When around 10, I found a 50$ note in the schoolโs ground. 10 years old me got very happy, 50$ was a lot of money. Butโฆ another kid saw me picking up the note. He came to me and said I had to give him half of the money or he would tell the principal he saw me stealing the money.
So in order to not give this little piece of shit anything I just went directly into the Principalโs office and said Iโve found the money, told her where and left.
The kid pissed at me for doing that told everyone and they made fun of me for giving up the money. Everyone made fun of me for that matter, even a big part of my familyโฆ Except my mom who was incredible proud for what Iโve had done.
I never told anyone the only reason I didnโt kept the money was because that little shit blackmailed me. But seeing how proud of me she was for doing the right thing, and how hard it is to do it, made me the honest man I am today.
PS: The money was from a girl, it was to buy a textbookโฆ Apparently she had been crying. And although everyone knew I was the kid who found a 50 note and gave it back, she never came to say thank you.
It wasn't anything serious... like calling me an idiot for giving up 50 bucks, like the other kids on school did. But more like light jokes about it. They joked but said I did the right thing... I only mentioned because it was a important contrast with my mom, who didn't joke, she was always serious about it and very proud... and that made a mark on me.
When I was 8 I was playing in the backyard and stepped on a big red ant hill. Even remember what dress I was wearing. Anyways, they crawled up my legs I was freaking out so my dad just lifted my ass up and threw me in the pool. That was the day I became afraid of ants and I learned how to swim. Ah memories.
Also,
I wanted to know what it felt like to be a balloon around the same age as the previous story. So my mom blew up a bunch of balloons and somehow pinned them to my clothes. Walked around like a bad ass that day. 8 was a weird age for me.
[deleted] ยท 808 points ยท Posted at 12:07:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was also covered in ants--only they were nesting in a jacket I left outside for too long and I learned how to shower that day.
m4xw ยท 410 points ยท Posted at 13:09:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was the day I became afraid of ants
I mean how would you react if a giants jumps on your house and smashes it
LinT5292 ยท 741 points ยท Posted at 14:23:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I probably wouldn't start crawling up the giant's leg.
I would say it's come a long way in some aspects. Meanwhile, actually in the snk universe, not much time has passed. Thusly, not much has actually changed in any real significant way. SOME, don't get me wrong, but not much.
that's the one trope that fucks anime up for me. why do they have to have a half season long internal battle just to make a decision? I can deal with them shouting the names of the powers they are using. I can deal with the 30 year old women agonizingly voicing children. but the fucking internal dialogue fucking kills me
ziggl ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:27:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cuz it's easy to animate. One still shot, with tiny changes to the character's face, do that for everyone in the cast...
It lets you have about five minutes of action in a twenty-some minute episode. It's why I had to quit watching Naruto, that and too many flashbacks for the same reason (cut animation costs).
I don't know, probably some kinda grappling hook mechanism, and come at it from the side. Maybe two grappling hooks, so I can change direction and maneuver properly. Gotta make sure it chases you into a forest or something first.
If you win, you live. If you lose, you die. If you can't fight, you won't win.
isen7 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:49:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Good ol fire ants. Never heard of them when we moved to NC from WI. Was just standing on top of a big ass mound, minding my own business, and then the panic....
Shit i have a core ant memory too! I was playing in the yard (probably like 6/7), and i found an old toy tank. Like a WW 2 tank buried in the dirt. I grabbed it, broke the top cannon part from the hull of the tank, and hundreds of ants poured out of that shit immediately! I dropped it, sprinted back inside and was terrified.
Oh man, that happened to me at about age 8. I picked up a nightshirt I had thrown on the ground, on top of a cereal box. I put it on and was talking to my parents from upstairs, looking downstairs through the banister, when I noticed a bull fire ant on me. Then I kept seeing more appear. I freaked out and my mom told me to jump in the shower, but I just froze. So, she ran upstairs, picked me up and put me in, with the shower on full blast. I didn't even get one bite, luckily.
I was also covered in ants and thrown into a pool by dad.
I had sat down at the base of a tree by the beach to watch a fireworks show. Suddenly l realize m'trousers are full of the type of demonic fire ants often found in such tropical climes. Was probably seven at the time so old enough to get really embarrassed when my dad stripped off my clothes and tossed me into a nearby pool. Still, can't fault his logic. Classic dad reflexology, none too delicate but definitely effective.
bakkus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:56:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My ant-story goes like this: Was allowed to accompany some of "the big boys" in my neighborhood up into the adjacent woods to work on their treehouse. Stepped on a bit of wood with an upturned rusty nail which went clean through the sole of my shoe into the sole of my foot, straight through and out of my shoe right by my shoelaces.
I grabbed my foot, screamed like a.. nailed kid, and promptly fell backwards. Head first into an anthill.
Cue my ears, nose and face being filled with biting piss-ants while screaming my lungs off.
Oldest kid ripped out the naily piece of wood, doused me with his bottle of water and carried me home.
My dad promptly chucked me into the bathtub, so the next hour was spent trying to extract/drown ants from various parts of my upper body while having my upturned foot disinfected.
0/10 would not recommend.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:45:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was also covered in red ants--only they were fire ants, and as a toddler, I was pretty much clueless, and could have died. Always had a more severe reaction to the bites and stings after that.
You and I are kindred spirits. When I was 6, my brother and I were playing in the sprinkler and I stepped in an ant pile. Instant freak out. Legs covered in fire ant bites. My dad yanked the hose out of the sprinkler and power washed my legs off.
Also at 6, I went as a bunch of grapes for Halloween. Purple balloons pinned all over my purple sweats. Couldn't sit down, but felt clever all night.
Ah! I was about 5-6. Louisiana, standing barefoot in the summer, getting ice cream from the ice cream truck. Red ants to my knees. Once I realized they were there, I ran inside and stuck my foot in the toilet than the sink. I wore that pink ointment for about a week.
My dad decided to dress me up as a bunch of grapes for Halloween when I was 7. I wore a purple sweatsuit and he pinned purple balloons all over me, and I had a twisty green vine headband. I remember being pretty ambivalent about the costume during the day at school, until I was trick or treating that night. I got really excited and ran through a hedge. All my balloons popped and then I was just a kid in a purple sweatsuit with bits of plastic hanging off me!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:44:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In Texas those ants will bite the crap out of you, and they will all start at once. Each bite leaves a giant puss-filled welt. All Texans are afraid of ants.
That was the day I became afraid of ants and I learned how to swim
fucking hilarious
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:36:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My best friend, who also happens to be an idiot, will do ANYTHING for money. When he was younger, his friends told him to fully submerge his forearm in a red ant hill, and they would give him $1 for every second he could remain. He plunged his fist into the ground, and he made $12 that day. He says no amount of will-power or effort could have gotten him to $13, his body took over where his brain had certainly failed him. they hosed him down, and I think he even puked or fell ill because of all of the ant bites.
Red ants are the worst. I got bit on the top of my foot when I was living in Florida and I will never forget how it felt. I was a teacher at the time and my class was sitting outside on the grass watching a presentation from a local fire department for fire safety week. One of my students had come up to me and asked if he could sit on the curb instead of the grass because he was allergic to red ants and didn't want to risk getting bit. I am so thankful that he moved his spot because about 2 minutes later, I felt a hot, stinging sensation on the top of my right foot and when I looked down, about 10 red ants were crawling on me. I quickly swatted them off but the damage was done. It's been 7 years since it happened and my body still has a visceral reaction any time someone even mentions red ants.
I was four when I saw my friend poking at the ant hill and warned him to stop. I have no idea what kind they were. He did but being four we forgot about it and he ended up sitting on the damn thing. He jumped up screaming and I froze in fear. He ran all the way home screaming. Ended up needing plastic surgery after. I'm now scared of ants too.
Holy shit! Someone else with myrmecophobia.
I was out berry hunting with my mother at the age of 3, I walked around in the forest, eventually ended up standing still in an ant hill without realizing...until all crevices of my body were filled with ants.
Terrifying.
My introduction to fire ants was outside a hotel when I was traveling with my father...probably also around that age. I remember they came all of a sudden all over my feet, and them being on fire.
My parents were teaching me how to ride a bike when I was about 6 and I crashed into a red ant hill. I became traumatized and didn't learn to ride my bike until I was 10.
When I was a kid I never used to wear shoes. When I was 7 or 8 I was climbing a rocky hill by my grandma's house and stepped in a red ant's nest. That was the first day I ever streaked. Ripped off my shorts and ran across the street to get in the tub at my gran's
I wanted to know what it felt like to be a balloon around the same age as the previous story. So my mom blew up a bunch of balloons and somehow pinned them to my clothes. Walked around like a bad ass that day. 8 was a weird age for me.
Around age 5 or 6 I was out camping with my family. One evening I started noticing a sharp pain on the tip of my... junk. It bothered me for a bit but apparently I figured it would go away because I didn't do anything about it.
After a while the pain got worse and eventually I had to tell my parents that my peepee hurt. So they pull out a flashlight, I pull down my pants, and they take a look.
There was a massive, queen sized ant, latched onto the tip of my penis, hanging on for dear life. One pincer inside my urethra, the other latched on just outside. It had to be pulled off, which didn't feel the greatest either because it did not want to let go.
When I was 12, my mom and I went for a walk one day. We come across a small farm with a horse and were told by the owners that it was okay to pet the horse. So we're standing next to the fence, petting the horse, when I felt something tickling my right foot, soon followed by a stinging sensation. I look down to find my entire foot completely covered in red ants. There were so many of them that I couldn't see my beigh colored shoe. Instead, it looked like I was wearing a red colored shoe. Apparently I had been standing on a red ant hill the entire time I was petting the horse.
I also remember the day I learned to swim. I was 7 and was being a pussy, crying and what not, not wanting to go in the deeper section to swim. The coach had enough of it and picked me in the water like how a power lifter lifts weights and threw me ahead.
I was a still crying, now terrified and swimmed back to edge straight to my dad.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
8 was a weird age for me too. I locked myself in a room for a day to conduct a thought experiment about social compatibility and when I was done I had convinced myself I'd die alone.
Ants seem like a common one, because around the same age, I can still remember a dream that kind of haunted me for a long while. I had some walnuts I picked up from the yard, and was trying to open them in front of the TV. I couldn't do it and I saw a hole in the walnut shell, and an ant popped out, then another one, and another one. And they suddenly started pouring out of all the walnuts and covered my body.
For the longest time, I wasn't sure if that was a dream or not, but it scared the hell out of me.
On a more real note, I remember being at our old apartment, sitting in front of the door, that looked just so massive at that age. My dad was away at work, and my mom went out to take my sister to some lesson of hers, and I'd just park myself in front of the door, and just wait for hours for it to open. I don't know why, but I can always see myself sitting in front of that door, just waiting.
I don't think I'll ever truly get over loneliness, because I know deep down, I'll always be that kid just waiting for that giant door to open.
fizar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:44:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
trust me, you do NOT want to be bitten by a red ant, each bite is worse than a bee sting, you should be thanking him for that!
I definitely had several bites! It was terrible. I am afraid of all ants to this day!
fizar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:59:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
only red ants bite, don't be afraid of black ones. just slaughter them like you would any other inferior insect species that is not a butterfly, moth, or ladybug, or rolypoly.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:52:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Had no idea so many people were traumatised by ants at a young age. I sat on a wall aged 10. Long story short, ended up with literal ants in my pants. To this day I'm very wary of where I park my butt.
Oh God I feel you with the ants. I went to sleep in a bed that hadn't been used in a while... Yup, fire ant nest. I woke up to a horde of the little fuckers biting me absolutely all over my body and it was miserable.
This happened to me too. Only the pool wasn't clean and was all green and gross. And I jumped in because ANTS!!! (Which is what I screamed before diving in)
I have a very similar story where I was too young too understand that ant bites where what was hurting me. I just stood there, legs completely covered in fire ants until my parents saw and grabbed me. I had to go to the hospital I was so swollen. Don't actually remember that myself though so that's good!
Similar story to the Red ant's but these were carpenter ants and I flipped my four wheeler onto a huge Carpenter Ant Hill. Being little obviously I couldn't get the four wheeler off my legs to move and those little buggers bite the living hell out of me. I basically laid there screaming because of that crap. Then once my parents realized that happened I ran to the shower to get them off it me was crazy and hurt!
My version of that is worse. I was 2, messed with a fire ant hill, and they swarmed over EVERYTHING. No luck with a pool. Just a shit ton of antibiotic cream.
hah one of my memories also involves ants. we were standing in line in pre school and i was told to stand on a huge ant pile. i was so shy i didn't say anything and no one noticed until i think, i possibly started crying and i had to go to the nurse.
At about 10 years old, my mother was vacuuming and my sister and I "kidnapped" ourselves and hid in a bedroom after leaving a note for my mom to "bring two slices of cheese if you want to see your kids again". She brought them.
Finding out I got selected for an internship with NASA.
Back in high school with my girlfriend at the time in the back of my car on a random side road. Not having sex but being naked and holding each other and laughing.
Boating with my family when I was a kid. I miss being on the water.
Setting off fireworks in the street when one tipped over and was firing at me / my family. It was like time slowed down as we ran and I remember them flying right in front of me and a spark hitting my leg at one point. And my mother freaking out while I thought it was awesome.
Edit: thank you for this prompt. Made me think of some good memories again.
alk47 ยท 597 points ยท Posted at 14:43:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Not having sex
Honestly, this is what struck something with me. I remember kissing girls at parties and running for kilometers just to take a girl into a spare bedroom and make out. I wouldn't call it innocent but there was something childish there that I miss. Its a strange kind of nostalgia. Its a little sad that it is a feeling I will never have again.
Wow, that's definitely how my ex and I started dating. Late night frisbee into conversation and watching the sun rise... It's the best sort of feeling when that type of connection is made. You can still do it! Just gotta block out time for a nap the next day haha.
I don't know how to get myself into those situations anymore. There aren't any more college parties to hang out at, and I can't afford to screw up my sleep schedule on the weekends anymore. I'm considering grad school just to be around people my age again.
It's not for everyone but sports/gym/activity groups work great at connecting people. Especially really niche stuff like climbing gyms or bike polo or even community softball.
Freshman year and partial sophomore year, partying every weekend felt like an adventure. You never knew what crazy things would happen or people you would meet. Not a care in the world. Now it's all grown up stuff and no mystery left in it. As glad as I am to be a maturing adult, I miss those times. I guess I still have the mysteries of marriage and children to come. That's a step I genuinely look forward too. But I'm sure I'll miss the moment I'm in now when that happens.
The average 'adult' life is full of predictable routine, mostly dictated by the 9-5 office schedule. There are many alternatives to this, but it is the path that society (sub)consciously incentivizes and tells us is the 'safe'/'expected'/'traditional' route. It can be difficult to define your life without falling into this-- income and pay suffers.
Pretty much lived it all. When you party 3-4 times a week from 18-22, you tend to see and do a lot. That isn't to say I'm not surprised every now and then, but for the most part I know how it's going to go. And it may be because I don't let myself do the things I once did.
I miss those long talks too. Sometimes in dorm rooms, sometimes on Greyhound buses. It all seemed so fascinating and important and it never happens anymore.
That's just cuz you don't have summers off, so you have to follow a schedule. You could plan for a time every few years where you could save up enough to live for a few months without a schedule and then there you go you can be up until dawn at random.
Yeah, but those situations were never planned. Even partying every weekend, a truly interesting "until dawn" conversation would only show up every few months. Even if I did schedule off a weekend to stay up all night, where would I go? My college friends are all across the country, my work friends all have kids. Nobody else can abide those meandering late nights any more than I can anymore.
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:17:22 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Even the people I have known for years wont do that anymore. The only way they will be anywhere after midnight is if they are out and that doesnt exactly lend itself to talking.
seanmg ยท 210 points ยท Posted at 16:43:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'll never forget taking a shower with a girlfriend for the first time. It wasn't sexual at all. It was something special and an experience I'll never forget for how simple and honest it felt.
When my SO and I shower together, it's rarely sexual, we simply enjoy being together and cleaning each other both in goofy fashions and in romantic ones.
I'm reading these comments thinking how I can't help but get a boner when I'm washing her down, maybe it is a sexual thing but I just really enjoy getting my back washed.
Vessix ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:48:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I forgot the first time. I'll never forget the time I was sexing her until she passed out and fell over though
patt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:44:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Intimate sensual pleasures are not necessarily sexual, though you can share them with sexual partners. Just exchanging a hair-wash feels fantastic.
For some reason, my eyes jumped to your content before reading OP's, so I read "not having sex" and then, "At about 10 years old..." uh oh "my mother" UH oh "my sister and I kidnapped" UH OH
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:16:05 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well it all turned out better than expected... you sick puppy.
I miss those days. They had a "rave night" at a local roller rink where they closed off half the rink to have a dance area for teens. We'd dress up and meet cute boys from surrounding towns. By the end of the night, many of us were holding hands or making out next to the mirrors where there were chairs.
My parents never liked the idea but it was a safe place for teens to go and have a good time. No one was doing drugs or stabbing each other, it was just good clean fun that felt "grown up". They have since closed the roller rink and I feel sorry for today's teens that won't get to experience that.
There was just something so nice about going out with your friends, dancing, and flirting with boys.
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:14:41 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ahh man. That is exactly what I am talking about. They sound like great memories.
Sometimes it leads to more, sometimes it doesn't. Makeouts are awesome even by themselves.
alk47 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:12:40 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It still isn't the same though. I remember being ~14 and sneaking out of my house to go and see some girls who had the house to themselves. When I took this lovely girl into a bedroom, my heart was fluttering and I was so excited. We were both smiling like idiots when we came back out some time later.
I'm recently single for the first time in about 11 years. I've had more makeout sessions in my car than I ever had in my life by a factor of about 1000. It's actually really fun and sort of brings me back to a simpler time in my life.
seanmg ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:43:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'll never forget taking a shower with a girlfriend for the first time. It wasn't sexual at all. It was something special and an experience I'll never forget for how simple and honest it felt.
alk47 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:18:37 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You are making it all come back to me. My first serious girlfriend was at 16 years old and we got to shower together all the time. I loved it so much, sexual or not.
"Saudade" is the word you are looking for. Best described as "the longing or melancholy for something you can never have again". It's one of my favourites. It frustrates me it's virtually not used in English because it describes something we all feel, and instead, we have to write clunky sentences to describe the feeling.
alk47 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:10:36 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ooh never seen that page. Looking at it now. I wonder if any of these words are commonly used anywhere. I only know saudade because it's used so much in Portuguese and Spanish.
Edit: I see now they are all made up. I was wondering because the definitions are really long and specific. They go on just a but too long, IMO. Like if saudade was "the longing for something you cant have again from your childhood that you cherished and knew one day would go away"
I never really did have that experience, since I moved around too much to get any relationship that didn't quickly become long distance after starting.
Don't you fucking make those nostalgic, weirdly akward but comforting memories come back to me. God dammit life feels shit right now compared to those old days of finding out who you really are.
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:10:53 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Point is that there's a certain expectation of behavior at this stage, combined the lack of spontaneity and new experiences that we had in high school.
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:26:02 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not complaining. Just wishing everything didn't go past so quickly.
torik0 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 01:38:38 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're waxing poetic about the times when sex was rare and new. That's only the case because those conditions are opposite now. Were you transported back to that time and age, your opinions would also switch place.
People want what they can't/don't have. People get bored of what they do have.
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:50:59 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, absolutely I looked forward to having sex. Who didn't? That doesn't change the fact that I enjoyed every moment of what I had at the time.
I am not even suggesting that I would change any of it, in the end. I wouldn't trade the beautiful girlfriend and mature relationship that I have now for what I had then and I would like to imagine that I was as content then. I can look back on things and wish they didn't go past so quickly or look forward to the future without wishing away the present.
You are right, this is getting a little to poetic.
Setting off fireworks in the street when one tipped over and was firing at me / my family. It was like time slowed down as we ran and I remember them flying right in front of me and a spark hitting my leg at one point. And my mother freaking out while I thought it was awesome.
Boating with my family when I was a kid. I miss being on the water.
again.
Holy shit, I'm so glad my dad bought a boat. All my good memories come from vacations because of the boat or bonding on the boat. It's such tranquility out in the middle of a lake watching the city slowly light up. I'm also approaching the age where I can take the boat out on my own and I can't wait.
It really is. I regret never learning to water ski though. I would always tube which was a ton of fun until my dad would throw me out of the wake and make a sharp turn so there was slack in the line. What comes next was the worst
I've been making an effort to go sailing with my parents a lot more now that I live closer to them. I hope I can keep sailing as I get older, but boats are expensive.
My kindergarten best friend. I was the fat kid, she was the half Asian kid. We were both outcasts, thus fast friends. We collected pill bugs on the playground and rolled them around in our cupped palms as if sifting flower. I was so happy that I had a best friend. I was invited to her house once. Her Asian mother was making food and my mother was from Indiana, so our household didn't exactly eat exotic cuisine. I commented about how it smelled weird. This was followed with admonishment, embarrassment, and me never being invited back to their house. My five year old brain stored that olfactory sensation my adult brain now recognizes as kimchi and rice, but forever associates it with shame and being ostracized.
Edit: grammerz
Beccy477 ยท 1536 points ยท Posted at 12:00:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn that Asian mum was harsh! 5 year olds find almost anything different "weird"
I commented to the lady at Chinese take out that my kids would only eat the lo mien and fried shrimp, and she seemed very offended, commenting that her kids will eat everything on the menu. Her daughter (maybe 8 yrs) was working the cash register.
[deleted] ยท 590 points ยท Posted at 13:13:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My daughter would eat anything from day one. She is 20 now, but back when she was little, she would eat raw sushi, little baby octopi, etc. These two boys (6 and 8) eat practically nothing. I don't know where I went wrong with them. The 6 year old will not eat anything red (ketchup, spaghetti sauce, etc) and the 8 year old will not eat anything white (mayo, ranch dressing, alfredo sauce, etc). Drives me crazy.
I grew up eating Chinese food so a lot of the time it was different from what other kids ate. I think due to this, no food is too "weird" for me to eat because what I ate as a kid was different. It really taught me that something different and exotic wasn't necessarily bad.
[deleted] ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 14:30:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I've started becoming very aware of how much sugar I've been intaking and cutting back a lot. One of the biggest problems is fast food. For some reason us Americans add sugar to everything, including meat and bread even in savory dishes. It's disgusting. Now that I don't eat a lot of sugar, I'm acutely aware of the nasty sweet taste of a fast food hamburger.
I got married young and had my first at 23, then divorced. I was bitter for a while, then started dating again. Got married for the second time 10 years ago next month to an amazing man. What a difference in the two marriages!
Ah! My mother in law said my husband would eat next to nothing as a child. I, on the other hand, grew up poor, so most of what I ate was either fish that my family caught or game that we hunted and garden veggies. (Or that awesome cheese the government used to give out)
this happened to me and my brothers. my older (full) brother is remarkably like me in terms of being a picky eater (as a kid at least). my younger (half) brother will eat pretty much anything. we were raised by the exact same set of parents (dad + my step mom) so if it weren't for the genetics would should be pretty much the same.
It's state government aid for poor families or, in my case, seniors in America. My grandma got it, along with a bunch of other things, when her husband retired.
If you're talking about the block of processed crap. They still give that out. It's basically only good in Mac and cheese. And even then it glues you shut.
Similar to me. First marriage younge and had my 1st son at 24. Divorced for almost 10 years. Remarried to the ONE going on 4 years. Had a son with him at 35. Hopefully we will get the joy of adding one more little jerk to our family. Boys are currently 13 and 2.
Keep an eye on them if they ever get interested in time machines. If they carry on that resistance to certain colors I have a theory they might be up for some serious, SERIOUS sibling rivalry in Russia around 100 years ago
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 17:07:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If it makes you feel any better, my brother is in his mid thirties, married, and a father, and he didn't start eating his vegetables like a big boy until he met his now wife who is vegetarian and pushed him to.
We all love his wife.
Zv0n ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:29:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember when I was little I would eat things like sand, grass and such but I wouldn't eat anything that had mayo, mustard or sauerkraut in it. I'm more mature now, tho. I don't eat sand, nor grass anymore.
Mksiege ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:59:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No sauerkraut and mustard? Missing out on some amazing hot-dogs.
Zv0n ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:24:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My taste buds kindly disagree. I think hot-dogs with ketchup or chilly are just as amazing
Make something yummy red white and blue like blue berries and vanilla ice cream with whipped cream and strawberries.
Then announce that for dessert whenever you need to serve something white or red.
RayNele ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:30:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Buy them that Chinese two coloured rice. One side is red, one side is white, in the shape of the taichi symbol. They can share and cover what each other dislike, and you don't have to buy 2 seperate meals and have them pick it apart.
When I was a kid I got yelled at quite often because I "was too picky" and didn't like anything except pizza and cereal.
Found out in my late teens (10 years ago) than I like lots of stuff, I just didn't like the boring stuff my family liked. When I cook it's usually crazy spicy Asian food (I'm not Asian), went to a Polish/Ukrainian deli a couple weeks ago, last week I went to a couple places inside a small Mexican shopping center, went to a Kurdish place last month...
It's great your daughter likes anything but strange how your sons turned out the opposite. Sounds like my sister and BIL and their two kids. The parents will try new stuff but their kids won't eat anything.
msbabc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:32:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
At around 3 or 4 years of age, my gran served up a rabbit stew. It was in some kind of white sauce. In my mind, a rabbit was a fluffy bunny; not food.
Now, 30 years later, I don't like mayo, cheese sauce, bechemal. Basically any white sauce.
And I figured out the link between this traumatic event and my tastes as an adult when I was about 25.
Point being - for infants, small events that we think are minor and inconsequential may not be.
Huh, I have a friend that still doesn't eat anything red... He's 30 and won't eat strawberries, catchup, tomatoes, red pepper, cherry, red M&Ms.... Weird, huh?
I'm the youngest of 3. When we were little, I was always a pretty adventurous eater, but my sister and brother were both pretty picky. As adults, they've both grown out of it. But I'm sure it has more to do with personality than anything you're doing. We were all very close in age, so it's not like we got different parenting in that respect.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:44:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tomato allergy, egg allergy, dairy allergy? Texture issues? Sometimes if a child won't eat something, it's because it makes them feel bad or sick and they don't know why. Maybe you should ask the how they feel after they eat those foods, or get them some allergy tests just in case.
Or they could just be picky. Doesn't hurt to check though.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:25:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Theres a saying in Spanish for this "Un indio menos, una tortilla mas" = "one less indian, one more tortilla." if they dont want to eat what you cook then more for everyone else. Just an anecdote, not tellin you how to raise your kids. :)
People give me shit - it isn't like I refuse to eat Chinese traditional, I do and have many times, and enjoy it - if I am getting the Tso, it's because I want fucking Tso, not "Chinese". I could eat that shit every day.
General tso not so much but the lo mien is super chinese. They don't eat it like we do over here though. But it is definitely an authentic chinese thing
Source: am Canadian born chinese
tertis ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:24:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, am Hong Kong American, General Tsos isn't Chinese but lo mein is. Some of the larger 7-11s and Circle Ks in HK sell lo mein, similar to how you would get a 7-11 hot dog in the US
So you're saying that more often than not, in areas with less Chinese people, there are two menus? I'm thinking that's just the case with the one restaurant you're talking about. It's not like I've only been to restaurants here too.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 16:47:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Mandarin is my first language. The places here that don't want to pay tax have signs that say "cash only." They don't give a shit if you're Chinese. The "authentic dishes" are always displayed prominently on the main menu. Maybe it's just where you're from, but the concept of having to print separate menus seems to make less sense cost-effectively than just printing everything on one menu.
What I mean is that they don't even go through the effort of translating anything to make an English menu. Most of the people who show up are Chinese and can read Chinese, so there's no point in doing any of the secret menu stuff.
And to clarify, I'm talking about a bunch of restaurants that are right next to a Ranch 99. There are Chinese bookstores and stores selling traditional Chinese medicine in that same lot. So yeah.
I wouldn't call those secret menus. Those are basically specials.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:49:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I've never been to Atlanta, but I've never seen what you're describing anywhere. It may be unique to your area.\
Edit: You guys are full of shit. I'm fluent in Chinese and always read both menus, the only discrepency I ever see is mistranslations and I've never seen anything written about no tax if you pay by cash, which is stupid for a whole host of reasons. Many of these establishments obviously do not pay taxes correctly, but they don't confess to this in writing on their menus!
Fucking Reddit.
Edit 2: Many of them only accept cash anyway!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:56:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, not really. You typically have to do something to indicate you are/speak Chinese to be given the super special secret menu.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:38:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hadn't known ๆฎ้่ฏ was Mandarin. I would've just used ไธญๆ.
talific ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:57:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's not something you see. I've never personally seen it either, because I'm white, but I know it exists because I have chinese friends who have been given the chinese menus when with family.
I worked at a Chinese restaurant in the largest college town in Texas. Our restaurant had a second, chinese menu, and anyone who spoke chinese and paid cash got tax free.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:55:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:26:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You said it's written on the menu that the cash = not tax. Is this still what you're saying?
Obviously if you talk to them in Chinese you can get plenty of chefs to make you something they wouldn't normally make, much like any other restaurant.
But this story about a secret Chinese menu with the "authentic dishes" which also serves as a written confession that the establishment doesn't pay tax... I don't believe that for a second. Either you're mistaken or straight up making shit up on the internet.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:00:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:48:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So they print a Chinese menu that they never show anyone except employees, whom they supply with evidence of illegal activity? That's going to go well when one of the illegal immigrants they hire gets pissed off at the unlivable wages, finds another job, and rats them out.
Most Chinese restaurants have bilingual menus. They don't hide the Chinese version. What you're saying gets more ridiculous the more you explain it.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:51:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:10:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Having a larger repertoire of dishes than what's on the normal menu and that can be prepared on request isn't anything special. In that sense every restaurant has a "secret menu".
You wouldn't happen to know which one of those thousands of links supports your original claim that most Chinese restaurants have a different set of meals offered in their Chinese menu and that the Chinese menu is "hidden" and says that cash payments do not include tax, would you? Maybe you misread credit card surcharge as VAT/GST.
I've never even been in a Chinese restaurant that didn't have a Chinese menu as standard. I've been in maybe 1 or 2 that also had decent, well translated English menus, and the rest just had some Google translate shit for the English. The actual menu is the Chinese version and it's at the front/on the top. I've been to literally hundreds of Chinese restaurants across the world and this has always been the case, except when there isn't an English menu at all.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:28:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:48:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's why i said pick one at RANDOM. You stupid if you think what the waiters hand you is all that they have to offer.
What would be stupid is believing some made up story on Reddit without any evidence.
I picked one. It didn't support any of your claims. It just said Chinese restaurants will make certain dishes if you ask them to and arbitrarily calls it a "secret menu". Nothing about your story of every restaurant having contradictory English/Chinese menus and expressly stating cash = no tax. It's your job to evidence what you say anyway, not mine to trawl through Google trying to find articles correlating with your story.
Anyway, it's pretty clear you are just making stuff up on the internet. But hey, at least you got some upvotes! Carry on.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:54:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:44:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
So which link in that blog post confirms your story?
The "Chinese Food" we know of in the US is pretty much the result of Chinese immigrants cooking the foods that were available here in the styles of actual Chinese cooking.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:22:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I'm about to start my 3rd semester of Chinese at UGA. Fucking love it and am enthralled with the history and culture (and the food). I'd ask if you were serious on that offer if I didn't have to work all weekend :P
I'm in Oklahoma (read: 0 authentic food of any kind) and reading your comments has made me so hungry it's ridiculous. For an english-speaking white man who loves to try new things, how do you recommend finding some good authentic Chinese food?
While this is true, most Americans know this and really don't care. They don't have a pallet for that kind of food. Just like you were disgusted with our food, most people in America would be disgusted with authentic Chinese food.
It's not very well known but most chinese restaurants have a separate menu written in chinese that is for chinese people.
They do a similar thing in the Arabic countries, Whenever you go out to eat they ask if you would like an English or Arabic menu, they gave us 1 Arabic menu by mistake. Everything was about 4-5 riyals cheaper on average.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I went to a really cool Mexican restaurant in my city with my friend and his family once. His little brother, who is about 8 or 9, refuses to eat anything on the menu except the burger and fries. I tried to talk him out of it, but he's determined to never enter the amazing world of Mexican food.
I understand. It is a good explaination. What I mean is it boggles my mind that someone would be offended when the kids are still eating food that they offered and prepared.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:38:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I completely get what you are saying and it's a valid point. I have kids and one is a very picky eater. Eating there at all would be a win. My family is all Italian, and while we make some really good home cooked food, I wouldn't be offended if someone liked the Olive Garden better. Personal tastes. But I understand that it could be considered obnoxious. Then again, if it offends her so she doesn't have to keep it on the menu. The money she gets from making it doesn't offend her. It runs me the wrong way because I hate when people essential tell other people what they should like and I could see this being an indirect instance of that. I have no doubt you are right, this behavior just urks me.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:47:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Lo mien is definitely a real thing. I don't know what American lo mien is like but it one hundred percent exists in China.
That red cooked pork is actually less authentic because there's ketchup. In China we use vinegar (which ketchup has a lot of just with added sugar). But I think in the pass fifteen years some regions started using ketchup as well.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:26:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Yes I know but lo mien is still an authentic dish. Just not the Americanized version.. but obviously not the american version or else it wouldn't be called the american version.
Traditionally this is a variation of wonton noodle soup. The soup is simply separated from the noodles and other ingredients, and served on the side.
"Traditionally"
As you can see from the wiki, in america there is the version you're talking about but it is an actual Cantonese dish.
If you had said my kids will only eat the red cooked pork, or something like that, that lady would not have batted an eye. She was offended because stuff like lo mein and general tsos aren't real chinese food
The "red cooked pork" aka sweet and sour pork is the american version of ๅๅ่. It also exists in China with variations from the north and the south.
So if you can go ahead and say that the "red cooked meat" is a real dish and the lady wouldn't be offended because that is supposedly real, how is lo mien not a real dish? It exists just like your "red cooked meat" but just like it, there is an authentic and Americanized version.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:03:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Also, if you go to a Chinese restaurant that is authentic they'll usually serve you hot tea instead of cold water. If you get ice water first, then they're stereotyping you as a typical white customer. They'll probably give you forks instead of chopsticks too.
Our restaraunt we dont have a secret menu but the chinese people that work here cook their own off menu stuff basically every day. (Sometimes they'll order sushi or pizza from other stores instead). Also we give free food to chinese friends fairly often.
mcnunu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:55:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It could also be that she viewed the OP's children as being picky eaters. Chinese children raised by traditionalist parents don't tend to be picky eaters because there's no practice of making a separate meal for children. Chinese children eat what adults eat, weaning food is usually rice porridge + whatever meat and vegetables adults are eating cut up into smaller pieces. I was amazed to learn that in North American countries, parents would stuff like chicken nuggets, grilled cheese and mac & cheese separately for their kids.
Also I don't know which part of China you're thinking of, but lo mein is very much a real Chinese food at least in the Cantonese speaking part of China. Oyster sauce lo mein is like the Chinese version of butter spaghetti.
Fried shrimp is definitely a chinese food, as well as an asian food in general. It's a fast food in korea basically. I haven't had it but it looks good!
It's annoying that Chinese places guard the Chinese menu so closely. I've had Asian friends who will go to a Chinese place, see something authentic that looks really good, tell the waiter they want it too, and the waiter tell them that they don't have that on the menu even though there's a guy eating it at the table right next to them.
And even when Chinese places do have authentic dishes on the menu, I've found they're often incredulous when you order one of them. For example, I love mapo tofu. No matter what restaurant I order it from I can usually count on the waiter(ess) trying to talk me out of it, invariably trying to imply that it's too spicy for my white tongue.
jwws1 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:28:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Asian parents are hard on their children. I cone from a Chinese family and was told if I don't like what mom (or dad) cooked. I don't get to eat. My family is from Hong Kong and I was born in NJ so it's a must to love seafood.
Thats how it is with alot of family owned chinese places. The near me the ladies daughter been at the register since she was 5, ive watched her grow up the last 10 years.
That's rude on her part though. I don't know why someone would feel the urge to criticize the food that their customers eat and then proceed to brag about their own kids. That blows my mind.
pgyang ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 13:47:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A completely different frame of reference. The Chinese lady most likely came from a situation where there was no choice, you eat whatever is available. To see the Americans refuse certain food makes no sense to her. To her the choosing is rude.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:47:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Her daughter (maybe 8 yrs) was working the cash register.
Where do you live? That's illegal in a lot of places
befooks ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:50:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I live in canada and ive seen that many times as a child. Of course its illegal, but usually nobody reports it.
Yeah my kid would act thrilled at everything I gave him also if I made him work for a Fucking living. Goddamn Asians are the worst in the service sector. Nobody can make you feel like a bigger piece of shit than a prideful Asian. You could come to the same store for 25 years and be treated like you're coming in to scope out the place so you can steal
When I was five I was invited over my best friend's house and his grandmother served me kimchi. I could not for the life of me enjoy it/dislike it and it was just a weird thing to eat, probably the weirdest food I've eaten at that point.
nusigf ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 14:24:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a grown ass man who is visiting his parents, the smell of kimchi permeates everything, even the pillows... I love it.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:58:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
my mom even makes her own kimchi, they have a dedicated kimchi fridge and those giant brown pots. Every time I visit she makes me mool kimchi because I love that shit.
None of their clothes or things smells like kimchi; though my father smells like old Asian newspapers and it grosses me out. Farts smell like it though, have you been farting on your pillows?
Mksiege ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 17:26:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Even Koreans need to grow fond of it. My 6 year old cousin still can't handle the weird taste and texture. It's something you grow fond of, not immediately like.
droxxus ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 16:22:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Except for those of us who just immediately liked it.
Kimchi is weird in that regard. I hung out with Koreans a lot in college so I ate a lot of kimchi. My first year or two I didn't like it. Then after I went a couple months without it it's like a switch got flicked and I suddenly found myself craving the stuff. I've loved it ever since.
It literally smells like farts. My bf's mom makes her own and smelling it is just awful. Like I would prefer to fully inhale my boyfriend's fart for a full minute than smell it ever again.
My grandpa is Korean and I remember how weird people thought it was for me to eat kimchi and people still think it's weird that I love seaweed the way I do.
This is pretty typical in a lot of traditional households of people from various countries.
Me never saying no to food and always taking my shoes off when I enter her home is why my BFFs mom loves me and I'm almost always welcome. (I say almost because if the the house is not deemed in a good enough state for guests we're usually banished to the back porch, LOL)
To be fair though, my BFFs mom is a crazy awesome cook and you'd have to be a literal idiot to turn down anything she makes.
My parents took me to the Boston Science Museum (or the children version, I don't remember) around that age. There was an exhibit on Japan and their culture. Naturally Japanese people were there to speak on the exhibit and answer any questions. What was the question I asked????, "why do you talk like 'ching yong dong bing...." my father ripped me away as fast as he humanly could and yelled at me to apologize.
I was a little kid, my heart obviously wasn't in a place of racism but I can't even imagine how embarrassed my parents were.
row_guy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:46:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I really hate when people hold kids to adult standards. I hold my kids to a high standard but I also know they are very limited.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:54:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Absolutely they do. I was at a Christmas party with my family last year and was playing with my cousin's six year old son. There was an app on his mom's phone that you plug in your address and it shows where Santa is, starting at the farthest place away from your house and going from town to town until the kid falls asleep about half way through. Well, he had her start it during the day so it made it all the way to Italy. My Aunt had married a native Italian man, who explained to my cousin's son that they speak a different language there. He didn't quite understand at first. My Uncle said "let me explain. Here in Indiana, we say Merry Christmas. In Italy, they say (insert Italian phrase here)". My cousin's son just scrunched up his nose and said "But why? That's weird."
Kids just don't know any different.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:01:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why is 'weird' bad to begin with? Oversensitive mom.
My mom was an ESL teacher, and I had a lot of 1st generation friends. I can tell you that it's more likely that the daughter was embarrassed that her house was "weird". It's very common that kids who have a different culture at home try to keep it separated from their American life/identity at school.
The Asian mother was probably more ashamed than the kid. I mean, we know it smells weird. It's too easy to say that the cuisine is a part of the culture, but the reason that culture even exists is to help us deal with being poor. And for a American kid to show up at your house--and the assumption is that he grew up eating rich foods, or at least is rich enough to have the luxury of being a picky eater--and tell you your food stinks...well, that hurts.
ccc45p ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:00:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How is kimchi a sign of being poor? There are foods a lot cheaper than kimchi.
Kimchi was traditionally made in massive quantities and stored to last an entire season. My mother said her family would make three large containers full of the stuff and bury it.
It's only expensive because it's exotic. It's just cabbage. My mom still makes a solid 10 pounds of the stuff every now and then.
edit: Thinking about it, it's actually probably a lot more than 10 pounds... Maybe closer to 60 pounds? That crate of cabbage she'd bring home was heavy.
ccc45p ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 18:30:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And does your mom make 60 pounds of kimchi because your family is too poor to afford other food or because it's part of your cultural traditions?
The latter, but I was just trying to explain that Kimchi is extremely cheap.
It's really important to note that my mother's family was beyond poverty stricken. They were refugees in the South after the Korean War. The war made the whole country suffer financially, as wars are often wont to do.
It's easy to forget how much progress has been made in South Korea over the past 63 years because of how heavily developed their metropolitan areas are.
But those two are not mutually exclusive. It's a tradition that teaches you (and your family) how to get by (and get along) when you're too poor to afford anything but cabbage.
Wow ... that's really an over reaction ... I said so much shit as a kid all the time , mostly being totally oblivious to what I was saying may be taken as an insult .
I hope you are able to eliminate any residence of feelings of shame from this memory. If anything , it probably taught you to be more tolerant of other people, who might say things out of ignorance, and not spite .
Her mom was an immigrant and I don't think they had opened their house up to many people, which is why I think she was so hurt. I don't really have any residual negative feelings from this, but it's definitely a very strong core memory. Katherine and I stayed friends at school until I moved away. I have always wondered what happened to her, but there are just too many of her to be even remotely successful in looking her up.
Searching Google for her name along with her hometown, high school, or family members' names can give you enough leads to pinpoint their Facebook or LinkedIn. I've reconnected with people with common names and nearly zero digital footprint this way.
I've done that as best as I can. I dying know where she went to HS she went to since I moved away shortly thereafter and Houston has LOTS of high schools.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:43:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was probably more a case of you seemed like a bad influence on her daughter because your parents didn't raise you well enough in her opinion. Seems unlikely a mother would really care what a 5 year old thinks about them in the way you suggest.
In primary school and we did a "food of your country" special event day (international school) where some parents (many, like mine, couldn't be fucked) would bring a bunch of national dishes from their homeland to the school and we'd basically spend the day eating it. One of the kids was Japanse and I don't remember what it was I ate, but it was probably fish and probably raw. Either way I vomitted basically immediately after eating it.
My friend best friend was from Albania and I got invited over for dinner when I was probably 7. Her dad had made something that resembles a triangular crab rangoon but it didn't taste as good. I spit it out and they were all mortified! She pulled me aside and told me her parent didn't like me and we shouldn't be friends because I disrespected them. We're still friends but fun fact: she works for the White House as an economist researcher.
I didn't like onions when I was little, maybe around 7. This was my first time having supper over at my new friend's house, being the new kid after having moved to the area after my dad retired from the military, and I was excited to finally fit in. His mom put onions in some dish that I wasn't accustomed to having visible onions in, and I commented that my mom didn't make it that way, but I still ate it. Later on, this kid said that he shouldn't hang out with me anymore because his mom said I was gay (???). I think she got heavily into meth at some point...
I was in a similar situation. I live in a town in Croatia that was razed to the ground in the Homeland war (1991-1995) by Serbian agressors. Now, like in any war, it's not black and white, there were plenty of Serbs on our side, but, well, I started school in 1999 (I was 6). It was a shitty time. The city stank of garbage, it was just hastily patched up, and the wounds were raw - to this day, there are thousands of people missing, and sometimes found in unmarked mass graves.
So. First day, 6yo me befriends a Serbian girl. Nevermind her uncle was missing or other uncles and dad were in the Croatian army, she was still Serbian. Stigma.
My family, on the other hand, is Croatian, but my dad has palsy so he couldn't go to war. Also, he has a law degree and that caused quite a bit of envy in a small town. So - stigma.
I remember, we were in our shabby school, in its broken gym, anda popular little girl sitting in on the other side of a drawn line, saying "Don't sit with her! Sit with us! She's a Serbian." (edit: ironcally, her mom's serbian too)
Suffice to say, I stuck with the Serbian girl. We still see eachother, but the cultural differences and life choices were just too much, I guess.
I also remember correcting her dads speech (Croatian and Serbian are very, very similar) I apologised, and he knew I didn't mean it the way most people did (I was 6!), but she told me years later how he never forgot, because it showed him just how much our lives changed - for good. Still embarrases me, though.
wepo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:22:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I dunno, try finding a good tenderloin sandwich and a sugar cream pie outside Indiana.
cid73 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:35:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I stayed the night at my friends house who came from Morocco. In the morning, his mom made pancakes but as I was eating them I noticed green flakes (in retrospect something like dried basil or parsley, but who knows what my kid brain thought) and an odd taste to them that wasn't sweet and syrupy like I expected. So I discreetly dismissed myself to the bathroom and vomited like crazy.
In my mind I got away with it. Sat back down and was polite and a good guest and pretended to poke around at the plate until it was time to move on. But who knows. I never spent the night over there again.
stufff ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:53:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I absolutely love kimchi but I wouldn't expect a 5 year old to eat it.
Would you hold him to social ettiquitte standards expected of an adult?
stufff ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:30:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, because he's not an adult. He's a 5 year old.
Honestly I feel like if I told most adults who had never had it that I was going to feed them fermented cabbage they probably wouldn't react that well either.
Oh lord. My mother was not a good cook! There are lots of foods I thought I didn't like until I tried them again as an adult and realized it was my mother's cooking.
Mashed potatoes are pretty good if they don't come out if a box. Lol
saac22 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:01:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This reminds me of my 4th grade best friend! I was a quiet kid, and her family had just moved to the US from China. We became really good friends, we'd pass notes in class and she used to make me these little paper stars and little pyramids made out of tape that she'd put little pictures or beads inside of. I actually still have a scented gel pen from China that she gave me that has a tiny bit of ink left in it that I just take a whiff of every once in awhile for the memories.
Anyway, I kind of had the opposite experience as you. I went over to her house a few times, and I guess one day she invited me to go to her church with her. My mom thought it was odd but let me go, and I started going with her family to their church on some nights. Of course it was a Chinese church, and I would help them make food and serve it to everyone. I still remember one of my favorite things that I ever ate was a kind of soup or something with these little dumpling things in it. She eventually moved away and we never stayed connected, but I have some fond memories of her!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:04:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was about 8 and visiting a friend's house and remarked how messy it was. His mom drove me home. Later in life I learned about hoarders and it all clicked. Then I felt bad for multiple reasons.
I had neighbors from Laos (also from Indiana) and he made the best ramen noodles with hot sauce. I was around 7 or so at the time. I asked why the hot sauce had a chicken on the bottle and he said "...because it's chicken blood" and everyone laughed. I loved the stuff and every-time I went over there I asked for crab ragoons or ramen with chicken blood sauce. Tupu (grandpa) always thought it was hilarious that I called it chicken blood sauce. Didn't realize it was Siracha sauce until years later lol
That was her failing, not yours. She was unkind. Imagine if she was a better person and had told you about the food and what it meant to her, in a sincere way. It would have been educational and meaningful. I don't care what culture someone is from, you always have the choice to respond kindly, especially if you're the adult. She's the one who should be ashamed.
Pat_ron ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:44:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In your defense, I didn't experience kimchi until I was 30 and I thought smelled pretty terrible. I had a bite to try it and it tasted worse than the smell prepared me for.
Mmneck ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm surprised a lot of people are commenting about how the mother was overreacting. OP had one experience, and it left him with feeling shame. Think about how the mother must feel. Maybe when she was younger, she had the same experience dozens of times. Class mates telling her that her food is weird constantly, and feeling the shame over and over again. I know OP was only five, but I think that's when you're most affected by this stuff. Maybe I'm ranting, but I guess it's cause I had the same experience when I was about 6 or 7, and I was on the asian side.
I opened up my lunch, and all the people at the table wrinkled their nose. One of them said "Ew, what is that." I told them it was dumplings. He responded, "That's not dumplings, that's 'Yuck'". After a few similar episodes, I stopped bringing my food, and ate school lunch for the rest of my childhood.
I don't think there's any chance that we know each other but I have the exact same core memory!
I'm half Korean and remember collecting pill bugs with my best friend in kidergarten.
My friend also commented on the weird smell of our house and I wanted to share my side of the story. I was embarrassed that our house smelled bad and didn't want to have that feeling again. So I never invited my friend back. Maybe your friend felt the same way.
Not about food, but this reminds me of when I was maybe 10 or so, I was in the car with my neighborhood friend and her family. I had just learned the word PHAT(pretty hot and tempting), so my friend and I decided to call her mom that... I think I'm the only one who said it though. Her mom immediately started crying and asking how I could say that. The dad was yelling and my friend and I were trying to reassure her of what it actually meant, not Fat... Anyway, that lady was a bitch and made me feel horrible and made me go home, even after we explained it. She didn't forgive me for at least a month after.
Whoever came up with phat was a giant asshole that just wanted to have an excuse to call women "fat" to their faces, but have an "nah girl, nah...." excuse if they got pissed off.
I dunno. I just remember it was huge in the mid 90s and girls who knew what it meant didn't take offense to it. It could also just be used as another term for cool, if memory serves me correctly.
I was like a really fat kid. My mom was pregnant and didn't want to deal with me, so she just stuck me in front of the TV with food so I'd shut up. There was only one other obese kid in the whole school.
Where we lived was primarily white, Latino, or black with little in between let alone mixed together. She was the kind of mixed kid where she just looked, well...very different. Her features were sharply Asian, but she had LOTS of freckles and light brown hair.
Definitely a pecking order that neither of us fit into.
I work with kids (most with learning disabilities), and what you said is very normal for someone of that age (with and without learning disabilities). Hell, it's common for 10 year olds. Kids have a limited vocabulary. Weird was just the best word you knew to describe your feeling. That mother was being ridiculous for getting offended by a five year old. You have to get over it, because the kids usually don't realize what they are saying. Kids have innocently called me horrible things, but it would be cruel of me to judge them so harshly. You didn't mean it and that woman was an idiot for being offended by a child.
My mum would make Western foods for my school friends when they came over to play because she figured they wouldn't like the Chinese style home cooking she usually made.
Nah I don't think it's that, like this one dude said it may be that the mother thinks that OP isn't a very nice kid/a bad influence. When I was that young I was always taught to be very courteous to people in their own house.
[deleted] ยท 4762 points ยท Posted at 11:00:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
VTCifer ยท 898 points ยท Posted at 12:39:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dad called a radio station and requested "brown eyed girl" for my birthday. We danced in the living room
Man. I just thought about that, and this is something that I really miss about radio not being as ubiquitous anymore. There is something magical about being able to request a song, and thousands of people would be listening to it at the same time you are.
Weird. Where I live the radio stations take requests all the time. Some only do it at certain times of the day (evening/night), others throughout the day.
[deleted] ยท 142 points ยท Posted at 13:15:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Radio stations still take requests but not as many people listen to the radio anymore. I know that my two teenage daughters stream most everything via spotify and youtube and have for several years now. Even in the car together we always seem to listen to someones playlist via bluetooth and, when I'm alone, I usually listen to an audiobook.
C0rdt ยท 242 points ยท Posted at 14:51:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe if they would play something other than the same 12 songs over and over all day then people would listen?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:02:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Listen to your local stations. I'm in CO so we have CPR, CPR Classical, OpenAir(new music), KUVO (jazz), radio 1190(college station that got popular enough they switched to FM. and I'm sure there's more but I can't recall. Never a commercial, and never will I find the same song on multiple stations.
Dude, even channels on SiriusXM play the same few dozen songs over and over. I've been listening to The Pulse in my car lately because I wanted something different. They play music from the 2000s to today; in the past 3 or 4 days I've heard the song Just Like Fire by Pink probably 5 times.
70s on 7 and 80s on 8 are the same way.
jtlee ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:15:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
SiriusXM The Blend is the station that the restaurant I work at has on every day. I make it a habit of counting how many times I hear a particular song every day and I can usually expect to hear the same ones 3-4 times over the course of a day.
revomer ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:32:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel bad for people with shitty radio stations. My local station is great, and I've really fallen back in love with radio. I get exposed to artists I probably wouldn't have found on my own, and there's something special about having a DJ introduce a track with their personal story or tidbit of trivia or what have you. They also do lots of ticket give aways so I'm always trying to be caller #5.
C0rdt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:51:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My local station is great too because when the hosts actually get to pick the music (before 6am, once per hour after that) it's always something youd never hear anywhere else. The hosts themselves are amazing too - I usually turn it off when the music comes on and just turn back to hear the conversation. It's literally Reddit radio - they just pick the best topics from Reddit and have people phone or text in about that subject.
You mean your station actually plays 12 different songs? Lucky.
Addahn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:59:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My local college radio station plays a lot of local artists and more hip, less "poppy" music. I'm not sure where you live, but I'm sure you could find that type of station if you look for it!
This is exactly why people stream music. I rarely play my playlist on Spotify anymore and just go with the discover station just to hear new music. You can only listen to a song so many times in a day before you never want to hear it again.
CJB95 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:04:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Blame the clear channel/iHeartmedia for that one. XM is better in my experience, especially the specialized channels (Y2Kountry, 80s on 8, 70s on 7, etc)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:15:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Even if they decide to play more than twelve songs, chances are I'm still going to have to listen to music I don't want to hear whereas I'm in in control of what's playing with Spotify.
Check out the KEXP station from Seattle. They stream online and play a huge variety of music. If you happen to be in Seattle it's 90.3fm. They're the only station I listen to now.
Orut-9 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:29:39 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jesus driving to school is the worst. The station I usually listen to plays the same few songs every day. Usually they're doing requests when I go home though. (Depends on the day)
C0rdt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:43:08 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One thing I also find enraging about most stations is that the "request hour" is usually actually less than half requests that should really be on there, and the rest are either completely pre-planned or they are just cherry picking songs they would normally play anyway.
That's what I love about 102.3 Now Radio in Edmonton Alberta - their lunch hour is actually fully listener requested and you are not allowed to pick anything they normally play.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:17:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really radio is just an inferior entertainment technology to streaming, that is okay, not everything lasts forever. I am sure people used to have a lot of meaningful moments fetching water and chopping wood too.
Yeah, but the magic isn't there. Now a days you cha pull up whatever song you want whenever you want with YouTube, spotify and the like. Before the internet the only way to listen to a specific song in the car was you either owned the cd/tape, or you called the radio station.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:55:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah depends on the station. 103.5 KISS FM Chicago and 103.7 Milwaukee are my personal favorites though I am long out of their range now. I visit their webpage and stream, and occasionally call and text them. The KISS FM stations have set times for requests which vary by the day.
The best scheduled activity on 103.7 KISS FM Milwaukee is Friday morning Drunk Jeopardy from like 7-8am.
Then there is 106.1 ENERGY in northern Milwaukee-ish which loves ripping on KISS. Very entertaining. They take requests all day and eventually play through a created playlist.
Now you tweet your requests. No more hoping you get through or calling like 5 times to request your song. I dont even listen to tge radio anymore. More commercials than music and what they do play is shit.
Have you tried listening to alternative radio stations? They usually play stuff that never breaks top 40 or before it's popular. College stations are also great for REALLY alternative/indie music.
We just got one about 6 months ago. It's 104.3 the Shark which got lovingly renamed the Shart about a month later. We haven't had a good alternative station in a while. Also notable: this is south Florida so half of our stations are in Spanish.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm from around Philly and stations take requests all the time. One dj actually takes requests from hand written letters sent to the station only.
I work at a radio station and we very often do requests
vapirer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Where i live, radio stations BOMBARD us with ads. You're listening to a song while driving through terrible traffic (people honking all over the place) and before you know, you're already a minute into a commercial and you've not even realized when the commercial started. And it's the same ads all the time! I wish we had ad free radio channels here.
Yea but I think what he meant was that people couldn't just hear music anytime they wanted unless you owned the record. And far more propel were listening to the radio back then as well.
If it's a ClearChannel station (not sure if they're around where you are) they take requests... but only for the songs they are scheduled to play anyway.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:55:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Back when the internet was new I kinda cheated the system on that one. You could request by email (1998) and I used three different addresses. Got all three songs on the radio, two of them were back to back.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:02:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That triggered a memory for me. My older brother calling in during the request hour to dedicate a song to whoever he was dating at the time.
Worked in radio for a while. Requests lost a lot of luster when you can call up pretty much any song at any time on YouTube. Radio's mystique and coolness has been beaten almost to the point of death
Requests are still a thing, but depending on the station and when you call in you may or may not hear it soon. Possibly the next day due to voice tracking being the popular medium anymore.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:14:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Except that one time your mom drank way too much wine and called and requested a song for her very uniquely named dogs... that three of your friends at school then told you about.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 14:20:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like you just need to find a new radio station, all 4 in my area take requests daily. The top 40 station even has a 1 hour segment for requests called the "4 oclock road block" before "The drive at 5".
seanmg ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:39:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh man. The brown eyed girl thing just hit me in the feels. My dad used to call me that and play it for me. Such good memories.
He died last year and I still can't hear the song without crying. I miss him so much :(
hilburn ยท 445 points ยท Posted at 12:37:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Kids today will never understand what it meant to call up a radio station and request a song for yourself or someone else: "why don't you just get it up on youtube?"
All the music from big labels get blocked because of the GEMA, you should google it if you are interested, my english is not that good to explain it correctly. To give you an idea, Germany is like: "You want to listen to that dope song that was released recently FOR FREE? hell no. And that old time classic? FUCK OFF!"
[deleted] ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 13:48:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't care if or how they gonna track me down, because i know that if they want to they can. I have been in prison and it is considered illegal, and if they get me they get me good. I am just staying on the safe side.
I'm pretty sure that it is impossible to track you down if your VPN provider cares about privacy and doesn't log your activity and if you have a Killswitch/no DNS leaks.
Have you been in prison for piracy? Or something else?
It was something else, but they took my PC for "investigation". I am not that type of person that knows everything about how computers work and stuff, so i cannot be 100% sure they can't track me down. So i rather stay legal. Just personal preference.
I guess I understand if they could put me back in prison for something like that. Sucks though.
egoods ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:12:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I recently visited Germany... it's a true pain in the ass. Hell, I was surprised when my Pandora didn't work (at all, even in France and Belgium), little did I know that NOTHING fuckin works when you're in DE...
Basically, go to /r/music, NOT ONE OF THOSE FUCKING LINKS WORKS.
I find its gotten better lately, lots of labels seem to have separate channels that are GEMA compliant now. Just annoying when ppl link videos or the first results on google don't work...
even more annoying when you want to watch a video that is in no way related to music and but there is a getthoblaster in the background playing something from Sony BMG... blocked!!!
yes!! Also when its the artist's own channel and you just wonder why would you block your own song?? Though the way I understand it the artists get more money through GEMA and google wasn't willing to pay them?
Yes, the GEMA is supposed to pay the artists, but what actually happens is that the small artists get no cent of it, instead the money goes to the big labels and to artists that have enough money anyways. That is the main reason i buy myself a physical copy of the real good stuff, or else we will have only Rihanna or David Guetta in the future.
BTW, the GEMA wanted a tremendous amount of money, it went to court and GEMA lost, so they decided to just block everything they possibly could.
oh, good to know. Thanks for that. Though I suppose we should primarily be mad at the studios, I don't think they're forced to register their songs with the GEMA.
And the worst part is that people don't accept this to be the blatant censorship that it is. They all tolerate it in the name of "copyrights" or some other bullshit. They don't fight it. They don't even notice it anymore and Germans are blissfully unaware of most of the amazing stuff out there as a consequence.
What bothers me most is not the censorship, there are enough ways to get all the music you want. It is the fact that our gouvernment try to make money with everything, even if they have absolutely no right to do it.
zenchan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:45:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Efficient.
Fideua ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:19:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really? I quite like German radio, it's generally a lot better than Belgian radio. Nowadays, I only ever listen to radio when I'm abroad anyway, to practice my languages.
It got a little better in the recent years, but i don't think it is acceptable to hear some songs twice or even three times a day with the amount of music that exists. And when you tune in the next day it repeats again, only in another order. When i play my libary it can run for over a year without a song played twice. That is how i like my music. Personal preference tho.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:27:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ah, to be fair the UK music stations are just as bad for that.
My iTunes library was like that too. I had something like 25-30 gb of music on my Mac. My hard drive crashed a few years ago though. Luckily I backed all of it up on an external hard drive, but unfortunately it's only formatted for a Mac (at least I think that's the problem) so I can't get it to work on a PC. Whenever I plug it in it recognizes that there's something plugged in but it has no idea what it is.
I don't know what you mean with GPM, we do have spotify but when you use it for free you have massive amounts of ads (like 3 times more than others IIRC) and i hate everything about that Apple company so this is nothing i'm going to use. On the other hand, i am actually a music collector and have no issues with buying it.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I have datacap on mobile, and i am not going to pay for music without having a physical copy of it or at least the mp3. I know i am picky, but that's justz me and my addiction to music. I just want to have it, you know...
With Spotify, it's actually pretty convenient cuz you can connect to wifi to save the songs for offline use, so that you can listen on the go without wasting data. Plus I just like discover weekly, which is a list of songs similar to your tastes based on what you've been listening to and it's pretty accurate for me.
Only via Spotify, cuz you're able to save as many songs as your phone holds, so they couldn't exactly give you the mp3 to use. For me, personally, it's really convenient cuz you're legally getting whatever songs and able to find songs you wouldn't have otherwise with all the lists like discover weekly. I've been able to find a lot of really good music like that. I think for new users they do a $0.99 USD for three months premium trial before it goes up, but if you have a student email they'll let you do $5/month after that for like a year.
Just tried iHeart, seems to be blocked as well, i getz to the homepage but anything else gives me a 404. We have some radio apps, but nothing worth to mention.
It works but that would be illegal, and since i have no good connection to the police and gouvernment after i fucked up my youth i don't want to risk going to jail again, piracy is a serious topic in Germany.
jelyons ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Requesting songs off the radio, and recording them onto cassette tapes. All my mix tapes from elementary school were made this way.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:53:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There was something magical about when "my song" came on. It was just so unpredictable, so unexpected. Thats the beauty of radio, you don't know what song will be next. But man when I heard "Regulators, Mount UP" I would lose my shit! Thats my jam I would yell, thats my jam! And dance around in my room to the whole song. I came from a super strict religious family so if I ever had tapes or CDs that were "bad" my mom would take them and break them. I had Snoop taken twice, I loved that beat so much. But no one could take away my radio, thats all I had!
It was just so unpredictable, so unexpected. Thats the beauty of radio, you don't know what song will be next.
I'm a huge movie buff. And what you describe is exactly what it felt like with movies before cable guides were implemented. The only way to know what was on or what was next was an actual paper magazine called the Tv Guide. And it cost money. So if that month my dad decided to impulse buy a Tv Guide on the checkout line at the supermarket then that month we would have a TV guide. But that only happened about once or twice a year. The rest of the time, no TV guide. So I'd be probably 13 years old. It's Friday night. About 11pm or so, maybe midnight. My parents already went to bed and I stayed in the living room doing my favorite thing in the world. Watching movies. I have popcorn, and I'm sitting on cushions on the floor. All lights are off and the only light in the living room comes from the Tv. HBO is on, and a movie just finished. The credits are rolling on the screen. Black background with white letters scrolling on the screen. This is literally my favorite moment of the week. I know that by the time they start showing the names of the songs used in the movie, credits are almost over. Finally I see it. At the bottom. It's the logo for the Motion Picture Association of America. Then, would come a paragraph of legalese, which would close with the same last words at the end of every movie credit sequence: "and criminal prosecution". This is it. Game, set and match. It's over. Screen goes to black. They're about to announce it. My heart races. Any movie ever made could play next. Just imagine the possibilities. Back to the Future? Maybe Diehard? Lethal weapon? Gremlins? E.T.? Anything. Then the HBO music comes on, and the announcer voice kicks in: "Next, on HBO..... Nightmare on Elm Street". FUCK YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
hilburn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It wasn't meant to imply that they're stupid, more that radio is become increasingly less relevant to people's lives, that fewer people listen to music on the radio and (certainly where I live) fewer opportunities to request songs are available.
It means the experience OP had of her dad getting a special song played for her on the radio will be one shared with fewer and fewer people.
I don't doubt that there will be an equivalent to that in whatever new media we use going forward, but it is in many ways a passing of an age.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:42:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
People still listen to the radio plenty. I was a radio DJ just a couple of years ago, and there were plenty of people--kids included--who would call up and request songs. Radio's not quite dead, it's just on its way.
hilburn ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:34:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The stats seem to be very different for the US (where I'm getting a lot of responses from) and the UK (where I'm from). A lot of local music radio stations here (which do requests far more - or at least you get your requests on more frequently) have already closed up, and listening figures for the <20 are insanely low.
My guess is it has a lot to do with driving. There are so many places in the US where you drive everywhere, and when you're tired of your CDs, you just turn on the radio. Whereas my impression of the UK is that far more people rely on public transit, though I may just be getting that impression from my brief time in London and Edinburgh which are obviously not representative of the whole country.
hilburn ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:28:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, certainly going to be a factor. I know people in the states with an 80 mile commute every day, in the UK <10 miles is more normal and you're more likely to public transport/cycle/walk (for < 3 miles at least). London/Edinburgh are certainly outliers in terms of convenience of public transport, but all through the UK a lot of people use it even when it's more awkward.
Also, from my own experience in the states, there is more music on the radio when compared to the UK, which has a lot of panel shows and "talk radio" - hell BBC Radio 4 which has no music has about 15% of all listened hours.
The station we listen to every workday at school (I'm a teacher) has 5 hours a day devoted to listener requests. The senior common room normally has it on full blast and we even heard one of them get a request through once.
Yup, now it's like, "dad put on Spotify on his shitty smart phone speakers and I don't remember what we listened to because it was on shuffle and it was just serving as background noise"
I don't know man, Rachael didn't seem to like it that much
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:49:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You can still call a radio station for requests. At some point during a road trip we are destined to drop into 3g because of the area, reach data limits, low battery and forgot the cord in the luggage tucked away in back, or drop off the cellular radar entirely.
A good radio station has good people doing the PR on air. Listening to them is like drinking a fresh glass of cool water. It is more than just a request :)
Or standby the radio with a tape on the deck and your finger on the record button ready to capture your favorite song.
The art of making mix tapes!
hilburn ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:31:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember one of my friends had a neat thing which could buffer the radio for a few seconds before it was recorded - gave you that little bit longer to react
Zammin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:27:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a 24 year old man, I know what it's like to work at a radio station and have someone call to request a song.
The same song, "Dog Days" by Florence and the Machine. Every week. Same caller.
I have a less romantic view on this. At least the song is good.
I did this on Saturday night! My SO and I were eating dinner and drinking wine in the kitchen and listening to the radio. We called up a local Northern Soul station and asked for Reggie Garner Hotline and were jumping around and dancing with excitement when the DJ said our names. Sometimes those nights are better than going out.
KTPU ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:05:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm 20, Definitely still a thing. Bitches love that shit.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But kids today can jerk off in a bathroom at an airport using 60fps porn.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I still do it in the UK. I've called/written in and had requests and messages played/read out for every girl I've ever dated. They fucking LOVE it, especially if you can get onto a primetime show.
Plus I've had a few stupid requests played for mates.
nah we get it. i think it's just that we have really varied music tastes + we don't want to deal with ads so we go for streaming instead of radio. also, apples radio station beats1 has a 2 hour block every day where they only play requested songs aha
hilburn ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:27:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
On average US teens listen to the radio for ~16% of the time they are listening to music. According to the same study, 42% is downloaded and 31% is streaming.
The average amount of time spent listening to the radio is dropping overall relatively quickly ~18% from 2010-2015, with current teenagers listening to about half as much radio as older people. Also worth noting that these figures include all radio listening, not just music.
Trying to get Pandora to play a particular song is a similar experience. Make a "brown eyed girl" station and there's about a 50% chance that you will hear the song in the next hour.
I'm a kid and I understand it. I mean, I also am old enough to remember using VHS and TV's with antennas. I also remember AOL Internet and it's respective browser, and, unfortunately, I remember Windows Vista. I was born in 2002.
That may be true, but you know what's awesome? Typing a few key words into a search engine and having access to any song in the world at your finger tips. I'm sick and tired of older generations claiming to have had it better back in the day, or how everything was so much more magical and amazing before the technology of today. It wasn't better before us. It isn't better now. Every generation has been great in one way or another. You had the radio for music back when you were younger, we have the internet. Perhaps when older people say how much better things were back in the day, or how awesome it was and how kids won't know that feeling today, it's just their pathetic attempt at trying to feel special and young and cool again, but in all reality they're getting old.
Sorry to hear about your dad. He left you with happy memories of that song, however, so he'll always be with you whenever you hear that song in the future.
Really sorry for your loss... Sounds like a great man.
My dad used to do the same for my mother with The Seekers' "I'll Never Find Another You" and sing along when it came on the radio. She used to laugh it off as something equally cute and annoying.
When he passed on, we played it out loud as we sent him off. It's a tune that triggers so much emotion in me now (mostly happiness as it evidenced the love my parents had).
The 'Brown Eyed Girl' thing made me tear up because it's just like something my Dad would do, and your comment made me lose it. I'm sorry for your loss, it sounds like you and your old man had a great relationship. Tons of love.
I'm sorry for your loss. I won't say it gets easier, but it changes with time and becomes something you learn to cope with. The love will always stay with you :)
My dad requested Sweet Sixteen by Neil Sedaka for my 16th birthday. We always listened to oldies together. The DJ even included a special message for me from my dad. It was so sweet.
Years later I'm digging through some stuff in the house and find a CD labeled "birthday radio". He had taped it and put it on a CD for with a bunch of other birthday songs for me.
No words can express the sadness. Lost my dad 3 years ago and while I want to say that it hurts less and less with time, its really that it hurts less often.
Remember the good times and fuck the what ifs and the shouldas
Making love in the green grass behind the stadium.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:05:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My ex used to refer to herself as my brown-eyed girl and play that song when we were together (back in my college days)......then I found out she boned a whole fraternity so.........fuck that song.
I used to have great memories of my stepdad singing that to me, until I grew up and realized the song is about Butt Sex....Yeah, I don't listen to it much anymore...
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:53:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You prolly already know this, but it was originally "brown skinned girl". That was too racy for the time, so he had to change it.
I'm teary eyed, this was beautiful, thank you for sharing.
juicius ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:02:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This sparks a memory. At a formal, I danced with my date to the "Brown Eyed Girl" singing it meaningfully as I stared into her eyes. At the conclusion, she said quietly, "My eyes are green."
Sheesh. Maybe. If the light catches them just right. But they were definitely more brown than green.
[deleted] ยท 317 points ยท Posted at 12:48:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nah, they never reported the masturbation.
There was a Brazilian woman who lived there and I could frequently see her topless and smiling as she did stuff around the kitchen. As a teenager I may have been less stealthy than I imagined and I'm pretty sure she got a kick out of it.
My boyfriend always closes the curtains when I'm walking around naked so the kindly elderly man next door doesn't see, but I'm like "let the old geezer have a peek!"
[deleted] ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 13:24:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In retrospect, pretty good but not my favorites.
At the time? They were reliable, seen in real life, I was a teenager, I did not have the internet access of today, and it felt really taboo. They were a gift from God as far as I was concerned.
kliman ยท 33 points ยท Posted at 13:28:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It doesn't matter how many internets you have...real life boobs that you "aren't supposed to see" is one of the most exciting things in the world.
[deleted] ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 13:28:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
around here, a walking trail would give you an endless supply of blowjobs for crack for your viewing pleasure.
Mksiege ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:29:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like I must add I am in a family friendly neighborhood. The walking trail is used by families out with their kids, or kids in bikes/skateboard/whatever.
That would be an interesting sighting, though.
dorekk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:54:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom used to make me and my sister shut the door without slamming it 10 times for every slam.
I quickly decided it was never worth the embarrasment of the family watching you have to do this silly thing. My sister though, she is very stubborn. She thought she could "win" against my mom and she would get to the last one and slam it shut, and my mom would make her start all over again. It got to where she was just boiling over with anger because she could not out stubborn my mom, and every time she slammed it and got ten more we would eventually all be laughing hysterically, because her fit was always over something trivial anyway. So she would sometimes have to do 60-100 door closes and every time she slammed on the last one and had to start again and we all laughed so hard. She would get mad at us laughing and slam some more but eventually she would resign and realize she was looking incredibly foolish and petulant and that she was never going to win against my mom.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 14:58:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes my core memories were much more wooden-spoon related than giggling hysterically. Unless the hysterical giggling led to the wooden-spoon smacking. Then i guess i can check that box
I only ever managed to get the wooden spoon once but my god, after that all my mum had to do was make the slightest hint and I'd stop misbehaving straight away.
Still annoyed about the time I got it though, it was my sisters fault - I didn't even know what I was doing. Luckily she got it too though or I would never have let go of it haha.
Got about 10 years before my oldest is a teenager but I'm going to save this until then.
xotg19 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom did this as well and I used to slam it shut on the last one also. I hated it so much, honestly it was the most annoying punishment in the world. To this day I still go into rapid explanation mode anytime a door accidentally slams around my mom.
Because as a parent you're in a permanent state of hyper-awareness for sudden injury, screaming, or breaking. A slammed door is an unnecessary jolt to an already overburdened alarm system.
It plants the idea of consequences for actions. That's only harmful if you think raising your kid to think about consequences is bad.
sekva ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:47:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
You can't ignore the other unforeseen consequences, such as growing resentment and losing dialogue and transparency with your child by taking away their privacy and establishing that is something that can be taken away at any moment. The "lesson" behind this is that the child can't trust their parents or that next time he/she should just not get caught. It's not as straightfoward as you make it out to be.
And I'm not saying there shouldn't be consequences to their actions or that teaching kids to follow rules is wrong. It's just that punishment is proven to create other consequences beyond those you planned to achieve. Fear and anger do not lead to respect.
Removing the door would not be the initial reaction. If the problem was door slamming, step one might be a discussion of how slamming the door is not an appropriate way of dealing with a problem. Step two would be further explaining that door slamming could damage our home and that won't be tolerated. Step three would likely be a final discussion about how the next incident will be responded to by the removal of the door.
sekva ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:31:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
But never in this logic it is being discussed why the child is slamming doors in the first place! Prohibiting that specific behaviour instead of understanding its causes can lead to infinite other behaviours with a similar function (let's take having a say in decision-making), such as smoking, swearing, running away, beating others, engaging in promiscuous sex, etc.
Are you willing to adress each and every one of these behaviours separately or should you take a step back and see the bigger picture?
But never in this logic it is being discussed why the child is slamming doors in the first place!
I have a feeling you just want to argue.
Step one was the discussion of why slamming a door isn't appropriate. Built into that discussion would be finding an appropriate reaction to whatever triggered the upset in the first place.
sekva ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:59:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a feeling you just want to argue
Not at all, just trying to understand where you were getting at. Sure, if you treat door slamming as a symptom of a bigger issue and are willing to work with them in building better ways to deal with it, that's awesome. I mistakenly read your first comment as one of those parents who just want their kids to stop being annoying and are unwilling to listen to them. Cheers!
An even better one is replacing door with cardboard door. How funny would that be seeing an angry teen slam a piece of cardboard
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My girlfriend's roommate needs this done to her. She pees like six times a night and slams the bathroom door and her bedroom door. Nobody ever taught her how to turn the goddamn doorknob before closing the door.
I know it's fucked up, what I meant was is it uncommon. I didn't know what privacy was until I was 18, they read my texts in entirety, controlled every form of media to filter out anything they didn't want me to watch (anything over pg-13 til the day I moved out at 18.) and didn't allow me to go anywhere or do anything without adult supervision. And they wonder why at 20 years old I still have a lot of trouble taking care of myself. My parents, well my dad and stepmom, are the fucking definition of helicopter parents. lovely people, fucking horrible parents.
Disclaimer: although my parents were very controlling, I do believe they were doing what they thought was right. I was never an easy child to deal with, I've had trouble with school, authority, depression, and at around 14 I started self medicating with illicit drugs. I didn't make it easy on them, but they didn't make it easy on me either. I still love them though.
Holy shit dude lmao I feel you
I've never seen anyone else say that last sentence ab their parents bc I say that to every therapist/doctor/psychologist
I turned 20 a month ago. Parents these days are getting more and more invasive on their child's lives and it's not a good thing. I thought about killing myself everyday from 16-18 and whaddya know, once I decided enough was enough and moved 2000 miles away, I got a lot better. Fuck that toxic ass household.
Sounds like you're still harboring some bitterness/anger about how you were raised. Have you ever seen/spoke to a professional about this? I know you may not still be in the house but bottling those feelings is no bueno.
Nah, I love my parents. At the end of the day they were trying their best. There were 5 other kids they had to deal with besides me, so they figured monitoring every little thing I did was the best way to keep me out of trouble since I sure as hell wasn't doing a great job at it. I understand where they are coming from, it just pissed me off that I was the only one that got in trouble. If any of my 5 sisters did something they weren't supposed to it was a slap on the wrist, if I leave the house for 5 minutes without telling anyone my door comes off again lol. When you're treated like a criminal your entire life by the only people you've ever had the chance to trust, you eventually just become a criminal to make it easier on yourself.
Edit: I actually still talk to my dad all the time. As soon as I moved out he started treating me as an adult, we've talked about the shit we've done and said to each other and it's behind us. We both made shit decisions when dealing with each other. I love the dude, I just can't live with him.
I'm 22 and this happened to me in my teenage years. But my home situation wasn't like u/detectivejewhat because my parents were totally in the right to do it, even though it seemed like total bullshit at the time. Actually, my dad threatened to take off my 12 year old sister's door a few days ago, and if it ever did happen then she would probably deserve it too
Mksiege ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 15:39:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
What did you do, or your sister is doing, that would justify removing your door?
As someone who never had this threatened upon, less so actually done, it seems unjustifiable to me.
It mostly had to do with attitude, secrecy, and lying for my sister, but it was just a threat. I doubt she'll do anything bad enough anytime soon to warrant it actually happening.
As for me, I was just a huge shit from ages 14-16 that was busy sneaking out of the window to do naughty things with my boyfriends and smoke cigarettes in order to cope with my depression and eating disorder that were slowly tearing me apart. My parents knew that I was going through some shit but I shut them out instead of letting them help me, so they did what they could to try to prevent me from doing things I shouldn't have been doing that they couldn't really prove I was doing. I grew up, realized life was worth living, pulled myself mostly out of the bad shit, and now my parents are probably my best friends.
Losing your bedroom door for a while isn't the end of the world. I left mine open most of the time just because I didn't care to close it. Most people have a bathroom to change in or do other private... activities.
The kinds of little things reddit drops their jaw over is ridiculous. You must have been the whiniest kids.
I'm sure by now you've realized by now that everyone is "different", right? Usually it's girls who go up in arms about losing a door because they're tweens who are raging with hormones and witty remarks.
I didn't have a lock, but would put stuff in front of the door, if I needed privacy. The last time I remember, I was making her Christmas present. She barged in hard (upset about the "lock" not something I did).
I dove on top of her present, and yelled back while she was mid-bellow and said, "It is that time of the year, if you want a Christmas present, get out." We never had a problem when I "locked" the door, again.
To be fair, I did follow her after covering up the present to find out what she came for originally and did whatever chore she came in for originally.
Why is locking your door a punishable offence? Wtf?
sekva ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:51:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly! Maybe they should be investigating why their child feels the need to lock the door in the first place (such as having invasive and controlling helicopter parents)
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 14:33:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I locked my door because i was 13 and I wanted to masturbate a dozen times per day in privacy.
To remove a door all you have to do is pull the bolts out of the hinges. To remove a locking mechanism you have to unscrew the entire knob and you're left with a variety of parts. At least at my childhood home.
Idk why but I envisioned OP's lock to be one of those sliding bolt locks, which would be easy to remove. I imagine that more modern doors would be more sophisticated.
Yeah, my parents removed all the locks once I started locking my little sister in rooms. A permanent solution to locked door problems. But they never took the doors away.
My mom took my bedroom door off when she caught me smoking cigarettes in my room when I was 16 (she found the mug I was using as an ashtray). I had a few friends who had similar things happen for similar reasons. Once I came clean with her and told her that it was indeed me smoking cigarettes in there (and not my friend as I had originally told her), she put my door back on and made a pact with me that we would both stop smoking. She'd smoked most of my life, and I think she blamed herself. But we quit together, so the whole thing ended up being a good thing.
It isn't about not slamming doors or even having a lock. If the thought of your door being taken off the hinge is "insane" to you....Then you grew up, idk if privileged is the word...lucky? IDK but you didn't get punished ever.
And before you say maybe you didn't do anything to be punished...Every kid does.
If the first thing that pops into your mind is "insane" when you think of this punishment, yeah. I mean it's understandable if you haven't heard of it or it's strange to you. But to think it's literally insane, that kind of implies you don't get punished because this isn't very insane.
My parents rarely grounded me or gave me actual punishments. My dad would just scream at me and then talk at me for hours on end about what a fuckup I was.
Ah you think doors are your ally? You merely adopted the door. I was born behind it, molded by it. I didn't see my parents until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but expected.
Can't speak for others, but in my house the idea was that my privacy would be respected, nobody would enter without knocking first if the door was closed, but locking the door wasn't allowed. I guess because it could be a safety thing, if I locked the door overnight and there was an emergency that I didn't notice and didn't wake up for. Never really thought about why; it just made sense to me at the time.
I lost my door for locking it except without the whole "we respect your privacy" thing. I was like 15 and after my parents walked in on me changing for like the 50th time I started locking it while I changed. I got caught basically immediately and lost my door privileges for years.
Similarish story, though my family wasn't quite as insane. My mother and step-father refused to ever respect my privacy. They'd barge in whenever they wanted, which infuriated me because I could be changing. I tried to ask them to knock before coming in which resulted in something even more infuriating; they'd knock and them immediately open the door. When I tried to tell them this also wasn't acceptable and didn't solve the problem I asked them to wait until I say they can come in. THEN they would knock and wait. I'd ask "Yes?" or "Who is it?" and they'd come in, taking my question as a statement that they could enter.
I finally just started locking my door. You wouldn't believe how often I'd hear one of them try and door, find it locked, knock, and ask to come in after that. They complained about it and I told them in no uncertain terms that if I could trust them to respect my privacy I wouldn't lock the door.
But even knowing how bad they could be, I couldn't see them ever removing my door entirely.
ffisch ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:03:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly. For us it was the same way, we didn't lock the bathroom door either in case there was some sort of emergency. Also I had a friend who lost the lock on his door because he would lock the door and go out the window at night when he was supposed to be sleeping.
We were allowed to lock the bathroom door, but that's probably because the outside of the doorknob had instead of a keyhole a vertical slit by which the door could be opened just by inserting and turning any object that fit.
I've never understood the emergency thing. Most inside doors I've seen are far from sturdy, I've broken one on accident before. I'm pretty sure I, or anyone in my house, could shatter one of its hinges pretty easily if they needed to.
I can see that being true, but if it were a non-destructive emergency then it would certainly be a pain to have to destroy the door and replace it later, plus it's absolutely quicker to just open the door. As long as everyone knocks and is told "come in" before entering, locking doors seems almost always unnecessary. Also worth noting though is that I didn't really spend that much time in my room; in my house, bedrooms were pretty much exclusively for sleeping, if you were awake then you weren't in your bedroom.
Still makes sense to me, up to a certain age. I feel like after age 15 or so you should be considered responsible enough to lock your door, but I would not feel comfortable with a 6 year old being able to lock himself in a room.
I'd probably just replace the door with one that is unlockable rather than making locked doors a punishable offense, though.
That's like saying why is going outside or to a friends house a problem when referring to a kid running away from home. It's obviously not the act of going outside(or locking your door)
But the way you answered the question (of why a door removal is justified) in the first place gave the impression that the parents found something wrong with locked doors, not that they were removing the doors as a punishment for disobedience. You made it sound like parents were punishing children who attempted to have privacy.
dorekk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:57:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Went to a school for kids who were kicked out of their school. A bad kid school if you will. One day I went to visit my friend from the bad kid school and he didn't have a bed frame a door or any chairs. He broke them and his dad took his door. Also he was in a gang called the crickets and he was the first person I knew who smoked weed. We were like 12
Single mum here. I removed my son's door a couple of years ago when he was maybe 10-11 cause he'd bang it closed when he got mad. I warned him about it. No door for a week and he learned his lesson.
acejohn ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:11:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents removed my door one time. But not as a punishment. The handle broke and me and my three siblings had locked ourselves in there for a couple hours. Or days. Felt like days but my parents insist it was at most a couple hours.
I did that to my son for slamming his door, repeatedly. It was becoming a habit, and it taught him not to take his door for granted. If he wanted the privacy of being alone when he was angry, he wasn't going to be slamming shot on the way there. It probably only lasted a couple days, but he doesn't slam his door anymore, so there's that.
Obviously for slamming it in anger. Mine was removed multiple times as a kid/teen and I used to replace it with a sheet held up by thumb tacks. Perfect punishment.
eulerup ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:32:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I spent probably... Half my pre-teen/ early teen years without a bedroom door. I was an angsty 13 year old and slamming it and locking myself in the bedroom was one of my favorite means of expression. Clearly the punishment wasn't enough deterrent.
(My younger brother was smart enough to slam the door to the garage instead. Parents didn't take away his door, even though with his hormone fueled man strength (16 or 17 and jacked at the time) he caused some damage.)
My preteen got mad at me and went upstairs and slammed it. The look on his face when I took it off it's hinges was priceless. No door has been slammed (by any of the children) since.
My parents did the same thing but i was a dumb teenager and i knew i royally fucked up for it to happen. I dont remember what i did but knowing how i was im sure it was justified.
If she was doing something dangerous it makes sense. Taking it away just for locking it like other posters are suggesting is psychotic imo.
hochizo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:04:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents took my brothers away for refusing to open it. They didn't care if we locked our doors as long as we opened them when they asked us to. He refused to do that, so they took the door. So...it was technically for locking it, but there was more to it than that.
T_Momo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This was a frequent punishment for my younger sister who had serious anger issues and would constantly break the rules (typical rebellious teenager crap). I specifically remember one time my mom told her that she was grounded and would be losing her bedroom door so my sister saved my mom the trouble and actually ripped the door off the hinges and threw it down the steps. XD
I got my bedroom door taken away once for slamming it after arguing/talking back to my parents. I was maybe 8 or 9 and they put it back on after about two days.
My mother took away our bedroom door after I slammed it, we didn't get it back until we moved 3 years later. It made furtive tv watching or phone talking after lights out nearly impossible
My mom did the same, often, until I recently left.
Rc2124 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:17:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Happened to my sister. She stole a pregnancy test from a local drug store in 7th grade for one of her friends and was arrested. She'd been increasingly rebellious and my dad had had enough. After picking her up from jail he removed her door, painted her walls a dull beige (from her black and purple), removed her bed frame so that her mattress was just on the floor, confiscated most of her clothes, and gave her a predetermined outfit every morning. She hated it, but she never stole again, so I guess it has some effect
My dad took off my bedroom door when I was 16 or 17. I don't really remember, although he remembers it proudly. I was constantly fighting with my mom, and would run down the hall and slam my door afterwards. After the millionth time, she asked him what he was going to do about it. So he took off my door. He says I hung a sheet immediately, and started blasting music. He was proud that he made my mom happy, and proud that I continued to fight the man. I love my parents, and I'm glad I put their parenting skills to test. Haha.
Everyone here seems to think this is a normal, useful punishment, but I think it's ridiculous. My wife's parents do this to her teenage sisters all the time and I just cringe. There's other ways to punish them. They're teenagers, they need privacy. Half the reason they get in trouble all the time is because they're always being forced to be around each other and their parents. Let them sit in their room, it's what they do.
losing my bedroom door as punishment for something or other
Hah, my parents did this too. Usually after I got caught jacking off.
Eventually they decided the whole door was a hassle and just started taking the doorknob. I don't think they got around to putting it back on between the last time they took it and when I left for college.
getting the big bookshelves in my bedroom all set up.
I shared a room with my sister and we had bookshelves built by a neighbor. Mine was orange and hers was blue. When we were bad, mom would hang a sheet over the front and tell us to keep out.
Awesome list... I can relate to a couple of them but your first one hit me right in the feels... I have an 18 month old daughter with big beautiful brown eyes and sing that song to her all the time and spin around with her smiling at me. Your memory made me more cognizant that I am building my own similar one and hopefully hers on a daily basis. Thanks for the big smile first thing in the morning.
losing my bedroom door as punishment for something or other
OMG I thought my dad was the only one who did weird punishments like this!
I never made it to the full door removal phase, but my sister did several times. In fact there was a period of several months or even a year that she had no door because she was just too stubborn to admit that she even gave a fuck about punishments at all.
For us though it was for slamming doors. First offense and you'd have to open and close the door quietly 100 times. If you slammed your door again in too soon a time period, you got your doorknob taken off. I think this was so you just kept your door open since it was tricky to unlatch without the knob, but we all figured it out eventually. This phase I got to several times over the years. Finally if that still didn't stop you from slamming your door my dad would remove it completely and keep it in this sort of punishment shrine in the basement. Presumably so we could drool over it and think about what we'd done to get to this point.
He was also a fan of grounding us from furniture for leaning back in chairs at the dinner table.
losing my bedroom door as punishment for something or other
That was some bull shit! I'm pretty sure I didn't have a door for like a year between '92 and '93. My dad actually apologized for it later on.
deardot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
losing my bedroom door as punishment for something or other
I don't know why this surprised me that it happened to someone else. It was the worst punishment ever for me since my room open into the main living area of the house.
I used to have fond memories with my parents but they've treated me like crap from preadolescence onward so all the crap has outshone the happy times.
I guess my core memories are the day my adoption was finally finalized. They had me since I was 2 months old but my bio mom never signed the papers because apparently she wasn't receiving the pictures of me or the letters she was promised (case point 1. Parents are assholes). They took me to one of those indoor huge play structures.
Next is them getting a divorce a year or so later. I don't want to go with my mom, I wanted to stay with dad. He was driving away and I was running after him begging him to take me too.
Next was living in the Women's shelter with my Mom for a little while. Then staying with my creepy uncle and his family in a 2 bedroom apartment - 3 adults 3 kids.
Meeting my moms new bf for the first time. He's the only man I call Dad these days even though they've been split up since I was 13.
All my first days at school - each new year I was in a different school. I stayed at one school from grade 5-7 , in grade 7 they set me back after a couple months. I skipped kindergarten because I could read but because of this I was always the youngest in class and they decided I should do grade 6 again. Moved to another school for grade 7-part of 8. Moved to another school for end of 8-9 moved yet again for high school.
As soon as I was out of school I moved to Vancouver. Ran out of money so I started selling myself on the Internet. I did this enough to keep myself afloat until I got a place and a job.
Everything that's happened since has been a continuation of my shitty life, a life that my shitty parents laid out for me. Now that I'm older I'm working on me, developing emotional skill sets, trying to make sense of what went wrong then and how I can fix my future and end the shite. I have to because now I have two kids and I need to not make the shitty choices my parents made and bestowed upon me. I've left out a lot, but I'm trying to just lay out my core memories. The sad part is the happiest time of my life was being an escort.
When I was 8 or so and on my way from Philly to the Outer Banks NC (I REALLY like pirates :) )Brown Eyed Girl came on the radio when I was with my dad. It wasn't specifically for me being that I am not brown eyed or a girl, but I liked the song so I asked him not to change it. He responded a smile and said "Van Morrison? Just like your mom.." then proceeded to sing the whole thing along with the radio. By the time we got to North Carolina I wouldn't stop singing it myself, and it became my favorite song in the world. From then on I would listen to it on repeat, as children do. Flash forward a few years, and it came on one of my playlists when I was hanging out with a friend. Me and her swapped Dad's introducing us to Brown Eyed Girl stories, and now we date :)
Losing the bedroom door! I used to get this for slamming it. I thought I was the only one. Also my dad would cut the power to my room if I played my music too loud and disobeyed requests to turn it down
One of my favorite memories is of my dad and I dancing to the radio in the morning making breakfast. I'd put my feet on his and if it was a faster song he would twirl me around like a fancy dancer. Then we would eat mickey mouse pancakes :)
losing my bedroom door as punishment for something or other
YES! This is one of my core memories too. Gotta love it. At one point my door and almost all my furniture and belongings were in the hallway. "Privacy is a privilege" as my dad would say
Mmneck ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:20:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dad called a radio station and requested "brown eyed girl" for my birthday
Ha I used to think my father was so unique and creative for taking the door away as punishment! I guess this is a much more common thing than I thought.
'I'd like to request the song 'smack my bitch up' for my girl. You know who you are honey'
knubbze ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if it is just me being perverted, but the first bullet point made me think of something like, your dad calling a radio station and requesting a "brown eyed girl" (stripper) as a surprise for your birthday. And then you danced w/ said stripper in the living room. May also be because I don't know "brown eyed girl"
nic131 ยท 3010 points ยท Posted at 11:43:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I went to an ice cream shop with my dad when I was little. In front of us was a mother and her son, a bit younger than me, who had just ordered a cone. She handed it to the boy, and he dropped it. He started crying immediately, and she had the most loving and comforting voice that everything would be okay, that these things happen. She cleaned him up, the floor, and got another cone, without one ounce of bitterness. I looked at my dads face and he had envy and hurt in his eyes. A few months prior, that situation had happened with my brother and mom, and she yelled at him for the ride home for dropping his food while he cried.
It really impacted the type of person I wanted to be. For myself, and for my father. A few years ago, my father brought that moment up to me as a turning point in his life as well.
Teenage years, when I had miscarried a baby I didn't even know I was carrying. I was at a very low point for a lot of reasons in those few months, and for about a month after I was a wreck. I decided to change for the better, with a new set of friends that I still love today, a career choice that I am happy with, and taking better care of my health- mentally and physically.
I'm sure there are plenty of others, but those two are pivotal points in my life.
Edit: Guys. I Squeed. Gold. This made my day. Thank you internet stranger. I'd buy you ice cream if I could.
Have a fantastic day everyone <3
Your first one reminds me of an incident that happened with my mom when I was a kid.
My mom took me to a fair and I was begging her to let me play one of those tin can throwing games. She didn't want to because she thought it was a waste of money but in the end she relented.
I failed dramatically and missed almost all shots. Each time I missed she would pinch my arm real hard because she was annoyed with me 'wasting money' . I remember looking to the side and there was this kid who was with his family. They were laughing and encouraging him and he seemed so happy. At that moment I just felt so sad. It happened more than 20 years ago and I remember that moment like it was yesterday.
[deleted] ยท 497 points ยท Posted at 12:37:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My turning point like that was when my ex was having abdominal pain, and we went to the ER. They had her take a pregnancy test, and while awaiting the results, I told her I'd always be there for her and the kid if she was pregnant. She responded with "I have enough kids to take care of already between you and the dog, so I fucking hope not." I had been working 10-16 hour days to put a roof over our head, and she had been whining lately about me not doing enough around the house in addition to that (she worked pt at a coffee hut, so did most of the housework), so that really stung.
I went from "not really ready for a kid, but damn ready to step up to the plate," to "damn I hope this women isn't the mother of my kids, because I've seen how she treats those that care about her."
Chiakii ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 15:08:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Good on you for finding out before it was to late. Sad to hear nonetheless.
Cheers mate!
wydidk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:25:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow what an ungrateful bitch! I hope this was a long time ago and it worked out for you.
Yes. We broke up soon after. This was almost ten years ago.
wydidk ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:35:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Good, hopefully she found a guy that sits on his ass and drinks beer all day ;)
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:21:29 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No..just no. Wishing a poor life on someone is awful, even jokingly. Hopefully she found somebody who helped her grow and mature, and she helped him as well.
wydidk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:25:53 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're right, I apologize. I depend on Karma (not reddit Karma, lol) a little too much is my own personal life.
[deleted] ยท 112 points ยท Posted at 13:37:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 34 points ยท Posted at 15:32:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I just absolutely cannot wrap my head around how people feel ok about speaking to others that way. I know it happens (I've been a server, so I know all too well), but it's still an abstract concept to me. I just... how does someone's brain allow them to act like that and not feel immediately humiliated about it? How do they even manage to get the words out without seeing the look on the other person's face and feeling like a tool? It sincerely does baffle me.
Thats kind of funny. I actually really hate kids a lot, and a lot of people in general. Well, maybe not hate hate, but im not particularly fond of them either. But whenever it comes to personally interacting with them, i always act as polite and caring as possible, even when they start givin me the attitude n all. Hmm, its an interesting thought
I think there's a difference between "not liking kids" and doing something to hurt an animal - especially considering animals aren't ever really aware why they've been treated like shit because they can't link events like people can.
Except we aren't talking about "not liking kids" and "doing something to hurt an animal." We're talking about "people who treat kids like shit" and "animal cruelty."
Mistreated kids grow up to become employers, voters, parents, etc. Animals typically die within the decade, and most of them die to feed another animal. I love dogs as much as the next guy, but it's really no comparison at all.
You likely kill animals almost every day. If you don't directly, your food source does. To claim that animal pain is more important than child pain is ridiculous.
Yes I kill animals, but what does that factor in to anything?
And telling a kid to piss off is better, in my books, than kicking a dog. That was how I framed the above post, you may have thought they meant something different, that's your prerogative.
That was how I framed the above post, you may have thought they meant something different, that's your prerogative.
I'm saying your comment was pointless/off-topic because it wasn't what we were talking about. I can say that murdering humans is worse than spitting on dogs, for example. It doesn't contribute to the discussion, and doesn't make you wrong, even if it's a true statement.
Someone specifically said "animal cruelty", which is a defined term, then someone replied "I'd rather someone who was shit to kids than exercised animal cruelty". My comment referenced that. It wasn't off-topic - your "you still kill animals, their pain is less important" was further off-topic (and seemed more like anti-vegan rhetoric).
So in the interests of stopping this conversation, good day stranger.
Some people don't know how to treat children with love and kindness because their parents never treated them that way. Some try but you can't reprogram an entire childhood that easily.
Yeah because there is always the possibility that you have kids or are babysitting or something like that and then what are you going to do? You're going to have to babysit not just the kids but also your partner. And if you have kids then it's even worse because there are always those small things that parents can do that are so hurtful but the other parent won't know about it.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:34:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd say so - even the ones who don't want kids it applies pretty well to.
Arch4ik ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 14:23:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Similar experience about 6 months ago. I had been dating a girl for about 8 years, engaged for 2. She was so negative all the time and generally wasnt very pleasant to be around. Eventually i couldnt take it any more and broke it off. Went about my life as a single guy for awhile. Tested out the Plenty of Fish dating app and met this amazing woman. I have now been dating this chick for about 2 months and Im already infinitely happier than any of my time spent with my ex.
dude, nice people are like the best. i aspire to be one of them.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:36:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Was the moment you realised that she wasn't the same person also a turning point in your life?
Chiakii ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 14:49:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Was it John Cena?
If its not a joke I don't understand the question, sorry.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:11:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Idk I'm bad with English I just wanted to hear your story about her lol
Chiakii ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:24:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Was the moment you realised that she wasn't the same person also a turning point in your life?
Yeah thats what I said, right?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:53:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
His username isn't relevant to his question to the OP. He wasn't making a joke, he was just asking if his ex being so negative in that moment changed his outlook on her.
Fysio ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:30:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
After a handful of relationships like your former explanation, one of the latter found me. I'd just quit looking, and was only in 'for fun' relationships. She's so lovely - it's been almost 2 years of awesome.
nic131 ยท 416 points ยท Posted at 14:38:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nothing special. From what I have observed over my life, my parents hate each other. They are together for convenience. My mom got sick when I was a teenager and it made her an even more bitter person to be around. I can't say she was very present in my life after 8 or 9 years old, though we lived in the same house, which I've come to view as a good thing. I'm just not the daughter she wanted.
Luckily my dad stepped up to care for me when she didn't. I can't even begin to list the things that he has done for me over the years. Just being there for me in everything I have done is more than enough, but he has given me opportunity to do what I've wanted.
He sounds like an amazing person. make sure you let him know. He will appreciate it.
nic131 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:03:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I will. I actually can't wait to see him again and tell him about this thread, and the impact it has had on others. He'd be just as happy about it as I am.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:00:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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Zaddis ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:06:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dropping food is understandable with stressful conditions. But getting sick? That's completely out of your control.
A good friend of mine was in the store with his nephew who started having a tantrum over candy or some stupid toy. It escalated to the point where the kid was on the floor flailing his limbs and screaming.
My buddy nick had had enough. He laid down and did the exact same thing. Middle of the store.
His nephew immediately stopped and told him that he was embarrassed by him and that he looked weird. Nick just calmly looked at him and said "and how do you think I felt about your behavior then?"
That kid has not had a temper tantrum since and that was like 5 years ago. It really stuck with him, I guess.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:25:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. Canadaland. Sledge is used very rarely and specifically. The most common usage I can think of is sledge hockey. Google it, it's pretty cool. Sled and sleigh and sliding are most used. A sled can also refer to a snowmobile.
Tbf, what with the frequency of snow in the UK, the topic doesn't come up very often. Sleigh tends to be used specifically with regards Santa Claus, though.
Your first bullet point resonates with me in a way nothing has before. My oldest daughter is 6 and quite clumsy, and I get frustrated with her when she spills food / drinks. It seems like every time we give her a glass of something, it winds up spilled.
I'm done getting frustrated. We'll work on cleaning it up and work to keep it from happening again, without frustration or irritation in my voice.
nic131 ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 15:00:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm just absolutely euphoric that this is resonating with others the way that it always has with me.
Thank you for wanting to better yourself as a parent, and as a person.
I can't thank you enough for sharing this. I've always known that it's something I need to change - I get frustrated pretty easily (due to a number of different "life" things) and I've been working on letting things go, but I feel like your story is what will push me over the edge and drive me to change.
Our 6 year old is the smartest, funniest, sweetest little girl and I never want to adversely affect who she will be as a person.
This thread is making me feel out of touch... i have no idea what "inside out" is (mentioned in the post title) and I haven't seen Mad Men except for like 1 episode & don't know who Megan is.
Disney animated movie, premise is that people are machines piloted by 5 personified emotions, Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear. Really touching and heartwarming movie, highly recommend it.
Inside Out is a great film. I'd recommend it to anyone.
feloser ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 13:37:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My wife is like your mother. Great and loving most of the time but prone to yelling. She'll yell and scold him while I'll worry about how he's feeling and buy him another cone with the promise of a toy. Pretty sure we're messing him up
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:19:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
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reapy54 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 20:34:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You have friends that care enough about you to dislike hearing you rip yourself a new one, they sound like good people. If good people want to be around you, you are therefore more than capable of being a good romantic partner.
I've been watching Avatar with my kids recently and one of Iroh's quotes fits in well here. It went something like "If you never do things you cannot do, you will never be more than you are right now".
If you wish to be a great partner, you have to being by being a poor partner, you will never learn to work well in a relationship if you allow your fear of failure to stop you from trying in the first place.
I well understand this as anxiety stops me from doing many things for fear of failure. But failure is to be expected and to be normal, it is how we become talented at anything, repeated trials until it works.
Dude, im close to your age, and i would say my mom's kind of similar in some aspects. She's a single mother, and she used to do A LOT of yelling when i was little. She'd be happy and cheerful one moment, the next she'd start cursing all over the place in anger, and make me feel worthless in general. Made me wonder if she really loved me at all. But then realized my worth in other things. And i understood that the things she said in anger were just that, things said in anger. She had a serious flaw of misplacing her anger. Something bad would happen to her, and she'd instead take it out on the person nearest to her. I had a serious talk with her after i grew up. Hmm, I'd say she kind of mellowed out with age, but she's definitely better than before. But more importantly, i learned not to hate her for that, accept her for who she is. She raised me on her own after all. And i learned that hanging onto the words of other people, be they your close friends or even your parents, is massive foolishness. I still love you mom!
Sounds like you need to have a talk with your wife man. Depending on the age maybe your kid too.
Best of luck.
feloser ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:31:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
She's an Asian from Southeast Asia. Our grandmothers, mothers, and her sisters are like that. I swear all Asian women are like that. The whole tiger mom thing. Yelling is normal to us, its when they're quiet that you have to worry.
Watching people drop their ice cream is one of a handful of things that give me unreasonable sads. I'm so glad you were able to witness compassion in response to that, and to be able to share it with your dad.
I remember very clearly my GF dropping a new jar of mustard that she had bought for us. It was a little thing, but I could see the little joy/triumph as she was showing me what she'd gotten for us turn into sadness and disappointment and it has stuck with me for many years.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:06:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's just so stereotypical that I'd go full Platoon and fall to my knees in exaggerated despair. Like crying over spilt milk.
That was a beautiful story to share. Got me thinking about how important it is to not sweat the little things and the major impact these things can have even on the casual observer.
After my wife's miscarriage and seeing the intense hurt she was going through (I was hurting but can't even compare it to hers) I said to myself that no matter what, I won't get upset with her over BS again, because I could see how badly see wanted to be a mother and how badly I wanted her to mother our children.
nic131 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you, as I've said, I'm so proud that it's having an impact on people, as it did on me.
I'm sorry for your loss. It's a pain that carries with you forever, and I'm glad you are there for her to comfort and understand.
One of my oldest memories is of getting a cone at the Evergreen Dairy Bar in Southampton, NJ. It was vanilla custard and I was dancing around with my freshly filled cone. You can guess what happened next. My Mom just said too bad. Didn't even try to get me a refill. She was a bad Mom in so many ways.
I remember seeing a kid drop his ice cream on the floor, he was devastated and was really crying. All his mum did was scoop the ice cream off the floor and put it back on to the cone. It didn't help funnily enough!
She cleaned him up, the floor, and got another cone, without one ounce of bitterness. I looked at my dads face and he had envy and hurt in his eyes. A few months prior, that situation had happened with my brother and mom, and she yelled at him for the ride home for dropping his food while he cried.
Real moment, I don't know which way my wife would go in this situation. Her mom was very abusive (not saying your mother was but her mom definitely was) and is clearly the second type. My wife wants to be the first type but she always reflexively falls into the second type when she's stressed/tired/etc.
It's a big part of why I'm very leery of having children with her. It's very concerning to me because I know from my own memories that small moments like that have very disproportionate influences on your development.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:27:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've paid for years of therapy after my own efforts were insufficient and done everything else possible that I could do to help enforce her own efforts in improving her responses to stressful situations.
She's gotten much better, but when life isn't perfect, she's a different person and falls back into her old patterns. And most of the time life isn't perfect.
She knows this is a major flaw and she shares your same fears. We've talked about it a lot, but talking didn't make it go away. I've just been in a "wait and see" stage for years now so it's frustrating.
I don't really have a point in posting any of this other than I guess as an expression of frustration to somebody I know who would understand.
So what happened between your parents after story #1?
Fordrus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:26:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh man, that first story- that absolutely makes me cry, because I- well- if I could, I would do that for the whole world. Hug it, dust it off, get it another ice cream cone, tell it "these things happen," and watch it smile.
I know that's very silly, the world isn't homogenous enough for that at all, but dangit, I wish I could give everyone the feeling that child surely felt when his mother comforted him that those things happen sometimes.
Do you still play occasionally?
I started a little more than a year ago and always regret not doing so when I was younger. With that much practice for years you must be pretty good.
An hour a day for 12 years can get you "pretty good", haha. I'm 19 and have my ARCT, started when I was 7. I was never a morning person and I practice on a baby grand so I played in the evenings. Piano is a thing that unlike a lot of sports you can get good at whenever you want. I had a 30 year old beginner student that was making leaps every week before she had to leave getting ready for her first kid. I sure hope she comes back soon, she was my favourite to teach.
Even if you have short, stubby fingers?
I want to learn to play guitar and piano but I have confidence issues and my brother told me we're not built to play either because of our short fingers.
LvS ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 14:02:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes.
You can google lots of children playing guitar and your hands are larger than those of a 7 year old.
And then there's Django Reinhardt who had only 3 fingers and was still one of the best guitar players ever.
Doesn't matter. Even the most talented violinists in history have short stubby fingers, and you have to have very nimble fingers to play.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:03:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My girlfriend has short stubby fingers and plays bass. Admittedly, she is tiny and plays a short-scale bass (Ibanez's Mikro line, if you were curious), and is still working up to the bigger stretches, but I'm sure that there's nothing she won't be able to do with some practice.
I think I needed to read this. I play piano, a select set of songs to be exact. I cannot read music well and have never been able to play sheet music but I really really want to. Going to carve out a bit of time in my day and hope that I can do as good as your student did :)
This makes me want to get back into playing. I used to as a kid but fell out of it when my social life seemed more important as I was turning into a teenager. Mid-20s now and I often find myself regretting not sticking with it.
Swatone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:17:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Aha, I'm 16 and prepping for grade 10. I also practice on a baby grand, but I practice in the mornings. My family has just gotten used to it, I guess. I suppose there's a reason they put doors on the living room...
Are you RCM? I hope you get the same guy that graded me, I sucked my first piece but he gave me almost full marks because it was January and he thought my hands were cold. What a guy.
Swatone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:34:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. That's super lucky. On my Grade 9 the lady docked me marks because I rolled chords in a jazz piece. Kinda ridiculous.
And aha, maybe you got my dad. He's an examiner. (You probably didn't, but it'd be a funny coincidence.)
Maybe. My guy was older, pretty thin. I did my exam in Mississauga. I firmly believe I played to a 75-80 but got an 89. In grade 9 I screwed up scales and got 78.
Swatone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:42:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Aha, not my dad. On my Grade 9 I think I played 55-60, got 65. Solid for prepping the whole exam in under a week... :p
Swatone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:54:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, not exactly. I learned about half my list A, half B, all of C, all of D, and all of both studies in a weekish, maybe a week and a half. Not to mention technique, I kinda blitz practiced that the day of. I'm pretty shit with time management.
I never prepared for any exam less than 8 months but I skipped testing for prep, 1-5 and 7. I just kinda quickly did stuff from the first books and then suddenly started grade 6.
Swatone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:25:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's fun. I theoretically "prepare" 8 months in advance. Except for when I procrastinate and leave everything to the last week or so.
I was wondering if you could give me a little advice. (This is long, but the questions are fairly straightforward, hopefully.)
I have a little bit of musical background, although it is not strong. I played saxophone in middle school and high school, and I've played a little guitar since then for enjoyment.
Back in high school, I took piano briefly, and the teacher proceeded by giving me a simple song, and having me basically memorize it, and then doing the one on the next page, ad infinitum. I eventually decided that I wasn't getting much out of the instruction; frankly, I can just go through rote memorization of a book of simple songs without paying for someone to give me due dates.
What I thought I would have liked instead would have been a teacher who would e.g. teach scales and then teach a song related to that scale, or teach arpeggios and pentatonic scales that turn up in particular kinds of songs, or whatever. That is, I'd like to learn skills, and to learn exercises that relate to those skills, rather than rote memorization of simple songs. Maybe this is brattish of me, but exercises and understanding the logic of songs are just more interesting than rote memorization of songs. There are no shortcuts, but the intent of the process would be to enjoy it, so whether rote memorization of songs is interesting is a key point.
So, 2 questions:
Question 1) Does that make sense? Do I have an idealized view of what a piano teacher can be? Or is it really pretty much just a question of starting with a book of simple songs and basically learning each one by rote? Can it be more?
I've always admired people who can e.g. hear a song and start figuring out on the piano how to play it immediately. Can that type of reasoning be taught? ("That sounds like it's in G-minor7, maybe?") Or is it just a function of having played for many years? I would love to have the logic of music and the piano in particular internalized to the point that I could improvise and just noodle around on the piano, rather than just having some repertoire of songs I memorized at some point, like a crappy iPod.
Question 2) If styles of teachers do vary in the way I had hoped, then can you recommend how I could find a teacher that would e.g. teach exercises rather than rote memorization of simple songs? I'd hate for someone to come by our house and start teaching me just to have to tell them "thanks but no thanks." (This would clearly be cruel and, again, bratty.)
1) There is no ideal teacher. There is only an ideal mix of teacher + student. If you would like to learn skills and more technical aspects of the piano by all means play through scale books and pick out studies from popular selection lists, etc. The way it worked for me was I had an RCM book per grade level, with a few pieces from each major era, and a few studies in the back. The repertoire was more for performance and studies were more for one single aspect of playing. For tests, these studies were worth fewer marks.
2) It took me a few teachers before I landed on one I liked. You can't just find a site that siffs through teachers and picks the one you need. Try different people. If you really want to get better at the instrument you have to be honest with people. Tell them what you need or tell them that unfortunately these lessons won't work out.
Being able to learn pieces by ear comes from both playing a lot, and listening a lot. Once you play a certain chord enough times you'll start hearing it in music, but don't ever focus on learning everything by ear. Sight reading is equally if not more important.
Because you've sexualized something completely non-sexual for no reason. It's disrespectful and creepy as fuck. Lady just wants to play the piano, keep it in your pants.
Not OP but I started piano lessons when I was 4, practiced 5-6 hours a week until I was 16 maybe, still play a little bit (18 now). I'd consider myself decent at piano but whatever I could do always paled in comparison with the oodles of talent that some of the people I've met have.
I remember when I taught myself piano at age 7, maybe played 5 hours a day, then I got into lessons at a local music academy (very informal) and played around 2 hours a day. My teacher said after two years that I was too advanced for her or any of the other teachers and suggested I go to this very formal private school for music, so I went but in that environment I felt very pressured to play the piano, so I only ended up playing an hour a week. I quit lessons at the beginning of high school, and ever since I quit I've been playing 4-5 hours a day. Sadly, it's too late for lessons now and I'm getting ready for college soon.
You were a very dedicated 7 year old. My parents were always pressuring me to practice more and more which led to me growing to hate piano at one point. Now that there's no pressure and no more lessons, I've come to love playing it again and have spent more time playing than I did before.
I think the main problem was the pressure in addition to my teacher selecting pieces from all musical periods. I always had three pieces at a time, sometimes four, one from Baroque, one Classical, one Romantic, and sometimes a contemporary. Now without a teacher I've found the Romantic period to be the most beautiful and I'm studying Chopin and Rachmaninoff right now with a touch of Liszt.
Yeah, I do still play occasionally. Not regularly or anything like that. I did get quite good, not a virtuoso by any means, but I got to play piano for the New Hampshire All State Wind Ensemble my senior year of high school.
Now it's just so I can bring back the memories of better, simpler times.
I thought Bach played power forward for the Providence Steamrollers.
gfysbro ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:57:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He seemed to specialize in all keyboard instruments:
Bach wrote many works for harpsichord, some of which may have been played on the clavichord. The larger works are usually intended for a harpsichord with two manuals, while performing them on a keyboard instrument with a single manual (like a piano) may provide technical difficulties for the crossing of hands.
I can't really figure out, is this a good memory or a bad one? My daughter is 6 and we're about to enroll her in piano lessons... I'm not sure how excited I am about it potentially being such a huge part of her life (for her sake, I mean)
Foursur ยท 243 points ยท Posted at 12:47:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd also say to try to help her enjoy it, and explain to her why it's important. My parents put me in piano lessons in 8th grade. Bought a piano for me to practice. I'd already been in band since 5th, playing the trombone. I honestly don't remember if I'd asked for it or if they just wanted me to.
I liked it for the first year or so. Then high school came, and I hated practicing. I wanted to do other things; play sports, smoke pot, hang out with friends. I don't think I lasted more than another year at it, and they let me quit.
Fast forward 10 years, I'm married, my wife has a piano, and I look at it all the time, wishing my parents had pushed a little harder for me to keep playing. I wish I could sit down and play it now.
TL;DR: Kids are dumb, and don't always know what they will want later in life. At least I was.
EDIT: To everyone saying I can still learn it, you're right. When I said I wish I could sit down and play it now, I meant already have the skill. I do sit down once in a while and practice. But I also travel for work a fair amount (so I'm not home) and when I am, I have a kid that I enjoy spending every second I can with, and when he's sleeping, there are other things that take priority right now (spending time with my wife without the kid, cleaning/fixing up the house, helping my elderly mother, etc). It's not an excuse, it's reality.
Imagine if they had pushed you while you werent motivated though and you would have missed out on sports, hanging out with your friends, smoking pot and doing other teenage things. You prpbably would've wondered what your teens would have been like without the piano then. There are always past choices that people can think about how they would've done differently.
It's never too late to learn. If you did 3 years worth of band practice I assume you remember what a score looks like, start basic and you can teach yourself.
There are a couple of basic things you could start with - Maybe 10 minutes a day of memorisation with each of them:
Obviously the treble clef and bass clef staves (the two most used on piano) and then the circle of fifths - which will teach you all the major and minor patterns that you would need to know.
Treble and Bass:
Treble Spaces - Every Good Boy Deserves Football
Treble Lines - FACE
Bass Spaces - Good Boys Do Fine Always
Bass Lines - All Cows Eat Grass
Circle of Fifths - This is the chord progression, i.e. Move up 5 notes on the keyboard (From C to G) you would add a sharp in to the scale. This continues until you hit F# or Gb (which are effectively the same scale!).
If you know this then you're able to read most sheet music (if not all) and from there it is a case of practicing what you can see on the sheet... Knowing this also allows you to read tabs (which is what I do, mostly) as chord patterns are basically ingrained in my head. The people I really envy are the ones who can read sheet music as if it's nothing and play almost perfectly first time.
I actually stuck with trombone all through high school, but mainly because it was a class I could take. I can still read music, but playing one note at a time (and usually half or whole notes since trombone isn't usually the melody) is way different than playing chords with one hand and melody with the other.
I practice once in a while. I just wish I had stuck with it.
I taught myself to play piano at around age 28. I don't read music, I just learned chords and play by ear or chord charts. There is no reason you can't play piano. Learn a G,C, and D chord and you can play hundreds of songs in various genres.
I know a lot of piano players that literally cannot play the piano unless there is music sitting in front of them. I think that is a defect in piano instruction methods and it discourages people.
unless you've literally lost your hands theres zero reason why you cant pick it back up.
"i just dont have the time"
Yea they all say that, but if you really cared about it, you really gave a shit and wanted to do it. you'd find the time, somewhere within your routine, where you can sit down and just practice, even for an hour. its not a race, its a marathon.
dwild ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:35:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I prefer regreting a decision I took instead of regreting a decision someone else took.
Imagine what would have happened if you took piano and you regreted not having theses teenagers experiences. You would hate your parent for pushing you instead of hating yourself.
I don't hate myself, and I'm glad they didn't FORCE me to do it, but I wish they would have tried to explain why it was important, and that I might appreciate it someday.
I'm not saying I needed to practice 3 hours a day and be a concert level pianist, but a couple hours a week wouldn't have hurt. I probably could have found some happy medium.
Swatone ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:21:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents are musicians. They started me on piano when I was six, and I loved it. By the time I was twelve, I despised it. I didn't wanna waste my time practicing. However, my dad's rule was always "You play until you get your ARCT or you move out. Your choice."
Fast forward to sixteen, I'm so glad they didn't let me quit. I love playing, and I can't imagine stopping.
8th grade is about the time I got a piano too. Not a baby grand or anything like that. It was something my grandpa found either for free or cheap. It was an electric one. It ended up catching on fire.
My wife and I worked hard to do that with our daughter. We signed her up for lessons and told her we would keep paying for lessons (approx $250 / month) as long as she kept working at it.
I would drop her off and the teacher would always ask me what I wanted her to learn and I always told them to ask my daughter because if she loses interest, then the lessons end. Some of the teachers had a hard time with that.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:25:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I dunno, man; look at a_username_to_be's comment right below yours expressing gratitude to his parents for "guiding" him through years of piano practice until he was finally able to understand the instrument and truly enjoy it. You have to be sensitive enough not to force her to do something if she truly is miserable, but prioritizing a six-year-old's "enjoyment" over all else isn't really the thing, imho.
I kinda disagree with this actually... My mom made me take piano starting in 2nd grade, and I absolutely HATED it. She would watch over my shoulder as I practiced, get impatient when I messed up, and we argued constantly about practicing and why I have to take lessons. She would constantly remind me that I would thank her when I'm older. Of course I never believed her.
And here I am at 25, a professional player on the side, absolutely love everything about piano haha.
I guess my point is that if you think she has a lot of potential, it can work out in the long run to "force" it on her. Kids don't operate on future potential of passion and enjoyment; all they know is how much they hate practicing right now.
To further this, my parents made me play violin starting when I was 5. I always wanted to play cello, but my mom thought it would be too awkward to lug around. I played violin for ten years and always HATED it. It's a true shame because I genuinely believe if I had been allowed to play cello I would still occasionally play, but because I didn't choose it always felt like a forced chore.
I'd just add that she will stick with it if she's playing tunes she enjoys hearing.
(I started teaching myself aged 19 - still play practically daily, yet many people I know who did grade 7 or 8 gave it up, as it was a chore. Sad.)
matwick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:18:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I sure hope she comes back soon, she was my favourite to teach.
I wish my parents beat me into playing piano. Piano players get the babes.
Qonold ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:50:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a proponent of this idea in principle, but as someone who enjoys a plethora of skills my parents forced onto me, I don't know if it's always the best approach.
Only now as an adult do I understand that the talents I have are a product of me and my parents' mutual suffering.
Play piano myself, also started at around 6/7-ish. The first 4 years were terrible cause I never really liked practicing. But then, one day, I reached that certain level where you understand the instrument you're playing and are able to perform more than just variations of Twinkle little star. Suddenly I feel in love playing piano and i'm so glad my parents guided me through in the beginning - just not at 5:15am!
This. Once you get past the basic "lesson books" filled with crap like Hot Cross Buns, and are able to play what you want to play- Then it's fun. I'm 16, been playing piano for 9 years. Haaaaaated it at the beginning, because I really disliked what I had to practice. Now I play songs from things close to my heart- Right now I'm doing some pixar songs, and I just finished a song from a video game.
I started to like playing once I hit the point when I could hear a piece I liked, and had the technique to learn it. Before then I wasn't very happy playing, but did it because it was part of my routine.
I started at around age 9 or 10. I always hated having to go to practice and it became a chore to me.
I quit when I was able to at around age 13 or so, and the older I get, the more I regret quitting as a teenager. I was a lazy little shit back then that just wanted to play video games.
Nowadays at 25, there's a lot of piano music that I love to listen to and I wish I could play it.
I took piano lessons as a kid for a few years. Always hated to practice, and as such never really progressed. Years later, whenever I saw a piano I'd get a simple joy out of noodling around and playing things by ear. I've gotten to the point where I've started learning songs again, mostly via memorization watching those synthesia videos on youtube. I've also started to be able to improve decently. I may not be the best player but I really enjoy playing. It's an immense stress reliever.
Obviously it's not good to force somebody to do something they don't want to do, but as someone who was put in piano at 2nd grade and has been playing for over 10 years now (and I work multiple paying piano jobs), don't let her quit easily. I know so many people who get to their late teens /early 20s and say "I wish I never quit piano lessons." piano lessons are extra work and kids are lazy (I was too. My parents encouraged me to continue).
I'm not trying to say she can never quit, but she might be thankful if you push her to stay in it for a while.
Edit: also, like someone else said, practicing and playing gets more enjoyable as you get better.
As an adult, I am so thankful that my mom made me take piano lessons as a little kid. Piano helped me learn to play the trumpet and the guitar, plus it improved my singing abilities. Basically it helped to spark a love of music that has endured through all these years.
But I hated taking lessons when I was little. Music isn't fun until you can play songs you genuinely enjoy playing. The first song I enjoyed playing was Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata."
My parents put me in piano lessons when i was about 6 or so? I hated it. Hated that i had to practice when i could hear the other kids outside having fun. When i got to age 13, is when i started to like it. mostly because it was just an inescapable part of who i was, and i didn't really develop any other hobbies. I eventually went on to study music at university and got my bachelor's. I then packed up all of my books and never touched the keyboard again. I wouldn't say I regret it, but it's a part of who i am. Just be sure you allow your kid to be a kid first, and a pianist second.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:21:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I played piano for about 15 years, since I was 5. I definitely hated it a lot when I was younger but as I was older it was kind of neat to be good at something and now, even though I don't practice anymore it's nice that I can hear a song I like and pound it out on my own within a few minutes. It sucked at times but it isn't really a negative memory and the payoff is good. I've never met anyone that really regretted learning an instrument as a kid but I've met a ton of people who regretted not.
Edit: see if you can watch a performance or recording of the play Two Pianos Four Hands. Very funny play but also very poignant for those of us who grew up practicing.
I've been teaching piano for five years and what I've noticed is that you have to be just as involved in it as she is. Sit in her lessons. Sit with her while she practices. Also, a six year old only needs 10-15mins of practice a day to progress. Consistency is important. Playing every day is more important than the amount of time you play each day.
Excellent comment! This is honestly something I hadn't thought much about (mostly because my wife also plays and she's very keen on the idea of our daughter learning... I guess I'm expecting my wife to pull this weight, but I'll make sure to align with her first)
i didn't want to play piano (i liked guitar), but they refused to let me learn guitar and made me play piano, i still hold it against them to this day.
take a minute to ponder how fucking stupid that is.
What /u/Foursur said, so much. Tl;dr at end. I started at age 6 myself in kindergarten, but not bc I wanted to. I was asked bc my older cousin was starting to learn, and I said no. Come that Christmas, my parents bought me an upright piano as a gift. I was young, so I thought it was cool, but not so much when lesson started.
I had lessons once a week, and the teacher wrote out all the days of the week, and told me to check mark the days I practied for 30 mins. When I started, I practiced every day bc that's what I was told to do, and my mom forced me. I hated it as it got more difficult. You can say I learned how to lie bc of this, bc I started fibbing the days I actually practiced by the 2nd grade. This is a memory I clearly remember, realizing that she doesn't have to know if I really practiced or not.
I kept doing it to please my parents and bc other family friends did it too, and we'd have parties every month or so and they'd make us play to show off. It was torture.
BUT, it does get better :) When I hit high school, I realized I knew enough to play what ever music I personally wanted tobplay, not just the lame lesson books. So, I ended up playing hours everyday, playing all the music from TV shows, movies, the radio, classics I thought were cool, and barely practiced my lessons enough to pass them. My teacher had no clue.
At my last recital (we have recitals each year where we have to play a song memorized at our level of play in front of all the students and families all dressed up), I was supposed to play Memories from Cats, but I made a hybrid of of Memories and Waltz in D Flat Major OP. 64, 1 by Chopin, aka the Minute Waltz. My teacher had no idea I could play music to that caliber bc she thought I never practiced anything. She never knew bc I never told her I practiced for hrs playing the music I want to play, not the crap she gave me. If anything, I wish I could go back in time and tell her how miserable I was playing the stuff she gave me and instead she made me practice what I wanted instead. I proably would have been a much better pianist than what I was when I left for college.
Tl;dr: If your kid wants to play, go for it. If they are forced, it may or may not go wrll, depending if they find their passion while learning. Get them to play the songs they want to play after they master the basics, which is unavoidable and boring depending on your kid's enthusiam.
As an adult, I sometimes wish I knew how to play the piano but I'm sure I would have hated taking lessons for it as a kid and I'm not exactly taking lessons now either.
Nothing wrong with it now, but it has to be something that she enjoys in a few years time, not just something you want her to do and enjoy through her. If that's the case, then just take lessons yourself.
I was forced to do it for six years. Why? Because during Maoist China, piano was outlawed and my mom wanted to play so badly but she couldn't by law, and I should appreciate the opportunity. Fuck that noise. Can't I play guitar or take voice lessons? Nope. Gotta be piano.
I won a free group voice lesson a few years ago through a karaoke competition (I was 27 or 28) and the teacher said that I have a fantastic voice. I don't have the time or money for lessons right now, and I wish my mom had listened to my wishes back then.
When my sister left for college, funnily enough, my mom started taking piano lessons.
I played piano from age 5-18 and in college accompanied my church every week. I LOVED playing the piano. I had a shitty childhood and relatively shitty parents and piano was my escape. None of my siblings played, so it was mine and mine alone.
I lived in New York for most of my adult life and couldn't afford a piano or get it up the six flights of stairs. Now that I live in a house with room, I'm working to get a piano in my home because it will make me feel like ME again.
Speaking as someone who has played since 5 years of age - It will seriously be tough for your daughter at times. During my time playing the piano, there were many points when I just broke down in front of my teacher, and seriously considered just quitting. At these kinds of times its important that you are there to support your daughter, and its even better if you take an active role throughout her musical education by following her progress with her teacher. It is a grind for many years before it pays off, but when it finally clicks, it is all worth it.
My parents put me in piano when I was en elementary school, so about the same age. I was never excited about it, and they let me stop sometime in middle school (i think).
I am much older now and it's one of the things I am most grateful for. Becoming 'fluent' in sheet music opens up a lot of doors - and makes it way easier to learn other instruments later.
It's not a huge part of my life, but it is definitely part of me. It goes without saying but everyone is different, this is just my story.
It's worth it, go for it. As long as she doesn't hate it, learning music is worth it. (If she does hate it, I'd try finding her another instrument that she does like).
My parents signed me up for piano lessons when I was about the same age, and while I stopped playing music after middle school, I don't regret learning it.
Played guitar for like 9 years from 7 to 16 or so, never cared much for practice but the lessons were the reason why i kept at it for so long. My parents have asked me lots of times if i wanted to continue cause id hardly play but i guess thats what teenagers do. Now after not touching the thing for like 3 years im having the time of my life playing it and learning songs and am pretty grateful of all the years of practice ive had.
Give them a push in the right direction but dont force anything.
SosX ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:43:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As someone that plays guitar and has many musician friends it's always something good, me I am self taught but have friends that started very little, I think after the initial pain passes everyone enjoys their instruments.
Having a good teacher helps. I had a strict Russian lady the first year and it was awful but then I switched to a very matronly, fun-loving teacher and I stuck with her until I graduated high school and loved it.
Big difference between just "enrolling your daughter in piano lessons" and the heavily forced structure that Op just described. Just pay attention to how she feels about it, it could be an amazing idea and she never would've known if you didn't try.
I agree with other people that kids are dumb and don't really understand what's good for them or what they want so it's good to keep that in mind but also encourage their interests in other areas.
My parents put me in piano lessons around the same age. At first I really loved playing the piano. What really made me hate it was the fact that my dad would force me to sit and practice every single day for 1-2 hours from when I was 6 up to 14. I became really good at playing and reading music because of that, but it made me miserable to the point where I was incredibly mean to my piano teachers because I didn't want to be forced to play anymore. The one who taught me from the beginning to when I was 12 quit teaching me because I was being mean to her. I quit playing at 14 when my parents sold my baby grand because they were having financial problems. I'm 23 now and I really miss playing the piano now that nobody can force me to play but me. It was such a big part of my life. I wish I could play again, but pianos are expensive and I can't afford it at the moment.
My parents forced me to practice 20 minutes every day. I hated it. I often cried while practicing.
Now, I am SO happy they made me do it. It is the most comforting, amazing feeling in the world to sit down and be able to play anything I want. It's beautiful.
He was a prodigy I'd guess, at least the best piano player anyone had ever seen around here. He played in every talent show, every school play, even got some gig working as a pianist out of high school, but that was later.
I remember his family being very very weird. No one was allowed in their house, and he had to go to bed at 7:00PM when he was 13.
one day we went over there to fuck with him and his family, we were just going to bang on the side of their house and run away, don't judge me. We looked in the window and the whole family was eating dinner except him, he was playing piano. He went to get up and asked if he could eat and they yelled at him that he had to keep playing, so he did.
We didn't bang on his windows that day, we felt too bad.
Ah yes, I have a very similar memory. Starting in kindergarten, my grandmother would come over to our house at 6am and make me practice piano in the hours before school. This went on until I graduated from high school. I hated every minute. But I suppose now I appreciate my ability to play and to read music. I guess I had to get something out of those 13 years.
I used to do this way back in elementary school, now almost 20 years later I have redeveloped the habit as a music producer. I love my mornings again :)
jwws1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:54:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was one of those too but absolutely hated it. I couldn't hang out with friends, go to football
games, etc. I kept telling myself that i couldn't disappoint my parents and pretended to like it. But I couldn't keep that up so when I went to college, I completely dropped piano (became a science major). I occasionally play but for my own interest. I've mostly forgotten the pieces I've played for recitals/competitions/exams.
Edit: did this since I was 7-8 when I started the ABRSM exams.
Thank heavens my next door neighbors make their kid practice at 7 pm. (For the record, I live in a house with a shared wall that seemingly has the exact resonant frequency for piano tunes, so it sounds like it's being played in my own house). I'd hate to be woken up by that shit on my days off or days that I work late.
Also, they pull the "don't speak English" card on everything, so it's useless trying to explain to them to move their piano away from the wall.
I was 15 and at a party in a park on the edge of the city, so there were fields on one side of the park.
Anyway the police come and are sound just telling us to keep the noise down we know you are drinking etc...
Obviously people don't quiet down as we are all underage and drunk so the police come back. As soon as that poor first soul is placed in the police car people GTFO.
Forty to fifty drunk adolescents bolt in all directions into the fields. Eventually i stop at a
bush occupied by an attractive girl.
We end up kissing and dry humping for ages until her friends eventually find us and tell her they are leaving.
And here is the part that was really burned into my memory.
This girl doesnt want to go and is telling her friends to leave wothout her and then her friend said:
"Come on we need to leave. He's fat anyway."
And that seemed to convince her and off she went.
Tldr
Girl called me fat
[deleted] ยท 101 points ยท Posted at 17:34:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If it's any consolation the girl you were with probably didn't agree, but was probably too self conscious and afraid of judgment from her friends.
That part where everyone scattered reminded me of that gif where a cop went inside a tent where people were smoking weed, then everyone ran in all directions.
When my brother and I made a Tour in Turkey. We signed in for some sort of Tourist Tour in Canakkale. It was really awesome. We usually don't spend much time together because of the age gap of 7 years. Spending all day together and just being silly was a lot fun.
Driving to Turkey with my Parents (2500 km from where we lived). My Mom slept in the backseat most of the time and i sat in the front with my Dad. So i don't have a really good relationship to him but i stayed up all the time because i was scared he would fall asleep while driving. Because of that i kept trying to make conversation and i actually had a good time. Found out a lot about his side of the family (to whom we don't have any contact). At the same time it made me sad to see that he is not in touch with them anymore as some of the stories seemed great.
When i got accepted to University. I got the message really late and at that point i had already given up and thought about studying something else that was easier to get into. By the time i helped all my friends find appartments in the cities that they were moving to. Seeing them all leave while i stay home was pretty devestating. Then i got my acceptance letter and i called all of them. I'll never forget how excited they were and it brings me to tears how awesome they are.
Chronological Order, kind of pissed how much sad there is here:
Sitting on the stairs hearing my parents argue in the lead up to their divorce when I was 8. Felt like everything was crashing down
Watching WW2 documentaries and eating ginger nut biscuits with my Grandad a few months later well past my bedtime. Those nights shaped me.
Meeting my Step-Dad for the first time. He gave me his SNES in a grey plastic box. I still have it and it still works.
Sitting with my Mum as she explained her ehlers danlos syndrome and how she needed me to help her now. Everything in my life shattered for a second time
Falling in love for the first time to a girl in my English class in year 10. For the first time in quite a while I thought I could open up. The Relief was something else.
Crying my eyes out six months later when she finally broke down and told me she'd only gone out with me as a dare. Let me tell you, that shit breeds trust issues.
My Dyspraxia diagnosis, finally an answer to so many questions.
Leaving school for the final time and realising I was free from all the people I couldn't trust. The Loneliness hurt but I'm better for it.
The growing cold in my arms as I held my cat Tango after he was put to sleep. 19 years of companionship done. I can still hear his last breath in my mind clear as day. I was determined to be there at the end as he was there for me during all my troubles. I took him home and I dug the hole myself, 6ft deep. I decided that now he was gone I didn't wan't to be alone anymore.
Sitting in the middle of a field 3,000 miles away from England in the middle of Pennsylvania surrounded by people I'd met through the internet. Raising my beer to my lips and thinking about how I'd be storming the beaches of "Normandy" in a massive paintball game with them come morning. Looking down at my shirt with our little symbol on it and looking around at everyone wearing the same. Yeah. That was a good feeling.
I'm determined to have more happy memories the next time this question comes around.
Good for you man. Childhood is rough because you only understand so much and people are shitty (and always will be) but at least you'll grow old knowing you're not one of them.
Edit: btw cool WW2 username. Can see those documentaries were really special
Edit: btw cool WW2 username. Can see those documentaries were really special
They were, they sparked my interest in history and lent me understanding of what my Grandfather went through. Shame the History channel is nothing but "ALIENS!!!" Right now.
Sitting with my Mum as she explained her ehlers danlos syndrome and how she needed me to help her now. Everything in my life shattered for a second time
Oh boy...
If anything, we at /r/ehlersdanlos are there for you if you need to talk about it.
The cat one- I put my boy Clinton down a few months back. I had a vet come to the house and do this, so Clinton would not be scared. He wasn't. He was on my bed, purrring as I rubbed him and he slowly fell alseep in/on my arm. I stayed with him until I knew for sure he was gone. I rubbed his little paws over my face and reminded him what a good boy he was. I spent 18 years with that cat. The only thing, including family, friends, and a marriage that I trusted and the only thing I could count on. It's still heart breaking, as I type this. I miss him very much. I am also very proud that I kept my promise to him and kept him safe his whole life.
I have Ehlers-Danlos like your mom, and I always joke to my partner when I'm 45 he'd better be ready for the wheelchair to come out. I feel you on the last one as well-- it's a great feeling knowing that not only YOU feel like you belong but everyone else does too.
It's really hard to explain because there's so many different facets to it. How I describe it is that it's pretty similar to dyslexia, and often people who have dyslexia have dyspraxia and vice versa.
Essentially it involves co ordination and memory problems, spacial awareness problems, and other cognitive issues like being unable to understand rules of sports or similar.
I hope that clears it up a little!
Kukie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:17:08 on August 4, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah I guess, thanks! Descriptions online seem a bit vague so hard to understand.
That girl from year 10 should never ever have told you that. Even if it was true, good God -- some things should never be said. Source: have major trust issues myself.
You're a good writer. These may be sad memories but they made me feel more than any others I've read so far. I hope your happy memories are incoming :)
The following is in chronological order, in terms of significance I would probably rank them 3,4,5,1,2. If I think of any additions I'll edit...
Screaming at the top of my lungs in the middle of a music festival because of the first girl I fell in love with as a teenager. We'd gone to a music festival together with two others, one of them was my best friend, who had recently become her boyfriend. I was teenaged and angsty about the whole thing, and that night, when they went into their tent together for the night, I wandered off, walked 8 miles through fields and country roads, slept on a bench and had to be returned to the festival by a kind Police officer the next day. Thankfully we remained friends, and all involved moved on from those feelings. The girl in question is actually sat opposite me now, we're still good friends.
My first day on the road of a 3 month US roadtrip. I saved money and used savings to fly to the US aged 18 (I'm British), buy a car, and explore for 90 days. In that time I covered 28 states, over 17,000 miles and had an absolute blast. The freedom and exciting opportunity of those first few miles was intoxicating.
Getting into my dream university. It was my third time round applying to universities, and I'd never got acceptance offers from anything better than my fourth preference. When the letter came, I was away from home, so my dad called me and asked if he should open it. My father was the first person in his family to go to university, and he went to my dream university as well. I love to reminisce about that moment when he screamed "YOU GOT IN!!!!" over the phone. I just graduated last month, and I absolutely loved the experience.
The moment my first girlfriend told me she loved me. This is definitely a bittersweet, yellow/blue memory now as we broke up last year and don't talk anymore, but that moment, and the thrill not only of saying it back, but feeling it was true, was incredible.
The worst moment of my life. Was a night in which I took a combination of drugs and experienced a trip which scared me in ways I could never have comprehended before. It led to mental health problems, and reliance on counselling for about two months. That was about 20 months ago, and I'm glad to say I'm much much better, although it remains a very significant moment in my life. Hopefully it won't remain such a 'core' memory for much longer.
Edit: making sentences make sense
[deleted] ยท 79 points ยท Posted at 12:21:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I'm curious as well since most states require a permanent residence and in the US you can only get a driver's license on specific visas and the 90 visa waiver program isn't one of them.
I mean, you would need the license to drive, right?
I'm not an expert on state registration law, so I can't really say what it's like everywhere, but I do know that every state requires you to have car insurance to get tags and to get car insurance to drive you would have to register it to a garaged permanent address, so...idk. I don't really care enough to dig too far into it.
Probably just some rich kid whose dad hooked him up.
You can get an international driver's license. You just need your passport. Depending on the country, there may be a small test on driving laws. In the US, you can get them from AAA.
Cool! Thanks for the info. I'm about to sound super stupid for a second, but I thought that international dl's were something that only Americans could get when they went to other countries, and were issued by America. After looking it up, it seems that's not the case at all.
I am American, and had one while I was in Japan. Inversely, a friend and his Japanese wife moved to the US, and she had to get an international driver's license until all of her clearances and such went through to get a regular driver's license. She didn't use it often, but her husband wanted her to have it in case of an emergency.
You don't sound stupid. If you never needed or had a purpose for one, then you shouldn't be expected to know much about them. I honestly had no idea they even existed until I traveled outside the US and needed to have the ability to use a vehicle.
Yes, you need a licence, but I was fine with my British licence.
I had an acquaintance whose address I used to register the vehicle. In Nevada I wasn't required to prove I lived there, or required to have anything more than a 90 day visa.
A former classmate of mine did this actually, she bought/hired a campervan and went on a roadtrip. You should be able to do the same with some research.
It will be probably more expensive, but it will be more convenient as well. You will not have to buy/sell/register/insure it.
Automatic - well most regular cars in US are automatic. Not sure what kind of manual car you can buy.
Fucking beat up to death - I rented a few times in US and every time they were in perfect conditions. Not sure where you got this idea from. Also would you be able to buy a car that is not beat up to death? I wouldn't
Likely FWD - whatever you pay for. I got 4wd last time. I personally don't care. I am not going to ride a snowy roads or drift.
I think your arguments against renting a car are mostly very subjective except for a price but might be not as bad if you consider your wasted time, potential value loss and all sorts of fees.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:36:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I couldn't even do step 2. I went to the DMV to try step 3 but they looked at me like I was an alien (heh). I simply said "fuck it", got license plates from a junkyard and risked it.
I had a similar psychological experience due to mushrooms when I was like 19-20. It fucked with me a lot afterwards. It was definitely aggravated when I would smoke weed afterwards, so if you smoke you may want to be cognizant of that.
tikeee2 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:48:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck, same. Thought it was weird or something. Couldnt smoke for 2-3 months afterwards, but then again i guess i stayed away from all drugs for 2-3 months after that.
This. Similar cocktail experience at a festival about 6 years ago and I stopped smoking for a while. It helped. You'll grow out of smoking eventually anyway.
Source: packed bowl sitting next to my computer for the past 5 months untouched.
I probably won't even grow out of smoking. However, even after only doing it for 5-6 years, I've grown out of using it often. I probably smoke once, maybe twice a week. It varies.
A few years back someone thought it would be a great idea to feed me a 10 strip of acid without telling me about it beforehand. It caused some mental health issues that took a long time to go away. I also have trouble smoking weed, I wonder if maybe that's the reason. I just quit altogether because it makes me have panic attacks now.
I think the nitrous might have been your main mistake, it has a habit of being pretty overwhelming when combined with MDMA or cannabis, let alone the two of those together!
Same thing happened to me. After my trip whenever I'd smoke I felt as if I was having a flash back. Wasn't fun
Dranthe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:45:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd say that 20 is too young for mushrooms. Most people are still working out who they are as a person. My first time was 25ish I think and it's always been nothing but positive. Then again, I've always been pretty confident in who I am and the decisions I've made.
thatcrit ยท 216 points ยท Posted at 12:13:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First of all - your reply was really interesting to read, though I do have 2 questions.
How the hell does an 18 year old gather up enough money for a 3 month trip to US and a car?! Guess it's just different not living in a first world country.
The saving for three months in the states is pretty impressive. At 18 I definitely could not have had the money saved to travel for 3 months in the US (and I'm from Canada). I did buy a car but it was a junker and all of my money was going to keep that thing insured so it could drive me to work..
If you bought a crap car and lived in it you could probably do 3 months for about $8k including the car. Not counting rent and bills, my monthly expenses are around $1500 and I'm hardly living on a tight budget.
If you start working at 16, and your parents didn't start charging you for rent, I think you could pull 8k in 2 years of working weekends.
ramse ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I never realized how bad insurance was in the GTA until my brother planned on moving to London and his rates were less than half simply because it's not Toronto traffic.
Cool. I'm sure that there will be lots of awesome memories from the adventure! Hope it all works out well for you, hopefully you've done some contingency planning as well :)
That's the goal! I have a couple contingency plans (depending on how far I am along when something happens). I'm just a bit nervous about it in this time leading up to it.
I was confused by that as well, but I think they're saying they're not from a first world country themselves so they can't comprehend saving that much money.
No, he's saying that HE doesn't live in a first world country so he could never imagine saving up that much money prior to the age of 18, and it must be easier in first world countries.
I had already earned about $60k in taxable income by the time I turned 18...it's doable (USA here). Started working on a permit at 15 and worked my ass off. Worked 30-40 hours a week during school, 40+ during the summer and was paid a fair wage. I was spending weekends on the lake with my own boat (and quickly learned to get a friend with a boat instead).
cb43569 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:18:57 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He said he was 18, so he was probably still living with his family. If he had a job as a teenager but isn't paying rent, he could save up thousands in a matter of months.
Music festivals can be dirt cheap. In the Netherlands you can go to a lot of them for 10-30 euro's. And there's also several services to get free tickets to big expensive ones (e.g. "I'm in" app).
And for travelling in Europe, there is the Erasmus+ program. Free accomodation + travel services provided by the EU.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:07:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For the wealthy? Oh God this thread. Does everything in the US cost so frikin much that you all think this was so wildly expensive? I went to countless music festivals as a teen, ranging from free to up to about 20 dollars and those were like the most expensive ever. Most of them were about 5 dollars.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:02:07 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Music festivals are hundreds of dollars just for the ticket, forget all of the incurred expenses.
As I said before, for people who didn't grow up with a lot, that still sounds pretty wild. There are a lot of parents out there who can't lend their kids $5000 and a lot of kids who are too busy trying to escape that same situation to spend $5000 and 9 months travelling the world. Nothing against doing that. It sounds awesome. Just saying there are many people out there where it simply isn't an option.
I know. But also consider that in England parents usually don't have to pay for college so they can pay for their children to travel. He's British, not Cambodian. I know many people wouldn't be able to afford it, but he doesn't have to be rich, just a regular British person. I'm a middle class Uruguayan and I could do it. Granted Uruguay is not the poorest country in the world but definitely not the richest.
I think you still may be missing my point. There are people out there whose parents can't afford it regardless of not paying for college. Like, many many parents don't pay for college because they can't afford it and a good portion of those parents also wouldn't be able to afford to help their kid travel. It's not about what country people are in. It's about just not having money
Yes I know. I was just saying it's not that uncommon. You don't have to be rich, just middle class in a country where you don't have to spend all you've got on health coverage and college. Most young Europeans travel a lot, especially if they're from western Europe. It's very common. In fact it's very hard to find a 20 something year old in Europe who hasn't traveled quite a bit. It's a very important part of their culture, and their countries economies allow for that.
flamero ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:42:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Travelling the world for 9 months didn't grant you the insight that a majority of people don't have that sort of opportunity? You are living in a bubble if you think most people's parents have 5k to even borrow.
Dude 5k in 9 months is less than they spent on me only on food when I was living with them. Come on. Plus in my country education is free so they didn't have to pay for college. Health coverage is also free.
As I answered in the other comment, I traveled the world for 9 months with 10000 dollars. I think most people don't travel because they think it's wildly expensive for some reason.
flamero ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:52:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think most people don't travel because they think it's wildly expensive for some reason.
Already replied on your other comment but holy shit. $10k IS expensive. Maybe not to you or your peers but for a lot of people it's half what they make in a year or more if they're from less wealthy countries.
I'm from Uruguay man. I just saved for years and did it. And I didn't even had like, real jobs. Just summer jobs and shit. I just barely spent on the minimum. But what I mean is, if both his parents have a 2000 a month salary, which is not at all out of the ordinary in England, they could quite easily afford for his trip, which probably costed much less than mine. I mean, people work regular jobs and they save and they buy cars and even houses, and pay for their kids' education. And some parents, with whom I strongly agree, consider traveling part of their children's education. Also, I'm not sure but I belive in England you can go to college on government loans so maybe his parents didn't have to pay for college so they paid for his trip instead.
I mean, I'm from the US and I couldn't have done that and saved up enough to live on completely for 3 months by 18.
You can't really start work until 16 here, and I was still a junior in high school. In my state during the school year you can only work a limited number of hours and have to be done by 10 pm on week days.
Minimum wage when I was 16 was 6.85 an hour and the cheapest car I ever got was about 1200 bucks from a friend of mine. But it was super shitty and never would have been able to make it cross country.
On top of that you have registration and tax costs. Gas, maintenance fees. Here that's about 6% of what the car would book for in decent condition via KBB. Which was way more than what I got it for. Haha
My car didn't get great gas mileage at the time. Maybe 19 miles to the gallon? And a gallon of gas was like 1.70 something when I graduated. I think.
Then food, clothes, entertainment. It just doesn't add up from the American side of things unless you can pull some strings.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:16:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Depending on where you live, it's easy. In the area where I live (southern Germany) its possible to save a couple thousand bucks every summer vacation if you manage to get a good summer job.
My friends (18) spent 3 months traveling the world. They worked 2 jobs for 6 months prior, living with parents not paying any rent or generally home costs.
To be honest I had more disposable income at 18 than I do now. I worked 5 days a week making more than minimum wage, but didn't pay rent or for any food I ate at home. I saved mine up to go to Europe while I was in college.
What? I don't get your quote, I'm not British. Could you clarify?
Jarwain ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:48:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Psychedelics are popular for a lot of reasons, and don't have as many cons as many other drugs. Usually aren't chemically addictive, tend to have a longer duration, and relatively harmless in and of themselves. Bad trips are more of a set and setting thing compounded by dosage.
Mixing psyches can have differing effects and intensities.
Although I kinda am assuming he only took psychedelics and not a psyche with an amphetamine or opioid
From the sounds of it he took MDMA whilst drinking and smoking weed, then did some nitrous. I'm not surprised that caused a bit of a freakout tbh, nitrous can get very intense very quickly when mixed with other drugs.
If you can find a decent job and live with your parents (which is more than likely for that age), its very attainable. At 16, I had a summer job as a doorman making $22 an hour and did that for the next 4 years. In 3 years(so when I was 18), I had more than enough money from working the summers alone to probably make a trip like this and I wasn't even very smart with my money(I say probably because I don't actually know how much it would cost because I never even planned a trip like that.) My main expenses were bus and train fares to get to work since I worked in NYC, gas, food(which was only really when i went out to eat) and car insurance. Its not something everybody can do, because you have to be lucky enough to find a decent job at the age and have minimal expenses too. I only got my job because a family friend was a super at the building, so knowing somebody also helps a lot.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You can buy a shitbox with 200K miles on it for very cheap. Sub-1000 dollar cheap.
Part of the trip showed me what I'm really afraid of, so in that sense you are somewhat right.
Other parts of the trip however were just nonsense, which made sense in the same way a dream does; it's convincing whilst you're asleep, but full of holes and inconsistency when you wake. Preventing myself from giving in to believing in the nonsensical things I saw is a very important part in getting my head screwed on straight again!
Wow, as someone who has had the smallest fraction of your experience, I am so sorry. Good luck sorting the rest of everything out. I found that healing happens quietly in the background; I wouldn't realise I was feeling better until I felt worse again. Slowly those pleasant gaps between moments of feeling worse went from being measured in seconds, to minutes, to hours, days, and months. Very best of luck with the recovery.
You have my sympathies, it sucks. Unrequited live is so bittersweet. Time and distance basically is all I can say, sorry I don't have something more proactive to recommend. I would emphasise trying to make sure your crush remains your friend if that is how it is for you too. I always remained strongly aware of how much I would be upset if I lost her as a friend, which stopped me from doing drastic or stupid things which might wreck our friendship.
Cheers. Definitely want to stay friends with both of them, closest friends I've had in a while. Distance may not be an option, however, considering we're all moving into the same student house (this was arranged long before any of this happen) along with a couple of other friends in September. Appreciate the help, though!
I remember wondering that. I also remembering soon after my trip thinking of my wellbeing as a score /100. I remember deciding that immediately during and after the trip I hit about 40/100, and for about a month after I was stuck around 70. For reference on that scale, I believe that at no point in my entire life before hand had I been below 85, and my average on that scale (where I'm back to today) is about 92.
I have the same triggers, I didn't go back into my living room (where it happened) for a long time after, And still don't like being in there in the dark. My heart also still jumps where music with choral voices plays (is. what was playing at the time, something from the LOTR soundtrack I believe).
Just went to Amsterdam last month and smoked weed for only the second time since my trip. Weed doesn't do what it used to before my trip, now it sort of gives me echoes of the trip, but much more controllable. In fact I think smoking up again may have helped me master what was real and what wasn't about what I saw 20 months ago.
Broadly it was a little like waking up, like my entire life previous to that had been a dream. Teamed with that was a feeling of incredibly intense deja vu, so overall it wad sort of like the entirety of my existence was just repeatedly having the same dream, then waking up from it and starting again, and it was only during this waking up process that I would briefly be able to understand the truth of what life was really like; this infinite process of reliving the same life and quickly forgetting you'd done it before.
So, pretty terrifying, existential nonsense. As I mentioned elsewhere, smoking weed now gives me 'echoes' of this trip. This is quite helpful however, as I can remember that things are different the different times I get high, which defeats the argument that I'm just repeating my existence.
Anyway, there you go. This was written quickly, because I don't care to relive it, so sorry if it doesn't make too much sense, in fairness, objectively the trip didn't either!
I had the same drug experience. That was the last day I did drugs. Stuck with me in a serious, scared cold sweat way for almost a year. Now it tries to creep in and scare me sometimes but it's under control. I think I broke part of my brain that day haha
worst moment of my life. Was a night in which I took a combination of drugs and experienced a trip which scared me in ways I could never have comprehended before. It led to m
Can you tell me about that bad trip without relapsing? I'm glad you are better either way. Stuff scares/intrigues me.
Broadly it was a little like waking up, like my entire life previous to that had been a dream. Teamed with that was a feeling of incredibly intense deja vu, so overall it wad sort of like the entirety of my existence was just repeatedly having the same dream, then waking up from it and starting again, and it was only during this waking up process that I would briefly be able to understand the truth of what life was really like; this infinite process of reliving the same life and quickly forgetting you'd done it before.
So, pretty terrifying, existential nonsense. As I mentioned elsewhere, smoking weed now gives me 'echoes' of this trip. This is quite helpful however, as I can remember that things are different the different times I get high, which defeats the argument that I'm just repeating my existence.
Anyway, there you go. This was written quickly, because I don't care to relive it, so sorry if it doesn't make too much sense, in fairness, objectively the trip didn't either!
Thanks, I'm very proud to follow in my father's footateps. He was able to go largely because of the grammar school system in the UK, which allowed (some) children from poorer backgrounds (ie., unable to go to private schools) to receive more academic levels of schooling, which made university more of a possibility for them. This scheme was championed by a politician called Rab Butler.
When my father went to Cambridge for his applications interview, he went through the wrong door and came face to face with Lord Butler, who at that point was a fellow there. I've always thought that was a poetic moment.
I love you, u/wessexboyofsidney, i hope this memory of us replaces the one about the bad trip. Also if you had to choose your favorite place in the US that you visited, which would it be?
Hmmm, Monument Valley was incredible. We arrived in the dark and camped in the desert, by chance right next to the famous view of the three main 'monuments'. Waking up was absolutely remarkable.
I also absolutely loved Chicago, and both Zion and Waterton-Glacier National parks are stunning. Also New England generally (esp. Upstate NY) was a joy to drive through. Acadia National Park is beautiful as well.
My dad taking me for golf lessons as a kid- I sucked sooo bad at golf and hated every minute, but my dad just wanted a golf buddy. We play best ball now, golf is really just a nice walk in the woods ruined by sport.
During orientation for my current employer- more than 10 years ago now- and I remember sitting in the parking ramp before a shift almost being in tears because the job was too stressful and guaranteed to just crap the bed every day. I remember not turning off my car, thinking I could turn around and just go home, or I could keep fighting through it day by day.
My first mountain bike ride. I loved whizzing through nature with all those great smells. Thinking back to the first two rides, they were so crude compared to how I ride now- picking my bike up to go over some rock or stump, sticking to wide cut grassy roads instead of deer trails because those were too narrow, not having a clue where I was going or what I was doing.
When my daughter was born. Easily the most adrenaline and anxiety-filled day I've lived through. I remember every second of that entire day, every time I asked the nurse for more coffee; every time I helped my wife to the bathroom during labor- only twice if you would believe me; where all the nurses, training nurse, med student, resident, and attending were standing in the room, professional yet there was always a wide and clear exit to the door in case things had to get cutty in surgery. The moment my daughter came out I remember thinking two things- my wife is some kind of superhero person for blowing her business out like that, and for all my life experiences, a fresh newborn baby in the flesh is even grosser than anything else I've ever seen. But the moment she started crying, she became the most beautiful. Funny thing that was.
Mysaw ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:38:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So what happened with the job? Did you stay or eventually left?
Still there. Lots of bad days, but lots of good ones too. It's a crossroads memory, like I could stay or I could go, that was the day I decided to tough it out.
Annnnd now the onion-cutting begins. I got this far into this thread and....
-eDgAR- ยท 4018 points ยท Posted at 11:20:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've told this story before, but this is definitely one of those important memories that has stuck with me for years.
When I was a kid we didn't have a lot of money, so we often shopped at thrift stores. What I loved about that was that you could get 10 books for a dollar, so I would plant myself in front of the book section and make piles of which one I wanted to get and then decided after I'd gone through them all.
One day an older lady saw me sitting with my piles and asked if I liked to read. I told her I did and showed her a few of the books I found that I liked. She smiled and then pulled a dollar out of her purse, handed it to me and said, "Promise me that you'll keep reading." I was so happy and immediately stood up and said that I would. She smiled and walked away and I went back to my piles able to pick out an extra 10 books to take home.
It was just a small act of kindness for her, but for me having a random stranger encourage my love of reading and making me promise to never stop definitely had a lot to do with my continued love of reading. This was probably about 20 years or so ago, but I still think of her whenever I buy a new book.
Something similar happened to me, not too long ago. I was on a bus, but realised after I had gotten on that my little card that you need to get around on trains, buses, etc. was empty. The man in front of me took a 50$ note out of his wallet, gave it to me and jumped out before I could thank him. I didn't even end up filling my card up, and I still have that note, preparing to do the same thing that he did.
I was once waiting in line at the gas station when a big burly biker with a cut and chains hanging off his jeans walked right to the front of the line and pushed in front of me. I was mildly annoyed but I had actually been in the middle of a text fight with my sister so his rudeness gave me another minute to finish mashing my fingers on my phone screen. When I got to the counter the attendant said my gas was free, because apparently the biker had left a $100 bill to cover the few people in line he had cut in front of.
A year and a half ago, when my dog was about 8 months old, she ate a half a bottle of ibuprofen. Her kidneys completely stopped functioning. I had to take her to the emergency vet and my options were to put her down or spend a lot of money on the small chance she might make it. She was the love of my life... I couldn't let her go. After making the initial payments I left her there and they called me back a few hours later. I came in to see her and they told me it was worse than they thought and I would have to spend even more to continue treatment. While I was there, hugging her, trying to mentally budget, and preparing to possibly have to say goodbye, she urinated straight blood all over the exam room floor and they took her away. As I was up front, sobbing and shaking, trying to split the cost between three different cards, a lady tapped my shoulder. When I turned around, she shoved something in my hand and said, "I know what this is like; I love my pets too." It was a $100 bill. I started crying even harder and hugged her and tried to express my gratitude. My dog ended up making it, and she brings me joy every single day. I will never, ever forget her kindness and generosity. Sometimes strangers will surprise us, and that feels so good.
Yeah I was in Florida recently, and we wanted to put just half a tank in our hire car, so we gave $20 thinking we'd use it all and have enough to last us the few days (btw what a ridiculous system - paying before you fill).
Anyway yeah the whole tank was $19.something, so we had to go back in to get change (case in point). Couldn't believe how cheap it was.
A few years back I got free soda fill ups at the gas station because I helped a couple old ladies pump gas. I guess it was a really horrible day for the attendants there because just alleviating a bit of pressure for them was enough for them to give me free soda any time they saw me after that.
I've told this story before, but this is definitely one of those important memories that has stuck with me for years.
When I was a kid we didn't have a lot of money, so we often hopped the turnstiles. What I loved about that was that you could get 1 trip for no dollars, so I would haul myself over the top of a turnstile and take a trip to where I wanted to get and then hopped it again when I'd go home.
One day a police officer saw me jumping the 'stiles and asked if I liked to ride trains. I told her my family was really poor and couldn't afford it if she arrested me. She smiled and then pulled a citation out of her ass, handed it to me and said, "Promise me that you'll keep riding trains." I was so fucking pissed off and retarded that I said that I would. She smiled and walked away and I went back onto the 4 train.
It was just a small act of mercy for her, but for me having a police officer challenge my need for frugality and making me promise to ride trains indefinitely had a lot to do with my continued juvenile delinquency. This was probably about 20 years or so ago, but I still think of her whenever I hop a turnstile.
I was on a bus, but realised after I had gotten on that my little card that you need to get around on trains, buses, etc. was empty.
Last night I had to get 2 metro tickets for me and my SO. The metro was already pulling into the station and behind me was another couple that would not have time to buy a ticket. The tickets are only $1.25 so I changed my amount to 4 so we all could get on before it left.
