FMM: Childhood Flashbacks

We had a busy but lovely Easter weekend, complete with visits to both godsons (each of whom live about 45 minutes away from downtown Dallas in pretty much opposite directions).  I have to do a separate post to showcase our big Easter weekend project. 

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Childhood Flashbacks
 

1. Did you have a set bedtime as a child? If so, what was it? Yes, but I don't remember what it was.  I think it was around 8, but I remember in high school it was 10:30, after the local news.  By the time I could drive, I had a curfew but there wasn't any enforced bedtime. 

2. Were you taught to be a member of the “Clean Plate Club?” Did it have affect your eating habits as an adult? Yes, and I think it worked well for me.  If growing up we didn't finish what was on our plate, that was usually okay -- but it meant that we'd get that very same plate at the next meal.  So yes, I remember having pea soup for breakfast.  Ugh.  In general, my mom is a great (and healthy) cook, so if I'd been eating crap and having to clean my plate, that could have been a bad habit, but it worked out well.  I hate waste, and I hate it even more now having been to places in Africa and Asia where people really struggle to have enough to eat, and so I am glad my parents taught me to finish it or save it to eat later.  At restaurants, I get doggie bags.  Sometimes not even for much food -- but if I'm not eating it all, I try to make sure it doesn't end up in the trash. 

3. Share one thing that you were not allowed to do as a child.  I was not allowed to color my hair, even though I really wanted to.  I remember saving babysitting money in 7th grade and being at the drug store with a friend's mom and insisting that I was allowed to buy "Sun In" and then smuggling the bottle into my house and using it. 

4. What is the cheapest gas price you can remember?  I think it was about .94 when I first remember seeing it, but I couldn't say how old I was.  What I remember best was when my best friend in high school, Tracey, who was one year ahead of me in school but about 2 years older, got her car.  I would sometimes pay for gas since she drove me to school and we would go out cruising together.  I remember very clearly the first time we did that and I had $10 for gas.  She was pumping, then I was going in to pay.  I told her to stop when it was around $9.50.  I had wanted to make sure I had enough money for tax.  Haha.  And then I lied to her and told her I'd wanted to buy gum because I didn't want to seem stupid for not knowing there wasn't any additional tax on gas. 

5. What was your favorite thing on the playground?  Probably that thing that looked like a big circle with about 8 railings on it where you could sit and one person would run around the outside and spin everyone.  A merry-go-round?

6. Share one thing that your parents always made you do that you didn’t like doing.  My primary chore growing up was folding laundry, and I hated it.  I had a lot of brothers and I thought folding boys' underpants was disgusting -- and what's funny, is now I still don't really like folding my husband's underwear, but I do it (it's a trade-off, I do laundry, he grocery shops).  But I refuse to match and fold his socks. 

7. Do you remember your first kiss? If so, share the details!  Yes, I was in 9th grade and his name was Jason, and it happened outside the roller rink -- and to my embarrassment, it was witnessed by my parents who were in the line of cars to pick me up. 

8. Did you prefer to play inside or outside?  Either one.  I loved reading, I loved drawing dream home floor plans, I loved looking for prom dresses in magazines.  And of course there were Barbiesm house, puzzles and board games too!  But I had a mess of brothers, so there was always lots of time outside on bikes, playing ball, jumping on a trampoline, or making up various games. 

9. What was your favorite TV show growing up?  I didn't really wach much TV, but we were allowed to watch on Saturday mornings -- I'd say Smurfs.  In terms of non-cartoons, definitely ... blanking on the name.  4 girls who lived in a house together, Jo, Blair, Tootie and one other.  Mrs. something was like the house mother.  I should google it, but I'm sure it will come to me...
UPDATED:  Facts of Life!  I knew I'd remember!  Runners up would be Eight is Enough, Little House on the Prairie, Gilligan's Island and The Waltons.

10. Share one awesome childhood memory.  One time my next youngest brother cut a worm in half and I got really upset (I think my vegetarian sensitivities were already developing) and I started to cry.  That brother was generally a real jerk to me, so I was surprised that he didn't just make fun on me for crying.  Instead he apologized and kissed the worm half.  Ewwww....  I still remember exactly what I was wearing that day, what the yard looked like, which house we lived in, the dirt on his lips and how he looked at me to see if kissing the worm had made me feel better. 

