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thebratqueenSo yesterday after I did my Day of Listening post I then tackled a project that's been hanging over my head for a while: clearing crud off of my desktop computer. This took HOURS. Thank God for my laptop which helped distract me while I dealt with click, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait, click, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait, lather, rinse, repeat. I started around 2pm, took a brief break for dinner, and only got to a point of "Good enough to be done for now" at around midnight. Yeah.
Protip: If you are going to be in a situation of being stuck waiting for HOURS, TV Tropes is your friend. (No, I won't link. Then I won't see you guys again for days.) It's all about using that time-sucking power as a force for good, people.
So that's why I didn't get around to answering the questions yesterday, but I shall today! Especially since it's a nice way to pass the time as I sit here on the couch with a Luna draped across my wrists. (She says hi.)
* When and where were you born?
Today, baby! Yep, Nov 29. If it wasn't for events that happened 34 years ago today, I wouldn't be here. Well that and events that happened 34 years plus 9 months ago today. Ahem. And I was born in North Shore Hospital, which always amused me because there's a North Shore Animal Shelter (or at least there was, not sure if it still exists) and it's entierely possible that my folks just picked me up instead of getting a puppy. I mean my memories of the day are pretty foggy so it's not like I'd be able to say one way or another.
* Where did you grow up?
Whitestone, NY.
* What was it like?
Queens, so it was suburby. But not necessarily chichi suburby. We weren't rich or anything (not at that time) and there were issues with things like drugs and crime in the neighborhood. I've gone back since then and it looks nicer but I don't know offhand if it's gotten any safer.
* Who were your parents?
My parents are the awesome Brat Mom and Brat Dad :D
* What were your parents like?
Dad is Mr. Rogers. Totally one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. He's also a bit of a square but kind of like how Obama is a square. Like I read a thing about Obama where he was at a bachelor party and left when the stripper showed up and it immediately reminded me of Dad because he's done the exact same thing in his past. (Though not, I am reasonably sure, at the same party.) He's got a strong moral compass but not in a judgemental asshole kind of a way. Not that he actually uses this phrasing, but he's the kind of guy who lives his life in a "What would Jesus actually do?" manner.
My mom is his opposite in that she's the more in your face, don't mess with her type. GUESS WHERE I GET THIS FROM. Not that she's a bitch but you wouldn't want to mess with her. The story of her and my dad meeting involves him moving into the neighborhood and being told to watch out for the red-headed [Mom's maiden name] girl because she broke a kid's arm. To this day Mom maintains that the kid's arm was broken before she got into the fight with him. What I love about my mom is that somehow to her beating up on the boy with the broken arm is the nicer version of events. I also love how you can easily get a rise out of her by mentioning it.
* How was your relationship with your parents?
My relationship with my parents is good. They live near me but we're not on top of each other. We also talk a lot about whatever's going on in our lives and they're just as likely to run things by me to get my input on a situation as I am to run things by them.
* Did you get into trouble? What was the worst thing you did?
THEY WISH. I was SUCH a nerd. The worst thing I ever did was come in late after curfew one time. (...exactly) I even remember one time where I told them that they so owed me for how low-maintenance a teenager I was.
* Do you have any siblings? What were they like growing up?
Two older brothers (6 and 8 years). Their personalities growing up are similar to theirs now. Elder Brother is the type-A, Nathan Petrelli, total firstborn kind and Older Brother is the more laid-back type. There was teasing and sibling rivalry growing up but as we got older it became more friendly.
* What did you look like?
Like me, but smaller! :D
Seriously though I'd say maybe my face was rounder, my chest (until 5th grade) (...yeah) was flatter and my hair was straighter. I had stick-straight hair until 6th grade when I got a total poodle perm. After that my hair became wavy to the point where I need to keep it at a certain length or it goes poodly again. Go fig.
When I was younger I kept my hair long because of the one time I got a short haircut and I was mistaken for a boy. This mistake would probably not happen ever agaon (FIFTH GRADE, SERIOUSLY) but it bugs me to this day. Not so much that I'd have a breakdown about a short haircut on a makeover show, but enough that I don't feel like asking to rock a Mia Farrow Rosemary's Baby 'do on my own.
* How would you describe yourself as a child? Were you happy?