But then the machine didnt work :(... so we still all got on but then without tickets (got tickets at the next stop).
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:12:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Im guessing that you aren't from the USA since you referred to the bill as a note. Where are you from and what is the value (in USD or euros) of 50$?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:51:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Australia maybe? Also if they didn't have money to use the bus (since their card was empty) and they didn't spend the 50, how did they continue riding the bus?
Probably got off the bus and hopped away on their kangaroo. $50 is only enough for a one way trip in Australia, so it would have been inconvenient to walk back.
nonofax ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Awesome!!!
partot ยท -18 points ยท Posted at 13:20:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hate to burst your bubble but if he just gave you $50 and quickly jumped off, the money might not be clean (ie it might be stolen or some shit).
I delivered some pizza to an apartment complex once, and there was an older man out front playing with his grand kids. I said hello as I walked past them to the apartment that ordered. On my way back to my car, the man stopped me and gave me a $100 bill. He told me it's good to see a young man out working for his money, and that he was proud of me. He may have just been showing off for his grandkids or whatever, but it meant a lot to me being a full time worker and student.
Sometimes the tip doesn't really matter as much as the way that the people treat you when they give you an outlandish tip does.
I delivered pizza to a wealthy neighborhood on Thanksgiving day. They ordered about $20 in food and gave me a hundred dollar bill then told me to keep the change. They thanked me for working on the holiday and said without me they wouldn't be able to eat. The man even gave me a hug before I walked away. It was nice feeling appreciated for once.
Another time a guy tried to give me a bag of weed as a tip and when I refused he gave me a hundred dollar bill. Pretty sure he was trying to get in my pants because he asked me to come back to his "hotel party" later that night and kept looking at me like he was undressing me with his eyes. While it's the biggest tip from a small order that I've gotten, I didn't feel that great about it.
We order Dominos so often, the delivery folk know us and our dogs fairly well. One of them let slip once that they take turns over delivering to us, or sometimes jump at our tickets whenever they see our address to beat others out on the delivery. Apparently we tip well. When he told us that, our response was that we were well aware of how lazy we are to order pizza so much, and really appreciate them for enabling us. We also tip extra on crummy nights - sometimes cause we don't want to go out in the weather and our orders are making them so the very thing we are avoiding, and sometimes because we didn't realize the weather was crummy and felt bad for making them go out in it.
The point of the story is: you take care of the people who take care of you: bartenders, taxis drivers, and food delivery folk.
I love that in every good thread, there's a response by you. Especially with this story, because I've heard (seen) it before. I feel like you're a character on one of my favorite shows.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:54:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I like power users like edgar or ramses the pigeon, genuinely interesting and nice people. I mean after the first time, aren't people like vargas, ducks guy and the jumper cables guy just the same joke told again and again?
To each their own I suppose, but I got downvoted the last time for daring to ask how to ignore those users (hard ignoring, not just the "is person is ignored, show anyway?" on RES). I swear I used to be able to actually block them, but now I cant' :/
I've read this story of yours before. It made me very happy - as much as the first time I read it
gibeaut ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:10:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was at a parts store around the time when I was six or seven and was roaming around the store while my dad was at the counter thumbing through catalogs of parts trying to find what he needed with the clerk. At some point I was by the front door and playing with the candy machines only I didn't really want the candy, I was trying to figure out how the mechanisms inside worked and imagining all sorts of things. We didn't have a lot of money so receiving candy from one of these machines wasn't a real possibility for me. Some guy walked up and thought I was trying to swindle some candy out of the machine and said something to the effect of "id give you a quarter but I don't think your dad would like that." I remember looking up and seeing my dad look back at the same time. The guy walked off and nothing came of it, but man no I wanted that candy. My dad wouldn't have cared one bit, but I'm pretty sure the guy was just scared of my dad because of the way he looked (biker type) and decided it wasn't a good idea.
So now, when I see kids ogling the candy machines or whatever and I have some change I give it to them. Because one, the parent should be watching the kid better and two because maybe the kid will get a treat he rarely does. If the dad gets pissed at me? Well, now I'm a big scary type guy and love being the nice guy.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:57:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a somewhat similar experience when I was doing some university fieldwork during my undergraduate degree.
Me and a friend were carrying out geological mapping in the Lake District, UK. We were about 5 weeks in to a 7 week field season and were thoroughly fatigued by the whole experience. The work formed a large part of our final year grade, and the process to get the data was both physically and intellectually challenging; the pressure to do well was very high for me personally as I needed to get a first class degree to get a bursary to help fund my attendance. The weather was some of the wettest the area had seen in years, and every day was incredibly tough for someone who hadn't spent a lot of time in the mountains before. We were both living on minimal funds and could barely afford to eat anything substantial - my lunch at the time was a single marmite sandwich, and a penguin bar. This did not add to the morale..
My friend and I were staying in a youth hostel in the valley which had a back room that, due to the fact that we were long term residents, were trusted to use beyond the usual hours. the room had a ping pong table and a tv which we would use every day after work. One evening a young woman of about 30 came into the room and started chatting to us. She was from the US and was travelling with her sister who was already asleep upstairs. We played ping pong, watched tv and talked about ourselves for a few hours. We shared a few cigarettes with her (a precious commodity for us at the time) and she said thanks and left to go to bed.
I think she must have picked up on our low morale and desperate situation, as when we arrived back at the hostel that evening she had left us a note and ยฃ10 cash. She said thank you for entertaining her, and for the gift of cigarettes. And for us to use the ยฃ10 to buy a couple of beers - On the proviso that we help out people in need when we get the opportunity.
It was a small gesture but incredibly kind and generous given our circumstances. It really stuck with me going forward and I hope one day I can pass it on in a similar way.
One of my early childhood memories also resembles this.
I was at my cousin's school fancy fair, where you could win small prizes by taking part in different challenges. One of them consisted of bursting balloons with darts.
I was still quite young (around 5 years old) and clumsy, and I didn't manage to blow any of the balloons, so I didn't get any points to spare for the prizes, and I started crying.
A nun who was organising this event (it was a catholic school) saw me weeping in a corner and came to me to ask what was the matter. I must I've tried to tell her something about the balloons and the prizes, because she explained to me it wasn't important, and to console me, she gave me a golden pendant of the holy personage the school was named after and told me a bit about his life.
I don't remember this last part, but I was so surprised that a complete stranger would give me something that valuable that this event stayed in my memory all this time.
Its little things like this that can really change who we are as people. She probably had no idea that you'd still love reading because of her to this day :-)
Kunstfr ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:57:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is this the first time you post this? I know you comment a lot here on /r/askreddit but I feel like I already read that story
Not exactly the same, but in college I worked at a very relaxed used book store. We sold kids books cheap, usually a few for a dollar. Whenever I saw people stressing about affording all the books their kids picked out I'd ring up what they could pay for and give the rest to them for free. I always secretly hoped it would encourage them like it did for you.
I'm a teacher and every year I look to buy somethings that will help throughout the year since the only good sales are in August. Couple years ago, I'm buying ~150 notebooks cause they were like $.15 each or so. Lady hands me $5 to help out. May not sound like a lot other than the kind gesture but that's 30 notebooks. Made my day. Sadly, other than family, I haven't had a stranger do anything like that lady although I don't bulk buy things either so I can't fault anyone.
Something similar happened to me, and if you know me, I love books. I keep stacks of books next to my bed, and habitually read at least a book a day. I've Got a library here in this mansion up here in the Hollywood Hills, and I keep bookshelves above my Lamborghini, which is great to drive up here in the Hollywood Hills.
I've read this story from you before, and I absolutely love it every time. I had a teacher renew my love of reading after a family member shattered it for me, so I love hearing about other paper fairy tale angels in the world inspiring fellow bookworms.
I got chills reading this! I think it's crazy how sometimes a "small" gesture or comment can follow us throughout our lives. I wonder if that woman ever thinks (thought?) about you. :)
I did something similar last week. I was in a comic shop across from my office picking up some new comics. A kid was in front of me in line (8 or 9) buying Pokemon booster packs. He was counting out all this change and 1's he had to see how many packs he could get (2 I think). I ended up buying him another booster pack and handed it to him as he left the counter, that kid was so happy.
I ended up overhearing afterwards that the lady with him wasn't his mom (she described herself as a friend), and that he had "lost" his deck. The kid was discussing with one of the shop employee's about playing in a store tournament. I'm assuming that he most likely didn't just misplace his deck and that the lady was a social worker of sorts (may be entirely wrong). I'd have gotten him one of the starter decks if I knew that before.
Something similar happened to me about a year ago.
I had made a stop at Dairy Queen (I was 14) and had about 3 or 4 dollars or so on me. I ordered two ice cream cones for my brother and I, then the total came out to been about a dollar or so above what we had. Some kind old lady saw this and handed me a 5 dollar bill and told me to keep the change. I thanked her and promised myself the next time I see her I'll give her a hug and pay her back.
That kind of thing just made me so happy and when we sat down to eat I looked over and smiled at her, I hope I see her again.
ZaMr0 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:45:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Have you shared this before, I remember reading this a few months back.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:52:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Stuff like this make me regain a sliver of hope in the goodness of humanity.
nonofax ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:57:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is great. I really wish I could still read the way I used to. Sadly, due to my ADHD progressing and my need for constant stimulation (video games mostly) I can't enjoy reading the way I used to. It breaks my heart.
I wish somehow that woman knew what an impact one dollar and one minute of her time had. Now, many years later, long after she has probably gone, over a thousand people read your story and it affected them.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:08:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've read this story before when you've posted it in a similar thread, it makes me smile every time! What a kind gesture on her part and it's amazing that the experience has resonated with you so much that you still think of her.
Man, this just made my day. When I was growing up, I was a total word nerd, and loved reading, but my parents always wanted me to get outside and run around. Why run around outside when you can read BOOKS? Glad I'm not alone.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:40:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck, this is something out of a Disney movie and I love it
For me it was my aunt. I lived with my mother and my stepdad and my two half siblings. Birthdays and Christmas were really tough displays of the differences that were drawn between me and my siblings. My aunt did very little for my siblings but for my birthday each year she would pick me up, we'd drink tea/coffee and browse through Barnes and Noble and I'd be permitted one book to buy and bring home. When I was 11 it was a 'Big book of Insects', 15 it was the next book in a series she started me on at Easter. I've only recently resumed reading and lament having ever found myself too preoccupied with life to stop.
I had a second grade teacher who would do something similar with poetry, except you could memorize a poem and get a prize, like a comic book, which in hindsight, was a nice prize. He also kept his classroom open early and late, and it was always open to kids that wanted to hang out and read.
I know this feeling. My family didn't always have money, but when we did, my mom would always buy me books instead of toys. It really helped make me who I am.
Your story gave me chills. I need to carry around cash so I can support the dreams of children at bookstores I frequent. One of my memories involving reading was my grandmother and I reading the Tarzan comics when I was 8. She helped me learn how to pronounce the "big words" and helped me look up their meanings in the dictionary.
Radvila ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:50:23 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dude, I'm at work. Goddamn onions.
Zabiool ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:10:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-gives thee biggest hug- :3
Twales ยท 528 points ยท Posted at 12:21:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I won a poetry contest in 3rd grade. The competition was to write about the color of kindness and I said camouflage because even though you don't see it that doesn't mean it's not there. Ever since that day I knew I was a wiseass and wrote a little differently than everyone else.
[deleted] ยท 66 points ยท Posted at 15:19:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom wrote a poem about the town dump once. Well actually my mother had an assignment to write a poem about the town dump and when she told her parents what her homework assignment was, my grandfather immediately came out with:
The town dump has a hell of a smell
If you've ever smelt it, you'll remember it well.
She decided she couldn't come up with anything better and submitted that.
Reminds me of a couple of writing assignments I had back in the 4th and 5th grade. The story I wrote in 4th grade involved a reporter investigating mermaid sightings in a remote area of Hawaii known to locals as "Mermaid Falls". The reporter is rescued by a mermaid and is taken to her home under the water. He falls in love, etc. The story ends with the reporter waking up in bed, wondering if it was all a dream...yet the entire bed was soaked. The teacher liked it enough to ask me to read it to a class of 5th graders. I didn't realize until later that it totally came off as a parable about bedwetting. Oh well.
The 5th grade story was about WWI flying aces, where the narrator is in the really heavy shit, his plane is a shambles and he's under heavy fire and out of nowhere his buddy, who he thought long shot down comes out of nowhere to save him from certain death. The narrator awakes in a hospital bed, completely unaware of how he got there or how the battle ended. A kind nurse tells him that he was surely a goner and was saved by another plane that killed his pursuers and he later crash-landed, lucky to be alive. He inquires about his friend and is told that he was shot down several hours before he was and is dead. The narrator then lifts the covers of his bed to find a carburetor (from the plane's engine) lying near his feet, shot full of holes and still warm.
I had a big thing for twist endings. Oh my God, I was a young M. Night Shyamalan. Ah well.
My grandfather walking me to the bookstore, and letting me pick out anything I wanted.
A group of girls I thought were my friends shit-talking me in French, thinking I wouldn't understand. The conscious decision to stay 'friends' with them, as it was better than being alone.
Walking out of high school on the last day. The warm sunlight making the little chips of mica in the sidewalk shine like mirror stars. Never going back. Alone and free.
Too many pages of poetry, of vastly varying quality.
I had a similar experience with a french housemate. Didn't know her that well as we only shared a kitchen, but we had always been cordial to each other. One day her friend is there and we're all in the kitchen and they start talking in french and saying quite hurtful things about me I didn't think were justified. I just turned around and said, in French, something along the lines of "what the fuck makes you think I don't speak French?". Never spoke again.
[deleted] ยท 614 points ยท Posted at 12:11:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"what the fuck makes you think I don't speak French?".
Once, I was sitting at a bus stop with a friend, smoking while waiting for her bus. We're both Danish. These two guys walk in, asking us in English whether we had a lighter. Sure. They keep standing there and start talking to each other in French, clearly thinking that we didn't understand that language. Well, my friend didn't but I did. These guys are talking about my friend and I, comparing our boobs, discussing which of us they'd rather fuck etc. I'm translating what they're saying to my friend while trying not to laugh. My friend's bus arrives, she gets on it and I start walking away. As I pass the guys I say "Au revoir" and send them my best 'yes, I speak French' smile. The look on their faces was priceless.
[deleted] ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 15:42:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love the "they didn't know I understood their language" stories!! I have a few of them saved, and read them every so often.
I used to work in a supermarket in Wales when I was a student. Didn't speak Welsh, but my now wife had tried to teach me a little. People would come up and say, in Welsh, 'do you speak welsh?' and I would reply, in English, 'no, sorry, not a word'.
Always threw them for a minute.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:03:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in high school, I had a pair of Mexican students who were sitting next to me in a math class that took place in a computer lab. The one closest to me would take my answers and work and describe it to his friend and they'd skate by like that. I didn't really care so I let it go on for a pretty long time. At some point, I said something along the lines of 'I know what you've been doing, but whatever' to him and they looked mortified and said 'You could understand us!?'
Really? That's peculiar to me since I have no trouble understanding any forms of American English. Maybe I'm a hick and I just don't know it?
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:10:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nah I'm just playing, I've never heard Alabamans talk; just wanted to say that Quebeckers have thick accents that even if you spoke French relatively well (not perfectly fluent but legally enough!) you cant understand them.
Both of this are just confirming that french people are dicks.
*I know some french people who aren't dicks, but its a stereotype for a reason I guess.
CalDY23 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:04:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's funny... I don't even remember my last day of high school and it wasn't even two years ago, and yet it's one of your 'core memories'
reapy54 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:15:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was a great description of leaving high school. I had a similar life memory finishing college. I was in my cap and gown, holding my diploma as I opened the door to my apartment. The sun was out that day shining down, and I remember telling myself "Never again, I'm done".
I most likely should have gotten my masters, but I just can't take the crap that must be stepped through to learn at an institution.
My High School graduation was bittersweet. I got out of jail on the day of my graduation, so I was pretty shaken up during the entire ceremony. Even though it was rough, I had the same thoughts as you. Never having to walk back into the building again is such a sweet feeling...
Until I had to walk in about once a week the entire summer to fight for them to actually give me my diploma. But, at some point I truly did walk out of the building for the last time, and that makes me happy.
i feel that completely. i was bullied heavily in middle school and there were these boys who would make fun of me but they would let be around them. i chose to stay with them because it would be completely alone otherwise
Tails-92 ยท 9870 points ยท Posted at 10:24:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Dad taking me and my brother & sister to the local park. They had this tire hanging on a 20m zip-wire that you would coast along at about walking pace. My Dad decided to make it more fun. Heโs a pretty big guy and he would run with you on the tire for about the first 5m and then throw you forwards. Within 5 minutes there was a queue of kids wanting to be hurled along on this tire. I was so proud that he was my dad and can still hear the childish screams of joy as kids slammed into the other end.
Playing a music solo at school and my Grandpa standing up mid-performance to applaud me. He knew it wasnโt the end but he was so proud.
When I overheard my Mum talking to my Dad. She said that they should prioritise getting me the new wardrobes I wanted because I never asked for anything and this was clearly important to me.
The first time I saw my current SO (over 10 years ago; been together for the last 6 years). I knew then that I wanted to marry her. Itโs the surest Iโve felt of anything in my life.
When my wife and I watching the scene when bing bong sacrifices himself to help joy, as he faded away, I turned to my wife near tears in my eyes and said, "oh no, Bing bong died." she looks me square in the eyes and said, "bing bong was already dead," then turned back to watching the movie. I think I married a sociopath.
Actually started sobbing when Bing-Bong had that look in his eyes, he just knew it, they were so close, he was so heavy, and they tried over and over again, singing that awfully cheerful song along the way, I sobbed a little, I bit my lip, I tried my best to watch it but I just had to pause the movie and cry for a good 10 minutes too.
And I didn't even like that stupid-looking Big-Bong ! Damn, they're good at making these movies, hadn't cried that much since Big Hero 6 I think.
I actually remember seeing this in the theatre and that look you speak of I just whispered "No." And my wife was confused, seconds later we were both misty eyed and saying we hate Pixar for making us feel. My daughter (3) was just happy Joy got out of the hole.
And that fucking Lava short. I thought they were going to end it about a minute sooner and was about to be incredibly depressed.
some night over the next 20 years, your wife is going to rise up in the middle of the night, reach under the bed where she has been storing the bread knife, plunge it deep into your chest and with a dead look in her eye, say "/u/jug_the_khaki was already dead"
some night over the next 20 years, your wife is going to rise up in the middle of the night, reach under the bed where she has been storing the most acutely angled butt-plug, plunge it deep into your chest and with a dead look in her eye, say
I was watching it with my 7 year old step daughter. Tears were streaming down my face and she turned to me and said "Geez, you know everything's going to work out in the end right? It's just a movie."
I showed this comment to my wife and told her, your response to this would have been, "Who's Bing Bong?" She immediately replied with "I have no idea who Bing Bong is." She doesn't really like animated movies and blocks them out, even though I'm sure she's been in the room a bunch of times when our daughter was watching Inside Out.
Omfg my fiance and I are polar opposites when it comes to showing emotions. I'm a brick wall 90% of the time (I feel normal emotions, I guess just not as strongly as others) and she cries at the drop of a hat.
Except, when it comes to movies we both switch immediately. I love a good tear-jerker and get misty eyed when things like the Bing-bong scene come up, and she ALWAYS ruins it by saying some stupid shit as soon as the sad part is happening. It makes me FURIOUS. It's like she has no empathy and I have all of it.
My ex husband used to get SO ANGRY at me when we watched scary movies and I would start making jokes about the movie at the scariest parts.
It was really because I was terrified and needed to calm myself down or I knew I was going to have nightmares...maybe your fiance is doing something similar!
I'm a grown ass man and I shed a few tears at that part. Whoever didn't isn't human
Edit: Damn synths!
Humg12 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:49:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't really like Bing Bong so I didn't feel anything when he faded. Though, I was bawling like a baby when Joy finally let Sadness dilute the core memories while Riley was hugging her parents.
MimeGod ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:08:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It wasn't diluting the memories, just changing the perspective a bit. Because it's now all things she misses.
Kind of like how when your grandmother passes away, all of your happy memories together now make you sad. (I lost my grandmother a couple of weeks ago, so it seems like a perfect analogy at the moment)
I din't cry for Bing Bong in particular because I kept predicting there would be a twist and that he would be the villain who was causing problems by keeping his own memories and deleting other ones.
INDEED, MY OCULARS HAD BECOME LUBRICATED WATCHING SAID SCENE; WHOMEVER DID NOT MAY BE A ROBOT, BUT I SURE AM NOT.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:19:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
AGREED. WHEN THE FICTIONAL CHARACTER IN THE FICTIONAL STORY STOPPED BEING WRITTEN, I ALSO EXPERIENCED SEVERAL EMOTIONS, PRIMARILY NEGATIVE, DESPITE KNOWING THAT THE ENTIRE FILM WAS COMPLETELY FABRICATED AND NO ACTUAL LIVING CREATURE HAD SUFFERED IN ANY FASHION.
ISN'T IT DIFFICULT BEING BESET BY ALL OF THESE VERY LEGITIMATE EMOTIONS? IT IS VERY HARD. I FEEL THEM EVERY DAY.
Lava was seriously one of the most emotional things I've seen from Pixar. I was sobbing when I saw that.
Jgibbjr ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 13:32:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I cried and cried. Luckily we were at the drive-in, so it was dark enough. Just hearing that song on the radio breaks me up when I'm at work, and I am a Grown-Ass man...
My husband and I watched this together and when Bing Bong faded away, I looked over at my husband all teary eyed, only to see that he was teary eyed too. We both laughed and said "Stupid!" at the same time. We did that when the old people died on The Notebook too. It makes me smile just to think about it. We are such saps.
The early days of meeting your SO are the best kinds of happy memories. There's so much excitement and wonder as you get to know each other on a level that you've never shown to anyone else. There's the thrill of the unknown to it as well, like whether or not they'll be into your rubber ducky collection.
I have him followed so I can't be surprised anymore.
"What's with this redditor's name being orange?...oh....u/fuckswithducks....this should be interesting!"
I'm considering unfollowing because there aren't enough surprises left in life.
D8-42 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:39:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You know it's not a joke user like the jumpercables guy right? He/she genuinely has a rubberduck fetish and I think it's awesome they're so open about it.
I added a red tag with his username using RES to always see when I'm about to be ducked. In a way, it ruins all the fun, but at the same time the I don't go "oh fuck not this again" nearly as often as before.
Honestly he gets me every time too. Fuckswithducks is an absolute master at... whatever you call writing posts that seem normal until you insert a duck reference.
I drove by a giant inflatable duck last week in NY on the thruway. I was driving, in the real world, with real people. I saw that duck and, goddamnit, I thought of you. Surrounded by my real, flesh and blood friends, I thought of you. What the fuck, Reddit?
What makes /u/fuckswithducks better than other novelty accounts is he is actually interesting and straight forward for the first 95% of it. Other novelty accounts are novelty accounts because they had nothing else interesting to say so they needed a shtick.
Does it really count as a novelty account if it's just something he's so passionate about that it's his primary use case for reddit and happens to come up in all conversations with him? Like, if SantaClaus had a reddit account and talked about Christmas a lot, would that make it a novelty account?
I'm curious- have you ever said no to a duck? I don't want this to come off like I'm duck-shaming you, I just want to know if you have an attraction scale criteria, or if all ducks get equal attention.
been there, still there 3 years later.
People always say it gets better, and you'll find someone, but I mean at least for me - it hasn't. I hope you have better luck. Do remember there is a reason they are an ex, something wasn't right at the time.
"At the time", I find it to be a better solution to improve yourself and become the person you dream of being. Then, that is when everything will begin to fall into place. Look at yourself and make a list of what you would like to improve, then maybe try and get your ex back.
P.S. Obviously some relationships are unable to work out, but if you still feel like there's hope, then go for it buddy :)
late reply, but yes I agree. Thanks for taking the time to reply! Hope you're doing well :)
Narfff ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:32:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know, it hurts.
And every day it hurts a little less, and every day you think about them a little less. And one day you think: "Hey, I haven't thought about them all day" And you learn.
And then you meet someone and everything you remember about your ex comes flooding back because part of our personality is past experiences. And maybe this new person works out, maybe it doesn't. But you learn, and you grow.
And after a while you'll see it as the thing it was. A learning experience. And it hurt at the time, but not anymore.
Just know that is an entirely ok feeling. Your body, and your mental state is going through withdrawals.
What's not ok is contacting them during this withdrawal process. You need to go through it and accept the fact that they're gone in order to move on. It may take a week, a year, or a decade. But they're gone from your life, and you should be gone from their life.
Get a hobby or two. Dive into work for a little bit. Go get a gym membership. There isn't a better feeling in the world than busting out an intense workout and crying over someone at the same time. You'll be stronger in no time!
I'm already doing those things. I'm in great shape now and have little trouble finding a girl, but things never take off because I'm still so hung up on her 6 months later. I am morbidly afraid of marriage yet she was the only one I've ever considered it with much less asked. Im 31 btw, I've been in a lot of relationships. This one is just different though.
You're putting too much pressure on dating! Focus on your hobbies and work, while going out to have fun. Think of the person as a best friend that you're going to go hang out with. Anything that will help you take off the edge and relax will do you wonders.
6 months is far too early. Give it more time and date more. You are not looking for someone to marry, you are looking for someone who you get along with super well and who meshes with your personality.
Who gives a damn if you're 31? You're young. There is still plenty of time to meet people and enjoy their company.
There are just so many memories though. It's hard to believe that I don't matter at all to someone who means so much to me.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:07:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You hit it right on the head. Well said. That's loneliness, and it sucks 100%.
It's a huge reason why break ups hurt so much. There's nothing I can do to make it go away, but there are at least two things that make it better.
Work out, and be happy. Take a few Push-ups every day (no, really!). Do something fun with a friend. Go-kart, hiking, whatever. Just get out there and create some new memories rather than staying home thinking about the old ones.
Little by little you'll notice that it gets easier, but it will take time. Then one day perhaps you'll realize you don't specifically miss her that much anymore. Maybe you'll realize what you miss simply is being loved and having someone to care about and sharing your life with. And that should give you hope, because you can find love. The hard part is to maintain it, but now you have a big book of experience you didn't have the last time around. You'll figure out how to use it.
As I said before, I know it fucking sucks, but try to keep your chin up. Remember this is also a beginning.
Already been working out for 8 months now, actually started back into it before the breakup. I've been pretty good at this whole breakup thing in the past because I'm good at finding a replacement, but this time around its different. It feels like no matter how many times I try to replace her, I can't.
Damn you got me. It's like when a person wears a mustache as a disguise but you dont realize it until after they pull it off.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:45:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not for me. The first year with my current SO was awful. There was every reason in the world for us to break up, but we just didn't. Now things are the best they've ever been (5 years later). So unlike most people's relationships that start out awesome and dip in quality over time, ours goes in the reverse.
Yeah I feel like most realistic relationships start this way. Its one thing to have a primitive idea of attraction, but relationships don't become successful because of attraction alone. Sometimes it takes a lot of fights and bad experiences to really know someone and whether youre compatible.
Tunavi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:08:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Im going through this with a girl right now. I'm 25 and after 10 years of shitty fuckin dating I met the coolest and most similar girl to me who actually shows me the respect I deserve. It's surreal and I hope it works out between us.
Apparently I ignored my SO when I first met him. He was trying to talk to me on vent. and was attempting to ask me about a build on IRO. I didn't even realize it until later on when I actually started playing the game with him that it was him I snubbed. To be fair, I suck at games and was following a shit build my current bf had started me on.
caytuex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:18:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
memories. There's so much excitement and wonder as you get to know each other on a level that you've never
married my wife after knowing her for 8 weeks.
18 years later I do drift off to those first few weeks but the current ones..... the ones after you have struggled with life, finances, children, and just growing up together.......those are the moments. the ones where you look back down that mountain and together you still are in awe of your accomplishments.
I met my wife in 1st grade. Needless to say, she was yucky back then.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:41:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reading this is extremely depressing for me. I met a girl exactly like you guys are describing it a few weeks ago(except the rubber duck part) and I can't go for anything serious with her considering I'll be moving to another continent in a few weeks.
Shit's hard yo
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I never got to meet my SO. We've been friends since grade school. There was the first few months of dating, where he went from my friend to someone I loved, but I think that's different. I loved that I never had to be uncomfortable around him because he's always known me, but now I wonder what it would have been like to get to know him from complete scratch.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I support your affection for vinyl plastic waterfowl. You keep on doing you, friend.
I almost tore up in public at the part where the grandpa stood up mid-performance to applaud you. That has never happened to me, but I think that's the point. When I was growing up and especially when I was in middle school and used to play the piano and numerous times performed at concerts, I was living with a foster family and went through from first grade to high school without actual parents. Back then was when I had passionate interests, like drawing, playing piano, a feverish knack and enthusiasm for writing, among other things, but I never had people in my life who cared to applaud me, who cared to tell me that I was good and that I should keep going, and I feel that's why I've lost interest in those passions, and probably have a stronger than average need for validation.
The grandpa part hit me right in the feels. He was proud of you, but I'm proud of him.
I remember seeing the girl that would turn out to be my wife for the first time. I remember what she was wearing too. I've told her this before and she's like "I DONT REMEMBER THAT DAY AT ALL". She acts like she doesnt' care, but I've noticed that she keeps the shirt that I told her was the first shirt I saw her in. I've seen it in the back of the closet. It's old and raggedy and doesn't fit her too well anymore but I'm sure she'll keep it forever. :)
When people post stuff like this and say they remember stuff from their early childhood I always feel like my memory is broken, because I can hardly remember anything from those days.
It's basically just very small fragments of memories thar are left over, but I couldn't even list them.
I should clarify, it wasn't "early" childhood (I realized i called her "girl" and its sounds like she was some kid). I met her in college. 13 years ago. We were both 20 at the time. She was just "a college girl".
cespes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd love to experience that. I've never had that kind of instant connection with anyone.
It hit me so bad that I was sobbing when you mentioned about your grandpa. I just lost mine a few months ago and all the feels just came flooding back in a sea of tears. I miss him.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:54:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That gave me as much feels as when Bing Bong faded. Your parents sound amazing!
dogsn1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:48:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That first one sounds like something that wouldn't be allowed to happen these days with the outrage culture, people would be crying about health and safety, pedophilia, etc
roeder ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It seems like you are surrounded by the right type of people.
And judging by your post, it seems that you know it and appreciate it. :)
The first time I saw my current SO (over 10 years ago; been together for the last 6 years). I knew then that I wanted to marry her. Itโs the surest Iโve felt of anything in my life.
Having just got engaged at 26, I get asked a lot why I did it so young. The best answer is exactly that, "it's the surest I've felt of anything in my life." It's a cliche, but when you know, you know. :')
ostein ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man, I am so jealous of 4. I have a great girlfriend, but I just don't feel that sure about literally anything. I'm happy and live an extremely charmed life, but I'm worried about whether I've just not met the right person, or if this is just how I experience love.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:24:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Number 4 is cliche asf
Bleue22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:26:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man I feel this would do well as the voice over during the final scene of some movie where the main character dies but explains that it's okay since he had a fine life. Great now I need to watch american beauty again.
It sounds like you have an awesome and supportive family. I have two young kids and seeing this made me hope my kids have these kind of powerful reminders that we love them and support them. Thanks for brightening my day :)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had that "I want to marry her" feel years ago but there were people getting me so drunk at age of 16 or so that without peer pressure or if I wouldnt following other peoples example then I would have much better life currently, even if my father would hate me for having wife that is less educated person that he wants us to have.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I saw my current SO (over 10 years ago; been together for the last 6 years). I knew then that I wanted to marry her. Itโs the surest Iโve felt of anything in my life.
Kind of had the same experience with my wife. Was a rather strange feeling...when I first met her, we were both dating someone else at the time, but there was something about her that I just could not explain.
Long story short...she moved out of state with her b/f at the time and I eventually had broken up with my g/f. About a year after she had moved I was at a movie one night with a buddy of mine and guess who shows up? Yea...she was there with some friends. We hung out a few times after that and the rest is history. Been together 14 years now.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:29:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I saw my current SO (over 10 years ago; been together for the last 6 years). I knew then that I wanted to marry her. Itโs the surest Iโve felt of anything in my life.
The first one ! We have these in the uk! They're called death slides over here! My dad used to take my brother and I to the park and would launch us on these and nearly send us flying off when it hit the end!
RichWPX ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:33:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
About number 4, to be fail a lot of kids felt that why when they saw Mina Mongoose, but you got her man.
username implies '92 memories, those are still in RAM not coreplease don't downvote me pleaseIneedkarmaplease
Wincko ยท 126 points ยท Posted at 12:39:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a few that I remember clearly.
When me and my sister raced towards the Sydney Opera House, to see who could get to it first. I lost. (I was 3, she was 5.
When my dad, my mother, my sister and I were gathered around the dinner table one afternoon. My father and mother told my sister and I, that they were going to split up. We all four sat and cried together. Thankfully, my parents are still on the good foot with each other.
When my mum and dad were arguing loudly post-divorce. My dad didn't think it was fair that he had to pay for everything my mother did, and only get to see us one weekend every two weeks. It lead to my father yelling at her, and my mother grabbing us to the car where my father was throwing things at my mothers' car. I had never been so scared before. Now that I am older (18), and have spoken about it plenty of times with my father, I understand everything he did that night. It was absolutely unfair, but it's all in the past now.
When my grandfather put me to bed, and sang me a good night song when I was eight. He and I had a special bond, and he used to go watch me at soccer practice. The day after, I awoke to my mother crying on the phone with my grandmother. He had died in his sleep from an aneurysm. All those memories, and just like that he was gone.
I was on ski vacation in february 2013. I was with my step-brother, sister, and mother and step-father. We were in Austria somewhere, and it was my first time skiing. I thought it was gonna be boring, but it turned out to become the most memorable vacation of my life.
It started out with me, my sister and my mother having a private ski instructor. My sister and I were decent, and went on to the small slope down some hill. It wasn't that big, but it'd hurt if you fell. My mom was still behind with that private ski-instructor. I went down into the line to get up on the slope with the ski lift. And there I saw her. A girl, roughly my age, and a couple of friends laughing in the back of the line, poking at peoples ski's. I admired her, and she was simply the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.
I got in front of her in the line, and she poked at my ski's with her friends. They laughed, but I had not figured out it was them until I turned around to see it. I laughed it off, and smiled to her. She smiled back at me. I realized that they were on a school trip, from Britain. We immedietly began talking about where we were from and what we were doing here. Had a blast, and an all out amazing time with her.
Then my family came by the hill, and I went for some lunch.
I was quite lucky, because she and her friends were also eating at the same place. All I could think about was getting out there and be with her again.
The next day, I they were there again, and I got to hit it off with her once again.
At one point, one of her friends was on the lift with me. She turned to me and said; "You do know she's got a thing for you, right?" I didn't know what this meant, but i figured out that she liked me. Turns out she wanted my phone number, but considering we were from different countries, and I have a weird name, I never got to get any way to contact her. The next day, when I returned to the same place to say goodbye, she was not there.
We had ended it all with a hug, and a goodbye, but I felt like it was not the end. I never saw her again.
by_whom ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 16:45:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You haven't seen her again yet
HGF88 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:41:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wincko ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:55:11 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I do remember her name, actually, but it turned out to be a fairly generic british name.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:46:27 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, that last bit was really sad to the point where it motivated me to never have that happen to myself - note to self: man up and get the girl's number before it's too late
haha, yeah. I was late to learn how to ride a bike, and on the first day I did, I took it right down to the park we hung out, and promptly steered it right into the creek (by accident). Went ass-over-teakettle into a cold, overgrown creek full of jagged rocks. I just laid there in the water moaning and waiting for someone to comfort me. When it clicked that there was no reason why that would happen, I was just like "Well, shit", then hauled myself out of there.
And along the same lines, if you use a super cheerful tone to note what happened, kids will laugh off falling flat on their noses. My little siblings laugh off bloody messes now (age 8) because we smiled at bloody knees at ages 2, 3, 5.
This is like the time my grandma opened to door to the pantry to find me during hide and seek. Little me has been leaning on the door, so I fell right out onto both of my palms and jammed both my wrists. She held me while I cried, and we watched "Boom, Boom, ain't it great to be crazy" all night.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:37:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was six when I fell down the stairs. I was crying because it did hurt. My mom told me to come to her. I thought she was going to hug me or something. Instead she hit me for being clumsy. I cried harder.
Fighting my brother with wooden swords up and down Hadrian's Wall aged about 6. I was always the Roman Centurion, he was always the one who smacked me in the fingers.
Finishing SATS in year 6 (age 10-11) and spending the entire next day playing football (soccer) in the playground.
About 2 weeks after that, building a scale replica trebuchet with a teacher and some friends and firing water balloons from it.
There's a few kids I know of who grew up around Wallsend who played Romans on or around the wall. It's quite a popular attraction up here, and I think sections of it were used in that Merlin film.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:35:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well OP is clearly in the UK so maybe the real one! :)
That sounds a lot like what we did after our SATs. The day after we finished, we either got the opportunity to bring portable video consoles, watch films or play footie. Being the fat shit I was at the time, movies and junk food was my desired choice.
I logged into my former-child-prodigy throwaway to let you know that, unlike /u/Bicoastalshrimp, the one and only time in my life that I took the American SATs was at the age of nine.
There are also tons of CTY applicants who take the SATs at the age of 11 or 12, although they generally also take the SATs again in high school.
Anastik ยท 8109 points ยท Posted at 10:50:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My father would get ready for work long before any rooster crowed. My mother, sister and I were all intimately aware of his moonlit ritual; we slept in the same bedroom, a trait we inherited from his Thai background. A few minutes after the alarm clock sprung him to life, he would let out a long sigh, trudge into the bathroom in his underwear and shower. He moved silently, trying his best not to wake us. Despite his quiet footsteps I never fell back asleep until the ritualโs conclusion. Before leaving to embark on his two hour commute into the Bay Area, heโd run his hands through my hair, stroke my meaty face and kiss me goodbye. It was my fatherโs private way of making me special.
He endured this long commute so my sister and I could wake up three hours later, take a short walk across the street and arrive at school. This daily arrangement had one serious downfall. Upon arriving home, after battling hours of gridlocked traffic, heโd have little energy and no patience left for us. Iโd beg him to come outside, wrestle around, or play a game of catch with me. But he rarely acquiesced to my pleas.
My life at elementary school provided me no productive outlets. My socially graceful sixth grade sister knew everyone who was anyone. In contrast, I spent my recesses meandering around the playground as a dorky third grader.
I had spent the better part of a year smitten over a leggy blonde girl named Valerie, and up until this point, I possessed little interest in school politics. But when our teacher asked if anyone would be interested in running for office, Valerieโs hand had gone up. I instantly saw how these two seemingly divergent interests could intersect if I developed a keen interest in politics. I declared myself a candidate for the hidden purpose of winning a girlโs affection. Valerie registered for the position of Hostess; therefore, I signed up for Host to increase the amount of time we would get to spend together. Each candidate had one week to campaign, advertise, and prepare a speech on why they should be elected to represent the student body.
I developed a rousing speech to secure the student body vote. This being my first venture into public speaking, my grandfather decided to serve as my head speech writer. After hours of writing, erasing, and rewriting we came to the conclusion that I should stay away from education; instead, I needed to highlight the critical need for longer recesses and lunches.
My sister would make the perfect lobbyist but she didnโt want anything to do with me. I couldnโt blame her. Iโd recently watched the movie โRadโ and became infatuated with BMX. My mother, trying to satisfy my infatuation, bought me a green BMX sweater. I loved this sweater so much that I decided to wear it to school every day and earned the unflattering nickname โuniform boyโ from my classmates. But after a shady back room meeting I wasnโt privy to between my grandfather and sister, he was able to persuade her to publicly admit our blood ties and hired her as a lobbyist.
My father was ecstatic with my decision to campaign for office. I had temporarily suspended the old routine of pestering him to play a game of catch after he got home from making his two hour commute into the Bay Area. He preferred our new routine where he sat on the couch, ate his dinner, and watched me practice my speech while I stood on stacked yellow book pages in our family room.
Election day would be held outside on a sunny California afternoon. My confidence was sky high until I arrived at the school courtyard and beheld a sea of students sitting in neat rows of blue chairs. The hours I had spent practicing in front of my supportive family couldnโt have prepared me for speaking in front of hundreds of judgmental peers. I looked down at my piece of paper and mentally rehearsed each word as my sweaty hands smudged out my sloppy handwriting.
The only exterior stimulus I took note of were the popular students receiving a loud applause. Unpopular students, my social caste, were shown pity with a polite golf clap.
As I heard my name called a tight knot of nerves formed in my chest. I slinked to the microphone, not tripping on any stairs as I had feared, and started speaking without hesitation. Halfway through my speech I sensed something was wrong. Most of the audience had puzzled looks on their faces; a few of the older kidsโprobably led by Keithโwere laughing at me. Overwhelmed by my nerves, I hadnโt realized the microphone was inches above my head; nobody had heard a word I said. My first savior was a thoughtful teacher who lowered the microphone and told me to start over.
In a panicked moment I recalled the gravelly voice of my grandfather who said, โLook above the audience if you get nervous.โ This sage wisdom commanded my eyes to the back of the courtyard where I found my second savior standing in the shade of a skinny tree with sun tanned arms resting on his puffed out chest. It was my father. As our eyes met he tilted his head and revealed a radiant white smile. Iโm sure it was the same smile heโd used as a nightclub singer in Bangkok to woo my mother. He now unearthed it, years later, to inspire me.
I started my speech over, and delivered each of my carefully crafted words into the microphone. I felt the syllables and phrases about the dire need for longer lunches erupt from my diaphragm. I looked every one of the older kids in the eye and pounded my fist into the podium to conclude my speech. My lobbyist sister performed her duties admirably as the entire sixth, seventh, and eighth grade roared a voracious approval for longer recesses. My campaign was sparked for Valerieโs affection, something I would never win, but ended with a victory of incalculable valueโmy fatherโs admiration. In the following years Iโve won a few more elections, but never felt as happy as I did on that day.
I thought this feeling was forever confined to my child memories until I performed my standup comedy bit in front of my father for the first time. After telling my best joke of the night, amidst the laughter of the audience, I happened to catch a glimpse of him from a few rows back. The lights were still bright but I was able to see his crossed arms, puffed out chest, and radiant smile. He looked and I felt exactly the same.
This really got to me. Any story to do with a Father-Son dynamic strikes a chord with me. This was a great story. (If anyone else is like me, I recommend The Flash as it has some great character dialouge between father and son)
CoogzBL ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 12:48:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was excellent writing. Beyond excellent. Don't think I've ever read something so powerful on here. If you ever do stand up in Houston (provided you are actually a stand up), let me know and I'll be there.
Mksiege ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:22:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I rarely take time to reply to comments, but wow. This one just blew me away. I felt like I was standing up there with you. Your writing is amazing as well. I'm glad you got to experience such a wonderful feeling.
ibes222 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:08:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A lot of stories I heard from other people or read in books are problematic for me. I cannot really concentrate, if they go on for a while, especially on the Internet. And I was always thinking that this was my personal problem, not beeing able to really listen and enjoy the story. But today I realized something: it's not about me, it's about the person who is telling me a story. You absolutly soaked me up with every word you wrote (Is this a legit english expression? :D ). I couldn't stop reading this beautifully delivered tale. Thank you!
Everything about this - your story, your writing, the atmosphere you were able to create in a few paragraphs - it all is absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing
Incredible. Truthfully when you said he stroked your "meaty face" I had to make sure this wasn't a joke post. But I'm glad I finished. As others have said, you have a superb grasp of storytelling. I'm sure your standup is top notch. Do you tour or just perform in the Bay Area?
mpurd18 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:56:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy fuck I was so prepared for you to lose, and for me to cry. You write like a pulitzer winning demigod.
BDK235 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:58:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is hands down one of the best things I've ever read.
After telling my best joke of the night, amidst the laughter of the audience, I happened to catch a glimpse of him from a few rows back. The lights were still bright but I was able to see his crossed arms, puffed out chest, and radiant smile. He looked and I felt exactly the same.
OP this deserves to be published (somewhere in addition to reddit)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:09:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow... That was beautiful. If you ever write a book or an autobiography, let me know. I will buy it in an instant because, I'm not joking here, but that is the first time I've felt so emotionally attached to a piece of writing in ages, if not years.
Beautiful story! Thank you so much for sharing - this made my day and makes me hope I can leave my children with this kind of memory.
Shikyi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:10:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If someone else got the feeling of a this being a repost, it's the same guy that posted the exact same wall of text in an AskReddit thread about "What makes you feel manly/womanly?" 3 months ago.
You aren't crazy and he's not stealing someone else's story afaik, even though it is a repost of sorts I guess.
I rarely read these long comments because of lack of time, but man was it worth it this time! Thanks for a story, you are a fantastic writer, keep it up.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:16:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was so nervous that this was going to end with tree-fiddy or jumper cables or something. What a beautiful story, please write more things. The world needs more stuff like this.
Beautiful and sweet. I was worried for a bit not knowing which way the story was going to go. I envy the relationship you and your father share. Best of luck in your stand-up career!
This has just bought me to tears. There's nothing bigger in my eyes than your parents appreciating your hard work and attending your public speaking / playing in a band / school sports day just to be there to cheer you on whilst busting with admiration.
I'm a lucky gal to experience this too and I love both of my parents dearly.
A little lengthy for this forum. You've obviously got talent, but if you made it a little more concise I think that would have helped you out hear. Just a suggestion, if you don't like it or agree please feel free to throw it away and spit on it.
Written very well. I hadn't thought about Rad in years until just now. My best friend and I used to watch the movie then go out side, turn on a boom box and ride his empty pool.
I remember us spending hours trying to create some cool opening scenes to music just like in the movie.
That's a memory I had forgotten about until just now. Thank you so much for jogging that for me. My morning is 100 times better now.
You fucking rock!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:06:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The details of my life are quite inconsequential... very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a fifteen year old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds- pretty standard really. At the age of twelve I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum... it's breathtaking- I highly suggest you try it.
This made me tear up. Very moving. I had a similar nervous experience when I was young. It was my first ever organized basketball game, and I was probably around the age of 10-11. I got fouled and had to shoot free throws. I shoot the first one and it felt amazing coming off my hands, then I realized I couldn't see the ball anywhere. I had put so much power on it that it flew over the backboard and got caught in the support wires. It was then that I knew basketball wasn't my sport.
Ganglere ยท 633 points ยท Posted at 12:06:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Watching my mother comfort my father when he received news that his mother had died. It defined the "In good times and in bad" factor in relationships for me.
When my dad told us he had bad news about my mother... "She broke her ankle last night." Shit man, I thought it was serious like she was dead, can we go swimming now?
Losing my virginity to a lovely lady and carrying on a sexual relationship with her for about 6 months until she got married to her fiance of several years that I didn't know existed.
Meeting my now wife by a small pond in the middle of a beautiful windswept meadow.
Waiting until she fell asleep one night to tell her I loved her in a whispered voice.
Telling my dad to survive his heart operation or I'd kill him.
Coming to the sudden realization of how lonely and sad my sister was when I was 10 and she was 8 and making the decision to be nicer to her.
Watching Casper the Friendly ghost with a close friend in the hospital the day before she died of an infection in her heart.
The time my wife wanted to have a three-way with a lady friend of ours and we ate snacks and drank wine and boned for 9 hours.
A priest telling me I was going to hell when I was around 11 years old. Not that I was in danger of going to hell, but that it'd already been decided.
My father telling a terrible teacher of mine to shove it up her ass at a parent teacher interview.
My mother sitting and reading a book while she rubbed my back for like 8 hours when I was really sick and trying to sleep.
Losing my virginity to a lovely lady and carrying on a sexual relationship with her for about 6 months until she got married to her fiance of several years that I didn't know existed.
Well... that took an unexpected turn.
Mmneck ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 15:46:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I expecting something like
Finding out my wife had a six month sexual relationship with some man right before we got married.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:28:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wish I had so many memories of my childhood. A lot of my life before I was around 12 is basically a blur. I can pick out small bits and pieces, but not a lot.
Mmneck ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:45:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel the same way. I think puberty screwed my brain over and turned my memories to mush.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:31:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What was your dad mad about during the Parent Teacher Conference?
In third grade, I used the word "cause" in place of "because" in a creative writing assignment where we were supposed to write a little one act play.
She called me up in front of class and mocked me for using cause, like I didn't know the word was because.
She asked me why I would write like that, and she really didn't like it when I said, "Cause that's how people talk."
So she called a parent teacher meeting with my dad to talk about my attitude or something and I thought I was going to be in real trouble.
Dad just told her to shove it up her ass, stood up abruptly, put his arm around my shoulder and he walked me down to the head office and told the principal not to call him to take time off of work for something so ridiculous again. Then we went home and never talked about it again.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:31:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
slow clap When I'm a dad, I hope this is how I'll be.
Oh man, the parent teacher thing really takes me back. Teacher did a terrible thing, and my mom told her to fuck off. Only time I've ever heard her use that word.
Losing my virginity to a lovely lady and carrying on a sexual relationship with her for about 6 months until she got married to her fiance of several years that I didn't know existed.
No, we weren't friends or anything, we didn't really know much about each other's personal lives, we just had sex. I didn't know she was engaged until I found out she got married.
I was with a group of hikers that I didn't really know very well and none of us were very experienced.
Thing weren't going to plan and I started to get worried that I'd made a mistake coming out with these people. It's starting to get dark and we're quite a ways away from any civilization, now I'm starting to think I might actually be in danger of dying from exposure to the elements.
There is this lovely little pond hidden in the rushes and there is a woman standing next to it. I break away from the group I'm with and start talking to her. She tells me has a farm around here and asks me if my party is doomed. I tell her I'm not really an outdoorsman and ask her if she knows the way to town. She really raised my spirits, shared some of her water and walked back with me and we became friends.
A few months later she'd dumped her dead weight of a boyfriend and we started dating and that was 10 years ago.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:56:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My wife and I had been together for probably 7 years or so at that point and we'd kink'd it up pretty hard, nothing either one of us could want would surprise the other.
We had talked about a three way before and decided that we'd be able to handle it because for both of us, sex is more like a good meal than it is a super emotional commitment.
We went to a party at a friend's house and this woman was there, my wife had known her since they were young teenagers, but I'd only met her 3 or 4 times previously.
She was being flirty, so I was being flirty. My wife is not a jealous person and neither am I so this didn't sit badly with her.
At the end of the night I just asked her point blank if she wanted to come back to our place for, "Drinks and sex" and she said yes.
We had a fun night and everything was good so we did it again a bunch of times and its all worked out.
Now for the reasons I think it went so well.
My wife derives sexual pleasure from watching me interact with another woman.
My wife is bi-sexual
Our playmate is bi-sexual
We all knew we were just having fun and that there would be no emotions except friendship, appreciation and boners
My wife and I had talked about what was allowed (everything) and what wasn't allowed (nothing) beforehand, which you must do before you start playing with someone else
My wife knows that I function on pure logic and have very subdued emotions, meaning that I won't fall for this other woman, I believe she referred to me as, "Fuckbot 3000" and offered our playmate my services at one point
Communication is key, and if someone isn't 100% into the arrangement, you might want to reconsider.
You must have a solid relationship, because jealousy will come seeping in through any cracks in your foundation. My wife knows I would never leave her under any circumstances and I know the same about her.
That is my advice for a sexual adventure, be safe and have fun.
I have a really similar memory of cuddling with my mom on the couch when I had the flu at age 6 or so. I was wrapped up in a blanket and we were laying on the couch watching a movie (Land Before Time, maybe?), and she was running her fingers through my hair. It was so incredibly comforting. Now when I'm sick as an adult, I wish I could transport myself back to that memory.
Meeting my now wife by a small pond in the middle of a beautiful windswept meadow.
I love this it sounds just beautiful. I'm curious how did it happen and what did you do?
Ganglere ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:00:35 on August 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was hiking with a group of friends of a friend. We got pretty lost and we were quite far from civilization.
I saw her standing near a pond by some rushes and asked her if she knew the way back to town. She walked us back to the road and I invited her to come have dinner with us as thanks, our treat.
We hit it off and became friends, when she dumped her lame boyfriend a few weeks later, I asked her if she wanted to date.
My drunk abusive father throwing a plate of spaghetti against a wall whilst my mother was in hospital.
Being stabbed during an armed robbery at a petrol station
Being shot at the same petrol station by the guy who stabbed me when he got out of jail for stabbing me
The call about I got at work from my mother in tears telling me that my brother had been killed on his motorcycle
Attempting suicide when I found out my fiance was cheating on me whilst I was suffering from depression over my brothers death
The first time I saw Jack (My cat) as a kitten in the pet store window. I assume its as close as i will ever come to experiencing holding my own child.
A_Wake_ ยท 633 points ยท Posted at 12:52:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm also available. I don't know the pain of losing a sibling (or being stabbed or shot), but I am intimately familiar with learning about an affair, and the subsequent depression. If you need to talk, I'm more than willing.
[deleted] ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 14:55:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
That cat has saved my life more times than I can count. After every bad day when I think things are getting too much, I'll get home and she will be so happy to see me and just plonk down in my lap and pur, and everything just seems not to suck so much
When i got her I was told she was male. And since when I first took her home she never slept and was an expert in torture (She likes to bite me on my ankles whilst i sleep if she is in the mood to play), I named her Jack Bauer.
Stabbed twice during the armed robbery, one in my back and one on my arm. Shot by the same guy months later, once in the arm almost exactly where he stabbed me and once high in the chest exiting out my right shoulder blade
Well his knife entry in my back was very close to my kidneys so I was lucky there. Both knife would and gun shot wound were in my upper arm so pretty much a flesh wound. With the one that went in my upper right chest and exited my shoulder blade did some lasting damage
First. Damn son. Hope you're ok. Second I was getting ready to make a post which I rarely do because everyone else's pivotal moments are all cheery and happy and all mine are mired in misery and regret.
Well 3 happend because of 2. He was arrested and went to jail for the armed robbery and assault with a knife. When he got out, he came back and shot me because he went to jail.
I feel like if I met you, you'd be someone I look up to. You, persisting through everything you've written about, speaks volumes about what kind of strength you have inside. Thank you for sharing, really :)
From one cat owner to another, anytime your down just hug that little kitty until the world doesn't seem so evil, that's what I do, cuddle with my cats.
-I was probably 2 years old, but it's fresh as if it was just yesterday. My aunt and uncle took me to the Circus, my mom took a picture of us, in front of the old F150 pick up truck that took us there, I fell asleep on the way to the Circus and woke up just as a Ballerina was climbing the elephant for the final act. It's my earliest memory.
-When I saved dozens of Pepsi bottle caps so I could trade them in for a thermos that changed color with cold water, last day of preschool, my mom shows up with the thermos, it's the happiest day of my life so far, I still tear up when I remember, I was 5 years old.
-My first day of first grade, I was really anxious, it was all new, I talked to a girl, her name was Miriam, and arranged that if my mom didn't pick me up, she would ask her parents to take me home.
-Playing with about 20 very cheap Roadrunner and Bugs Bunny toys that my mom got me, it was common to find them inside piรฑatas, as they were very low quality, but it was what my mom could afford, I spent many afternoons arranging them, as it was all that could be done with them. I loved them.
-The first time I went to a movie theater, I was 5, and my mom saved up for a whole month so I could watch a movie about a dinosaur theme park.
-The first time I grabbed a boob and it led to my first kiss after school, my face was completely numb and I had a massive boner.
Damn, I don't actually like long posts like these. I rarely read them myself xD. Oh well.
What I consider my oldest memory, I was around three years old, walking and talking. We went on vacation to visit family across the atlantic. Aruba, to be precise. But while there, we also went to Disneyworld, Florida. There was a sort of public square, with these tiny houses for cartoon characters. I was excited, and I wanted to go inside! But... the doors were stuck. What? No, they can't even open. I was sorely disappointed...
Meeting my now-best-friend, for the second time. The first time was a halloween party in the first year of middle school, where I met up with my then-best-friend. He was dressed as a scarecrow, and met another guy dressed up as a (better) scarecrow. The three of us hit it off, pretty well. The next morning, during first period, I walked out into the courtyard and saw that guy sitting on a bench, eating his food, as he looked up to face me. We became best friends pretty much that first year, and we will remain as such for the foreseeable future.
Getting accepted into the highly prestigious Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Internationally recognized, considered the top of the Netherlands. I never thought I'd be able to study music, but I've been doing it for three years now! I don't really show physical excitement that easily (I'm not emotionally troubled, my body just doesn't respond to my brain a whole lot), but after the phone-call I was literally jumping around.
Two months into said study, my dad passed away... There's a few moments I clearly remember, but I'll talk about two. The first one, I was just playing League of Legends (with the friend I mentioned, and another guy I know well). My mother came up to me, with the phone in her hand, saying that my dad had been admitted into a hospital, and there are certain problems. The doctor did not, however, tell us we should fear the worst. So I kept playing.
A few minutes later, I heard weeping, coming from outside. My mom just heard her husband of 50 had died. I did not cry then, as it was still strange to me, and even then I hand't cried since the beginning of elementary school. Never once - again, I'm not emotionally troubled. My body just doesn't care that much. I talked to my friends on Skype, and told them 'so uh, I just heard my dad has died.' And, well, I left the game, and family picked us up to see him.
The second memory is when we got there. I looked at him for a minute, until I burst into tears. In the car I mentioned to my mom how I just wanted to make him proud of me. He was into music, and he was so excited to see me go even further with it. She held me as I wept, telling me how he was already proud. It was a surreal moment. But I didn't remain sad. He wouldn't want me to be. He was simultaneously hard-working, but laid-back in philosophy. Don't worry about things you can't do anything about. Just do what you can do, and live a good life. So I'm doing just that.
Hah, thank you very much. Again, though, I don't actually feel sad writing this, or anything. I haven't cried in almost four years, now. I actually enjoyed putting this out there! But to think a complete stranger is moved by this, is quite amazing. I appreciate it.
Tough guy? I'm not emotionless or anything. It's not like I'm trying to actively conform to society's image of men who don't cry. I wish I cried and laughed more.
A few minutes later, I heard weeping, coming from outside. My mom just heard her husband of 50 had died. I did not cry then, as it was still strange to me, and even then I hand't cried since the beginning of elementary school. Never once - again, I'm not emotionally troubled. My body just doesn't care that much. I talked to my friends on Skype, and told them 'so uh, I just heard my dad has died.' And, well, I left the game, and family picked us up to see him.
I had someone leave a game for that exact reason before. We were all okay with it (obviously) except our jungler. He said he hopes he died on the way to see him :(
gigo09 ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 14:55:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I recall talking to my friend, later, and he remembered that moment very vividly. Our families also get along quite well, so he also felt like he lost a dad. Man, I consider him a real brother.
The onion ninjas are creeping through this post I swear...
I remember when my grandmother had passed, the doctors called my mother and her and my sisters went to say goodbye at 2am, I didn't go because I was refusing the fact that I was gonna lose one of my favorite people. The next morning my whole family was crying but I didn't shed a tear, I didn't want it to be true. It wasn't until the wake did I cry and oh did I cry, all the feelings of regret for not saying thank you, thinking about how much she did for us all just came to me as I stood in the back of an empty funeral home and could see her cold body laying in the casket in the front... I wasn't able to go near it I just physically couldn't and I felt that something changed in me and I know something is different but I still can't figure out what it is. I miss that woman and I'm sure you miss your father very much too
Hm-m. Until that day -or rather- until a year from that day, I didn't know what it was like to 'think about him/her/it every single day of my life.' Whenever I heard that in a tv show, it just sounded so cliche. But now I know it's real. In addition to that, I hadn't really dealt with death before. Well, we had two cats die earlier, but it's not the same. My dad's mother died only 5 weeks prior to him (oh man, how my grandpa must have felt. But he's doing fine, don't worry), but I didn't have much of a bond with her. (Yes, this means my dad passed, just as he was done grieving. He was on a hike with some friends, until his heart gave out). But what I'm trying to say here is this; If there's one thing we gained from this, it's understanding. The reality of death, and feeling what other people go through. Again, that's my dad talking, always looking at the silver lining.
Thanks! I'm glad he did. Though he didn't go out of his way to tell me exactly how he lives. I just saw he he lives, how he reacted, and how he'd give advice on specific matters. And at some point, I realized how well he did.
I'm very similar to you. I just don't cry about things that easily, at least I didn't. My body is a little more accustomed to expressing emotion now that I've got married and have had to learn to display some emotion so she knows how I feel.
Hey, nice to meet a person who knows what I mean. It's strange to tell people about it, and feeling like I have to tell them 'oh no, I'm not uncomfortable showing emotion. The threshold is just higher. I find it equally funny or sad, but it;s like my tear ducts are lazy.'
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:00:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But while there, we also went to Disneyworld, Florida. There was a sort of public square, with these tiny houses for cartoon characters. I was excited, and I wanted to go inside! But... the doors were stuck. What? No, they can't even open. I was sorely disappointed...
DUUUUDE! My parents have old home movies of me trying to open those doors over and over when I was about the same age.
Mate, my dad died when I was 19 and I didn't cry right away either. It just felt surreal . It wasnt only until his funeral which was like 2 weeks later when I cried for the first and only time. We had a great relationship but I'm like you and don't feel too sad about it either. Sometimes when I tell people I feel like I need to clarify like you are doing when you say you are not emotionally stunted as well. I guess we are lucky with how we can move on from things quickly.
I recall my intense disappointment that you can't actually visit all the cartoon houses. It was like a tease. I think only Mickey's house actually opens up, and everything is roped off like a goddamn presidential birthplace. Bulllshiiiit.
That last line about not worrying about things you can't change and just doing your best because that's all you can really do is something that I try to live by as best a I can due to countless things reminding me of that truth. Recently, was a customer at work telling me that if I made it safely to a retreat campground I was headed to that weekend, then I was supposed to be there because I wasn't the driver in the carpool, but if I didn't make it, then it wasn't something I could change anyway
-the smell of bark in spring. The council used it to fertilize flower beds etc. It reminds me of BMXing around town, putting coins on the railroad tracks, firecrackers, playing football and running around the woods.
7 years old. Telling my father I hated him and him replying with "I'll give you a reason to hate me"
15 years old. Getting my father's gun an putting it to my head. This moment is when my sadness turned to anger
15 years old. Getting a knife and my father's gun from its hiding spot and sitting at the top of the stairs waiting for him to get home. Luckily, mom got there first
*20 years old. Crying like a baby to my SO because I was so lonely when her, my mother, and my sister were the only ones to tell me happy birthday.
22 years old. Holding my newborn daughter one night after days of no sleep because of her illness, and promising to give her a better life than I had.
We no longer have anything to do with her. I couldn't keep up a relationship with her afterwards, I pretty much dropped the relationship we had built up, and wouldn't allow her alone with our baby again. We really couldn't look past it, especially since she refused to apologize or admit any wrongdoing, and combined with other things she's done, we've finally made the decision to cut all contact as of a couple of months ago.
Coming downstairs after bedtime and playing hide and seek with my parents. I walked down into the tv room and hid under a table and started giggling. I was completely surprised when the found me.
My first day of special ed, was there for being a shithead. Ididnt have any real problem outside of not wanting be in school. Remember realizing what embarrassment it was to be there seeing kids with real problems and that people saw me that way. I Didn't get to back to "normal" school until middle school. I Feel like it really fucked me for learning how social interactions work. It took until after high school for me to really get back on track.
My mom talking to a 17 year old me about how bad her marriage to my father was going. I think this sticks out because it made alot of things click and make sense. It literally changed my perception of my family.
Train ride from College back home. I remember it being really surreal, it was late around 9pm. There was only a few other people in the train and we were going through the well lit and empty streets. It was really calm and quiet.
The evening my mom said good bye to me before I left for basic training. I remember being dropped off at the hotel the army paid for me to stay at the evening before they bused me off to basic training. She was crying and hugging me in front of the hotel. I thought it was embarrassing and in all fairness she was making a scene. But looking back the night was really the last night I was really her baby boy. Everything I did past that point was and is out of her control.
Same situation with Special Ed. Had a really hard time reading when I was younger, still struggle a bit today, but other then that I was totally capable of everything else my peers were doing. The only friends I had were from special ed, a few kids in for bad behavior, and it just fucked me up socially for so long. I never learned how to deal with a big classroom or how to make friends when in a new environment. Its better now, but I wonder where I'D be if I was in mainstream all my life.
For me during high school I just wanted to blend in and not have any attention called to me. I think this mostly because I was worried people would remember that I was in Special Ed. Made it hard to make friends, but now that I'm out of high school and far away from the people I grew up with I'm fine. To be honest I think I would have made the same choices I have regardless of whether I was mainstream or not.
I feel. I major problem I had in middle school/high school was not only did people remember I was in Special Ed I was also a big guy so I got this label as a Hodor esque slow-giant. I kinda shook it off towards the end of my junior/senior year, but it still made making friends super hard.
Well since I graduated like three months ago im not too sure, haha. I think overall im in a better place then I was in middle school and high school. Im taking a bit of time off before college to enjoy having to responsibilities. Everyone always says that High School is awful for everyone. That seems to be pretty true. Kids in Middle/High School are in a weird place were they arent quite adults, but they have to start making decisions that will impact them later in life. They also start becoming, like, people during that time. They develop opinions and stuff. I have a small group of friends still, but I love these ones and im making fun memories. That's what I wanna do with my life, make memories, so im doing pretty well right now.
I feel you one number 2. Although it wasn't that long for myself, the one year I spent in the "romper room" was probably the most shameful I have ever felt. It was for the better though, it changed me the next year and I did a complete 180.
T_Momo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:04:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not a core memory but your train ride from college reminds me of my own. I was leaving Pittsburgh and I had my pet betta fish in an ice tea bottle and I hoped no one would see him in there and make me get rid of it lol.
What mind of monster would make you get ride of your fish?
T_Momo ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:41:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have no idea but I was absolutely -terrified- they'd find out and flush him. I had never traveled on a train before so I wasn't positive of the rules, so I was sweating it.
The first time seeing my SO and as we made eye contact, thinking out loud "Have we met? Because I KNOW you!" Even though we had never met.
A rough patch in my parents relationship when my mother smacked my father for no reason. He took it and never bad mouthed her to me or my brother.
The days following 9/11. I had military friends and friends whose family volunteered to go help with rescue efforts. Watching people come together not in hatred of the attackers, but in solidarity to comfort and protect those left behind.
The day my first dog died.
kikat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:41:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
9/11 is etched into my memory too, I was in third grade and one after the other a bunch of kids were called to go home until the entire school shut down. I also remember my mom being horrified watching the news and seeing people jump from the burning towers.
RhysSnow ยท 1006 points ยท Posted at 09:16:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
When my dad left for Iraq '03, mum had just divorced him and we met at a random retail park Burger King to say goodbye. Really signified the end of the relationship between him and me.
EDIT: I was 8/9
EDIT2: I thought of a few more.
My cat was with me for all my teenage years until he passed away.
I was at work and got a phone call while on break from my crying mum telling me Felix had suddenly taken ill and they rushed him to the emergency vet. My work made a big deal of letting me go and I got there after he had been put to sleep.
This was only 2 years ago, but has really affected the way I think of pets now. I used to think I'd want any future kids of mine to have what I had, but not anymore.
My work made me make up the shift the next day.
My first ever real girlfriend also cheated on me after 2 years of dating, around the age of 17. Has kinda soured how I look at relationships.
Some yellow ones - the first time I played American football, my grandfather taking me too the zoo before he passed, my first kiss.
RhysSnow ยท 171 points ยท Posted at 11:17:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I ain't even remotely butthurt about it. It's just a significant memory of mine. I've always been a mummy's boy and my dad never treated me like I was anything special
He told he once he thought I only wanted him for his money, because I'd spend months away from him then be disappointed when we did nothing for a weekend he decided was good for him to have us over.
I used to think I'd want any future kids of mine to have what I had, but not anymore.
I don't think that's a good way to look at that. You shouldn't shelter your kids from reality. Pets dying are tough, but is the 15 years of having the pet make it worth it? 99% of the time yes.
It's funny, cos it's like the apostrophe just accidentally got removed from dad's and placed in the middle of your. That's the only thing wrong but it looks so weird.
Dude, I really don't think you should base any attitude or outlook on the actions of a dumb 17 year old. Our brains don't develop proper impulse control until we're 25, and even more than that, people are just stupid and unable to think about how their actions affect others.
Also I'm so sorry about Felix. Fuck your work =( I hope if I'm ever a boss I display ten thousand times more compassion than those assholes. It's a rare occasion that someone loses their best friend.
Maybe if my dad was a different person. He's never treated me as if he's proud to have me. It's always been about his ego and things he does for himself.
My mum is my hero.
Penqwin ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:22:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This was pretty sad to read, and I hope you're ok. But adding the part about work asking you to make up a shift is unnecessary because it was completely reasonable on their part - them giving you a hard time about leaving is understandable (given it was busy at the time and help was low) yet still kind of douchey by them.
They had been separated for a while.
But it's hilarious to me that you think my mother should put up with a man who made her unhappy just for the sake of keeping his spirits up before going.
She could have issued the divorce papers while he was away and I wouldn't have any sympathy for him.
oss_spy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:46:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That explains nothing and I take it that you were never really exposed to army culture.
What kind of explanation are you expecting?
Should soldiers have different consequences to things they do at home compared to a civilian?
I couldn't care less for army culture. My dad chose the military over his family at every opportunity and still does.
It's safe to say I don't have the best opinion of the armed forces. Too many of my friends have had similar upbringings
Played a season as QB of an under 16 team. Then 2 seasons as the starting Left Tackle for an under 19 team, also played Nose Tackle the 2nd year. First season we went from the bottom of the division, to 2nd place. 2nd season we went undefeated and won the North. I never gave up a sack either season and was offered a scholarship to an athletic college but couldn't go cos my family had just moved into a bigger house so we'd all have more space.
I got a job a few months later and haven't played since
My first ever real girlfriend also cheated on me after 2 years of dating, around the age of 17. Has kinda soured how I look at relationships.
I just broke up a month ago with mi first ever gf (I am 24) the relationship lasted 2 years; and I still remember when i heard that she cheated on me, whole relationship went to shit; I forgave her and she did it again. Worst part was that my best friends knew way before me and didnt want to tell me because I was going on a 2 month trip to Asia, so they kept the secret for almost 6 months.
Right now I am in one of the worst moments of my life emotional speaking because I dont know who I can trust; life is a uphill battle.
sounds like loss has affected you quite severely. everyone experiences it, and it's formative for everyone.
but pets and relationships, as concepts. aren't bad just because they end.
i'm no psychologist, but it sounds like your parents' divorce has affected you more than you realize.
hulkbro ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:39:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think it's good for kids to have pets, even if they die. You obviously loved your cat deeply and that's special. But I also believe it's not a bad thing for kids to experience opposing a pet either. Sadness and acceptance of loss are things we all have to deal with in life and I feel it's better for kids to have the joy of a pet and also experience that loss.
Teach them to remember the good times with one lost and you'll
be teaching a great lesson for life.
Hope you are feeling better, I've lost loved pets before and its hurts. But remember that stupid thing they did that made you laugh :)
vorbis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:07:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
this is my most hippy-dippy side but I really hope you can reconnect the happiness and good things from these experiences. There is beauty in the pain of loss because it means we actually truly cared and connected with something/someone. Eventually all of the bad things become part of your personal narrative, I hope it is a story about how you reached a place personal understanding and acceptance. I'm not saying ive done it but im closer than I was before processing some things from my past.
Knowing how much my mum loved me (and still does).
The 'click' feeling that I got when I saw my dog in a shelter. I knew on the spot immediately that he was the dog for me, and I loved him with all my heart.
Loving a pair of blue bathers (swimmers/trunks/togs/swimming costume/whatever slang) so much that I would get up after my mum put me to bed to put them on and parade around my room in them.
Moving to Cambridge in the UK, and falling in love with the city.
The feeling of being loved so deeply by my SO.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:05:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents' love is really tangible to me even now, and I'm nearing 30. Every time I see them it's so clear in how they talk to me and look at me. I don't know how I'll survive their eventual passing, but the memory of the feeling of their love has definitely shaped me more than any invidual event. It's an amazing feeling, knowing you're unconditionally loved. Sometimes when I visit them and they give me dinner, my mum will just sit opposit me and watch me eat, smiling softly.
Doesn't it make you feel incredibly lucky? There are so many people out there who don't love their parents, whose parents don't love them, or all the people who've lost their loved ones.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:02:50 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. I saw a lot of my friends deal with lousy parents, some of whom never really recovered and either continued the cycle, or just let it beat them to the ground emotionally. To this day abuse by parents, emotional or physical, is something that will make me unusually angry.
It's pretty sad, especially considering the power imbalance in a parent-child relationship.
My stepmother seems to show her care for people by criticising them. It's incredibly difficult to deal with her negativity, and she laments how her daughter no longer speaks to her. I don't blame my stepsister for not speaking to her, considering how critical stepma is all the time. stepma cries and gets pissy for several YEARS if anyone tells her that they don't appreciate being criticised all the time.
My mum, on the other hand, is awesome.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:39:44 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yikes. Yeah some people just shouldn't be parents.
I moved back to Melbourne, but hardly a day goes by that I don't pine for Cambridge. I'd move back in a heartbeat. Have tea and scones for me next time you go to The Orchard!
[deleted] ยท 1854 points ยท Posted at 10:10:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
cdc194 ยท 336 points ยท Posted at 12:03:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
the day my parents told me what a giant disappointment i am
As a parent, I could never imagine doing that to my kid
You sure don't sound like a disappointment to me. If my kid donated bone marrow to a random person I would be extremely proud. Sorry you've had to go through so many shitty things in life.
To be fair he/she could have been a real shithead back in their younger days. My sister sure was, but grew up a whole lot in her twenties and is now a wonderful woman with wonderful kids. Not that I think my parents would have said something like that even then, but if their parents were a bit more hotheaded than mine, sometimes the mouth runs faster than the brain.
Just in case anyone reading this thread wants to know how to donate.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:09:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Onematch for Canadians.
Every now and then I get an email (like less than once a year) and I have a heart attacking thinking this is it, game time; but it's some stupid ad to boost their campaign.
If you've never read any books by Mr. Rogers or watched Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, I think it may be a strange but pleasant experience for you. The bulk of his message is that you are likable just the way you are, not because you are perfect (often we are far from it), but because you are capable of so much growth and goodness.
Hopefully you mean you can understand why -- in their condition at the time -- they might have said something so hurtful, and not that you agree with them that you are a disappointment.
If the latter, please don't give in to others' negative views of what your life may mean, contain, be worth, or stand for. Even your parents'. Physical and emotional distance from them may help. Only you decide who you are. If you don't like who or where you are now, don't give up on the person you can become.
And if the former, you are amazing in that you can position their cruel comments in the context of their point of view, and even understand them somewhat! That is true empathy. You are rising above the personal hurt and seeing them as human, flawed people who make mistakes in judgement.
well, they we're disappointed because i didn't meet their expectations . I do understand that they actually had something good in mind and i didn't act according to that.
We are very distant though and i moved to the other end of the country because f them
My mother's line was, "I didn't ask to have kids." Catholic, 5 kids that lived, 2 that died from RH-factor mismatch.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:57:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do they? Mine have never, in fact I once asked my dad if he ever felt disappointed because we didn't go to uni or do anything important, and he said he could never be disappointed with us. He just wants us to be happy, and good people. I know verbalising it isn't the norm, but I never thought it's common for even non-abusive parents to express disappointment in their children.
Edit: Oh so I just read a few more replies I got and I see where you're coming from now. What I meant to say was "Most parents who say it do so unintentionally."
My parents did this a lot when I was a kid and I'm sure it wasn't really on purpose. Some weird way to motivate me when I'd get a B on a test or didn't have as many friends as my older, much more popular brother. I know my parents love me. I know they're proud of me now. I'd never tell them how much they messed up 11 year old me, how the long term depression and anxiety stemmed from their need for perfection and comparison to my (admittedly much better) brother. I love my family too much to make them feel guilty for that, when I know they had my best intentions at heart.
wrxie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:33:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh I fully believe my parents meant it when they told me that I was a disappointment and an embarrassment for never graduating college.
Yeah, it was an obvious choice. She's really not a good person, and actually did a lot worse than that over the years. She's paying for it now, though - her life is a very lonely one. What goes around sometimes does come around, I guess.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:57:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Am adult who heard that throughout childhood. It was because I wanted to play video games and they didn't want me to, so my parents and I had an arms race of lies, deceit, insults and punishment that never ended as I tried to play and they tried limit me.
In retrospect if they spent a few weekends exploring other available hobbies and really asking what I liked about the gaming (using all of myself because everything else was so boring), we could have fixed it. They didn't know there is a difference in gamers and I didn't know how to express myself.
That didn't happen, so I was permanently below their standards of socialization and they let me know it quite frequently.
Now my mom is level 1800+ in candy crush of course.
I heard it from my dad this past March. I haven't spoken to him since (I was in the middle of opening up to him and telling him about the stress I'd been under. Great time to tell your daughter she's a disappointment btw).
there are actually two ways to donate!
One is via surgery (i had that one first). To break it down you are under anesthesia and they stick a giant needle in your back. Afterwars i stayed in the hospital for a day and then was sent back home. Every movement and even sitting down was painful for about a week, but i got painkillers.
the other method is less intrusive, you take medication for about a week that makes you feel like you have a flu and the procedure is very similar to donating blood plasma: one needle in the right and one in the left arm and your blood gets pumped through a machine that seperates the blood and the bone marrow(that is in your blood because of the medication). this tooke me about 4 hours and i could go home afterwards. my arm hurt a bit for 2 days or something.
after all i would say that the donation is kinda painful but that pain usually doesn't last longer than a week while otherwise someone dies of cancer so the decision once i was registered wasn't that hard
I registered over 10 years ago, and did get a call one time. Went through a bunch of questions, and they eventually told me that I wasn't actually an exact match, so it never went further than that.
When my wife found out I was on the registry, she said "Oh my god, you know it hurts really bad to donate right??!?" And I responded "Yeah, but having cancer and dying sucks a lot worse than that.".
I registered for bone marrow donation a few years ago, but I guess no matches so far. Everyone told me that is was terribly painful. Glad to hear from someone who actually donated.
yeah, it was really weird to me as i got notified about a week after i registered. My employer at the time was really great though so i didn't have to come to work until i could sit again comfortably
I used to work for a charity that registered people for donation. Your chance of actually donating is extremely low. About 1/5000. But we need millions of people on the registry so that we can get the perfect match for every person. About 20% of patients never find a match.
hochizo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:33:37 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
See, I also had the surgery, and I wasn't in much pain at all. The day after was the peak, but it just felt really sore (like I'd had a really thorough lower back workout the day before), not painful. I was slower getting up and down, but that was about it. The only thing I wasn't immediately comfortable doing was running. But after a few days that was fine too.
It's so weird how different people's experiences of pain can be for the same procedure!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:18:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
NO, IT IS NOT! I don't know how this rumor got started, but it's probably killing people. Register today!
I donated bone marrow when I was 16; it was no big. I got general anesthesia, then a huge needle into the hip, then I woke up. I walked like an old person needing a walker for a few days, but it wasn't even that painful (and I really know since my local pharmacies wouldn't fill the pain med scrip so I was on ibuprofen only).
My worst reaction was to the anesthesia, actually.
Yeah so now he needs more bone marrow to fill up the hole where his was taken out, right? Isn't that how it works? You fill his hole, then someone else fills your hole?
Oreo_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:18:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh well... I thought it was funny.
magdayo ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:39:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you, all these posts are heartwarming loving moments, it was making me feel like crap. Some of us are formed by shitty moments, it's nice to see I'm not the only one
I also have a lot of positive memories but to be honest, the ones that at the moment seemed like they were the end of the world and were hard to overcome are the ones that happened to be the most influential
magdayo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:45:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly. :)
Sphaxle ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:47:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you so much for donating. My new cells are going in today, and since I'm not allowed to meet my donor, I'll settle for thanking you. I wish you the best in all you do.
I'm sorry dog, these are some pretty dark memories. First of all, screw your parents if they want to be like that. Nobody should be told they are a disappointment. That's just fucked.
As for the suicide.. I've been there dog. Close friend of mine went that way too. She was much older than me and also somebody who I looked up to as a person. In fact, i'd say shes one of the most prominent figures in shaping who I am today. One day I was feeling lonely and alone when I had moved a few hours away from everybody I knew to go to a college on my own and decided to check facebook. I don't know if there's many good ways of finding out about a suicide, but finding your facebook page filled with all your friends writing memorials to somebody you had sushi with 2 days earlier when you were lonely and visiting your hometown...
I'm sorry man. Suicides suck for everybody involved. There's just no way around it. Some people are really good at hiding their own tragedy. Some of the most depressed people are also the funniest and most helpful.
Hope you're doing well in life yo. We learn from these tragedies. Let the shitty things of the past simply shape us into even better people.
My friend was older than me too and i learned about his suicide from checking facebook too. I was devastated. Later i learned from his family that he struggled with depression for years, which is something i never would have expected from him. i was really blind-sided.
what was your friend like?
She was bi-polar. Struggled a lot with depression and such. Nasty condition that one. You'd never think that from meeting her though. She got married to another of my very close friends who is somebody who tries to seek happiness and adventure in his life every day in whatever way he can. They both did. They would go shooting, skydiving, motorcycling, or heck even just play silly little games or start competitions at work when things were boring. She was adventurous and always looking out for people however she could. I remember she (as a manager) once saw a customer yelling at poor little 16 year old me, and she swore him out of the theater lobby. As a manager it's something you would almost never do. I didn't realize till later that it was because she valued my feelings and standing up for anybody she can above what one customer thought of the business. She later told me that that guy could fuck off, because even if she had acted like the typical corporate puppet and he decided to become a regular at the place, she easily valued her friends and her employees over a bit of extra business from one individual.
The two of them held very odd beliefs compared to the average person. The universe at large, religion, philosophy, you name it. They didn't care what you believed in however. What they valued and pushed on others above all things, was to question everything. These two were the ones to get me into philosophy. I miss my days of working at that theater simply because we never ran out of conversation topics. They also never once made me think that my ideas on things were odd, despite how wacky and out of touch some of my thoughts were as a young creative teenager. They were a large part of bringing me out of my shell. If not the biggest part.
She died around 3 years ago. Funny, feels like it's been longer than that. I've had my time grieving. Went through some bad depression myself (genetic imbalances as well, so not just because of this incident. Medicated and dealt with now.). Her death was very sad, and made me very sad for quite a while, but I still take what she taught me in life and try to apply it every day. Her death only made me appreciate those lessons more fully.
The husband went through some bad times for a bit. He's an army vet. Young, but he's still seen some shit. He was a sniper, and I always figured that snipers were something people always tried to talk up and say they were because it sounds impressive, but one year I found him hiding in the back room while we were lighting fireworks at the theater. I'd never seen him so freaked out. He wasn't blatantly scared per say, more that he was so on edge that I could swear his brain was working on hyperdrive just to take in every detail of his surroundings. He's a guy that hid his emotions well. On top of that, he's somebody who was good at dealing with his emotions pretty well in his own time instead of bottling them up. It was hard seeing him cry at the funeral. I didn't realize how close of a friend I was to him until I was the shoulder he cried on at the funeral.
He's since gotten a lot better. He's now moved out with another one of our old co-workers. I hear rumors they're dating, but I also think that they're more somewhere between dating and just being very close friends. They moved to a city about 2 hours north of here, but they just recently moved back into the area. Talking about this now I think I will see about catching up with them on facebook soon. Maybe go on a camping trip or something before the summer is up.
Sorry that this is a long read, it's just something I haven't really thought about for a while. I've since dealt with my problems quite well. Between the depression I felt and some other psychological problems, I now see a professional psychiatrist that I quite like. My medications work wonders, and i'm in a very good point in life now. About half a year ago I started taking a medication that brought back my artistic spark that i've been missing for so long, and that reason alone makes me so happy I could (and do, often lately) cry out of sheer joy from how happy I am to create things just for fun.
Sorry it's such a long read, this is just something I haven't thought about in a while. More I wrote it all out just because I was going through my old memories on those times and got carried away. That was very therapeutic.
It's been a few years too since i thought about him. He was very intelligent and good with his hands so he worked as an electrician. He once told me about his fucked up childhood that i could empathize with a lot.
He was never short of a witty remark and once you got close to him and got him to talk you could talk to him for hours about literally everything.
Our group of friends broke up once we got older and we all moved to different parts of the country and some days i still feel guilt thinking about what i could have done different. e.g. i made fun of him because of his girlfriend(none of us liked her because she sure was an aweful person) and i sometimes think about what we could have done different or if we could have stopped him. Well not if we could have but if i could have.
I am glad i met him and had him in my life even though it was too short.
i'm happy to hear you are doing well and recovered from such a tragic event. And yeah why not meet up with your old friends and share your memories
He sounds like a great dude. I understand that defeating attitude of wondering what you could have done different. Only 2 days before my friends suicide I actually visited my hometown and ate sushi with the two of them. She seemed a little down, but I figured she just had an off day. Took me a long time to stop thinking what I might have done had I realized how sad she really was that day. The past is done. We can't change it. My attitude is that even the shittiest things in life simply build us up to be better people. We are the sum of our experiences after all.
Hope you're doing well yo. And stay positive. We can't let pasts filled with dark and heavy shit like this keep us from living happy and great lives. :)
You saved a life doing something completely selfless. For a complete stranger. You are as far from a disappointed as they come. You are a fucking hero!
I just want to say that I'm sorry that you had to go through the first 3 memories, however you didn't allow them to shape who you are. Those memories were things you couldn't control, but the last one, your bone marrow donation, that was a completely unselfish thing that YOU did and because of it you saved a life. You took action and focused on what you could control and not what you couldn't, and I'm so proud of you for that. Congratulations and God bless you. I wish you the best.
Cheers friend, the only core memory I can think of is when my mom sat me down and told me I was a burden to the family and what am I going to do about it.
I am sorry for all the hardships you have been through. You did an amazing thing by donating bone marrow. It really makes a difference, not just to that person, but that person's friends and family. Your parents may not have appreciated you, but you should be proud of the person you have become.
Fuck your parents. You saved a stranger's life! From what I hear, donating marrow is very painful. That's incredibly selfless of you. Don't listen to your parents, I don't know you, but if I did, I'd be proud to.
Thanks to your post, I remembered to get to my local donor registry and update my contact details since I spent a few years abroad and all my info changed.
I like to believe that the hard life you had helped in a way to make you the compassionate person who tries to help others. I also hope that you've had your share of life being hard, and that you too find others around you who are willing to help you become happy.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:42:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
T_duggs ยท 50 points ยท Posted at 14:49:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The date was September 11th, 2001. I was five years old and in the first grade. The day started with my mom walking me and my brother to elementary school, like usual. My father, who was a New York City firefighter, was already at work doing a 24 hour shift. I remember the whole school being called into the gymnasium and hearing an announcement that we are being sent home early. I was excited to spend the rest of the day off playing video games with my brother, however when I got home I looked at the tv and saw two buildings on fire. My mom tried to explain what was happening as best as she could to me and my brother. I'll never forget the feeling of not knowing if I said goodbye to my father for the last time. Thankfully, he made it home safely. Since that day I have been determined to join the New York City Fire Department and will be taking the test soon.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:58:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
you being 5 at the time makes me feel old. well done good luck with the test.
T_duggs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:24:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're not old, just experienced! Also, thank you.
fbjac01 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:12:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Arogar ยท 38 points ยท Posted at 12:11:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad taking me out to hunt at around age 6. We get to a clearing in the woods and and he tell me to sit down by a birch tree. He pointed and said that the animals is likely to come from over there and move past us over there. He then pointed behind us and said I will be over there, wake me if something is coming. Then he placed the shotgun (most likely empty) over my legs and to be still or they will hear me. He then crawled under a pine tree put his head on his back pack and "fell asleep".
That was the most exiting day of my life. I was the man, the hunter it was all up to me.
THE EARTH DOESN'T HAVE A CORE BECAUSE ITS HOLLOW INSIDE, THATS WHERE THE LIZARD PEOPLE COME FROM! THE PLANET INSIDE THE EARTH IS WHERE THE DINOSAURS WENT!
Inside Out is a disney pixar film from a couple of years back. Core memories are the memories that have the biggest impact upon our personality and help define who we are
Mattxy8 ยท 564 points ยท Posted at 11:45:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you a time lord? What are you doing here in our time period? What are you up to?
Mattxy8 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:10:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I read the post and couldn't help but think I had just recently seen it in theaters - it's still been longer than I thought
tack50 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:41:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I perfectly remember when I watched it (last summer), because of how we ended up watching it.
My friends and I wanted to go to the cinema, and looked at the list of movies and their critics. We were 4 people:
-2 were movie lovers, and so the critics convinced them it was one of the best movies ever and that they had to see it
-I was usually the one that joked with the "let's go watch the kiddie movie". Seeing the joke becoming true convinced me (plus, critics were good, maybe it was for all ages?)
-The last one had no idea what the movie was about. The title made him think it was a weird indie movie, which maybe flew under the radar.
When we bought the tickets, and we told him it was a kids movie, his face was priceless XD
-The last one had no idea what the movie was about. The title made him think it was a weird indie movie, which maybe flew under the radar.
I'd love to know his reaction. I know you said it maybe flew under his radar, but it'd be funny to see your friend just going, "Where's the indie movie? Huh, why are we watching a Disney movie? Pretty sure this was the indie movive." and just rambling on. Lol.
We had something similar happen. So me and 3 friends got together to partake in some herb, and 1 of the guys left to get our movie tickets. While on the way there, he apparently got distracted by how delicious a Fry Lover's Burger from checkers might be and ordered 6 of them. So after that, he gets to the theatre 5 minutes before us and the original movie we were going to see was sold out, so he bought us tickets to inside out (it being the first movie the girl listed as available). We get there and at first are pissed, but about 10 minutes into the movie (after the short which I kind of liked) we are all loving it. Easily in my top 3 movies I saw last year.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:23:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No the same imho. OP is asking about "core" memories, those ones that impacted you the most and contributed to who you are. The moment something happen and you decide on a course of action that you'll follow the rest of your life, it becomes "your" code of ethic.
These are rarely the "best" memories.
I for example, consider a core memory the moment the priest at my Catholic Church didn't accept my yearly subscription to catechism because I was out on vacation with my parents and the deadline was over. I was head altar boy for my church at the moment, went and helped him three or four times a week and he didn't sign me up to the year that I was gonna have my confirmation ceremony for being ONE day late. That was the moment I became an atheist, I vividly remember dawning on me the thought that "God isn't a real thing then".
Not the same thing at all. These don't have to be fond memories. In fact, it's about what shapes you, not what you like. Sadness, disgust, etc, are all emotions the film recognizes and can be associated with core memories.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:07:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A post that is already almost 4 months old. It's a highly interesting topic and can bring on a lot of interesting stories. I haven't read a single response that I found boring or repetitive. Except yours, complaining about reposts. I get it, you don't like it. Just don't open the thread and love on to the next question.
You pointed out the repost, so I wasn't targeting the wrong person. I did assume you were the one who implied that it was a common repost (on mobile, so not easy to check usernames more than one post back). I apologize for that.
I never said that it hadn't been reposted, though. I merely pointed out that those links he provided were not the same question. Yours was, but garnered little attention. So, I apologize for conflating your response with the original comment.
ccnorman ยท 344 points ยท Posted at 09:07:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All bad ones unfortunately . A shotgun to my head, a bottle of beer thrown at me. My mother being bashed repeatedly. I've got very few good ones.
[deleted] ยท 155 points ยท Posted at 09:57:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I got a dad holding a knife to my throat one. He bought me a game gear when those first came out. Returned it three days later with no warning.
cdc194 ยท 292 points ยท Posted at 12:10:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And here I am going through a divorce because my wife slowly became a religious fanatic and said I was going to hell for believing in dinosaurs.
My Mom did the whole dinosaurs aren't real thing last year. Told my kids all about Creationism. Thanksgiving we are in NYC and go to the Natural History Museum. Oldest son (10) takes a selfie with a dinosaur. Hands me my phone back, leans in close, and whispers, "Send that to Granny."
takie01 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:45:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hope you know what an awesome kid you've got there!
colemac ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 12:31:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dude in fairness your situation doesn't sound good at all either. I can't imagine that happening to me it'd kill me. I lost my faith a very long time ago but my SO is only recently delving more into atheism and I'm perversely proud of her.
Nothing against the average religious person but people who take it too far generally aren't worth the inevitable divide that religion can drive between people. Sorry you're losing your wife man, keep your chin up.
cdc194 ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 12:57:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The worst part is I can quote the bible, I was raised on it, I just think it's ridiculous. She goes around telling everyone how to think, how to act, and admonishing them for not being a "good Christian."
colemac ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:03:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Screw that, jump ship if you have to bud. Nothing noble in dragging out something that's unhealthy for you both.
I've saw one yesterday. Wanted me to loan him $3.50 for some reason.
juicius ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:09:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The dino thing is so weird to me, I can sort of understand if you take what's specifically in the Bible literally. Your religion, your dogma and all that. But the age of the Earth isn't in the Bible. It's all extrapolated stuff using some sketchy interpretation with only passing acquaintance with logic, and bam! This is how old the Earth is. If you dispute it, you're not really disputing the Bible, just some guy's interpretation of it. We can all disagree about that without it being some kind of soul-damning flaw.
But apparently not.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:59:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The Bible was written by men, not some God. At that time, men had no idea that dinosaurs existed. Very few had any idea that SCIENCE existed. Had the book been written by some all-knowing God, dinosaurs would have been included. Just another way to debunk the myth that the Bible is anything but a long collection of short stories written by MEN.
juicius ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:15:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know that. But there's an acceptance among the faithful that the Bible is either the literal words of God or the work of divinely inspired people. Regardless of its provenance, it's canon to its faithfuls. But the age of Earth isn't canon. Even if you drink that kool-aid, you shouldn't consider it an unassailable truth.
BTW, an omission of dinosaurs in the Bible proves nothing. It's a collection of laws and morality tales for men long after the dinosaurs went extinct. Even if an all-knowing God wrote it, dinosaurs would be an irrelevant detail. Its inclusion or exclusion is meaningless.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:10:58 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But didn't God know we'd question their existence?? ;-)
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:18:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow...
What the hell does she think paleontologists are doing in fossil digs? Are they part of some big conspiracy or something according to her? Sorry man, that's insane.
cdc194 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:40:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Actually yes, she is convinced fossils were left by the devil to try to make people doubt God exists.
A Jew told me that fossils (and any other evidence contradicting intelligent design) are left there by God specifically so that humans still have a choice whether to believe in God or not.
I don't get how someone can become a Creationist. Sure, I can see how people brought up in fundamentalist households or get involved in religious groups at school fall into it, but to get married having experienced "real life" and then come up with that crazy idea is so strange to me.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:41:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Its the dam jews fault for making the dinosaurs so we wont believe in our lord and savior jesus christ
Maybe your bad ones are over shadowing your good ones. I'm sure if you think a little harder you'll think of some good times.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:56:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't have much either as a child. My adult life got better over all, but up until 24 most of my memories are shit :( I wish my family had the kind of love that some of these others do. Now i just feel sad :(
Most involve drugs but There was the time I finally fought back and bashed my abusive stepfather almost to death. Thats a conflicting memory.....
The time I swam with humpback whales was good..... Skydiving was ok... . One time I scored 61 points in a basketball game the day after kicking 16 goals in an AFL game..... I hit 200kmh in my Porsche... It hasn't been all bad I suppose. I find enjoyment hard to appreciate.
Dorksim ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:06:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You should make a point to focus on those good ones. Make those the important ones.
That's what I thought too until I thought about it for a bit. Didn't you ever had any particularly happy Christmas? How about a birthday? Maybe some great day with your friends?
For me, it was kind of therapeutic to think this through and force some memories out.
I got a day when my father woke up early some Sunday to make us breakfast and take us to church. It didn't mean as much then as it does now because I didn't know he had cancer yet, and that he would stop doing that.
Also a time I got high with some very close friends me had a blast walking through a little town eating some knick knacks in every restaurant we saw.
Or the day my mother accepted me as an atheist and told me that god wouldn't send me to hell no matter one.
Strangely, any day of being in my high school, where I was bullied. I would always feel safe regardless of the bullies, because I could escape home for a bit.
And perhaps more darkly, the day my father committed suicide after taking us to a park and giving us a last happy day. While it destroyed me, it was sadly relieving to know I would be able to mourn him then and leave the country to study the scholarship I had gotten, instead of spending his last days besides him while he withered away and got lost as the man I knew.
Brain cancer, bullying, abusive mother, drugs, loosing a parent, etc. they all were bad for me, but in their own way, they taught me something and made me who I am today. And for that, I am grateful.
Probably when I hit around 12 and realized my nephew (Who is 5 years younger than me) was being bullied at school. I tried to ask him and he just said "nothing" and walked away. It was pretty serious though (he'd come home with bruises, black eyes, etc.) I realized the reason he wouldn't tell me was because I had spent his entire life making him feel like shit, and beating him up a few times because I was jealous of the attention he got from my parents (him and my sister lived with us for a while). I really reflected on myself and realized how much of an absolute prick I'd been to him. From that moment on I swore I'd change and be good to him, and now hes like my little brother.
2: Playing Mario party with sister, farting super so loud that our mother calls us down thinking we dropped and broke something.
3:Meeting my SO at a quidditch match then later that night with some of her friends then walking home in a makeshift blue ford anglea (like the movie).
4:19th birthday had a huge bar crawl with 60+ people never felt more popular.
5: Proposing to SO.
McLower ยท 46 points ยท Posted at 13:25:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This reminds me of graduation day for high school. When they call your name to stand on stage, everyone cheers. Everyone got a decent amount but when they called my name the place lit up. It was deafening, I almost cried I was so happy. One of my best friends even lost his voice he yelled so hard when I was on stage. I never considered myself to be very popular but always went out of my way to be nice to someone or hang out with them when they were having a bad day. I always thought most people disliked me but to hear that? Wow.
They probably couldn't have done anything. I cheered anyways. What pissed me off the most was that they didn't let us throw our caps because again, we're "classy." Like, I worked my ass off for four years, boosted your test scores and statistics and whatnot by a shit ton, and you're gonna tell me I can't throw my fucking cap? Fuck you.
My school did not hand you an actual diploma on stage and would withhold it and your transcript if you tried any shit during graduation. Fuck my high school.
There was a kid at my high school who wasn't particularly popular. He was older than all of us because he'd been held back a couple of times when he was younger. He came from a locally notorious family for dummies, drugs, dropouts, and redneck hard living.
He was kind of the butt of a lot of jokes through years of school mostly based on the prior and had a reputation as a bit of a hot head, but I don't actually know anyone who ever saw it. In fact, you'd see him in the middle of fights, mostly breaking them up or holding someone back - and he always seemed like a nice guy, even if just a little off.
Anyway, at high school graduation, he made it in 4 years (the normal amount!). Of I think 8 kids, he was the only one in the family to graduate high school.
The round of applause he got at graduation was huge. I'm sure some of it was a bit of a joke, but some of it was also seeing a kid that was genuinely a good person really work hard and rise above it. Really huge for him, I'm sure, and I can't imagine the happiness, and the pride he brought his family.
Interesting aside - but a few years after this, he turned into a local legend. A high school kid capsized his kayak on a low rise dam, which is pretty much a death sentence if you're familiar with them. The guy happens to be walking by on the road, sees it happen, dives in and rescues the kid. Pretty sure he ended up with the keys to the city!
I was'nt so popular in highschool this 19th bar crawl was at uni. I only had this many friends because i talked to everyone on my course and societies. Turns out popularity comes from making sure your nice to everyone you meet and putting in effort for everyone, a lot of hard work though, grades dropped that year.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:40:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Now it's all downhill.
YMCAle ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:00:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Running with sticks between our legs, looks hilarious. Quaffle stuff is the same as the books/films, bludgers are dodgeballs that the beaters throw, if you get hit you have to dismount the broom and tag your team's posts before you rejoin the game. The snitch is a ball in a sock attach to the back of a neutral snitch runner's shorts and is worth 30 points so there's actually a point in chasing. If you're interested, the World Cup final was on Sunday! Happy to answer questions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoqEMRLknmM
โขThe day my father picked my siblings and I up from after school daycare and we were supposed to go home and pack for a cruise that left the next day. Instead we rushed home to pack and fly to Virginia, to watch my grandfather who was dying after a massive stroke.
โขStanding in the shower at 9 years old while my mom told me I was "getting too fat."
โขWhen my father picked me up from school the day my middle school guidance counselor called and told him I had been harming myself. It's my earliest memory of my father crying.
โขThe night I told my mother I couldn't be pleasant at home because I wanted to die. My parents and I stayed up past 3AM, crying and trying to figure out what to do. The next day I was admitted to the mental hospital for the first time.
โขThe day my mother confessed that, out of her four children, I was the most difficult to raise. She clarified that it wasn't in a bad way, she just didn't know how to handle the issues I presented her with. But neither did I. We both cried.
1) My mother locked my sisters and I out of the house until we weeded the garden (I'm pretty sure she just wanted to drink cough syrup at the time), instead we made a mud bog with the garden hose and tried to see how much mud we could layer on our feet so that when we stepped on the prickly pants it wouldn't hurt.
2) Having no food in the house because my mum thought we would all be fat if we ate. So my sisters and I ran up to an orchard about 1 mile away and picked the fruit. We lived on the for about a week.
3) My mom is schizophrenic, one day she came to my dads intoxicated and climbed into bed with me crying saying that I was going to die. My dad had to drag her kicking and screaming from my room.
4) My dads friend telling me that he liked it when his wife dyed her hair because it was like a different girl giving him a blowjob each time (I think I was about 10)
5) ANNND the best one yet at 16 my sisters (now ex) husband molesting and forcing himself on me.
My mom kicking my baby brother then blaming me.
My mom chasing me with a hard rake.
My mom laughing and jeering at me while I was spanked.
My mom throwing a plate at me, it breaks, and I have to clean it up.
My mom saying it was the devil that makes me think she is an angry person.
Being forced to apologize to my mom again and again for my many misdeeds and bad attitudes.
And people give me shit for not talking to her in four years.
And then being publicly excommunicated and shamed. In hindsight one of the best things to happen to me.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 15:08:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's fucked up. I'm glad she's out if your life now. I hope you got to build your own family of choice.
People just don't understand (smh) it's good she's out of your life.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:26:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reminds me of one of my core memories. This was when I was about 17. It was a school evening and my dad was drunk and angry, which was not uncommon. I don't remember the exact details of what transpired, but he was arguing with my mom, getting in her face and shouting, so she decided she was going to take me and my younger siblings to a hotel that night.
My dad stood by the front door and blocked us. I lost it. It was my senior year of high school and with the stress at home my once perfect GPA had been plummeting. I had a big assignment due the next day and just wanted to get to the hotel so I could get my work done. I knew he was deeply insecure about being a loner in high school, and I was too, so I went after that insecurity. Told him what a failure he was for letting that insecurity make him be drunk and mean to his family. He stood there blankly, then without warning pitched his glass of coke and rum at me. It shattered on my chest. Nobody said another word and we walked out.
That was I think the moment I realized that the harm my dad had done was beyond reproach or forgiveness. I haven't spoken to him in almost 2 years (it's now been 8 years since this incident) and he's tried to email me a few times saying how he "needs to have a relationship with me." I still have nightmares about this incident and other times when he threatened to hurt me (tried to provoke me to fight him so he could kick my ass and call the cops on me, pulled a knife on me after I dumped his drink out, etc).
Hope you're doing okay and have managed to rise past your adversity.
Aayin ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:12:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sorry your mother is a piece of shit. I hope you've found peace.
I think most of mine are sort of groups of things rather than specific, one-off events:
1) camping with my family in the summers growing up. Weekend trips, multi-week trips, with friends, extended family, or just us. I miss camping.
2) playing with Legos and Knex and Beanie Babies (the last two are perfect sizes for each other) with my brother during the summer. He built everything and I, being a stereotypical girl, kept the story going. Which usually meant I'd get frustrated that he was building things instead of paying attention to whatever crisis was happening in Beanie Baby town. :D
3) Getting my guide dog. Obvious reasons.
4) The last couple months of my last relationship. Not good memories, but have really made me more self-aware and made me realize I needed to change some things about myself so I wouldn't end up with a similarly manipulative person. AKA love yourself! You're worth it!
5) Hearing the announcement that I'd won the scholarship to study abroad. It was two years ago and I'm currently sitting in my dorm room at the end of said year abroad, packing up my room to move to an internship in the same country for six months. Never would have guessed I'd come this far! :)
mrcpi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:56:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Legally blind! :) I've been that way my whole life but started realizing how much it was affecting my desire to go out. I was honestly afraid of going new places. Now I have a second set of eyes, and other people know that I might ask for help and I don't feel as dumb doing so. :)
Shit. This sounds a lot like me. I had a lot of negative stuff, and a lot of my positive memories were mainly of me doing things alone. Or making friends with stray cats.
And the rest of my positive childhood life lessons came from television, movies and books. I really wanted to be like Dumbledore growing up. Always joking and smiling even when things are bad.
Edit:
Just felt compelled to add that one of my most internalized memories was when I was really really young. And someone was going to get married. And the little girls were to dress up and accompany the bride. It was going to be my neighbour, and me. But on that day, my neighbour cried and said she didn't want it to be me, she wanted my sister to be with her accompanying the bride. So my mother took me out and I wasn't part of the wedding anymore.
And several other times afterwards where extended family members openly didn't want me to be around, but wanted my other siblings, and I was left out of sleepovers. There were times where I was old enough for them to realize they couldn't hide that they didn't want me there (even though i've been well aware of it ever since I could remember), so they put up with me and ended up being passive aggressive.
Cats are better friends. They at least want to hang out with me.
I don't really know. I was an awkward kid growing up. I didn't understand people, and people didn't understand me. My parents said they had to go get me tested, but doctors said I was normal.
I understood cats though.
My theory was that I was an overly hyperactive kid, and that annoyed a lot of the adults. They probably didn't realize I could understand that they were annoyed at me, but couldn't understand why. And kids have really short memories, so while it might have been a build up for them, to me, it's been that way ever since I could remember. To my tiny brain, it was like people disliked me being born. But that doesn't explain other kids not wanting me around either. But I think, maybe, the other kids just preferred my sister. She was a really popular outgoing kid. So it wasn't that they didn't want to be with me, they just wanted to be with her. Because they would play with me, as long as she was around to play.
But those early memories internalized into me thinking nobody would want me around. Ever. That was all I knew. But I'm older now and managed to work things out and I've got lots of friends and all that. But it did take a very long while.
But when the extended family come around, I still make sure my other siblings are around because I'm of no interest to anybody. The black sheep. They're also not the nicest people. So there's that too.
But I still mainly have no idea why people didn't like me. It sucks when they dislike you for no reason other than you being you.
I now have a niece, and I'm trying to put as much effort as I can to be as patient as possible. And try to keep in mind that she wouldn't remember a lot of things from when she's younger, which can be as close as a few months ago. I would always try to only focus on the present and explain what she's doing wrong.
Oh, wow. I hope you won't be treated that way anymore.
I have a nephew (well, a first cousin once removed, to be exact) who is treated the way your family treated you, all because he was conceived out of wedlock. He's about 7 years old now. And being a group of conservative folks my family is, I guess everyone kinda considers him a bastard. A disgrace. Unlike his little brother, who was conceived and born after their parents got married, so everybody loves him cause he's legit.
I don't see them much these days. Just that one day on Christmas or something.
Things are different now, we're all adults, so the issues are different. But I know they don't think too highly of me. So I just take myself out of the situation whenever I can.
But growing up, I was pretty close to my sister. She would always say it was a miracle that I never got jealous of her, since I was always in her shadow. She would always be the preferred one. But it never occurred to me to blame her for it. Because even without her, people wouldn't want to be around me. The only reason they put up with me was because they wanted her around since you're not supposed to out rightly ostracized a kid.
And some of my positive core memories came from her. I have memories of her telling me that even though no one else believed in me, even my parents, she did. She would invite me to hang out with her and her friends and would tell me to not be bothered that other people didn't like me. They didn't know me like she did.
So to a certain extent I owe a lot to her for keeping me going. You can see why she was so well liked.
So it's great that you exist for your nephew. It's always good to know that someone else notices the disparity in treatment. I think any kid would appreciate being told that there's someone who notice and cares and know it's not their fault for existing. Even if it doesn't change the situation much. They just need to know that it's not them.
I hope your nephew finds a way out of that situation when he gets older.
Yes. Yes I can. I like her already just from the way you described her.
And thank you, I hope so too. His grandma and aunt (his mother's sister) really love him and are proud of him, though, despite everything. They're strong intelligent women and I know he'll be okay growing up under their guidance.
Best luck to you. Hope you'll find more people who can love you for who you are.
Disney has some of the only movies I can still remember vividly from my past. My dad loved the sound of music and would watch it fairly regularly, and I always remember that as one of his favorites.
One definitely stands out. When I was about 13 my parents and I watched the movie John Q. And after the movie we were talking about the scene where Denzel was going to shoot himself and I jokingly and kind if sarcastically said to my dad "would you ever give me your heart?" He looked at me, stern faced, and said, "Without a second thought."
I think that was the first time I realized just how much my dad cared for me and I remember getting pretty emotional about it.
It's kinda fun. My 11 year old son as taken to saying, "I love you more!" when I say "I love you." I don't discourage it -- although I occasionally say, "some day you'll know how much I love you" -- and I hope when someday he has kids of his own I'll be there to point it out.
I remember coming home from town with my parents on a Thursday night when I was four or five. We were all dressed up in our raincoats, and we stood in the dark around the answering machine as we got the news that my grandma had had a car accident. The next thing I remember is being at the hospital, although I think that was a few days later. My grandma was on and off a part of my life until she died almost ten years later.
Until I was sixteen, my family kept horses. We moved because of my dad's work and ended up in a place that, to a civilized horse lover, seems like a hellish pit of torture. Not a good, god-fearing board fence to be seen. My parents did their best, but one day, when I was about 14, one of our big, beautiful horses rolled in the mud and got her back hoof wrapped in the barbwire. When my mother and I found her, the cut was spurting blood almost comically. We were half a mile from the barn, and my dad wouldn't be home for several hours.
My mom panicked at first, then she settled into problem-solving mode. She told me to hold the horse while she got the first aid material. I was almost as afraid as the poor horse. I kept calling back to my mom, wanting to hand her back, but eventually mom came back with the first aid box. It was one of the only times she ever yelled at me, and she said "I have to wrap her leg. I need you to just hold her."
Thinking about it, that actually doesn't sound as life changing as I was setting it up to be. But from that day forward, I've known that I can always do whatever I have to, even if I'm afraid.
Also the horse was okay. She got her hoof stitched back on and she happily derps around someone else's board fences now, looking for new ways to hurt herself.
I've been sitting here writing and rewriting various memories, but I can't pick a third one.
Baranix ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 13:56:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not really in chronological order:
My first and longest bout with depression as a teenager. I didn't even know I was depressed. In fact, at that time, I thought "depression" was for attention-whores and not an actual illness. Probably stems from the fact that my parents didn't believe in depression either. I don't even remember much of my teenage life. I do remember giving up and "dropping out of homeschooling". Pathetic, right? Who the hell drops out of home school? I just figured there was no hope for me anyway.
Mom doesn't know it, but she was the one who peeled me off the floor from my depression. I was so down, my mom finally sat beside me and explained to me how I am smart enough to accomplish things, that my family needs me, that there's still hope for me. She convinced me to take an acceleration test that allowed me to go to college without a highschool diploma. I passed by a hair strand.
I beat up a guy in kindergarten. He and his boys took over the playground and declared "no girls allowed." But I wanted to swing, damnit! I ignored him and walked straight for the swingset. He blocked my path and pushed me to the ground. I punched him in return, and the next thing I knew, someone called the teacher for us to stop fighting. I don't remember who won exactly, but mom says I bit the guy's finger and he cried for it to stop. I consider myself the winner.
I saw my younger sister cry when she was picked as the second voice and I was the lead vocals by our voice teacher. She tried to hide it, but I saw it. It took me a while, but I decided to stop singing so that she could be the lead. It was one of the "mature" things I did. It surprisingly was not hard to sacrifice for her. I am happy for her, even if I do miss singing.
My second bout with depression was in college. This time I knew what it was. I think the counselor figured it out too. She would hunt me down in the hallways, and I would always try to avoid her. I wasn't ready to cope with it, and I didn't trust her to deal with me. It had gotten so bad, my boyfriend forced me to visit a doctor and even paid for the sessions. I stopped going when I made a decision: if I didn't graduate by the end of that school year, I will kill myself. I had it all planned out too. Ironically, the same place where I bought my serotonin meds is also where I bought razor blades. When I got home after buying them, I stared at the little box of razors on my hand. I had never felt so much control over my life! I literally could choose to live or die. That... surprisingly... gave me comfort. I hid the blades away. I graduated that year.
When I was 7 years old, I have had a variety of answers for "What do you want to be when you grow up?" They ranged from "a singer" to "an artist". But lately I had started to enjoy Science. It was really fascinating how the planets revolved around the sun, or that rocks can be made and not just destroyed. Plus Bill Nye was cool. So when I was asked again, I answered "I want to be a scientist!" But one of them asked further, "What kind of scientist?" I was dumbfounded. "There are many kinds?!" They started listing the kinds of scientists one by one, until I heard the most glorious phrase little me ever heard: "Computer Scientist". Like omg I love computers! I play games on that and paint stuff! "I want to be a computer scientist!" I chanted. I graduated BS Computer Science.
Heres to keeping the depression away; and cheers to you for continuing (and finishing!) Your education!
Im heading into college in two weeks, my depression getting to be too much is my main concern.
Baranix ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:06:41 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cheers! Good luck to you too!
Having someone, anyone, believe in you is a blessing. If it wasn't for my mom or my boyfriend... well. I hope you find or have someone like them. Speaking of hope, never ever lose sight of it.
kkyz13 ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 13:08:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Being bullied into being class rep to only take unwanted responsibilities, more unwanted attention, and more bullying. I never stood up for myself and suffered through those years because I wanted to be nice to everyone, the bullied or the bullies, until one day I snapped and yelled back, only to be bullied more. I shut myself up and never socialized throughout my school years. Hiding in the library from people I don't want to ever talk to at that time, I met nerds and other people who I could relate to.
Going to the science center for the first time with my Dad to see giant bugs and an artificial whirlpool! It really made me super interested in the world, it's history, geography, politics, that I read encyclopedias to pass the time. (this was before wikipedia came about)
Having a serious crush on a girl for years, but having an inferiority complex and aforementioned memory no. 1, never confessed. She left town, but before we parted, told me to just confess to the next person because she knew, and that I should just be braver.
Being helped out of depression by another girl, who I fell in love with, hung out a lot and made me realize that I need not fear other people. She made me a bit more sociable. She confessed to me but I rejected her out of shock and embarrassment (fuck my Asian heritage). I couldn't amend this.
The day I was able to improv on the piano and play (almost) any tune I had in mind. It came as a surprise, even though by that time I've been learning to play for over 8 years. It really made me happy and boosted my confidence in performing on the piano.
Deleting <WINDOWS_95> through learning command prompt and feeling proud of myself, only to realize the computer couldn't boot later. Got a ton of scolding because it was the family computer. I installed that Windows 95 and thought it could be deleted like any ol' game.
Can't think of anything else that's really depressing/happy that stuck with me.
Deleting <WINDOWS_95> through learning command prompt and feeling proud of myself, only to realize the computer couldn't boot later. Got a ton of scolding because it was the family computer. I installed that Windows 95 and thought it could be deleted like any ol' game.
lol thats awesome. Sounds like something I would have done as a kid always messing with the computer.
Acylas ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 11:52:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My uncle showing up bare-chested and bloody to my mother's wedding. He had been stabbed in his own home by his girlfriend's psycho buddy (male). All the men at the wedding collectively rolled up their sleeves and went to his apartment. No direct violence followed, but the guy never touched him again.
Walking with a classmate after school as we had the same way home. He was kind of a chubby, nerdy kid. Halfway there one of his bullies bumps into us. Starts teasing him, taunting him, then hits him in the stomach. Hits him again when he was down. I didn't do anything to stop him. Decided that day to never again stand idly by when something like that happens.
There is more but those are probably the strongest in terms of shaping me as a person.
My parents were divorced and my dad had just gotten out of the hospital. I figured everything was alright and my mom made me spend the night with him at his apartment. Little did I know that would be the last time I'd see him in a decent state of mind. That next morning after I'd left to go back to my mom's, he called to let me know that would be the last time I'd probably ever see him. He ended up moving back in with his parents because we didn't have the money to have him properly taken care of. Ended up seeing him a day before he passed away in the ICU, he was so drugged up you couldn't understand what he was saying and I doubt he made any sense of what we were saying. He ended up dying of cirrhosis and stomach cancer. I remember that night at his apartment, the phone conversation, and the day of his funeral exactly. Still fucks with me to this day.
Another one is nearly dying because of a defect my mom's car had. We had a really steep driveway and my mom had my infant brother and I sitting in the car with it running while she was doing something. The gear shift malfunctioned and we started rolling down the driveway at probably 30mph, only thing that stopped us from hitting a house or a tree was the car getting stuck on our neighbor's chain link fence. I was only 6 and that scared the living hell out of me.
Last one is my first day of middle school. Where I lived had a really weird zoning policy for schools and I found out I wouldn't be able to go to middle school with my friends from elementary school. This was like 3 months after my dad passed away so it didn't really help with the grieving process. Ended up going to some shitty Christian school with people I had genuinely had no interest in. Around that time I also denounced my belief in God because that school just fed bullshit to all these kids that had been brainwashed since birth. The school didn't give a single fuck about what I'd been through and I can happily say the feeling was mutual. Reality slapped me in the face at 13 years old and I hated every moment of it.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:44:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How were you publically zoned for a religious school?
Oh I forgot to add how I ended up there. In short, the middle school that I was zoned for had white students in the minority and my mom wasn't cool with that. I don't really see how that could've affected me in retrospect. She decided to put me in a private Christian school.
I had almost the exact same experience. My brother and I (4 and 6) were with my Grandma at the top of our giant gravel driveway when she forgot to set the brake. We started rolling backwards, her driver door slammed open, hit a tree and busted all the glass out, I remember seeing my Grandma chase after the car (she was already in her 60's) but being helpless to do anything. We ended up in a giant ditch full of poison ivy/oak and who know's what else. My brother was traumatized after. He refused to stay in the car if there wasn't an adult in it until he was around 8 or so and understood where the emergency brake was.
Dos 2.5, I fell in love with that blue screen, flashing white box, and menu. Been working hand in hand with computers ever since.
aurora borealis, dancing, whispering. My very first night doing winter survival training. There was no sleeping that night. Then it got an upgrade as Burning man, it redefined everything.
Blue prints of a house, car and table. The art of problem solving. The lingering waft of ammonia as the pages were unrolled, the artistry of every line, tick and letter. Form and function born on a blank canvas, the plans that would facilitate a new human accomplishment.
My grandmother sitting on a sofa, her polio hand hanging there with cards stuffed between her fingerd, a cigarette hanging from her lips, flower printed summer dress, cup of steeping tea. My grandfather belly laughing. My aunt holding my brother. my parents coming down the hall way arguing about when to head to the farm. That sweet/musky tabaco smell from players light that permeated that apartment, it was the same sweet/musky smell that was grandma. Then came the rapping at the door, my uncle had arrive and our tribe was whole.
Watching a forge, turn black iron, cherry, then a hammer make it move like butter. That ringing ping of a strike, the charcoal crackling. The seering scream of quenching iron, Hmm joy.
eplogie ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:33:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was really beautiful to read, congrats on the good memories :)
After a marching band competition in a big city during my freshman year, me and a few friends were the first ones to leave the gate when everyone started leaving. One of them played the bass drum, and he suggested playing The Hey Song really loud on our way out. Me playing the trumpet, naturally I agreed. So we started playing, and eventually almost every single band joined in to play with us. Naturally, we sounded great.
Going to the London Zoo during the summer holidays. It would be absolutely boiling out and we'd watch the penguins. The penguin enclosure was really bright white so it would blind me when the sun was on it and all I could think of was how badly I wanted to go swimming right then.
[deleted] ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 13:04:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Idop ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:38:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm so sorry. I hope you're away from that scum of a person.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 22:04:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
he left my mum luckily. still see him every now and again since he's my little sister's dad but he stopped with the bullshit once i was old enough to knock him out.
-The way I felt every time my dad was chaperone for a school field trip. Everyone else had lunchables, including me if my mom chaperoned. But when dad was there, he made THE BEST, biggest, handmade, NY deli style(where he grew up) sandwiches on French bread. Ham, swiss, mustard, and mayo is still my favorite.
-On the day he died a neighbor came running over saying there was an emergency at the field where he was playing softball. She stayed and watched us, and my mother left. I was 12 and there was no indication anything worse than a broken leg had happened, which is what my mom said as she rushed out. Right as I felt myself fall asleep that night, I knew he was gone. I said it in my head and knew it to be true, even though I'd never been a worrier and still am not.
And I remember every moment walking down the stairs at like 5am because I couldn't sleep, and my grandma being randomly at our house, and of my mom telling me. It's made me into one of those people that goes with their gut above all else.
Sorry it's so depressing, but oddly enough, this is where my adult memories kick in. Everything before this is pictures and 15 second clips of remembering at most. There's probably something to that.
He had a massive heart attack. They were having the end of the season tournament. His team had just won and were advancing to the next round. He was in the middle of stretching in between games and was chatting with a friend. I was told that the moment his friend turned around after talking, he heard the thud of my father collapsing behind him.
There was malpractice associated with the whole thing and years of lawyers because the doctor missed 6 weeks warning signs just before it happened. I feel bad for him too. He was pretty chummy with my dad. I know the doctor took it hard. My dad was 38, and decently fit. Why should he have considered it a possibility.
That's very kind of you, thank you :). It's been almost 15 years, and me and my brother are thriving. The only sadness left is for the milestones in my life that he's missing. I'd have liked to have him help me move into my first Manhattan apartment. Seeing as how he grew up in the Bronx but raised us in Arizona, it came full circle. I like to think he would have bought me pizza after. Haha
Holding hands with my dad while walking down the street and he carrying me on his back so I could look at the stars. I was about 4/5. This is the last time I saw him.
My dad visiting me and gifting me a lot of orange ballons. I was 4.
A lot of bad memories from my childhood: being slapped and beaten, the nasty comments from my mom, staying home while the rest went out as a family, my creepy neighbor that sexually harassed but I was too young to know what was happening.
When my grandparents would come to visit me.
When I first met the love of my life and all the good things we've experienced since.
Mom giving me the book that I then read every day for years.
Watching the tadpoles swim around the edge of the pond and the excitement of the tiny frogs emerging from the water.
Sitting in a little park on a bench just talking and talking for hours with this first date guy that just seemed to click like nobody else ever had.
When I got really (really really) sick. I was being wheeled down the hall on a stretcher and my heart broke completely in half as I looked back at the man I loved and realized I may not ever get to see him again. Much more painful than the actual ailment could ever have been.
Getting to say our vows in the same park by the bench.
Sitting under sooo many stars somewhere in the middle of the desert on our cross country move.
At 8 or so, learning Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy weren't real all at the same time. I started becoming skeptical about other things too, like God.
At 10 or so, the first time I held a musical instrument and sat down for 4 straight hours trying to learn to play a basic song. Making music felt like magic.
Reading the Harry Potter books. I basically lived in them.
At 12, finding out my parents had pretended they were married and in a relationship. They'd actually broken up when I was 5, never married, and had just been lying ever since. Made me realize parents are just people, and sometimes lie and make mistakes.
A conversation I'd had with my college ex-boyfriend, a year after I broke up with him. There had been an incident months before we actually broke up, where he intentionally publicly humiliated me in a pretty horrible way. I'd never gotten closure about why he did it. His answer allowed me to reflect on our relationship as a whole and realize I NEVER again want to be with someone who I'm afraid to be 100% honest with, who would take his frustrations out on me, or whose macho ego I have to somehow uphold.
A conversation I'd had with my college ex-boyfriend, a year after I broke up with him. There had been an incident months before we actually broke up, where he intentionally publicly humiliated me in a pretty horrible way. I'd never gotten closure about why he did it. His answer allowed me to reflect on our relationship as a whole and realize I NEVER again want to be with someone who I'm afraid to be 100% honest with, who would take his frustrations out on me, or whose macho ego I have to somehow uphold.
you can't leave us hanging like this. We need clarity here.
fiqar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:00:13 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
At 12, finding out my parents had pretended they were married and in a relationship. They'd actually broken up when I was 5, never married, and had just been lying ever since. Made me realize parents are just people, and sometimes lie and make mistakes.
Wait, so your parents raised you together even though they broke up at least 7 years ago? How could they tolerate each other?
Lying in my bed in the dark, listening to monsters outside, when I have an epiphany: that's the noise of the boats on the lake! Then I almost immediately have another one: people do different things because we are all different from each other! (My family would never have taken a boat out after dark) and then a third, thinking about these different people who I didn't even know: I am not the center of the universe! This is also one of my very first memories, I was probably 3.
Sitting in the bathtub with my dad, fully clothed, and covered in blood. I had cut the bottom of my foot open, and it just would not stop bleeding. We didn't have insurance, or any way to pay the doctor, so my dad was trying to read an old medic field manual from when he was in Vietnam with one hand, and holding a blood soaked washcloth on my foot with the other. My mother was on the phone with one of her friends who was a nurse, seeing if she would come over. It was the first time I realized we were poor. I was 6.
One of my middle school classrooms had a floor to ceiling "living mural" thing - the teacher would periodically put butcher paper over the top of sections so that we could add more to it. I found myself alone in the classroom and decided to write an off-color remark in giant letters all across the whole wall. Everyone thought it was hilarious, and I didn't use any bad language so the teacher left it. Nobody ever found out it was me. I was 12.
Trying to get my uncles ashes out of the generic urn they came in, and into the beautiful handmade one that he had picked. The ashes were in a bag that had been filled inside the urn and sealed shut, so now if you tried to take the bag out it wouldn't fit out the hole. My aunts and I raided his kitchen for a funnel and then decided to do the actual "transfer" outside. In the wind. We laughed until we cried, and probably got about 80% of him in the nice urn. The rest was in our hair, our eyes, our mouths, and all over our clothes and the side of the house. I was 20.
When the OB at my very first prenatal exam ever left the room to get another doctor to help him read the ultrasound. I was 12 weeks, and there was a fetus, but no heartbeat. The second doctor told me it had died at about 10 weeks. If my mom hadn't decided at the last minute to come, I would have been all alone. I was 26.
Three days after #5, I came home to an empty house. It was just by chance that I didn't get home before my husband left to go do something that was going to take several hours - I forget what. About 15 minutes in I completely lost my shit. I absolutely trashed the house in about ten minutes of screaming, crying, rage filled mayhem. Luckily nothing was broken, and I was able to get the whole place cleaned up before he got home. If anybody had been a fly on the wall that day I fully believe I would have been taken to the loony bin.
My husband yelling "FUCK!" and chucking my pregnancy test against the wall. After we were finally able to carry to term (took 3 tries, and I had issues all the way up to delivery) we decided we were done and that we had no desire whatsoever to ever go through that bullshit ever again. So I knew it was positive without him having to tell me. I was 33.
4 is actually a really sweet way of remembering a relative that has passed away .
edit : I am dumb and accidentaly made everything in bold letters , sorry
dorekk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:00:57 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
# 4 is hilarious and reminds me of my family scattering my grandmother's ashes in the Pacific. As far as we know, you're definitely not supposed to do this. So we waited until it was dark out and waded up to our waists and tossed them in. A good amount of them blew back on to us. We were laughing our asses off. Which is how she would have wanted it!
That makes me feel better about how I reacted when the orthopedist told me he suspected I had spine cancer and was sending me to neurosurgery, lol. I ended up being fine and not having a tumor, but I always felt weird for reacting with "cool!".
Haha, but seriously, I'm perfectly fine. Turns out it was just what they refer to as artifact - evidently one of my veins was showing up in a way they didn't expect, or something. It's funny, my medical records as a result are huge (like a ream and a half or something) but most of it is "scan was inconclusive, we'll bring him back for a another" :P
The time I saved my brother's life mostly by accident.
My mum waking me up in the middle of the night to tell me she was taking my dad to the hospital and I had to look after my brother until she got back. He had appendicitis. I was nine years old, and my brother would have been about three. I stayed awake, prepared to look after him, until they got home four hours later. He didn't wake up once.
Waking up and turning on the lounge room light on to find my mum sitting on the floor, staring at the phone. Her dad had died during the night, and my grandmother had called to tell us. It took me a lot of years to realise she'd probably been sitting there all night.
The first time I ever got behind the wheel of a police cruiser.
Being with my SO in our first house together, sitting on the floor eating pizza, surrounded by boxes. We had candles on since the power hadn't been connected yet, and all three of our cats were curled up in the box piles, purring like a symphony.
That last one is so similar to one of my favorite memories. Maybe not a core one, but sitting on the floor, in a house filled with boxes, eating pizza, while all my friends just chatted about normal bullshit. I had just moved out of my ex's place, and was moving in with a wonderful guy, and I had to just choke back tears because of how happy and exhausted I felt.
fiqar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:05:11 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The time I saved my brother's life mostly by accident.
So my brother would have been between three and four, which I think makes me about eight or nine at the time. Anyway, this being Australia, you learn how to swim basically as soon as you're old enough to walk, because it's fuckdamn hot in the summer and beaches and pools are everywhere, and drowning kids are sad.
We had some friends who had a pool, and we were messing around in it. There would have been about maybe ten kids, and the respective adults were sitting around the outside of the pool, keeping most of an eye on us. I would have been one of the oldest kids there, and I definitely knew how to swim. For the kids that didn't, there were floaties and those ring things. My brother had one that was shaped like an elephant - it wasn't a full ring, it was shaped like a C with a little opening at the back so you could get it on.
Anyway, he jumped into the pool, and the ring came off. You know how people talk about disasters happening in slow motion? I very clearly remember watching his elephant ring go flying across the pool and land on the other side, and thinking "Hmm. He probably needs that, huh. I should probably help him" and then swimming over to get his idiot head above water before my mum pulled him out of the pool. My mother, on the other hand, swears I was over there before the ring even touched the ground.
I say mostly by accident because there was zero conscious decision on my part to go make sure he didn't drown. It just sort of happened, and at the time I didn't even think I did a very good job. He kicked me in the face and it was stupid hard to even keep my own head above water.
He has not gotten more sensible as he's gotten older, and whenever he's being a jerk I remind him of that one time I saved his stupid life and then he usually stops being a jerk.
[deleted] ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 12:21:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
well we were sad he passed away, but also kind of relieved. He was fighting cancer for about 10 months. It spread all over his organs. We were so tired from looking after him. For 2 or so months we drove one or 2 times a week for about 170 km because he was in a specialized hospital in a city. We knew he will pass away any moment after they sent him home.
[deleted] ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 12:25:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-I used to bite people when I was little. Me and my siblings were wrestling with another kid and I went to bite his leg. He kicked at exactly the right moment and knocked my first baby tooth loose. I stopped biting people after that.
-My younger sister teaching me how to ride a two-wheeler bike after many failed attempts by my Dad.
-Crying in the car after church because I was so lonely, only for a girl I kinda knew to spot me, ask if I was okay, and take me to Dunkin Donuts.
-The jealousy and pain when the guy I was crushing on asked me for advice on approaching another girl, then the fear when he asked me what was wrong and I explained. We talked for hours and ended up as each other's first relationship.
-My first kiss, same guy as above. I wasn't planning on kissing him at all so early in our relationship, but he kept talking about it. I happened to mention that my nose was sunburned, and he asked me if he should kiss it better. I said okay, misunderstanding him, and kissed him on the mouth when he'd been aiming for my nose. It was awkward and uncomfortable. I didn't know what to expect, but it was just mushing my mouth into someone else, nothing special or enjoyable.
My brothers and I are really close. One of my (oldest) brothers left to travel the UK for roughly a year while i was in grade 7, but at the time he wasn't't sure how long he'd stay for. We called weekly for hours, me telling me how much i missed him, he would then tell me all the cool things he'd done. Toward the end of his trip he would be too busy to call and it really upset me, but hey, i knew he was enjoying himself and that made me happy, at least.
The day before my birthday my step sister took me out for a skate around the neighbourhood. I loved to skate, but i only had my brothers old trick deck to use (cons of being the youngest) and i couldnt do tricks for shit. We must of been out for a couple hours before my dad called and told me my brother was on the phone and had something important to say. I had never skated home faster then that day, i don't know how my stumpy little legs could even push that hard without spontaneously combusting. Anyway, i got home and my brother apologized for not calling lately, but i didnt care, to know he was safe and having a good time was all i cared about, really. Before the call ended he told me he got something for me while traveling, for my birthday. I was so excited i asked him what it was, but as soon as i did he hung up. This made me really upset and as i turned to my dad to ask if we could call him back, my brother was standing there in the open doorway, holding a brand new skateboard. The way he said happy birthday while holding back the tears still stays with me to this day :,)
Going fishing with my dad and catching my first fish when I was four years old.
Getting raped by a stranger in a park toilet when I was five years old.
Crying like a baby when I saw my wife in her wedding dress for the first time.
Wanting to die after watching a re-run of a MASH episode in rehab after my marriage broke down, just after my kids left from a visit (with my then ex-wife) - they'd brought me a 'picnic' of my favourite food, and we ate it together in the visitor room, under the watchful eye of the nurse in charge. After they went home and I was locked in again for the night, I was torn between wanting to die because I'd fucked up so badly, and wanting to live to be a good dad for my boys.
Volunteering at my son's school canteen once I got clean, when he brought his entire class up to see 'my dad in an apron', making sandwiches and selling chocolate milk, because he was so proud.
I want my boys to remember me as a good, kind and generous person - not the alcoholic mess I became.
I'm sober (mostly... dammit) these days, and I still volunteer at the school canteen - largely because it's rewarding to help out, but also because it's a good reminder for me to try very hard not to go back to what I used to be.
... if it wasn't midnight here right now, I'd be heading over to give my boys a hug.
But I'll see them in the morning to help my ex to drop them off to school and daycare - it gives me something to look forward to :)
1.) Unwrapping an electronic keyboard for christmas in 6th grade. I even taught myself how to play using that little screen on the keyboard and comparing it to a hymnal. Huge hobby I have
2.) my dad taking me to a Tesla concert for my 15th birthday. I still see the guitarist playing the intro to "love song" and falling in love. For my 16th birthday they bought my a guitar. Again, huge hobby of mine.
3.) my brother finding a stack of DBZ cards and handing them to me after a basketball tournament I was in. I didn't know what they were but wanted to draw the people on the cards. I drew every one of those cards over and over again and started watching DBZ. It led to my loving anime, dreaming of coming to Japan and drawing. I currently live in Japan and still watch anime n draw too. My oldest now loves to draw now and I hope he keeps going.
4.) my grandpa giving me a "my first Bible" storybook when I was about 4. It was my first book and while I was learning to read, I read the entire thing over and over again because it was what I had of him before he passed. Ultimately, I'm a huge bookworm.
This defines me. I love my family so much nothing can take them but ultimately, I know I would've been a recluse if not for my husband loving who I am.
Heh. I love the teaching yourself to play the keyboard. I should really do something like that. I love old hymns, and that would give me an excuse to play them all the time.
"Honey, Can I put on some Crowder? Jesus Culture? ANYTHING else?"
"Sorry, Love, gotta practice my piano skillz!"
I smiled seeing you went to a Tesla concert. Just saw them a week ago for the first time. I only knew one of their songs (Signs) and they weren't bad at all.
itsfoine ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 12:17:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The earliest memory I have was being about three years old sitting in a playpen near my grandma's bed. She came over and asked me if I was ready to meet my new brother. I feel like I remember it so clearly and yet I didn't fully understand what she asked or where I was going I knew it had to be something important. My brother and I are extremely close and always have been and I hope we continue to stay as close as we are now.
Sitting on my grandfathers lap at the age of 7 or 8 playing the piano for me.
After years of dissapointment from my grandmother (had long hair and listened to metal, she was not a fan), when I told her I would go to university, I finally got a look of pride from her eyes.
The first time my dad finally said he loved me and were proud of me, just before he died in a car accident, to me he is not dead, he is proud.
And when my sister asked me to walk with her when she one day gets married, nothing would make me more proud.
1) Waiting at the airport for my mom to return from the 1996 Paralympics in Altlanta, Georgia after having won gold with her team (and along with this, seeing her work within and dedication to get to that point even while raising 3 kids as a single mom). And similarly, her returning from Australia from the World Cup competition, also with gold. My mom in general has shaped and continues to shape who I am and what I believe to be possible in a million small ways every day, but these are the major ones.
2) Being 16 and in the hospital, eventually completely losing the ability to move or feel my legs at all, what would turn out to be a battle I'm still fighting in different ways every single day. I'm in a wheelchair now, but luckily I have the inspiration from number 1 to pull from, almost as if I was given my mom to help prepare me for the difficult parts of my life. And the nurses and other healthcare providers I had while at my worst while spending months in the hospital helped shape my career path and passions.
3) Meeting a guy online while playing World of Warcraft - even though he lived 7 hours away in the US and not Canada where I lived, I bet my sister $50 that I would marry him months before we ever met in person. Eleven years later, and our 6th wedding anniversary is in another week.
4) This is the negative one that messed me up (and continues to) both in ways I'm aware of and in subconscious ways I'm not. My mom and dad divorced when I was 3, and my dad has been a sideline figure in my life ever since, occasionally popping in and out and always going back on his words and promises. There is no specific incident I can point to, but rather a pattern throughout my life. His wife is openly terrible to me, with the best example I can think of being when I was staying with them and having an asthma attack and she didn't believer and made me sit outside for "fresh air". Eventually I had to sneakily call my mom an be taken to the ER by her because I was having an asthma attack that was only getting worse. My dad did nothing but allow it to happen.
So there's both good and bad, but I like to believe the good has helped me successfully navigate the bad.
Going on a school trip to France when I was 16. Watching all the popular girls get drunk daily, then getting labeled an alcoholic for having one too many beers at a group picnic. I felt humuliated, as I hadn't really gotten drunk before and a classmate recorded me stumbling on his camera and showed it to EVERYONE.
Related: hiking in the Alps was one of my best experiences, it was on this trip that I realized just how small we are, but how grand life is.
My parents arguing (I was 4) over something ridiculous, I remember crying on the couch while I hugged my legs begging them to stop. I felt invisible many times, but this sticks out for me. It escalated to the cops getting called because my dad hit my mother then ripped the phone out of the wall while she called the cops.
The day I had my son was the day I learned about unconditional love and how terrifying it is to love someone so much.
September 11th, 2001 - my dad was in the military and had to stay on the base for over a week. He had the car, so our neighbor drove us to the store to buy groceries.
Related: December 2002 my dad had to be deployed during the war, I was 11 and would have night terrors about my dad being killed by terrorists. We had to put our beloved dog down while he was deployed due to a tumor that grew back 2 days after being removed from his jaw.
After 20+ years of moving around states, my mom convinced my dad to move to her home state of Michigan so she could be with her parents. We moved back in January of 2003, with my dad still deployed. My grandfather died July 8th, 2003 wasted away from cancer, my grandmother died November of 2003. She had been a nurse, and had seen blood when she wiped, but didn't say anything because she wanted to die (she had colon cancer).
If you read these, thank you. It is nice getting all of this blue out :)
That is a freaking lot of blue. A flood of blue. I hope you're doing OK now after all of that loss. Can relate to the humiliated-kid-on-school-trip thing; teacher singled me out on the bus ride home as "the bad one" who was on his "bad list."
Doing better, thank you. I get humiliated easily, and am very sensitive to any criticism. Teacher sounds like a dick. What did you do to get in that list lol
Glad you're doing better! Our school trip was to a journalism conference where we were expected to attend workshops. I foolishly attended no workshops at all but spent the weekend drinking w/ my boyfriend and pals. Teacher was 100% correct, but in a dickish way. Learning experience....
My sister and I playing hide and seek against my parents by hiding in the toy chest in my room.
Being on vacation and finding a "secret " room under the stairs that was full of fossils and sells
My parents yelling at each other while my sister and I played Othello. She let me win and held my while I cried myself to sleep that night.
My father leaving my mother. He came back to get what was important...he only took my sister with him and left me.
Meeting my future wife while we were in high school. Eyes locked across the room. We've been together ever since.
This list made.me cry...
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 15:08:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Before age 10, I lived with my single dad. We didn't have much, but he did what he could. I remember this one house we lived in during my 2nd-3rd grade age. I would walk to school from there, as it was in the same neighborhood. I passed a church on the way home and saw some kids I knew go inside. I followed them, and they were having choir practice for a Christmas play.
In that house, I remember the electricity being off and taking a bath with candles in the bathroom, using some watered down dish detergent to bathe. I didn't realize at the time it was because we were poor. It had been storming so I thought the lights were off from that.
My sweet dad, he did what he could for us. my older brother (by 5 years) and I would either go to my dad's auto body shop if he had to work late, or the boys and girls club if he didn't. He would pick us up from there on the way home. There were times he didn't have much business, but he always worked hard and worked for himself if he could.
If I went to the boys and girls club, I would get on a bus at our school and be dropped off at the upper school where my brother was. We would walk from there, past a park, and to the center. He was sick one day, but I still went, so on my way to the center, I walked through the park and came across a group having an easter egg hunt for a day care center. (This was on Good Friday, I remember, because I asked why we had to go to school if there were some places closed, too). I saw a dyed, hard boiled egg they had hidden by a tree, peeled it and ate it.
In second grade, I remember him coming into my classroom with two grocery bags to our valentine's day party. He had brought two jugs of red punch and some bakery cookies. I gave him a big hug and was so proud that MY DAD!!! was at the party!! I showed him where I sat, who my friends were, what drawings I had on the wall, and I wanted him to stay all day, but he had to go back to work. I know it wasn't much money in retrospect, probably less than $10, but at that time, it was a lot.
From the body shop days: The smell of bondo, Making little paper towel ghosts for his waiting room to hang up during halloween, Jumping off of the steps and cutting my knee, Finding my first four leaf clover in the grassy part out back. My brother and a kid who lived behind the shop riding bikes down a street beside the shop. I was standing in the gravel parking lot behind the shop watching. My brother told me to move, even though I was quite a distance away from the road. Sure enough, his friend jumped the ditch and crashed over the parking barrier, right into me.
I found the street view of the back of the body shop building. This all took place almost 30 years ago, and we no longer live in this town, but that's the building. The trailer wasn't there, then, it's sitting where the grassy part was. The parking barriers are still there.
In eighth grade, I wanted to try out for the drill team at school (they did choreographed dances during the pep rallies, like the rockettes). I made the team, but the sponsor/teacher/coach was really biased to the rich, pretty girls and not to me and a couple of others who were not rich, pretty, or particularly athletic and thin. She found an excuse to kick me out after my dad had saved up the $500 or so it took for uniforms and camp, he was 30 minutes late picking me up after practice. Another girl had been caught smoking cigarettes behind the bleachers after a game but she got to stay on because her mom donated money to the team. He told me to go in the truck to wait and I could hear him yelling. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but I knew he was ripping that wretched woman a new one.
I had a teacher in third grade, and this was almost thirty years ago so I don't remember her name, that impacted me like this. I lived with my brother and my single dad. We were poor. Very poor. Like, take a cold bath in the dark and use dish detergent for shampoo. I didn't have many clothes and often wore the same thing a couple of days in a row because we had to wear something a few times before we were allowed to wash it. They were also kind of small.
This teacher, as well as one other female teacher (May have been the counselor) took me during school one day to walmart or kmart of somewhere similar. They had me pick out a weeks worth of outfits, a pack of underwear and socks, and two pairs of shoes. I remember feeling confused when they told me to go in and try them on and come out and show them the outfits. Who does that? I had never tried on clothes before. I just got whatever was given to me at Christmas by my grandparents or dad and wore those most of the year. They made me feel good by applauding and telling me I looked beautiful. And then making sure everything fit properly.
After we went to McDonald's (a big treat then!) and didn't talk about serious things, but about things I liked to do and stuff. I don't think they wanted me to focus on the reason I was being taken shopping by teachers and my situation. I think they wanted me to have a nice time that I never got to experience.
When my dad picked me up that afternoon, they came out with my bags. He gave them a hug. I asked him about it a while back and he said at the parent teacher conference he and the teacher discussed this and she was praising my intelligence and creativity. He said he had broke down that day because he had worried about paying bills and buying groceries and said he wished he could do for his kids what they deserved. He knew they were going to do this, on their own, and was grateful. He kept it a surprise and didn't want me to think about it being charity, but a nice time with two female adults since I didn't have a mom.
I cry thinking about it now and I always remember those teachers showed this unkempt, probably smelly girl some kindness.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:16:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Many of mine are negative, so here's the one that got me past that. My daughter was four months old, and her mother had left in the throes of postpartum depression, grief for her passed grandmother, and self-doubt thanks to her abusive mother.
It was the end of the day, I was rocking the baby to sleep, and I finally (days after she left) got a chance to reflect on what had happened. Baby girl was studying my face when the pain hit me, and when she saw that I started to look sad, so did she. I set her bottle right, and she rejected it and started to whimper. I cleared my mind, forced my emotional state to neutral, and smiled. She took the bottle and contentedly started going to sleep.
At that moment I learned that I can choose my present emotional state, that it's important to do so, and promised myself that she'd never be sad just because I was. That moment more than any other in my life shaped who I am today.
Jumping and dancing on my mums bed as she played various 90's hits full blast, the likes of early Blur, Oasis and Fatboy Slim music are instantly nostalgic to me.
Sitting outside in my nans garden with her on a summer night, looking up at the stars and just chatting.
Being up early on Christmas morning, just me awake and it was still a little dark out, the room was warmly lit with Christmas lights, struggling to play on my Gameboy Colour thanks to its lack of backlight, for some reason it's a really powerful Christmas memory for me, and I had fantastic Christmas's as a child, but that small moment stuck with me, the bleeps and bloops of Pokรฉmon Yellow probably helped cement it.
The only core memory from my teenage years is me deciding I had enough of being sad and miserable all the time, I was done with so much self pity, I wanted to change, a night of secretly drinking wine and watching comedies seemed to kick my brain into wanting to keep the joy progressive.
These are great. First three are so familiar to me and the last one is just really cool. Nice you have such a positive, defining memory even though there wasn't a big event going on.
Thanks dude! I find the positive memories stick with me the longest, bad memories fade and sometimes entirely forgotten. In general I try not to let bad events play on my mind for too long, always important to contextualise and find what DOESN'T suck in your life :)
1) when I unknowingly waved my dad a goodbye for what would be almost 20 years (age 4)
2) when my stepdad got arrested for being a heroin addict and dealer (age 8)
3) when I first saw my soon to be dog jumping out between a few carpets at in Greece (age 9)
4) when I got the call that I now had a little babybrother (age 12)
5) when I bullshit-spoilered my back then good friend (now SO for 9 years) about the ending of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and she squeeked incredibly loud (age 16)
6) when last year I held my dying dog while I cried like a little baby... (age 24) and yes, I know it is early to call this a core memory... But goddamn if that moment didn't have an impact on me!
7)... to be honest I am kinda afraid what 7 will be...
Ztrehlo ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:35:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Running my first long distance race in track and realizing I definitely wasn't a sprinter (Got 1st)
Meeting crush, (never worked out) and being infatuated before my friend embarrassed me in front of her
A song my mom sang to me while I was little that was titled "I love you"
First dog in kindergarten
Getting an iPod and listening to so much music
DS has always been my real bae
kogeliz ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 12:51:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When classmates all pitched in their lunch money to a boy (I am female) to punch me in the face. He did. Teachers didn't seem to care until my Dad came to the school pissed.
When Dave died. He was the neighbor and friend of my Mom's family. My parents had me young and he offered for us to stay there after my sister was born (I was two). We all lived together until he died of stomach cancer when I was 14. He was like a second father to me. I remember he came home from the hospital and I was scared to see him because I knew he was sick. He shortly went back to the hospital for hospice care and I was too scared to visit him to say goodbye. I still have panic and avoidance with any living creature dying or sick.
When my Dad and teachers thought I was gifted and just wasn't applying myself. Then I took the "gifted class" exam and failed it.
In 2nd grade, I was with a group of my classmates. We were pretending to be spies in the playground sand pit when I couldn't control my anal sphincter and a giant turd slid out and rolled down my pant leg, right in the middle of a circle of my friends. It was so smooth, it was like a sleight of hand. In a moment of genius, I pretend like it was someone else's turd that I almost stepped in. I got away with it AND gained the sympathy of the rest of the class. Haha, what a bunch of idiots.
My grandparents dressed me up like a girl and enrolled me in beauty pageants when I was in kindergarten. My parents never found out. I never told anyone. I can still feel the tights riding up on my crotch to this day.
At first I was like: "Ha ha ha you are a fucking genius" but then I was like: "WTF!!!???"
MeeshC ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:13:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My dad telling me he was moving out. Shortly thereafter I found out the reason why when I had to see a therapist and get a lawyer. He molested my sister and beat the shit out of my brothers (half siblings, technically)
This one isn't so specific, more so just a big blur of screaming and fighting in my house amongst my brothers and sometimes my mom. I do remember one time my mom had to call the cops because my brother was trying to fight her. When the cops arrived my brother locked himself in his room and I just remember the cops screaming at him to get out or they'll just knock the door down. The only good thing I remember about this is my big sister holding me and trying to console me. We've always had a good bond.
Going to the therapist. I hated her so much and going was completely useless because I wouldn't even talk to her. but hey, at least she was still getting our money. She didn't give a shit. I literally would hide under the couches while I waited for her because I really didn't want to see her.
Here's a pleasant one. My grandmother was a part of a quilt group that was held at the library every Thursday. My cousin and I would go upstairs and read so many books and take some to brig home, or we would just hang out downstairs my grandma and the quilt ladies.
Another pleasant. Living in a time where we could roam free as kids. I'd spend my summers at my cousins house in Maine and we'd walk miles by ourselves to her friends house, the lake, the convenience store for candy.
T_Momo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:36:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom forced me to see a therapist from 6 years old until she died when I was 14. I loathed going to see someone twice a week just so they could tell my mom what she wanted to hear, that she had a "difficult" kid who needed to be medicated. I wasn't difficult, I was just a kid (my siblings ended up having actual problems, go figure).
MeeshC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:02:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah it was the worst. I didn't know how to process what was going on let alone try to talk about it. And the lady I saw just sucked. My lawyer was nice and I opened up to her a tiny bit more, but seeing a therapist as a kid is just not a fun thing.
Of course yours tried to medicate you. Terrible how quickly doctors want to medicate people, especially kids. All about the money
[deleted] ยท 86 points ยท Posted at 10:37:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Edit: Thank you everyone for the heart warming replies. I'm doing slightly better now. But sadly the feelings and thoughts from what happened still lingers. And I don't think it will ever leave me. But again, thank you everyone. For caring at least a bit. Even if you're all just sat in front of the opposite side of the screen. It still means a lot to me.
Thank you for caring.
The time my mum kicked me down the stairs at full force, because of my temper tantrum. I remember my spine hitting the edge of each step, that had these metal plates fixed onto the edges of the steps. Luckily, the metal plates were curved, so it wasn't a sharp corner. I also remember the back of my head slamming into the concrete wall at the end of the steps, before you had to take a right down the stairs, at full force. I wasn't bleeding as far as I knew, and there wasn't any blood on the wall, so I presumed I was okay. But I also remember seeing my farther and brothers sitting on the sofa. My dad was ignoring what had happened and was focused on the TV like it was a daily occurrence, which it was. Whereas my younger brothers saw what happened and was just staring at the scene of what just had transpired. And he had that look that screamed "that's wrong but I'm powerless to do anything". At the time, this made me hate the world because I realised even if there are rules and laws in place, people would still break them because who's gonna find out? It doesn't matter who breaks the rules. No one would find out if they cover their tracks good enough. It could be anyone. It could be your friends. You. Your girlfriend or boyfriend. It could be a relative, or your parents (as it was in my case). It sucks but that's the reality of it. And It just made me give up on people, because they do it because they just don't care. And I was only 6 or 7 at the time of this realisation. That's pretty messed up for someone so young.
The next core memory of mine, would be when this girl I had became friends with, as a kid, had found out I had loved her. And due to how my parents treated me, I consider my friends like family and loved them to bits with all of my heart. This girl that I was close with. Because I knew her for so long, and I had always hanged out with her, I enjoyed every second of being around her and the experiences I shared with her. When she found out I was in love with her, she decided to fake everything and pretend to be my girlfriend. I know it's childish for 10 year old children to be doing that sort of stuff, but I didn't care. I really did love her and wanted her to be happy. To make her smile, and to enjoy every second we were together. That's sort of love I had back then, and still have now. But when I found out about everything, she basically broke my trust and love for her and everyone else (I later on found out my so-called best friend had knew about all of this). when I found out she was toying with me and pretending everything, I couldn't help but break down. The headteacher of the school had to comfort me about it, because I had broke down during our registration session. And what she did was take me away. Not to her office. But to the edge of the school courtyard, just next to the grass field everybody could play on during the breaks and lunch time, in the summer. She asked me why I was bawling my eyes out, and I told her why I was crying. She told me that my reason behind my break down, was "childish." At the time, I wasn't able to explain why I felt like this (had to leave out how I was treated at home, otherwise I would've been taken away, which scared me for someone reason. I probably had Stockholm syndrome). This made me to never to trust anyone ever again, no matter how much they're nice to me, or how much I loved them. Getting close to people only brought pain and deceit. To myself and to them. I was only 9 when this happened.
The last one would be when I was still recovering from that trauma. I was getting better, and then finally getting ready to start hanging out with my friends again, until the class selection for next year's class. I was placed in the "lower-to-middle tier" class, whereas all my friends and main group I played with, were placed into the "higher tier" class. I would like to clarify why this is a big deal to me. Because of the way my home environment was, coupled with my hate for my parents, I didn't invite people to my house. And because of that, nobody was willing to invite me around to theirs. This meant outside of school, I wasn't with my friends at all, and my only time together with them, was in school. So not only did I not get to spend the first new school year with my friends, I had to recover on my own from what had happened to me, with no one by my side. I remember like 2 or 3 months later, I was walking around the school field on my own during lunch break, and I sat on top of a small hill and I ended up breaking down. It's because I realised how lonely I was and having nobody to comfort me or even to love me. Not even just friends. It hurts. And for a kid, it hits harder than a train. So there I was, sat on top of a small hill. By myself. Crying. And I told myself when I'm older (around 18 I said), I would have people that would be there for me. People that would love me and help me. And would let me do the same. I would have a girlfriend who's there for me, loves me, smiles with me, laughs with me, worries about me, cares about me, wants to keep me smiling and happy, and knowing I would do the same for her. I knew it was a lie. I knew it wouldn't happen. I knew my experiences that have accumulated at that point, would fuck me up mentally, to the point where I wouldn't have any friends, or any of that social and romantic experience. Essentially killing my chances to be normal. But I believed in it. I need it. Even if it was just a lie. But I was right. I became a social outcast. A loner. Ever since then, I've been doing things by myself. Not because I love it. But because I'm used to it. Because I'm used to being alone and feeling lonely. And the disappointment of having people saying they'll be there for me. Or will do things with me. When in the end, they won't.
Thank you for sharing, we all appreciate it. I hope you are holding up better now. Please inbox me if you ever want a chat, meaningful or meaningless!
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:44:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm slightly holding up better. I had someone reach out to me and accepted the miserable person I became and she understood why, after telling her my past. But she's out of my life now because of how different I became thanks to her. It's sad but it's how things should be.
It's good to hear that the you're more comfortable and open to people now, though, even if it may be at the cost of being those qualities too much. You're right though, it's a tough balancing act, and one of those things that, frustratingly enough, may just need time to fully get a handle on.
If she was such a big turning point in your life, it would really suck to not be able to say goodbye. I obviously don't know everything about your situation, but I've been there and the regret afterwards is... pretty powerful.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:53:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Fair enough. Best wishes - if I can do anything to help, let me know.
MrRyyi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:16:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm by no means an expert on these kind of things, but I really want you to be happy. I appreciate you and all you've said, I think it means a lot that you can word it out and not have to deal with supressed emotions. I think the best thing is to lay it all out on the table and sit back, 3rd person kinda thing (perhaps you already have). Unfortunately that's all I know. Best of luck to you!
While children [in genetal] may not understand the why of love, I've read love is felt just as intensely at any age and should be treated with respect.
Yes, thanks for sharing. As some others have offered, feel free to contact me if you need if you need someone to talk to. Or if you're ever in NYC let me know!
(Hard to know if it's a 'core' memory or just me making up the memory based on being told) I've a vivid memory of being in a cot in my room, maybe around 3 years old. Throwing up and seeing carrots in the vomit. Would only eat plain food until I was a teenager. Still weird about certain foods but much more open-minded.
Related to being a picky eater - I was around 7, refusing to eat, and being a shit of a kid to my mum who'd made dinner for us. My dad got so pissed with me he took me to the living room and spanked me. It was just the one spank, he'd never spanked me before (and never did after), at the time I was angry/mad/hurt, but now I realise I must have been being a serious brat if it drove my dad to doing that.
Not a single specific memory as such, but just generally, after dinner when dad would wander around the house / garden doing dad stuff, mum and I would sit at the table, drink tea and she'd tell me stories from her childhood. She'd always tell the same 5 or 6 stories over again, but I loved hearing them anyway.
Humiliation. I was trying on old swimsuits ahead of a holiday so my mum would know if I needed new ones, had a swimsuit on over a vest, found my tutu from when I was 4 (I was about 8 at this time), went into my sisters room to show her how silly I looked, she told me I should go downstairs and show our other sister who was studying as it would cheer her up. I went into the room, jumped in, shouted "TA-DAAAA" then seeing a man in the room said "Hi dad..." only to realise it was NOT my father but my sisters' friend. I screamed and hid for about 2 hours after.
The excitement when dad would come home from working abroad and the beautiful toys he would bring back. Usually wooden hand-crafted pretty stuff.
This amazing day I spent with my ex, I knew I loved him but was too afraid to say it. It was just... Idyllic.
The one I can distinctively remember is actually a smell so I don't know if that counts. I mean the smell does trigger a memory so I guess it works. It is the smell of particular flower. I can never pinpoint exactly what it is, or if it is merely a combination of a bunch of them since there were many there. Either way, every time I come across that smell, I am brought back to being 11 years old at my mother's wake and funeral.
It's been 16 years and luckily, I find myself still remembering her face and her memory. I have pictures to resort back to. If I didn't have those pictures, I don't know how long her image would last, but that smell is something I will never forget.
I think i posted this elsewhere at some point. Eh.
Barbados, Christmas 1997. My family went down for a vacation. We went swimming up in St. Peter with my aunt and her family. I pulled away from the group a bit. Next thing i know, a wave knocks me over. My brain is panicking, wants my body to kick up and breathe, but salty water keeps rushing in as i open my mouth. I don't remember if i was screaming or anything... But i do remember this. As i floundered and slipped back under, i caught one glimpse of my dad. Swimming straight to me. My brain may have whited out for a second because the next thing i know, my dad is walking up on the beach, carrying me in his arms.
Edit: Now I think about it and what i know from drowning victims, it's remarkable that he noticed me. My dad is a fricking BEAST. Here's the post
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:28:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Helping my father clean and service his large gun collection. He showed me how every one of them worked, what ammo they used, and how to disassemble, clean and lubricate all of them. He taught me how to be careful and thorough with complicated physical tasks.
1) My brothers leaving a trail of oreo cookies on the floor to try to lure me out of my hiding spot under a corner table in my living room. I was hiding there because at school that day (maybe 4th grade), I had walked up on a group of girls talking about me. Not nice things. Some of them I thought were my friends.
2) Dancing the night away at my oldest brother's wedding.
3) When I handed in a creative writing paper in 7th grade and my teacher liked it so much she said I should submit it to a teen author site. That was one of the first times I think I ever felt really good and really proud about anything.
4) Sitting around a table on my patio at my house with all of my friends after school let out after senior year. It was just such a serene night. I felt so loved. There's nothing like that feeling.
5) Sitting in the car with my boyfriend the day after we found out his little sister had leukemia and right after we had gotten into a huge fight about me leaving for college and just crying together. For a long time. But it wasn't even a blue memory; it was one of those blue-yellow bittersweet ones because even though it was a horribly sad time, I knew right then that I loved him more than anything I ever had in my life. I knew he was the one. It was an incredibly surreal feeling.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:26:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents bought me a microscope for my birthday (I don't remember which year; I was in grade school). My dad helped me collect things to make new slides with.
My husband and I were friends in college, and one night at a party I finally revealed my long-held feelings for him. He immediately kissed me.
One summer, my sister and I would build adventure mazes in our basement with couch cushions, boxes, sheets, black lights, fans, sound effects, and any prop we could get our hands on. It was a blast.
On my birthday, about six weeks after my son was born, he smiled at me for the first time. (It feels like my son's whole life so far is wrapped up in one big core memory, but this was the key moment my happy, giggly baby boy made himself known.)
My dad and I were joking in the car on the way home one night. Bottled water was just starting to get really popular, and we both thought it was ridiculous, so we came up with our own bottled water: Pond Water. Later that week, I designed a label, and we went to the store to pick up some food coloring and fake seaweed. We made a bottle. The label had a picture of a pond with a dead fish floating, a man peeing into it, and a beautiful sunset.
I slept over at a friend's house on a school night, and the next morning, she got up and packed her own lunch with whatever was left in the kitchen. Her mother was home, but still asleep. My 12-year-old friend basically took care of herself.
In fourth grade, my best friend and crush, Davidโhis dad died. At recess one day shortly after, David was crying in the corner by himself. I asked him what I could do to help, and he told me to get his friend Julia. I was crushed, but still did it. That whole interaction taught me a lot.
