Friday Flashbacks - Familiar Books

When I initially planned the idea of Friday Flashbacks, I had high school and college memories on the brain. I'm about a month away from the big 3-0, so this year has been filled with thoughts of my formative years. Maybe once the big day arrives I'll be ready to pull my brain out of the past and get to dreaming out the future again (usually I'm a planner and a goal-setter, so this year has felt a bit quirky).

I digress . . .

Thursday my son came home from preschool with the phonics reader "Sam & Al". I nearly fell over when I saw the book. It was the FIRST book I read when I was in Montessori School . . . that's right, do the math - about 27 years ago! So when we got home, there we sat together on the couch as he read it to me. I couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed - with pride for my son as his reading skills blossom, and with sentimentality as I think back to those exciting first days when I learned to read. Talk about a flashback!

Though I do enjoy reading the Magic Tree House series to Mr. Music, after 28 books since mid-July, I did insist on taking a break from them. We'll get back to them soon enough, but I just needed to have our conversations be about someone OTHER than Jack or Annie from those books!

I'm mentoring a high school senior for her Senior Project (a learning experience now required for graduation). She's writing a children's book - good pairing, eh? When we met a few weeks ago I suggested that she spend a bit of time revisiting children's literature so she could get a good idea of how authors develop characters and keep stories flowing. Good writers are avid readers, and while I know she has some great ideas to incorporate into her story, I'm sure early chapter books aren't what she has been reading as of late. So, together we sat at the library and picked out some top notch kids' books to refresh her memory - books by greats such as Beverly Cleary and Andrew Clements made the stack.

In our exploration I stumbled across The Mouse and the Motorcycle and Ralph S. Mouse, two books I vividly recall my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Jennings, reading aloud to my class. I can still hear her voice making the motorcycle sounds as Ralph figured out how to make the motorcycle run in The Mouse and the Motorcycle. I couldn't let my mentee have all the fun - I made sure she got what she needed and then checked out the mouse books by Beverly Cleary books to read to Mr. Music.

He LOVES them. We're about 7 chapters in (started it on Monday) and he begs me to read past his bedtime every night so he can see what happens next. I have a hard time saying "We'll read more tomorrow" because I'm right there with him, enjoying the adventure of the little mouse. And, there's Mrs. Jennings' voice in my head as I read it - I think I'm even starting to use her intonations as I read. Funny how we don't realize what an impression a person has on us until many years later . . . after doing a quick calculation, I realize I first met Mr. Ralph S. Mouse via Mrs. Jennings 21 years ago.

I'm also realizing that Mrs. Jennings' selection of books to share with my class was very influential for what I read to my own class of fourth graders (who are now seniors - yikes!). Her choice of literature was outstanding and not always mainstream. I don't recall too much more of that year, but I did walk away with a great appreciation for books and a strong skill set for reading books aloud so they come alive.

So, kind readers, I leave you with these two questions: Which of your teachers had the greatest passion for books? What book is most memorable from your early years?

Friday: Flashbacks (to High School - AGH!)

Quick sleep update: I'm at 2 nights in a row with little sleep. So much for the great start to the week! I'm hoping to knock out at least 8K (not 8 miles, I'm just not there) tonight or tomorrow morning to take part in the 8 on the 8th Race that Nancy's organizing, but . . . this sleep thing is a priority. Though I'm excited about the Olympic-themed event and don't want to be a party pooper! We'll know soon enough how things pan out . . .

Quick project update: No more progress on the quilt because I'm a bit of a random thinker (like you haven't caught on to that) and tend to bounce from one thing to another. I'm refinishing the chest of drawers that was my dad's as a child . . . passed to me and now passed to Little Sister. In high school we painted it white and did the accent pieces in a bright green. Since I'm all about keeping things simple, I'm just touching up the white and changing the knobs and trim from green to a lovely purple. Little Sister is a fan of purple (which is GREAT because I'm not too into pink), so it should work out well with some yellow walls and the scrap quilt. Photos to come when I locate the camera.

And now . . . onto the flashback!

I mentioned awhile back that I've been feeling sentimental since jumping into the crazy world of Facebook. I moved before my senior year of high school from a close-knit Air Force community in IL to a more rural school in GA. Talk about a big change! Anyhow . . . Facebook has "reunited" me with a number of my IL high school friends and now I'm eyeball deep in reminiscing (the good, the bad and the ugly - all of it!).

In the midst of all of this wading through memories, I recently discovered that a good friend of mine from those bygone days now lives in Seattle - just a 30-60 minute drive from us (depending upon traffic - you know how THAT goes). We're working out a time for him to come out to the country to meet my "new family" - i.e. husband & kids - to have dinner and enjoy one of those concerts in the park that we love so much. The plans have fallen through a few times, but there are a few summer weeks remaining, so keep your fingers crossed that we can get something to work. I haven't seen him since I went back to IL for a friend's memorial service 6 years ago - so timing wasn't right then for much chit-chat and story swapping.

I chose to finally blog on a Friday because one of my classmates from high school posted a picture this week of the first day of senior year on his Facebook page. Picture this: a giant (12 feet tall, perhaps) 96 with 5 guys in matching "Class of '96" t-shirts (ironed, no less) with khaki shorts or jean shorts ("jorts" as they laugh about them now) lined up in front of it. Their poses so clearly radiate their personalities:

- Guy 1: Tall, beaming smile, arms folded across chest, black sunglasses (this one is now Chief Resident of Orthopedic Surgery at a hospital in IL)
- Guy 2: Tall, stoic face, hand on Guy 1's shoulder (this one was a Center for the football team and went on to play rugby at Auburn, if I'm not mistaken - you didn't want to mess with him, though if you looked hard enough you could locate his nougat center, it was just well-protected)
- Guy 3: tucked behind Guy 2 & Guy 4, peeking out with arms around #2 & #4 (this is one who was always around but only had something to say if it truly mattered - thoughtful and to the point)
- Guy 4: looking straight at the camera as if it was waiting for his punchline (joker all around, this one)
- Guy 5: one leg crossed over the other, one hand on Guy 4's shoulder, confident smirk (a favorite with the ladies, though never one to commit - this one is now a pilot in China)

I can't vouch for #3 & 4 as to whether the personalities are still a match, but from what I can tell, the others are still dead on. Sure, they're older and most-likely a bit wiser (I hope!), possibly more mature (true with Guy 5 for sure), and scattered across the world, but I'm willing to bet they are very much the same as they were on that sunny first day of school nearly 13 years ago.

It leaves me wondering what a photo on my first day of senior year would reveal about me. Would it be as accurate a reflection since I was diving head-first into a year at a new school? If we could rewind even further to the first year of junior year when I was more "in my element" what would that photo have shown? I'll have to go dig something up to see . . . and if I'm feeling daring and can figure out the scanner, I'll post it next Friday. Stay tuned.

Happy 8 on the 8th . . . happy running . . . happy sleeping . . . and enjoy your weekend!