Generally happy, self-confident (soooooooooooo much like my mother), total and utter nerd.
* What is your best memory of childhood? Worst?
You know, nothing is really standing out as "OMG BEST MEMORY EVER" I think it's more of a general combination of all the holidays and gatherings that took place over the years. Though as I sit here pondering it possibly the time Mom burned a pizza box is a good one just for the humor it provides us to this day. Then again there's the time with Dad and the near-empty ketchup bottle so even that's got some competition.
Likewise nothing stands out as OMGWORSTEVER because time's allowed some healing. Of course there were deaths in the family and lost pets and so on, but again - time.
* Did you have a nickname? How’d you get it?
HA! Okay, here's one I haven't told anybody before. One of my nicknames as a kid was "Tidwin." This came from a game with me and my dad where we'd be all "Do you love me a thousand? How about a million? How about a billion? How about a tidwillian?" and somehow this morphed into me being called Tidwin. Not like all the time or by everyone in the family, but it'd be something Dad would do to say hi when he got home or something like that ("Where's my Tidwin?")
I had another nickname when I was wee but damned if I can remember it now. Huh.
* Who were your best friends? What were they like?
When I was very wee I did the thing of having rotating BFFs depending on vagaries like where did people live in relation to me, were we in the same class, did our parents know each other, etc. So there wasn't anyone that really lasted the ages there.
The first who would come close would be my friend Grace (who introduced me to the Vampire Chronicles - misty water-colored MEMORIES....) I met her in the 7th grade and we were friends through college. She was definitely my first real BFF.
* How would you describe a perfect day when you were young?
Something where all 5 of us were together, usually in something holiday related. But any activity that was a family activity where I got to play with my big brothers and some sort of silliness abounded.
* What did you think your life would be like when you were older?
I thought I would be a vet, which did not happen.
* Do you have any favorite stories from your childhood?
Okay so the thing with Mom and the pizza box is that we were having pizza for dinner and Dad, Older Brother, and I were out on some errand when the pizza arrived. So Mom had the brainstorm of keeping the pizza warm in the oven until we got back. What she didn't think to do was take the pizza out of the box before putting it into the oven. Which resulted in us returning to a house FILLED with smoke and a burnt pizza. Older Brother and I later commemorated the event as part of a story in a newspaper we put together which was kind of like The Onion only written on loose leaf paper.
Protip: If you are going to be in a situation of being stuck waiting for HOURS, TV Tropes is your friend. (No, I won't link. Then I won't see you guys again for days.) It's all about using that time-sucking power as a force for good, people.
So that's why I didn't get around to answering the questions yesterday, but I shall today! Especially since it's a nice way to pass the time as I sit here on the couch with a Luna draped across my wrists. (She says hi.)
* When and where were you born?
Today, baby! Yep, Nov 29. If it wasn't for events that happened 34 years ago today, I wouldn't be here. Well that and events that happened 34 years plus 9 months ago today. Ahem. And I was born in North Shore Hospital, which always amused me because there's a North Shore Animal Shelter (or at least there was, not sure if it still exists) and it's entierely possible that my folks just picked me up instead of getting a puppy. I mean my memories of the day are pretty foggy so it's not like I'd be able to say one way or another.
* Where did you grow up?
Whitestone, NY.
* What was it like?
Queens, so it was suburby. But not necessarily chichi suburby. We weren't rich or anything (not at that time) and there were issues with things like drugs and crime in the neighborhood. I've gone back since then and it looks nicer but I don't know offhand if it's gotten any safer.
* Who were your parents?
My parents are the awesome Brat Mom and Brat Dad :D
* What were your parents like?
Dad is Mr. Rogers. Totally one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. He's also a bit of a square but kind of like how Obama is a square. Like I read a thing about Obama where he was at a bachelor party and left when the stripper showed up and it immediately reminded me of Dad because he's done the exact same thing in his past. (Though not, I am reasonably sure, at the same party.) He's got a strong moral compass but not in a judgemental asshole kind of a way. Not that he actually uses this phrasing, but he's the kind of guy who lives his life in a "What would Jesus actually do?" manner.