After six weeks of therapy and recovery, I finally had the strength to report my rape to the police. They sent a uniformed cop to take my initial statement, in my therapist's office at the Sexual Violence Center. He was so nervous that he was sweating and stammering through the whole thing. I wondered if he had a daughter.
When I was a teenager, I was the one who took my cat Gus to the vet to get euthanized. He was six years old, 27 pounds, and had gotten diabetes. I was furious that my parents let me do it alone instead of supporting me, furious that my parents let him gain so much weight (and guilt-ridden because I did too), and furious that we couldn't afford treatment to keep him alive. He died in my arms while I comforted him.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:06:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No day is better than the last day of school. Three months without class, three months without teachers, three months of doing anything you wanted to do. As soon as the bus stopped, I would sprint down the lane to the house, fling my backpack inside the door, kick off my shoes, run as fast as I could thru the field and climb up my favorite hay bale. I would lay on top of it and watch the clouds and feel the warmth of early summer and the gentle breeze and dream about how amazing the next three months would be. I can do this every day I thought, I don't have to do anything. And I would do it often just dreading the end of summer when I would have to go back, back to books and reports and teachers and khakis and my dreaded Christian school. My strongest memory was on the last day before school, getting one last day on the hay bale, staring at that red Kansas sunset thinking how great it will be when I am older and I can do this every day and no one can tell me what I have to do. But now I am older and I live in the suburbs and I have a house payment and car payments and I work in a cubicle and I don't think I could find a hay bale around if I tried. Fuck this Im going to go find a hay bale.
Yeah, where are the hay bales these days? I think I saw some in Nebraska.
bsimp42 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:13:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Very young riding on a lawn mower with my dad while my mom watched. I am very close with my parents
Getting an NES for Christmas when I was 5.
My dad's dad coaching me in football the last two years before he died.
My mom's dad taking me to buy my first bass guitar.
Getting kicked out of a christian college at 18.
Coming home to a house we had bought and fixed up together for the first time the night I married my wife.
Holding my son for the first time.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:19:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
This will be a long list....
1997/1998 (??? Mom says I was 2 or 3) - I remember regularly going over to my Aunt's house so she could babysit me while my mom was away at work. There were a bunch of other kids she would babysit at the time too. I remember this one kid who was a lot older than me, and he was on the couch watching some music video on MTV and my Aunt said 'Jordan, whatever you do with your life, don't grow up to be like him'.
December 1998/1999 - Being scared shitless by some rapping Santa toy that would start to play music and dance whenever you clapped. I turned it on accidentally and ran upstairs.
August 2000 - It was almost my first day of Kindergarten, so my parents had me go in a quick ride on the bus by myself just so I could get a feel of what it'd be like. I remember I was kind of nervous at the time, and right before it was time to get on my dad was really really pepping me up and was REALLY hype and excited and all my nervousness just left and I ended up going on there with no problem.
October 2000 - I think this was my earliest memory I have of anything related to Halloween. I learned about it in class and we all sang Halloween songs. I remember at one point during that day when we were walking to the class, the piano played one of the songs that we learned by itself.
August 2001- I went on a trip to Virginia Beach with my mom, sisters, and my babysitters. We stayed over for a couple of nights in a hotel room. I remember my babysitter and I watching a lot of Toonami that night (she was a big animation/cartoon fan, like me). On the same month a few weeks later, my aunt had her wedding and her reception.
September 2001 - This one is embarrassing. I got in trouble because I had a little bit of a temper tantrum at school. I dropped some of these kid's backpacks from their cubby hangers. A few days later (?), the nurse had came to me in the hallway and told me i'd be moving to a remedial class. I don't think it had anything to do with that event though, I think my folks knew something was up were planning to do that for a while at that point.
October/November-ish 2001 - I stayed over at my Mom's close friend's house to hang out with her kids because they were having a football game one day that weekend. I remember staying up all night the night before and watching a lot of TV, specifically Toon Disney.
(Not sure) 2001 - While I was playing in my room, a television had fallen on my head and I had passed out, then I woke up and learned I needed to go to the hospital. Literally everyone I knew at the time was there to see me which really surprised me even as a 6 year old. Turns out I was completely fine and there weren't any real injuries at all.
July-August 2002 - Earliest that I can clearly remember seeing all my cousins on my father's side. We had a 4th of July cookout and we all played in the pool and really just had a great time. My Dad has 8 brothers and sisters, so I had a lot of family to hang out with.
September 2004 - 3 years after my parents had learned I had a non-verbal learning disability, I stay at the hospital overnight because I told them about intrusive thoughts (that were of a very self deprecating nature) I was having at the time. I eventually get diagnosed with both Autism and Asperger's Syndrome.
There's a LOT more than this, but I feel like most people will probably stop reading after the first few in this post, so I probably shouldn't share any more.
Lol, as a child I was worried about missing my bus home; so I memorized it. And 30 plus years later I still smile when that number comes up randomly. 156
Joy: Graduating from high school and getting a picture with the girl I've liked since the 7th grade hugging outside of the opera house where our ceremony was held, we looked super cute and a lot of folks thought we would end up together but that wasn't the case unfortunately, I'll never forget the impact she made on my life though.
Fear: The bitch from The Ring/The Grudge, basically any Japanese ghost ladies.
Sadness: Getting turned down for Prom the same day I opened all of my rejection letters for colleges and scholarships.
Anger: Finding out that the worst roommate I've ever had in college killed my rabbit and used his bones to make a sacrificial altar thingy because she was a Satanist.
Disgust: Eating a 5 pound burger in Vegas to get a free t-shirt.
Super Random: Going to McDonald's for breakfast with my dad and my brothers, we never had a lot of money growing up and McDonald's was a special treat.
Moved out, called the Cops, turned out she was no longer a student at the University we went to as she failed out the semester before but was working at McDonald's to try to get back in.
Yeah she was pretty crazy and the landlord gave her the boot so she was forced to Greyhound back to New Mexico or Arizona where she was from originally.
[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 10:24:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There are a few mostly about playing Lego with my little brother or stick fighting in the woods with my little brother or being on holidays at the Red sea or Mediterranean with my Grandmother, there is one thing I'll never forget that stands out:
We were out all day with my mom and when we came back home me (7 or 8) my little brother (3 or 4) and my older sister (11 or 12) were still full of energy. The room of me and my brother had a bunk bed I slept up he slept down and a hammock next to it. So we children went upstairs and started fooling around jumping from the bed to the hammock and other stupid stuff. What I remeber like it's yesterday was the moment I was at the top part of the bed my little brother holds the hammock open and says "jump", I want to jump head first and as I let myself fall forward he pulls the hammock aside. I see the floor and black, I have no memory of seeing anything but I remeber what I heard where my siblings freaking out, my mother sat me down on the stairs and pull my puller back. Well 10cm above my wrist my arm had a bend of about 45 degrees down, it didn't hurt or anything just that image is always there. Ambulance was called i was put to sleep for fixing it and woke up with a big plaster, feeling sick, and I learned that I cannot trust my little brother...
I'm not sure if this fits but it's my most vivid childhood memory that is kinda essential.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:51:22 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I mean the sleeve
nixalo ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 11:38:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) Butchering my first animal for dinner as a young child in the West Indies
2) Seeing Space Jam in the theater with my dad
3) Getting my first pair of glasses and seeing my mother clearly for the first time
4) Taking turns playing SNES with the family
mwolfee ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:59:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The time where my family was fully intact and happy, maybe. At 27 I've come to terms that people drift apart, but sometimes I get jealous of happy families.
emjaybe ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 11:59:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Working with my dad on any project when I was a kid. I probably wasn't the greatest helper, but he made me feel like it. Taught me all the tools and the proper names for screwdrivers etc. He always says one of his proudest moments was when I corrected my "know it all" grandfather on the proper tool names.
Speaking of "know it all" grandfather, the day my dad, who had been laid off for 6 months, asked him for $92 so he could pay that month's mortgage (this was early 80s) and my grandfather said no. It was the first time and only time my dad ever asked him for money and the first time I saw my dad cry. Our neighbour found out, wrote my dad a cheque for $300 to pay the mortgage and to make sure my sister and I had something to open on Christmas morning as this happened 2 weeks before Christmas.
Driving out west, my mom would drive the overnight while my dad slept in the backseat. I would be the map navigator while we would sing old tunes. Anytime I hear one of them, it instantly takes me back to that drive.
My grandmother not knowing who I was when I visited her after she had a stroke when I was 15. Her and I were thick as thieves and it broke my heart she didn't remember. I was never close to her again after that happened.
acogs53 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:11:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-My dad losing his job when I was in fourth grade and the strain it put on my family (Don't worry, Mom&Dad are still together and more in love than ever, my dad got a better job and many blessings followed)
-Our week long family vacation to Panama City Beach two years later
-Proving my mom wrong and getting a full ride to college after I didn't let her edit my essays for it.
-Having my best friend point out a guy riding a longboard down the street and me not having any reaction to him. We are now married.
-Going to Yosemite with my family and experiencing the incomparable feeling of visiting somewhere that is part of your soul in the physical; where you feel like all the things you hope come true COULD come true.
In preschool I walked out of the bathroom without pulling my pants up and showed the entire laughing class my uncircumcized ding dong. In retrospect, I'm sure this contributed to me losing my virginity so late
My elementary school teacher giving me my own journal to write in. This eventually lead me to persue a career in writing.
My first horror movie. I can't remember exactly which one it was, I think it was either the grudge 2 or the ring. Either way, it opened up the door for horror movies for me and I do consider myself a bit of a fanatic. I love it when a movie makes me afraid to turn off the lights.
Dancing with my sister in our living room to whatever music my mom wanted. She always blasted it loud which as kids was a blast and we would put on my dad's button up work shirts and run around like crazy.
My abusive ex boyfriend. Unfortunately gave me the hard lesson that you should follow your gut and not everyone has your best interest in mind. I'm very cautious around letting people in, but my closest friends are the ones I know I can trust everything with.
My sister, cousin, and I holding each other and crying in our downstairs bathroom while my aunt and mom fought because of my narcissistic grandmother. This would be the last time for years that I would see my cousins on my mom's side and it's been years after that now as well. I had to tell my sister and cousin that day that everything would be fine and it still haunts me that nothing would ever be okay again and that I couldn't keep my promise.
My forth birthday where I had my one and only birthday party until I was 15. I wore a pretty red dress and my brother's friends stole my balloons. I got bedding of a certain disney princess. I loved that bedding. I have an unhealthy obsession with giving people birthday presents because I remember how happy I was that day.
I got stung by a bee when I was 5 and had an allergic reaction to it. My mother yelled at me for getting stung and complained that she had to take me to the emergency room the entire time. The stinger was left in my foot for over 6 months until I dug it out. It was crystallized at that point and I thought that was really neat. I tend to over mother on people who don't feel well or are just sick.
My mother would often pull me out of school to help her make bake good for the local flea market. I remember she paid me in lemonade and funyuns the next day if I sold over 500 dollars worth of goods. I still have a strong work ethic and crave a "Good job." at all my jobs.
My mother used to put me in beauty pageants. She never actually coached me but loved to doll me up. I always placeds second or "first runner up" and she would tell me it's because she couldn't hide my ugly with makeup and pretty clothes. I still think I'm ugly and so far no one as told me otherwise.
On my 14th birthday my mom took me to a bar. She proceeded to get shit face drunk and forget about me even being there. I had to hitch hike home at 2 in the morning. A group of college girls took me home and I'll never forget their kindness. I often ask people who walk to work or everywhere if they need a ride.
Sadly, this is real. I don't know much about my mother's life except she was into drugs and a huge narcissist. She's dead now and I never saw her after my 14th birthday. I can only hope to be a good person and make other people's lives better. That alone makes mine amazing.
Your mom was a nightmare. This is why I always say parenting is the hardest job in the world which should require emotional qualifying exams and a permit. Some people really should not be parents, as I know from my own past and that of many friends.
Waking up at 9 years old to realize thay after months of my mom getting drunk and asking me who i would rather live with, she had finally left overnight. She fell through on most vists. The most memorable was christmas morning. I was sitting outside with my bag to go with her for the weekend. After a couple hours i realized she wasnt coming.
My dads (ex) girlfriend blatantly lying to my dad to get me in trouble. My dad always believing her
My step mom calling me a worthless piece of shit and kicking me out on graduation night
My highschool girlfriend cutting contact with me out of no where the second she got to college. Her admitting to me she had sex with the guy she met at orientation who texted her "goodmorning beautiful" every morning. The guy she says wasnt a threat.
My live in girlfriend of almost 3 years texting me and saying shes staying after work to grab a drink and shed be home at 12 latest. I wake up at 5 am and shes not there. I call a few times and her phone turns off. I call the police because i have no idea whats happening. She finally turns it on and answers around 630. Shes mad at me for waking her. The next day she tells me she doesnt love me anymore. The day after that i move out while shes at work. The day after that shes dating her coworker. At this point in time shes pregnant with his kid.
My sister trying to pay my gfs ex to sleep with her.
The look in my rescue dogs eyes when she finally trusted me
Getting a house with my best friend
Getting drunk with my friends and screaming the lyrics to blink 182 songs
Oh my God, the first ones are awful. The last ones are great!
SUBsha ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:06:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This will get buried but fuck it.
-Watching my brother walk down the street to play with his friends and feeling really confused on why I couldn't go with him.
-Driving from North Carolina to New Mexico, everything was beautiful and I was content watching the world pass by. We stopped at a playground somewhere and I played with a little girl, when we left I gained a feeling that I was searching for someone.
-Trying to fall asleep one night on pain killers I was taking because I had like more than half of my teeth removed (I was like 6) and Independence Day came on the T.V., being young and on drugs I quickly became confused and thought that aliens were attacking my house and my step dad was fighting them off. Woke up the next day very confused but grateful because the house was completely intact despite being attacked by aliens.
-At father-son day at school, I turned to my mom and asked her where my dad was, and why all the other boys had dads. That fucked my mom up real bad and she went on to marry an asshole so that I had a father figure in my life, one of my mom's many parenting mistakes. (This was after my mom had left the dude previously referred to as step dad)
-Being chased by my step-dad (the asshole my mom married) who had an axe handle in his hand. I ran away that day. I wanted to kill myself, and tried very hard to find something sharp in the woods so I could slit my wrists. I didnt find anything. It was the first time I would have suicidal thoughts.
-I've always had a feeling (even when I was young)that I was searching for someone, and that one day I would find them and know that they were the one I was searching for. There were many false hopes, but I finally found her, and she is the best friend I could ever ask for, the best lover, and everything that makes my life worth living. She makes me want to be a better person despite all the shit I've been through. She has taught me what family means, and what a healthy (or healthier) family looks like.
Idk these are just memories that stand out the most, my childhood was unpleasant but not terrible, but for some reason my mind blocks a lot of it out.
off the top of my head, in roughly chronological order:
the smell of the first rains of the year and jumping in every puddle on the ground at the farm I grew up in.
sword fights with my cousin after watching every starwars movie (yes even the prequels).
long winding journeys across the border to visit my grandparents in marizburg. the terrifying, thrilling and gorgeous views and sheer drops of van reenen pass. the smell of grass and the soft constant, comforting drizzle that comes as such a relief to anyone who grew up in a desert. hadeda's cawing in the distance.
almost stepping on a black mamba when i was 10. being frozen in absolute terror and not being able to shout or scream. then my brain kicks in, i back away and call my father to get the gun out. I've had many encounters with cobras and puffys before and after then, but a mamba will always stick out in your memory.
my brother in a purple and leopard trim pimp suit he bought from thailand
my best friend drunk out of his mind, cutting oranges on the boot of his car for tequila shots at his 21'st at about 3am
a night of teenage debauchery fueled by drugs, alcohol and hormones. "narrowly" escaping police, and watching the sun rise
making an explosive with my highschool chemistry teacher after the final exam. there was inert nitrogen tri-iodide (IIRC) all through the lab. apparently the class the next day was chaos and purple smoke.
watching the sun set on a kopi an hour out of town with a beer in my hand, and a few close friends at my side, talking well into darkness.
newyears in the okovango delta with some really good friends. every part of that trip will be etched into my memory. the roadtrip up there. the copious amounts of yaka we made. rolling down the channels with a whiskey in hand and a croc every few feet. getting our boat driver drunk. jumping into the water in the lagoon and getting the hell out because crocs.
sorry for the wall of text and terrible (non-existent) formatting!
When I was in elementary school, I was invited to a girl in my class's birthday party. I didn't have any friends, so it was a big deal to me, and though we were poor, my mom made sure I had a nice barbie doll to gift to her. In class the next week after the party, we were sitting on the floor with the lights dimmed to watch a movie. I scooted up to sit next to this girl and a few others from my class. They looked at me; I smiled at them. Then, they looked at each other, and without a word, they scooted away. I remember the sharp reality of the fact that I had only been invited to the party so that I could give this girl a gift. I remember a feeling so cold in the pit of my stomach, not anger or hurt or disbelief, but some terrible combination of all three. I don't think I watched a moment of that movie. Later, I apologized to my mom for having her spend money on the doll.
When I was in second grade, I found out my best friend had a crush on me. My teacher put on a documentary, and in the middle of watching it, she called me out into the hallway. I remember the image of my friend so perfectly: he was in the corner with his legs tucked up so that he could hide his face in his knees. The teacher explained to me that my friend had confided his crush to another classmate, who then proceeded to tell everyone in class. I knelt beside him and told him that what people say doesn't matter and that they couldn't touch our friendship. I remember wishing that I could've been more eloquent, but he finally stopped crying and the teacher let us sit together for the remainder of the documentary in the hallway, sometimes talking to each other, sometimes just waiting in a comfortable silence, listening to the TV through the wall.
My parents' relationship was always tumultuous. One day, they drove us to a waffle house and told me, my sister and brothers to go ahead inside to order while they stayed out in the car. We were allowed whatever we wanted, for once, so I was excited. The waitress asked us where our parents were, and I told her they'd be in soon. Afterwards, my parents' fight continued even as we were driving home, and when we were at a stoplight my mom told my dad to just go and never come back. I screamed and cried as I saw my dad get out of the car and begin walking in the opposite direction while my mom drove away. I wouldn't see him again for another six months, but in that moment, I was sure I'd simply never see him again.
While my parents were separated, my mom managed to convince her great aunt to let us stay with her in her trailer. We all slept together in the living room, rotating between sleeping on the floor, the lounge chair, and the fold out mattress. At this time, my mom was desperately trying to find a job, my grandparents had cut off communications, and my dad was no where to be found. We were truly at our lowest, one of those lowest being finances. While in this situation, my birthday came around. I didn't receive any gifts, and I was old enough to understand why and be okay with that. We did have some things that we brought with us from our old house, one of those things being Pokemon cards, which I often battled with my siblings and other kids from the neighborhood. For my birthday, one of my brothers gave me his absolute favorite Pokemon card: a holographic Zapdos. Not rare, but it was 100% his most prized possession. I went to the bathroom, held it in my hands, and silently cried for an indeterminable amount of time. Then, I gave it back to him and told him that he needed it if he was ever going to beat me.
I used to work at a job where I drove cars between dealerships across the state. One day I was looking at a 14hr trip and I asked my best friend if she wanted to go along with me. Of course she did. We talked the entire way, got lost a few times, stopped at comic book shops in multiple cities, and even made a phone call to a billboard hotline where you could discuss with a pastor your feelings if you thought you might be gay (neither my friend nor I are straight). He ended up being surprisingly polite, even as he did condemn us to hell for our homo sins. The trip took longer than 14hrs but the memories last a lifetime.
Same friend (Callie) and another friend (Garrett) made a public post on social media the night before a convention, lamenting that they weren't going and asking jokingly if someone would drive them in Callie's car. They had just found out Stan Lee was going to be there and Callie couldn't drive because she was studying for a test and didn't feel comfortable with the distance. Being me, I took the post 100% seriously and told them I'd be down to drive. It was one of those moments where we were all joking like, "Wow wouldn't it be great if we could just go," until someone said, "Well, why can't we?" and everyone kind of realized we actually could. I already had another friend over at my house at the time, and kind of sprung it on her that we were all going. Mind, this is at about 11pm at night. At about 2am Callie picked us up from my house, we went to Walmart 24-hr grocery and picked out a fuckload of snacks to bring with us. At about 4am we all went back and crashed at my place to hopefully get a little sleep before we left the next morning. I was so excited, I couldn't do anything but vibrate as I lay there for the next two hours. That day ended up being the most memorable day of my life. I was eighteen at the time, fresh out of high school and still didn't feel like a true adult but had so many new responsibilities that I didn't want. I still look back at this trip as the pinnacle of my transition. So many inside jokes born of that trip. So many memories. We ran into a bunch of other friends there. We bought lots of shit we didn't need. We ran on pure adrenaline and were exhausted by the time 7pm rolled around, but luckily Garrett's cousin lived about halfway in between our city and the convention, so we were able to crash there for the night since I had so little sleep and didn't want to drive the distance. Not only is this my favorite memory, it cemented these friends as my platonic soul mates and the only people outside my immediate family that I feel I can truly trust with anything, which as I get older the more I realize how that is such a rare thing. I'm turning twenty-five this year and I can't believe this has been almost seven years ago.
Love my sister, definitely don't think my parents prefer either one of us and it doesn't bother me at all. They are just the earliest things I remember. For all I know they could have been playing with me for hours before they had to go and look after her but I have just forgotten.
Ahhh man! hang in there. I am sure good things will come your way.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:48:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn man. Ruthless. Says a great deal about though her than you. You could look at it as a blessing, got rid of an unloyal, no one needs those right? Right?! Right.
Core #1 (yellow): the day I met my childhood dog, Oreo. Good god what an amazing dog she was. Her paws were too big and she walked down the hall to me. Growing up, I kept to myself and hid my shame and sadness to everyone. Except her. She was always, always there for me. When she was about to pass, her breathing became labored and... it was bad. My family was like, she'll be fine, yada yada, but I knew. I took her to the vet right then and there and spent her last few minutes holding her paw and bawling. I figure, since she was there for me during my worst, I would damn well be there for hers. I'm crying remembering it. But that first time I met her with her big goofy face and amazing personality... I miss her so fucking much.
Core #2 (blue and red or green mixed): fucking up the part while auditioning in guitar class and getting stuck on the rhythm section for that song. I got performance anxiety and was so upset at myself. Drove me to practice harder and play better even now 15 years later. I really need to play more often. Damn apartments and night schedule.
Core #3 (yellow): laying next to the Christmas tree one the eve, listening to the sounds of bells on the roof with my siblings. My folks skrimpt and saved all year to give us everything on Xmas. I hate it now because we lost that closeness, but growing up Xmas was the best because of the anticipation and nervousness and everything my parents did for us.
Core #4 (Red, little blue): My 6? 7? birthday. My brother and his friends stole all the bicycle decorations my mom bought me and my friends so we could ride in the town parade. I was heartbroken because of him. My brother turned into a nightmare of physical violence and anger. He's a prick now, but not nearly as bad. Growing up my sister and I thought ways to get rid of him. He denies he ever punched me or my sister or dogs.
Core #5 (yellow): this may make some uncomfortable to read... but I was about 6 and stole my sister's Jasmine (from Aladin) pants. Blue ones, if you can remember. Didn't know why I loved wearing those girly pants until I faced myself and came out and started to transition to be myself. A woman.
Core #6 (yellow, so bright it hurts): Looking in the mirror for the first time without seeing a complete stranger. That first time, I bawled. I was so damn happy. And now, I'm fit and redheaded... I've never felt more happy and content with myself. But that first time... I was so damn happy I cried.
Damn. That was a fun trip down memory lane, thank you!
โขAt about 3 years old, wearing a red and white polkadot dress and carrying a potted plant into our new house.
โขAt about 8 getting to courage to walk my bike to the top of our street that was a steep hill and ride it down, just like my big brother did. Halfway down, I panicked because I was going way too fast, hit the back breaks and flew over the handlebars subsequently getting road rash the entire length of my body. And then running home crying to my mom.
โขAlso at 8, watching my brother hit a car while riding his bike on our street. He had a severe concussion. He literally hit a parked car. That moment defined my view of my brother for the rest if my life, he's a fucking idiot.
โขAt 13 acting out and getting kicked out if school. I was fighting constantly with my mom, running away, getting in trouble. Started doing drugs. She picked me up from school and is yelling at me for getting kicked out, at a stop sign she turns to me and asks, "What happened to you Elizabeth, were you molested or why are you so angry?" I lied and told her no. That was her way of asking because she had a suspicion that my step father may have molested me. Her suspicion was right, but I didn't tell her for a couple more years at which point she had already divorced him and kicked him out.
โขAt 15 sitting my mom down and telling her I was pregnant. Her look of sadness then sterness and telling me, "you have a choice, straighten up and get your shit together. Either raise this baby or put it up for adoption!" I decided to fix my shit. Stopped hanging out with bad people, stopped doing drugs, and started going to school. I was going to raise this baby. I honestly thought I would have my mom's help though.
โขAt 15 9 days after I delivered my beautiful daughter, my mother died from stage 4 lung and breast cancer. I didn't cry, I felt alone but that I also had to be incredibly strong for the rest of the family. To show them I wasn't a baby and that I could raise a baby.
Asking my husband to be my boyfriend back in high school. It felt like such a risk at the time, but I knew I had to try. I couldn't have planned how well it worked out.
Singing songs around a campfire with my mom (troop leader) at a girl scout camp.
My dad taking me out into the ocean to learn how to swim in waves.
When I was 18 and my mom had had a brain tumor for three or four years at that point. I was at college packing up to go home for summer after my freshman year. She had just come back from the hospital and her prognosis was not good; they told her she would have until the end of that summer, but probably wouldn't make it until the end of the year. While my dad and sister were up in the dorm getting some things packed I sat down in the car with my mom and asked her if she was scared. She said she wasn't. She had had a lot of time with us and was grateful to have such a happy life. She was sad that she wouldn't get more time, but that she wasn't scared of death. She passed away two weeks after that conversation.
-Waking up on Christmas morning at my grandmother's house, coming down to find what, to my 6-year old mind, seemed like an ocean of presents. The presents weren't what stood out, though. What did stand out was a simple parchment scroll, tied with red ribbon. I untied the ribbon, unrolled the scroll, and proceeded to read a handwritten note from Santa telling me just how good and kind I'd been that year, and that he hoped I enjoyed my Christmas morning. I can think of a thousand ways that my grandparents could have made those scrolls. I know that they took bites out of the cookies. I know that fairy dust was just glitter, and that the dusty coal footprints were my grandfather's boots. I know all of this, but none of it matters. That morning they taught me the most important lesson I have ever learned: Magic is as real as you make it.
Thank you, Grandma Bell. Thank you, Donnie. I will never forget the way you made me feel that day. I have never forgotten what it felt like to be that loved by someone.
Honestly, all of them are sort of tied to one big memory: An operation I had done on my spine when I was in the sixth grade. For some context, this thing couldn't have come at a worse time: I had just started middle school in a new district, I didn't have any friends, recess was a thing of the past, I was getting bullied like crazy, and puberty was just beginning to rear its shit-ugly head.
On top of that, I had been dreading this thing for the year that I had known it was coming. And I'm not using the word "dead" lightly. I would start to sweat and shake just thinking about it. I had little "stress sessions" several times over the year where I just sit there and stew in fear.
And honestly? It was pretty much just as terrible as I had been expecting. The minute they gave me some morphine, the whole thing spun out of control. First, I went blind. I literally watched as my vision just inexplicably faded to black, and then the room started spinning. I'm not sure when my vision came back, I just closed my eyes, grabbed the bed, and tried to wait it out, hoping I would wake up post-surgery and any second it would all be over.
It wasn't. Turns out I had a bad reaction to the morphine and spent about 20 minutes vomiting my guts up, on top of the vertigo. And it's not like I was thinking clearly through any of this: In my memory, the whole thing is just a spinning blur of doctors, monitors, white walls and my own vomit that never seemed to end.
And even when it was finally over, it wasn't really over at all. I had been under the impression that the surgery itself would be the hard part. I had had no idea how painful the recovery would be.
The long and short of it is that my back hurt. A lot. More pain than I had ever felt at the time, probably more pain than I have ever felt since. I barely remember this, but I've been told that the first thing I said when I saw my mom and a dad after the surgery was a weak "You promised it wouldn't hurt." That, sadly, set the tone for the following weekend, which I spent in the hospital.
They tried morphine again after the surgery, with the same reaction as before. I ended up spending the weekend with nothing but extra-strength Tylenol for a pain-killer. Any small movement hurt like hell, so much so that I didn't get out of the hospital bed for 2 whole days. At one point, after they'd taken the catheter out (which was another great fuckin' experience all by itself) I sat in the bed and pissed myself because getting up and walking 4 feet to the bathroom would've hurt so much, and I never would've been able to move fast enough anyway.
And yet...There were moments during the whole thing when I was the happiest I've ever been in my life.
Like when my mom and I were watching some cartoon the following morning, neither of us having slept much, or being particularly interested. It wasn't even a show I cared about under normal circumstances, I think I was a few years too old for it at the time. Anyway, it ended on some unexpected joke, and my mom and I ended up laughing our damn asses off. You know, the kind of laughter that feels like an ab workout, the kind where you laugh until it hurts to smile, and then you keep laughing. It wasn't even close to that funny, it just felt really fucking good to laugh about something. Anything.
Or when I got home after a weekend in the hospital to find that my brother, sister, and grandma had put together this big banner that said "WELCOME HOME ROSS", and there was the Gamecube all plugged in, complete with a new copy of Super Smash Bros. Melee, all ready to play. I hadn't thought about them once the entire weekend: I had been thinking of the surgery as something that didn't effect them: It was my thing, they were...insulated from it. I'm really happy I was wrong about that.
Anyway, for the first day, I didn't walk on my own. I needed help to get anywhere, and it was one of the most intimidating parts of the healing process. There was a barrier of pain standing between me and anywhere I wanted to go, and the only way out was through. That scared the hell out of me. It had been pretty much agreed that I would need help to walk for at least a good 3-4 days until my scar healed up some more.
Then the second day in, I just decided "fuck it" and decided to stand up and walk all the way across the house, by myself, just to surprise my mom. It hurt like hell and it took me about 5 minutes to walk maybe 200ft, but when I got there, her reaction was perfect. She did this flawlessly comedic double-take, like it actually took her a second to figure out why it was a big deal. Then she hugged me, which also hurt. But by then, I didn't care about the pain anymore. I remember thinking every step had been worth it.
It was nighttime at the San Marcos river. I was six, leaning over the river on my hands and knees. I saw a big leaf and leaned down to grab it and fell in. During this time of year the river flow is pretty rapid and I took off. I'm about 30ft away now and I hear my cousins screaming that I fell in. I look up above the bridge going over the water and I see my dad jumping into the river. He swims towards me and grabs onto me, gripping tree branches, leaves, whatever he could grasp. I vividly remember saying "Are we going to die, dad?" In which he says. "No, not today, Andrew." Whenever I think of the story it gives me chills.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:47:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my dog died. Sort of gave me the concept of mortality, that none of this lasts forever.
When I cooked my first dish. I was nine, inspired by a cartoon, never stopped since. Looking forward to starting culinary after another year o high school.
When I got rejected by my previous crush. It was sad, she didn't like me. I got into a depressive state. Like really depressed. Attempted suicide several times, all because of that day. When she got pissed.
When I met my current SO. It was in /r/depression. Feeling low as usual. Then I met her through her post, and now we're in an LDR about to reach five months. It feels really nice that you're helping someone out who is in the same situation you were in years ago. You never want anyone to experience that and to see someone I love slowly getting out of that state is what really drove me out of my depression.
rbevans ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 12:23:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably these:
My dad bailing my mom out of jail
The water meter pipe busted in our front yard because my dad was trying to acquire water illegally and he needed my help.
Catching a 42" snook
Stepping off the plan into Iraq
Stepping off the plan back into the US
Getting a job with a company I don't think I'd ever work for.
One of my earliest memories is from my morning preschool, and only receiving one (little) cup of milk to either drink, pour into my cereal, or a little of both. I was so confused by the expectation to choose; there wasn't what I (3.5 yr old me) considered to be enough milk to put in the cereal, so how could I split it? In the end, like 1/3 of the milk always ended on the table, and I was pissed about the dry cereal, and dry mouth.
When I was around 5 my sister 'punched' me and my nose started to bleed. She didn't get in trouble (she was less than 2yrs old). Again, situation ended with me being pissed.
Around the same time I remeber pretending to be alseep in the backseat, I liked listening to grown up conversation. I overheard my parents talking about going to visit my great-great aunt in California. It was awesome, we left my sister with relatives, and flew to California. We went to Disneyland, and I got to see my Aunt a last time.
Moving to a new state in the middle of 2nd grade. I made friends eventually, but the first months were hard. Kids can be so mean without the intent to.
In 7th grade both of my parents came to pick me up from track practice, which was unusual, and first thing I say when I opened the car door was 'who died'? (I was trying the sarcasm thing). My mom started crying, said they wanted to talk to me before my siblings. She had breast cancer, those months are kind of a blur.
Going on a two week vacation with my family and grandparents once my mom finished chemo. Then coming back to school, to find my friends replaced my spot at the lunch table. This led to a falling out, and a time where I had only a couple friends. It was important though, I learned how to pick people I want to be in my life. The one girl who moved to a new table with me is still one of my best friends today.
Watching my grandma die. After years of battling cancer, I was there for her final moments. She waited over a week (unconscious the whole time) for my grandpa to leave the hospital, minutes after he left she passed. They were so genuinely in love, I truly believe she couldn't die when he was in the room. The night before I was on breathing duty, counting the seconds between each of her breaths, my grandpa came in and thought I was asleep. He crawled beside her in the hospital bed, started to cry, and asked her to wait for him. To wait for him because he did not want to be here with out her. It was beautiful.
"The night before I was on breathing duty, counting the seconds between each of her breaths, my grandpa came in and thought I was asleep. He crawled beside her in the hospital bed, started to cry, and asked her to wait for him. To wait for him because he did not want to be here with out her. It was beautiful."
The night my brother was born, and the morning after when I went to see him.
Holding my baby brothers hand in the hospital causing him to fall asleep while we waited for my mum to be released.
The night my parents told me they were going to divorce.
The day I left my childhood home behind(see point 3).
The first time I surfed and meeting a guy I thought I would hate(very different personalities, I'm an introvert and he's is a major extrovert) who has become a solid friend and who's company I enjoy. This taught me to not judge someone straight away.
There are more but these tend to be the most significant ones. Some happy, others not so much.
My parents divorced when I was little, I was maybe 2 or 3. Dad lived in a major Midwest US city, and Mom in a small town of 300-400 people about 45 miles west of the city. Spent every weekend at Dad's, both parents remarried and Dad had kids with his new wife, we all get along great and always have. My Dad is a truck driver, in 6th grade he calls me at my Mom's house and she said I can take the call in her room, which was weird because we just weren't aloud to be in her bedroom. We had no business being in there and I never really cared to be. I pick up the phone and my Dad is super excited, he says "Mastersploder how would you like to spend your summer's with me in Wisconsin?". (He had been offered a transfer with work) I vividly remember saying "Dad that sounds terrible", I could instantly tell he was kind of disappointed and he tried to convince me it will be a lot of fun. So I just agreed to appease him. Well moving day comes around over winter break and there's a bunch of my aunts and uncles helping us move. We all stay at Dad's new house over break and a huge blizzard comes through so we had to leave early. I'll never forget him taking me back to the bedroom with just a mattress on the floor and boxes all over, sitting me down, and saying "I love you so much bud, I'm really excited for you to come back up this summer" then, he cried. I had never seen my Dad cry before and it was just a shock. We have a great relationship and I spent every summer at his house from 6th grade when he moved, through college. I'm married now with kids and we still go up there every summer. That conversation and my big tough Dad crying because he was in a way leaving his son in another state and knew he wouldn't see me as much will always stay with me.
My only other "core memory" is the day of my wedding my older step-brother saying right before we walked out to the ceremony, "a tip from an old pro, just focus on your bride dude". It wasn't significant to him, but I remember it and will remember it for the rest of my life for some reason.
9/11 was big for me. I was fifteen when it happened, and I was living right outside of DC. I'd never been truly afraid before--afraid for my dad and friends' parents who all worked in DC and at the Pentagon. Until that point, I'd lived in a happy, wealthy bubble with no real worries, and this was the first time I realized there was true evil in this world. I remember looking out the window of my algebra class and wondering if I'd see the plane before it hit our school.
When I was in 2nd grade, my parents got divorced. I have a super clear memory of being taken to Target by my Dad so that I could pick out a new bedspread for his new house. I was more excited that I got a new Lion King blanket than sad or cognizant of my parents' divorce. I'd file that under either optimism or ignorance.
A guy I thought was "the one" told his best friend (who told me) that he thought I was too fat to ever marry. Yay crippling insecurity!
The song "Forever" by Chris Brown triggers such happy memories. Dancing in a little dive bar with friends in college. Long road trips to the beach. Kissing this guy I had a short summer fling with in college.
9/11 was big for me. I was fifteen when it happened, and I was living right outside of DC. I'd never been truly afraid before--afraid for my dad and friends' parents who all worked in DC and at the Pentagon. Until that point, I'd lived in a happy, wealthy bubble with no real worries, and this was the first time I realized there was true evil in this world. I remember looking out the window of my algebra class and wondering if I'd see the plane before it hit our school.
Dad was station at Andrews AFB (For those who don't know, it is an air base just outside DC, and it is where Air Force One is housed.) and let me tell you... that was trippy. We lived just near one of the side gates. That sucker got locked down like no-ones business. I worked off base at a local bookstore, and I had to call in and explain that I couldn't leave base for a few weeks. My dad (Cook in the hospital) had to raid the commissary and Base Exchange for food because the 18-wheelers were not allowed on base yet. Strange times, man. Strange times. I was 17.
My dad was a pretty great guy growing up. Then my mom divorced him. She handed him the papers a few days before Christmas Eve. It really hurt him, and I don't think he was ever the same after that. Was very different between us in terms of how he acted. Feels like I lost the dad I remember growing up with. I'm still angry over that.
Probably the day I came out to my family. My mother hates me, my dad is there for me. I learned who my real family was then.
When I met my husband. Everything from then on was different but better. Can't imagine anything without him.
llosa ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:11:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I really enjoyed trying to answer this question. I realised that I have a lot of memories, but none of them I would consider 'core memories'. Not sure if I am just suppressing them...
My first dog, a golden named Maddy. I wanted a dog so badly my entire childhood and on my 9th birthday, I finally got my wished. My parents totally trolled me good - I opened my presents first before the card. I opened the first one to a tug of war you to sheer confusion. Next, a dog magazine which I just assumed was to read. Next, a leash to "keep me at bay". The card was a bunch of puppies that read "Would you like one, yes or no? Please circle. " Miss that dog like no tomorrow and solidified that I will get another dog in my life.
Attempting to surf near Rio on this semi-private beach with my first solo trip with my sister. After eating shit repeatedly to the howls of my sister, this hot Brazilian told me how great I did. (Read: I stood on the board for less than 5 seconds at any given time). To this day, it still makes my sister cry laughing to think of my flailing. It reminds me of how much I love my only sister and how great that trip was.
The first day I met my now fiancรฉe in person. We had met online in a gaming forum in a set of weird events that determined we lived in the same small town in Canada. After months of solid MSN chatting and Solitare Showdown, we finally decided to meet in person. I was 14 (compared to 17) at the time and we went to Quiznos. I was so nervous I was talking the entire time, him silently eating his foot-long sub. He finished the whole thing and I had only taken 2 bites and just sort of looks at me "Maybe you should eat." It was so awkward. He's my rock now and we're getting married next June 2016.
Getting Pokemon Gold on Christmas when I was 9 (same year I got my dog, which was a stellar year). It was my first ever handheld game and I had been asking for years. My family friends lent their retro Gameboy so I could play because my parents were hesitant to fully invest in video games (my first console was a PS2 because I had to explain the health benefits of DDR). It opened the door to my love for video games, introduced me to the gaming forum I met the love of my life on and of course, was a fantastic introduction to the world of Pokemon.
Going skiing for the third time ever at age 10 in Austria with my family. I was a total brat on the trip, and was overly concerned with the difficulty of the hills. My dad promised my sister and I that the biggest wipeouts of the day warranted 2 euros, which was an hour of free time on the hotel Internet Cafe (peak Neopets era). My mom assured me that this run was safe and easy - except she missed the turn off and we were stuck on 100ft of moguls. I wiped out so spectacularly that I ended up completely backwards, legs spread out and skis pointed fully upwards as I bounced down the whole hill. I was sobbing at the bottom and this German tried to ask if I was okay, to which I blubbered out in horrific German I only speak English. She looked mortified and skied off (I'm so sorry for whatever I said). My parents told me later they were laughing too hard to come help me. Three years ago, my mum made a similar mistake and took us down a closed ski run that was closed for not enough snow.
TL;DR I have 3 main islands: love for dogs, love for my (growing) family, and love for video games.
Did not see that last one coming, but obviously that's what makes these core memories core memories. We never see them coming -- not even the ones we think we see coming. So sorry for your loss.
I'm probably too late but here goes
1. My family has gone to stay in my grandparents condo in the lake of the ozarks every year since I can remember. This also is where my first (I think) memory comes from, at age 3. We were walking along a path by the lake, a little elevated, maybe 7ish feet, with some nice shrubs by the edge. I was walking with my older brother, my parents, and my aunt and uncle. I spaced off a bit, and before I knew it I tripped, and slid off the grade into the lake. All I remember is a rush of green in my vision, followed by a splash. My uncle (ex-air force, and a surgeon) luckily had the wherewithal to jump in after me, and I believe he probably saved my life.
A year or two later, this one is quite vivid in my mind. I'm not a fan of rollercoasters, and never have been. Disney world attendees, you may know of Goofy's Barnstormer. For some unknown reason I convinced my parents that I would be able to handle this ride, and quickly ended up bawling my eyes out as the rollercoaster left the station, and continuing all throughout the ride. When the coaster enters the bars through the hole in the ceiling, that shit gave me nightmares for years to come.
TL;dr fell off ledge almost drowned, and the goofy coaster fucked my psyche up for years to come
The moment I realized I was gay. I would always sneak down into my uncles room (he live dint he basement) and he had pornos which I would watch. One day there was a sex scene with two guys and two girls, the two girls went at it while the guys watched and I asked myself why were the guys not having fun together too?
There was no "gay" discussions in the 90s so I didn't understand those feelings for a few years. When I did it was like a whole new life opened up before me and the depressed feelings were lifted a little. Very confusing times but that moment i thought of the guy before the girls then the eureka moment, I'm gay! will always be etched into my mind.
When I stumbled upon an open email on the house computer. It was a back and forth between my parents about how one had cheated on the other and they were getting a divorce
A ferry ride to Martha's Vineyard with my on-off girlfriend of 8 years. It was the beginning of our second year together, we were high school seniors. It was the first time we acknowledged we were falling in love. I'll always remember how dark it was, and how she pulled me away from her family to stand on the side of this boat looking out over the water. How beautiful and vulnerable she looked. And how I felt when she told me she was in love with me. I'd been in love with her for 3 years.
First time I ever smoked pot. Walked to an elementary school playground to use the swings. All my teenage troubles and worries melted away.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:59:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My family used to spend the weekend at my grandfather's house in the Catskills (Upstate NY). One perfect summer night, my dad came in to the room my brother and I were sleeping in, and quietly woke me up. I remember thinking it was the latest I'd ever been awake. In that half-dream state of just waking up, dad took my hand and led me outside. I was sleepy so he took me up on his shoulders and walked down the road, which was just gravel with tar over it. I can still hear the rocks crunching under his feet.
The smell in the air was that perfect summer aroma of dew on freshly cut grass, swamp, and that indescribable mountain air scent. A little ways down the road was a pond I would always catch frogs and salamanders in. We walked down to it, and he set me down on a log on the bank, and took a seat next to me. The only sounds I heard for the longest time were the frogs and crickets, until my dad nudged me and said "look up". The sky was brilliant and clear, with more stars than I'd ever seen before. All of a sudden there was a streak, then another, then what seemed like hundreds more. He had taken me out to see a meteor shower, and it was the most amazing thing I had seen in my short life.
After sitting there for what seemed like forever, I started to get tired. He picked me back up, but I remember telling him I was "big" and wanted to walk with him. So he put me down, took my hand, and we walked back. I remember thinking how big his hands felt, and how small I was compared to him.
We got back to my grandfathers house and he tucked me back into bed. Before he left he gave me a big smile and said "don't tell mom you were up so late!". She wouldn't have cared; but he knew saying that would make it even more special to me. He was right.
Pretty fuzzy in general. I got a pretty bad concussion either my freshman or sophomore year of highschool and it affected my memory, so everything those first two years of highschool and before middle school is kind of blurry, and middleschool I basically don't remember at all.
That said, I do remember seeing a pair boobs in the band room at one point. I have no clue what the context was or whose they were, but at least my brain held on to the important part.
I have a distinct memory of when I was a little girl. My dad was playing Ocarina of Time in the living room and my little brother, sister and I were watching him with eyes glued to the screen. It was our favorite thing. My mother was in the kitchen cooking supper and dancing around to Mariah Carey. To this day when I hear Mariah Carey or see Zelda, I must associate the two with each other. I always get nostalgia flush either way.
bearaby ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:15:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) When I was 11 or 12, my father told me that if I didn't manage to get into a good middle school, he'd take me to the highest building in the country and throw me off. I instantly replied that he wouldn't have to throw me off, I'd do it myself. I don't think I felt that upset at that moment, but only after that did I realize my feelings were really hurt. I brought it up recently and he says that he doesn't remember it and was probably joking. I don't consider it one.
2) Just before taking my examinations that would decide the high school I'd be able to attend, I was pretty stressed out. The morning of the first day of my exams, I found a note my mother left for me. It was simple, written on a blank piece of white A4 paper. Translated from Chinese, it said something like "Don't worry. Your mother has confidence in you." and had stars and a smiley face drawn on it. I still have the note.
3) I don't even remember when this was, probably about when I was 9? After my parents had a particularly bad argument, my mother sat on the couch in the living room and cried. I didn't really know why or how to help, but my kiddy mind went "Mommy is crying", so I went up to her from behind the couch and held her head to my chest and cried too. We spent a few minutes like that, just silently crying. She ended up having to console me instead of me consoling her.
4) Not a one time thing, but when spending time with my friends, just listening to them talk (I don't talk all that much), sometimes I get this warm feeling and I'm really grateful to have them.
5) I was at the beach at night, standing with the waves going up to my knees. When the water was receding back into the ocean, with me staying in the same spot, it felt a little like I was moving through time. It was a weird feeling, neither good nor bad, but for some reason it remains fresh in my mind even though it was a good 10 years ago.
I have similar guilt. It's true, sometimes everything just falls apart. Hang in there.
hjai ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:32:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In kindergarten, my parents never came to any event I had. Our class had scheduled a picnic with parents, and I never even bothered to give my parents the invitation. On the day of the picnic, every other kid had a parent there with them, and I was sitting by myself. I looked up and saw my mom walking across the field to me. I had never been so happy in my life. I told her about this memory when she was dying of cancer, and she didn't even remember it, but we had a good cry about it. I'm glad I was able to tell her. I miss her.
My only real "Core memory" was from when i was about 6. I was sat in the living room of my grandmothers house, I never liked the house. It had an old dusty house smell that only grandparents houses can aquire.
I was watching the wild Thornberrys movie and wondering if Donald was in any relation to Tommy Pickles from the rugrats, as my mother rushed in panicked. I didn't know what was wrong, but it was more than apparent that something was up. My mother has always been a cool calm and collected individual, but she was running around like she had just heard the four minute warning. She grabbed my jacket and pulled me into the kitchen. She told me that I had to go into aunty Julie's house for "just a bit." So I grabbed my favourite action figure and went three houses over to aunty Julie's house, who was there to very quickly usher me in. After about 10 minutes my mum ran in with all of my stuff we had taken to my grans house, toys, clothes, my favourite shampoo (I was a picky child) and about 5 minutes after my mother arrived I heard screaming coming from outside. It was a man's voice, my dad's voice. "Jonboys grandmother, where are they? Where the FUCK. ARE. THEY?!" I heard him slam my grandmothers front door as he must've entered. It was a sound like I had never heard before. Like the sound between the cracking of lightning and the snap of a broken cheap plastic toy. I had never been scared of thunder, but this cracking made my belly feel like a knot and want to be sick.
My mum grabbed my hand and looked at me "Jonboywelsh. You must stay close to mummy and do exactly as I say, ok?" She led me outside and we got in the car. As I sat in my blue mesh booster seat, my dad came out of the house. I remember the look on his face, where it was so red and screwed up where he was angry, he looked like a pig. My mum started the car as he ran down the cobbled drive. As we pulled away he jumped into his car and took after us.
I had never heard a car make noises like this before. The engine was angry and the tyres were screaming. The car was hot and smelt funny. Like bonfire night, but different. I remember thinking "This isn't fun."
We often played games in the car, my mum and I. One where I would hold onto the part of my booster seat where the built in cup holders would slot into when they weren't in use. I could always get my finger inside and use it hold myself up if we were going round a big bend. Mum told me I had to do the same and try and stay upright.
I looked behind and there was my dad's car, he was going fast as well. I remember asking "mummy, are you and daddy racing?" She told me through tears to "make sure your seat belt is tight." We went round bends and corners through the back lanes of where we lived for what felt like forever. Every now and again the car would jerk forward, and the back. It is only recently I realised that it was my dad trying to ram us off the road. The back window of the car smashed as we tried to slow down for a corner. The car was cold after that, and the wind was loud, like we were on top of a mountain in a storm, but mum kept driving. I couldn't see anything apart from hedges. The occasional gate into a field or a cow, but I remember having this very distinctive feeling of being lost. Not knowing where we were. My chest went tight. My nose felt as if it would bleed like when one of the boys punched me in school. There was a rock in my throat like the time I Overheard Great grandma had died. But I didn't cry; I didn't want mum to be distracted. I let out a couple of tears that tasted as salty as the ocean, the taste of tears always take me back here. To that distinct corner we turned as I saw a police station, with vans and cars parked up like they were soldiers on parade, in perfect regiment.
Dad drove off as we pulled into the station. We parked up and my mother broke down. Two officers ran out to see what the commotion was. I remember visiting that station over the next year. It was a tough time, but things were sorted.
I've never told anyone this story before. It feels good to finally get it off my chest. I'm sorry for taking up so much time, I know this was a long post.
Man, this thread has made me feel like a monster... the only things I can think of are terrible things. Abuse and pain, but good thing have happened in my life! Well, mostly star wars has happened in my life.
Fishing with my dad. Back then he was so strong. He made it look easy. He would lift, without a jack, up the aluminum boat and connect it to our 4wd 1999 Silverado. He would tie the boat down with the strongest knots. And there was no fish that was too big for him. everyday he grows weaker. Now I have to do what he used to.
I have a memory from age five of wearing handcuffs in a dark basement lit only by an aquarium playing super Mario world on SNES. I asked my dad about it years later and he was amazed that I even remembered. Turns out he had gone over to a family friends house, who happened to be a cop, for dinner and I got my hands stuff in some handcuffs that I wasn't suppose to be playing with and couldn't figure out how to open them. So I did I what any child would logically do and played it off as if nothing happened and went downstairs to play Mario.
Handcuffed in a dark basement. 8/10 would do again.
krupu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:56:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Oh geez, you remember that? Sure, I had this cop friend, had a dinner engagement, he left his cop stuff on the pantry. Normal stuff. Also you chained yourself to the radiator."
I broke my wrist one time at wrestling practice. I went to the ER, got X-Rayed, casted, and given pain medication. I took the pain medication, and then went to bed. I woke up later to some sort of commotion, and It took a minute to decide if it was a fever dream or what because I did not feel right, and the fighting seemed unnatural. After sitting still for a moment while the drumming went down in my head I could make out some of what I was hearing... and it was not good. After maybe 10 minutes of laying in bed I could hear it getting physical, and my mom being choked. I was so scared, I had no idea what to do. I was too young to stop it, but I couldnt sit idle. It was an emergency moment where I knew I had to do something, but I had no idea what to do. I hoped that because I broke my wrist earlier that night, maybe there was some sympathy for me. I hoped that if I walked out of my room that maybe I could act frail, helpless, lost... maybe I could touch on his emotions, maybe he will feel bad that his maniacal rage woke me up. It did work, and it did stop. I was probably 12 when that happened, and I made a vow to myself to never stand by idle. Never do nothing, never allow someone to be treated in such a manner if I was around. That night/ memory drove me to fight a lot. Not to prove myself, but to be battle ready for when it happened again.
tl;dr I spent an entire day working my way through the Museum of Natural History to meet Neil DeGrasse Tyson despite everyone telling me I couldn't.
In 2011, just after graduating high school, me and 2 friends drove from Indiana to New York City for a week to meet up with our friend who had an internship with the Jets. I was wary of big cities but being the science guy that I am I told them I'd come along if we could go to the Museum of Natural History, because Neil DeGrasse Tyson worked there and he was my god. (This was just before he really got big in the public eye) So we go to the museum on the third day there and an hour into our visit I decided "I'll probably never be in the same building as NDT again. I am going to find him."
In the hall of ancient human history I snuck off from my friends and went to the nearest security guard. "Hi, I really love science, going to college for biology, etc. Is there any way you could direct me to Dr. Tyson's office?" The guard proceeded to laugh and tell me that dozens of people come in here every week wanting to meet him but you can't just walk in and talk to him. So I walked away disheartened.
I began to think about my Dad who'd passed away just a few months prior. He was notorious for sneaking behind the scenes of concerts or other big venues to meet whoever the big name was he wanted to meet. He'd taught me to always ask for what you want, the worst someone can say is No. That set me off on a warpath. I was going to meet NDT if I had to talk to every person in that building.
I spent the next 5 hours speaking with every security guard, volunteer, gift shop cashier, custodian, and person with a name badge. Most of them would tell me that you couldn't just talk to him, he was very busy, even they would love to meet him, etc....Until Larry.
Larry was a volunteer in the geology area that sat right next to the Hayden Planetarium. He was probably ~80 years old, partly deaf, loud as fuck, and wore the thickest glasses I'd ever seen. Bless that man. He took me by the hand and led me to the main security office. I spoke with them until they allowed me to talk to Neil's assistant over the phone. She told me he was busy all day except he could possibly shake my hand in about an hour if I met her at the glass elevator in the Planetarium. I. Couldn't. Believe. It.
Jump forward an hour and I was sitting on a bench at the doors to the elevator. They opened and an adorable, short, older blonde lady invited me inside. She took me up in this giant glass elevator, overlooking the Hayden Planetarium to the top floor. She pointed me down the hall to the only open door. As I walked I heard his voice and my legs nearly gave out on me. I looked in the room and saw he was giving an interview. "Oh, are you TheBirdCop?" "y-y-yes!" He then turns to the interview crew AND ASKS THEM TO STEP OUT WHILE HE SPOKE TO ME. The dude stopped a video interview to talk to some nobody kid from Indiana! What followed was a 20 minute one on one with one of the greatest science educators of all time. What did we discuss? Cosmology, biology, the fall of Animal Planet, FoxTV, Family Guy, chicken recipes. He even burped. He was human, he was just an everyday guy.
I learned that day that if you want something you should go for it, and be persistent. I also learned that no matter how high you may put someone on a pedestal, everyone is human.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:50:32 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
๐๏ธ PapiSurane ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:12:55 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a similar experience when I was coming out of a period of depression. For the first time in a long time, I felt genuinely happy with life, and realized, wow, I'm actually happy again.
And yeah. It was sort of like the Hyperbole and a Half comic depression and part 2 except while my general experiences were different, the core pattern was the same. Walking down the Disneyworld street (or, in the comic, finding the dumb piece of corn funny) was completely revolutionary and changed how I looked at my depression. Since then I haven't seriously considered ending it all or whatever, because the rational part of me knows that on the other side of this downswing will be a moment just like that- where I'll be happy, and I'll realize I'm happy, and I'll be so happy to just experience that happiness and for a few minutes my life will be flowers and rainbows and hallmark cards.
Now when I get low, I tell myself that it's just a matter of getting there again.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 21:37:31 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Being told by a doctor I would be mostly blind and require help the rest of my life. I will always remember the words my dad said next "We are getting a second opinion on that one" and then him yanking me out of his office
The day I got Zeus my pet Bearded Dragon. That little stinker has been by me after so much. He's bit a would be robber in the private area, helped me see after I scratched my cornea, and just been there for me.
Getting my first bow and arrow. It was a Genesis Original, it was purple, and God did I use the crap out of that thing. Every day after I did my homework I would go out, text the neighborhood warning them (kids and pointed arrows don't mix, especially if there is a visually impaired kid shooting them), and shoot for 2-3 hours
The moment when I was alone, someone with a gun had broken in, and me standing just out of sight holding my bow and saying "I am armed, put your gun down and lie down and I won't shoot" he didn't and I as a 12 year old had to force myself to (non fatally) shoot a person with an arrow
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 09:34:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The Disney movie "Inside out" that portrays your emotions as a group of little people in your head that control your behavior and save all your memories as crystal speres.
Important memories (the girl in the movie had one about leaving the town she grew up in) are called "core memories". They define you and influence your decisions.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:02:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
the animated film.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:58:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Inside Out is a critically acclaimed Pixar film. In its universe, everyone's mind has "core memories", memories that define their personality and mannerism and interests. The main character's core memory includes skating on a frozen lake, which centerpieces her love for hockey.
I will never forget being at Costco when I was probably like 6 years old with my family and my dad buying the Beatles 1 album. I instantly became obsessed and it was the first time I really became intrigued with a specific band/ artist and wanted to know everything I could about them. I even got made fun of at school as this was before the days of limewire and it wasn't cool to listen to older music yet.
Fast forward 20 years and my amazing wife buys me tickets to go see sir Paul last week for my first time ever. It was so surreal seeing such a huge prominent figure in both my life and history in general that I even still can't really process it. I would be lying if I said I didn't cry during that show because those songs now mean even more to me because of her and my 2 week old son.
Got my first sibling(boy, btw. Pain in the ass). I remembered that was all I wanted as a birthday gift for a bit, now I kind off wished I picked the damn xbox...
Got my first xbox. A JPG'd 360. I got to play Saint's Row The Third and Halo for the first time.
Graduated Elementary. Grandma gave me a ring as a graduation gift.
Got accepted in a great university, in spite of fully expecting that I wouldn't make it.
Seeing my hometown for the first time from thousands of feet in the air on a plane, amazed at how small my world really was.
Having my first kiss. Simply wonderful and innocent, late in the night with music that couldn't have fitted better.
My mom singing me a lullaby that she had made when I was a toddler. Sweet, slow, and very melodious. Sometimes she sings it to herself absentmindedly now and then, and I see myself through the eyes of a young girl again. No problems, no worries.
I like this question, lets give this a go. This is chronological order.
The day I finally stood up for myself against a one of many bullies at school, I knocked that fucker to the ground with one punch. In my head it looks like this :) I was never bullied again after that punch.
My first rugby cup final win for my local team, I scored my first of 2 tries in my 10 years of playing. (The try won us the game)
The night that my so called best friend an I had a massive argument that ended our friendship, we had been friends for over 3 quarters of my life (age 5-20).
The night that all of my suppressed self doubt and depression caught up with me while at university, I had just found out I had failed my first year. If may not seem like a big deal but it was like everything bad you think about yourself has finally been proven and now everyone can see it "I was a failure."
The conversation I had with my family about my future and being told that no matter what happens I would always have a safety net and a family who loves me.
Getting my first proper job as Junior IT support with nothing to show but myself in the interview. They liked what i had to say apparently :D
Paying my first rent payment with nothing but my own hard earned cash.
That just the first 23 years of my life lets see how the rest goes :D
The day I was in a really bad car accident and had to go to the hospital to get a suture to seal up the giant gash in my face.(7 years old)
The day I went to school after breaking my wrist the previous day. People were asking me tons of questions and it was way more attention than I've ever had before. The anxiety got so bad I started crying in front of everyone and just walked off. My advisor and another teacher saw me (I had stopped crying at this point) and asked me what happened to my wrist. I started crying again, but said that my wrist was hurting just to play it off. She gave me a hug and then called my dad to pick me up from school. Most embarrassing moment ever. (8th grade)
The day my mom told me and my brothers that the only reason she was with my father still was for us. Basically said he isn't the person he was when she married him, he's manipulative, selfish, unwilling to accept others opinions, and very controlling. And basically we should try to get the fuck out or the house as soon as possible because he isn't the type of person we want in our lives.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:34:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
madzozs ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 12:38:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know if I have had exact memories that have shaped me like in Inside Out. I loved the movie, but it probably simplifies how memories of single occurrences shape a person.
That being said, something that have definitely shaped me is when my parents took me and my brothers out of school to live in Bolivia, a very poor country (I'm Danish). We went there twice, each time staying for about half a year. The many memories of a completely different culture, people living in clay huts, others begging in the street, the huge gap between poor and wealthy. The memories of the beautiful mountains, the colorful clothing and the wonderfully alien noises of a different language. Those memories have had huge impact, though I can't make them out exactly. The experience as a whole has shaped me.
-Killing a bumblebee to put it out of its misery, it was on its back and couldn't fly.
-Sliding downstairs on inflatable chairs with my brother
-Sitting in a tree, pretending to be robin hood
-Dressed as a Red Indian with my brother on the float, accompanied by my granddad.
-Going to the top of my old 3 story house, home alone, and reading the bible.
-Beautiful girl asking me out on the schoolbus, I was watching her and imagining her life, the next day she came over to me, asked me to be her boyfriend.
-On holiday with friends, stealing a boat and sailing out into the sea in the middle of the night with full moon. (bad idea)
-Everytime I was asked out.
-The first time I knew I fucked up after smoking too much weed and started hearing voices.
-Jimmy hendrix poster talking to me about the universe.
-An insane meditation, where I left my body and spoke to 'God'. It was the most profound, powerful and beautiful experience.
-My first panic attack
-Dissapearing clouds with my mind, successfully making people sing using energy.
-Seeing energy for the first time.
-Getting knocked out, blackness, then a gold dot in the center, then awake again.
-The first time I saw my 'nemesis' or atleast, in my mind my nemesis... I had paranoia at the time.
-The first time I was honest about my addictions and mental state, and breaking down and crying for the first time in many years. The trigger was "what would granddad think?". Never thought I could cry like that.
*Going on what I used to call "adventures" with my grandma when I was 4 or 5, which consisted of us visiting the nearby horse stables and feeding the horses, then taking a hike along the horse trail. Tasting the nectar from the Honeysuckle and the smell of orange blossoms was heavenly. Then picking fresh oranges from the local orange grove and heading back to her house to make fresh orange juice for my grandfather.
*Riding in the back of my parents car, listening to The Police and watching the California summer sunsets.
*Getting 50 cents from my mom on a summer morning, biking over to my best friend's house, and then the two of us would walk to the community pool and swim for hours.
*Playing Commander Keen on our old PC while the Disney Afternoon lineup played in the background.
*Christmases where we drove to Sunnyvale and spent a week with family there.
*The summer that I turned 9 when we drove to Kansas and spent weeks with my dad's family. Growing up in California, this was such a cool experience for me- it really felt like going off the grid. He grew up in the small town of Ellsworth and his dad still took care of a farm. I spent the summer catching grasshoppers and fireflies for the first time, got to rid in a Combine, saw the home that my great grandmother grew up in, and delighted in the concept of basements.
*Trips to Seal Beach with my grandma and having lunch at Ruby's on the pier.
*My husband's face when we saw each other for the first time on our wedding day.
*The day I got my son's diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy and it felt like I was watching all the hopes and dreams I had for his future crumble right in front of my eyes. Knowing that it didn't change my love for him, but still crying my eyes out for days because I knew that he would have to struggle to do things that come so easily for most people.
I'll just say my cringey past haunts me for 50% of my nights, which probably result to what I am now. Defeatist, semi-cringe, asocial, and has no long-term goals in life because I believe it will be fucked up one way or another, as if that's my destiny already.
I always keep thinking "Did I do it right? Hopefully it wasn't cringy."
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:13:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My mom getting arrested by 5 police officers in front of me over some bullshit that she started.
Playing football with my friend Carlos and pushing him into a light pole and getting in trouble. My dad asked me if I purposely did it and I lied and said he ran into it. Later that day I told my dad to throw the ball to me as I ran out to catch it and ended up running into that same fucking pole.
Eating honey combs cereal as my older brother played GTA Vice City, and Midnight Club on my PlayStation. I especially remember the times in game when it was dark. The me thing I'd always remember about my ps2 was the startups that made that piano noise( or whatever it was)
When my parents divorced and my mom told me to get in the station wagon with all of our stuff. This happened when I was only 6 and I had no idea what was going on at the time.
Sleeping in a pine green circle chair similar to this. I was small enough to just curl up into a ball and put a blanket over myself and have the most peaceful sleeps ever.
All of these happened when I was between the ages of 3-6 yet I remember them so vividly and I look back on them with nostalgia.
My father and mother were going through a divorce and my dad worked 3 fuckin jobs so she could "take care of my siblings and I" (not too good of a job). So one day my dad took the day off, which was almost unheard of. He and I went to this waterpark that was like two hours away and it was a nice trip away from reality, the soundtrack to the road trip was the Lion King soundtrack and the Grateful Dead.
My mom surprising me with the Spider-Man video game on the original PlayStation
My brother leaving to go live with his dad
Entering New York City the first time
First concert: Bob Dylan
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:19:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my mother handed me one of those prebaked cherry pies to tell me my uncle had commited suicide. I've never touched cherry pies since. I was 8.
When my mother held me in front of her as the men she hired to take my older brother to a reform academy told me in her hushed tone "I hope you never turn out like him." I was 12.
When my mother and father conspired to punish their children by not buying food. This is fallout from something my brothers and I refer to as the "Orange Chicken Incident." I was 13.
at 17 years old, I was accepted to an accelerated collegiate programme for the summer. In this program, I had a zealous feminazi as an english teacher that forced us to read this awful book written by a therapist of abused women. It demonized men. I had to write a male version of a chapter of the book, so being the disillusioned youth I was, chose the chapter on self-body image. The paper's title was "Penocentricity". A debacle occured, I got sued and kicked out of school but due to the terms of which I was admitted, I could not be removed from the housing dorms.
I staged a revolt. Everyone involved in my punishment was fired. This is called the "Penis Paper incident" in the family. This is where I lost the rest of my faith in the competency of adults and general good intentions of people.
When I heard my mother telling people that I break into people's houses to hold drug parties with my drug friends. They found 1 gram of pot. I was 20. Shortly afterwards, I left the country and told them to write me out of the will.
Watching my father die. This was 4 months ago.
I swear I'm not depressing in person, just horribly depressed. But I look on the bright side of life, because someone has to and I reckon that's me.
You have a great sense of humor which has clearly helped you get through some of these awful traumas, which brought you pain that you definitely didn't deserve. I'm glad you can look on the bright side of life, but hope that, in time, you will feel less depressed.
Worst day ever, working two terrible minimum-wage jobs to help pay my mother's hefty medical bills, finding out that no, I would not be able to get my birthday off work even though I had requested it months ago, resting my aching back from moving furniture and wishing I was dead. Then moments later getting a phone call from mom telling me that I had been accepted for my dream job, that someone had quit the program and my application was accepted.
My father buying me a carton of smokes when I was 13 at the duty free during one of our many summer trips in his big rig. This was the start of a life-long shitty addiction, as well as later me realizing this was him trying to see me as a friend/comrade, not just his son.
The first day I bailed hay. It was hot, shitty work. It made 11 year old me hate the farm then... but was the start of instilling a sense of responsibility in me.
The day my gram died. She had a stroke, and went downhill quickly. We had most of the family there to say goodbye the day. Seeing her cry as we all said goodbye made life so fucking real. This was my first real face to face experience with death. It was scary, intense, and incredibly emotional.
My first day after getting kicked out of the house at 14. (I was a REAL asshole by this point, and deserved it) It was the moment I had to grow up, and support myself. This moment was the start of every decision I make could mean not having a roof over my head, and greatly shifted how I prioritized things in my life.
Fuck, I hate and love reading these things because they just make me feel like shit but let me realize that there are actually good families out there.
The only really "core" memories I have are just my father abusing me.
*Beat the shit out of me when he lost his job (2008 was a bad time for the housing market in Florida)
*Slammed me into a wall for stopping him from punching my brother over not wanting to play basketball on a travel team anymore.
*The time I stood up to him on New Years 2014 (The last one we shared together as a complete family) caught his hands when he pushed my brother on the couch for something stupid. He kinda just looked at me then stormed out of the house, breaking the stained glass on the door.
*Then most recent one would be the divorce and me having to give up on going out of state for college in order to help my mother and 4 other siblings.
*Almost forgot when I asked him to help me with payment for a semester since I had been budgeting to help take car of his kids. He simply told me that school is not important, you don't have to go to school.
Sorry for the long list but its something that I had to get off my chest for a while. Shit sucks keeping it bottled up. Only good thing is that I have pretty much made it the goal in my life to be a better father than he was.
Been looking for this (rather passively, I know it's been a while) ever since you got back to me, found it today, it meant a lot to me and I thought you'd like it as well:
Standing on the beach, seeing a July 4th fireworks display for the fist time.
The very first time I read a book on my own, without momโs help.
Christmas, chemistry set, volcano on a dinner plate. I was sold on science from that point on.
Standing on the balcony of our house, watching Apollo 11 begin its trip to the moon.
Waiting on the porch for the news of my brother being born.
Dad bringing home a pile of tropical fruit and sherbet, cutting it all up and serving it in a scooped out melon. It happened exactly once, but it was a very happy memory.
Another Christmas, one of the few times we got everything we asked for, and one more thing: a camera, already loaded with batteries, with film and flash cubes (does anybody remember flash cubes?) in the box. Amazement, delight, and now I try to make sure the batteries are installed/charged (or whatever the equivalent is in making sure the gift is ready to enjoy immediately) on every present I wrap.
Anger:
Being unfairly punched in the face by my sister and not hitting back.
Sadness:
Fear:
Sitting in the hospital waiting room, crying because Iโm not sure mom or dad are coming back (they did).
All, combined:
Later, the last time I saw my father, he put his arm around me and said I was a good son. He died in post-heart-surgery complications late the next night.
Waking up that Saturday morning, to find out he was gone. Starting to cry, but stopping myself because I felt I had to be strong for my mom. I didnโt cry again for ~10 years.
When I was ~12-15, my younger sister used to take a class every Friday afternoon. My mother would pick us up from school and we'd go. I had to entertain myself for the several hours then before heading home, my mom would get us dinner. A couple of weeks in a row I asked for a sandwich from this Italian place. One week my mom got upset with me because "don't you know how expensive this is?!"...then handed my sister a twenty for her weekly McDonald's treat meal. My sandwich would have been $8.
A man I cared about telling me I was a spot of joy in his life. His butterfly.
Someone I knew from Reddit worrying about me when I moved to a new city, alone. I joked about being cold because my blanket would only cover my ears or my feet...they knew money was tight and thought I didn't have heat/enough to buy a bed and blankets etc. Offered to send me some(they were very well off). COMPLETE overreaction because I was absolutely fine...I was just being careful shopping around and it was taking a while. But just thinking of the kindness and generosity of this person and how much less lonely I felt in that moment still brings me to tears.
My dad making me pack my bags, wanting to kick me out of the house when I was 12 because my little sister and I fought over something silly and she told.
Running-leaping-catch-me hugs from my god daughter.
The day my cat died. We'd had him since i was four, he was part of my uncles cats litter and the only boy, he fell asleep on my dads leg and fell down the side of the cushion, dad thought he had squashed him.
Eleven years later, Charlie goes missing for a fortnight. We assumed the worst until my cousin heard him mewing from behind some garages on our street. He was wretched. This fat, fluffy, black and white adonis amongst cats was a scabby, balding, skinny shadow of his former self. We had him to the vets and tuens out someone had been abusing him, puncture wounds from syringes all over his body. We took him home, bathed him, cuddled him, got treats he usually devoured in a heart beat, but now ignored. We made him as comfortable as possible.
The next morning i go see how he is, he's too weak to lift his head. I knew it was coming. I bundled his blanket into my arms as you would an infant. Scratched his chin and rubbed his ears. I spoon fed him water and he just would not look away from me. One loud and eleongated purrr... He was gone.
Raabiam ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:44:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really sorry to hear that about your cat man. I have a fat, fluffy torbie and she means the world to me. I can't even imagine her not being there to greet me when i get home. I hope one day you two will meet again, wherever and whenever that may be. Peace!
I was adopted. When I was 6 years old, my birth mother came to town. It was the first time I'd ever seen her in person. She said she was moving back to town, was going to get a job, take me back and we'd have an apartment with my own room. I was ecstatic. I told EVERYONE and anyone that would listen about how happy I was.
A couple of weeks later, I saw my birth mom on a Tuesday morning. She'd come to see me off to school. As the bus drove away to take me to school, I looked back at her in the road and felt something wasn't right. That afternoon, when school let out, I came home to news that my birth mother had left that afternoon. She just took all of her things and didn't say goodbye to anyone, least of all me. I was completely devastated.
I didn't hear from my birth mother for over a year. When I was 8, she finally called and told me it was my fault she left.
She did the same coming into my life, leaving without saying goodbye, and not calling another time when I was 12.
Other core memories:
- stepdad suicide. Nothing will be a core memory more than cleaning blood and brain spatter off the wall and never being able to answer why.
On the bright side: These struggles have definitely made me a stronger person. I've gone on to be successful and started a PhD in cognitive psychology. And I know, for the most part, that life is cyclical and even if things aren't working out now, they eventually will.
The day my sister was born, I was three years old but remember waiting with my grandmother in the hospital to see the new kid that my mom made.
Being dropped off by the pre-school bus every day at noon. My mom would be waiting for me at the door. I would run to her as fast as I could and give her a flower (dandelion) that I picked for her at recess. She would have lunch waiting for me (sandwich and soup) and let me eat in her bedroom and watch Sesame Street.
My dog dying when I was age 8. My dad took her to the vet to be euthanized. I had hoped so much she would somehow come back alive. When my dad got out of the car alone, I was crushed.
My first girlfriend giving me a letter professing her love for me.
When I found out one of my best friends had died in a car accident. It didnโt seem real until I saw him in the casket.
Winning my first powerlifting contest, for a former skinny nerd, I felt that I had changed my circumstances through hard work.
Getting married to the perfect girl.
Finding out that perfect girl had been cheating on me for a year and divorcing her.
My dog dying when I was age 28. I dug the grave while my parents took him to the vet. While I waited on them to come back with the body, I sat on the floor in my parentโs kitchen and sobbed like a child.
Marrying an amazing woman that gave me a second chance at things.
The miscarriage of our baby. I donโt think Iโll ever be over that.
Her descent into mental illness, subsequent suicide attempts and hospitalizations. As hard as we tried, we didnโt make it. I still think she is an amazing woman.
Winning a powerlifting contest after years of being away. I needed a distraction from the depression I was in after the divorce. I did nothing for 6 months except work, sleep, eat and train. While winning felt good, I now understanding what people mean by "it's the journey, not the destination".
Buying a house as a 41 y/o single man and starting my life over, again. I moved in by myself, no help and quietly set everything up. I realized then that lifeโs big moments are more fulfilling when you can share them with someone.
Watching my father cry at the dinner table, with the whole family sitting around eating dinner.
He'd suffered a major heart attack a few months earlier, with a triple bipass. What struck me most, hit the hardest, wasn't just that he was crying, even though this was the 1st time I'd seen him cry in my entire life at the age of 18... No, what struck me most was "why".
As he broke down he said that "nobody gives a damn" about how he feels, what he thinks, etc... And that struck a chord with me, because as the 8th child, I'd been laughed at, mocked, neglected by many siblings and my own mother.
This goes right along to finding his Minolta SRT 101 hung up in the basement for 30 years... I asked him why he stopped taking photos, his answer was "nobody gave a damn"... I was completely perplexed by this, I couldn't grasp why that would be a deal breaker with a great hobby.
That is until 10 years had gone by, I'd spent countless hours and countless dollars on making photos, prints, slideshows, and more for family... and guess what? They didn't give a damn... went out of their way to accuse me of being greedy, selfish, lazy.... Fuck 'em! I haven't picked up my camera much in the past 5 years either.
RsTexas ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:02:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm late to the party but I have a few
On the playground in elementary school after a fire drill on my birthday and I see my mom in the car line. I run over and she rolls down the window of our van and holds up Mario Kart for the SNES. It had just come out and was always rented at the local Blockbuster. Did she get the two day rental? Hell naw she paid the extra $4 and got the 4 day or whatever. My mom has always done a ton of stuff for me and my sister but this stands out for some reason.
Seeing my dog for the first time in a small pen outside Petco. I thought she was cute and if she was there the next day (she was from a rescue org) my wife and I could get her. She was there. We got her. I never knew I could love an animal that much. I think I love her more than most humans.
Driving to my baseball games or practices in my dads car listening to Dexter Freebish CD on repeat. My dad has always been there for me and for some reason this sticks out.
Seeing my wife outside my college dorm on her first visit to see me. I'll never forget the smell from the little cafe, her outfit, and the fact we were "just friends" at the time. We just recently found out we're pregnant and I can't imagine my life without her. That moment when the core memory was formed is when I knew for sure.
Two memories immediately came to mind upon reading this. I wish I could burn them out, but hey, that's life. One is my Mom, my brother, and myself at home watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer somewhere around Christmas time. Suddenly, there is loud banging on the front door, followed by confusion, yelling, screaming and crying as our alcoholic father was trying to beat the door down to get into the house. I don't remember what happened before or after that. The second memory is him, pounding his finger into my chest telling me to stop being so smart. At the time I was a straight A student; not for much longer. "No matter how smart you are or how good you are at something, there will always be someone better. So stop being such a smartass." Years later, he finally sobered up and became a decent human being, but those memories are two I wish I could eliminate.
Seeing my dad cry for the first time. I've always thought of my dad as a really tough guy, and at that age the only pain I understood was physical pain. I immediately thought that my dad was in so much physical pain that that's why he was crying. Turns out my parents were basically broke as hell and my dad needed a moment to himself to figure out how he was going to take care of us. The only thing I knew to do at the time was walk up and kiss my dad and say "it's okay" like my parents did to me when I scraped my knee or something. He just smiled, gave me a hug and stopped crying. Now we're doing really well. I guess I just learned that there isn't anything in this world that gives us more strength than being loved.
I have a terrible memory, so my "core memories" change over time as my current roster of memories weigh in on who I am.
My father and I have a good relationship, but we don't usually talk about our feelings that often. Typical man behavior. My dad also rarely ever drinks. About 10 years ago, we had a family get together and he had a bunch of shots with some of my cousins and he was all liquored up having a great time. Midway through he made this huge sort of speech about how proud he was of me and how much he loved me and how sorry he was he didn't tell me all the time. I cry about that moment a lot. In fact that night I balled like a tiny baby for about an hour. It was a huge release from some stuff I was holding on to about him and what he thought about me. I think about that now and it gives me confidence and reassurance.
This will sound like a weird one, but when I was young about 8 years old I drew this picture of a German Sheppard. I showed it to my mom and she was talking to my aunt at the time. She quickly told me that it was really well done, but that later she would tell me why it was well done. My mom is a really talented artist, and i knew it at the time, so I was excited for her to tell me what I did right. Only she never told me, I don't even remember if I asked her again about it. I just still think about it to this day, it makes me feel let down, but it makes me ensure I get people to finish thoughts or actions and make sure I try not to leave things hanging with anyone I know.
I have a pretty bad case of anxiety, and when it flares up it feels like I can't escape it. What I have learned to do is bring up memories to remember happy moments. It seems to help me cope when the anxiety is overwhelming. I have two memories I use. One is when I first started dating my SO, I took a ferry ride out to pick her up from a family vacation because she wanted to go some. We had just started dating, but I woke up at 4am to get the first ferry out. We spent the day together driving around to touristy places and then on the ferry ride back that night we were on the top deck of the boat in the wind, and I took out my camera and we took a bunch of silly pictures of us kissing and the wind blowing her hair all over my our faces. One of those pictures is in my wallet, at my desk at work, and at my desk at home. It was just a perfect moment. The second memory is one of my gramma just before she passed away. A few family members and I drove up and celebrated her birthday at a local restaurant. She was not doing that well, and when we all started to sing happy birthday she broke down into an intense sobbing, just uncontrollably crying and weeping. It seems like it would be a sad moment, but I knew she was crying because she knew this was the last birthday we would see her. She was crying because she was happy and sad and just everything. Thinking about that for some reason gives me peace for some reason. I think it is because it was just an intense moment, and it showed how much she loved us all.
I do have many more, but those are 3, technically 4, that I really think about often.
I just figured no ones read this, and I just read your reply and burst out crying at work. Sometimes even shining a light on something so simple, just makes someones day.
You're welcome, but thank you too for posting that comment. I've known so many families in which love was scarce to nonexistent. Loving one's relatives is not to be taken for granted, because for many sad reasons it doesn't always happen. ... I wish your mom had told you what she liked about that dog pic.
Saving my brother from drowning. It was a core memory because I contemplated (for a moment) NOT saving him. As a grown up the pause I had as a kid sickens me.
Finding out my step sister had committed suicide. I remember every detail of that phone call. I remember being in shock when my dad called me. And going to tell my mom and she cried and held me. And I tried to go to school anyways, and broke down about two hours later and had to go home. And sleeping way too much for the next month and a half.
A more yellow memory would be when my mom got a puppy I immediately had a connection with. She became mine after I moved out of state. http://imgur.com/t9TQcBU
I was a year old and I woke up in a dark room inside my crib, I cried out because I was afraid I didn't know where I was. Quickly the light turned on and my dad came in and picked me up and brought me downstairs. He warmed up a bottle of chocolate milk, cuddled me and let me sleep on the couch. This is my first ever memory. It makes me sad in a lot of ways because we are estranged now. But Im definitely holding onto that memory forever.
Another one would be when me, my brother, my sister and her friend got lost in the woods. I was pretty young and we had no idea where we were. I remember a lot of the area was flooded and I had no idea how to swim but it was a magical experience exploring the woods. We saw houses in the distance after being lost for a few hours but the only way to get to them was a broken tree over a ravine. My sister held onto me for dear life, putting my safety in front of her own. That always stuck with me... We did make it to the houses and we got some lady to drive us home. Even after this experience the forest was still a place that I loved to go to often, eventually knowing it like the back of my hand.
When I was 12 smoking pot for the first time with some friends. I remember walking down to a park and everything moving in slow motion and just laughing a lot. It was a door that opened many core memories for me. like dropping acid for the first time, traveling and going to music festivals later on in my life.
I would say my main islands that make me who I am are love, music,family, and you know the unpredictable wild island where I test the boundaries of my psyche. EH they are forever changing.
:D
pawnzz ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:02:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a kid I used to be such a goofball. My mom would always take me clothes shopping with her and I would walk around holding up bras and asking if they brought out my eyes or made me look fat.
One time I found a latex glove, filled it with water and then woke my parents up by stsndong on their bee holding it behind me so it hung down between my legs while singing the Duck Tales theme song but instead of "Duck Tales" I sang "hemorrhoids whoo!"
I was maybe 10.
I miss that version of me.
E_a_s_y ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:55:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't even know you and I miss that version of you too.
souHad ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:04:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No way anyone's gonna see this but fuck it why not.
When I was 16 I had a bad case of wanderlust. I just wanted to leave the house and get away from my family, go anywhere but here so to speak. My parents naturally refused to let me leave the house and live on my own. So I took to sleeping in the back yard. Now, once they'd gone to sleep, I'd sneak out of the back yard and walk, sometimes for hours. One day my travels took me into town, to the only place that was open, a small pub tucked into an alleyway.
I sat down outside and got some water, and there was a group of 3 people sitting outside and smoking. I noticed them because it was an odd group: an old turkish man, a young white woman, and a tall, muscular black man. The white woman caught me looking at them and motioned me over. I went to join them and they asked me a couple of questions, but the conversation quickly changed to other things. As we talked, I learned more about them, and while I've forgotten most of it there's one thing I won't ever forget.
The white woman said she was only in town because her mother was dying of lung cancer. She had her problems with her mom, they didn't get along very well and they fought constantly, but now that her mother was dying all she could think about was how much she'd miss her when she died. Then she looked me dead in the eyes and told me that one day, probably sooner than I thought, my parents would die too, and that I should appreciate them while I could. We talked a little more and then went our separate ways.
I'll never forget the look in her eyes, it was so tired and hollow. That incident really made me rethink my relationship with my mom and dad, and put an end to my night journeys.
When I was about 12 my dad woke me early one Sunday morning while my sister was still sleeping and asked me if I wanted to go for a ride. I loved riding on his motorcycle with him so I immediately whispered back yes and got dressed as quietly as I could without waking up my sister.
It was overcast and the air smelled like rain and it was the perfect temperature. The roads were empty and I felt like my dad and I were the only two people in the world. We rode around aimlessly for a while and came across a lovely brunch place called The Blue Moon Cafe.
We ate Belgian Waffles under the ivy covered terrace in the garden at the back of the restaurant. Those were my first Belgian Waffles and I loved them so much that my dad bought a special Belgian Waffle maker and made me Belgian Waffles every Sunday (complete with strawberries and whipped cream).
I didn't want that day to end. We just rode around for most of the day, not coming back until evening. It was perfect. My dad brought it up a couple years ago as one of his favorite memories and we were both surprised that the other still thought of that day often.
My other core memory would be finding his body after he committed suicide.
I really wish I could've had more memories with him, but after his death I hold that perfect day even closer to my heart.
Thank you. He died pretty young, but really it was his fourth suicide attempt, so I'm grateful that he failed all those other times and I got so many more years with him. There will never be enough time with the ones you love, but I have a lot of great memories. :)
Every summer as a kid, my dad and I would pack up the truck and drive a few hundred miles north to celebrate the country's birthday with an old friend and his family. They'd once lived in the same city I did, but had moved up north long before I can remember. It's a long drive, especially at that age, but I cherished those hours with my dad and the endless open road winding into infinity. Sunflower seeds, good country music (yes - it exists), and roadside antics always made the journey an adventure.
His friend was always there to greet us warmly at the end of our drive, along with his small family at the end of a dirt road. His wife was always equally glad to see us year after year, as was his daughter who was my age. I may have been six months older, but she never ceased in matching me with her quick wit, edgy sense of humor, and taught me all about pushing the envelope of rebellion. I was immediately smitten! Many summers were spent together at the end of a dusk-lit dock at the corner of our quiet marina. Catching minnows and horned lizards quickly turned to lamentations on life as a teenager as both our parents tried our patience. I looked at her and although I saw the whole universe in her eyes, I never quite mustered the nerve to speak on my feelings for her face to face. Our time together always ended too soon, but the dock at the marina will always be my island.
Every year between summers, emails were exchanged and letters were written. Love poems over the digital pony express and long nights with headphones drowning out the heartache became too much to bear. One year became two and then three. My dad's schedule quickly filled with other goings on, and despite her and I meeting a few days here and there when her parents came down south on a whim, her and I eventually drifted away. High school began and then college. She moved down south to my city and still we remained apart. I'd since found others to fill my heart, as had she through the years, and not long after she was married. I attended the wedding of course, and spent my time at the ceremony staring remorsefully at the back of the groom's head.
Moving out from our parents, finishing school, and starting our careers, our love lives continued to challenge us in ways we'd never have imagined. We spent those years growing and learning what love we're capable of, and both being met a day late and a dollar short by our partners. One day, we both found ourselves single after everything unfolded. I'd since found that nerve I'd been missing. We spent our first date as adults talking in the car until six in the morning, just as we'd done decades ago as kids. I held her hand. We kissed. We'd both been in love before, but never known love like this.
We now live together with a couple of dogs, a cat, and the fish. Sleeping late on Saturday mornings, trying new dinner recipes, sipping lemonade while tending the lawn under the hot July sun, staying up late on week nights gaming or watching movies, sending unflattering selfies throughout the workday, inappropriate jokes, and long road trips up north, hand in hand, to visit the parents - I've never been happier. I was meant for this.
I've been told long ago that things only happen when they're meant to, and while I'm no fatalist, I can't help but marvel at how true that seems to be. Good things fall apart so that truly great things can fall together.
I've got quite a bit, mostly sad, but there's enough sad posts here and it's nice reading them. Why? I think it helps me realize that whatever shit I'm going through, you're not the only one. Thanks everyone.
The one thing of recent that stands out to me though, is forgiving my farther. He wasn't there growing up, he left my mother once he found out she was pregnant. Growing up without a father figure was challenging, the struggles of a single parent are tough. So I grew up with a lot of resentment towards my dad. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I took a hard look at myself and realized I am a man, and it didn't take my father to teach how to be one. All the years I spent blaming him for my own shortcomings was a complete waste of time, time I could have spent building a relationship with him. He has early stages of dementia now, which sucks, but I'm doing everything I can to spend time with him and help him cope with this awful disease. It's bittersweet, but I'm happy were here, I wish he could read this pops, haha.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:14:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The death of my mother when I was 4, but not in a bad kind. One night I couldn't sleep (I was 5 or 6 years old) and my grandma take me to the window, it was a clear sky and all stars where shining very bright. I was crying cause I missed my mum and my grandma wrap her arm around me looked to the sky and says "the big bright star over there, that's your mother. And she will always love an protect you"
After that my view on the hole thing changed forever. Since that i truly believe that my mother always is here and protects me from bad things. (A "Schutzengel" here in Germany). And somehow I'm happy how everything is, I have a great family (yeah with up and downs, but in the end everybody loves each other and we help us a lot) and everything in my life is going very well.
The day my first love (for nearly 6 years) left me. Well the first time i fell like shit and since we lived together I fell alone and heart broken. But since I always try to look at the bright side of life i managed to get out of this bullshit feeling in about 3 months and learned another lesson: The only person that decides that you're happy is yourself. Don't understand me wrong. I have great friends and family and I "need" them to be happy, but you only can be happy (or at least I can) when you decides to do so.
Sorry for my horrible English, but I hope you understand what i trying to say ๐
Edit:
There a lot more core memories, but because of my potatoe English I think it's better I only wrote down my biggest core memory's.
"the big bright star over there, that's your mother. And she will always love an protect you"
This is so beautiful.
And the second memry hits home really hard :_(
nauram ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:59:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in the first grade, my father showed up at school in his police uniform one day and my whole class saw him. No one knew he was in the transit department at the time, so I used that to my advantage for a couple of years after that. Every time someone bothered me, I would tell them, "You do know my dad's a police officer, don't you?". And it worked for some reason.
When I was around 8 or 9, I told my father I didn't want to go to his house on weekends anymore. He broke down because he didn't understand, I broke down because I didn't know how to tell him I hated his new wife.
The day my cat Dalรญ arrived home when I was 13. I couldn't believe my mum had agreed to that; she supposedly hated cats. Also the day he died. My mum told me over the phone and we both cried for hours.
When I was 20, I agreed to meet my father at a cafรฉ and I told him why I'd stopped visiting him. He cried and apologised, and I hated his cunt wife more than ever.
Every time I slept over at my grandparents' place as a kid. I would pick a book from my grandpa's bookshelves and sit by a window, on the terrace or in my grandma's garden and read for hours. My grandma would cook delicious meals and knit or sew; my grandpa was always watching car races or reading and making grandad jokes. He would teach me the 3 textbook phrases he knew by heart and could utter in English: "I'm a very handsome boy", "The teacher and the pupil" and "The cat is on my shoulders" (for this last one he would grab one of his many cats and place it on his shoulders as if it were a scarf; not one of all his cats ever complained throughout the years).
Once, when I was about 11, my mum came home crying because her job situation was very, very bad at the time. It was the only time I saw her look vulnerable and afraid.
That one time I thought of killing myself.
The second something clicked in my head and I admitted to myself I really liked my current SO, with whom I'd been friends for years before we started dating. How I'd bite my tongue not to tell him "I love you" a couple of weeks after we started dating because I didn't want to rush/ruin things like I'd done before.
When I showed my art teacher what I'd drawn for my art folder's cover and she refused to believe I'd done it. I thought she was referring to the artwork itself and I explained I'd seen the illustration in a book and freehanded it for the cover she'd requested. But she made it clear she didn't believe I had the ability to freehand that and even accused me of having someone else draw it for me in front of the whole class.
I could go on but I can only think of sad ones...
15amay ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:01:57 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Made a stuffed animal disappear under a hat while playing magician when I was 4. (Found out years later that my dad took it while I wasn't looking and totally played along when I thought I actually made it vanish).
Dad had a stroke in the middle of the night when I was 5, and the first time I saw him in the hospital he couldn't clearly say "I love you." He wasn't the same person to me, and he honestly wasn't the same person after that.
Parents were in an argument about my mom cheating when I was in third grade. Dad was on the floor crying after my mom pushed him down and he couldn't get up due the stroke. He told me he was going to kill himself right then and that he'd see me on the other side. He still says he's going to kill himself every time I talk to him.
Won the science fair in 7th grade with a project about overfishing that my partner didn't help with at all. Got a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card that I used to buy my dad Grateful Dead Monopoly.
First time I got high (junior year).
Got waitlisted to my dream school (a pricey and rigorous liberal arts school) and got in after writing a letter to the dean of admissions.
Went to my first music festival after graduation.
Got all As my first year in college.
Was offered a 10-week summer research project that paid $5,000. Just finished and am currently procrastinating writing the report that will be published in an academic journal.
Kjdii97 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:03:28 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Walking in on my parents screaming at one another.
My father leaving because of an argument about laundry.
My mother sobbing and me not being able to do anything about it.
My suicide attempts.
My meeting with the EMT who talked me down.
Becoming an EMT so I can help others how he helped me.
My two best friends and I got horribly drunk one night at my parents lake house and we swam out to the middle of the lake during the dead of night. We all held hands, laid on our backs, let the water cover up our ears, and stared into the night sky. It was the middle of July and the water felt like a bath, and there were no boats out to disturb us. It was just us, the silence, and the open sky--far enough away from the city that you could see hundreds of stars. It felt as if we were floating in space.
โขmy dad passing away. I was six years old when it happened. My mom and dad were divorced at the time so I rarely saw my dad. My mom sat me and my siblings aside and told us that our dad was found dead in a creek. It was suicide.
โขmeeting my first best friend. I was in the third grade when I met Nicole. We became fast friends. As the years went on I fell in love with her. The year after high school she met someone else and got married. I'll never forget how much it hurt knowing she never felt the same about me.
โขleaving the LDS church. I was raised my whole life in the church. When I turned eighteen I began to seriously question the religion. There years later I completely denounced the church and realized it was never real. That was the biggest eye opener of my life.
โขmoved out of my mother's house when I turned eighteen. She hated me for leaving her. It was almost a year before I made contact with her again. It was a hard time, but I think it made our relationship stronger.
โขa year ago I started seriously dating, finally getting over my low self esteem. I've met a few really awesome women but have yet to lose my virginity. I am twenty-four. When I find the right woman, that will be my next core memory.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:25:39 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember being at our local zoo, and my dad had been in charge of the pictures for that day. I told him, while we were at the seals, that I wanted to take this picture instead. He was full of doubt, asking me several times if I wanted him to take the picture instead. It turned out, that I took a beautifully framed picture of the seal swimming right in front of it. Instilled my love for photography.
Taking Mythology in University. I always had a hankering for Greek history, but my high school never offered any classes for it. In my second year, I decided that I wanted to take it, just to see if it was something I was interested in. Next year I applied for a minor in Classics for my degree, which eventually led to my acceptance for a Study Tour to Greece.
My mother's mother and father died in very close proximity to each other. Literally less than a year apart. It really tore her up, and she had major depression for 5+ years. I was only 10 or so at the time, and I remember sitting outside her closed bedroom door just wishing she would come out
My first girlfriend. We started dating in tenth grade, despite going to a Catholic High School, where being gay wasn't very much accepted. She taught me a lot about relationships, and myself, and will always have a special place in my heart.
The last two I can remember as well. Realizing that I don't have to kiss ass and be friends with people that don't really care about me. "Losing the crutch" was how I remember thinking about it.
9/11 was a turning point in human history. Its hard to see it now, but the world as it was before 9/11 cannot ever be emulated again. Well, at least not for a very long time.
sizah ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:42:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just that it was such a major shock/traumatic incident? Or were you there when it happened?
I was in first grade and my mom came and got my friend and I out of school after the first plane hit. I remember walking by the teachers lounge and all the faculty were sobbing for some reason. Well, we got home Just in time to see the second plane hit and that messed me up for some reason. I asked my mom after we found out it was a terrorist attack, "are we gonna nuke them?" The next 2 years I wouldn't sleep on the top bunk of the bunk beds because I thought I would die first if a plane hit the house. Also, I had multiple paintings in art class that had planes crashing into buildings. For some reason it really got to me
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 12:51:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) When I was younger and my father was alive I used to stay at his home on weekends. Every Friday he would come pick me and my older sister up we would go to the local super market and pick up the package meals, 9/10 it was the Chinese one as its my favorite! It was like a big bag with 3 main courses, side dishes the lot it was great. We would then go to the DVD store and rent Cats the Musical. I would then get right in the center of his huge couch and eat my food and watch the movie with my dad and my sister :) it is a great memory!
2) When I was younger I also had a egg shell collection. I would find little bird egg shells and love trying to find out what bird they came from and I had a fair few! I remember one time when I was about 8 sitting on my kitchen counter holding the jar that contain most of these watching my mum clean the counter with us both singing along to the Stone Roses music and just having a great time :)
Getting a puppy when I was 6 because my baby brother wanted to "keep sleeping". He was still born, but I didn't learn this until 10+ yrs later.
The first day of kindergarten, being released into a crowd of other children who just wanted to play as much as I did.
My first kiss.
My first 99 skill on Runescape.
The overwhelming feeling of accomplishment when I cashed my first paycheck.
nel_wo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:54:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 7 years old my family and I hiked up ็ ๅญๅฑฑ (Lion Mountain) in Hong Kong. We saw a tiny opening with a stream on the left side of the trail. We squeezed ourselves through the opening and found a stream that trickled down from the very top of the mountain. There were baby ghost shrimps, fish, and salamanders living there. So my dad somehow fashioned a fishing net by ripping off his sleeves and tying it to a stick and we spent hours catching and releasing the animals.
I won the Hong Kong national solo-verse speaking championship for grade 4 - 6. I remember my teachers, my teammates, my mom and dad all jumping up and down and screaming their lungs out as I held the cup. I was the first person in my school, La Salle, to win that championship, and also the only guy in the championship and beat out all the girls. I remember that was the first and last time my dad said "I am so proud of you son, I feel like I am the proudest dad in the world."
I was 3 years old. I was playing Legos at home under the AC. My toy soldiers were defending against an onslaught of dinosaurs. My brother ran in and with one might kick destroyed my soldiers castle and then stomped on the dinosaurs. He killed them all.
I was 6. My dad is having an argument with my grandma. It was loud and I was hiding in the kitchen trying to avoid the commotion. I peeked out and saw my dad push my grandma on the ground. More yelling and shouting ensued. My maid just held on to me and took me to her room and told me stories about her home in Indonesia.
The night when my father passed away about 8 years ago. I was young and the whole event felt so surreal to me. I remember saying to my bathroom mirror reflection that everything will be fine.
I didn't even burst out sobbing about it until I relived the memory a year later. It still feels like it has happened recently and yet I don't remember what his voice was like and what his personal preferences were.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:04:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-The day I figured out I wanted to be a physicist.
-The day that my disabled sister said she wished she was dead, and crying with her after.
-The day I figured out I was in love and wanted to marry him.
-The day I came out to my parents.
-The day they finally accepted me and my partner. I am still waiting and hoping this last one happens...
Bad ones:
The afternoon that I came home from work the Friday before I started college and my dad asked me if I liked his friend Carol (who lived across the country). Then, him telling me he was leaving me to tell mom he was going while he got on a plane to CA.
Then driving to my brothers house so that I didn't have to tell mom alone.
A good one is the day I got engaged or the day I bought my first house!
Winning first place at the conference (think 12 schools) art show
The day I tore both knees and couldn't play contact sports anymore
Getting my first job out of college
My long term girlfriend just dumped me after a very rough year for me and my family. I don't really retain bad memories that well though, so I hope none of that stuff sticks with me for too long.
When I first arrived in the US at my host family's. I was so shocked by the acres of backyard. I didn't know people could live this way. With a giant cup of McDonald's soda still in hand, I fell in love with the country right there and then. Now I'm a US citizen.
Probably my earliest memory from childhood. We were visiting my grandparents in the old country - my father emigrated 10 year earlier - on their farm. I've got 3 memories left. First one when my father and a couple of other men came backcfrom a hunt with a boar and how he told me he shot it. I knew he told shit and he knew that I knew. Second how my father took me out to the weed fields. Freshly mowed and my short legs were red and bruised from the scratches. I wined immensly but forgot about that the second I saw the massive combine on the hill. Joys of a child. Third how we were heading back from our visit and when I sawthe military guarding the bridge we were crosing, with rifles and tanks an shit. And the UN convoys. I asked my father what this was All about. He told me about the conflict how two groups of people are fighting about land and home. Naive as I was back then I asked why just can't one folks leave?
Two weeks later there was a big military Operation, my family down there fled and was displaced. Nothing was the same afterwards.
Bit odd this one. Nov 2008, PDC in LA. I was in a presentation about .NET Interop (and some other bits) and realised I am better than I think I am, and I should think better of myself. I understood everything in the presentation that I thought would go over my head.
This needs a bit of explanation, I am quite a shy and timid person. I classed myself as a second class citizen, junior programmer (when junior was no where in the title) and I thought of myself as a bit rubbish.
Going to the PDC changed me. I stood shoulder to shoulder with guys more experience than I and I could hold a conversation. It made me strive to be the best that I can be. It made me more confident.
If I can build off of this, I worked help desk at my company for three years and pretty much always felt like I was behind even the new guys. But the moment when you finish a technically challenging call and knew the fix and sounded pretty dapper on the call to boot, I had a moment of "What a minute. I know what the heck I am doing! I rock!"
For me it was when my family fell on hard times, and when I was about 4 years old we had to sleep in a daycare center for the night, because the owners were nice enough to keep us off the street. I remember so clearly seeing all those crates of toys, and not understanding why I couldn't play with any of them.
Blue - Losing my grandma to stage 4 breast cancer.
Yellow - There's a couple of these,
The first time I went to disneyland. Me. Mum, dad, and a lot of other little cousins. I remember going nuts at the sight of all of my favorite cartoon characters and couldn't stop Yelling at the top of my voice "Disneyland! Disneyland!" so much so that the other younger cousins joined in and my mum went ballistic trying to shut us all up.
My first solo bike ride. The feeling of looking behind and seeing that dad wasn't holding up the bike anymore, I was the only one riding it.
The birth of my a friends daughter in April of this year, who I am now a godfather to. Holding her in my hands and seeing those little eyes open and look at me and the gurgling amd cooing of a little child, a complete bundle of joy.
Making a blanket fort with my best friend and Yelling "Moooooooom, cookies!" down the stairs.
The first time I met my fiancรฉ. And I knew she was the one for me.
Red - Being passed over for a promotion that should have rightfully been mine. All this after I worked nights and weekends to fix a pretty sizeable issue with a client and helped strengthen ties with them. My boss within my consulting firm them took all the credit and walked away with a bumped up salary, an insane bonus and a holiday paid for by the company.
Playing "jetpack" with my 3 month old son back and forth through our little apartment. He looked so intently and steadily at everything with his wide eyes and loved being mobile.
Watching my daughter (perfectly healthy) born upside down after a long and traumatic labor and seeing her skinny little leg sticking up and quivering between all the doctors as she wailed her first sounds.
Collapsing on the floor with my wife, overcome with grief, after we lost (an earlier) pregnancy. I felt so miserable and helpless, both for myself and for not being able to take the agony away from her.
As a child, watching the Atlantic from the beach before dawn, as the roaring surf transformed from fearsome blackness in the night to pure liquid silver as the dawn broke.
Hours spent making my dad chase poorly thrown baseballs while we played catch at my grandmother's house.
"Working" at the Chinese restaurant where my mother worked by helping to fill egg noodle bowls, pour water, and eat all the side dishes and desserts that the restaurant staff would give me on the sly.
Sitting in the sun with St. Augustine grass tickling my bare legs on Easter Sunday when I was preschool age.
A memory I have never forgotten no matter how old I get is the time I was the most bored I have ever been in my life.
My mum was taking me out in one of those push seat things, must have been like 3 and she runs into another mum doing the same and they start talking.
GOD, I don't know how long I was sitting there as I was too young to really account for time, I just know it was long and it was the most bored I have ever been.
Playing drums at my first show. Playing drums 15 years later to 20k people.
Being there with my Grandad when he took his last peaceful breath. Was an amazing experience as he lived a full life. He taught me so much and was an inspiration of character and integrity.
Parents divorced and were fighting for custody when I was 8. Mother, Brother and I lived in a small town in VA. Didn't see my Dad that often because he lived in another state. Brother and I had to go to a court room and say who we wanted to live with. Shittiest thing to ask a kid at 8/9 years old. Said Mother. Remember leaving Courthouse by myself very confused. Saw my Dad drive off, ran after his car, yelling his name, crying, didn't even get to see him that day.
Its going to the hospital when my grandmom was getting her intestines taken out (she lost a couple of feet). There was a soda machine, that dropped a cup, then some ice, then filled it with soda. I was 3 yrs old and absolutely fascinated with this machine.
For me, it was kind of therapeutic to think this through and force some memories out.
โข I got a day when my father woke up early some Sunday to make us breakfast and take us to church. It didn't mean as much then as it does now because I didn't know he had cancer yet, and that he would stop doing that.
โข Also a time I got high with some very close friends me had a blast walking through a little town eating some knick knacks in every restaurant we saw.
โข Or the day my mother accepted me as an atheist and told me that god wouldn't send me to hell no matter one.
โข Strangely, any day of being in my high school, where I was bullied. I would always feel safe regardless of the bullies, because I could escape home for a bit.
โข And perhaps more darkly, the day my father committed suicide after taking us to a park and giving us a last happy day. While it destroyed me, it was sadly relieving to know I would be able to mourn him then and leave the country to study the scholarship I had gotten, instead of spending his last days besides him while he withered away and got lost as the man I knew.
Brain cancer, bullying, abusive mother, drugs, loosing a parent, etc. they all were bad for me, but in their own way, they taught me something and made me who I am today. And for that, I am grateful.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:32:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
It's awful being a kid and hearing a grown man cry -- it seems impossible. Memories....
lilyrae ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:33:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My eldest sister bashing my other sister's head into a chair. An ambulance was called. Subsequently, when I saw my older brother and his friend fighting at another time, I immediately called 911 because 'that's what you're supposed to do.'
In Kindergarten we received pine saplings for Arbor Day. My mom and I planted it in the front yard, near the road. A week later my dad wasn't paying attention and mowed over it.
I woke up one morning to my parents screaming at each other, throwing plates and other things, some time around Christmas, as the tree was up. I recall telling my younger brothers that our dad pulled down our eldest sister's panties and had a knife, and that's why they were fighting. Dad went away for a while after that.
Playing Ski Free, Chips Challenge, and Betrayal at Krondor in my mom's small "apothecary" on our cutting-edge Windows (NT?) computer.
Eldest sister fighting with older brother. Other sister locking me, two brothers, and herself in the bathroom because S had gone crazy and was chasing my brother around with a knife.
Too many incidents of my older cousin playing "games" with me...
For my 8th birthday I received a stuffed bear from older brother. It was the best, and I named him Herman, because my mom had gotten me a cassette tape of Herman's Hermits, the oldies group. I loved that bear. Later that year we got lice and had to put him in the barn, in "quarantine." I never got him back.
Waking up in the middle of the night to my mother, grandfather, and other sister hugging in my room, with my mom crying. The next morning, other sister woke us up for school and got us out there. I found out after coming home from school that Mom's fiancee passed away next to her the night before. He was talking with her one minute, then his pacemaker died, and so did he.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:00:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:50:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Core memories are the memories that make up major facets of the character's personality.
8wdude8 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:01:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm reading the title over and over again.....and I still dont get it.
crok91 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:05:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That time my mother called me the parasite of her life. I was about 10.
Mine's a little boring, but Office is updating, so whatever.
My third summer camp. I had just started really hanging out with who would eventually be my lifelong best friends, and I could tell that we were going to be friends for a long time.
Going on a road trip with those same friends, about 6 years after our summer camp experience. We went through 12 states and that made me immediately want to see the world. Sadly I'm sitting here at my desk job in Atlanta.
Being in a band with another of my best friends (met him later). It was pretty short lived, and we sucked, but we had loads of fun, and I learned a lot about a lot of things during that time. Our guitarist ended up dying of a heroin OD, that brought the rest of us pretty close.
This is the bad one. Getting cheated on by someone who I thought loved me. Definitely raised my wall quite a bit for pretty much everyone.
My grandfather dying. That basically led to a downward spiral of craziness in my family, and ultimately ended up driving us apart. Not completely, but enough to where it affected our relationships.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:17:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Reading my first Harry Potter book
Travelling by myself in New Zealand, especially standing by myself on a mountaintop, above the clouds, thinking: "I never want to leave here again"
Meeting my current SO
My burnout, and all the realisations that came with it.
Finally getting sterilised after fighting several doctors on the issue (this is a recent one: happened last wednesday)
These are all moments that had a huge impact on my life, on the way I think or feel about things, or they signify something that was already very important to me.
Maybe there are more, but these are the first that come to mind...
EDIT: Just saw someone else mention this one, and it's one for me as well, though with different significance. My 11th birthday changed the experience of my birthday forever, since my 11th birthday was September 11th, 2001.
The first time I ever had sleep paralysis, I was about 7. I woke up in my parents bed. It must have been about 5 or 6am, I just couldn't move at all, I felt like someone was pushing down on my chest. It lasted for a couple of minutes and afterwards I just couldn't tell any one I thought I was crazy.
Getting a phone call during break at work from my older brother, to tell me him and my dad had to get our dog Lou put down.
The night I met my so sat in bed with her watching the notebook. I wasn't very interested in the movie, but it just felt right being next to her.
I was at my So's house watching something on TV and my phone rings. Its my dad and I can tell he is trying not to cry. He tells me my mum is dead, the first thing I said was "are you joking?" After I realised what was happening I just completely broke down. My so had to take the phone from me just to make sense of the situation.
The birth of my son. It was the greatest day of my life and watching him grow up gives me a reason to get up in the morning.
When I was younger I was (am) utterly obsessed with a certain band to the the point where they all knew my name and would later occasionally let me backstage. One day when they were still a smallish band they were supporting Linkin park at Wembley arena. (15000 people) The lead singer sees me and says "imstilljenface! What are you doing here!" And a few songs later " we're going to invite someone on stage now" and they chose me!! I sang and danced with the band infront of 15000 people. I shit you not. 3 fucking weeks it took me to calm down.
If anyone asks me what my favourite happy memory is.. it's that. Still over 10 years later.. it's that. I will never forget it. Even now, despite seeing this band live over 90 times I can still never find the words to thank them for everything.
A few years before that I'd planned to kill myself. I'd set a date and everything. I'd written the letter. I did not want to be alive anymore. My mum found out that I'd planned all this and I was sent to an inpatient unit. As the day rolled round to my suicide, I realised that I wouldn't be able to do it in the hospital. In the week of my suicide attempt. I lay on the hospital bed, not eating or talking to anyone.
The day I graduated from university. It had been a long slog because half way through my third year I had a relapse with my eating disorder and nearly died again.. but walking across the stage brought my mum to tears. Something I'd never seen before.
The day I met my boyfriend. I immediately knew that he would be the one I'd probably spend the rest of forever with.
Being told I couldn't sit at a lunch table in kindergarten because mean children
The time my friend pushed me into the slide and gave me a concussion, also in Kindergarten
The time I was the last one to be told no at an audition only to realize later that I actually never wanted to do that anyway
When I told my ex girlfriend I forgot what and she hugged me and looked up at me and gave me the biggest smile I have ever seen and then kissed me and said "I love you"
That same ex girlfriend calling me on the phone the night before said audition and telling me she didn't love me anymore
I wish I had more happy core memories I just am so caught up in the moment whenever I don't feel sad because its such a rarity.
Walking with a girl I liked. It started to rain but it was August in Texas so we kept going. We stopped and kissed in the rain and I decided to marry her.
The first time me and my current girlfriend kissed (8 years ago).
being put into a choke hold by my brother (he practiced MMA). I ended up kneeing him in the dick and he was on the floor for half an hour.
My friend spamming eddy gordo on tekken tag tournament. Piece of shit.
My dad taking me to mcdonalds. We went to get mcflurry's and as we were walking back, we had to cross the road on a zebra crossing. the car coming up to the crossing didn't stop and drove straight past. My dad grabbed a piece of flurry with the spoon and managed to lob it right onto their front windscreen. He seriously didn't give a fuck for bad drivers and it was hilarious.
The moments when i bump into people from school who used to be utter pricks. Like, they didn't care for school at all but just went to bring everyone else down. Seeing them in a visibility jacket and covered in cement and generally smelling of shit. What a feeling.
My first kiss. First grade underneath the dragon slide in the old wooden playground we called "the big back yard." I still remember his name. I cried when they tore everything down when I was 15.
My dad opening his beer over my head because he knew I shook it up before giving it to him.
Being a rebel and buying candy with all the money a friends mom gave us to buy syrup while we were camping. We walked back to the campsite the longest way possible and we were supposed to pack up and leave that day. My parents have never been so relieved to find me or so mad that I wandered off.
Going on a road trip to Texas from MA because my grandfather I never met had passed away. We were in an Embassy Suites hotel in New Orleans and I tricked an older boy into giving me his holo charizard for a plain old pikachu. My mom made me trade back even though I was adamant about saying "no trade backsies."
When my childhood dog died of cancer and our other dog couldn't go on without her. She just moped around the house, wouldn't go outside except to pee. One day I took her for a walk with my brother and she saw another dog that looked like Kelly. She nearly broke my arm trying to get this dog and was incredibly upset when she realized it was not her best friend.
The day my dad died my mom and I were off looking at a college. He called and we were talking to him. At the end of the call my mom said "I love you" to him. They had been divorced for 8 years and never said a nice word to each other any more.
In 6th grade I was called to the school office and told to bring my stuff. I show up to see my dad waiting for me and asks if I'm ready for my doctor's appointment. I didn't know I had a doctor's appointment. When I got to the car I see my glove and A's hat on the seat. My dad drove us to a weekday day game. Lance Blankenship hit a double off the left field wall in his first at bat. On the way home, dad said, "We'll have to reschedule your doctor's appointment."
When I was 8 and my brother (14) and his friend ran off somewhere at the park. I went looking for them and found my brother receiving oral from his friend, I didn't know what was happening and then told to do the same thing. Started 4 years of molestation. (33 now, therapy for 3 years, now and in a better place than I've ever been mentally)
Making a save on a PK during the finals on the best player from the topped ranked team in our region as a sophomore on my Varsity soccer team. We won 3-2 and won the preseason tournament. I remember everything about that save and then the celebration at the end of the game with my teammates
Sitting at a Denny's with my friends and the girl I was in love with sitting next to me and under the table she reached over and held my hand. We weren't anything official yet, and she kept trying to friends zone me. It was the moment we started a journey that is 12 years and 3 kids deep now.
me and my best friend since Kindergarten playing home run derby in his back alley when we were 10 or 11. We would draft real players and have to hit like them (stance and everything) we would do this for hours and he would always win.
My doctors sitting me and my brother down and telling us the reality of our chronic illness - that we'd likely need a lung transplant and our life expectancies were 30 years. That's the day I realized I was going to die, and CF was going to kill me.
My dad sitting me and my brother down (I hate sit downs) and telling us he was addicted to meth. I didn't understand at the time but that was the start of a very long, very painful chain of events that lead to me not wanting anything to do with him at all anymore.
Shortly after my fiancee (then boyfriend) asked me out, he came over to my house to watch scary movies. It was mid October, the air was cool, we had the windows open. He was my first boyfriend. We got halfway through the Omen before we fell asleep cuddled together. That day, I fell in love.
Following dad down to the lower barn to feed the cows. The snow was knee-height (to me), and the sun was just about to come over the horizon. The farm was in a small valley, and the sky was overcast and low, like a blanket over a child's fort.
The crunch-crunch sound as we walked through the snow, then the wave of warm air and cow smell when he opened the door. The cows getting excited that the humans were here to feed them.
I did this every morning, before school, while all my friends were sleeping. I wouldn't trade the memory for anything.
Being about two or three and being in bed with my mum one morning. Her being tired and wanting to sleep just a little longer (single mum working multiple jobs) and asking me to lay sill and stroke her back. The sunlight streaming in above the curtains while my arm ached and I stroked her back and breathed slowly so as not to disturb her. I remember feeling like I couldn't lay still enough and I was worried I'd let her down, I'd not be good enough.
Being on the back of my mums bike in a child seat and her putting my helmet on then knocking on the top of it and saying 'tough nuts are hard to crack.'
Going out for breakfast one morning with my stepdad, just me and him. Feeling special while eating shitty supermarket breakfast, but worried about doing or saying the wrong thing and spoiling it.
Standing at the top of the stairs with my younger sisters listening to our parents argue. Having my very old mobile in my hand with two 9s dialled and ready to press the third 9 in case he hit her.
Going out for a bike ride with my first crush. Feeling free and bursting with vitality as we sped down the track, then laying with him in the middle of a ripe cornfield in hot summer, everything golden and exquisite, sharing kisses and feeling utterly entranced at being wanted.
Sitting outside the hotel with my husband on our wedding night, feeling like a beautiful princess and listening to him tell me all the ways in which he loved me and the feel of his warm skin against mine. Just us and a bottle of champagne, quiet all round, his deep blue eyes and feeling finally worth something meaningful.
Holding my (step)dads hand at his dads funeral, the man who abused me as a child, and telling him I was there for him and I'd support him. That feeling of calm transcendence at the service, feeling my inner strength and being at the centre of my family's linked hands, and passing my strength down to them. At the meal after when he was unsure about making a speech, telling him that I understood he had lots of memories of his dad before he found out he was a paedophile, and that he should do a speech and honour and mourn for the dad he missed. My (step)dad doing his speech and telling everyone there how proud he was of me.
The night three of my budgies died due to Teflon poisoning. My last budgie survived and was just as grief stricken as our family.
The day I got into a massive argument with my two older sisters when I was 12. We made up and ever since then, we actually bonded as siblings.
The first time me and my best friend hung out at her place and played Tales of Vesperia in her movie room.
The night my sister and I hung out at Sonic and really talked about college, life, and our struggles with depression.
The night my sister committed suicide. Also the day of her burial, especially our close friends standing in a circle and holding hands by her grave.
Telling my close friends that I'd also been depressed and suicidal for years and them promising that they'd help every way they could (and they did!)
The day I adopted my Nanday Conure, Fluffy. She's a rescue nobody handled due to aggression. Now she's a total cuddle bug and is the reason I'm happy to wake up each day. Pic of her first day home: http://m.imgur.com/SimZXFm
Finding a small meadow in the woods at 6, sun shining through the tall trees casting rays down toward the vibrant green grass and feeling inner peace for the first time.
My mother kicking me in the stomach when I refused to stop crying one morning before school
My mother's stony face in court as she signed her rights away to my estranged father after I decided to live with him.
Meeting my best friend in Spanish Class, becoming friends over out mutual hatred for everyone in the class with us.
Taking apart my first computer, smelling the sharp scent of ozone, the fascinating little black chips and the smooth circuits. Falling in love with technology.
Sitting on the front porch of my first apartment watching the peach blossoms falling off the trees while I had an existential crisis that led me to break up with my ex-boyfriend, quit my job, and move away.
My boyfriend and I driving hours to another city to pick up a puppy, making stupid jokes about the names of creeks and landmarks in the remote areas that we passed on our way there. Laughing until tears streamed down our faces and our cheeks hurt from smiling.
David Bowie's Major Tom hitting it's crescendo as I take my husband's hand after walking down the aisle, his eyes full of happy tears.
-playing on the scale version of the Mississippi at Mud Island and realizing I had no memory of arriving there. That was the first moment I realized I had memory issues. They're much easier to handle now, by placing cues everywhere.
-my mom asking me which family friend I would want to live with if she died when I was seven.
-meeting my fiancรฉ back when we were freshmen in high school and he didn't know how to open a locker
-kissing my fiancรฉ for the first time a year after the locker incident and realizing that it's okay if we just enjoyed each other's company instead of having sex. I had a rough, twisted, and scary introduction to sex and relationships just a couple months before (and lasted a while longer than I would have liked) but the sweet man I'm marrying has slowly shown me through the years of growing up together what true love means.
ncoomer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:55:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well I have a few, but this one sticks out to me in particular. I was a little child and I had gone with my parents to see the rest of the family. While the other children went around and played with the others, I chose to stay behind and hang out with one of my other cousins who wasn't so athletically inclined, just as I was myself. I had resolved to read a book, and my cousin to simply play around in the dirt. Now, I hate to say this, but the particular cousin that I was sitting with, was a bit of a special boy. He wasn't born with a full deck, so to speak. So while he was in the dirt, he picked up a rock and started smashing some of the bugs. Relentlessly, one after another. I thought and thought, and I just could not figure out why he was doing it. I asked him and he did give me a very coherent response. He simply continued to smash the bugs. You know, as I recount these events I just hope that meaningless violence like that displayed by my cousin can be avoided as I go with my queen to conquer Westoros.
nivolu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:56:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was young, I was homeless with my brother, Dad, and Mom. One day we were at the beach and I remember my Dad asking a man for a lunchable for my brother and I to eat. The guy gave it to him and I asked my parents if they wanted any. They said they were not hungry even when I knew they were to allow my brother and I to have more. I'll never forget that.
This question has stirred so many memories in my head, and it's too difficult to get them down in writing (or typed out, whatever). But now I'm an overwhelmed, tear-y mess. I'm smiling, laughing and crying all at the same time.
I was one of six kids in 3 Jr high schools that made both the varsity choir and varsity band at the high school we were all merging into as a sophomore. The choir was slated to go to Italy the following year and sing at The Vatican. It was the best high school music program in the state. Then one day after school near the end of my freshman year my mom say me down and told me we were moving to a different city, 3 hours away. I'd have to choose choir or trumpet because the new high school didn't have the same programs. And it was too late to make the varsity of either. Everything had been working towards was gone.
The day my grandmother called me fat.
The day I saw my little brother get thrown to the ground by a local kid. They'd wanted to fight and I was going to watch. When he went down, I jumped in and kicked that kids ass.
The day my dad told me to "wipe that garbage off your face". It was the 80s and Ozzie Smith (short stop for the cardinals) was in his prime. I had written "Ozzie rules" in face paint on my face at summer camp. My dad thought I was referring to Ozzie Osborn.
My brother, Dad and I picking out our now 15 year Black Lab when she was a puppy
My Dad crying and giving me a big hug when he picked me up from school on 9/11
Finding out that my Mom got breast cancer
Getting the phone call from my Dad to tell me that our Golden Retriver had died (It was really unexpected and he was only 8)
Skateboarding with my friends all day in the summer when I was a teenager
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:01:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
in no partocular order of importance:
hiking the kalalau trail when I was 15 or so. such an amazing hike and truly gave me a greater appreciation for the outdoors I have carried with me today
when I was in 8th grade I ran for 13 miles out of nowhere. I just wanted to. I was running with a middle school track team where we practiced 2 times a week but I felt like just running that day. running has always been a big part of my life and is something I need to do at this point.
when this one girl lead me on for 2 months before saying she never liked me at all and thought I was an annoying piece of shit. blah blah blah that summer was some shit but I feel I grew a lot from that situation and came out a better person. or at least that's what I tell myself when I get nostalgic about the good times I had. She was the devil and i'm happy I havnt seen her since.
I had this close friend (elementary school) who lived down the street form me who every day after school I would hang out with and most days in the summer I would leave after breakfast and we would do anything and everything. There were just a lot of great moments I had from playing baseball with a diet coke can till it exploded to hosting a 1v1 basketball tournament with 20 neighborhood kids coinciding with march madness.
getting rejected from a magnet high school where my older brother went to and was ranked in the top 5 high schools for a long time. I was smart enough to handle the workload but I was bale to go to my regular public high school and loved it a lot more than I would have liked this super hard core school. Ended up pretty good as well without it.
I know this will be buried but this is such a great prompt.
Growing up, our family always went to my grandparent's condo in Florida. One day, it was just my Papa and me; my brother, grandmother and parents had gone golfing or something. He took me to see the manatees and there was a little park nearby that I was much more interested in. I sat in the little play clubhouse, playing "store", handing my Papa leaves and pretending they were money in exchange for wood chips and rocks that he bought. He passed away a few weeks ago and this memory comes back into my mind a lot.
When I was about 7, I pulled my sisters arm out of the socket when I was dragging her across the floor, playing a little too roughly. Her arm got pulled out of the socket twice more that summer.
My earliest memory was walking to the corner store by myself in my diaper when i was about 2. My mom walked my brother to school every day and I wanted to follow them. The man who worked at the realty agency connected to the corner store picked me up and walked to my house since he recognized me. I wasn't scared at all, but thinking back, things could have been really bad.
My parents never gave us presents for "St. Nick's Day" growing up. Living in an upscale neighborhood and going to catholic school, I was in the minority. Kids at school bragged about their new CDs or movies or clothes that they got that morning, and I remember just sitting there and crying. This was in 3rd grade. After class was over, my teacher called me to her desk and gently told me that sometimes St Nick comes at Christmas instead, and to be patient and wait for my presents until then. She was an amazing teacher and always made me feel very safe and calm. It also made me realize how spoiled kids in my town were and how my parents raised me right.
My earliest memory is from when I was 2-3 years old, I was standing in my bedroom and my father rubbing anti-itch ointment on me because I had the chicken pox.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:06:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My dad went on a business trip to Boca Raton when I was 2 and he brought my mom and I. My first memory is me chasing around lizards at the hotel, while there was a big pool slide in the background.
Playing hide and seek in the warehouse of the construction yard where my dad worked one Saturday with him and my 2 brothers.
When I met the kid who would bully me up through sixth grade when he went to a private school. He wasnt nice and I couldnt figure out why.
2 eighth graders shaking the bus because they could when I was in first grade. I was so scared they were going to tip it.
My friends older brothers burnt down their house.
9/11, we were at recess out on the side of a hill next to some steps when suddenly we got ushered inside early. When I got home my parents were sitting in front of the tv crying.
Called some girl a fuking retarded bitch in fifth grade. She left me alone after that, but I was really scared she was going to tell on me.
Got in a fist fight with one of my bullies best friends in 7th grade in the back of the bus. The friend and I were cool after that. Later that year I fought 2 eight graders during middle school hockey practice. It wasnt exactly fair because they couldnt really skate.
When it became clear that I was going to either fail out of college or have to drop out. On the same note, getting back in was better than getting in for the first time.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:13:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if typo, but if not, it's Boca Raton.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:24:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad was either bored or sick of our shit so he sat my (then 12) and my brother (10) down and told us we were about to watch a very life changing important movie. Aka 'The Last Castle'. I took it in trying to figure out wtf he was talking about so I could use it in every day life. Five years after I asked him about it and he informed me he'd never seen or heard of the movie...
Road trip to California to spread my dad's ashes. It made me realize what I want out of life and how I'm going to attempt getting there. He was always so health conscious and after he died it kicked me into becoming healthier.
dad driving off telling mom shed never see her kids again and her face as she peeled from the hood of the car
the morning i got home and my brother told me my girlfriend was dead
getting arrested in front of the whole school for something i was later acquitted of.
Summer night on the deck of my house together with my fiance having a beer. Bills paid, home clean, a cool breeze but not too cool.
graduating college. my whole family was there except dad but thats ok. Friends, family, my grandpa was like my dad since he left and he was so proud.
geak78 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:07:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) My father talking about his love for big cats especially black jaguars. This made me want to study big cats in Africa and determined which college I'd attend. Spoiler, I completely changed directions in college.
2) Horrid start to 7th grade which helped me come to the realization that what other people think of me isn't that important
3) Seeing my wife for the first time. She was sitting on an upturned laundry basket in a closet of her dorm room.
4) Starting a forest fire at my bachelor party
5) Finding out my wife was pregnant on April Fools Day
Lying in bed as my dad would tell bedtime stories about his best friend, O'Johny the worlds biggest elephant.
Spring break and going on a cruise with all of my best friends. I got so sunburned and so sick that I was just a pitiful mess most of the time, but I still had one of the best times of my life.
On the final night of Hell week as I stood among my pledge brothers, getting initiated into our fraternity. I was so sick and exhausted I could barely stand, but I pressed on because my hard work was finally paying off. I called my dad that night and told him I made it in and he seemed happier than I was! He was in the same fraternity while he was in college.
Winning the national championship with my team. We worked our assess off that season and a lot of people really didn't want us to win. As we scored the final point all I can remember was how it turned from "just another game" mentality to "holy shit were the best in the country" in a split second. Charging the field and congratulating everyone is something I'll never forget.
My first night during a two week rafting trip in the Grand Canyon, I woke up because the moon was shining so brightly on my face. I wanted to look at the sky forever.
The breeze filtering through the windows and the sun on my face as I drove around the countryside with my first boyfriend, taking random turns
Going to a recording of SNL for my eighteenth birthday. I was in awe of Kristen Wiig.
The sound of applause after my scene as Yenta the Matchmaker in Fiddler on the Roof when I was a middle schooler
Sitting at the kitchen table with my mom and finding out I had cancer
When my brother threatened to kill himself, the strain of his voice filling the house
Driving out to a random suburb with my best guy friends during my freshman year of college and playing laser tag, then sitting in the car drinking McFlurries afterwards.
When friends from different circles surprised me on my birthday this year in front of the library with sparklers and cookie cake
This is such a fascinating question, I just wish i could participate. The more I think about it, the less I remember about my childhood. My parents are good folks, I had nice friends... but nothing. I don't remember anything or maybe nothing has made an impact.
This is a very... alienating feeling. Damn, maybe I should think about this a little more...
Not one individual memory per say but a mishmash of memories of my parents, as well as the only grandparents. Just a big mishmash of the little things that give me warm fuzzies.
Going to EPCOT for the first time and truly believing that I was really walking in parts of China, Morocco, Norway, etc. I don't know if I'll ever feel that pure sense of wonder and amazement again.
Winning the big race at a swim meet and clinching the division. I won the race, we won the meet .. and we won the division for the first time in years, and were moving up to the next level. It was the best feeling in the world.
The day I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life with my now-fiance.
In Yangshuo, China I got in some random hostel owner's truck and went tubing down the Li River. Then I rented a motorbike and rode it through the mountains and fields, down dirt roads and past villagers. I hiked up Moon Hill and met Xiaomei, an elderly Chinese woman with a collection of signatures and photos of people from all over the world. Never felt more alive than I did that day.
Honesty, beating the shit out of my bully when i was 16, I have never felt so fulfilled in my life which is pretty sad but at least I can always remeber I broke that fuckers nose.
I remember most of the details of my life that are of any kind of significance so it's hard to pick out which are the most important. My memories start at about 18 months of age, and after about 6 or 7 they're nearly 'complete' to everything that would fill in any time. So I guess here's a few that stand out when thinking about this question. All but the last one seem to involve me learning some lesson or something fundamental about myself.
When I was 4 years old at my dad's grocery store, I pushed a neat looking button. Turns out it was the panic button when someone comes to rob the store. My dad asked if it was me and I couldn't say anything at all. I couldn't speak or move. I didn't get in trouble but it felt like a lie and I feel really bad about it to this day.
Before I was permitted to leave home for my first day of preschool I was made to recite my multiplication tables up to the tens.
When I was in kindergarten there were a group of my friends making silly animal noises at lunch. I participated. The teachers told us to stop so I stopped. My friends did not stop. After lunch the teachers told everyone to stand but those making noises to stay seated. I figured I should half way stand up as I had made the noises but stopped when asked the first time, so I was squatting over my chair awkwardly. Those sitting were made to miss recess and got a lecture. That also felt like a lie and I feel bad about it to this day.
In fourth grade I went to the vending machine and got myself a soda, an extra quarter came out with the change, I thought this was cool so I got an extra soda for one of my friends with this quarter. After I sat down one of my classmates came up to me and said that she had put her change into the machine as I was getting my drink and it must have come out in the change bin and that she wanted it back. I was confused by this as I don't remember anyone reaching over my shoulder but I apologized and explained that I thought the machine had fed out extra change and had already purchased a soda for my friend. She demanded that I pay her back, I told her that I didn't have any more money and that I was sorry for the misunderstanding and I would pay her back tomorrow. I guess she really wanted a soda and went to the teacher, a substitute so he didn't really know my reputation of being a kind person that does shit like randomly buying my friends soda with my spare money and believed the story that I had somehow stolen this girls money. I explained my side of events but he didn't believe me, and it just so happened that during the english lesson he was leading that way the words steal and thief were used in the sample sentences. He looked directly at me and said those words very loudly when they came up. I find it strange that a 50 year old man felt the need to publicly shame a 9 year old kid who had a reasonable explanation for a misunderstanding over the matter of twenty five cents, but I cried about it after class.
When I was in seventh grade there was a group doing a model stock trading thing we were doing to teach us about investments and interest. There weren't enough seats for all four of us so I elected to stand. I was the smallest in the group of the four of us and the shortest as well. The tallest girl was at the time probably about 165cm/5'6" to my 150/4'11 and more than 10kg/20lb heavier than me. She told me that she wanted me to be sitting instead of standing and I thought this was really weird and I told her no it's alright I can stand it's no big deal. She told me that her mom said she was tall because she stood a lot and so I should be sitting. I sat there trying to figure out why someone would care how tall I was, while saying 'no it's really okay' when she came over and slapped me in the face for not sitting down. Hard enough to make me cry. The same day at recess she had one of her friends come over and ask me out. It made me very nervous for a number of reasons I stammered something out about not being ready/allowed to date and that I wouldn't until I was in college (which did in fact hold true so it wasn't a lie) and she never spoke to me again. She went to a different school the next year and I don't know what happened with her. I think if she would have asked me herself I probably would have said yes. Makes me wonder if she could tell things about me I didn't even know yet at that age. I mean yeah I guess so right.
This one is much more recent, this year in fact, but the first time I saw her face when I got off the boat at the harbour, after all we'd been through over the past nearly 2 years to get there. She was sitting on a bench smoking a cigarette, she had sunglasses on that seemed to hide half her face, a knit cap that covered the top of her head, and she was sitting behind a corner mostly obscured. But I still knew it was her immediately, and despite being at the farthest possible doorway and there being many other people she looked over immediately at me. I started walking toward her and of course a crowd of the slow moving tourists pours out of the door in front of me. Over a hundred, as I tried awkwardly to be both sufficiently deferential as to be polite, and sufficiently assertive as to get through this crowd before I had to stand there all day so I could get to her. It was maybe thirty to fourtyfive seconds that I had to wait, she remarked later about my awkwardly standing there trying to figure out when to go and smiling at her, as well as her surprise that I had recognized her so quickly. I got to hug her for the first time after I got through that crowd, I'll never in my life forget it.
My father put me on Duke Kahanamokuus paddle board at Waikiki Beach at the old Outrigger canoe club[1950] next to the Moana.
Getting shots to go to Hawaii{because it was a territory} smelling surfboard resin on the repair sites of the outrigger canoes
My father paying the guys who worked for him to sit around a park for an hour while he watched my soccer game.
Being so introverted and shy that my first year at camp had me literally curled up and crying in my bunk.
Winning a math competition against people in my highschool who were two years older than me, and then having the award given to the person who got the second highest score. The teacher running it hated me.
Getting my 365 (old Canadian learner's permit) and my brother pulling over to the side of the road on the way home and letting me drive.
Being rushed to the hospital (yet again) after falling out of a tree on Mother's Day and breaking my arm. Sorry mom!
Climbing trees with an arm cast on.
After the cast comes off, calling to my mother to come see what I was doing. As I hung by my arms off of a tree branch about 20 feet up.
Any time my wife smiles at me.
Shortly after my father died, I had my son sitting on my shoulders for the first time. I showed him what he looked like up there in a mirror, and he laughed so hard I couldn't stop laughing. And then I started crying uncontrollably.
Getting my karate black belt.
Running my first Tough Mudder with my brother and some friends. I was in shape, but most of them were in marathon shape.
Being too small to carry a 5 gallon bucket of sap when collecting on my grandfather's sugar bush, so I was given the job of driving the tractor pulling the wagon instead. Somehow it didn't end up being directed by Michael Bay.
-The realization of how quickly life can be taken away. My father dropped at work from a seizure which later was discovered to be caused by an abscess the size of a golf ball. This brought along many months later the loss of the home in which I spent the first 14 years of my life, as well as the separation of my parents.
He had multiple seizures a month.
I fondly remember one major in which he was hospitalized for a week unconcious. I stayed by his side nearly the whole time, I couldn't let myself leave. He has been seizure free for a little over a year now.
-graduation day. Of the 4 of us kids who made it to highschool, I was the second to graduate. Freedom.
Fockles ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:09:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Coming home from a island Fair with my aunts, uncle, and grandma to see my other grandparents had gotten home from up north. I was 5, and had been asking for a pup of my own. I ran inside and asked my grandpa if he got me a puppy, he said no, so 5 yr old me was upset and ran back to my room to see a big square object covered in a blanket. I uncovered it and there was my sweet girl Daisy, my Golden puppy who was with me from when i was 5 till i was a sophomore in high school. Happiest memory. She was my best friend.
Coming home when i was very young to see police coming to my home and arresting my grand father for drug relations 5 years prior. had been clean for those 5 years.
Going with my dad to hunting shows, and seeing a baby black bear cub. I got to hold it and feed it with a bottle. Started my love for bears. I was an only child and even though i wasn't much into hunting like my dad, it was something i really enjoyed doing with him.
Seeing my SO for the first time. We had started dating before we had hung out at all. My aunt dropped me off at the Island in town and he was supposed to be down by the Ice Cream shop, but he was actually sitting at the picnic table. We were very shy and awkward and walked the ledges that afternoon, then walked to the coffee shop, then walked back down to the gazebo on the island and then got pizza by nightfall. I just remember us trying to hold hands and we couldn't stop laughing because our height difference made it a bit difficult. I'm 5'3/5'4 and he's 6'3. It's been almost 6 years. We don't have kids, and aren't married, but i would never change anything
Our first kiss. Sitting on the couch watching his favorite childhood movie the Brave Little Toaster. He turned my head and just kissed me out of the blue. It was sudden, and i wasn't prepared but i couldn't stop laughing but he was as nervous as i was and it was adorable.
when we first relaized i had asthma as a child. I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't breath. It was dark, i was a kid, and i couldn't breath. I remember gasping for breathe and crawling across my bedroom floor to get to my moms room to get her. I was like a gasping fish.
When someone turned off the pump to one of those big inflatable slides. i got stuck inside of it when it started deflating and started having a panic attack because i was stuck init and couldn't get out.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:09:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 7. spent the weekend at my grandparents house. My grandma gave me 2 bowls of fruit loops. I ate one and a half. I screamed and cried for an hour but she never let me leave the table till I finished the bowl. The only time anyone was able to force me to do something I didn't want to do.
"Quitters never win. Winners never quit." - Sensei Rod my martial arts instructor.
"Your bipolar is never an excuse. You need to learn to live with it." -my mom
Visiting Maine and staying in a cabin for my family reunion. The loons sounded so beautiful that I cried.
12 years old. The first time I helped butcher a cow. When they slaughtered it, they wanted to keep the heart for stew. My father had me carry a fresh cow heart to the house. I had warm blood up to my elbows. Even though it was my first time seeing death and blood and bone I wasn't scared, I felt proud that I was helping.
My first kiss was on a buss on the way to school. She was 16 I was 14.
My sister ripped the school library's copy of an early edition of the complete collection Sherlock Holmes. She did it on purpose just to push my buttons. I seriously considered brutally beating her till she passed out. I screamed so loud I tasted blood. I didn't attack her.
Onenif my all time favourite memories involves my grandmother, who I very rarely saw as she lived in Malaysia and I'm in the UK.
I'm half chinese/English and my parents split up when I was very young ao I've had a very Chinese upbringing. We were at a Chinese cash and carry which was a very normal occurrence and my grandma was looking at the different fish the English guy working there asked if she needed help, she declined.
Later, his boss was passing and asked her if she needed help (I've chinese). When she engaged him he turned to the English guy and scolded him in Chinese asking why he didn't help the lady. He replied, saying he did.
My grandma just said 'wah! You speak Chinese?!'
For the record, she could speak fluent English she just didn't want to.. haha everytime it pops into my head it makes me giggle :)
Poked in the eye is my earliest memory. I was standing in a crib or playpen.
Decided to make a satellite at 7. Had no idea what it was, but parts from an old toy tank seemed relevant.
Got a pedal-powered tractor at some point for Christmas. It was awesome.
Told my dad I didn't need kisses anymore, let's just shake hands.
Saw my first computer at my dad's work. He programmed this room-sized machine to play tic-tac-toe on paper, which was the first time I'd played a "video" game. He explained abstraction to 8-year-old me (rotations of the board are the same, so there are really only 3 first moves) and it made some sense.
It was time to go to church, but I wanted to keep playing with my tower-plastic donut-stack thing. In retrospect it may have been my younger sister's. Anyway, I said "I'll put it in the oven for an hour," and we left.
My mom having a cub scout meeting at our house. She was the den mother.
My mom selling tupperware.
Driving in the car, all 7 of us, dad smoked but didn't stop, throwing up out the window.
Got caught in a lie at a gas station. Can't remember what it was, probably I played with something I shouldn't have, but I remember how disappointed my dad was. I don't lie much as an adult (unless it's to be nice).
Took apart a cuckoo clock at my grandfather's house to see how it worked.
Edit: one more. My sister was mad at my brother, so we decided to throw all his stuff off the second-floor balcony. Bed and everything. It was fun, but afterward my mom came home and one of us had to distract her while the rest of us carried it all back up the stairs.
Staring at my sister in the baby ward when I was 2.
Going to a K-Mart in the late 80's and my Mom bought me Disney Bubblegum. I think I was 4.
Kissing a girl on the bus in Kindergarten and having to get sent to the back of the bus where no one was allowed. I still remember the girl's name
Filling my pants in 2nd grade because I was sick, in Gym class, playing Jump the Skunk.
In 5th grade I got into my first fight with a kid named Joe because he pushed my friend. I remember telling him he looks like a wiener.
In 8th grade I remember my first crush and how devastated I was because her parents wouldn't let her date me because of their religion. I cried. I remember the 8th grade class trip and how much fun I had.
In sophomore year of High School I had my first bad grade so I came up with an elaborate plan to photocopy my report card into an A. It worked.
Had my first relationship Senior year, only to get hurt because she slept with my best friend at the time. I never forgave him.
My first real job and how excited I was.
The first girl I fell in love with and giving each other songs, only to have it end in heartbreak. I still can't listen to those songs to this day.
I remember way more than I probably should in my life. It's a blessing and a curse, but those are just some of my core memories.
I was about 10 and we took family vacations up to the local mountains during the summer to fish and relax and just get away from the summer heat. Sometimes we'd all go fishing but this time it was just my dad and me. We got to the lake nice and early and got "our" spot as he called it. The fishing was very slow until we heard the telltale sound of the stocking truck. I told my dad I wanted to hike a bit around the lake closer to where the truck was going to stock the fish. He reluctantly allowed me to go. I was out of view very quickly and came up to where the truck was preparing to stock the lake. I positioned myself nearby and waited. They released the fish and I began casting out my lure and bringing it back in. Within about 20 min I had caught 5 fish and had them on my stringer and started walking back. That's when I heard my dad whistle for me. Just then I turned the bend to see him and he saw me holding up this bunch of fish. He was so proud, he let out a hoot and chuckled.
I was 14 my childhood dog had to be put down. It happened when I was at school so I didn't know until I got home. Other than my grandfather who had passed when I was 5 (and I didn't "get" death then) it was the first time I'd been exposed to death and the pain it brought.
age 20 and my first super serious girlfriend. Ended up marrying her at age 24....and then divorcing her at age 27. She had cheated. Several times. That screwed me up for a bit.
my dad passed away. That shook me to my core. It was a massive heart attack and nobody was prepared for it. Still miss him almost daily and it's been almost 8 years now.
meeting the woman I would eventually marry and remain married to
meeting my son after right after he was born. My wife had a c section and some minor complications so he and I got a long bit of 1 on 1 time that fits two hours of his life. Watching him grow up this last year and a half has been amazing.
My dad slamming me against a brick wall, because it was storming, so I ran out of his truck without closing the door.
My dad looking at me like I'm stupid, when I couldn't figure out how to use my breaks on my bike.. so I ran into his truck door and sprained my arm.
My grandfather trying to break into my room at 2 am and rape me.
Some kid throwing soda on my pants at school and getting teased for the entire year about "pissing myself.
Kids at school getting my parents called saying I was being bad. So my mom came to my school and yelled at me.
My dad threatening to kill me for opening a bag of dog food.
Hiding in the closet so my dad wouldnt hit me.
My grandmother and discussing how stupid I am to my grandfather due to me failing school. (Never did my work because I was depressed over the abuse.)
My grandmother killing my pet, because I didn't "deserve him."
The first day I played Pokemon.
My teacher telling the class about what was said. My grandparents asked if there were any bad black people in the school. Where I'm from you got hurt for being white.
My first love ghosting me.
Hanging out at the park until 5 am with my best friends.
That stupid bitch stealing my boots.
elmo274 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:12:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is it bad to not have any core memories like what people up there have? I don't have anything significant that has affected me and it feels like I'm just an emotionless walking bag of meat...
One of my core memories is being taken to see Santa at the mall as a kid. My sister and I got our picture taken, and we were asked what we wanted for Christmas. My sister said some popular toy at the time. When asked what I wanted, I replied with, "I just want everyone to be happy," because there was always some sort of BS going on at our house.
best friend was hit and killed by a bus when I was 5.
my idle curiosity got boys banned from my best friends room forever.
house burned down when I was six. Dad joined the army to get by because we couldn't afford to get back on our feet.
stayed with my grandparents for 3 months while he was in Basic. Ate my first sugary cereal because my grandpa was awesome. But that, among other aspects of staying with them, also began my descent into awful eating habits as well.
the 'haunted tree' out by the house in Norfolk. Scared the hell out of me
getting on the wrong bus to go home at my new school
my older brother was picking me up and the bullies at school were picking on me. So he got in a fight with them. I ran home to get mom.
six flags over Virginia(?). The Big Bad Wolf was the only coaster I'd go on because I was scared of loops. It was a really chill hanging coaster that was a real blast.
got in a shoving match with a girl. She was winning, so one of the aforementioned bullies kicked her ass. They never picked on me again.
the drive home to Portland from Texas in a uhaul. The Doberman was poorly trained and was aggressive. He took up most of the space, and bit me and my brother both once or twice. I'm cautious with dogs even though I love them.
my brother and I caught my dad cheating. Ran and told mom.
our first welfare Christmas. It was the biggest Christmas we'd ever had. I got a gamegear with a broken power adapter, but it still worked with batteries.
dad finally left. Mom moved directly in with one of her coworkers. We spent the next six months the getting to know him. He was amazing. Loved us like his own kids. After a year, they got married. My brother and I gave her away. 3 months after the wedding he was hit and killed on his motorcycle on his way to work by a negligent driver. The driver owned a construction company, and we got a quarter million dollar settlement two years later. Mom bought a house and property, and we went on an epic vacation to Disney World for a month. I ate churros. So many churros.
dad started living with us again. Not back with my mom, just didn't like paying rent. This went on and off for a very long time, until the tables turned, my mom lost the house and is now living with my dad.
at 18, I left home and went to Texas for a year. I attended a Christian fundy internship with a now defunct ministry call Teen Mania. They flicked me up, but I met the guy who would become my best friend and help me break a lot of the chains that my fundy upbringing and the internship put on me.
in 2008, the stock market tanked. I worked for Sprint in a retail store, and they were downsizing. So I got laid off with a nice severance package. At 24 I took the opportunity to go to college.
met my wife. The single best day of my life. It still makes me smile.
married my wife. A bittersweet day, because it wasn't what we wanted. Too manual politics and people there we didn't care about. And my grandpa, who was in the early stages of congenital heart failure.
visited grandpa at the nursing home. Helped him to and from the toilet. The nurse needed help and didn't tell me how to use the strap. I squeezed his chest and think I may have hurt him.
grandpa died.
I got my first dog. A Boston terrier rescue. She's the most consistent thing in my life.
The last time I saw my grandpa in person he told me how proud he was of me, died suddenly a few months later and I'll never forget the way he said he was proud of me.
I drank a bee that was inside a can of coke during a birthday cookout party when I was a kid
Almost hitting 3 different volvos when I was allowed to drive alone for the first time. that's the kind of suburb I live in.
my Grandfather teaching me that I can pee outside after my mom so laboriously taught me that I need to pee in the porcelain thing in the bathroom.
seeing the view from the tippy top of breckenridge mountian for the first time. the rockies are goddamn amazing. they make the mountians here on the east coast look like little hills.
that time I expressed my feelings and tried to turn a friend into a girlfriend. she said no and it was the most profound sadness I have ever known.
the time I left my dog at the vet to be put to sleep. the second most profound sadness I have ever known.
Being held back in Kindergarten for social issues.
Getting two cats just after I turned 6, most importantly Midnight.
Almost dying from pneumonia when I was 6.
My 10th birthday party when nobody came.
My 15th birthday when my parents couldn't quit their petty squabbling for one night for my sake.
My friend Matt tricking me into going on the Rock'n'Rollercoaster at Disney and finding out coasters are way more fun than scary.
About a week into my first year of college, my mom calling me to ask why Midnight kept trying to climb on the back of the couch and sit on their heads. I used to lay on the couch with my head resting up against him, and he missed me.
My friends I made in Australia taking me to a space-themed attraction that probably bored them to tears just for my sake.
Having to put Midnight down.
My nephew coming up with his own special name for me.
Saying goodbye to my 18 year old brother being deployed to Afghanistan. The seriousness of the whole situation never hit me until I saw him carrying a M16 and two sidearms as he got on the transport bus. That's when it really hit that my little brother was going to war.
EDIT: I understand some of these may not be "Inside Out" memories, but they still have stuck with me through my years and some way or another turned me into who I am today
I went to Europe one time and pissed ON the ferry from Venice. I am never able to escape the story and what came of it. But I've always been good at embracing it and looking back on it, it's a damn fine story.
I went to EDC on my 21st birthday to try and figure out what all the hype was with these events that seemed to be taking the country by storm (this was back in 2011). At midnight on the end of the first night, I turned 21. My best friend picked me up on his shoulders and started singing Happy Birthday to me. Before I knew it, the entire crowd exiting the festival around us were all singing me Happy Birthday. If I had to guess I'd say it was close to 2,000 people easily. People Complete strangers kept coming up to me after the fact and wishing me Happy Birthday
The night I met my girlfriend at a bar in Key West. It's a hell of a story and how I typed it makes it sound pretty cliche, but this post is already getting long.
The time my grandpa took me out to dinner a couple months before passing away. In that brief 2 hour dinner, he taught me so much that I've carried with me since then. I can still close my eyes and see him sitting across from me
I used to run in the road in front of cars on purpose and tell my parents "See, I didn't get hit" when I was about 2 or 3.
Our family cat got him by a car and my dad showed me the flattened feline in the trash can. I stopped running in the road after that.
Another one, I remember driving through a canyon in Idaho and we saw a truck on it's side and a big hole in the windshield. Dude had crashed and flown out the windshield. We were the first on the scene. We drove back into town to call 911. I was 2 when that happened.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:15:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Having my dad shove me against a wall, hard, grab me by both shoulders, shove his face into mine and speak through his teeth with all the intimidation he could muster because I was doing something annoying that 3/4 year olds do. Terrifying when your dad is a 6'2" infantry man (regular occurence).
Having my dad come into my room while I was sleeping and wake me up to tell me how much he hated himself, how much he hated life and how it wasn't worth living, and how much he wished he had the guts to kill himself (also regular occurence).
Class ski trips in grade 7, 8, and 9. They were amazing. So much fun. No supervision, so I could just separate myself from the rest of the class and do my own thing.
Moving out when I was 17, laying on the hood of my friend's car and just feeling so amazing to finally be free.
That same friend one day stopped talking to me. I thought it would be a good idea to try and reinitiate contact with him the day before Christmas eve. He was drunk at the moment, and started screaming at me that I was a paedophile, that a cell phone I had sold him 3 and a half years earlier had child porn on it. This is completely untrue in every possible regard, and I was so angry amd asked him why he didn't just confront me at the time so I could have sorted out whatever he was confused about. No good answer to that.
He was drinking with a bunch of our mutual friends and also told them about whatever the fuck he thinks he saw. I lost most of my friends that night.
Going on a road trip by myself to Canada for the first time. There was something very zen about making the trip alone. I went back many times, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends.
Having my first child, a boy. It's amazing how being responsible for another life changed my thinking about SO many things!
Moving my 5 year old son and I across the US for a new job. Didn't know anyone in the new city, but somehow we made it work.
Having another child, a daughter, 13 years after the first. Because apparently I forgot the lessons I learned the first time around. :/
Finding out my firstborn had been sexually abused by a close family friend. I got him all the help I could find, and he's doing really well now. But it trashed my trust in myself and my choices.
Adrenaline from bridge bungee-jumping, all travelling through Europe I have done, extensive and very active sleepwalking, my best friend lying on the floor and asking me to kill her as she was going through heroin withdrawal, endless nightmares and lately insomnia. I have seen quite some shit
Grew up in a musical family and noticed that all my siblings were supported and helped out significantly more than me, leasons, etc for them and none for me. One time when I was about 16 I asked why my siblings got music lessons and I was left out.
My dad just said "you didn't need help to flourish" and never asked for help.
It had an impact on me mostly because I was looking at the situation wrong for a long time without speaking up.
Also around the same time I was working for a masonry company and had gotten too drunk one night when family was visiting. My dad woke me up wicked early and forced me to go to work sick as a dog saying "you have a self inflicted sickness today and that is not an excuse to screw people who depend on you over"
It instilled a sense of responsibility that I feel can be detrimental in cases not related to work, but I always make it to work at least.
Making cake in an easy-bake oven with my dad, and while it tasted horrible(I still remember how sickly sweet it was) we both had so much fun stirring the little batter packet and waiting for it to bake.
In 10th grade, I was making a cake in the Home Ec room and it started to overflow. It caused the entire room to smoke up and also made the principal, secretary, and a couple other teachers come to make sure that nothing was going to burn down. There still is a running joke about making cake there now.
Finding out that my Grandmother has passed away. It wasn't particularly muggy that day, and I just got my car fixed. I had seen my mother driving home and I got out of the car at the same time she did, only to see her crying and attempting to hold it together to piece a sentence together. When she finally told me, everything went quiet... I dropped my purse into a puddle into our driveway and I felt this immense feeling of cold rush over me. I still get chills thinking about it.
The song Glycerin which seems to play every single time I am feeling horrible and I have to pull off on the side of the road and sob for a little bit. It somewhat reminds me of all the bad things that I've experienced in my life, and that after all of it, I'm still here. I cannot listen to it without crying.
Lastly, in 2nd grade our teacher asked us who our role model was, and I proudly stated it was Steve Irwin. She then said she couldn't hear me, so I said in the weirdest voice "His name is Steeeeeve". I still laugh about it to this day, and I do miss watching him. I still cite that he is the person who made me want to become a Biologist.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:17:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
(Happiness) Sitting on my parents' bed with my best friend at the time playing "Batman Forever" on the Sega Genesis. Afterwords, we would go outside and one of us would be Batman and the other Two-Face. Two-Face always said "antibiotic" because we were too young to understand that it was actually "fuggit about it".
(Anger) The frustration of never getting pass the "Chemical Plant Zone" in Sonic 2. I either drowned or died from Robotnik. Fuck CPZ.
(Disgust) That one time I had to clean up explosive diarrhea at work as a kid. Someone apparently missed the toilet completely and wanted to paint the walls and floor brown. The amount of paper towels in my nose and mouth was never enough.
(Sadness) The day I found out my father had been using hard drugs for 9 months and nobody bothered to tell me. My whole family knew but because I lived a little over 4 hours away, it was "none of my business." I still don't know why they thought I wouldn't notice his weight loss..
--Visiting my grandparents at the beach, I can remember my grandmother boiling king crabs alive.
--Losing my virginity behind the treeline at a highschool football game.
--Riding around town with highschool friends and smoking.
The Bad.
--Getting blamed for stuff by my brother as a kid.
--Getting strep on my penis and thinking it was herpes (yeah, strep throat on your junk can happen)
--There was a hotel party I went to a couple of years ago with my girlfriend of 6 months. We were both drugged, I was dragged out onto the sidewalk and she was taken advantage of. She ended up dating the guy that slept with her that night. ยฏ_(ใ)_/ยฏ
--the morning after the party I wouldn't let her drive me home. I was still out of it from all the drugs and walked 23 miles to my house.
Moving away from my best friend at age 7. Looking back I'm glad I did, but it was still really difficult at the time.
Going to a cabin on a lake in northern Indiana when I was 5 or 6 years old. It taught me that I didn't need tv all the time for entertainment, and the best times in life are spent interacting with people. My dad took me fishing, the whole family played board games, and we went swimming and tubing. Good times.
Being told I couldn't have kids due to a condition I was born with, at age 9. It definitely shapes how you view your future.
Learning to play piano around age 8. I played an instrument from then, all the way into college. Music has been a savior for me during depression(as I'm sure it is for many). I am glad that it helped me really appreciate classical music as well.
Getting my first dog from Santa Claus. She was a Boston Terrier. We named her Cindy. I've had a dog for all but 6 months of my life, since. I also volunteer at a rescue and think dogs are some of the most loyal and awesome little beings on the planet.
Going to Scotland alone to meet someone from online. I never met him(flake) but ended up staying a week in Edinburgh and also visiting friends in England. It was life changing as far as realizing I could handle a lot more than I thought I could. It also helped me gain some perspective from somewhere outside of the US.
First love/sex. I thought I was unlovable and unattractive for years, but met the right person and that made a huge difference in my confidence to go out and meet other people. I honestly treated him awful at times due to insecurity, and I still regret it, but I am extremely thankful for how loving and compassionate he was.
Being forced to endure piano lessons, and suddenly realizing I liked playing music.
Scrounging up my dollars and buying a used bass off the internet.
The band that me and a few friends formed winning the talent show.
My Granddad buying a 1967 Mustang coupe off some guy for $4600. Didn't run, so
Working on that car with my Grandpa. Later, he let me work on it by myself, when he was busy.
Me buying that car from him at the age of 15, then tearing the engine out and fixing inner fenders, painting, tuning.
The first drive when everything worked.
First time tearing into a 1966 Impala.
Finally getting the Impala's engine in.
And driving along in my mustang, with three other car-obsessed friends, pulling over to see a 58 Chevy Bus for sale, meeting the guy who had the smallest car in the world, and just having a blast driving around meeting people, going to car shows. That was a good day.
I think these count as core memories, since these really cemented who I am as a person. A weirdo Hot-Rodder with a music obsession.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:18:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my family and I went to pick out my best friend, our sweet sweet golden retriever. I remember her running all over the house and me chasing her around; she was so small and furry.
My first kiss. We were so awkward and head over heels for each other. I asked her if she had kissed anybody before as we were sitting in a meadow and she said no. We both just went for it at the same time and it was awkward and beautiful and I'd relive it in a heartbeat.
The day I got my driving license. My mom let me take my first car out around the neighborhood by myself. I got in, and Better Man by Pearl Jam was on the radio. Once I got to the end of the street, out of sight, I cranked the radio and gave that little Saturn hell. It was my first real taste of Independence.
Seeing my ex (and my first real gf) for the first time in several months when I visited her at her college. I always had been kinda insecure and hard on myself but when I walked through the doors into her dorm lobby she ran down the hall and into my arms and that was the first time I ever really felt wanted. I do miss her.
*My grandmother driving me around country roads for hours to get some corn, stopping for ice cream, and taking me to the river to throw rocks in the water. I didn't realize until last year that she never really needed any corn- just an excuse for us to spend some time together.
My older brother calling me a worthless piece of trash. He was pretty horrible to me my entire life, and that was far from the worst thing he did, but the memory of hearing those words still hits me like a brick.
Meeting my husband for the first time. I didn't especially feel the earth move, but he was joking around, glanced over, and winked at me. My only thought at the time was, "This guy is gonna be trouble."
We had a painting of 17 ducks in my kitchen growing up, and my uncle and parents used to lift me up and count the ducks. It's not technically one memory, more like a thousand memories of the same thing, but it's really important to me. I imagine that memory powering my "Family Island."
Beating the Elite Four in Pokemon Yellow for the first time sparked my interest in gaming, and eventually computer science, so I guess it would be the core memory for my "Technology Island".
I was in my high school's biannual musical but wasn't doing a good job with my character because I was so shy. So one day I workshopped the entire script with my mom and came to one of our last rehearsals with my new character. The cast and directors applauded because I had improved so much. I overcame my social anxiety and found an interest in theatre that day. It was then that my "Theatre Island" was born.
In 11th grade I found out that one of my closest friends was just hanging out with me to gather stories about how weird I was so that he could talk about me with his "cool" friends. That memory, along with others like it, power my "General-Mistrust-in-People Island".
In university I fell off the rails with drinking. One night I got wasted and blacked out, but had a very vivid, violent dream. When I woke up I couldn't be sure if the dream was real or not, and I was terrified that I had hurt someone in my stupor. That memory powers "Moderation Island."
A month after I started dating my girlfriend, we went outside in the snow and played a game. I was "left" and she was "right", and we played rock paper scissors at every corner to determine where we would walk. We walked around and played in the snow for hours. When we finally got home I told her I had something to tell her. She knew what I was gonna say and said "if you feel it then you don't have to say it", but I thought she said "if you feel it then why don't you say it" (literally the opposite), and so I told her I love her. I don't really have a name for that island but it's a very important memory for me. It has shaped the past 1.5 years of my life.
