A Little History, part 1

Baaa. Again. For Nils' birthday, his parents gave him the gift of writing a personal history, one question at a time. They stuffed a cute little jar full of random life questions in hopes that he'll pick one question every week and write about it. He's been doing this on his blog. I've been thinking about following his shining example, because I've been rather uninspired as of late as far as this little blog is concerned. So, I'll do one question a week, and maybe that will bring back some of the bloggy inspiration. Maybe not. At any rate, you'll all get to know some random things about little ol' me. Tender. I feel closer to you already.

Question: What did you discover about yourself in high school? Did you learn a skill that you could take out into the world with you?


First of all, I was a pretty lousy student in high school. My dad died the summer before my freshman year, and I really think that made what is already a difficult time in everone's life extra wonky for me. I went into 9th grade with virtually no friends. I think the friends I had had previously were weirded out by the fact that my dad died and didn't know how to behave around me. I hung out with a rogue group that year. We toilet papered a lot of houses and played a lot of Scum (the card game). It was basically a year of survival for me. My grades were terrible. In the district I grew up in, 9th grade was still at the jr. high- still high school credit, but we didn't go to the actual high school until 10th grade.

Sophomore year I was able to make a really good group of friends, which was a tremendous blessing for me. I still consider those girls good friends. They were a positive influence on me and accepted me, warts and all.

My junior & senior years I was able to pull myself together and start getting better grades. I was never an honor roll student- ever. I loathed math and science. I never had to try hard in English, history, social studies, etc. I joined the swim team, which was one of the best opportunities I could have asked for. As far as skills I learned and have used: I learned how to write an essay. I learned how to sew, but now sewing fills my soul with anger and I avoid it. I learned how to do a mean backstroke. I learned that the cool kids really aren't all that cool.

I look back on high school with a general sense of "blech". It wasn't so bad at the time, but I have never missed it or longed to go back. You couldn't have wiped the smile off my face on graduation day. I was truly ecstatic to be done. I do miss hanging out with my friends every day, going to Macey's for bulk candy, watching "Sixteen Candles", listening to ABBA and disco skating. How we loved the Disco Saturday Nights! When I think about high school, I think about the gang and all of the ridiculous, innocently lame things we did to entertain ourselves. I'm very thankful. And I still love to swim.