The Friday Five: School Daze

1. What were some of the smells and tastes of your childhood?

This is an intense subject. As for smells, it was all about my mom's Red Door and my dad's Obsession. The hamster cage. Freshly cut grass in the summer. The baby-sitter's basement. Vicks Vapor Rub. Cinnamon buns on saturday morning. Not to mention, my grandmother's Bengay.

But in regards to tastes -- PB&J, mother fuckers. Potato chips on the side. With a big old glass of milk. Chicken nuggets in ketchup (almost everything in ketchup). Raw carrots. Grape flavored Bubbliscious Bubblegum.

2. What did you have as a child that you do not think children today have?

Having to walk over to someone's house to ask them to play. Memorizing phone numbers. 8 bit video games that mom would only let you play for an hour before making you go outside. Hand-written letters. Metal slides and death-trap jungle gyms.

Oo oo! And the safety of running around the neighborhood and bike trails in the woods unsupervised at night. Goodness could I go for a game of manhunt right about now.

3. What elementary grade was your favorite?

3rd. Mrs. Galfond. She was the prettiest lady in the whole world. I still remember the wave bottles I made in science, the oral book report I did on the Berenstain Bears, and the first day I wore my glasses to school she said I looked gorgeous. No one had ever called me gorgeous before.

4. What summer do you remember the best as a child?

The first year I was an official camp counselor. 9th grade. I walked to work. Fell in love with kids. Did arts and crafts like no other. Played dodge ball like a champion. Made up a lot of dance choreography. Sang a lot of cheers. Had my first boyfriend, and broke up with him in late august (after he gave this kick ass anklet).

5. What one piece of advice would you give to your younger self, and at what age?

Don't chase boys with emotional and intimacy issues. They won't be able to love you the way you deserve to be loved. And you will only get hurt in the end. I would have told myself this right before entering high school, but I doubt that I would have listened.