My grandpa almost lighting the microwave on fire trying to reheat the Arby's he got me while my grandma was in the hospital.
Calling the same grandpa at 10 pm because I just didn't want to be at home. The call woke him up while he tried to sleep before work, he still came and got me.
Telling my biological dad I hated him. It's still true
Getting a call that my grandpa had passed and the years of depression after.
Finding out I was being cheated on by my long time boyfriend.
My mom looking me in the eyes and telling me I was the greatest mistake and disappointment of her life.
My sister looking at me and saying she loved me in her toddler voice, and her knowing what it meant and meaning it.
Dad with muscular dystrophy lunged out of his wheelchair to beat the shit out of 4th grade me for yelling at him and throwing my glasses. Those glasses cost too much. Respect what people buy for you.
Mom beating the shit out of me with a paddle named Shirley (which we tried to burn with gas and fire but she wrapped it up in tape and made it even stronger) for riding my bike off into the neighborhood without telling her I was leaving for a few hours. I always let them know where I was after that.
College Business communications class; giving a speech on who I am and what I want to accomplish with my life. Got a very warm and awesome reception. My first big speech and I learned I was pretty good at speaking. Lead to my current career as a warehouse manager, future governor of Mississippi, and outgoing personality.
The first date with my now wife. Nothing had ever gone so perfect.. from her being late and me joking with her via txt that I was leaving the restaurant dramatically and seeing her face of shine up when I presented her flowers upon her arrival.. to giving her the first kiss at the end of the awesome date to ensure she knew second date had to happen.
Seeing new wifey walk down the aisle on our wedding day. I definitely married up in the world.
Beating a gundam game (journey to jaboro?) on playstation 2 with my best friend and favorite cousin. We split the final mission into 3 parts as none of us could beat it alone. Friendship rules (I BEAT THE BOSS and claimed total victory lol)
Being 4 years old with grandma, who was drinking coffee and talking to her friends on a rocking swing in the front yard, as me and the other 5 kids my grandma was baby sitting were riding down a paved hill driveway (about 25 feet downward) on little plastic cars. I love early mornings right after the sun comes up because of how nice it feels to remember those peaceful times.
My first ever electric guitar, a Mexican Lonestar Fender Stratocaster. That purchase made me fall in love with guitar. I don't have the guitar anymore (traded up for a American) but that sparked me to take guitar seriously.
My Dad abusing me when I was young. This would be "Compassion" island
The first kiss with the person I've loved the most so far; we were in the hospital together but they would let Me, Her, and 3 other kids who weren't trouble makers sit in the side room away from the rest of the ward, and with no camera. We had just started 'dating' (I.e. expressed mutual interest) and I looked at her and said, "Gabi, lean over, I need to tell you something". I grabbed her chin and then pulled her in for a kiss in probably the smoothest move I've ever pulled. This would be "Gabi" island
Watching LotR with my mom as she explained all the little, and having her explain all of the little story pieces that weren't fully in the movie but were in the books. This would be "Fantasy Island"
-Watching my mother loose herself to alcoholism, and become negligent to the point where I had to tuck her in at night. This is "Protective Island"
Standing up for my friend when my teacher was bullying him in elementary school; he was very clearly on the autism spectrum and my teacher was berating him for refusing to focus. This is "Honor" island.
Ezemy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:21:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It wasn't really a childhood thing, but my brother running the last 30m or so of my first half marathon when I was 16.
It was nice to know I wasn't alone and having my family with me in that moment.
I remember dreaming i was walking down a board walk with a chain link fence above the guard rail and for some reason i knew it was a college dorm of some sort. I was carrying a little baby and in my dream i loved this baby so much like the baby was my own. When i woke up i felt so sad because i wanted to go back into my dream to be with that baby, i really missed this baby that didnt exist. The next day i wrote a facebook status about this dream and my and a couple of my aunties were commenting about it and joking around. I mentioned it was gonna be a boy if it ever happened and one of my favourite aunties who passed away told me the baby was gonna be a girl.
The year after my girlfriend got pregnant. I was only a first year welder at the time so i knew i had to be more than that. I took my schooling back to back and become a third year welder before my beautiful 8lb 4oz little stinker of a daughter was born:)
When my family immigrated to Canada I was quiet and shy for the most part. First day of school they dropped me off and I remember being told "in Canada it's different, you need to speak up for yourself". Back home everyone was a lot more reserved, especially in school. I know that this one line changed a lot of who I am. Fast forward to today, I've run businesses, lead people and make great money. I am pretty sure I owe it to my parents for that day (and many others of course).
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:22:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I went skating. I was about 4 or 5 when my dad took me to the park where they had hosed down one of the baseball fields. It was nighttime so the rink was lit up by floodlights. We were out there for hours and within the next year I was signed up for hockey. Still playing 17 years later.
Moving. I've moved twice. Once from the Midwest to the west coast and again from the west coast to somewhere else in the Midwest. Both were really hard and took me a while to accept. I'm pretty introverted so making new friends is not easy but leaving old ones, friendships years in the making, is even harder.
When a girl broke my heart in high school.
(I understand the first two are pretty similar to Inside Out. That movie hits way too close to home for me)
I tried putting them in order for you, but these are definitely the ones that stand out in the 26 years of having a brain.
โข I had a diary most of my childhood and one day my older sister, she was probably 13 and I was 6, grabbed it from my hands and read what I was writing. She read aloud " My sister is fat". I'm assuming she saw the picture I drew of her as well. We were pretty nasty to each other growing up but every time I think of this it makes me sad and I feel horrible. I remember the look on her face after she read it. Kills me really.
โข When I was about 8, my childhood friend from the apartment complex I lived in at the time, Tori, stepped on a little frog on purpose in front of me and laughed. She was also a girl who played on street sign poles for fun and named them. Her pole was named Bob. I realize now that her mom was definitely an exotic dancer.
Ongoing memories and my husband doesn't really believe me but my other childhood friend from the same apartment complex, Alexis, was just a bad kid. We were both around 11-12. She smoked weed, had sex, we would sneak out of windows, hide under blankets of strangers houses that we shouldn't have been in. TWO MEMORIES HERE.
โขShe did this thing were she would go to the laundry mat and go through other people clothes in the washing machine and take them and put them in her loads. She told me once to go get her clothes because she was scared to do it herself. I walked in to get her clothes from the dryer and a woman was sitting on the washers in front of the dryers on her phone, turned to look at me and just shouted," ARE THESE YOUR CLOTHES?". She points to a dryer full of clothes with a clear lid. I say with fea in my voice," Nooo." She quickly replies," OK WELL I AM CALLING THE COPS BECAUSE SOMEONE STOLE MY CLOTHES AND PUT THEM IN THISSS DRYER." I said, " Ok." I ran out of there as fast as I could.
โข I would stay over at Alexis' house a lot, even on school nights. One night she had a group of friends over and I fell asleep first. The next thing I remember is being woken up by someone drawing on my forehead with black eyeliner and another girl smearing my face with this awful smelling foam, hair mousse. I ran to the bathroom and DORK was written all across my head.
To this day, the smell of that hair mousse I will never forget. I found better friends later in life. She got pregnant a couple of years after that.
1.When I was younger, I stayed at my grandparents house for most of the weekends simply because I was close with them. Every morning my sister and I would watch Disney shows like Bear in the Big Blue House, Roly Poly Olly, and PbJ Otter.
Sports games in elementary schools...my parents were always the first fans there.
I went to SF with my family for thanksgiving one time. Non traditional thanksgiving dinner was spaghetti at a famous Italian restaurant. Not crowded at all so it was mostly just the four of us dining and enjoying dinner.
coming downstairs on a Saturday morning when my mum had just finished making a fresh batch of scones, and going for a drive into the countryside, followed by a walk and a picnic with those amazing scones and cups of tea from a flask
staying over at my gran and granddad's, giving my Gran foot massages with body shop peppermint cream and chatting about all sorts
going to a hotel type place run by my godmother with friends for my 13th birthday and us deciding we were going to walk along the seaside cliff path to the nearest town (quite some time away), all of us wearing flip flops and with no supplies other than a packet of polos. It was cold!!
Autumn at my term abroad college in NY (meeting my now husband, being in the play, campus in general)
-The time when I five or six and slipped on a piece of playground equipment during recess. Something sharp pierced the area right near my right eye and blood just started to pour onto my clothes, eventually drenching my new bball shoes, that lit up every time you stomped them, in blood. When I was getting stitches later on that day, my older brother gave me one of his favorite Pokemon cards, Zapdos, because I didn't cry.
-When my little brother was born. On the car ride home, the sunlight would keep getting into his eyes but he would shield it with his outstretched arm. I always thought he was the smartest baby for that.
-When I hit my first home run in little league, my dad - who'd never missed a game before - was ecstatic, jumping up and down, and all smiles when I was rounding the bags. As soon as he made sure I got to home plate, he took off to go find the ball behind left field.
-When I was eleven, I was admitted to the hospital for a nasty flareup of Crohn's disease for two weeks. I shitted blood, it was painful, but my mom was there everyday to make sure her boy was recovering. My family was also there and we watched so many movies with Robin Williams, all laughing together. I'm still convinced that he was at least partially responsible for my recovery.
-My first kiss. After my family, my high school gf, and I came back from a ball game, I got out of the car to go walk her to her door. As we said our lingering good byes, we both went for it under her awning. My parents couldn't figure out why I came back to the car with the stupidest grin.
-When the son of a close family friend committed suicide. He was always so kind, and whenever my older brother and I went to his house, he would always make sure I was included and we would play Madden on his Sega Genesis for hours. It was unreal seeing his open casket at the funeral.
-First time I ever played a video game with my dad. We played house of the dead 3 on the wii and played it for hours
-The first time I learned a whole song on piano.
-My first ever play, backstage, this supercute girl and I spend 30 minute intermissions each night telling eachother dark and dirty jokes.
-At camp when we were singing my favorite song I looked at my gf at the time they said the phrase "I love you" in the song.
-My first kiss. Clichรฉ but, it is.
Actually making a best friend aged around 4 or 5, as up til then I'd just sort of had people I was around, and realising just how large that difference was.
Going to scout camp aged probably 9-10, and meeting a bunch of people I already theoretically knew but now suddenly became very good friends with (and still am 12-13 years later!)
Moving up schools, and realising that all the friends I'd already made weren't coming with me, and having to react, and attempt to make new friends, who were all very different from the people I had previously been friends with. (I moved from the local primary school up to a private school in the outskirts of London, almost in the country).
Discovering how much I enjoyed being a part of the school stage crew, and actually forming a hobby that involved other people, rather than just playing computer games, or reading, or other things that involved me being sat alone in the house.
Meeting my first girlfriend, and all the drama that surrounded that, both social, romantic and otherwise.
Re-meeting a bunch of my primary school friends, having reconnected through facebook, and just being amazed that there was a group of people larger than 4 or 5 I could be collective friends with at once (If it hasn't been made somewhat obvious by the other posts here, I'm somewhat of a massive introvert)
Discovering my depression. I'd always been... different, but having what was undoubtedly the best summer of my life so far seemed to turn all my emotions back on. Including the ones I'd beein trying to suppress.
My longest relationship ending. Not really all that long in the grand scale of things (only a year and a half or so), but still long enough that leaving it changed how I saw things again, as I'd become so used to being in a relationship that things weren't quite the same anymore.
The moment I realised I was seriously losing the fight against my depression. Having gone to uni since the last memory, I'd isolated myself from a lot of what used to make me happy (not intentionally, but as we all moved across the country, and I gained more stress...), I started not showing up, and things started to spiral out of my control.
Realising that my now best friend in the entire world really was there for me. She was always someone I'd appreciated as a person to be around, but since we'd moved in together for the second year, and we started to talk more (both of us are very introverted), it became apparent how much we needed each other.
Her suicide attempt. Sitting outside the room knowing full well what was going on, and being unable to do much but say reassuring things and call an ambulance, all the while internally panicking, but knowing I couldn't let that show.
My first suicide attempt. The sheer despair and self-hatred I had at the time, barely contained as she held me for the entire night.
My second suicide attempt. Specifially, the moment I stood on the platform, waiting for a train to come, and upon seeing one, meeting eyes with the driver and knowing that I simply couldn't cause that much stress to someone intentionally, that I didn't deserve to be able to do that, and the incredible wave of pathetic-ness that I felt about it for weeks to come.
New Years 2015-2016. Realising, together, that we'd both somehow made it through the worst year of our lives, and that together, we were getting to a better place. Slowly, but we were getting there.
Woops, that was much longer and more depressing than I intended it to be.
Walking up to my future stepdad when i was 3 and hugged him and called him daddy, his eyes went wide and the stunned look on his face is etched in my mind permanently. This was also the 1st time he was meeting me and my brother and grandma.
When i stood up to a neighborhood bully and struck him with a weedeater breaking it in half, the look on all the neighborhood kids faces was priceless.
The first time I held each of my daughters.
The smile when i met my wife for the 1st time at her door.
When the yellow lab/german sheppherd mix dog who was the first pet I had ever had as a kid passed away Christmas morning. He was an enormous dog, and being that I was just a little kid, I will always remember being able to lay across him, and use him as a full body pillow. I was so scared of him at first because he was so big, but we quickly became best of friends. I'll never forget my parents making us kids go in another room and play with our new beyblade arena... Only to come to the souring realization that my best friend up to that point in my life was gone.
Inversely, when my parents got my siblings and I the most perfect golden retriever puppy you could possibly imagine on Christmas morning 2 years later. I'll never forget the way he sat at the top of the stairs, sort of hiding behind the bannister trim, that he was about the same size as. He had the absolute most PERFECT puppy dog eyes/face. I will always remember that scene.
Finding out my grandfather had passed away. When I was 3-4 my grandpa was my hero. I had always wanted to be a cowboy. Think old western style. He would watch all of the old John Wayne movies with me, since he was retired at that point and my grandma and him lived next door to us. I spent so much time with him, talking about being a cowboy, they actually got me a plastic rocking horse, that was absolutely amazing. I would then spend countless hours at their place, riding my horse, and playing with my grandpa. I will always miss him.
*Edit, Forgot to mention, I am actually named after him and my dad. I'm the 3rd, and we are all uncannily similar.
Finding out my mom had flipped her car late one night when she was out at a casino, and none of us knew where she was and couldn't get ahold of her. I just remember her coming home, and my other siblings crying and hugging her. I just kind of stood back. I didn't feel empathy for her, I was cold. I was angry. How could she be so selfish, why should I feel bad for her, she was the one who had messed up. Still gets to my head now and then. Not so much what she did, but I can't believe 12 year old me could feel that way, and be so cold to my own parent.
Meeting my present day girlfriend of 2 years on Facebook. We had never met before, and had no idea the other even existed. We had plans to attend the same school, and she posted something on the class "get to know other people before you get here" page. It was asking if anyone else played League of Legends, and if so, if anyone wanted to play with her and some other friends. I of course commented because who doesn't want to play video games with a cute blonde girl? So we added each other and started playing. 8 hours later at 4am, after we had fed our asses off in multiple games (still somehow managing to laugh the whole time), and watching BBW yoga together: we decided to call it a night and said we would talk the next day. Spent the next 2 months before we were actually able to meet in person talking through skype and playing games together for hours on end. Any free time we had would talk or play. I'll never forget the feeling of finding someone who actually felt like the other half of me that I'd been missing up to that point. I plan on spending the rest of my life with her!
Standing nervously outside of my new school, 5 years old, mother cleaning up my uniform.
"... What if no one likes me?" I asked.
"Just introduce yourself to everyone, smile big, and ask them to be your friend! It'll be alright!"
*Running in to find my first new classmate, a girl, to which I said good morning, introduced myself with a great big smile, and asked "Wanna be my friend?" to which she looked me up and down, stared blankly at my face and said "No." and ran away from me.
*Standing in School formation every morning, with the teacher holding my hand, squeezing my knuckles hard with intent to hurt me. I sucked it up and kept my mouth shut despite the tiny tears swelling up in my eyes. She knew she was hurting me but I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction.
She turned to me and smiled that big froggy smile with her toad-like mouth "... Am I hurting you?" she would ask in that sickly sweet-old lady-tone.
"No." I would reply, every single day throughout first grade.
*Allowing my little brother to go in the pool without his floaties, while I deflated them a bit to be able to put them back on, getting distracted for two minutes, only to turn around and see him jumping in the middle of the pool, too close to the deep section, when I see him slip over the middle and slide down under to the deep zone of the pool.
I could see him jumping and trying to swim up, but the 7 year old didn't know how to swim. I was 18, so I jumped and saved him in three seconds. It felt like more. Not one adult noticed a kid almost drowned in their stupidly deep pool at a kids party. My aunt chatted with me after I sat back down, drenched from head to toe. She never realized I was wet. She never realized her nephew almost died two seconds ago. I didn't sleep that night.
-My dad coming out to watch my soccer games. He'd watch from the car, but he would always hoot and holler and honk his horn when I'd score a goal.
-Sitting with my dad as he took his last breaths on this earth.
-Snowball fights with my brother
-My mom telling me she accepted me no matter what and was proud of me
-Reaching the other side of the many struggles of my life, always emerging stronger than before.
Sitting on my granddad's lap while he read the paper and I read a book in the den of my grandparents' big, old house. It smelled like pipe tobacco and the fireplace in there, and had huge floor to ceiling bookshelves that seemed they were as tall as eternity. He died when I was 7. Last year (20+ years after his death), my grandmother gave my mother his old camera bag. When we opened it, it smelled exactly like the den. We both just hugged each other and cried (tearing up writing about it).
My father's change of command ceremony. He was in the Army and became a big deal, in a behind the scenes kind of way, and I am so proud to call him my dad. We sat down on the front row and, after a pass and review of hundreds of soldiers, remarks on how proud he was of the men and women in his brigade, and how our duties are to our faith, family, and country, he gave my sister and I challenge coins. He paused from giving this beautiful speech to walk and hug his family and it was just so great. Typically, the XO gives those to the kids of the outgoing commander but my dad had special ones made for us. In a move, the coins were lost, but the memory is still so special. It reminds me how much my parents love me and how lucky I am to have genuinely great parents. They've showed me how to love.
My first week of college and how filled with wonder, fear, and excitement I was. I'll never forget staying up late doing all of my reading (ha), playing video games with new friends (some who are lifelong friends but at the time were just strangers trying to make connections), my first big college party and all of the fun mischief that goes with it, and the feeling of missing home but knowing I was where I belonged at the same time. I still have that feeling, but we probably all do.
Breaking up with my girlfriend of 4 years awhile back. I didn't think I was creating a huge moment since we regularly checked in, I really just wanted to be sure she wanted to keep dating since we'd been together for awhile. I told her she meant the world to me and I was, as always, willing to do what it took. We were on the same team. It turns out she had been pondering a huge career change and didn't want to do distance for a year, but said she'd stay if I wanted her to. I told her that I couldn't keep her from her passions and dreams and she should go and that I'd be happy for her. I had to go to a very important formal event alone a few weeks later - totally blindsided, but it taught me a lot about love and life. My heart still hurts a little thinking about that but I know we both did the right thing.
My dog dying. He wandered off one night when we let him out (my family lives on a farm) and didn't return. I looked until sunset for him the next morning and just passed on the couch. Woke up after a 2 hour nap and started looking again. A neighbor found him, drowned, in a pond. We think a snapping turtle pulled him under and drowned him. My dad came home from a business trip and we all buried him together. We planted a tree over his grave and held each other, crying together. The dog moved many times with us, would check on us all at night while my dad was deployed, was often times my sister and I's only friend for awhile when we'd just moved somewhere new, and was an all around character. Again, this event taught me a lot about love and life. I miss him so dearly but am a better person for sharing life with him. Rest easy, Chip.
All of these things are related to learning how to be as good a person as I can, treating others as best I can and, whenever possible, loving others and myself in the best way that I can. I don't have a lot of money or many cool things, but I do have a profoundly blessed life.
Counting to 100 to my mom .. When I got to 100 I thought that was it, then she said "101, 102.." .. Blew my 4 year old mind
I miss her .. Lung cancer sucks
kaett ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:31:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
walking down a hallway with green walls and darker green carpet toward a small kitchen where my parents were. i wasn't quite 2 yet (and i only know that based on what my mom told me about when we'd lived in that house). it's my first "real" memory.
my first day at daycare... i remember that half the floor was wood/parquet, half was rough carpet. that was where i met the 3 kids who were my first friends, and one i still keep in touch with today (40 years later).
we spent christmases at my grandparents' house (fairly big family). i was the only grandchild (at the time), and someone had given me a big bunch of balloons to play with. i ran around the living room yelling "BALLOONS! BALLOONS! BALLOONS! BALLOONS! BALLOONS! BALLOONS! BALLOONS!" i remember thinking that was the best gift EVAR.
being on an airplane and my ears refusing to pop. i was screaming my head off in utter pain, my parents were trying to calm me, the stewardess was kneeling by my seat (they'd moved me over to the aisle) with a cup of water trying to get me to drink something so that the act of swallowing would pop my ears. i remember thinking "this is the one and only time i'm ever going to be able to get away with something like this in public, so i should milk this for all it's worth."
(ninja edit)
i was about 4 years old and in the car with my father, grandfather, one of my uncles and either my grandmother or one of my aunts. someone had given me one of those packets of chuckles candy (5 gumdrops in varying flavors). nobody EVER gave me candy and i wanted to hold onto it, savor it as long as i could. like any little kid, red was my favorite flavor. my grandfather looked over, pointed to the red one and said "ooh, can i have that one?" i didn't know how to answer, and tried to be nice and said "well i didn't want to open it just yet." my father told me "he asked for it, you have to give it to him." so i had to give up the red one. my father then asked me for the green one, my uncle asked for the orange one, my aunt asked for the yellow one... which left me with the black gumdrop which i knew was black licorice. i have always HATED black licorice. that feeling of "if someone asks for something you have to give it to them, and what you might want doesn't matter" has stuck with me all my life. and i still can't look at a pack of chuckles gumdrops without feeling that angst of having to give away a special treat that was supposed to be just for me.
My first memory, as far as I'm aware... I was around 3, wore dresses absolutely all the time. My older brother had an even older friend that was (I believe) from Africa. He would take me into my older sister's room and molest me. I have distinct memories of this happening 4 different times. He always got away with it because my dress was easy access. It was over ten years before I wore a dress again.
I was 13, lost my virginity to one of my sister's best friends. He was 22, I babysat his 3 year old son. We had tried twice before, but I always chickened out. He was never rude or pushy abkut it. As far as I was concerned, he was my first love. It ended up happening after he picked me up from a school dance, we went to a new neighborhood that was still being built. I lost it on a pile of plywood. We got Starbucks afterwards, and he scolded me for the self harm scars he'd felt. He's still very close to my family, my sister plays D&D with him and his new wife every week. This would have been 10 years ago.
I had three miscarriages as a teenager, at 14, 15, and 17. The first two, those were the days I found out I was even pregnant. I remember the pain, anguish, and utter self loathing so clearly it still hurts. My biggest fear in the world is that I won't be able to carry a child, but I'm far too afraid to go to a doctor to find out.
Being 16, planning on ending my life. I told my theatre teacher I wouldn't be back to school, and that I loved her and would always miss her. She gave me the biggest hug I've ever received, and told me I was more loved than I'd ever understand. So I told her I would be gone for awhile, but I'd come back. I told my theatre crew I was going to get myself put into a mental hospital to get help. We all cried and sang and loved. That was closing night of our fall production that year. I will forever thank my troupe for saving my life.
My childhood best friend texting me, asking if I'd be her maid of honor at her secret wedding. We'd known each other since I was 3, but we always lived cities away. We never stopped being friends, but I wouldn't say we stayed crazy close. The fact that she chose to ask me to be there with her still makes me smile.
Going to pick up my very first dog. I was 16, had dropped out of high school after getting out of the mental hospital mentioned above. I was living with an older guy who genuinely seemed to want to help me. He worked nights, and didn't want me to be alone. His parents had two old dachshunds that I adored. He had been keeping an eye out on Craigslist for anything that seemed right. One morning he woke me up and said I was going to have a wonderful day. We got into his car, drove for at least 45 minutes to get to this guy's house. I walk in, and there are wiener dogs everywhere. But I first noticed two tiny ones running around. I decided immediately I wanted the runt. I sat down in the living room, trying not to cry in front of a stranger, and watched the babies. The runt, a black and tan, was tearing through the house, eating paper. The other, a just slightly bigger red, waddled up to me, scrambled into my lap and fell asleep. His name is Bing (after Bing Crosby), he's 7 years old, and the absolute best thing to ever happen to me.
Last week, I escorted my mother via Amtrak to visit my father on the other side of the country. We were on the train for four days. He was supposed to take Friday off of work, but he ended up going in anyway. I was mad, because it was just one more time he disappointed me. His house sits on a canal connected to Cape Cod. I sat beside some railroad tracks, blared my music, and just soaked in the weather. It was almost 30degrees cooler than back home, the wind was blowing, the water was gorgeous. My soul felt warm for the first time in years.
foxdank ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:32:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my parents had me strapped in a seat on the back of their roadbike. They parked it with the kickstand and then walked away to go get something and I was begging them to come back because I could feel the bike was very unstably balanced and was liable to fall over. And it did while no one was around. I was hurt and crying but couldn't move because I'd been strapped to the seat, and when my parent got back they said it wouldn't have happened if i'd just sat still. Maybe 2 or 3 years old
The first time I wrote a word by myself: "mom". I took it out to my mom who was gardening and showed her, and she was so excited.
My mom taught me to draw Buster Bunny when I was 3. I do illustration for a living today.
My mom was trying on shoes at Macy's and I wandered off. I was probably 3. I remember going outside the store and then i couldn't get back in because the door was too heavy for me to pull open so i ran to another door, and another, and I couldn't get in any of them, so I started crying. A woman approached and asked me if I needed help, picked me up, and carried me to mall security. They asked me questions i didn't know the answer to like address, phone number. I remember enjoying talking to them. Eventually my mom arrived. She was upset with the situation , and told me that lady who rescued me should have never touched me.
Great question, btw.
Man, choosing just a few is hard. What I can recall well is not necessarily the ones that helped define and shape who I am.
When I was about 7 or so I was allowed to have pets beyond a fish. Four hamsteres died to do the cold (poorly insulated house, and hey... I was 7. I had no idea what I was doing), so I ended up with a Guinea Pig named Blackie. Because he was Black. I was 7, what can I say. Anyway, I had picked some fresh grass for him to eat as a treat and was trying to get him to eat it. He was more interested in exploring, but that did not deter my efforts to direct his head to the grass. After one last attempt he started twitching and shaking, then he laid still. I called my dad and explained, trying to understand what happened. Turns out 7 year old me had broken Blackie's neck and killed him. Yeah. Haven't thought about that in years, and now I am sorta sad.
We moved a lot since my dad was military. I never really made attachments to places, more to people. This will mean more later, but for now I want to make the point that I only really have emotional anchors on people, never places.
So... when my first "friend" when I was 12 to 14, a neighbor boy, when we moved to Alaska got a little... physical... I had no idea what was going on, but I didn't want to lose my "friend." I am very thankful that the abuse did not get explicitly sexual (I.E. clothes never came off, it was all "wrestling"), it did severely impact my social and emotional development. To this day I do not like touch from anyone but my wife. (Formerly the rest of my family. More on that later). Touch I allow is deeply connected to my trust of that person. So, a Pastor at my church whom I view as a mentor/father figure is someone I can go up to and give a hug to and be ok. I can accept hugs from "Church folk" in general and not visibly react. Internally I am very uncomfortable and want to leave. If I dislike you the most you will get is a handshake. Or a telling off.
When I finished all my finals for my first semester of college. I was homeschooled the whole way though primary school, so college was... a trip. I had to catch waaaaaaay up on social skills and such because my family was very insular. Looking back I can see now how messed up my home life was. At the time it was normal. But anyway, I finished finals, was walking back to my dorm and just let out a huge whoop. I was so pumped. I took 17.5 hours that semester and just OWNED it.
My first fiance ending our relationship. She did not know I was dealing with addiction to pornography, and that plus the pressure she was feeling from her dad prompted her to end things. Just before valentines, too. She later apologized, the next guy (who she married) her dad not approve of either, and she realized no guy would measure up in her dad's eyes. In the end this was a good thing, we would not have done well together, but man... I loved her so much. I was devastated and I went into a downward spiral for about two or three years. I walked away from my faith. I still believed in God, but I was pissed at Him and basically told Him to go screw Himself.
I guess I was about 25 or so. My mom was up in New England to bury her mother. She had spend about three months there just prior to take care of her dad. She had just found our like... days before Grammy died that dad was having an affair.
I mean... shit. This man I have looked up to, admired, was (almost) everything I aspired to be... he did what? It... it really messed with me. I knew that my dad was just a man. He had faults, believe me I could list them. But... that was just... he taught me what it meant to be a man. To live with honor and integrity. Just... I hate cussing, I do... but fuck that. I just... It's still hard to process even five years or so later.
I met my now wife on eHarmony. We were married within two months. Our three year anniversary is coming up soon. She has been so good and gracious to me. She has taught me what it means to really put the needs and desires of someone else above my own. (which... frankly, makes it even HARDER to understand my dad... sorry.) She was abused by family when she was very very young. Sometimes she still has nightmares and I have to hold her and pray over her and let her know that she is safe now. Those moments stand out to me. But I think what really is a core memory with her is sitting in the car of a motel parking lot (on a trip to see some friends get married) talking about spiritual warfare and such and experiencing God working in my life. Not going to go into detail since this is not a faith forum, but it redefined my faith in ways I am still working out. This poor ole Baptist Boy had no idea what God had in store for him...
My mom telling me over the phone that I was a mistake and she wished I had never been born. I don't recall what the issue was... I think I had asked for her opinion on something and she was tired of me asking her opinion and then doing something else entirely. I had to explain to her that I was an adult. I wasn't asking what to do, I was asking for input and advice. Not instruction. I was almost 30 and she had not let go of me as her child, I think. Anyway, she blew up on me. Totally lost it. She sent emails to me about my wife. I told her she was out of line. It devolved for about three days until she ended with "I wish you hadn't been born." Things along the line of me not being worth it. I think I began to see what happened to Dad... Anyway. Dad... disappointed me again. He taught me to either step in as a moderator or to back up my spouse. He did neither, and said he wanted nothing to do with the argument. Um. WTF? Am I not worth anything to you, either? You have the chance to be a voice of reason here. Or to at least show support to Mom, even if I disagree with you. This... pansy ass crap is retarded and not at all what I was taught. I lost a lot of my respect him because of that.
Wifey and I just moved into our first "together" home. It's a small 650 sq. ft apt, but it's new to both of us. She had moved into my studio apt (360ish sq. ft), when we got married, and ... it was cozy. Yeah. So we are moving in, we have a week of over lap on leases so I am taking my time with it to do it right. I guess four days in or so I am heading to bed while Wifey is watching NCIS or something on Netflix and I just stop. I see our bed, the makeshift walmart cube bookcase/headboard thing we set up, the little matched paintings we did as a date hanging above that, and I just get overwhelmed. Home. I was home after thirty plus years of never being anchored to any one place. This was home. We had our home bedroom, it was ours, it was safe, it was... holy? I don't know. I just... I was home. I pulled Wifey over and tried to explain. I think she understood.
This is longer than I intended. Sorry. But yeah. Some good. Some bad. I think I turned out pretty good.
JTH
These aren't in any particular order, just the order I thought of them in.
When I was 17 and my "sister" told me that I had actually been adopted by her mother and I was actually her daughter.
When I had a nightmare as a young child (maybe 4) and my father (actually my step grandfather) screamed at me for being scared and that I should be ashamed. He sent me to my room and my mother (grandmother) who usually protected me from his outbursts up to that point did nothing to comfort me.
When I converted from anti-theism to Christianity.
When my childhood crush finally showed interest in me after 3 years but when I asked him out he said he'd never date me. He's not been a part of my life since but he still shows up in my dreams almost weekly.
-Crying in the school toilets almost every day during lunch and recess for weeks at a time because I felt completely alienated by my peers (I was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder). It's always my first and strongest memory and 18 years later I still feel the shame and confused self hatred just about every time I cry.
-Rafting down this little creek in the middle of my tiny NZ town in a tiny blowup dingy with my brother and the best babysitter ever (thanks for the gigapet, Dan!)
-Staying up all night drinking mimosas with my mum then walking to get breakfast at 6am. I was 16 and we'd just moved to a new town where she had almost normal work hours and double the pay. It was the first real quality time we'd spent together in over 5 years and she's been my best friend ever since.
My headquarters is definitely run by Sadness. Don't wanna be a downer so I'm not going to list anything but most of my memories are of me getting embarrassed or made fun of. lol
Well, this is going to be a mixed bag but alright.
In the 6th grade I went climbing for the first time for my first girlfriend who was very into it. Trying to impress her I climbed as if it were no big deal. Didn't look down once, however the moment I finished I looked down. My legs started to shake and nearly wet myself. To this day I love climbing and have lost my fear, but gained a taste for the adrenaline from heights.
11 made lego "bombs" with best friend at the time. threw them on the ceiling to break and we woudl dodge and block and try to survive the hailstorm of legos and duplos.
Found my older sister drunk when I was 12, she was unconscious and drooling. She was laying in the middle of the road and my mom and I had to take a cab to the ER. She puked and the cab driver stopped and yelled. I punched him in the face. Luckily my mom was able to pay extra for the puke and punch. She had to get her stomach pumped.
Barricading myself in my room by shoving the cabinet and bed against the door. I had a kitchen knife with me. My dad and mom was abusive. Therapy helped and now both are great!
First real break up happened freshman year of high school. My SO at the time made a website for us with cute pictures and stories. We went long distance after a few months of dating. She emailed em screenshots of the website and took it down. I called my best friend and he and his SO hugged me while I cried.
My best friend and I moved the mattress to the living room and accidentally stayed up the whole night watching horror movies and playing video games. Making home made popcorn and grilled cheese and milkshakes. When we realized the sun came up we frantically went to sleep.
Kissed my current SO on the empire state building. We were walking around the city that never sleeps for the first time. It's near 1 am and not wanting to go back to the dorms I asked a police officer what there is to do here.
Made a fort with my current SO in the dorms lounge and stayed the night there.
Another fort in the SO's house, greatest fuck ever.
SO made a shadow box with everything that meant everything to me. Cried because of happiness for the first time in my life.
Some shit happened, suspended from the university, stuck in the hospital against my will "just to be safe". No way to communicate with anyone. Family halfway across the world. Made lifelong friends in the suicide ward and we stuck together, basically the breakfast club but rated R and a fuck load darker.
Spent the last day with SO before I had to leave, biking in Central Park, walking in a museum and held a butterfly, hugged goodbye.
I remember 2 very brief moments of my 2nd birthday party. I was in my Little Tykes Flinstone car (The one with the floor cut out) just cruising around my backyard. My memory then shifts to me infront of my Lion King cake. My Dad had grabbed my hand and made a handprint on the top corner of the cake. I have a picture, somewhere, of the cake with my handprint on it.
Red: Some kid was playing with a pen on the bus and managed to get ink all over himself, He then proceed to tell his parents that is was my fault and his parents confronted mine. My dad was pissed, kept yelling at me to tell the truth, I told him over and over but he would not believe me. It was the day I realized I hated my dad. (of course lots of other things happened before and after this event, but it was the moment of realization.)
Yellow: One night I was telling my friends how I thought my parents where going to get a divorce, then the next day my parents sat me down and told me they where getting divorced.
Blue, green: I had a crush on a girl in middle school, and as it was my first crush I had no idea how to act in these situations. I asked her out repeatedly, sent her notes, gave her gifts, nothing worked she was always nice to me so I did not understand why she kept turning me down. The moment of realization hit when on a bus to a X-Country meet, which I started doing just to be near her, I passed are a note which I had spent crafting. She got upset and just started yelling at me to leave her alone. I was petrified at the time and now look back on it with disgust in how I acted, I don't even know what I put her through.
Yellow: College, the whole experience. I grew so much in my four years of college. Made many good friends and relationships and had many great experiences. I learned so much about life in those years.
Mom and grandparents forgot to pick me up from daycare one night. I was this painfully shy, already anxious six year old and the teacher who got stuck staying late was slamming things around, complaining about my mom. Almost all the lights were off and I sat there for an hour, silent, certain she'd come take her anger out on me next. She didn't know we had moved in with my grandparents fleeing my mom's abusive boyfriend.
In Fourth grade I wandered down a hallway looking for a quiet place to read during recess and came upon the most popular girl in my class sobbing because her boyfriend told everyone she's a slut. After telling me all about her problems she said "You are so lucky no one notices you." That was news to me, it shook how I viewed myself for years afterwards.
Going to my dad's house after his only sibling died unexpectedly. The house felt oppressively lonely and angry, I was sure I wouldn't be able to breathe for the days I had to stay with him.
My first computer programming class, playing around with BASIC as a freshman in high school. It was uniquely satisfying.
Apparently none of them are good. Here are a few. When I was young I called a kid a retard. He was actually disabled and his dad let me have it. One time my uncle made me laugh so hard I pissed my pants and it was really obvious. The one time I blew up on an NCO for being a dumb fuck with the chaplain standing right there. Getting blonde highlights and wearing hawaiian shirts all through middle school. All of my core memories are cringe.
Sharkoh ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:49:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-my earliest ever memory is my brother and I hauling a big ass plastic bin full of Lego up from the basement and then dumping it all on the living room floor.
-I also remember pooping my Batman pajamas and then hiding behind the couch because I knew mom would be mad. I did say "look mom I have a tail" tho because it was a pretty stiff shit that poked out.
-I remember my dad showing me all of his meticulously hand painted WarHammer 40k miniatures and him regaling me with all their back stories.
-I remember my mom crying on the phone and telling her sister to come pick up my brother and I while we watched helicopter news footage of my dad having crashed the family car on a bridge while intoxicated
-I remember going to British Columbia to visit my grand parents and almost drowning in the lake, but my brother dove in and saved me
When I was 10, my dad came back from lawyering downstate with a story about a Leprechaun he met at the bottom of a rainbow named James Stanfield. He had pictures of the rainbow and oddly enough, pictures of "James" (that still had the Google search bar on the top of the image where he had typed in "leprechaun" lol). My younger brother and I, of course, didn't buy the story, until he told us had stolen James' treasure chest. We started freaking out a little like, "no way Dad, no WAY you met a leprechaun and stole his chest!" But after he said it was buried under a ton of clothes in his closet, we ran upstairs and started digging through his stuff and to our surprise, there was literally an antique chest with the name James Stanfield right on it! He had all these riddles for us to solve that James had given him, each one resulting in a clue that would help solve the next, eventually leading to the code word that would open up James' treasure chest. After a couple hours of fun and a continuously growing belief that this could be a REAL leprechaun's gold, we finally finished the last riddle revealing the password, B00KS. We opened the chest to find a whole bunch of stuff my dad had bought for us, from binders for the upcoming school year, to games we could play, to books we could all read and talk about. It was one of the coolest things that I've ever experienced, and looking back, it's great to see how much we were loved. Family is so cool. I can't wait to make it a tradition and do the same for my future kids :)
A few months post divorce, my Dad was a wreck. Colorful years, these were for me. I would see him on weekends. He would pick me up and I would accompany him to work (night shift, tape backup admin). He would be working in the main computer room all night while I would explore the bank. I would go in offices, look at peoples' pictures, eat candy from the dishes by the teller booths, and play with the books of matches that were complimentary on the tables where you fill out deposit slips. Part of his job was to close and lock vaults on the way out. During the shifts I would go into the safety deposit box vault and pretend I was some kind of robber. I would also try to navigate across the main office area without tripping the motion sensors (an amber light would come on on the camera if I moved too fast). I would pretend I was James Bond or somebody.
A few years later, my Dad had gotten out of the Bank gig and was transitioning to a new job as an electrician. Same visitation arrangement Friday 5PM until Sunday 5PM. He had moved into a family farmstead outside of our hometown. The truck would pull up 5PM sharp (my dad is never late). I would fight tears every time. Sometimes, I couldn't help but cry when it was time to go with Dad. It wasn't that he routinely hit me or was a purposeful hurtful jerk, he just was moody, cold, and very much emotionally unavailable. He would come to the door, my mom would hand him my weekend gym bag full of clothes and we would get on the road. Silence. Still fighting the tears. I remember all I could think about during this time was how soon Sunday would come. We would arrive at the farm house, I would put my bag in my room, and my dad would start dinner. This was before I got into reading books, so I mainly just played with whatever was there. I remember we had a boardgame from the 90's with a telephone in the middle of it. It was for girls. I still found a way to amuse myself with the game. Anyway, the core CORE memory of all of this is about to begin: One weekend my Dad had to stop at his brother's house before we headed out of town. My cousin, who was 3 years older than me at this point (I had to be 8 she had to be about 11 or 12) was playing in the driveway. She is very intelligent. Evidently she was then too. I ask my dad if she can join us for the night on the farm. She's standing right there. She knows there's nothing to do there, but she doesn't really show any emotion about the idea. We could play in the barns, the corn crib, the chicken coop, but that would get old fast. Not the most exciting prospect for her preteen imminent self (she socially developed early, I think she already had a "boyfriend"). My Dad says its fine. I am too young to know it or realize it, but my 12 year old, emotionally intelligent cousin is well aware of my situation. She knows about the divorce, how hard it had been and how much pain I was going through at the time. I am not expecting her to want to come stay the the night one bit, but she shrugs her shoulders and says "I don't care." I cannot recall many times where I was so overwhelmingly overjoyed, excited, and happy that she decided to come. At the time I felt like I would have to sell it to her, like I would have to coerce her to come and keep me company. Now I know that she was way ahead of me. She came out of love. She put someone else before herself, and she was 12. I don't even remember what we did, I'm sure it most defintely wasn't the best time for her, but I was just so happy to have somebody there to keep me company.
Thanks Mel. I love you, and will NEVER forget this.
When I was 7 or 8 my dad and his brothers where working on a old nova i wanted to help out (hand them tools and such) he told me to fuck off and go inside the women.
When I was 9 I wanted a computer but my dad said I was stupid and would just mess one up so no. As i was pouting in my room my mom brought in 3 of his old broken computers and said "you're father's just being an ass. You can admit defeat or use these and build your own" i had a new computer by the end of the next day.
My dad got angry at my little sister and pushed her into a wall when I was 14 so I smashed my right fist into his jaw knocking him out cold. Looked at mom and said we are packing his bags or mine. I was so proud of her when the divorce was finalized.
DadKush ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:03:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandfather was the police chief for our city for a very long time. When he retired he was granted a key to the city and a small wooden token, that whenever he took it to a McDonalds, he was known to always go to, he would get a free BigMac. He use to pick me up, we would cruz in his old Cadillac and go get some burgers. We would bond over something so simple, but every time I get a BigMac, I always do think of him.
StePK ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:03:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Meeting my girlfriend for the first time. I was 15, she was 13. We were at camp. I was putting on my "trying to be cool because I don't know anyone" persona. She hated me and thought I was a dick. I wasn't fond of her because she was kind of full-on dumb blonde.
Over the next few days we really connected and became best friends as we both let down our false faces and acted like ourselves around each other. We fit together like a puzzle piece.
Then we went home. She lived in a different state. I asked her out, but there was no way I could see her for at least a year, and regular dates were out of the question. Nobody thought we'd stick together.
1.) My two sisters and I all shared a queen-sized bed when we were little. One night at bed-time, my mother tucked us in and told us that she and my dad wouldn't always be around, and that our sisters were our best friends and the most important thing in the world. That's one of my earliest memories
2.) My sister was in a car accident which left her wheel-chair bound for several months. When my sister was still in the hospital, as she was drifting to sleep, she told me, "our mom loves us so much." Our mother had been by her side every single day, and hadn't left the hospital even once. For some reason it was when I really felt the weight of how much our parents loved us.
3.) My grandpa, on his deathbed, pulled me in for my very last hug. When we pulled away, he took both of my hands in his with tears in his eyes and said, "I'm not gonna forget you, babe." I still don't know what exactly he meant (he was going to heaven and would look out for me? when he was sick he wouldn't forget who I was?) but the way he said it was with so much love that it's been burned in my brain ever since.
4.) I was sick with some sort of virus one day. I was throwing up every 20 minutes so I couldn't keep any liquids down which made me dehydrated/a little delusional. I was naked, on the toilet, and vomiting into a bowl while my boyfriend rubbed my back and helped me get cleaned up. That was when I realized he was in it for the long-haul and that I could trust him with anything.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:09:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mom blasting "Higher Love," by Steve Winwood, while cleaning the house on a random Saturday. The smell of Pinesol is strong with that one.
My dad spending one of my birthdays giving me presents all day. It was just me, him and my mom all day, and every hour or so I would get another present.
My mom packing her cigarettes in the morning and it annoying THEE fuck out of me. Later on during my smoking phase, I would realize why exactly she did this.
Going to a diner with my parents when I was super young, on a rainy Saturday morning and walking through the kitchen because my dad didn't realize it wasn't an entrance.
My dad surprising me on a Monday morning, with a hundred stuffed animals that he won at one of those claw machines inside of the bowling alley that he was apart of a Sunday night league at.
My parents buying their first house. I was only 4, but I remember leaving the crowded condo we lived in and one of the older kids in the complex giving me a giant box's worth of MicroMachines.
I have a ton more, but its just because I'm afraid of getting Alzheimer's one day, so I take inventory of these memories A LOT so I don't lose them.
Great question! These ones are in chronological order.
First day in a new school, trying to make friends with a boy when he told me to "just go away". Ouch!
Building a huge lego skyscraper with my friend. That thing was amazingly tall, almost reaching up to the ceiling. We were building it for weeks, and it was great!
Making my first ever computer program on Liberty BASIC - it asked for your boss' name, and then told you that it sounded dumb. That's when my interest in computers sparked! I was about 9 or 10 back then.
My mom not letting me go to a field trip that I was extremely excited about. I was looking forward to it for months, had her OK for the entire time, and on the day before the trip she suddenly tells me I can't go because of some bullshit. I was heartbroken
Showing my videogame to my classmates. I made it completely from scratch and worked on it during roughly 9 months, all by myself. They loved it! Game development was my main hobby since then.
Going on a week-long school trip in a rural area across the country (as a part of the school program). Even though my parents were strongly against it and refused to pay for it, I was old enough (18) to pay from my own pocket and go anyways. It was my first time being away from my family for more than a day, and I had the time of my life!
when I was in grade 2, my parents had just told me they were getting a divorce and my friend and I were sitting in the library feeling like shit because our parents were the only ones split up in the whole grade
around the same age, my family was having a party and I was hanging out at the basketball court with older girls, trying to impress them. One of them said, "raise your hand if you like Barney," and, as an avid Barney fan, I proudly raised my hand. They proceeded to make fun of me until I ran off crying, I never watched Barney again.
One night at my dads, he came up to say good night and he was so drunk he fell on top of my sister. I got really mad at him and my siblings got mad at me for making a big deal out of it. It was the first time I realized he was an alcoholic and they were in denial.
The first time I got dumped, in grade 11. It wasn't a long or invested relationship by any means, but after we broke up I discovered Bon Iver, and I experienced that exhilarating thrill music can give you for the first time. I've discovered so much more amazing music since then and felt so many more feels, but I'll never forget the first time music was able to make me feel bigger than myself.
when my dad went back to jail for drinking and driving, and I went in alone to visit him. It was the first time I'd ever seen him cry, he was in an orange jumpsuit and we were talking through a screen, I remember thinking it was just like the movies. I asked him to stop drinking, for us, his kids. He said he would. He never did.
when I was sitting in the grocery store parking lot with my sister after school, we lived alone just me her and my brother because my mom was out west working. I got a call saying I'd been shortlisted for a full ride to my dream school. I later went on to win the scholarship, but I remember sitting in my car and feeling for the first time that I was actually gonna make it out.
I realize these might not sound like the happiest core memories, but I really did have a happy upbringing and life. A lot more good than bad.
I wasn't born in the US, so English isn't my native language. About a month after moving to the states, I was enrolled into a nearby elementary school. New places, new friends, SNOW; I was so excited for everything!
My first day of school, I walked into a small classroom and was brought to my seat by the teacher who knew I couldn't speak English. The moment my butt hit that chair, homesickness finally kicked in. I bawled my eyes out, realizing I couldn't understand a word anyone was saying nor could they understand me.
It might have been a few minutes, but to me it felt like days! Finally, the teacher put her hand on my shoulder and pointed to one of the computers at the back of the room. She brought me there along with a girl. GIRL. GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL. WHO DIS. SO PRETTY.
Forget about homesickness, I was in Puppy Rainbow Town now. "Sobrang maganda!"(way too pretty!) kept repeating in my brain to the point that I'd forgotten she was showing me how to use a computer.
I don't even remember the rest of the day because of her. Unfortunately, I still didn't know English so I spent 1st-5th grade in ESL
The first time Papa thought I was old enough to go fishing with him. He was the only father figure in my life and ended up passing when I was 11 but I will always be great full for our fishing trips together. Im a tom boy because of him and at 33 I dont think that will ever change.
Oh... and my swear word control panel definitely got an upgrade on one of our fishing trips when I was about 9. His fishing line got tangled and my control panel got an immediate upgrade that day!
At 7, lying in bed after dinner, hearing my parents yell across the dining room table at each other. My mother never usually let my father's nasty words upset her but this one time they did. I thought they were going to divorce.
At 8, my dad came back from over-the-road trucking with gifts from Vegas. He gave me a porcelain baby doll. I was so happy to get a gift from my father, even though I was well past baby dolls, I cherished it.
My older sister followed my mom around the house, complaining incessantly until my mom came to me,
crying, begging me to do whatever so that my sister would stop. At 15, it was the second time I'd ever seen my mother cry and it bewildered me. I swore that I'd never be as selfish as my sister.
At 23, finally gathering the courage to break off my engagement and chase my dreams instead of settling.
At 24, going home to visit my family and seeing my siblings with their children. Realizing we're adults and this is life now. One day we'll get old and I'll see them die.
Well if we're going by the definition in the movie, a core memory is an important memory that influenced something that became a fundamental part of your character. With that in mind, mine are the following:
The first time I saw Iron Man. I found myself very attracted to Tony Stark. As a 13-year-old boy, this was confusing for me, and would end up being not only the first indication I got that I was Bisexual, but also fostered my love of superheroes and comic books.
Getting caught by my dad at age 5 having dumped my spaghetti down the space between the couch and the wall. He told me then that whatever you do, you should be prepared to explain to someone why you'd done it. That I should never do something without first knowing why.
The first time I played Dragon Age: Origins. Once again, slightly after the Iron Man occurrence, I found myself attracted to a male character in a work of fiction. I used Dragon Age's romance mechanic as a proxy through which I could explore a homosexual relationship, and it helped me hugely in coming to terms with my sexuality.
My first date with my SO. It was nine years ago, I was twelve and she was 13. We were going to get bubble tea but when she showed up, she told me that she couldn't have bubble tea because of her braces. Instead, we walked circles around a local park for hours, getting to know each other. Nervously forming our first romantic bonds. I can't say that at such a young age, I knew we'd be together forever, but that day felt right in a way no day has felt before or since. I'll always treasure the day love became part of my life. We're still going strong at 21 and 22.
Decided to do chronological, just the first few memories that I think really shaped me. These are more from 10 and up. I've got a thing for dates.
May, 2005:One of my greatest and most vivid memories is when I got my first dog (not the first my family owned), Belle. Of coming off the bus and seeing my grandma and my mom standing there with this 3 year old, beautiful Cavalier who I just instantly knew was going to be mine. She helped me a lot for the 7 years I had her.
October 19, 2010: Going to to see Enter Shikari, which was at the height of my obsession with them, at Gramercy Theater in NYC. I was center stage, pressed right against the barricade, and they played most of the songs from Common Dreads, my favorite album, and I still label it as one of the best days of my life.
July 4th, 2012: Belle died. I had to make the decision to put her down and I remember my father and I driving full speed to the emergency vet and my dog, completely out of it, drooling heavily on my chest. I was drenched. I hated sitting there with him after she was taken away to be wrapped up. What was worse is, when I got home, my best friend at the time had driven over to my house and was crying with me on the house. I went to go wipe an eye boogie out of her eye (automatic reaction, I was/still am paranoid about those big bug eyes of there's getting an infection), and it didn't close, obviously, and I lost it again. Huge thunder storm and huge downpour of rain that night on LI also, my dad was digging the grave in it. It was quite dramatic.
October 28th, 2013: Got my heart broken by my current SO. We were FWB at the time, and had only been seeing each other for two and a half months but fuck, I really liked him. I was only 18 and he was 25. He wanted to start seeing another girl his age. Cue two more months of insane drinking, and a lot of Molly use. We got together, ironically after this girl ended up breaking my nose.
February, 2014: After two or so weeks in of dating my current SO, we came back from a night out and went to have sex and it turned it making love. It was normal, under the covers, super vanilla sex but something about it was so different. Afterwards, just laying back and hearing him say, "Holy shit."
Probably too late but my brother passed away four years ago (I'm 26 now) but when I was 12 he was 9 and we were playing little league and playing for the local championship when we were down by 5-4 with one out and a runner on 3rd in the bottom of the sixth. When my brother comes up to bat and smacks a ball down the first base line scores the run and ends up with a double. The next batter comes up and strikes out and starts crying like he would typically do so it is now my turn to hit and I come up and hit one to the gap and my brother scores and we win the game. I remember running and tackling my brother and being so happy. Yeah that is a core memory. Fun Fact: it was probably in our interest to lose that game as it would have given us a 2 seed and a significantly easier bracket to play through but would never change it.
The day our family moved from NJ to WI when I was 5. I just remember all of our boxes and furniture out on the duplex lawns and the neighbor lady turned her sprinklers on for having stuff on her part of the lawn.
The time I hurt my sister outside and my mom literally chased me around the yard until she tackled me like I was a "fan on the field".
When I got accepted into UW-Madison.
Alcohol withdrawals...how it feels, looks, even tastes.
The feeling of warmth, a cool breeze, and the sound of waves crashing on a beach during rehab where it finally hit home how much I was missing out on life.
First time I saw my fiance sitting in a froyo shop. I was late for our date, and within 1 minute of meeting her I had to run to the bathroom because I had drank so much tea.
My one year sober day and going to watch the NYR play in Nashville to celebrate.
The first time I ate brussel sprouts with honey and bacon at my favorite restaurant.
Where and when she said yes.
Random selection I know, but they were the ones that popped up first.
Meeting my dad when I was 4. I remember the dress I picked out for it (it was also my birthday) and I remember standing in ants and he saved me from them. I also called him Robert because ya know, I was 4 and didn't know what "dad" was. I also got like 5 Barbies that year. It was pretty sweet.
Playing with my brother outside when we were probably 7 (me) and 4 around our newly made clubhouse in rural Louisiana. Our neighbors had mean dogs and I had seen that they'd escaped the fence so I ushered my little brother in the fort (it honestly was a few boxes and blankets far from the house in the backyard) because I knew we didn't have time to make it to the house before the dogs would reach us and probably attack us. We sat huddled in the fort hugging each other really tight as we heard the dogs arrive at out fort and actually start fighting amongst themselves just feet away. We fought a lot as kids but after that we had kind of a turning point and got along a lot more.
Swimming in my step dads house during the summer listening to the radio with my brother and step siblings all day. I can't even hear No Doubt songs anymore without faintly smelling chlorine.
The day my best friend completely rejected me because of the person I started dating. That was my biggest heartbreak.
The day my mom brought me home a GameBoy Advance. It was me and her and we were really broke and living in a garage apartment at the time (exactly what it sounds like) and our landlords let her keep rent the month of my birthday to be able to buy me something. I was so ecstatic.
Sharing reeses peanut butter cups with my dad when he would take me to work with him on the road. He drove a semi and we would buy the king size and each eat one at the start of the trip and the last two when we arrived where we were going.
Walking to the store in England when I lived there for pence candy.
Playing Harry Potter characters on the front lawn with my best friend and getting yelled at because she was Muslim and we weren't supposed to be doing shit like that.
Driving to my second foster home with my younger brother and watching the trees go past.
Having sex with my first love in her bedroom one night. I went down on her and I remember looking up at her and her grabbing my hair.
Holding my mom's hand as she died in the hospital.
My first big episode of depression in August of 2014.
My first panic attack. The first of many.
The most recent: a wonderful night spent playing Minecraft. I didn't care about anyone or anything or any emotions other than content at that time. At 26, I've finally found my escape.
miss_2 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:23:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
being accused of stealing my 7 year old cousins mobile phone by her dad because I had asked to borrow lunch money from him
the first night my mum had a panic attack x schizophrenic episode
mum getting into the car as I watched through the window
my dad taking my sister and i out to the beach and playing frisbee in the water, laughing hysterically (for some reason) every time we missed it
my sister and i (4 & 6 yo) locking ourselves in the toilet when we were looked after by a family who's older kids would bully us
Zea1ot ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:23:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข The day I flipped off my dad. I was around seven and on this particular day he had me doing a bunch of chores and eventually I got fed up with it, I was down the hall when he asked me to do something else and where I was standing the wall was blocking his direct line of sight from me. I flipped him off and the moment I did he stood up and said "What did you just do?" I was horrified and flabbergasted at how he knew what I had done. After my whoopin' I later found out he saw me through the reflection of the sliding glass door
โข I was 10 and my brother was 5, our family had literally just gotten our keys to our new apartment and after moving in the first piece of furniture my little brother says "I'm not feeling so good" and proceeds to projectile vomit pink stuff onto the white carpet
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:23:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Pooping my pants on the weekend at the elementary school down the street from my house.
Listening to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens with my dad in his old blue truck. Maybe I don't remember this entirely but my dad used to tell me the story so often about how it was the first song I ever learned the words too and would do the entire "a wheem a whack" and all the high pitch parts instead of singing the lyrics sometimes.
My mother throwing me my first pitch at my last teeball game when all the other kids had their fathers do it because my dad worked late nights(she fucked it up hardcore and i never got to hit a pitch from their dad like other kids did that night).
Watching Child's Play, Alien, and tons of other scary movies with father from a young age. I think I watched Child's play at 6 years old. he had a very "he can handle it" attitude about scary movies and adult stuff. I had full reign of HBO from like 10 years old. I can still remember watching A Clockwork Orange at a young age and being like "I LOVE VIOLENCE" lol, mother hated it, father found it hilarious.
Ohh god so many more. I should write them down, probably mostly anger/fear lol because it would explain why I am not a happy person.
The first time I "kissed" my wife. We were friends and we were drinking at my cottage, we had ended up on the stairs outside and I know she wanted to kiss so I kept leaning and and back out playfully.
When I was 4 I had to get treatment because my brain did not produce growth hormones. So I had to start taking injections every day (till I was 22). Like Lionel Messi.
I was so afraid of needles so my parents were not able to give it to me. They took me to my doctor, they pinned me down and gave me the injection. I'll never forget that feeling of being helpless and not protected by my parents.
When I was 10 a had tooth hanging on it's root. Since I was afraid of anything happening to my teeth (still to this day) I hesitated in just picking it out.
So one day we visited my dentist and she checked everything. At the end she asked me about said tooth and 'just wants to check, stay for a moment longer please'.
I knew something was up, she picked something out of a drawer and suddenly I was pinned down AGAIN and they just pulled it out.
When I was 7 we visited a soccer game of a local club in my hometown. I just derped around on my own and flipped over a goal on the side. I impaled myself (or rather my shirt) and got thrown into the air. So I was hanging there with my shirt above the post and myself attached to it.
I cried and got chocolate after.
The death of my uncle. The night before I had to go to the hospital for a check up regarding my hormone treatment I was in my bed and our phone rang. I heard my parents leave the house just minutes after. I pretend to be asleep but I knew something bad happend.
Next morning I ask my mom what happened, she said 'your uncle had a heart attack'. Nothing more. But I knew something was up. So I said 'well at least he isn't dead'. Turns out he was but they did not want to tell me because they were afraid that it might affect my health on that day.
I never visited his grave or the funeral. I still miss him, but I can't get myself to his grave.
Watching my club win the Bundesliga in 2004. I was never happier in my entire life.
I still know what I wore (club shirt with #10 Micoud, scarf, shorts and sunglasses) and what we did the whole day. I even know what I ate the entire day.
Holidays with my friends at 17 years old. We visited France and some part of the ocean had 'sea urchins' around. Like with signs and shit.
We made fun of it before jumping in like 'yeah, sure, how high are the chances of...' I stepped on one in that exact moment. I fell down, pushed myself up with my hands and touched another one with my right hand.
My friends almost drowned because they couldn't stop laughing.
Watching my friend die. When I was 18 one of my closest friends of that time from school jumped down a bridge while we were leaving a party. He asked us if we felt something about this day earlier. We said 'no, nothing special, do you?'
We said goodbye (he had to go over the bridge, we did not) to him and heard a scream seconds later. We turned around, saw his jacket on the edge and him no where around. We called the police and they found his body beneath it.
We found out after that his girlfriend betrayed him, told her parents he raped her and they told his parents. They did not believe their own son and he was still a virgin. He told us everything about his girlfriend acting weird and stuff but we never bothered to ask direct questions about it, since everyone had trouble with girls in that age.
To this day we still blame ourself somehow for it (we know better, but you know, 'what if we..?').
Realizing I was on the way to being a sociopath, and that my manipulative behavior had destroyed my relationship. (Age 15)
Fighting about joining kendo classes with my sexist mother. The fight ended with her being held back by my step-dad. (Age 16?)
Standing outside my apartment, hearing what sounded like the angriest dog I've ever heard in my life. I got halfway up the steps when I realized that motorcycles sound a lot like angry dogs if it's dark. (Age... 23?)
Looking in the mirror and realizing I was female. To this day, this is the first thing I can remember. (Age 3)
Hearing the life story of someone I used to know. Getting to the semifinals of a tournament I almost skipped, and the cute boy I was into meeting us to celebrate. Biking around downtown with the sun on my face and him at my side. (Age 21, Age 23, Age 25)
I have a lot honestly but these stick out to me:
โขthe first time I witnessed my mom having a seizure. I was 8, heard a loud bang when she fell from her bed and ran from my room to see her. I, obviously not knowing what to do and not even knowing what was happening, called my uncle since he lived a couple doors down and cried until she stopped and woke up. She didn't know who I was for 10 minutes and I sat crying until her memory came back and she held me and told me how much she loved me and that she never wanted me to see that happen. My mom has had epilepsy since 2000, a year after my sister died and I hadn't known about it for 5 whole years of my life. It really changed the way I saw my mom and we've been extremely close since.
โข my 18th birthday, my best friends and I stayed at one of their houses after my mom threw me a party. My friend's parents were out of town and we sat in her room and blasted horrible music and took shots. I was barely drunk but my friends were waaaay past their limit but spent that entire night by my side laughing, reassuring me that I was a good person, telling me that the guy I liked would definitely like me back and our date would go well (and we did get together and are still together!). it's one of the fondest memories I have of them. Also of them sitting in my drive way while we set off the little hand held sparklers.
โขI went to the Philippines with my grandparents and my dad and my dad spent the entire vacation with his friends there and forgot all about our trip we were gonna take to Disneyland in China. I was really disappointed but my cousin who is much like a sister to me spent the entire 2 weeks I was there with me exploring and trying new food and sitting on our house roof top looking at stars.
โขthe first time my now boyfriend told me he loved me. He had said he might be in love with me before and it made my entire head spin and that night, at 4 am in his car in the parking lot outside work he held me and told me he loved me and I kissed him before I even replied to him.
โขwhen my grandpa on my mom's side passed away I didn't go to school for 2 weeks. i spent the entire time brooding but also spent it with my family as we all talked about how much he meant to us and how much he did for us. around that time my mom also nearly committed suicide but my family managed to stop her. she was under an insane amount of pressure and my grandmother was making it worse on her telling her it was her fault. in the end my mom held me again and told me how much everything hurt but she would never leave me like that.
The day my mom drove out of the house after fighting with my dad and crying about how none of us (kids and husband) appreciated her. The hour she was gone was one of the scariest hours of my life. I was 6.
cmd_bat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:46:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
today i have learned my core memories are not good.
Hey, not everyone's lead emotion is Joy, but Riley's mum's lead emotion was Sadness, and her dad's was Anger, and they're still happy. Just because something shapes you, that doesn't mean it has to define you.
Slntskr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:46:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents were going out to eat and the sitter was coming over. My mom carried me upstairs and changed my diaper. She must have been all dolled up or something but how her face looked is how I always imagine her. I must have been 2 because at 3 we lived in a single story for a few years.
I was eating dinner with my family and they let me use my own fork in the high chair. I was trying to show off to my older sister that I could use it. We had goulash. It felt good when my sister smiled. Now I'm crying. Young emotions are so strong.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:47:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
krupu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:51:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Isn't it counter-clockwise from the other side though? If your point of view is in the middle it's neither?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:00:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
krupu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, it's just something I've always been baffled by. Thanks for confirming my suspicions.
loridee ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:53:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have very clear core memory. I was 5 years old. I loved Snoopy. We went to the supermarket and they had a raffle going on and you could win a huge stuffed Snoopy. It was huge. Taller than me. I was so excited. We were going to win! Except we didn't and the day we went to the supermarket and I realized Snoopy was gone and not going to go home with me I sobbed and sobbed. I remember following my Dad around the store and sobbing "he's gone, Daddy, he's gone!". I remember my Dad talking to the manager of the store while I was sobbing. I got a big box under the Christmas tree that year, wrapped in red foil wrapping paper. My older sister whispered "I think that's Snoopy!". I couldn't believe it could be so. I opened it like it contained breakable glass. It was Snoopy.
It wasn't until I was older that I made the connection, my dad talking to the manager to find out where to get the stuffed Snoopy.
I kept it and it was my closest companion. My reading spot, my pillow, my horse, my crying spot. Finally I started to outgrow Snoopy. It was grey and torn and the filling was lumpy. I took it out into the backyard to try to wash it and it turned into a sodden, sad looking lump. It ended up disappearing from the back yard. Nothing was ever said but I suspect my mother bagged it up and put it out for the trash. I think I knew that but didn't want to talk about it. By that point in time things had changed and my dad wasn't someone I could look up to any more.
My parents were not good parents to their children. They really weren't but this one time, and the only time in my life, my dad came through and was a hero. He ended up distancing himself from his kids and eventually abandoning us but this one time, he was there.
My mom was killed in front of me when I was 2. When I was about 4, I remember telling my adult cousin about the circumstances and realizing that I wasn't supposed to know those things.
Making friends on the first day of school because we'd worn the same dress and all knew how to tie our shoes.
Spent the day with my adult cousin shopping for her "nieces". We picked out the best stuff and were surprised to receive it as gifts the next day.
Returning from summer vacation to learn we'd moved.
My HS dance team was doing our spring show. At the booster club / parents' meeting, they had them write cards for us. My dad wrote "You disappoint me sometimes, but I still love you." I hadn't been in trouble or done anything wrong in recent memory. He just had a rough way of communicating affection. For a long time, I carried that card with me everywhere as a reminder to be better.
Seeing the pain in my dad's face when Grandma died and recognizing that he'd been a little boy with a mommy once.
Unplanned pregnancy at 27. Terrified, frustrated and disappointed. Miscarriage 3 months later. Devastated in a way I never thought possible.
On the way to get our marriage license, we passed a broke down van with a small woman trying to push it alone. Cars were aggressively rushing around her. My (now) husband didn't hesitate to pull over, push the van out of the way, offer her (and the 4 kids in the van) a ride and any other help they needed.
Hearing my dad brag about my son's development.
Spending a day with my dad teaching me leather tooling last year. It was the first time we'd spent "quality time" together in my life. Easily one of the best days of my life so far.
Crying alone in my car outside of an HEB the day after my dad died. The house was full of friends and family ready to support me. Emotionally, I've always thought of myself as an open book. I just couldn't bring myself to lose it over that in front of other people.
My toddler looked at me and said "I love you Mommy" and gave me a kiss about a week ago.
So much pain in your life, but I read happiness within there too, and I suppose that is what life is all about. I've always enjoyed the phrase "may you have enough rain, so that you can appreciate the sun." It honestly sounds like you've had more than your share of rain, but you've not lost the ability to enjoy the good in life. Thank you for sharing.
I like that quote. I almost feel guilty for how much my pain appears to almost outweigh my happiness. I do think hardships have shaped a lot of who I am, but I'm pretty content with my life right now. I think that it's just eased this direction, rather having significant events that led here though.
Tl;dr - best friend was moved across the country suddenly by her mom, in the middle of a school day. Thought it was my fault for years.
This'll be buried, in sure, but it messed me up for a long time. Legally, it wasn't a kidnapping, because it was done by her mother, who at the time was in a custody fight with her grandparents that hadn't been officially settled. She lived with her grandparents then, next door, and we'd known each other all our lives (were 8 at the time) and rode the bus to school together. Her grandmother knew there was some stuff potentially going down, and told me to keep an eye on her, make sure she was on the bus home, etc. It was my job to make sure she was safe.
One day after school, she wasn't on the bus. She was nowhere to be found. I freaked out and refused to let the bus leave without her. After an epic tantrum, they brought me into the office to call my friend's grandma, who told me to get on the bus and they'd explain when I got home. Turns out hey mother signed her out of school and moved 3,000 miles away. No notice. I thought it was my fault, because I was supposed to make sure she was there, and she wasn't.
I didn't see her again for two years, when she finally came back to visit. 8 years after leaving, she moved back with the grandparents. We managed to become best friends again, like when we were little. I finally realized it wasn't anything yu do with me, just a crappy family situation, but it still left me with a lot of trust issues and difficulty making friends (assumed they'd all be taken from me). Almost twenty years ago, and I remember every detail of that day.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:11:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age 3-5 I had this recurring vivid dream that if I stood on top of a wall/the stairs/ any sort of height, closed my eyes, whispered "1, 2, 3" and jumped, I'd be able to fly. Now, there came a day when I felt the need to determine if I did indeed have this superpower, spent 3 hours in A&E with a broken ankle having basically thrown myself down the stairs. Life's magic died a little bit that day
The core memories are objects of major importance in Inside Out. Like all memory orbs, core memories represent past events of Riley's life. However, they have a much greater importance than usual memories. They represent key moments that have defined Riley's current personality. Core memories appear brighter than any other memory and power each Island of Personality.
Basically: What are your strongest memories that make you who are you?
When I was a little kid (like, 5 or 6), my dad had a couple of strokes due to the chemo he was receiving for a brain tumor. He was paralyzed from the waist down and lost a lot of motor skills and speech skills as well. I remember one afternoon, leaving my grandparents house (he and my mom had divorced, pre-tumor and they were his caretakers through the whole process) and I reached down to give him a hug in his recliner. His skin was always cold, but he hugged me back and I heard him stammer out "I love you." I'm getting married in 10 months to an amazing woman that I know he would have loved, and I miss him every day.
- Receiving a Gameboy from my father when he got home from the Navy
- Going to Mexico a LA a road trip with my favorite cousin and my parents
- Starting School and doing well
- My first time I had a surgery I could remember. It had me go blind for about a week and it was to help correct my blind eye. I was really scared at first.
- Adopting my first dog with my father
- Having friends that helped me stand up to my bullies
- My father bringing home a cat
- My mother and I cooking breakfast for the first time
Completing Pokรฉmon Silver
Playing Video games with my now best Friend
Grappling a blue belt while me beat his ass as a orange belt
- A congenital defect we discovered rendered me to not do jiu jitsu and I am basically limited to walking
- during this down time I discovered I love art
- My sister rushing me to the emergency room and running a ton of red lights
- Taking road trips with my parents in general
cp2080 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:16:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember being about 4 or 5 and at school, sitting on the floor listening to the a teacher read a story. I saw that my shoe was untied and I sat there during the whole story time trying to tie my shoe, and I finally got it and tied it on my own.
I knew my Mom was going to pick me up soon so I purposely untied my shoe so when she went to tie it, I could show her that out of no where, I knew how to do it. I thought I was so cool.
When I was 12 we took my neighbors moms car for a joy ride down our gravel road (lived in the country). She came home from work early and caught us. I will never forget the moment of watching her give my best friend/neighbor a back breaker while watching from inside their house. She was so mad that she picked him up and dropped him on her knee. It was like I was watching Monday Night Raw.
We didn't drive the car after that day.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:17:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first love getting raped and me actually seeing red. Anger and pain like nothing else I've ever been through.
There was this tree in the yard of my childhood home.
Everyone knew it as "the bee tree" because bees lived in it.
This must've been close to 20 years ago but I remember my brother taking our little nerf baseball bat and proclaiming "I ain't scared of no bees" as he wacks the tree and proceeded to get stung a half dozen times.
I remember sitting and hugging around my dads legs while he was walking. That feeling when you're a little kid and your dad just lifts you with his feet as he's walking with no effort at all. I still remember exactly how this feels.
Playing with my Stompers on the shag rug in my living room
Playing with my GI Joe's in the Christmas tree
Hiding under the blanket in my Mom's bedroom during a lightning storm
Christmas mornings ages 8-11
Walking down the hill at Weirs Beach, NH to the boardwalk and arcades. The mishmash of sounds of the games in the 80's are ingrained forever.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:26:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mmmm I just thought of this before opening up Reddit.
I was 17, senior on high school. It was New Years Eve, and my parents had my aunt and uncle over while I was going to leave for a friend's house and bring my Soda Stream and carbonate some grape juice.
I hop in my GM Sonoma, open the garage door and back out. It was snowy and dark and I was in an angle, but I backed into my aunt and uncle's new car. I knew I had left a big scratch across the passengers side doors, but that night I left and hung out with my friends.
My friends girlfriend heard my phone ring from my jacket pocket upstairs and got it. She said it was my dad. He was livid. I came home and I've never felt so guilty.
My uncle and aunt has already went home, but they were surprisingly chill about it. They reassured me they weren't mad and as long as I paid the repairs, they were happy. My dad was really disappointed in me and we couldn't be in the same room for a week.
I remember feeling really low. I know without a doubt I will never leave the scene of an accident again, no matter how inclement or trivial that accident is.
Sitting in the woods with my dad by a dirt road having lunch consisting of beans and weenies. Our campfire smoke disturbed a huge owl (to my childโs eyes) which swooped down and flew down the road. Iโll never forget that day and my living room reflects all the colours that I saw on that beautiful sunny autumn day.
EDITED: several times to fix my grammar. Still not perfect but I'm done! Sorry...
1) One of my earliest memories was my four year old self walking into the dentist's office to have surgery on some of my teeth that were rotting away. I was scared and did not know what to expect, but as soon as I saw the toys in the waiting room all my fears evaporated... Until it was time to go into the surgery room. My dentist, Dr. Toby, was incredibly kind and made me feel at ease immediately (and he remained my dentist for the following 10 years until he retired).
2) When I was six years old I was adamant about staying up all night on Christmas Eve so I can meet Santa. My older brother and sister kept telling me it won't happen, but I refused to believe them. Right at midnight I saw a red light in the sky that promptly disappeared into the clouds. I was SURE I just saw Rudolph. I ran inside to tell my brother and sister, but they were already asleep. I fell asleep smiling because I knew I caught a glimpse of the man that makes Christmas so wonderful for millions of children. A year later I found out he's not real and I saw an airplane.
3) I can't remember if I was 8 or 9 but I can vividly remember when I got my first pack of Pokemon cards. My brother encouraged me to get a pack because he was too and every kid at school was collecting them. My dad took us to this small comic shop up the street and bought us each one pack. I opened mine and what do I get? A first edition Charizard. I was so proud of it and received much admiration from my brother and friends. Unfortunately, I sold it to that very same comic shop years later for $75. I wish my teenage self kept that...
4) Playing video games with my siblings are some of my most precious memories. We spent hours taking turns playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic & Knuckles. My brother and sister were much better at those games than I was at the time, so I was usually content watching them play. Same thing with Spyro 1, 2 & 3, but we all had our own game saves. We still loved watching each other play as much as we loved playing the game ourselves.
5) I was 11 and my step-dad getting out of prison and coming to live with us. He was just as cool as I remember him being during visits! Not even a month goes by until he shows his true self. He is a verbally abusive prick that would occasionally hit my mom. My best friend at the time stood up to him once and got smacked down. My mom pleaded with him not to tell his mom so the cops wouldn't get involved... That was the point I lost respect for my mother and realized she is going to choose this man over us if she was forced to choose (and she did). This man destroyed my self confidence, made me crawl into my shell, which led to me becoming overweight.
6) I'm 18 and meet my best friend for the first time. We started playing Xbox Live together and found out he only lives 30 minutes away. My brother and his friend are headed up his way and invite me along. I ask him if he wants to meet up in person. I'm a shy awkward teenager, he's a very friendly and genuine person. He helps me open up a lot and break free of the shell I created myself. Even though he moved away we are still hetero life mates and talk every day.
7) I'm 24 and single. This girl at work e-mails me asking how I do so well at our job and asks for tips to improve. We continue e-mailing one another for a couple weeks. I find myself anticipating her next e-mail and wanting to talk to her more and more. I find out she has never seen The Goonies, so I lend it to her and ask if she wants company I would love to watch it with her. She invites me over and we talk for hours and hours, even through the entire movie. I never felt that connection with any of my previous girlfriends.
8) I'm still 24, it's only been a month and a half. Me and the girl from my previous memory have been dating and we spend just about every day together. We are getting ready for work in the morning and take a shower together. I can tell she is trying to work up the courage to tell me that she loves me, but instead of telling her myself I let her work up to it because I thought it was so cute. She starts listing off things she loves that weren't me. As I'm starting into get out of the shower she says "Hey! I love..." and as I'm getting out of the shower she points to me and turns around in embarrassment. I get back in, wrap my arms around her and tell her I love her too. At that moment I realized I have never loved a woman before. I thought I did in previous relationships, but this is what it truly felt like.
When my grandmother gave me a necklace for my birthday made out of a ring my grandfather (who had passed away) gave her. She had it molded into a beautiful new setting, and wrote a note about the ring that to this day still makes me tear up every time I read it. They had a crazy-passionate marriage and she always talked about how much they loved each other, which has been a huge inspiration in my love life. This ring was super special to her because she had pined after it for months as she walked by this jewelry store every day, and would talk to my grandpa about it every now and then. They didn't have a lot of money so she didn't expect to get it or anything, but one day she was devastated when she walked by the jewelry store and it was no longer there. That was, until, she got home that night and he had it sitting on the dining room table for her. She burst into tears and wore it every day for decades.
Oddly enough, a few movies have morphed into core memories for me. "The Birdcage" because I saw it with my best friend when I was 9 years old (and probably way too young) and my entire family quotes that movie almost daily. I've watched it probably 500 times and it still cracks me up to no end. The second is "Christmas Vacation." It's tradition for my family to watch it right after Thanksgiving dinner every year. Yes, the movie is hilarious, but sitting there with 15-20 of my family members trying not to quote it the whole time is such a happy place that I look forward to every year.
The day I got my first job post-college. I took a chance and moved to Atlanta without a job to live with my sister and hopefully find work at a local tv station. I had been applying for months, with no responses, and started to get really disheartened once all my other friends had landed jobs. It was nearing the end of October and I was starting to broaden my search to other states, when I got a call from CNN. I was caught in 2+ hours of Atlanta traffic when heading to my interview and showed up 20 minutes late (despite leaving 2 1/2 hours travel time for a 40-minute drive) and was freaking the fuck out in the car. I was sure it was a no-go at that point. Turns out my future boss was an hour late to work so he was pretty sympathetic :) A few days later I got a call while working my part-time job and could barely put a sentence together when my boss told me I got the job. That was truly life-changing because I spent 5 years working for a company I loved with people I adore, and I met my now husband there.
When I was 4, we were really close to my next-door neighbors and I adored the dad. They had a pool and would invite us over from time to time, and this was one of those days. I remember we were walking over and they had a sprinkler going in the front yard, so I started running up the driveway to give my neighbor a big hug...and smacked my head on the side-view mirror of their car. My dad took me to the hospital and I had to get stitches, but what was most hilarious/adorable about the whole thing was how upset my (older) sister was. She was inconsolable while we were at the hospital because she was convinced I was going to die. I ended up having to comfort her when I got back from the hospital, which is very indicative of the super strong relationship I have with my sister to this day.
The last time my whole extended family got together for Christmas was a few years ago. I'm the second Oldest of them all and I was probably 20 years old. All of us cousins were sitting around talking when my brother randomly started singing the Pokemon theme song. Everyone immediately joined in and we all sang the song with the intensity and harmony that it deserved. It was super fun and I have no idea why that memory sticks out to me so much, but I really miss those big gatherings with my family _^
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:47:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In grade 12 I was first trombone in jazz band. I picked trombone because my dad was a professional trombonist, and it just seemed natural. I'd just picked up trombone that year though - the orchestra had needed a tuba player so I played tuba for a couple years, but when they were short on trombones, I decided to switch to fill the position.
We were competing and I had my first real solo. I'd practiced for days and blown it so many times. But that day I felt I nailed it and was super pleased. When it came time for judging the head judge stood up to announce the winner and said "while we can't give the award to a single player we want the trombone soloist from $highscool to come get their first place award". It didn't register what he'd said because we'd all thought another school got first so we were zoned out. When it clicked I ran up to get the award then back to be surrounded by the band. On the way out I was stopped by a few people who said my solo was great
I got home and told my dad how it went and he just hugged me and told me how proud he was. No grand moment, but that is one of my best memories in my life.
I'm the second oldest in my family and my older sister bullied me relentlessly and my parents never cared. I don't remember what it was I did, but I did something to really piss her off and my mom was yelling at me about it. My sister flat out asks her if she could punch me in the face and my told her to go ahead. I was so stunned I didn't even have a chance to defend myself. My older sister isn't "girly" or small by any means, she was a multi sport athlete and went to state in high school for shot put and discuss, so yeah, this hurt on many levels.
I stayed the night at my grandparents for a few days before going back home. I was 12, she was 15.
I moved out a few years later and lived with a friend on their farm. Few years after that I went back home to visit, now 6'2" and 210lbs. Sister had some friends over and tried to push me around again, she flew across the dining room, landed on the table and ended up in a heap in the corner. That ended her history of bullying me.
Now, 20 years later, her kid(10) is a snob and behaves just like herexcept she's not nearly as physical and picks on my son (7). My son is also a regional placer in wrestling and a SubLeague jiu jitsu champion. My parents and sister love getting his case when he stands up for himself, I've had to tell them all to fuck off more than once.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:48:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You might know this, but in case you don't. I'm a microbiologist and you're supposed to have some "germs" on your hands that even soap or antibacterial gels won't wash off. It's actually really bad for you and your health if you don't have some type of "germs" on your hands. They are collectively they're called your microbiome and they are actually very good for you. Even 5 years ago this wasn't very well known among health professionals.
Haha, thank you! I do know that you're not supposed to be "germless," but most of the other students had visibly less germs, so young me was crazy-disappointed.
โขBeing told my brother was diagnosed with autism. I didn't really understand how it would go on to affect me when it happened, but 13 years later I can say it was a turning moment in my family's history.
โขThe first and second times my SO and I first said "I love you" to each other. The first was when we were sixteen in his car, and I still remember what song was playing. The second time came a few yearslater after we had broken up and spent some time apart. The second time (again, in his car. We have a thing for cars) might have even been more special, knowing I could go a long time without seeing someone I care deeply about and discovering that even while apart, we had grown in the same direction.
These next ones are less core, more precious:
โขIf anyone remembers those books, "The ____ From the Black Lagoon." My brother told me my dog was the dog from the black lagoon, and we hid together in a refrigerator box from him.
โขMy dad planting flowers in my playhouse windowsill
โขRiding bikes in the house
I had a lovely childhood, spattered with some bad memories (see memory above regarding the autism diagnosis) and this thread helped me to remember. Thank you, Internet :)
The last time my entire family was having dinner before my grandfather passed away a few years ago. We had gone out to celebrate my mother's birthday a little early (he passed on her actual birthday) and the entire family came out - something that never happens. I remember sitting there, with my entire family laughing, eating, telling stories and enjoying each other's company. It is still the most vivid memory of my adult life because little did we know that the following week, we would be mourning and grieving. It was just such a wholesome feeling that I never felt before then and have not felt after.
My brother was in the fourth grade when I was in Kindergarten. Since my school time was only in the afternoon, we'd take the bus home together. I remember one ride where he taught me how to snap my fingers.
He and I had bunk beds and every day when we got home from school and went to take our shoes off, he'd sit on his top bunk and throw his socks on my head. We also used to stay up until 11 PM (gasp!) watching the Simpsons on really low volume.
We watched Homestarrunner religiously as kids. Sent in countless emails to Strongbad, quoted Trogdor so much that our mom eventually picked up the references. He introduced me to video games and beat bosses for me. I once spent a summer watching him play the Metal Gear Solid series. He called me his co-pilot and I was really excited.
I remember when he failed out of college and he lost his direction for a while. He wasn't ready for it yet. I don't know why he and I didn't talk more when I dropped out of college. He joined the Marines and our family was really proud of him.
I got into some trouble in March, and my mom sent out a family-wide message that I was going through a tough time. He called me and talked to me and didn't pass any judgment on me. I haven't seen my brother in years, just due to moving around a lot and the Military ate up a lot of his time. He sent out a package yesterday filled with some books he's collected, on the bottom he drew a little Trogdor.
Voqals ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:06:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first memory was looking up at a man who I instinctively knew as "Daddy" and asking him, "Daddy, what's my name?"
I tried writing it all out but theres like 30 memories. I think I'm doing it wrong.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:08:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 5 or 6 years old I went to Disney World with my family. My mom and I were waiting in line to ride the Buzz Lightyear ride and we were standing behind a man with a tattoo on his calf. My mom has never been a fan of tattoos and so when she noticed I was intently looking at this man's tattoo, she said "If you ever get a tattoo, I will cut your balls off." I have never forgotten that day and have yet to get a tattoo.
When my parents forgot me somewhere and every time they forgot to pick me up after swim practice. I have abandonment issues. I am always afraid of being forgotten and left alone like Stitch.
When my brothers ganged up against me (older and younger) while we were on vacation and I chose madness to escape from it. The event wasn't bad but that was the first time that my anger and eccentricity became something to be mocked. I am always afraid that people will gang up against me. Madness became my only way of fighting back against my fears of being alone.
When I was picked up and thrown because I was small. I'd never feel like a giant again or trust in people to hold me up. I'd always be small.
The first time a girl in school rejected me. Cue spiral of insecurities and never feeling like people would like me or that I'd find someone who would like me.
The moment I realized I could never beat my older brother in anything. I lost any ambition I had after that. What was the point? I'd just lose anyways.
When I was told that I couldn't show off my intelligence by correcting the teacher.
Going into the 6th Grade with no Honor Classes and earning every one of them back, proving that I'm as smart as I think I am.
The time I attempted suicide or The Day that God reminded me that there was still something to live for.
The day I guided down a raft of customers down a class 3 River. Where training, effort, and renewed confidence proved that I was a responsible and capable adult when it truly matters.
The day I did a Full Moon Paddle down the coast of Maui in memorial of a friend's suicide, to talk to God, Cry, and accept death if it should come for me. I overcame fears and experienced a world unlike any other.
In my early twenties, I had a lot of issues--most of them personal. I suffered from what has been called "the drama of the gifted child" to that point in my life: I had defined myself pretty much solely in terms of my intelligence. Schools and colleges had reinforced this, praising me for doing well academically while never really noticing that I never really learned how to work hard or relate to others.
So, the short version is that I left college one class short of an honors degree. I could have graduated with a "vanilla" degree in my field at any point, but I couldn't bring myself to do that. Nor could I quite finish that independent studies course. I became a cliche, an early-twenties smart slacker. I knew enough, was diligent enough, to make ends meet, but I wasn't fulfilling my potential and I wasn't a great friend. I filled my evenings with escapism--video games, anime, tabletop games--while my struggles with issues around identity, responsibility, and adulthood manifested as major depressive disorder.
Now, a lot of people will talk about epiphanies. A lot of people have them, but they aren't usually as life-changing as they feel in the moment. Then late one night I saw the final episodes to an anime series I'd caught off-and-on for a while. It was all symbolic and a little surreal, so it could've meant a lot of things to a lot of people, but... To me, it was all leading up to the moment that the main character reached into her past, beyond all the things she used to numb her pains and her anxieties, back to a point where she had--as a child--first made herself believe that she was a victim when she wasn't. Correcting her misperception about that delusion made the pattern of her life clear: when backed into a corner, she constructs an internal narrative that absolves her of guilt. What she needed to do, instead, was apologize, accept her guilt, and move forward anyway.
I realized that was me.
I finally got my honors degree, by the way--even got a doctorate and a master's to go with it. Now I'm married, and I'll be starting a very professional career with very important people very soon. Anime, video games, and even tabletop gaming are all still important parts of my life, but they're smaller parts now. Running, studying, and quality time with my spouse (who I met an anime convention) are probably even more important to me now.
Well, I deliberately try not to mention it, even when using it as an example of an anime series that does a good job with mature themes (in every sense of the word). Even saying up front what the series is gives away something vital about the narrative themes. Having said all of that...
In 5th grade my class was doing math. The teacher asked who in the room could count by odd numbers to 21. For whatever reason, maybe daydreaming, my brain translated that to who can count by threes to 21. I eagerly raised my hand thinking that this was easy. I started counting "3, 6, 9," repeatedly being corrected by the teacher. After about the 3rd correction, my brain still focused on counting by threes, I just stopped saying anything. The room was silent. In the silence one of my classmates just looks at me and says, in a disparaging voice, "What's wrong with you?"
I absolutley lost it and started crying/bawling right there in front of the class. I should add that this was in the middle of when my parents were getting a divorce so that likely contributed to my fragile emotional state.
I attribute that memory as contributing to my general shyness and avoidance of speaking in front of people.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:22:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
1.) Getting dressed for my first day of Kindergarten. I was so excited to go to the same school with my 3 older siblings, I couldn't be happier. I had trouble getting dressed (button up shirts and kindergartners don't mix). My mom started getting frustrated because I was going to be late, she started yelling and I started crying.
2.)In 3rd grade I brought a pocket knife to school; I'd just received my whittling chip card from scouts, I thought of it as a conceal and carry license. Knives are cool, so I thought I'd show my friends my awesome knife. Jacob went and told other people I threatened him. Those other people spread the word until a particular girl who hated me learned about it. She went and told the teacher I threatened her with the knife. My mom had to pick me up from school, she wouldn't believe that I was telling the truth even though I swore to God that I was. I was Catholic, meaning that I knew breaking an oath to God was a mortal sin and I would go to Hell for it, yet my mom still thought I was lying.
3.) Going to the YMCA and seeing a horribly disfigured person. I told my mom that I thought that person had a good Halloween mask, then learned it wasn't a mask.
4.) I grasped the concept of mortality (and eternity) and cried in my mom's bed while she held me. What can a parent do in that situation? I'm not not sure I want to have children, knowing I'll remake this memory with them.
5.) In 5th grade my class illustrated and composed our own story books. Our teacher stressed the importance of taking our time and producing a quality work rather than trying to finish quickly. I took too long and she wouldn't allow me to attend the end of the year school carnival.
6.) In 7th grade my mom caught my dad sneaking in late at night (sometime in the a.m.) and started screaming at him for being a peeping Tom. Then next morning when my dad gave me my ride to school he asked if I was awake last night, I said, "no". I knew that he knew that I was awake.
7.) In 11th grade during the summer I invited all of my friends over to celebrate my birthday. We planned on it during school, in person, and everyone agreed to go. No one came. They didn't have the decency to say they weren't coming either, they just didn't show up. (I did not invite anyone to my grad party for this reason.)
8.) In 12th grade, I performed Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue on stage with the seniors of my school's band. I received a standing ovation that lasted way too long. A full year of practice went into that song.
Most of these are depressing, but the happy moments are often small and more often and therefore make less significant changes.
I remember finding my best friend because we both got expelled for something we never did. Later when I went to appeal it, we just saw each other and didn't even say a word. Just nodded at each other. We were best friends the next year and have been for the last 5 years.
Playing with my little brother who looks up to me as a hero and who I love more than anything in this world
LeMyst ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:30:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My memories are not hopeful. Also I do not have many.
1. Being punched in the gut by a boy. I walked home holding my gut and my breath. Not sure what happened after that (this was between kindergarten and first)
2. Running out of the house to go to school. The school was on the next block. My mother chased me down and spanked me while dragging me by my arm back home. I believe I left too early for school. (This was around the same time frame as the first memory).
3. We had a wooden paddle my parents would use to spank us. It said Pa knows best as everyone knows but what ma says always goes. They wrote our names on the back of it and tallied how many times we were hit with it. I took the paddle and I would add marks to the other kids so it looked like I was the best. (Again same time frame as the previous two memories).
4. My father had found out my mother was cheating. (He was recording her phone calls with one of my toy recorders). He told my brother and I that we would be locked in our bedroom. We shared a room and being locked in was not uncommon. My dad locked my mother out. When she got home the fight started. Not sure what was said until I heard her screaming my name that my father was going to hit her. I ran for the door thinking it was locked but knew I had to do something. It was unlocked. I ran out into the living room screaming don't hurt her. They both ran to me and then my memory ends. Not sure what happened. I was 10.
After that it is mostly depression that I don't dwell on today. In fact I try desperately not to remember, think about it, or do anything that reminds me of the shit storm of my childhood.
When my mom called to tell me my brother died of an overdose. I will never unhear her voice.
At the funeral they played Into The Mystic and hearing my mom sing her heart out while bawling harder then I have ever seen.
There are a lot of painful memories of that time that I don't think will ever leave.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:33:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was around 10 years old I remember a cousin of mine (14 years old) was messing around telling scary stories at night. I remember the exact moment when he told me "if you say 'Oh Marรญa' 3 times in the bathroom, you die".
To this day I haven't said it just in case.
Kayfith ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:36:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Being choked against the wall by my stepfather reaching out to my mom while she helplessly watches us.
-Picking flowers with my grandmother and hearing her telling me stories of dragon flowers.
-Playing make beleive in the schoolyard with my friends.
-crying at the canal with a big slow strobing light going off and repeating "I'm sorry" to myself over and over again.
Thankyou #PapiSurane for this post, it set me to thinking about some things I've not thought of in a very long time & helped me realise it wasn't all bad. Yes, there's some (read, a lot) of painful memories buried in my brain but there's also some really really good ones too.
One of my earliest memories was of me sitting in the back seat of a car with the guy I thought was my dad and my mom in the front. My mom was a single mother of five so my dad wanted to take me with him to give me a better life. They talked and talked but ultimately they decided to let me choose. Initially I said I would go with my dad thinking that I would still see my family all the time. But as my mom sobbed away and explained to me that I may never see them again and begged me to stay, I didn't have a choice I had to stay.
I always think back to that moment. About how different my could have been for better or for worse. When I was younger I regretted it but now I'm glad I stayed because I'm me and I can't imagine how I would have turned out had I gone.
dmxept ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:41:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting on top of model tractor in the Museum of Science of Industry and looking over the many other cars with my Dad. That was the beginning of a love of engineering.
Being told I couldn't hang out with some classmates because I looked different. I don't think I realized it then but that was my first encounter with racism.
The first time I rode a bike without training wheels. My dad took me to a grassy knoll. It begun a hobby which has drastically increased my confidence.
Probably my first solid memory. My parents were fighting and my Dad shoved my mom into the table, which hit my highchair - toppling it with me strapped in. My head cracked against the heat vent in the floor. Dad took me to the ER and told the doc that I wasn't strapped in and fell out of the highchair. It was the first time I'd heard him lie. I remember getting 20some stitches and the doc telling me I could cry if I wanted, but I didn't think it would be OK to cry.
When I was 8, my dad putting me in a canoe and repeatedly capsizing it all day until I was able fix the problem on my own and get back to the right position . That's when I was allowed to start canoeing alone.
Around the same age I had a spelling test. I only saw my dad during the summer, but had a visit during what should of been school time because my mom was on vacation or something. My hard word was "elated" and he used that word with me all day until it was impossible for me to forget it. Sometimes he would use it in a not so correct way, such as after burbling or farting, he say "oops I just elated!" Mom had never been hands on with my schooling and it was amazing how learning was fun all of the sudden.
Once during a summer camping trip with my dad, I had to go to the tent every night and work in an educational work book. It was horrible because I could hear everyone having fun outside the tent and I was stuck doing this work. My dad hated sending me to do it. One evening after being told to do it, I said "why do I have to?!? No one else has to do it!" My dad said he was sorry, but no one else's teacher gave them schoolwork during the summer except mine. I explained that my mom bought the work book at the store and it wasn't from my teacher. My dad grabbed my workbook and ripped it in half. I heard him angry on the phone later with my mom for letting me miss out on the fun for know reason.
Biggest and best memory: Once my dad took me to work with him during summer break. On the way back we saw a trail head off the side of the road. He stopped the car and we hiked along side the stream for awhile which was against the trail. The trail stopped and we were at the top of this massive, steep hill. At the bottom of this hill was a river. We decided to come back the next day and finish the trail.
The next day, we got to the hill again and there were these ropes leading down to help you. He went first in case I was to fall. It was a pretty steep drop. I get down and we walk along side the river. We turn the next river bend and we are standing at the top of a waterfall. The waterfall is falling into this giant bowl of water. The whole area was surrounded by these giant stone walls.
We make our way down and went swimming. We continued to go there everyday and would bring gold pans and fishing poles and had so much fun. The place was covered in soap stone and I took one and wrote "Daddy + MartianPotatoes" on it. I haven't found that trail since and want it more than anything in this life. I've scoured google maps to no avail.
Lastly, was my dad dying. He had cancer. We drove past that trail head one day and I said very excitedly "Dad! Let's go swimming!" He said no, he was too weak. I was 14 and he was 45. That was our last summer together.
rs_yes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:49:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There is nothing more I want. At the time my dad was fireproofing a second property for an old man that was an albino and couldn't go out into the sun like that. We found the trail when we drove from the old mans first home to his second home.
I found their contract after my dad died and what I presume is the two addresses of the main properties. I looked at the driving routes on google maps and just couldn't see anything...I think it was near the towns Georgetown and grass valley, CA...I'm not sure about the grass valley town but I think that is it.
RyH1986 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:44:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) When I was 6 I got the entire range of ghostbusters toys from my parents, went to my grandparents house in the afternoon and I had the entire Teenage Mutants Ninja Turtles toy range there. My son is named Casey and I have a lower part of my leg tattooed with Ghostbusters and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
2) 5 years ago last Saturday being woken up by my wife waving a pissy stick at me to tell me we were expecting Casey
rs_yes ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:47:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Like...Casey Jones?
RyH1986 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:48:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Like Casey Jones
rs_yes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:10:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Awesome, sir!
RyH1986 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:33:29 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hahaha thank you. He was one of my favourites growing up
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:47:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In kindergarten we were playing kickball at recess when I noticed a classmate crying - almost bawling. I asked what the matter was and the classmate said they lost a necklace. I helped look for it, and I eventually found it. The classmate was so relieved that we found his necklace that he hugged me and thanked me continuously. I thought it was kind of weird that, 1.) the classmate was so upset about a lost necklace, and 2.) so happy to have found lost necklace. I understood the answer to why those emotions showed that day.
I learned that this classmate came from a very, very troubled home with an extremely abusive alcoholic father and drug addict mother. I heard nightmarish stories of neglect and abuse that this kid went through. It got so bad that he eventually moved in with a family nearby (they eventually officially adopted him in high school). When the kid first moved in with the family, the dad would call at random times and plan a date to visit. The family - initially - told the child that the dad was coming to visit. The day of the visit, the child would sit on the front porch, waiting for the father to show up. Hours would pass. The dad would never show, but yet the kid would sit on the porch with tears in his eyes just to hope to see the lowlife father. Eventually all contact between the child and father was disconnected. I learned all of this because my relatives were good friends/neighbors to the adopting family.
I look back on that day we found the necklace every now and then. I think about what that classmate would've had to endure if he came home from school without the necklace. Something that seemed so minuscule - finding a necklace - may have been the difference between getting beaten or just being left alone that night. I will never forget those tear-filled eyes, full of fright. As an adult I look back at that event and realize what true compassion is like. I definitely wasn't a very compassionate kid growing up, but I was that day. We may never know the background of the people we meet and encounter, but we must always be compassionate towards one another. The simplest act can make the biggest impact.
Core Memories - they are the ones that create islands.
I remember my mom, holding my hand during church one time. I had just learned about how to find someone's pulse. So I found hers. She noticed me doing it and leaned over, saying "My heart beats for you." It was in that moment I really understood... I had two awful step sisters, my brother was a mess, my dad didn't get her... she loved me best.
This one is complicated - I was 14 or so and my brother had moved out again, and for the first time ever, I was able to play video games without him interfering. I sat down and played Myst, without his help, without him taking the computer from me, etc. It took me 4 days. I convinced my mom to buy me Riven, which has just come out and was still expensive, and beat it in 2 days. She was so mad I had beaten it so quickly. A week later, telling my brother about it, he was impressed, because he couldn't beat them. For the first time, I felt like I could play video games too, despite being a girl.
I was in college, and I was having a hard time of it. I was mid-process of losing my faith. I had no friends. I was really unhappy with my roommate. I was watching one of the early episodes of the 4th season of Buffy, and she had gone to college and was having a hard time of it. I had the thought - She did this, with MONSTERS. I can do this. I almost instantly felt better. When I tried to explain it to my roommate, she immediately starting talking about what an idiot I was to "get advice from a tv show". I was upset about this for all of 5 minutes, when I really thought about it, I knew I wasn't going to see her again after college. I wasn't seeing any of the assholes I went to high school with. Her opinion did not fucking matter. As I pondered it, I realized - no one's opinion mattered. Literally, no one in my life was living my life. Their opinions did not matter to me - they weren't me. That was my first step in letting go of doing what people expected of me, and conversely, caring what people did. Family members get so hung up about "did you hear cousin sue is living in sin with that idiot boy who works at walmart?" And now I am like "Who cares? It's her life! Is she happy? AWESOME. Let her make her own mistakes and figure it out!" This was also about the time I started studying philosophy and reading the Mithgar series by Dennis McKiernan, which helped shape many of my views on religion, free will, and life in general.
As an adult, right out of college, waiting to go to grad school, I was fucking around on the internet one day and discovered a school called The Guildhall at SMU. It was a grad school, but taught you how to make video games. I wanted to do that, so I went to visit, thinking there was no way I could get in. Not only was the school perfect, they were asking for an application made in Neverwinter Nights, which I had been using for YEARS to make my own d&d campaigns. Lastly, when I talked to a professor, he said "Don't do this if you think it would be fun, only do this if you can't imagine yourself doing anything else." It clicked. This was exactly what I wanted to do. This was what I was good at. This is what I could do and do well, and make my career.
I had had a son, and had NOT bonded with him at all. My ex was being awful, and the whole thing of motherhood just wasn't clicking. I knew I was a terrible mom. I was also super depressed due to my relationship situation. I went to visit my mom, a few states away from where I lived and distinctly thought about how she would take care of my kid if I died. I thought a lot about dying that week. Of course, my 11 month old son didn't want to be more than a foot away from me the whole week and it was super annoying because he was crying all the time, almost walking, so getting into things, and super clingy on me. I was upset and frustrated and screamed at him (11 month old... ugh what a horrible mom). And my mom looked at me and said "He's not trying to bother you, it's just you're his mommy, and it's an awful lot to ask of such a little boy to be away from his mommy, even for a little bit." I looked down at him, and in that moment it clicked. I was literally HIS WHOLE WORLD. I resolved to get some help as soon as I got home. But that was our bonding moment. It went from being the worst experience to the best, in a single moment.
I had been dating my current boyfriend for about a month when I went over to his place. I told him I would talk all night, and he needed to let me know when he wanted me to leave. This was Friday night. He looked at me and said "I suppose I would let you go Monday morning, since we have to go to work. But otherwise, you can stay as long as you want." I thought he was joking at first, but then realized he wasn't. He really didn't think I was annoying, silly, or any of the awful things my ex husband had thought. He really liked just having me around - even if we were just playing video games in the same room. That was the moment I fell in love.
gorkt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:51:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) Age 5: My mom telling me that she was divorcing my Dad. Me visiting my dad in the hospital (inpatient mental facility - I never knew this until years later, but he had a breakdown.) and bringing him a york peppermint patty.
2) Age 7: Meeting my stepfather for the first time at the local swimming pool. I still remember how wrong he felt. First impression aren't always true but in this case it was.
3) Age 10: I had just had a lesson in school about alcoholism. I went to my dad's house for my weekend visit, and I realized for the first time he was an alcoholic. It was like a lightbulb going off, the odd behavior, clumsiness, acting goofy after 8pm etc....
4) Age 14: Meeting a boy named Jason when I was on a camping trip. It was a really unusual interaction. I just met him as I was walking by myself, and we started talking. We talked all night, he introduced me to music I had never heard before, and Steven King novels and all sorts of other things. There was nothing romantic there, just an instant connection and friendship with someone that had a profound influence on my tastes and personality to this day.
5) Age 16: Meeting my husband at my 16th birthday party. He was a friend of a friend, and lurked in the corner.
6) Age 20: My Dad died.
7) Age 29: My daughter was born.
8) Age 31: My son was born.
The most important one: The day my (always busy) dad took a few hours to fly a kite with me. Doesn't looks like much, but at the time he was working almost every day of the week non-stop so my family could have the careless life he didn't have when growing up so I really have very small memories of him and me having fun just the two of us.
Another: The moment I stepped in the Natural History Museum and saw a T-Rex skeleton. Since then I love dinosaurs and ancient stuff.
When I was little my grandparents lived 7 houses down from my family so my sister and I spent so much time at their house. My grandparents were the best people. One of my favorite rituals with them was when we would get there my sister and I would run down to their front door and we had a special knock. My grandpa would come to the little window next to the door and shout "who's there!" And we would be like "Grandma!!! It's us duh! That's our knock!!" And she would be like "ohhhhh" and open the door for us and we would run in and give her hugs. Then grandpa would come shuffling out of his study and he'd always say "hello ello" (this story is much better if you could hear their South African accents). Grandpa would sneak us black licorice and dark chocolate and we would sweep the concrete in the front yard for my grandma for quarters and then we'd go pick tomatoes off the vine and eat them in the sun like apples. My grandpa made a little "clubhouse" for my sister and I. He had a million potted plants. Their backyard was concrete and they had a beautiful pool but you couldn't see the concrete, my grandpa had made a forest with potted plants all around the house in their teeny so cal yard, all you could see were trees and flowers. In a corner down the side of the house he cleared a little space and flanked it with trees and it was like a little secret tunnel. He put two little chairs and one big chair and we would sit in there and my grandma would bring us tea and lady finger biscuits and we would talk and laugh and have our tea parties in the trees. That time hearing stories from my grandparents were so crucial in my upbringing.
The more direct answer to OP's question is this page. For the lazy: Skiing, Camping, Volunteering, Music, and Romance. (Spoiler: Also Drawing).
tch0r7 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:52:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Way too late to the game, but I'm pretty sure that one of my son's core memories is going to be sobbing for 90 solid minutes while watching Inside Out, the reality of depression washing over him in the context of another child. He was still 8 when we watched it.
My core memories were very harsh and not something I am happy about.
my grandmother and I used to curl up on the couch and watch horror films together. she was living with us because she was on kidney dialysis and in the last stages of diabetes.
stronger than that memory was the moment that I woke up and was told that she had died in my bedroom.
my grandfather that used to go fishing with us and was a really cool dude. he ended up with alztheimers and I watched him slowly decline until the last moment we saw each other in the nursing home and he flat out said he didn't know who we were.
my parents stayed together for me even though they hated each other with a passion. the day I moved out, my father said he was getting a divorce.
things like this and growing up with them have given me many issues with commitment and becoming close with another person because I don't want to hurt them or have them watch me go through something like that.
My first violin recital. I was four years old, and my mom had taken me to a music lesson she was teaching to fifth-graders because she couldn't find a babysitter for me. The fifth-graders put a violin in my hand and taught me to play. My earliest memory is a few weeks later, playing a scratchy, squeaky rendition of Jingle Bells on the first violin I ever owned, and my audience was the fifth-grade class that taught me. That gave birth to Music Island.
Five-year-old me watching my brother play Mario platformers, on the SNES, then on the Nintendo 64. My dad, sister, and I rooted for my brother as he raced the penguin down the ice slide. I couldn't wait until I was old enough to hold the controller semi-comfortably in my tiny hands - and when I could, my big brother was right there to teach me how to play. I kicked his ass at the Clefairy minigame in Pokemon Stadium, and out of the laughter and pride came Gamer Island.
Eight years old, I was washing the dishes in my dad's kitchen when I dropped a mug into the sink, and the mug broke clean in half. It was my stepmom's mug, an old Valentines gift from my dad. I apologized to her dozens of times, and she kept demanding I apologize again. The next time I saw her, two weeks later, I gave her a heartfelt hand-written apology letter and one of my favorite teddy bears. She told me it wouldn't replace the mug. It was probably a ten-dollar mug, and she never accepted my apologies. It didn't form Inadequacy Island, but it shaped it into something stronger.
Math Island came from Intro to Abstract Math, one of my first college courses and the one that taught me the basic rules of logic and proof construction. I was eighteen, good at math, and finally learning what math is actually about. One of the best decisions I've ever made was majoring in Mathematics.
When I was nineteen, I got my first F. I was in a programming class, and I broke the rules by helping a classmate with his homework. I begged and cried and got snot all over my teacher's desk, but his mind was made up. I knew the penalty for cheating. I risked it. I got caught. The next day, I broke up with my then-boyfriend. We'd been together for a year and change, and he had been abusive that whole time. My family had tried everything short of physically forcing me to stay away from him, and the turning point was getting an F. That was when I realized that I wouldn't feel any worse than I did that moment if I broke up with my boyfriend. I don't know what to name the island that represents letting go of toxic relationships, or the one that represents accepting failure, or even if both of those islands exist - but one of them must, because that's a core memory.
And then there's Romantic Island. That's been there ever since I was little, when my dad passed his love of Disney movies on to me. Romantic Island became quite jaded among strings of rejections from boys who didn't think I was pretty enough, a long, emotionally abusive relationship, and a guy I fell in love with who committed suicide (another core memory - Grief Island died down a few years later). I pretty much gave up on romance. And then earlier this year, a cute guy dropped out of the sky and asked me out. He's super smart, generous, patient, handsome, and one of the nicest people you'll ever meet - and I still don't get why he would choose me, of all people, but I'm so happy he did!
But the oldest and most important island is Family Island. I don't even know what core memory represents it, because I have so many memories that contribute to it. My sister is my calm, my confidant, my comfort. My brother is my guardian, my pride, my strength. My mother is my advocate, my perspective, my safe space. The bond we all share has been tested time and time again, and by now I am certain that it's unbreakable. I am proud to call all three of them my best friends.
I remember my eighth grade choir concert, December 19, 2012. I was wearing a sparkly red tank top, a white cover up, and my nicest jeans. The concert was for one of the lunch ladies at my school who had died of cancer. Her name was Debbie. That concert was the first and only time I had a solo. I remember being halfway through Candle in the Wind and I looked out at the crowd, and not a single person was there for me. My mom was at home with her boyfriend and my stepmom and my dad went to Vegas. Two songs before we were finished, my brother walked through the door and pulled out his phone and started recording me. When we finished, I ran down the stairs and hugged my brother, and cried.
Later on in life I learned that he had been working the night shift for a while and he was just getting ready to go in when he saw I had written "CHOIR CONCERT 6-7" in big pink letters and drove as fast as he could to the school jut so he could see me perform.
I remember the moment I realized what I feel right now for my significant other is love. I hadn't seen them in a month and a half due to travel plans and I'd had the longest, shittiest day at work and all I wanted was to go home and curl up next to them. I was just starting my car after my shift and I remember my phone going off and them asking if I was working, and I said my shift had just ended and they told me to go home as fast as I could. I was so confused but I trust them so I did. I had just gotten done showering and my phone lit up with a text that said "check your front door" and when l opened the door, there they were. I was shaking and crying. They held me so tight and buried their face in my neck and that was the moment.
So many, and the funny thing is that they are still being made. A few highlights:
My parents taking my sister and I to see Ghostbusters II at the drive-in. I had developed a love of Ghostbusters when I was 5-years-old or so, and this was the first time I had ever been to the drive-in, so it was an exciting experience.
My brother being born. I remember being so excited for this. I was getting a little brother, I was going to teach him everything I knew. It was awesome. Unfortunately, it happened the day before...
My house burned down. I remember going to see my newborn brother, but that same day I got to see him, our family got news that our house was on fire and we were, effectively, homeless. We did get help from friends and family and we eventually got back on our feet, but it was a rough road.
Going to see the first Pokemon movie. I know this seems like a weird one, but it symbolizes, to me, the last time my siblings and I actually really got along. I mean, my brother and I are still really close, but my sister made some different life choices that resulted in her distancing herself from our family. On the same tack, there's the final...
My brother coming out of the closet to me. This literally happened just after Christmas last year. Again, we're really close, so it wasn't a huge surprise to me because I could see some changes in him, but it also changed my thinking on a lot of subjects. I was never anti-gay, but I was always dismissive of a lot of things.
I was 3, fed rubber spider to harry the hamster, thought he liked bugs. Brothers and mum didn't know cause of death until 15 or so years later. I still feel a wee bit bad about it. :(
Picking okra with grandma in her garden, I was 8? great auntie comes over and freaks out because we're not using gloves. It didn't hurt our hands at all.
Age 17, dad calls me while I am at my bfs house on Sunday, tells me my brother is dead, he hung himself. I don't remember most of that year. 11 days before my birthday, 6 days before his. We all lost our minds. That hollowed out feeling doesn't go away, neither does the anger, it just becomes less frequent.
I was 10 and had never learned to ride a bike. Friend tried to teach me by putting me astride her bike at the top of a driveway and pushing the bike from behind. Bike sailed down driveway, gaining momentum, then smashed front-wheel-first into the opposite curb, throwing me pelvis-first onto the bar. Nothing broken, but blood and pain and Mom screaming like a maniac. She chose that occasion as her moment for telling me "where babies come from" and I was confused.
This post is mostly dead, but I've lived with this memory for years and need to write it out.
I was in the 4th grade, I called my mom after school and begged her to stay after so I could go to drama practice with a friend. She said "no you need to come home" I screamed at her like the selfish child I was and told her that she was SO mean. She told me my step father would be there soon to pick me up. She always picked me up from school. When my step father got to the school, I asked him why my mother didn't pick me up. He told me that we would talk about it when we got home.
When we got home, I was expecting to get yelled at for talking back to my mother. But what I walked into was nothing I could have ever imagined.
My mother is a very strong person, she lived through a physically/mentally abusive relationship with my biological dad for 14 years and never once did I see her cry.
I walked into the house and saw her sitting on the couch hugging her knees to her chest, and sobbing. She didn't even bother to wipe the tears away, she just let them fall out of her red swollen eyes and coat her blotchy cheeks. My first thought was "Oh god she's very sick, is she dying. Did she have a heart attack??" I ran to her side and asked her what was wrong. " Your grandmother died, and grandpa is on life support" she could barely form the words and then started wailing again.
My grandparents were very lively people. My grandmother was my mother's best friend, and her death was very sudden. They were on their way across country on their Harley for the last time before retirement when they hit a pot hole in Salt Lake City. They were not wearing helmets, as it is legal to ride motorcycles without them in Utah. When they hit the pot hole, my grandmother was thrown from the bike and was killed on impact. To this day I often wonder what was going through her head as she was flying through the air. She promised me before they left that they'd be back for my birthday party at the end of the month. I wonder if, while she was flying to her death, she knew she wouldn't be able to make it.
I'm sorry that happened. It's strange to see parents at their most vulnerable
sdguero ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:12:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I was 1.5 years old. Very clearly remember riding in my Mom's lap in the front seat of a Jeep while my Dad was driving through the woods in Colorado. I remember crossing a creak and bushes/tree branches snapping in the window, reaching out, touching them, pine needles brushing my face.
I was 5, beat up the only other boy in my class (my rival) under the jungle gym and then kissed 3 girls in the sand box the same day. I also remember the watching the challenger disaster the next day and comforting my ladies.
I was 7, I accidentally hit my little sister in the face with a baseball bat when I was hitting tennis balls in the back yard. I knocked our 4 of her teeth and she had to get 11 stitches inside her upper lip. As soon as it happened I ran and got a towel to put pressure on her mouth and yelled at our Spanish speaking babysitter to start the car to race her to the hospital. I really thought she might die because there was so much blood.
I was 11, I surfed by first wave while on vacation in Hawaii. Clearly remember standing up on the board, watching the jetty go by and feeling the power of the wave underneath me.
I was 15. I lost my virginity to a Puerto Rican girl from New York that I met at Club Med. I can't even remember her name anymore but very clearly remember the look on her face, her older sister moving around in the other bed in the room, and the taste of the post-coitus cigarette.
There are others but those are my top 5. I watched Inside out with my daughter last night (she's almost 3, and loves that movie) so I was just thinking about this last night anyway. It was fun to type it out. :) I had a near death experience about 10 years ago, these memories ran through my head at the time (among a few others) and I just had this good feeling like I had lived a full life even if I died at a young age.
Meeting my biological dad for the first time when I was 13, and my guardians were suing him for child support.
Finding out my mother (really my maternal grandmother) was losing her vision and her kidney function, and having the conversation with dad who asked if I'd be her evening caretaker for what turned out to be the next six years, doing dialysis treatments, cooking dinner, prepping her medication, etc. I was 12.
My first kiss -- I remember the exact moment down to how chilly the first winds of autumn were, and how much of a height difference there was. The only one that was better was the stolen kiss we had in her room when I went to see her that weekend.
Finding out my grandmother had passed away overnight on Christmas Eve 1997 from congestive heart failure
Falling in actual honest love for the first time.
The eight hour phone conversation I had with my now-wife the evening we reconnected on Facebook after not having had any contact for at least six years.
Marrying my now wife.
My actual mother passing away after I back into town from a business trip last summer.
When I was 16, I was pitching in a baseball game. There was nothing extraordinary about the game, just a typical summer league matchup. At one point a guy who talked a lot of shit to my girlfriend got to the plate. I hated this kid, I mean the kind of guy I'd take one look at and my face goes red with fury. The things he would say to people were unbelievable. So I threw him as hard a fastball as I could, and he rockets it into left field for a single.
From first base, I hear this kid talking about how bad I am, how easy it was to get a hit off me. He got in my head, I lost my composure, and balked. For those who don't know, this just means I made an illegal move on the mound, and because of that the runner gets to advance to second. He laughed so hard he snorted.
My dad was the coach of the team, and he could tell I was angry. My whole life I had trouble managing my anger effectively, and I could tell he was concerned. He made a move to walk out and talk to me, I shook my head and gestured him back into the dugout. I was determined not to let my enemy score.
The next batter stepped up, I threw him the two hardest, most perfectly located fastballs I had thrown in my life to that point. Struck him out on the next pitch with a curveball he never had a chance at finding. 1 out. Next batter gets three straight fastballs. All around 85 mph. He never had a chance. At this point I hear my assistant coach in the dugout "Let's get him angry more often." I laughed. 2 outs.
This next batter was tricky. I blew the first fastball right past him, but the second one he timed. He ripped a line drive just foul down the first baseline. I knew he was expecting another fastball, and I knew he was going to swing early. I shook off my catcher until he called a changeup. The single prettiest pitch I've ever thrown in my life resulted in the single ugliest and most embarrassing swing I've ever seen in my life.
No memory is sweeter in my mind than the laughter of my dad and assistant coaches, the high fives from my teammates, and the cursing from that asshole I stranded on second base.
It was a really late winter night, it was lightly snowing and my window was open. I was playing World of Warcraft with my entire Guild. We got prismatic crystals and transformed ourselves into turkeys. We walked from Storm wind to Iron Forge and we gained a huge following of other people just watching about 30 turkeys walk across Azeroth. I had a big fluffy sweater on, a blanket over my legs, and a mug of hot chocolate. I felt truly happy, I was playing a game I loved, with people I loved, and no one could stop me or tell me it was weird.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:27:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My best friend agreeing to be my girlfriend. Probably the purest happiness I've ever experienced. It didn't work out, but it doesn't matter. The happiness that that moment brought me is immeasurable.
The only bad one: My dad arguing with my mum when I was very young. They were both in the kitchen shouting and my dad launched a coffee mug at the wall while I sat outside the door watching. They're both good people, but they had their troubles.
A sleepover round my friend's when I was 16. We all slept outside on a large trampoline. We talked all night staring at the sky, watching an all-night meteor shower.
Almost ten years ago, and my three oldest kids were pretty young (around seven, four, and 6 months old). We were very young parents, and my kids' father, who was my husband at the time, had lost his job recently, and times were tough. Like really, really tough.
We had no car and no money, and each day we'd pack the stroller and take the kids to the local public library, which was about three miles away, so each of us could take turns job searching and using the free internet while the other entertained the kids in the children's library area.
One day, we'd been up there for nearly five hours and it was almost time to take the kids home and feed them, get some naps in. I remember I was at the computers feverishly putting in as many applications as I possibly could in the time I had left, and also doing my application for community college (which ended up being the gateway to better times at last). The Chuck Taylor's I was wearing at the time were ancient, with two big holes in the soles, and had been soaked by the spring/summer rains so many times that year that I could smell their musty stink and age as I sat at that library computer terminal, and it had me almost in tears.
My ex husband came around soon after and we left with the kids. They were very cranky and tired and hungry, and I knew we'd stayed longer than we shouldve. I felt pierced with guilt, but I was desperate to find a job and get my kids into a better situation so I felt I didn't have a choice. It was still brutally hot outside and we began the trek home through the heat of the four o clock sun, carrying the tired kids but about to fall over ourselves. It was Sweetest Day, as it so happens.
As we neared the convenience store about four blocks from our apartment, my oldest daughter started to beg for a Slushie and a snack, citing the heat and the fact that she was hungry. I had not a penny to my name, so I simply told her "not today, hon, " as we began to cross the side street just before the store. She began to cry, and so did I. I didn't want her to know so I clutched her closer and let the tears course down my face as silently as possible.
Just before we crossed the side street, a big white SUV pulled up beside us and a woman with a headful of gorgeous gray dreadlocks sat smiling at us. Instinctively I drew the kids closer and behind me, but she wasn't threatening in any manner so I relaxed.
She asked if I was okay, and I told her I was just hot and stressed, we were having a real tough time. The sympathy in her eyes unleashed the floodgates and the sobs started coming, the real hard heavy ones that you are powerless to stop, that only come when you are helpless and have nowhere to turn, and there are small people depending on you.
She smiled at me again and said, "Sometimes the lord tests us, baby." Then she held out her hand to me, and in it was two twenty-dollar bills.
I was completely incoherent with tears by that point but I managed to thank her profusely and take the offered bills. She said, "happy sweetest day, y'all gonna be okay, " and drove away in her SUV. I never saw her again, and I have never forgotten her. She gave me hope on a day where I had just about given up on hope.
A month later, I was in school and had begun the process of turning things around for good. This was the lowest time I ever faced as a parent. I will always be grateful to this wonderful, kind woman who took time and money away from her own life, and gave it to a young family struggling in the heat by the side of the road.
I'm approaching 60 years old, so I have a lot of them. In chronological order.
My first recollection (age 3): My uncle coming to visit in his brand new 1963 Volkswagen Beetle. I asked him if I could go for a ride in it and he said yes. Apparently he assumed I meant "some time" whereas I assumed he meant "right now". When he was getting ready to leave I started putting on my snow suit. I stepped out the front door a few minutes after him to see an empty driveway.
Age 8: Mom waking me up to watch cartoons as she made my breakfast before school. I had always assumed that cartoons only aired on Saturday mornings. Back then we had only 2 channels on TV (3 if you counted the French channel) and only one of them played cartoons, mostly on Saturdays from 8:00 to noon.
Age 11: Running from the school bully on the way home after school. He lived four blocks from school, I lived a block and a half further. Looking over my shoulder as we passed his house I saw he was still pursuing me. I was getting tired so I pretended to fall. When he approached (I was still on the ground), I wound up and punched him in the 'nads. He never chased me again after that.
Age 13: My uncle (a different one from first memory) taking me to join Air Cadets (his old squadron). That turned out to be the first day of ~25 years of wearing a uniform of some sort.
Age 18: Losing my virginity.
Age 20: Passing my medical, passing the air crew selection screening and being told that I'm on the waiting list for air force pilot training.
Age 21: Reapplying for pilot training and being told that I failed the eye exam.
Age 24: Holding my son for the first time.
Age 25: Seeing my twin sons (born three months premature), each in incubators, the only way I could hold them was through an opening in the side.
Age 26: Burying one of my twins. He passed away three weeks before his first birthday. He never came home from the hospital.
Age 48: In hospital with my wife, we found out a couple months before that she had cancer. The TV in the corner of her hospital room is playing an item about a double homicide just out of town. My mom came in a few minutes later and told us my uncle (the one who got me into air cadets) was one of the two killed in the news item.
Age 48: Holding my wife's hand as she took her last breath.
This isn't a childhood memory, but last year my mother passed away when I was 29. This was obviously traumatic and I am still suffering from PTSD from it, but I pretty much changed my entire life over the last year. The lack of good friends there to support me during the worst moment of my life? Cut them off. Found an amazing support group of friends, Cut back on drinking (my mother basically drank herself to death and we hadn't found her until 3 days later), Pushed myself in my career, and I generally feel as though I am the most authentic I have ever been.
I look at like from a viewpoint that doesn't include bullshit, or facades, and I'm not going to do things or be friends with people to be tolerant. Life is short. Just be authentic, and kind, and if others don't fit into those guidelines, cut them out.
So, in a way my mother's death is a major core defining moment for me, I became the woman I am, and who I will be, and created my strong values in her absence.
โข when one of my best friends killed herself this may after a holiday (at the age of 16) and I couldn't (and still can't) remember what the last thing I said to her was.
โข the days my SO and I watch movies on bed all day.
โข when I discovered that I loved reading and the time I read 5 books a week.
โข when I heard my favourite teacher (who was like a second dad to me) had died, only a month after my friend had comitted suicide. Meeting his family is part of that memory.
โข my grandmother waiting for us at the top of the staircase and being able to hear her calling my nickname when we climbed those stairs
โข when my SO first told me he loved me and that I was able to say it back and mean it. I've never loved anybody so much.
Thank you OP for giving me this opportunity to reflect and be thankful for the life others and I have created for myself.
In chronological order,
From ages 6-11, I would spend one night a week at my Nana's. We would play card games (Crazy 8's, Speed, and Go Fish), watch Fried Green Tomatoes, and read the Tarzan comics. She would have me read the comics aloud, and helped me pronounce the tough words. We would look up any words I didn't know in the dictionary together.
I remember a fight my mom and dad had before they got divorced. I was confused because it seemed to be a fight about who was going to make my sisters and I some dinner. It didn't seem like something to fight about. I remember my mom crying over the stove and really feeling for her. My parents divorced shortly after that, when I was 8.
I had read Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone before my eleventh birthday. On some level, I knew it wasn't real. But on the off-chance it was... I left my windows open that night and waited for my owl. I cried when midnight came and went. I didn't tell anyone for years because I was embarrassed to have believed.
In fifth grade, my crush and I had spent the following summer together. We each had our best friends dare us to kiss the other, we went to parks to play, and held hands in secret. In the first week of school, he told my best friend to tell me he didn't want to talk to me anymore because the other popular kids didn't like me that much. I remember crying myself to sleep for weeks with my mom rubbing my back. My mom told me that my capacity to love is a great gift, and sometimes it can hurt, but to never stop letting others in.
I was 17. The boy I was in love with finally asked me to be his girlfriend. It was a summer's evening and we had just walked back from the park. He asked me to wait a minute before I went upstairs to my family's apartment. He told me he really really REALLY liked me and asked if I would be his girlfriend. I said "Yes!" It's nine years later, he's my husband. I said "I do" with the same level of enthusiasm. :)
When I was 4-5, the babysitter tied me up and threw me into the cellar for a few hours.
I still remember the argument that lead to my parents divorce. They were yelling about bills and money. "You can't keep doing that. It's supposed to be our savings." My older brother came upstairs and told them to stop yelling as it was upsetting him and all of our siblings
I was biking with a friend and was hit by a car, permanently disabling my left wrist.
After my parents divorce, my dad moved out and had an old friend of his homestaying with us. His friend, Norm, was a black man that had been friends with my dad since before I was born. He had been living in China, gotten married, and came back to the US to save up money. He acted as a second father to me and I respected him a lot, but one day I came home and he wasn't there. My step mom accused him of stealing and that lead to an argument between him and my dad where he felt like he needed to leave. I mention his race because I feel like he was a victim of racism in this. I still do not believe he stole anything. (I am white, for context).
I used to play smash bros professionally. I had been placing 2nd for the last few tournaments, and a friend of mine who played with me tackle hugged me and with a big smile on her face, told me that this would be the tournament I take first. I had taken first, just like she said, and reached for my phone to text her and let her know, only to have an unread text from a mutual friend. The text read "I know you were good friends with Loryn. She committed suicide last night. I'm so sorry."
During the final stretch of the 400m in my last track race, I was in first place rounding the corner. I watched as the favorite of the race started to get past me. I put in the after burners, but it was not enough to win. However, I had made a personal best and school record during that race.
My grandma passed away due to cancer, and I had to take a midterm the next day. I just sat there in tears and couldn't focus on anything. I got a 14/50 on that. I had already felt like a failure for getting rejected from the "easy" universities in the area and going to community college. I stopped showing up to school for the next few months after that.
Returning to school and meeting the girl that would become my inspiration to drag myself out of depression. We never dated, but we became best friends and would sign up for classes together and study together very frequently. She was a running start student and a few years younger than me. I let her ambitious personality influence me to do better.
My friend had gotten accepted into the best university in the area. After dropping out of multiple classes, I had little to no hope of getting in, but I applied anyway (during a less competitive quarter) to try and follow her. The first round of letters came out - No response. And in the second round of letters, I find the big envelope. I was in disbelief. Someone out there believed in me when I had given up. I didn't know what to do, so I just cried tears of joy and took it as a second chance in life.
I was outside with my dad chopping wood for... I honestly don't know why. He told me to be careful with the wood as it had a tendency to splinter when whacked with an axe. Sure enough, I hit it in a bad spot and a piece of the wood came up and hit me in the face. My dad laughed. I ran into the house and cried. It wasn't a vindictive or mean-spirited laugh, but to a 10 year old boy, it didn't really matter.
I was sitting at home having just discovered the MMORPG Maple Story, as well as Green Day's "Holiday" and Hot Hot Heat's "Elevator" and "Bandages." I spent hours that day playing with new friends online and my window open, the perfect sunny day. I must have had those three songs on repeat for four hours. I remember it as one of the days in my life when I had absolutely zero responsibilities and nothing else to worry about other than just leveling up my character.
My dad was diagnosed with liver and kidney failure in 2011. By spring of 2013, he was in hospice. Watching his body whither away was tough, but it was when the toxins started to reach his brain near the end that it was toughest. He began hallucinating and almost seemed like he had dementia. He once tried to escape our house and run home to his parents (his dad died when he was 8, his mom died when I was 9). It was such an odd feeling being able to hold back my father, who used to be 6'2" and 240 lbs, and myself a 5'7" 145 lb kid... I had this strange feeling of pride in myself and intense sadness that this was what it had come to.
I was coming home from a concert a week later, and I got a call at 3 in the morning from my mother. I immediately knew. That feeling of instant realization will always stay with me.
I have a lot of memories of my father, some good, many bad. I don't miss him. It tears me up.
-When I was 7, my dog got excited and dragged me down a hill. I didn't touch the ground until the bottom.
-When I was 14 I got a text message from one of the more attractive/popular girls I went to school with. She wanted me to ask her to homecoming. When I did she apologized and revealed it was on a dare.
-Falling in love for the first time. Knowing that there's nothing that person could do to make you feel differently. When I told her how I felt, she said that I just wasn't right for her. She then went and dated one of my closer friends for a few months.
-Trying to think of any reason to not jump off a cliff on my 17th birthday. That was the day I decided that, no matter how bad things got, I was going to live, even if just out of spite.
-Telling my best friend how close I came to killing myself. It was a wake-up call and she made me seek treatment.
-My first real girlfriend telling me that she loves me.
-My first real girlfriend breaking up with me and not saying why.
-My grandfather dying. It was the first time I really felt something from a death. I realized how cold I was to my family and protecting them from my problems wasn't helping anyone.
From ages 5-10, my family, every new years eve, would pull beds into the living room, make massive amounts of snack foods (which I never got to eat much as a kid), and we would spend an hour at Blockbuster renting about a dozen horror movies. We'd then have an epic, all day movie marathon of scary movies. We got to stay up past midnight, which was also rare. I love horror movies, above all other genres, because of this tradition.
My very first sexual experience was literally met with a standing ovation from a party of 50 people. After coming back from the woods (it was an outdoor party), they were all cheering and clapping. Just foreplay, but damn did that make me feel like a badass.
In the 1st grade, I remember during Phys Ed we were jump roping one day. I was just doing my thing and I looked around to see everyone jump roping until I saw one of the kids running around screaming his head off dragging his rope behind him sort of like a tail. No idea what he was trying to accomplish. He was just running laps around the gym like that.
After that he left the school the following year and I never saw him for a long time until we ended up working at the same place this summer. I am now aware he has a mild autism or something. Don't know how I didn't pick up on it, I knew something was up
ms2102 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:52:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tubing off the back of my parents old cabin cruiser in a lake we'd every summer at. I remember one instance perfectly clear, I remember going until I fell off then seeing if my brother coils hang on as long as I could. It's the first time I remember tubing but I must have done it a million times after that. I still love boats.
Trying to fall asleep in the above mentioned cruiser when I was young, my two brothers and I in the bow and my parents in the aft cabin. That goes under family and boating...
Getting called out of a classroom when I was young to go get special help for reading. Still pisses me off. Three years later I was in advanced classes, then all honors in highschool and a scholarship to college. I never needed my parents to push me to do hw or punish me if I got bad grades, the fear of being humiliated like that again was more than enough and eventually you learn to care about your grades.
Late to the game, but mine is my sister and I rollerskating in the gym of the local high school. It was just the two of us: she in a pair of purple and white skates, myself in white and blue Mickey Mouse skates. I was nearly 10 years old. While we skated, we listened to the only two tapes I had over and over: a recording of "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, which I had taped off the radio, and a single of "Whoomp, There It Is!", which my dad had found in one of the school's locker rooms.
The reason we spent so much time doing this is because my dad, after losing his job in a profession he loved, got a job cleaning the locker rooms at the high school overnight and on the weekends. I was just beginning to realize that we were poor. Nevertheless, what lingers is the memory of fun with my sister (and pizza afterwards: the high school sold Pizza Hut pizza at lunch time, and on weekends, if there was any leftover, we got to take it home), though it's now tinged with pity for my parents, who were going through one of the roughest patches of their lives. I still get a twinge of joy and guilt whenever I hear Tag Team or eat sausage pizza.
The biggest one that sticks out in my mind is the night my dad died. He had gotten sick maybe 3 weeks to a month prior, and it started as seemingly just a bad cold.
Eventually it progressed to pneumonia, and he became weak, like really weak. He was off work for a while and started hobbling around the house with a carved wooden cane that he used to use when we would go hiking. He stopped playing with me and largely quit talking to me and my little brother. I assume because he was in pain and didn't have the energy to handle much beyond going to the bathroom or making his way to the kitchen for a drink once in a while.
Eventually he went to the hospital and stayed there for maybe a week. My grandmother came to stay with us and help my mom while he was gone, so to my brother and I this was just a fun change and the hospital would fix our dad right up and things would be back to normal.
Then one night my brother and I were hanging out in the living room watching one of the lethal weapon movies (our parents were very liberal with what we could watch), when the phone rang. My mom raced over with my grandma right behind her. After a minute or so she hung up and in a shaky voice said "boys, turn off the tv."
Of course we protested at first, and at least in my case, partially because I could hear what had happened in her voice and didn't want to hear it. Like If I just remained blissfully ignorant it wouldn't be real and my dad would come home, but eventually I relented and turned off the tv.
"Boys... daddy died tonight"
I'll never forget those words as long as I live, and I swear as soon as I heard them I could actually physically feel and hear a part of me shut down. I haven't been 100% emotionally functional since, but after 20 years I've gotten a lot better.
After that there was lots of hugs and crying. I had already shut down by that point and worried I would look like I didn't care if I didn't cry at least a little bit so I forced some tears out.
And i still remember my grandma (mom's mother) asking "why him" and saying things like "he was such a good man". This still makes me sad now because it shows what a close family we were back then. And now my father's parents are gone as well, basically removing that entire half of the family from my life, as well as any memories of my dad they might have shared with me.
Lastly, and not entirely related, but it shows how in denial I was about it all I guess. There was this one time my mom called before she left work saying she had a surprise for me, but wouldn't say what. This was a year or two later i think. I was so excited for the 30-45 minutes it took for her to get home, and I raced out in the driveway hoping she would be pulling up with my dad in the car. Turns out she had won or been given a jet ski at work. I tried really hard to act excited but I was crushed.
I stayed up until midnight and wished myself a happy birthday and said goodbye to single digits when I turned 10
My grandpa took me on a hike along the train tracks to an abandoned cabin near our summer cabin by the lake and I sat in the old, rusted out truck in the yard
Same summer cabin, left by train one year. It wasn't a passenger train though and they simply stopped along the track. I got to sit with the conductor and blow the whistle.
I was crying because some of my parent's friend's kids were bullying me and my mum and dad told me I was doing exactly what they wanted by getting upset. They told me to get back at them I should just be happy. That one really stuck.
Going flying with my dad, who was a private pilot, at about 12 years old in a 2 seated Cessna and he let me control the plane and land it.
When my cousin's idiot (now ex) wife very unceremoniously broke the news my grandpa had passed before my parents got back to the house. That one really sucked.
Reading an online review that praised my customer service when I was about 17.
Running into a guy I worked with years prior (at my very first job) in the hallway of my college and having a very brief conversation. We reconnected after that and have been married for 3 years ๐
Growing up I never really got to let out my inner child around the house as much as I feel a child should. I grew up in an abusive home And was bullied daily (physically, mentally, and emotionally) And when I was about 6 my grandfather started leaving Texas in the summer and going to New Mexico to take care of a tourist park in Cloudcroft.
One summer when I was 8 my mom let me go with him for a few weeks. It was magical. The p8ne trees. The mountain air. The birds. Twmpetures not exceeding 80 degrees. He would take me on mountain bike trips each morning (he was an avid bicyclist). Well one morning during my second week. We got up early, had breakfast, got our bikes ready and at the first light from the sun we started off. We rode for a couple hours into the woods up hills down hills through trails off trails. Well the reason this me or sticks so vividly is because this particular day was true and pure magic.
We came to a clearing at about 9 a.m. it was through the opens of these massive pine trees. I could hear metal being hit in the distance. It was normal yet not, probably because of the placement. We rode closer and I could see people in the distance. Forest in each side except behind them, behind them was blue sky for eternity and a cliff drop off about 300 yards back. We went over and they welcomed us. People were sword fighting, laughing, eating (it smelled amazing), and enjoying themselves. It was as if I walked through a wardrobe into another land, if you catch my drift.
We stayed for about 30 minutes and we rode on. We stopped in town, I looked at knives because I wanted one to widdle walking sticks from Yucca trees. And then I bought some incense. We rode home. But the excitment wasn't over yet. As we rode up the massive hill to the RV, I see something in the distance. I got closer and unrealized it was a bear, a cub. It was so fun to look at but my grandpa calmly said "best leave it alone, what do ya say?" so I waved at the near and we rode the last 100 yards. We spent the rest of the day widdling walking sticks for visitors and refilling the humming bird feeders. I was in heaven. I have never felt that happy since.
Now obviously I understand at the age of 25 that we came across a rennaisance festival, and that if there is a cub there is a mom and how dangerous that is. But at the time I was innocent enough to just believe I was in a magical place. For once in my stressful life, I felt completely safe and at peace. I experienced something you can only experience when you read a book or see a movie But in real life. I will never, ever, forget that day.
My dog getting hit by a car and having to be put down. Seeing his dead body across the road in the field for a week after.
Pappaw dying when I was 28. Could still feel the strength in his hands lying in the casket as I wept and said my goodbyes.
Being my brothers best man. I more remember when he said to me " You are my best man"
Sitting on the couch at 27 and realizing I don't believe in religion anymore.
Having my head pinned to a rock in a waterfall while white water rafting.
Realizing I was letting go of my first gf forever at 21.
Realizing I was letting go of the girl I thought I would marry at 30.
Learning how to play music and a lot of little epiphanies along that road.
Joining my first band and writing my first song.
First time having sex without a condom.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:58:09 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Going to my dad's slo pitch games as a kid. I basically grew up at his sporting events, and the guys on his team always made me feel like one of the dudes. Those were just purely fun times.
-Getting the phone call from my mom that my dad had a stroke. I have never felt more shocked or helpless, but that phone call and then going to see him in the hospital have greatly shaped my life.
-About a year and a half after the stroke, my dad being at my senior night basketball game in college. It was the last competitive game he'll ever get to see me play in person, and he rebounded for me during my pre-warmup shooting routine. The reason this matters so much is that that routine is a time for me to get myself ready to play and to get my mind focused, so usually it's just me, the ball, and a hoop. To share such precious time with my dad (my former coach) one last time after all he had been through was one of the most important things I've ever done.
This story nearly brought me, a grown man, sitting in an office eating his lunch to fully blown tears! It's such a sad but beautiful memory! I'm now the proud owner of a soggy bagel
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:19:46 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My relationship with my dad is lacking in many ways, but sharing sports with him will always be a special place that we bond.
I was about 4 or 5 years old waiting by the front doors inside of a restaurant after eating a nice dinner with my mom and dad. I remember they were getting their stuff ready and paying the bill while I stared at the quarter machines. My dad didn't like to give me quarters or much else growing up so asking him for one would be fruitless. I remember having that little kid intense thought of "I wish I just had a quarter..." I then felt a tap on my shoulder and the first thing I saw was an adult mans hand holding a quarter out for me. I didn't know what to do because I was taught to not take things from people but when I looked at him I knew it was OK. He had on a cowboy hat and a longsleeved shirt and jeans and cowboy boots and had the kindest smile on his face. I just stared up at him and quickly took the quarter and quickly jammed it into the gumball machine. I turned the knob and I got this huge gumball and stuffed it in my mouth and tried to chew as fast as I could to shrink it down so my dad wouldn't see it. I've never forgotten such a simple kind act and how much it meant to me just to get a little gumball.
Now whenever my kids aren't expecting money for the quarter machine, before they can even ask and they turn around, I'm holding out quarters for them and I see my glee in their little faces.
my dad answering any question i had even going to the effort of writing scientists if he didnt know the answer
at age 11 having to walk to school after my dad had to leave because he lost his house and couldn't find a job after the '07 crisis, he was moving cross country to WA. and i didn't know when or if i would ever see him again, it was the day before my birthday
age 12 begging to a god i didn't believe in to kill me and asking why he let me live
age 12/13 my suicide attempts
age 13- meeting a person who actually wanted to talk to me, the fact that anyone would even treat me as a person after all of the bullying i received was unthinkable, she later talked me out of attempting suicide again
age 13 during high school orientation i went a school in a different district and during lunch a girl and her friend sat down next to me and her friends came and soon the table was filled and people were sitting on the ground beside it, it was so different from anything i had ever experienced it blew my mind
age 13 that girl who sat next to me becomes my first girlfriend and being able to hold her and feel like middle school was behind me
age 15 helping the girl who helped me with depression with her new physical disability and being there for her the way she was for me
age 16 being held by my current SO and being told that i was wanted, even though i had gone on dates before, being wanted was so strange, in my mind girls just sort of 'consented' to being with me so the idea of being truly wanted was inconceivable
age 18 being accepted to a college on my birthday despite all of the odds
-Baby ghost in my bedroom when I was like 18 months old
-My dad flying me around in Cessna airplanes
-When I was 6 and asked to spend the night at my grandma's because my parents were fighting and it was annoying. Same night, my mom calls over to grandma's to see if she can come spend the night, too. We ended up never going back home. My parents officially separated that night for about 3 years. I often thought that maybe if I hadn't asked to spend the night with my grandma that night, they never would have separated.
-Writing novels and plays in my dad's office in the mornings while I was about 9
-Getting my first dog, Rascal.
-Trying to sneak my kitten to school in my backpack when I was in kindergarten because I wanted to take him to show and tell but my parents kept telling me "no." So I put him in my backpack secretly, we all got in the car, I felt him moving around in my backpack and heard him meow and when we were almost to school, I just broke out sobbing because I felt bad for the kitten and I also knew I'd done something wrong
-My first kiss, age 12. Didn't even like the guy. Felt pressured, wanted to be cool. He liked me a lot, but I ended up dumping him after a day and he cried.
-Going to prom with my boyfriend in high school. We thought the prom was lame as fuck so after showing up just for photos, we grabbed some sodas and went to the park with some friends. My boyfriend was 18 and in college, I was 16 going on 17. When our friends were out of earshot in the park, he played a Dashboard Confessional song on his phone and we slowed danced to it near the swings so we could at least get in one, meaningful, cheesy dance.
-Being 20 and catching that same boyfriend cheating on me after 4 years together. Destroyed me.
-I have a basket of core memories that just consist of making out with different people at this point.
-Getting married, getting pregnant, giving birth, getting divorced, meeting the love of my life, losing the love of my lifeโgood core memory material in there.
Probably the first was being back stabbed by my best friend. The fallout of it still hurts me to this day. The trust issues, the loneliness, and the hate. It drove me into severe depression and suicidal ideation.
The second was the two times I attempted suicide. I don't think that needs much explanation other than I failed both times. After the second time, I felt shame. Shame for trying to end my life, and shame for continuing how it is. I told myself I'd change. Although it didn't happen for a while, that thought stayed with me.
The third was when I played this game called Undertale. It broke me. It made me feel things I hadn't felt in many years. Comfort. Belonging. Laughter. Actual happiness. But it also brought pain. Sadness. Nostalgia. It reminded me of things I'd long repressed. Grudges I never let go of. Most importantly though, it made me feel. It made me reconsider my life and it's worth. The messages and themes in it gave me strength to push on and beat back the clout of darkness.
A fourth would be the first time I listened to The Dark Side of the Moon. That album forever molded my taste and appreciation of music.
The most recent core memory however has to be drawing once again. The biggest change in my life, and in the struggle against depression, has been picking up the pencil again and decorating a blank canvas with my imagination and desires. To take back what depression stole from me and made worthless gave it worth, and so onto me did that worth go. I felt like I had a reason to live, something to live for. I've drawn every day since that fateful morning on January 1 at 1:03 AM. I wrote down that time because I told myself at that moment everything would change. And changed it has.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:01:28 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My uncle bringing a movie projector to have a movie night with my dad , (this was before VHS was invented) and we used a bed sheet as the screen and watched movies in the lounge room.
I had a difficult relationship with my parents. I was around 13 and was seeing my Mom for the first time in over a year. I was tubby and goth in the awkward way that only a 13 year old can be. I stepped off the train, happy to see her, excited to reconnect. She looked horrified. Deeply horrified. Her first words weren't "hello!". Her first words were "oh my god, get in the car before someone sees us". I'll never forget that feeling, that deep ripping pain, the automatic disassociation from everything. No tears, not ever.
My sister, I was 7, she was 5. We were driving through the woods and, wanting to spook her a little I say "It's daaaark.... It's creeeeepy.... It's!!!!" She interrupts, in a completely bored voice with "Superman". We laughed so hard we couldn't breathe.
Bhargo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:15:26 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My stepdad getting angry about something when he was drunk and throwing my in my room at my bed. It was an old box-spring mattress and one spring was sticking out, cut my stomach pretty bad, and my crying only mad him angrier, he wouldn't let me leave the room or help me. I remember my older brother being so focused as he wiped me off and bandaged me, even while I was positive I was bleeding to death. After he was done he smiled and said "See, it's never as bad as it looks".
Walking home in a huge snowstorm. My mom wasn't answering her phone and it was really coming down hard, that nasty wet sticky snow that saturates you and leaves you feeling like you just climbed out of a pool and are standing in a freezer. Hour long walk home. I literally couldn't feel anything by the time I got inside, actually ended up going to the hospital for that one, mild hypothermia. My mom had forgotten I needed to be picked up and went drinking with her friends.
Sitting with my grandpa. That movie Jungle Fever was playing and he called it stupid, then told me stories about what it was like being a black man dating (eventually marrying) a white woman in the 50s. He told me the very fact that I existed proved love would win over hate every time, even if it didn't seem like it at first.
Some school camping event that everyone was super psyched about. It had a $50 fee to go but it was a week long and was pretty much the biggest thing at the school. Every kid who went came back with stories of first kisses and new relationships, it was pretty much the gateway into being a teenager for everyone. My stepdad put aside the $50 and told me I had to do all the chores and clean the house for the two weeks preceding the event to get the money. Man I cleaned the shit out of that house, that shit was sparkling, I was practically singing spirituals mowing the lawn. Day before I go to him and ask for the money, and he tells me he already spent it on something else. I will never forget the way he said "Life is full of disappointments, get used to it" and just walked away. First time I was ever truly heartbroken.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:20:06 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandma shouting at me on the day of my beloved grandpa's funeral as I brought her the wrong colour hat.
When I was 11 I went to this camp and had a panic attack while out walking. There was this 16-year-old guy who was the youngest counsellor there. He carried me all the way back. He was kinder than anyone had ever been to me in my life.
The time I sat down at a bus stop crying and this thuggish looking kid in a hoodie sat down next to me and said he was sorry I was crying and he hoped things got better soon.
Trying to look up an older girl from school who was nice to me and was part of the reason why I didn't try to kill myself sooner. I just wanted to thank her for making a difference. Nothing came up on Facebook so I googled her and found out that she had committed suicide a few years ago after a period of depression.
The nurse who said horrible things to me after I attempted suicide in my teens.
Doing a class presentation about my experience as a suicide attempt survivor about 18 years later while studying counselling and having a room full of people express empathy. Empowered by that, writing to the hospital thinking it was too late to complain - that it was just symbolic, for closure - but actually they investigated and sent me a letter of apology admitting all their mistakes.
When I broke down and told my husband about some things in my childhood and got all the comfort and support I needed.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:42:45 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age 8? or younger: Mom was really angry. After a lot of screaming, she stormed out to the car and drove off. My two younger siblings and I were crying hysterically on the porch, thinking she would never come back.
Age 10: At the end of my first year at a new school, I was awarded "Aesthete of the Year". I wasn't expecting it at all, so it was a very happy and proud moment for me.
Age 13: First day at a new school. After some information from the teachers, we got a short break. All my new classmates (who had already known each other for years) left the classroom without talking to me, not even looking my way. I sat by myself in the hallway, holding back the tears as I told myself: "It's only for two years. I can survive two years by myself."
Age 16: One morning I refused to get out of bed and I could barely tell my parents what was wrong because I couldn't stop crying. I had been in denial regarding how behind I was with essays, tests, and presentations in pretty much every subject, and I just... gave up. Before this, I had always been a bright kid with really good grades, but that morning I realized I wasn't as smart as the people around me had led me to believe.
Age 16-19: Went to art school. For the first time in years I made friends (that I'm still in touch with after graduating). Every day was fun with them and I will always treasure those memories.
Age 18: Mom was beyond angry. After screaming at the whole family, she and I got in the car, since she was supposed to give me a ride somewhere. During the whole trip she tells me how she feels unloved by us and how our family is the worst. When she says (in a surprisingly calm voice) that she's thinking of putting our (perfectly healthy) dog down because she's sick of taking care of her, I finally burst into tears.
I fell off the tire swing at a playground as a child and scraped up my knees. My dad scooped me up and carried me home. I bled all over my dad's favorite (white) wool sweater. I cried not because I was hurt, but because I "ruined" his sweater. He shrugged, took it off, and cleaned the gravel out of my wounds and put Band-Aids on them.
My dad isn't a super emotional guy, and made some mistakes while I was growing up, but he loves me and has never been a bad parent.
To this day, I don't have many core memories that affect me as much as that one does. Can't really explain why or how; it just does.
My dad and I never really got along great. We still fight a lot to this day. But there is one core memory that we share, and we speak about that fondly.
When I was about 9 years old I got into hockey, because literally every kid in my class did hockey. I decided I wanted to do it as well. And despite the shit relationship my dad and I have, he still went to every single game, cheering me on at the sidelines. Not being an asshole and yelling (like the other parents), but genuinely cheering me on and supporting me. After every game he would buy me a grilled cheese and some ice cream. Even if my team lost, he would still buy me that, and would get me my favorite soda in a way of cheering me up.
The thing he always brings up when we talk about it, is that he always remembers me as a running red-faced, mouth-guard wearing little monkey he was proud of. Despite the shit relationship we have, this memory gives me warm and fuzzy feelings.
When I was in the second grade, my best friend was the daughter of a minister, just like me. Our respective parsonages were on the same road, but about a mile away. We had to walk or bike down this random sidewalk (random because we didn't live in town, but on a rural state route), and for second grade me that took about 20 minutes. Anyhow, when I saw her for the last time before I had to move I walked with her down to her house and then ran almost all of the way home, crying, and I spent what felt like the remainder of my expected time sobbing on the church steps until I could collect myself and go home.
This is more an amalgamation than one memory, but my best friend turned on my at the start of my freshman year of high school. She called me a whore (or a virgin, depending on the day; both were meant as insults), fat, ugly, gross, and to put the cherry on top she put a really horrible cartoonized version of me next to the cartoons of other athletes and such in our grade's hallway, with buckteeth, acne, snot, and period stains.
I attempted to punch out a junior football player when I was a sophomore in high school. My dad's best friend/my brother's mentor had just died that morning (while subbing for my brother's math class, no less) and my brother kind of lost it. Refused or was incapable of speaking, steady flow of tears for a couple hours, that sort of thing. My brother was also one of the best football players in the school and his mentor was a coach, so the whole team was pretty in the know. This guy was just jealous and trying to prey on my brother while he was weak for popularity points, but he lost all of those when his friends had to hold me back from destroying him.
I took a theater class my senior year and our teacher had us do that guided relaxation crap on the stage one day. Everyone but my friend and I fell asleep during it. Our director had arranged us so everyone's head was next to their neighbors' feet, so when we sat up we were facing each other at a very close proximity. I had the fleeting instinct to kiss him. Just for a second, I had a fire burning in my belly, my cheeks flushed, and I found it hard to get a breath. Now that we're dating, he told me that he had the same reaction.
Years later, well out of college, I was in the final stages of preparation for my year+ teaching in Korea. It was January 14, exactly one month before my first Valentine's Day with my boyfriend and exactly one month before I was to leave the States. I got a call from my recruiter screaming at me about lying to her about a medical condition (nerve damage in my right arm). Turns out that she had forgotten to ask me about my medical history in her excitement to get me into school. Unfortunately, my condition meant that my visa would never go through and that my contract was voided. She ended the call by saying that Korea would "never want somebody like [me] working with children".
The first time I saw my little brother in the hospital the day he was born. It was october 1988. I was just under 2 years old.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:57:54 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
๐๏ธ PapiSurane ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:54:37 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for sharing, and I'm sorry you had to go through some of those things. It amazes me how unfeeling people can be sometimes. I hope you make it to a better place in your life soon.
Late to the party, but I have to be in on such an awesome question.
Blue - Dad had cancer, was in hospital for a long time. My mom told me I could only go certain days on "kid visiting days". This memory is very clear to me: I woke up one morning crying. I walked out of my room and my mom was getting ready to leave. I didn't know why, but I dropped to my knees and BEGGED her to let me go but she said it wasn't a kids visiting day. I told her I HAD to there was something WRONG. She didn't let me go, but I wound up being right. My father had died that morning.
Blue - 2011. Sitting on the couch watching reruns of Reba in an oversized pink Las Vegas t shirt. The phone rang and I started crying as soon as it did. I looked at the clock. 8:27 pm. My mom answered, but I already knew. My grandmother had died.
Yellow - You don't have to believe this; I'm not religious myself. My mom, grandmother, and I are parked in a cemetery, going to visit my uncle Rays grave. My mom put her keys in the purse, and the car wenr nuts. The windshield wipers flew back and forth, the hazard lights blinked incessantly, and the radio turned on to full blast. My mom and grandma say that my Uncle Ray was so excited his mom had finally come to visit his grave.
Yellow - I was in a few clubs in high school doing charity work. I had to go to classrooms 2nd period and ask for donations. I remember my choices were the 4 hall or 1 hall; all of my friends were on the 4 hall, so the choice was obvious. For some reason though, "one" is what came out of mouth. I was annoyed at myself but did what I said I'd do. I walked into a 1 hall classroom, and immediately locked eyes with the boy who I have now been with for 3 years; we currently have a house and two puppers together. I know it seems like we "would have met anyway", but we were in completely different circles, grades, and schedules, so I think I knew I needed to go down that hall.
Blue - Our family commonly bonded by going to nice flea markets on Saturday mornings, and one morning my dad told us we were going. One of my brothers got so excited, ran to his room, and came out with a box of cool, colored glass bottles. My father said "No, we're going to look, not to sell." My brothers face and shoulders physically dropped as he trudged to his room and he was so solemnly sad. I don't know why this is such a significant memory to me, but I still think about it and I was only 4 or 5 at the time.
Purple - My brothers would fight physically and verbally when I was smaller. It would be horrific, and to this day I have a bad anxiety attack if I hear yelling or see fighting. One day, I was probably 8, they were really going at it inside the house. I went outside, sat in the driveway, and since I could still hear them, I sang to myself a made up song: "Please do not fight, war is not right.." repeatedly until they stopped hours later.
Yellow - Let's end my never ending damn list on a good note. On New Years Eve of 2014 (going into 2015), I took my very first antidepressent. Don't be afraid to ask for help. It's one of the bravest things you can do. It's changed my life.
I'm legitimately bothered that I can't identify moments or memories that I cherish.
I know I like sports. I can't remember moments when I was watching and having a good time.
I know I like playing video games or hanging around with my friends. I can't remember a lot of particular instances.
I did a lot of fun stuff in high school, especially extracurriculars, but I don't remember specific parts of them.
I can't remember the good, only the bad. Like when my rugby captain broke his wrist. When my debate team argued with each other in a round and we got eliminated. When my parents separated and I told my friends. Is something wrong with me?
I was from Minnesota, but moved to San Francisco. Minnesota gets pretty cold. The lake freezes over and that's when we play hockey. I'm on a great team, we're called Prairie Dogs. My friend Meg plays forward, my dad's a coach. Pretty much everyone in my family skatesโits kind of a family tradition. We go out the lake almost every weekend.. Or we did, until we moved away. We used to play tag and stuff.. But everything's different now, since we moved..
My parents always refusing to let me play in the front yard when I was a child. When I was little I resented them for it, but now I'm thankful because that neighborhood was one of the worst in the city. Glad we made it out.
yaosio ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:30:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't have any. All I have are random short memories of things I can't even recall now. I've seen pictures and video of myself doing things I don't remember doing. I've done things in the past I don't have the slightest clue how to do. My cognitive abilities have slowly decreased over time, although I have no idea by how much.
Right there with you. For a second, i though "i don't remember writing this today". Then i saw your username.
How bad is your memory? Mine is dismal. I used to play piano. I could play the entire Phantom of the Opera with my eyes closed. Now? I think i can still play chopsticks.
Childhood memories? I think i can remember losing a balloon once. That's about it. the rest are foggy or i get that feeling of missing a step that isn't there when i go to try to recall anything.
More often than not, family will recall some thing i did and i'll have zero memories of it.
Being an intellectual, I feel like losing my mind is the scariest thing i could ever lose.
zkeya ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:58:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Salt - r/hearthstone and other gaming subreddits probably
All of my core memories, good and bad, seem to link up to each other.
I grew up in a very small farming town, and I was the only kid in school who wasn't white (Mexican, but I may as well have been blue with the way the other kids would avoid me for being different). Needless to say, I was the boy with no friends.
My parents divorced when i was 12, when my psychotic father pulled a gun on my mother. My mom ran away from that house, and didn't look back. She didn't speak to me again for many years.
My dad and I moved into a bigger city 30 miles away. Our new neighbor suggested I join the local boys and girls club. That's when I met my first real friend.
I won't forget the first time I spent the night at his house. It was my first real sleepover, and I was thirteen. Everyone in the house was asleep except us. We were on his mom's computer in the living room wearing just shorts, a comfort level I've never felt with anyone before. We were browsing the same pages we always did; funnyjunk, stick death, Joe cartoon.
Suddenly I noticed a bright light outside his living room window. I looked outside to see that someone lit his garbage can on fire.
He woke up his mom, who was on the cordless phone with the fire department while trying to battle the blaze with a garden hose. Her efforts were in vain as the flames got closer to the garage roof.
The fire engines showed up and thankfully made quick work of the fire before it reached the house. While we are standing there outside, half naked and barefoot on the sidewalk, he leans into me and says "I guess you don't want to sleep over anymore, huh?"
Without hesitation, I replied "are you kidding!? This has been one of the most exciting nights of my life!" His concerned expression turned into a relieved laugh.
We quickly became inseparable. I was always at his house, or he was always at mine. Almost every night, I was sleeping in his bed with him, or he was sleeping in mine. When we did have to part ways, we would hug each other, and tell the other "I love you". This was my first real friend, and I would always let him know how much I appreciated him in my life.
Over the years, things got a little more serious. We ended up being closer than friends. One night, he showed me some massage techniques he learned before bed. He rubbed my back, my feet, my legs...then things got intimate.
I returned the favor, and shortly after, he fell asleep with his arm wrapped around my chest, his head resting on my shoulder. This became the new sleepover ritual for years.
When I was eighteen, he suddenly seemed distant one day. He wouldn't tell me why. A few weeks later, he told me his family was moving to a new city thirty miles away. We hung out a few times after that, but the sleepovers were not the same. He began telling me of this girl he met in the new city, and he had a date with her that weekend.
Then he stopped answering my phone calls.
It was as if he dropped off the face of the planet, and I had no idea why. He gave me no reason, no excuse. I felt completely devastated. The friend I had viewed to be my other half walked out of my life without a word.