Bonus: Share a picture of yourself as a child.  Digital cameras weren't invented yet, and I don't have anything scanned in here at work.  Sorry! 

Good Friday 1996

Some day I should get a photo scanner and scan in some of my cool older pictures.

In 1996, I was studying abroad in Rome, and I went with a friend to the Stations of the Cross service.  I'm not Catholic (actually, Episcopalian, so we have the same Good Friday service), but my friend was, and she really thought it would be cool to go to the service.  The Pope (John Paul II at the time) did the service at places around Rome.  He would process to one place, read that station, process to the next, etc., near the Colliseum (Colosseo), near the Arch of Constantine, and into the forums, ending up overlooking it all from the Palatine Hill.  The service was broadcast over loudspeakers so you could hear all of the stations.  I think the only way to see them all would be on TV or to be in the procession (which was about 12 people total, the Pope, some people I assumed to be acolytes, some priests, someone carrying the cross, and about 2 civilians). 

Since we were in college and there were no classes in Italy that day, we headed out to the Arch of Constantine early in the day and figured out roughly where the procession would go.

We got a spot right up front and we just hung out all day, laying on the grass, talking, watching the world go by, you know, all those great college ways of wasting a day other than sleeping or drinking. 

Eventually, late in the afternoon, the crowd was growing and we were happy to be up front.

When it started getting dark, someone walked the route and was laying out round metal disks with numbers on them, each about the size of a dinner plate. 

We were amazed to see #6 not too far from where we were standing -- maybe 5 car lengths away.  We couldn't read the plate, but one of us went down to check it out. 

We were hoping that would mean Station 6 would happen right there. 

More time passed, and eventually, it was clear that the service would begin soon.  There was a crowd at least 10 deep behind us.  I remember particularly some nasty old Italian guy who kept pressing up too close against us.  We kept our hands on our hips so our pokey elbows would keep him back. 

As an aside, during our study abroad experience, the young women in our program were the victims of a surprising number of skeevy things committed by old Italian men.  Groping and worse (but nothing like rape). 

Anyway, at some point shortly before the service, someone else walked the route, picked up #6 and moved it ...

directly in front of us!

And sure enough, station 6 stopped right in front of us, and a priest read out the Sixth Station.

For non-Christians (or if not all Christian denominations have this service), this is it:

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

"Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you drink ? And when did we see you a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?" And answering the king will say to them, "Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did It for me."

It ended up being one of the coolest experiences of my life.  Standing about 10 feet away from the Pope, framed by the Arch of Constantine behind him, listening to a beautiful service.

I always remember that day today. 

Still Here

Lots to say, but little time to say it.

I need to write about my accounting buddy's 5k experience.

I need to write about my race PR last weekend (and first in my age group!).

I need to write about how irritated I am with Lean Cuisine's pizza packaging.

I need to write about our adventures in China.

I think I still need to write about my marathon last spring (just in case someone needs the info b/c they are considering the race).

I need to write about how today, I had company on my commute this morning and MIGHT have more company on my commute home tonight.

I need to write about the fun sweet recipes I'm planning to make for Easter (so ready to be done with Lent!). 

But it seems like there's just not enough time!!! 

FMM: Ten Questions

Another weekend in the books.  This one was a bit of a bummer.  I had a big race over the weekend and a lot of my speed work for the next 4 weeks was to be based on how that race went.  And it was disappointing.  I struggled mentally and my pace wasn't what I wanted.  But in reality, it was mixed -- I managed to win my age group, and I got a PR.  But in the end, I still look at it as disappointing.  Oh well, it just means I have more work to do. 

Other than that, the weekend was pretty quiet.  Laundry, packing lunches for the week, packing clothes for the week, some napping, some sudoku.  Oh, and I managed to give about 1,000 "high fives" while volunteering during another big local race: 

 

 

I love watching and cheering for races.  If I'm not running, I'd much rather be cheering than just going about my life.  It was just fun to see the mix of people, some working hard, some just running (or walking) easily and seeming to enjoy every step. 

 

So now another week... I think it's going to be busy at work again and I need to find time to shop to get some fun stuff for our godchildren for Easter. 

