Thursday, June 30, 2005

five things I miss about my childhood

Some
days
are
meant
to
be
rem
ember
ed
Those days we rise above the stars
So I'll go the distance this time
Seeing more the higher I climb
That the more I believe
All the more that this dream will be mine

If I could reach higher
Just for one moment touch the sky
From that one moment in my life
I'm gonna be stronger
Know that I've tried my very best
I'd put my spirit to the test
If I could reach
(lyrics by Gloria Estefan)

My First Meme

Rules : Remove the blog at #1 from the following list and bump every one up one place; add your blog's name in the #5 spot; link to each of the other blogs.
1. More Than My Luggage
2. Modigli
3. Babbling Brooke
4. Cannot Be Trusted
5. Every Passing Moment

The top five things I miss about my childhood are:

1. Playing with my Barbie dolls. Sometimes it would be a big group of us or just my sister and I and one time I remember it being me and 2 guys. They played the Ken part. Often times the best was when I played Barbies on my own. I just couldn't understand how some of my friends sweetened their voice so it sounded like a 2 year old and yet they are suppose to be playing a grown-up Barbie. I used my regular voice and I wasn't going to tell them how to play :) still kinda annoying.

2. I miss my ballet & tap dancing classes. Tap class was my favorite. I still remember getting ready backstage, my mom adjusting my costume and hair and I seriously do not remember being nervous. I remember standing in the stairwell with my group and looking at the stage waiting for our turn and not being nervous! That surprises me. One particular day, the finale song was performed by one of the ballet instructors and she sang "the sun will come out tomorrow" from Annie. All us little dancers where spread through out the aisles as she did her number. It was great. Later on in my life (6/7/8th grade) I used my talents of choregraphy for many dance routines performed in school :)

3. Summer days of just sitting in front of my house; talking, laughing, playing jump rope, frozen tag, bike riding down the street. With those banana seats we'd manage to get 4 of us in one bike! I had this one friend who had the best sense of humor. I still remember one thing she said when this guy 2 houses down asked her "can you watch my bike?" (he was stepping in the house) and she said "why, what does it do, tricks?" It made me laugh so much and the seriousness in her face, loved it. She was the funniest. We also discovered lipton tea together (the hot one) and we'd make it at night and it was so delicious. I have tried to make it taste the way it did back then but I have failed.

4. Playing kickball and dodgeball. I was the loud one (shocking huh?) and had a mean kick. Our version of dodgeball was played by kicking the ball (usually it's thrown). I liked seeing my friends try to dodge the ball. We had a lot of Boys vs Girls kickball games and we girls won many times but yes the boys had their share as well. We'll call it even :)

5. My trips to Mexico. We'd go for a couple of months. It was a road trip and I looked forward to McDonald's big breakfast, yummy. Sometimes out of nowhere some spanish song comes to mind and I wonder where I heard it and it turns out, it was the one blasting from the radio on our trips years back "no tengo dinero ni nada que dar, lo unico que tengo es amor para dar" I remember the nights in Mexico, of getting a big group of kids and all of us holding hands and playing mexico's version of ring-around-the-rosey or other games that brought us all together. And the stars in Mexico, AMAZING.

One of my earliest memories was of my dad trying to pick me up and me putting up a fight. My parents told me that I hated when someone would try to carry me, I wouldn't allow it! I wonder what that means?

I had so much fun with the meme, thanks Jacob!

Now I pass it on to five friends:
1. Transience (i know you don't normally do these but I can't make this list without including my 1st sweet blog friend :)
2. Mermaid
3. DeeM
4. Stella
5. Mystique
6. Gulnaz
7. Venus

ok I'll stop! :) look forward to reading your answers if you choose to participate.

35 comments:

venus said...

Very cute picture girl! :)
now I see, in mermaid's words, "grammer difference of younger you" here!!
What I see is your adventurous, individualistic nature in your story and picture both. How lucky we are having lived our life at the fullest, many children are deprived of these golden years. Isn't it amazing going thru our own childhood trip? They should have had time travel machine where you can go back and be again a child..

Toad734 said...

Not havig to work during the summer!

Paul said...

Memories with childhood friends would be high on my list too.

There was also just something about immediate sense perceptions that had a freshness, especially in response to natural sights and sounds. Like the smell of lilacs under my grandmother's porch, or how the wind sounded through the leaves of the big birch tree in our yard early in the morning if I got up before everyone else.