I couldn't sleep anymore. I didn't smile or laugh anymore. I was broken, and it lasted for years. Several suicide attempts later, I decided I needed to start a new life.
I moved to another city and got a new job in phone customer service. I was feeling pretty good about life, but he was always in the back of my mind. I still missed him.
I woke up from another dream of him and decided to look him up on MySpace. The first thing I saw was his profile photo: him and his new wife on their wedding day. Reading his profile, I discovered he had a child with her, and another on the way.
Something inside of me snapped. I felt like the last strand of reality had been broken away from me. I lied on the couch until it was time to go to work, staring at the ceiling.
I was talking to the third customer of the day when I told her "excuse me ma'am, I'm going to have to put you on hold for a moment." I got up from my desk, went to the bathroom, and began crying, crumpled on the floor. I kept screaming "is this what you want!? Is this what makes you happy??"
A half hour later, picking myself off of the restroom floor, I realized I lost my voice. I told my boss I needed a personal day. I logged off my work station (where my customer had long since hung up her phone), and left the building. I didn't go back.
I moved back into my dad's place and lived on welfare assistance for the next year and a half. I gave up on life, and just went through the motions without ever leaving the apartment. An old friend of mine reached out to me out of the blue one day and asked if I wanted a job with him. I took it, and tried to begin life over once again.
The dreams never stopped. He was still with me, and my heart felt full until I would wake up, alone once again. One morning, after eight years had passed since he last talked to me, I decided enough was enough.
I looked him up on Facebook. I saw his face again and without hesitation, I sent him a friend request. By the time I finished letting out a long sigh, he had already accepted it.
I was nervous, my sweaty hands shaking over the keyboard. I didn't know what to do. I carefully typed up my first message to him in years.
"Hi."
Immediately, I get a "hey" back. I ask him how's life, we make small talk, and I ask him if he wants to get lunch and catch up. He says yes, and we plan on meeting at our old favorite burger spot.
I walked through the door and see him at our old table. He looks just as I remembered him. I pull up a seat and we make awkward banter for a few seconds. Before I knew it, we found ourselves in a conversation as if we didn't miss a day.
He wants to introduce me to his family. I accepted. We go back to his house, and there I see her, his wife of seven years. "I hear you are like my husband's brother," she says. "I guess that makes us family too!" I let out a relieved, albeit awkward smile.
We didn't connect in the romantic way we did before, but we quickly returned to the same emotional level we were before.
One day that I'll never forget, as I left his house, I turned back to him standing in the doorway. "I love you", the words leapt from my mouth without restraint. A large grin spread across his face. "I love you too!" he blurted out, and took me in for a hug.
I drove home with a large smile on my face.
He would later tell me that he realized that day eight years ago that he wasn't gay, and he didn't know how to handle this relationship. I told him I understood, but he will always be my brother. I officially came out a couple years ago, and he was very supportive. I still hang out with him and his family, and his kids know me as uncle.
I'm thirty years old now. A lot has changed in my life. But I'm proud to have my first real best friend around once again.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:58:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:23:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I really try hard to throw away memories unless they're recent, I really hate living in the past.
The idea that core memories shape who you are is completely incorrect for me, the only really strong memories I can think of on demand are sad ones, which is just about the complete opposite of me. I'm a happy nutjob, get angry sometimes but very rarely upset.
Memories don't define you, they only define your insecurities. Your personality is what defines you.
Going to a store with my parents, then showing a pokemon card to one of the store assistants thinking it was my mom. Then I got embarrassed and since then don't approach people much.
After years of hard work, winning State in a relay with close friends and getting all American.
studying abroad in Germany
Going to the amusement park and building a Rollercoaster afterwards (Knex)
Being at the cabin as a child
Neferia ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:55:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Way back in 5th grade, my Mum ripped up my homework and threw it down the staircase when I asked her for help. My trust issues compounded from there, and I just about refuse to ask for help.
Still very young right now, not many life changing things worthy of being core, but definitely a few.
Grandmother's funeral. Never dealt with any sort of grief and the religious side of it, as a closet atheist, was something I always thought about, especially in Chinese culture where the eldest grandson (I'm the lone Grandson) does a lot of the things. Ended up shaping a lot of my beliefs now.
My sister crying when my parents were arguing. That happened really early in my life and probably my earliest memory. Legit just stood between my parents, who were always arguing back in the days, and cried for them to stop. For many years they never settled disputes via violent actions and shouting. Eternally grateful to my sister for that.
Getting rejected. Well not in terms of getting a date, just a simple, casual request towards a friend of mine to go to prom with me, which she said no to after spending half of the next day thinking about it. Not really interesting, but that was the final straw of a chain of events that happened this year that finally convinced me that I needed to change myself up since I've been getting "no" over and over again throughout the year.
My mom saying to my face that she hates me in a fit of rage. For a 10 year old me I took it pretty harshly for I've always loved my mom to bits. Started finishing all my homework and studied hard for the majors to win her back. She then told me that she said that because I was incredibly tired of getting phone calls from my teachers complaining about me, and forgave me after I proven myself to have changed. Now she's the only reason I remain motivated continue living at all.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:01:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first kiss with my first girlfriend. Easily one of the best moments. The amount of passion, hand-in-hair pushing each other closer, other hand feeling the curves of each others bodies. Jesus, I can feel the emotions.
Worst memory... Probably one of the worst. Finding out my WoW friend died. She's from the same country I am and we often chatted in WoW and over text messaging. We had the same sense of humour and she had beaten Lukemia once.
Sadly she got a relapse and was hospitalized. I promised her that I would find time to visit her, but those were empty promises.
Till one day I found people posting on her Facebook page, saying that they'll miss her. PMed one of my guildmates, that's how i found out she had passed on.
It absolutely crushed my soul for some reason. This whole thing also made me hold true to my promises to my closest friends. Never make a promise you can't keep, that's what I remind myself daily.
) My first large Lego set as a kid, Cargo railway 4559
) When my dad died
) Going to Disney for the first time
) Passing my driving test - oh the freedom!
) Graduating from uni
evhan55 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:13:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
With my CPTSD I have horrifying core memories for days...
I've been thinking about it, but I don't feel like choosing any memories in particular and say that they are the "core" ones.
I've lived so many things with so many people, even if I tend to be of the stay at home playing videogames side (and maybe because of it, thank you game developers), that choosing something in particular doesn't feel quite right. I would have to say something about everyone I've chosen in my life to spend a little bit of it with them, because I have become what I am thanks to every person that has shared a sincere conversation with me.
There's a lot, but this one is the first and the most formative:
Sitting at home, alone, at 7 years old while my family attended the funeral of my 4 year old brother. I wasn't allowed to attend because I was told I "wouldn't be able to handle it".
tanxh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:24:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting in my dad's car with my sister while it was raining.
At my local theatre I got the part of 'Action' in west side story after the person playing him dropped out to do a tour. This was a youth production so the ages 15-24, and was 12 at the time. Also to top it off two others auditioned, both in their 20s and the week before I had seen one perform (brilliantly). To think the day before I was convinced I wasn't going to audition for the part because I definitely wouldn't get it, it did great things for my confidence and made me fall in love with theatre and created most of the friends I have now! You'd be surprised to see even what doing one performance could do, not just for confidence but organisation, motivation, fitness and relationships!
jjwax ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:26:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandfather, before he was taken by cancer.
My grandparents lived in a town about 1.5 hours away from us, so we would often go spend the weekend with them. Every time, my grandfather would take me to the mall, gave me $5 to play in the arcade, then we would get a slice of NY style pizza at the shop next door. During these trips we always talked about whatever was going on in my life at the time, I just wish I had asked him more about his :(
My dad used to sort of vault off this retaining wall when he was working outside, instead of walking around the long way. I thought I could copy him and threw myself headfirst into the concrete parking bay. Apparently my head was split open and blood was gushing out, but I was mainly concerned by the giant spider I'd seen on the wall that I thought was going to eat this baby snail beside it. I was concerned I'd squished the snail.
My earliest is falling off the slide wrestling with my older cousin and busting my head open and there being blood everywhere on the way to the hospital.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:34:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know if I can list them all. Backstory; my parents weren't married and I've struggled with depression, half-assedly diagnosed and not really treated.
- making a bindle to take with me to see my dad. This was the first time i really remember going over to see my dad and hang out with him.
- A big dude named Mike with a gruff construction worker voice showing me how to ride a two wheeler down my driveway.
- My dad teaching me how to round edges and what flush means. Learning new things will still make me giggle 15 years later.
- 7-8 year old me sitting on the steps in a house we were working at and pulling nails from finishing, drinking root beer, and playing warioware on my gameboy advance. My dad said he's pay me 10 cents a nail, and I pulled a few hundred. Wonderful time.
-Redeads scaring the shit out of me. Still do.
-Smelling the red rubber track on the first day of football practice. Still hate that track.
-Realizing I forgot my wallet on the first date with the first girl I had a long-term relationship with. Still miss her.
-Feeling totally different one day. I felt less smart and less capable and in serious need of sleep while working on a school project one day after school in the library. Retrospectively, this was my first run-in with serious depression.
-Seeing my friend Brian on the couch of his childhood home hardly able to breathe, communicating through a tablet, in the final stages of ALS. That smell of that old, cluttered house with furnishing from the 80's and his dad's bad toupee will haunt me forever.
-Realizing that all of the anxiety that I feel, regardless of where or how I am will always come to pass, and that everything's okay. I don't remember where I was, just the feeling.
The day I was arrested: April 2006. I know it's a late one, I was 20, but it sure replaced whatever else was there. I had been drinking and I left my then girlfriends house and started driving. Now I normally go a certain way home, but I decided to take a different route because I hate the stop sign on the normal route. As I was driving I got pulled over and was arrested for underage drinking. I was well under the .080 limit (.014) but I was over for the under 21 limit. This is where the core memory kicks in...when my parents came to pick up the car thy had to see me in the back of the cop car. Seeing my crying moms face out the window of the back of a cop car will always be burned into my memory. It was a moment i never want to repeat, but it's also a moment I never want to forget because it reminds me why I stopped drinking.
Playing Baseball in my room at my dads house with my mom. I was around 3. We were playing with my mickey mouse baseball and glove. I'll always remember the huge smile on her face and her laughing heartily.
Being in my Aunt's van in my Dad's driveway. I was about 4 years old. Everything seemed a little weird, and i couldn't understand why my mom put so much of our stuff in my aunt's van. But, my mom said we were having a sleepover at my Aunts, so I was excited
Scoring my first goal in street hockey. I was 5, playing in a league with all 7-9 year olds, and I was really bad. The ball was sitting in the crease, nobody realizing where it was, and I slid on my knee pads atleast 3-4 feet (for no reason lol) to hit the ball into the net. The place erupted.
4th Grade. I asked a girl in my class what she wanted to get for Christmas. I probably had a slight crush on her. She responded, "I don't celebrate Christmas". I, confusingly, asked her what she meant. She said "I'm Jewish". I replied "What's Jewish?" From then on, i realized how sheltered I was. A sudden realization that there are more than one religion changed me for good.
Hearing smash mouth all star at summer camp. I probably heard the song 75 times that summer, but for whatever reason, a specific time sticks with me. To this day I get most nostalgic about that song =)
The first rated M video game I played
The first time I beat said game
Joining my Soccer team I stayed with for 7ish years
Beating my family at Sorry! the first time
The time my parents saying I was lesser than my older sister.
Ah-Um ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:35:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-listening to oldies cassette tapes (the Eagles, golden earring etc.) during the summer car rides between my two parents' homes as a kid
-being the rope in a tug of war between my tweaked out, drunk mother and my protective sister, also as a kid
-hearing Led Zeppelin's Kashmir on the radiofor the first time after listening to almost solely AC/DC for the first ten years of my life
-discovering my high school girlfriend had cheated in me with the German foreign exchange student
-finding out my ex had moved to Germany with said foreign exchange student
-finding out my ex and foreign exchange student moved into a ridiculously nice home, got married, and have a child on the way
-losing a best friend because I stupidly made out with his girlfriend (they were in a break at the time but it doesn't matter)
-trying cheesecake for the first time at the ripe old age of 22
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:35:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The one I can think of the most is honesty.
When I was 16 my curfew was about 11pm, my parents didn't mind if I was 10-15 minutes late. This one time I came home probably 1am from a few blocks away at a buddies house, none the less after my curfew. My dad asked me sternly "What time did you get in last night?"
"A little after 11" I told him.
Without missing a beat he said "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't know the truth, don't lie to me next time."
I never have, and he didn't punish me for lying or being late, but he made it clear he expected my honesty.
3 years old, sitting on the deck of my grandmother's apartment building on a warm New England summer evening. Leaning slightly over the lower rung of the railing and sipping a juice box while I looked through the window of a neighbor's home as they watched Jeopardy on their TV.
-the last time I saw my grandma and her voice saying "I love you", I was leaving knowing it was the last time I'd see her.
-the day she died.
-the day my son was born, right before the c-section, when I was still pushing and my boyfriend was there holding my hand and helping me.
-the day I was told my dad's dog was hit by a car. twice. she died.
-when my mom got in a fist fight with her older sister, I was there and she kicked us out leaving us homeless. She had bit my mom's finger taking out a piece of it and I told her we could go to the police. I was 5/6.
Ebo907 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:36:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was pretty young maybe 7 or 8 I never cleaned my room and my parents were always telling me to clean it. One day my Dad had enough and he took me to my room and dumbed everything on the ground in the middle of my room and showed me how to clean my room. He showed me everything had a place and it should go back in that place when I was done with it.
When I was 11 or 12 my mom got this middle aged dog that was a complete dick. The whole family hated it. One day while I was walking it, it got hit by a car because it took off into the road. I took it back home in my arms balling. My very religious grandpa tried to comfort me by saying it was in a better place. I screamed at him and asked him what if I didn't believe in heaven. He didn't respond to this wasn't angry he just said back that it wasn't my fault the dog got hit and hugged me.
When I was 21 my grandpa got sick and was in the hospital he was like 90. We all knew it wasn't good. One morning I got a call from my mom saying I should be ready for bad news. Soon after my dad called me and he was crying, it was the first time I ever heard him cry and he told me my grandpa died. I was in my living room to not wake my now wife then gf and I was in the middle of the floor silently sobbing. We were together for maybe a year at that point. She woke up came out and spooned me and said she was very sorry for my loss and just laid with me. I knew right then and there she would be my wife.
There is some others but I figured this was enough for this post.
The day I graduated college, my dad told me he was proud of me for the first time ever.
My first healthy and real relationship was long distance, we were together a couple of years, and I still very
clearly remember how happy I was every time we finally got to see each other.
The first dove I shot, and also the first deer.
The nights my best bud and I would stay up until 2 am playing Starcraft and GoldenEye 64.
All the times my cousin, and my two brothers would go camping in the woods behind my grandma's house.
The Bad:
My best friend of fifteen years leaving for Iraq in 2005 and not coming home.
When my first girlfriend tried to kill herself, her and her sister told me it was my fault.
The first time I saw someone die.
The things my loving wife says when her bipolar disorder flips her mood.
I don't have any core memories. I can remember specific things and events but when I recollect my past, it's mostly a blur and nothing particular stands out.
kai288 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:37:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad took me to the movies to see Follow That Bird.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:37:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Father taking the side of my brother hitting me during the 2007 Super Bowl because "I was being a baby"
Not being able to talk to my grandmother when I needed her the most due to her dementia
Wanting to kill myself 3 years ago but worrying too much about who would find me.
Feeling completely lost and motionless in a crowd unable to speak at a freshman event in high school.
Nobody believes it, but I swear it must be true. I was adopted when I was 9 months old and I remember my brother and father made some funny noises when they just got me. I asked them about it and they asked how I knew they made those noises. I said I feel like I can remember it, but they think someone must have recorded it and that we must have lost the tapes. I know better, though!
Second memory is when I fell off the stairs at age 3.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:38:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My father saying I'm too ugly to be his offspring so my mother must have cheated.
Sexual abuse at the age 6.
A teacher making fun of my voice in middle school.
The first time my sister said I'm ugly (in front of her friends)
The moment I realized that no matter what I do people's view of me will never change.
1.. Walking to school with my brothers and promising to never rat on each other about swearing
2. Camping with my family on a trip to the east coast . Baton twirling,beaver tails, horseback riding and laughing a lot
3. The day I got a call and my mom was crying (which never happens) I found out my brother had been hit by a car at a cross walk and was in a coma.
4. The day my now husband kissed me for the first time out of the blue. Probably his smoothest move ever.
My mother dying in a car accident when I was 5 years old.
Christmas eve, a drunk ass miss the curve and hit my dad car in face-to-face. Since it was a really old car, (no seat belts) my mother was ejected from the car and die instantly.
35 years later, I have never drive my car drunk, not even after drinking 1 beer and I always ask my girlfriend and my kid to buckle up before I even move the car out of the parking lot.
It change my life on so many level.
Taking md for the first time at Groovin' the Moo festival in Canberra and feeling truly euphoric with some of my best friends (lame but true)
Eating a home-cooked dinner and singing the Tracy Beaker theme with my best friends in the entire world before a night out in Berlin after we finished school
Uncontrollably crying on the plane when I left Sydney after having a really mad year living there
Hugging and crying with my friend's mum in their empty house when they were moving away from my street after living there all my life
The day my dog died when she was only 3 years old. My dad at the time refused to take her to the vet when she was acting strange, died a couple hours later right as he finally sobered up to drive.
The day my mom lost custody of my sister and I after my dad had his drinking buddies give false testimonies in court against her. Wasn't allowed to see her for 3 to 6 months until the judge decided what kind of visitation to allow.
The day I realized that people who I thought were friends in my elementary to middle school and to junior high weren't really my friends and that I actually didn't have any (it was a private catholic school and I was the only kid who had divorced parents which is apparently enough to get you ostracized from everyone).
The day I found out that my dad found all the documents from my psychiatrist (you were assigned one as a kid when your parents are getting a divorce) and he used them against me and punished me for saying negative things about him. I have serious trust issues now because of that.
(Here's the positive one) the day I got randomly called up by someone I was kinda friends with in high school to be part of the large senior skit and I finally managed to get out of my introvert bubble.
The day I met my current girlfriend. She was really into me at the time and I had no idea because I went through a really bad breakup and was not looking to date anyone at the time and she was also in a relationship but apparently it was already falling apart. There was a time when she was walking in the rain with no umbrella and I happened to notice she was behind me and then I heard her say that she walked to the wrong parking lot for her car and was going to turn around and walk the probably 3 miles to the lot, but I offered to drive her so she didn't have to walk in the rain. I am so glad I did that because I am now with that amazing woman and could not be more happy about doing that for her.
I was maybe 13 or 14 at the time and it was late at night. I was in the downstairs ganeroom doing what every teenager with Internet access and Noone else around does. There was a large glass sliding door to my right but the blinds were closed so Noone could see...or so I thought.
Apparently my "friends" stopped by and could see through a small Crack and decided to knock on the door. I could here then giggling before they took off running. Since then I have paranoia and social anxiety.
My dad kissing me and telling me goodnight and he loved me when I was young. I pretended to be asleep so I didn't say it back. He died a few months later from cancer. I still regret it.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:40:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. Original Ask Reddit thread. Props.
These are probably my few.
Surviving a grizzly bear attack.
Falling off a ladder and concussing myself and breaking both wrists.
Signing up for Co-Ed volleyball in 5th grade and being the only male in the league (dominated it)
Moving towns and homes from everything I knew when I was 14. Made me do a lot of growing up.
Noob3rt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father teaching me about nature. Showing me that compassion in all things is important, even to a tree in the forest or a frog in the pond. Everything feels.
My mother teaching me to respect others and treat them how I wish to be treated, even if they are treating you poorly.
Being bullied every single school day from kindergarten till grade 10 which caused me to quit school due to being unable to function properly.
My mother crying to my father thinking I couldn't hear as they worried about my future since I chose to leave school.
Telling my brother to work hard at whatever he does and to not throw away his life like I did.
Sitting outside at night and thinking about what I could have been or what I could have done if I had the strength when I was a kid to pull through it. This has caused me to work as hard as I can at any opportunity I have so that I can never let anyone down again.
There are several of my father: laying on his lap asleep, his body scent is permanently embedded in my senses from that day; walking down railroad tracks with him which led to my love for trains; his funeral where I suddenly realized that death is actually a thing.
When my mother was hospitalized and she went from having youthful energy to seemingly aging 50 years. She has sense recovered sort of, but is not the same person I remember as a child and it makes it hard for me to see her.
The first time I kissed a girl I cared about, we are still best friends but our relationship ended after a long time because we were headed in different directions in life.
The moment I meant my daughter and the clarity of just what love means.
The first time I left my home country on a trip to Canada. It was sunrise as I drove into Montreal and the bridge was absolutely gorgeous in that sunlight, I now have a love of bridges and sunrises always remind me of that moment.
The first time I saw the Killers live and the realization that they are in fact my favorite band. I was so tired from how happy I was that night
The shuttle accidents. I know I want to go to space so badly, and I would give anything to do it. They gave everything for it. Whenever I visit space exhibits I get emotional thinking about those crews.
I got verbally bullied a lot in high school. At one point I had a mental list of people I wanted to kill. One day I was doing something stupid and preventing my friend from being able to leave for the day. His sister was waiting to drive him home, so she was getting pissed at me. She told me to stop, and asked if I cared about what other people thought of me. I realized that if I didn't, then nothing anyone said would bother me. It sounds stupid, but in that moment I decided to stop being insulted. Noone stopped what they had been saying to me, but I stopped getting upset about it. I actually went as far as to embrace the things that I was criticized for, which can be summed up as "being a weird kid". That was almost 20 years ago, and to this day there's really nothing anyone can say to me that will make me angry.
The day my dad died. That was the day I began to realize I don't really care about people. I've never met a single person whose absence from my life would sadden me for more than a brief moment. I actually get more upset when I finish a good book, because I'm more emotionally attached to it's characters than real people.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like this could be cross posted to /r/askscience
scapoor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I also have the similar memory "hanging with tire"
I remember laying on the floor being tickled by my mom. She was laughing as hard as I was. I tickle my kids and I get it, now.
I got hit by a car when I was 14. When I opened my eyes just after, I thought I was someone else. That was weird.
My brother (one year one day older) decided he wanted to live with our dad across country when he was 13. He made that decision again last October and both times it felt like losing my best friend.
Realizing I had a drinking/drug problem. Nothing was going to change until I did and I was SO SCARED because I'm the first person I'll let down, every time. I was 24, and this was after I'd messed up a lot of stuff.
Finding out I was pregnant. I was 19, I was devastated. That kid is the best thing about my life right now.
Me calling my friends house to see how he was doing. My friend was suffering from leukemia for a while, but no indications that he was doing particularly bad. I called with the idea that he would be back on his feet in days.
I got his dad on the phone and he said my friend could not come to phone right now. Next he asked for me to put my dad on the phone. I felt bad immediately and knew something was wrong. This sinking feeling started to grow in and I was panicking a bit.
After the call all I had to do is look at my dad to confirm my fears, my friend had died.
I'm not a religious person, but I think I had a religious experience. I'd been hiking for three days doing a section hike (a piece) of the Appalachian Trail. I was hurting, dirty, sweaty and generally I felt awful. I come across this patch of brambles and fallen trees, then ascend honest to God stairs up to a bald mountain. A bald mountain is a mountain with no trees on it. Just grass or rocks or what have you.
I get to the top and there are only a few clouds in the sky and the sky is gorgeous in that way that early afternoons can be in the mountains. I was at the top of this bald mountain and could see twenty miles in every direction and I knew this because I did a 360 spin. I got dizzy from both a bit of sudden vertigo and this childlike delight at the amazing beauty of it. Trees as far as you could see. Mountains shaded in the background. A few houses stitched in-between, but not many. Maybe a half dozen.
It's called Max Patch and it's in the United States in North Carolina. If you're ever in NC you should go. It's one of the most gorgeous places on the planet. Especially if you're used to flat land like I am.
dTanMan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Learning programming in school and realizing how open-ended coding could be, and how there can be multiple solutions to a problem.
Playing by ear on the piano and/or guitar without realizing it, and only realizing when my mom pointed out, "dTanMan, you're playing by ear!" And i was like, hory shet, i am!
Composing for Mother to make her feel better.
Passing of mother to metastasized breast cancer. This is where i matured the most: a close encounter with death. This is probably what Heidegger talks of, that you realize how close death actually is.
Yellow- The day my hubs took me blue fishing on the ocean the first time. I caught 6 gigantic fish! Never been so proud of myself for reeling in those beasts on my own and holding them up for photos :) great great day!
Purple and blue - Watching mom and uncle driving away, leaving me at college for the first day of freshman year. It was one of those "this is the first day of the rest of your life" moments.
Red blue AND green -Breaking up with my high school boyfriend of 2.5 years when I found out he was lying to me about a million things. Up until then he was my security blanket from all the other crap in my life. But that breakup gave me the courage to end any and all unhappy relationships later on in my life that did not need to continue.
Yellow - High school graduation. Got the feels/Holy Spirit up on stage singing There Can Be Miracles. Sang louder and prouder than I really should have. Caused my classmates around me to bust out laughing. Hey it's better than getting sappy and crying up there!
Blissfully yellow- my wedding reception in the Dominican Republic. It was every possible thing I wanted it to be. Fire dancers, iPod DJ of my favorite songs, my new hubs and our closest friends and family celebrating us and loving life!
The first time I realized that my parents weren't special people and that they didn't actually like me or care to understand how my thought process worked. I was 5 or 6 and laying awake in my bed watching a mechanical clock slowly do it's thing around 4:30 in the morning. That feeling of isolation has never really gone away.
Patterns of movement on an SNES controller for certain games. There's a muscle memory there that got imprinted on me as a kid while I constantly failed and tried over and over and over at difficult platforming games until I got shit perfect.
Music. There are many pieces of music that I attach irrational meaning to because of an emotion or a time that I associate them with. I can't play for shit, but there's a lot of orchestral pieces which can instantly turn me into a child, hormonal teenager, or young adult in a heartbeat.
2 years and 2 months old, 1984.
I am the 5th child in a family of 6.
It was September, and my closest (in age) older brother was leaving for his first day of junior kindergarten.
The early morning light of late summer had illuminated our family's home foyer with warm amber and yellow. It was a hard and emotional realization that my favourite brother was now joining the older group of siblings, who leave and then come back later. I wanted to go to and didn't understand why I wasn't allowed to. I was sad, yet happy for him.
I can instantly access the smell of my mum's porridge for breakfast, the vivid colours, the warm September air and of course my emotional reaction.
My dad yelling at my mom, who's crying. I was a toddler and didn't understand, even though I knew what it was about.
All the times I read the Night Before Christmas my grandmother got me. I'm a Christmas Eve baby and it always makes me feel close to her. I lost that copy, but it was one of the first gifts I got my nephews.
All the times I would ask my dad some question about how something worked or science or math...and he would go into WAY more detail than I was looking for :)
Talking to my mom about faith and the Bible. Especially when she told me about her issues with it. I was so happy that she would share something so serious with me at that age (8 or 9).
This one week when I was 15. We got the call that my grandmother had died...my mother just fell to the floor crying. The funeral. My parents packing up and moving us several states away out of grief. Possibly the most important week of my life.
That moment I started my first upper-level philosophy class. I knew that I had made the right decision, even if it wasn't "practical".
Several moments when I was studying abroad in Morocco. When we went to the little group of homes (a single family, three buildings) in the middle of nowhere. The homes were one-room buildings of tin with dirt floors. We were there to look at some stuff the women had woven and help support the local church who was trying to teach them a skill. Just this realization of the privilege I had, even though we were so poor growing up.
When my nephews were born. Each one was different but so amazingly special. Those boys mean the world to me.
The moment my sister took a swing at our dad. Her oldest was in the room, crying at all the screaming. She had been growing increasingly angry and violent, and it was this big shock to everyone at what she had become. It tore a big hole in our family. Even though we've mostly healed, there's still this sense that we can't trust her.
A few with my bf. Our first date. When we first said I love you. Our first rough patch, and how we made it through. When we first realized that this was it - that we both want to take this all the way. In some ways, this one is really about a collection of all the moments. The reaching across the room to hold each other's hand for no reason. The goofy moments. All of it.
My father playing along with me with my Hot Wheels while on the floor. He would travel to the USA and buy huge boxes of those little cars every damn time he went there to work. I still have about 100 of those (34 yo right now).
Me being beaten up as a kid. It happened several times due to different reasons.
My first day on the new, bigger, high school. It was scaring yet amazing. Kids seemed so mature and independent.
Giving my at the time best friend the whole english test before he left for another city and never said good bye. Never talked to him again and he is probably dead by now (he was member of a gang already). 18 years have passed and I miss that fucker.
My marriage. The only time I ever shamelessly cried in public.
Discovering my best friend fucked my wife right after we split up.
The birth of my daughters.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:44:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Coming to Australia - we left during the last days of the stand of Unionism against Thatcher and there was a garbage strike on. It was a cold, grey April day and rubbish lay piled up on the pavements as we drove through London. There was a long, confusing journey through Bahrain and Singapore, and we arrived in Australia at 4 am to warm air scented with gum trees.
We went straight to my Grandparents house in Morley - all us kids - me and my my sisters and all my Australian cousins, piled into the games room while the adults talked and made tea. We watched spiderman cartoons on the old television, which was terribly exotic for us.
Then at six in the morning, we drove down Morley drive and Karrinyup road as the sun came up. There were parrots ! Parrots !! On people's front lawns. Melons growing by the side of the road !
We went down to Trigg Island beach to the most perfect white sands, tiny freshwater springs and a glorious coral reef coming right up to the beach. I was a keen snorkeller and had taken my mask, snorkel and flippers on the plane with me. Floating out over that reef was the most magical thing you can imagine. We played in the water for hours while the adults drank tea and ate egg and bacon sandwiches on the beach. We still go to this beach, almost 35 years later :)
For me, the thing it reminds me of most is in The Wizard of Oz, where Kansas is in black and white and the land of Oz is in glorious technicolour - that's exactly what it was like leaving dreary, grey Britain and coming to Oz with its parrots and coral reefs and multicoloured fish :)
Very much a core memory. I can't actually talk about this without tearing up, and I'm getting a bit sniffly just typing it out. It was magical. It still is.
Well, one is definitely the first time I kissed my future wife. That's probably the best moment of my life. Another would be the day I adopted my cat. The only other one I can think of would be the day my parents brought my sister home from the hospital.
When I was 8 years old and I had guitar class after school. I didn't have a case because I couldn't afford one and had to walk from school to home daily. My mom then bought a sewing machine and made a case out of black textile. It had a handle too. I was happy because I could now carry my guitar without embarrassment and it was much easier to take home.
I have a very faint memory of a woman holding my hands to help me walk in and out of little pools at a beach in Wales. She might have been my mother or my aunt, I can't remember. It was overcast, probably about 3 in the afternoon, and a little chilly. I wasn't able to swim at the time.
I also remember going to a bonfire at firework night when I was 5 and sipping boiling hot soup out of plastic cups with my little cousin. It had carrots and something else in it, but all I remember is burning my tongue.
My cousin's face was all lit up from the glow of the bonfire, because it was completely dark, and behind her was a building in which adults were talking about things I can't remember.
BTW these type of memories are called flashbulb memories. They aren't fully known right now, but for some reason, have a vivid clarity and remain forever. Psychologists aren't sure why they exist. Some speculate that they don't exist, and they're just normal memories that we've revisited so many times that we can no longer forget them.
Escaping a civil war and looking through my dad's blood soaked gear they sent us after he was killed. Good times.
jazzpie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:44:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my core memories was when I was 7, my grandma was sick and we kinda knew she was gonna die. We got a phone call one night at like 10 pm and I just knew. The next morning when I wake up I remember my dad saying something to my big brother and he just burst out crying in his sheets to muffle the sound of it. My dad then came to me and said "She is gone." and I just did the same thing as my brother... only thing was, I didn't cry and I just didn't know how to react, I guess I didn't really understand or something. I was just confused I guess but didn't feel anything (I understood at least)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:45:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom napping when I was very young, and I was afraid to wake her, so I went outside to play by myself. I got bored, and went to ask a family friend who was staying over if he would play with me. He took advantage of the opportunity to molest me.
My grandmother died when I was 10, and my dad waited until we were nearly at my school the next morning to tell me, then told me I could stay home if I wanted. I opted to go back home, and spent the day just sitting around, and that night my dad told me if it would help I could stay in his room with him, which was the only time my dad and I ever slept in the same bed without my mom there.
When I was 12, we lived right next to a river, and there was a huge flood. We were standing on our back porch, watching the water rise, when it hit the point where trees started to topple over in our yard, and my mom started crying.
Sitting in my bedroom a couple weeks before I left for college, looking at all my dorm stuff I'd gotten piled in the corner of my room and being so excited to go and get this new start on the rest of my life.
Being selected into the student council in school.
infah8r ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:45:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That my deskmate soiled his pants on the first day of school, he was afraid to tell the teacher at first so I had to smell it until recess when the teacher noticed. That horrible smell is burnt into my memory than nothing else.
an early memory, just a glimpse, dancing with my sisters in the living room,
to the Go-Gos "We've Got the Beat". We were jumping up and down on the couches and running around the coffee table, but we didn't get any trouble somehow
the announcement over the loudspeaker in my 4th grade classroom declaring that I come down to the front office. I froze in terror, assuming I must have been in trouble. Everyone in class looked at me. Then my teacher exclaimed, "your mom must be having the baby!" In my fear, I had totally forgotten. I raced down to the front office, where my Dad was waiting for me- and GOT TO LEAVE SCHOOL EARLY. We drove to the hospital and thus began the most boring 4-6 hours of my life as we waited for our baby sister to be born.
walking up the driveway on 9/11, we had all been sent home early from Middle School. It was a beautiful day, golden September sun on bright green grass. My mother was sitting outside, waiting for me to get off the bus. She had never done that before. I couldn't quite understand what was going on, but I knew it was bad and how could something so bad happen on such a beautiful day?
sitting with my legs dangling over the pier, overlooking the beautiful Sydney Harbor. I was 20 years old, I had been saving up since I was 15 to be able to go to Australia, and dreaming about it even longer than that. I had been in the country for a few months at this time, but to see the famous Sydney Opera House was bewildering. I felt like my entire life has led up to this moment, and I remember the joy of sharing this with my new friend, who felt the same way. We smoked a joint and waved to people on boats, overwhelmed and ecstatic and satisfied. We discussed how we had grown as people, how our values had changed, how much we had learned, and how appreciative we were that we were able to appreciate it all. Then I said I was hungry, and my friend PULLED A BANANA OUT OF HER PURSE like it was no big deal and we shared it and it was fucking delicious. Oddly enough, we accidentally wandered into a film commercial shooting location about an hour later.
my first kiss with my SO. We had gone to a concert together, and even after getting back, made excuses to stay up, just the two of us. (We were housemates) We put our pajamas in the dryer so they would be warm when we wore them. He said goodnight to me at my bedroom door, and in the same moment, we went for it. I can still see the silhouette of his tall frame in my doorway against the hallway light. Our lips touched, we gently pushed into each other, and then we just fell into it, his hands in my hair and arms around my back and his weight against me, like he had been holding back for so long and finally could let go, which I immediately recognized because that's exactly how I felt. I'm a firm believer that first kisses will tell you everything you need to know, and well, five and a half years later we are still happy together.
The first time I saw a computer lab. I was in kindergarten and the computer lab was in a far off wing from the rest of our classrooms. I remember walking in and seeing rows of those brightly colored Macintosh computers blinking and humming at me. I was so amazed at the site and fell in love with computers.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
when i was about 5 my mum said i had ยฃ20 to paid at the toy shop then when we got there she said i can only spend ยฃ5 that really fucked me off
Ugh as a person who grew up in an abusive situation and was bullied as a kid, my core memories would all be blue. They give me the strength to make sure my kids core memories are definitely the brightest yellow.
When I was a teenager, walking across a bridge over the small of a lake near my childhood home, listening to Rock 'n' Roll Suicide by David Bowie, getting to the bit where he starts yelling 'You're not alone!' repeatedly, and deciding that I'd give this whole Life business a go after all.
I won't go into details, but; a sexual experience with a close friend of mine a few years ago, that finally made me okay with people touching me again, roughly a year after a significantly worse sexual experience (not rape, but pretty horrible) that had made me terrified of getting intimate with people.
Christmas at my grandparents house - All the years sort of blur into one long memory these days, though the Christmas I got my N64 (assumedly 1997, when I was 7), and the Christmas I got my Wii (assumedly 2006, when I was 16) stand out.
Not really anything significant but it's one of the oldest memories I have. After moving to a new house and meeting my neighbor/best friend at the time, I had my 3rd or 4th birthday party. We were running around in long wigs for some race my mom put on and we were shooting silly string at each other the whole time. It was really fun and I miss the days of being completely stress-free.
Making an entire auditorium laugh by doing something stupid during my kindergarten graduation. It fostered my love for comedy.
A collection of conversations with my mom about what a deadbeat father my dead was. It has motivated me to work hard to be the best husband and dad I can be.
Getting my first computer at age 9 (a Commodore 64). I learned BASIC programming, played games, and spent SO much time taking it apart to learn how it works.
Seeing the high school sweetheart I had dumped when she came to the same college and telling her I didn't know how good I had it when we were dating. We've been married for 18 years now. :)
Quetzel ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My brother pinned me down by sitting on my chest and started repeatedly hitting me in the face.
My dad came home drunk and started talking about my two brothers. The oldest was the most athletic. The middle was the smartest. The only thing he could say about me is that I was the cheapest.
Finishing the New Jersey half marathon earlier this year. It wasn't the first half, but I far exceeded my own expectations and even beat out some of the runners I always considered faster than me.
I loved acting and performing when I was a small child. We had a large VHS camera that I would set up and perform skits for with some of my friends. One day we would be news anchors, the next day we would be doctors, etc. Sometimes I would sing for the camera, other days I'd monologue. The whole thing was just fun.
As I got older, I became involved in more and more plays and musicals, and I was quite good. Core Memory: One night, when performing Annie at my elementary school, I missed my cue to position myself over by the curtain for the following scene. When the other kids started, they tried to improvise why my character was missing, and I hastily sprinted across the stage to get to them. I remember the sound of everyone in the auditorium laughing. At that moment I never wanted to act again. And I never did.
As a toddler I would watch my brother and dad playing sports, and I thought it was the coolest thing. I loved watching hockey, swimming, baseball, basketball, you name it. So when I was old enough for Little League, I begged my parents to let me try out. I went with my friend (who had played Baseball since he was old enough to hold a bat) and the coach wanted to have a mock baseball game to let us see what we were or weren't good at. Core Memory: When it was my turn to bat, I went up to the plate and felt really confident. I hit the ball and it went past the pitcher. I dropped my bat and ran. I ran as fast as I could. I ran the wrong way around the bases. I was so incredibly embarrassed and anxious from it that I never played baseball again. Or any sport with a ball for that matter. Only when I did swimming and running was I able to enjoy athletics without the anxiety.
Though unpleasant, both of those events were extremely formative. I went from being a child passionate about athletics and theater to being a shy, quiet child who did art instead. If those events had gone differently, my entire life could be different. I think my parents just wanted to be supportive of me, so they never pushed me to do things I didn't want to pursue. However, I'm probably a good example of the "If you fall off your horse, get back on again" metaphor, because by not "getting back on", I became unable to enjoy those things ever again.
The day my mom fell off her bike when we were coming back from a day of biking in the park. I was five years old, and we were on the way back to our house, when I saw her wobble her bike in front of me before falling to the side. It was in the street in front of our yard and she wasn't wearing a helmet. I don't remember much from the day but the next twenty minutes are vivid. She fell on her head and her skull broke on the pavement with blood pouring everywhere. I helped drag her to the curb and she told me to run home and get my older sister. I reacted without crying and did as she told and went to get my sister who called 911. She was fine after a few weeks in the hospital, which I don't remember at all.
I suppressed this memory until I was about 14 when it started giving me anxiety attacks and I couldn't ride a bike anymore for a while. Anytime I see a bike wobble or someone peddles a bike hard a certain way, like rocking it side to side, I instantly see the image of my mom doing the same motion before falling, the fall, the blood, and her voice telling me to get help. It doesn't bother me anymore, but it sometimes takes me out of the moment to replay it in my head. She's fine now, by the way.
Fun fact: apparently when my mom, who has a thick accent, was in the hospital recovering, she spoke English without any accent at all for a while. She had never done that and had never done that since. The human brain is an interesting thing.
My first father-daughter dance in school. I was raised by a single mother and did the whole making Father's Day cards that said, "Dear Mom, Happy Father's Day! Love, Not_Quite_A." and so on. Well, 3rd grade, my mom's boyfriend took me to that dance and bought me this little light up jelly diamond ring and danced with me the whole night. For the first time I felt like every other kid in school. That man has been my step dad for the last 25 years and I casually brought up that stupid ring a few years ago. He started to tear up that I remembered. So, I guess that became a core memory for both of us.
Sitting on the porch of my uncle's beach front condo on a deck chair at 7 am when I was 5. I'm sitting there listening to the waves crash, a warm sea breeze in my face. I'm sitting next to my mother. There's a tractor in the distance raking the sand but there aren't any other people on the beach. It was like the world hadn't woken up yet. We didn't say a word, but I just remember feeling so happy, just completely at peace, without a worry in the world. We didn't say a word. We just looked out across the ocean, at the warm rising sun
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:48:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was chilling with my dog like 10 years ago and I said "I will remember this" and I still remember it and I love dogs
gyuude ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:48:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1: when my parrent's got divorced, we stood in the door and waved as he drove of with all his stuff in a trailer
2: when my mother came in and told me my brother was put in a psychiatric institution for manic-depressive illness. Probably the first time I ever saw her really cry
In 6th grade, when I heard a Muslim woman talk about how much she could feel the holy spirit or whatever in her mosque and that's how she knew her religion was real and the best. It sounded just like what my extremely religious Christian mother had said the day before about her church. It really opened my mind and made me more sceptical of things.
Praisen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:49:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I entered my room and saw my own PC, I was four years old and so excited I didn't even want a desk to play with it.
When I accidentally hit my cousin with a swinging chair.
When I was denied access to my grandparents home, after a fight my father had with them over my mothers schizophrenia
The day I came home to find my father and brother inside, only to tell me that my mother had been taken to a mental hospital.
Months later when I saw my mom for the first time in months, after treatment.
The day I finally felt I was worth something, after years of depression.
Getting a standing applause from 700 people after nailing Pippins "Corner of the Sky" in my schools play.
The moment I was announced as the winner of a Law School competition.
One time when I was 4/5 we lived a ways out of town and didn't have a fenced in yard but our dog would run circles around me to keep me entertained and safe at the same time.
My mom's second husband telling me I was fat at 5.
The first time my mom's second husband kicked me into a coffee table.
The nasty divorce between my mom and said second husband and the last time I spoke to him after he told me I would never be loved.
The first time I ever did SFX Makeup.
Finally being diagnosed with bipolar disorder after 3 years undiagnosed.
The day my fiance proposed.
-Finally coming out of the worst depression of my life (earlier this year) and having the conviction to follow my dreams no matter how hard it is going to be.
My first memory, I was probably 4, maybe 3. My mom and her asshole boyfriend were fighting again, I picked up the phone to try to call 911 and he smashed me in the head with it.
My 5th birthday, I got $5 from my friend Kim Hobbs. Mom's asshole boyfriend took it from me saying I'm too young to have money.
I'm going to stop there. I don't want to ruin my morning.
Going to the beach where I lost my favorite toy in the water. Going to an Indians Yankees game at Municipal stadium with my dad and older brother. (My helmet fell off as I leaned over the wall to watch the Yankees warm up, Dave Winfield gave it back to me) I'm an Indians fan. My older brother blaming me for opening Christmas presents before we were allowed to, he told my younger brother and I our mom said it was okay. Finding out the Easter Bunny (and by extension Santa Claus and tooth fairy) was fake because of my.drunken uncle breaking half the eggs by dropping them when he was supposed.to help hide them. I could hear my mom whisper yelling at him about it. The first R rated movie I was able to see legally No Where to Run.Jean Claude Van Damme and Rosanna Arquette. Many more, but that would take a long time to type them all our.
This one is good. Some bad memories. Some good ones
my earliest memory is seeing the family dog get run over. I remember the dog ran outside and my dad was telling her name for her to come back. She was hit by a truck and my dad quickly pushed me back inside. I don't really remember the aftermath.
I was the fat kid. I was also a boy scout. One time at the scout fair (I forgot what it was exactly but it was something like that) I made my dad wait In line with me for two hours to go down this big zip line that was set up. When i finally reached the top of the structure the zip line was hooked onto, I was terrified I was too fat to use the zip line and if I did, I would break it. I climbed down. Dad was furious.
Another fat memory. It was a bad day in the family. I think we may have been on vacation or something. Either way we were driving somewhere trying to figure out where to eat, which turned into an argument. It got so heated that my mom said something to the effect of "the 500lb gorilla in the backseat" referring to me. She later apologized but I still remember that like she just said it.
I was diagnosed with ADD in 5th grade. Prior to that I made mostly Cs and Ds. On graduation day, the very last grading period in elementary school, the teacher announced my name and looked at the crowd and said "and Mom...he made the honor roll!" My mother bust into tears and ran down the aisle to hug me.
meeting my wife for the first time. She walked into the flying saucer I was at. The sun was setting behind her and highlighted her blond hair and made her blue eyes and I knew I was done. Married her two years later.
watching my alma mater, Texas Tech, beat #1 UT on a last second TD Pass and rushing the field
-grilling, drinking, listening to music and taking football with my dad. It's become a tradition when I visit
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:50:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I did some planks yesterday and my core definitely will remember that
Doing CPR on an 18 month old girl after she had drowned. I knew she wasn't going to make it, but I would've sold my soul just to hear her take a breath.
Watching the first snowflakes fall while in the woods sitting alone.
The first time my dad told me he was proud of me. I was 22.
The look on my mothers face when she had to tell me that my best friend had passed away.
Telling a mother that her son had been killed in a farming accident and had died instantly. I will never forget the sound she made.
The first time I self-harmed and felt the release of some of the anger I felt.
The time my psychiatrist said "You've had a pretty hard life, I bet you're going to do something really great some day. The world is just making you tough." Cheesy I know but at the time it gave me some hope.
1) Almost dying in a car crash
2) Brother almost dying to drugs
3) meeting my wife
4) getting married
5) my parents getting divorced
6) birth of my now 6 week old daughter
The last time I saw my Dad before he passed away. I was 11 years old and it was at my trumpet teachers funeral. My Dad had walked with me from school with a group of students who were attending the funeral.
After the ceremony I was too busy talking with my friends to properly say good bye to him and just gave him a half hearted wave and walked off with my friends, my Dad had a heart attack and died 2 days later.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
not a la inside out but first memories, being on my face before God and then being sent out away from him, encased in a rainbow bubble traveling fast, full of RAGE, RAGE, RAGE ..... clawing at that bubble, if i could kill it i would have .... finding out i was the most painful of 12 kids to deliver ....
The day my dad and I took a road trip to see the Tuskegee Airmen Museum. We spent the whole day driving and talking about life. Explored the old planes and overall geek'd out on WWII memorabilia.
He passed away from Leukemia a year and a half afterwards. We had known about his condition for years.
I feel we received the most of what we could in the time we had.
I'm pretty sure this is one of those yellow/blue orbs.
5paz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father attached a rope from his motorcycle to a power wheel. Then proceeded to drive my brother and I around the school parking lot. There was no steering, just sliding and screams of joy. Mom was not impressed when she heard what happened.
-Hurricane Andrew , my family separating in the evacuation and the eventual divorce of my parents 6 weeks later
abandoned by mother, so she could better care for my brother by sending him to best boarding school
swallow bottle of sleeping pills entirely at peace with not waking up. I woke up and bought a flight to Hawaii that day. Lived in the jungle for 9 months. Pele saved my soul.
death of love of my life/middle school gf, for two years we had been rekindling a love affair from a distance. died in a car accident days before we were to move to across country together.
meeting my wife who I knew immediately I would spend the rest of my life after just a single weekend together.
-birth of our son. The single most positive thing to occur to my life in every way I can imagine My life changing.
In no particular order. If you want me to order it, just order me to order it.
A day my dad apologized because he knew he was being overbearing. So much context here. Big moment. 11
The day I had my first real fight with my brother.
9 or 10
The day my brother took me to hang out with his D&D buddies. We watched professional wrestling before the campaign. 7 or 8
The day my brother took me to sibling week at his college.
12
The day my brother left for college. So much blue.
The day I left my small town in Iowa to go to college in California. The furthest anyone in my family had ever moved away at thst point was 2 hours.
The day I found out my girlfriend of 3 years was cheating on me from 1800 miles away.
The day I found out my mother might have early onset, aggressive alzheimers.
The day that might... Turned into a does. (yesterday)
The day my father had a heart attack and we were sure he was going to die. He didn't.
The day my brother got married. I was his best man.
The day I found out my sister has a disease no one knows how to cure or what it even is.
The day one of my best friends. Truly a brother. Family Member in all the ways that matter. Fell asleep at the wheel and left one of my other best friends as a widow in this world.
My life has been so happy and so incredible. Because each of these moments is filled with so much love and so much help from my family and friends. They are sad moments. And I've had a lot of sad times. But no matter what happens to me and my family, we get through it so well together. My family fucking rules. So much blue. But as I grow older, those blues turn all sorts of different shades.
Waking up in a panic and running downstairs to check on my sick father, only to find him curled up on the floor. His body was still warm, he had probably just passed as I sprung awake. I held him and cried.
My fiance calmly telling me that she is leaving me, while waiting to hear news of how my mom's brain surgery went. This was 3 months after my dad passed.
Wow. It just occurred to me that none of my good memories are dominant in my thoughts anymore. I have so many good ones and overall have lived a good life, but this last year has been really fucking hard.
When I was playing football with my dad, I was about 5, I kicked the ball wide and as my dad watched the ball going past, he then turned back around to look at me only for my shoe to fly off and hit him in the nuts funniest moment in my life hands down!
My father explaining to me why we won't be going to church anymore. "we want you to be good everyday, Not just one hour on Sunday"
Girl I lost my virginity to, went on to sleep with her professor 3 days later. Probably the most hurt I have ever been.
One of my best friends calling me when he was horribly depressed saying he really needed someone to talk to. I didn't know what to say in that situation, and within a few weeks he had a suicide attempt. He is fine now, got help, but it took some work to get him to this point.
Running out of money while starting my first job out of college. It was only for a short period then my paycheck got put into my account. I wasn't being fast and loose with my money. I was a broke college kid who had to pay $900 deposit on my apartment and $900 in rent within 3 weeks of each other. It was rough, but I am very fiscally responsible now.
adf27 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Please excuse my long drawn out stories..
When I was four my mother found what turned out to be a tumor on my left side and I ended up losing an entire rib to it. The only memory I have of the entire ordeal (mom has since made me question the validity of this but whatevs) is waking up in a big room with lights brighter than the sun in my eyes, looking over to the door to see my mother and father, with my grandfather bawling behind them.
I had never seen him show any emotion except when he was laughing. He was one of the happiest people I knew so seeing him so torn up over me was something I'll never forget.
When I was a freshman in high school I switched schools at Christmas (actually states,from GA - TENN) and started dating my best from from GA while there. My father owned a company and constantly had to travel back and forth, so I went with him whenever I could. I remember once I was down there and her mother came to pick me up and bring me to their place (we shall call the gf GIRL). We get there, and this is what I'll never forget, GIRL gives mom and sister the most fleeting look and proceeded to bless me with the sweetest embrace I've ever felt. Maybe it was just because we missed each other such an awful amount, but I will never forget the look on her face or that hug (sorry for the sap).
Honestly, These are just a couple of stories I think about a lot. I think my best core memories are those I don't remember fully like learning how to read music or even just what all the notes are on a piano, etc.
I might think of more if anyone's interested..
Thanks for reading!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I dont think I have any, what is meant by core memories?
One memory that gets me every time is that smell of the very first summer rain. I love this one.
VOZ1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Saying goodbye to my mother-in-law as she lay dying in her hospital bed, after she just days before found out my wife was pregnant. She'd been in the hospital for months trying to get a heart transplant (heart failure from childhood illness), infection took her after her heart stopped for 45 minutes. My wife and I spent 2 weeks at her side. Never experienced anything like that before. It's a gift to be able to accompany someone out of this world.
And on the opposite end of the spectrum, the birth of my daughter 5 months later. She was born in our bed at home (it was planned, AMA about homebirth?), and so began the rest of my life. As cliche as it is, I didn't really know love until I met that screaming, tiny little human and she looked me in the eyes. And the feeling only grows as time passes.
When I got a call from a friend of mine that my best friend was killed in Iraq in '06. He was like superman to me, never thought of the possibility that he wouldn't make it back. Made me realize that bad things happen, life isn't perfect, and I don't think I've ever been able to fill the emptiness that he left behind.
Happier note doing my first solo singing performance. I've never shook so much in my life, but when I finished and got the applause that was awesome.
And even further back.. To when I was five. My mom made me a Spider-Man costume. Like from old clothes and cloth she bought. Was probably the best costume I've ever had, and she made it herself. My mom is the best.
My gran tricking me with a fake newt when I was a kid.
Reading a book my parents got (to help them cope) from the library after my diagnosis with Tourette's Syndrome and assorted others that described it as a "life-changing disability", and deciding that wasn't going to be me.
Telling my first girlfriend I loved her, her saying it back.
Not getting into medical school, moving to a city I'd never been to before to start a (back-up) degree I didn't want to do.
Graduating said degree and being on the verge of tears because it was over and it had been the best four years of my entire life.
Getting into medical school.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I used to have lots of them, but then I got depressed and now they've all gone.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My mom sitting in our living room on a 26th December, crying silently because my father was "visiting his family" and actually went to someone else to cheat on my mother. Tore my heart out. I was 13.
How good it felt to tell a false friend to fuck off after he treated me badly after my mother's death. I never changed a single word with him again.
A dream I had after my mother's sudden death. That dream kept me warm inside during a lot of rough spots.
Me, crying on a park bench after I finally had found solid proof that my husband cheated on me. A stranger came by, sat beside me and just told me that it will get better. He didn't ask what happened, didn't linger long, just comforted me and went on his way. Small kindness with big impact.
1) Going to see star wars episode I in theaters when it came out with my father and grandfather.
2) giving a presentation on the episode of the Magic School bus about electricity.
3) Watching my father fall asleep in my arms when he tried to kill himself when I was 13.
4) walking at high graduation and seeing my mother cry walking by her. I almost didn't finish on time or at all.
Riding on my mom's shoulders through the supermarket while she did her grocery shopping.
Sitting on the kitchen counter in my underwear, covering myself with brownie mix from the bowl when my mom wasn't looking, and the subsequent bath I took in our kitchen sink.
Walking two blocks from our apartment to the beach, staying there all day, and my mom pushing me back in my little red wagon.
In middle school, realizing that the people I thought were my friends actually saw hanging out with me as a burden, and choosing to be alone because of it.
Realizing just how overweight I was and deciding to make the change for good (70lbs lost so far!).
The feeling that I had the day I left my (very first) SO of 6 months to go off to college, with the promise of talking on the phone every night and seeing each other over breaks, knowing that this probably wouldn't last.
The similar feelings I got after parting ways every time we saw each other over the next 2 years that I was away at school.
The amazingness of graduating college, knowing that we we're moving in together. And the similar feeling that I get waking up next to him most mornings knowing that all of the pain of being apart for so long was worth it.
Got quite a few here. Thanks for the unique and wonderful prompt, OP.
I fell and skinned my knee in kindergarten, getting some glass in my knee. I didn't want to stand up, and one of my classmates pulled me up and said "I'm not gonna leave you behind".
Getting the phone call and being told that I'd developed Type 1 Diabetes at age 16, and having my life's dreams at that point crushed.
Giving myself insulin for the first time.
The day I got my insulin pump and experienced how liberating that technology was. Been on it about 8 years now.
My old karate instructor telling me that my life had intrinsic value and that I could really be something if I fought for it.
Being assembled in the gym, being told that our parents in New York might becoming home late tonight. I came home to watch the Twin Towers falling over and over again on the news. I was 11 years old.
Defending my first client during my externship with the Public Defenders office.
Taking (and failing) the bar exam for the first time.
Walking down a row of houses on the New Jersey shore and recognizing addresses; I did some legal work during the Sandy reconstruction era in approving variances and helping people get up to the new flood codes. Seeing the houses being rebuilt and the people who lived in them, knowing that I did something to help.
The look of pure joy on my first criminal expungement client when I told her that she qualified for the program.
Failing the bar exam for the second time.
Staring out the window of the small plane with my grandmother and seeing the Galapagos Islands getting larger as we came in for a landing.
The entirety of my stint with the public defender's office, defending juvenile clients.
Standing outside with my mother and sister, hanging laundry or picking blueberries.
Sitting up in the middle of a slightly drunken Mario Party game and realizing that I'd finally found everything I'd wanted since I was a small child; acceptance.
Sneaking out of junior prom to give myself insulin in the bathroom, and wondering if this was how I was going to live the rest of my life.
Seeing one of the people I'd trained with for ten years dying of jaundice in the hospital. I walked straight past his room, despite the placard on the door and his family inside, because I couldn't believe that I was seeing him.
Being told that I am an illegitimate child (this was never hidden from me; it was explained to me as soon as I was old enough to understand it), and telling myself that I would never bring another child into the world under those circumstances.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The sound of the door slamming as my dad left my mother. A thunderous sound I've never heard any door make before or since
Accidentally scoring a goal in third-grade soccer, the only one I ever scored
Dancing with my mom to Louie Armstrong for an elementary school project. I wish I could thank that teacher for assigning that project
The first time I drove to college after I graduated high school, blasting "Malibu" by Hole
Performing an acting piece in front of an A-List megastar who told me I was "very brave" with great stage presence and that I should keep acting. I'm an actor for a living now
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The trips me and my childhood friend took to his vacation home in the woods across the lake near where we lived (rural village in Norway) - we used to play so much pokemon on those trips, followed by incredibly fun walks through the woods. Late night fishing trips on the lake (I learned how to drive a boat), grilling on the patio. We did this until my family had to move when we were 10.
When I got the phone call that said friend had killed himself, we were both 14 at the time. The funeral was filled with mixed feelings, as I met a whole bunch of friends that I hadn't seen since, as well as his parents which I considered my own second family. Haven't visited since.
Met one of my longest known friends, my parents knew his (they invited them over to visit one summer), and bonded over jurassic park and warcraft 3.
First time I smoked weed.
Moving out on my own for the first time, to a city I've never been to in my life. I met a whole bunch of people studying philosophy there that I'm very happy to have met. Still good friends to this day, despite everyone taking completely different paths in life.
Plenty of other stuff as well, I'm sure. These were the first things that popped in my head.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom was calling us for dinner so I offered to go get my dad who was in the garage working on something. Eight year old me wandered outside as it was starting to get dark and I entered the lit up garage. Inside, my dad was assembling a homeade truck he had made by himself out of wood scraps. It was crude but the axles turned and I love d the shit out of that truck.
Sitting in the bathroom with the lights off, my toes curled into the bathmat, realizing I had to divorce my wife to be happy.
My sister having her first grand mal seizure when she was six. Tiny Toons was on, and I remember getting a sort of glee out of waving the school bus away so I could signal the EMTs where our house was.
A moment where my grandfather is teaching me how to put. It was under a tree on some putt-putt course, on a hill. He had a white shirt and a Panama hat on.
That click where I finally got how to ride a bike (I learned how at a much older age than most). My mom took me out to the community college parking lot, and we were out there for a few hours. I remember being really excited and riding in circles.
I must have been 4 or 5, walking with my mom in the park where I always played and where I would go on to play until I was 14. I looked at the trees and asked mom why I had never met anyone as tall as a tree. In my mind it made sense that the more we grew, the taller we would become. My mom responded saying that at a certain point we stop growing and then we die, we never make it to the same height as the trees.
And that's how I was introduced to the concept of death. It haunts me to this day. I remember what my mom was wearing, the smell of the Autumn air. Looking at those trees with a sense of sadness. The perception that a door was closed.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was bullied in school and my first friend(who later became my best friend) stood up to the bullies for me and we hit it off. We were best friends for years. Then I walk into school one day and everyone's quiet and staring at me. His dad took him to a shooting range where he decided to end his life. He never seemed like he would. And he lwft a note and I was given a copy but I never read it. I was afraid that somehow I would make some connection to making it my fault.
Another friend, this was senior year of high school, came to visit me on his break while I was in study hall. We were joking with each other and the last thing I said to him before he left was "go away nobody likes you." The following saturday i get a phone call from another friend who said that he got into an argument with his mom and hanged himself from a pull-up bar in his room. He was on life support when I got to the hospital and I was told I could see him if I wanted to. I did. I think I would have regretted it either way. He died 10 minutes after pulling the plug.
I got beat up coming off the school bus one year and I was scared to tell my father (he was generally abusive as well) so I told my brother who is 7 years older than me. He told me not to worry and it won't happen again. He left with a baseball bat, and came back about half an hour later without it. The kid missed the next few days of school but never picked on me again.
The third time I did stand-up locally was around Christmas time and all my friends came out to see me perform in this coffee shop. There was probably 40 people and I did really well. People who didn't know me laughed and the whole set went really well. Over the next few months I would get recognized by people and they would tell me I'm funny and stuff like that. Possibly the best feeling in the world.
Edit: words and what not.
tack50 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Happy
-When I ended up winning a mathematics constest in year 8, and that trip ended up being the best trip I've ever made :D (had a lot of fun and met a lot of nice people there, even if I haven't kept contact since they live too far to visit them). Bonus points for 2012 not really being a great year for me anyways (2010 and 2011 were much worse though)
-On a similar note, the first trip I ever made without my parents (but with my school) in year 5. Second best trip I've ever made, and there I visited the best attraction I've ever seen.
-Again, when we won a contest and got to visit the European parliament, and Belgium with the trip subsidized by the EU (wasn't completely free as we decided to stay for a week, instead of the 2 or 3 nights that were paid by the EU). The trip itself wasn't as enjoyable as the others, but the feeling of winning that was amazing.
-When I left school in year 8 (I left when school had already started), and my classmates made a surprise party for me. I didn't get along with many of them, but it was still very nice of them.
Sad
-When I went to year 7, and was bullied for like the first half of it. Ended up avoiding jerks and finding friends at the same school, but that really hit me for some reason. That probably changed me for the better though.
-Similarly, when I went to another school during year 8 (for reasons unrelated to the above stuff though), and didn't really make close friends. Sure, I had people to be with at school and stuff, but I barely hanged up with people afterwards (I averaged like 1 meetup every 2 months until year 10)
-I was also slightly spoilt, and especially a crybaby up until then, but there aren't many concrete instances of that.
GJ OP, I actually had to think long and hard about this.
Those weekends my mom and I would go out. Usually to the bookstore. She'd let me pick out one book and afterward, we'd grab a snack (usually fries and sundaes at McD's) before going home.
The one afternoon when I sat in my room and actually drew a person. Up until then, I'd been drawing mostly cartoon characters and animals but this was the first time I drew a humanoid figure.
My mom confiscating all my comics and video games and telling my friends I had to stop hanging out with them because they were bad influences and I wasn't studying 24/7. Ever since that day, I never shared my hobbies and developed a difficulty to ask for anything because of the fear of them taking these things away again.
The day my grandmother died and I had to fill the hole she left in the household.
My childhood dog. When we got here from the animal shelter, it was pitch black outside and I was sitting with her in the backseat of the car. She was shaking and drooling all over me, she was so scared. We weren't expecting to come home with a dog, so we didn't have a crate ready for her. We put her in this big cardboard box for the night, and every time I'd look over she was standing in the box looking at me. She was so much fun and such a smart dog, I miss her so much. My dad tried to keep me away when she had to get put down (aggressive lymphoma, she couldn't eat anymore because her neck was so swollen), but I was there and held her paw when she took her last breath. I named my Jeep after her and I keep her ashes on my window sill.
When my mom went on a drunken rampage after drinking too much at a party. She said horrible things about me, fell down four flights of stairs (I tried to help her but she kept pushing me away and screaming), and then collapsed on the sidewalk when we got outside. When we got home, she went walking down the street in her nightgown screaming, trying to walk to the train station to pick up the car (we'd taken the train to the party). I'm still a bit traumatized and I don't know if I'll ever be over what she said that night.
Finding out my boyfriend of 4 years had been cheating on me with an underage girl. It broke my self value for a while. I was in college working hard and making dean's list every semester and working part time, but he chose the whiny kid that was getting her ass kicked by remedial chemistry. His excuse was that she had time for him and I didn't. I suppose I dodged a bullet.
Getting my first car. After my junky hand me down car suffered transmission failure, my parents wanted to get me a gift for high school graduation and being a good driver in my old car. We shopped for a while until we found a car all three of us could agree on, a little red Subaru hatchback. I love that car, it's quick and reliable and it's exactly what I wanted.
colemac ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Taking the training wheels off my bike two weeks before my 5th birthday (that was when my dad said they could come off). Took me hours to get the bike back together, my dad came home and found me trying to tighten the bolts back on and helped me with them and started teaching me how to ride a bike the next day.
The day my dad died. I was 10 years old and I had a report on the state of Nevada due that day in school and I remember being super relieved when Mom told me there was no school but I quickly realised something was wrong and when I asked she wouldn't tell me. An hour later she sat us down and said "Dad is with the angels now.". I broke down crying and I remember my 4 year old niece putting her arms around me and trying to comfort me. I felt guilty about the relief I felt after hearing there was no school for a long time even though it was before I'd heard my dad had died. (There are a lot more core memories wrapped up around this time of my life.)
My 13th birthday party was at my house and was also the day before I moved 3,000 miles to a new country. It doubled as a fair-well party for me and my friends.
Breaking up with my first love. I knew things wouldn't work out between us in the long run even though the relationship was going really well after 2.5 years. I broke up with her 2 days after getting back from a 3 week trip with pretty much no warning that anything was even on my mind. I'll always regret the way I handled that break up she deserved much better.
And most recently, meeting my current girlfriend. We were camping for a mutual friend's birthday party and we made out a bit that night and fell asleep outside looking up at the trees/sky. Asked her out later that week and 3 years later we're still very much in love.
Sorry if that was a bit long winded but this question was awesome and I didn't want to leave out the details that, for me, made those memories important.
When I was a young child, 8-9, I figured out that I was adopted. My mom was very secretive about it and wouldn't answer any questions. My dad sat me down and told me how with his other children "he got what he got", with me he was able to get to know me and love me. He told me that he chose me to be his daughter. To this day, I have never felt more special and loved.
Young me screaming and kicking my father in the ribs, we were playing and generally being goofy on the couch and he had me 'trapped' under a blanket. Usually this was fun but this time I couldn't breathe and panicked, he realized a few seconds later but that was a terrifying moment (was 3 or 4 ? maybe 5 ?)
My earliest memory. My first day of preschool at 3 years old. My mom was talking to the teacher and telling her how I liked my apple juice
My dad always being there at my sporting events. Baseball as a kid and soccer in high school. He would come right from work so he'd still have his work clothes on. And even coaching my baseball teams
Putting together shows with my sister and cousin for my grandma while on vacation in Florida
Trips to Notre dame with my grandpa. He's just an amazing man
My first date with my fiance. Just amazing. Was only supposed to be to the movies, but we spent the whole day together. Went to the park, drove around, went to dinner and a movie.
Not to end on a bad note, but my last memory is when my mom and I had to take our dog to get put down because he was so sick. I'll never forget that. It still makes me sad 6+ years later.
Seeing Giant Commander Voltron on the shelf at Kmart for Christmas and actually getting it.
sfshilo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:56:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why not....
Red: My mother ending another marriage and taking zero responsability for it.
Blue: Realizing I was not taking an "easy" path in life and nearly quitting my degree in despair over how much work there was ahead of me.
Yellow: Everytime my wife and kids smile and look visably happy when I enter a room.
Is it possible not to have core memories? I have plenty of memories, but they're mostly all just hazy snippets of events. I remember getting a super soaker for getting good grades in second grade, but it's like watching a 3 second clip on fast forward through fog. I can somewhat remember the emotions each memory entails, but it's very VERY rare that I distinctly remember an event or the emotion it invoked. Usually it happens when I least expect it- sort of like deja-vue.
My dad shouting at me when I couldn't ride a bike properly and then arguing with my mum, weeks before they divorced
Falling down the stairs after trying to run like a cat
My teacher in year five telling me I have a brilliant imagination and should write a book. Eight years later and I have.
Picking blackberries with my brother and sister behind some old ass abandoned building
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:56:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) Me at 3 years old, sitting under a pear tree in a little chair when my dad comes up behind me, picks me and the chair up and spins me around. From that point on "My dad was always stronger than yours"
2) 5 years old, the opposing soccer team didn't even show. So my grand father (former England player in the 50s) got up and decided to play with us. He remembered that moment as well after forgetting a lot of other things when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer
3) When I met my SO at 13 years old and told my parents and her that I would marry her. We are 27 now and engaged and searching for our first house.
-My father explaining to a 3 year old me that the woman in my life wasn't my real mom and that my mom had passed away. He had many tears in his eyes.
-My grandmother making me oatmeal while I waited in my high chair.
-My grandfather taking off his belt after he was convicted of molesting my cousins. He always wore these big Texan belt buckles but only got to wear it for the trial.
-Hitting a baseball in my backyard that landed in my sister's hood. We laughed the whole evening at that one.
-Almost not getting on a train to meet my SO. We found each other on Friendster and meeting people online was still a new and weird thing to do. We've been married 6 years and I just gave birth to our son.
Once there was this kid who.
Got into an accident and couldn't come to school.
But when he finally came back.
His hair had turned from black into bright white.
He said that it was from when.
The cars had smashed him so hard.
louisaq ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:57:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Staying up all night for the first time.
Very particular parts of San Francisco
My first times seeing my now boyfriend since second grade. It turned out that we liked each other then too.
Working with my dad in his electrical jobs in mansions by ski resorts.
My first instance with bulimia.
My last instance with bulimia.
One day in the summer after seventh grade where all the mindless rebellion was quenched.
I think it is the best time I had with my dad when I was a child. The relationship between him and me is decent. We get along, but we are very distant. Parents divorced when I was 4, lived with my mum ever after and my visited my dad once or twice a year in another country.
However, my dad loves nature and loves exploring everything there is. One day we were driving home from some trip and saw these HUUUGE pipes lying around by the streets. At least I found them big. I was maybe 7 or 8 and could completely stand upright in those pipes with even some space above my head. My dad is about 1.70m and had to bow down to fit inside. They were building a house nearby and we figured they must be using them somewhere, tho we couldn't imagine what they were used for. However, the pipes were all assembled together and about 100m long in total. So guess what we did. We stepped in and ran through the whole little piping system from one end to the other. That doesn't sound as exciting as an adult than it was as a kid. To then I always wondered what those big pipes that you sometimes see at the side of roads are and look like from the inside. Finally being inside I felt so much joy I keep telling the story to friends sometimes. Somewhere in the middle the pipe was kind of going steep upwards so my dad had to pull me up, because I was too tiny to get up there myself.
It's such a simple thing, but I know I will never forget this. The weird thing is that sometimes I don't know if that story is true or in fact a dream. My father can't remember it, but to me it feels so real - I can see every single picture infront of my eyes.
Some of us have great stories, pretty stories that take place at lakes with boats and friends and noodle salad. Just no one in this car. But, a lot of people, that's their story. Good times, noodle salad. What makes it so hard is not that you had it bad, but that you're that pissed that so many others had it good.
Mijeman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:58:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day when I was about 14 overhearing someone talk about their trip to somewhere or other, and I made a comment, "Rich little snot," trying to be cute. It wasn't. I learned to stop being a little shit and grow up a little.
I left a girl on the dance floor when I was about 17 because I didn't want to fast dance and got embarrassed. I've regretted that ever since, and I learned that sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do for a greater purpose.
I was fired from my very first job for "stealing," because I had candy in my locker without having a receipt (I was working for a grocery store). I learned that sometimes you will have to pay the price for things you didn't do wrong.
My sister became very ill when I was about 20, and I stayed with her in the hospital for a week while she recovered. I learned to cherish family, even through your differences, because you never know when the next moment will be their last.
The most recent is that I was broken up with because of my anger issues about a year ago. What I didn't realize at the time was that even though we were still together, she'd checked out of the relationship a good year before that, and it was my fault. I volunteered to attend anger management and learned to control it so that it does not hurt anyone else. I learned that you have to let things go, because the things you don't will hurt more than just yourself.
There are so many more, so many life lessons tied to specific memories, but these are the ones that had the biggest impact on my daily life.
K-452b ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Running around at the park acting like a t-rex, or spinosaurus, depending on the amount of fingers I had out.
Getting a monster truck world finals tape when I was maybe 6. I know monster trucks are sorta lame, but damn if at the time they weren't the coolest things on the planet.
Watching a stream of the Curiosity landing and sharing in the excitement of all the scientists jumping around.
Going downtown with friends to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra play The Planets after our own school band had the privilege of performing it.
My dad was a heavy amphetamine addict a while ago, and as a result used to physically and mentally abuse me, singling me out from my other two siblings. I would still stick by him, spending time with him as he injected speed while being rejected in terms of love and affection (I was about 6/7 at the time), but every night he would come up to my room, stroke my hair and cry about how much he loves me and how sorry he is. That's the one core memory I have, other than being around drugs from a very young age.
Core memories? Do people have those or do you just mean my favorite/earliest/ most vivid, from childhood?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being babysat by my grandparents as a toddler and being allowed to do whatever I wanted while there. I basically would get the same feeling a teenager gets in highschool while his parents leave for the weekend. Wether it was riding my bike for hours on end or eating junk food all night, this is what makes me, me.
1: Going to Vancouver to see Metallica in concert then on the drive home getting into a really bad car accident (but coming out unscathed - 2008). However...right up to the car accident I was an all time low in my life - had thought about suicide, thought I was worthless, thought my dad didn't really care about me etc etc...Well, the accident changed all that - gave me new perspective. my first real brush with death gave me the outlook I was looking for. Also my dad came and picked me up from my wreck and he just hugged me so hard that I dropped that whole "dad doesn't love me" shit. 19 was a strange time.
2: Having sex for the second time (but first time with my ex). Although I do remember losing my virginity...I'd rather not talk about it. Having sex with my ex though...damn...that was a fun summer and a fun couple of years...
3: Failing my first test in second grade. Absolutely devastating.
4: Kissing "Sam" under the "giant parachute" in 1st Grade after everyone got lost and tangled in it.
5: During a school play - infront of a crowd of over a hundred - I ran off/ran on stage at the wrong time. I doubt anyone remembers but running off. Then running back on - when everyone saw (because we were in a line and about to sing a song...)
...Many memories...
I once pood in elementary school. There were some kids in the bathroom who began to make fun of me when I left the stall & ive never pood in a public bathroom since. I was probably 10... I'm 31 now and it still effects me.
My family used to fish a lot when I was little. One particular lake we went to, dad would put me on his knee and let me "drive" the truck around the lake to put spot. Every time.
The scream my mom let out when we found out my dad had died. We were in a small room in the hospital waiting. The doctor came in and in a scene right out of the movies said "we're sorry..." And my mom let out a scream/noise that still haunts me to this day. I was 10.
Telling my mom bye and kissing her on the cheek and greeting her. I would say "Yo" she would say "Hey hey", I would ask "What's up?!" She would say "Nadda Nadda". When she didn't say Nadda Nadda I knew something was bothering her. I never actually moved out. When I bought my first home I moved mom in with me. It didn't make since for the woman that struggled and worked so hard to make sure I was ok growing up to struggle to make it alone. So she came right with me. Every day since I was 10, I would hug my mom and tell her I love her, God Bless you and kiss her on the right cheek. Over the years that right cheek became magical to me in a form of it giving me strength. It showed her that I loved her and her hug and touch showed me. As I would leave we would blow a kiss to each other which over the years grew into 3. Idk how they just did.
Watching the last breath leave my moms body. She passed away on May 29th of this year. I'm 32 now and on that day I kissed her on the cheek for the last time. She laid in a hospital bed in my living room, I woke up told her good morning and went to change a patch behind her ear. I kissed her on the cheek and told her I loved her. It was the left cheek because her head laid to the right. She was asleep and none of this woke her. I saw her stop breathing for a second and I held her hand and told her I loved her. Her face squinched up and she drew one more breath and she was gone.
With tears in my eyes I tilted her head and kissed the right cheek. Daily life hasn't been the same since.
Jade_GL ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:00:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad was in the Navy and flew in P3s. The way he described his job to me was that he "listened for sonobuoys" but I never really thought too much about it. I just knew he flew in a plane a lot. When I was maybe 4 or 5, the daycare center on the Navy base set up a day where kids would get to eat a nice sit down lunch with their Navy parent and then they would get a tour of their work place, which for me was an actual P3. So I got to go eat lunch with my dad, which was very cool. Near the end, they were going to serve pudding for dessert, but we decided to go see the P3 because of a time crunch. Well, we got back after seeing the plane (it was very cool, I'm certainly not complaining about that) and there was no more pudding. Being a very young kid, I started crying, because I felt like I missed out. My dad comforted me, and I regained composure after a few minutes.
Well, my dad had to get back to work and I ended up going back to the daycare to wait for my mom to pick me up after she got out of work. She picked me up, and I told her about the day as kids do, but I didn't talk about my pudding cry because I had pretty much forgotten about it at that point. When we walk in the front door, my mom sees that there is a package of puddings on the kitchen counter (Del Monte metal cans with the pull tops, chocolate) and some balloons tied to the package. My mom asks me why there's pudding on the counter and I just couldn't even say anything. I started crying. I've never in my life felt so much love from someone, and at the same time so much shame for crying about pudding. I don't know what kind of person I would have become with both of my parents, especially my dad.
For others, the night my husband proposed. He recreated our first date, it was pretty much a perfect romantic gesture. On the other end of the spectrum, the day I learned that my best friend had committed suicide. I had only talked to her on the phone the day before, and suddenly, the next morning, my mother is sitting me down at 6 am to tell me that she had shot herself. We were 13. I pretty much spent 2 weeks in a haze.
I was 4. My dad went to my kindergarten class during recess to talk to me and basically say that him and my mother were separating, that he wasn't gonna be living with us anymore, and that I'll never see him again. I went back from recess unable to stop crying, I was unable to articulate why at that time, and I spent the whole morning being punished by my teacher for disrupting the class.
I'm now 32. I can only remember crying once since then, at my grandfather's funeral. I might be dead inside. Lol.
Said I love you to my girlfriend after dating for just a month and being apart for 3 of those weeks. She smiled and said it back.
Being accepted into university for engineering after being told I can't do it with my at the time marks by my mother and having 0 confidence in myself because I never had the grades in all my schooling until that year.
Didn't experience this one but it heavily affected my perception of things. My dad took a job that paid good but demanded a lot of hours and work. My brother (his first child) had recently been born and he had to work from the morning until the night and he cried because he hadn't seen his son all day.
Acting Island: in 5th grade, I played one of the Wise Men in the nativity story. I walked down that cafeteria aisle with a dish rag on my head...and suddenly the sands of Bethlehem were in my sandals as I took this bottle of whatever the heck Myrrh was to the most important baby in the universe. Ever since that day, I wanted to be an actor.
Mischief Island: in middle school when it was just me and my ma for a while, there was a construction site next to my house. During the twilit end of day, I snuck over there and climbed into the machinery they left. After having my fun, I climbed down only to get this nondescript goo on my hands. I ran home and hid my hands behind my back while my mom watched TV. I started crying in my bathroom when it wouldn't come off in the sink. Mom was so mad!
Shield Island: at the peak of the fights my family had, my father threw the house phone at my mom when I was sitting right next to her. I felt incredibly guilty that I never caught it. I still remember the yelp of pain my mom let out. From that day forward, I was overprotective to everyone I cared for in my life.
Determination Island: when I was a senior in high school, my dad and I had a long talk on a drive. Up until that point, I always thought I wasn't the son he'd hoped to have: I was a nerdy theatre kid who sucked at sports and he grew up being the badass lady-scammer who beat up jocks and bullies (while being a little bit of a dick about it.) On this drive, I told him of my insecurities and doubts toward my future. He told me the one thing he admired about me was that I never give up on things. He used an example of when we were younger and he'd have one of his play fights with me and, no matter how hard he pulled my leg or tickled me, I'd squirm to fight my way out. I hope he didn't see, but that was the first time I ever teared up in front of that man.
Lone Wolf Island: when I was leaving for another shit day in 6th grade and my Dad told me he was going to prison. He told me I wouldn't see him for a few years. He also told me I had a little brother I didn't know about out there in the world. We sat on the couch for an eternity. I just sat there, staring at a picture of this kid I didn't know, desperately looking for words that never came because I didn't know them yet. That was the first day I felt absolutely alone...and when I learned how to be okay with it from time to time.
Modesty Island: I was about 4 or 5. I had to change clothes for something and suddenly became very aware that we were in public and there were people who might see me getting undressed. I threw a fit and forced my mom to find a restroom for me to change in.
Gamer Island: Staying awake till 3am one night with my mom and her cousin, playing Super Mario Bros 3 straight through.
Jokester Island: My mom had put an ad in the newspaper (back when you had to do that since Craigslist wasn't a thing) to rehome our dog. While I was out running errands with my dad, we stopped at a payphone (OMG, I'm old, aren't I?) and my dad had me put on a deep voice and call my mom, pretending to want the dog. We revealed the ruse at the end of the call and laughed and laughed and laughed.
Unfair-World Island: When I was 10 years old, almost 11, two days before Christmas, my dad died from a heart attack. Worst Christmas ever.
Heartbreak Island: This one is almost self-explanatory. I met a girl and fell ass-over-teakettle in love with her. And she left me. I ran into the bathroom and sobbed.
True Love Island: This is a two-tiered island. After many girlfriends and flings, I finally met someone who I loved hard. Like, when a kid opens their arms wide and says "I love you this much. It was a love that filled, and continues to fill, me even today. And then we had a kid. And holy shit. I thought I'd felt love before. But when I held our son for the first time, I wept. I felt love from the bottom of my socks, because my heart just want deep enough.
Last one.
Career Island: A friend of mine and I fancy ourselves writers. One day, he's written something and wanted me to take an honest look. And I did. And I realized that editing was something I am naturally good at. It made me want to pursue it full time. And that's what I'm doing now.
-getting my heart "broken" the first time. Guys an asshole and I really dodged a bullet but it led to an amazing year of self discovery and getting out there in the dating world like I'd never done in an effort to get over it.
-flying across the world by myself for the first time. Flew from Chicago to Dubai. Had a donut in Tim Hortons in Canada on the way. I felt like an independent woman for the first time I think.
-asking a guy out and having him actually say yes. It was scary but it was the most confident thing I'd ever done. I had pretty low self esteem before that. We are still together. :)
-Getting broken up with (temporarily). It changed me. Made me realize how not to do relationships, motivated me to workout, motivated me to go back to school, experienced genuine heartbreak for the first time (so incredibly painful).
-Being in India in the summer when I was 12 and getting my period for the first time, experiencing mood swings and all that. That first proud was hell. Not sure how but I felt like less of a child when we returned I the fall. Like I didn't need piggy back rides anymore and wanted to listen to rock music instead of Avril lavigne.
-This one night when I was a kid my dad was in the garage getting his DJ equipment ready and I just sat there talking to him until late at night. One of my only memories feeling connected to my dad.
The first birthday I ever remember. I remember my family sat around and lit up this small cake. It's back when we still get weekly rice ration from the government (it had to be mid or early 80s). I later realized it was a hush hush cake because you're not supposed to have more than what your neighbors have. Apparently, yucca cake is a luxury.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:01:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Riding on my dad's shoulders and him telling me to duck under the doorway
-Sitting Infront of my dad on his motorbike and flying down the hill past our house
-My mum and dad arguing and her telling him not to come back after work
-My dad getting his stuff and leaving as my brother begged him on his knees to stay
-Me getting angry about something and then smashing my power rangers toy and getting even more angry
I don't really wanna write anymore. Maybe this is why I don't think about this stuff
When I was a kid the time around my birthday was the most exciting period. My parents would leave no stone unturned to ensure that I had a great time with my friends and as with all birthdays, the unwrapping of gifts was the best feeling. When I turned 9, I told my parents that I didn't really want a birthday party and on my birthday, my father surprised me with a collection of Roald Dahl books that was waiting for me in the living room when I woke up, I think I cried a little because I wasn't expecting anything and I got the best gift ever.
When I was 11, I enrolled in a boarding school in India and pulling into the driveway of the school in my car felt somewhat like how Harry must've felt rowing to Hogwarts from the train station. My boarding school had a beautiful building at the entrance that looked like a castle and seeing it for the first time was mesmerizing.
My primary school was away from the city and I had a daily commute of 4 hours on the school bus to and fro combined because my parents wanted me to be educated in a school that was more in tune with nature and one that gave good individual attention to students. Turns out my school was so in tune with nature that one day as the school day ended and I was walking toward the buses, I had to walk along a pathway that had coconut trees on one side and suddenly something fell from above, about 2 inches in front of my feet and slithered away into the bushes, it was a harmless tree snake but I was not prepared for it. I told my friends and we had a good laugh about it but it was the revelation that something unknown lurked at any corner there. It was a beautiful school and most of my childhood memories were formed there.
TLDR Got a surprise gift from my dad, it was a Roald Dahl book collection. Was mesmerized by the gothic architecture of my boarding school seeing it for the first time in person. Got startled by a tree snake that fell two inches in front of my feet in primary school.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:01:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I won't post them all but here are my teenage career related ones;
A "friend" telling me I didn't have the right kind of brain to be a programmer
My Dad laughing at me for saying I could earn money as a programmer.
Wanting to work for Valve as a programmer and seeing that they needed a masters in CS or Maths.
Being told I was too poor/common to become a games programmer by a classmate.
Funnily enough I am now a programmer and have worked in ans on games with a master in CS. These memories and experiences drove me forwards faster than anything else.
AdmanUK ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:01:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mum asking me if she's going mad, very earnestly, as Alzheimer's started to take it's toll. I have never been so fundamentally sad.
My grandfather teaching me to skim stones on the river by his caravan. I've never felt so purely loved and happy.
Seeing a man get taken into the sky by a lamppost, during hurricane Charlie in Florida. I realised just how fragile life is.
My girlfriend looking down at me with pure love in her eyes, when I woke up after a nap on the couch. I swear, I'm going to marry that woman.
My brother sticking up for me against some older kids who beat me up. Family is everything.
-when my mom and step-dad told me the whole reason their marriage didn't work out was because of me
-that moment we were laying under the stars in a remote field and he pulled out a condom and just looks at me (first love, virgin, and it was the sweetest thing ever. Not like a "fuck me, woman!")
-when my gf of 7 months called me and told me she had been lying all along about her terminal brain cancer and was, in fact, not ill at all. Rather, she loved me, was obsessed with me and couldn't bear the thought of losing me (A LOT more to that story) oh, and a restraining order against her now
-the moment I realized I couldn't afford to go to my dream college that I had been accepted to
-the first time I tried to commit suicide and all I could hear were my step dads words, "'no one will ever love you, you're worthless, you don't have any friends, you might as well kill yourself"
-the day I won "rookie of the year" for my high school lacrosse team. We all thought it was going to be that betch Victoria. They said my name and I'm still like, "to hell with Victoria" but nope. My coach is looking at me asking if I'm gonna come on stage. Hell yeah I am! Burnnnnnn Victoria.
My uncle carrying me home on his shoulders and over looking our village at sunset, days before he was murdered.
Waking up for the first time in NYC, and seeing that it was not as pristine as I had imagined.
First of school, not only did my dad fight to keep me in 3rd grade (because I didnt speak english), but when I went to class they were doing math problems and no one could get the answer. I raised my hand and gestured toward the board. I got the chalk and began to solve the math problems. I may not have spoken english, but I sure could solve math problems.
The day I found out another one of my uncles was kidnapped.
The day my baby brother was born and the day we cried when I left for college.
The first time I said "I love you" to my significant other.
-Moving around a lot. My dad is a pastor, so every 2-6 years we would move to a new town/church(es). (Inside Out really nailed the emotions that come with picking up your entire life and starting over somewhere new.) I hated it when it happened, and hated leaving my friends. But looking back, moving every few years is what really taught me the independence I have now. It made me outgoing and strong and ABLE to start over. These days, I live all by myself halfway across the country from my family. I love them and miss them, but I was able to do what is right for me.
-Getting my first pet. I got a bunny the day before Easter when I was in second grade. He was black and white and we thought he was a girl so I named him Daffodil. Later, when we figured out he was a boy, we called him Daffy. Daffy was the sweetest bunny. He lived to be 12 years old and died of old age my sophomore year of college. I didn't go to class that day. I stayed in my dorm and watched movies, and cried all day long.
-My parents taking me to visit the college I ended up attending. We had visited a couple other colleges of my choice already, so when they suggested visiting their choice, I reluctantly agreed. I didn't want to go there because I thought the college had a dumb name. Anyway, we visited, and I fell in love. It ended up being the only college I applied to, and I got in. I cannot imagine the ways my life would be different if my parents hadn't dragged me there. I learned so much, and made the dearest friends in the world, who I still speak to every day.
-My brother and I fought all the time growing up. So I really remember the moments when we were friends. Like when my mom would send us to our rooms for fighting, and we would sneak out and play Legos in the hallway. Or when we took all of our stuffed animals to the big ramp at the church and played Noah's Ark. Or when we worked together to befriend the stray cat that visited our yard - the cat that we eventually got to keep. :) As adults, my brother and I aren't super close, but I always remember my parents saying to us "Stop fighting, you're on the same team." We are pretty decent teammates these days.
Talking to my mom in Hawaii watching the sunset, promising never to forget that moment
The first party I attended after losing 60 lbs
The first time I heard Green Day's Holiday, shaping my taste in music up to this day even if I'm tired of the song
Playing shadow puppets with my grandma
Winning student of the year for my grade in high school
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Summer vacation, age 3-4. My grandma tried to slow-boil a live lobster. The lobster jumped at her and clawed her, I ran away screaming. Eyed the cooked lobster with fear for the entirety of dinnertime. I love the taste of lobster, but seeing them alive makes my skin crawl even to this day.
Christmas Eve, age 6. My grandpa was playing with me and my Barbie dolls. I had a bad feeling all day, but said nothing. Grandpa was rushed to the hospital at night with a heart attack. Died there while I was alone at home, watching, well, "Home Alone", which was on TV at the time. My family told me he would be away on a trip for a while and gave me a Playmobil airport set, saying it was a gift from grandpa for Christmas. I refuse to watch "Home Alone" now, no matter what.
Summer vacation, age 7. I have an accident and go through a series of surgeries that last until I am 10, I end up with a limb. In the meantime, my family's long-running thyroid problems manifest themselves, which signifies the beginning of me getting fat and going through an entire life of struggling to lose weight (at the time I gained 20kg in 3 months). Still fat to this day, though significantly less so. Injuries are now my greatest fear.
Ice skating forms the first one, for sure. From the first time in loaned hockey skates at age 6 to winning nationals as a 16 year old in speed skates, to finally losing the ability to breathe because my ice rink had a broken dehumidifier which lead to me getting pulmonary fibrosis.
Second island is probably something photography related. Got my first camera (zenit E) as a kid and wasted all my pocket money on film. Got myself a fed 3 later, then a bessa II and eventually digital stuff.
Third island is probably fencing. I've spent more on antique swords and fencing gear than anything else in my lifetime.
The other islands are likely empty and waiting. Ones slowly being filled with Biotech stuff, because that's my job, but I'll never fully complete working on that island because there's just too much to learn
My mom rocking me in our rocking chair singing me "somewhere over the rainbow."
My sister throwing me a birthday party when our parents were out of town
My dad drunkenly crying how I moved several states away at my sister's wedding(I've never seem him cry before)
robit3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Waking up in a tuesday morning hearing my grandmother scream "Robit3's mother did WHAT!?" I thought she had killed herself as she had been in a slump for some time, and I was mentally prepared for it. As my grandmother walked in, I could tell it wasn't my mother's suicide. My grandmother tried to collect herself and my brother kept asking what happened. After a few seconds, he and I both yelled out simultaneously, "nust say it!!" Turns out my mom had murdered my youngest brother in the middle of the night.
Every time I got an A on a report card, my grandfather would take me to get a new hot wheels car.
One bad, one good.
rblue ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:03:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my dad died, the one that played over and over was time spent on the dry creek bed that runs through Happy Hollow Park in West Lafayette, IN. Just me and him. We decided to make a spear, so we found some flint and he showed me how to break it down. We then later went to the State Police Post where he worked, stole some twine and built that thing. I don't know why, but the time spent with him at that park just played over and over, so I didn't realize it prior but I guess that's a huge "core memory."
The day I found out my girlfriend cheated on me. It sounds like a little bit of high school drama, but that day changed the game for me. I trusted her with my entire life, and she'd been hiding most of hers and manipulating me. I'm ashamed to say I'm still feeling it's presence in new relationships even years later.
My first gymnastics show. This sounds like something that would've happened early in life, but it was freshman year of college. I joined a gymnastic performance group and its changed me. I want to be a street performer now, and I have a sport that belongs to me, not my brother or sister, and my family happily travels to see my shows.
This one is weird, but a few of my close female friends have confided in me that they've been assaulted. It absolutely disgusts me that it has happened to people so close to me with impunity. It's made me more attentive at things like parties, no one else is going through what they've been through if I'm able to stop it.
My first surprise party. I was 20. It really made me appreciate those friends around me, and makes me try harder to repay them for that party. I can't love them enough for doing that for me.
My grandfather used to give me and my sisters jewelry. He'd spread it all out on the bed and let us choose. Later I realized he was only doing this to alleviate his guilt for molesting us. The jewelry is now a source of revulsion and I have no interest in receiving it as a gift.
The first time I climbed the Alpine tower. I clawed my way onto the top platform to the cheers of my fellow campers. I could see all the way to the lake, and the breeze smelled like pine.
The first time my brother fought back. I was mean to him, teased and pushed and taunted him mercilessly. The day he snapped and hit me back, I was so shocked I started crying, and then he started crying because he thought he'd hurt me.
Graduating college after dropping out for 3 years.
The last time my whole family saw a movie together. It was Tarzan.
1.) In kindergarten during story time or something of that nature one of my cute best friends put her head on my shoulder, I shifted myself to help her be more comfy, but she picked up her head and didn't put it back.
2.) My family had a house fire when I was in 4th grade, we lost everything, but my parents believed that we would be able to return to normal eventually. Unfortunately, they continue to struggle with debt from that fire....
3.) I dated the most amazing girl in high school who I fell in love with, she broke up with me when she went to college, but I will never forget the amazing times we had together.
4.) Present Day: I mask my depression with fake happiness, because the little bit of joy I receive from making others smile is more meaningful to me then voicing my own feelings.
Parents splitting up. First time I saw my dad cry as he told me the truth about what's happening (no one else did because I was young). I don't remember the exact date, hence why I'll number this zero (EDIT: I guess this is numbered as one. Whatever). That, and I'm told this event changed my attitude from this outgoing person to someone who locked himself inside. I personally can't see that change, but again, I was young. I barely remember.
Getting evicted/becoming homeless. I wasn't the type to ask for much because of my situation growing up, but this only made it a permanent thing. I can't dream of wild fantasies that much. At most, I want a house with some grass on the lawn.
Dad's car got totaled, with him surviving and leaving the hospital the next day. He was forced the get a new car (he had his previous one for a long time and had no plans of ever changing it). Realized how much I loved my father, despite not living with him. After this event, our relationship became what it is now.
I kinda don't want to discuss this since it's a depressing thing. I'm fine with it personally, but since I prefer to lighten people's days with smiles and laugh and not depress them with shit, I'll make it quick and vague: I made plans to not be here, those plans were seemingly set in stone and everything made sense. Before I could "complete the mission," my pops called to tell me happy birthday, that he loves me, etc. I forgot to add him into the equation. I decided to put the "mission" on hold, as it would destroy my dad to lose another son. Decided that the purpose of my life was to help others, since there wasn't much to my own life. Became outgoing and friendly (once again?).
Finally moved into an apartment, wasn't overweight, got a girlfriend. I'll group this together as they all happened around the same time. The happiest times of my life.
Years later, lost my best friend and my GF dumped me. Other things happened that I'll skip over to make this vague enough, but this was "The Week" for me, and things were not going my way at all. I believed the world was beating me down. The service at my friends wake helped with my personal demons. I still think of my friend. Didn't deserve to lose his life, especially when he was the best of us, and I'm busy thinking of jumping off buildings. I still am, and hope to curb those thoughts sometime soon.
I apologize if this didn't answer the question because I haven't seen Inside Out.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a mixture of happy and sad, but here's a few:
When I was young (4/5) and my Grandparents used to look after me. Used to play in their (huge) garden in autumn and my Granddad would set a bonfire to burn leaves/bracken etc. He's gone now but every time I smell a bonfire in autumn it makes me think of him. Love that smell.
One time when I was arguing with my mum and she kinda signed and said, "okay, fine...". She looks exhausted and for the first time I realised that my parents maybe weren't the superhumans I thought they were. I try to be a better person to them now.
When my first proper girlfriend broke up with me - I was leaving for university, so must have been about 18/19. She was younger and didn't want to try the long distance thing.
Graduating from university and the feeling of accomplishment I had.
Living with my friend Matt and another guy who I didn't really get on with. We had some shitty times because me and the other guy argued, but most of the time we got on. Sitting around in a really dishevelled house where the blinds moved in the breeze whilst knocking back beer, eating pizza and playing computer games/watching kung fu films was, at the time, shitty but I look back on it fondly now.
I'm one of those people that kinda focuses on negatives too much and I could reel off a dozen bad memories for every good one, but I've had a good life. Maybe I need to learn how to reflect on good stuff more often - could have a more positive effect on my attitude.
I was 9, and I was so thrilled when my mother got me my favorite fancy snacks (some wafers) on her payday.
I was 24, and I snapped at my mother for being late for our lunch date, not realizing she found out she had cancer earlier that day.
Kissing my mama goodbye after a weekend visit, telling her I loved her and hearing her struggle to tell me that she loved me back. I visited her on weekends about 2-3 hours away from the city when she was dying.
Going out of the office earlier than usual to escape Friday night traffic on my way to visit my mother. Bought some groceries, and while I was on my way home to retrieve my weekend bag, I received a text from my aunt telling me mom passed away.
Running up to my Dad when he came home from work to hug him and ask him how his day was. He was, still is, my absolute idol. I did this every single day until I graduated high school and still do it when I visit home. Even though it was usually greeted with an angry grunt after dealing with rush hour on the way home from work, I hope he understands how excited I got every day to see him.
Sneaking into my parents' queen-sized bed when I would have a nightmare as a kid and squeezing in between them. I'd usually do this around 1-2 a.m. and when my Dad would leave for work around 5:30, I would lay awake, stare at the ceiling, and wait to see the reflection of the moonlight on his car as he drove away.
dedbeb ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1:) The PlayStation 2 boot up noise. My entire childhood revolved around this.
2:) Putting the graphics card in my computer. I bought the computer and the card with my own money so it was a really big deal.
It sounds really stupid but these two things are hella important to me.
mostly parents trying to kill each other in the living room
my first day at nursery
my first day at school
first date
first breakup
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a young 16 year old, I was a massive pain in the ass, and totally lacked in self-confidence. I could, however, swim like a fish and had been swimming competitively for 5 years.
I went to a Christian summer camp and it was the camp relay race day. I remember that my counselor picked me to be on his team but I was sure he did it, not because he valued me (nobody knew about my abilities) but because he was really nice guy and didn't want me to get picked last.
The race consisted of a 1 km swim, 500 m out to a buoy then back, a 1 km canoe, then a 5 km run.
There were about 50 teams of 3 and we started with the swim. I was super nervous but got in the water with my swimmer's confidence, alongside 50 other people. When the flag dropped to start the race, I just took off. It was pretty crazy at the start, but I did not even think. I just swam and swam and did not even stop at the turn around to see where I was -- I just kept swimming.
When I started to reach the shore again, I could hear cheers and so I swam faster and faster. I felt unstoppable.
When I reached the shore to tag off to the guy with a canoe, I finally looked back to see how I did, only to see that the next fastest swimmer hadn't reached the turn around buoy yet.
And that was when I finally started value what I could do...and gained in confidence in myself. What a day.
Fuck all you people with your happy memories and shit and the fucken "saw this girl knew I loved her then and there and now we are married XD!!!" Fuck thaaaaaaaaat shit
-Hanging my head out my grandfathers sunroof while he drove up the drive way.
-Playing school with my grandmother on the staircase at 3 years out.
- The day that my mom and evil step dad decided to move away resulting in seeing my grandparents twice a year.
- The day that I graduated high school and moved back to live with my grandparent.
-The day I finally got out of a very abusive relationship
-The day that I met my SO.
- getting my tonsils taking out 2 days before thanksgiving when I was 8, and waking up from surgery to my grandmother there. She sat at home with me for thanksgiving and let me eat all the potatoes I could handle.
We were on vacation with our family-friends and in an old school ice cream parlor. I was eating mint chocolate chip ice cream and "My Girl" came on the speakers. My dad scooped up me and our family-friend my age (we were probably 8) and spun us around the room belting the lyrics straight to us. I think of that and so much love over pours.
I'm sure like everyone, I also have "core memories" but ever since that movie, I have referenced those memory islands in terms of video games I played and how they shaped my taste in future games. So forgive me, but here are those:
1 Bioshock: Descending into rapture for the first time
2 Red Dead Redemption: Riding into Mexico at sunrise with the music playing in the background
3 CoD MW2: digging the knife out of my chest and throwing it at the general
4 Zelda OoT: Pulling the Master Sword from the pedestal
5 Assassins Creed: Diving off of a high tower for the first time
Dad throwing my sister and I into what seemed to be 10-foot tall piles of autumn leaves
The Christmas morning we woke up to find that Santa had brought us a million cardboard building blocks and built a giant fort around the Christmas tree
Stroking our family dogs head as the vet administered euthanasia and watching him slip away, and how fiercely I hated the color pink afterwards (the euthanasia liquid was bright pink)
The moment I laid eyes on the fluffy poofball of a kitten that would be my best friend for the next decade (and counting!)
2๐๐๐there is no better toy than a cardboard box . It can be anything. There is a website that ranks childhood toys. Cardboard box is number two I think. Lego is near the top too..
Most memories of my papa who died (grandfather on mother's side) when I was 10 years old. I remember fragments over the relatively small amount of time we spent together.
My papa greeting me and and challenging me to a playful boxing match.
My papa suddenly got cancer in his late 60s. Remember playing K'nex in the lounge as he lay on the sofa.
After my papa passed, I went to see his body in the coffin. I was allowed to touch him and I just remember him being so cold. My dad told me he was proud of me when we walked outside.
Watching my grandpa die, that man suffered since he left Vietnam but would not stay down. He died 3 times before the last time. We felt him leave, you could see him really seeing beyond. In his room he was surrounded by children and grand children but he wasn't looking at anyone just through us. he turned that yellow color and his eyes shrank and we knew that old man was gone this time. Clear blue North Carolina day all day until he died and we stepped out side and a random thunderstorm showed up. He loved thunderstorms, he liked to sit on the porch watch and listen to them and smoke his L&Ms . I don't smoke cigarettes but I love the smell of them, reminds me of him. Fishing on the pier with him is another good memory. One time we were fishing and my siblings were watching, we'd cut up the shrimp and leave the cut up piece on the ledge. After awhile we notice that out bait keeps going missing and were only using half the shrimp and the other half is disappearing. Next thing I know I look over and see my brother pick up a piece of shrimp, smell it, and throw it into the ocean. Had a good laugh telling him that was our bait. The moment that put the biggest smile and gave me goosebumps was reading his letter for what he did to receive the navy comm. greatest man I ever knew. Damn war hero.
The first two times I was told we'd have to move due to poverty/family arguments. By the third and fourth times I had stopped trying to make friends and invest in high school social life so I didn't really care.
I have incredibly few memories from when I was younger. I do have some really vivid ones from when I was 5. (I can specify the age because I was in Kindergarten in my first home.)
My mom and dad whipping each other with towels in a playful way.
Walking home from school and my friend's mom telling us how he swallowed his tooth and pooped it out
playing with blocks in class. Nothing at all special about this day, I just remember playing with the blocks.
I went to this kid's house on the street and he always had THE BEST LEGO. I stole his pirate's banada. I put it in my sock. I felt very bad about this for many, many years.
I used to go to my now-deceased grandpas house and steal all of his cheap-as-shit double-chocolate cookies.
My parents divorced shortly after we moved from that house about a year or so later. The rest of my memories from that point on are almost exclusively bad ones. I don't blame it on the divorce, but life in general changed continuously after that, so that is what I attribute it to. (I also have a really bad memory in general.)
Time spent on my Grandparents farm as a kid. I have a vivid memory of me sitting on the lawn in front of their big old house and realizing how happy this place makes me and that I should always remember this moment.
I got back home from my first alcohol-stained teenage party and getting teased by my childhood friend and all her new friends, to my Dad sitting me down and singing Beautiful by Christina Aguilera to me.
During the vows at my wedding, I accidentally spoke over the celebrant. We all laughed about it, it was temporarily forgotton. Until my husband did the exact same thing. We were in hysterics. It was so awkward, and a good representation of who we are.
The phone call I took from my Dad's brother while I was pacing the hallway to tell me that my Dad had taken his own life. He was crying so much, and I felt so guilty because I couldn't. I was just screaming.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ยท as a child having my face and lower jaw ripped off by my babysitters sick dog. "6 plastic surgeries later, you can hardely tell......"
ยท being locked in a bean bag for two days by my brothers
ยท being forced to eat boogers off of my mothers pimps finger.
ยท being forced to gladiator style fight my brothers, at the same time.
ยท getting tied to a chair and having all of my hair cut off. "I told you not to move, now you have a blow hole"- as my brother took the first clipper full out of the top of my head. My hair was down to my waist at that point.
ยท having my ET doll thwon into a old rancid pot of greens "left outside". They "hid" him.
ยท getting bit a second time by a foster homes dog. It tore my lower left eye lid half off. Could see my eye and everything.
ยท meeting the incredible hulk at the LA airport when I was a child "they were shooting an eoisode there". My mom left me there, alone. To catch a flight back to the rez that im from. I remember him clearly though. He was nice, we talked about why I was alone and waited with me for a bit.
ยท learning to pipe carve from my uncle. I was around 9 and it was the only time I was ever guided to do anything.
ยท the first time I saw my son.
ยท the last time I saw my son.
And a few more.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
A family trip to Canada at Banff National Park. I thought that there was a painted backdrop, because coming from South Texas, I couldn't imagine that anything could be so beautiful. We climbed up a mountain and me and my dad made squirrel houses the whole way up, there was a restaurant at the top and my family shared poutine.
When I was 4 my mom told me she would let me comb my own hair. She lied, and began to roughly comb it for me. After that, I refused to comb my hair for a number of years. I always wondered why this memory stuck with me, but I later found out she was an alcoholic, and I think this was the first time I realized that she was lying to me.
My mom trying to sneak me away to the beach for the day on the birthday, and me saying no because my dad would be delivering flowers to my school, and the look of hurt on her face.
Spending days and days at a 'curenderos' house. My mom was also going back to get her masters in anthropology, and her thesis was on a curendero--a mexican witch doctor that performs exorcisms and lets dead saints live within him. He lived on a farm that had different stations which were meant to show the saints progress in life. He also had a tiny, one roomed shack filled with said saint and barbie dolls dressed like the virgen de guadalupe. His grandchildren lived on a trailer on his property and I would hide in it with them and play super mario while my mom watched exorcisms. He terrified me. (later found out she was in love with him)
My brother and dad taking me to limited 2 and forcing me to buy dresses and skirts. I cried in the stall as they made me try them on. (in hind site, I am extremely thankful. My favorite clothes up to this point were a wolf shirt that I'd had since I was 8, and a long black dress with camouflage on the sides)
My dad screaming at me in fake chinese at hastings. It sounds really racist, but it is one of my favorite memories. At that time, where we lived, I had literally never seen any other races besides white and hispanic. He would let me roam the dvd aisles and then sneak up behind me screaming (CHING CHONG DAO! OOOO CHING CHOW) and I would run away screaming and laughing as he chased me while everyone else watched extremely confused. In the checkout line he had reeses and a dr pepper waiting for me.
Well, lets see:
I walked in on my mother and sperm donor fornicating when I was like 4 or 5.
Aforementioned sperm donor beating (mainly) me for random reasons (very few were justified.) during the moments my mother decided to communicate with him.
My cousin and sister tying me up with a extension cable thing and taping my mouth shut for a long period of time when I was around 5. (Still hate that sister to this day for that and countless other stuff she has done, I feel eh about the cousin.)
There are probably a few more, but no good ones that I can think of.
Coming home from school one day to find that my grandparents had dropped in and surprised us. Mum had the air-con running (it was late spring in Rural Australia, so hot AF) and informed me, as I walked inside ecstatic to see my grandparents, that the 50 cent bet she put on a horse in the Melbourne Cup for me won $7.50, which I got to keep.
It's not my earliest memory (I was about 10 at the time), but it is definitely my most vivid. I love thinking about it, so many positive emotions.
I had one just a couple of weeks ago, I recently got a new puppy and my anxiety combined with the sudden realization of the immensity of the responsibility now placed on me to supply this tiny creature with a happy life.
So there I was, sat on my kitchen floor mid-crisis, nearly paralyzed by anxiety, unable to clear my head in the slightest and hurtling rapidly towards giving up and admitting that I was simply unable to care for him. He wanders over to me and puts his head on my leg and stares at me with his stupid fluffy face.
It was in that moment that I knew I loved this dumb furniture destroying poop machine more than anything I have ever loved and that I wouldn't let my own stupid anxieties get in the way of him being happy.
The time my dad fractured his skull trying to run up a children's park slide when I was 5. It was 11pm and my 13 year old cousin had to drive us to the hospital, where I proceeded to call my mom and open the call with, "Mommy, I'm in the Emergency Room..."
When my mother took me to Mississippi to escape a hurricane and it changed paths at the last moment to come after us. She resigned herself to letting me splash around just outside the hotel room and I saved a snail from drowning.
The first time I ever had a crush on another girl. She is to this day one of the most beautiful and hilarious women I've ever met. Hair like Merida from Brave and an adorable snaggletooth. We were teenage musicians together and I wrote her awful poetry. Specifically, it's the moment I first saw her all decked out in the marching band uniform, as dorky as that is.
The first time I ever met the love of my life in person after two years of long-distance courting. I turned a corner getting off the plane and saw him standing in the crowd. He was holding up a sign with "The girl I love" messily written on it. I stood on my tiptoes to hug him.
The feeling of getting back to my apartment alone after the last time I visited him, suddenly realizing that every room without him in it is claustrophobically small, and that I would never be happy without being near him. Realizing in the same moment that it would be years before we had the faintest hope of living together. It smelled like lysol and the balcony was littered with dead leaves.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first two girlfriends who, while I was with both of them respectively, broke up with me out of literally nowhere. No warning signs, no fighting, no emotional distance apparent. The first one left me for a guy who ended up beating and raping her and then when I would not take her back she got with a guy who forced her to convert to Islam. The second one I moved across the country for and less than two months after I did that she broke up with me and I ended up stuck in that area for over 2 years. These experiences have ruined every other romantic attraction I've ever had in some way, shape, or form.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Trying to kill myself sophomore and senior year of high school and having my mom scream she was going to jump out of the hotel window when I was moving into college
I have 5 times in my life that I remember where absolutely nothing special or significant was happening. When I was six, I decided to take a perfectly regular moment and commit everything about it to memory. I have done that 4 more times since then and now I have 5 memories of the most insignificant and regular moments of my life.
Playing soccer in my garden at 3 or 4 years old and accidentally kicking the ball over a plant my mother had planted earlier that summer. This was the first time I was forcibly made aware of the rage my father carries everywhere he goes. He marches over to me grabs my hair and drags me over to the plant and yells in my face "WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT HUH? YOU THINK THAT IS FUNNY? YOU FUCKING IDIOT."
My current best friend of 13 years telling me that "No what? I don't wanna be friends with you. This was my first day of second grade at a new school. Buddy doesn't remember saying this but I lured him in with the promise of golden eye and it worked.
Middel school now, whoop whoop. First 'real' girlfriend (Pssst, that means we kissed on the lips). She was pretty and turned out to be the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.
My father bashing my head against the desk because I was staying up late playing video games (again). After that I darted between his leg and arm and he chased me around the house until my mother woke up, walked upstairs and found him choking me against the wall while I was kicking at his belly. For some reason I had claw marks all over me, presumably from the chase.
This turned out to be a sad list, sorry, bye.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:10:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Riding through the desert with friends in the western US with my feet out the window laying across the back seat of our SUV. I don't know why, but that memory just sticks with me. I won't say that was the first time I'd been truly happy, but it was one of the happiest, most relaxing times of my entire life.
There was this time when I was pretty young, Iโm not sure exactly how old but probably 3-4. It is my first clear memory and I was competing in a corn husking contest with a bunch of kids. I husked one ear and then started to eat it. All these people were yelling at me but my dad just sort of burst in and told them off. I could eat that damn corn if I wanted. It always stuck with me that my dad was going to back me up with me being my own person.
When I was little I memorized a book so that I could convince others I could read. I proudly showed my mom, clearly turning the pages at the wrong points, and she caught me in the lie. Later I did it with my friends and my teacher who apparently screamed at my mother that she was pushing me to read to early. (not true I just faked it). My mom would always take the time to read to me any time anywhere and answer all my questions about the content. But it was this moment when she yelled right back at my teacher about how I could read if I wanted and there was nothing she or my teacher could do about it, that really convinced me I needed to learn to read for real.
In 6th grade I went from Montessori private school to public schools. It was hard, really hard. There were about 200 more kids than my previous classes. I made one friend early on but her group of friends didnโt like me so she dropped me. I ended up sitting with a group of nicer girls all year who did not really like me. All the while people destroyed my school projects, beat me up, called me names, basically brutally bullied me. The real moment that was a core memory was a boy who bullied me lied to teachers and said I was saying I was better than him because I went to private school. The teachers despite seeing him physically bully me ruin school projects believed him. My parents were called and I got this big speech from a teacher about being humble while my bully stood behind her with this look of satisfaction on his face. I learned it wasnโt ever going to be fair.
Freshman year of high school I went to a school play a camp friend of mine was in. I lied about another friend coming with me because I didnโt want my mom to come instead. I ended up going backstage and lost track of time when my mom was going to pick me up. She panicked. I was nowhere to be found. She went to my friendโs house who didnโt come found out I had lied and was really worried. Meanwhile I am waiting forever and have no cell phone. I ended up interrupting my friend in the plays dinner with the cast and she and her mom came to drop me at home. I felt terrible. I caused so much annoyance and worry for a lot of my friends and my mom. I still feel that deep in the gut guilt when I think about it and its been over 8 years since this happened.
Junior year of college, my cat who I had gotten when I was 5 became very sick. She was a huge part of my life. Traveling from one parents home to the other, sometimes even by plane. We tried medications and treatments for her failing liver but she was clearly miserable, in pain, and losing weight. All she wanted to do was sit on my lap and get some attention. We took her to the vet to be put to sleep. I didnโt want to leave her with other people when it happened since she was really frightened of other people in general. Because she was so lethargic the vet said we didnโt need the medication that made them sleepy before the medication that kills them. This was a huge mistake. She let out the most horrible pitiful pained noise as she died with her head in my hand and she bit me. I can barely forgive myself for it but it would have been worse if I wasnโt there.
JahwsUF ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:11:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not fully aware of all of mine, but there are a few I can rattle off easily enough:
One day in my teens I was being a little snot and didn't realize it; unlike any other punishment I can recall, my father explicitly punished me for my attitude, not for anything I'd actually done. Cue natural outrage and obstinate-ness on my part at the time... but looking back, I'm extremely thankful for what he did that day.
To help make sense of this, I've always been perfectionistic, and I was naturally pretty out of touch with my emotions. (I live a lot in my mind, and while I'm somewhat better now... well, note the word 'somewhat.')
As a computer programmer, the 'eureka' when I realized how pointers/references work. I was largely self-taught (in C++, no less) until the 12th grade, when my school was finally able to offer a programming course; the instructor had me do the classic Towers of Hanoi problem that day, which was the catalyst for the realization.
Nerdy, I know... but programming and logic are part of my core.
Back in the sixth grade, I was at a new school in the inner city due to weird school district policies in my area. So, I'm a nerdy white kid in a predominantly black PE class, I'm not particularly great at any sport, and I'm not used to my classmates' (inner-city) culture. My 'coach' for that class takes notice of me and gives me one-on-one training in volleyball.
To this day, volleyball is easily my favorite sport to play, and even a little self-reflection tells me my favorite parts of the game are those for which he actively trained me.
Also, he happened to dabble in magic and taught me a bit of it; while I don't actively practice this any longer, I still possess quite a fascination with it.
A few months before I was due to enter college out-of-state, my pastor invites me to go through a book with him about apologetics (defense of the faith) and worldviews. (Congregation: around 150 people.) While I had experience with the former topic, this was my first recognized exposure to the latter, which gave me skills indispensable to my successes since then.
I explicitly plan to do work with multi-cultural applications now, and this definitely contributed to that desire.
The closest things I can think of in terms of others are more general and timeless:
I grew up on sci-fi. Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, Babylon 5... all of it.
In retrospect, this definitely also helps that multi-cultural passion.
Mom and Dad always made sure we helped out in the DIY projects around the house, against our wills, and were always highly involved in the local church. Witnessing their work ethic and willingness to serve has instilled the same work ethic within me.
Going to see Glasgow Celtic playing for the first time with my Aunt Sharon, who died when I was 13. She was the biggest football (soccer) fan I knew, which is still slightly strange for a woman, despite the fact it shouldn't be. Can't remember who we played but remember us jumping up and screaming when Celtic scored and hugging each other. She then turned and hugged the guy next to her and got me to hug him as well, despite us not knowing them. Fell in love with Celtic and all things football that day.
Sitting on a rock on the edge of a cliff face that we'd had to climb to reach with my girlfriend when we were either 17 or 18. We had been together for six months at that point. We were facing out to sea and I still remember exactly how I felt looking at the sunset reflected out on the Ocean in front of us. This is a memory that has kind of changed from blue to yellow. I remember thinking that I just wasn't that excited to be there. I wasn't having that much fun, and we had been kind of bothering each other that holiday, a few screaming matches. I thought it was the moment that we fell out of love. We're still together to this day, and I love her more than anything else in the world. Now it's kind of a reference point to me that shows me that relationships aren't always plain sailing, and that just because you're not still caught up in the whirlwind beginnings of your relationship doesn't mean you're not perfect for each other (I hope).
Picking my dad up off the floor when he had his suicide attempt. He had been drinking all day and then took a cocktail of pills, just medicines we had around the house. He had very little control over his eyes and his voice was really slurred as he apologised. Handed him over to my mum who then took him to hospital whilst I stayed at home to look after my sister. Very blue memory, but he is in a much better place now.
Being looked after by my big brother (17 years my senior) when I was a very small kid. We spent hours building a series of ramps and similar things to launch a bunch of my toys at the front door from our staircase which faced directly on to it. Built the ramps with books, pieces of cardboard anything. Also tied toy soldiers to the banister with swing and swung them. My mum and dad came back from a night out and we pelt them with everything we've got. They're pissed off - they've just been hit with two dozen bits of metal and plastic for no reason. We're fucking killing ourselves.
TL;DR - Watching Glasgow Celtic score a goal with my late aunt. Sitting on a cliff face with my girlfriend in Spain and hating it. My dad's suicide attempt. Throwing toy cars and soldiers at my parents with my brother.
Really liked this question OP. Felt good typing some of this out. Thank you.
My first memory ever is of my older brother (18 at the time while I was 2) packing up and moving out to leave for college and he gave me a scorpion preserved in a glass dome. I still have it to this day.
My dad dressing up like a clown on Halloween and riding my school bus being a fool and making everyone laugh.
My dad coming into every science class (kindergarten through 5th grade) with his collection of fossils and teaching everyone about dinosaurs, then passing around one fossil in particular, then telling everyone that it's fossilized dinosaur poop
Reading a book about Abraham Lincoln when I was six-years-old. I realized that an entire world can exist within nothing more than printed words, and that any world I choose can exist entirely in my imagination.
-Going to the vernal pool with my father brother and sister while my mom was at work. Then on the way home getting lemons and my dad making the best lemonade in the world.
In high school, the girl who I thought was my best friend stabbing me in the back and all of my friends taking her side, all because I talked to the boy she liked during class.
The day my math teacher told me I wouldn't do well in engineering because of the level of math I was in, when not mentioning it to the boys going into engineering in the same class.
Moving into the freshman dorms and meeting the guy who should be my best friend, but we lost touch and don't see each other any more.
The first trip to my favorite sushi place with my older brother. It was the first time we spent time just the two of us since we were young. We spend 4 hours eating sushi and talking.
-My ex bf and I's last "fight" where he told me that our problems were all my fault and that he didn't find me attractive anymore.
The second date with my current bf, when we stayed up late watching horror movies and then laid in his twin sized bed and talked all the way through the night. We didn't even kiss until the morning before I left.
The walk with my younger sister. We went to the pond by our house and walked two laps, talking about how our mother treats us and realizing that it wasn't just in my head that my mother treats us all badly, and especially me.
There's definitely more, some too personal to share and others less important. But this is what I could think of for now.
-When I got my first dog. He was a rescue and we went to go meet him. He had to be coaxed out from underneath the deck, and he was so sad looking. I loved him right then. He was completely bald and like a little skeleton, and he came right to me and licked my hand.
-Crossing the gate into Disneyland for the first time. It was so exciting! I thought I would never go there but there was a teacher strike (my mom was a teacher) so we could afford the trip and the time off
Most of my other core memories aren't good memories so I'll leave them out
Being very young and answering the phone while my mom was in the bathroom. Whoever was on the other line said, "HI sweetie, can I talk to your daddy?" And I said I didn't have a daddy. My mom heard the last bit and was mortified. I did have a dad, and he even lived with us, but he spent so much time at the bar I barely saw him and didn't realize he was my dad.
This was after my mom informed my dad that his own daughter didn't know he was her father, my dad would sit on the couch with me and we'd eat salt and vinegar chips. Every Friday he'd bring me a snickers bar. Still love both.
My older brother playing barbies with me. He was 16, I was 9. Even though he crashed my Barbie Mustang, it was still loads of fun.
Spending tons of time at my cousins house. She's the closest thing I have to a sister and we were thick as thieves.
My older brother (the one who played barbies with me) was murdered just 3 years ago. The day I found out was so vivid. I was 19 weeks pregnant with my daughter. She's named after him.
When I was a little girl, I lived with my grandmother because my parents were divorced. My mom had to work two/three jobs at one point to help financially raise me while I was at grandma's. My mom and I didn't get to spend much time together either because of work, but when we did, it was usually occasional weekends and the summer if she wasn't too busy.
When she finally became successful enough to drop all the other jobs, I remember her sending me a card every day. She still couldn't live with me because she had to work, but she made up for it with the cards I got. This happened for a few years and didn't stop until I was around 10/11. As a kid, I would race to the mail box every day, excited to see what card I got.
There is one card that I remember was when my mom finally started working her stable job. It was incidentally the first card I have ever received from her. It had $1, a piece of gum, and a message that said: Dracotaka, mommy is sending you a card to tell you how much I love you! I can't wait to see you.
At first, I cried because my mom happened to spray that card with her perfume and left a kiss after the message, leaving six year old me to miss her. After my grandmother explained to me that I would be receiving a card every day, I wiped my tears and I recall that I did a little baby happy dance around the living room.
[loads of well-thought-out comments here. but i'm mostly a lurker and i don't contribute much (except for upvotes) so i'll just think of this as a sort of reply to a previous question regarding getting something off one's chest]
back in preschool, i was deemed "most outstanding" and so i was tasked to give the 'sending-off' message to fellow graduates. by the time i was onstage, i was shaking! with no copy, i kept waiting for cues before finishing it. although embarrassing, still went home triumphant with my big-ass fake gold-plated medal
sitting by the staircase outdoors (built beside building walls) taking to my mother about a mess i made. taunting me i can't graduate. refusing to understand i could fix it. by the second i knew i lost her trust, jumping off the railings was an option. i made sure she couldn't hear me sobbing through the phone
drinking with a dear friend, she confessed to me she got raped. both her cousin and her boyfriend claims she wanted it. their victim-blaming got me bawling 'til i blackedout. a burden that has nothing to do with me turned into a burden i carry every day
Being yelled at by my mom because I wasn't understanding the math problems on my homework as I cried over a giant box of pens trying to figure it out. To this day I still hate math.
And when my cat died. It was a beautiful day. Nice, warm and sunny not a cloud in the sky and I remember how devastated I was but the world [of course] keeps going and how insignificant we really are in the grand scheme of things.
First memory ever: crying over the Bob the Builder VHS reversing because it made a really horrifying sound for 2-year-old me.
First lucid dream ever, meeting my friends in kindergarten, playing with blocks, then knowingly saying goodbye to them as it's only a dream anyway and hopping through a portal. That instant, waking up for kindergarten.
Seven years old, going home with mom at night, seeing a giant spider in our hallway. I have arachnophobia to this day.
Witnessing my father having a torn ligament while playing football with me at seven years. My step-mom brought him to the hospital and brought me McDonalds. Took him years to revitalize from that.
Meeting my first girlfriend. A friend of hers asked her about her video games or something and after he was finished, I chimed in and talked with her about it. The first time I showed courage in such a situation.
-(joy) Prom with my current (and first) boyfriend. I went with him just to have a date, but I fell in love with him that night.
-(sadness) Crying in my closet at 12, begging God to let me live somewhere else than that Army town. It was the height of my emotional turmoil and I cried every single night for the year that I lived in that awful place.
-(fear) Feeling a strong voice suggest I take photos at a family outing with my sister who had cancer. I listened, thankfully. She passed shortly thereafter.
-(anger) Getting punished to my room as a child by that sister. I was only 4 or 5, but managed to pick up a chair and throw it at my dresser. A handle on a drawer broke. Fear of getting in trouble came then.
-(disgust) I had a crush on a guy in high school and my then best friend knew this very well. I was on the phone with the guy, he answered an incoming call. When he got back on the line, he told me my friend had just asked him out and they started dating. I was expected to be happy for them and they'd kiss in front of me, sit in each other's laps, etc. I was horrified that another human could act that way.
nestcto ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Don't really have any memories that I consider "core", or anything like that...but the one that really stands out.
I call it my first memory, because I was super young, maybe 3 or 4. Outside, early in the morning. Sun was rising, still frost on the ground. My mom was seeing my dad off to work.
I picked a blade of grass and breathed on it, and the frost went away, which was amazing. I wondered what mom would think if I managed to do that to the whole yard! So, breath was hot, what else was hot? Hot water.
I grabbed a cup, filled it with hot water from the sink, which I couldn't reach without the foot stool. I went outside and poured it in the grass. Sure enough, it melted. I went in and grabbed another cup, came out, and searched for the place where I had poured the first, but couldn't find it. I poured the cup out, and went to grab another. When I came back, I couldn't find the second place I had poured water either.
I did this a couple more times before I decided to sit and watch one of the thawed areas...and saw it slowly freeze over. I found this incredibly fascinating, and remember it as the first time I (consciously) used a process of critical thinking to solve a problem.
The day we had to put down my dachshund because of a tumor. I was holding him down while the (highly incompetent) vet gave him the two shots. I pet him until the end. Everytime i think about that moment, my eyes water up, and when i go home i feel the need to play and cuddle the mutt we adopted after the dachshund. I don't even want to imagine the day he won't be here anymore.
A dream...or rather, a nightmare i had when i was 4 years old. A couple of rather old people bringing a newborn in a church, asking the priest to baptize him, and telling him "without a name he won't go to paradise". The baby died in that moment, rolling its eyes white.
Ftramza ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember when I was younger I read this barney book to my little baby brother (who was suffering from cancer). I had him on my lap, he was hugging me, looking up, and reading with me. There was one page I'll NEVER forget. It was a picture of the moon.... and I said to him "Justin, where's the moon?!". He smiled, laughed, and pointed at it, and then gave me a kiss on the cheek. It will be the greatest and most beautiful memory I'll ever have in my life. He lives every time I think about, makes me tear right now!
Now to think about that's probably why I love the night sky so much, I look up and feel like I'm alone but also feel like I'm part of something bigger. Anyways, here goes to the feels in the morning!!! dammit.
The day my dad decided to teach me to swim by shoving me out of the boat in the middle of the Tombigbee River. I still remember my moment of panic as the water closed over my head as he yelled, "Sink or swim, buddy. Your choice." I still occasionally have nightmares about drowning.
Sitting on the bathroom sink, watching my dad as he shaved in the morning. He'd let me lather up my face, and gave me a razor (with the blade removed) to scrape it off.
First ever kiss. I was terrified and excited. On a winter night, the boy I liked brought me to a moonlit field. I remember that the clouds looked like sea foam when a wave recedes on the beach.
When my high school cross-country team won the state championships. I was in tears and beaming in every picture.
How it felt when my antidepressants began to work. I had no idea life could feel that way, and that time could pass so easily.
elementary-being rescued by my classmate while I was lost in field trip hiking
elementary-migrated to America (because of my father's job)
Middle-pretty much bullies and my parents trying to killing each other
High-my sister ran away and falsely reported that my family is trying to rape her. Oh, she also said the same thing to everyone in my high school. Fun.
High-Went to court every month
High-found out my sister is mentally crazy. she moved out of our house to my father's house who lives in next state. "We couldn't get along too well."
High-my sis tried commit suicide but survived. It happened 3 times, maybe? Every time we had to drive 5 hours to see her in hospital
College-went to music school, bad choice for career, but played in public several times. Long journey too. My Symphony made CD recording.
College-My music prof. was like Shia LaBeouf just do it, not so helpful against my depression.
College-proud of myself for graduating college without depression medication
Job-Tried to make money, got a random job that did nothing to do with music
Job-The job sucked, driving 50 minute a day from home working 8a-11p, eventually my depression said enough is enough, one day I knocked out on floor cold.
Too long maybe, but that sums up highlight of my life.
I'm going to assume that by "Core Memories", you mean the good and bad, so here goes;
Scheming with my little sister on how to convince my mum to let us play video games when we were young.
Lunch time in primary school with my set of close friends, and this particular crush of mine. We'd play cops, robbers and damsels... and every time I and the guys saved the 'damsels', she'd give me the sweetest smile that melted my heart every time.
Seeing my sister in the hospital, unknowingly for the last time, because I had to go home for the night. The last thing she ever said to me was "Don't worry. God is in control.". She passed away that night.
Being picked by my dad's driver from boarding school early in the term, because my mum was "travelling" to the UK. Only to come home to meet a grieving family, and a picture of my mum. Haven't cried that intensely since.
Hearing my dad say that he could "afford to neglect" my elder sister and I, in front of his mum, which made all three of us cry. He's good at saying things that shouldn't be said (cos he might not even mean it), but bad at apologizing about it.
Crying in the car with my oldest sister, after unwittingly writing a poem about how our mum won't be there to see us get married.
Confessing my feelings to a girl, who reciprocated, only for her to end up with my best friend a week later.
My first kiss: I was young, no more than 6 or 7, and she was a month younger than me. She was a super cool girl, not into girl things - she wanted to play with the batman figures I owned and she wanted to do action-y type stuff with them! When your raised thinking all girls love pink and Barbies, it was really nice to realized that the stereotype could be broken. Anyway, we carried on playing and moved on top of the bunkbed to go under the covers and create a cave sort of stage! And then she kissed me. We weren't "boyfriend and girlfriend" at the time, just friends. I just remember her saying "that was fun!! Let's do it again!" And then we ended up going out together (by kids terms) for about 3 more years!
More recent, 4 years ago. I went through a very rough part of my life so far in high school over girl troubles. It led to self harm, and I hit a real low. I lost all contact with my friends and really just moved my entire life online. I made friends all across the world and realized that just because people don't like me / don't want to hang out with me in my home town, doesn't mean that people somewhere else in the world don't want to spend time with me. Which leads us nicely into core memory number 3!
I met my bestfriend 5 years ago through a website based on Vocaloids (Japanese synth singing things) which had all sorts of sub-forums. We're talking like Roleplaying, Music, Games - things that might not even relate to the main site just added on (I don't know if I'm aloud to give the name of the site :x ). ANYWAY. We met through a roleplay and started to bond over passtimes we both enjoyed, anime, video games, music etc. and she helped me get through a lot of the issues i went through in school (petty issues now I'm older and look back, but when your 15, a broken heart hurts a lot...it's like the end of the world). After a year of being friends I asked her if she'd want to try a long distance relationship with me, if she'd want to give it a go. We both knew it would be difficult, but she said yes! And next month is our 4 year anniversary. But the core memory is about a month ago, she came to visit me for 2 weeks and stay with us. And seeing her in person for the second time, and actually living with her, changed my entire life. She made me realize that there's more important things than video games and treating yourself. She made me realize that I was an adult and the things I wanted have made a sudden shift. Which is the reason why I'm going to her home state in November to see the Zelda Symphony Orchestra - something we both wanted to see for a long time, but now I'm budgeting, and caring about my money, it's a physical reality.
I'm only 19, 20 in November, so my memories are still being made. But these are some of the ones that make me happy even just typing about them! Also, heck yeah to being able to answer an ask reddit question in the United Kingdom! I'm nearly always late!
Right now. Everyday I wake up at 4:15AM for my internship at a big 3. I should get back home at 3:30. Usually much later (7-8). All my money will go to pay for school, and I remind myself everyday that I'm doing this to get a good job so that my little brother doesn't have to worry about student loans like I do. Someday it'll be worth it.
the day my 2nd cat died.
the day my best friend/ex fiancee died.
the day i decided to pursue opera when going pop/rock voice wasnt going that well. "samuel your voice is so loud, almost operatic"
the day i decided to lose weight. i turned to my cat, who is my biggest influence, and said "cuddles im gonna start losing weight today"
the day i gave up my cat to my mother as i was moving out and couldnt take him with me. still the most depressing week ive ever experienced.
and recently:
my first opera performance which was also my first ever performance which was also my first ever paid performance.
the day i got my cat back. i visited him like every few months as mum lived 6 hrs away but now that fucker is right here next to me and im never giving him up again.
I think my most iconic one is a simple one. I was unemployed, living at home while I was capable of finding work. I have a degree in IT and Economics, have had three different well paid jobs but messed them all up because I didn't care for anything.
During this time my mother was depressed and had been in a mental hospital for several months by now. My stephdad, a great guy, had recently found another job, nothing special, just a job. But he was clearly suffering from all the pressure and things going on.
We were just talking right before he went to work about something random, can't remember. But then he had to go, took his backpack and when I saw him walk down the yard to his car I just felt awful. Here he was, never having had a decent youth due to his father, clearly suffering right now from circumstances and still slugging through life. And I was being a lazy guy, somewhat profitting from that.
So since that day I stepped up my game, found a job I like and won't forget that memory.
How my Dad - usually not much into the stuff i liked as a kid - gifted me Pokemon Yellow on a standard non-holiday. I was so baffled i literally thought it wasn't for me.
My older brother throwing me to the ground and jumping off his bed and onto my hand, breaking most of the bones in it.
Driving around downtown in a golf cart with my dad (who was a volunteer organizer for a local parade) at the age of ~12. Was the closest thing to driving I'd ever done and I was scared shitless but having a blast.
6th grade, a group of "my friends" made fun of me for being smart (a common occurrence throughout my childhood). I very distinctly remember making a conscious decision to no longer be smart. I actually remember sitting Language Arts mentally "praying the smart away" so that I could be cool. This is probably also my single largest regret in life.
Age 14: Walking into my grandparent's house and hearing my uncle exclaim "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeey the boooooyssssssss are heaaaaar" for the first time after learning what gay people were and putting 2 and 2 together. About 10 minutes later my Aunt showed up on a Harley with her girlfriend and I put that together too and suddenly realized why this was the first time we'd seen the 2 of them in about 5 years. My parents were pretty intolerant as it turns out.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:51:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Picking out the bathroom floor for my bathroom when I was 6. My parents were building a house and I got pink linoleum with flowers, I was so excited and felt so grownup
Making "obstacle" courses in the yard with my cousins, then trying to run them dressed up
Sitting out in my grandfathers garden with him, eating all the sugar snap peas we were supposed to bring inside for dinner. This happened at least once a week.
Sitting on the empty floor of the newly rented apartment with my fiancรฉ two weeks before the wedding. We met there for lunch because we just got the keys. It was the first place I'd ever lived away from home, we were so excited, and still celebrate that date every year we've been in the place
Playing outside with my friends in elementary school, then moving away and moving back after 6 months or so. We were all such good friends and it was really, really nice to move back.
First cruise. My dad and I really started bonding then.
Getting accepted into my chosen university.
My latest trip to Disney World (June of this year). It was such an amazing time and another really good time to bond with my dad. I am old enough to actually enjoy and remember the trip, too. We had such an amazing time.
Getting engaged.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:17:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Falling down the stairs.
The first time my dad took my sister and I to the mountains.
Laughing at my dog Fred. He ran through a corn field and it hurt his butt so bad he couldn't sit. We started calling him corn butt.
The day my dad left when my parents divorced. It's the only time I ever saw him cry.
Hitting my first in the park home run in little league and feeling accepted by my teammates.
Coming home from a weekend with my dad and finding out my grandfather had died.
My parents divorced when I was really young and I was unlucky enough to look exactly like my mother. My father got full custody of my two older brothers and I, so that lead to being ignored and looked down upon by my father, while he completely loved my brothers. He never hit or beat me, he just treated me like a background character at best, and a anchor or annoyance at worst. I was about four years old and was up by myself one night watching tv when my dad came home from work. He walked in, looked at me, laid down his briefcase on the desk and we looked at each other for a moment. He opened up his briefcase and pulled out a chocolate bar, walked over, gave it to me and kissed me on the head. That was the last time he did anything nice for or to me. It's my happiest memory.
tspike7 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-my bipolar girlfriend having a manic episode and cutting her wrist in from of me
-first night going to bed at basic training saying to myself "what the fuck did I just get myself into
-going to a Christian summer camp in Japan and taking care of the grounds by cutting grass and moving bricks etc
-dealing with depression and feeling lost when I went to Kuwait
The day I got into graduate school. I come from pretty humble beginnings, was the first in my family to even go to college, much less pursue academia.
I was in a serious relationship with the man I knew I wanted to marry, who also couldn't relocate to a different city because of his job. There was one university in my area with one professor I wanted to study with. Fortunately for me, I was his lab manager for a while before applying to be his student.
Unfortunately for me, I was wait listed. I had a good GPA but I wasn't a strong test taker or writer so I understand the decision.
I knew, personally, the other guy that was accepted in the only available spot and I knew he was going to accept the offer. So wait listed was any good for me. The agony I felt was insane. I had a choice - either give up settling down in a happy relationship with the guy of my dreams and pursue a career I loved in another city, or give up on following the career path I desperately wanted.
I chose the guy.
A few weeks later, on a Friday afternoon, the prof pulled me into his office to talk to me. I thought I was getting canned because he was running out of grant money.
Instead, he told me that a spot had opened up in the department, and they wanted to extend an offer to me to join the program.
I was dumbfounded, and immediately started crying in his office. I just couldn't believe it. I was going to get a chance to earn my PhD. My fucking PhD! Me, lowly little kid from a fucking alchoholic, dirt poor, backwards ass family that worked my ass off to crawl out of that shit hole of a life. And it wasn't that the other guy didn't accept his spot - he did. So to this day, I don't know deal with the devil that my adviser made to get another spot open and get me into that program, but I will never fucking forget it, or that moment.
He completely changed my life and set it in a path where I am financially comfortable in a career I love. I just cannot express how much that means to me.
I made this account just to comment on some of mine since I saw a picture that made me think of many of my core memories"
lets start with the nice ones...
When my baby brother called me dad by accident since I was the one that raised him.
Meeting Laura.
Sad ones...
The moment when my best friend took a bullet for me which led to his death and me being alive.
Laura getting killed because she wouldn't give up her necklace to a thief.
Moving away from where Laura died without saying goodbye to her mom.
Realizing I'm doing nothing with my life even though my best friend sacrificed himself for me.
Vycadin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
7 - mom telling me that I can't paint/draw even though the teacher says it was beautiful. Frustrated artist.
8 - singing boy band songs (backstreet boys, boyzone, westlife) at the back of my father's car. He owns the cassettes btw. Made me appreciate any form of music.
11 - playing basketball before classes even start. School uniform was all sweaty during the morning classes. Explained to teacher that I won't back down to any competition.
12 - while crossing the street, books fell of of my backpack causing a multiple-vehicle collision. Hate crossing the streets til now especially with a backpack.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Finding a box 4-5 years after my parents death in the upper shelves of my aunt & uncle's garage which contained photo albums and other memories from my old house. The wave of emotions I'll never forget, a combination of sadness and joy.
Just jotting this down now, I'll add more when I have time during the day
I was about 6 or 7, misbehaving and poking my tongue out at the dinner table. My Dad was getting really annoyed with me and so caught me off guard and put mustard on my tongue the next time I poked it out. I cried because it felt hot in my mouth and I don't eat hot/spicy food to this day.
I went to the Royal Cornwall Show whilst at primary school and ended up meeting the Queen, kind of by accident. My teacher took photos on my camera and I took it home at the end of the day to get the film developed. Mum excitedly got dad to open the back of the camera to remove the film, when, as the back sprung off the camera, there was no film inside. Mum had asked Dad the night before to make sure there was a film in the camera for me and he had forgotten it. I still use that against him jokingly today.
The kids on my street and I were all firm friends and we used to ride our bikes around the block. Halfway round was my grandparents house, opposite an orchard. We all decided to make a den under a big tree in the orchard and my Grandad made us a swing that hung from a big sturdy branch. One day, me and some of the other kids were playing on the swing, seeing how many of us could hold on to it, when the ropes came undone, sending all of us flying backward and we went tumbling down through a big bush and landed straight on top of some sort of animal skeleton. We were afraid we had 'rabies' for weeks.
I remember going on holiday and getting a tamagotchi whilst there. It was pink and yellow, and the little pet was a duck. We were travelling home from the holiday at night and the tamagotchi died. When I got home I reset it and hatched a new one. I took it out on the street to show my friend and he smashed it against a lamp post on purpose, and broke it. Thanks to him, I had to have a crappy pretend tamagotchi with like 15 different animals to choose from as a replacement. I mean that might sound better but it wasn't. It just wasn't the tamagotchi.
Actually I have loads and if we are talking inside out, quite a few of them are blue. Go figure!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's threads like this that remind me a good bit of my "core" memories are sad.
1. The first time my siblings and I stopped eating everyday
2. My dad punched me in the eye for being a smartass and lying about it to my teacher, the following counselor, and social services.
3. My 5th birthday when my grandfather got me a pony
4. The first day our house was broken into.
5. The night my mom tried to kill us both by crashing the car.
6. Sitting on a fence post feeding my pony and apple
When dad and I went to our first Brickyard 400 (it's a big race in Indiana). The race didn't start until like 1pm, but we had to get there early so we left at 5am. I was only 7 and I was up before dad. I was so excited for the race that I talked all the way until the race started. It's now a tradition him and I have done for the last 18 years.
My first day of university. I had never been away from home before. I was on my own. My parents left after I had unpacked and got everything together and I was left in this mysterious place on my own while I still had to wait 6 hours until my roommate would move in. That first hour I cried. I was terrified, everything was all on me now. But luckily after the first hour, everything went well. I met friends that I still talk to today and created some amazing memories.
When my girlfriend of 3.5 years cheated on me and left me for someone else. It's been a little over 2 years now and I honestly still haven't recovered from it.
My grandfather's funeral. Not because my papaw died, but because my dad cried. I was 16 at the time and that was the first time that I ever saw my dad cry. All my life this guy has been the strongest man I knew (and still know to this day). We've been in some dicey situations and I never saw him flinch once or show any extreme emotions. Just seeing him rattled like that shook me pretty hard, but it taught me it is okay to cry too.
jl4855 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:20:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
dad taking us to the ballpark to catch a game.
Delica ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:20:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom was raising two boys with no child support, off the pay from a secretary job. She came home from work and had bought groceries. She had randomly bought my brother and I each a pack of cards.
It sounds unimportant, but it says a lot that, even with barely enough money to survive, she made an extra effort to show love.
When I was 5 my dads younger brother (my favorite uncle) immigrated to the US and lived with us for a good year before moving out and getting married.
During that summer I remember that a bunch of our family was coming over and my mom was in the kitchen, my dad and my sister were reading a book, and I decided to run into the living room to see my uncle standing in front of the patio door. He said "hey Darenthelion" and picked me up and put me on his shoulders and we walked around the house.
It's tiny. But It's made me love having a chaotic house where everyone is doing something and family is all in one place.
Made me sad when my uncle left and my dad and him had a feud where they are just now getting on speaking terms.
But the past ten years have basically been without my uncle. And I wonder if we'd be closer if not for what happened.
Still it is one of those memories that stuck with me.
Watching the tractor that crushed my dad being taken away from our family farm. I'm not sure if I remember this or have created the memory, I was only about 18 months.
Building my own tree house.
My border collie cross kelpie peeing himself whilst protecting me from the vicious jack russell that was all talk.
Using mums ironing board as a space ship launching pad.
Doing most of a backflip on my bike, unintentionally.
The pranks mum and I pulled on each other.
The pranks mum and I pulled on our extended family.
That time I accidentally on purpose hit my crush in the head with a cricket ball, thrown from 50m away and had to write an apology to her.
As a surf life saver, having to rescue and give car to my mum whilst on duty.
I should have put more effort into the speech for my wedding.
Skydiving.
As a fire fighter, the last conversation I had with two of my colleagues before they died during emergency response.
Sitting in the chair rocking my 18 month old to sleep, thinking about all the moments I've had and will have with him, and that my dad never had those with me.
That feeling as child, where I would run up to my dad and he would swoop me up off the ground. Being 28 now, it's something I know I'll never be able to experience again, but will always cherish.
I was almost 3 when my parents split up. I remember standing at the top of the stairs, dropping a large dye cast model of Hutch's Grand Torino into a box. At the new place, I remember hating that there was no yard and kicking a ball against my bedroom wall. Eventually I got out the Torino and started banging that against the wall to make it look damaged. I never played with the Torino after that day.
My Mum and Dad enrolling me in the band, and when they bought me a secondhand rusty-ass flute (we were so so broke at the time)
My cousin (Female, ~18yo, 5'4) swinging me by the elbows when I was 5 before I outgrew her
My Dad cleaning out the garden of all the dead trees and driving me to the dump on the free drop off day to Live's 'Heaven' before buying my first bike from a dump collection guy for $10
Saving up all my money for a year to buy a gameboy advance, and my mum paying the last of the layby with the last $20 she had. The next series Gameboy came out later that week but I didn't give a shit at all, too busy playing Pokemon silver.
Going over to my Indian neighbour's house every friday to play Halo on their xbox, give them the lasagne Mum cooked, and bringing back homemade egg curry
โข Reading Harry Potter with my parents when I was a kid.
โข Seeing Boyhood for the first time in theaters in the summer of 2014.
โข Traveling around Europe on a Student Ambassador trip in 7th grade, made so many friends and had so many cool experiences.
โข Universal Studios with my Dad.
โข Partying for the first time with my cousin in Iowa.
โข Making out with a friend of my cousin (different side of the family) in Chicago after going out for dinner and getting drunk in his hot tub.
โข Going clubbing at a resort in Cancun with my Iowa cousin (lots of partying with my cousins memories). Felt so free.
โข Stepping on the scale and seeing I had achieved my goal of losing 60 pounds.
โข Listening to "Let it Happen" by Tame Impala for the first time on spring break in California in 2015.
โข Law and Advocacy Camp at American University in D.C.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:22:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 4-5 I had a terrible nightmare and went into my parents bedroom and asked to sleep in the bed with them.
The time in elementary school where I forgot to bring shorts to gym class and had to stay in underwear.
My first kiss.
The day my father left.
The day my father beat me bloody.
The first time I went to a live sporting event. It was a soccer match.
My first piano recital.
My first live concert. It was Muse.
The day I met my wife.
My first vacation with my wife.
The day my father had bypass surgery and survived despite low odds and complications, and the subsequent reconciliation.
The first (and so far only) time that I got to perform a piano concerto with an orchestra in front of a large audience.
I was 1 or 2 years old, and I was in the supermarket with my parents. Suddenly we hear the sound of glass breaking and we see this trolley turned over, broken bottles on the ground and this maybe 4 year old girl with her face covered in blood. I'll never forget her face covered in blood. Years later, my parents told me more of the story. My dad ran to get bandaids while her father literally held togheter the two sides of a large cut in her forehead so it wouldn't open more. Her mother was frozen in ansolute shock. They put lots lof bandaids vertically (the wound was horizontal) so as to prevent it from opening, while they waited for the ambulance.
Climbing through the kindergarten class' window with my best friend. Some would argue that we were girlfriend-boyfriend but that's unclear. His mum and my dad helped us in, and the teacher said "oh, you guys always comming through the window!" in kind of a mock-reprimand way. My mum confirmed years later that it was a usual thing.
Arming myself with books and candy to make it through a whole day of theatre rehearsal of my mum's theatre group when I was about 9. Thinking back, it was pretty awesome. I had no responsibilities and I got to read my books and eat candy all day.
Meeting my ex bf in this dance club at 17. I was sitting with a friend and we were about to make out to have our first lesbian experience, when all this guys come talk to us. I didn't give a shit about any of them. I was so drunk. Through barely opened eyes I looked at them all in a haze. Then, I saw him and was taken aback. He was so fucking hot I couldn't believe it. Imagine my bliss when he kept my gaze and grabbed my hand. A bit later we kissed. It was so perfect. The relationship, well, not so much.
The first time I felt insane chemistry. It was with a friend and there was so much sexual tension accumulated over the years. The release was incredible and we didn't even get to go all the way because we were in a living room.
When my trip alone started last year. The plane taking off. I felt such a rush of excitement! And so many other memories during those months but it would take me too long to write.
My first time trying mdma this year. A feeling of absolute peace and connection with people. I don't advocate for drugs so I don't know if it's wise to comment this but I can't help it. I know it will be imprinted in my mind forever.
The first time I got told off in school. I was distracting another boy. I was made to stand at the front of the class facing the wall.
The school disco where I got my first kiss. I was 10, it was horrible and I didn't even like her than much.
The day my dad picked me up from University after I decided to drop out and how angry/upset with me he was. And then when I had a breakdown later than evening, disappeared off to the middle of nowhere and slept in my car. I cried so hard while I was driving I had to pull over and be sick.
Arguing repeatedly with the boss that eventually got fired for bullying. He showed me everything I never wanted to be in my working life.
The day my son was born.
Gacode ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:23:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My brother swallow a bubble gum which my father always forbid us to eat because of that reason, My father was going to really give my brother a lesson with a belt, but i kept my brother lock inside my room and hide him under my bed so my father won't find him. After several hours, my father say he will fogive him if hes going out, so he's out and nothing happen afterward.
Grade 9 French class. Languages were never my strong suit. I preferred science and technology to arts and languages. I was doing decently in the class, but I definitely wasn't the top student. Jacqueline was. I tended to listen more than participate in French class since I wasn't confident in my abilities.
One day I was feeling like I was really catching on so I worked up the gumption to answer a question, only to be incorrect. Jacqueline, who sat in front of me, turned around in her chair, looked me straight in the eye and said with dripping mockery: "You're an idiot".
I didn't participate much in French class after that. I scraped by with a barely passing grade and my grades dropped in other classes as well because my ability to participate in the learning experience was just shattered. That was... 16 years ago now, and I can still see her face and hear the mockery in her voice whenever I consider trying something new.
I've been picked on before and made fun of, but most of it has gone away and I've matured beyond petty bullying, but for some reason Jacqueline's comment is one of my strongest core memories and has seriously impacted how my life has been shaped.
Telling my first grade class that I thought my stepdad hitting me and calling me a "stupid motherfucker" was bad touch. Probably the first time I realized what was happening to me was wrong
Watching my uncle strangle his wife until she passed out and left in a hurry, leaving his three kids and two nephews (ages 2-8) to fend for themselves.
Staying up late with my mom's future husband watching bloodsport
When I was like 9 or 10 years old I wanted to get Subway. My dad took me there, and I asked him if he wanted a sandwich. He said no, I asked if he was sure, and he still said No. So I get my sandwich and when I come back my dad asks for half. I told him wtf but I asked you if you wanted one? Give me more money Ill go get you one right now (I honestly felt that I shouldnt share mine) and then he told me this. "If you were willing to share that sandwich with me I would've given you 500$" It wasnt about the reward or anything, but that memory stuck with me to not be cheap and be charitable to others when I can.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:24:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow reading all those stories make me feel so empty inside.
July 23rd 1993 - saw Jurassic Park and got my first ever slice of margherita pizza from Pizza Hut during one of my best ever Summer Holidays
July 1st 2000 - My band played our high school summer fete, I got the number of a cute girl from a posh school who'd come to play in a steel drum group, then we went into town and I bought Perfect Dark for N64
sas624 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:24:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wearing the Superman costume under my normal clothes outside, then having my cousin pretend he's in trouble to reveal I'm Superman in Christopher Reeve fashion "saving" him
When I was 6, we moved from South Africa all the way to Germany. While that isn't a core memory for me (although I vaguely recall something about Harry Potter being shown on the plane?), this meant that we rarely, if ever saw extended family and that includes my grandparents. We would fly back about every 3 years over christmas and we would visit family. But in the mean time, I think my grandparents on my dad's side visited maybe once or twice. The last time I saw my grandma and grandpa was when I was about 11 or 12 and was incredibly emotional for me; I recall being at the airport, watching the airport staff drive off on those small car things and my grandma waving back at me. Once they were far enough, I burst into tears and couldn't stop crying. I think in that moment, something in me recognized the fact that this would be the last time I saw them like this? That realization hit me so hard and I think it was the first time I was confronted with mortality. Yeah, my grandma passed away from cancer after that and my grandpa just got so, so old and confused. He passed away a few years later. I'm 21 one and I still remember it so well.
When I was 16 I had a weekend job at the local museum, just supervising the random assortment of stuff, nothing important. But it was on sundays and as such, my dad would drive me down to the museum. One of the sundays however, it was raining heavily and we just chatted about a random assortment of things; how's school? How's work? All those types of things. I'm not sure how that part of the conversation started, but my dad was telling me about how he and his dad used to take longer drives when it rained. It seems so simple now, but it kind of gave me this sense of belonging and connection? I used to be a very angry teenager and I think that that experience of contentment and calm, watching and hearing the raindrops fall, gave me a baseline to take comfort from. It made it ok for me to not be the outgoing, constantly talking teenagers that everyone expected and to simply just be.
This one is less a single memory, but more a bunch of them coming together. At this point in time, me and my middle sister barely talk. I see her perhaps a few times a year and that's it. While that may be the norm for some people, my family is actually really tightknit and this was a slow crescendo of dislike, spite and irritation. I remember when we younger, me and my middle sister used to create worlds for the heck of it; maps, creatures, names, the whole thing. It was something that we could do together creatively and it was fun. That was also the last time we probably had a long term civil relationship. From then on, everything just went down the drain; I continued with worldbuilding (and still do) because it's fun and it makes you think, but on one occasion, I was explaining the ideas I had and she disagreed with them; this ended with a fierce fight, which went on from leaving the restaurant we were in, to shouting on her part in the car, me telling her to pullover because she was driving so eratically and me being called "emotionally disconnected". On another occasion, I disagreed with her taste in clothes once she asked me for my opinion and got a "you're not the fashion police" spat in my face. There was also her telling me that my godfather thought I was a spoiled little brat and that he didn't want anything to do with me, at that time I was 12 or 13 and enduring some pretty bad bullying in school. There were so many more fights, but it kind of escalated in the last 2 to 3 years; when I was 17, I got to do an internship in China for 3 months, shortly after, I came back to Germany and then had a job for 3 months in Italy. Later on in that year, I started my degree in Malaysia, going there completely alone. Basically, this meant that I had to do a shitton of maturing, as I was traveling alone, living alone, generally being independant. Of course, this meant that my family was proud of me thankfully, however, in the next fight I got that thrown in my face as well, that "she keeps hearing about this matureness, but she can't see it". After that, I kept asking the rest of my family what I should do, as anything and everything I did seemed to get under her skin. No one knew. The best was my mom telling me to "accept her the way she is" and to "keep trying because she IS your sister", at which point I really had no energy left anymore. There is so much apathy on my part at the moment. The last time I talked to her was at her wedding in April, as skyping with me is "just me talking about myself all the time" apparently and she doesn't want to listen to that. She recently moved as well and I literally heard about it the day they moved into the new place and still don't know what it looks like. Damn, this is getting somewhat long, eh? Honestly though, this is a core feeling for me and it's not something that is over yet.
โขBecoming an uncle for the first, second and third time they all were pretty amazing looking into the little faces of my niece and nephews realising I was going to be a part of their journey in life and being able to watch them grow up and develop into their own person all from the fun distance of I don't have to look after them 24/7.
โขMy step dads funeral. I loved that man to pieces he was my best friend after my parents had separated and I moved out of my dads house because I couldn't handle the constant bullying from my step mum. I still remember my step sisters trying their hardest to get through their speech and final goodbyes to him thinking about it still brings me to tears to this day.
โขMy childhood dog who passed away late last year. I absolutely loved her to pieces even in her final days she was the happiest little thing in the world she gave me 15 years of non stop love and happiness.
โขFalling in love for the first time and taking the risk of revealing how I felt. She was my best friend and we had shared so much with each other and she had helped me battle depression, lose weight and become an all round happier person. Unfortunately she didn't feel the same and the friendship wasn't able to stay the same and eventually we stopped being friends entirely. Wherever she is now I wish her all the best.
โขGrowing up in Dunedin playing cricket and rugby on the streets with all the neighbourhood kids until sunset I remember endless summer holidays spent playing pick up games or just roaming the streets with your friends. Reminiscing about those days never fails to bring a smile to my dial.
โขMy parents divorce. This for me felt like the end of my happy family really, everything felt divided in two. I remember I held on to hope for the longest time that my mum and dad would get back together only for them to meet new people which was a really hard pill to swallow.
My dad driving by the fourwheeler I had been saving up for 2 years for and asking "Do you want that one?" and then immediately taking me to the bank so we could get it.
Playing "timber" (a game I made up where you got as big a stick as you could to fall towards you and you ran away before it beat the hell out of your back) with my sister and little cousin at my great grandma's house in the ditch.
Taking my wife up to the top of the observation tower for a quarter in Eureka Springs, AR on a sunny day in January for a "picnic" as part of a day trip. Ended up getting engaged to her and she said yes.
Sitting around the campfire listening to my grandpa tell stories of when he was a hippie.
Waking up at 4:45am since I had nothing better to do with 3 five-gallon buckets and walking down to the beach to lift them filled with sand as the sun rose.
Chasing our greyhound around the back yard.
Running the turkey trot with my grandpa for the first time
The drive to my great grandma's house
Having an "acorn war" on the front lawn of my grandpa's house with my sister and sledding down the hill since it was so steep (it was the middle of summer, and we could still sled. Road and grass. Nothing even slick.)
Telling my parents (and everyone I knew) that I had found the girl of my dreams and I was going to marry her
A kid daring me to punch him and saying I couldn't because I was a wuss. Ended up punching him in the stomach and he didn't get up for a solid minute. This was the same kid I had "Who can pop the vein on the side of their neck competitions" with, but he had gone too far this time.
Building lego fortresses for a mouse which was my first non-fish pet.
Singing on a karaoke machine as loud as I could to the song "Turbo Lover" by Judas Priest with my best friend at the time.
Seeing complete t-rex fossil for the first time with my mom at the field museum in Chicago.
Doing front flips on the trampoline at any given opportunity
When I first got the chance to present and be a part of education about animals and the natural environment at a volunteer program for the nature museum.
coming home to an empty house, after my then-husband took all of our furniture and moved in with the woman he had been cheating on me with for a year. It was fairly recent but it haunts me. I picture it sometimes, as if I were looking in from outside, seeing myself alone in a big, bare living room, curled up and crying for hours.
having my mum tell me how proud she is of me. I've never admired anyone more than my mum and I'll always cherish those words
witnessing my brother's first (of many) mental breakdown and slamming his head into the wall repeatedly
an evening play day at primary school. Nothing eventful happened. It was just a nice memory. I think it was one of the last times I was really happy. I can still see the sunset and feel the crisp evening air. It was lovely.
my mum driving a woman from our neighbourhood to church. She had just had a terrible argument with my dad and was in tears. She wasn't going to leave the house because she was so upset but our neighbour knocked, needing a ride. my mum drove us all to church and she said it made her feel better doing something nice for that lady. As an adult, I'm not religious but I always remember that trip to church, and I try to do something nice for someone everyday. And my brother and I always got McDonald's hashbrowns after church. So, bonus.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
-The time my band members made me walk on stage wearing a red cape whilst the superman theme played through the PA system, as we were about to perform in front of our largest crowd ever, 100+ sold out hometown show of tour, in Brighton, UK. The adrenaline was overwhelming as all of our friends and family were there.
At aged 9 or 10, going through my Dad's huge shelf of CD's and picking random ones and putting them on my walkman. Discovering The Beatles, and Blur, and The Who.
Driving home in the middle of the night after things ended with my "girlfriend." Getting home and watching the whole of The US Office series 1 to ease my pain.
Kudhos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a kid, me and my family + relatives were in Mallorca and at a bar there was a claw machine. That claw machine was "broken" so it had like a 80% win chance. Me, my brother, and the rest of the family went to that bar every night and I probably won 10-20 plushies each day. They even made it "out of order" a while.
on a vacation in Paris, France, my + my brother + my dad went every night and bought McFlurries at McD. Only because these McFlurries had a lottery on it where you could win more McFlurries. So if we'd win, we'd come the next day for a free McFlurry. It was neat because we got to walk through the beautiful city of Paris while having fun.
learning to drive with my dad. After a fee months, we'd drive for hours and just.. Talk. About all and everything. It was so sweet because I learned more about his life before me than ever before.
