Memories (& lack thereof)

My March resolution is to write something on this blog site every day. So those of you who subscribe to my blog via email may want to reconsider! I'm not promising anything substantial or even interesting, but just getting something down.

I have a horrible memory. I know my parents used to think it was just a lame excuse as to why I didn't do something when I was younger. "I forgot" was one of my signature phrases, unfortunately. Mom, Dad, you'll be unpleasantly surprised to know that my memory has not improved with time.

I have friends who can remember when they were 6 and who they played with on the playground and what their favorite outfit was and their favorite game to play with their friends. I have scattered memories based on mostly smell and they rarely make much sense as to why I would remember those things and nothing else.

For example, here are some of my scattered memories:

- When I was 5, a kid named Aaron Hines chased me around the classroom.

- My elementary school teachers names: Mrs. McBroom, Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Dull, Mrs. Pitts

- I told Mrs. Pitts that she smelled like my aunt. I later learned that Mrs. Pitts was a smoker. My aunt is not.

- I remember a girl in my kindergarten class named Buffy. She was crude, crass, and all-around embarassing to have as a classmate. I was mortified to learn at the end of the school year that her real name was Jamie.

- There was a kid in my 3rd grade class named Brian. We square-danced together. When he found out I was moving to Michigan, he put his hands on my shoulders and said he'd come visit.

- I was in a "special" math class in 4th grade. I still don't know if it was for kids who had a hard time with math or kids who excelled at math. I tend to think the former.

- When I was probably 6 or so the babysitter locked my sisters and me outside. I don't remember how long we were out there, but I remember she ate a chocolate chip cookie at the sliding glass door to tease us. Mean, mean girl. I don't think she ever babysat for us again.

- I remember the smell of everything. A few months ago I got a whiff of my kindergarten classroom and it made me miss it.

There are other things I remember but the funny thing is that none of my early childhood memories really have to do with the friends I had or the fun I had with my friends. Is that sad, or maybe a little messed up? Maybe if I thought long and hard I would be able to think of good times I had with friends when we lived in Oklahoma, because I know they existed!

Mrs. S was my 5th grade teacher. She had a boyfriend fighting in the Gulf War, she loved pickles, she wanted to "save the earth", and her boyfriend sent Saudi Arabian coins and dollar bills for each of the kids in the class to have one. We were the envy of the playground. I had a crush on a kid named Brandon Cornell. One time Mrs. S told a kid named Jacob that he had a guilty conscience. There was a cute boy in my class named Corey Kugle and Mrs. S called him Corey Kugleshiver...I don't know why.

Check back later - I'm going to post photos of me as a kid when I get home tonight.

Okay, now I'm on memory sharing overload. I need to turn off my brain now.

As a side note, I'm fairly certain that I'm getting sick. My throat hurts a lot and I can't make it stop! I've been downing orange juice so I'm not sure what the problem is.

Until tomorrow!