 

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Ten Questions

 

1. Describe the kind of home you would live in if money were no object.   Hmm... I really love where we live now (I suppose it helps that I bought it when I worked at a big firm and wasn't overly concerned about money).  We live in a three-story condo that's just right for us.  But if money were no object, we would have other homes in several places -- in Wisconsin (near my family), in Italy (near hubby's family), and maybe somewhere like Colorado or Hawaii. 

2. Are you more conservative in your actions or more rebellious? Probably pretty conservative.  My life is pretty ordinary.  I am certainly argumentative and I guess somewhat rebellious when speaking, but my daily life is not very rebellious.  Typical lawyer...

3. Would you go to Mars even if it meant you could never return to Earth?   Funny question since my husband asks all the time if we would go if given the chance.  Maybe is always my answer.  If he's there, I think I could be very happy creating our own adventure, but of course, I'd miss everyone we left behind, and I'd be quite content if we never had to option to leave this lovely planet. 

4. Name one song that makes you want to dance every time you hear it. Can I copy Kenlie's answer?  Gangnam Style would be mine too.  It was fine and fun before we went to China, but when we got there and it was just breaking -- it took it to a whole new level.  We went to a Walmart in Chongqing and there was a huge crowd of people around one of the huge tvs that had the video on a streaming loop, and they all just stood there watching.  For some reason my husband decided to do a small part of the dance when we were on a bridge going to visit a pagoda that had been specially preserved when they raised the level of the Yangtze and our guide loved it -- sparked a whole new level of connection and hilarity.  I love that kind of a cross-cultural connection. 

5. Share one thing that you wish you could go back and do differently in your life.  I would have learned at a younger age to be my own person and to think about how my actions and words could hurt others.  I'd also have tried to get to some more obscure countries earlier.  I started traveling in earnest in my early 20s (and that was really just Western Europe, I didn't make it to Africa until 2000, Asia until 2001, and South America until 2002) and I wish I'd branched out more quickly. 

6. Share at least one accomplishment that people wouldn’t expect you to be proud of.   I placed first in my age group at a race this past weekend despite a fairly poor performance?  I'm going to have to give this one some more thought.  Most of my accomplishments that I am proud of are things people would expect me to be proud of. 

7. Describe one delicious thing that you’ve eaten lately.  Ooh, yesterday morning after our run, I went to breakfast with some of my running buddies before going to high five at the race.  I had two tacos called "Fried Avocado" consisting of "hand-battered fresh avocados fried and served with vegetarian refried beans, topped with pico, lettuce and cheese, served with poblano sauce."  Sooooo good!  I've been on quite a taco kick lately, and this was a fun new one to eat.  Torchy's Taco, if you're in Dallas. 

8. If you had a theme song that would play every time you entered a room, which song would you choose?  Haha, hubby's song would be "I'm Sexy and I Know It."  I'm going to have to keep thinking about mine, but for now, I'd go with "Amazing" by Aerosmith.

9. Had technology enhanced your life, or has it over complicated your life?  Probably some of each.  Obviously it creates some headaches and I think on some level diminishes personal relationships, but overall, I think it has enhanced my life.  First, I love my job and I don't know that I could do it without technology since I manage litigation all over the country, not just locally.  Second, I have the ability to work remotely, which I currently do once a week on average, but I also do it for several days sometimes when we're out of town, allowing us to travel and enjoy being away from home, though I still work during the day. 

10. If you could get paid to do any job, which job would you choose?  Tough question.  About a decade ago for laughs, my best friend and I were taking a "green card" test (to see if you were really married) to see how well we knew each other.  Some things we couldn't answer (about falling in love, kissing, sleeping, etc.), but most things were things you know about your best friend.  One of the questions was, if money were not a factor, what would your spouse do for work.  And I was able to easily answer that question for her -- she would have loved to be a therapist or counselor (far more than being a lawyer), but of course, I had to answer for myself and I struggled.  I think I eventually said I'd be a professional jigsaw puzzler.  When we read our answers back to each other, she had said that one was easy to answer for me -- she said I'd be a travel writer.  And I think she's right!  That would be fun, especially if I was guaranteed to get paid and I could do it the way I wanted. 

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions! Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments. Happy Monday, friends!