My uncle came to live with my family when I was very young and I remember playing catch with him outside. Every time the ball fell on his end, I remember the way he picked up the ball, bending at the waist and one leg off the ground. He committed suicide or got murdered a few years later. Every time I play ball with my kids, I pick the ball the same way unintentionally, but it reminds me of him. Every time.
My aunt telling me I looked good in my new sunglasses about 10 years ago. She died 2 years later of cancer. I will never get rid of those sunglasses and still wear them to this day.
Njncguy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Two related core memories here:
When I was about 12 my dad left home (forever) at the end of a heated family argument. My older brother (age 16) had stood up to our dad over his horrendous treatment of our mom. Our dad left in a huff when he demanded that our mom make my brother apologize for calling him a liar (which he most decidedly was). Thank god my mother finally stopped letting dad push her around and didn't do his bidding. It's just too bad my brother had to be the one to call dad out on his bad behavior. ... Dad was a serial cheater. He also abused our mom with such techniques a the "silent treatment" (would just blankly stare at her for the purpose of trying to drive her nuts).
The day I found out my wife had for years been living a secret life of affairs. The moment came when I got a call from an ex lover of my wife who in his anger over being spurned (wife had moved on to a new lover) decided he would spill the beans. So much for my 18 year marriage and raising our two young children in a loving family. As it was, for years my wife had treated me badly. As my counselor helped me see, in many ways I had subconsciously recreated my childhood by marrying someone similar to my dad (pre-disposed to cheating and quite capable of being abusive).
Middle school had ended, and I was having a difficult time with life.
I attended a small school, and was not only bullied but also socially excluded from the majority of students.
My best friend from the year prior moved away, and we lost contact.
On the first day of my freshman year I was sitting in study hall and as discreetly as I could manage I began to weep, in a fashion where you try as hard as you might the tears won't stop falling.
Before I knew it, a 12th grade boy, by far one of the most popular kids in my school, sat down next to me and said,
"Are you okay?"
To which I responded, "Not really, no..."
Our conversation went something like this:
Him: "What's wrong?"
Me: "Well, my best friend moved away, and it everyone is mean to me."
Him: "Aww, I'm sorry to hear that. If anyone is ever mean to you, just come to me and I'll handle it right away."
Me: "Thank you."
He rubbed my back in a completely platonic, caring manner, and then said, "Don't worry, things will be okay." Before walking away.
Although my school was small and I saw him often we never talked a single instance after that.
But his words helped me a lot. At times I would think that everyone hated me and I was better off dead, but then I would remember strangers like him, who literally knew nothing about me, and I would think to myself, "Wow... maybe I do matter."
So although I doubt you remember this,
Thank you, Anthony. You're awesome.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hmmm... I am way late to this party, but I'll share anyway.
-Sitting at the top of the stairs in my old house, listening to my parents scream at each other. Swearing that I would never be like that.
-Christmas mornings, coming down those stairs before anyone else woke up and just staring in awe at the tree and all the gifts and decorations.
-My brother being born.
-Breaking up with the first girl I loved; hating myself because I knew I broke her heart.
-The first time my (now) wife and I said we loved each other.
-Seeing my son for the first time.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
"Indoor picnics" with my grandparents. They looked after us a lot, and on rainy days our favourite lunch involved putting a blanket in the lounge spread with all the traditional picnic foods. We wore our sun hats and pretended to be on the beach.
The day my cat followed me to school and his little head appeared at the classroom window.
Witnessing my parents having a huge fight because my dad hadn't fixed the oven so my mum was going to take me to McDonalds instead. Such a stupid reason for a fight but they got really heated and even hit each other. I felt like I had caused it because I'd asked for a Happy Meal.
When my brother broke both of his arms at school and I ran to see the ambulance. Feels like a big deal now but my diary entry for the day reads: "Mum's car failed it's MOT! Oh yeah and [brother] broke his arms."
Aged 15, meeting my friends in the park late at night to have a 'fight' with plastic axes and swords.
Going to university and driving through the entrance for the first time. Then waving my parents off whilst everyone else was only just arriving.
Studying abroad in the US, watching the shadow of the plane move over the city as we came into land for the first time. I'd never even been on a plane before and I felt so free, like there were limitless possibilities in my life.
In the early stages of being with my SO, lying on the floor of her room together, listening to music in the dark.
edit: the grammars
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time that I came back from Iraq, I remember standing in this huge, empty building and standing in formation with the rest of my unit. I hadn't been able to get in touch with any of my family and I remember being completely heartbroken that I couldn't see them in the crowd that sat in front of us. When they allowed our formation to break to meet our family, I was prepared to go off alone. It was then that my mother ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug. I don't think that I've ever been happier in my lie, nor happier to see her.
After my last deployment, a "psychologist" (quoted because that's what people said they were, though I don't think anyone knew for sure), came to speak with each person in my unit. I remember a good friend of mine went in before me and when he came back out, he said that he unloaded everything on the psychologist and the psychologist told him that he should just suck it up because he was going to be out of the Army soon anyway.
I don't remember much after the day that I had drank myself to oblivion and cut myself up with a razor (about a year or so after I got out the Army), but I do remember my mom finding me in my apartment, taking me to her place and putting me in the tub. Specifically, I remember her crying on the phone to my sister saying that she didn't know what to do. It broke my heart, even in the drunken stupor that I was in. She did take me to the VA hospital and the hospital eventually put me into the psych ward. The memory of my sister and my mom standing there with tears in their eyes at the door, telling me that I was going to be okay and that they love me has always stuck with me.
Holding my newborn nephew and seeing my sister's face light up while he was in her arms.
Reading my first novel. I was maybe 10 at the time and I was reading the first book from the CHERUB series.
Avid reader since then.
My dad reking my 7 year old ass in FIFA and my subsequent crying because I wanted to win and he never let me.
Been 8 years since, and I am as competitive as it gets. I love my dad.
My dad telling me girls always had better grades than boys (I'm a dude) when we were leaving my grandmother's house.
Just finished middle school at the top of my class and had the second best math grade of the school in my finals.
Being carried up the stairs, by my now disabled mother, to a house we used to stay every year. When I woke after the nap, I found my marbles and loaded them into a shooter. I would aim for the skirting, where they would bounce off. I had a large biscuit tin full of them, the front was white with a clown painted smiling with a sword.
Sitting in my nans lounge as my grandpa would watch as many shows as he could by switching through the chanels rapidly. He never left his chair at meal times, he would set the television to one channel and eat at his chair.
Losing my boyfreind. We had been together for three years, before we began dating, he was my only friend. I was bad at making friends, I failed at small talk and idle conversation, I had such anxiety and frequent therapy I left school in year 9. He left me the day I left, we lived close by but he found someone else. We remained akward friends for a while, until he forced himself onto me.
Meeting my girlfriend, calling her beautiful was the best decision I have ever made. She understands how I am terrible with people, she helps me deal with it, I don't know why she stays with me... She never fails to help me be confident and cope.
Tearing the ear off someone in a fight, I don't remember how or why. I remember the taste of their blood and the chunk of their ear on the floor. I blank out when I am angry, I can never remember what happens. I do remember I didn't feel exausted, that causing pain on another person is easy, if you ignore a moral compass causing pain can be as simple as spilling a cup of tea. Since then I have always envisioned the way someones surrounding can hurt them, or how I can make it hurt them. I try not to consider it or follow through, I rarely follow through with causing the pain. I concetrate on the next step, the reaction that might fall on me. If in need I use words to attack, then I leave them. I would rather acheive my personal goals without the handicap of a criminal record.
Bonus:
Once when in town, the two decided to fight over me during a chrismas-bash. I was stuck up against a wall as the two got rather angsty against one another, eventually he lost( and I am forever greatful that he is gone now.).
I'm normally a pretty relaxed guy, and I used to love being in front of crowds (I was in drama, etc.), but in college a few years back I was giving a presentation, and I gave an incorrect answer to a question another student asked, and the professor just looked at me and said "Really? You have no idea what you're talking about, do you?"
I ended the presentation and walked out of the room right there. I was mortified. I see that professor's look of disgust every time I even think about public speaking, and it scares the bejesus out of me. Haven't spoken in front of a crowd since.
When I was a kid, my dad would often let me sit in the front seat and shift his '85 Corolla GT-S for him. Also, whenever we would visit my grandparents, I would usually go outside and sit in my Papaw's truck and pretend I was driving. Really solidified my love of cars.
My dad's best friend from high school moved to MA a few years after graduation. But every time he came back to town to visit family every couple of years, he would make a point to set aside a full day to spend with my dad. It taught me that some friendships really do last a lifetime and no matter how much time and distance separates, you can always pick up right where you left off.
sault9 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For me it would have to be the beginning of my sophomore year of high school a few years back.
I went to my guidance counselor's office seeking advice for the college process. I come from a low income background, my parents are immigrants, and I would be a first-generation student. I was a bit flustered with how he application process worked and wanted to get started ahead of time so that I would be ready for when the time came to apply to universities.
When I went in seeking advice, my guidance counselor told me that I was not going to college and that I would not make it into a two-year institution (state college/community college), much less at a four-year university.
All of my life I had lived through people doubting me and telling me that I can do this or that I can't do that. I had to mature from a young age, having to work from a very young age to help my family with bills. Now, you all can say that this is irresponsible on my parent's part but I attribute my character and my successes thus far to the work ethic that my parents taught me. Nothing had ever affected me as deeply as what my guidance counselor told me.
I took it upon myself to prove her wrong. And these statements pushed me to work harder in school and in the workforce. When the time came, I applied to a total of twelve universities. I was accepted into nine out of twelve institutions. I was accepted into all of the public schools I had applied to in Florida, and I was also accepted into UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UCLA and Berkeley. I was also given an interview to attend Harvard. When I walked across the stage for my high school graduation, I received my high school diploma and I also received something else - I received a diploma from the state college I decided to attend following the statement my guidance counselor made to me. I was able to graduate with my Associate in Arts degree, making me the first person in my family to graduate with a college degree.
This story isn't about to brag about myself, even though it may seem like it. I know people will interpret it differently, but take it as you will. My main goal for anyone reading this is to show and prove to you that value of hard work and determination. To show you that words spoken can really have an impact on someone's life.
I hope someone out there can learn something from my experiences. All I hope to do one is create a positive change in people's lives. If any of you have any questions about transitioning into college, or are just feeling lost and don't know where to turn to, feel free to send me a PM. I will the best I can to offer advice and help in any way I can.
Hope you all have a great rest of your day. Thank you OP, for such a thought provoking question. Remember, there is no limit to the dreams you want to make a reality.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going on a road trip with my family. We drove through Estonia-Latvia-Lithuania-Poland-Czezh Republic-Germany-Denmark and Sweden before we got back to Finland were we started.
Staying in Cambrige for a month
My "christianity camp" where I met one of my current best friends (I don't know if that is a thing in other countries, but in Finland nearly all 15 year olds go to a camp that is organized by the church. Even though it about god and stuff, almost all who went there say it was awesome.)
Going to a fishing trip with my dad when I was 10. We stayed two weeks in lapland fishing and camping, visiting Norway to see the sea and hiking. Still one of the best summers of my life
Throwing my first ever hole in one in disc golf
Jihra ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My aunt asking me if I was happy while she was in bed waiting to pass away from cancer. I gave her a big smile and said of course, she just looked at me for a few long seconds and closed her eyes to meditate. She saw right thru me, I was really unhappy with my life and was having thoughts about ending it. I went into the bathroom and bawled my eyes out, that was my turning point. Lost a ton of weight, went back to school, read self improvement books, pushed myself out of my comfort zone, and reconnected with my friends. 4 years later to this day I haven't stopped and its thanks to my Aunt Rose.
my first S'more. My whole family used to get together for a week to vacation in Cape Cod. We'd stay in this house just down the street from a beach. I have a lot of memories of that place, but this one sticks out. We had a little grill that we wheeled out to the beach, and I remember my grandfather asking me if I wanted a s'more. I sat on that beach at sunset with my family, and it was great. This memory really isn't about the s'more, but that carefree feeling of summer as a child in the early 90's. No matter how hard I try, I'll never relive that feeling. I'm lucky in that I still have my family, and we're still doing great and we still get together, and I have a family of my own, but it will never be the same.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My family had a house in Pennsylvania when I was young. My family and I were playing blackjack because that's what good father's do, teach their kids to gamble (with fake money) I had 52 chips and I go alright fuck it. All in. My dad tells me son what if you lose at least keep 1! Naw all 52 yo. Ofc I got a black jack and made him dish out all 104 chips. I asked my sister what 52 doubled is cause I didn't know that shit.
zultari ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โขBeing 3 years old and riding a merry go round with my sister, lost my grip and almost fell off, my dad, in what seemed like a second, caught me and held me up. That man wasn't on the ride, he jumped the fence around the merry go round and swooped in to save me from getting hurt.
โขMy sister sticking up for me throughout school until she graduated. I was a quiet kid (still am), and I'd get picked on a lot. My sister, 5'9 and 95 lbs, could beat the shit out of any kid who's dare pick on her brother. I don't know if she remembers some of them, but I always tear up knowing she had my back all these years.
โขMy mom when my parents were still together, would come and play with my hair and sing "You are my sunshine" to me until I fell asleep.. I woke up to see her not asleep with me and I cried until she walked into my room.
And thanks OP for the thread, it's good to remember these things, I haven't tested up like this in awhile.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Going to try balance this out, but honestly, most of my core memories are shit.
1) My older brother and sister huddled around me on our bed while my father beat my mother.
2) My grandfather visiting from overseas and taking us down to the crappy arcade so my brother and I could play street fighter. He just sat to the side and patiently waited.
3) My dad freaking out and smashing a very sturdy laundry bin.
4) Convincing my mum to drive me an hour to the city to buy Doom 2 at less than 10 years old. Did the same thing for Carmageddon at about the age of 14.
5) My older brother having the guts to stand up to my father the last time he almost hit her. My brother was about 2/3rds his size.
6) Falling in love with someone much older than me. Even though the relationship never got physical it became pretty obvious the feeling was mutual when a member of my family asked me if something was going on.
7) Losing my dog to cancer. She wasn't young but she wasn't old either. The first night she spent in our house my mom told me not to get attached coz the vet said she wasn't going to make it. She spent that night in my bed, covered in fleas and mites coz I told my mum she wasn't going to die. Thanks for the 12 years of love Shadow.
8) A pretty girl asking me out at university finally helping me to realise that I was attractive to women in general.
Edit. 9) My Dad bailing me out of a problem involving money no questions asked.
When I was 10 years old, front row to one of the many farewell tours by KISS, with the original four members. Ace motherfucking Frehley leaned down and tapped the security guard on the shoulder, handing him a pick to give directly to me. I had been too short at the time to catch the ones they were all throwing. I was buzzing the rest of the night.
The first time I had to put down one of my dogs, I was about 12 at the time, and this dog had been with us my entire life.
The day my first little brother was born, and I was in the hospital room in a Christmas dress. I didn't want to give him back after they handed him to me.
The night my parents confronted me on being bi. Lots of yelling and crying, and threats to out my girlfriend at the time.
The night I packed up a Uhaul and drove away from an abusive relationship while he was away at work.
The day my best friend told me he wanted to be with me for the rest of our lives. We're planning our wedding now, and he's the best thing to ever happen to me.
My most powerful one is probably a bittersweet one.
I was about fourteen and I walked my dog down a busy street, the very same street I had lived on for about two years. Her and I walked by a pizza joint at the bottom of my street and I tied my dog outside of it. I already knew that the pizza there sucked but I wanted a slice either way. I went in and got a slice of pizza then came back out. My dog and I ate this pizza together - she had one half of the slice and I had the other. It was pepperoni and cheese, my favourite. She wolfed her slice down and I followed suit then her and I walked back home right after the slice. She died about six months later of cancer. To this day it's a very bitter sweet memory and the only memory I can use to make myself cry. On a rare day I go to that very same pizza joint, sit outside on the steps with a pepperoni slice where her and I ate the slice, eat half that crappy slice then toss the other half away.
ivt03 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 3, my family and I built a 2.5meter snowman in our front yard. It seems very mundane, but it really solidified winter as my favourite season and is one of my happiest memories from childhood.
After hiking for 2.5hours and about 11km, I finally reached the top of a local mountain. It was a perfect day and you could see all the way into Germany. I had just moved there and it made me realize that I had found a second home, and I want to embrace this new culture and world that I now live in.
I have always excelled as a student. Since leaving my home country, to go to graduate school in another, has been an adjustment. In doing so, I ended up failing (dreadfully so) an exam, a first for me. It broke me, I had never felt so dumb and powerless before. It made me think that I am not capable of everything and worse yet, not as smart as I thought I was. Learning how to fail at 23 is the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with.
Everything....somehow. I remember everything from age 2 onwards more or less, but most of them are negative. Here is a selection:
Being abused in the Kindergarten by my Kindergarten "Teachers", which did all sorts of crazy shit with us (most notably: Forcing every child to eat the black stubble of the banana's end). They complained to my parents that I taught myself to read and were alter found out to have severe psychological disorders (they should have NEVER been employed in any teaching position ever!)
Abuse in school. I was physically beaten for 2 years straight in school by a group of 8 (later 7 as I befriended one of them after beating him up when he tried to jump me alone. Turns out he never really knew why he attacked me at all). Tied to this: Going to hospital to return my left testicle back where it belongs as these 7 had kicked it 5cm up my inguinal canal. Men get kicked in the balls often, but did you ever know the pain of having your testicle SEWED TIGHT in your sac? Hell's Bells for sure...
The big one: 3 weeks of merciless, brutal drilling by the hands of my father to get my Biology Mark up. I went from an E to a B-, but it damaged me for life and set me out on a journey through attempted-suicide-land and sub-sequentially therapy.
Therapy. Mentioned above, but I learned a lot in these 6 years, including me "suffering" from Asperger's. Just 10% Aspergers, but apparently worrying already. These days nobody notices my antics anymore because I learned to control myself (but my thoughts remain a bit "scrambled"). Still, for as harsh as it was it sent me off to a better path. Feels really good now that I think of it.
Graduation. My milestone, managing the Abitur (German GSCE) and succeeding where all my bullies failed at. I was personally congratulated by the headmaster for powering through and my marks were among the top third of the class (aside math. Never again...). Now I study Japanese Language and Culture as well as the English Studies to broaden my cultural and linguistical Know-How. All that's well, ends well...so far.
damen65 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1.) when I first kissed my girlfriend. We were in a park in my hometown and we were having a picnic together. We were playing fighting and tickling each other then we ended up laying side by side. I went halfway for a kiss then she meet me halfway. We ended up dating a few days later and have been dating for the past few years. I absolutely love her and plan on marrying her.
2.) the time when my little sister called me to tell me that my dad is dead. She called me bawling and said that she is pretty sure that he is dead. He used to call us every day to ask us how we were and how our days went. He hadn't called in three days so I left my part time job and I went up to the city he was living in, which was 30 minutes away, to go see if he was okay. We had to get a police officer to open the door and she said she found him laying on the floor dead. He had died of an heart attack in the middle of the night and fell off of his bed. I felt an extreme amount of guilt when figured this out. My father was an alcoholic when I was younger. He has never treated us badly but he always spent our money and put us in bad situations, like always losing his job and not working. The few years before he passed away, he stopped drinking and started to get his life back together. He got a stable job and was working that. He took a lot of time to come see us and make things up to us. However, I was an asshole and wouldn't make the time for him. I wouldn't answer his calls or go see him. I feel an extreme amount of guilt about it now and wish that I would have seen him more before he died. He died a week before my senior year in high school started and I never told anyone in school except for a few trusted teachers and my best friends.
3.) I played football in high school, which was a small school. I started on defense and we had made it to the playoffs. We lost in the first round. All of the seniors started crying because we had lost. I didn't cry until one of my favorite teachers, who was also one of my football coaches, came up to me and talked to me. He walked up and gave me a big hug then told me that my dad would be so proud of me and that my dad will always love me. I broke down crying right there. It was the first time that I had thought about it in a while because my mind had been focused on school, activities and sports. I felt relief when I just cried it all out.
4.) At the end of my senior year, I had finally decided what I wanted to do for my career and what college I wanted to go to. However, I was worried how I was going to pay for it. My family is low-income and we had got little help from FAFSA. I had an awards night that I had to attend where we figure out what scholarships we got. During the ceremony, I figured out that I had gotten a full-tuition scholarship (a state one) and then a few local scholarships, which helped cover all of my school expenses. I was so amazed and happy! I am now the first person in my family to attend college.
5.) My first day of college. I went and currently go to a university that is about 45 minutes from where I lived when I was in high school. It was one of the best and most scary days of my life. I was finally on my own for the first time and was in a whole new world. I made a ton of new friends. The scholarship that I got that was full-tuition has a community that you must be a part of. They were and still are a huge help and I don't know where I would be without it. I'm currently a junior in college. I have three more years left because I just switched my major. College has been the best time of my life and the happiest that I've ever been.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Core memories, core memories..................ahhhh, I remember pictures of my colonoscopy, gross!
The main one is when I woke up from a nap (I was probably like 5) and just saw my mom sitting in the living room smoking a cigarette while she was crying.
Holding my children after birth and then handing them over to my wife so she could see them for the first time.
My entire high school senior year varsity soccer career.
nirie89 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Me and my parents building our cabin, we wrote our names on a plank right before we finished it, so everyone could se that we built it together.
-My grandma and me dressing up in silly costumes
-My grandma dying when I was 8
-When I had this huge crush on a guy my age me and my dad saw in a movie and my dad spent hours on the computer trying to figure out his name for me.
-In eight grade when my best friend of many years suddenly turned popular and yelled at me in front of the entire class that "nobody would ever care about anything I would ever say"
-The first time I talked to my husband. We were hanging out at work (I had just started) and all of the guys were pestering me to join the conversations and talk about myself, I was so shy and kept telling them I had nothing interesting to say. Then my (now husband) sat down next to me and talked to me for hours. He then said "see, you are interesting. Don't let anybody tell you any different." I knew he was the one right then.
ec20 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Here's one with weird phenomena attached to it: waking up as a child to the sound of my mom on the sewing machine (she was a garment worker).
Odd thing is that every now and then I'll wake up and I'll hear that same sound even though I know it's not actually there. No one has ever properly explained why that happens.
klhl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Preschool. Pushed another kid down for whatever reason. He hit his head and was bleeding, I thought I had hurt him badly and ran away in panic. Later I thought I cause him brain damage, but later I figured out he was in fact already suffering from some sort of disorder. For years I was terrified of hurting someone to the extent that I wouldn't participate in stuff like king of the hill.
Same-ish age. I hear mom coming home from work. I run downstairs to meet and hug her. She smells good.
Coming home from school (7 years old) and finding my dad crying in the floor, unable to get up. He suffered from severe depression.
Being an asshole towards my mother, most likely because I too was starting to suffer from depression. She sometimes got mad and shouted at me saying how arrogant I was being. She always apologized later. One time she didn't.
My dad spanking me as a child for laughing too loudly. I had seen something asinine, PP stenciled on the top of a remote control car I had found. My older half brother was there too, but I was the one who was punished.
I remember walking away from someone I absolutely loved after spending the day with her. She had been seeing someone at the time, and it was the last time we spent together. Shit would hit the fan later, and ruin everything, but I still see her on that street corner, in that dress, smiling at me.
I'm sure I have more but these two are never far from my mind.
bamicee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1 (happy) The moment when i was being bullied and my only friend at the time threatened to beat up a kid for me when i was 12
2 (sad) The moment my father died, seeing his gaunt face on the bed and leaning my head up to his heart and hearing nothing, after so many nights of using that as comfort.
3 (anger) the moment a girl made fun of my sister because our father had cancer, in particular when i walked up to the girl who made fun of my sister and screamed in her face during a class. (i vividly remember wanting to hurt that person 100%)
4 (happy/sad) the moment i graduated from highschool knowing that seeing my dad there was the one thing i wanted even though he was dead, but my brother in that moment hugged me like never before and i burst into tears on the football field in front of the whole stage.
Good - Driving in the fog with my mother to milk cows at a neighboring farm
Good - Holding my daughter for the first time (never have I felt more mortal)
Good - Talking with the nurses after my son with Downs was born
Good - Declaring my wedding vows to all of my children (biological and step)
Good - Meeting my current wife for the first time
Bad - Discovering my ex-wife's affair
Good - Sitting alone on the shore of Lake Superior
Bad - Watching my dad drive the tractor over all of our toys as punishment for taking apart our Big Wheels
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad saying we would take the family to Perth for vacation. We never took a family vacation before. I flipped through all my books and encyclopedias to find out about Perth.
2 weeks later when I asked about it, he said "he was just saying". From then on, the little 6 year old me knew that what he said cannot be trusted.
Running away from a group of kids crying because they were making fun of me for me being a ginger
Day before oldest brother left for college he let me be player 1
Driving almost 2 hours home from a basketball championship game which we lost with my dad, the coach, who as we were pulling into the driveway said "I thought you played really good." (He typically walked thru the entire game breaking down bad decisions)
Finding my high school sweetheart only to have my heart broken in the same place we fell in love
Leaving for college, knowing that as my first semester would be abroad wouldn't be seeing any of my friends for 193 days, and one moment of silence when it started to hit us all that it was the beginning of the end
I only have 3 that I can really recall as "core memories"
My parents sitting my sister (3F) and I (4F) up on the kitchen counter, telling us they are getting divorced, it has nothing to do with us but they don't love each other like a mommy and a daddy anymore, and us sharing our last "family hug"
My dad moving out of our house in the morning, and my stepdad moving in the same day in the afternoon.
When I met my SO IRL, we had been chatting online for a while and I convinced my 2 best friends to drive up to NYC to "go visit the city HA!" . So we're sitting in this pizza shop and i'm facing opposite the door cause I'm so nervous and my best friend keeps telling me "I think it's him now!" and everytime I turn around shyly it's an old man or a homeless woman or a baby in a stroller and she thinks she's hilarious. Then he walked in. And all I could see was him.
My father trying to teach me how to ride a bike...when I was 23. The laughs that he had watching me bust my ass, tip over and veer into trees were priceless. It was one of the funniest/happiest moments we ever had. He passed away, unexpectedly, a year later and that memory has helped me hold onto him.
It also let me realize that some of the most random, seemingly inconsequential moments can leave a lasting impression on you for years to come. Life's little moments have a way of staying with you.
Teacher(s) in grade school telling me that I'll never amount to anything in life and that I'd be lucky to be a janitor or garbage man.
Getting to be a member of Team Canada at an international level. Being able to represent your country is an amazing feeling and seemed like everyone loves Canada. I can't tell you how many random people ask myself and teammate for pics with them. I hope to do that again.
Sitting with my friend in bed, having a beer, watching TV and movies. I just remember the feeling of her pushed up against me and holding me. I never felt happier and calmer in my life. When I think of that day I can still remember that feeling. Oh man I miss her a lot.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Listening to Pink Floyd with my Dad, when I was very depressed, he told me he will always be proud of me, no matter what. He died later that year and I still can't listen to Pink Floyd because it is too overwhelming. It's a beautiful memory that I will treasure for the rest of my life though.
My mom wasn't home on one Christmas Eve. Dad let my brother and I choose 1 present to open and play with before re-wrapping it and acting like we're surprised in the morning. We chose the big hockey table with the poles you use to control the guys.
On a camping trip, going down to the lake to swim in the pouring rain. Everyone thought it might be a bad idea, but a buddy and I said we want to do it anyways. Then we found these giant logs to sit and float around on.
My Grade 5 best friend. We did everything together that year, and he was a close neighbor. Video games, tons of outside activities, getting grounded together and brought on a hiking trip up a mountain as punishment. Then he moved away in the summer.
We used to live in a big fancy apartment and suddenly we had to move to a small brick house by the shitstream. I was happy however, because I was in grade 2 in primary school. Being in touch with nature you know, got a dog for the first time all that shit. Until that day I saw my mother cry hysterically on the telephone. That's when I realised there was something wrong with our family.
Watching my dog get sent to my grandparents house.
You know that dog I just mentioned right? Sweetest little dog, named h Harry. (Harry Potter had just hit south Korea at that time) half breed jindo. (Its Korean shibe inu) I had to say goodbye to him after a while, and they loaded him on back of the truck and I still remember looking at me with excitement like expecting me to hop on with him.
And the truck just started to drive away.
I don't know why but I began to ran after it. I never ran so fast in my life. I still remember Harry looking at me barking, as if he was saying: "come on man you can make it just little more" but I couldn't catch up. I just had to watch him move further and further away. I can still hear him bark sometime, in my sleep. I broke down in the middle of the road. I never saw him again.
Moving to Australia in grade 4.
This was a big family decision. Koreans back then (2004) took English education very seriously. I remember my parents wanted me and my sister to pick the city, Townsville, Cairns or Brisbane. I remember I chose Townsville in a heartbeat. I was a pretty big powerpuff girl fan because we had subtitled cartoon network at home. Looking at it now it was a big fucking mistake because nobody told me Townsville is like 4km away from the surface of the sun. (Credit to Dylan Moran for that joke.)
Learning my cousin is adopted.
This was completely by mistake. I have had a very close cousin younger brother, my sister's son. Since being Asian and all, growing up I had ABSOLUTELY no idea that he was adopted until I was 18. When I was talking to my dad's sister she just said "So how is _? You know the adopted kid?"
And I just said "....._ is adopted?"
And she just fucking panicked, with the complete oh dear god what have I done face. He still doesn't know apparently they want to keep it that way, I respect their wishes but fucking hell man, I'm worried about him. Because he sometimes tells me "bro I know lot of teenagers must say this but I swear me and my parents are nothing alike"
Jesus fucking Christ the amount of composure I need to have.
Watching my grandfather in the deathbed.
This was one of those bitter sweet core memories. See, he used to be a field medic in the Korean war, like the ones actually taking care of bullet wounds mod battle. He's seen some shit and I don't think he quiet got over his PTSD. He basically drank himself to death and he was always very cold person to talk to. But he started apologising for every action he did to me, how he's been a bad grandfather to me and how's he's been a bad father to my mom, telling me to treat her better than he did because he couldn't fight his demons.
then he also apologised for selling my dog (Harry) to a restaurant without telling me (yes, Koreans eat dogs how horrible)
I'm going to be honest with you, it was sad day and I hope he finally is resting easy in heaven after hell he's been throigh, but I got to admit when he told me that, small part of me was thinking
"Well shit grandpa, I'm now kind glad you're dying"
Seriously though, may he rest in peace. (And Harry you beautiful son of a bitch)
Moving to Brisbane from Townsville
I asked out my formal partner to date me. Risky move I know, what if we broke up before that? But we didn't but I sensed it was coming to an end. Because I got in to University of Queensland and she was already attending uni in Townsville .
So when she told me, the most sweetest, shiest awkward introvert I KNOW, said that she will follow me wherever I go and moved down to Brisbane as well, I thought to myself "she's the one" and we've been together ever since. We celebrated our 5 year anniversary this year. It was quite amazing.
Getting approved for permanent residency and getting a Medicare card.
I don't even know what to tell you, Korean government is not a part of Commonwealth, so living in Australia as a non Commonwealth country citizen is fucking difficult because we get fuck all subsidised from Australian government. I'll give you an example. We (our whole family) couldn't get universal healthcare for 12 fucking years we stayed here, we had to pay fucktons of money everytime we went to the doctors. But since my parents had to pay $72000 a year for me and my sister's school fee for 12 fucking years in a country where they don't even speak the language, that naturally meant we just didn't go.
So when I got my Medicare card all that's in my head was a memory of my dad going to work yet again as a manual laborer at a construction site nearing the age of 55, with his hair visibly turning grey. He had muscle pain all the time and has a call is the size of a fucking egg on his hand. Yet one day he came in to my room and told me that he. Out of all people that HE was sorry for not doing enough for me. It hurt like hell but oh my god that one also reminded me how much they really love me.
Last but not least, Watching my parents leave Australia.
So even after all that Australia decided to put the cherry on top by telling my parents to get out of the country because their guardian visa expired and gave them 3 months to clear out. (My sister is currently working on bringing them back because she gets citizenship in August.) At a Gold Coast airport I thought my mom would scold me again, saying stuff like "quit smoking OK? Study hard" you know, parental shit.
Instead she hugged me and said "thank you son. Thank you for growing up to such a wonderful man. I am so. So. Proud of you and I love you"
I didn't cry then I held it together. But when I returned to my family home, the hastily emptied home that was once full of laughter no matter how hard things got. That's when what my mom said hit me like a brick. That 12 years worth of pain they must have endured for me and my sister, that 12 years of worth of pain they never. Once. Complained. About to us was in that brick. And now they were gone, all I had was this empty house. I cried for 3 hours in that empty house.
Sorry for such depressing core memories but I truly believe what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It can only get better from here right?
Tl;Dr
Asian guy moves Australia and has a tough life, bit learns that family is the most important thing in life the hard way.
Jasani ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad would work long shifts and then went to go back to college for to update his degree
He would be up and out the door from 5 to 6 am and home around 10:30 to 11 pm
Thankfully that didnt last TOO long but it was a good while.
I was young and wanted to see my dad but my mom wouldnt let me stay up that late. So I would get up at 5 with my dad and eat breakfast with him while watching the crocodile hunter on Animal Planet. And then when he was done with college for the second time and would be home he and I would lay in the family room watching crocodile hunter til I fell asleep and he would carry me to bed.
Arriving at night at my aunt's house in Atlanta, after driving from Virginia, and she squeezed an orange to make me orange juice. The moon was orange and full outside that night on the drive, and I believed that the orange was the moon she had plucked from the sky (age 5?)
Getting a turkey and gouda sandwich on french bread with a Freska soda at a Williamsburg sandwich shop and eating that lunch with my mom in the parking lot of the Williamsburg visitor center after Kindergarten one day.
Playing an Atari 2600 for the first time, at my aunt and uncle's "house on the river." (age 7?)
Kissing a girl for the first time, under mistletoe, on our beach (age 8?)
Sitting in Chi-Chi's restaurant with the BEST catalog, selecting what computer I would get for Christmas that year (1982, age 10).
Throwing paper airplanes with my dad from a hotel balcony over the pool on a weekend trip to Nags Head, NC. (age 10?)
Getting dinner at Beethoven's Inn in Williamsburg on the way home from purchasing an original Macintosh 128 in 1985. (age 12)
Moving from York County to a large house in Williamsburg and the morning after the move-in, sitting at the kitchen table with my mom, dad, and aunt (there to help) as my parents decided to divorce (age 13).
Showing my middle school friend my old elementary school and then stealing some coke together from under a staircase. It was okay though, since that school's teachers were garbage and basically ruined my childhood. Consider us even
Slapping my bio-dad across the face on christmas. He held me or did something else that I didn't like so I gave him a slap from the right and slapped him on the left on the return. I laughed, mom laughed, everyone laughed.
It was 10 at night and I was sitting in a parking lot behind an alley in Serbia (I had been visiting friends in that country.) I just sat there with 1 kitten in my lap, one between my legs, one under my left leg and one was sort of climbing randomly over my legs. I just kept petting them while their mama kitty sat next to me, watching over them. It was a blissful night. It might be the happiest and most relaxing I've ever been. Me, 4 stray kittens and their mama.
A teacher making fun of me for turning off the oven early during kitchen class. She looked at me with a smirk and said "we've learnt not to turn off the oven early" and some other things. I just let out a no and she was surprised but kept on going. I didn't learn to let the oven stay on that day, all I learned was that the school had shit ovens.
When a guy didn't give me back my beyblade after we had traded ours with eachother. He said if I gave him back his, he'd give mine back. I never saw either of them again. This taught me not to trust people with material items or money.
When I escorted a classmate half the way home from school because she was scared. I told her to just yell for me if she needed help and I'd come running, but I had to get back to school before the teachers knew I was gone. Later that week me and mom were called in to a conference where they said I'd done something wrong, but for this one moment in my life, mom was on my side and supported my case, saying she would have done the same thing and such.
When after 11 years of suffering pain, collapsing due to pain, being bullied severely, getting injured/damage and not being believed by anyone, a blood test proved I was right all along and had the terrible Bechterew's disease. That moment just ruined my life, while it also sat me on the path to getting the rest of my 11 undiagnosed medical conditions diagnosed. I'm still working on getting most of them diagnosed though...
When I quit WoW for the first time and I spent an entire day just PVPing with a guild buddy in Outland. We fought and fought in all sorts of places, having immense fun and competing over who could do what the fastest. It was a great time, but I was too bored of the game in general to stay. I'll never forget that awesome day.
Lastly. When I tried to commit suicide in England, my friend from England and my friend from Russia both called in to get the warden and ambulance to save me. It was during the 8 hours that I spent in a hospital bed, that I realized I had people in my life who loved me. I was 20 and for the first time in my life, I experienced love and a new emotion which I hadn't felt before. I no longer wanted to die, I wanted to live. 1-2 years later I had a dream where a plane was crashing and I yelled in my sleep "I don't wanna die, you son of a bitch!"
Late to the party, but I have thought about it a few times:
Coming home from school in the third grade to see my mother on the floor crying because some girl on the bus had been very cruel to my sister for being "weird"
8th Grade, a boy had been repeatedly harassing me on the bus and no one was doing anything to make him stop. So I lied to my mom, saying that he had touched me inappropriately so she would finally do something about it.
Telling my Crew coach in private that everyone on the team had skipped practice that day, even though I knew it would make them hate me and we would all be punished
When I saved a boy from drowning in the ocean in New Jersey
When I was accepted to my dream school after a year of busting my ass to get the grades I needed
Playing football(eu) in my room with a foam ball with dad, best friend and his dad.
Playing football in the backyard, kicking the ball over the fence and a car running it over.
My first wrestling medal and my trainer lifting me up on historia shoulder and doing a victory lap.
Dad saving me from drowning
My first flipping someone off (family dinner, 25 ppl, grounded for a week since i didnt rat on my cousin) my cousin gave me so much candy after this
First sleepover at my best friend, we almost got caught by cops for destroying the schools pipes with fireworks
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ITT people with real families.
Mine:
Creating my own font when I was maybe 8.
First time I played Dungeons and Dragons -- first edition, bitches. I was a Cleric, got up to 5th level before getting killed by goblins or something. We played "The Keep on the Borderlands." I still have all my old D&D stuff.
Later on, creating my own fantasy world over the summer at my mom's house in the mountains, drawing an elaborately detailed map with colored pencils, coming up with cultures and histories. I intended to do trade routes too, never happened.
running around by myself in the woods around my mom's house with a broken broomstick pretending it was a sword
Walking around the schoolyard with my 2nd grade teacher talking about life while the other kids did bullshit recess stuff and ran around screaming. This was the same teacher that let me read books in the back of the room while she taught the rest of the kids.
Going to the public library when I was a kid and checking out dozens of science fiction and fantasy books.
Yeah, now that I think about it -- basically anything that would help transport me out of the reality I was living :(
How do you guys have such clear memories I struggle to remember even my graduation which is pretty significant...
alycyh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 4 years old, I fell down the stairs that from my parents bedroom to the dining room. I remember tripping and rolling down the stairs holding my breath while bracing myself for the pain that would hit the moment I come into contact with the tiled floor. Instead I was met with a huge soft blanket and my dad's arms as he heard the noise and dashed over to catch me before I reached the last couple steps.
My dad and mom taking my sisters and me to the elementary school rollerblading rink and teaching us how to rollerblade. I remember him saying "if you can do this, you can go ice skating in Canada" (we lived in Taiwan and was preparing to immigrate to Canada). I was 6 years old.
My grandpa never failing to walk me to and from school in the morning and afternoon. I loved to shop as a kid and he'd buy me the latest dolls and action figures so I'd be happy. He spoiled me so much as I was his favorite <3 He's the jolliest man with the biggest belly I've ever met. I haven't seen him in over 8 years now and I'm finally flying back to see him on Sunday. He's 93 years old now and still as happy and jolly as ever <3
One morning while walking with my grandpa to school, we saw a woman die and puke blood with her eyes rolled back into her head. She was sitting up right on the ground at the breakfast shop we always passed. I was horrified and couldn't sleep for days. This happened when I was 5 years old and whenever I think back on it (even now and I'm 20 yrs old) I still feel my chest tighten.
I've always been petrified of ghosts. My older sister thought it'd be funny to play with my mind and told me that the highest floor in the school (where all the sixth grade classes were) was infested with monsters and ghosts, especially after school. One day after school while leaving school with my grandpa, I find a name tag that belonged to a sixth grader (said so on the name tag) and he told me to turn it in to the lost and found. He waited for me downstairs and as I have never been on the highest floor of the school, I was excited. However, for some stupid reason, my mind decided to remember all the ghost stories my older sister told me the moment I set foot in the sixth graders' territory. I froze in fear, dropped the name tag on the ground and quickly booked it back down the stairs to my grandpa.
The first time I took a computer apart and put new ram in. My parents struggled to change batteries in remotes and I felt like some kind of god at age 9, like I could do anything. My mother figured it was toast anyway and had planned to buy a new computer so she let me mess with it. Ever since then, though it isn't my main passion, I have always fixed my own computers, put custom roms on my phone, install car speakers, build custom musical instruments. All because my mother trusted me to work on a gateway 2000 computer with no networking card and .5 gigs of bad ram.
/ playing hide and seek in our very small apartment with my brother and dad, making a "fake version" of myself with badminton rackets, and dad convincing me he was fooled by it
/ playing with legos with a wig on my head (didn't end up transgendered)
/ asking for a magical wizard uniform for christmas so i could pull out bunnies out of my hat
/ playing video games till my butt hurt and couldn't sit anymore
/ falling down from a bike in front of my building
/ first time being complimented for not being fat anymore
/ my mother yelling at me for not looking people in the eye while shaking hands with them
When I was 5 or 6 my parents got in another fight on the way home from a party. My father pulled the car over and threw my mother out on the side of the road in the dark. I remember her standing on the road. Her face lit by the red tail lights of the car as we pulled away.
One that's always stuck with me is getting beaten to a pulp by my father. This specific situation was definitely way beyond the norm. We're an Indian family so traditionally we ate on the ground when we were kids, on a dastsarkhan or clean tablecloth on the floor. I remember I still loved my dad back then, and my affection towards him was the same as any other 8 year old towards their father. We had just finished eating, we usually watched tv while we ate, so everyone was just sitting zoning out.
My dad had just gotten back from a long day of work somewhere special, as he was wearing a white kurta shalwaar. He was exhausted. I guess I couldn't really fault him for his unwillingness to engage in my attempts to get him to play with me. He didn't ever seem to play with me.
But today my stubbornness took over. I was determined to get him to play with me. So I go over and touch his hand to get his attention and all hell breaks loose. I mean I guess my hands were dirty so I shouldn't have touched him but I didn't think a beating was warranted. My father, however, did.
He broke 2 plastic clothing hangars on me; another metal wire one; his belt that he had worn to work the previous day had been torn by the constant lashes. He beat me more because that was one of his favorite belts.
The aftermath was pretty brutal. I had small bumps and bruises running up and down my arms, around my back, and ass. Every twist and turn of my body would send another shock of pain through my body. Tears had stopped coming a while ago. I was close to vomiting but held it in for fear of dirtying my father's clothes and receiving even more beating. I had to miss school cause of all the bruising on my body and the fact that I could barely walk.
Yet somehow all this pain didn't amount to anything compared to his words when he was finished. He said to my mom, "Take him, I'm done with him. He's not my son, and never will be."
My dad teaching me how to shoot my first BB gun that I bet my savings to get during Super Bowl XXVII.
A lot more of them involving my dad than I can write about.
The first time I met my best friend Skinny, I was drinking coffee waiting for the school bus, and he comes strolling out of his house, throws a lit firecracker maybe four feet from me, and says "Hi, my name is Skinny. (He and I have the same name, and introduced himself with his real name. The nickname skinny was bestowed upon him later in life.)
The first time I kissed my wife.
The day my daughter was born.
And with regret, the day I had to stand up and give my fathers eulogy. I was too emotional and couldn't really get words out. I felt like I didn't do his eulogy justice like he did his best friend's.
nm1043 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My older brother and I riding our bikes back from the wawa down the street. It's such a hot day, and we were about a third of the way there (5 minute ride?). Because it was so hot, my brother was telling me he was almost out of saliva, and made it a point to announce how many gulps of saliva he had left before he would dehydrate (to death I guess? We were kids). After his last "gulp", I knew we were in make or break mode, and we hightailed it back to the house where he could get water before the death set in... It was dumb and I knew it, but it was fun.
Yard work in the summer as a kid. Up by 6 AM for scripture reading with my dad before he left for work, then breakfast and out into the back yard. We worked usually from 7 AM until 11:30/12. It was hot, sometimes boring, but from it I am a hard worker who can apply myself to an unpleasant task for hours until it gets DONE. Also in there is my older brother (too cool to talk to me much) leading the whole family in a sing-a-long of 'Peaches' and 'LUMP' while we weeded the raspberries. That's a glowy golden family in the sun memory there :)
2- the first time I saw Star Wars. Parents excitedly brought a VHS version home- must have spent a couple months' worth of expendable income on it- and we sat down to watch the entire trilogy in one go. My parents didn't generally approve of any TV, but they actually encouraged and were excited to watch this, grew me into a huuge star wars geek.
Running in high school. I grew up in Moab UT and we'd meet near the school at 6 AM and run. It was quiet, the stars were out, we'd run along the red rocks, or along the river and I loved every second of it.
My first rappel. My older brothers would take a big group of their friends every weekend for rappelling and a bonfire and the first time I was old enough I was so excited. My older brothers were far older and didn't have much time for me, but my first time going over the lip of the cliff my oldest brother was patient, talked me through it, made it an awesome experience.
My first moonlight hike to Delicate Arch. It cemented in me my respect and love for those red rocks, and instilled that pull on my soul that I will just always feel for Moab (and southern Utah in general).
The beginning of my marriage. On the wedding day, my mom told me it was the worst day of her life. In her defense, she could see the guy I was marrying better than I could at the moment. I'd been head over heels in love with him from the moment I met him. Him, less so. In the first months of our marriage he told me A) he didn't love me or even like me any more B) that he had sexual fantasies about his ex-girlfriend and when he talked to me he replaced my name with hers in his head and C) that when we had sex he replaced me in his head with everyone from exes to random girls he saw throughout the day. Completely destroyed everything I was. That was the beginning, and it didn't really start to get better until about a year ago (about 12 years of that). This one did a kind of dark takeover of my entire core for a good decade or so. I can't explain it, but it made me feel as if everything that I was was simply not good enough and all of me was pretty insignificant under this failure of mine. I am only now really trying to recover the good bits about myself from underneath this, trying to beat back the darkness and make it insignificant. It's hard to mine for light.
awe300 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As an ice hockey loving girl with a degree in psychology who moved from North to South (in the UK) at 6 years old, Inside Out really resonated with me.
So much of it was my story. I think that's what makes it such a great film though. Most adults can probably completely relate to parts of it.
My imaginary friend was a little brown dog. I can't remember his name, but can still remember roughly what he looked like. Wouldn't be able to imagine him back as my friend.
Sitting on my grandfather's lap looking at blood slides (he's a Pathologist) through a microscope whose lenses were too far apart for my 4 year old head, so I was squinting through one struggling to understand what I was looking at.
On a field trip from school when I was 10. We went to go see a popular waterfall - it was gorgeous. My mom asked me to take a picture of it and gave me our only camera (which were film cameras at the time) so when the rest of my classmates and teachers were leaving and I hung back for a second so I could get a good picture when it wasn't as crowded. I was looking through the lens, getting ready to click when I heard a splat/thud sound and felt wetness on my feet/legs. Turned out that a man had jumped to his death from the top of the waterfall about 3 feet away from me (it was sort of arched so the rocky area where we were standing could be reached from the top and I guess he didn't wanna take a chance by surviving the fall if he jumped into the water)
The day I brought home my dog, who is a brother to me and my best friend. He literally chewed my homework that day
The day one of my best friends made me realize that if you have to be someone other than yourself around your friends, it's not really worth it to have those friends. It completely changed my life and ironically led me to have way more friends - and real friends at that - than I ever had before.
The day I got accepted into Medical School
Core memories 1 and 2 pretty much influenced me to get to core memory 5 haha
Dancing on my grandfathers feet
Sailing on grandfathers boat eating prawns
Wearing nans lipstick
Getting upset because the ocean stole my jelly shoes (I was standing ankle deep and they were pulled off my feet by the shore)
When I was smart mouth teenager, I slammed my door really hard once, after putting a "don't come in my room" sign on it. My dad said "this may be your room, but it's my house" and he took the door.
โข Lip synching to Bohemian Rhapsody with my siblings when we were young. Each of us had our own parts and we always got really excited when someone played it.
โข Being diagnosed with OCD
โข My grandpa telling me that I was his pride and joy in his last few weeks of life
โข My cousin really wanted to do a sport his freshman year in high school, but he didn't make the JV baseball team. By the time tryouts were over, every other sport had already begun. We had a brand new water polo team that year and we needed players, so I asked my coach if he could join and he made the team. We became pretty close after that.
โข When I was depressed my freshman year of high school. I did not know whether or not I was depressed for a long while. One night I asked myself a simple question to figure out whether or not I was depressed: If I had a gun in my hand, would I shoot myself right now?
Yes. Yes I would have. After that I got up and talked to my parents. I was beating around the bush a lot because, I mean, how do you tell your parents that you want to kill yourself? But, before I could tell them anything, my mother asked me: "Kyle, are you okay? You just haven't seemed happy lately. You don't smile as often...I miss seeing you smile." needless to say, I broke down after that. I cried in my mother's arms saying "I just want to be happy, again," over and over while my dad called the hospital.
โข My grandpa (other side of the family) helping my parents pay for my therapy
When I broke my arm in 2001. My brother pushed me out of a door frame (I was climbing up it by wedging my arms and legs, like a chimney climb) and I fell on my arm. My left knuckles were touching my inner elbow.
When my mum woke me and my brother up one morning to tell me we were leaving my dad. We lived in Woi Woi, NSW (about an hour's drive out of Sydney, on the beach, on a little island) and we drove all day back to rural Victoria. We listened to the McDonald's Disney Musicals tape.
When my mum's psychotic meth-addicted boyfriend threatened to murder all of us. We had to have a police patrol outside of our house, and slept with one eye open for about 6 months.
First year of high school, my friends one day all decided they hated me about 3 months into the first semester. Spent the rest of the school year by myself, every single day. Tried drinking methylated spirits from the school science lab to go home sick, more than once. Side-memory: My mum during that year. She was my rock, and she worked so hard to get me into the new school which I started at the next year. It cost her $14k a year, but she managed to pull the money together from her sole parent income to pay for me to go there.
First day of my new high school, started walking around the school, resigned to being alone again, when a kid asked if I wanted to sit with him and his friends. That kid would become my best friend for 10 years.
High school after the first year. So many great memories. Getting drunk for the first time, smoking weed for the first time, hanging out with friends, getting arrested for being idiots... Might not sound like it, but high school was the best time of my life. My friends and I were always together, always doing something stupid.
The time my dad moved to Germany. I cried at the airport terminal, at 14 years old. I was inconsolable.
Getting my first job. It was at McDonalds, but all of my friends worked there. It was a blast. I worked on opening day in my town. We all got paid triple time and got free food. Worked from 6am until 3am. I was 15.
Playing the first show with my band. We had practiced for months, writing songs, getting hype up, we even recorded a small EP with a real producer, at our own cost. At our show, it was insane. We had circle pits, a wall of death, had signed bands moshing to our music, got to meet so many great people. We loaded everything into my old Ford station wagon, and drove across the state to play. Looking over at my best friends on stage, seeing how much fun we were all having, seeing the crowd loving it; it was the best 30 minutes of my life up until...
Meeting my SO. Met her online on Facebook. She asked for Sims cheats for PS2. I inboxed her all the cheats I knew and said that I loved the Sims. Not expecting a reply, I shut down the chat. 2 minutes later, I got a reply saying "Thanks cutie! :)" and immediately got butterflies. We then spoke from 11pm until 7am, and then every single night after that for a week, until finally meeting. When I met her, I was so nervous that I was thought I was going to pass out. We saw a movie, and on the way I found $20 on the ground. I held her hand during the movie, and after we walked out she pulled me aside and kissed me in an alley way. We've been inseparable for the past 5 years and 2 months.
Having my first son with my SO. He is 4 years old now, and growing so much every day.
Having my second son with my SO. He is 1 year old and 3 months. He's a spitting image of his bigger brother.
My senior musical "All Shook Up" where I played Chad.
(I'm a triplet) My sisters watching the Disney parade and eating those big lollipops that look like something out of a cartoon.
The first time that I drank was sping break senior year, and my sisters said we could each invite 5 friends for a party because my parents went out of town.
The day I finally stopped smoking spice, and all the shit left behind
Me, nervous as hell, sitting on a swing by a lake, telling my wife (then girlfriend) that I love her for the first time. Smiling, she asks me, "What does that mean?" I say, "It means I want to give you a wonderful life."
Me, holding the last rejection letter to a history PhD program and feeling, at once, fear and, surprisingly, relief.
My grandfather (dad's dad). I spent every weekend with them from the time I was 7/8-13 and he had his routine. I remember how he'd get home from the railroad (he worked for Southern Pacific but I never bothered to ask what exactly he did) on Friday's around 6pm. He would throw his bag on the table and give me a big hug. Dinner was ready almost immediately after he got home and we would eat. He would then shower and sit down in his recliner, where he would watch Cardinal games (if they were on, they were his favorite baseball team) and finish off his crossword puzzle from that day's newspaper. He had his trusty lead pencil and his thesaurus on the table next to him. Bedtime was always after Jay Leno's monologue. Saturday morning he was up by 6am, at the latest. My grandmother was up before him, putting a pot of coffee on and getting the newspaper ready for him. Breakfast was always eggs and toast with his coffee and reading the newspaper. I usually ate egg sandwiches, minus the crust, in my room while watching cartoons or Police Academy 6, which I had on VHS. After breakfast and reading, he would cut the grass, weed eat, and edge. Then he would tend to his coy pond and cut down some sugar cane he grew in the backyard. He would always toss me a piece to chew on, telling me not to spoil my appetite for lunch. After all that, he would shower and resume his spot in his chair to watch football or baseball, whichever season it was, and do that days crossword puzzle. He usually took a nap during this time. I was always in and out of the house but I always made time for that piece of watermelon he would cut just for me, taking the seeds out. Dinner was always ready by 6pm and that's when I usually came in for the evening. After dinner, I can remember sitting on his lap as we watched Lsu football (if they were on TV) or a Cardinals game. Sunday was filled with more crossword puzzles and sitting on the porch to just enjoy the day. He would also attend my dad's highschool's basketball games and give my uncles shit for being awful referees. He would see me and tell me to let them know he can give them his glasses if they are having eye trouble. He never missed any of my basketball games, no matter how far away they were. My grandparents would do anything for me. I always thought he had the best job in the world, until he got lung cancer from asbestos from working at the railroad. He passed away November 29, 2006 and as we approach 10 years since he passed, I've been thinking more and more about him the past few months. I am married, have 2 kids, got my degree, and moved to Houston for work but I always think about the look on his face as he'd get to enjoy his great grandkids. I miss him terribly more so now than ever. His recliner still resides in my grandmothers living room and I always sit in it when I go over. I hold my son on my lap like he would hold me and I wonder how it would be different if he were still here. They raised me for the better part of 6 years and really shaped me into the man I have become today.
Berjj ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:37:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age 3: Walking in on my mother and father fighting in the kitchen, just as my father hurls a kitchen knife at her in blind rage.
Age 8: Experiencing depression for the first time. I was certain I would die before my 12th birthday.
Age 11: I find the kid who stole $250 worth of Pokรฉmon cards from me. ~20 people from my class who I barely ever speak to also find out and decide to back me up as I demand he return them. He did.
Age 16: I join a group of level designers as we create some 20 custom levels for UT2004 and release them online in a big pack for the Unreal community. The release is a huge success, directly resulting in some of the participants landing jobs in the game development industry over the following months.
Age 19: I find out one of my childhood friends has been doing drugs for a while. He's told everyone by now, including friends and family, but he wouldn't tell me because that was the first time he actually felt ashamed of it.
Age 20: Studying to become a professional level designer. The best, most enjoyable years of my life so far.
Age 25: For the first time ever I am actually in fairly good shape. I am participating in the "Tough Viking" race. A 7.5km long obstacle course with obstacles such as swimming through a pool of freezing water, running through mud, climbing over monkey bars etc. I didn't work enough on my stamina for it and about half-way through I nearly collapse and am about to throw up. My friend who was with me somehow managed to keep my spirits up, and I got back up and finished.
My father returning from Desert Storm. I ran out to the air field to greet him. However as I ran in I couldn't find him. Started getting worried until he picked me up.
Playing on the roof of our house, I was actting like i was a paratrooper. Mom found me screamed for me to get down. i jump and rolled. The fear of my moms eyes gave me chills.
My grandfather came down to visit and had me skip school to tour the city. My father was angry when he got the call from school. Grandpa just said, " take it easy Gomer Pyle" Never saw someone stand up to my dad before.
A friend and me trying to beat Zelda Orcarina of Time in one sitting. Stayed up throughout the night.
I remember the day my mum was told she had cancer with almost photo recall. I think i was 5 or 6 at the time.
two things you need to know the day i found out I was sick and when i was kid I had a really stupid habit of opening the car door when the car was moving at speed (60kmph plus).
So on this day I remember going to the dr's office with my Thomas the tank engine toy. I remember it because when we got to the front desk my mum told the woman on the desk i was sick and I just remember the woman's face when my mum told her. she almost burst into tears. Then my mum said "oh no, the appointment is for me he just has a fever".
My mum asked her if she could watch me while she went in. she said sure but as i was playing on the floor with my toys I got bored and went to see what my mum was doing.
I remember the door was open just a tiny bit so i pushed it enough so my eye could see in the room. Then i saw something that made me instantly upset/mad/scared. For the first time I saw my mother crying. I just remember wanting to go in and hit the dr because he must have been a bad person if he was doing that to my mum and up until this point I thought my mum and dad were gods. I didn't understand that they could be scared or that they didn't know everything. Seeing her cry freaked me out, she looked just as scared and confused as i was when i normally got upset.
I remember backing away from the door and going back to the front and just playing with my toys like nothing had happened. all the while trying to process what i saw.
When my mum came out she gotten her shit together so on the surface she seemed fine. At this point I was like maybe the dr gave her a shot and it really hurt so she cried and now she is all better. It was all i could come up with at the time because up until afew minutes ago i had no idea my mum could even cry let alone lie about how she was feeling.
So we got in the car and I remember I was sitting in the front seat and the door wasn't locked, so when my mum drove thru the green lights I decided it was a good time to open the door. I remember opening the door and expecting my mum to snap at me but as i looked at her face with the door still open I could see she wasn't there. the door had been open at speed for like 10-15 seconds at this point and I just remember closing it myself and thinking how scared I was.
It was years later when I figured everything out but that was the last time I ever remember opening the door to a moving car
Being evacuated during a particularly intense Arizona wildfire.
Helping other evacuees at the evacuation shelter after we'd settled in with some friends out of the evac zone. I wouldn't trade this time for anything. Easily some of my proudest and fondest memories of myself and the human race come from these couple of weeks. I was only 14 at the time, but was given charge of the pet area in the back. I kept track of when the evacuees' pets had last been fed, watered, and walked, and made sure they got appropriate amounts of everything. The person in charge later commented that she never would have laid that burden on me if she'd known I was that young, but I've never been prouder of anything I've accomplished than acting like an adult and keeping a level head in that kind of situation. Tensions were also high and I got threatened by multiple people with violence, and one kid (around my age) even choked me because I was supposedly standing too close to his little brother.
My first kiss. Not necessarily particularly important, but it was minorly important because it was with a good friend and honestly our relationship turned a bit awkward from that point forward. I've since lost contact with her for the better part of two years or so. It's not like we hate each other, but we've definitely grown apart.
Being rejected by the only person I ever thought about telling I liked romantically.
That's all I can think of for now, I'll add more if I think of any.
good gods, first goddam sentence of the first goddam comment and my eyes are stinging. maybe i'm allergic?
Tylahhh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-When I cut my own hair off during the school day in first grade and then threw it in the garbage. I'never forget the kid who pointed into the garbage and yelled "There's hair in the garbage."
-When my sister painted her entire body in nail polish after my mom told her to put in nicer clothes. We found her sitting in the corner of her room in a laundry basket with pink sparkly handprints on the walls.
-When my grandad came to my house for the last time and told us funny stories about a dream that he had. That was the last time that he had enough strength to leave the house, he died of emphysema within the same year I think.
-The first time I got high. lol
-Pretending to have questions so I could stay after math class because I could see a group of guys waiting outside to beat me up because I was gay.
Being chased around the trailer we were living in by a pig from the farm behind us. Every lap I saw my mom and dad laughing in the doorway. I don't think I was in any real danger.
Watching my dad (who later took off and never saw him again) fixing the car from the doorway of the same trailer while eating doritos.
After dad took off we moved in with my grandparents. I got a nintendo. I snuck downstairs in the middle of the night to play nintendo. Pop caught me and gave my a half hearted kick in the ass as I ran upstairs.
Pop used to let the grandkids punch him in the gut. I didn't know he had to prepare for it. One day I walked by and and punched him unprepared. He doubled over, I felt terrible, he laughed it off.
I have seared into my brain a memory of the very first time I ever saw a video game.
The original Super Mario Brothers, and it was mind blowing that some one was controlling what was on the screen. It has lead to a lifetime of video gaming!
-My older brother losing his eye when we were in elementary school
-leaving for bootcamp
-car rides to preschool everyday with my dad on his way to work
-don't know if this counts, but the multiple memories of my older brother and I really bonding and becoming close again
Edit: remembered my first time out of the country with the military. Met some of my best friends
blurks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dad retiring age 52 due to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and mum going to work full time. Shaped the direction of my childhood (I was 6 at the time), and even though we missed out on some things, me and my sister grew up very independent, self sufficient and with s working knowledge of chronic illness.
Meeting that girl I'd IM'd with for a while IRL, walking up behind her to tap her on her shoulder and her spinning around to wrap me up in the biggest hug I'd received in my life. Knew that first night I was going to marry her.
Understanding completely and fully just what the reality of my wife's mental illness meant for her and my life. That dawning sensation that it's not ever likely to change, that this is it. Not overwhelming dread, but not a hugely joyful realization.
Our first child being born, being delivered by emergency C-section and me being kicked out of the operating room by the surgeon because something went wrong. No explanation, no time to ask a single question, just the surgeon's direction to "get him out of here" and being dumped in the hallway. Longest 10 minutes of my life, not knowing what had just happened, and whether I'd still have a wife and/or son when the door opened again.
Deciding to fight back against the mental illness I was developing as wife's carer and kinda sole parent to our son. She wasn't coping, everything fell on me (including working full time), and getting to the end of my rope and choosing to fight rather than give up. Still have to remind myself of that semi regularly.
Finally, the realization that I and my wife were in a place to have the other child we always wanted. That she'd learned to cope much better, her mental illness was in much better control, and that there was the potential for life to continue the way we had given up thinking it might. Our son is 6 now and our daughter almost 11 months. Wife is doing better than ever. Me too.
My senior year of high school, I was getting bullied almost daily by a girl. My parents were really upset by it because I would come home every day more discouraged by it.
I applied for an amazing program at the university I would most likely be attending and was anxiously waiting to hear back from them. It was a very small number of people that would be accepted and I felt so at home with the people I had met there.
Anyway, I come home one day, very upset because of another terrible day with the bully. The house phone rang and it was for me. I took the phone all the way upstairs because I'm a pacer, and my parents (who really never spent much time up there) followed, looking excited.
The call was from the director of the program to tell me that I was accepted! I got off the phone and we celebrated; they wanted to know every word of the call. My dad likes to document every exciting thing, so he was filming the entire exchange. My mom didn't notice and suddenly exclaims, "Take that, stupid bully's name!"
We laughed for a very long time once she realized she was being filmed. Needless to say, we don't share that home video with many people.
Truly, that was such a defining moment in my life. I realized that high school didn't matter so much, and I would be out of there so soon. That program ended up bringing me more important moments and core memories, being the place where I met over half of my wedding party, including my wonderful husband who I married this year.
rmsprs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mom dragging me on the street as a kid while I cried cause I didn't want to go to tuitions.
Asking dad what nipples were for.
Not being able to comprehend what spiders were the first time I saw one.
Exposed my aunty to the family by pulling out her packet of her sanitary pads from the drawers while saying she wore diapers.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure about all of them, but I certainly remember one night reading a book to my mom in the hospital when I was 5. She had cancer.
On a similar note,I remember tge looks on my dad's face when he got the call(they were divorced) that my mom had died.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Back in 2006, I was in 6th grade. Hollister Polos became all the rage and me, a nerdy white girl with no friends and no concept of bodily hygiene decided I wanted to join in the fun.
I begged my mom to take me to Hollister and get me a polo, and she caved. We went to the store, and i picked out a nice deep pink Polo.
I wore it to school the next day and this kid named alex made fun of me for wearing it, simply by saying "Nice polo Canoodlerstar" in that childhood teasing tone.
I still remember that stupid fat kid. He was so mean to me.
(Actually my first memory: I was four): I walk into the living room, with dust particles sparkling in the sun to ask my dad, quite frankly:
"What do you actually do?".
He says: "Physics".
"What's physics?".
"The theory of everything."
Wide-eyed I ask him to explain more, and he starts pulling out books with pictures printed on sharp black paper of space ships, planets, atoms and everything in between, and start to explain how from physics we have gone to space, taken pictures of far away stars and understand our place in the universe better than ever.
Running island:
Our PE teacher in highschool (freshman+sophomore had PE together) challenges anyone who dares to compete in a 2500m race after us running for two hours in different disciplines. Winners gets two bottles of sodas. Me (freshman) and a couple of sophomores takes up the challenge. I am a skinny, super nerdy kid, who is always picked last on teams and so on. We race, and the sophomores who smoke falls off one by one for each round (we race on a 400m track), and for the final 400m it is only him and me. I speed up and he can't follow. At the very end I look backwards and almost trip as I'm so far ahead that I can walk into goal. It was the first time I ever won any sport activity.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mother dying in my arms at 1am, it was one week before my 20th birthday.
Watching a man jump in front of a train on my way to my co-op placement in high school, though i saw the aftermath i never learned his name. They didn't let me take the day off either.
After having a rough love triangle experience with a friend i was obsessive about, i cut off the friendship because it wasnt healthy for either of us. I ran into her a year later and we were both doing better so i asked her for coffee. Mid way through the date she broke it to me she was seeing that ยจother guyยจ i was heart broken.
Waking up one morning to check the scale, i had lost over 100 pounds and finally reached my goal. I was obese and struggled with food for most of my adult life. Seeing that i was finally in a healthy weight range nearly brought me to tears.
Driving on a hour road trip across country to drop my friend off for university, knowing this was the last time we would see each other. It was bittersweet.
Walking into the National Gallery of London England when i was 18, i was so awe struck it inspired me to become an artist.
Taking 10 grams of shrooms on my second ever trip. It was an emotional roller coaster. It completely broke down my understanding of my life and shattered everything i thought i knew, ive never looked at like the same way since.
Having a man chase me with im pretty sure the intention to kill me at 11pm in a forest after stumbling upon him burning evidence. ive never ran so fast.
Playing halo with my friends back in grade 8. We didn't care about anything else it was the best of times.
Theres a lot more, some better some worse. But these are a few of the juicy ones.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mother sucker punching 6yo old me me in the head so hard I broke the wall when I hit it. Fuck core memories.
โข The day I met my husband, I remember every detail of that day, and it was a big day, flying from Prague to Barcelona in the morning consoling a Middle Aged man about this 'murderous' mail order bride on the plane. Getting to the hostel and seeing the sexiest man I'd ever seen standing in the common room, meeting him at dinner, sharing the duty free chocolate with him (an unexpected gift from the man on the plane for me for listening to him), visiting the magic fountain, going out for tapas with the hostel crew until 3 in the morning.
โข the day I gave birth to our son.
โข the night I slept in the Sahara desert and got upgraded to 'luxury tent'.
โข 6 years old and my mum told me we're moving to Queensland. I was disappointed to hear that the queen did not live there.
โข 9 years old. playing 'crocodile' in the pool at night with dad and my sister (pool light turned off and dad would swim under the water and grab our ankles). How the police didn't get called for those screams I'll never know! Best fun ever! Good ol dad worked all day and would come home and play in the pool with us every night.
โข visiting Iceland with my sister and having a wild time! Also seeing northern lights, and getting upgraded to business class on the flight home.
In summary. Travel and heightened emotions with loved ones are was sticks with me.
Gadafro ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just from my (much) younger life. I have some more recent ones, but it makes sense to focus on these to me:
When I woke up when I was 4 years old on Christmas Eve to see my parents filling up my stocking. Besides learning that Santa actually wasn't real, it didn't affect me a great deal, but it is a precursor to what comes next, which is;
Waking up on my 5th birthday (a few months after the previous Christmas incident) to find my Dad standing next to my bed holding a Nintendo 64 with Mario Kart 64 and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It defined the part of me that understands my parents are nearly everything that makes me who I am.
Finally, also related to the previous point, is the fact that as a 5 year old I was allowed to stay up until 2am in the morning playing 4 player split screen with my Dad, Brother, and my Brother's friend on Mario Kart 64. This probably defined my life the most since gaming is probably my biggest hobby; it influenced the friends I made nearly 18 years ago (I'm 22), many of which I still hold dear today, as well as one of my still biggest discussion points with my dad.
Sitting around the campfire at the cottage with a lot of family. My cousin playing the old, terrible cottage guitar and everyone singing along to whatever songs he was playing. I distinctly remember him playing the Franklin theme song (that kids show with the turtles and various other animals), which he had learned just for me (I was probably around 8?).
Playing ball games at recess with my friends, and one friend threw a ball towards me and it hit me right on the forehead and shot straight up, then fell right back down on my head. We all cried laughing.
The day my grandfather shot himself in my basement, when I was in grade 8 and at home. My grandparents lived with us. He had prostate cancer, and hated that he was losing his independence. This is my most vivid memory. I remember exactly how that gun shot sounded, and the confusion and panic that followed.
Going on a week long road trip with my mom down to Williamsburg, Virginia (we live in Canada). Mom gave me the maps and told me to navigate us there. I only got us lost one time, when we ended up at some deserted beach just around sunset. We got out of the car and just watched the sunset, and it felt incredibly serene.
Playing Jenga and watching the game show channel with my grandma. She had Alzheimer's, and I often had to take care of her when I got home from high school. My mom worked shift work, and dad worked fairly late. We eventually had to move her to a home, but this is when isn't wasn't too bad. She still knew who we were, but her memory was quickly slipping, and she was different. The memory though, is of a really good day for her. She seemed like my real grandma again.
Finally getting accepted into the program at university I wanted to get into. It required passing an entrance exam, which I had already failed twice.
Getting the phone call from my dad this past Easter Sunday, to tell me that my cousin had been killed in a car accident. We were incredibly close, and she was the closest thing I had to a sister. I've never felt so much sadness before.
kekokek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:40:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 4 or so, I was driving with my dad and this guy behind us was tailgating like a mad man. We end up at a traffic light and my dad gets out of the car and goes to his car and says, "If you keep on tailgating me I'm going to slice your fucking neck off, bitch!". He comes back into the car and gives me a warm smile and appears cool and calm and we go on our way.
Those were his exact words and I remember everything clearly.
It was winter and I was 7. The trailer had no electricity so all of us kids were huddled together with mom and dad on the big bed. The youngest started crying saying she was thirsty, and my mom made me go get water. My bare feet felt like they turned to crystal when they touched the floor, so cold it hurt. My breath made clouds in front of me. When I got there the pipes were frozen solid.
I remember sitting on my mothers lap at a sunlit kitchen table when I was much younger. My mom laughed like others breathed. She was drawing. With a few flicks of a pen she could make a bird or a tree or a face. And I was laughing uncontrollably because it seemed like a miracle to me, that you could make new worlds with nothing but a pen. This is the moment I think I became an artist.
I was home on leave from the army. My dad and my siblings had all been out drinking the night before, and I woke up early to help my sister the carpenter finish her roof. Cell phones weren't common but I had one. I left it charging, couldn't hear it ringing over the hammering on the roof. When I went inside I saw 12 missed calls. I drove to the sister who'd called, she said dad had been calling but she was at work. I ran up the street to his house. I found him dead, curled up on the floor next to the bed. I waited with him for an hour until my family and the undertakers came. I remember laying on the floor with him and stroking his grey hair and crying so hard I thought I'd break something.
I remember releasing my mothers ashes at her favorite place. It was a waterfall in the middle of the desert. Me and a few siblings stood there on a pit of rock in front of the falls, the cool air blowing in from the falling water. When I opened her ashes they didn't drift into the water, they exploded into the sky and it felt like for a second every atom in my body was saying yes at the same time as she rose into the cool desert air.
I remember kissing her in the back of the church, the first girl I ever fell for, long hair and braces and the smoothness of her skin underneath her shirt. Every girl is mixed in with this memory, all my lovers past and future, all one.
I remember the exhilaration of surviving a firefight, the absolute joy of a happy squirming three year old who loves her daddy with a purity that all of us have forgotten how to give. I remember saving a girl one dark night and walking away without ever telling her my name. I remember it all, and I'll forget it all one day and that's part of the truth too.
Flintml ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:40:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if this is a "core" memory as defined by the OP, but it is a memory I will never forget.
Waking up in the hospital and talking with two people I had never meet before as they told me I had been in a car accident, and my best friend Peter "didn't make it." It was allot for a 14 year old me to comprehend and for a few years after that accident when I was feeling stressed, or walking into a new situation (like moving to a new school) I would imagine my friend Peter was walking next to me.
This was well over 20 years ago and while I don't often think about him anymore. Every now and then he will reappear in my conscience and I will wonder what, and who he would have developed into.
The two people I didn't know I learned later were Peters cousin and Aunt, whom we were on route to see for Christmas when the accident occurred. Instead of hanging out with the family during the holidays, these two along with other family members had to sit in a hospital and try and console their sister (Peter's mum) who I later learned was barely holding in together upon learning of her son's death. She was the one driving who fell asleep at the wheel and crossed into the on coming traffic. I mention this simply as a fact, not as judgment call at all.
About a month after the accident Peter's dad passed from his injuries about the same time the doctors confirmed there was no chance Peter's sister would ever walk again. I felt more sad for his mum as my Dad told me to give them their space as the mum had suffered a complete mental breakdown, whatever the fuck that was.
No Dad, not a breakdown, just grief. Fuck that pissed me off.
Why was I with this family instead of mine at Christmas? Usual bullshit of not getting along with my parents, living in a group home and this family invited me to stay with them over the holidays.
*Playing on the beach in Hawaii as a kid in the mid-70's and hearing music from someone's radio. The smell of coconut oil sunscreen was intoxicating to me.
*Peeing on the side of road in the middle of nowhere in Utah on a roadtrip. Hadn't seen a car in an hour, but the second I squat here comes a car!
*My husband and his cousin setting up a Nintendo 64 for the kids on Christmas Eve (1999 maybe) and playing Mario Cart until the kids woke up in the morning! "Hey kids! Look what Santa brought!"
When my dad bought my first jigsaw puzzle. I was probably like 8, and my dad came back from a business trip and bought me a jigsaw puzzle of a F1 Racing Car on race track with a blue side rails. It was just 50-100 pieces I think. Me and My dad immediately got to work on that. It took me nearly 2-3 months to finish it. He would join in and out, but the day it was finished he gave big high-five. And talked to me about getting things done. I lost that puzzle at some point, and I hope I can buy that again. BTW, I played with that for years, I dis-mantled it and rebuild it back so many times. I got so good at it, i could do that in 15 mins.
My dad took me and my brother to the swimming pool during a summer. I was probably like 14-15. My brother(13) was so scared, he would not get into the pool. Nothing helped, a week passed, and my dad was pissed. On that particular day, I got into the water, and was asking my brother to come in, and he was refusing as usual. My brother saw my dad approach from behind, so he slid away from the pool. My dad hold his hand, slapped him hard and pushed him into the water and told him not come out for 30 mins. I stood there in the swimming pool and just cried for my brother. I felt really hurt for my father's behavior. I talked about this with my dad, years later. My brother used to study in a hostel(This is in India, and this is a top notch school). In this hostel, there was a swimming pool, and year after year, some kid about my brother's age would die of drowning. My brother was joining this school that year, and my dad came to know of this info by visiting the school and talking to parents from already enrolled students. And so he took on himself to teach minimum swimming skills in that summer for just in case scenario.
My grandfather and me(probably 15) were walking from the theatre home. This is in a remote village in india. The road is dark and the only light was from the fireflies and the stars above us. Also it was no-moon night. That is the first time we talked about constellations. He showed me the ursa-major, orion and other constellations. He would then ask to me to find If I see any other patterns, and I keep searching for them, even today, when ever I look at stary sky. That night is embedded into my head, and I would do anything to feel that emotion again.
Am I already late to this? Man, an hour ago this ask had maybe 300 upvotes! Whatever, I love this movie, so Iโm gonna blather on here (mostly in chronological order).
When I met my childhood best friend. Weโve grown apart since we hit our teens, but at the time we were two peas in a pod because we both liked monsters and spooky things, which made us a bit different than most of the other kids
When I met my weirdo high school best friends (weโre still weirdo friends to this day)
*Sewing my first clothes for myself
When I threw up due to my anxiety over going to college and going out with this one guy. Iโve since learned to take my nerve-nausea as a warning signal, because both the school and this guy turned out to be pretty bad for me.
When I tried to tell my family that I wanted to commit suicide (it didnโt exactly go over well, so now I basically never talk to my parents about my mental health)
The first time I was actually able to go to a concert with friends.
Getting a fantastic book on color theory/history (yes I'm serious)
When I opened up to my current boyfriend about wanting to be in a serious relationship. I was breathing like I was bench-pressing an elephant, because I was so worried about feeling sick to my stomach. Lo and behold, no nausea, and heโs the sweetest, most loving guy Iโve met.
Last but not least: getting my last dog, as well as the dogs I currently have. Theyโre the best pups ever.
Extended Family Land: A Halloween party at my grandmothers house, all of her family was there and its where I really got to know some of my cousins.
Hero Land: I saved my cousin from drowning in our pool, my family was so proud of me and I didn't understand why I was being praised for something I would have obviously done.
Best Friend Land: I asked my first grade best friend if he wanted to be my best friend on the first day of school, he said yes.
Family Issues Land: A car ride where my father got pulled over for tailgating, my mom flipped and I realized my parents weren't the fairy tale couple. (There was other stuff later, this was just when I realized it).
Wealth Realization Land: After moving to florida I realized that I was upper middle class in an area of impoverished people, felt weird.
Theater Land: After I finally got my big part as the Artful Dodger in Oliver! I felt like theater was finally something I was able to do. This eventually morphed into Shakespeare land as I got older and now do mostly Shakespeare.
Running Land: This one is dead now, but XC was one of my defining characteristics for many years, and I remember my first 800 meter race where my would-be main coach praised me for having improved so much from 7th to 8th grade. In 7th grade I completed the mile in 10 minutes, now I was running a 6:45 mile.
Gay Land: I knew I was gay, but finally embraced it and accidentally slept with my sisters best friend when I was 15.
Club Land: I was (though it was weird and loose knit as fu-) vice president of a GSA at my school and even became a significant member of the Key Club organization. I remember the counciler at the school pushing me to become a member of Key Club and I sort of did it on a whim, but then decided to take it seriously once I did get the job.
Depression Land: I was in 6th grade and tried taking an assortment of drugs in order to kill myself. Everything else sounded painful but I felt like I would just drift off into nothingness using drugs. Welp. I survived and got really sick. Yay.
Videogame Land: When they tore down running land, Videogame land took its place. I remember going to my college game room for the first time and being invited to play League of Legends with a guy I never met. That guy is now a good friend.
My dad giving me a leather suit and a kid size motorcycle helmet on my birthday so I could ride with him around our neighbourhood.
Tracing the tattoo on my dad's arm and asking him if I could get one too when I was older, and he was so happy that I liked his ink and wanted tattoos too.
meeting my dog for the first time
when my mom moved out, and I was left with grandma and grandpa.
only time my grandma has cried in front of me. She told me she and grandpa were getting divorced. She was so sad, and I didn't know what to do so I handed her my favourite stuffed animal and said that she could keep it, and she started to cry.
seeing my baby sister for the first time
going for ice cream with my dad, and he put a Queen song on (which sparked a life long obsession and permanently altered my taste in music)
breaking my bully's nose with a book
fylex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
getting chased around my house around the age of six by a bunch of a bees whose hive I disturbed; I cried a lot and I remember it very clearly even fifteen years later
playing my first violin rehearsal and being nervous and scared and feeling like I didn't practice enough (I didn't practice enough but nobody will really be too judgmental of a five or six year old playing)
jumping off the top of the playground in sixth grade (would not do that today - probably) and completely owning it to the applause of other kids and the disapproving glare of teachers
first time I played Diablo and WarCraft and knew that I would love video games (probably was 7-10 years old)
talking to a suicidal person on ChatRoulette and feeling the weight of every word for the first time in high school or middle school
first day of high school track practice as a freshman when it was raining needles and I met a really good friend afterwards; both of us really hated that day and were exhausted but it was the start of a great relationship
listening to bath by maudlin of the Well for the first time and having a genuinely moving experiencing from a piece of music - as BS as it sounds, I felt like I truly understood what it meant for music to be art
playing To The Moon and realizing how much depth every person's story has to it changed my perspective forever
finishing The Catcher In The Rye for the first time and dwelling on adolescence and what I could do to change the fact that I thought Holden was kind of an ass but also a lot like me
5 years old, meeting the two girls across the street after we moved in, by throwing rocks at each other across the street, ended up being good friends
Being carried by my dad, down the side of the hill after flipping over on the mountain luge in Ober Gatlinburg, face scraped up, mom hysterical at the bottom of the hill. I got a toy Dale Earnhart car and ice cream
Going to the beach in Destin, FL most years
First time I hung out with my now-SO. We ditched a charity event in highschool to drive around and do nothing
Getting married, on a beach, with less than 2 dozen ppl there
My son being born (and most of the memories of the past two years since he's been here
Little late to the thread, but mine is swinging on my grandpa's tire swing. He told me if I swung as high as I could go I could yell to my Grandma in heaven. He passed away two years ago and even though I am not religious I still got on that swing and went as I high as I could go and yelled "I love you Grandpa!".
Watching a girl that I definitely shouldn't have been dating take her shirt off for the first time in front of me. "Nothing in my life has ever been the same. It was like touching the obelisk and and realizing I could use tapir bones as a weapon."
Running over the catcher at home plate during Little League.
Having my first dog fall asleep with me on the couch the night we brought him home.
Losing the geography bee because I didn't know Canada's largest province, and therefore not getting to go to Space Camp.
emax4 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:43:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Before I get weepy with reading these other stories, I'll put in some of my best. My parents say I don't remember anything unless it involves food or toys, and to some extent that holds true. On mobile now.
In Pittsburgh in the 80's there was a telethon for Children's Hospital. I wanted to do the same, so my dad used an old coffee can and decorated it so I could stand outside the local department store and collect.
Now earlier in the day I had done chores for my neighbor and she gave me a dollar in quarters (this is crucial). Later in the afternoon my dad took my downtown where I stood outside of GC Murphys and collected for children's hospital in the cold and snow. About an hour had passed and the can was getting heavy, so I took a break and went inside to warm up. I took my can, walk past the lunch counter, past the toys and games and headed straight back by the video games. I laid my can down at my side, took the quarters out of my pocket, then played Space Invaders, Pleaides, Scramble, or PAC Man. People were horrified that I was stealing money for the hospital and using it for my own entertainment! My Dad came around and yelled at me, but I had to explain that I did chores for the neighbor and got paid.
My maternal grandparents would work in the mornings, so I would wake up and do my chores while they were gone. I finished early and was feeling mischievous. I went in their room, turned their TV on to MTV, turned it up to maximum volume, then shut it off. I totally forgot about it that day and went back home to my parents for the weekend, until I got up the next morning. My Mom tells me they went up to bed, my grandmother went to the batheoom, my pap to the bedroom. He turned on the TV and it scared the shit out of both of them, my grandma being at the right place at the right time. This was in the era when Headbangers Ball was on.
Taking my paternal grandma shopping. She never drove, and I loved being over her house, but it was a treat spending time with her. My Dad would drive her up the street to the grocery store, we'd come back, she would try to pay my Dad and he would refuse (but jokingly I would offer to take it). Other times I remember taking her to the mall. I'd split up with them and Shop at the Hobby Horse, Bookstore, and toy store, then meet up with them at Pappan's (PA restaurant, mid 80's). After dinner my Dad took me to Children's Palace where I got a GI Joe artillery gun, Cobra Commander and another figure, then went next door to David Weiss (Dept store) where I got a GI Joe Cobra hanglider. Just the rush of toys and spending time w my grandma was so memorable.
In Kindergarten I got in trouble for looking up girl's dresses, and I remember my Dad reprimanding me for it. Around the time I was 24 at Thanksgiving I was bringing up that memory to my Dad, who said, "Yeah, I remember yelling at you, but I never told you that in the back of my head I was thinking, 'ATS MAH BOY!!!!' ".
Edit:formatting.
Jaereth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:43:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Deer hunting with my Grandpa. First year I was old enough to hunt, and his last. We usually went as a large party, but my baby sister was being born so dad was out and me and Gramps just went by ourselves.
Got a one shot - one kill on a nice Buck that my Grandfather selflessly spooked over to where I was concealed rather than shooting it himself.
Really glad I got to share that experience with him. As something that will only happen once in both of our lives, it seems really special.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:43:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I went to target I thought that those big red concrete balls in front of were big bouncy balls, so I ran and kicked one with all of my 6 year old strength. I broke a couple toes and never even got to go into target that day.
ANGER: ~12 years old. Near drowning because my sis thought it would be fun to jump on me in the pool and ride on my shoulders at the deep end.
FEAR: Fell off a wooden tower which a group of friends and I were building. About 5 meters up. Broke a thick wooden pole with my back on the way down. Survived with no apparent injuries. Get shaky from heights from then on.
DISGUST: I was doing a presentation on the food pyramid. I was talking about needing to limit your intake of the snacks and stuff. For some reason I thought I had to drill the point in with some wit, so I said "or you'll end up like <insert fat classmate's name here>." There was an audible gasp. Worst thing was, I hadn't finished my presentation, so I had to stand up there for another 3 minutes while the class gave me death stares.
SADNESS: Dog.
Tuss ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dancing in the summer rain one morning with my cousin at our summer cabin
My parents yelling at me for not eating when I wasn't hungry.
Stanfing up to my neighbour being bullied by ither neighbours
Movie nights with my two best friends
Visiting my best friends summer cabin in the mountains
Day nap times with my ex
Falling asleep on the floor with a bath towel around me, in my first apartment, waiting for my ex to arrive with our bed.
My ex driving home from a friend in the middle of the night to console me when I had depression
Me and my mom leaving our house with basically nothing when she had a big fight with my father and decided to divorce (first strong memory, i was around 3 years old)
My stepmother telling me that i shouldn't try so hard to make everybody like me (i'm too nice, avoid confrontation)
My father bragging in the car about never finishing school/messing around as a teen (if i could do it all again, i would!) before halfway chaging his tune and with a very sad voice finish his sentence "If i could do it again... i'd do it all differently :( :( :( ". First time i've ever heard him say something straight from the heart.
My father saying over the phone (to my mom) that if he'd had to pay alimony he'd no longer wanted to see me (my mom let it slide for about 16 years because she didn't want fights over it, but needed it to pay for school. I could hear what he said from across the room. I didn't want to see him for 10+ years after that untill he contacted me.
My teacher laughing and telling me i should quit college, since i'd never make it, happened twice. I made it, twice.
Now that i think about it i have very little positive core memories..
Going on vacation with my Grandparents to see Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone(weeks/days before it burned), Mt. St. Helens, and Redwood National forest. One day, our tent blew away and we chased it down. Also, I saw my first IMAX movie in Washington/Oregon. I remember the camera being on a motorcycle driving around town.
Getting in fights and playing at the bus stop with all of my friends from our little dead end street.
Getting up early to go to wrestling tournaments with my brother and cousin. All of us piling into the van in our PJs and sleeping on the couch in the back(that pulled out into a bed)
Leaving College. Saying bye to my new best friends.
When my Grandpa died. My brother and I were in the hallway talking just outside his room. He had been slowly going for hours, and I had said my goodbyes, but my mom yelled something and in the few seconds it took to get back in there, he was gone.
Seeing my wife for the first time in her wedding dress. It was cold and windy, typical for early December. She was across a stone bridge at a local college. She had a white fur scarf over her shoulders and her hair looked awesome.
Getting up in the middle of the night to take my wife to the hospital for the birth of our first daughter.
Earliest is going to the seaside with my Dad as a baby and him zipping me in his coat so just my eyes saw out as it was freezing. So weird as I really cannot fathom being that small.
The number one thing that's sticking with me in this thread: you never know what seemingly simple or mundane experience will go on to define you or someone else forever. Be pleasant, be kind, be decent, and maybe if you're very lucky you will become an irreplaceable and eternal part of someone's memories.
iFr4g ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'll do a few:
The day my Gramps died, I was only 6 but remember the day clearly.
The day I scored a goal from the half-way line in Sunday League Football (Soccer) in Canterbury/Wincheap.
The day I didn't throw myself in front of a train.
The day I married my Wife.
The day my Granddad died in a hospice. And the two weeks I was able to spend with him prior.
(Coming Soon) The day I emigrate to America. (To live with my Wife)
Sending a secret admirer candy gram love letter to my crush. It getting delivered when we have a period together and her immediately turning around and asking if I wrote it.
When my parents never showed up for one of my last school band music concerts.
My brothers and my sister eating dinner together alone And joking/playing around/laughing so hard I spit my food, my sister fell of her chair, my brother had Coke come out his nose, and my other brother staring blankly because he was too young to understand. Then my dad immediately shutting it down because he wanted us to eat right.
Running away from my grandma's house because I felt that I was unloved by my extended family.
Dropping my baby sister on the floor and going under the bed because I didn't want to get yelled at.
Falling asleep on the bus, thus missing my transfer point, and waking up in the last stop. Then proceed to cry because I only had enough change to take one more bus and I would still be stranded. Calling my dad and him finding me and taking me home.
Letting a classmate borrow my trade cable and him never returning it.
Family road trips to Mexico.
Tiblia ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my greatest memories was listening to the radio on trips down to Cornwall with my dad. He loved old show tunes,so I now know every word to every song in Anything Goes by Cole Porter
Probably want influenced me to want to be an actor!
It was either that or Slim Dusty's Greatest Hits, which I also now know every word to. Just might sound a bit weird coming from the accent of a pretty middle class Englishman. My dad's an Aussie and that really helped me feel a connection with my "Motherland" as it were...
Again, probably part of the reason I want to go back there so much!
I always hated those visits to Cornwall, but the long drive down singing along with Dad who I didn't see so much after the divorce was always the best part. Also just hearing the rain wrap on the top of the car. My dad was probably so tired from the eight hour drive, and from flying back from Delhi to see us, but the energy he put in for us is something I really want to maintain for my own kids eventually.
Other than that, my brother used to have a bit of a temper, kinda troubled childhood. But, the Xbox was in his room, so i remember having to sit there quietly whilst he was on the computer, and though he presented to the world this standoffish aloof teenager, I'm glad for the time we spent in his dark room/cave, cos I got to see how he did care about me and actually like me, despite what he said and did. Even now songs from the games we used to play together, Ronfaure Theme, for instance, or anything by Coldplay or the exact line "No one can catch Phantom!" From don't mess with the Zohan playing over and over cos we left it in the Xbox and couldn't be bothered to move it. Also the entire movie Iron Man.
Probably why I am such an avid gamer now, cos my main interactions to my big brother were playing games with him, pulling all nighters to get them finished. We've now moved on to movies, but whenever he comes back home, it's the same tradition; pizza, TV, closed curtains, and silence whilst the movie is on :D and no coming out of the room til the dreaded birds start chirping...
Waking up in the hospital at age 13, dizzy and in pain, weak as a kitten, with an IV in my arm. Mom told me my blood sugar bottomed out unexpectedly (hypoglycemic at the time) and I had actually been dead for a couple minutes.
The pride on my dad's face when I passed my driving test.
The unexpected pleasure of being named Outstanding Senior Girl for my high school marching band, after years of harassment and derision for being a female percussionist.
My friends pitching in to by me a computer so I could create art (and play World of Warcraft).
The moment that my ex at the time and I realized that we couldn't live without each other, laying in each other's arms on New Years Day. We got back together quickly after that and are going strong.
Losing my job and my cat in the same day...still miss you Shu...
Joy: baking cookies "on my own" when I was 7 (mom was there, but I had to read and follow the directions). Pretty much all my happy memories are me and my mom in the kitchen.
Fear: when my sister tried to kill me
I don't remember much sadness, anger, or disgust. I found solace in reading and escaped to my bedroom often.
Family car driving away, imagine Joe Dirte's family leaving him, to go to Chuck E Cheese's while my cousins wave goodbye and laugh. Plot twist my mom was driving. Still have abandonment issues to this day.
Sitting on a set of bleachers with my Grandpa outside my hotel in Disney World learning to play banjo.
Roadtripping through the states on my way to Montana with my brother and mom listening to "eragon"
My uncles goofy face as he jumped on the hood of our car, clinging to it, asking us not to head home to Illinois from Montana. It was the last time I saw him.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:46:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โขgoing to visit my mom when she got off work with my dad and brother when I was 4. She came out and hugged me crying and said that she was going to quit because she missed us so much(basically worked all day every day)
โขthe first time I scored in peewee soccer. Usually instead of actually playing I would sit and tear up the grass/flowers. But that day I got off my ass and my dad was super proud so he took me to get ice cream afterwards. You could say I'm an active person(understatement)
โขIn preschool I built a city out of those wooden blocks on top of one of the toy shelves, and my friend was sitting on the ground on the other side. I pushed them off onto his head and got in big trouble. Thats when I learned to be considerate of other people
โขOur very first art assignment in kindergarten was to draw a giraffe and try to make it abstract. I drew a 100% recognizable giraffe(quite a feat at that age) and it got in the local newspaper. I've loved art ever since(not for the attention, because I believed I could actually be good at it)
โขWhen I was called a fattie on the bus in 1st grade. Hurt because it was true. Queue formation of schema that will negatively effect my mental health for my entire life
โขThe first time I held my dog. We got her from a breeder so when she was a few weeks old we got to visit. Shes probably the cutest havanese out of all the havanese. And no, we keep her hair short so she looks like an actual dog and not a fur purse. Anyways, I've loved animals ever since
I'm a little strange. I literally have no vibrant memories of my childhood or even my teenage years. If I sit and really try, I can remember maybe one or two things up to about 10 years old. I can remember things that have happened in the past few years but it's hard for me to get into the memory.
I didn't have a bad childhood, or even a bad teenage experience or college experience, etc - I just can't remember it very well.
Sitting at the front door singing with my twin sister, we really enjoyed each other's company
Going to a water park with my family, probably the happiest I have ever been in my life
My first time playing video games (N64) with my cousins. This one really ignited my passion for gaming
Sitting at my sister's bedside as I saw her taken from me by cancer. We were only 6, not ready for that shit to happen.
Sitting at the bedside of the only other family member I truly enjoyed spending time with as he was also taken from me. This really hit me hard as I felt quite alone for many years, which has really scarred me since.
I had this core memory of my father sleeping in his arms by my hospital bed when I had German measles at 8 years old. My only good memory of my father sustained my love for him through a life time of physical, emotional, and psychological abuse, until I am in my 30s. Beginning of this year, a new memory (red , blue, and green) was formed when he made one of the countless insult towards my husband. The dad part of the family island crumbled and fell off, and the hospital memory stripped of its core memory status. Along with that core memory, many other negative core memories associated with him also lost their core status. My islands of personally now looks drastically different now.
It wasn't easy, but my father is no longer in my life. My family island is now powered by core memories of husband holding his head in complete awe when he saw our son for the first time and me holding my sleeping newborn at the hospital gazing into eat others eyes.
Did you also watch Inside Out last night at a park in Minneapolis?? I feel like this is too convenient
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:46:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The thread is one person's core memories with a bunch of comments... really people.
VetProf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:46:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tried to run away from home early in the morning when I was ~7/8 years old because I hated homework. Of course, me being a dumb and naive little kid, I didn't bring along any food and water, only a clean pair of clothes (because "good kids" have to take off their pajamas by 10). Crept out of the house, wandered around the neighborhood a bit, changed my clothes in the middle of the street (barely any cars and people were still sleeping, at least, that's what little old me thought), got chased around a bit by a persistent stray dog (legitimately thought I was gonna die), managed to lose it by running around a probably-abandoned house and eventually ran back to my house crying because I was scared as shit. Good times. My parents thought I was sleepwalking, though I doubt that they're that dense.
Still, when I looked back at it, I was grateful for my encounter with that dog. Worse stuff could've happened. I could've been ran over. I could've been kidnapped. And yet, I'm still here. All thanks to that dog. Thanks, doggo.
Planting seeds in kindergarten and having a little boy dump dirt on me
Riding a skateboard down the Boston Common hills with my mother hanging on
Age 5 wetting my pants at choir rehearsal because the choirmaster was mean and I was too afraid to ask permission to go
Sending balloons off from my bedroom window with notes attached, asking for a pen pal replies
Laying on my back in the grass at summer camp, listening to Chuck Mangione over the loudspeakers
Being singled out for attention and praise for my artistic ability at a young age
My mother removing my bedroom door after I slammed it
Seeing the neighborhood dog getting run over by a truck and his body not removed for hours
Kissing a boy, who I thought was repellant, because I wanted to feel what it was like, only to deny it later
Trolling an on-air live TV preacher with my aunt. We called so much he said we'd go to Hell. It was great
Apple picking in the fall and then going to the haunted house
Singing road trip songs with my family on long car trips
My father taking me to kung fu movies in Chinatown, they were very inappropriate for a 10 year old but reading the subtitles were added fun. Using my father's hand to cover my eyes during the bloody or violent parts and getting ice cream and hot dogs afterwards.
Mostly high school. I don't have a great chronological memory, but here goes.
1) My uncle dying and then my grandmother dying 3 days after him.
2) Falling in love with a girl that was with someone else. She strung me along for a while because she enjoyed having someone adore her. She just stopped speaking to me one day.
3) My dad gave me my first bloody nose by punching me in the face after we started arguing about ramen noodles.
4) My friend showed me Reddit. I was shown /r/gore and /r/gonewild within a fifteen minute time frame. I was hooked.
5) (This one is from college) I broke up with the girl that I was hoping to marry someday. A lot of things just went wrong.
I went too far with friends on our bikes. We got in so much trouble but in the end I knew it was out of love even then
Having My best friend attack me in 9th grade so he could hang out with the cool kids. I've never felt so much crushing sadness as that day.
My dad taking me to see toy story when it first came out. I didn't even know about it but it was amazing. He even got me curly fries from mcdonalds that day.
Going to go camping with my family and a friend and down at a beach on a glacial Lake and having him Huck wads of muddy sand at me and having to wash it out or my hair
I can't remember this one but just a strong sense of fear anxiety and pain came to mind
Sitting at Denny's in the middle of the night eating chicken strips and talking late in the night with a person I value as family and how her being there to talk saved my life without her ever knowing it.
Last one. My mom coming to the school and chewing out a teacher who had physicly abused me in her class.
I'm sure I have many more to gain and a few more I'd love to share but I don't want to dump them all out.
โขOn the way home one night with Dad and Footloose came on the radio. I was probably about 11 years old and didn't really know the song that well but he just came to life. Started singing and dancing along while driving this massive van and part of me was thinking "Oh my god how embarrassing" but the other part of me knew how special I was to have him and that I was going to remember this for the rest of my life.
โขShortly after my brother was born, I was 5, Mom was rocking him to sleep and singing lullabies along with a tape or cd we had so I grabbed one of my baby dolls and started doing it with her. One of the lullabies ends singing about after Mom dies how much she'll still love us or something and I couldn't handle it. I got so sad thinking about not having my mom I started crying so she had to comfort both me and my brother at once.
โข Sunday mornings with my sister in our poofy slips and tights dancing around the living room with our stuffed animals before going to church.
โขKnowing every single line that everyone had in my kindergarten play and mouthing it from the back row of the choir.
Maybe there's more, I'm not sure.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Grandfather had lung cancer and was bed ridden for many years and couldn't do much. I was over at his house one evening and had my trumpet with me as I was practicing. He also gifted me that trumpet for Christmas a few years before that. He had asked me to come into his bedroom and play him "When the Saints Go Marching In", so I took a few seconds to think out the notes in my head and then played it for him. He just layed there and closed his eyes and listened to me play the trumpet that he had bought for me. Once I finished he thanked me and we sat there in silence with each other.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me and four of my buddies took a road trip from Virginia to Big Bend National Park. This was during college, and I was in a fraternity, so we stayed at chapters along the way. Texas A&M, Villanova, Alabama State, and we stayed at Tulane during Mardi Gras. This was one of the best times of my life. Especially because the five of us used to get a ton of flak for "only playing video games".
I met the girl of my dreams around that same time. I thought I loved before, but this one changed me. She is the most genuine person I know, and is kind to everyone on instinct. She went to Europe to study abroad for a year. The summer before she left, I saved up working 40+ hours a week, and surprised her with a roundtrip ticket to her uni. It was amazing, and I knew she was the one. Been almost 4 years now, and they've all been amazing.
In highschool I spent so much time playing Minecraft and WoW. I spent months making my own server, and had a fair amount of people play on it. I told my mom, and she was really proud of me, and encouraged me to keep working on it. My mom mentioned it to my dad one day, and he made me shut it down that day. I was getting a couple C's in high-school, and that needed to be my focus instead. He bookmarked the forum thread, and made sure I would never post on it. It killed my creativity. Years later, I've found that one of my biggest hobbies is world building. Kinda sad that I never had time to develop it more in highschool.
When I was 3, I soiled the bed and when I came downstairs, my mom happened to be doing laundry at 3am. She helped me change with warm clothes, change my sheets, and tucked me in. I felt so loved.
When I was about 7, I stole $5 from my grandpa (my favorite person on the planet), but I felt so bad that I told him within 15 minutes of doing it. He didn't get mad, he told me that he was glad I was honest and that be loved me. Then we had a talk about stealing, lying, cheating; a talk I had never had before. Then he gave me the $5
Between about 6-12 once a month I would spend the weekend at my grandparents and my grandpa and I would have a boys night at the sprint car races while my twin sister and my grandma would have a girls night at the house doing 'girly things' as I called it.
When I was 8, my parents told my sister and I that we were going on a vacation, but we were really put in foster care. My dad didn't hug me back when I was leaving, my mom was in tears. I didn't understand, but the state forced them because of the drugs, alcohol, and neglect because they worked too much. And I lost my shit when my sister and I got put in separate places.
3 weeks into foster care, I had been to 3 homes. I was in a home in Anacortes for 1 night, and in the morning, the DSHS agent came and told me I was moving again and I completely lost it. I thought it was my fault, that I was a bad kid, and no one wanted me. I kept saying I would be good and do better.
That same night, sitting in the foster care agency in a little play room, I hear from the other side of the wall my grandparents GOING OFF on the people and demanding to have me. After an hour, the DSHS people say screw protocol and give me to them. A week later, they find my sister and get her too. I had never seen them get mad before. It was really scary, but I've never felt so wanted.
Christmas of that year, I am given back to my parents. My mom came to pick us up. She balled and apologized. It hurt me to see her so mad at herself. My father didn't come to pick us up with her, he stayed late at work like every other night.
A year later, we are back in foster care. The last day of school (3rd grade), we are given to a new family again.
From 9-12, severely abused (me physically/emotionally, my twin sister emotionally). Too many bad memories. One day I was forced to stand in a corner for 16 hours. One meal, and 2 bathroom breaks. The dad, Alex, went to bed while I was still standing there. Michelle the mom woke up and was surprised I was still there. They had forgot about me. I never felt so unwanted.
Once while standing in the corner, I threw up and was yelled at, told to clean it up, and given more time to have to stand there. Another time they wouldn't let me go to the bathroom, so I pooped myself. Again, they had me clean it up and yelled at me and had me stand there longer. I was so ashamed of myself.
One night when I was 12, I finally stood up to Alex. I just wanted to die and didn't care if I lived, I just decided that I would never stand in the corner again. Was pushed into doors, choked. Twin sister called the police, and when they came and investigated, we were taken away and put in a new foster home. I was so happy to be free from that man.
Ended up with a big, friendly family. My first day, I already felt loved.
Was adopted by this family when I was 15. Started to feel wanted again.
There are so many more memories, but I have to go to work!
The first memory I have is when I was 2 or 3, my family went to see lion king the musical and they didn't let children in under 5 as it could frighten them (shitty reason). So after I was denied my family all went in except from me and my dad who went to walk around London, we got popcorn and watch some performers for a bit then went to hamleys and I got two stuffed toys a lion and a puma.
All bad memories . me being bullied at school or at home . me being hit by my parents . 0 happy memories from my childhood unfortunately , no birthdays (I didn't have any) , no parties (not a single one no prom nothing )
joeyfay ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The moment I met my SO. We were just kids in high school and I was involved with another girl at the time. It was after a football game and she was hanging out with some of my friends. We locked eyes and she smiled at me for the first time and I'll never forget it. At the end of the night she told me that I was gonna take her to the dance instead of the other girl, and she was right. We've shared every dance since for the last ten years, all starting and ending with that same smile that's forever imprinted in my mind.
The moments spent with my dad were rare. He worked a lot to support all seven of us, selling cars first before becoming a manager at various places. But I'll never forget what we did with him, breakfast on Sunday mornings.
I grew up in Northern Illinois, just south of Chicago. In our little town, there was a hierarchy of breakfast places in our little minds. The highest tier was called "Egg Harbor" and it had the best pancakes.
The lowest tier was a place called "Butterfield". It wasn't that the food was bad there, it's just where my parents would go if there was a sports game on. I didn't like that because we would pretty much have to have a silent breakfast as everyone was glued to the TV screen.
Another one takes place at a family reunion in North Carolina for my mom's side of the family. My aunt was watching us, I was around four years old at the time. She made us all lunch, I remember it being a bologna sandwich because I hated bologna with all my little heart.
It also had Kraft singles and a little smear of mayo, turning it into something of an abomination to me. I turned my little nose up at it.
Now, my aunt wasn't a teenager. I'd like to stress this part, because her actions always make her look immature. She had two children at that point and would go on to have another one after this.
I remember her trying to force me to eat the sandwich, but I refused. I tried every excuse in the book, "I don't like it" didn't work, so I went for, "I'm not hungry."
Eventually, it turned into a shouting match between child and grown woman. I end up yelling for my mom, and my aunt says that she's not there and that I have to listen to her.
So I yell that she's not my mom, and my aunt starts to chase me. I had no doubt in my mind that she was going to hit me, and flight ruled out over fight, so I ran away fast and locked myself in my room.
Not anywhere near our first issue with this aunt and nowhere near our last, but this is the one that seems to impact me the most.
Another one, I started taking piano lessons at four years old and I took those lessons until we moved away when I was ten. We (my twin sister and myself) had this wonderful woman who doted on us. She was younger, probably mid twenties, and was very sweet. She was very patient with me, but I pretty much refused to practice. I'd sit down and nothing would happen.
She ended up going back to college, so we were paired with another piano instructor. He was an older man, gruff and not gentle at all. He'd come into the tiny room that managed to house a piano, stick his motorcycle helmet on top of it and have us get to work.
He quickly grew frustrated with me, but just as soon as he got angry, he figured out a solution. There was only one song that I had memorized by heart, a traditional jazz scale that was masquerading under the name "party song".
While my twin sister was content to sit and practice the piano, no matter how much she hated a song, if I hated the sound of it, I wouldn't play it. She moved on, advanced through book after book, but I stagnated very quickly.
One day, my teacher got up and left the room. I wondered if I had pushed him to the end of his rope by not practicing. My mom and sister were outside the room, and we all stared at each other for a few moments.
But he came back, toting another book with him. He shut the door and handed the book to me.
"Do you know what this is?" He said.
It was a question with a fairly obvious answer, the book had the word in big letters.
"...Jazz?"
He nodded, opened the book, and set it on the music stand for me to play.
And play I did.
The next memory is one that I hinted at above. At ten years old, we packed everything up and set our sights elsewhere.
Massachusetts.
Us kids weren't too happy about this. We pleaded with our parents, made jokes about having to take turns standing on the state, and cried a lot. It was no use though and, during the summer of 2007, we packed our lives up and drove across the country to move onward.
I'll never forget it though, my twin sister and myself had a friend in the neighborhood. He rode up on his Razor scooter as we left, early in the morning, and he waved us off as we left.
I remember everything about that moment. The grey sky opening up and beginning to drizzle, soaking our friend's blond hair. How the One Republic song "Stop and Stare" was playing on the radio.
I remember my mom crying and my grandfather (who had flown from Massachusetts to help drive us up) handing her a tissue. My hands tightening on the big, blocky grey DS that my older brother had given me when I broke my DS lite (we were leaving him too, although he'd be joining us later).
And, yet, I can't help but remember feeling glad as we hit Indiana. The sun had come out, my DS was fully charged (I was playing Diamond version of Pokemon of course), and the radio was playing some decent music.
And, there we were, moving forward.
I was only ten years old, but I feel like that was the end of my childhood in a way.
I have a few more moments, but I'm rambling at this point, so I'll keep it brief from here on out and elaborate more if anyone wants to hear them. They're in no particular order, I'm writing them as I think of them.
The first time I picked up a bass.
The first performance I gave on the piano.
My first "boyfriend"
Bisexuality and how I figured that one out. Featuring: My coming out story and how coming out really isn't a one time thing.
My first time getting paid, and how (and why) they stiffed me for it. (Hint: it has to do with faking an overtly sexual relationship with my best friend).
The four teachers who impacted my life the most, three fantastic and one so bad that it would shape the rest of my schooling.
Why I didn't go to college, and why I'm dragging my feet on answering if I will or won't in the future (even to myself).
Dad liked to play video games in his bedroom, especially Zelda - A link to the Past, Yoshis Island and the Kings Quest Series. That's what introduced me into gaming on the SNES, later into gaming on the computer and later into my interest in computer science.
I'd like to call that my "Computer Island".
When entering the secondary modern school, I was, not trying to sound ignorant, the most intelligent of my class. I was fuckin' brilliant, makin' everything easy without even learning and correcting the teachers sometimes too. That sounds good but well, kids are assholes (and teachers too) so in my second year everyone started to bully me, especially my class teacher. That went so far that I started to intentionally make errors so I wasn't "that good". They especially bullied me when I had to make presentations cause I also was used to my dialect back then. I developed a speech defect and social anxiety.
That's my "School Island" I think.
Things went much better when I finally came to my desired Higher Technical Institute for Computer Science. I even discovered something new - computer music. What first started as a love for "hands up" - a techno genre more or less famous in Germany went on as a love for electronic music in general and I wanted to make this music, I so adored, too, so I got FL Studio and just started right ahead. This was 10 years ago (oh boy, I'm old) and I'm rather active in the bass music scene and made a lot of friends. I still can't really express my feelings via words to people thanks to my anxiety, but I can do it with my music.
That's my "Music Island"
rilekit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:48:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) When I was in elementary school, I had a half hour to clean my room, take a shower, and get dressed for bed. For every item on my floor at the end of the half hour, I got hit once. One night I'd gotten distracted, lost track of time, and realized I had seven minutes to shower, dry off, and get dressed. So I rushed out of my room, slammed my door, and heard all the items on my shelves hit the ground. I don't remember the beating, but I remember hearing that and knowing there was nothing I could do about what was coming.
2) In eighth grade, I had my first suicide attempt. Part of the reason was that at the end of eighth grade my friend group would be splitting up and I would be all alone again. I failed miserably at killing myself, got grounded, and my birthday party was canceled. My friends rallied around me and we had a mini birthday party at school.
3) In ninth grade, the senior I was infatuated with sat me down and asked if my stepdad was abusive. He was the first one to put it so bluntly and how I realized what happened at home wasn't normal and it wasn't my fault.
4) Meeting my older brother for the first time when I was eighteen (he was adopted and didn't find us until I was seventeen). I was so scared he wouldn't like me, but he did
5) Driving with my best friend to our friend's party at his step-dad's lakehouse. We had the music up loud, the windows down, and I felt completely free.
6) My first fight with my boyfriend a week after we moved in together. I was expecting him to tell me to get out of his house because I'd never had a fight with a significant other that didn't end in a breakup. He came into my room and we worked it out and it blew my mind.
7) Being told by his wife (we're polyamorous) that she'd rather be a single mom than put up with my depression anymore. We resolved the fight but I will probably never heal from that wound.
8) Going to the movies with my boyfriend, my girlfriend, and my best friend and feeling so unbelievably loved.
-My sister and I running toward each other at full speed and bumping our bellies together. We'd fall to the ground in a fit of giggles. She'd ALWAYS put her arms up and elbow me instead.
-My mom never showing up to pick us up. She always had some excuse. (Sad one.)
-When I graduated high school and seeing how proud my dad was of me. He's always proud, but he cried.
-When my fiancรฉ told me he loved me for the first time.
-The first time I heard my son cry. I had an emergency c section and the minute I heard him cry I started to shake uncontrollably and smile. The shaking has to do with the rush of hormones they say, but when they brought him over to me finally it went away long enough for me to touch him and kiss him. I will never forget that joy.
Running through the woods at about 11, feeling like I could fly as I ran and jumped over fallen trees and bushes - free, flying, one with the world... I never lost that feeling.
When I was little and still living in Jamaica, we lived on a house on the hill. My dad had planted a bunch of fruit trees in our backyard overlooking the ocean.
My favourite memory is waking up around 6AM saturday morning and eating cherries under the cherry tree. I sat there eating and watching the sun rise for a few minutes until my dad sat down next to me and told me how happy he was that I'm his son.
We're best friends and that was my earliest memory of just the two of us bonding.
I stole a Lisa frank pencil sharpener from a girls desk in first grade. My parents saw it and asked me where I got it from, so I lied and told them it was from the little store at my elementary school. This was the first time I remember lying to my parents and feeling bad about taking something that wasn't mine.
Coming home from our yearly Christmas Eve celebration with my dad's entire side of the family... we're talking nearly a literal hundred people. We'd all bundle into the cold minivan, and the I always got a window seat in the back. Dad'd turn on Christmas music, we'd all talk sleepily for a while, and then the entire back seat would lean to one side or the other, covered in blankets, and go to sleep.
Running a 3k run/walk event as fast as I could in 2nd grade because dad said I was too little to do the 5k with him and my older brother. I beat everyone in the 3k by several minutes (no one else was actually racing, but I didn't care), and dad said that he underestimated me.
Tripping a kid off a 5-foot wall back in second grade. I tried to bury and forget about that for years, so the detail are fuzzy, but the memory of the horror and shame I felt at seeing his bloody face come up off the concrete as his eyes locked with mine... I've never purposely hurt anyone again.
Watching my brother play this game on the computer for hours at a time. He always asked if I wanted to play, and I almost always declined; he was better, and watching was just fine with me.
Learning to swim in a pool at a resort in Thailand around 2001. I was 4 years old and just felt like I could do anything.
Walking out of my bedroom in the middle of the night because my parents we're arguing loudly at the top of the stairs, they divorced about 6 months later. That was 11 or 12 years ago now.
My first football practice during my exchange trip to the San Fernando Valley. I also remember sitting down when I was showering that night because the offensive line stance had destroyed my quads. Repeating the workout the next day and enduring the pain.
Telling a friend I made in the US that I loved him and that it felt like we we're brothers.
Three separate mental breakdowns, one that ended with protective custody and a full mental examination.
Telling my current girlfriend that I love her way too early in our relationship, and the various problems we've had in our relationship. Also a late night after heavy drinking I bawled my eyes out in front of a couple of friends because I thought she was going to break up with me.
Seeing my father cry for the first time after my grandmother passed away and holding his hand during the funeral.
my mother was a single mum and I was lawys one of the last kids to get picked up, because my mum had to work late and my grandparents weren't retired either. I remember feeling really sad sitting there with one of the teachers until 5 or 6 in the evening when everyone else had already left for hours
the other one was a few years later when I was already at school, but had to go to day care afterwards, because again, everyone in the family had to work. my mother had a boyfriend at that point who was supposed to pick me up after work that day. he didn't though, and I had to wait until 5 or 6 again before my mum came to pick me up, absolutely furious the guy forgot to pick me up, and was playing diablo 2 instead :(
Araama ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:50:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Singing Bohemian Rhapsody with my dad. I was the highs, he was the lows. As I got older, it turned out I was better at the lows. No problem-- he could sing the highs.
Getting to drive in the parking lot at my dad's facility.
Drawing enough pictures to cover the walls of my dad's cubicle at bring your daughter to work day.
We had sandrails (dune buggies) that we would take out to the Mesa every weekend.
The time I begged and pleaded for my dad to take off my cast. He went at it with a saw. I let my flapping hand hang out the window on the freeway home, grinning like the Cheshire cat.
When my best friend died in my arms, while I waited for an ambulance.
4 years old dribbling a basketball with my little fat hands while my family swims. I dibble off my foot and the ball goes in the water. I move close to the edge and reach for the ball until falling in. I remember splashing around trying to scream and see my oldest brother dive over my sister on the opposite side of the pool. I don't know how he got to me so fast. And that's how I got my fear of water!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:50:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
In elementary school, some of my "friends" singing "Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees" while pulling up the corners of their eyes. Didn't even know they were making fun of me until years later.
The day my mom told me she had late stage 3 lung cancer.
Good ones:
When I got into the law school of my choice with a partial scholarship, my dad cried and told me he was proud of me. It was the first time in my life he's actually said that. I know he's proud of me for many things, but he's never actually said those words until then.
When I was a kid, I used to fight (physically and verbally) with my older cousins quite a bit. I'm usually the one that runs off crying. The first time I made them run off crying was an achievement for me and I'm very proud of that moment.
The day that I finally stood up for my mom and myself against my maternal grandparents and aunt. Made me realize that I even though I'm related to them, I don't have to be apart of the toxic relationship and drama. And I think it made them realize that I have no respect for them just because they are my elders.
My dad holding me up to see the blooms of some giant sunflowers we had grown in our garden.
Going on "Daddy Dates" with my dad when I was really little. Usually we just went to McDonalds or for ice cream or something but I remember feeling really special and important.
Opening my lunchbox on the first day of school every year to find a post it or a little piece of paper with a smiley face and, "I love you," written on it from my mom.
Once after a really hard rain, the bed of my Dad's truck somehow stayed filled with water so my sister and I put on our bathing suits and went "swimming" (she was maybe 5, I was about 7).
The first time my now-husband asked me on a date, then when he asked me to be his girlfriend, and then when he proposed.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:51:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
sleepaway summer camp...
Partying in highschool when we found out someone's parents were away
producing music and listening to my own creation and actually liking it.
Cross country road trip from Vancouver to NYC with my brother, in a Mercedes SL55 AMG hard top convertable.... best 10 days of my life... we dipped south so that we didn't have to go across I-80 up north since i had driven that so many times having gone to school in Madison, WI... plus, we figured going south would let us see more interesting things, glacier national park, a lot of yellowstone, rushmore, devil's tower, and then once the scenic part of the trip ended, on to Kansas City to have 3 meals at the 3 most famous bbq joints... then over on up to pitt, went to a pirates game, great stadium, finally back to NY. Stayed at a giant cabin in the woods in St. Louis, someone we know has a friend who lives there, thing was built in the 1800s and is a horse ranch or something, felt so cool being there... man did i not want to get back to new york fucking city... i belong among the wild flower, i belong somewhere I feel free.
In wyoming we stayed at some ranch in a mountain, it was owned by the parents of the girl who's car it was (they are filthy rich, her car was in vancouver and she wanted it in NY so we offered to drive it back since we had always wanted to do a cross country road trip) Here's the funny part though.. her parents are so rich, they didn't even know the girl had bought this 130,000 dollar car. So we stayed with them, driving their own daughter's absurd car, and they didn't even know it was hers. we were so scared they might figure it out. But they were so nice and kind, the epitome of southern hospitality.
Just remembering sitting in the car driving, and all the smells, (kansas smells the best mate)... ugh, by far just the most fun thing in the history of my life... And I'm so depressed because i feel like I'll never have anything like that ever again. i have no one and it wouldn't be fun alone, plus everyone is grown up and mature now, no one would want to do that.
anyway, we went to a rodio, drank some wiskey every night, rolled our own cigarettes even though neither of us are smokers, listened to johnny cash as we drove through the mountains in the PNW... god damn, i feel like I'll never be able to do it again.... i feel like if i ever start dating again, a prerequisite for any girl will be that she needs to like road trips and want to do a cross country one with me at some point once we've been together for a while.
Zack_n3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hearing my mother and father argue every night about how are they going to pay the bills this month, how are they going to do this or that, etc. This continued on almost every other night from the time I was 12 to 14. Hearing them argue has made me more than obsessed with my finances, and how I view my financial situation. I am always trying to save and plan ahead so that I never have to wonder how I'm going to pay this bill or this one.
Volunteering at my local soup kitchen. This goes along with the one above. I thought I had it the worst with my parents fighting over bills but we always had food on the table. Volunteering made me realize some aren't even that lucky.
Going to nationals for wrestling. It felt like the crescendo to my life, as if nothing would ever be better. I will never forget the moment I walked into the arena and later on the main floor - looking around and seeing the bright vibrant lights, the cameras flashing, and hearing the screams of pain, victory, defeat. I felt like a modern day gladiator in the coliseum.
juloxx ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Deciding not to give up and die when going through chemo.
The first time my daughter and I connected at all. Babies are horrible, but I still remember the first time I put her down on her playmat and she reached for me, asking in her baby way for me to play with her some more. Lots of other memories with her, but that sticks out.
Similarly, getting my son to laugh for the first time.
The conversation where my then girlfriend told me she loved me for the first time. Been married 6 years now.
Making fun of a bully who was picking on one of my friends. He got mad and pushed me, and I just laughed in his face (he was a lot smaller than I was). Still can't stand bullies.
A previous job, hanging out with coworkers working on some random nonurgent stuff with the World Cup in the background, laughing and joking while getting work done.
Seeing the Star Wars theatrical rerelease special edition for my birthday. When my two friends and I got to the theater, it was packed, but we found 3 seats, dead center front row. It was awesome.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nearly dying, along with my mother, because we went too far out on the mud in a dock and got stuck. I managed to pull my way out, but my mum needed rescuing by other people.
Really great question OP. It really made me think about what events and memories have helped shaped and define me.
1:
Following my mom and dads divorce my mom brought us back to the city I was originally born and where my dad was from. My dad originally didn't move back because he couldn't find work here and spent the next 4 years working in other cities. When he came back he wanted shared custody, and thought mum was blocking us (she was good though, she just told us to say what we actually wanted). So him and his lawyers got together one day and asked my brother and I what we wanted, I told them I wanted what we were doing then, mum during the week, dad on weekends. They didn't like that and I remember one of them saying "Well he's a kid, he doesn't know what he wants"and everyone else nodded and agreed. I was probably 8 or 9 at the time but remember being super angry about it. They asked for my opinion to try and get their way, but as soon as I didn't agree they brushed me off. To this day I hate being completely ignored or used like that.
2:
Back when I was 10 I was playing Aussie rules in my local league and my brother was just old enough to start playing sport. He chose to take up soccer though, and went out for the signup day for the team a lot of people from our school were playing for. I tagged along and then went and joined in on the kids playing from my age group. Seeing as they were short of players they asked me to join the team which I did and I eventually dropped out of Aussie rules and my love affair with soccer began.
3:
The latest one: A year and a half ago or so when my little one was just starting to really talk and string words together. I knew I loved being a dad and had always wanted to be one and have a family, but having her so young and the mental health issues that both my SO and I suffered through really made that first year tough especially. Anyway my SO calls me up and tells me that our daughter had something to say to me, she puts her on and my little one says " I love you Dadda." It hit me like a bullet, I immediately choked up and this overwhealming feeling of happiness overcame me. Hearing her say that for the first time really made me realise how special being a dad was to me, it wasn't just that I loved her and enjoyed being dad but that she loved me and needed me and that I was that special person to her. It's something really amazing.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Blue - I was rushed to the hospital after collapsing on my 17th birthday, just after my party ended. Turned out to have Type 1 Diabetes and my blood sugar was at about 900. Don't really remember much about that entire day, but waking up in the hospital bed the next day and being told I had an incurable disease was definitely a low point.
Red/Blue - This was a recent one. I'm 24 now, still living with my parents who're both in their late 50s. My brother and sister weren't home yet from college, and I had the entire upstairs to myself. My cat had been sleeping in my room with me and suddenly pawed at my face and woke me up, which he never does. I got out of bed and followed him to the top of the stairs and he just sat down and looked up at me. That's when I heard my parents talking to each other in the family room, their voices floating down the hallway and up the stairs to me.
They were talking about how I was such a huge disappointment to them, and that they didn't believe I'd ever measure up to anything in life. I just sort of sat down on the steps and my cat jumped into my lap. I listened to them talk about me for a good thirty minutes, and the whole time, tears were falling down my cheeks and I was believing what they were saying. I still kind of believe it now.
Yellow - Finding out that I'd been selected to work at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games as a broadcast production runner and utilities worker. I was still in college and it counted as a paid internship, and I got to take a month off from school with no penalty.
Green/Yellow - Finding out my little brother had gotten a job with a starting salary of $60,000 before he'd even graduated college. I was so incredibly proud of him, and so incredibly jealous at the same time.
Purple - Looking out of a small airplane door as I was 14,000 feet above ground, tethered to another man's stomach, just before we both leaded forward and fell towards the ground. After that moment, the whole fall was definitely a yellow memory.
I hate my sister. One time at a family party she got stung by a bee on her foot and she couldn't walk, so instead of enjoying her misery I carried her inside to get fixed up. Not much but she was less of a pain in the ass after that.
Went hunting with my stepdad. I don't particularly enjoy hunting, and it ended up being a lackluster trip, until we were leaving and I saw a massive rattlesnake heading towards my grandpa's house. I instinctively pulled out my shotgun and blew its head off. I was young so I didn't have the humane mindset I have today. But my stepdad was always buggering me to be more manly, so he got his wish, and he proceeded to show off what I did to everyone in our neighborhood like I was a hero. It really helped with my self-esteem at the time.
My parents got divorced when I was young, so I never saw my father much. I was never "privileged" either, so I was happy with anything I got, although I never got much. I had to act cool at school while everyone else bragged about having all the new game consoles or whatever else was cool to have in the 90's. My father drives down to hangout for a week (he lives on the opposite side of the country), and he buys me so many Pokemon cards that I then had more than any of my friends. It just happened to be the release of a new batch (Team Rocket I think?), so I was the cool kid with new stuff for a week or so. Of course I never got rid of those cards. Since then I've bonded more with my father and I regret not growing up with him, although I didn't really have a choice.
The only recreational sport I played when I was young was church basketball. Our team sucked, because most of the kids at our church were from the nearby "impoverished" area of town, so every year the "privileged" churches dominated. My stepdad always went off about how good of a coach he'd be (at any sport), so one year I suggested he coach our team. He did, and he made us work our asses off, and we went to the championship. We lost (to guess who), but it was still awesome that we made it further than we ever did before (and ever have since then) and got our moment to shine for a change. The championship was at the high school so everyone was there and I got to hear about it the following week at school.
The day I met my buddy Jim. He lived behind me, meaning our backyards met at this little wire fence. We put an old slide over it so we could climb over and play and what not. We would meet each other there everyday after school. One day I went to meet him, and he wasn't there. I waited for about twenty minutes and my mom came out there with tears streaming down her face. She told me that Jim had been in a car accident on the way home from school that day and wouldn't be able to play anymore. That one took quite a toll on 8 year old me.
Now for a happy one. We used to have this cabin in the Blue Ridge mountains, and we would spend our summers up there. One time I started climbing the mountain our cabin sat on. I usually stopped about a hundred yards from the house, but I had just gotten a new bb gun, so I was pretty much invincible. I walked and walked until I reached what I guess you could call the peak, and it opened up to one of the most beautiful views I had ever seen. Gave me a great appreciation for nature that I still have today.
One day when I was in middle school I got called to the front office, which i thought was a death sentence since my school was pretty strict on things, and I wasn't very well behaved. I got there and my dad was waiting for me to check me out claiming something "very serious" was happening. We got in the car and I asked what was so serious, and he said "Nothing, its too pretty of a day to spend it all inside, we're going to the golf course." So we went and played golf and he gave me my first beer. One of the best days of my life for sure.
Growing up until I was 6 in a European country and then moving to the US. Just the simple things of walking to school, taking the tram down town to see my dad at work, walking to the grocery store with my mom, walking to the outdoor pool place in summer. Then moving to the suburbs in the US with shitty rotten kids, and having to drive everywhere with no real downtown, the core memories became more depressing.
My memory takes place in South Dakota, I would visit there every year or so with my dad to visit my family down there. I would wake up every morning to the smell of pancakes being cooked by my grandma. She passed away about 4 years ago, but I always think of her when I make pancakes.
Cape Hatteras near the point. Sometimes a lagoon will form due to the tides and the sand constantly moving. I was 10 and just got done surfing when I decided to go into the lagoon. Walked in and it got to about waist high for me when a small shark (4ftish?) Swam right by me. Freaked out and ran my ass back to shore.
I've seen sharks before but that's when I'm on my surfboard so I feel more comfortable but when my body was submerged under the water that's when I feel uneasy.
I was a wild (not really) kindergartener, so these are my earliest ones.
Getting caught for stealing a ring pop because I wanted two candies and chose the nerds instead, but snuck the other one out. Moral learned: don't flaunt your loot, keep that stuff quiet
Lied about having seahorses as pets and that I could give a kid some. Their mom eventually called mine asking about it and I had to say sorry. Moral learned: never tell a lie that can be found out in a simple phone call.
during a bathroom break, stay a little longer with other girl to clean up a bunch of the paper towels thrown on the floor and make the place nice. End up being a few minutes late to class again and getting yelled at by the teacher. Moral learned: doing a good deed doesn't always end in reward
Just one really, because it defined my life so much.
I'm 7 and mom leaves me in the local library with a pile of books and says, "I'll be back in a bit.", kisses my cheek and heads out. Never saw her again.
-When my parents first separated my mom called me to see if I wanted to live with her at my grandmothers. My dad was next to me whispering, "No...no", and walked away with tears after I said yes.
-We had a tropical storm, and the ditch in my backyard flooded. My friend's dad brought over a boogie board and a bunch of resistance bands tied together. One person would lay down on the board, someone would hold their ankles, and his dad would stretch out the chain forward so when they let go of your ankles, you would fly down the ditch. By far on of my favorite memories.
-Just being around my family at my grandfather's funeral really showed me the love and support that's supposed to be here during the tough times.
-Playing lead trumpet in a mass ensabmle piece in a full Albert Hall with over 130 musicians on stage and my solo ringing out over them all.
-All my many family holidays to the same beach in cornwall
-A 3 week holiday to Malaysia, going from the busy streets of Kuala Lumpur to watching 1000+ fireflies meet at a particular tree in the dead of night, their lights pulsating in time
-Music tour to Germany, where I earned โฌ150 in an hour playing improv Jazz outside Mozart birthplace, the street erupting in applause as me and the other trumpet nail a Super C
-Friday 13 Bataclan, Pulse Nightclub. Those both hit home
-When the Malaysian Airlines plane was shot down over Ukraine a few hours after we traveled the exact same route. I was a plane flight from death.
Playing pretty pretty princess with my father.
Going to disney world and having dinner the princesses
Going on a disney cruise and having brunch with chip and dale
My dog being put down and turned to ash when i was in 5th grade
Going to the "new" Wendy's with my grandpa, while grandma thought we were shopping for a power washer
Going to cosmetology class with my mom when she couldn't find a sitter and getting a full makeover (and loved it!) because the teacher wanted to keep me busy
The "heartbreak" of catching my dad smoking weed when I was 7, then awesomeness smoking it with him about 10 years later
-Watching my older brother play video games and pretending to care by asking questions, I really just wanted to spend time with him
kuhore ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:55:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Driving from Norway to Greece with my mother,dad and brother every summer (I am half and half). Playing games, telling stories and listening to dads
tape on the radio/tape player and off course getting stuck in stau.
The year I moved from Norway to Greece.
First time i watched the episode "Godfellas" from Futurama.
When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all
The summer i discovered the magical Island of Gavdos and fell in love with the love of my life.
The year i moved back to Norway and "lost" the love of my life. (she followed but left half a year later because she could not stand Norway and i had nothing to move back to In Greece and had no future there).
The time I did a volunteering program in Northern Thailand involving saving mistreated elephants and living with a poor Karen Tribe in the Jungle.
I've only been a physician for a little over a year now, but I feel like every single one of my core memories has been related to my patients or medical school. It's like they've replaced me with someone new.
1- Finding out that a very close friend I had expressed feelings for but whom didn't return them, had hooked up with my roommate while I was on interviews, and feeling the rage build up, calmly having a discussion with my roommate instead to get the information of the whole story, and then walking it off at night. I knew he wasn't mine, but the fact that she would callously talk behind his back, was already dating 3 other men, then went after the one sore spot I had, was maddening. I found myself at a CVS and bought a pack of razor blades, and just kind of turned them over in my fingers, thinking about how many patients I had had who had resorted to that, how much darker a place they must have been in their own times to use those, and then put up all the blades in the utility drawer. I had called a friend that night, who was good to talk to. But I never told anyone about the blades because I was embarrassed that I felt compulsed to buy them even though I never took them out of the package until later for something completely unrelated.
2- A patient I cared for on the Liver service as a medical student. I had her for the entire month I was on that team. I'll never forget her name. She wasn't going to get a transplant because she was still addicted to alcohol, and she was so far gone into liver failure that her estimated life expectancy was going to be 2-3 months shy of even making it to the length of sobriety needed to be put on the waiting list. No one visited her, because her own husband also had alcohol addiction and couldn't drive. She was encephalopathic, confused, and cried most days after my rounding was done because she was scared, and my face was one of the few she came to recognize. But if you talked to her, she drank because she was abused as a child, started early, and then never had the support to quit. This was a huge reason I went into psychiatry.
3- Working nights in the psych emergency room by myself as an intern. Had a patient threaten to kill "the first person I see", heavily insinuating that would be me, with the steak knife he snuck into his bag. Being so tired, that it only half registered with me the emotional intensity of the situation, and I just deadpanned turned around and got security to take it away from him. Then within the following week when I returned to the inpatient unit, a patient visitor was making a scene to threaten legally if they couldn't visit their loved one before visiting hours. Also the loved one never specified them as someone we could communicate with. They gave the whole inflammatory bit, "I brought my lawyer", "What kind of medical school did you train at?", "this staff is incompetent" etc. My medical student was flustered to all hell, the nurses were all flustered to hell, and I...honestly, the drama rolled straight off my back. Whatever, someone threatened to murder me last week and you're not packing a steak knife. It puts things in perspective. I showed them how to do things properly, didn't give them special treatment, didn't raise my voice, and sent them on their way. It was that point I felt like I transitioned into being a doctor instead of just someone who graduated from medical school. Also...who the hell threatens legal action for not breaking the rules for them? That is just going to make me follow protocol THAT much more tightly.
4- The moments when things click, you and the patient are speaking the same language with the same slang, and things are real. And while the room is filled with heaviness, you see that this moment is when they recognize what is there, that you can see it too, that you're ok with it, and because of that, they can accept it too. Marks the time when people finally have their turn around, and dig into what they need to do. Seems like half of my best heart to hearts are spent with me sitting directly on the floor with someone refusing to get out of those low lying beds. But I've basically sworn off skirts and dresses for that reason, because you never know when you're going to need to get low enough to look someone eye to eye, and listen in a way they know you hear them.
5- The ever deepening definition for how bad someone can get. That's a revolving door. So far, I have not found anyone who is more psychotic than someone eating dirty toilet paper out of their handbag. Walking into a situation so insane that once you're out of it, you can only laugh at yourself. Giving that knowing look to your nurse of "I've got you. You need something?" Getting the same one in return, and laughing about it later.
6 - Almost forgot. Jumping in with a team of 6-7 people to hold a young woman down who was actively trying to strangle herself using the gurney as leverage, by taking off her clothes to use as makeshift rope. While she was screaming and crying, me telling her that we would keep her safe while the nurses drew up sedating drugs, and then placing her under leather restraints, but even then she was biting hard on the metal buckles and we were doing everything we could to keep her from killing herself/hurting herself further. She was really strong. Dead set on dying. I can only imagine how traumatic the situation was for her to be put in restraints and given injections, but we weren't going to let her kill herself in the hospital. I threw my neck out for 2-3 weeks after that, and my station was this pharmaceutical grab bag of ibuprofen, Tylenol, and tiger balm. But it was worth it.
If you asked me what my core memories would have been years ago they would have been completely different, and many of them much more positive sounding. But while medicine has a way of taking over your life, I'm very privileged to have these experiences at all.
I don't have many memories before I was 13 anymore, but these are what stuck with me.
Playing around in the pool one holiday in Spain. We would jump at dad and he would flip us into the pool while mum took photos. I burn really easily and I remember this bright yellow t-shirt I wore over my swimming costume.
Meeting my best friend in reception class. Immediate connection with her. We were paired up for something, i don't remember what, I just remember laughing. Still my best friend years layer.
My sister, who at the time I thought hated me in the way 9 year olds do, chasing my bully around the playground for making me cry. This is important to me not just because she protected me, but that year she went to secondary school and my cousin became my protector, then he went too, and I have a connected memory of a boy picking on me, and pushing me, so I pushed him into a dustbin. Not saying it was the right thing, but they taught me to stand up for myself.
My dad saying 'just because they are related to you doesn't mean they aren't toxic'. He was explaining why we don't see some family members aa he had cut them out, yet his ex step mother (divorced before I was born) was still just grandma. 'if they act like family, they will be treated as family'.
My SO randomly saying 'i love going through life with you'. It was completely out of the blue, coming out of a supermarket or something and I made him laugh. It made me melt completely. I had decided I was going to go through life alone due to a past abusive relationship and my disability, and I frequently feel like a burden in the relationship, so having him say that made me feel like someone could enjoy being in a relationship with me.
Reading through these I feel very lucky. There are a few bad ones I can think of, but they have nothing to do with family except when I had them to rely on in bad times, which makes me feel lucky to have them.
When I was a child I had really sever like in almost life threateningly bad asthma. I was in the hospital more than a few times. My parents got divorced when I was 6 and to be honest their marriage was so bad that to this day I think it would have been better if they never met. Add to that lot that fir dime reason my reading ability shot through the roof starting in 2nd grade. This meant from early on my parents could not relate well with me. All of that is set up for context, lonely smart kid without any warm family relationships.
So when I was 12 I had a really bad asthma attack. My doc had told me for a really bad attack to take half of 1 of my pills every hour to clear it. After fighting to breath after 5 hours my mom finally took me to the emergency room. When I got there I started to convulse sky they strapped me down. I was told as I fought for each breath that my lips and finger tips were turning blue, I was too busy not passing out and fighting to sit still.
Then a nurse came in with what looked like a 5" long and big ass needle and says they have to take blood gasses, this means they have to draw from an artery which are surrounded by muscule. I was told it was one of the most painful blood draws. Know here I am, 12, in the emergency room, strapped down to keep my convulsions under control, fighting to pretty much live, looking at the biggest needle I had ever seen coming for my arm. It was at this point my moms aid she could nor deal and walked out to leave me alone.
That was not the worst or core of it. I later found my doc was really wrong, the med dose age he told me to take was the same dose a full grown man would take for a week, so I also OD'd on asthma meds. I was also really dehydrated so they had me admitted for 8 days. I had an IV in each arm, O2 tube to my nose and EKG leads to monitor my heart. I was not allowed out of bed for 4 of those 8 days. Sine my mom was divorced she had to work to support us 3 kids so I was alone mostly but since I read a lot I could cope. But the nurses always love me for some reason. They made a sign for my room door an such.
Well one time my mom was there to visit and after a nurse brought me dinner my mom started going off on me. She said I was faking being so ill and that I was doing it for the attention from the nurses. It just destroyed me and to this day I believe it woke me to a harsh reality.
Even my older sister admits our mother had issues with me due to no actions if my own. My sister has 2 boys and has told me more than once that remembering how our mother treated me make her cry when she looks at her own boys. I also think the shit relationship I had with my family is why I don't connect with people.
Core memories are important in and of themselves but the follow-up question is: what part of your personality do they form? Which islands formed as a result of these core memories?
I have a core memory from my early 20's. Without going into a whole lot of detail, I got into an argument with the owner of the company I worked for. My co-worker went in and talked with him. Turned out the owner thought I was in my mid-30's and ought to have known better. We had a very fatherly-type discussion. One key point which I haven't forgotten is that if you want to put something on paper, you must be willing to put your name to it. That memory formed my island of business integrity -- don't say anything, don't do anything to ruin your name, and if you feel strongly enough about it to write it down, sign your name. There have been many times where I've thought "I'll leave an anonymous note" and I come back to this. Either I leave a note with my name or I don't at all.
Haven't seen the film so I'm not sure what a core memory is, but I'll take a whack at it.
For whatever reason I have a very strong memory of not wanting to eat my Lima beans at dinner one night. This was a pretty average dinner, pretty much like every other dinner even the Lima beans, but for whatever reason this particular dinner stands out. I remember being told to eat my Lima beans and then yelling that I didn't want to. I was at this point told that I'd have to sit at the table all night if I didn't eat them. I then promptly got up and ran in to the living room. Now from this point on the memory is from the point of view of someone else like in third person. I ran into the living room which was very dark and I just stood there in the middle of the living room.
And that's all I remember from that night. I don't remember going to bed, a spanking for being a little shit, playing after dinner, being called back to eat the Lima beans, nothing.
Finding out my MCAT score. There were many other smaller moments in the years that went into applying for medical school, but this was the pivotal one that stuck around as a core memory because it was a solid enough score that I knew going to medical school was a real possibility. I remember calling my dad and spending the rest of that afternoon sitting with my then-girlfriend in front of our school's library talking about our life plans. She knew I didn't like spontaneity, but she insisted to take me out to dinner that night. Nothing fancy at dinner, but I just remember that day well.
When that girlfriend and I moved in together when I started medical school. We were so happy we were living together. We also found a place that allowed pets, so we adopted two kitties. We were both so happy, I can still remember the first time we visited the apartment to check it out, the first time we entered the apartment as new tenants, how the manager left a welcome gift basket and she was so excited by that.
When that girlfriend and I came back from our respective winter holidays and decided to take a break. That break never ended, it's been two and a half years.
In my psychology class, we learned about anticipated memories. Here's an anticipated core memory:
My medical school graduation next year. Society will grant me the privilege to do things to people that most other people can't. As one doctor put it: "you wake up every morning doing the job you've been dreaming of doing for years."
The first time I saw my favorite band in concert. They're a legendary metal band, and I was able to get right up in front, my arms dangling over the railing. The stage was in-the-round, and it felt like I was at the center of the universe for three hours. I was in awe, so close to my heroes that I could see the sweat drip off their nose, could see the color of their eyes, feel the burn of the pyro when it went off. I shouted along to every word- it was a quasi-religious experience.
My dad tickling me to within inches of death when I was young. I would pick a fight with him, jumping on his back or poking his belly. And he would pin me down and tickle me until I couldn't breathe. I would be gasping for air, sides aching, face turning red and legs kicking. But my dad would keep going until I almost passed out. When he finally stopped, I would catch my breath for about thirty seconds, then pop right back up and jump on him again.
Christmas at my grandparent's house as a kid. When all the presents had been opened, my grandpa would just throw all the wrapping paper and empty boxes into a big pile, and my cousin and I would dive in and thrash about, tunneling through and popping up for photo ops. There's a video of us doing it one year, and it's as though pure joy was captured on film.
When I was in 5th grade, we voted to give each other awards at the end of the year. There were a lot of awards, so that every kid would end up getting at least one. I ended up getting two. At the time, I was more taken with the "Best Hair- Boy" award, because I spent so much time every morning working on the gelled up, frosted-tipped porcupine spikes on top of my head. Only later in life, when I realized how reserved and shy I had been as a kid, did I appreciate the other award I got: "Born Leader." I think other people saw things inside of me that I couldn't see at the time. I still try to live up to that award to this day.
The day I met her. It was supposed to be a quick coffee date- neither of us expected to sit in that little booth for over four hours. But we fit together right away, like two adjacent puzzle pieces. She was leaving for a business trip in two days and asked for a second date the very next day, and I said yes (and that one was almost as long as the first one.) We're still together three years later.
There you go. The five best moments of my... sorry excuse for a life. My greatest hits.
playing super nintendo games in the basement in the dark with my mom and brother when i was really young.
getting glass in my foot around the same age.
when me and the girl i would go on to love for the rest of my life confessed to each other on the way home from seeing the first harry potter in theaters, she said to her mother "hey, we know we like each other, can we kiss now?" unfortunately due to circumstances out of my control we lost contact and drifted apart.
mastering sonic adventure 1 and 2 as well as the classic games (i was better at adventure which is why i named them first)
meeting my best friend in 6th grade (still my best friend). i thought i'd hate him but he managed to break the ice and my preconceptions.
being told my drawing sucked by my role model and friend. it hurt at the time but eventually i came to realize how right he was and started trying to improve in earnest.
my mom used to sing me and my brother to sleep and i would always start crying at "my little sunshine" because it was about losing someone you love and i always thought i was losing my mother when she sang it (i was very young)
One of the most core memories in my childhood is sitting down with my fairest friends on my next door neighbor's couch. We would plop down and engage in endless hours or Mario Kart 64, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, and Black and White. We spent the night on his floor and one night I can recall throwing up because I ate too many pizza rolls. Good times.
Another memory of mine is fairly recent. My first winter formal date was probably one of the first girls I ever liked. She broke up with me on the same night, while the song "Shut Up And Dance" by WALK THE MOON was playing. Not my best memory.
Besides having being flaked by the girl like, when I was 6 to 7 years old, I saw snow for the first time in my bustling, weather confused city of Memphis, TN. It was magical. The river behind my house froze and the tree that fell over the crevice of it become crossable. That day, my other next door neighbor's brother tried to cross it, and the whole thing snapped in half when he got halfway down the trunk. Luckily he wasn't hurt too bad, but he did fall through the frozen river. As a 7 year old, It was the funniest thing to see.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:00:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
my earliest memory is of me sitting in the back of a tonka dump truck and my brother pushing me around the house. i probably have more memories of my childhood which involve my brother than anyone else. even though we don't see each other or talk as frequently, and have vastly different personalities, it is those memories (for both of us) that keep a pretty tight bond. he might be the only human on the planet i feel is truly dependable.
within my first month of going to college, i remember my step-dad calling me to tell me how the intervention went with my mom. she stormed out in the middle of the night, drunk, and disappeared for 2 weeks. this was the catalyst for their divorce and the first time i felt like i didn't have a home, which is something i still struggle with.
this was only a few years ago, but i was with my grandmother the moment she received the call that my grandfather had passed. he was physically and mentally disabled because of an aneurysm & stroke - she was his sole caretaker in those conditions for 20 years. when she hung up the phone she kind of fell into my chest and i hugged her. we are not a physically affectionate family, but this has shaped me because it represented a paradigm shift. she has taken care of everyone, her whole life, but now she needs to be taken care and in many ways it will be up to me to make sure that happens.
my first, real, live concert was pink floyd, the division bell tour. i was pretty young but just old enough to appreciate it. i think more than anything this was the biggest contributing factor to my love of music because it's the first time i really wanted to explore everything a band had to offer. truly an awesome experience and i'm thankful my parents wanted to bring me.
DFullz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:00:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hopped in the back of my moms blue mini van after a day of preschool. She was early and a lot of my classmates were still waiting by the curb. My teacher was going to slide the door shut so my mom didn't have to get out the car, but I hadn't even said bye to my friends yet! I waved like any child would, full arm extension, and my teacher slid the car door right on my arm.
when i was very young, probably 4 or 5, my family used to go to church. it was my immediate family plus my aunt, uncle, and two cousins. a new church was being built, so for two years, mass was held in a local high school cafeteria. the floors were made of that tile that is in every high school, light gray and slick. being the young child i was, i was bored during mass. i had brought some marbles in the pocket of my dress. i was fiddling with a large, shiny purple marble with a gengar (pokemon) on it during a prayer, and it slipped from my hands. the marble bounced all the way to the front and rolled to the priest. everyone started to laugh and i was absolutely mortified. i tried to play it off that it was my brother. the priest made a joke to diffuse the situation, but the damage was done. my face was beet red, i was incredibly embarrassed, and i lost my favorite marble. my dad put his arm around me in comfort and let me hide in his jacket. when it was time to receive communion, we walked up and got the jesus wafer, and he casually went to the platform where the priest had placed the marble and slipped it in his pocket. the priest made a comment towards the end of mass that the marble had vanished, and my dad quickly squeezed my hand to reassure me. to this day, my dad is the kind of man who has always taken care of me when i need him most. his support has made me a much better person, that is definitely one of my most vivid memories.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
When I was very young, my grandmother owned a horse farm and my family would go visit every weekend. We spent so much time there that it was like a home away from normal suburban life for me. Some of my best memories are from that time: first learning to ride a horse, sitting in the summer grass under the tall tree in the front yard, picking out kittens to adopt when the barn cat population got out of hand, jumping in puddles even though my mom told me not to, that kind of thing. But by far the most vivid memory was leaving after one wintery evening we spent at her farm for Christmas. It was late at night, so it was very dark and cold outside contrasted with the warm interior. I remember clearly how I stepped outside and there was just deafening silence. It was the only farm for miles in either direction, so the whole area was completely dark except for our house, which glowed brightly in the darkness. I could see the Christmas tree inside from the car as we were preparing to leave. As my dad drove us away to go home, I turned around to watch the beacon of light slowly shrink and then finally disappear. It was just a small moment in time, but it sticks in my mind as a symbol of what that farm meant to me. It was family, and it was home. Unfortunately my grandmother got rid of it a few years later, and they ended up selling my first horse out from under me without telling me first.
My grandma and I visiting my dad at the halfway house when I was 3/4 and him lifting me up to the basketball hoop so I could shoot it. My only positive memory of him.
The night my son was born, my first thought was, "he's going to know my voice". Because I wouldn't recognize my dad's voice if he called today.
The night my grandpa died. He was in home hospice and we knew he had maybe hours left, i asked him why he never apologized for what he did to my grandma. He wasn't conscious enough to answer or even hear me I don't think.
This was very cathartic, thank you OP. ...I should make some yellow memories.
Myself an 3 best friends setting off our first fireworks as kids; unsupervised and totally illegally. Watching from the shed roof and feeling the boom in our chests when they exploded.
First time I went camping ever, in the bush with friends. Falling asleep in the tent with everyones dogs piled up beside us. Nearly having a heart attack when a kangaroo got into the rubbish we left outside.
Seeing Les Mis in Brisbane with my dad. It was my first time in a theatre.
When my little bro and I broke off the bathroom door while messing around and had to try and put it back on - all the while, mum was sitting in the next room over. Took like an hour. We had to be so quiet about it.
Bringing home my first puppy on my 13th birthday.
One New Years with my brother, my best friend, and his sister. We put on a sparkler bomb show for some young kids we met on the beach. Their mum was so grateful because she wasn't able to get them to a proper firework show. We'd been working on those sparkler bombs for hours that day - we all had burnt and blistered fingers. We all agreed it was 100% worth it.
Riding on the back of a quad bike with my best friend, he was driving and I was clinging on for dear life. Screaming "LOOK OUT FOR THE TREE" before promptly being smacked in the face by a low branch. Him trying to help clean the blood off my face before my parents showed up. I remember them showing up earlier than expected, and hearing him say "Oh yeah, she tripped and fell like an idiot".
Overhearing my parents saying they were going to get me a decent mobile phone (my first one!!) for my birthday because I never asked for anything other than novels and sketchbooks.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The only one I can really think of that changed me a lot was fairly recent, about a year ago. It really changed how I felt about relationships, and what I wanted out of one.
At a college party (only like 10 of us). And by college, I mean UK version. Everyone was asleep, and I was on this sofa with a girl I liked. We did some grinding, but the core memory is the just cuddling her.
Bear in mind I've been single most of my 19 years, and not really been fussed about it. Now I keep thinking back to that, and really wish I had someone to cuddle with. And honestly, I would rather that and watching a movie and just generally hanging out to sex.
New birthday bike. 10-speed. Was told, "whatever you do, don't pedal backwards". But all the cool kids did the pedaling backwards, so I did. Chain came off, got stuck in sprocket, thought I'd ruined it in the first ten minutes.
Falling off open garage door when it closed. Climbed up from the roof of the car. Waking up on the couch.
Getting chased home by the neighbor's pet crow.
Walking through the vacant lot behind local businesses on the way home from school. 7 years-old. Pass a guy on a smoke break behind the diner. I look at him. He looks back, and says, "Fuck you."
Hitting the gold ball when my grandmother asks me to wait. Hit her right in the leg so hard she fell down.
Smoking in the woods with my friend's older cousin.
Moon Landing. Hours and hours and hours of pre-launch boredom.
Getting told I would be going to boarding school because my grades were bad.
Hitting Miguel over the head with my cast, and him calling me, "cabron".
Eating government peanut butter with my first "girl friend". She lived in a literal shack. Told I could not see her anymore, probably because she lived in a shack.
Accidentally drinking bubble blowing liquid. Then running into the nice 90 year-old lady from the other dead end street for the first time. She was really sweet to me.
At the age of 18, I went on a trip from Denmark to Peru to climp Huascaran. I had never been on a trip without my parents before hand and I had never been so far from home. The whole trip were exciting, but i felt for the first time in my life that I accomplished something when standing up on the top of this 6768 meters high mountain.
I didn't have many friends in primary or secondary school in Denmark and after I finished, did I go to a boarding school to do what i liked, playing handball. In this year did I experience real friends for the first time who wanted to play my favorite sport with me and wanted to hang out with me, like I never had experienced before. And on the last day where my parents picked me up it just hit me, and hit me hard. I didn't wanted to go, and I just busted into tears because I knew what felt like a dream ended that day.
This last one am I still trying to process since it happened not long ago. I had taken the flight to visit my grandparents to help my grandpar preparing his boat so he could sell it. My father were allready there helping out and we were done quickly. After dinner did my grandmother server coffee and we started to talk. Out of nowhere do my grandpar start to talk about a rise of thieves in their city and what he thinks about that. It were mostly my father and grandfather whom talked but i joined in a few times. I tried to tell my grandfather that he could not just compare his youth to mine because of multiple reasons such as media, high density of people etc. After one of my comments were I told by my grandfather that I were a irresponsible, lazy and that I were better knowing which he didn't like. I have through my whole childhood and youth looked up to this man... And that sentence hit me so hard that I on the evening didn't knew what to say or do. It ended up me confronting him with it asking why he thought so. To where he just answered that's how I were and he didn't want to comment on it and left. I left the house and went for a 5 km walk to think. And I'm still thinking 4 months after.
Sorry for the my bad writing, the last one became longer than expected, but it felt good to get it out on writing somehow.
Camping.
During the summers I spent the whole vacation exploring 150 acres of woods behind my house. I also had a three acre yard that I could shoot guns in since we didn't have neighbors.
I resented my parents for living out in the middle of nowhere because I thought being in town would have made me happier. Now I want nothing more than to more than to get out of the city and find a house somewhere in nature and not have any neighbors.
Living on the east coast. My mother has all of us pack into a tight closet in our house because there is a storm outside. She begins having us all pray that the storm will "dissipate".
I don't remember how old I was at this time, but it was before I was in school. I am at the park with my family, and I am eating a sucker. "Don't let go of the stick, or you could choke on it." My mother had told me. I saw a bunch of tiny golf courses a small distance away from the playground. (plastic kiddie putting set sort of things.) 12 or so of them all in a row. I ask my mom if I can play golf, and she said to go ahead, but i couldn't go over there with my sucker. I have her hold it while I happily run over there. I begin to hit every golf ball into the hole on each of the toys in a row. I had about 4 more to go when a woman put her had on my shoulder, "Where are your parents at?" she asked. I panicked, having heard that strangers that ask that are trying to steal you. I scream and run back to my mom. I'm about to tell her that someone tried to steal me, when I see that she is eating my sucker. Chewing on it. I start crying and trying to say everything at once, and she just keeps asking "What's wrong?"
Driving home from my grandparents house. We are headed directly into a front of rather dark clouds. I can hear my mom panicking, telling my dad to turn the car around. "We'll just spend the night here and leave early tomorrow." I was convinced that we were going to die.
Family camping trip with my grandparents. We all went fishing, and I wanted to catch something big, so I had my dad get blood-based catfish bait. (there were almost definitely no catfish in the little stream we were fishing in, but he got it for me anyway.) i woke up the morning after we had gone fishing to find that raccoons had torn the bag open and stolen the rest of the bait. My dad pointed out their tracks to me, and showed me their claw marks on the bag.
Going with my dad to run our beagle. He hunted rabbits with them, and went to competitions, so we did this frequently. He saw a coyote nearby, so he called our beagle back and told me and my siblings to talk loudly until we got to the car. "Coyotes will go after beagles, but they are afraid of us. I've never seen one out in broad daylight like this before. Not in town."
I come home from school one day in third grade. My dad is still at work. I tell my mom that I've got a crush on a girl (my first crush). She begins relentlessly teasing me about it, getting my brothers and my sister to join her. My brother (one year younger than me) had admitted to liking girls multiple times and never been teased like that. Whenever a girl was brought up around my mom after that, she would try and start up the teasing again.
My dad taking me and my older brother to see Jurassic Park 3. We had been obsessed with dinosaurs because of the first 2. We hadn't hardly noticed the fact that the movies were meant to be in the horror variety, because we were so focused on the dinosaurs. We had learned so much about dinosaurs from books and documentaries since then, and we were very excited to see the new movie. I hadn't gone to any theater movie before that, so I was extra excited.
6th grade. My teacher asks the class if any of us would like to try out the instruments that the orchestra and band teachers had brought over. (they were trying to drum up some more students) I knew my family couldn't afford for me to get an instrument, but I thought it'd be fun to try out. I wanted to try the horns, but since so many other people put their mouths on them, I decided instead to try the violin. It didn't fit my hands at all. I was clumsy. I tried the viola, and I hit the D string. It made a beautiful steady tone, and the feeling that I did that was amazing. I tried the base and cello, but the viola just felt perfect.
I tell my parents that I want to play viola, and to my surprise, they are excited. The hesitated at the money part of it, but went along with me anyway, asking what the difference between a violin and a viola were. I brought up the website on the brochure the teacher gave me. They look at audio clips showcasing the instrument, and my mom tries talking me into the violin because it is cheaper. "You could learn to play that song from the clip, doesn't it sound cool?" My dad chimes in, "He could play that same song on viola, it would just sound lower." She gave him the stink eye and acted like she didn't hear him.
I knew a girl that rode my bus home in 7th grade. We also had the same gym class. I told my best friend that I was going to ask her out on the bus ride home that day. He bet me a penny that I wouldn't do it right there in the lunch room. I was feeling confident and whimsical, so I agreed. I asked her out, and she said she had a boyfriend. My friend, true to his word, handed me a penny. One of the girl's friends comes up after the girl had walked away and asked it I had done that on a bet. I panicked and really didn't know how to answer, so I tried to explain the whole situation, but I know it came out confused.
End of 7th grade, I'm playing a viola in a small performance outside of a basketball game along with a group of my friends. I had practiced hard to be able to catch up with everyone else that started a year before I did. This was the second performance that I didn't have to pretend that my bow was touching the string. I was so proud of myself. I didn't care about the basketball game that I got into for free afterwards. I remember getting a burger there, and it was the best burger I had ever had. I savored the smell of it.
End of freshman year of high-school. My new orchestra teacher made it pretty clear that she didn't like me or my friends in the class. We didn't take it quite as seriously as some of the other kids, but we were never disruptive, and I still did quite well in the class. She pulls all of us over the the corner on the last day, and informs us that if we sign up for orchestra again the next year, she would not be allowing us to move up to the next level. She specifically told me that I had an "A" in the class, but my technical skill just wasn't there. I got an "A" primarily because of the playing tests that we periodically would do.
I go back to orchestra again the next year anyway. None of my friends did. At the end of the year, I was known in the class for being very good at improvisation. We played a call and response game where one person would stand in front of the class and play two measure of whatever came to their head, and the class would try to imitate them. Everyone was impressed, and let me know. I needed more of a challenge to keep the songs interesting, so I would do the playing tests with my eyes closed. I was the best violist in the class. The teacher told me at the end of the year that my technical skills weren't quite good enough for the next level, and if I stayed in orchestra, I wouldn't be moving on. I haven't played viola since because I was playing a rental instrument and I can't afford to by myself a new one.
There's one that always stands out to me every year around this time. It was a couple days before the 4th of July and I was probably 8 or so at the time. My I went with my mom to the grocery store to pick up some things. While we were there, I saw this really big guy, like very overweight, and I remember kinda laughing at him. Not out loud where he could hear but for no reason at all I had a bunch of negative thoughts about him. Later that evening, my parents were running a fireworks stand for our church. It was insanely hot that night, like every night in July in California is. Out of nowhere, I see the man from the store pull up in his car. I recognized him immediately. He had brought all of us popsicles. He didn't know us and we didn't know him, but he knew it was hot and went out of his way to help us cool off. After he left I remember feeling like crap and I broke down crying. That was 20 years ago and since that moment I try my damnedest to not judge people based on how they look.
In seventh grade, I won $200 at a big spelling bee and my classmates gave a crap about me for a few hours the next day. Eighth grade, I only won $50 and was a disappointment.
