Clumsy

Ca. 1996 - When I lived in Alaska, we lived in a big cul-de-sac neighborhood.  In winter, when it snowed a million feet, the plows would move all the snow to the middle of the circles, so you had to drive around one to get to our house.  My sister and neighbor and I would play on them because they were so tall.  I'm talking, like, 20 to 30 feet tall.  One day we were all sitting on the top of it, when all of a sudden, I felt myself falling off the "mountain."  Aaaand, I did.  I fell, that roughly 25 feet, and landed square on my back.  I didn't feel any pain and remember thinking, "ok, something HAS to be broken, with how I just fell..." A car had been driving towards us too, and I thought maybe I'd be rescued by some strangers and carried back into my house where I'd be bed ridden with two broken legs for a couple months.  I was able to immediately stand up and walk away, and felt kind of stupid, like after a fall like that I should at least have some back problems or a limp.  NOTHING.  I guess I'm invincible.  But I have learned to not sit on the edge of very high ledges now, because I will most likely fall and land on my back.

Claim to Fame

Ca. 1994 - In elementary school, our music program always did a ton of plays.  The school went up to 5th grade, but you had to be in 4th or 5th grade to actually have a part in any of the plays.  Well, when The Lion King was the next production, I actually auditioned for Simba.  I can't believe I did though, because we all stood in line and sang in front of everyone else auditioning.  I was nervous, and thought I did a pretty good job, but the music teacher, Mrs. Berg, said I couldn't have the part because I stood still with my hands behind my back for the audition.  I remember thinking, "pfft, well it was a singing audition, not an acting audition."  Well, of course it was both.  But I was lucky enough to be put in the part of Timon, the meerkat.  To this day I still talk about it.  Not that it was that amazing, but I really did love being up on the stage and singing in front of the whole school and all the parents there.
   The girl who played Pumbaa, the warthog, did not enjoy me calling her Pumbaa outside of the play rehearsals.  Crazy huh!? She was a little on the heavier side then, so of course when I look back I can understand that.  I looked like a toothpick, so if anyone called me Timon, I loved it.
   The big controversy was the girl who was cast as Simba, was also cast as Pocahontas the next year.  The 5th grade as a whole was annoyed.  Ok I don't know if EVERYONE was, but my group of friends and I were.  We didn't think it was fair at aaaalllll.  Sure, she had the best voice, stop siding with her.
   I wanted a big part in that play too, but instead was cast as one of Meeko the raccoon's babies.  You are correct: in the movie the raccoon has no babies.  WELL there were four of us who wanted the part, so Mrs. Berg was kind enough to let three of us be the little ones.  Bahaha too funny.
   This is all on VHS at my parents house, so at least I can always relive my time in the sun.

Sleepover meeting?

Ca. 1995 - My BFF AnM, who conveniently lived across the street from me for 6 years, had asked me one September weekend to stay the night.  Sleepovers were a big deal for us, and were very frequent occurrences, since it was literally 50 feet away.  It was amazing.  I can't describe in one small blog all the fun that was had.  One of the best things is that we still, after being friends since 1989, haven't really fought.  She called me "Miss Prissy Hotshot" after one heated sleepover with another friend.  That was about as crazy as we got.

ANNNYYYYYWAY...that day she asked if I could stay the night, so I went into the living room where my parents were sitting.  I asked them if I could stay there, and my dad just stared at me for a minute and said, "I think we should call your sister in here."  And I said, "I don't think we ALL need to be here for this."  Because I am just so clever.  So Sister comes in the room, sits down, and my parents announce to us, "We're moving to Alaska."  So after living in our lovely state (aka Not Alaska) for 10 years, we upped and moved to Alaska in December 1995 and stayed for 7 great years.  Calls for another blog.

Best Gift Ever!