My mom is his opposite in that she's the more in your face, don't mess with her type. GUESS WHERE I GET THIS FROM. Not that she's a bitch but you wouldn't want to mess with her. The story of her and my dad meeting involves him moving into the neighborhood and being told to watch out for the red-headed [Mom's maiden name] girl because she broke a kid's arm. To this day Mom maintains that the kid's arm was broken before she got into the fight with him. What I love about my mom is that somehow to her beating up on the boy with the broken arm is the nicer version of events. I also love how you can easily get a rise out of her by mentioning it.
* How was your relationship with your parents?
My relationship with my parents is good. They live near me but we're not on top of each other. We also talk a lot about whatever's going on in our lives and they're just as likely to run things by me to get my input on a situation as I am to run things by them.
* Did you get into trouble? What was the worst thing you did?
THEY WISH. I was SUCH a nerd. The worst thing I ever did was come in late after curfew one time. (...exactly) I even remember one time where I told them that they so owed me for how low-maintenance a teenager I was.
* Do you have any siblings? What were they like growing up?
Two older brothers (6 and 8 years). Their personalities growing up are similar to theirs now. Elder Brother is the type-A, Nathan Petrelli, total firstborn kind and Older Brother is the more laid-back type. There was teasing and sibling rivalry growing up but as we got older it became more friendly.
* What did you look like?
Like me, but smaller! :D
Seriously though I'd say maybe my face was rounder, my chest (until 5th grade) (...yeah) was flatter and my hair was straighter. I had stick-straight hair until 6th grade when I got a total poodle perm. After that my hair became wavy to the point where I need to keep it at a certain length or it goes poodly again. Go fig.
When I was younger I kept my hair long because of the one time I got a short haircut and I was mistaken for a boy. This mistake would probably not happen ever agaon (FIFTH GRADE, SERIOUSLY) but it bugs me to this day. Not so much that I'd have a breakdown about a short haircut on a makeover show, but enough that I don't feel like asking to rock a Mia Farrow Rosemary's Baby 'do on my own.
* How would you describe yourself as a child? Were you happy?
Generally happy, self-confident (soooooooooooo much like my mother), total and utter nerd.
* What is your best memory of childhood? Worst?
You know, nothing is really standing out as "OMG BEST MEMORY EVER" I think it's more of a general combination of all the holidays and gatherings that took place over the years. Though as I sit here pondering it possibly the time Mom burned a pizza box is a good one just for the humor it provides us to this day. Then again there's the time with Dad and the near-empty ketchup bottle so even that's got some competition.
Likewise nothing stands out as OMGWORSTEVER because time's allowed some healing. Of course there were deaths in the family and lost pets and so on, but again - time.
* Did you have a nickname? How’d you get it?
HA! Okay, here's one I haven't told anybody before. One of my nicknames as a kid was "Tidwin." This came from a game with me and my dad where we'd be all "Do you love me a thousand? How about a million? How about a billion? How about a tidwillian?" and somehow this morphed into me being called Tidwin. Not like all the time or by everyone in the family, but it'd be something Dad would do to say hi when he got home or something like that ("Where's my Tidwin?")
I had another nickname when I was wee but damned if I can remember it now. Huh.
* Who were your best friends? What were they like?
When I was very wee I did the thing of having rotating BFFs depending on vagaries like where did people live in relation to me, were we in the same class, did our parents know each other, etc. So there wasn't anyone that really lasted the ages there.
The first who would come close would be my friend Grace (who introduced me to the Vampire Chronicles - misty water-colored MEMORIES....) I met her in the 7th grade and we were friends through college. She was definitely my first real BFF.
* How would you describe a perfect day when you were young?
Something where all 5 of us were together, usually in something holiday related. But any activity that was a family activity where I got to play with my big brothers and some sort of silliness abounded.
* What did you think your life would be like when you were older?
I thought I would be a vet, which did not happen.
* Do you have any favorite stories from your childhood?
Okay so the thing with Mom and the pizza box is that we were having pizza for dinner and Dad, Older Brother, and I were out on some errand when the pizza arrived. So Mom had the brainstorm of keeping the pizza warm in the oven until we got back. What she didn't think to do was take the pizza out of the box before putting it into the oven. Which resulted in us returning to a house FILLED with smoke and a burnt pizza. Older Brother and I later commemorated the event as part of a story in a newspaper we put together which was kind of like The Onion only written on loose leaf paper.