Seventh grade also had a formative moment where I wrote my first "book" (Typed out, it was just under 200 pages or something. eh). The conversation went like this:
"I finally finished my book."
"Cool."
"Do you want to read it?"
"No."
I should have known that the same conversation would repeat itself for the next thirteen years.
At seventeen, I had my first panic attack and didn't know what the heck was going on. My nerves have never been the same since.
At twenty, I asked out a woman and she said yes to me for the first time. Every other time, I only got a "you're nice, but..." or a laugh followed by "oh, I didn't think you were serious." I remember getting back to my place and sitting with my head in my palms just thinking repeatedly: "What do I do now? I've never gotten to this point. So what the hell do I do now?" The idea of being told yes was so foreign to me that I didn't know how to react. Her and I were a couple for a few months, then she dumped me. I've never been on a date since.
At 21, I started submitting novels in an as-of-yet-worthless attempt to get something published, and I distinctly remember the first response I got. It was actually an agent requesting to see more material and told myself that I must have something good this time. A day after I sent the sample, I got a "not right at this time" which I now know probably meant "It was so bad I didn't read past the first page." Then began the relentless storm of "not right at this time" that I was stupid enough to believe meant that I just hadn't found the right fit. I can still recall the empty hope that came with that delusion.
I've just realized that all of my "core memories" are bad things that happened. I honestly don't have a lot of memories from childhood, but the ones that remain are almost exclusively bad.
An old wagon. My mom pulled us in it when we were little. It's wooden slats sides were practically old barn siding when we were teens, and we used it to pull the trash cans to the street. I just need to think og it and a magical thing happens in my brain. Nostalgia.
-Playing at the playground down from my house when I was 5 in Hawaii.
-Holding my baby sister after she was born.
-My 6th birthday party, I was attacked by everyone with water balloons, I don't think anyone got me. I'm quick.
-Old school Halloween party with grapes for eyeballs, spaghetti for guts, etc.
-Moving from Hawaii to San Francisco, San Francisco to Santee, Santee to Oceanside, Oceanside to Fishers, IN.
-Living on Treasure Island when it was an active navel base and being able to see Alcatraz from the playground at the elementary school.
-Getting my haircut on every base we lived on.
-When my Dad had something to do with getting a rather large eagle, globe and anchor statue outside his office on MCRD.
-Getting to see combat training in person.
-Crying my eyes out at my Dads retirement ceremony because I couldn't imagine my life, or my family's life outside of the Marine Corps.
-Driving across the country to live in Indiana. Stopping in Vegas, Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam on the way.
-When Grandma passed away.
-When I first met the girl that I fell in love with for the first time.
-When my Dad and I went to a soccer game that handicapped kids were playing in. A girl with two prosthetic legs got tackled and her legs fell off. My dad and I tried not to cry but we couldn't help it. She was so strong for getting back up and playing. I remember thinking," I don't know that I will ever be that strong."
-When I saw my first love drive away for the last time because she was moving back to California with her parents, and even though we were going to do the long distance thing, I new it was over at that moment.
-When a kid that was picking on me through a chunk of asphalt into my back while I was walking away from him.
-Watching Kung Fu movies with my Pilipino buddy down the street.
-Finding porn in a bush down from my house with my first best friend. It was a midget blowing a business man in a pool hall. I was 11.
Playing little league baseball for the first time when I was 10. About halfway through the season, my dad had to miss my game to travel for work or something. Well that game I got my first double. When my dad came home I asked him not to come to my next game because, well, I was a turd I guess. He said he wouldn't go and I thought that was that. I figured it would help me hit another double. Well about halfway through the next game, I see him standing under a pavilion like 300 feet away from the field trying to hide so I wouldn't see him. I wasn't mad. I was young, but when I saw him I realized it was stupid to ask him not to go and I realized how much it meant to him to share baseball with me.
I was between 8 and 10. Its summer in Texas. Its so hot and humid. I'm at summer camp for scouts in west Texas. The cicadas are singing their summer song. A table is setup with green Gatorade that is almost boiling but it doesn't matter because its wet. We are all bored, boys just sitting under the Oak and Mesquite trees trying to stay cool. We keep pouring water on our neckerchiefs to wrap around our necks. We keep finding spear grass and make a game of throwing the little spears at each other. The heads of the grass are sharp and stick to our clothing.
Someone finds a nerf football in some grass. We quickly realize we have a wide open field and we need to play skins vs shirts. I'm self conscious of my body but play skins because I'm tired of not being tan.
We play and play and play. Its touch football and all being friends, its full contact light tackle. Everyone is laughing. The older boys and the younger boys are all having fun. I try to be Troy Aikman, throwing perfect long spirals that connect with my tall friends when one of the older boys comes up and tells me that sometimes its better to be Emmitt Smith. We swap and he throws the ball to me and I run and run and run. Gazelle boy Go! they all yell as I jump over people diving at me.
I remember all of this but more than anything, I remember the smell. The smell of lemon grass and burning cedar and mesquite. The smell of sweat and sun. The smell of the hill country with spring wildflowers drying in the summer heat. If I could bottle that smell and pump it into my house I would, 25 years after the fact. I catch whiffs of it still, from time to time as I hike the back country. Sometimes its an open field, sometimes its a small forest clearing, sometimes its a dry river bed. I just sit down and close my eyes. My wife knows exactly what I am thinking, she understands perfectly well and takes the opportunity to water our dogs as we sit under the Oak and Mesquite trees and enjoy the sweltering heat of a Texas summer.
From the ages of 3-11, my younger sister, mum, dad and I would sleep together on a queen sized mattress. Thinking back on it, I don't know how we managed that for so long and explains why dad got up in a fit of rage in the middle of the night to assemble the new bunk bed we just bought. But I digress.
I remember being one of the first to wake up on those lazy weekends at roughly 9am, seeing the sun shine straight through the window, bringing a yellow warmth to the white ceiling and walls. My parents groggily waking up, whilst my sister slept with her mouth open drooling. I remember feeling such a strong sense of love and security in that moment, never wanting to leave it and to drink in the scenery forever.
It would always get to the point where I'd stay in the bed, clinging to that feeling as everyone slowly left the bed to go about their day, one by one. With me eventually falling back to sleep, dreaming of those warm yellow walls keeping us all safe.
I remember going to woolies pretty late, around 7pm, with mum and dad. Heading to the toy section and quickly picking up a toy truck asking if I could get it. Dad telling me no whilst mum butted in finally relenting after much hassle. I must've been 3 years old.
I still remember placing my head gently on my mum's swollen belly listening in on my baby sister and suddenly feeling a light tap on my head and being in awe of what the hell that was only to have my mum yelp in pain.
I remember being dropped off by dad at a family friends house right after school and not being picked up until pretty late. The next time I saw mum was in the hospital. I always wanted to visit her and try all the different types of hospital food myum saved for me. I always liked the apple juice they had in those weird cups with foil sealing it. Dad would always tell me off to let mum have her food to build up her strength.
I remember standing on my tippy toes trying to see above the bed where my mum and sister lay. That was the first time I saw her. Weirdly enough what really sticks out was the placenta still attached to my sister and me thinking it was a gnarly piece of poop my sister made (it was pretty much the length of her)
โข my parents telling me I'd never be accepted to college. Also mentioning they had no intentions of paying for me to go. ( very wealthy family btw. )
โข my first day at a university.
โขfinally addressing mental health issues and seeking help.
โข letting the girl of my dreams know how I felt, and her reciprocating the feelings.
โข having a huge argument with her later, moving on from her and never being able to resolve feelings.
โข The day my loving grandmother bought me a car even though she can't afford it.
These are just a few I like to think I'm doing okay here and there.
ailee43 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:25:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
building a lego helicopter with my uncle dave when i was 3 or so, i think its my first memory too. I only met the man once or twice in my life, but his playing with me and building me a lego helicopter is indelibly inked in my brain.
On the very first day of recess in kindergarten, I finally made it to the top of the rickety 10 ft high slide and (with good reason) was petrified. I froze. Kids began to anxiously shuffle behind me, and the teacher walked up and yelled, "Hey! You in the white shorts! Move!" I tried to climb back down the ladder, but it was impossible, as the kids refused to move. I finally closed my eyes and sat down. From that day forward, I went to the swings immediately everyday and am still terrified of heights.
Also in kindergarten, my teacher left the room for a few minutes and left us in the dark with light music playing. I remembered an episode of Arthur in which the kids start throwing wadded up paper at each other and offered up the idea. It was pretty awesome until she came back in, and my name was put underneath the sad face on the chalkboard for the rest of the day. Traumatic.
In the second grade I had my very first ulcerative colitis flare up and had to be sedated for a minor procedure. Three nurses and both of my parents had to hold me down as I writhed away from a tube that was to be inserted in my nose. My parents both looked they were going to cry. That entire year was one big blue memory (sad memories from the movie).
Later in elementary school, I was at my parents' church at a weekday kids service. Beforehand we would play in the gym, and that day I had gotten a plastic container with glittery eye makeup in it and obviously had to smear it all over my eyelids. One of the older girls walked up with her group of friends and asked, "What is that awful stuff on your face?" I remember thinking, "We're at church. Aren't people supposed to be nice here?" Then my best friend at the time laid into her, saying something along the lines of that if I wanted to rub mud on my face, it was my business, and it might even look awesome.
The summer before he moved to Colorado, a friend and I were both at a music festival on the beach. I was dating his roommate at the time, who treated me like garbage (he's in a few core memories himself, but none that are fun to recount). We walked from one stage to another, and for three days, I fought the urge to smash my face into his. On the last night, he walked me back to house where I was staying. We stood there for a few minutes, and he kissed me. I broke up with my boyfriend the next day, and now my best friend and I have been together for three years.
Looking over these, I wish I had more happy sounding ones. I'm sure I could think of more if I tried, and now I have something to occupy my mind today. Excellent question!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:26:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me kissing my boyfriend for the first time when I was 16. I had kissed people before but this was my first heart engulfing one. It was at a lake he took me to and it was in response to him (a newly made friend) getting me a direwolf for my birthday. I followed the kiss up with a sheepish "Does this mean I'm your girlfriend now?"
Me sitting and crying on the bathroom floor of a friend's house. I was at a sleepover of someone I had only recently met. I woke up to a voicemail and multiple texts saying my best friend had attempted suicide. I wasn't close enough with the host to wake her up about this. Another friend who was there sat in the bathroom with me.
My brother is in the army and has been since I was very young. He would deploy to Iraq a lot and his base was in Texas which was on the other side of the country for me. So about once a year when he would come home, he would come to my elementary school in his uniform and talk to all the kids in my class about his job. I felt so special. I'm sure he did too.
When I was three I stepped into the road in front of a green Rover. I remember the badge and car colour very well. It stopped right in front of my face and my mum rushed out to grab me.
When I was eight I was stung on the back of my neck by a wasp in my back garden next to the tree we have that is still there today.
Crabbing in the Philippines with family and friends when I was 12. Also, on the same holiday I stepped into a puddle full of red ants which made my foot incredibly itchy but I don't think they bit me, I'm sure it would have been much worse if they did.
A bad one: growing up I always tried to be like my older brother. As we got older I felt he'd stop viewing me as the little kid and more of an equal. One day on early high school him and his friends were hanging out and they let me join in what they were doing. Then they suggested going to the friends house. We all started walking out the door. My brother then turns and asked "where are you going" I said I thought I would come too. He then asked "why?" So that hurt.
A happy one was shortly after that an older kid was being a real dick to me and my friend and my brother got in his face to leave us alone.
As we grew up we became a lot closer. We have a very good relationship now.
That i failed two people in my life. every night i keep having dreams about them and everyday im constantly reminded by my own consciousness that i have failed them greatly.
how my brother taught me how to use the computer when i was very young by playing CS 1.6 lmao and Diablo 2 i forgot what age i was lol
Glueing my eye shut with super glue when I was young. I remember climbing the drawers of my parents dresser and looking down the tube. Next thing I know there is a burning sensation and I'm screaming. Granny worked in the health care industry so a family friend fixed me up pro-bono.
The sound of road pavement grinding metal and glass as you are sliding down the road upside down. Old lady ran a red light and t-boned me. I will never forget those sounds.
Rushing out to meet my dad when he returned home after the Persian Gulf War. He was gone for over a year. That hug lasted for an eternity.
I'm hiding in a tiny space between the door and a wardrobe crying while my parents are shouting at each other. Divorce came soon after that. That was harsh.
We were on a school trip for a few days in the mountains (I was 8, maybe 9 years old). One of the kids that I considered to be friends with started making fun of me, saying that I farted. Everybody started picking on me for the rest of the afternoon. The very next day, I started something similar and made fun of him. I was as cruel as kids can be and everybody joined me. The boy had something like a meltdown, he ended up sitting in a corner crying and his parents had to drive for him early. I have never felt any regret for doing that.
My dad explaining politics to me as a kid - he used to listen to rush Limbaugh's radio show and cus at the radio. I asked why he's listen to something he didn't like and his response was: "you should always listen to both sides of an argument, not just the one you agree with. Always think of issues from every possible point of view and never be afraid to admit you could be wrong."
Being 5 and having my mom tell me she was so proud of me - I'd just finished kindergarten and I remember being in her lap as she hugged me and told me I was a big kid now. It was the last time I got affection from her.
My dad explaining how immunodeficiency worked when I was a kid - he was sick and got a transplant, and explained it in a way that a kid could understand. It fascinated me.
The first time my mom tried to kill herself and I had to stop her - and me being 8 thought every kid had to talk their parents down. My mom was a horrible mother, I have horror stories galore about her.
My dad dying - my mom tried to turn it into some paranormal spectacle because he died at home. I was 12. I played with my cousins like it was nothing while the church people talked, but lost my damned mind when they went to put him in the ground. This was the pivotal moment in my life, when everything went the worst possible way.
So my life kinda seems sad. I'm not sad about it, because all this and a lot more could not break me.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:27:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That dream I had where a kid in my 1st grade class was hiding in the bushes to attack me on my bike.
Fucking Mike driving the "make fun of /u/pfliegerz for being gay" train starting in 4th grade.
Getting through 75m of a 1500m Freestyle and my legs cramping up because I played DDR at the arcade a few hours before.
Playing in the parked cars in my driveway, until the day my dad was borrowing a friends, and since our driveway was on an incline, he just left it in 1st gear as opposed to putting on the brake. I knocked it out of 1st into neutral and, all in a straight line, rolled down the driveway, into the street, up my neighbors driveway, and into his 1980 Cadillac Seville.
Moving to Bangkok and being very nervous the first day of school only to meet what would be my best friend while staying there after about and hour and instantly becoming friends. I slept over at his house that day.
Having a walk with my crush a few days before we became a couple and realizing she was into me as well.
Going on an interrail-trip with some friends and my girlfriend across a large part of Europe. Had some of the best experiences of my life on that trip, including being the perfect kind of drunk at a Franz Ferdinand concert in Scotland, having a really deep talk with a friend in Amsterdam, and bathing illegally in the canals of Bruges, and getting stopped by the police.
Playing a concert with the school band at a small bar in front of the whole school I went to, and everyone having a great time and singing along. Probably one of the best feelings I've ever had.
My dad calling us home from the park to give us our first Nintendo Entertainment System.
Getting my rental violin taken away from me by older boys on the school bus who made fun of me and hit me with, causing me to ultimately quit learning music
Getting beaten up by a group of boys until I couldn't move for being fat and poor.
Getting picked on constantly for enjoying school and being smart
So yea... grew up a nerd and by high school became a tough guy after getting sick of being picked on in school.
Produkt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:28:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One time my dad took me to FAO Schwartz and told me I could pick out anything I wanted. I picked a balsa wood airplane kit that probably cost like a dollar and I broke it in the first 30 minutes of playing with it. I remember him asking when I picked it out "Are you sure that's what you want?" I said yes because there was an employee demonstrating how to use it and it looked cool to little kid me.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:28:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 5, I was jumping on the couch for who knows what reason - hyper kid. My Dad comes out of nowhere and with the spoon in his hand, raps me so hard on the head, I fall and almost lose consciousness. As I'm getting to my feet, he's taking his belt off, saying, "Get up." This was one of many beatings but the one that for some reason sticks as pivotal.
Ace318 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:28:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My ultimate core memory: kissing the girl I love while riding my two wheeler on a country road in the middle of the night at about 60 miles per hour.
I was sitting in front, she was behind me, and i had turned my head completely around to kiss her.
I know it was dangerous, but I ride pretty well, and it was the most intense, yet beautiful and peaceful thing ever.
So yeah, kissing my girl while on a bike under the moon light :)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:28:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age 4, traveling with family and feeding an elephant bananas. The elephant gently sucked my tiny arm into its nostril for a few seconds. That is one of my earliest memories and one that has stuck with me always.
My dad ordering spaghetti to-go back when we lived in Hong Kong, and scooping out the pasta from under the sauce. Another very vivid memory.
Age 15 when my dad took us to Red Rocks, CO for a Neil Young concert. He drunkenly screamed at me and threw rocks at me because I was in a bad temper and we always got into fights. That moment was a turning point in my life where I vowed to never be like him. My feelings are still unresolved about the matter.
Ocula ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:29:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข The day I woke up in my parents' bed to my grandmother saying, "it's a boy!" I finally had a brother.
โข When my parents sat down all of my siblings and told us they were getting divorced. This may be the single most defining moment in my childhood, as I remember being heartbroken while all of my siblings either didn't care or were too young to understand.
โข My parents very obviously being able to tell that I was the only upset child allowed me to finally get a kitten that I had been begging for for years. That cat became my closest friend and greatest confidant through a tough time dealing with divorce and growing up.
โข The day I left for college. Knowing I love my family dearly but moving out of my childhood home would be amazing for me. Realizing life is actually just starting.
Mjhoops ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:29:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad and I sitting on the back porch looking at the stars with a telescope, having a quiet moment to ourselves to enjoy something together. He is a quadriplegic so there are only certain things we could both enjoy doing together. Often we had meaningful discussions about life and I remember telling him if I got one wish it would be for him to be able to walk again.
1 Joy: I caught a high fly ball while playing 3rd base in t-ball and threw it to 1st. the 1st base coach on the other team didn't think i'd catch it and he definitely didn't think i could throw it all the way to 1st so he told his runner to go.
1 Sad: I turned down my dad's invitation to join him in a catamaran race. I quickly regretted the decision and after a few minutes burst into tears and ran back to him to ask if I could do it, but the resort had already paired him up with some other random woman.
Occasionally, while my sister and I would be up in our own rooms doing homework or something, our parents would play Tim Mcgraw's "Grown Men Don't Cry" from the living room downstairs. As soon as we heard it, we'd jump down the stairs like it was Christmas. We'd hold each other in a giant embrace, and slowly danced as we gradually burst into tears.
Opening my first pack of pokemon cards. The holographic Pidgeot inside became my most prized possession. I think the scent of the new cards is what has stayed with me through all the years...so good.
Watching Ninja Turtles, and finding two pvc pipes outside for me to play with, pretending i was Leonardo.
Coulndt afford the Lego Hogwarts so i built my own.
Every Christmas
The faint amber glare of the backlight of my das winecabinet
cartev ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom would show up to day care to pick up my brother and me but frequently and randomly she would have her bathing suit on underneath her regular clothes but she always waited until right before we got in the car to surprise and tell us we were going to our favorite water park for the rest of the day. I remember being so excited, jumping around, when she revealed her bathing suit. I was 4 or 5 and it was so simple.
To preface, my brother and I were combative growing up together. He is 18 months older than me, close enough to have similar focuses and an overlapping friend group but personality wise, we were of different temperaments, which caused issues. My grandma always favored my three girl cousins more than me and my brother. The couldn't do anything wrong in my grandma's eyes, while she always was condescending towards us. I could handle her because I could brush her off as being an old bitch and didn't even pay attention to what she said, but it always got to my brother more. He couldn't understand why she treated us differently. He was also a kinda macho guy and took after my dad in the way that you save your emotions, marginally stoic. When I was 16 and him 17 we were visiting and he decided to confront her about it, to where she essentially denied it all and said he was making it up. He cried in front of our entire family. I remember being so incensed and feeling how dare someone make my brother feel that way. I talked to him about it all for hours afterwards. It was a moment that really catalyzed my brother and my's friendship.
I was visiting Chicago with my best friend & staying at her brother's apartment the summer after our freshman year of college. We were sitting on his porch drinking really shitting champagne, smoking cigarettes. We had a conversation reflecting on how we had become good friends and what we meant to each other, and I deeply realized how with her I had become the person I had always thought about being but wasn't in high school because I wasn't surrounded by people I really trusted to myself be true around. I was more vocal and opinionated, her friendship gave me confidence to come out as gay, we agreed on so many ideas that I had never broached with previous friends. And we both felt the same way about each other, that we had provided that friendship to each other we hadn't had before. I'm very thankful for her.
*My mom took me to the doctor and when the doctor was done doing whatever they needed to do for me, my mom asked me to go sit in the waiting room so she could have her appointment. I sat in the corner and waited for what I knew was going to happen. My mom walked out of the hall to the exam rooms, talked to the receptionist, walked out of the front door, got in her car, and drove away. I think I was about 7. I knew she was going to forget me. The emotional panic of not knowing what to do. She then came back and yelled at me for not reminding her I was there.
*Being told by the OB that my baby needed to come out when I was only 27 weeks pregnant. I was lying down because they had the fetal heart rate monitor strapped to me and I couldn't breathe. I remember the panic and struggling to breathe and I finally had to sit up to get myself to take a breath.
*Meeting my husband for the first time and two days later telling my friend that I'd met the man I was going to marry.
*Shaving my head instead of going to the dermatologist. Needles in the head are not fun and I just wasn't willing to have to deal with yet another inept doctor who didn't know how to not be an asshole when dealing with a young woman whose hair was falling out.
fonlimm ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Louis CK has a bit about how he "came online" in the middle of a painful shit at age 4. I thought it was absolutely hilarious, then I started to think about it. One of my earliest memories is taking a crap in the middle of my bedroom floor, being fascinated by it, and going to get my Dad to show him. (I got swatted) We moved out of that house when I was 3, so that was pretty early.
Same house, remember seeing my Dad on the TV because he was fire chief for our small town and the grain elevator was on fire. My mother wanted us to move to the far corner of the house in case the elevator exploded and we'd be further from the debris falling. (we were a 1/2 mile away, I thought that was dumb)
My parents always worked constantly. For the summer they wouldn't have alot of babysitting options. One year I spent the entire summer at my grandmother's in the suburb of a rough city. In the morning my parents would drop me off and then come pick me up after work. Every day my grandmother would make me breakfast and then I ran outside to play with the neighborhood kids. I was probably 5 or 6 and completely unsupervised. The pure freedom of just riding around with your friends but being home before dark. That summer was great. I clicked instantly with the neighborhood kids and we rode bikes nonstop. Building jumps, making BMX trails in the woods, having the old man down the road yell at us for groing through his lawn... just overall getting filthy. Looking back it made me realize how much it sucked to not grow up in a neighborhood. Looking back I probably wouldn't let my future offispring do the same, but I'm fortunate that I had that opportunity.
My older half brother(12 years apart) would visit my dad on the weekends. Him and the neighbor were the same age and would get into shit tons of trouble by either tormenting my female babysitters, running around with slingshots, buying porn illegally from the corner store, etc. I remember vividly that I was around 3 or 4 and they were playing Sonic on Sega Genesis. My mother told them "don't give him candy before dinner". I sat in there and they were force feeding my anything sugar they could find to shut me up while they played. They always had the best goddamn candy. Needless to say I was bouncing off the walls and they got in trouble but thought it was hilarious. I don't even like candy anymore.
The two and a half years of high school in which I played in a band with four of my best friends. It was one of the biggest factors in turning high school from a crappy experience to an amazing one.
Breaking the one-minute barrier in the 100-yard freestyle in the last competitive race I ever swam.
The first time I noticed the woman who's now my wife from across our junior high orchestra classroom, and the three or four years I spent after that trying to get her to date me.
The first time I rode a motorcycle, and the first time I rode my own one home.
I was woken up in a bed and had a women get me ready to go to school who called my name that I suddenly realized was mine.
As soon as she dropped me off at the playground, I instantly registered that she was my mother and that had been my home I left in the morning. That was followed by walking up to two boys and calling them by name and proceeding to do what we always did in the morning.
Looking back it's the day I started remembering things and it spooks me how vividly I remember that day.
Field Hockey Tour
When I was 14 I made the school's A team for field hockey (men). Shortly thereafter i even made the provincial team. Our school was invited to a league in the southern part of the country. We took a bus at 2am and it was a good time even though we lost super badly. The first memory from this is when I kept giving out money to my teammates who had spent all of their trip allowances on the first like 2 days on stupid stuff. So i would give them drinks and food when they were hungry. None of them ever thanked me really and excluded me from a lot of the social stuff. This was my first ever experience where being an introvert in a group of extroverts showed. I didn't get to participate in the classic field trip activities (trying to sneak into the girls rooms. Shaving cream on someones face, etc) because i wasn't invited or no one told me about it. But during dinner one evening the coach asked me to sit next to her and the girls team who was touring with us. One of the girls asked if it was true i was buying food and i said yea and explained myself. The rest of the trip the girls kept going on about how nice I was and how I am a good guy and all the guys got super jealous. I will always remember that but also how i felt being excluded from all the activities.
Moving to Canada
I mean that is pretty obvious. Moved when I was 16. Was a big deal.
Depression
Had a super hard time during the first 2/3 years of University and it got to some really dark/messed up places. I got into a really toxic relationship but i eventually pulled through. 2 very serious lessons I learned. People are assholes and relying on others to help me feel better or support me is a waste of time and venting to people will cause some of them to leave, doesn't matter how much you have helped them in the past
Current SO
I met my current girlfriend at a board game thing and it has been non stop amazingness ever since. I am happier than I have ever been. Lost 15kg because she is really active and I want to keep up. Motivation at work increased because I want to make her proud. Etc etc. She is incredibly supportive and understanding and makes me feel like I matter which is something I haven't felt in a while. I plan on proposing to her in Fall of 2017 if all goes as planned. She made all the best memories that i listed above seem mediocre and insignificant. Stepping stones towards her.
Munkles ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:32:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Saturday mornings with my brother and dad, sleep "out" in the living room with sleeping bags friday night to watch saturday morning cartoons and when dad would wake up we'd wrestle for a while while mom would cook waffles/pancakes/scrambled eggs etc.
My dad taking us every friday to a corner drug store to buy a little candy with our allowance then take us to a park while mom got some much needed alone time and a chance to make dinner in peace.
Going up north to a little resort called Beaver Creek where we'd play mini-golf, swim, ski, and spend tons of money at the arcade. Great memories with both grandparents and my family.
Lastly I remember walking along the beach of the Mediterranean, we lived overseas for a few years and it was almost a daily occurrence for me. Watching the sun set over the crashing waves on the break waters, the sky lighting up all shades of pinks, purples, oranges, magenta's and reds. Like the sky was on fire.
xRehab ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We've moved a lot in my life, a lot. I'm at something like 26-27 houses/apts in my 25 years. Earliest memory I have is of my dad running through the living room pushing me in a big ol' moving box into a pyramid of empty boxes. This became a ritual.
Watching my brother receive his first mini-bike (50cc) on his 8th birthday, followed by my father telling to be safe and "demoing" it for us in the yard; at which point a 35 year old man hit the front brake too hard, flipping the mini-bike, and spraining his wrist.
Tormenting my little sister when I was 10 with our vacuum by lifting it into the air while it was running and threatening to suck her up with it; she swatted it, hit the roller, and had to use a splint for a while. I wasn't allowed to vacuum after that...
7th grade summer, I was sitting in the giant field with my best friend, his brother, and my brother behind our school tossing the apples on the ground back at the deer feeder to watch them explode. This was followed by a shout of "oh shit there's an ATV!!!" - aka holy shit it's the guy who owns this land RUNNN. What makes it memorable as a stupid youth moment is our decision making skills at that point. Instead of turning and running 20ft into the woods next to us and trying to disappear that way - where the ATV can't go - we decided to try and out sprint him the 150 yards, through a field, to our bikes at the school. They made it about 20 yards and gave up, I made it about 100 yards and finally froze when he was behind me screaming he was going to shoot (upon closer inspection after stopping, he had a shotgun on him). Learned a valuable lesson that day - have your escape route planned before you need it.
โขplaying outside with my younger sister and neighborhood people
โขgetting in the paper for PJ day because I wore this (on a 10/11 yo) GIANT zebra robe and was so comfy all day
โขgetting my first goal in soccer
โขbeing with friends in middle school
โขthen friends being stupid and me learning that not everyone is nice
โขseeing how broke my parents were but how they still tried to give us the best (such as a PlayStation for Christmas one year but no memory card so we had to beat the games while the PS never turned off)
โขbeing friends with people in high school but not getting invited out as often as others
โขparents fighting and almost divorce
โขhuge teen angst
โขgoing to college and finding myself
โขmeeting my best friend for the first time and not realizing that he would be the most important person in my life for years
โขhaving depression
โขbeating it every day
โขmoving out of my parents hold on me and realizing I can adult
โขhaving a better relationship with my parents
โขliving with so many different people in college
โขwhen my sister joined my sorority
The first time my dad took me to Six Flags Great America when I was 5. We had just moved to Wisconsin from upstate New York that previous fall, and I'd never been to an amusement park. I remember being in the car driving to Chicago and seeing the roller coasters, and mentioning to him that I wanted to go there. He had said, "maybe someday we will!" I promptly forgot about it, but he remembered. Fast forward to that summer, and he had me get ready for day camp like normal, but then he took a different route than we normally did and stopped at a gas station. I asked him why we were going the wrong way, and he had me guess. I kept getting the answer wrong, until he finally gave me a hint and said, "It's on the way to Uncle Mark's house..." and I remember screaming and jumping up and down in my seat and chanting "SIX FLAGS SIX FLAGS SIX FLAGS!" Once my little sister was old enough to join us, she started coming, too. Then, when after my parents divorced and my dad re-married, we started going with my step-mom and two step-brothers. We went every single summer, the first Tuesday after school let out, after that until I graduated college.
My mom and I dancing to October Project and the Indigo Girls on Friday nights while we cooked Shabbat dinner. I still associate hearing those bands with the smell of Shabbat candles, baking chicken, and the musty scent of an old oriental rug.
Coming to the realization around age 13 that I had been really mean to my sister growing up (she's 7 years younger than me), and making the conscious choice to be nice to her and include her more. Nowadays, she doesn't remember me being mean to her, and our relationship is incredible. I don't know many people who have the kind of friendship we do, in addition to being siblings. I love that kid so much.
*my godmother teaching me to find four leaf clovers before a big speech in high school
*Riding a motorscooter at age 13 to artcamp in the summer with my family's pomeranian in my art bag
*watching my brother try to suture my dog's leg after he cut himself on the fence
*Eating Maryland Steamed Crabs for the first time with my family- and then every other time as it became a tradition
**when my highschool boyfriend told me he loved me on a canoe during the thick of summer
Hearing my mom get ready for work in the morning through our thin trailer walls
Playing sonic 2 with my little brother
My whole family singing to Steve Miller whilst enjoying a summer day in the yard, sharing crackers with cheese, pickles, sausage
The look on my littler brothers face after he fell off of some monkey bars while playing grounders and bit through his tongue. The blood was so dark and a small amount was trickling out looked like he had a rat in his mouth and I had to look away.
The dog that I had for the majority of my life (a small terrier named Cookie) jumping in some tall grass her little head popping up above it every so often and just laughing with my mom. This was at our annual camping area.
On a family trip that required driving through some winding mountain roads a wasp flew in the window and everyone kind of had a mini panic trying to get it back outside while my dad tried to focus on the road.
Catching my first boyfriend in the act drunkenly cheating on me
Eating a fancy dinner on the beach under a full moon in Mexico on my honeymoon
Sitting on a rocking chair in the middle of the night nursing my son staring at myself in the mirror on my closet doors
What a truly unique question. You really made me think and remember some things vividly this morning that I had not thought about in a long time. Thanks.
Me in after school soccer practice. Our coach was pretty strict and at the end of the practice he gave us unlimited play time. Time slowed down and I made a goal that I still remember how it felt today.
Parents going out for karaoke and leaving me and my brothers money for pizza. All 3 of us and 3 medium pizzas, perfect bonding time.
When I confessed to my crush, we hugged and I just felt as if all the toxins were leaving my body and I was cleansed from unhappiness. Still have not hugged someone and felt like that till this day.
Playing COD MW Co-op at my cousins house in the morning.
I wish I remembered more about this sort of thing, but when me and my older brother were 6 and 4 respectively. We would collect fire-ants in those gallon ice cream buckets, the ones with the red handle and a lid, and try to sell them to the neighbors. We of course we're terrible salesmen, so we never succeeded.
My father and I sat on the balcony of our hotel room at the beach. The moon was incredibly large and rising over the ocean. I asked him what it was that made the waves and the tides, and he answered me with a question, which was, "What do you think? What do you see?"
Maybe it sounds stupid, but I come back to this memory all the time. He is a great father who often didn't tell me answers but shaped my thought-process for me in order to get to the right conclusion. Man, I love my Dad.
We were in the theater and a preview for The Two Towers came on. When Gandalf showed up, the guy behind me loudly said 'he's alive?!' I turned to my brother and dad and said 'it's a book?!?' My dad looked disappointed. After the movie, he pulled me aside and said 'people have different geniuses, kid. That guy could have been the most amazing plumber in town. When you have a burst pipe, do you care if the plumber has read Lord of the Rings? We need diversity in knowledge.' Made me respect and admire people for their own variety of skills irrespective of my own.
-Fen- ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:34:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was going to answer this, then I realised how dark many of my core memories are. :/
BMLM ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:35:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I found a collection of SNES games in our family garage I wasn't yet allowed to play as I was only 5 or 6. MK, MK2, Final Fight, Street Fighter 2, etc. My grandpa convinced my mother to let me play them as long as I assured them I knew what I was playing was not how things were and it was only make believe.
The last time I cried from sadness was when I was 13. I learned my first pet, an amazing cat named Eden had been run over.
When I was in Kindergarten I was fought over by two girls. A blonde and a brunette. One day at the end of recess, the girls each wanted to hold my hand, but be the only one to do so. They each tugged on an arm. I remember getting a huge kick out of it.
My very early childhood was wrought with sickness. I had pneumonia several times when I was very, very, little. I vividly remember being kept in a room with one of those vicks air purifier things for long periods of time. My mother or grandmother always coming in to check on me. The smell of menthol is one of comfort to this day.
Seeing my (now) girlfriend for the first time and immediately knowing I wanted to be with her. Been going out for over 5 years and just bought an engagement ring
I was with my uncle and 2 sisters ice skating in pennsylvania. This massive lake had frozen over, as it does every year during the winter, so my uncle rented skates for all of us. We had never skated before, but with his encouragement we got up every time we stumbled until we were finally skating on our own. It was just so perfect.
We did this for about two hours until my younger sister aked to go home. We were all skating back to the bridge when i start hearing cracks. Suddenly, the ice breaks underneath my uncle, and he plunges into ice cold water. I had no balance whith my skates on, and all he told was to "S-s-sray back Christian!" He thought that more ice may break apart near him and might take me too. Every time he tried to pull himself up, a little more ice gave away.
He was shivering so much, each breath becoming more and more strained. I just yelled his name over and over again. After about 2 or 3 minutes he finally hauled himself up, and laid flat on the floor. The store owner who rented the skates out to us was brought over by my sisters. He had called an ambulance. The man vrought him inside and lit a fire, leqving my uncle there to possibly gain more warmth until help arrived. All of us huddled around him, hoping to warm him up or provided some level of comfort. That day i almost saw my uncle die, and it made me understand just how easy it is to lose someone.
A few weeks before my third birthday, on the way to the hospital, I was given a square white box with a ribbon around it. Inside was a hand puppet of a grey elephant with red and white polka dot ears. But I wasnโt interested in the puppet. We were heading to pick up my mom. She came out the front doors in a wheelchair with a silver tray across her lap. Various bottles were on the tray. But in her arms was my brand new baby sister. In a show of great trust, as well as a complete lack of consideration for safety (for that is how things were done back then) I got to carry my sister on my lap for the car ride home. She would become my closest friend growing up.
My biggest one was in moving the United States. I was born here but we moved to Central America for 2 years and I moved back in the summer right after I turned 7.
I remember crying the second I got on the plane. I was leaving my family, the only immediate family I knew. I knew I was moving to a place where I knew no one, not even the language.
I remember we stopped at Mexico City. Went to the Basilica, stopped at McDonalds and got a happy meal. The happy meal had Play-doh in it. I remember we flew Delta and the flight attendant making conversation with me because she saw I was upset as we boarded our final flight.
To this day whenever I smell Play-doh I feel nostalgic and SO happy my parents decided to move back the United States.
Going fishing with my dad when I was around 8 or so. We got at 5 am, rode out to the dam on the lake (about a 30 min boat ride), and proceeded to catch 7 striped bass. They were delicious. I'm 27 now, and I keep bugging my dad to go fishing again one weekend like we did when I was little.
When I was in 7th grade, I wanted badly to sign up for English 1 and Algebra 1 for high school credit. I knew algebra wouldn't be a problem, but my parents were worried about English. I remember laying in bed, and my parents were outside of my room arguing about it. My mom said while referencing English 1 word for word, "I know he CAN do it, I just dont know if he will." That left an impression. Granted, I didn't do that great, I think I got a C, but that memory fueled me when I was getting a degree in Electrical Engineering. When I was graduating this past may, my mom looked at me and told me she was proud of me and that I turned it around. She referenced my bad grades in middle school. I told her the truth: that I was lazy and didn't care in middle school. Never told her about overhearing that conversation though.
-5 day road trip that me and my dad took in a rental moving truck when I was 6. He had just separated from the military and we were moving from Utah to South Carolina. We spent 5 days on the road, driving through mountains. It was an awesome trip. He obviously hated the drive, but I absolutely loved it. I think thats why I dont mind long drives and road trips now. Its kind of funny... He told me that when he was planning the trip on the map, he went and asked a semi truck driver the best route to take. They told him the WORST route. He figure it out a few years after the drive. We think the trucker gave him the route over highways and mountains in order to keep him off the interstate. It was still fun though.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing kickball with my siblings and neighbor buds one more time before the sun dropped out of sight. Everyday. The light in that last hour is different... And so were our intentions. We knew we would be called in soon so this was it. the sun seemed to recognize that. It was the first time I can remember setting up rituals and desperately trying to be in the moment.
The sandlot reminds me so much of those times. I'm a child of the 80s so the eras don't quite match up, but the aesthetic and group dynamics are spot on.
Another memory with the same group... Found $20 bucks on the sidewalk. Debated buying a ton of candy which was what I always did with money at that time. But I was getting older, I was the eldest of the group of kids, oldest of my siblings and for the first time I had a different sort of an idea...
2 foot hollow plastic swords were on sale at our discount store (Phily sales) for 99 cents each. I figured I could buy 18 or 19 and everyone in the cul-de-sac could go crazy. So I did. The cashier was nice enough to tape them together in a bundle for me so i could manage them on my bike.
When I got back and laid them out... It was the best decision I had ever made until that point in my life. We played medieval games, star wars games...had duels... For about a week until the cheap swords were all destroyed. And I made it happen. Everyone thought I was the bringer of joy.
I grew a lot from that whim. Until then I was a bit of a tyrant. Boastful, demanding. My age commanded respect. I noticed how the inspiration trickled down too... The kids slowly moved from trying to outdo each other and constantly posturing... Towards working together, trying to help each other have fun. Watching that was powerful for me. On that day I gained the love of the people. I had one sword squirreled away that wasn't broken while all the others were. I reverted towards lording it over everyone. Everyone looked on the last sword with a certain sacredness so it was easy as a kid to just go back to eating it up.
Finally, I had another idea... I knighted one of the kids for doing some random good deed, I did this in front of everyone and gave him the sword on the condition that he find someone worthy to knight by the end of the day. This set up a virus of everyone trying to do good things to become knights to get the sword, and then knights having to weigh the actions of each other at the end of the day.
Me and my first knight sat back watching. I remember he said something like "this is cool" and I said something back to the effect of "we did this". The sword broke soon enough. But they kept knighting each other for good deeds.
When I was in 1st grade, we went to the beach. The whole place was covered in beached jellyfish. I was running through and just having a gay old time. My mother grabbed and told me not to do that b/c they are poisonous. She sounded so urgent and afraid, I've had a phoebia about Jellyfish ever since.
The first time I watched Star Wars, I think I was like 4 or 5. It's defined my sci-fi fandom ever since.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The core memories in Inside Out made me sad because I have a terrible memory when it comes to remember things I've actually done.
Apparently I was only 3, but the image of the Walt Disney world epcott center ball is permanently ingrained into my brain. It must have been super astonishing to me at the time, because that memory has stuck with me forever. I haven't been back yet to see if its still impressive.
Gothym ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Telling my mom I didn't believe in God anymore. I was 13 years old. She was bugging me about not going to church with her and started screaming at me about how God would never accept me if I didn't show him love by going to church. I looked at her and said "Sounds like that's not a god I want or need to love me, mom. I'm staying here."
Completely changed our relationship. After that, she'd yell at me for nothing and everything. I was always wrong (and still am). I'm 24 now and things are a little better since I moved out but I'll never feel loved by her.
When I was little I would get to ride the lawn mower after my father finished cutting the grass. One day when I was 4 or so my younger brother wandered away looking for my mother (who was out at the time) and my father went looking for him. I was alone at home and scared for my life. I grew up always being scared I would be left alone.
Spending 10 days in Las Vegas every summer growing up visiting my grandparents. Haven't been back since 2008 and I really miss the city and the condo. My uncle still owns it though, and I plan to finally make it back there next year.
Longer Story:
Probably one of the biggest was my starting band in 4th grade. And for some damn reason I chose to play the flute. I never practiced, but I improved during sectionals and full band rehearsals. 7th and 8th grade came along and I felt I didn't want to continue in band. But I kept going. I got to high school and joined the marching band, began playing piccolo, and got first chair all through high school.
Freshmen year of college came and I went to a tech school with no music program. I missed band dearly. After transferring to another university, I joined the marching band and continued playing through undergrad and one year of grad school. I've since finished my masters, but have not had time to get back into playing my flute this past year. I miss band dearly, not only for the music I got to play, but for the fun and interesting people I met that I now call my friends. I would not be the person I am today if I hadn't stuck with music throughout my education. I wouldn't have met my girlfriend of the last six years if it weren't for music either.
Getting out of the car when I was 6/7 in a grocery store parking lot. My mother was saying something to me and my sister and, who knows why, but it just hit me out of nowhere that my mother was a completely different person than me. She doesn't know what it's like to be me and vice versa. If I were to get hurt, she would not know the pain I feel. I also remember thinking very clearly that when she dies, I will not know what that feels like. That was my first realization that everyone is their own person and everyone feels/thinks differently.
When I was 11, my dad had to get open heart surgery. I remember sitting at the dinner table with my siblings while he was telling us about the preparations for the upcoming surgeries and how he had debated whether or not to sign the DNR forms. It was the first time I had thought about one of my parents dying. (Different than the first realization with my mother. With my mom, that was my fear of death and not knowing would death would feel like. With my father, it was actually realizing that my parents might die any day and not years in the future)
My 10th birthday when I got a kitten as a present after begging my parents for one for almost 3 years. This cat still lives with me, almost 14 years later, and I am constantly reminded of how I felt when I saw my sister walking over to me, holding this tiny kitten, and saying "Happy birthday, /u/prizbokc."
In 8th grade, walking into homeroom and seeing all my friends sitting in a different spot than usual. They all looked at me when I walked in and then turned around. The day I lost all my friends at once and I have no idea what I did. Sadly, I have not really been able to make good friends since this and it has been almost 11 years.
Seeing my mother cry after learning of her father's death.
Seeing my grandmother in her casket at her funeral.
Going to see the first Harry Potter movie at the age of 9. I brought the book with me because, as the naive child I was, I thought the movie would be word for word exactly like the book and I wanted to read along. Boy was I wrong.
There are several moments I clearly remember while reading the Harry Potter series while growing up.
Playing a game with plastic animals with my first friend in kindergarten. I got to be the giraffe and she was the hippo.
Also in kindergarten, I don't remember why, but I remember the first time I laughed so hard that I cried.
I have a great memory and could go on and on, but those are first 10 that came to mind.
Placing a Japanese poster containing all new Pokรฉmon from Gen 2 on my room door, then staring intently at the coolness of that one metal bird thing (eventually learned it was called Skarmory)
Letting my Geno Saurer Zoid toy run across the living room during Christmas of 2001
Riding on top of the hood of our car while my uncle drove it around our block that one time
Chatting with my sisters while we snuggled up in blankets in our parents' room while it was raining very hard outside
During an event in preschool I proudly proclaimed to my classmates that I wanted to be a garbage truck driver when I grew up.
There was one time in third grade when I asked my mom to buy me a random origami booklet I found in the bookstore, and one of its featured origami creations was an origami box. (Think shoebox without the lid.) I haven't forgotten it to this day.
While cleaning the classroom after one event during fourth grade, I passed behind my friend who was mopping the floor. He didn't notice me and somehow managed to slam the blunt end of the mop to my mouth, literally breaking one of my bottom front teeth. The top half of the tooth broke off. I remember going home and being surprised that it didn't hurt one bit despite having half a tooth exposed to open air. My mother brought me to the dentist the following day for some dental restoration, so the top half of one of my bottom front teeth is entirely fake. It hasn't broken off to this day.
My mother used to manage a small livestock business in our province, and I often went along with my mom while my dad/uncle drove us there on weekends. Two days after my 11th birthday, we went there for another one of those visits. However, this time, my dad drove my mom there, but I stayed behind to ride together with my uncle on his dirt bike. (He was my mother's only surviving brother at that time, and was also the same guy who drove me around the block while riding on top of the hood of our car years before.) He took me around the rural market on his dirt bike to get me a random birthday present from one of the nearby stalls. (We live in the city and he lived in the province, so he wasn't around during my actual birthday that week.) I settled with getting a set of bootleg toy cars that we bought for cheap. (It should be noted that I pretty much considered him my favorite uncle.) Later that evening I insisted on staying behind to ride with my uncle again to go back to the provincial house. My mother insisted that I go with them since it was too dangerous to let me ride on a dirt bike to begin with. I was sadly forced to go with my parents in the car instead, while my uncle stayed behind to fix some more things before going back with us hours later.
Later that evening, my parents and my uncle's friends were running towards the family van, and hurriedly asked me to come along as well. It turns out he suffered a stroke while riding his bike back to the house. I had no idea why they asked me to come along (I think it was just so I wouldn't be left alone in the house), and why they asked me to sit in the back of the van and forbid me from ever looking at my uncle once we picked him up (apparently we rushed to the scene of the accident to bring him to the hospital; he was quite big, and being a rural area, the nearest proper hospital was kilometers away). My uncle passed away two days later--four days after my 11th birthday.
I couldn't get on the bus. My legs just didn't work.
I ran back, kissed her, then hightailed it back to the station and caught it just as it was leaving.
I'll never forget the color of all the lights and the smell of new rain and the realization that I was both in love and it would be for the last time.
Growing up on a farm. Playing in a field all by myself an hour away from the house. Fell from a large hay bale and landed on my back, hard, grazing my leg on a pitchfork and causing it to rip through my skin and leave a massive scar. Didn't hurt much until I made it back, I realized how close I almost came to dying.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:38:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bit late to the part but here's the ones I remember straight away:
When I was in year 4, we had a swimming lesson and I pooped in the pool but never owned up to it. I was still really embarrassed.
As a toddler I once walked from one end of the beach to the other pushing a long my tractor-toy. It was about a long beach so I had to keep stopping to rest but when I finished, I looked up at my parents for the first time in however long it had taken and I saw they were smiling and then dad gave me a piggy back whilst mum went to buy me an ice cream as a reward.
My aunt was walking me an my sister down the road and some guy in front of us dropped his drink can or something and my aunt screamed at him until he picked it up to dispose of it properly.
We were called for a 'family-meeting'. My mum revealed she had cancer and my older sister was crying but I didn't really understand what was happening so I didn't really react the way I guess I should have. She survived.
Visiting various model-railway shows with my dad whilst he lectures me on what different trains they have. (He grew up in the 1950s so Steam Trains were his 'thing')
Going to a farm to pick my dog on my 13th birthday. All the puppies were in a barn and as soon as I entered they all crowded me which was cute. I sat down on a bale of hay and a couple of them tried to climb up to cuddle me, one of them got stuck in between two hay bales on the way up and fell asleep. The other made it up to me and lay in my lap - I chose him.
Parents divorced at 6 years old. Carted between them for years.
Sexually molested by dad's girlfriend's son at 7 y/o, he was twice as old as me. This made me a weird person. I repressed the shame and indulged in gross sexual behavior. I didn't know it was not normal.
My aunt used to do tricks with my sister and I. She would lay on the ground and we would run at her and jump. She would kick up her legs and then vault us across the room into the couch.
Spending the night at my grandma's house and making popcorn surprise while watching our favorite movies.
Playing in my great grandpa's apple tree and making homemade cinnamon applesauce.
Ostracized in 6th grade by the whole class. I had to make friends with my little sisters class because no one else would talk to me. This is a continued theme throughout my life.
Singing to N'Sync and jumping on our bed with my sister. Basically all of my sibling interactions are 1 big, good memory.
My parents fighting and beating each other up. Choking with a necklace, a face of hot coffee, and an elbow to my nose.
Made my 1st best friend in 8th grade. 10 years later we still hang out every weekend.
I was raped in my freshman year. It was the catalyst that catapulted me into depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies. Its only getting worse the older I get.
Falling in love with my now-husband. Been together almost 8 years now.
My great grandpa whispering in my ear before he died, "I'm so proud of you". Only person on my dad's side who I truly loved and ever said that to me.
โขwinning a state-wide hockey tournament as a fifth-grader. My dad walked me out onto the ice after most everyone had left the rink and told me I'd remember this moment for the rest of my life - little did I know just how right he would be.
โขdriving around town aimlessly with one of my best friends late at night the summer before we left for college. For the first time, I spoke openly and honestly with someone in my life about where we hoped we were heading, the dreams we had, and how we longed to find a significant other with whom we could share these wonderful experiences
โขmy father, banging away at a typewritter long after such a machine had become obsolete, and playing Sinatra as my mother, my brothers and I talked quietly in the other room. I can't help but believe that something about those nights has stuck with me after all these years. In a lot of ways I'm an old soul and nothing seems to soothe me quite like the sound of swing, a cigar, and a neat scotch
โขas a kid in the late 90s / early 2000s, I'd spend my summers golfing nine holes in the morning, then playing at the pool until it got dark. Countless hours spent with friends and family over a number of years have amalgamated in my mind to become a "perfect day" kind of memory - sun-soaked perfection for 12 straight hours, with not a care in the world
โขplaying "ghosts in the graveyard" with the neighborhood kids until you could hear the parents up and down the street calling us back in, one by one
โขheading to goalie camp every July on Lake Muskoka. The ice time was loads of fun, but what stuck with me was late-night kayaking and fishing with all of my new friends - and secretly pining after one of the older girls in camp
โขThe first time I remember hearing 3eb's "Semi-Charmed Life" and Lit's "Ziplock" on the radio the same day. Gradeschool me was so estatic at my newfound love for post-grunge 90s rock that I was glued to the radio every evening for weeks after that day, hoping like hell to experience the rush of bouncing to those guitar riffs just one more time before bed
Edit: words
deardot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting behind my Grandmother in the big chair in the living room combing her hair. We'd sit there for hours watching TV or talking about things. I was fairly young but it happened for many years.
Walking down to my mom at the fire pit when I was 3 or 4 in my bright florescent coloured jacket. Being so happy that I was responsible enough to walk from the house to the fire pit. (It was literally 150 ft).
Grandpa swerving on the road and asking 'did you see that squirrel?' even though I couldn't see above the dash. It always made me laugh.
Standing crying in the living room window after my dog was hit by a car. I was 4 years old. Best dog ever. Loved playing dead with him because he would come over and flip you on your back and lick your face until you laughed. Then he would sit beside you looking so proud.
Saying goodbye to my second dog after he passed away during the night. I was 16.
Walking down the isle with my Dad. And my first dance as a married woman with my Dad. These two always meld together for me.
Riding on the back of the 3 wheeler with my Grandpa. Laughing as he tried to hit every bump so you bounced on the wood seat he had on the back. Your bum hurt but you had so much fun it didn't matter.
The sound of my Grandma and Grandpa's laughter. Grandpa has been gone 16 years, Grandma passed away in January.
baxtelf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father and I listening to Alabama Football on AM radio in the kitchen together when I was a kid and later watching it on TV
Sitting in the car after breaking my leg when I was 3 and my younger brother wanting to play.
Having my children
My cat dying in bed with me at only 14 months old. Horrible grief to this day.
My father dying after I told him Bama beat Auburn and we would be in the SEC Title game.
When I went to pick my girlfriend up from the Airport and meet her for the first time. (LDR)
When I graduated University, I felt proud of myself and it seemed others (i.e. family members) were proud of me, I've never really felt that before, so that was nice.
In High-school I was on the Basketball team (now, I'm from the UK and only 5ft9) and we were drawing with this team, like second in our current league, I was more of a dribble/free thrower, but I got the ball in the mid-court, shot from that spot, scored a 3-pointer and won the game for us, it was great.
/kinda sucks that I can't really locate a lot of happy memories, mainly sad ones.
When I was in first grade my friend and I thought it would be funny to pee into the little drain in the middle of the bathroom. Someone told on us and we got in big trouble by the teacher and therefore told our parents. I was so distraught because I had never really gotten into trouble before that. I remember wishing I could fast forward my life a little and get past this. A day went by, then a week, then a year. Now 20 years later, every now and then I think about that day and how small of a thing it was.
The day I got my dog. She's 12 now and has a tumor, but we got her when she was 7 weeks old. My dad thought getting me a dog would motivate me to keep playing middle school football, but getting a new puppy just motivated me to quit so I could spend time with her.
My Aunt's funeral. She died of her third fight with cancer. Seeing my mom cry and not be able to finish her speech was pretty fucking rough.
5 in the morning, 2 days before the midnight release of The Dark Knight Rises, I made out with a girl for the first time who I've now been with for 4 years.
Wow thinking about this was an emotional experience in and of itself. Oh boy, this will be interesting. Let me start by saying I'm 35 years old, and these memories are as vivid as if they happened today.
Laying in my bed listening through the wall to my mom on the phone with 911 as my father was dying of a heart attack on the bathroom floor.
Sitting in the ER waiting room, not the general area with everyone else, but the one with the comfortable chairs as the doctor came in to tell us my father was dead.
3rd grade, getting set up by my best friend Mike so that another kid could deliver a vicious kick to my stomach causing me to throw up on the playground in the most humiliating way ever.
Being surrounded by a ring of other children as I got shoved back and forth with them hurling insults at me until I snapped and bit one of them.
Age 11, Returning to school after my father died, sitting at my desk, as the other children filed past me mumbling condolences and apologies for my loss. Breaking down in tears, not sadness, but anger. Righteous firey anger at the audacity of those who tormented me comforting my pain to feel better about themselves. Hate.
Age 17, breaking down after finally having met someone who listened to me. Who didn't try to tell me what was wrong with me, who just accepted. Apologizing to my mom through the tears for the horrible person I'd been. Telling myself I'd never hate again, realizing that I'd never wish that upon the worst person in the world.
2011, sitting in the delivery room as my wife gave birth to our twins.
2016, Watching my son give his twin sister a toy he wanted just because he preferred for her to be happy.
I am not the man I was 1 year ago, 6 years ago, 20 years ago. But I could not be the man I am today without being that man first. I own every experience I had, every decision I made the good and the ones that still hurt to think about.
But yeah.. that's what I got.
Edit: You know it's funny... it wasn't till after I submitted this that I realized having cancer and surviving it didn't even make it on the list LOL.
The moment of my first follicular cancer diagnosis, at 14. I had already read about it and thought, "I might die." I felt too young to be confronted with my own mortality. And yet there I was, staring at it in the face. And the day I found out I had beaten it.
The night I attempted suicide. The only night I attempted suicide. I woke up to a flashlight in my face and I remember looking over and seeing my father, who never shows any strong emotion, on his knees sobbing, "That's her, that's her, she's alive, that's her."
A teacher calling me over in high school and telling me how smart and talented I was and not to let that go to waste. It was weird, having somebody believe in me. I started trying in her class.
The day my high school boyfriend slapped me. I opened my mouth and the first thing I said was, "We're done." I walked away stronger.
Finisterre, the end of the world. I sat on a rock and stared at the wide ocean in front of me, stretching in all directions. I had reached what could have been the end, but I knew that with some effort I could still reach my dreams.
Sitting with my now best friend by a fire at what we new affectionately call "The Camping Trip from Hell." We burned wooden skewers and snapped off the flaming edges and talked about our lives and our regrets and our dreams and drank Nesquick chocolate milk.
Late nights drinking with my friends and laughing our asses off and celebrating our accomplishments.
The second diagnosis of follicular cancer in college. I didn't even feel intimidated. I had faced so much more.
ShagBox ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
While playing with a mess of Legos on the floor, watching my Mom and Dad yell and argue about whether or not I should use my new Lego Vacuum. My Mom thought I should use it, while my Dad thought it would make me lazy and that I should pick them up with my hands. Parents got divorced shortly thereafter.
Hunting frogs and polliwogs in the creek with my cousin.
Laying/pretending to be asleep in the third row of my parents SUV with my then girlfriend (now wife) and secretly kissing while driving back home over the pass.
Running down the driveway as fast as possible every day after school.
modank ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was a fair held by a school My brother went to. I was >4 years old. I had tied what I thought was a sturdy knot on my wrist which was attached to a fancy helium balloon. I thought it was the shit because it was the fist helium balloon I had ever seen. Anyhow the knot I had tied failed, and the thing I remember the most was me holding a wire fence while looking up in sheer despair at my first helium balloon floating away into space.
TL:DR... First memory is sad memory of lost balloon.
One of my favorite dogs died. He was a German Shorthaired Retriever, which are very active dogs. But every evening, he would lay beside me on the couch and lay his head in my lap while I ate dinner and watched TV. I loved that dog. But one day we found out that he had leukemia and he wasted away until one day we had to put him down.
I still remember standing out by our barn as we buried him. My dad, who was pretty stoic and never really emotional with us, hugged me, looked down into my eyes with his tearing eyes, and told me "it's okay to cry".
A rare emotional display that has a big impact on my life.
I swear, being able to record yourself, feelings and memories would cheapen human life even more but would be valuable to each individual and their families in such a huge way.
Waking up at 4 am with my older brother to play Super Mario Brothers on the only TV in the house. I still remember the dim blue glow of our CRT beaming out from the entertainment system. Running the loose pile of our blue carpet through my fingers while my older brother played through level after level. (age 4-5)
Getting called to the principal's office because we'd taken a survey of our favorite television programs. Mine were "The Andy Griffith Show, Waiting on God, Monty Python's Flying Circus, and The Beverly Hillbillies. They'd called my parents about it too. My parents told them to mind their own business, but it was the first time I was overtly made to feel like I was strange. (Age 5)
Being hoisted into the air by my shirt and being repeatedly hit in the stomach by a bigger kid during recess. Nobody helped. Some kids even laughed. (age 9)
The feeling of being tangled in the long hair of my first girlfriend, watching TV, loafing around in her family's house. Warm, close, content. (Age 16)
Walking through a store, getting a call from the police asking where the car my grandmother had purchased my first girlfriend and I had gone, and knowing it was over.
In the weeks prior, she had found out that her mother was at risk for cancer (Chain smoker, duh). She and I went half way across the country to come home and take care of her in case the tests came back poorly.
But that was a lie.
Along the way back, her car had failed (Engine block exploded) and my parents picked us up, driving us nearly an entire state. Later, my grandmother had dipped into her retirement fund to get us a car. We lived in a rural place, and it's impossible to hold down a job or really do anything without a vehicle. Being a 20 year old man at this point, insurance would have been much higher if I was put on the title of the vehicle, so it was a thing between my girlfriend and my grandmother. I felt useless.
The next semester of college started around that point and I was missing it. Shortly after, the cousin putting me through college got into an intense legal battle, and I knew I wouldn't be able to go back.
In light of this, I got a shitty job at a shitty call center taking shitty calls from shitty customers for a premiere nationwide cellular service. I was sleeping in the car in the next big city over, just trying to make enough to get an apartment for us. Girlfriend stopped responding to texts, Skype, email, calls. Her family was keeping me on their cellular plan even.
My family knew what I was doing. They came a city over to set me up with canned goods and things like that. That's when I got the call from the police. Prompted by people who paid for my phone. Girlfriend and her family had been attempting to set me up to steal the car out from under us and ruin me.
I confronted her and she revealed everything. Depressed, I quit my job and moved back in with my parents, which is toxic in its own way (hoarders).
My faith in even the people close to me crumbled. We'd been together five years. (age 21) three years later I have friends I trust, but severe personal anxiety. I don't think I'll ever be in a truly comfortable romantic relationship ever again.
Realizing basically the only time I ever respond to comments on the internet is when someone has said something I find so profoundly stupid, that I have to snark at them. Deciding to leave more general comments as well. (age 22)
leo4573 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:42:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing in the conference room at my dad's work. He'd play cartoons on the giant screen and I'd just run around.
My favourite year at summer camp. My group and counsellor were just great.
Seanfen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:42:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Driving across Canada and trying to make my dad laugh. Finally doing do so when we were somewhere in Quebec. 4 days of trying to make him happy for one fleeting moment.
Feeling my first pair of boobs, under the stairs at school. What awesomeness that was!
Holding my daughter for the first time. Just feeling complete. (as well as the feeling of being scared and alone when I couldn't call a single family member to talk me through the nerve wracking ordeal my wife was going through with her labour)
The day I first paid rent and received keys to my abysmal basement apartment. It was dark, dirty and smelly but, it was mine and I loved it. I was free and could come and go as I pleased.
Being with my parents on the Angel Glacier in Banff or Jasper(can't remember which) and my mom falling with my dad's camera bag one her shoulder. It was a hard fall. The first thing my dad says "Is the camera ok?" I knew from that moment on I didn't want to be like him at all.
CozzyC0 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:42:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seeing my granddad, a old proper broad Yorkshireman walk in the front door of my family home carrying a tray of yoghurts shouting "Ayup!"
Seeing my girlfriend for the first time at my best friends fig about 4 years ago. I can still remember her sillouhette and her long flowing red hair now.
The feeling of utter elation as a walked out of the cathedral after graduating with my degree. I was walking in a procession with bout 80 other people. But I didn't feel it. I felt like a giant.
Seeing my dad cry when his sister died of ms. It was the day I first feel like I really had to be a man for the sake of someone else.
My cousin pushing me off the ladder of my tree house and falling into a rose bush
Going to the train museum with my dad then going to the discovery channel store at a nearby mall and letting me play with the zen garden and the jellie-fleshlight things
Desirai ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mother's day, 1994. My brother was 6 weeks old, I was 6 years old. It was 9 pm, my mom took us across the street to our neighbor's house. then her boyfriend came in the truck, got out, and mom handed my brother to me, and he started beating her in the neighbor's driveway. I ran in the neighbor's house and we called my grandmother, and my grandmother came and got me and my brother.
I will never forget that. I want to but I never will.
"hit me tammy. hit me. why aren't you hitting me? what's wrong, huh? can't you hit me?"
Cousin hit me in the head with a machete when I was 2 or 3.
Brother tied me to a tree and left me where no one could find me sometime under the age of 6.
I was the one who discovered my grandmother after one of her strokes and I was a dick trying not to be discovered by her at the time when I was like 4 or 5. I did realize something was wrong though and ran to my cousins house for help.
Teacher yelled at me for doing something wrong once in front of everyone when I was in the 2nd grade.
My dog died in the back of my dad's truck (he was healthy before this) while we were trying to leave the area because of a hurricane that never actually hit us. We buried him under a pile of stones in San Antonio.
The more I think of things I'm trying to remember about my past the more I realize all my memories are terrible. I'm sure there must have been good things in my past...there must be...Okay, yeah, I had a few friends in college. That was pretty nice.
Lounging around on the grass and eating macarons at the Palace of Versailles(behind the Petit Trianon) with my sister, who was living in Paris at the time. I was going through a bad time in life- I felt pretty numb but this moment made me happy and at peace
walking to my first eating disorder out patient consultation. I was still convinced at that point that I was fine and I didn't need help. As soon as the therapist asked me how I was, I broke down in tears.
sitting on my dads shoulders when I was 3 at the Mardi Gras parade in Alabama. Every time I think of it, I smell something sweet in the air and remember the neon pink palm trees at the Ruby Tuesdays we went to for dinner.
-taking a greyhound bus from Toronto to New Orleans with 2 of my friends for spring break. Also that whole week in New Orleans.
Getting a kitten with my S/O and knowing that I wanted to be with this man forever.
Watching my dad sob when he heard of his close friend passing away. His friend opened up a pop can and a bee flew in it. He didn't realize and drank the drink with the bee. Consequently, it stung his throat. He was allergic to bees. I remember sitting on my dads lap as he cried and I just hugged him and cried with him.
someone jumped in front of the train I was on and died. The body landed next to my window. First time I saw a dead body.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:44:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 8 or 9, I had a BB gun that was fairly powerful if you pumped it up a bunch of times.
I was out shooting random things - tin cans, the back side of our old barn, leafy vegetation, you name it. I was stoked!
Then I decided I needed to test my marksmanship on live game. So I walked around the front of the house, and I laid down in the grass looking toward the bird feeder.
I shot a chickadee - one of my favorite birds - and the moment I hit that little bird, I knew I had done something wrong. He didn't die right away, and I had to humanely finish him off.
I'll never forget the feeling of waste and shame. That bird lost its life, and taught me a valuable lesson on what it means to exercise restraint, think things through, and generally, what it means to be good.
โข Waking up on Three Kings day and running to the living room to see a huge bouncy balls of different colors, a white plastic chair (my grandma had one, so I wanted one just like her), and a kiddie pots and pan set. I remember running to my grandma and hugging her like crazy. It was the best day ever. We didnโt have much, but my grandma saved as much as she could, just so I can have something for Three Kings day.
โข Being three years old and running from a Bird-Eating tarantula. I remember running across my (paternal) grandparentsโ yard and up the stairs to my grandparentsโ living room, with that thing still chasing me. My parents and uncles thought it was cute that I was screeching as I ran across the yard, believing that I was being imaginative. But once they saw the huge ass tarantula, they all ran after it with a machete (FYI this happened in Ecuador, at my grandparentsโ farm.)
Jumping off a metal swing only to have it hit the back of my head, crying, then going inside and sleeping for an hour.
My sister swinging and my little sibling who had just learned to walk started to bumble into the path of the swing. My best friend was close to the swing, but not close enough to my sibling to pull him out of the way. So instead he stood in the path of the swing and took the full brunt of my sister to the stomach.
Kissing my first girlfriend for the first time then got pulled over that night, I think it was a sign.
Sitting on a beached dock with my now-fiance for hours talking about life and school and friends and everything possible. I'm not much of a talker, who knew you could even speak that much.
mproj ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Scraping my knee and feeling the pain of Hydrogen Peroxide for the first time -- I was staring out at the backyard where my baby basketball goal was as my parents tended to my wound
Realizing that I was apparently more sexual than any of the other kids my age (age 7-10); I remember being 7 years old and imagining having sex with my "girlfriend" at the time. I used to think about it at night and I started masturbating at around this time. My friends thought girls were "gross," I thought they were beautiful and I was ready to do stuff. It's still a very weird realization.
My mother catching me playing Grand Theft Auto III at around age 8 and witnessing me run over an old lady. She told me, "What if that was your grandmother?" -- This was the moment that I remember being swarmed with empathy for a fictional character, because the thought of someone I loved was now associated with it.
Watching my dad get angry over really stupid shit -- he threw a pastry at the wall once because he couldn't figure something out. I think he realized how scared I was and I remember him looking very sad and cleaning the wall. He would do stuff like that from time to time.
Having the neighbor kid try to trick me into giving up my favorite football helmet -- it was the moment that I realized you can't trust people that try to make you feel good/happy/cool.
Having a girl I adored in middle school tell me not to hold her hand too long during the school music recital because the boy she liked had written his number on her palm.
Having that same girl learn that I liked her, and feeling sorry for me because she didn't like me back
Having another girl leave me at the school dance for another guy so that she could walk with him on the 8th grade walk (we were in 7th grade)
My dad screaming at me the day I got kicked out of my school for stealing from the school store. It was the moment that I realized I was being a shit head and something needed to change.
Driving down the road in 10th grade while that girl that left me at the school dance gave me road head.
The look on her face when I told her I was breaking up with her. I felt so bad because I had never made a girl cry like that.
Finding who I thought was going to be the love of my life while I dated the girl from memory 11, and spending the entire summer talking to her and hanging out with her.
The moment that I brought her to my friends house and I saw her breasts in a game of truth or dare
Her face when she told me she was ashamed because he was becoming just like her mother who would do similar things for attention from shitty guys while she neglected her children
The moment of holding her in my arms in a treehouse while we looked at the stars and wanting the world to freeze in that moment.
Asking her to be my girlfriend.
Having her dad read some very interesting text messages
The moment I realized she was leaving me for someone else
The pain that I felt, as though I had been hit by a truck -- I cried in my bed for hours, days, weeks.
The moment when I finally got over her, only to have her talk to me saying that she made a mistake. But I said no, and it was done.
I could probably go on like this but I think that's enough for one post.
T_Momo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was an awkward kid in a town with not a lot of other children to play with so my best friend was my rescue dog named Missy. One day we were driving her to the vet and she was sitting on my lap. About a block away from the vet's she sees something and jumps out the window (I was a dumb, shitty kid who wasn't holding on tightly to the leash). I felt a bump and I remember my mom saying, "Oh god, we ran over her." and my stomach dropped. I screamed, trying to jump out of the car myself to save my dog. I sat in the vet's office and they came in and told me they had to put her to sleep. To this day, every time I see a dog sticking their head out the window I am filled with the worst anxiety and guilt.
When my aunt died, we brought her ashes to spread along the beach and saw a group of manatees swimming near the shoreline. My aunt's favorite animal was the manatee and it just felt nice to see them on the day we were spreading her ashes, it was a very comforting feeling.
My mother died of cancer when I was 14 and part of her life insurance paid off the mortgage to our house so there was one less expense my father had to deal with. Back then, I had no idea how terrible my father was with money but I remember one day when I was 20, walking into my dad's house and seeing nothing inside. It was completely empty. I thought the house had been burgled, but when I called my family in a panic, I was informed that my father had actually lost the house to foreclosure. I'll never forget the wave of emotions I felt know that the house my mother lived and died in and had tried so hard to make sure would be left to me down the line, was gone forever.
Leaving the state of Pennsylvania, which I loathed, finally and forever after 12 years. I will never go back, that state is a shit show.
My dad wasn't exactly great with small children. My mom was on a trip. My big sister had a girl scout meeting at the park with her troop. He dressed me in big boots. I was three. While she was doing her thing he took me to a small jungle gym to keep me busy. Being a clumsy three year old in gigantic boots I tripped running up onto the metal monstrosity and promptly knocked out my front tooth. I was toothless for years before my adult tooth finally showed up. 20 years later my dad still gets shit from my mom
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My earliest memory: being at preschool, playing outside with the other kids, and watching a plane fly overhead before being led inside to choose beads for a bracelet.
Being in the car and learning that my older brother was going off to college... right when I was told to hug him goodbye. I was still pretty young (5 years old) and I cried and begged him to stay. I cried the whole way home.
Spending the last day of 3rd grade hanging out with the boy in my class I always got into fights with, and both of us realizing we actually got along really well. A picture was taken of us throttling each other.
My best friend locking me into a pitch-black closet and saying I couldn't come out until an alternate persona I had "came out." She then had my other friends hold me down while she kicked the crap out of me.
The first time I got truly angry and asserted myself: learning that my best friend (same as before) had betrayed me and threatened me to make sure I didn't do anything about it. I got into a screaming match with her and didn't speak to her for a week.
Going on a road trip to a family member's house in a city 3 hours away and spending the whole time looking out the window, reflecting, and resolving to open up and improve myself, and actually following through.
Having a panic attack in the middle of the Christmas Mass at my church and spending it in the bathroom, dry heaving while listening to everyone singing "Joy to the World" outside.
Realizing that I didn't love the guy that I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with.
Jamvaan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Falling off a slide at a parents friends house/day care and cracking my head on a tree stump. I remember bleeding at lot on a pillow on a cot in a back room waiting for my parents but not a whole lot more than that, I think it might have been my parents friends kids room.
Sitting over my uncles shoulder watching him play Final Fantasy VII and listening to Weird Al. When my family first moved south it was like the summer before I went into 4th grade, my uncle was off on summer break too(I think he was in like 9th grade) so I just remember whole days spent listening to Weird Al, Bad Religion, and Eminem watching him grind and take swings at Ruby and Emerald weapon.
*10th birthday parents got me a PS2 and SSX Tricky, uncle giving me a big chunk of his PSX Library. He was a big JRPG guy and knew I was too(I got Final Fantasy VIII the year prior) so It was like Final Fantasy VII, IX, Tactics, Legend Of Dragoon, Chrono Cross,; my uncle was my hero for years after that. I was always kind of destined to be a nerd, with the glasses and not digging the boy scout'y outdoor shit but that was the day I hit full blown nerd.
Watching Kofi Kingstons debut with my dad and making fun of the stupid stereotypical Jamaican with our own stupid Jamaican accents. My dad got me into wrestling young(There's baby video of him holding me while watching a Razor Ramon match with I think 123 Kid). This is one of the last really happy memories I have of my dad and when I watch Kofi now I always think about it.
Picking up my Soma-coma'd fathers spilled coffee and burnt out cigarettes off the carpet for years. He was a welder for years and jacked his back up along with a heart attack that meant he was a physical mess. He bought Vicodin and other pain pills off my grandfather and friends of his with fake prescriptions for years and basically pushed his whole family away. He's doing better now but I'm like the only person in my family who will talk to him and now he's a truck driver.
*Being there when my grandfather died of lung cancer. Just the slow misery of it all and watching this ornery old man oak of a man crumble yet continue to smoke. Between that, my dad, and my uncles life falling apart (He became an alcoholic and just sort of disappeared, I haven't seen or talked to him in years) I was and still am combative to take anything stronger than Dayquil. It absolutely terrifies me that I could end up like one of them so i just don't even fucking risk it.
So those are the roots of my personality and my deepest rooted fears. Big 'ole Straight Edge smark and video game nerd who fears the outdoors.
N0vah ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
โข Playing Spiderman with my best friend when we were around 6. We fell down a hole after climbing on garage roof tops, and were trapped for several hours in our costumes.
โข Getting my Wii for Christmas. I played Mario Kart every single day for the next few years.
โข Crying in my room because my mum wouldn't let me eat a banana. My brother and sister got me one from downstairs, I was around 5.
โข Getting into a clan on one of my favourite games and making so many wonderful online friends.
โข Seeing my dog go after taking care of him for a year. It was the first time I had cried in years.
โข Getting my cat, Domino. I spent the whole day shaking with excitement to go out and get him from Cat's Protection.
โข Getting sent to the Headteacher's office in my first year of Primary school. We were playing pirates and I said 'yarr, pirates only!' to a girl. She claimed I had pushed her down the slide (a lie) and I got severely told off.
โข Having my favourite holiday ever in La Palma, and ordering unlimited Cokes and Sandwiches from the snack bar.
โข Opening a pack of Match Attax and getting Ronaldo (the rarest player). I actually couldn't believe it and my friends were so jealous.
-My first memory at age 2, I walked into my mom's bathroom to find her crying, my grandfather had died. At the funeral when my mom was holding me over the casket, I said go home (sounds like) pawpaw. And being rushed out of the room because everyone started crying.
-being in trouble for saying the N-word at my friends Bo's birthday I was 3 and had no idea what it meant or why I was even in trouble, just remember crying and repeating I didn't know. --I now never say I do not know.
-playing with my cousin and telling my mom her mom and her I wanted to marry her, we were 3. My mother telling me I couldn't.
-making a bow and arrow set out of random things at my grandmothers. Age 3 (Bio father's mother)
-falling into my aunt and uncles outdoor pool and swimming without hesitation at age 3. No one saw me do it, but I remember it so clearly. --I never liked having to prove I could do anything after this
being told I can no longer see my cousin or my bio father's family at age 6.
-going to a pool party at age 6 and being told I didn't know how to swim so I shouldn't go in the deep end, and the subsequent nightmare of swimming lessons over the next 4 years where I cried from being so afraid.
-doing lots of fun things at age 7 with the daughters of our family friends. Spending the night at there house when my brother was being born
-watching the Flintstones viva rock Vegas the night my other brother was born, having stayed up way later than normal because I had some innate feeling thing...
-at age 9 being saved.
-being told I was smart. I realized people didn't like that I was always better than them and quit trying so hard in school 5th grade. I had a friend apologize to me last year for how I was treated by her. I still called her a friend anyway. She instigated the math team girl incident.
-being the MVP in my coach pitch baseball league. One specific game I made 9 RBIs our team had 14 points and we still lost. My dad told me I still could have done better... this had two effects. One obvious the other being that I try doing everything by myself even when I'm on a team. I carry everyone not just in games but in life, or I try anyway.
-various naughty things. I was very erotic for a child knowing nothing about it.
-spending my summer alone in the house while my parents were at work.
-the dream, I dreamed two of our puppies died, one was attacked by a monster of sorts, the other feel from high up and drowned in a pool of water. The next day we found exactly that. The monster being one of our other dogs, the pool of water a bucket of water. I became obsessed with dreams too obsessed...
-reading various books in different places where i seclued myself. Mostly harry potter.
-playing hockey with my brothers, in the kitchen, and outside.
-my friend asking if we were gay, and clearly remembering that I could have said yes or no and i would have been fine with either choice. I said no. (100% straight)
-learning about sex on my own through various means.
-trying at school again to only be immediately shunned for how easily school came to me by my peers. I always felt shame for when I has the highest grade from then on.
-going to my first math team meet, and seeing a girl I thought was for the first time truly beautiful to me. The next year I had to lie and say I didn't like her or care about her in that way to be allowed to get into AP chemistry because the girl from math team was adamant she wanted nothing to do with me. (Girls win all arguments in school systems, I didn't find out this was genuinely true until later). This incident also made me realize how powerful saying something allowed was. I never liked the girl again. We became friends later despite that incident.
-meeting "her." Her story is everything you'd never want to hear or know especially for someone as innocent as I was. I became insanely depressed realizing I cannot "carry" the world. I became full of hatred, I still do not know what all of my hatred encompasses. The story for this is far too long and I will not write this one.
-the last and most recent is a story too long to tell. The Tldr is that the college system did what happened with the girl I met on math team except I was actually punished, and not asked questions. I was no longer allowed to go rock climbing at the school because of it.
If enough people ask I will tell the more recent story, it's a culmination of a lot of the events listed. It is subsequently also why I use the name silence9.
Alcohol saved me. Better now, but full of extreme amounts of hate. I'm not violent nor will I ever be. A huge perfectionist, I place all the blame on myself for anything bad that happens, because the only one I can control is me. In one way or another the problem is my fault regardless of who or what actually caused it. I have a very Japanese culture type of attitude in thaf regard and have been obsessed with living there. I am planning a trip and if it is even half of what I think it is I will plan to retire there. I truly hate American culture, but I have nostalgia for it. As if I never lived here and only saw it from afar... low and behold this is how japanese people feel at least so I am told.
1) I ran through a glass door that gave me a giant scar. The door closed toward me as I was running at it and in hopes of pushing on the door instead of needing to open it again I had my hands out and was watching the latch. The moment of "I'm screwed" as the door latched just before my fingertips touched the glass is what's there, nothing after. I get the feeling when I think of it. I think this was the summer when I turned 5.
2) I had an asthma attack in second grade so bad that all of the tricks that I used to ease breathing didn't work. I woke my mom up and told her "I'm going to die, but it's ok" I passed out soon after that.
3) Making my first friend in school. I asked him "will you be my friend?" on the playground. I was incredibly antisocial when I was young, so it was a pretty big moment for me. This was my second year in kindergarten.
MommEie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my mom left. I was around 7 probably. I just remember she didn't come home from work one night. And I remember my aunt (they worked at the same place I think?) came home without my mom and she gave me a teddy bear and told me it was from my mom. I think I had that bear until my early teens. I didn't realize til a few days later that she wasn't coming back. My brother and I had to go live with our dad.
When I was 12-13 I was very depressed. This was after my step mom left my dad and we moved into a shitty trailer. My dad took all his problems out on me and my brother. He was awful. I started cutting myself. One day I told my friends I wanted to kill myself. When I got to school the next day, my friends confessed they were worried about me so they told a teacher I wanted to kill myself. I got called to the office later in the morning and a social worker asked me a bunch of questions. I had to start seeing a counselor at the school once a week. The one I was seeing was only an intern. She was so nice. I had social anxiety so I never really talked but I told her that I like to write, so she gave me a notebook to write in and whenever I came in she would read it and we would discuss what I wrote. She had to leave in December, right around my birthday. The last time I saw her, I remember she hugged me and we both cried. She gave me a new pink notebook (my favorite color) and on the first page of ir she had written a note to me. I still have that note and I cry when I read it. In fact, here it is. I have tried multiple times to find that woman on Facebook or online in general and I haven't been able to. She doesn't know how much it meant to me that she was there for me.
When my aunt called me while I was going through some stuff (my family knew what was happening that's why she called) and she cried and told me how proud she is of me. And then she told me how sorry she is that I got "two bum deals" when it comes to parents. I think about that a lot.
The obvious ones are having my kids. So I won't say those. But I will say, a big thing for me was the day that my daughter told me "I happy mama." It was completely unprovoked. We weren't doing anything special, just watching tv or something I think. It made me cry because all I want in the world is for my babies to be happy, and hearing that out of nowhere made me feel like maybe I'm not completely fucking up.
I'm sure I have more, but most of them are not good ones.
HardOff ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I was a high school student, sitting in a kitchen, listening quietly to a girl on the phone. She told me that I was the only one who cared enough to do anything about her suicide note, that she wasn't mad at me- on the contrary, that she was grateful to me- for calling the police, that she was enjoying the hospital and that everything was changing for the better.
That was the moment when I finally accepted the idea that I am someone of worth. It has both driven me to do things that I know are right but am afraid to do, and carried me through times where others tried to convince me that I am worthless.
rakoho ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in 4th grade I was starting to get into computers, and my 4th grade teacher randomly went on a rant once about how computers were like pianos and only people with long fingers would be any good with them. Then proceed to tell me I had stubby fingers and wouldn't be good with them. (I am now a software developer)
-One time when I was 7 years old, I was in a summer camp. I separated myself from the group even under the watch of several counselors and slipped away because damn, did I love swings. My dad arrived to pick me up and asked where I was, and that's when everyone noticed I had gone. There was a mad scramble to search the immediate area to retrieve me, and finally I was found by my dad, who stumbled upon me in a panic, but when he saw me, he stopped in his tracks to watch me. He wasn't angry, he didn't yell at me, he just stood there 10 feet off and watched me swinging back and forth. He says he will never forget what he saw, and I don't think I will either.
-That one time in preschool my friend -for whatever reason- decided it would be a good idea to take a shit on one of the teachers who was lying on a bench with his eyes closed. That's exactly what he did.
-The first time I saw my mom cry
-Watching Inside Out for the first time
/r/insideout exists, people, and I'm one of the mods. Come say hello.
For whatever reason as a young child (5 or 6 years old) I received a toy shaving kit with shaving cream. This has stayed with me for the rest of my life. Why? I have no idea
Other memories:
Hitting a moving vehicle on my bicycle within minutes of having the training wheels taken off
8 year old me getting ready for Cub Scouts... Came home from school and being informed by my grandmother that my two female cousins were killed by a train
Drinking Coca Cola out of a can at a cookout, around same age
Talking to my aunt while she was taking a shower. This wouldnt be memorable, other than the fact that I was sound asleep in my bed miles away from her at the time. She remembered having the conversation with me as well. Apparently I had a out of body experience.
When TMI meltdown occurred I lived less than 10 miles from there. Forced to evacuate
My grandmothers (paternal) electric grill that she used to cook the burgers and hot dogs outside.
Maternal grandmother's burgers she made in the cast iron skillet and black rasberry jello
Prepositions in elementary school. I remember them all
Summer playground
Wanting to be a firefighter - all my life. My parents got phone calls from the local fire department beause I was hanging out there without permission.
Thereโs more, but Iโm at work and I am late to this conversation so I am prepared for it to be buried anyway.
I was 12 and was in cub scouts. We took a weekend long camping trip with our group and the boy scouts who we would eventually group with in a year when we โgraduatedโ. I was outcasted all weekend by my friends and the boy scouts. My best friend at the time had a brother who was in the Boy Scout group, and they collectively picked on me relentlessly. I was raised to be a loving kid, and I remember how betrayed and sad I felt. I never realized how truly innocent I was growing up until I reflect on it as an adult. It was the first time of many lessons discovering how hateful and jealous people can beโฆ especially kids.
It was the end of 8th grade, and I still hadnโt kissed a girl. There was someone special to me over the years that I wanted to share this with. She was more experienced than me, and I think thatโs what drew me to herโฆ She would know what she was doing if we hooked up. It was our townโs annual summer festival. I didnโt say anything to her, but grabbed her by the hand. We walked through the crowds of people, through the cemetery, and found a house nearby with a detached garage where we could fit between the two structures hidden from everyone. We made out for a couple minutes and that was it. I remember how happy and accomplished I felt.
It was the end of my Sophomore year of high school. My parents took a weeklong vacation, and left my college-going sister who was home for the summer to watch me. She wasnโt home all week. I threw a party where we were getting stoned and drinking. This was a time where a little of any substance went a long way, and the feeling was new and exciting. The party died down, and a few of my friends and I watched The Doors movie. I was the only one to make it to the end. I felt so inspired after that movie that I went into my backyard and waited for the sun to rise. It was so beautiful. After morning came I made everyone breakfast.
Have quite a few to choose from so here's a sampling:
Finally getting into university for pharmacy after having to resit my A-Level exams.
Struggling to pass exams and coursework in that university course due to then undiagnosed thyroid issues causing me to feel like I was going crazy and daily fighting with my family.
Feeling like giving up and actually filling out the paperwork to drop out, but then seeing if I could switch to mathematics. I graduated a year ago with a first.
The day my family friend told me he got a pay rise and was more than happy to help pay my university costs privately after I had already got the maximum university loans from the UK government.
The feeling of comfort my grandfather gave me when we had to put down my first dog. He didn't show much affection and that meant a lot to me that he did.
Finding out I was moving to London from California halfway through my sophomore year in high school.
Having to put my next dog down after a long fight with cancer. We knew for a long time that it was happening but couldn't afford the vet bills so we had over a year of happy last memories.
Losing my grandma at 8 and my grandpa at 22, and then the realization that my dad lost both his parents before he turned 50.
The feeling of leaving my brother at the airport as I went to fly to the USA to go live with my parents after they moved and realizing he was no longer going to be there to interact with and ask for advice as readily. I'm planning on moving back so I can be closer to him and the friends I left behind.
The first time I played bass guitar on stage in front of 200 people.
The feeling of riding my bike for over 50 miles for the first time.
The feeling of catching fish with my dad and my brother at 5 in the morning and getting home to cook them for breakfast.
When we were kids, my best friend and I were bored one day. We saw some deer in his lawn, and for some reason thought it would be a good idea to chase them into the gulf by his house. They obviously just gracefully took off, but so began our three-hour adventure climbing and sliding through a snowy gulf, pelting each other with snowballs and sharing stories. I never would have done that on my own without his encouragement. He passed away a few years later, and I still take that memory as inspiration to be spontaneous and to actively choose fun.
When my mother was single and working a job to keep the lights on, I would wake up for high school at the same time she got up for work. We'd have our good morning rituals, we'd talk, and we'd bond before we went off. We would always make a small breakfast for each other before we left, usually just toasters strudels or cereal. I remember that time as when I started to really SEE the struggle she was going through, and when she started seeing me as the adult I was growing up to become.
Punching my brother in the face for no apparent reason than I was 8 and I thought it would be funny. It wasn't. It was cruel, and stupid, and not at all what a big brother should do. I apologized for it after 20 years, and he doesn't even remember. I do, and I still feel that shame and guilt. I try hard now to remind my siblings that they can come to me for anything now, I'm their big brother, and I'm here to help them.
I was sitting quietly playing my mario kart 64. My mum and dad were fighting in the kitchen and one of them turns to me asking "do you want us to get a divorce?" and I just sat there and cried. I was 7 or 8.
The day my dad left. I was about 9 or 10.
The day I saved my mentally handicapped sister from drowning, she had a seizure near the pool. I was about 11 or 12.
The day we sent my mentally handicapped sister to a group home far away because my mum couldnt support her properly anymore on a single income. about 13 years old.
The day I told my dad off and stopped talking to him. About 15 years old
The day I was so upset that I begged my mum not to make me go back to school, I was just turned 16.
The day my first girlfriend cut contact from me completely without warning. I was 19.
The day I met one of the best friends ive ever had, she is the most genuine, nicest person I know and she has helped me through some hard times, we don't speak much anymore because we live on opposite ends of the world but I will always care so much about her. I was late 19 years old.
I was about 9 years old at the time, my family had just got back from a beach trip in Galveston, Tx. I remember looking through the photos on the computer with my grandma who had married into the family when I was born. She pointed out my fat rolls every pic I was in, she asked me what those were and told me normal kids didn't have those. I've struggled with eating disorders my whole life and I think this is the root of it. I have recently lost close to 80lbs, so maybe she helped me? Thanks grandma, you bitch.
A spiritual bliss I had when meditating in college; had never felt anything like it, and it is a foundation of my understanding of faith.
The time I received my calculus test back with the top score in the class, without having really studied. I never felt so accomplished and capable.
When I put my little league team on my back and pitched a lights-out ninth inning in the playoffs to give my team a chance to win, and they did. This all unfolded in front of my family and grandmother, and it helped to form me into the competitive person I am today. It helped me believe in myself.
When I got my first video game console, an SNES with Super Mario World included. I was super happy and have always been into video games since.
When my grandfather (who died long before I got to know him) held me above the water in an indoor pool when I was 3 or 4 years old, maybe younger. You could call this my "family island".
Day at the beach. I was 3 maybe, 4 years old. I could smell a very distinguished odor but I didn't know it. I was sitting next to a little black girl, I am Mexican-American. We were playing on the sand, on the beach. She had a yellow pail. It was cocoa butter, the smell.
That memory is so vivid in me that its like I was opening my eyes to reality for the first time.
Went through massive depression and lost the feels for a long time. Many memories gone. Or I just have horrible long term memory....and short term memory. I just have horrible memory.
Not being strong enough to hold myself by one hand on rope or monkey bars like Indiana Jones. I used toy handcuffs to help and my wrist slipped through and my face hit the lower bars. The pain of admitting how dumb I was to my mom far out-weighed the physical pain
Staring out the window at a lightning storm on a beach vacation and then staring out the window of my room at home during a lighting storm months/years later and remembering the beach
When I was 8 or 9 a friend pointed out that I had let another friend of mine say REALLY racist things to him without standing up for him; I don't think I have let something like this happen again
*Seeing a beanstalk grow out of the floor in my room and calling my parents; I was then very embarrassed and just said I had a weird dream even though I had been wide awake and absolutely petrified
Sitting in front of the TV when Bush (Sr.) announced the start of Gulf War; I remember being so surprised that everything on the news was really happening halfway around the world.
Thinking there was a slide from my bedroom window to the driveway and sprinting upstairs to slide down it; obviously there was no slide and I was very upset and very confused
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:50:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Watching my mum's blood splatter on the wall from a crack in my door, hearing my dad yelling and the thump, thump, thump of his first. Terrified of moving. Later that night running down a rocky hill barefoot with my mum, only for my dad to charge down and grab me pulling me away from her while I screamed for my mum. It was two weeks after my sixth birthday.
All my classmates (Small school, 16 children in my year) surrounding me in a circle at a birthday party and saying that no one wanted me there, that the parents invited me and I should leave and not come to anyone else's parties. They all found me weird after the shit with my parents.
I don't know when this was. I think I was about 8 or so, but I have this one memory of being alone in my room. The house was silent, my brother was out and my mum was upstairs in her office working so I knew not to disturb her. I just sat in my quiet room, feeling lonely, before switching on my Play Station and pretending I was friends with the characters of FFIV as I played it.
Realizing how much my health conditions were costing my mum, that they were the reason my brother didn't get to go on that school trip and was so angry and upset. Realizing that all the games of "Find the coins in the couch" weren't really games. That I was a burden. That if I wasn't around maybe mum and my brother would be okay.
My older brother, young, hurt and angry, yelling at me repeatedly that I was a waste of time, space and money and that if I'd never been born mum and dad would have been okay or mum would have the money to take care of them because she wouldn't be wasting it all on me. I didn't say anything because I agreed.
The first time I decided to kill myself. I was nine. I don't remember why, if there was a specific reason. I just genuinely believed if I died then, that life would be better for my mum and brother. I remember is tying a skipping rope around my neck and jumping from my favorite tree. The branch broke instead before I even really jumped. I fell, landed in horse shit, and the branch hit my head. No one knows about that to this day, but I still believe so much that if I'd just managed to fucking off myself then so much shit wouldn't have happened to mum and my brother. They'd be in such a better place. It's too late now, I'm hugely tied into their lives - it couldn't be played off as a child making a mistake and killing themselves.
I actually wish I hadn't written out this post, god fucking damn my childhood was not fun.
pdfilms ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:50:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This one time when my older brother and I had a rock fight.
We were hanging out at my friends house and my brother started throwing rocks at me. I ran away and he continued to throw them. My friend joined his team and I started throwing rocks at them. I ended up hitting my friend on the nose with a rock from about forty feet. I am a better person now.
I thought I was the only one who had a Rock fight as a kid... how fucking stupid is that? I ended up putting a dent in this other kids skull... ambulance and the whole 9 yards.
I hated secondary school, it was hell. The day I finished for good, I came home and played along to Mr Big's "Alive and Kickin" on guitar. The sense of relief and excitement for the future was overwhelming.
Leaving university. I'd gone to college at the same place so I'd spent around 5 years here. I remember shaking the administrators hand after I handed in my final piece of coursework. I remember thinking "I'm never going to fit in anywhere as well as I did here".
Performing live with a friend. We recently played Coventry's Godiva festival acoustic stage, the YMCA was our last song and EVERYONE sang along and did the dance. It was amazing!
Recording with a band I'm in. We got signed to a small label to record a couple of songs. Finally being in a proper studio with a band I'd helped form in college was magical. Still with them!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:51:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father rocking me gently while he carried me down the stairs after a nightmare.
The shame of immediately going on the play equipment after arriving at a new daycare and being scolded for it.
Managing to fly a kite properly, after dozens of failed attempts and broken dollar store kites on earlier days.
Staying up until midnight to watch my dad get home from work before going to sleep.
Changing schools for the 5th time. The third grade teacher was very nice, which was good since it was part way through the schoolyear and everyone had already found their friends.
Singing for the last time when my classmates mocked me for being the last boy who could still sing soprano.
Seeing my fourth grade teacher slip my homework into my desk after she had given me detention for losing it.
Slowly losing interest in everything, withering into a shell over the months as my forth grade teacher continued to berate and punish me for daring to try and answer questions in class.
Lying in the snow, slowly going numb while staring at the sky.
"Waking up" in grade 11, barely able to remember the past 7 years.
Carrying my best friend's coffin after he refused to take his medication.
Getting roped into a "summer opportunity" at my university, had to get bailed out by my father. Truly got to know him for the first time in my life after working with him for 14 hours a day, 6 days a week for 2 months.
Meeting the love of my life, and having to say goodbye when she realized she wasn't ready to leave her neglectful boyfriend.
Abusive room mate pounding on my bedroom door screaming insults night after night.
Losing 30 pounds in two months because I was too poor to afford food, too sick to realize I could ask for help.
Walking into the clinic for the first time, finally getting my mental disorder diagnosed.
Meeting the love of my life again, while studying for a final exam. Gave her my contact info, and we became friends for the second time.
Our first kiss watching fireworks from my apartment window after an amazing first date she hadn't realized was a first date until about half way through.
Watching her jerk and spasm. Holding her and lowering her to the floor. Watching her face turning blue while screaming at the 911 operator.
Slowly getting to the point where I didn't check on her every 10 minutes. She'd just blinked and been told she'd had a seizure, I'd suffered the brunt of the emotional trauma.
Taking my vows with the most beautiful women I'd ever met, mildly annoyed that the priest slipped in 3 references to god after we'd asked for a non-religious ceremony.
/It's a bit of a short ending, but we've been married almost two years now. I couldn't quite say what my core memories from here out are going to be yet. Sorry some of it has been sad, but I've worked hard and am in a much better place now.
A family water balloon fight when I was four. My cousin told me to give him my water balloon and he would protect me. After I handed it to him, he smiled and then plastered me right in the chest.
Second grade, my teacher emptying my desk on my head because it was messy and I hadn't cleaned it up. The whole class is laughing. I'm crying.
My mom's hand is caught in the mechanical latch of a foldaway bed. I sprint down the street and get the neighbors. Mom gets home from the hospital. Dad and her are really proud of me.
Playing catch in the backyard. Not the fun kind though...I don't like baseball, and I don't want to play. My hand stings, and the sun is starting to set. Dad looks so angry. I just want to go inside. I don't want to play baseball.
Fifth grade, lying on the floor of the classroom, holding a bloody nose. The kid is bigger than me. He's laughing. He turns his back on me, and I howl as I leap to my feet and launch myself onto his back. He never hits me again. We become friends later, in high school.
Karate class. I'm waiting for my parents to pick me up. My instructor asks me if I know why we spar for eight minutes when everyone else spars for three minutes. I ask why, and he says, "You keep getting up. No matter what happens, you always get up. I've never met anyone who fights as hard as you do." I thanked him. He's a great man. He still teaches.
Swimming at a watering hole in the woods at my grandparents' place. The sky is bright, and the water is clear. The leaves are so green. It's a beautiful place. There's a spider on a rock and it's missing three of its legs. Normally I'm afraid of spiders, but when one of the other kids tries to smash it, I tell them to leave it alone. I regarded that spider for quite some time.
...I'd keep going, but I just realized that almost all of my core memories are quite sad. I don't want to bum anyone out.
My earliest memory was choosing between Bourbon biscuits and Custard Creams from Grandma, later I would play marbles with Grandad. A special treat was when he took me out on the back lawn and teach me how to play bowls.
My Uncle (his son) kept me quiet for hours by propping up a dustbin lid with a piece of wood tied to a length of rope. He'd put bread under the contraption and parked me behind the rose bush.
"It's easy to catch birds, just wait until they fly down to eat the bread and pull the rope!"
It never happened of course, never saw one bird. Didn't stop me hoping. Maybe that's why I'm such a patient fisherwoman..
1) walking on the beach with my great-grandma, watching the sun rise. It was a tradition during our family vacations. One time we found a live horseshoe crab and put it back in the ocean.
2) I was homeschooled, and I spent a lot of time with my Grandma at her job, the Good Samaratin charity. I was 8 years old, reading Harry Potter at the conference table in her office. One of the Pastors that worked there told me I shouldn't read it because it was an evil book. I asked him if he had read it. He said that of course he hadn't. "If you haven't read it, how do you know it's a bad book?" I asked him, and I continued to read. I went back the next week, and he apologized to me. He actually read Sorcerer's Stone and had decided it was a wonderful book.
3) I was an acolyte for the church we went to. I lit the candles and such. Well, I was probably 8 or 9 when Father Rob asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was still huge into Harry Potter, and I told him straight up I wanted to be a witch. And instead of admonishing me, he smiled, put his hand on my shoulder, and said "Be the best witch you could ever be."
4) Going back to public school in 6th grade. Going home crying almost every day because of relentless bullying. After a book report I did on The Diary of Anne Frank, I was being called a Jew. I told the guidance counselor "I don't care what they call me, they shouldn't use that as an insult!"
5) Making first chair flute in 8th grade and having my first solo during the Veteran's Day concert. I was so happy, so proud. I couldn't wait for the concert. My mom played flute so it was a big deal to me.
No one in my family came to the concert. Everyone had a legitimate reason not to be there. Except my mom. She got her eyebrow pierced.
6) Bawling my eyes out to my grandmother about how miserable it was at home on the plane ride back from Disney World. Finding out my parents wanted to get divorced but didn't want to hurt me.
7) telling my parents to get a divorce before going back to Disney with my cousins.
8) Rocking in a mosh pit when I was 14, after meeting who would become my current SO, 9 years later. A really big guy came up to me afterwards and said "I thought I was gonna kill you when came to my part of the pit, then you kicked me in the face! It was awesome!" He gave me a big hug (:
My oldest and clearest memory was probably around age 2. I was sitting in my aunt's lap, talking about something, and a woman came ripping around the office corner exclaiming she thought I was 5 and wanting to know how old I really was. She was the school speech therapist. I could speak in full sentences at the time. Needless to say, I clammed up with a death grip. I have never been one for the limelight. To this day, I can't even karaoke without convulsing.
Around 4, I got the nickname Madam President from my preschool teachers. Apparently, I was very good at resolving issues and having kids follow my orders. I didn't feel like I was doing anything spectacular. Because CastleHouse was way more fun than arguing about playing Castle or House.
When I was 6, I punched a boy a couple years older than me in the nose because he claimed girls couldn't do anything boys could do. A series of rigorous tests (which I passed with flying colors) culminated in him requesting I punch him. I hit that freckled face. Blood spurted everywhere. His mom tried to beat me with a spoon without pants on. I ran. I had to sneak into my house without getting caught as taking my shirt off in public was a test. I was half naked and scared shitless. That was not the last time I proved my manliness in the stupidest of ways.
I can't remember my age. But my grandpa and I would shine nails when I was pretty young with his grinder and buffer. It was our secret. Grandma could never know, because she'd give us the silent treatment for the rest of the day. So when we were done, I'd slip them into my pockets when they were still warm from the buffer, and I'd hide them in my piggy bank when I got home. I miss those days. I still think of him whenever I set to a project.
When I was 9, I tried to steal some jewellery from a department store. I got caught. I was convinced that I was going to be shanked and die in child jail. But I got a big talking to by the security guard and no dinner for the night with room jail instead. At about 9 pm my dad took pity and gave me some spaghetti. I hated spaghetti before that night. Now it's one of my favorite dishes.
In high school, 15, I injured my back. I missed two years of school, and nearly 10 years later, it still effects my day to day although it's much better. I learned who my friends weren't which was heartbreaking, I learned how fragile I really was which was shocking, and I learned that patience will get you to the place you want to be if you just keep trying. It's the shittiest thing ever to happen to me, and I'm grateful.
Sitting with my Grandfathers. They were both alcoholics and smokers. I liked them though. They didn't try to cuddle me or talk to me in a baby voice. I thought they were cool. They bought me candy cigarettes.
Mom was talking to a neighbor outside. I was barely walking. Their dog, who was on a leash, ran over and knocked me down. It ran around and around. The leash went around my neck a few times. Very excited dogs make me nervous now.
I like pillbugs/rolypolys. I had a small box covered in yarn. I would try to gather up as many as I could when I went to Grandma's house. I'm not sure what my plans were. When I would go back to her house, they were gone. I decided they wanted to go on their own adventures. I stopped collecting and decided to give them advice about the cool places to go.
going to my nanas on a Saturday, having ice cream and then getting ready and going horse riding with my dad. did that from being about 5 until I was 18.
The most notorious core memory of them all: The Holocaust.
Being apart of the slaughter of six million Jews. Think about that, one Jew every 20 minutes for four years straight.
I survived and now I am married with a wife and three children with one on the way. I still have a lot of hopes and dreams, and based on my experiences my mind has become vast and complex just like in the movie.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:54:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First: I remember my first time going to a movie theater with my father. He took us to see the first Jurassic Park at a brand new theater that had been built in our town. The smell of the place was amazing, and there were lights and cool displays everywhere. He got my brother and I each our own buckets of popcorn and huge drinks (there went my college fund). I loved every second of the experience and I would deliberately recall that memory on a regular basis as I grew up.
Specifically because my father is not an openly emotional person. I can't recall a moment in life where he lovingly embraced me or told me that he loved me. He was never really abusive or belligerent. Just worked a lot and didn't have much time for us. So those few times he did things like that were the world to me. He showed us he loved us by using what free time he had for things like that.
A few months ago I shared that with him - how much I loved that experience and going to see Jurassic Park with him. He told me that he didn't remember taking us. I was a little bummed at first but it hasn't killed my memory at all. I'll always cherish it.
Second: Dad was a regional manager for Namco and he oversaw all the arcades they owned in the Great Lakes region, including the one in the mall in our town. A couple times a year he would take me in with him on a Sunday, hours before everything was open. He would audit the books and he gave me the master key. He showed me how to open the face and which trigger to hit to register free play on the games.
He called it "system tests to check out the games and make sure the joysticks and buttons worked on all the cabinets."
I called it amazing. My teens were the best. I never did beat his score on Fun House pinball.
I can't think of any of the older core memories because they have all been knocked loose from their stands for the time being.
The only one solidly in place is a longstanding one that morphed merely two weeks ago.
I found my spouse, my roommate, my confidant and close friend dead in our house. The rising panic triggered a system override -- Check his vitals. No pulse, no breath. Was it still "A-B-C" for CPR? I felt niggled that I hadn't been recent with CPR training.
Check for obstruction, clear; no breathing; clear; commencing compression. A horrible wheeze that went "hnnnnnnnnh" emitted each time I compressed. That is not supposed to happen. Nobody ever tells you this, but the worst thing about administering CPR to someone trying to resuscitate them, especially to your loved one, is that with each compression, your thought is chopped into bite-sized urgency.
Come. On. Wake. Up. Wake. Up. Already. Please. *checks breath and heartbeat* Why. Aren't. You. Waking. Up. Choke. Or. Something. *checks breath and heartbeat*
I knew I couldn't do anything more so called 911, laid him on the side and called in to work saying I won't be able to make it.
The following week was a blur.
The final bit of the memory involves seeing him lowered into the ground. There was sadness, but also anger. His religious relative had insisted on making him sound to be a pious person when he was not. It's not like the dead could retort back.
I'm assuming NPY-land will be closed for some renovations and I'll revisit it to see what has come of it in time to come.
1) my parents arguing when we all lived together, watching Tales from the Crypt and playing with my talking Tina doll.
I was about three and am not sure of the sequence.
2) listening to the radio wth grandad while waiting for the school bus. Something funny was playing and we were in stitches. (Age 5-6?)
3) playing outside when I lived with my mom and ex stepdad in the woods. I use to take the leaves into paths.
4) the night our Great Dane had puppies as well as the day I came home from school to find mine was the only one sold.
5) dad taking me to see Star Wars Episode 1 in theaters.
6) getting caught reading Catcher in the Rye by my grandmother. She didn't take it away, but did not approve of the language.
There are others, and these need context to be fully understood, but my class is about to start.
reebee7 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad telling what a lie was. I was very young--this might be my earliest memory--and my dad had told me not to put our little fisher price orange slide at the top of the slide in our fort, because it got us going to fast. I did it anyway, and my brother turned his ankle. My dad got mad at me and I said my little sister had done it. My dad said, correctly, "Reebee7, she's not strong enough to push it up there," (she was two), "That's called a lie." I didn't know, I just didn't want to be in trouble.
Similarly, I remember my mom explaining stealing to me when I took lifesavers from the grocery store without telling her. I didn't know it was wrong. I wanted the lifesavers.
And the first time I hit a tennis ball over the net, my Dad dropped his racket and ran around the net, arms outstretched, and wrapped me in a huge hug.
-My cousin turning all my other cousins and my sister against me at age 10 forcing me not to have any friends till middle school.
-Reading my first harry potter book.
-Going to midnight releases of Harry Potter every year for my birthday.
-Getting bullied by numerous people throughout my childhood and nobody stopping it.
-tending the cows with my dad
-driving my dad home because he was drunk and him saying I was a bitch just like my mother.
-getting a carrier in art
-having my best friend abandon me because she felt bad about something she did to me even though I forgave her.
-The day I realized I didn't deserve to be mistreated.
-The day I met my husband.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn, I can't think of any that aren't negatives.
My mom read through my Yahoo messenger chat logs when I was like 10 and I got in trouble for what I wrote. It just made me learn to clear all forms of history and become more reticent.
One time I got TV watching taken away as punishment for a week. 3 days into it I ask my dad if I can watch TV, and he says sure. Then I ask him, "Are you sure? You said I couldn't." And he says, oh yeah, never mind you can't. So that pretty much taught me that honesty is bullshit, lie if it helps you.
I was 17 and my dad comes into my room confronting me about something I had said on Facebook messenger to a friend. So basically he had been monitoring my facebook account and who knows what else for who knows how long. I immediately re-installed windows and changed every password I could think of and never left my computer unlocked again, to this day.
So basically now, even though I've been living on my own for years, I'm a paranoid liar who will never leave his phone or computer unattended around anyone, even my gf, and will never confide anything whatsoever to my parents.
My very first friend that I ever made was in Kindergarten. I have a memory of us playing with toy cars that is forever engraved in my head. I left that school in Grade 2 and lost touch with everyone, including him, until Facebook became a thing. I later found out through mutual friends that my first friend now identified as a Crip and was doing a couple years in a Juvenile Detention Facility.
Cufugy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in my teens we had a dog that would always escape. He got so bored when we were all at work and school he would dig out, open ground floor windows, or even chew threw the wire we used to tie him up. One time when he escaped and the pound got him my dad told me we weren't taking him back because none of us had time to take care of him. I was with my friend so I excused myself to go mow the lawn but the moment I reached the shed I started bawling my eyes out.
When my best friend at the time was trying to commit suicide. She took pills and drank a bunch of alcohol and phoned me. She was a city away and i didn't call for help until she admitted to me she wanted to live. She did live but I really should have called for help sooner.
In grade 11 when I went to my first alcoholic party with the cast and crew from our high school play. I was with all of my friends and I drank myself so sick I spewed all night and morning. Still had an incredible time.
When I was 10, my younger brother J threw his 5th birthday at a safari play-ground club. The club was one of my favourite playgrounds ever- it had everything I loved, I could climb up ropes, I could punch and kick styrofoam pillars and pretend I was a ninja or a hero in a story, I could slide down long and winding slides and land in a pool pilled with colourful balls of plastic. If i fancied, I could even pretend i was spiderman and climb up netting placed here and there.
I love it up till today and I wish I could go back, but it's for kids and adults arent allowed inside.
Our cousins were there and they didn't like hanging out with me. I didn't really fit in and nobody could really understand me, but in this maze of fun it didn't matter that I was all on my own, I could be anybody I wanted and my imaginary friends kept me company. I had a lot of uncriticised fun by myself.
At some point of the party I slid down a long slide into the ball pit and decided to lie in the middle. I smiled to myself and thought, "It's kinda lonely but I love this place. I don't feel so hard to love here."
I wasn't there for long when a sudden thud landed on my face. It landed hard and painful and I knew someone had not fallen onto me but had jumped onto my face. It was James. He laughed and ran away. My paradise broke apart and I was furious- the only fun I could get by myself was seemingly stolen away from me for a cheap laugh. It felt like my whole life was reflected in that one jump. It'd just be me trying to have fun doing something I enjoyed and someone else wouldn't like that and would try to take it away from me.
I cried long, hard, and loud. My mom dragged me out of the pit because I refused to move. I remember thinking, "I know it's his birthday, but don't I get some love too?"
She yelled at me and scolded me, and brought me to a corner outside of the party room to discipline me. I wouldn't stop crying, and she stood there and crossed her arms and let loose a string of insults meant to shame me quiet for embarassing her and trying to ruin his party. I didn't know how to ask for love from her because she had never chosen to express it when I needed it most.
My grandfather and grandmother heard my crying and came outside. My grandmother sat down next to me and held me as my grandfather stood my mother up and told her, "He needs some L-O-V-E too". He spelt it out because he didn't want to embarass me. I had really bad dyslexia as a kid and he must've assumed that I wouldn't understand him or hear him. I heard everything and I knew he was right. The concept of feeling loved during a difficult time seemed foreign to me, probably because I hadn't experienced it before.
My mother responded by scrowling at him and going inside. They stayed outside by my side until I calmed down and slowly brought me back inside to have fun again. I finally gathered enough courage to go back into the maze, but this time I avoided the pit like a plague. I remember feeling disgusted that J could get away with that and I'd be blamed for being a drama-attention-seeking-brat. That pretty much described my whole life growing up until then, and would remain that way for the next decade.
As a mother constantly trying to figure out how to be the best one possible, I often wonder what my sons core memories will be. I hope they are the happiest.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:56:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Starting from the top. Gonna be a long list. I'm thirty. I've lived a pretty storied life.
Getting punched in the face in Grade Two and literally seeing stars. I was amazed as I collapsed that the cartoons got it right.
Getting hit in the head with a high-velocity chunk of asphault from one of those tree-mounted slingshots as I played on the playground across from our brand new house in Grade Three. Split my scalp wide open. Walked back home holding my head together, bleeding like a whipped mule, and asked my mom if she had a band-aid. Her scream is tattooed on my memory.
Being laughed out of the school hallway in Grade Four when a girl I liked discovered it was me leaving the gifts in her desk and loudly told everybody. I ran halfway across town and hid in a local mom-and-pop arcade bathroom. Walked home after being 'missing' for ten hours or so. No punishment. Mom bought me some licorice and told me I was better off without that girl.
My buddies and I prying up a manhole cover and going spelunking in the sewers in Grade Five. It took three of us and a stolen crowbar to do it, but we got it open and went exploring. We got in serious trouble for it. I wasn't allowed to see one of my friends again for several years, and the next time I did, I was smashing his face against a wall for trying to rape a girl in my kitchen. Guess that was for the best.
My first girlfriend telling me she loved me. Super intelligent, super sweet girl. We were both so repressed we barely made physical contact, but we'd talk for hours every day. Closest I've ever been to another person, mentally. When I found out I had to move back to Canada, I gave her a jewlery box full of stuff I'd written and made, along with a cavalcade of jewelry I'd been buying for her and never given her. She told me she loved me via a casette tape she mailed to me. I did the same a week later. We never spoke again. No point.
My first kiss. Grade Nine. A girl (not the previous one; I never did get up the nerve to kiss her) I'd been pining for ever since I'd come back to Canada. We were 'just friends', but she loved to hang out with me, loved to read the garbage I wrote. One day, I walked her home, we talked for a bit, and I did the whole old-school 1950s-film Gone With the Wind 'sweep-up-and-kiss' thing. She wrote me a note the next day at school. "Five points for technique. Ten for enthusiasm." We dated for a couple years. She fucked my best friend on a camping trip. He told me before she did. He and I are still good friends. I talk to her on Facebook occasionally. I don't care if she lives or dies. I'm glad she's happy.
Finding my father crying in the dark over my mother's apparently terminal cancer. Nobody is invincible.
A last-minute 'kill or cure' fuck session in a frozen park in the dead of winter with the aforementioned girlfriend. We'd fallen out of love, she was seeing somebody else, and we'd been apart for a while, but being back together to 'talk'? Something in both of us broke at the same time. I wouldn't call it 'hate fucking' - it was actually pretty amicable - but it was definitely something viciously primal and lizard-brained. I can still smell her perfume under the falling snow and remember how her hands felt clenched in mine.
Using my dad's Vietnam-era Medic book to stitch my friend's headwound shut and bitching at him for bleeding on my mom's leather couch because he didn't want to go to the hospital.
Sitting, waiting for my mom to come pick me up, as a bully quietly, patiently describes how I should kill myself to me, because I'm just a burden on everybody, and even the people who say they like me, actually don't. Wishing, with all my heart, I could just make my hands stop shaking long enough to drive my thumbs into his eye sockets. I still dwell on this one. He wasn't any bigger than me. I could have done it. I still wish I'd blinded him.
Getting SCREAMING drunk on my 18th birthday. This one is all flashes, pieces of time. Going on a suicidally overindulgent pub crawl in celebration. Dancing with my mom in a local bar. Having every working girl in my regular pool hall drape themselves all over me for being 'a grown ass man now', putting their hands all over me, licking salt off my neck for tequila shots, flashing me, going fucking ripshit on my hormones. Punching a dent into a car that almost hit me. Eating poutine on a street corner with my closest friends. Singing Newfie sea shanties with a guy who had bullied me and all my friends (not the one from before) for four years because 'it's your 18th, so everything is cool' and having him buy me rotgut shots that were on fire. Accidentally confessing my affections to a female friend who didn't feel the same way by telling her 'it's okay that you're with that drug-pushing asshole; I'll be here if you decide to dump him, or when somebody sticks a knife in his throat over a gram or some shit'. Losing that female friend forever. Vomiting food, blood and bile into a paint bucket with my name written on it. Waking up in my bed with my best friend playing Nightmare Creatures on my Playstation with a CRATE of bottled water and a plate of round steak waiting for me and a series of Polaroids only he knew existed. He was the best man at my wedding. Solid guy. Wish we talked more nowadays.
Seeing the woman I'd marry for the first time in an airport. We met online. She came out to visit me. I'd driven for two hours to get to the city she'd be arriving in. When she came out of the gate, I was never more terrified in my life. I was sure she'd see me, and walk right by. I was holding a sign with her name on it, wearing a chauffeur's uniform. We walked quietly to the parking garage, and made out like teenagers on the hood of my car before getting a hotel room. I walked for an hour in an unfamiliar town to find condoms. We cracked the hotel bedframe, then watched "3000 Miles to Graceland" and got Taco Bell in a local casino. She said 'hello' to the Mexican janitor and they talked for a while, him in broken English, her in short, clear sentences. He took our picture.
Getting married in a chapel attached to a HoJos in Vegas with my wife wearing custom-made Doc Marten combat boots and my groomsmen in custom bowling shirts. Elvis presided over the ceremony. He hit on my kid sister. My old man got misty-eyed. My wife looked like a goddamned statue cut out of marble and liquid sex. I fumbled my vows. My best man faked losing the ring. The preacher was a fire-and-brimstone type. We could barely keep from laughing at him. Wound up passing out afterwards on the Vegas monorail. Still not sure where her panties ended up.
The death of the cat I'd had for thirteen years. Being told he had a heart condition, shouldn't have lived past eight months. Touching his corpse after the drugs stopped his heart and having his lungs exhale hard with a 'haaa' sound, and laughing myself silly over it through the tears because, hell, he got me one last time.
My car accident. The sound of crushed metal, snapping plastic. The smell of blood and gasoline and tacos. The sight of the woman responsible swinging a baseball bat at the cops and getting beat the fuck into the curb for it.
That last one was a couple years back, and to be honest, I haven't had any major milestones since, unless I count losing a job I hated because 'they had to make an example of me to prove that even their best associates weren't exempt from consequences', but all I remember from that was feeling betrayed, and I'm pretty sure that's not a keystone memory so much as a grudge.
This was surprisingly cathartic. Thanks, OP.
wrh123 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:56:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Going down a flooded creek in pool floats and a plastic pool. Water was 5 feet high in the trees. After my plastic pool crumpled once hitting a tree, it was all downhill from there. My friends still heckle me about that.
Saturday's spent picking up pine cones and doing yard work, then being treated to a trip to DQ for a Mr. Misty and Movie Gallery to get rent a game or two for the N64.
Trips to my granddad's to cut his grass and taking friends to get to experience and meet "Buster." He loved meeting them and they him.
They day my dad and I drove out to Buster's after he had gotten a splinter in his foot. We tried unsuccessfully to remove the splinter. It eventually festered and gave him gangrene, putting him in a coma which he never came out of. We lost him a week later.
Being held and cuddled by various family members, basically until I got too big to fit on anyones lap. To this day I am very connected to my family, and I freaking LOVE any kind of affection.
My drunken uncle tossing me into the middle of a pool at a party. I sank to the bottom and would have drowned if my cousin hadn't noticed and grabbed me. The uncle thought because I liked the pool, I must know how to swim already....I did not. I screamed and cried for about 2 hours straight after coughing up a ton of water. Now as an adult, I CAN swim, but I'm fucking terrified of water and avoid it as much as possible.
The dawning realization that my best friend at the time was horribly abusing his girlfriend. It was sadness, anger, and disgust all at once - the first time I'd ever felt a real sense of betrayal and, for lack of a better word, righteous fury.
The first time I failed a class. I was in an accelerated college program so I was around 15 at the time, and I didn't know how to handle failure. Thankfully I dealt with it pretty well and it hasn't slowed me down too much since then, but at the time it really destabilized my worldview and self esteem. Definitely a "fear" ball.
The beginning of my first significant relationship when I was 16. We were students at a creative writing camp, and I had written embarrassingly sincere poetry about him, which I read out loud to him when we were alone on a balcony one night under a light rain. I'll never forget the look on his face when he kissed me. This one's "joy", obviously.
trevyf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine may tend to be a little sad but they made me into the most positive person I know.
A lot of my time between ages was lost due to what I was going through but I really just started typing the couple that popped into my head that really really make up me.
*11 - My uncle was my pastor growing up and the only positive make influence I had. He was the guy I would of went to when I had "man" problems. One day I didn't go to school when I was like 11... Got a call that he had hung himself. Changed my whole belief system.
*14 (this year is basically a core memory) - Recorded my first song all by myself, was told I was probably manic depressive, attempted suicide for the first time, realized my mother was very sick.
*16 - Mom and I hit a very rough patch. Remember coming home from school and all I had to eat was a half pack of spaghetti noodles, some shredded cheese in the fridge and some garlic seasoning. She refused to eat because she wasn't sure there was enough for both of us.
*21 Jan - Graduated from college.
*21 Nov - The last thing my mom said to me in person was "You know... I think you may be a little gay but I still love you." Because me and my best friend were making ridiculous remarks to each other as I left the house for the night for the first time in months. She died that night.
*23 - The first time I swallowed my pride and slept in a car because I didn't have the gas to make it home and back to work the next morning. Drove to a nearby park to brush my teeth and wash my face before going into work the next day. Proceeded to do this for about a week.
*24 - After about year of being unemployed, living in a house with no running water, and carless I got a part time job. I'd never been more happy to just make a little money.
*25 (This year) - Just in case anyone was wondering. I'm pretty okay now, lol.
The "crew" me and my siblings made after our parents got divorced. It was like having friends over all the time. We made so many adventures inside my mom's little 3 bedroom apartment...if you've ever watched the old cartoon Muppet Babies from the 80's/early 90's, it was seriously like that every day, and it honestly helped us survive back then.
Spending the night at my best friends house throughout my childhood and teenage years...we never really got into any serious trouble, we just played with toys, or video games or just sat and talked about stuff...I remember so many nights sitting in his bedroom listening to Art Bell on the radio and just being happy.
Meeting the love of my life at the clothes store I worked at in high school. Saw her walk in...was blown away by her visually, and then talked to her and was just enamored by this person...we celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary this past February.
The moment my step father entered our lives when I was around 10 years old. He was an abusive, nasty son of a bitch who treated our entire family like dog shit...I remember, initially, feeling a sense of relief but quickly realizing how awful he was to everyone, including my mom, and the sense of dread when I found out my mom was pregnant with his child. It was honestly one of the worst parts of my entire life...and definitely a core (they can't all be good, right?)
Me and my dad working on my first car in his driveway because I had driven it without checking the oil regularly and blew the motor. He helped me swap the motor out over a weekend...I remember laying there, on the pine straw covered drive way...covered in fuel and oil and grease and dirt, and just looking over at him smiling because we were having a father/son bonding moment...I hated every second of working on that car, but loved every second of hanging out with him.
As a kid, when my mum would change her bedsheets and the mattress was bare, I'd jump on and she'd pretend not to see me and would make the bed over me, saying 'What is this lump?' and patting me down trying to flatten me. The memories still make me giggle.
When I was 16, I was arguing with my dad about something, and he said to me 'You know, I don't really like you awaybroadcast'. I hear him saying it in my head whenever he says something nice to me. Edit: The worst part of it was/is that I still feel that's the most honest thing he's ever said to me, and it's explained a lot about our relationship. I will never be close with him, because he doesn't want me to be.
When I was 17, having been relentlessly bullied at school since I was 8, and a teacher stood up for me for the very first time. It was the first time anyone had stood up for me before, and it was one of the first times in my life that I remember not feeling alone
When my boyfriend of 2.5 years kissed me for the (second) first time at 8.30 on New Years Eve. He told me later than he'd wanted to do it at midnight, but he couldn't wait any longer
I spent a majority of my first few years in the cab of my single father's truck, crisscrossing loads across the continental US. Occasionally he would drop me at my grandparent's for a couple of weeks at a time, to give himself a break I'm sure. On our way to drop me off with grandma, when I was around 4 years old, I remember recognizing landmarks and stores in the area close to her house and I was extremely sad that Dad was dropping me off. The radio was playing and I told myself the next song that came on would be the song I used to remembered my Dad while he was away that trip. The next song to play was Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues" (we're talking 1980ish). I thought about my Dad every time I heard that song from that point on. Of course I heard the song less and less often as music styles changed and radio gave way to Mtv and walkmans and music on demand via the internet. Going to visit him in the hospital this past December I stopped at a truck stop/gas station on the long ride to the hospital and while walking around, taking a break from the road, the store's radio began to play the song. Probably the first time I'd heard it in at least 10 years. He would pass away a few months later. Not sure I could make it through the song these days, but I'm happy to have the memory.
This is going to get buried, but fuck it here goes nothing:
Good:
Dad waking me up at 3 a.m. on a random morning (don't remember if it was a school night or not) to go watch the space shuttle launch from Cape Canaveral
Grandfather waking me up at 6 a.m. for our Cracker Barrel breakfasts alone
Great Grandma cooking me fried corn (my favorite side dish)
Getting my first computer at age 10 or 12
Getting a PSX for Christmas
My uncle's boa constrictor getting lost in the house. No one could find it. I was the one to find it in the closet directly across from his room. Literally no way that snake could have gotten in there, which is why no one checked it. Still confuses me to this day.
Using the air duct in my first bedroom as a trash cane and a toilet. In my defense, 6 year old me through it was a balck hole since I couldn't see where it went. My parents ended up having to have the entire ducts replaced since the house smelled like stale piss.
Bad:
Being forced to eat some disgusting, fad cabbage soup diet (but the goo dmemory is my borhter and I sneaking into the bathroom and flushing it), not eating it, and going to bed hungry
Dad giving me my very own boomerang. Went to the field to throw it the first time, 7 year old me throws it and it lands somehwere near a couple walking. Dad gets pissed, says I threw it at them intentionally, and confiscates it. I never saw it again. I was crushed.
Mom spending all her credit on her friend's children instead of us and then not being paid back or being able to pay off the credit cards
Being grounded for an entire year for stupid, normal kid stuff
Being forced to wait until I was 17 to get a learners permit
Being spanked so hard the paddle shattered
Never getting that TV that was the only thing on my Christmas list that year and watching my sister get it (and no, that wasn't a mistake)
Warning my parents about moving to BFE and starting a farm. Turns out I was right and they wasted 10s of thousands of dollars on a stupid idea aka no college fund
Being given a lemon for my first car because my grandfather is cheap (day 3: $3k worth of repairs on a car worth $1.8k)
Being contantly insulted for not being able to take care of my first car (wtf?!)
I'm sure there's much more that I can't remember right now.
EDIT: adding things as I remember them.
me2bme ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My 9th birthday.. My dad was in California for work, so my mom decided I could have a big slumber party to celebrate. The actual party was fun, but not really my memory. My birthday was on a Sunday that year, and I remember my dad had my birthday present set up to deliver on my actual birthday. I got a cabbage patch kid that you could crimp and curl her hair and a locket.
I remember laughing st my brother as he fell down a flight of stairs when I was, also 9. I told him to get up, because he was fine while he laid there trying to tell me he's broken his arm. Turns out he was right, and I was just an ass hole.
And the time I almost drowned in the lake. I think I was 6 or 7, my entire family was out visiting my grandparents at the camp ground they were staying at. My brother, cousin and I went down to the lake to skip rocks. I somehow slipped and fell in. All I remember is kind of dog paddling and turning to look behind me in the lake and seeing a school of fish. My cousin freaked out, but my brother just reached in, grabbed me and pulled me out.
Happy: 1. Camping trips with my family. The smell of pine covered in fog. Sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows at night and singing old folk songs with my grandfather. Waking up at 7am to eggs and bacon cooking. Incredible memories.
2. Sports. Growing up playing baseball and skateboarding. Even though I don't do either anymore (physically can't) I still have a huge passion for them. 3. My grandparents (moms side). They raised me, more than my own parents. They were behind the scenes, making sure I was fed, and that I was a happy kid. They were responsible for most of my Christmases and birthdays, and I never knew. They wanted me to believe it was my parents and Santa. I never found out till years later. My grandfather has taught me more about being a man that my father ever has. And my grandmother taught me about being a kind, understanding and loving person no matter what. Even when she grew older and lost her mind to dementia, she still remained kind, and above all loving. I lost her last June and it has created a hole in my heart that I don't think will I ever be filled.
Angry: I unfortunately have a angry core memory, and that would be my grandfather (my dads dad) and my father. My grandfather molested my aunts and my cousins, and my sister. Everyone knew, and no one did anything about it. My father knew about what he did to my sister, and did nothing. My father also completely cut me out of his life after my mom divorced him. He claims to want a relationship with me or my sister but never acts upon it. Now he is moving over 500 miles away and I don't think I will ever see him again. Frankly. I don't care.
Sad: My cousin killed himself in February of 2012. It destroyed my family. My aunt literally watched her son bleed out right in front of her. She tried to hold her sons neck together while his blood was covering her. His sister was destroyed from it, even though he wasn't the greatest person in the world (he was a severe drug addict, but was starting to do better), but he was still her brother. I saw my grandfather cry for the first time in my life the morning we found out. My grandmother almost had to be hospitalized because her blood pressure was so high. He was the eldest grandchild, and even with his flaws, he was still the firstborn, and had a special place in my grandparents heart. My family has never been the same since.
One of my favourite core memories is this. I think i was 8 years old, and my little sis was 1 year old (barely standing up and just making baby noices). One day i dreamt that my little sis accompanied me to my school. She was taller and was wearing her uniform. She could speak clearly and was reciting alphabets. I was going around the school corridors holding her hands. Then i woke up and realised it was a dream and my sister is still a toddler. I was sad for a day because i wanted her to grow up already and come to school with me..!!
20 years later, yesterday my sister attended her first patient's child birth as a Doctor. I cant't believe she grew up so fast. She delivers babies now and prescribes medicines ..Come on, i just wanted her grow up so she can hold my hands to school and recite nursery rhymes..Time does run fast!!!!
dabong ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:58:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First memory ever (4 years old) was a nightmare with me falling off the second floor of our house.
When I was 9 my cousin put her pet parakeet on my shoulder and it got caught in my hair and starting freaking out and flapping around and pecking me trying to free itself. This lead to my current debilitating phobia of birds
Every day after work my dad would sit in the recliner and get me and my younger sister to each take one of his work boots off. I don't know why but we loved that. I loved being able to do something nice for him after a hard day's work. He would always do things like jerk his feet around or other silly things to make us laugh.
Every night my sister and I would cuddle up to my dad on each arm and play with his thick chest hair. He told us things like he was so hairy because he once put glue on his chest and rubbed a cat on it. He would always make us laugh and I remember feeling so safe and secure lying with my dad like that. I now rest my head on my boyfriend's chest and stroke his chest hair and I get the same feeling of security and comfort from him.
Anorion ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:58:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Getting my first tee ball set for my birthday. I was 5. That was the closest I'd ever be to loving sports, but I do love physics, so there's that.
Seeing my childhood dog run out with the rest of her litter from a neighbor's back yard. She was tiny and calm and sweet, and the blackest thing I'd ever seen. I still miss that dog.
My first camping trip with my dad in Cub Scouts. He gave me my first pocket knife. I still have it.
My first bike. It gave me a sense of freedom that even my first car didn't match. Biking is still something I love.
My mother teaching me to make oatmeal cookies. She wasn't much of a cook, but it was a recipe she made that I really love, even to this day.
Booting up my first computer for the first time. It was a Tandy clone-kit-in-a-box my dad picked up at a garage sale, and I'd spent two days assembling it. Putting every chip in the right socket. Praying not to see smoke when I flipped that switch. I still get that feeling whenever I run into one of those old power switches.
My first camping trip without my dad. It was also a wilderness survival camp in the middle of February. I'd never been so cold or so alone.
Receiving my black belt, along with my brothers. Watching my dad get his a few years later. I know there's a time disparity with this being one memory, but it is.
My first summer on camp staff. The following years all kind of run together, but that first summer always stands out.
Receiving my Eagle Scout along with my brothers. I'd never seen my parents so proud.
The day I quit the fire department/EMS. I'd spent years thinking I wanted to be a firefighter...
Bottle-feeding my first kitten. She helped me get over some serious depression. I miss you, Tacocat.
Seeing the girl I'd marry for the first time in years. We were childhood friends, but had lost touch. The sight of her that day is burned into my mind.
My wife's face on our wedding day.
Taking her to the ER, and seeing that bright read "47" on her O2-sats. Though I knew exactly what it meant, and how bad it was, part of my mind made a Star Trek joke, and I laughed.
Seeing her face light up for the first time in ages when I brought her a case of flour in the hospital. She loves to cook, and it was a reference to one of her favorite movies.
The day she had a stroke. I watched it happen. We were laughing and designing her a new purse. One smile, everything was fine, and on the next, only half of her face moved. This was just adding insult to injury, for that year. On top of that her sister died the same day. It was her sister's birthday, too. Seriously, fuck that whole year. Most of the next one, too.
The day she came home from the hospital. It had been so long since she'd been home, and the first thing she wanted to to was to cook something. I think we made nachos.
Receiving my degree. Not so much for the event itself, because I just picked it up from the university office. I didn't have the money to pay to walk the stage, but I became the first person in my family to have a degree in science, and only the second ever to receive any kind of degree. It was an impactful non-event, if that makes sense.
A call from a debt collector, inside a used book store. The person asked why we'd had a tracheotomy done if we knew we weren't going to be able to pay for it. "Because I decided that telling you to fuck off would be easier that burying my wife." I sat in the parking lot and cried for an hour after that.
Moving into our first not-shit place together. Buying not-shit cookware. Getting a cat together. Domestic stuff is wonderful.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:59:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Getting my puppy at 3 years old, her name was Peaches and she was beautiful.
-Standing on stage at kindergarten graduation, staring at the doors in case my dad showed up (he did).
-Sitting in Walgreens with my grandpa when they served ice cream and getting comes together.
-sitting by the window counting how far the lightening was with grandpa
-screaming and crying to gram because mom disappeared again
Getting off my dad's lap while trying to spank me.
He was spanking all of us because nobody would admit to using his tools and loosing them.
(We use to take turns for who's turn it was to be in trouble so that none of us were really punished for what we actually did. Parents caught on.)
My older sister was crying and I knew that meant it was going to hurt because she almost never cries.
I thought as he was just about to hit me with his belt that I don't need to be spanked, I didn't do it. I'm out of here.
(Age: 4)
I hopped off his lap just in time for him to hit his leg with his belt. He had a welt for 3 weeks. He never spanked us again with a belt. He never spanked me at all after that.
A bit over ten years ago. My dad working, climbing the rafters to
the giant kettle of candle wax, to get some wax and pour candles.
Just a few years more and he was gone.
Finding dad's lighter and setting my bed on fire. Looked like a marshmallow catching on fire and I thought it kept going out. My mom bursts in the room and asked what was burning and I thought I was being honest when I said nothing. She flipped the mattress over to reveal a foot wide fire in the middle of my box spring.
Being driven back to my house after I ran away from home (unintentionally) and seeing police and firemen lights flashing everywhere and knowing what that would mean once everyone left.
Dad having to take the day off work to take me on a field trip to the zoo and his Celica breaking down and having to walk a couple miles to a junk yard for a tow.
That time me and my sister couldn't get to our house because police blocked off a major intersection so we took a shortcut and walked into an active hostage situation and had a cop with his gun drawn silently motion for us to come with him.
Not having a videogame system forever and finally getting a Super Nintendo and staying up all night for the first time the night I got it playing Super Mario World.
Getting a fishing rod and tackle box for my birthday and going fishing by myself. Dad got the gift for me but we've never been fishing together since that birthday.
Driving over the Mississippi river bridge asleep in the backseat and got that falling feeling and woke up and couldn't see the bridge but just the water underneath. Didn't have a fear of heights before that day.
Calling my mom while living with my dad and not realizing how much I missed her until I was sobbing on the phone.
Hot gluing my bathroom sink back together after I blew it up with a firecracker. I burned my hand like five times but Mom didn't find out for six months.
Getting ditched by friends when we were all supposed to hang out and instead getting a ride from another friend who was already pretty drunk. Get pulled over by the cops but they let us go. Get confused on the toll road and doing two u-turns in the toll plaza. Finally get to my friends and I'm pissed as hell and about ready to lay into the guy who was supposed to pick me up when my future wife came running up to me surprised that I was there and hugged me.
Climbing on the counters to get myself a cup for my juice at 2 years old.
Smearing vaseline all over my head and then applying lipstick, blush, and eye shadow to my face at 4.
Laying on the floor, the victim of a tickle fight, while my dog stood over me in Protector mode and watched my dad's hand move, ducking her head to meet it if it neared me.
My parent's divorce.
My dad moving to Central America out of the blue.
My dad's death when I was 15.
Meeting my husband (I zinged).
Getting engaged/married.
Seeing my kids immediately after they were born.
Those things will always be a mix of happy/sad and I believe I'll remember them for the rest of my life, even if everything else goes away. We'll see.
Dad passed out drunk with my uncle in the living room.
Mom crying over dad's cheating and gambling problems.
Playing basketball with my dad on base.
Chuck e cheese
Ex gf cheating on me.
My happy memories are unfortunately suppressed by the traumatic ones. This is not me being emo or dramatic but a lot of my happy memories contains sadness in it.
djberto ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My younger years, from basically 2nd grade until 6th grade I had virtually no friends at school, and was bullied constantly. I sat alone on the bus, I was called names and hit, the police got involved multiple times. I lived in a town where middle school began in the 7th grade, and our middle school had multiple feeder schools so it was very much a new beginning that I was so happy to have. Almost as soon as I got to middle school I began to foster new friendships and take higher level classes my old bullies wouldn't take. I was happy, for the first time since the 2nd grade from dawn til dusk I felt happy. And then we moved, halfway through the year. My whole world got pulled out from under me and I was back at square one, in a new town and new people that almost from the get-go decided I wasn't worth their time or affection.
This goes hand-in-hand with #1; a student who I was friendly with through elementary school and that half year of middle school sent me an Email a month or so after I had moved away. He knew I loved Legos all my life and told me about this game/creation tool (predating Minecraft) that used blocks like Legos to make levels and gave me the beta key. I was soon the youngest member of the forum moderation team, a moderator in the IRC chat, and an official review writer for UGC. I won community design competitions and made countless new virtual friends, some of which I've met years after the game died. I know and still talk with the developers, and I am majoring in game design in college because of that game and its community.
I've played soccer all my life. I was cut from the high school soccer team both my freshman and junior years. Senior year I was starting goalkeeper. The day of cuts senior year when my coach pulled me aside and told me how immensely proud of me he was and how much joy it brought him to see me still practicing and trying to make the team nearly made me cry then and makes me cry now.
In my first serious relationship, senior year of high school: "I love you," a look of panic flashes behind her eyes, overtaken by a look of compassion "B-but it's so soon..." she replies. It had been two weeks; "I'm sorry, I'm such an idiot, I won't say it again, I'm sorry." She comforts me with her words and tells me I'm not an idiot. I never said I loved her again for three months, until the day she came back at me with those same three words. I cried and hugged her tight, there are few moments in my life I can remember being so immensely happy. I don't think I really loved her when I said it the first time, but by the time we broke up almost two years later I really did. I look for that feeling with every girl I'm with and sometimes I don't know if I'll ever find it again, I'm glad I'm still young.
There are more but I don't have the time to write them all out right now. It feels good to put them into words though.
I vividly remember the house I lived in for the first 4 1/2 years of my life, and all the good memories that went with it. I could draw up the blueprints to the house right now if I needed to (this fact still blows my parents away - they're stunned that I remember so much about it). Birthday parties, slip and slide in the yard, building an entire city out of Hot Wheels tracks, farm & city toys, etc. in the back room of the house. The wallpaper in my 2nd bedroom. The sound of the old neighborhood when the windows were open - the breeze rustling through the trees. "Helping" my dad work on his old Oldsmobile, riding in that car through the neighborhood whilst listening to The Doobie Brothers and Loggins & Messina. My parents bringing my younger brother home from the hospital.
Moving into our new house. Finding my new bedroom. Watching the neighbors build their house in the lot behind us. My parents bringing my younger sister home from the hospital. My dad & uncle finishing the basement.
Seeing my parents argue if one of them had a bad day, and seeing them make up less than an hour afterwards. This led me to understand what marriage was all about, and strongly drives me in my own marriage.
The summer between my junior and senior year of high school. That summer was.. incredible. We had freedom, laughter, late nights, tears, arguments, endless hours of Halo on XBox. It was the first summer that I had a car. We had a group of about 10 people that hung out just about every single day.
The day I married my wife. Brutally cold day, but the happiest I had ever been.
The day my first daughter was born. She was not planned, we had to move our wedding up so that my wife wouldn't be 9 months pregnant walking down the aisle. We were absolutely terrified about being a newly married 22 year old couple, both still in college and working part time with a newborn. But the moment I first saw her, nothing else mattered.
Watching my father-in-law pass away. I had never had any death in my family. Both of my grandfathers passed away before I was born, both my grandmothers are still around. Nothing prepared me for watching him go. He had surgery on a Friday, and we got a call on Sunday that he coded around 6 pm that night, but they got him back after about 15 minutes of working on him. We flew out of the house and rushed to the hospital to find him on a breathing machine and unconscious. After 2 hours of discussion with the treating doctor, as well as my sister-in-law (also a doctor, but in a different state), my wife and her brother made the decision to let him go if he codes again. Around 11:55 pm that night, his heart rate started to drop and he passed away shortly after midnight. This also meant that he died on my wife's birthday.
Our second daughter being born - just as amazing as our first.
After 7 years of struggling to stay above the poverty line, we had saved up enough money and paid off enough debt that we bought a house. Something that was ours, that we get to make our own. One year later and a number of house projects later, we're settled and comfortable.
Sitting in the living room of my neighbors apartment, looking out the window at my moms being taken away in handcuffs after a particularly violent fight
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
9 years: First little league game, I made a catch in center field, full sprint running to my left.
4 years old: Listening to a song while missing my dad who, at the time, was living 3 hours away while my parents were separated.
4 years old: Being sexually abused by a neighbor boy.
13 years old: Scored my first touchdown in my first football game the first time they handed me the ball.
16 years old: Realizing my ex-girlfriend and best friend were more than friends.
FNYouUp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The Band O.A.R. bring up memories connected to my Spirit and Soul
This song can bring me to tears sometimes. I HIGHLY suggest listening to this song from O.A.R. - "I Feel Home"
These are my favorite lyrics from that song-
"Feelin alright, headin out tonight,
Maybe out to a dark driveway.
I say now some feel bored,
And some are lookin for more."
"Well, we all just decide to stay.
We got nothin to do,
And I look at you
I see something that I know and love."
"And with the crack of a smile we all stay a while
We know from home there ain't nothing above.
Well in the end we can all call a friend
Well that's something I know as true."
"And then a thousand years and a thousand tears
I come to findingin(something's wrong here) my original crew"
We weren't close or anything, but I'd known her since middle school and sat near her in band for at least 3 years. And our school had a "curse" where at least one high profile student or recent alum died per year in a freak accident. Never the burn outs or people you would expect, but always student leaders. Valedictorian drowning in an aboveground pool, class president falling 6 feet just the wrong way, that stuff.
Maria had great grades, played varsity field hockey and destroyed French horn her entire 4 years of high school. I didn't realize how much I looked up to her until I got that phone call from a friend. She had been driving to UVA to start her sophomore year, somehow lost control of her car and crashed into the median. Her passenger, a guy from a few classes that I didn't really know, died on impact. From what I heard, Maria was able to hold on until parents got to the scene, as they were following a few miles behind. No one knows how she lost control of the car.
Definitely a blue memory, but it also made me realize that this might all end at any moment with no warning. You never walk out your door thinking it might be your last day, or hug a loved one thinking "this might be it," but that's the reality.
-I once wrote a letter to my favorite author when I was about twelve years old. A month or so had passed and I just assumed he was too busy to respond. The day his hand written response came in the mail I went and sat in the backyard. It was sunset, the golden hour when everything is glowing. I must've reread that letter a dozen times and have it framed hanging in my office now. When I had the opportunity to meet him in person years later he got this sad look on his face and said he didn't have time to do that sort of thing anymore.
-The first time I ever saw my mom well and truly drunk was the day my dad told her he wanted a divorce. She came into my room and laid at the foot of my bed and sobbed until she fell asleep.
-Probably around four years old. I was in a car and we were driving through a forest somewhere. I remember watching the way the light played through the leaves and thinking that there was no way any one person could make anything so beautiful. And that was the day I realized I was an atheist, though I didn't have the word for it yet.
When I was around 4, my dad and I watched Toy Story at home. When it got to the part where the squeaky shark pops out of the toy chest with Woody's hat on and says "I'm Woody! Howdy howdy howdy!" I thought it was the funniest thing I'd ever seen and lost my mind. My dad rewound it and replayed that part about 5 times, both of us losing our shit. I'm assuming my weird sense of humor comes from him.
When I was around 5 or 6, my aunt lived on Martha's Vineyard, and I'd spend a few weeks every summer at her house and visiting friends on the Cape with my mother. We went to one beach called Lucy Vincent all the time, and it was my favorite because it had particularly large waves - I would spend hours running away from the bigger ones and getting swallowed up and splashed. I've always had a connection to the ocean ever since that summer.
When I was 7 I got my first journal for Christmas. I've been a writer ever since.
When I was little, I used to wake up really early (5 or 6 am) on weekends to watch The Magic School Bus and Bill Nye the Science Guy. I've been a total nerd for as long as I can remember, but I'm assuming they helped cement that interest.
When I was 11, I met a girl who would become my best friend, and later the person I hated most in the whole world (a cycle that went on for 7 years or so). She was the first girl I ever had a crush on, too. If it's possible to have a "Gay Island" core memory, I do.
When I was 14, my dad's girlfriend at the time bred Australian Shepherds, and I got to see a litter of puppies born/ had a small hand on raising them. She also taught me how to ride horseback. I had always loved animals, but that year I knew for sure I wanted to become a veterinarian.
When I was 16, I got a Nikon D80 for my birthday, kicking off my love of not only photography, but art in general. Since then, I've also branched out into drawing and painting as well.
(Sorry for the long response - I just spent about a half hour genuinely thinking about what my core memories would be. Super interesting when you take the time, and I'm loving reading everyone else's.)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:02:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Spilling milk on myself by lying flat on the floor and trying to drink. Learned gravity.
Mum pushing dad down stairs and throwing black bin bags at him, he didn't get up for a little while. Police came. Learned women.
Mum bruising my entire left half of my face and spitting in my eyes as punishment for a messy room. Learned mental illness.
Stealing 10 pounds from somewhere or other, and having it rip instantly. Learned karma.
Having a really high dose acid trip at college and seeing a giant space battle with planets, explosions, a death star/discovery(2001) hybrid looking craft shooting lazers and shit form out of clouds and a flashing plane. Learned that there is more to everything than I first thought.
Going to the psych for a year for an a few od's and drugs. Relearned mental illness.
Kissing my first girlfriend in the loft at her house. There was no air conditioning. My very first thought was the sensation that it felt like marshmellows.
My older brother confronting a kid that had thrown lit matches on me and wrestled with me on the ground (I did not fight back, and did not want to participate). He drug me in front of the guy and made him apologize to me. The sentiment was nice, but I felt shame and inadequacy since then.
Wrecked my car in a ditch during high school on my way to religious classes. Distinctly remember, "This is what I get for doing what GOD wants." Defining moment in beginning to move towards unbelief.
Calling my father about being in pain/itching frantically after an extreme sunburn, because I had no idea what to do. He just laughed at me. Didn't even try to comfort me. That changed my whole opinion of my parents to understanding that they're just people with faults too. Never looked at them the same since.
When I was a kid growing up, my dad always talked about learning to fly fish. He eventually was diagnosed with Alzheimer's when I was ~16
At 20, I tried to teach him how to fly fish. He kept mixing up the forward and backward motions. Add in feeding line with the other hand... He kept casting like you would a spinning reel, getting the steps wrong, then quietly saying,"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
Heartbreaking, but we didn't get muchgood time together because he had declined so much. I stood there for hours going over every step. He never learned, but we did get to go fishing a few times :)
Lot's of memories like that one, both searingly painful and amazing at the same time.
An answer to a different question, but my earliest memory is when I was in my crib not sleeping when I was supposed to. The door was closed and I had managed to get my arm out through the bars and back in through different bars. Suddenly, I could hear my sister walking toward my room. I started to panic because I couldn't get my arm out so I could pretend i was sleeping. I managed to painfully free myself just in time to get into position with my heart pounding. She then walked past my door and into the bathroom.
I then contemplated the pain in my arm and what I just put myself through.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:03:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 4 or 5 I fell in the pool. I had learned how to swim the summer before, but had forgotten everything, so I started flailing around. A neighborhood kid was in our backyard as well and got my dad's attention. I remember my dad reaching down and grabbing me out of the pool with one arm and calming me down once I was out.
I had a crush on a girl in my church in 3rd grade. Thought she was the prettiest girl I'd ever seen and I remember crushing hard and getting butterflies when I saw her.
When I became a Christian around 11 or so. I was raised in church, but I made the decision to follow Christ at that age. Now I'm in school to be an engineer so I can be a missionary and help people out with their daily needs like water, sanitation, roads, etc.
Reading my first large novel in second grade. I was bored one night at home and was watching tv, but I got bored so I just picked up Harry Potter and thr Sorcerer's Stone and decided to read it. I've loved reading ever since.
I broke both my arms by falling off of two separate fences about 2-3 years apart. I remember the moments when I fell quite vividly.
Now that I'm thinking, I really remember so much. Lots of injuries, but luckily I was a fast healer! So many moments with family and in school or church. Thanks for the prompt, OP.
Senior year of high school, my boyfriend and I had been together since around winter break. We would talk often about a future we both knew would never happen (he was Mormon, I was... not.) We laughed about what we would name our kids, and how he would come back from his mission with a foreign accent. Just silly stuff. In the spring I heard back from one of the two universities I had applied to; didn't get in. All of my hopes and dreams of going to a state school (dream big, people) rested on my first choice, and it wasn't until a month or so later that I finally heard from them. Every day I would drive home from school, pull up to the little row of mailboxes in my neighborhood, unroll my window and quickly scan the mail. The day it finally came I tore the envelope open and unfolded the letter all in the same millisecond. Those first five words will always be with me:
Dear Amanda,
Welcome to Western!
I sat frozen in the car for about 5 seconds and all at once, out of nowhere, began sobbing uncontrollably. I got in. I did it. I was growing up. I was moving a few hours away from home. It was official. I would probably never see my boyfriend again. All of our dreams about the future turned to whisps of smoke and blew away. I was ecstatic. I was terrified. I was bitter and felt the full weight of my tragic teenaged love story. It was just too much all at once. Yellow, red, blue, and purple, all in three little words.
When I was 18 I struggled with depression pretty badly, I had started to self-harm pretty regularly and I remember one night I had locked myself into my room right after I got off work and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning crying and cutting myself. I cut the word LOST into my arm as well as a lot more visible scars. That was my absolute lowest point in my life. I remember a couple weeks later my mom asked me to go to Walmart with her, so I went. As we were walking through the mens section my shirt pulled up and you could see the cuts. She asked what they were, I told her I ran into a door and got cut, she raised her voice and told me if I was hurting myself that that was a stupid thing to and I should tell her. I didn't. I don't think she ever cared to find out either.
Sneaking out of my house every night during the summer when I was 17. I was the only one of my friends who had a car so I would pick everyone up and we'd go to the lake and smoke and drink (when we were able to get alcohol) and talk all night long. I was the only girl in the group and I had never felt so loved or protected as I had when I spent the night up with my guys.
Going to an LDS church with my childhood best friend. I've never been a religious person but I grew up going to a Baptist church and went to church with friends when I'd spend the night. As I got older though I didn't go as often, my parents didn't go to church (my Grandmother used to take me) so it was really just with friends. It came to the point that I was only going to the LDS church maybe twice a year? And I never really chose to go, my friend would just always tell me I was going. So I did. And every time I did I always found the theme of the day was the exact thing I had been stressing over. It's still a weird feeling to look back at and to this day if someone invites me I go, maybe it's advice I need to hear. Who knows?
My second date with my s/o. We met online and had spent a month really trying to get to know each other before we decided to meet. We texted every day and told each other everything, so when our first date came up, I was nervous. I was scared shitless. I was going to the city to meet him and meeting him alone at night and who knew what was going to happen? But after seeing his face and hearing his voice I knew he was exactly who I thought he was. It didn't stop me from being terrified though. Our second date he agreed to come out to the suburbs to meet my scared mom (on our second date!) he brought flowers for both of us and wow'd her. We went to eat and I showed him around my town. We ended up at the lake and spent hours in the cold night talking and kissing and being young and I remember telling him that I wanted to make love with him. Not fuck him or have sex, but make love. I was so in the moment that I couldn't see how crazy that seemed! We just met! But he told me he wanted to do the same and ever since his face in the night sky has been imprinted in me.
home invasion, three men came in, held us at gunpoint and hog tied my great grandmother on the ground. told me to stfu, i did. lead grandma arpund the house to the valuables. no one was hurt luckily. this is more flashes of memories and a mish mash of what ive been told as i was 4 or 5 at the time.
mom crying in the bathroom with me when her and my dad split and i was about 6.
dog getting out and run over, literally in front of my house and seeig the aftermath.
ok now for nice ones:
4. christmas in hawaii seeing sammy d. jr in concert with said grandma an co. and playing with sammy's son at the hotel pool. my Gma knew him somehow.
disneyland and getting special treatment as my uncle worked for carnation at the time.
My main core memory would be when I started to love myself... Jk I hate myself
N4pkins ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:04:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Hitting my first home-run in kid pitch. I felt unstoppable.
The first time I remember puking. It was Rice Krispies on Bug Hall's kitchen floor(His mom used to babysit me).
The moment I found out Santa wasn't real. I was 8 and my mom bought the wrong Goosebumps board game "from Santa". I told her it was the wrong game, and she said she still had the receipt.
My dad playing his guitar for me to try and get me to take a nap when I was 6.
In year 10 my dad was working in another country, 12 hours (flying) away, he wasn't on regular shifts back home, but he tried as much as possible to get back every 4-5 weeks, even if it was just a weekend.
Unfortunately that meant that he missed some of my school band performances, and was going to miss the end of year concert by 1 day due to a complication with their contract with the government.
The night of the concert I was going to go home with my trombone, have tea, get changed and then to the concert. However my dad had changed his plans unbeknownst to me, meaning that he arrived in out home town an two hours before the concert, just in time to pick me up.
As I came up the stairs, walking towards where my mum was going to pick me up (or so I thought), I heard his characterizing whistle that he has always used to get me or my sister's attention, not a loud one, but a distinctive one, distinctive enough that in a crowd I could hear it and know that he was near. At that point when I heard the whistle, I dropped my bags and trombone and ran to him. It meant a lot to me for him to change his plans and flights just so he could be at this concert.
Being fucking stabbed, being lit on fucking fire, making love all 4th of july back in 2015, eating a sandwhich after my first college graduation. Splitting wood when I was 12 one evening in fall, air was cold but the wood stove was hot and I think an old tv was playing in the garage, nice evening.
While my mom was in the hospital, there was a night where she was scheduled for a blood transfusion. I had sat with her and my dad all day to keep her company. With my dad sleeping next to her, I left around midnight. Within minutes of arriving at home, I got a call from her at the hospital. They had started the transfusion, and she was scared. I immediately drove straight back to the hospital. When I sat next to her, she told me she hates dragging me back down there. I said "That's ok. This is payback for all the nights in high school you sat up worrying about me." She grabbed my hand and held it. My father speaks up from his bed and says "I have a song for you". My mom pauses while she is trying to determine if he's talking in his sleep. She responds "ok", and he sings to her. This was the moment I knew she was dying.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:06:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The colored chalk and school bag I got for my 4th birthday.
The 2ft of snow that appeared out of nowhere straight after school in Ireland when I was 6.
That one neighbourhood water fight we had on that one day that was warm enough. Kids, dads, hoses, buckets of water and water bombs EVERYWHERE.
Also, neighbourhood snow ball fights AND the biggest snowball I have ever seen pushed by four teenagers down the road.
Making my holy communion in Ireland and making BANK that day visiting every person we knew.
Stealing my communion money with my older sister to buy so much Dunkin Donuts.
Getting brought to school in a police car because my sister and I had a fight on the way to school and separated.
Flying on an aeroplane for the first time to emigrate to Australia when I was seven.
The day we finally arrived in Australia and it was bloody raining like crazy!
-chasing after my parents' cars in the morning to stop them from going to work.
-getting my books taken away for bad grades.
-first kiss.
-walking around Orlando with my first dog, Buster.
-getting Buster down, still fucking kills me.
My dad bringing me and half the kids on the street out into the fields to play on our ATVs just for fun (dad used to rent them out to events as a side job).
Dad teaching my how to ride my bike and encouraging my later intensive interest in BMX'ing.
Dad asking the girl at the drive thru in McDonalds for a 'big bucket of shite please' when me and my cousin couldn't make up our minds on what we wanted.
My dad letting me drive a little boat out off the coast of Cork.
Returning from Scotland at the age of 10 to find out my dad had been diagnosed with a stage four brain tumour.
Witnessing his first seizure, having to phone 999 and attempt to put him in the recovery position despite really not knowing what the recovery position was.
Visiting him in the hospital, he couldn't remember who I was, who my 13yr old brother was, or my 11 month old brother was, or who his wife was.
Drinking a non-alcoholic beer with my father and 13yr old brother (more on this later).
Hearing my mother cry late at night and being helpless about it.
My mother, accompanied by my fathers uncle, sister, and father, entering the room in my grandmothers (mothers side) house. Instantly knowing my father had died before they even said anything. Two days after christmas.
When my father asked my older brother and I if we wanted to still live with him or go live with my mother. My brother quietly said, "I don't know," but I very clearly said, "I want to live with mom."
Going to get my very first dog when I was in 4th grade, who is, nine years later, currently sleeping on my bed behind me.
Separating from my friends and going through the Toledo Art Museum all by myself.
Walking along my road during sunset and thinking of some awesome characters to add to an old novel of mine.
Meeting my favorite band ever (Mayday Parade) at Warped Tour this year.
My dad is a prick. He was abusive to my mother, favored my stepmothers kids to us, and was a mean bastard in general. But, due to some bad choices on my mother's part, he was given custody for a little while. At the beginning of summer, we were finally given a choice where we wanted to go. We were terrified of him (I was nine and my bro was eleven), but I built up my nerve and told him what I wanted.
To this day, I'm proud of myself for what I did. It really showed me who I am.
First one I can think of is a memory from stupid way back. I would've been- what, three? Four, maybe? It was a while ago. Anyway, I remember watching a couple of older cousins of mine playing a video game that just happened to be The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and I was absolutely enthralled. I'm pretty sure it was the very final battle in the game right at the very end, but it didn't really matter. I was hooked and I became absolutely entranced by the game. Looking back, the effect that game had on me was pretty long-lasting, as I fell in love with storytelling and somehow became a hopeless romantic (A hero and a princess- I was doomed). Now that I look at what I write, it's an obvious influence.
The day I was shipped off to Army Basic Training, almost a year ago. My entire family was there to see me get sworn in and I remember being absolutely terrified, because I had so much riding on this decision. I'd dropped out of college, quit my job and made sure that my family wouldn't be burdened if something went... you know, wrong. I wanted so desperately to make them proud because I had felt so worthless and unfulfilled for so long and I couldn't help but think my parents deserved someone a little better... than me. Yeah... But here I am now, a young member of the Cavalry and an utter badass capable of precise destruction. And hopefully someone my parents can genuinely be proud of.
This is easily the most frivolous of the lot, but seeing Legendary Picture's Godzilla in theaters. I'm an absolute diehard for the series and I'd never had the chance to see one of the franchise entries before. I remember when the movie had been announced years prior and it felt like the thing was never gonna release- and then it did, and even though I look back now and see some faults in the movie, it was one of those moments where I was happy simply because I could be. It was a great moment, and I'll always look back fondly on the whole experience.
The day I destroyed the very thing I valued most. As I said earlier, I'm a hopeless romantic, so eventually it was gonna get me- and badly. I was early in high school and I'd become part of a high school group my church offered. Knew a lot of people in it, a lot of my buddies, etc and such, including a girl I'd known years before when I was little (Hmm, needs a name... let's call her Sarah). I didn't really pay her much attention for a while until one day we'd decided to go spend our meetup night helping out a friend of the host family by cleaning her yard. Nice day, kind of a wet September, and I'm assigned to a group of people along with Sarah. I'd kind of been put off by her for reasons I can't even really remember, but that was the first time I'd spent in real close contact with her before.
Now look, I'm kind of odd, especially back then when I socialized less, but instead of being put off- she talks me up all evening. Asking me about myself, what I do, stuff I'm interested in. Sarah gets me to be chatty, something I never am unless I'm on a keyboard. She kind of worms her way in and I begin to think.. "You know, she's alright."
And she keeps worming her way in until I see her in a bright-blue dress for one of her school's dances. I'm done. Just done. I utterly fall for her and become the perfect little idiot. Like, a total moron, looking back I was so sad- but she didn't really seem put off by it. In fact, she and I became pretty close. She was someone I could open up to and talk with about things I never did, and she always put up with me with such grace. It was really admirable of her. And after a while, I started changing, becoming noticeably brighter and more outgoing. And the way she talks to me starts to change, and we spend a lot of time just talking to each other.