I think a lot of the things I liked best about childhood I didn't really focus on at the time.

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

I missed my childhood so much I decided against growing up, it's true my children often tell me off, being so much more grown up than me but I've told them the'll get younger when they get older

Anonymous said...

¡¡¡Qué linda Lorenita!!! Awwwwww!!! I remember my 12 inches bearded G.I. Joes. The backyard was a kind of jungle battlefield and with cardboard I made all their gears to wage wars. And going in bicycle with my frined Rodrigo to the little store there is near all schools here, which sold detailed school supplies and candy and soft drinks and snacks, having each one a coke (25 cents by that time), and going burping down the street like legitimate pigs. And telling each other this cruel misshaps about invented relatives, and feign shouted arguments just to see the neighbors coming out and then go away roaring with laughter. Oh, God, laughter... Lorena tú siempre me traes la esencia de la vida, gracias, hermosa...

Take care and God bless you...

I was once in México, in the summer of 1980 (I was 16, so if you make the math you'll see I am another dragon) if you were there by that time maybe I saw this four years old girl who is feeding my soul now...

DeeM said...

I don't believe for a minute you had a mean streak! I almost left off dance recitals, but your memory sparked mine and I had to go back and add it. I enjoyed learning more about you and what a cutie!
Thanks for this, Lorena, it was a lot of fun.

Anonymous said...

A blessing for the little girl of picture...

Forever Young
by Bob Dylan
May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.
May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.
May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

And, since you still are that girl, then...

Take care, God bless you...

mermaid said...

I'll have to think about this one a bit.

I'm trying to find a song that I can sing to the little one to remind her of staying "forever young". The problem is, I can't get in enough air to sing like I used to. Oh, no!!!

One thing I miss is coloring, you know, in coloring books, and painting. You better believe my daughter's going to have the largest crayola connection in town (and I'll be using all the supplies:-)

stella said...

Lorena,

Awww, that is such a sweet post!!! I'll do it, definitely. I shared some similar childhoood memories as you, except I didn't hang on poles that much, or maybe I did...

Thanks for tagging me! =)

S.

- litol figgy - said...

i was smiling while i was reading this. made me feel awfully nostalgic. summer days with friends will always be one of the highlights of my childhood.Ü oh, and the barbie dolls! can't belive i played with those as well. haha.

{illyria} said...

aaawwww, your memories are so sweet. makes me think of those days when you were the center of your own little universe, every damn day. thanks for tagging me--i shall have to get past the effects of the last one, though. LOL! you're such a sweet blog friend yourself. *hugs*

Anonymous said...

OMG! I was the biggest Barbie fan. I had probably like six of them with the Barbie Corvette and Jeep (and the horse with the horse trailer). And, of course, Skipper too. I was so crazy about Barbies. I even built a wooden house with wood and all. I had this boy my age come over to help me with the roof. My mom helped me make a couch and a bed. You know what? I used the caps of toothpaste as their cups. How insane it that? I was really crazy about it all. Well, great post. Great picture too. So cute.

iamnasra said...

I loved the words of Golria's song..very inspiring...I wonder where do they get such touching words..

The most thing I miss about my childhood is my Dad, seeing my Dad and I wish I had learnt swiming when he was so eager to teach me to swim..Now his gone...I can not tell him that...I can not tell him "I really wanted to swim but I was just too frighten to drown"

Anonymous said...

Everything you talked about brought back such nice memories (except Mexico since I have never been there)
I miss our days as little kids, playing from morning till dark. I loved playing barbies with all the other little girls on the block. Being a kid was great and so much easier than being an adult:)
thanks Lorena

Anonymous said...

By the way, the colors and the skies of México, in all the places I was (D.F., Cuernava, Taxco, Acapulco), night and day, are pure drama...
¡México lindo y querido!

Take carea dn God bless you...

