Childhood Meme, gakked from elsaf

1. What was the first car your family had?
The first one I remember was a Pinto (red?). I think. The folks also had the 1965 Ford Mustang that had been mother’s when she was a teenager. They still have it, actually.

2. What was the name of your first pet and why?
Had a hermit crab when I was in 4th grade and I’ve no idea what its name was. Didn’t have pets as a kid cuz dad’s allergic. (I have Leo, my cat, now. Before Leo was Squeaky the hamster.)

3. What did you want to be when you grew up?
A teacher. Didn’t know what subject, just knew I wanted to teach. (Dad was a teacher and after school we’d wait around in his room before he’d drive us home in the Mustang. So I’d write on the chalkboard and try to teach my sister, 4 years my junior, all the stuff I learned that day. Poor kid!)

4. What was the name of your elementary school?
Newton Elementary. Which is in the same building as Newton High School. Which is where I teach now. 🙂

5. Who was your first best friend?
Erik Piper. We were a dangerous combination. So much so that it was in our school records to never be in the same elementary class as the other. We, of course, didn’t know this. So near the end of summer when we’d find out who our next teacher was, we’d go “So who’d you get?” “I got Miss So&So” “Awww, I got Mrs Whatsit!” I told Erik about this school record note about 10 years after we graduated HS. He immediately rushed into the other room (where my dad was) and said “Is that true, Mr Short?!?” They knew we were an explosive combo, btw, through our Sunday school classes. We were both very creative and intelligent (Erik much moreso than me) and very difficult to control. We had fun. 🙂

6. Are you still friends today, and if not, what happened?
Still friends, but out of touch. He’s in the Czech Republic with his wife and (at the time I last communicated with him) one daughter (might be more now).

7. What was your favorite board game?
Stratego. Probably still is. (Remember when we tried to play that online, judiang?)

8. Did you play house or other make believe games?
Yup. House. School. Superheroes (Erik & I had a gazillion each.) Out back where the playground used to be (it’s the carpark now) was a huge rock that Erik and I dubbed “Brainstorm Rock” where we’d concoct our various superhero schemes before walking around the playground N number of times or swinging for the duration of recess.

9. Were you a Dungeons and Dragons geek?
Nope. I liked the cartoon, though. 🙂

10. Did you sleep with stuffed animals as a kid?
Yup. Teeny Tiny Teddy mostly.

11. Do you still sleep with stuffed animals?
Yup. Still Teeny. But at least I don’t take him with me on trips anymore. elsaf & judiang can tell you about the trips I’ve been on with Teeny. He’s a week older than me, however, and the long trips aren’t good for him anymore. So he keeps an eye on Leo while I’m on trips.

12. Who was the first person you looked up to when you were younger?
I looked up to most people when I was small. Heh heh. I had several heroes. Dad. Jean Stapleton. Elizabeth in the Tomorrow People. The Spears, Jim & Helen, from the UMC. etc.

13. Who was your favorite relative?
Gramma Anderson – we bonded during my stint with chicken pox. She was my buddy.

14. Were you short or tall in elementary school?
Tall. Damn junior high when I stopped growing and the boys started growing!

15. Were you teased in school?
Oh god, yes.

16. What was the name of your favorite teacher?
Mrs. Penkal, who was my 3rd grade reading teacher when I was in 2nd grade (Erik was taking 6th grade reading then – I said he was smart!) and later my English teacher during 5th grade. She’s the reason I started writing. She encouraged my love of poetry and got me writing it.

17. What was the name of your least favorite teacher?
I didn’t have one in elementary. I loved all of my teachers (which is good, cuz I work with a number of them now!) There was the asshole who was in charge of the library when I was in junior high. He’s the reason I always worked for dad as a lab aide.

18. What was your best subject in school?
English, science, math.

19. What was your worst subject in school?
Gym.

20. Did you do well in Physical Education?
Nope. Know that kid they always pick last? That was me!

21. Were you clumsy when you were younger?
Not so clumsy as ornery.

22. Who was your favorite band as a kid?
The Beatles and the Monkees.

23. What was your favorite movie as a kid?
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (and still is).

24. Did your parents read to you?
Yes. Bath night was an especially great night for book reading.

25. Did you have a favorite book?
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (and still is).

26. What was your favorite restaurant as a kid?
Burger Chef (and Jeff!). Taco Bell, believe it or not, was considered a special treat. 🙂

27. What TV or movie star did you have a crush on?
Eric Idle, but that didn’t happen until I was 11 or so. It lasted a long time – I still have a crush on him. 🙂

28. Do you now wonder what you were thinking?
Nope – like I said, I still have it. 🙂

29. Who was your first crush in school?
I’m no so sure I had one. Wasn’t much for romance.

30. As a child, what kind of car did you want when you grew up?
Didn’t. Didn’t want a car, didn’t want to drive.

31. Did your parents spank you?
Yup. Dad used the Wooden Spoon. It made a great “pop” sound and probably sounded worse than it hurt.

32. Did your parents fight a lot when you were a kid?
Nope.

33. Did your parents get divorced or stay married?
Stayed married.

34. If they got divorced, how old were you when it happened?
N/A

35. Did you ever run away from home?
Nope, but Amy (my sister) did once.

36. How old were you when/if you first got glasses?
The summer between 5th and 6th grade, I think. Nobody noticed!

37. Did you need braces or a retainer?
Nope. My dentist took my father aside after one dental appointment and said “When your daughter turns 16, buy her a car. She’s just saved you a fortune in dental work.” He didn’t get me the car. If only he’d paid for my wisdom teeth removal… 😉

38. If you’re male, how old were you when you had your first wet dream?
N/A

39. Both sexes when did you start shaving?
LOL – funny story here. I hated shaving my legs, but that wasn’t a problem, I hated wearing shorts. But one summer we were all on vacation and it was HOT. I didn’t have any shorts, so we turned one of my pairs of jeans into shorts. But my sister REFUSED to go out in public with me having my hairy legs. (Fish-belly white legs with dark hairs is VERY obvious.) We didn’t have any shaving cream in the hotel room, so Amy used bath gel or something, had me stand on the toilet seat, and shaved my legs for me.

40. Girls when did you start wearing a bra?
Um, 4th grade… And I remember being proud! Grief, ain’t so proud now – more bent over. 😉

41. What was your first kiss like?
Wasn’t a kid when it happened. (I was 25.)

42. What did you do on your first date?
Also not a childhood thing.

43. How old were you when you first drank?
We used to have wine at Thanksgiving. I hated it then and still not terribly fond of wine now. (Though the Turning Leaf Riesling, 2004 Reserve, we had last night was pretty good.)

44. Where was your first house?
Next door to the one I live in now. I moved in next door to the parental units. 🙂

Phew! All that remembering sure took it out of me!