The question “Will you be my friend” from another child
Mi Kyung’s long chin hairs that protruded from her neck (poor thing)
The long dark hairs that protruded from my small arms (poor thing)
Adults clapping in time, in unison, to anything
A/V club
My parents dancing (any of them)
Blind playdates
The phrase “Pee-you!” when uttered by our cleaning lady
Surprise Christian praying before dinner at a friend’s house
Lapidary club
He Man’s Hairdo
Katy’s ballet moves when we were only doing jazz
Scoliosis day in gym class
Vanessa Huxtable
When Rudy-got-too-old Huxtable
Adults who asked if you had to “make pee pee”
When my voice teacher made me feel her big diaphragm
When my voice teacher made me change the words “Gin and Vermouth” from an old standard due to her religious beliefs.
When I quit lessons and my voice teacher blamed my broken home (WHU? But I have TWO of EVERYTHING!!)
When Laura Ingalls asked if she could call Almonzo "Manly"
Monday, August 31, 2009
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Sounds like we had the same childhood, but throw in a huge dose of Catholic guilt!
ReplyDeleteAll of the above and then add in:
ReplyDeleteAttending physical therapy for scoliosis and having to sit in a hot tub with 2 older ladies who were naked.
Yeah. That one burned an image.
^^^ shudders at the thought of scoliosis day
ReplyDeleteI never mastered #1 nor do I do it today.
ReplyDeleteMy awkward...during my SIL's wedding, the wedding party had to go up and take communion and I didn't open my mouth. (he,he,he)
I bet if you cared to look, your voice coach had long hairs protruding from her neck AND arms too!
ReplyDeleteI always assumed "scoliosis day" was a chick thing because the guys never heard a word about it. For years I thought it had to do with menstrual cycles.
ReplyDeleteOh the dreaded scoliosis day. I'd completely erased that from my memory.
ReplyDelete"When my voice teacher made me feel her big diaphragm"
ReplyDeleteDid she double as your sex-ed teacher?
Oh, jeez...the surprise Christian praying...my grandfather and his born-again wife used to spring this one on us AT RESTAURANTS...
ReplyDeleteThe praying before dinner. Definitely. I still have a few awkward moments when my in-laws do it, or even my husband who does it when he's around them but never before we eat in private. Uh huh...
ReplyDelete"When my voice teacher made me feel her big diaphragm"...that just about freaks ME out! LOL!
ReplyDeleteTwo things.
ReplyDeleteWTF is scoliosis day?
You're so right about the Huxtables. I always wanted to be Denise or a female Theo but I fear I was Vanessa. Harrumph.
I was going to comment on a few of these, but when I got to "Manly," I threw up in my mouth a little. So, that's my comment. :)
ReplyDeletei HAVE scoliosis and it's the reason I've had so many surgeries. Boss O Everthing has it too. I feel like the only black kid in an all-white school. But when I was in school, we didnt single out the kids. Boys don't get it. I hate you.
ReplyDelete"Manly" ewww. The first thing that comes to mind for me is my kindergarten teacher who was a close-talker. Her breath stunk and she talked to me like I was two instead of the immature five that I was.
ReplyDeleteHuh. Like some of the above commenters, I, too, have scoliosis, but I don't ever remember a scoliosis day. But I'm perhaps a little older than everyone here.
ReplyDeleteI love the "Surprise Christian praying." That happened to me (I was raised Christian-ish but we never actually prayed), and it totally ruined my meal because I thought maybe I was supposed to say something, and I didn't. Wow, my face is getting all red and hot just thinking about it. Damn prayers!
I think I would cringe even now if I had to deal with these...you poor thing!
ReplyDeleteYes! That Almonzo "manly" thing make me shudder!
ReplyDeleteAnd that fookin' scoliosis day...
Nowadays it's the "chick who grabs my hands when she talks to me" at school. Both of them, Ann, she grabs both of them, I don't have a "safe" hand.And where do you look? I look down at my hands being held captive. Does she want me to gaze into her eyes? What is this? A Jane Austen novel? I now put my hands behind my back when I see her coming down the hall.
Peace - Rene
Long dark arm hairs...still got 'em:P
ReplyDeleteI've come back to comment that you're a big doody head that can't afford shoes.
ReplyDeleteDance class. Or not being chosen at dance class. Because I was taller than the boys. Little idiots!
ReplyDelete"Surprise Christian praying before dinner at a friend’s house"
ReplyDeleteACK! Me too!
Did only girls get Rubella shots?
ReplyDeleteBastards.
Oh my gosh. "Will you be my friend?" always sent me in a gallop. Those people were too darn needy for my likes.
ReplyDeleteOne time as an adult, I had a woman in the apartment building ask me that very question. I felt sorry for her but that darn sorry.
I think any hint of my parents having a sex life would be at the top of my list.
ReplyDeleteThe praying thing didn't phase me since I went to Catholic school - but it was always so perfunctory that I barely registered it. I cringed at the houses where they held hands. The sign of peace in mass is one thing - but holding hands in a circle is just five inches away from a seance if you ask me...
Hee hee
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you Ann,
ReplyDelete"Surprise Christian praying before dinner at a friend’s house" and "Scoliosis day in gym class"
Now when I first read this, "When my voice teacher made me feel her big diaphragm" I know you know what I thought. Nuff said.
And here: "When Laura Ingalls asked if she could call Almonzo "Manly"" I thought that was Manny. Maybe not. My daughter is reading the series right now and she just mentioned this yesterday.
Weird that you wrote this because I didn't even know there was a Almonzo before yesterday.
Cheers!
SLC
Now you've inspired me and You Will Pay...
ReplyDeletefunny list, Ann. Adults clapping in unison used to give me nightmares for weeks. And little girls seem to know that the "will you be my friend" thing is a sure sign that this person doesn't want to be your friend. She wants to be your master. Until now I missed LI calling whats his name manly... thanks!
ReplyDeleteI always hated Valentine's Day cards. Oh, the pressure.
ReplyDeleteEverything about my elementary school music teacher was cringeworthy. Her first name was Dottie. I used to hate how Dottie would clap using her right hand and her index and middle finger from her left hard. If it's going to be silent, why bother clapping at all? Plus she used to call me John-na instead of Jan-na. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteWhen my music teacher sang LOUDLY into both of my ears in front of the class to teach me to get on pitch. First day of school jitters. Ugh I really hated school...
ReplyDeleteIf we did not have childhood traumas, we were deprived children... don't you think?
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure that teacher should be prosecuted for making you feel her diaphragm.
ReplyDeleteScoliosis day? Ah, the nightmares!!
ReplyDeleteI will lay awake tonight cringing at past humiliations. thanks ;-)
ReplyDelete...and seeing the boys in my family pulling Stretch Armstrong's plasticine arms out 3 feet in each direction...
ReplyDeletei'm so glad I just found this blog .... brilliant stuff!!!
ReplyDeleteYou forgot "lice checks" in the nurses office.
ReplyDeleteBut yes, the scolosis check! I still have nightmares!
Ya, Manly is really not a manly name.
ReplyDeleteLove the list. I think it should be a meme.
From now on, I demand to be addressed as "Manly."
ReplyDeleteOh, and great post.
XO
A.
Uh oh, I think I have to make pee pee right now!
ReplyDelete