Lorena said...

cannot be trusted :: yes first one i participate in. thanks for passing it on to me :)

venus :: thank you. yes it was fun looking back and i do feel lucky when i think of how rich it was. thanks for your lovely thoughts :)

toad734 :: yeah, that's true!

paul :: yes while we are living it out we sometimes don't see it for what it is. but it feels good when we recognize the beauty of life :)

sue :: it's all a state of mind.

the scientist :: thank you very much :) i was happy you shared some of your memories. i never messed with gi joe.
always such sweet words, thanks.
and for putting up that song, i was so honored, that is so lovely, the younger me appreciates the gesture so much :)

(that is how i see mexico skies - dramatic)

deem :: no i had a mean KICK not streak. although i was a little bossy, i saw it more as taking leadership :) thanks!

mermaid :: not enough air for singing?!! practice. you reminded me, i also loved coloring. i can see it now, you and your daughter drawing and coloring, and both really into it, how sweet :)

stella :: i don't remember hanging on poles but the picture is evidence. i've stopped now though :) ha ha!

rain :: so both with are barbie dolls, the good old days :)

if spock is enough :: thank you :)!!!

transience :: thanks for the hug :)

marel lecone :: i'm happy to meet another barbie fan!! :) i had the barbie and the rockers van and the house with the elevator. also 2 cars. that is clever, using the caps from the toothpaste, never did that. thanks for sharing your memories!!
oh and i had skipper too.

iamnasra :: the song is very moving. i love it. thanks for sharing such a touching story of your dad. i wish he would have taught you but now you can learn to swim in honor of him.

thanks gangadhar!

potted-flower :: yes it's me. a meme is just some questions you pass around. you should do this one!

eddie :: thank you.

radiohead said...

Hmmmm nice MEME. Definitely chilhood memories were reallly cool. Never waanted to grow old :(
But had to cause its natural.

well u have nice memories.cool stuff.

& by the way is it u in the pic. Cute little baby....

amiethinggoes said...

you're so cute in the pic lorena, perhaps i can post a little amie in my blog too.

i miss a lot of things when i was still a child...i miss my old friends...and the things that I was allowed to do simply because I was still a child.

jac said...

There are many more things you will add to your list, priorities change so is the attittude, corrections are imminent.

. : A : . said...

Isn't it amazing how come memories remain absolutely crystal clear in our heads while others fade away?

Lorena said...

grumblefish :: nice description, thanks. glad you visited :)

anuj :: thanks :)

amie :: i hope you do post a pic of you!
that's true, the things we could get away with back then :)

potted flower :: you are too cute :) i officially tag you!!

avik :: thanks :)

virumandi :: i'm sorry you got hurt but thanks for sharing your story :)

mystique :: thanks. look forward to reading yours. hope you're enjoying the weekend as well!

irina :: i agree. i still find magic in moments even now :)

jac :: good point. thanks for adding that.

:A: :: yeah, that's true. they obviously made some profound impact that we didn't know at the moment. memories.

bablu said...

Childhood so many memories. I remember playing with my toys and my sisters playing with their dolls. Summer holidays ! Phew they were real fun .. all day playing in the sun..with the boys and girls..Summer holidays going to my native place in bus yes...It was real fun... Best days of my life certainly..

radiohead said...

& by the way is it u in the pic. Cute little baby.... ??

Hey u dint gve the answer ??

Lorena said...

bablu :: thanks for sharing some of your memories :) you are right, summer had many of the most memorable.

anuj :: yes that is me at age ?? :)

potted flower :: ok find, we'll pretend it didn't happen.

corinna :: the feeling mutual and thanks for pointing it out. i wouldn't have wanted to miss it. great picture btw :)

S A J Shirazi said...

Pic says it all. Lovely post that speaks for every one, ok almost every one.

popfizz said...

Best thing is that there is nothing in that list you cannot do today.

You might get a few odd looks if you sit outside and play with barbies.. but dont let that bother you.

Lorena said...

thanks shirazi :)

popfizz :: i guess i can do all of them. ha ha! i might look strange with the barbies :)

Anonymous said...

You are from Mexico?! I LOVE Mexico...so many fond memories there. I really enjoyed your meme, made me reminisce about my own....lovely. ;)

Lorena said...

well i was born in Chicago but my parents are from Mexico.
thanks! miss your blog but i'm glad you are still visiting! :)

mermaid said...

I almost forgot to say how cute you were!!!

mermaid said...

Oooppss...are!

Lorena said...

you are funny! thanks :)

Lorena said...

hi ruben, thanks!! :) i'm glad you visited. i'm sorry to hear of your situation. i wish you lovely days.

i'd be honored to see your presence in my blog :)

Anonymous said...

that is such a cute pic! thanks for tagging me, will post the answers soon. yours reminded me of my own childhood.
i think u r as sweet now as u were then.

gulnaz

Lorena said...

hi gulnaz, thanks & can't wait to read yours! :)