Ca. 1994 - September or October, we (mom, dad, sister, me) are in a pet store, getting some fish food.  We see the most adorable little puppies on the face of the earth.  Sister and I stop what we're doing and just sit and watch them.  One is white, one is black.  ADORABLE, I tell you.  We had been asking for a dog for ages, and always heard 'no.'  For kicks, we ask that day, and our parents say "Yes."  We say "haha, very funny!!"  Um not joking.  Happiest moment of our lives!  We pick the little black one and take him home.  My dad names him Murphy.  He's the cutest thing I'd ever seen, and was, until a year ago tomorrow, when he passed away, at age 16.  Then, the saddest day of my life followed.  Not a happy post, I know, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that if I talk about him today, on my day off, that I can make it through work tomorrow.

Crybaby

Ca. 1994 - Kid who sat next to me in 4th grade put on an excessive amount of chapstick every two seconds.  For some reason I hated him for this.  He would do it so much he'd miss his lips so a half inch of chapstick went all the way around his mouth. WHY?!  I must have had other reasons for disliking him, but this is the only one that stands out.  So one day, when I had been unfortunately placed next to him in seating arrangements, we had to do something together.  Every two people had to do...something...together.  It didn't even involve touching each other, but I was so disgusted at the fact that I had to interact with this kid, that I burst into tears and ran to the bathroom.  Yes, in fourth grade.  Teacher came after me, and after learning I had absolutely no reason for doing this, pretty much told me to suck it up and get back to class.


Ca. 1993 or 94 - Some kid's birthday in class.  Handed out brownies.  I ate mine almost immediately after getting it, before the rest of the brownies had been handed out.  Another kid whose first name I cannot remember to save my life at the moment (it will come to me in the middle of the night), was sitting next to me and found it appropriate to shout out, loudly to the class, that I had just eaten my brownie.  I burst into tears and ran to the bathroom.  Third or fourth grade.  Awesome.  I attribute 90% of that to my still ever-present fear of having any attention directed toward me, so having the whole class know that I just ate my brownie before we even sang Happy Birthday, was just destructive to my body.


Surely later in the blog I'll post more cry sessions I've had.  These can't be the only two, since out of the TWO, they are both from the same freaking YEAR!!!

OCD much?

Ca. 1998-1999 - 8th grade.  The summer before it began, I spent one day, maybe two, putting a piece of tape on every single hanger in my closet, proceeded by adding a number to each piece of tape.  I then logged which pants I had as well.  I made myself calendars for each month of the school year, and I kid you not, made out my schedule of outfits for the entire year.  I began referring to my clothes as "sweater # 10" and "pants # 3", for example. One day I was horrified to discover that I had worn the same sweater on a Friday and again the following Monday.  I didn't discover this error till a couple weeks later, when I looked back at my log.  This just goes to show how much I relied on my log, as I couldn't even remember that I had JUST worn it two days before.

Being Early and interruptions

I'm trying to decide if doing it in "order", more or less, or just as the memories come to me, would be the better way to do it.  I'll do a couple posts of just random memories, and hope that I don't eventually repeat myself.

Ca. 1997 - ApE was having her 12th birthday party.  She lived just a couple streets away.  I put on my favorite black overalls (don't judge), did my hair, grabbed her present, and headed towards her house.  I walked up and her, her sister, brother, and grandpa were doing some yard work.  I thought to myself, "Huh, strange thing to do a few minutes before your birthday party starts..."  She sees me walk up, and I tell her happy birthday.  She hesitates and says, "Umm thanks."  She takes my present inside and comes out a few seconds later and says, "Sooo....my party is actually tomorrow...."  I can't actually remember if I said anything, but I remember walking home immediately afterwards, having Sister and Dad ask me why I was already home, not answering them, and running to my room.
   I CAN say that I did not go to her actual party because I was so embarrassed.  I heard it was good, but still, to this day, do I not regret my decision. Baha!


Ca. 1991 - Last day of kindergarten.  Maybe second to last.  I was talking to a friend who sat next to me.  The teacher yelled my name, because apparently she had been talking to the class at the same time.  I pretty much put my finger up in a "please don't interrupt me while I'm talking" kind of way, and turned back to my friend to keep talking.  I immediately got a Check Mark next to my name on the board, which was a very bad sign.  Even at that point I remember thinking, "Eh, it's the second to last day.  Whatever."