, and Cookie Monster’s overstuffed stomach.

12. Step Five Figures of Speech 5. Dialogue: “Brian tends to call me at the worst possible times. One Spring afternoon he called while I was trying to carry groceries up to my apartment. ‘Hey Sissy,’ he said. “Guess where I am right now?’ Where he was was Brooklyn and he wanted me to tell our parents.”

13. Step Six Intro Twenty-six years ago I cried an entire day because he was born. Not because I was happy, but because I couldn’t believe our parents actually went through with giving me a baby brother. Today I’m crying because that baby brother has grown into an amazing man and an even better husband. As Brian’s sister, let me thank everyone who helped make Brian and Bianca’s wedding such a success.

14. Step Seven Conclusion Brian, Bianca, I am so happy for both of you today. This marriage is the start of so many new adventures for the two of you, but also for the rest of our family. Hunter S. Thompson, a favorite author of all of us Kanes, once encouraged everyone to “Buy the ticket and take the ride” and I cannot wait to see where this ride takes you and the rest of us. Congratulations!!

15. Manuscript Marks Short Pause Some of us weren’t sure that this day was ever going to come and that maybe / just maybe / Brian would stay living with us for the rest of his life. Thankfully Bianca came along and now we can have our guest room back for guests!

16. Manuscript Marks Long Pauses Christmas morning was bright and clear, but cold and the coat Momma made him wear made it difficult to balance. Brian tried and tried to make that unicycle stay upright and then // finally he managed a wobbly ride across the driveway.

17. Manuscript Marks Emphasis I dropped the groceries that I was carrying and said, “You are WHERE?!” Why are you in BROOKLYN?!” I knew that my parents were NOT going to be happy and I guess he did to since he asked me to let them know where he was.

18. Manuscript Marks Change in Tone There was no reason that I should be nervous, but for some reason I couldn’t make myself open the door. Brian looked over at me and said, (Whisper) “But Sissy, you have to get out of the car. (Louder) It’s YOUR wedding day!”

19. Manuscript Marks Identifying Figures of Speech From the moment he was born, everyone has known that Brian is somebody special. He was a remarkable little boy, everyone always remarked how he was an absolute angel.