Best/Worst Times as a Kid

[joevol33]

I'm amazed you can remember all this stuff. I remember everything, but none of it seems all that interesting by comparison. I guess my problem is I suppressed how I felt about a lot of things. I know somewhere I have a bunch of memories categorized by feeling. I am having a midlife crisis now so I am re-cataloging all this stuff. But I don't think I had very strong feelings about anything past a certain point which was quite early.

It amazes me the details I can remember from the past, a couple of memories when I was between 3-4, because that's when both my grandfather's died. I clearly remember being at his house, and my mom and her siblings burning his stuff. He was a bad guy, and nobody wanted anything of his. I remember details from kindergarten, finding the tonka truck I asked Santa for at 4 in the walk in closet. That said, I have moments now when I sincerely forget why I walked into a room 🤣

 

[ReadCT]

I'll play

Best: Sitting in a deer stand at 12 years old next to my grandfather. Drinking coffee with him for the first time ever to warm up and him saying, "Take the shot" to shoot my first deer. Him rubbing that deer's blood all over my face in celebration

Runner up: Dad and I going to see original Star Wars movie alone together in the theater when I was six. My younger brother (only 13 months younger) was too young to join. 'Just the men tonight" Dad said

Worst: Pregnant girlfriend at 15. Daughter of our preacher at conservative Southern Baptist church. Tough convos with both fathers to say the least

No runners up to that day

 

[Juanita]

I'm amazed you can remember all this stuff. I remember everything, but none of it seems all that interesting by comparison. I guess my problem is I suppressed how I felt about a lot of things. I know somewhere I have a bunch of memories categorized by feeling. I am having a midlife crisis now so I am re-cataloging all this stuff. But I don't think I had very strong feelings about anything past a certain point which was quite early.

I don't remember; I make it up. Just kidding ya! I do remember. I have bad memories, too. I find it's cathartic to put experiences into words and share. If you can't laugh at yourself, who you gonna laugh at?? Re: midlife crisis. Buy a 1966 red Mustang. My dream car! If you do, I'm available to get you through the crisis!

 

[Juanita]

I have moments now when I sincerely forget why I walked into a room 🤣

I'm having one of those moments now. Where the hell is the coffee?? Nope, not in the bathroom.

 

[Juanita]

I'll play

Best: Sitting in a deer stand at 12 years old next to my grandfather. Drinking coffee with him for the first time ever to warm up and him saying, "Take the shot" to shoot my first deer. Him rubbing that deer's blood all over my face in celebration

Runner up: Dad and I going to see original Star Wars movie alone together in the theater when I was six. My younger brother (only 13 months younger) was too young to join. 'Just the men tonight" Dad said

Worst: Pregnant girlfriend at 15. Daughter of our preacher at conservative Southern Baptist church. Tough convos with both fathers to say the least

No runners up to that day

O.M.G.

 

[Juanita]

Freshman year at UT, 1977. Zoology class.

Best: I was good at identifying anatomical structures. Just had to overlook all the pen marks on the bodies.

Worst: Cadavers were stored under the FB stadium. I don't know which stank worse...the formaldehyde or the jock straps. I'd go home and smear Vicks salve under my nose. Dumbazz. Should have done it bf class. I learned.

 

[Tin Man]

Freshman year at UT, 1977. Zoology class.

Best: I was good at identifying anatomical structures. Just had to overlook all the pen marks on the bodies.

Worst: Cadavers were stored under the FB stadium. I don't know which stank worse...the formaldehyde or the jock straps. I'd go home and smear Vicks salve under my nose. Dumbazz. Should have done it bf class. I learned.

Undergraduate 1974 - 1979. Anthropology classes in the bowels of Neyland. I too noted the smell.

 

[Juanita]

Undergraduate 1974 - 1979. Anthropology classes in the bowels of Neyland. I too noted the smell.

Yeah, it was like they were literally testing your intestinal fortitude, haha!

 

[Juanita]

This one's on my daughter. Just a memory. She'd played Tee ball...first season playing coach pitch. Age 7. Coed program. They stuck her in outfield bc she and the only other girl on the team were sometimes more interested in looking for 4-leaf clovers. On one particular afternoon, she was paying attention. Caught 3 fly balls, one against the fence. They won. Coach carried her out on his shoulders. She'll never forget that!!

 

[Juanita]

I was 6/7 years old. Mom walked me, my brother, and 2 neighbor kids down to a place that sold ice cream. Bobby was my age and had never had an ice cream cone before.

Best: He kept trying to bite the cream. It was hilarious!

Worst: Before he figured out to lick it, the cream fell off onto the sidewalk. Actually, that was even funnier. Mom bought him another. Learning curve.

 

[Firebirdparts]

Finally remembered a worst time as a kid. My grandfather and I were close. He died right around my 16th birthday; there was snow on the ground. We dug the grave by hand for some reason, in the snow, on my birthday. That was a bad day. That said, he had cancer, smoked his whole life. We were all relieved he died suddenly. There's something very old-world-romantic about digging graves, so I'm glad I have dug a few in my life.

Best time, I've had a lot of them, one day I came home from school and my dad had bought 2 "all terrain" minibikes from sears (like this below). They're relatively rare. I was about 6 or 7. I did not die on this thing, but I've come close.

 

[Fun coupon VOL]

Finally remembered a worst time as a kid. My grandfather and I were close. He died right around my 16th birthday; there was snow on the ground. We dug the grave by hand for some reason, in the snow, on my birthday. That was a bad day. That said, he had cancer, smoked his whole life. We were all relieved he died suddenly. There's something very old-world-romantic about digging graves, so I'm glad I have dug a few in my life.

Best time, I've had a lot of them, one day I came home from school and my dad had bought 2 "all terrain" minibikes from sears (like this below). They're relatively rare. I was about 6 or 7. I did not die on this thing, but I've come close.
View attachment 463741

Have one. Tote goat is what we call them.

 

[Juanita]

There's something very old-world-romantic about digging graves, so I'm glad I have dug a few in my life.

Only graves I have dug were for pets. I buried my hamster, Frosty, in a Tab can. I'm glad you didn't die on the minibike

 

[Juanita]

Saturdays were pizza nights. I don't mean a real pie (never had one of those until HS after Pizza Hut opened here.) I'm talking good ole Chef Boyardee box mix pizza.

Best My friend and I pressed out that "dough" into all kinds of shapes...flags, dogs...the dogs' legs always burned.

Worst: Found out that something in the Parmesan powder triggered Dad's headaches. Or, they could have stemmed from two scrawny girls making a mess in the kitchen. No more pizza nights.

PS: I looked for the picture of Carol and me with one of our creations. It's not in an album at Mom's. Must be in one of the multitude of shoeboxes filled with loose photos.