After a while, I make a mistake. Reason I'd been so quiet was because I was an addict, and I'd been using the past year or so as a chance to recover. She'd become a big reason why I got better, because she was such a huge bright spot that I wanted to be better for her sake and be someone she deserved. Instead, I got hooked on some hardcore shit- like, really intense, I went utterly nuts. I lost twenty pounds in the span of a month, I got super quiet and depressed, so badly that people around me started noticing something major had gotten fucked up. Didn't tell anyone, as I was afraid of what I was doing would erupt from me and "infect" others. That I'd impress my bad decisions onto others, so I started pulling away from everyone to "protect" them and instead became more addicted than ever. I was unreachable. I became an emotionless husk incapable of feeling anything- not pain, not love, nothing. I'd become completely sapped. And as I realized I couldn't even bring myself to love her anymore I understood I was my own worst enemy. That there was nothing good in this world that I couldn't destroy.
That day messed me up a lot. Things ain't really been right since then, and that was seven years ago. Never got better, either. So many what-if's...
(Holy hell, that got out of control. I am so sorry, just shun this post)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:08:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandfather. Back in the late 90's early 2000's my grandfather would come over bright and early after his shift as a greeter at the local walmart, and sleep until the sun was just peeking over the mountains. He had worked there ever since the store opened, and used what little money he made to care for my grandmother who was showing the early stages of Alzheimers and Dementia. He was there every morning sitting at the counter with a cup of coffee, and his pipe, waiting for me. We would eat some poptarts and chat before I headed off to school, or take me down to the local motocross track that my parents owned in upstate NY. These are the fondest memories I have of him because one night in June 2001 he never made it home.
My dad taking me to the movies on a school day when I ways maybe 12 years old. I had been ill for some time and not able to go to school. I have no idea what the movie was now, all I remember how happy I was being cheered up for that afternoon.
Another very fond memory is of sometimes eating rice porridge from a can with my mother. We were quite poor at the time, but somehow that is a strong memory I have about that period in my life.
It feels even better thinking about those moment right now. Thanks for the question.
When I was about 10, I had found a baby pigeon who fell from its nest. We played with it, fed it, made a cushioned box for it to sleep and taught it how to fly. One evening, it flew and sat on the highest branch of the tree we had and really flew away. I cried the whole night worrying about him.
Playing football with my friends and laughing at the silly things that happened. God I loved it
Me and my best friend in 8th graded sat at the last corner seats and laughed at silly things, our teachers punished us very frequently and complained to our parents.
The day I got selected in a medical college, my parents were very happy. When I got in my room I had the best feeling of all time. My 2 years of hardwork and study had paid off, my parents were proud of me. There were tears of joy in my eyes.
Returning to my home after college(I was in my first year), I got of the bus late night and saw a poor child lying unconscious on the footpath with a crowd around him. I took his pulse and breath rate, got him in proper position so he wont choke and checked if cpr was necessary. All the crowd was watch me as if I was professional ;p . All was normal so I just waited for the ambulance like others.
I remember being one of the few Asian kids who went to school in a predominately white and black school. I thoroughly remember being picked on in middle school during gym class and lunch time. Within gym class, the locker room was always the worst times. The other students would horse around and some would pull my pants down and then push me into the locker. The PE teachers would be in their little room doing work, I guess, so it goes unnoticed. Within the gym class itself, it always sucks being chosen last for whatever team -based games because I was unpopular.
Lunch times wasn't as bad but it still sucked. I would sometimes bring my own food from home and of course they would point out what I was eating because it was different. Then they would go on to say why I was sitting at this table because I wasn't apart of the clique.
At least now I'm in college and away from that negativity. Also happy to know that some of those kids are pregnant, have a record with the police, etc.
Pezmage ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:09:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing Excitebike when the 1989 Earthquake in California hit. I crossed the finish line right as it started, I was 8. I remember the trailer in our backyard rolling like on waves, it was surreal.
Meeting my best friend outside the library at my grade school during a parent's night. He had the game and watch Mario. I thought that was the coolest thing ever. His parents liked that we were friends because he was so serious and I was not, so I helped him be less serious, heh.
Being at an arcade with that friend in the eight grade and a little 6 year old thinking that he was my dad. He was a huge guy and looked like a grown ass man so it was pretty funny.
While waiting for my prom date her dad comes over and sits down and tells me "Comment on her nails, she went with her mother to get her nails done today, make sure you notice that". Great advice. Plus I remember her leaning over the back of the chair I was sitting in and she had this stray bit of hair that was dangling off the front of her head. Awesome.
Having a backyard wedding, we were broke so we did it on the cheap. Forgot to bring music, the 20-30 people that were there all sang the wedding march for her as she came down the aisle to me.
Finding out the wife was pregnant, then the miscarriage a month or so later and being completely heartbroken. Then, a year later, finally getting pregnant again and being told by the doctor that it was very likely the baby wouldn't come to term. Well, she came to term, and she's an amazing little five year old.
Having my 3 year old sit through the entire game Shadow of the Colossus, we did one or two a night until the game was done over a Christmas break. For the next six months or so we would regularly play Colossus where I would stomp around the room and she would poke me in the legs causing me to fall over so she could scramble up me and attack my weak spot. Best way to get a kid to take a bath ever.
My second child coming five weeks early. Never felt as panicked and helpless as I did that night.
Mines not much since I'm only 17, but here it goes.
Clearly remembering my parents calling me a "useless waste of space" (They deny it now so I'm very confused)
My grandmother just sitting there with me and listening to whatever problems I might have had
My grandmother suddenly being admitted to the hospital and me being the lazy fuck I was I stayed in bed until my mom came and screamed that my grandmother might not make it
The time I saw my grandmother take her last breath
Me playing alone since I wasn't allowed to go out.
The time I realized I won't be with my friends for much longer, especially one guy in particular.
Some happy ones now.
Getting thrown a huge birthday party when I was 8.
Meeting my current group of friends which I hope we'll stay in contact for a long time (which to be honest I'm very doubtful of.)
Sorry for the long list. It helps to type it out sometimes.
Ghitit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being called outside by my mom to see my first rainbow. - age 2
The hurt I felt when my sister wouldn't let me play with her because she was playing with a neighbor. "Two's company, three's a crowd." I had never played with anyone else but her. - age 3
Saving a bee from a clogged water fountain and getting stung. - age 7
My brother bringing me half of his mounds candy after my bedtime and said "don't tell mom". - age 9
The feeling of spending my first paycheck on a jewelry box, a wall mirror and a scarab ring. I still have all three items today. - age 15
My father was a pigeon flyer. He would take me to smelly ass pet shops. I never got into pigeons as a pet/hobby but those are still very vivid and fond memories.
One of those days we also went to an automotive store sometime like AutoZone but this was mid 80s so, not sure which one. Anyways, he bought me a mini megaphone with different sound setting, like cop car/ambulance siren. Held onto that thing quite a long time considering I was a very careless kid with my toys.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Having a picture thrown at my head and Mike (father) disowning me...fun times.
So many. One of them is the day my aunt created toys made out of paper like paper dolls. My favorite is the kitchen utensils made out of twigs and paper. My aunt will play with me everyday after her classes. She took care of me because my parents are unfortunately assholes. We don't have enough money but she still make sure that I spend my childhood with love and not hatred or insecurity.
Oh also, the first time I can remember something going on in "south beach". Was watching Revenge of the Nerds with my older bro n his friends. After they eat the pie n there's a pic of Betty topless. Shhhhwing.....
My parents yelling and screaming at each other. They call each other awful names and they both make threats that involve taking my sister and I and running away where the other will never find them.
My grandpa telling me I can practice my clarinet and singing at his house, but he wants me to be extra loud so he can hear me while he gets stuff done around the house.
Meeting my husband. I was in the pool with my sister, two of my sister's friends and a cousin. My husband and two of his friends came over to talk to us and we decided to watch a movie together. We picked an awful movie and my now husband and I kept cracking jokes. We had the same sense of humor and it brought us together.
My parents letting me know they actually couldn't pay for the rest of college after they failed to withdraw me for the semester.
Losing a friend to cancer.
Losing our daughter six days after birth to trisomy 18.
Having my middle daughter and almost bleeding to death and having my youngest daughter safely.
My husband and I touring a new house with our kids. We worried that they wouldn't like it or not fully understand because they are young. But they loved it as much as we did and they keep talking about how awesome it will be to live there. It makes me feel that we are living the best days of our lives together.
I know that is a lot, but all those things really defined me as personeeded. My parents stayed together. They love each other, but they hate each other. They didn't teach me what a good relationship was, but helped me by showing me what I didn't want in a spouse. My grandpa was a kind, gentle man who always tried to right the wrongs in my life. My dad would get mad when I practiced my clarinet or singing and it made me feel so bad. My grandpa knew how important these things were to me and he helped make me feel good about doing these things that made me feel good about myself. I miss him every single day. I wish my kids could know him. He died four months after I lost my oldest daughter. He wasn't in the best of health and losing her took so much from him. It was the one time he couldn't make things better and I saw how other broke his heart. It broke mine too. My parents really screwed me over with my degree. If they had told me I could have gotten a loan, but the way they did it was destructive and caused me to not get my degree. I was working on changing that, but I had to choose to have kids or pass on having a family because of reproductive issue. My husband and I wanted kids. I don't regret that decision for a second and can always work on my degree when they are in school. Losing our friend cancer was awful. Watching him waste away really caused my husband and I to evaluate how we felt about end of life decisions. It turns out that was important because we had to chose whether to take heroic measures a small have maybe a few more hours with our daughter or told hold her for the first and only time and let her die in the arms of someone who loved her and not with people pushing on her and poking her trying to keep her alive. I will always wonder if we made the right choice, but I think we did. She is the only person I miss more than my grandpa. The births of my other two children were eventful. My husband and I wanted a 12/12/12 birthday for our daughter, but the doctor wouldn't deliver her until exactly 39 weeks, which was the 13th. I ended up having high blood pressure and contractions and she was delivered on the 12th. I almost bled to death and there was a lot of trauma. But we had our healthy girl. My doctors convinced me it was safe to have one more and they wouldn't preform a much needed hysterectomy until I did. We got another healthy girl born on the 4th of July. They are the light of my life. My husband and I had picked out the house we wanted and took our kids when we were already in negotiations for it. They loved it as much as us. We close tomorrow. I am so excited to start this new chapter of our lives.
I didn't mention meeting my husband. He is my soul mate and other half. We often share a brain, say things at the same time, share looks and know what the other is thinking. He is my partner in crime, my rock and heart. I can't imagine surviving all I have with anyone else. We have been together 14 years, married for 8. I love him more and more each day, though I don't know how that is possible because I already love him so much. I am a very lucky woman.
Sorry for the wall of text. I am emotional and excited for tomorrow. I am also injured (stupid tendinitis had me in an air cast) and that makes me an emotional blob.
My dad putting new barrettes in my hair that he got specially for me. They had little hearts with teddy bears on them and said my name, and there were little pink bows. I loved it when he did my hair, but that was a special moment for me
Adventuring with my lab in the woods of mt. Rainier. She was my shadow so my parents were pretty ok letting us run off into the thick mountain forest together. We ventured for several miles until we found a great view, then we followed our path back to the camp site. I'd never felt so free at 10 years old.
The first time I read Harry Potter. It changed everything.
Our family road trip to yellowstone. We saw tons of ghost towns, western wilderness, and the glory that us Yellowstone. It was the most amazing place I've ever been. We drove a pickup truck with a seat in the back. My parents sat up front and my sister and I were in the back seat. I laid down on the seat while my sister slept stretched out on the floor. We spent 3 weeks like that. When we were on our way home and literally 5 minutes from our house, mom turns around and sees my sister on the floor and is like "GET OFF THE FLOOR THAT IS DANGEROUS" and we just bust up laughing because she'd been down there for 3 damn weeks and NOW mom notices?
My dad used to be in the pit crew for rally car racing. He would travel all over the US, and one year he took me with him to Pennsylvania and I got to ride in the front seat of a rally car. It was exhilarating
I saw NSYNC when I was 13 and I touched Justin Timberlake's hand
Sitting in the parking lot of Wendy's with my brother and eating chicken nuggets and listening to The Black Parade album all the way through for the first time
When my now husband told me he loved me for the first time on my birthday 7 years ago. No one had ever told me they loved me with such sincerity before. I'll never forget that feeling
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first two that pops up in my head are related to traumatic events, which you don't need to know about. A positive one, is getting reunited with an estranged childhood friend during a summers night in my early teens. We rode ridiculously undersized childrens bicycles around town, just to goof off.
The biggest one for me is probably my mom, my two sisters and I sitting around our kitchen table all night the night my dad died reminiscing about him and the times we had together.
Followed by the night after I left for a road trip... our mom had died 6 months ago and I felt like I needed it... swore to my sister I'd take her next time. About 2 hours away from the grand canyon with 0 sleep since st louis and I get the phone call my sister was found collapsed in the street. She died. That marked the end of my immediate family.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting into my dream college by being in the top .03 percentile of the appearing students,
Death of my grandpa,
my mom waking me at 2:30 am and telling me my father had a heart attack and running in the street for help,
Performing in front of my classmates at school at random and being told by my crush that it was "awesome"...everybody enjoyed it !!
My mom taking me to the Nutcracker when I was five. We were so poor at the time, but she scrounged together money for us to go see this ballet, where I fell in love with Tchaikovsky's music.
Talking to my best friend on the bus home from a field trip about a massive crush I had on a boy in sixth grade. I was tired and a little over warm, but my heart was singing and I had my best friend with me, and what I thought was "love" surging through my heart. Now I love it more for my friendship with my best friend, which has survived to this day.
Being cocooned in my bed as a freshman, skyping with my then boyfriend for hours at a time, saying sweet nothings and teasing each other. The comfort and trust involved was so new to me. It's a very mixed memory; he ran off and broke things off with me when I called him out on his lies.
Being a senior in high school and losing the sweetest, kindest girl in our grade to a car accident. In choir the next day, we gathered and sang an arrangement of the blessing of Aaron. We didn't really finish the song; we broke down crying and started this massive group hug. I'll never forget the kindness of that day.
Going out west for a few weeks the summer after my senior year. Seeing the effects of the drought and deciding, while standing in an extremely dry redwood forest, to pursue environmental science in college.
Laying in the sun with one of my closest friends, who I hadn't seen in months during college, and just talking and realizing nothing had changed between us. Knowing she'd always be a close friend was a huge moment for me.
Mom left me in the car parked across the street from the grocery store while she went in to grab a few things. This was the early 80's and that what parents did. It was a quiet small town and I wanted to go in to see my mom so I ran to cross the street. A car full of teenagers going to fast flew over the hill and had to screech to a stop 2 ft from hitting me. I froze. The teenage boy driving yelled at me and I started to cry. I've always worried about crossing a street ever since. To this day, my husband will be holding my hand trying to slow me down while I try to get across as quickly as possible.
I feel as though I don't consciously remember a lot of core memories, because much of what I remember is full of longing and suffering of a child who can't understand why things are the way they are.
Those that I do remember are pieced together in experiences: first, that my father took me to Thrifty's every so often to get ice cream. I always got black cherry, and we would sit on the grubby curb outside the building to finish them. He told me not to tell my mother or brother, that this was our little treat. Years later I found out, he did the same for my brother. And yet, the memories are still the sweetest from my childhood. My father didn't have the educational drive and opportunities that he wanted for me, and I later found out he wasn't a good reader, so to encourage me he would take me to used bookstores and let me purchase whatever I wanted - I have fond memories of that musty, old bookstore smell and weird little candies at the front desk. He would buy me flashlights and batteries so that I could stay up late to read, attempting to hide out my mother's demands for early bed times. And when he took me to college preview day, the emotion I sensed under his words as we walked across the campus impressed upon me more than most things the importance of what I was doing and how it mattered (I was the first in the family to go to college). And so I read, and I did well, and I appreciated my educational opportunities, and so fondly remember the flashlights and books.
On the flipside, the single weirdest but clearest memories I have is of crying alone in my bedroom, hoping that someone notices ... especially my mom. I remember once losing a door to a barbie van, and becoming extremely distressed because I couldn't find it. But nothing, no help. Which seems meaningless, and yet - I was playing alone, as I always did, and I needed help. Even meaningless help. And so many of those crying memories fade into the same emotion after awhile, and I have a feeling those mini movies we remember are boxed away somewhere hard to get at. And I try, and I accept, and understand why I can't convince myself that there is love for me, but I keep trying. By remembering books and flashlights and all the attempts made to do the best one can in the situation they find themselves in.
It's funny now, as an adult, that empathy for what that must have felt like tends to provide understanding, but do little to ease those early, deep hurts. One day.
Why is it that my core memories seem so much more sad? I've got to try to unearth some of the better ones in there, somewhere. It's lovely reading all of these.
Dancing with my dad to My Girl and anytime we hear it we both stop what we're doing and sing to each other.
The first time I found a 4 leaf clover with my SO. I still have it.
First crush was on my babysitter. I was 5 and she was 16. Her friend showed me how to eat my eyeball while we were playing with cookie dough/baking cookies.
All of my ex-gfs have similar hair and complexion as that babysitter.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:16:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents taking my sister and me to Disneyland when I was 9 and she was 11.before this trip, we had always vacationed with family friends or extended family. This trip was just us. It's the happiest I've ever been with my immediate family. It was like a TV family from the 90s.
Coming home in sixth grade on a rainy Washington fall day to the smell of my mom's chocolate chip cookies. She left work early to get home to bake for my sister and me. My mom worked my whole life, so where other kids got picked up from school by their moms and had snacks waiting for them after school, my sister and I went home to an empty house. It never bothered me, but those days when she was home waiting for us were special.
My sister convincing me that Tower of Terror was really fun, and I shouldn't be scared. I wanted to back out the whole line wait, but I did anything my older sister did, so I went. She reassured me the whole time. It became our favorite ride and we ride it 3 more times in a row after that.
My dad moving out for good when I was 16.
Kissing my (now) husband for the first time New Year's 2004, and feeling like a giddy school girl, but also like we had kissed a million times before.
My (now) husband buying me the Harry Potter Hogwarts Lego Castle on a rainy February Monday and presenting it to me after work. I had little interest at that moment because I was wet, hungry, and tired. But he asked me to open the box of Legos, so I did begrudgingly, and that's when I found the Tiffany's box and the engagement ring inside. Then he asked if I'd play Legos with him for the rest of our lives. So I said yes.
And my father/daughter dance with my dad on my wedding and him telling me how happy he was for me.
The usual stuff. Mostly good. Some sad.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:17:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first day of kindergarten and my teacher came to pick me up. I don't have a whole lot of memories at that age, but her nails were one of them. I had never seen painted fingernails before and they were so bright red. I stared at them the whole way there.
Before my mother was on medication, there were moments she couldn't properly express herself correctly. I took a toy off a high bookshelf to play with. My mom saw me with the toy and flipped out. She started chasing me with a belt (our usual punishment thing) but this time I ran away. You don't run away from Asian moms or you just make it that much worse, so she got angrier. I was running cause she didn't realize she had the wrong end of the belt in her hand and I wanted to get away from the buckle. My dad came home right at that time and turtled all around me until she realized what was happening.
We had this backyard neighbor with a really smart Dalmatian. He never let it out of it's back yard or really did anything with him, so it dug holes everywhere, cause it was bored. That man beat that dog for doing so. Pretty much all our neighbors have called animal services on him, but never really could do much cause it was still a healthy looking dog. Well, on a dare from my friends, I went to his house, grabbed a brick from the next door construction area, and scraped "Stop beating your dog" into his driveway. Needless to say, we're dumb kids and I did this middle of the day on a weekend. Meaning he just looked out his window and saw me while thinking "this dumb little shit". So police were called. My mother and father told the cops they'd be sure to give me a beating at home. I was shaking in fear the entire way home for my beating. We got home and my parents told me how proud they were of me. And best of all, the dog got taken away from that bastard.
Driving away from my grandparents house after spending the summer there, I was 10. My granfather was crying. He was one of the manliest men I knew. He ran a farm with just 2 sons to help, worked on it everyday of his life.
He showed me I can be manly and still have emotions.
Victuz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:17:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
People here have such hard pressing memories. I can't remember a thing looking further back. It's not like I have amnesia or anything, I know there were important moments in my life and I grew by them. But when people talk about important moments like this as if they could still see them I can't help but feel like there is something wrong with the way my memory works. And how I just 'kinda' remember things instead of remembering them precisely.
When my dad would play System of a Down in the car when I was a kid. I can remember most songs perfectly.
I miss him.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:18:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In high school I was part of a FIRST Robotics team for the 4 years. Traveled the states to compete in regional competitions. The weeks of staying at the academy until midnight building the robot and everything else for the team, and weeks spent in hotels with the team. Sweet memories of the school board fussing over our "offensive" team name to the local Italian community, wearing the badass team Italian mafia attire complete with fedora, and placing high in competition. You know that feeling when you look at the crowd in the arena, hear them erupt in chants for your team, and are wearing your team trademarks. And the announcer's commentary booming into a "Team 1652 The Robot Mafiaaaaaa!"
Graduating high school. A sad memory. Leaving behind friends that were underclassmen. It was also the last year that the academy was doing FIRST Robotics. Going through that final year knowing it was to end with our class. The school director determinded it was best to end the legacy on a high note. That year, 2011, the team placed very respectable in two midwest regionals and held a special celebration just before graduation. I was tasked with creating a YouTube video to recap the team's past 4 years since I was the main PR member and had built a vast video archive. I did and we played it on that night when we retired our fedoras and the team banner. 5 years later I still watch it and cry.
This one ranks the highest. I found my husband through that robotics team and we are still together years later. I am not the same girl he knew back then. Sometimes I worry that I changed for the worse and make mistakes. All I know is that he puts up with me and I love him.
When I was a kid I remember my Dad taking me to the local dirt race tracks every Saturday night to watch sprint cars and others race. My Grandpa would come too until he could no longer walk yet he still talked about the races and read the Midwest Racing newspaper. My Grandpa died talking about racing. I stopped going when I started high school because I was dating and doing robotics. That probably hurt my Dad a lot since he'd go by himself from then on.
At age 17 getting a phone call that Grandpa was on his death bed and about to pass. I couldn't bring myself to go. At the time I wanted to be with my love. Looking back I was cold hearted by death. Not sure if I should have gone.
Walking out on my first job that was not family business. Worked at this place through high school and a little into college. They treated me like garbage. When I finally found a new job, I quit on the spot and walked. That was so satisfying.
At age 12 I vividly remember my racing career coming to an adrupt end when I slammed into the wall at Rockford Speedway. I had just competed in the Nationals event and placed 4th in the A-Main feature. I was extracted from the race car with a head and neck injury when using a wrong sized and improperly adjusted Bulter-Built seat. My then Simpson Racing head and neck restraint system did its job but the seat caused my helmet to hit the halo bar on the roll cage. Dale Earnhardt had died not too long ago from a similar crash in NASCAR and at the time the push for improved driver safety gear was mad.
Getting my motorcycle. Nothing can explain the freedom and road rash.
My brother and me floating across an area on this lake from our campground to the beach and back. He told me "let's never forget this moment. Remember it forever." I have.
When my Uncle was in the hospital before he passed away. He was dillusional and talking nonsense. He looked over at me and said "Oh hey! It's IrishSpuds!" and he smiled and laughed. I had to leave the room and cry the hardest I've ever cried in my entire life. He never had a lot of money and he would always give out scratch off's with Christmas presents, etc. I like to give them out in his honor now.
When I married my wife. One of the best days of my life. The honeymoon has a lot of good memories too. Just us two enjoying Jamaica and each other.
The births of both of my daughters. Magical moments for sure. Unlike anything else I've experienced.
Getting MVP during peewee football because of tackles. My bigger brother was there and I remember feeling like a king.
A lot of my best friends moving away. Happened more often than it should.
At the local festival, a guy had a LAN set up and charged something like $5 an hour. He was running HL: Opposing Force. This began my love of multiplayer FPS.
These are just a few, but some of the first to come to mind so pretty important ones.
The first day of high school, when i went through the door to my classroom and saw a bunch of people I knew but didn't know too well and we ended up growing together and I made some of my strongest bonds with some of those guys
I remember seeing this short dark-skinned girl around town and thought she was really cute,I was jealous that my friend knew her and I didn't. Years later we've met, became best friends and I she was/is my first real love
I remembered seeing a scene of 8 mile on TV and being really intrigued by what I was watching, it was really emotional and real for me despite me being like 10 or 12, like a year later I realized I wanted to be a director, after that I discovered hip hop, and after that I realized my financial situation is gonna be a problem for directing and now I'm an upcoming rapper and I'm really good and i still have big artistic goals
-Moving into a new house when my sister was born, my dad unpacking the moving truck, and me pooping on my sister's floor; all in the same day. (I was 3)
-Kindergarten with my best new best friend. We met each other when I moved to my new house because he lived across the street from me. Then when we went to school together we had so much fun.
-Moving in the summer between 5-6 grade plus having a fight with my best friend.
-Beating the shit out of someone on my block for treating my sister like shit a year after I moved in.
-My best friend called me after twoish years to hangout and that was the happiest day of my life up to that point.
-Eight grade until the spring of freshman year a bunch of shit happened. My Dads parents died and my mom's grandpa died all within a year. During that time my parents made me break up with my girlfriend because she was bad for me but I didn't see it at the time. So during all that shit I cut and took drugs. I was high on pills everyday to the point of me throwing up and having seizures from being so high. And the day I threw up and had a seizure something clicked I new I had to stop snd I knew I was gonna die if I didn't stop
-Junior year I dated someone for six months until she cheated on me. I loved her so much. I did everything for her. I truly thought I was going to marry her. But she cheated on me and her family got mad at me for some reason. Her friends made me an outcast at school and treated me like shit. So I got drunk as fuck and realized I'm gonna end up accidentally killing myself like before. And during all this my sister went to the hospital for a suicide attempt. Didn't see her for months
Dragging a huge bag to the library so I could fill it with every book that caught my fancy.
Watching my classmate move a desk and then flex his muscles to everyone and realizing that the cute kid I'd had a crush on for years in school was actually dumb and not someone I would get along with. What's best about this is that my current SO is exactly this kind of person but we are extremely compatible.
Refusing to leave one parent's house for the other, being locked in cars so I wouldn't jump out, being held down while receiving shots, running away from school and my parent's houses but never going anywhere too dangerous.
Reading until 3am and hoping my mom wouldn't wake up and see my light on.
Being scared of what everyone else thinks, scared of taking risks, scared of my teachers and scared of my peers, scared of what I would do in life.
-When I was younger my grandfather and I would go golfing. I was terrible (because I was 6 or 7) and I'd get so frustrated. He often told me "If you can't laugh at yourself, you're in deeeep trouble." I used to dislike how he said it, but over the last 20 years I realized how important those words are. He died when I was 13 and for some reason I don't remember it being particularly rough, but I loved him so much and I wish I had gotten to hang out when I was older. There's so much I wish I had asked him.
-When I was really young, my dad would have me help him build cars. It's hard to remember a specific car we worked on, and I never really seemed interested in it, but again, it shaped me so much into wanting to build things with my hands. I'm an accountant now, but I love to do little wood working and metal working projects now, at least until I get a garage of my own.
-My mom took me to London when I was in eighth grade. It was my first time out of the country (not counting mexico since hotels aren't really a cultural experience) and it drove a bug into me to travel. I love traveling now, and am hoping to go back to London next year with my wife to experience it as an adult.
-When I was 14, we found out my uncle, who was the office manager of my dad's business and my mom's brother, had been stealing money from us as well as forging checks in my dad's business's name to various places. He was also, for whatever reason, not paying the taxes on the business; my dad had no idea since my uncle kept paying the penalty fees and keeping it under wraps with the office money until one day when an IRS agent came in and demanded payment. Longer story short, my uncle went to jail and my mom and dad had to work 6-11 every day for months and months to repair the damage done to the business and stave off the IRS. The incident is all the colors these days since my parents' marriage really improved over that time, I grew up a lot, and my core family got stronger, but we lost my extended family in the process. Most of all it instilled in me that no work is too hard to help your kids, and I'm going to try to instill that mindset into my kids for their grandchildren.
Sacrifice Island - I saw my mom and dad come home with our electric piano organ under their arm, having spent all day going door to door trying to sell it, because we needed the money. I didn't realize until that day that they were having a hard time making ends meet; they were very good at keeping it hidden from the kids. Now, whenever my mom asks for something - anything - I give it to her. She doesn't ask for much, and I know I can never repay her for everything she has done for us. (Sadly, my father died before I could give back.)
Loss Island - After his 3rd stroke (and 5th heart attack), my dad was in the ICU, unlikely to ever wake up. I sat with him and held his hand, and promised to take care of my mom and siblings. When his systems crashed, I watched through the gaps in the ICU blinds as the doctors performed chest compressions for 15 minutes. When he was gone, I filled out the personal details on his death certificate.
Guilt Island - I rescued a kitten that couldn't move its hind legs (broken), and couldn't poop on its own. Doctors recommended to euthanize, but I joined forums of pet rescuers who have managed to provide a good quality of life for disabled animals, and I was determined to make it work. After the initial intestinal blockage was removed (via enema), I took the kitty home and did all the expected procedures - meds, expressing the poop and pee, and so much cleaning up. I kept reassuring the kitty "I gotchu, you're safe, I gotchu." But then after days of very good progress, she started vomiting, and having diarrhea. I spent the night with her at the vet, crying my eyes out as she got progressively weaker, and had seizuers. When I finally admitted she couldn't live, I took her to another clinic (that performed euthanasia), but she died while I was signing the euthanasia waiver. I later found out that her likely cause of death was a laxative overdose. I wasn't careful with her doses, because I thought it was harmless, and my stupidity killed her, after all those promises of "I gotchu, you're safe."
Sorry my core memories are all downers. Sadness is apparently my main driving emotion.
Tintar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:21:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's the mid-late 90's. The summer, Australian sky is a the most vivid orange I have ever seen in my life, lit up by a sunset that seems to never end. I lay belly down on my bed, my face pressed up against the flyscreen of the open window, taking in the sight and enjoying the cool afternoon breeze as it runs its fingers across my face. My radio alarm clock sits not even a full ruler length from my head on the bed side desk, the bright red numbers casting a small pool of light below them, the local radio station playing the song Shimmer by the band Fuel, the volume loud enough to fully hear and appreciate the song, but quiet enough that I can still hear the wild life and nature outside my window. On the other side of the room is a Sega Saturn asking to be played, to lose myself in a world of NASCAR racing, martial arts tournaments, or plundering tombs with an impossibly busty archeologist. A shitty old CRT television that's seen many a Saturday morning showing of Rage, or late night foreign SBS movies that contained naught but sub titles and breasts, telling me that there might be something cool or interesting on that I could watch. A pile of books and comics, all well thumbed through, some of them committed to memory, whisper promises of adventures, and super heroes, and magic, and science. But in that moment, I am nothing at all, but a boy lost in the image of the sunburned sky.
Jaci_D ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
when i was a little girl maybe 4yo my dad took me out at our farmhouse and started to teach me how to shoot a gun. (i lived in the city, a nice part) `and just tiny tiny me with a little .22 shooting at soda cans.
qcop42 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
getting fucked by my Dad
xkcd123 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-I have a really hazy memory of when I was really really young sitting in my stroller and munching on a piece of some really good bread. Every time I eat some really good bread I think of that.
-running around our living room pretending to ride motorcycles with my brother while Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell blared on the stereo.
-asking my best friend out to prom junior year. Most nervous I've been my whole life.
-tripping waaaay to hard on acid one night in college and deciding that day it was time for me to start moving away from drugs
-driving back from the shelter after picking up my dog, she laid her head in my lap the whole way home.
-talking to my brother after finding out my fiancรฉe was cheating on me. Worst conversation of my life but also oddly one of the most comforting.
Keytrun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe its because I saw a video of it and my brain tries to draw the connections, but somehow I remember smashing my face into my chocolate cake as my family sang happy birthday to me when I was 2 years old.
Most of my core memories is of my mom and dad beating the shit out of me.
My earliest memory was being beaten when I was 3 years old. I know I was 3 because we lived in a high-rise at that age. I remember every detail of that room to a level that surprises my parents and siblings.
โขSuper Bowl XLI the Chicago Bears, my favorite team, played the Indianapolis Colts. My favorite player to this day is Devin Hester. For those of you who don't know he was the Bears' kick and punt returner, insanely fast with incredible moves. Anyway, in the opening kick off he received the ball right near the goal line. He takes off and veers towards the sideline, every single Colts player behind him and only Dallas Clark, number 44 of the Colts, got close to him. I was jumping up and down screaming "we're gonna win! We're gonna win! We are going to win!" That was actually the only touchdown the Bears scored and they went on to lose that game. I was 10 and had watched Hester at Miami. He inspired me so much.
โขin a different vain, choosing the name of my very first World of Warcraft character. A dwarf warrior, also the first one I maxed out. It took me over an hour to select the name and I remember I tossed out a few like Korthor, Markali and several others. It was a huge deal to me back then.
โขand even before then when I was around 4 my brother read a book to me right before bed. It was a line about how one should be brave even in the face of overwhelming odds. It was from a Redwall book and he always read those to me even until the day he left for the Marines when I was 10 or 11.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:23:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nothing. After I age past a certain point I forget most of everything. MY earliest re-callable memories are from my teens.
-My parents' messy divorce when I was 4.
-Various childhood abuse memories: padlocked in my room, padlocked in my closet, tied to my bed, drug down a hall by my hair. Lots of verbal and emotional abuse.
-being a 400lb., stinky adolescent with one friend and bullying from hell.
-winning all the art awards in school
-losing 150 lbs. and getting my life together.
-meeting, nearly losing, and marrying my wife.
-moving to a tropical climate across the country
Mokagg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:23:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Finding out I had a half sister (a few months older than me) when I was five, I remember perfectly the day we met and later the realization that our moms had been pregnant at the same time. It also marked the point I stopped trusting my dad for lying to me.
The day I met my now husband, he was the first person I had ever met who had never heard of my hometown (it's a very touristic place) and he tried to show off by speaking a few lines of german, not knowing I had studied the language for a couple of years.
My first solo as a dancer, the thrilling experience of being on stage.
The first time I said 'I love you' to a person without knowing if he felt it too (he didn't).
The moment I decided not to kill myself, things did got better, much better.
The talks with my grandmother about her life and the family, and realizing how much my mom had to sacrifice to raise me by herself.
The day I realized my best friend is my best friend, by me wanting to go in one of my crazy adventures and knowing she would be the only one who would go with me.
When I dyed my hair bright pink at 16 and proved I'm not such a 'good girl' after all.
The first time a book made my cry by showing me how evil humans can be.
I don't remember going out to dinner, I don't remember the presents i got, i don't remember how happy my parents were seeing me and my sister do something.
I don't remember my first kiss, who it was with, what it was like, i don't remember anything before my 16th.
I don't even remember my dad's face.
Reading this thread makes me sad and incredibly happy at the same time. i know i had a good past but i'm so jealous of people being able to relive them.
pxlwlkr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:23:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My older cousin telling me that it's ok to take life a little slower than others if it helps you out in the long run.
I'm in junior high. I was sitting at the "geek" table during lunch. It was your typical set up...video game kids at one table, football team at one, quiet kids at another, etc. While I was sitting there, one of the kids from the "popular" table came over and asked if I wanted to sit with them. Me, being the naive kid I was at the time, happily agreed. So, I went over to their table and as I was about to sit down, unbeknownst to me, the kid next to my seat had put a tray filled with ketchup, mustard, ranch, barbecue sauce and mayo onto my seat, and they all forced me to sit in it. I had to wait until my Dad picked me up so I could go home to change. The following week, I come home to find a combo pull-up bar/bar dip machine in the garage. My dad is waiting for me. He tells me, "Over the course of the summer, every day, you and I are gonna be using this. We're gonna make sure those kids who bullied you don't ever do that again." I came back to 8th grade with muscle and the bullying stopped.
Working at the International Arrivals area with the airline when the Underwear Bomber happened. That was one hell of a day at the office
My mom playing piano for my brother and I at night to help us go to sleep
Having my debut in theater being the lead role. Never been so nervous in my life, but it was the start of my performing arts career in jr high/high school
Hearing my dad and older brother get into very loud verbal arguments nightly when we were teenagers and me just hiding in my room until it stopped
Seeing fireworks during the city picnic every year
Visiting my cousins up north and just being in awe of how many stars you can see when there's no light polution
My dad having me listen to George Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words You Can't Say On Television"...when I was eight.
My aunt taking my brother and I to see every Disney movie that was released in the theaters multiple times per movie
Getting up early every Saturday morning for cartoons until about noon
The smell of my grandfather's pickup truck (tobacco and lollipops)
The distinct sound of my father unlocking the door and enthusiastically greeting the dogs after working all day
Getting a kitten for my fourth birthday: I named her Jingles, immediately decided that her favorite color was blue, and then spent hours playing with her with one of those paddles that had a bouncy ball attached with a string (it had charmander on it)
Chewing on my butterfly necklace at the hospital the day my younger sister was born while my grandmother and father told me what a good big sister I was going to be
Listening to Linkin Park while playing video games with my older brother: I was 8 or 9, and he was about 14 or 15 and going through his angsty phase. We always played 007 Nightfire or Crash Bandicoot Crash Cart on his PS2
Finding a used condom in the woods near my house with a friend, calling my dad to tell him that we thought we found drugs, and him coming to find us and then explaining to us what a condom is (we were 10)
Leaving camp in the middle of staff training of my first summer as a camp counselor because my grandfather was in the hospital. He had a kidney infection, was on a lot of pain meds, and refused to eat anything. He and I had a really close relationship. I got him to eat a hot dog "with all the fixins" and laughed as he kicked his sheets in the air and told me there were "spooks" in the hospital.
6 months later when I went to visit him in the hospital again on my way to the Christmas party for summer camp staff. He'd had a stroke the night before and couldn't speak. When I was little, we would squeeze each other's hands three times in a row to say "I love you." It was our sweet little secret. Before I left, I told him I loved him, and he squeezed my hand three times. He passed away 4 hours later.
My brother putting a picture he had drawn against my grandpa's cheek while he was in his coffin.
My first panic attack. We were in 4th grade and learning about salmon spawning. We had to go through an obstacle course that included running through some double Dutch jumpropes. I was fine until I got to the jump ropes, then utter terror set in.
My ex boyfriend falling down the side of our 4 story apartment building, holding his skull together, screaming for someone to call 911. Kissing him and trying to hold his life force in with the power of my mind, telling him I loved him, and that he couldn't die. Then hearing him say my name in the ambulance and the rush of relief I had.
My son finally coming out all slimy and being put on my belly, eyes wide open. The overwhelming love I felt at that very moment was something I will never forget.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:24:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Late to the thread but here goes:
Nearly drowning in a lake and doing it about five more times
Nearly falling down two different mountain and two friends running down from the top to save me. Side note, I later wrote a story for school about this.
My first time listening to a Beatles song. (I'm actually listening to "All Things Must Pass" right now)
The day my sister got expelled from school
The day my sister got accepted back into school
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:24:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
1) Tearing my arm open on a fence.
2) Spitting my head open on playground equipment, and the woman screaming at my father over tennis court reservations while he tried to stop the bleeding.
2) Visiting my grandfather in the hospital and seeing the stitches from where they removed his cancerous lung shortly before he died.
3) Looking at my great aunt in has casket.
4) When my other grandpa died.
5) The nurse yelling at me for playing on a waiting room table while we were waiting for my first niece to be born when I was in 3rd grade.
6) Going back to school 9 days later--because I couldn't bear to be at home--when that niece died on the way to the operating room for a heart transplant, and wanting to cry over my cookie at the class Easter Party that day.
7) Holding my second niece when they would finally let us (she was 3 months premature).
8) The artist at a comic con that told me my art was shit when I was in the 7th grade, which killed my dream of being a comic book artist.
9) Getting shot at in Venezuela.
10) The day my daughter was born.
11) the day my marriage ended because my ex-wife chose another man over me.
12) and upcoming for both my daughter and I, a new core memory: when her mom moves across the country, leaving her behind with me.
edit: oh yeah, and between 9 and 10: the day my father and I went to visit my grandmother in the hospital soon before she die, there are two: One was when my dad left me in the room with her to go talk to the doctor, and I was in a hurry to go see my girlfriend, but my grandmother looked at me and said, "Don't go, I'm so scared," even though she probably didn't know who I was anymore (dementia is a hell of a thing). a few days later, when we went to visit her again, and she thought that my father and I were priests coming to give her last rights... she was protestant.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:25:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sneaking out at around 8 years old to go for a joy ride with my brother in laws baby brother. He had a hunter green with tan rag top 1998 mustang gt. One of the best memories I have of my late brother.
Finding out I have lyme disease around the same age. I was at the gym at the local high school. My sister playing a basketball game when the doctor called my mom. And crying my eyes out in the lobby with my mom and sister because I had such high bands they had to report it to the cdc.
When I met my best friend and ex fiance. I was signing up for my freshman year of high school. He was dating a acquaintance of mine and I saw his bright blue eyes and knew that my life was going to change. Funny thing is he said the same thing about my eyes lol.
In kindergarten, one of my best friends at the time peeing on a tree at recess. Didn't even get caught or anything. Moved schools a year later and never saw him again. Same year, some bitch put mulch in a frisbee and dumped it down the back of my shirt. Same year, stole a fake shell off a shelf at nap time for some reason. I oddly remember a girl in my class sucking her thumb at nap time also. Same year, we would pick up stones at recess and find grubs under them, and play with them. Same year, there was a kid I hated named Sebastian. We were going down a slide and when he landed on the ground he stepped on a caterpillar, which gave me even more reason to hate him. I don't remember much from any of my other years, but fuck Sebastian.
All my vivid memories are sad, I feel like it's why I became so involved in charity work.
My mom forced me to help give out clothes and food to homeless people around Christmas. I just bought new snowboarding gloves. Someone stole them out of my pocket and I said some really nasty things about the people there and my mom smacked me so hard and asked me if I had money to buy a new pair and I said yes, she then told me that whoever took them didn't even know where their next meal was coming from and told me to be grateful for the life of have. I was so embarrassed and felt terrible. I gave my jacket away to a gentleman that day and talked to him about his situation and he seemed so normal. My mom saw me give him my jacket and on the way home told me how proud she was and took me to get new gear. My mom passed away April 21st, 2015. One thing I carry with me everyday is a tattoo that says " More " on my ribs. It was our way of saying I love you to eachother, but it reminds me of that day and that I can always do more, and love more.
jeli13 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There was an easter celebration in kindergarten and for the first time ever, I had a slice of bread with butter and chives on top. I have no idea why that was so special to me but I remember that very distinctly and I thought that was the best thing ever. Also in kindergarten i discovered my love for tomato soup with tiny meatballs.
When my front tooth was almost falling out at age 6 or 7, my mom wanted to pull it out because it was already loose. I was scared it would hurt so I cried and wouldn't let her pull it out and she got mad at me for that. I went to my grandma who consoled me and fed me some apple. The tooth came right out.
Lots of memories of my cousin who is the closest thing I have to a sister (I'm an only child). We would play Sailor Moon with the other kids in the neighborhood and play board games and I was a sore loser so I'm sure I was really annoying. Also our grandma always telling us to speak croatian instead of german so she could understand us.
Spending a month at a health resort with my mom and my dad sending me letters on Diddl (a comic mouse) stationery. They were fighting at the time and almost split up.
When I was little, my mom was in a bad car accident and was in the hospital through the holidays. Little 4 year old me was very concerned about Santa finding me, as I was staying at my grandma's house. My grandma had someone dressed as Santa stop by so she could tell him I would be there at Christmas, and I got to "accidentally" see her letting him know.
Graduating from Army Airborne School, having my grandfather's wings pinned on my chest and blooded.
My father pouring a glass of milk and a glass of Tang over my head (because I couldn't decide on which to have), and punching me in the face before going back to bed. I was three.
My first-ever report card with straight A's. First quarter of my freshman year of college.
Realizing my stock portfolio and options combined were worth slightly over $1M. This was during dot-com bubble 1.0. Not even a year later, the combined value was around $15K. Easy come, easy go.
My first glimpse of the capitol building in St. Paul while behind the wheel, moving back home from Philly in 2002.
When I was 8 I was watching warmups right before a Royals baseball game, they were playing against the Seattle Mariners. I was watching my all time favorite player Ken Griffey Jr. play long toss. He must of noticed me because he came over to the wall I was standing behind and asked me if I played baseball. I was so in shock that it took me awhile to just nod my head yes. He laughed and held his fist out to knuckle bump me. As he was leaving he said ,"Outfields where the allstars play". I played Centerfield and wore #24 for the rest of my baseball years.
The first time my dad let me drive the truck. I was 10 and I just sat on his lap and steered while he had his foot on the gas. We were listening to an oldies station on the radio and "Under the boardwalk" was playing.
When our old farmhouse burnt down. It was a Sunday morning and it was in the middle of winter. My dad was still in the house trying to fight the fire before the firefighters got there. My mom and I were outside in the freezing cold and she was sitting on the ground crying. Finally we see my dad come out of the house and he runs over to us and we hug for what feels like forever.
When me and three other friends drove 18 hours straight to Panama City, FL for spring break. My one friend and I had the night shift and for the first couple of hours we just drove and had brief small talk conversations. However, things totally changed after we had finished our second Kickstand energy drink. We had Spotify on shuffle and began to jam out to every single song that came on. Songs included "Easy" Rascal Flatts, "Let Me Love You" Mario, "Rock and Roll All Night" Kiss "Something Like That" Tim McGraw and "Trap Queen" Fetty Wap. MOST FUN AND HILARIOUS NIGHT IN A CAR EVER.
My dad took me to one of my first Detroit Red wings (NHL) game when I was younger. We went to Old Shillelagh in Greektown before the game, where he proceeded to get 2 bud lights while I had my hand on him the whole time. It was packed, but for 7 year old me, it was awesome to see the buzz of the bar and how excited everyone was. The smile on his face is something I'll never forget.This would be the second year of back to back Stanley cups for the Wings and my first glimpse into the sports world.
Fast forward 15 years, I'm working full time and able to split season tickets for the Detroit Lions (NFL) with my dad. That same smile from 15 years ago was still there, but this time I was 22 and was able to have a beer with him.
My dad past away last year at age 50 due to an awful battle with cancer. I'll keep my Lions season tickets for the rest of my life as tribute to my dad and hopefully pass them on to my kids someday. RIP dad, miss you like crazy.
The first time as a little kid that I made a kip on high bar in a gymnastics routine was at a meet, and I remember stopping in the middle of the routine and looking up at my parents in the stands. My dad, who was also a gymnast, was on his feet beaming and clapping, with my mom smiling next to him. I don't even remember how I did that day at the meet, or what the judges said about the routine. I didn't care.
My first teenage love, Sam, whom I was head over heels for, had some mental health problems. Namely, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and self-harm. We were 15. After a summer of hanky panky, spending far too long talking on the phone each day, sneaking out at night to meet in our neighborhood, etc. I received a cryptic text message late one evening. She had been cutting, but something was off. It wasn't the usual release she sought, but something more serious. Her words were more final. She didn't respond, so I snuck out and sprinted to her house. I have never run a mile as fast as I did that night. I arrived to see her on the floor of the kitchen, arms bloody, barely conscious. She had swallowed a bunch of pills, and she could hardly speak. I woke her mom and called an ambulance, crying hysterically the entire time. The proceeding weeks she was in an inpatient psychiatric unit for group and individual counseling for self-harm and psychological assessment. Anywho, this was in 2004. Fast forward to today, and she has two beautiful kiddos, is an RN with a bachelors degree, and although I am in a different relationship and very happy, it brings me joy to see her succeed and smile. Also, I'm in my 4th year as a doctoral student in school psychology, and that interest I believe stemmed from my relationship with Sam.
I moved to Germany for one year in college, and my parents came to visit me about 6 months in. I'll never forget meeting my folks at the train station and taking them to their hotel and dinner. I was interacting with the hotel staff and restaurant staff, ordering for them, introducing them to my German roommates, asking questions, etc. and to see the proud looks on their faces as I translated or just assimilated into this environment was something I am really proud of. They seemed genuinely impressed that I could communicate with them and had become so comfortable in that foreign environment.
Preemptive memory, but I can guran-fucking-tee you that if when I finish this PhD in 1-2 years, that moment will be on this list.
C4NT1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:27:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Shooting my first Polaroid picture. [happy]
My brotherโs funeral. [sad, anger]
Seeing my sister suffer from jellyfish stings on her arm. She was fine after the fact and went back to swimming. I never went back into the ocean after that. [fear]
*Looking up from my crib and seeing a large Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal on top of our dresser. I was probably 2.
*Waking up in the middle of the night and watching naked people swimming and getting caught by my parents. I was 3.
*Playing a video game for the first time at my neighbors house. It was Tank for the Atari. I was 4.
*The Challenger explodes on television as I'm getting ready for school. I loved the space shuttle. I was 7 and crushed.
*Father drives us home from a party so drunk that my mother had to keep nudging him to stay awake. She couldn't drive stick shift.
*Opening my NES on Christmas day. I was maybe 9.
*Father drags me across the house and into the backyard by my hair, then scruffs me into the floor to show me the spot in the dirt that I missed when watering the lawn. It was 7 am on a Sunday morning and my cousins had stayed the night, so I rushed to go back inside and play.
*Got Super Mario Bros 2 for Christmas when I was 10. I wanted it so bad and it was the most hyped game at the time and I can't believe I got it.
*My father moved out of the house. I was relieved. I was 11.
*Father comes over so drunk to spend Christmas Eve with us. Sleeps in my room and throws up everywhere. Leaves next morning and I have to clean it up.
*My first tongue kiss in a movie theater with a girl who I adored. Established a physical archetype of short haired brunettes with lithe bodies. I was 13.
I made a homemade birthday card for my mom, but didn't want her to know it was from me. So, I made it from "The Handbook Company" and managed to slip in in our apartment mailbox. No envelope, no stamp ... nothing that any obvious piece of mail would have, but I was seven, how the hell would I know. She retrieves the card, reads it over, and asks me "Have you ever heard of this company? I'd like to thank them, because this is the most wonderful card I've ever received. Grab the yellow pages and see if you can find them."
I quietly beamed inside as I scoured the yellow pages for a company I knew didn't exist. When our search came up empty, she just stood there, confused look on her face, and said "Well, whoever they are, they must really love me because someone hand made me a card just for my birthday."
Knowing I had just scammed my mother, and seeing how happy she was, I never confessed. Never piped up, "Haha! It was me all along!" I let her live the rest of her life believing that this small company, "The Handbook Company", remembered her birthday and went out of their way to inform her.
Then one day, a few years ago, when I was playing with my daughter, that memory came roaring back out of nowhere ... and I simply thought, "Damn ... well done Mom." I wish I could tell her I figured it all out. Miss you mom.
uhso ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:28:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad, with a pink bandana on his head, running on the treadmill to Nat King Cole every morning before sending us to school.
Putting pillows over me and my sisterโs head as we roll off our beds
My mom running into my room, lifted the lid of my radio (it's one of those old ass radios) and broke my Simple Plan CD in half
My mom and my sister had a huge fight, my mom slammed the toilet door and cried. I stood outside my momโs door crying and apologizing on behalf of my sister so they would stop fighting.
Everytime I finish pre-school, I would have a lady that drives me back home. There's always a ginger candy laid down on the dashboard for me. It tasted shit but I didnt want to be impolite.
Crying on my momโs lap when my dad went to Laos for work
Eating grapes listening to Loverโs Tears after my first break up
Listening to Loverโs Tears with my mom in the car outside my house because she told me she listened to that song incessantly when my grandmother died.
Here's the link to that song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gydkNCJK6sw
Hugging this guy (my now S/O, we started out as a one night stand) the morning after really tightly because I thought I won't see him again.
The day that my son was born, the pregnancy went well, my wife had no issues, the doctors did not indicate any problems at birth. After my wife was in labor for about 18 hours the time had come, we find out that he had scraped the vaginal wall on the way out, had the umbilical cord tied around him, came out purple and not breathing. Sent him straight to the NICU and I thought I was never going to hold my son. After two hours he was transferred to a hospital with a bigger, better NICU but I couldn't travel in the ambulance with him, they told me I had to wait an hour before leaving. At this point my wife was still in post-labor mode but couldn't leave the hospital. I had to leave at midnight from the hospital where he was born and drove about 35-45 minutes to get to the other hospital, when he got there he was sleeping and his vitals were fine. That was the first time I'd ever been in a NICU, the first time I'd seen premature babies, and it was such a surreal experience. It was such an emotional night for me because my wife was worried, our families were worried and I was nearly devastated, but I had to stay strong for my wife and our families. After a week in the NICU my son is doing great and is developing at an alarmingly fast rate, haha. It changed my perspective on so many things and it made me realize that I wasn't really as stoic as I thought I was, and that I really was capable of much more emotion that I thought.
Going to my Uncles house for the summer of 8th grade. We played Halo 3 Griffball basically the whole time.
Riding on a jetski with my grandfather and us getting flipped after hitting a wave sideways, about a quarter mile off the coast of Surfside Beach. We had to wade it in.
Being a very awkward 6th grader and trying to kiss a girl for the first time. Our noses smashed into each other and ruined the experience.
New to kindergarden, some redhead guy says he will beat me up the next day. I get home and report that to my mom and she recommends not to respond and to let him bore himself out. Report the same to my grandma and she said "just punch him in the face", which I did the next morning. A few days later, I go to the bathroom and cut off my finger because of the door, blood everywhere, my screams reached to the other end of the school.
fey1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:29:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-racing my cousins on big wheels down the huge hill in my maternal grandparents' backyard
-surrounded by toys on Christmas morning
-epic snowball fight with my horde of cousins on Christmas eve
-yearly trips to Six Flags--roller coasters!
-fishing
โข When I was probably around 8 I was at my local pool and was doing underwater summersaults, something my friends and I often did. I did so many consecutively that I became disoriented. When I finally needed to swim to the surface for air I found I was trapped and could not break the surface of the water, after what seemed like an eternity I realized in a panic I was pressing against the bottom of the pool, I swam the opposite direction and finally broke free. Although I was a varsity swimmer in high school to this day I am still haunted by this ordeal every time I submerge in deep water.
โข One month before my 18th birthday I suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. I lost all movement and vision on the left side of my body, while I have overcome most of these deficits overtime, when I was in rehab after the incident and could still barely walk or see to the left of my nose my doctors told me it was normal to have feelings of depression about my condition and situation as they warned me that the effects of the stroke could be permanent. It was then even under the gravity of the situation that I decided I would not fall victim to depression in my situation and would stay positive on my recovery no matter how slow it would be. I worked hard in physical therapy to regain movement, the ability to walk again, and eventually my independence. Throughout the process I was often asked by friends and family how I could be so positive through such a horrible situation, and I would respond "what choice do I have". To me there was no other option but to be positive and optimistic about my therapy and recovery. In the end I had a fairly quick recovery, and besides some peripheral vision loss and loss of feeling in my left leg I made a full recovery. That optimism and perseverance got me through those long months and have continued to guide the rest of my life.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:29:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) Summer camping trips the whole family took. I'm talking like 14 kids and 6 adults. The bonfires we held every night at the shore of the lake. The countless adventures we had with my cousins and siblings.
2) My uncle dying of cancer. He was like a father to me, he had taken care of me since I was a baby, and I felt as safe with him as I felt when I was with my dad.
3) Getting in my preferred school, later than everyone else, after believing I had no chance, as I started studying for the exam very late.
4) Being kicked out of said school at 14.
5) Meeting my best friend at 15 in a new school, and the moment I realized that she was my best friend.
6) Meeting my first ever real boyfriend, and thinking that he wasn't so cute. Then getting to know him and fall in love with him. Loosing my virginity to him. The nights we spent just talking and gazing at the stars.
7) First day of college. It was like being in school all over again, I felt tiny, inexperienced and a bit silly.
8) The feeling I had for a year after breaking up with my first boyfriend.
9) Every saturday night of 2014, we went out a lot with my group of friends and I just remember us dancing, all twenty of us together.
10) My mom and I watching Game of Thrones together every sunday.
11) Reading Harry Potter for the first time.
12) Getting my first tattoo.
13) The concerts I've been to. Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters, Joan Jett, Cage The Elephant, Boom Boom Kid. Every second of them plastered in my mind.
14) Meeting my current SO. Realizing that we were planning a future together. Actively planning a future together. Currently working to save to move in with him.
15) People laughing at me when I was a child because I had mucous constantly. Turns out it was allergies.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:30:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Standing in my backyard and seeing my dad standing next to the sunflowers he grew in the middle of the vegetable garden - they were almost nine feet tall.
Being in the Tennessee aquarium and watching a diver get bit on the shoulder by an small, impatient shark waiting for food. The diver grabbed the shark by the tail and whipped it away.
Sitting in my kitchen Facebook messaging my then-soon-to-be boyfriend, and he asked me out. Shot up out of my seat screaming.
Skinny dipping at night in the Atlantic. Plankton were glowing around us, like sparks in the ocean. The waves were brutal, and we almost got caught, trying not to giggle where we were hiding in the dunes.
Being 6-7 years old, out in my back yard with two of my cousins, green lipstick painted on like war paint, jumping as high as we could on the huge trampoline. Getting tired and walking to the berry bushes on the fence, then back to the trampoline.
The day my father served my mother divorce papers, and the shit storm that followed.
My grandma cheering from the ground as I zoomed down the slide yelling "Fly like the wind Mina!"
Finishing my motorcycle endorsement class.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:30:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was age 3 or 4 it was the mid 1980's. I used to wait under the big tree next to our apartment building for my dad to get home from work. He walked to and from work, the store was only 1/2 mile away. He would come over to the tree and we would sing songs. "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot was my absolute favorite that he would sing. That tree is still there, and I took dad to a Gordon Lightfoot show for father's day a few years ago. Good times!
I think I was 5 or 6, my dad and I were play wrestling in the shallow end of our pool (my head could barely rech the surface while standing) all of a sudden my dad grabs me and pushes me down to the bottom of the shallow end, he then puts his foot on my chest so I cant move, my initial thoughts were, did I make him mad? Why is he doing this? What's happening right now? All while yelling underwater. I thought he was trying to drown me or something, then he quickly pulled me back to the surface and calmly looked at me and said, alright 7abeeby (arabic term of endearment, the seven is not a typo) this time I'm going to do that again, but don't panic and try to get out of that situation, then he nodded at me with confidence, I nodded back and remember thinking Something like "let's do this" and he proceeded to do the same thing, this time I didn't freak out, I grabbed his foot and twisted it one way while I moved my body the opposite direction and got out, when I surfaced my dad looked at me and said great job, always remember panic is what gets people in trouble, whatever situation you have in your life, NEVER panic. Think your way out. Till this day I havent panicked in life threatening situations.
Never forgot it
TLDR; thought my dad was drowning me, turns out he was teaching me a valuable life lesson and ensured I would remember it.
Also just want to say my dad is awesome and loves us more than anything, he always shares his wisdom and growing up I likened him to Mufasa a lot haha
vlgro ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:31:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad and I went camping together when I was probably 11, just the two of us. We had a tent and everything. In the middle of the night, a huge storm came through and the river started flooding. We woke up to the tornado sirens going off and laughed and laughed as we hurriedly packed up the truck and went home. I normally am terrified of storms but having my dad there and the silliness of the situation makes me happy.
I used to be so ashamed of my dad. He was about 200 lbs overweight, had a scruffy beard that would put Willie Robertson to shame, has some embarrassing tattoos, and would bring an air horn to any sporting event. It makes me sad that I once was embarrassed of him. Thinking back to when he walked me down the aisle, how he had lost 100 lbs and shaved his beard just to look good in my wedding pictures, makes me so proud of him.
The excitement and joy I felt opening my acceptance letter to nursing school.
The saddest I have ever been is after I realized I hurt my mom's feelings when I was 13. We were eating at Red Robin and I made a comment about how she sucked as a parent because her parents died when she was young (not in those exact words). She immediately started crying, left the restaurant, and sat in the car while my dad asked the waiter if we could get our food to go. I'm crying now just thinking about how much of a little shit I was.
My scariest moment is waking up during surgery and being 99.9% certain it was because I was dying.
My overall best memory is the way my husband showed me unconditional love after I failed a test in nursing school. He ordered two practice question books and helped me study every single night for the rest of the semester to make sure I bounced back from the F. I ended the semester with a B+. He never griped about the boring content (psychiatric nursing) or complained about being tired the next morning. His support for my success is overwhelming.
Grandpa taking my friend's and I to the pool in the summer at 2:00 PM for two hours, and when it was time to leave he'd always let me swim a full extra lap no matter how long I tried to make it take.
When I was 3, I had a toy shopping cart that I would put all my favorite stuffed animals in. It was my most favorite thing, and I was apparently so proud to push it around on the sidewalks outside my house. One of the older neighbor kids took it from me, and shoved it down the sidewalk. As our house was on the top of the hill, all I can remember was watching my beloved shopping cart sail away down the street with all my best friends, while I wailed despondently.
When I look back at this, I feel so sad for little me. Three is a pretty young age to learn that everything that you love can be taken from you in a heartbeat. Yes I got everything back, but I don't remember that part.
in 4th grade, deciding to talk to the loner who spent recesses walking around a pole in the field talking to himself, when everyone else said he was just "some loser" (we're best friends to this day)
(not a specific time but...) all the countless Saturday Mornings that I woke up early just to get my 5 hours of cartoons, since we didn't have cable.
my mom telling me for the 10th time to put my copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets away, only to finally realize when I finally got to my room, she had secretly swapped it for Prisoner of Azkaban as a surprise.
using old report card money to go and buy goldeneye for the N64 the same day that my mom said she didn't like the game and wanted us to take it back to our friends house. The moment she realized she had no control over us any more.
sitting in the car with my older brother while he showed me all his favorite punk bands that my mom wouldn't have approved of me listening to
sitting on the grass in the rain, embracing my crying best friend, when he found out his mom died
I had a couple friends come visit me, took them 4 hours to get to where I live. I was in the middle of an instance in WoW, and wanted to finish it. My mom came downstairs surprised and asked why I was still on the computer when my friends have just been sitting there waiting for me. I looked at the clock and realized it had been two hours since they arrived. I immediately told my party sorry, and turned off the game. I never went back to playing WoW.
having very open conversations with my dad from high school age and on about my feelings on the Mormon church and him respecting my opinions and even telling me about his doubts. I don't think I'd have left the church years later if I didn't have that trust with my dad.
Being terrified of a tarantula that crawled out of my younger brothers' closet as I was sleeping on their floor while my room was being painted at about 5
The scary, "monster hand" dream I had over and over throughout childhood and young adulthood
Sitting on the fence rail with my dad and eating radishes with salt straight from the garden
Cooking my brother's oatmeal on the stove at 8, because my mom was too depressed to get up and get us ready for school
Finding out that my house had burnt down the first day of my two week stay visiting my grandparents, but not being told til I was getting ready to leave for the airport; the smell of it when we went and saw it after my parents picked me up. It burnt down on my 8th birthday.
Fishing in Baton Rouge with my dad when we were stuck there for a week whole his truck got fixed.
Waking up at 5:37am, Mother's Day 1996 and telling my dad that my grandpa was dead. The phone ringing 20 minutes later and my mother telling my dad he had passed away at 5:37am.
My dad's mental breakdown
My dad pulling my pants down, making me stand on a chair, and whipping me with a switch til all the leaves fell off as my brothers ate dinner at 10 or 11
My dad telling me at 11 that my mother was a whore and he wasn't my real father
My mom and I coming home from my grandparent's after Thanksgiving and finding that my dad had took off to SoCal wirh my 3 brothers after stealing all the money my mom had given him to pay bills, and living for 2 weeks in our house with no electricity and our house about to become for closed on.
Realizing my mom would kill herself if I went to live with my dad and brothers at 12.
Being forced to leave my dog, Tank, with my dad after a visit at 12, finding out months later that he ran away the next time the gate was open to find me and never came back.
Falling in love with my best friend at 13, our first kiss 3 years later when he came home from being in a group home after burning down his ex girlfriend's house.
My first kiss with the love of my life at 20.
Finding out he was cheating on me and chose her over me.
The day I found out I was pregnant
6/4/11: the day I tried to commit suicide and ended up in a mental hospital
Driving back home and reaching the last stretch of the final highway home after 3 years in Mississippi, with the sky full of massive clouds and the sun shining on the freshly wet earth, feeling as if I were coming home.
The day my best friend moved to Cali from Mississippi
Mother's Day 2015: dumping my emotionally abusive boyfriend after 3 years and him screaming at me and blocking me in the house.
The day I realized I was polyamorous
AR53102 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:32:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a baby I had meningitis and I was completely deaf. I started getting my hearing back when I was about 7-8. My mum took me to the doctors and was trying to get me to talk to the doctor with my mouth but I just ignored him and kept signing everything. The doctors thought I was still deaf and hat my mum was going mental. After we left I asked my mum what that was all about and she started shouting at me.
The doctors thought she was shouting at a deaf kid and they separated me and my mum. The doctor said the only way I was going to see my mum again was of I spoke.
When I was 5 my parent's company was sued. One day my parents went to court and a judgement was read not in their favor. That night my mom was crying and handed me a microwaved hot dog for dinner and said, "Sorry this is all we have." Being 5 and not knowing the gravity of the situation all I could think was "OH MY HOT DOGS ARE AWESOME."
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I guess I will join in.
My parents arguing under my dad's car port. They had recently divorced and were usually fighting but always in front of my brother and I. They thought it a good idea to split my brother and I up so I went to live with my mother.
Being handed over every other weekend to my dad at a shopping mall parking lot on Friday to be returned on the following Sunday. Then a trip to McDonalds
Waking up to a random guy knelt over me telling me that I was going to be okay and not to try and move. My mom and I were out and about and some man ran a stop sign and drove into the passenger side of her old yellow Chevy Cavalier. When it flipped over, I was ejected from the car trough the closed sun roof. The car rolled on top of me and had me pinned by the legs.
Getting a bad report card, Jared grabbed it and told everyone I got bad grades and called me stupid. I got laughed at by everyone. Fifth grade sucked so much and getting made fun of became a common occurrence until I no longer gave a shit. Still don't by the way.
Finding out my best friend was in s wreck the night before and in critical condition.
Seeing his mom in the ER waiting room and her crying into my shoulder.
Seeing him in his open casket at the funeral. He didn't look like he normally would due to swelling from his brain injury.
Seeing my future wife at a small college get together. I left but went back to meet her.
Our first night in our new house. We slept on sleeping bags in our bedroom.
Walking in the door after work to a positive pregnancy test
Seeing my first child emerge into this world
There are more but I am at work and my iPhone is annoying.
My first best friend, my older brother. There are countless memories together doing stupid shit, getting into fights and lots of laughs. The kind of laughing that starts to die down and then you look at each other and start all over. We're in our late twenties now and we still have our giggle fit moments.
When I move away from my home town. My father was near destroyed by this but it was what I wanted and he supported my decision. It makes for much better visits when we do go back.
When I met my daughter for the first time. They placed her on my chest and she stopped crying and just stared at me. There are no words to describe what it's like to become a mother.
When I took my first college biology class. I was always told math and science are difficult, impossible. So I went through high school with a skepticism toward science and math but it turns out I love science and math.
All the family camping trips and hours spent on my dad's boat fishing. The fact that some families didn't do these things used to boggle my mind as a kid.
โข I was 6 or 7 years old, playing outside in the rain in the front of my house with my best friend Alex (who is still my best friend to this day). There were other kids from the neighborhood who were playing out in the rain as well and my older brother and some of his friends were also playing outside. As I was playing outside in the rain, I felt a very conscience awareness of where I was in the moment and of the joy, wonder, and beauty I was experiencing. I also remember that when I was in this state, I took a momentary break from running around playing to just stand in the rain and appreciate the moment. It was at this very moment that one of my brotherโs friend, a girl who was 3 years older than I was and who I thought was the most prettiest girl in the world, came up to me to ask me if I wanted to play with her. I was then suddenly transformed back into my 6 year old self, playing happily with my newfound friend.
โข After our 8th grade prom my girlfriend, her three girlfriends, and myself went to have dinner at a fancy restaurant inside a local casino in Las Vegas. Each of us ordered a main dish and dessert. When we asked for the check, the waitress told us that it was already taken care of. We were all in shock as we had racked up a $300 dollar bill. When we asked who had paid for us, the waitress pointed towards a gentlemen who was sitting in a booth with a women, who I presumed to be his wife. The waitress told us that the man said he wanted to pay for our dinner because โhe knew what it was likeโ back then.
When I was 4~5 mom bringing me home a foam airplane from the store while a storm was rolling in. this is the oldest full memory that I have.
when I was 8 first time being away from my parents longer than a night gone for two months to family friends. Came home to my parents having little ceasers pizza and seeing me and my brothers newly renovated rooms.
age 11 mom got into a fight with a police officer and me and my brother getting taken away for 9 months. This day rooted a deep mistrust in persons of authority. Me and my brother were told our dad was on his way to get us. He was told no at the door and charged with child endangerment for leaving us with drunk mom. I still don't like that person(my dad was out of town for work like every other week of the year)
6 months later placed in foster care with first family we were treated awfully beds were basically box springs with a fitted sheet. that 2nd night we were taken away again and placed back at the guardian home.
2 weeks later placed in a new home with a black family. Up until now had only socialized with 2 other black familys and it wasn't great. This family was the nicest and most comforting home ive ever been in to this day 14 years later.
1 month later. Going home to a sober mother and a loving house. it wouldn't be that cozy for long though
age 18 wife tried to split the pole on first date ( Friday the 13th) yanked her to the other side and told her that was a close one.
July 23 2013 Got into a heated argument with my mother over my son not staying at her house that night due to her being drunk. Told her to sober up or get out of our lives.
July 24, 2013.... 7:47 AM My phone rang it was my dad he sobbed out the words that will echo in my head for the rest of my life... " Moms Gone " I asked where she went and he iterated again "She's GONE " That day was the saddest day in my life. It changed the kind of person I am. I can never say I'm sorry or I didn't mean what I said. It haunts me every day. ever since then I've been in a perpetual depression.
The most recent one was a few years ago when a stranger on the internet got me to realise that I've been acting like a total ass towards everyone that disagreed with me.
It may not seems as special as some of yours, but it heavily impacted how I've been treating people for a long time now, more than anything my parents tried to teach me.
When I was 7? 8? years old, there's was this one time I pretend to fall asleep in the truck right before I reach home, so that my dad would carry me on his back up the stairs to our apartment. I remember feeling so blissful and safe.
Sadly that's the only good memory I have of my father. He left.
I met a group of friends on holiday after a few years of being a social outcast at highschool, and I was amazed that people liked me. We had the best week, and when I got back to school I made friends that I still have to this day.
First kiss, I messed it up, so happy/cringe moment right there.
Seeing my Grandmother minutes before she died. I was 19 and that was the first time I lost somebody in the family. We did get to say goodbye so that was nice, but when I saw her lying there, unconscious, breathing slower and slower, I realized that was the last time I'd see her alive, and it hit me that that would be the first family member I'd ever lose. That shaped me.
After moving out of my parents' house, I was super happy eating on the couch at my own place the first night, and then I cried myself to sleep because I was on my own for the first time. I had gone on holidays on my own of course, but this was different. Also, I spent my uni years living with my parents as we lived in a city that has a university, so I didn't get that experience.
After saying my vows at my wedding, I felt so in love with my wife, and she was looking at me in such a loving way, I couldn't not lean in and kiss her. When I did, for a split-second she leaned in too, yet then pulled away and said, choking up, "No, you're not supposed to kiss me yet!". That entire day is full of memories, but that ones sticks out.
I can remember a dirtbike crash, my solo car crash, my sister falling off the back of the toboggan while my dad pulled the four of us behind the tractor, our "go-kart" losing its brakes and one of my brothers and I almost crashing into the side of the house, and staring out across the valley from my trampoline that was sitting under a tree.
The rest is kinda foggy as I've been under a lot of stress and working too much. I don't know what week it is and recent memories aren't sticking. This is a period of my life I will not remember.
My grandma passed away when I was really young. One of my only memories of her is bright and clear. We were shopping for food and I saw some toy I wanted. I began to pester her about it as forcefully as I could until she turned around with tears in her eyes and practically yelled in the middle of the store "I don't have the money to buy you anything ok?!" We finished that shopping trip in silence. I still feel like an arse when I remember that. I shouldn't have been such a brat and I certainly should have said "it's ok grandma, toys aren't why I love you."
When I was in 5th grade I was a "popular" kid. We were awful people and spent our time making a few kids miserable. One day the popular kids have me a taste of my own medicine and would no longer speak to me for who knows what reason. The only people who asked why I was crying on the playground were the people I had been so awful to. The next day the popular folk tried to welcome me back but I stuck with the people who were kind to me. I probably learned the most important lesson that day. I'm not friends anymore with those girls who showed me mercy when I had been so mean, but we parted on good terms and I try to be like they were when people start to get hateful around me.
My parents forced me on a car trip when I was in high school to go see my aunt. I was angry because I didn't see why I had to go and on a week night no less so I got all sullen and quiet in the car. I realized we were going a weird way. After awhile the curiosity became too much and I asked "where are we going?" Neither of my parents answered. Finally we pulled up to a house and a barn in the middle of nowhere, no lights for miles and I ask "where are we?" With some panic in my voice. My dad said forcefully to "get out of the car" and some lady I'd never seen exited the house. We met her in the front of her driveway and she said "so you're here to pick out a puppy?" I was so excited I cried when I heard that.
Seeing my grade flash across the computer screen after taking the boards for my field, then my parents took me to red lobster to celebrate. There was no wait (which never happens) and it was so wonderful to be free from all the stress and wondering what I would do with my life if I failed my boards. I smiled from ear to ear the rest of the night.
Edit: Added a story
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:36:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not gonna sugar coat shit. Did you ever wonder if you have multiple personality disorder would they have cores to? They do.
Hanna:
-when i was outside at my nannys house playing with sticks alone. I knew something was wrong i never saw my parents much at that time.
-when i tried fitting in when i was in middle school instead pushed away and made fun of at the sidelines
-drawing my first wolf and making a goal to draw them
-the day i realized i had multiple personality disorder
Scar:
-when i successfully challenged someone to fight me
-standing up to the father and yelling at him
-charming my way into my first relationship
-realizing i can control myself i can take charge
Thistle:
-when i successfully helped depression and researched ways to cope
-sitting and watching tv eating ice cream and relaxing
-reading in the library
-letting go of the people i loved
Spot:
-meeting our boyfriend for the first time made me question if science was the only thing i should care about
-making new inventions and showing people
-cooking and creating awesome ramen
-doing physics
It'd be a complicated inside out movie
ElCoddo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Learning to ride my bike. I had managed to bike without training wheels so was showing off to my dad, step mum and brother. I got all the way to the bottom of our driveway, turned onto the grass and fell off. I landed on a thistle and my dad had to pluck the thorns out of my ass.
My step mum telling me that she will never love me like her own child and would always put my brother's needs first. I don't hold it against her, but I never felt like a proper part of my family after that.
New years eve 2009. A big group of us got really drunk on absinthe. Me and my crush were the last two standing and decided it would be a great idea to go for a walk at 3am. Talked about everyone and everything, but got horribly lost and didn't find out way home until about 9am. Still one of the best nights of my life
Me and a friend were roadtripping around America a couple of years ago. We drove from Jacksonville to Philly in a day. That entire day just driving, talking, listening to music...you really get to know someone when you spend that amount of time in a car with someone.
I hope I get to make some more happy core memories.
I'm late to the party but this really got me thinking:
Your last day at any place is bound to be a poignant experience. My last day at this particular school was also the last day before the summer holiday. It happened to be a sports day, and everyone was wearing their own clothes rather than the stuffy uniform, which inevitably meant we were all in high spirits. We'd been outside in the sunshine all day, running and laughing, throwing water at each other to cool off. On the bus back home, I turned back to look at the receding buildings while everyone sang 'Wonderwall' together. Don't look back in anger.
My first ever memory. I was sat in my grandmother's lap on the back seat of my parents' car. I can't have been older than about 9 months since I was still small enough to be safely wrapped up in a little blanket carrier my mother had sewn for me. If I close my eyes I can still feel the ghost of the lacy fabric trim on my fingertips. The car went through a car wash, and I had no concept of what this was. To my tiny mind, all I knew was that it was loud and scary and unprecedented. I screamed and screamed, but my parents and grandmother were so calm - their calmness made me all the more worried, it was as though they didn't know the peril we were in, so I screamed some more for good measure.
One of my best friends and I were aged 17, sat on the pebbled beach one summer's night, fuzzy-headed from illicit alcohol and talking of philosophy and the universe. We were discussing whether there was any greater power, any sort of supreme consciousness within the universe. We both fell silent, looked out over the sea and sighed. Then, the brightest shooting star we'd ever seen streaked across the sky and vanished before the horizon. It was a beautiful moment, even it is was only serendipity.
I was about 6 years old on holiday in France, swimming in the sea. At that age I liked to pretend I was a mermaid and I loved nothing more than to swim. The sky was an impossibly vivd blue, not a cloud in sight, and the sea was sparklingly brilliant. Licking the salt from my lips I turned back to shore to smile at my brother obsessively setting up yet another intricate sports game with my father, when I noticed something land on my face. Then another. And another. Suddenly the whole water seemed to be teeming with red specks: lady birds (aka ladybugs)! A swarm of them had descended as if from nowhere. I splashed out of the water and ran to shore screaming in excitement and confusion.
I was 5 years old waiting for my brother at the school gates, and my father handed me a shiny gold pound coin as my weekly pocket money. Bored, I flipped the coin in the air and caught it, flipped it higher and caught it... until I lost it in a hedge. Distraught I told me dad, and he handed me another pound. I thought to myself "well, I'll never learn the value of money if he just gives me more when I lose it!" I was an odd kid.
dubs598 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
when i was 8, i jumped into a pool like a "pencil" with my back towards the water while facing the edge. as i came in, my mouth/chin hit the corner of the edge of the pool. as i'm still slowly drifting down to the bottom of the deepend, i see this weird white object with a small red trail floating down in front of me. perplexed, i reached out and grabbed it only to realize it was in fact, ONE OF MY FRONT TEETH! I immediately rush to the surface and verify my mouth is now bleeding profusely, at which point the lifeguard notices me and comes over to help. mad panic had set in because in the crazyness right after, someone asked me if it was a permanent tooth or not and i guess i nodded yes. so now they are icing the tooth thinking i need to be rushed to the dentist to save it! after my parents were contacted, things calmed down a bit and i had stopped crying, they were able to determine that it was a baby tooth and the only remaining issue was the cut on my chin that needed stitches. i'm 33 now and i can still remember EXACTLY where i was in that pool and how it all went down. pretty lucky it didnt end worse.
lucauu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I first passed out, and broke one of my teeth, and when i learned to type instead of writing, with dysgraphia
Early morning donut run with my mom. It was maybe 5 in the morning. The first batch of donuts was always the best. Hot and fresh and fluffy. One morning there was a little boy there (only a year younger than me, but you know...) he pulled my hair to get past me for the first donut. I didn't see him again for about 15 years. We're married now.
Getting a grown up library card even though I was technically too young.
The accident. Them putting my mother in the ambulance. Me begging to go to the hospital any other way because I was scared to see her hurt so bad. That was the last time I ever laid eyes on her.
My dad telling the social worker: "We don't want her."
Walks in the bird preserve. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been and I'm very lucky it's so close to my home.
My first mother in law telling me: "I'm glad we married you." I'm not married to her son anymore, but I'm still part of the family.
My second mother in law and I getting sooooo drunk wedding planning. My now husband came home to us giggling like idiots about discount flowers and inflatable wedding cakes.
So many more, but those are the ones that stand out right now.
arsonal ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All of these heart-felt responses from memories from the past, and my immediate thought is that I probably have a chicken wing island. I have issues.
The first time I was in a band. I was 11 years old and I did a music camp for girls where you form bands, write a song, and perform it all in a week. My sister was in my band and our song was actually really good and I think it wasn't really expected for anyone's to be that good since it was the first year or the camp. We kind of became famous for that and received so much praise and I loved it.
Last summer at my favorite summer camp. They have a camp for high school age kids and it's always more relaxed with rules and stuff than the camps for younger kids. Anyway one of the traditions is that they always have this camp over the 4th of July, and they always have us hike down to the river after campfire to watch the fireworks show. It was my first year getting to do this, and it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. These fireworks were not messing around, they were huge and loud and beautiful. I was sitting next to one of my best friends and I just happened to look at his face at one point and it was just pure joy and awe. The combo of his facial expression and the colored light on his face was just really beautiful and I'll never forget it.
Those are the only ones I can think of for now, but I know I have more.
Taking all the cushions off the sofa and playing the floor is lava.
Practicing my rising trot on the arm of the sofa.
Chasing my brother in circles around the garden, falling over and ending up in a+e for a wrist xray.
Having my teacher pull me out of class to tell me my brother was on the way to hospital as he'd badly broken his wrist. I had no idea what I was going to do as dad went with him and my mum was away. Think I ended up at a friends house.
Getting in trouble for my phone ringing in class, when I finally answered it was my mum letting me know a family friend tried to OD and mum was in hospital trying to get her sectioned. Ended up at a friends house again.
The first Christmas in my whole life when both my parents were off, I was 20.
Watching a friends mum pass away.
Seeing my puppy and his litter mates being born, one of the most incredible things I've ever seen.
Worming the litter of puppies only to have one sneeze, most of the medication ended up on my face.
I remember vaguely standing with my parents under some arch or something in a park somewhere when I was 3. I just thought I would always remember that moment and I did for no reason.
When is was 4, i was in a car accident my dad was in a coma for 2 months, my mom has a scar on her forehead about 5cm, and i got a scar on my chest about 10cm. My twin sister lost her life that day.
This is the one and only memory that i can remember like it was yesterday
I was 3, I was riding on a tricycle in our living room, I hit the chair and pooped myself
I was 7 or 8, we were on a camping trip in southern France, my grandfather and I went looking for some museum in some remote, wooded location, we reached some household, I noticed a kid following us around, throwing rocks - I decided to approach him, grabbed him, found a water hose close behind, I managed to grab it and water him screaming 'je ne parle francaise' or something like that
I was 8, it was 23rd of June (it was Kupala Night in Poland) - I remember only because my parents decided to leave me home alone while they went out party; I decided it wasn't worth staying home, I left the house through our garden (we had no fences yet) - the tradition is you should have a bonfire and fry sausages on sticks on that day, so I went visiting my neighbours' gardens asking for sausages, my mom only found out about that because I got in a shitton of sand in our living room (leading to the garden)
Getting ready for seventh grade. Last day of school, should have been excited. Grandma asks if I'm ready to leave yet. I said "hold on". Walk back toward my mothers room. I stop in the hallway and make eye contact with her. She lay in bed, as the heart monitor beep slowly. I stood there for a moment, tears began to grow. I took a step forward. She just stared. I tried to go farther, to give her a hug and kiss. Instead, I thought "I love you, mom."
A couple hours later before school released for summer, my favorite teacher, Ms. Gray, comes to get me out of class. She is crying. I knew what happened. I broke right there, in the middle of class. Even kids that I didn't get along with tried to comfort me.
Jesus, just typing this out is making me cry. Holy crap, it feels like it was yesterday.....
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:40:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I was living in San Antonio with my aunt, my mom, and my three cousins. One of my cousins, who I have not heard from in over a decade (we will call him buttscratch), would sit me up on the washer every other day and punch me in the face as hard as he could several times. He was eighteen I think and I was four years old. He was beating the hell out of me for two years until my mom noped the fuck out of there. Buttscratch was crazy. Very sour towards basically everyone from what I hear. One time it was very bad, he smacked me up pretty goddamn good and he ended up completely bruising one side of my face. It was just black and blue on one whole side. My parents said they had pictures of me a little after when that big bruise started healing up. I have yet to find them. Fuck my cousin.
Falling through the second for of this old clubhouse in my backyard, my best friend and I were going through the junk on the second floor when I stood on a "trap door" type board that wasn't secured very well. One of the scariest moments of my childhood.
Playing Pokemon blue on my game boy when my Squirtle got poisoned, the game did that bleep every time I stepped. I though my gameboy was broken and I brought it to my dad, he had no idea what the problem was after finangling with it. I eventually went to a Pokemon Center which fixed it and calmed down
Getting the game ball in my AA baseball leagues championship after I got 2 of the 3 outs in the last inning.
Going on the first date with my high school sweetheart (my first real date)
Being hoodlums with a bunch of high school friends and screwing with a nativity scene at a really nice house, we did it so much they eventually stopped putting it out around christmas :)
It was winter. I had a friend over and as usual we got to rough housing. My friend pinned me down and my dad shook his head and said "I guess I don't have a son, I have another daughter." I got so mad I charged him. He beat me senseless. I can still hear my mom and sisters screams as they pounded on the door while my dad repeatedly hit me. After I woke up from being knocked out, I decided I would never beat a child and that I would never let anyone beat me like that again.
-In middle school I was bullied pretty bad... But one incident stands out to me. Gym class, in the locker room. Four boys grabbed me and tore my shirt. Then they dragged me to the fifth member who pulled his pants down and told me to suck his dick. The gym teacher walked in and caught them before they could force me to actually do the deed. I can still picture their faces, the feeling of hopelessness. Worse yet it's the closest thing to a sexual experience I've ever had.
-When my mother found my dad's stash of emails and pictures from the woman he was conversing with. They were planning on having an affair and she had sent him nudes and he was paying for a car for her. I can remember how crushed my mother was. I learned a lot about loyalty and integrity that day.
Yeah. My core memories are based off of extreme negative situations, but it taught me who I don't want to be.
As someone who had a child two weeks ago, this thread has helped shaped what kind of father I want to be.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 3 I have some memories of staying in a women's shelter with my mom (20 year anniversary was this past week, weird)
Getting pushed in to a pit that had a bunch of sticks in it and then my mom pulling them out of me. (kid skin is elasticy so no i wasn't bleeding much)
Getting my first dog, having my grandfather freak out and then feeling bad because I was already in love with her
I got a bike for Christmas one year. It was black and yellow, just like I asked for. My dad taught me to ride it at a mall parking lot later that day.
I made a swastika out of Lego once, when I was around 4 or 5. I didn't know what it meant, I just thought it looked cool. My mom freaked out and made me take it apart, but never explained why.
My mom had long, blonde hair that she would brush every morning. My dad liked to work on cars and motorcycles, and was usually in the garage.
One time I put on a Superman cape and stood at a second-story window, wondering if I could fly. I eventually decided I couldn't, because I wasn't really Superman.
My parents divorced when I was 5. They never fought in front of me, so to me it just looked like one day they were together and the next day they weren't. I remember leaving the courthouse with my dad sometime during the proceedings.
I have family in the Philippines. On one trip, my grandfather took us to Mount Samat National Shrine, which is a memorial to everyone who died at the Battle of Bataan and the subsequent Bataan Death March. This thing is fucking intense. I remember staring up, and up, and up, and then going inside the damn thing and taking an elevator to the top.
I'm realizing that I can't think of a single thing in my life that fits the criteria. It's not that I have bad memories or a lack of good ones. There has absolutely been key moments in my life, I just can't remember them. I'm only 19.
โข my drunk mother yelling at me while I had a panic attack on my 16th birthday. I said "I wish you wouldn't do this..." and she just stared at me and spit "Well I wish I had never given birth to you!" I stopped in my tracks and just collapsed on the floor wailing. That was the first time I felt my heart break. She says now that she never meant it but that sentence is carved into my heart.
โข my sister giving me her meatballs from her dinner and me eating the rest of her meal. She was anorexic and I was a binger so this moment stands out in my brain as the one time that it was really obvious that we were both sick.
โขthe night my SO and I got together and made it official. We were on a date when a mutual friend asked for a ride home from his work. We start to drive him home and he's very stoned. He just bursts out from the back "so what the fuck are you guys and when am I getting the wedding invitation?" We cracked up but stayed silent and just held hands in the front seat. After we had dropped him off we had a slightly awkward but very sweet conversation that led to our first kiss and him quoting "R U Mine?" (we both love arctic monkeys).
โข when I used to tell my SO I loved him by tracing out the letters on his arm with my finger. I was doing it the night he turned to me and told me he was falling in love with me. I was so shocked I didn't speak and we just sat there smiling and kissing, wrapped around each other. I can still remember exactly how we were sitting, how nervous he was, the exact shirt he was wearing, how green his eyes looked, the look of relief on his face when I basically yelled that I loved him too. It was a wonderful night in our relationship.
โข my dad bringing home flowers every single valentine's day for me and my sister. The year my sister moved out and it was only me at home my dad still brought home 3 bouquets of flowers (one for my mom, me and my sister). The look on his face when he realized he bought my sister some was a look that made me swear to visit home as much as possible once I had moved out. And I do.
Telling my childhood crush that I love her... I was rejected and even though I was family friends with their family and her parents were like second parents to me, I remember trying to kill myself after I realized I was an inconvienient and they didn't want me in their lives anymore and times had changed.
konokou ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข Setting up the kitchen table to paint with my mother
โข Having to male the decision to go home or stay overnight at the hospital with my mother when she had cancer, and choosing to go home but then changing my mind but my dad wouldn't let me because I had taken so long to decide in the first place
โข while my mother was still sick but had come home for a bit, I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom (I didn't normally do this) and over heard her and my dad talking. She was saying how she was afraid to die, and asked my dad if she was going to. He promised her that she wouldn't.
โข The day that she died. I was 8 and she had just been moved to one of those old people homes (hospice?), and my cousin and I went picking flowers outside with the receptionist. It was a really nice day in late August, so the lighting was very pretty. Afterwards we did some crafts, and I watched the Fairly Odd Parents episode "My Shiny Teeth and Me" episode for the first time. Then my grandfather brought me and my cousin to the downstairs playroom. She eventually left with my aunt and uncle but I got to stay and play with the little piano they had down there. I didn't play very long before my grandfather came back down to get me because my mother had just died. There were a bunch of people in her room. Later, the sun was just about set and my grandmother and other grandfather were sitting in this little veranda thing with lots of flowers, and she said that when she went out there a bunch of birds flew up around them and that it was a sign from my mother.
โข Going to this after school daycare program and playing pretend with my friends everyday. We were usually Pokรฉmon, but I remember this one time I wanted to pretend that we were people stranded on a deserted island
โข I wanted to go on this program to japan and did all this research into it when I was 15. When I asked my dad if I could, he said he'd think about it, which surprised me because he hadn't said no, like usual. So I pushed it harder and did more research and presented him with my findings while also telling him why I thought it would be a great opportunity for me. I found out that he asked my grandmother and aunt what they thought he should do, which also surprised me. It meant that he was seriously considering it, but that even he didn't know for sure if it was a good idea. They told him that he shouldn't let me go because it was too dangerous and I was too young. I continued to mention to him almost every day that I needed an answer soon, so I wouldn't miss the application deadline. That Christmas eve I asked him for what I'd decided would be the last time, as I was getting tired of waiting and the deadline was almost there. And to my surprise, he said that yes, I could go. It was probably the happiest moment of my life
โข My experience in Japan
That is all I can think of right now
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I read that it's our core memories from childhood that has the greatest influence on our health as adults and our relationships.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When i was 4 y/o and playing around at my parents restaurant at the beach and i went up back to the restaurant then looked out onto the beach and my mom asked 'what is it sweetie' and i said 'mamma' swedish for mom
When I was 12, I took a trip to Canada with my family to go camping. I'll never forget fishing with my dad and sister. Every time we put the hook in the water a fish would bite and my dad would have to pull it off and hook it onto the long string of fish we had caught. My sister and I were laughing so much and I never remember smiling so much in all my childhood. Great time.
I have a vague memory of me in street in front of a house with blue door. I was eating sand, and found it delicious, then suddenly i spotted a small lizard in the sand, i got super scared and ran away crying and never ate sand after that ... My mother tells me, that i was about a year old when we lived in a house with a blue door. Probably my earliest memory.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:43:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You know how children always have these wildly vivid imaginations? Hah, it's funny because when I was a little girl of age six I couldn't imagine that my mom wanted to date again. I didn't know what a monster he could be either. I guess that was part of the imagination, right?
Yet, I never imagined what he could've done to me. Have you ever looked at a young girl at the ripe age of ten and realized that you're sexually attracted to her? He has. Have you ever been groomed by an older gentleman who called himself your sugar daddy? I had almost everything a kid ever wanted. Have you ever looked at child pornography? I was going to be a rising star. Has the word "dad" ever tasted like the bile that sits in your throat? I regret ever calling this monster my dad.
I imagined this all, right? I mean I didn't expect him to rape me or molest me. I mean.... this is all just a horrible nightmare, right? And why would he call a mere child a lying where after confessing to her mom? What kind of person does that?
As the years go on, the monster was banished to a far away land. The little girl grows up to be a dysfunctional adult.
My mom sitting on the couch when she was very pregnant, putting my hand on her stomach and feeling my little brother kick it.
My pop pop being a chaperone on a field trip to the aquarium, and telling me how he saw a dead whale at our cities dump.
My dad waking me up to go seashell hunting very early in the morning while on vacation.
My grandpa taking me and my little brother to McDonalds when he would pick us up from school. He'd buy himself a large fry and then spread it out on the tray and we'd combine all of our fries.
My grandma sitting with me for about two hours after school one day and reading 'Pippy Longstocking' with me.
My dad playing 'Butterfly Kisses' in his truck and telling me that was our song.
Some person on neopets telling me that if I gave them my password, they'd give me a baby paintbrush. So I did and promptly watched as my account was drained of all neopoints. (I was a naรฏve seven year old okay)
Sitting in bed the night before confirmation classes started, absolutely dreading it, and having this weird moment where I remember thinking 'It feels like such a long time from now but tomorrow I'll actually be there.' (I can't really word what I was thinking correctly) But now I think of that moment whenever I think of how I'm in one moment and before I know it I'll be in another. And now it's been 10 years since that confirmation class, so that's a bit weird to think about.
Earliest memory: I would guess I was three or four. I was at a friends house, and their sibling was young enough to be using a pacifier. I wondered what would happen if I pulled it out, and he started crying. I wasn't sure what to do, so I put it back in, and he was still crying. Good times.
My sixth birthday party. I was in Kindergarten, so I invited my two best friends at the time, but only one could make it. My parents made a picnic and we hung out. It went okay.
I used to watch the buzz lightyear tv show in the mornings before school. The captain of the base or whatever the fuck it was had a peg-leg that was a blaster, and would yell "sweet mother of Venus!" when something went wrong. I yelled this at school one time and the teacher said she had told me before not to say that and then I got a detention for it. I guess she thought I said "penis" instead of "venus", but I don't remember her ever talking to me about that before.
In third grade I noticed that when people leaned over their crack would hang out of their pants. I got really self-conscious and tried to make sure I didn't ever do that.
Sixth grade. I decided I was going to draw and sell stuff for a quarter. I wasn't an artist or anything, but I figured I could earn a milk or two. A few people started making fun of my drawings and I ended up crying in the middle of class. We went to the principal's office. Looking back I was being a whiny bitch.
I had a big crush on my best friend at the time. Several times I write out the message to her letting her know how I feel. I never hit send.
A couple of friends and I spend a couple of hours looking at a stained-glass window and discussing what everything means. This is one of the happiest memories I've ever made.
I think my happiest memory, off the top of my head, is seeing my mother waiting for me outside of orchestra practice. She would drive me to the rehearsals (30 mins), then wait outside (for 90 mins???) then drive me back home (another 30 mins). I think she did this for a solid year. I think that was the nicest thing anyone's ever done to me and I don't think she knows how much that means to me.
Thank you for the reply. I've been thinking about that for a good chunk of the day. I just have a hard time sharing my feelings with my family. I have a really easy time with my friends, but with family it just seems so much harder.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Im kind of late so i guess this wont be read as much but its a good question and i enjoyed most of the answers so i guess why shouldnt i add my part:
-when we were kids (i guess this was kindergarten-age) my brother used to wake me up and persuade me to go downstairs and watch tv. I was always really annoyed because i wanted to sleep in but my brother is the kind of guy who just wont accept no as an answer and has the charisma to eventually get his goddamn yes. So we usually watched batman the animated series and it always ended with our dad coming down and us trying to somehow sneak our way around him. We usually got caught and got a lecture about not watching tv so early and without permission yadda yadda.
-me and my brother dressing up and playing as superman and batman and wearing old suit jackets of granddad (for us they were basically trenchcoats) to conceal our superhero-identities.
-visiting our former neighbors in eastern friesia (northwestern germany; me and my brother were born there but the family moved to wolfsburg when we were only 2-3 years old). They were basically like grandparents to us children and she used to make this delicious hot chocolate and serve it to us in smurf or pumuckl (german cartoon) themed cups.
-my then best friend surprising me with a cake on my birthday (16th or 17th i think) just before school. Its not that i was a social outcast or anything and i always got a cake from my mom its just that no one of my friends had bothered enough to bake me a cake up until then and i wouldnt have expected them too either. Its an especially bittersweet moment for me because all my school life i used to have a huge crush on that girl, sadly it never worked out between us and we arent in contact anymore.
-when my mother approached me while we were alone at home and i was playing skyrim. She had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and i think none of us had really come to truly realize it yet. Seeing my mother who had been such a strong, joyful and confident woman all my life suddenly being in a state of such vulnerability really had a lasting impact on how i perceive not only her but both of my parents.
My first kiss: when I was 10 years old I was in the side yard of my female friends house, I was feeling very anxious and we both wanted to try it. At the moment we started kissing my uncle called my name and as I turned around I noticed he was looking over the fence staring at me and then told me it was time to go home for dinner, the entire way home he made me feel embarrassed and terrified telling me things such as what I did was wrong and that if I ever do it again he's going to have to tell my parents and her parents. Affected my ability to have proper relationships well through High School.
My dad yelling at my brother and I at Disney world because we were playing out in the rain. There were A LOT of other families there. After he yelled no one talked until the rain stopped
Doing naughty things with other slightly older boys(I am a boy). Nothing really bad happened, but it is still something that pops into my head often. I know this isn't something out of the ordinary, but I wish I could forget. I am tired getting that "I was so stupid" feeling.
The day I realized I no longer wanted to exist, but don't to off myself. I look forward to the day I get the inevitable sickness that will do me in.
The dream I had were I had a happy life, got my dream wife, and had a beautiful daughter. Then I woke up and realized I will never have what I had in my dream.
vousoir ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Leonard and I were 12, my brother Pete 9 or 10, playing cowboys and indians. Anyway, we hung Peter (a rustler) from the side of a storage shed attached at the back of the building. I canโt remember how well we knotted the noose, but after we attached the rope to the back of the shed, we just stuck his head in the loop and stood back. Shit. His feet werenโt touching the ground and he was flailing all over the place. Jeez, I remember it like a snapshot.
We held him up and tried unsuccessfully to undo the noose. Then where we had it tied to the shed with our triple, double extra special knot. Impossible.
So.
Leonard held him up while I ran to get the old man. Big block 25 unit apt building, run around to the front, in the front door, upstairs and in my door. Dad, dad, dad! Running back down with Dad out the front, around to the back and thereโs Leonard still holding him up. George hit hit pretty hard, pushed him out of the way, grabbed Peter and untied the noose. Put him down made sure he was alive and looked at me. No, sort of yelled at me with his eyes, was almost beautiful, first time I remember seeing him as a man. One of the few times that only one of us was found guilty of a crime. Trying to kill your brother was, as it turned out a belt offense.
Probably buried but it gave me a defining characteristic in my life. On the day I found out my grandmother died. I was sixteen years old. I was getting groceries for my neighbor who was elderly and had bad arthritis. My mom called me to give me the news while I was in the grocery store parking lot that was pretty empty. I gasped and let go of my cart which rolled into a nearby car and busted out a headlight.
I remember sitting there thinking, "I could leave the car because anyone would understand, my grandmother just died." or I could leave my information and take responsibility for my actions.
It was the moment in my life I figured out what true integrity was. It was the difference between leaving the car or leaving a note even though I may not have been caught if I just drove off. I left a note on the car with all of my information and an apology, and went home.
Late to the party, but it's a party I want to attend.
When I was 5 years old, my family lived about two blocks from my school. My Mom would walk me there each morning with my brother in tow, who was 2 at the time. It was a Canadian winter. We would usually cut across the school's sports field to get to the Kindergarten entrance, but that morning, everything was snow. Mom was pulling my brother in a toboggan, but she couldn't have made it across that field with him. So she told me to go across the field by myself, and that she'd watch me until I was inside.
The field went on forever, and I think it was probably my first real act of independence. I was scared, then I was excited. I kept turning around and would see her on the top of the path, waving and watching. When I got to the school doors, she was a dot in the distance.
When my Dad left, he said he was going to the gym. He packed his bag, handed me a teddy bear, and I haven't seen him since. To this day, I still hate gyms. (Joking but not really.)
In the aftermath of him leaving, my Mom was raising two sons alone. We were homeless for a while. I have lots of memories about that, but the Core Memory is me walking into the living room to see her, buried in textbooks as she worked to get her College equivalency, crying softly. I climbed up on the couch and hugged her and told her it would be okay. I was 7. It was eventually okay.
Waking up at 6am to beat Super Mario World with my brother. It was the first time I felt like I had control of something, that I was good at something. I think it took me two years to beat that game, my first ever. I can beat it in around 30 minutes, now. (Star Road 4 lyfe)
A butterfly landing on my nose and spreading its wings across my eyes. I was 3 years old, and the fear of the butterdemons persists to this day. I just...don't like the way they move.
My cousin and I were 4 years old at the time and huge fans of the Garfield comic strips. My mom takes me to his house for a play date and as we pulled up he comes running down the driveway.
I get out of the car and excitedly he says, "Hey noreligionplease, look at my pants, I got a tail just like Garfield!".
He turns around to reveal one of the belt loops had ripped and shook his back end like a cat, needless to say I thought this was the coolest thing ever.
Fast forward 2 weeks later to another play date and when we show up my cousin runs up to me and spins around to show me that he now has in fact two tails, and again is very excited about it. I didn't tell him but I was very disappointed, because Garfield does not have two tails.
The first thing that comes to mind is the death of my childhood dog. My parents had him since before i was born. When i came into the picture, Dozer welcomed me into his family. He was my best friend, and some of my earliest memories are about him. When i was 7 years old, he got very sick (some form of cancer, IIRC) and mom and dad eventually made the call to put him down. But they never told me. When i asked where they were going, mom said they were taking him to the park. When they got back from "the park," Dozer was just a bunch of ashes in a little tin box. I never got a chance to say goodbye, give him one last hug, and tell him how much i love him. This past June marks one decade since he died, and i still harbor some resentment towards my parents because of that. Mom has said many times that not telling me before putting him down remains as her biggest regret in how she raised me. But hearing her say that doesnt really help me forgive her.
Being on a roadtrip when i was 10 with my closest friends and their family. It was christmas time and so the car radio was playing silent night. I remember just being surprised at how quiet everyone was and then staring up at the night sky with my other two friends and thinking how pretty it was.
Making faces in bed at a sleepover with my other friends because we thought the hotel we were at was haunted. Halfway through the night we see the shadow of a figure climb onto our balcony and we are at this point scared shitless all the while still making those stupid faces. The door slides open to reveal my friends mother complete with the exfoliating face mask to just "check on us". Sounds like something out of a movie which is why I remember it so well.
On the way back from a really awesome beach house outing with my friends and we're just humming along to some music in the car. Suddenly a song comes on that we all know and it just all clicks. Somebody starts to sing and we all begin to join in, with people harmonizing. I couldn't help breaking into a smile.
Seeing my dad cry for the first (and only) time when I was five and my nan had just died. I feel awkward when I cry, but sometimes it's not about being weak, sometimes it's about being strong enough to cry.
Proudly bringing home a flower for my mum, only to be told it was a weed and to throw it away. It's hard to come to terms with the knowledge that parents don't inherently love their children.
Punching my sister in the face and making her nose bleed, and her telling Kerri (our sitter) it was fine and not to tell mum and dad. Also hitting her in the head with a rock I was trying to skip. I love my sister dearly, and we're closer than anyone else in the family.
The old, dark-skinned war vet from my church, who was wheelchair-bound and missing an arm, teaching me how to make the "best paper plane". He had been in the airforce and said that's how he knew how to make the best paper planes... he's dead now, but I still make planes the way he taught me, and believe they're the best.
My mom used to have a bike with a baby seat on it and I remember sitting in the seat, her riding down our street and feeling the warmth of the sun on my face
The second time I kissed my current boyfriend, and knew I was in love with him. We've been together almost 4 years now.
Learning about world religions in 9th grade history, it heavily influenced my decision in deciding to be a religious studies major for my associates degree.
Growing up, my parents were divorced and lived 6 hours away from one another. I remember the pure happiness I had when all of us (my three sisters, my little brother, and I) would pile into our blue mini van and sing along to angsty early 2000s rock
Sitting on a hill in the Bo Kaap neighborhood in Cape Town, South Africa hearing the calls to prayer playing out over the neighborhood thinking how incredible it was that I was hearing something so beautiful so far from home
The night my dog died. She was such a huge part of my life, and was a friend when I didn't have any.
My parents screaming on the street at each other. I was probably about 6 and I didn't understand anything that was going on.
In high school my friends and I used to hang around in the parking lot and skateboard. It was a time none of us really had any responsibilities.
I left out some, but it was nice to think about a few of these.
My biggest core memory, was the day they buried my father. I was 12 years old, (about 20 days after my 12th birthday). His funeral was open casket. At 10am, they lead us to a room and closed the blinds. All I remember hearing is a "thud". I come back out and the casket is closed. Still to this day, I still hear myself yelling out "DADDY no come back" and that thud noise.
A more happier one, was about 2 days before I started dating the girl who is now my wife and mother to my child. We were at her place just outside, having a drink and a smoke. It was about 1am, and we were about to go home. I looked over at her, and in the darkness of the night, there was this absolute glow and shine to her and she stood out. Almost as if, someone was telling me "Yup this is her". I made that decision two days later and still stands as one of the best decisions I made.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was staying after school for sports and I took a shower with a kid who was a teacher's son. He would bang open the door and then kind of mime James Bond while naked (we were 12)
me taking photos of all my friends on our last day (I like to call this death day)
I probably have some more but I can't think of them. These come to mind. Needless to say, it has shaped me into the man I've become today and have definitely been the thing that has kept me sane and sometimes even made me more depressed than I usually am.
When I was 5, my dad took me to the hockey fields to meet a neighbour friend of ours, who was watching his kids play there. Looking at the other kids play, I said I wanted to play too. The trainer said that you had to be 6 years old to be allowed to join the hockey club, but he'd find an appropriately-sized hockey stick for me to join the other kids for just this training. At one point during training, everybody had to shoot the ball across the field. I went last, and I shot the ball all the way to the other side, which a lot of the other--older--kids hadn't even done. I got excited, the other kids got excited, and the trainer told my dad that he would ask the club's management if they could make an exception just for me.
Writing my first little stories. I learned to read from watching Wheel of Fortune when I was one and a half years old, while my mom was in the hospital due to complications with her pregnancy of my sister (twins--one did not survive long), and I loved reading and writing ever since. When I was in elementary school, a lot of kids--girls, mainly--had "poetry albums" to write stuff in. I used those to write stories about an Arab guy who travelled the world and wrote about his adventures. I guess that's what travel bloggers do these days. I still have tons of notebooks from throughout the years in which I have a lot of old story notes and little drawings of monsters and characters.
When I was 12, my grandfather died. It was sudden. He and my grandmother were visiting friends, and at one point he just hunched over and passed away. He had long had complications with fluid in his lungs. The day after, they had laid him on a table at his house, and we met with the entire family. He looked paler than I'd ever seen him before. I just wished that he would move and honk my nose like he always did, then go and feed the chickens together. But the chickens and the cows and the other animals weren't there anymore, because the farm had been demolished two years before to make way for a freeway. And now the farmer was gone too. I couldn't handle being around a lot of people, even moreso in that situation, so I snuck upstairs and into an abandoned room that was used for storage. There, I wrote a goodbye letter to my grandfather, in the form of a poem spanning two pages, trying to cram in all my feelings about him being gone. When I was almost done, my dad came in. He'd gone to find me, as everyone was wondering where I was. I told him I couldn't come down yet, and told him what I was doing. He waited until I was done, and then I showed it to him. He read the entire thing. My eyes were transfixed on his face as he read, and I saw his lips quiver and I saw him cry. I had never seen my dad cry before, ever. He was the strongest man I knew, physically and mentally. To see him cry shattered the image of him that I had had before. When he was done, he hugged me, and said I could go down now. He stayed in that room for a little while longer, and when he came out he gave me back my goodbye poem, which I laid on my grandfather's still chest. I told my dad I was a little sad that I wouldn't get to read those words years later, as a reminder of what I felt that day. My dad squeezed my shoulder and told me it was alright; he had copied the words over on another piece of paper to keep for himself--and for me.
My dad the insurance executive in his suit taking a messy-haired, sweatpants rocking six-year-old me to the local arcade after work and holding me up so I could reach the buttons on the machines.
My dad playing "tiger" which was simply him pretending to be an adult tiger and letting me pretend being a little cub.
My parents opening the back of the station wagon and Mac, my first dog and the source of my love of Irish Wolfhounds, coming bounding out.
The sound of the black-capped chickadee's "fee bee" call and how my mom would tell me that it was the Stephen bird because it was saying "STE-ven"
I asked my dad if I could fill up the car at the gas station. I grabbed the heavy nozzle and squeezed as hard as I could but nothing was coming out. I turned the nozzle around and looked inside and squeezed again. Gasoline shot straight into my eyes. I started screaming and they ran me into the gas station and put my head under a faucet and ran water over my face. I remember waking up in a hospital and wondering how I got there and why I was wearing a dress.
Doctor's office, I think 7 years old. My head hurt/bad ear infections. Doctor takes a look, says "wow!" and proceeds to bring every doctor in the office to look at something in my ear.
During surgery, distinctly remember dreaming of my recently deceased Uncle Nick who had left such an impact on a young me that I adored him despite not having him around for long. After it, I told my parents and we decided he was my guardian angel.
8 years old, I getting run over by the car. I argued with the paramedics to just "put a cast on it" so I could get back to playing. Rest is a blur until I wake up in traction.
8th grade, winning the "Dramatist Award" it was the first time someone other than my family told me I was great at acting.
Ya, I had an eventful childhood, but can only remember most of the trauma.
Live grenade range during basic training. I was halfway down a dirt path with two live grenades clasped to my chest, screaming "right right right right right" at the top of my lungs.
Sadness. When I was 7 years old, I was riding the subway with my dad and a homeless man was pushing a cart full of day old newspapers, trying to sell them for 10 cents a piece. No one bothered to acknowledge him. His head was down and and as he passed me, I was the only one that noticed he was crying because I was small enough to see it from my angle.
Regret. When I was 9 years old, my mom was laying in the couch with a stomachache and asked me to fetch her heatpad and I refused like a spoiled brat. She sighed and said, "I wish you would grow up a little faster because one day I might not be here." She died a year later from colon cancer.
Joy. When I was 11, I received the grandest and best looking Valentine's Day card in class from an anonymous girl who wrote a really long letter. It even had perfume on it. All the boys wanted to smell it and all the girls wanted to see/read it. I was so proud to be just me.
Embarassment. When I was 15 I was sitting in the computer lab with a really cute girl two seats over from me. Thinking I could silently get away with it, I suddenly farted unexpectedly and quite audibly. The girl turned and looked at me, and I tried to play it off like I didn't do it and said to her "did you just fart?" She looked away in disgust. I then looked around the lab and realized the two of us were the only ones in the room.
Fear. When I was 17, on 9/11 I was sneaking out of my school with my friend to get away, as we were just a mile away from the WTC. The first tower had already collapsed, and when I emerged there was mass chaos on the boardwalk. As a military jet flew by, people screamed in fear and one man yelled in reassurance, "It's one of ours, it's one of ours!"
Love. When I was 23, I hated the fact that I was staying at my parent's basement after college and would often go out and party late and get drunk. While passed out from a heavy night of drinking, my stepmom came downstairs and put a Neosporin and a bandaid on my hand that I must've scraped while drunk. I was actually awake but pretended not to be while I witnessed her love and care.
Joy. When I was 28, on our 1 year anniversary, I took my girlfriend to a beach that had no cell reception and gave her a photo locket and chain with a QR code in it. She spent the entire day in suspense and when we finally got back to my car she finally had reception and scanned the QR code. It took her to a website that I made in which I had collected all of our photos together and used them to list 10 reasons why I loved her. She broke down in tears and said that no one ever made her feel so special. My eyes got watery in joy with her.
5-6 years ago, my ex and I had just broken up. I had two friends that I would have considered some of my good friends at the time. I confided in them the reason for the break up and why I felt the way I did and all that. They ended up telling it to my ex and what would have been an amicable breakup (if there was ever such a thing) turned into hell for me. Because of that, I hardly tell anyone anything.
*Being accidentally dropped by my mom into a rosebush on Halloween is my earliest memory...lol
*standing outside a hospital looking in a window at my mom hooked up to like 50 different machines.
*being at my moms funeral (age 5)
*having a surgery done on my ribs and waking up in the middle of it being preformed. (Age 6)
*Getting home and playing my first video-game (super Mario 64) for days on end while I healed up.
*my dad asking me if I wanted to come live with him (I said yes) and my grandparents crying as I packed up and left their house.(age 7 ish)
*finding a match on the floor of my dads house and lighting it only to have it burn my finger and me almost catch the carpet on fire(I don't know why this stand out but it does haha)
*A full 2 days in court while my grandparents tried to get legal custody of me over my father. And soooooo many cops letting me play in the cars and hang out with the dogs and stuff :P (things were simpler in the 90s)
*Starting at a new school in the middle of the year (3rd grade)and all the kids already had friends and I was really left out
getting written up because I was "chasing girls and trying to kiss them" not proud of 2nd grade me for that one...
*My first in school crush who I held hands with for like 10 minutes before she said "I don't like you any more, I like him now" yes those were the exact words.
*My first computer and having the Internet in the house for the first time ever!
*The first time I played "Halo: Combat evolved" on Xbox
*The first match of online multiplayer I played on halo 2 and thinking it was awesome this was even possible.
*my first real girlfriend and my first kiss
*My middle school best friend of a year making out with the girl I had a crush on at the time. 1foot away from me and 5 minutes after I told him I was basically in love with her.
*My second girlfriend who was 2-3 years older than me and our first time meeting and our first date.
*Getting held back in 8th grade due to depression anxiety and shit grades because of my attendance
*My first time buying/smoking weed
*my first time being ripped off when buying weed.
*My first day in a continuation highschool and thinking I was going to get stabbed. (Sophomore year of high-school)
*The first time I met my first long term girlfriend.
*My first party that wasn't held by parents (drinking and drugs and stuff)
*First time having sex
First tattoo
*My first job
*Quitting my first job :P
Finally loosing the weight that I had been trying to loose for years (275-160)
*my first convention(sadly not comic con:/)
And now only a few weeks ago finally finishing massage therapy school and getting my license :D(age 23)
What counts as a core memory?? I feel like I wrote way to many things.
teganst ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:49:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my little brother was born I was about 2 years old and I got to go see him and my momma in the hospital. I sat at the little table next to my mommas bed and she held him and after I got to meet him I was hungry. My momma gave me her breakfast and I remember accidentally knocking orange juice onto the floor and the nurses having to come and clean it up.
My momma gives up so much just so I can have and I'm extremely grateful for that. She still does it to this day and I'm trying really hard to show her how much she's appreciated.
Picking my dad up from the airport every two weeks to see him just for the weekend.
Getting plucked out of middle school by my dad to help him build cabinets at people's houses to sustain the family.
Moving to Texas, more specifically riding in the U-Haul ruck with my dad through Oklahoma and crossing the Red River and yelling "TEXAS" out the window.
Teaching my best friend how to ride a bike.
Ausdwen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:49:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was pitching in a state championship game, ahead 1-0 in the last inning. I walked the first 2 batters and was down 3-0 on the third. My dad, calmly, left his seat on the bleachers and walked down towards the backstop. All he said was "Don't aim it, throw it!" - Struck out the side. The man worked 60 hrs a week in an autobody shop and never missed a game.
okekai ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We were running laps for football practice. Every other person was making up excuses for why they needed to stop running. Coach wouldn't have any of it and made us all keep running. One guy started throwing up, and then passed out face first into his pile of puke. Coach rolled him over and told him he could take a break now(he was still unconscious). So it dawned on me that all I have to do is push myself to my limits, until my body quits on me and then I too can take a break. I didn't pass out that day, instead I went pass my limits. I approach every challenge, life and physical, with that attitude ever since.
Going on the first hunting trip with my girlfriends father, the anticipation, the excitement, a little bit of nervousness as he was very very Catholic and I knew there would be some inevitable talks of religion which I wanted to avoid as I am atheist. The long drive to the beautiful cabin deeply isolated in the bare winter Missouri woods, bonding talks over beer and grilled deer steaks the first night before the hunt. Waking far before the dawn to a bitterly cold morning, just after the creatures of night had returned to their dens and just before the creatures of day would emerge from their burrows. The sleep still in my eyes as I took my place with my rifle in the blind. The peaceful calm that pervaded the air as I callously took up watch for my prey. The eventual fatigue as the morning drew longer and the warm envelope of sleep as I finally drifted off. The rush of adrenaline as I was awoken by a rustling outside the blind and the confusion when I gazed upon the other man who had been on the trip with us. The utter feeling of hopelessness and sorrow when he spoke the words that I will hold on to for the rest of my life "John fell out of his tree stand, I think he's dead." The desolation and anxiety like many people will never know, digging in me like a thorn on the long drive back, knowing that I would have to tell his wife, the love of my life, his twelve year old son, his five year old daughter. The remorse I would have when confronting his oldest son and his wife, with their two month old baby girl in their arms. The feeling of utter depression at watching his sobbing family as they asked me "how could this have happened?" The nights I still go to bed cursing him for ruining our trip in such a terrible way.
Pretty blue as far as blue cores go, especially when it was supposed to be bright yellow.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
crying on the beach with all of my teenage friends as I graduated high school and left the state for good.
0bolus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me laying face down across my dad's lap while he listens to music using me as a mock drum set.
Opening a large Christmas present finding some weights and a new copy of Donkey Kong Country 3. Then looking at my grandpa and seeing grin on his face mouthing, "Gotcha".
Standing up to my mom to defend my younger siblings from physical abuse.
Sitting with my now fiancรฉ in a gazebo. Making a really corny joke then saying, "I don't know how you put up with me." With her replying, "Because I love you." It was the first time she'd ever said it.
Me telling my dad that I forgot his John Lennon cd collection that I had been saving to my pc, and that I would bring it over next time. He responded with, "Don't worry about it, you can have them." His music collection was his most prized possesions that he rarely let people touch but he was dying of cancer and wanted me to have it. This was the first hard realization that I was going to lose my best friend.
lying down in my friends garage with Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling, with nice relaxing music playing. i had just moved here, and this was the first moment that I felt like I fit in.
My first friend was a little girl by the name of Gabriela. She had brown hair, and olive skin, and her parents were grad students from the Ukraine. We went to preschool together. She used to chase me around the playground and try to kiss me, and I'd run away from her. Some days, under the huge tree on the playground, she would sit on my lap, and we would just snuggle. One time, we went on a field trip to Chuck-E-Cheese's. We spent the whole time in this little room they had that was made out of rope, snuggling. One day she left, because her parents were going to go back to their home country. While my mom was talking to them, she chased me around behind the preschool van, and kissed me. There was nothing sexual about it at all. It was love, in the purest way I've ever felt it. It was joy in physical closeness. It was a genuine caring for someone else.
When I was 4 my grandma took me to visit my younger brother who was in hospital. We were in his room chatting when the doctor came in and asked us to step out. My grandma ushered me out of the room but from outside I could still hear my brothers scream from the lumbar puncture they were administering. My grandma whisked me straight out of the hospital and to the mall across the street where she bought me an obnoxiously purple leopard print coat. I loved that coat.
My first day travelling overseas alone. I had been to Europe before with friends but when I got off the plane in London alone on a cold December day it was a feeling of freedom I never thought possible.
The day of my last ballet exam 14 years ago. My mum is a tomboy and never really supported me being a ballerina, so she wasn't happy when I had an exam on a school/work day. It was the first of the professional level exams and my teacher had decided to change the exam to a practice exam because we weren't as prepared as she would like (since we had all been busy with high school). I forgot to tell my mum this until the day of and she was so angry. I can still remember the red light we were stopped at as she screamed at me for making her take a day off work to drive me to a practice exam.
I have vivid memories from when I was 2 years old. I know I was 2 because we lived in a trailer park until I was almost 3. All of the below memories are from the trailer park. Some of my earliest:
I wandered into my parents bedroom and opened a drawer. Inside the drawer I found a bright orange golf ball. Their carpet was a nasty light green.
We got home from church and I walked into my bedroom that I shared with my brother. I took my red tie off and hung it on the doorknob.
Eating orange circus peanuts in our room while playing with our car set. I loved the texture of the peanut candy more than the flavor itself.
Wandered into the kitchen, only to be horrified by Mrs Butterworth. I must have had nightmares, or had been terrified by the commercials or something because I did not trust that plastic syrup bottle.
Rolling down the big hill in our yard on my unicycle. The hill was maybe 4 feet tall.
Being scratched by our neighbors evil cat.
Sitting in my cousins room, playing with her toys. She had girl toys.
My oldest brother had a Gameboy in his top shelf in his dresser. I tried to get to it one day but couldn't reach. I somehow manage to get my hand in there, maybe I stood on a chair or something, but I remember seeing, or picking up a couple AA batteries. No Gameboy.
Esit: I'm sorry for some reason I thought you meant earliest memories.
Andefir ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:51:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-The first time my father let me hold the steering wheel of his car. He was using the pedals but i was steering the car. I wasn't allowed to do it for very long as I kept driving into the grass.
-When I first went to a primary school in Ireland with no English. It was pretty difficult but now I'm in 5th year of secondary and just as fluent as everyone else.
-My earliest memory of my two cousins when i went to their house to celebrate one of their birthdays. I remember also watching Cars with them on a computer, straight from early 2000s.
-Moving to Ireland for the first time and moving into a new house.
The day I realized I was black & deciding I'd rather live in a crime riddled, indifferent world with black people than a happy go-lucky, nonchalant world without them.
The day when I started believing in God again after deciding God didn't exist.
-the first book anyone ever bought me. It was an illustrated copy of the Iliad and the Odyssey when I was about 4. It Kickstarter my love of reading.
-Seeing my brothers, sister, and father all in their dress blues. I was so awestruck.
-Watching my dad and brother argue their way through Halo:Combat Evolved on Legendary when I was 9. I had never really touched a video game before that but I was instantly hooked.
seeing my mom after an 18 month deployment. I still remember her smile. and my dad's whistle from way out behind left field making sure i knew he was watching my games. He always used to ask from more when i would hit something, a single he'd say he wanted a double. The day i hit a cycle he just got up, chest out and raised both fists
Watching Star Wars when I was 3 with my Mom, in the summer of 1983.
My 7th Grade teacher "letting me go" and letting me tell jokes in class without restrictions.
Hiding between my parents cars in the driveway to cry when I was 8 years old because I was the 9th man and they wanted to play 4 on 4 basketball and I wasn't any good or worth playing with.
Dad screaming at me at the dinner table because I made fun of my sister. His apology consisted of her being his favorite child, it really only made things worse.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:52:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Crying in my backyard because a girl said I was ugly. I asked my mom if I was and she said 'everyone has a different view of what's ugly and not' which my 6 year old self took as her being polite and dodging answering, which made me feel even worse. No wonder I had terrible self esteem for 10 years
Climbing two trees in my friends backyard. They were massive and intertwined so you could climb from tree to tree. You could also get on the roof, which the parents didn't really approve.
I was at a fundraiser my family put on to raise money for kids to go to college. There was a dunking booth, the one you throw a ball at and the person in the tank falls into the water. My brother was up next and his fingers were in the wrong spot. The person got dunked and the hinge of the seat almost chopped off the tips of his fingers. They were hanging by the skin. My parents wouldn't let me see it, which made the situation worse. There was blood everywhere, my brother was crying, two tips of his fingers were almost lost, and I was crying because my parents wouldn't let me see it. Let's just say dunking booths were no longer at the fundraisers.
-one time I was playing truth or dare with my sister and her friend and they dared 7 year old me to moon the next patron that walks out of the post office. I did and cried all the way home and my mom gave me a snickers bar bceaus eI lied and said they forced me to do it. 10/10 would do again.
Raabiam ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:53:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Dad left and never came back. i was 12, and had 2 little brothers. My Mom was a champ. There was never a day we went hungry. Although she physically and verbally abused me the worst, we NEVER went hungry, and always had a bed to sleep in. Looking back on it...raising 3 kids alone isn't easy. She did better than i probably ever could.
Walking to work every day for a year so i could buy my OWN car...a 1982 lincoln towncar. I learned to drive by lining up the hood ornament with the line in the road. Car was HUGE. She had heated seats & mirrors, and a blue vinyl top. My friends would all pile in that thing and we would smoke out w/ the windows up. Great times!
Graduating High school a year early and going to college. First one in my family to goto college. Couldn't believe how proud my grandparent's were of me. I had assumed it wasn't THAT big of a deal until then.
Spending the night at my uncles every weekend and watching Batman. Every single time. I found out later that they would pick us up( all 3 of us) to get us away from my parents, as they fought all the time and would hit us. Also got to goto Astroworld(rip) ALOT. Thanks J & E!!!
Meeting my soul mate and being sooo akward and shy. My heart would pound just holding her hand. She has helped me grow and improve sooo much!!! I never even though i would find someone like her, much less so soon. I was a freshman and she was a sophmore at the time. We dated for 15 years before deciding to get married( parents are old school;They offered to foot the bill 100%, so of course we said hellz yea!!! She did too!!!
We've been married for about 2-3 years. Sometimes i STILL have to pinch myself to make sure iam not dreaming. I just can't fathom sometimes how i found my soulmate so early on in life. She's just the best (IMO) , and i couldn't even imagine a nicer, sweeter, More beautiful woman ( For ME!) She has helped me to grow into a better person all around. I want to do go things for her, and even my diet has changed...cause i want to live along side her for as long as possible!!!
Coming home one day to find my mom had bought us all new clothes! 2 shirts and a pair of pants each!!! One of the best days of my life ...The only clothes i had were either from salvation army, or clothes my grandma made us. I think i wore that same shirt for a week straight. I thought i was so cool. It was great!
Getting a N64 for x-mas. Even though we only got two games and two controllers( for 3 boys), we were so happy we didn't even fight over it. One of the games was "War-Gods", the other was "Wave Race 64"..with the jet ski's and the ramps. Me and my buddy would stay up all night on the weekends making up new tricks on that game.
FIN
JakeBit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:53:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I think this is interesting, because as far as I remember, most of them are sorta recent.
Age 8, I agreed to seal candy bars from the local kiosk. At dinner, I couldn't eat anything, and I was being eaten up by guilt. I ended up telling it to my parents that afternoon, and they made me go apologize, while they paid for it. They weren't mad, but happy that I told them!
Age 12 or something, I got relentlessly bullied after sports, so much that the former-cop teacher had to physically keep the bullies away to shelter me. I didn't stay at that school afterwards and moved to a special school.
Age 16, I start high school and assume I'll be a lone recluse without no friends. After some start-up issues, I'm sitting and talking with a teacher who's trying to help me choose my class. Suddenly this guy almost breaks down the door, and enthuastically drag me to class with him. I loved HS after that.
Age 16, i was in the musical in High School. Realized I had a flair for dramatic characters and comedy.
Age 18, I go out of HS and begin hanging around these punkish types through roleplaying and DnD, and find a girlfriend there. At her party, I break completely down with anxiety. Made me realize I'd had those issues for a while. Break up with the entire group, including gf.
Age 19, looked myself in the mirror crying, depressed and anxious, and then doing the mental version of punching everything and everyone, including myself, in the face. Was mad that entire day, and it felt awesome.
Age 19, I tell my dad to go f*** himself and stop seeing him. It felt kind of wrong, but also incredibly liberating.
I'm sure there are so many others I'm forgetting, but the earlier ones somehow don't mean too much to me anymore... Funny how that works.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:53:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Last year, my former best friend told me she was in love with me all the time. That hit me so hard and i was crying and apologizing as we also were friends with benefits and i used to talk to her about everything including being in love with another girl. I never noticed she was in love with me (she was very good in hiding feelings) and i felt really, really bad. She just said it was okay and that she wants the best for me and that just made me cry even harder.
Hiding in my bedroom closet with my baby brother (6mo) when I was three while my dad beat my mom in the living room. (First memory I have at all)
Getting in trouble with my dad at a resturant for breathing too heavily (I have always been a heavy breather).
The first time I went to summer camp. My camp counselor at the begining of the week made a bet with a another counselor about something and said if she lost she would shave her head at the end of camp. She lost. This was made all the more shocking because it was a pretty strict christian church camp, so it was quite scandalous.
December of my freshman year of high school, I was on webcam with a friend who had just moved away. I laughed too loudly and my dad threw a chair through our sliding glass back door. My mom sent me outside to pick shards of glass out of the snow while she put ripped up trashbags to cover the hole.
Junior year. At a choral competition where I am competing individually with a solo and also together with a full choir from my high school. My teacher decided that we all needed to support each other so the full choir was required to sit in on all of our individual solos, which was pretty nerve racking. I remember being so nervous because I was alway kinda mousy and shy. I started singing and I remember on of the meaner girls in choir leaning over to the boy next to her and saying "Oh my god, did you know she could sing like that?" Which just made me so happy.
When I was in fourth and fifth grade I would walk to the library (about a mile away if I cut theough the corn field behind our house). The librarian of the childrens section knew me well and she would help me fill my backpack with books. I would read all the time, and I still do.
8 years old and riding my skateboard on a sidewalk in our neighborhood. I crashed and laid there crying, waiting for someone to come running to my rescue. After a few minutes, I realized that no one was coming to comfort me, so I stood up, brushed off the dirt and little pieces of gravel, and went back to skateboarding.
10 years old "wake up, mom's dead"
14 years old, reading an article in a magazine. It told me to close my eyes and think of a color, and when I opened my eyes I was to look around the room for that color. It went on to explain, that you find what you look for and that applied to most things in life. If you look for the bad, you will find it. If you look for the good, you will find it. So choose carefully what you look for.
-going through my mom's massive book collection that was so big it filled a wall to wall bookshelf and then had a bunch of overflow in boxes picking out piles of books that looked like I would want to read, then taking the pile of 15 or so books to mom and asking her which ones I would really like. I was always so excited and I would spend hours just looking through all the different books and and carefully reading the backs and selecting ones that looked especially good. Then after mom picked out several that she thought I would like the most, I would keep the little pile of books next to my bed so that I could read them back to back.
-telling my crush that my best friend was feeling really depressed, it didn't seem like much at the time but when my best friend found out it devastated them, I felt so badly that to this I am extremely private about what others tell me.
-being asked to play the drumset in church worship service. I felt so proud of myself that day, it's what drove me to be so motivated to be good at what I do.
-making chocolate chip cookies with my dad. I still remember the recipe to this day. Despite the fact that he can't cook otherwise, that is the reason that I enjoy cooking.
-The first time I went to my wife's parents. I raked leaves for three hours and completely cleared out 5 acres of land on my own. I was tired, but really happy. It's one of the reasons my FIL was willing to give me the time of day despite me being a "city boy."
It wasn't really a tornado, but a very strong thunderstorm. I was four years old. I remember helping my mom put away all the outside toys before it started to rain. It was lunch time and the sirens went off while she was making lunch. We had no basement in the old house, so my mom, my little brother, and me sat in my mom's closet. She built a fort of shoe boxes around us. At some point my brother started to cry because he was hungry. My mom told me to run to the kitchen and get the bag of chips off the kitchen table. I remember what the sky looked like out the kitchen window. It was grey and black and green. It wasn't raining anymore, but the wind was blowing very hard. I feel like I stood there forever staring out the window. I eventually made it back to the closet with a bag of fritos.
My mother denies that this happened. My brother was only two and has no memory of it. I know it was real. I have an obsession with storms now. I love them. I love tracking them on radar. I want to go on a tornado chase tour one day. I will never live in a home without a basement.
My memory-maintenence team is just laying back helpless, as portals to giant worlds open up all over LTM shelves, and slowly encompass everything, while a nearby fog machine makes some spheres pretty hard to make out.
I was around 11-12, maybe younger. My mom yelling at me "you are useless", "what did I do to deserve such a useless child", scarred me for life. I'm 23 today and still carry that with me. My mother was a specialist in hurtful words.
Moving into our new house, I saw a little girl just my age sitting across the street, watching. I had my dad walk me over, marched up to her, and announced "I'm justsare, in going to be your best friend." 29 years later I hope I'm keeping that promise.
A few years later, sitting in fifth grade math class on a random (but very special) Tuesday afternoon, I got called to the office. "Your mom had her baby," I was told, and held my breath. "You have a baby sister." I've never jumped for joy as I did at that moment.
Weeks later, called to my grandfather's deathbed. His voice was hoarse and raspy; his skin felt like paper against mine. His breath rattled. He told me he was proud of me and that he loved me.
Many years later, in a hospital delivery room, a friend of mine was having a c-section. I stood beside her as they pulled the baby out. The doctor cut the cord, passed the baby to the nurse, and the nurse placed the baby, squalling and slimy and perfect, into my hands. Through my tears, I whispered to my friend "it's a girl." I've held so many babies in my life, but never like that. It was magical.
A few years later, a few years ago, I was on a trip visiting my other best friend and her then-boyfriend. I got a call letting me know that both my stepdad's mother (so essentially my grandma) and my stepmom, had both passed away overnight (unrelated). When I went out to tell my friend and her boyfriend, and asked for a lift to the greyhound station, they both stared at me for a second before immediately launching into plans for her to accompany me home for the week, how he would take care of notifying her work while we packed, etc. I don't deserve the way this girl has loved me. (Her husband rocks, too, obviously).
When I was around 8, I liked to run and jump around pretending I was a pirate or an astronaut shooting aliens or anything. One day my dad tasked me with putting sticks on a fire while he did something else. Naturally I was putting sticks on and at the same time each stick was a sword I used to defend the castle in my imagination.
I knew nothing about fires though so I was throwing on small sticks that did nothing and there weren't enough of them. When my dad returned, this was the only time he's ever yelled at me. He said all this shit about "Get your goddam head out of the clouds!" And that I didn't do what I had been asked, which 8 year old me tried to explain that I had been putting sticks on the fire, it just didn't work. He didn't listen to me, kept yelling at me. I went home to my mom the next day and didn't talk to him for 2 weeks. Neither of us budged.
12 years later I'm a video game design major and have firmly planted "my head in the clouds" and he can go fuck himself if he still thinks the same.
I grew up with an older sister, single mother, grandparents, and an uncle as my role models.
My Grandpa and I were extremely close. I was very much a tomboy and loved doing 'manly' things with him. My most cherished memories with him will never escape me.
My sister and I would hang with my Grandpa and our most favorite thing to do was to go to the 'dump' with him. We would go there to get mulch, drop off forage, etc., would climb the mountains of dirt, and on the way back we would always stop at this tiny little hot dog stand that was known as the 'best hot dogs in the world' to us.
My Grandpa was prepping the area for the new concrete patio he, my uncle, and a few friends were helping make. I felt so special and important when he let me use the sawzall to cut down the stakes. I was probably about 8 or 9. I remember snapping one of the blades and he encouragingly looked at me, patted my shoulder, and replaced the blade for me to try again.
Everytime my uncle would come home, he would bring us some kind of trinket/small toy to let my sister and I know he was thinking about us when he was out.
The day my Grandpa surprised my Grandma with a puppy. I was dropped off from school, walked inside and saw a box upside down with a square cut out of the front. All I saw was two tiny paws and I ran outside and screamed at my BFF that my Grandpa had gotten a 'cat or dog or something!!!'
My Grandpa let my sister and I ride around the backyard on the riding lawnmower, of course with he blades turned off. My sister ultimately crashed into his beloved truck. Even though she was petrified after she did it, I still can't get the image out of my head of a lawnmower moving at one of the slowest speeds just touching his truck and her taking off terrified of what she'd done.
Finally, laying on my Grandma watching Unsolved Mysteries waiting for my mom to come home from work at about 10:30pm. The back door starting jiggling, the knob looked like someone was trying to open the door. My Grandma starts screaming for my Grandpa while she was holding a pillow up to her face, "Johnny!!!!!!" My sister was under the covers on the recliner and I was frozen. Turns out it was the dog laying, scratching at the bottom of the door. She was a Peek-a-Pom, so granted she was hard to see at the moment.
The first Core Memory is me playing in a hospital room while my grandpa was laying in bed. He asked me over and I handed him one of my ninja turtles and we played together for a bit. Then the nurse came in and he was wheeled away. I dunno how long it was afterwards but he came back to the room and I wanted to climb back in, but the nurse wouldn't let me. Grandpa had open heart surgery and bore the scar for the rest of his life.
Second one, I was on a boat... I remember hooking something big, then I was pulled in before dad and grandpa could react. I was pulled out by my vest, coughing... Then one of my loudest burps as a kid I had ever done. Dad n I still laugh at the memory, but I was scared then.
Third core memory was when we used to have pizza at the park. My brothers would line up afterwards and then start racing or wrestle while we'd watch laugh. It was fun.
The second biggest memory... It was when my grandpa died. I was 18... He and I were very close... I spent every weekend with him, every deer season, every christmas and easter... He was the strongest man I knew upside my dad... We were watching football and grandpa was actin funny that day. Like he knew it was his last day... He turned to dad and told him. "Come on, it's time to go. Tired of watching the Boys lose." Dad and him got dressed in their hunting outfits then headed off... It was about 4 hours later that dad called us... I remember thinkin he's okay, he's been through worst... Then... Dad showed up... And took us to the funeral home.
The first time my boyfriend and I kissed. It was in the rain and it was a perfect moment. Also the first time he said he loved me. It was on New Years Eve and I thought he was joking at first, but he was serious.
I was always a big bookworm and I didn't go to the best middle school. In 7th grade (maybe 8th?) I had this teacher who could not control our wild class. Literally he would get on his desk and try and yell to get them under control and most ignored him. On those days when his period was just too crazy and he would give up and sit up front or try and get control I would just read. I probably went through most of the school's library that year. At the end of the year he was quitting and he left little notes for the students that had been nice to him- my note said "read. keep reading. read while the world collapses around you and you'll be fine." That always stuck with me.
The many Christmases I spend with my parents and my family in Colombia. We have so much fun opening presents and celebrating. Sometimes those trips are the highlight of my year. I don't think I can even put into words how much I love those trips and how much they influenced me.
My mom coming to pick me up from school when our dog died. Her big sunglasses covering her face so the teachers couldn't really see how much she was crying. Or the time my dad picked me from school early because his grandfather in Colombia died. Might be my first memory of really ever seeing him crying.
Traveling in a school group-but not really any friends- to Australia and seeing the sights and swimming at the Great Barrier Reef. I've always loved to travel and see new places, but this trip was the first one I took "by myself" and it just cemented the fact that I love to travel and would like to do more.
There are probably more that I can't even think of at the moment.
When I was little, my dad and I did not have the best relationship. I was a bratty child, and he tended to respond with anger and yelling a lot. We did not have the same views and argued a lot (even when I was in elementary school). In short, things were tense between us. Regardless, we spent a lot of time together because my mom was often at work when my dad was at home.
One day, we went to Walmart together. I was always the type of kid who wanted his parents to buy him stuff a lot, so I was used to hearing no. Especially from my dad. He grew up dirt poor in rural Texas and had it ingrained in his mind that money was strictly for necessities. My family was not poor by any means, but we certainly weren't rich, either.
Anyway, we're shopping and we walk past the bike section of the store. I was 7 or 8 at the time, and I had never had a bike before. I started looking at them and wandered off a bit from my dad. He eventually found me and started to get angry, but suddenly said I should pick any bike I wanted and we could buy it. I was shocked โ even at 7 I knew it was strange that my dad would offer something like that. I picked out my favorite, walking to the checker stand with it proudly.
It wasn't until we got to the car that my dad told me why he wanted to buy me a bike. As I stated earlier, he was very poor when growing up and he also had eight siblings. Gifts were rare, so when he woke up to a bike on one Christmas morning he was ecstatic. It quickly became his most prized possession. About a week after receiving it, he rode to the movies and left it outside. Someone stole it. There was no replacing it โ they couldn't afford it โ so he was left bikeless and heartbroken.
It was that day that I learned that despite our differences, my dad really does care about me and really does want me to be happy. Thank you Dad, I love and miss you.
I was 7/8 years old. Sitting on my moms floor watching tv when the phone rang. She suddenly was visibly upset and started frantically looking for a pen and grabbed the closest thing to write on, a light blue Kleenex box with white flowers on it. She hung up the phone. She cried all day. I still see the woman's name and phone number written in my moms handwriting on that Kleenex box.
Later that evening after my dad got home from work, my parents had a huge fight. My sister and I just sat in our room in silence. We could hear screaming and banging of stuff being thrown around in their room. When my mom finally came out of the bedroom she went to the kitchen and picked up the phone. I could hear her talking to her best friend. "She says the baby is his, Margaret. She works with him.... I have to go. Christina is listening to me".
That's the first time I remember hating. I hated anyone with that woman's first name. If I met someone with her last name, I would do the math and try to figure out if this person could be my sibling. I hated going to the store and seeing Kleenex boxes. 20 years later, I would hate driving down Metro parkway and seeing the job where he worked and he met her. I hated wondering if she still worked there.
Idk what's worse tho. I let go of the hate. But even 20+ years later, I still don't understand his actions anymore than I did at 8 years old.
When I was 12, I was always riding my bike around the neighborhood. One block over, some house was getting yard work done, and there was a giant pile of dirt in the street, and there was a massive hill that led to the dirt pile. My friends and I decided to mold the dirt pile into a tabletop jump, and I wanted to clear it.
I got to the top of the hill, and I was ducking determined to clear it. I must've been going around 25 mph, because I was fucking mobbing on my shifty Walmart bike, it was fucking rattling, about ready to explode from the speed I was going.
I hit the jump, and man did I clear it. I cleared it by about an extra 5 feet, because I fucking ate shit. Somehow, the brake handle lodged into the skin on my index finger, and it tore a chunk out of it while I crash landed. I still have the scar today.
For me, it was seeing my dad cry for the first time.
I was 7 years old, and it was at the funeral of my grandma. I had (and still do) view my dad as my hero, and that moment taught me empathy.
Yes, I learned that my dad can cry and he's not invincible. That's the normal go to with these things. But I remember, and can still feel the pain of seeing someone you love feel so helpless and sad. Whenever I need to better sympathize with a situation I always think back to that moment.
As a child, I was embarrassed that I had to wear glasses. Even though I could barely see a thing without them, I never wore them outside.
One day, I was out with my mom running errands and she tells me we are on the way to see Return of the Jedi. I was shocked! Finally, I'd get to find out what happens to all my favorite characters after three years of waiting. I certainly wasn't expecting my boring day to turn out so well.
My excitement quickly turned to regret, as I wouldn't be able to clearly see what was happening on the screen.
My mom looked at me, and pulled my glasses from her purse.
kj4ezj ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:57:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember being incarnated.
Out of nowhere I was walking up the stairs in front of my Mom in a townhouse we used to live in. I was being taken up to bed, at like 7 or 8 PM. I knew what was going on, where I was, where my room was, and who I was with. My very first thought was that everything had just been nothingness and now here I am. I knew how significant this moment is and that I must always remember it. I was probably 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 years old at the time.
Does anyone else have a memory like this, of being incarnated? I'd love to hear about it, your theories of why I had this experience (scientific or otherwise), or your earliest memory.
My mom teaching me to swim and tie my shoes, also learned my phone number by heart.
My brother pushing me into a hole and breaking my arm.
A Friday night in the summer where literally every kid was outside playing with our bikes and attaching my sister's umbrella stroller to the back of one and going around the block at high speed.
Hitting my first home run in little league off the best pitcher in the league (we still lost lol)
Me and my sister finding my dad after he died.
Realizing that a feud between me and this other kid in school was like 95% made up by our "friends" and that we actually had a ton in common. (Have been friends with this guy for almost 20 years now).
Disneyland. They took us and we went to San Diego and even Tiajuana. I remember my dad stepped in human shit and that was the funniest thing ever.
I have a distinct memory of when a friends parents had divorced them sitting me on the bed and promising me they'd never divorce. They did, of course, and apparently they took us to Disneyland so we'd hopefully have a memory of them being married.
Sitting on my great uncle's lap while he was driving a boat. He asked me if I wanted to steer, and I was terrified I'd do it wrong, and crash the boat. Of course, looking back, he was right there the whole time, and it's possible he never even took his hands off the wheel.
Later on, he became a lot more grouchy, due to illness and pain, but I'll always remember that moment.
My Grandad. When I was 7 I asked him for a ride on his Tomos moped, a small and weak motorbike. The memory is quite vivid for me as I remember him laying on the couch looking pale and myself begging him to take me out for a spin as I loved rides on that bike. My grandma turns to him and asks him if he can do it, if he has the strength to go out and he says "for my grandson, yes". So he puts on his coat and his old man cap and goes out, slowly walking up the steps to the garage to turn on the bike with his foot, with me beside him all gleeful.
So we ride around the small town for 5-10mins and return back home with myself running down the stairs all happy and excited that grandad took me out for a ride and saying to my grandma how much I loved it. Grandad walks in after locking up the garage and lays back on the couch, I run up to him and thank him lots. He didnt change his clothes, just simply layed there and said "Im glad you had fun but grandad is tired and needs his rest". So I leave him and grab some dinner.
After years of battling cancer, specifically leukaemia for 4 years he passed away in 2000. It didn't hurt me then as I was only 10 years old to understand but I broke down later on in life when I remembered this memory. It hurts to remember his condition but to this day that moment was the happiest day in my life and still is.
Throughout my life I try to imitate the man he was and I hope, wherever he is, he is proud of the man I have become.
Darjeeh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:57:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First time I rode my bike without training wheels - it was like flying!
When I was in the 5th grade I got hit in the head with a metal bat by another kid. My head was ringing and he started crying before me. I didn't cry til I saw blood.
My best friend passed away 7 years ago. We were very close. I miss him. But we had a lot of fun times and he's the reason Pokemon and smash bros is such a big part of my life still.
I still remember that he could run miles and miles but couldn't do one push-up. We would eat a whole pizza each and ate it often because it was cheap. I cried at his funeral nonstop.
I got my first boyfriend 2 years ago. So much happiness, but anxiety too because of being in the closet at the time. I didn't come out til 6 months after. Our friends and my brothers accept me and love us. My parents a bigots and fill me with anxiety.
the day my parents were drunk and had such a huge fight that my sister in law had to protect my younger brother and I. They ended up throwing things at each other and the cops were called. (I believe I was 6.)
my younger brother and I played a game where we would stuff pillows under our shirts and run into each other. I'll never forget how hard we laughed!
my mother is a very controlling woman. When I was 15, my friends wanted to go to a boy's house, but we had to figure out a way to get me out of the house. My friend was driving (a huge no go in my mother's endless book of rules), so my friends somehow convinced my mom that her dad was driving and we were going to her house. My mom ended up believing us and we had a great time hanging out with our friends (one of which is still one of my good friends).
My friend and I decided that in between winter break for college, we should go on an adventure. She decided that we buy two bus tickets and go on a cross country bus trip from the middle of US all the way home (which is in the south). It was probably a horrible idea for two 18 year old girls, but it was really fun. It took us 2 days to get home. We decided to fly back to school after that.
I remember standing on my now husband's toes and making close eye contact on the first day we met. I forget what I said to him, but I will never forget the way he looked at me. He gave me the same look on our wedding day :)
I had a really traumatic birth with my first child and my husband was deployed during it. I remember shaking and wanting to hold my new baby that wasn't crying. I was in and out of consciousness; my mom-in-law, who was with me, didn't know if my son and I were going to make it. The team of nurses finally got my son to cry and they handed him to my mom-in-law. I felt relieved, but I almost blacked out. After an hour of being stitched up, some extra medication and fluids, and oxygen, I was okay and I could finally hold my son. To this day, my mom-in-law still gives me the biggest hugs when I see her and spoils my son more than any other of her grandchildren!
I was undergoing chemotherapy and I had just been informed that I was near sure to be sterile following treatment. For background, I am the final son in my bloodline, having sisters and female cousins only.
I had never thought too hard about the family to come, but sitting in front of my parents, crying, explaining to them that I could not bear them a grandchild to continue our bloodline felt like I had failed my family.
My mother had prayed for a grandchild since forever, but to see her smile through tears and take a complete 180 on her stance will stick with me forever. 'I don't care about grandchildren as long as I have my son'. I will never, ever forget that moment and how my parents and I just held each other as I cried it all out of my system.
Anivair ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A day in the back yard of my childhood home with my family. my father was there playing with our crazy dog, I was doing skin the cats on the rings, and my mother was in and out of the house, occasionally bringing beverages out. I don't recall my sister being part of it, so she was probably too young. It's one of the last memories I have of my family together before the divorce, so it's a neat one.
my father rushing into the house through the front door and out the back door into the corn field being chased by police. AFAIK they didn't catch him that night.
The day my daughter was born (4 months early). She came out looking a lot like a salami. I was happy and terrified and relieved and that moment will never leave my brain.
On that note: the day my wife and I had "the talk" about our feelings for one another. It was in a chat of all things, and I still remember everything about it, including the nervous 30 minute walk to took before that to clear my head.
Running away when I was 14. I was quickly looking through my room for things I needed. I grabbed my phone changer and my teddy bear for moral support. I stood in the doorway for a good 5 minutes, indecisively stepping in and out again. I just remember feeling so liberated when I finally made it out of the doorway and down the street. (Never lived there again).
G1zm0e ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day I met my ex wife, we were 12 and 13.
Story Time
A buddy and I were going to a swimming pool, we were called by a mutual friend to go to his house and enjoy some cake and cookies for a party. We decided to ditch the pool and go meet up with him. It turned into a 'christian revival kids group' vs a 'lets have cake and watch movies' party. But... there she was.... wearing a blue shirt and white jean, black hair, and a smile. She wouldn't talk to me, I was wearing a FBI shirt (female body inspector shirt). Before I left, we were sitting on a trampoline and just talking. I know then, I had to marry this girl, and that I would not be happy until we were dating. We ended up becoming really good friends, eventually dating, and getting married.. We ended the relationship after almost 11 years of marriage. FML.. its hard and it sucks, I was not planning on dating at this time, but circumstances changed and it sucks, we just want different things.
Having my dad surprise me coming home from iraq after being gone for almost 2 years
bmwlee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:59:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd say one of my earliest memories was in preschool we would have nap time where they would turn down all the lights and all of us kids would sleep on little cots. I had really bad eczema as a kid, mostly on my knees, and every day one of the teachers, one of the younger ones, I'd say she was between 25-30, would apply my ointment cream to my rash areas. she did this so gently as to not wake me up, it was both comforting and heartwarming now that I think about it.
I believe the movie Kindergarten Cop was one of the first movies I ever saw in theaters. I was going into Kindergarten at the time so I naturally thought it was going to be the same thing.
For those of you who have seen the movie, you will recall that there is a fire in the school at the end.
-fast forward to going to school-
First day of school I walked in and saw two kids sitting at a table. Chris L. (I remember his last name but won't post it here) suddenly screamed, "I have a match!". The previously mentioned movie had me paranoid of fires so I screamed at him, "NO YOU DON'T!". He then yelled at me while holding two cards in his hands, "YES I DO!". I promptly pushed him out of his seat and he started crying.
I was quickly pulled aside and scolded by the teacher. I started crying and said he had a match and was going to set the school on fire. She told me they were playing the card game "Memory", (which would explain the two cards he was holding in his hand). I still didn't understand what this meant and I was still upset because I REALLY didn't want my school to catch fire. My teacher explained to me that having a "match" in a card game meant he had two of the same card.
This was the first time I learned words could have multiple meanings...
It's hard to think of a handful of memories that could power all the key things about you.
The ones that stick out:
Choosing wrapping paper to cover my school books in.
Melting down over a Sleeping Beauty Barbie because of the small details on her box... and getting her. Definitely Brat Island there.
Getting hit by a car when I was 11. That has made me an absolute pussy when it comes to roads, even now, 16 years later.
Tenatively seeing my mother in hospital when I was sixteen, after she collapsed in town - she had cancer. She died in that hospital.
Kissing the boy who would later become my one and only partner, days after her funeral.
The afternoon I was told he committed suicide, 10 and a half years later. If we're still talking in terms of Inside Out then the whole team is in absolute code blue, still.
The following are chronological and will lead into my 27th (current) year. Little late to the party but I love the concept so here goes.
Getting the call that I was selected to my first Premier Travel Soccer Team. I couldn't contain my excitement for what felt like weeks.
Going over to my grandmas (now passed, RIP Grammy) every day during the summer when I was younger. We would watch Price is Right together and movies whenever the weather was bad and I would bring my bike up and ride around the field if the weather was good. Nothing will beat those carefree summers I was able to spend with her.
Meeting my first girlfriend in high school on the way to a team bonding event for the soccer team. My friends that were riding in the car wanted to stop at this girls house to hang out with the bunch of girls that were there. I knew the moment I saw her she had to be my girlfriend and lo and behold, a few weeks later, it happened. I was so incredibly happy and finally felt like a MAN (at 15).
Getting my first recruitment letter to play D3 soccer. I just couldn't believe that people wanted me to come visit and come to their college to play soccer. This lead to a few great months of visiting colleges and meeting great people.
The harsh blow that was getting cut from my chosen college my freshman year. To keep it short, I was promised one thing and that didn't happen, but I really can't blame anyone but myself. I didn't work at it as hard as I should have and I paid the price. I also let this bother me for longer than it should have and it ended up affecting things it never should have.
*This last one happened just 6 months ago today. The call that I received from a mutual friend with my best friend had died in a car accident. It's honestly still hard to type out or speak about. The only way I can describe the feeling is like having your guts ripped out. Just a completely debilitating realization that I am still struggling to cope with. Tell your best friend(s) that you love them for me please.
My father chasing my mom around the baby grand piano abs threatening to kill her. I was in her arms.
Climbing out of my crib to the beginning theme of "General Hospital"
My father punishing me for something by forcing me to pick larger rocks from his 3/4 mile long slag driveway for 8 hours at a time.
My father yelling at me and being so upset that he was pounding on the steering wheel of his Chevette. I was convinced he was going to cause us to wreck and kill us both.
My mom, as a single parent, taking me out for a grilled cheese sandwich and saying she'd already eaten. She hadn't.
The first time my boyfriend (later husband & now ex-husband) hit me.
The moment I laid eyes of my newborn baby daughter, and fell so in love with her that I knew I'd move mountains for her safety and happiness.
When I was ~5 years old I was at one of those "dress up" places that have a ridiculous selection of costumes. For some reason in my area that place was a hot spot for kids' birthdays.
Anyways, all I remember is I was dressed up as a caveman with a plastic "wooden" club running around smashing the heads off all of the fake animals in the "jungle" section of the place. Important note, the heads weren't removable. I would then take these heads to the girls I had crushes on and present them like some dang trophy.
To this day I'm not entirely sure what the hell I was doing...or even better, why that is one of my core memories.
I was actually just talking about this with my wife.
When I was 8 we went up to the cabin on an evening with no moon. When I walked out to the pond I looked up and in the moonless sky I could see so many starts, it was like a great big bowl of oatmeal. I can't look at the sky now and not think about it. (Ended up a science teacher too)
My great grandfather in his blue cardigan walking me to the the corner store for nickel candies (he died when I was 2 1/2, I still remember playing hide and seek in the funeral parlor with the neighbor girls).
The night my wife and I lost out two sons, As tough as it was, and as much as I'd like to forget it, it has shaped me more than any other event in my life
Edit: Sitting up on the pier fishing with Bob Uecker announcing the Brewers on dads old radio
This seems like the kind of thing that could make a fun subreddit. I went ahead and grabbed the name /r/CoreMemories but I'm at work currently so I can't start working on it earnestly for a few hours.
35 years ago I lived in Staten Island. Maybe there was some sort of weird resonance that year, (perhaps it was the 7th * 13th * 19th year of their cycle) but there were SO MANY FUCKING CICADAS.
Everywhere. Everywhere Cicadas, everywhere empty Cicada shells. For 3 straight months the droning was deafening, broken only by the crunching when you walked. CRUNCH CRUNCH; no matter where you were walking: Lawn, street, dirt... Millions upon millons of Cicada shells, and no matter which way you turned, their dead eyes stared at you.
My maternal grandparent's house in general, but especially: a.) hearing my grandfather coming home from work and running as fast as my legs could carry me to welcome him home (age range probably 2-6, so very short legs). b.) their giant fluffy Christmas tree with drapey, loose tinsel, old-school coloured lights, and icicle decorations in a seventies-inspired room (this was the eighties, early nineties, tho). c.) how the sun always seemed to shine in every window in every memory I have. Merely thinking of that house gives me the warm fuzzies.
Helping my Dad work on his car when I was younger. I am by no means car-proficient. I don't really have any interest in car mechanics at all, tbh, but I realized he just wanted to spend time with me or my sister when he asked.
Huge teenage blow-outs with my Mom. We have very similar temperaments and I was very angry as a teen when it came to my Mom. We disagreed on a LOT but we're both very emotional and stubborn. I do love my Mom dearly now, but she's only human and has her flaws. I learned a lot about what I never want to be from her in those years.
Moments in my senior year where a friend and I, stressed out from a ton of drama that year in school where we couldn't leave (we were both good students, this was all social drama), would bail out together and disappear and chill, talk quietly, and de-stress together. I don't remember if I ever told him how much his friendship meant to me and how much his time helped me that year. We lost contact in the next year or two after I graduated, so this is bittersweet for me.
Breaking it off once and for all with my best friend of 8 years. Long story short, she got emotionally abusive and used her depression as a weapon against me. That drew me into my own depression and self-hatred. It also seeded some discrimination into me for people who had "depression" (this is no longer-- I've since realized that, whether she had depression or not, the issue doesn't lie with the disorder but with her directly. Having it myself from that experience, it was self-learning and first-hand experience that made me realize it and I am much more empathetic with it). This may sound awful, but this is actually a good memory for me. I don't wish her any ill, and this was an incredibly hard time for me, but the sense of freedom was staggering. I've never looked back.
The immediate year after the last point. After that happened I immediately went into my final year of university. I started spending more time with some friends I'd made in my major. Turns out they didn't like my ex-bff. After my falling out with her, I discovered these people, whom I'd always liked, were pretty much my soul sisters. I absolutely adore them and had the best year of my university life. When I moved home at the end of the year we bawled together like children and I knew these ladies would be with me for the rest of my life-- no matter where any of us lived. It was really late in life, but that was the year I really came to understand that family comes in many forms.
The day I told my other half my biggest secrets, the things no one else knows about me. Cheesey sounding, but that's when I realized he is my soulmate. I don't have a better word for it. The level of trust I have in him staggered me.
My parents getting divorced when I was 7 (kinda fucked me up)
Playing Bubble Bobble with my mom on her old NES (made me a gamer)
My grandma giving me the first Harry Potter book when I was 9 (made me fall in love with books)
Watching Rocky Horror for the first time at a friend's Halloween party when I was 15 (brought me out of my shell)
Singing Let's do the Time Warp Again at the top of our lungs while trick-or-treating the next year (got on the local news for noise)
My future fiancรฉe sitting down at the desk next to me first day of English class, senior year (<3)
Edit, forgot a good one:
Freshman year during yearly homecoming parade, where each class makes a float. Apparently all the years above me had gotten really apathetic, but my dad rallied my class to take our crappy theme (country music) and make a kickass hayride float. Everyone else actually started trying from that point but no other class could touch us all four years, and damn did it make me proud of my dad.
I think some people are missing what a core memory is. A core memory changes/defines who you are.
In this vein, my core memory is seeing my mother before she died.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:04:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
8 years old, I had one of those Egyptian archaeology kits where you chisel out artefacts from a lump of plaster. I was only allowed to use it outside due to dust. My little sister used it indoors and left it around. My dad saw it and started telling me off. I told him it wasn't me, he kicked me down the hallway with his steel toe caps on for answering back. It left a massive bruise on my leg that was visible during PE. I had to tell the teacher I fell out of bed. Dad was kicked out of the house for a few days.
13 years old, my mum crying and retching, telling us not to come round the corner where she is at the PC. She is deleting child porn off the computer that my dad has downloaded to make sure that me and my younger sisters do not see it. She is terrified that if any one finds out, we will be taken away from her.
13 years old, my dad comes home from blockbuster with a copy of Snow Dogs and cans of Pepsi for me and my sisters. It was the end of the month so money was tight, and he was never generous like this even at the beginning of the month! My mum asks him where he got the money from, since he never does this (turns out he was stealing from work). Dad jumps up and abruptly says "I'll leave then!" and left and that was that. Mum seemed relieved, probably for the reason above. We watched Snow Dogs and drank pepsi, it was the most surreal experience and I to this day feel uncomfortable about both Cuba Gooding Jr and Huskies.
At 18, I am staying at my Grandad's house. I find out that I have gotten into the university of my choice, the first person in my family to do so. I run downstairs to tell him! He congratulates me and tells me to get dressed as I ran down to tell him in my boxer shorts. He then gives me some money to go get drunk and celebrate.
At 22, I am cheering up my best friend, she was sad that her boyfriend is horrible to her, I am sad that my girlfriend is trying to move in with me at my mum's. I am not ready for it. We are horsing around and I pick her up. I carry her and drop her on her bed. We look at each other and kiss, it was the best kiss I have ever had to that point. We get naked, she has the biggest and most amazing breasts I have ever seen. We have sex all night and all morning. I am marrying her next year!
Seeing my SO for the first time. In that instant, I felt like I had known him all my life, but I couldn't wait for the rest of my life to start.
Seeing my grandfather on his deathbed/seeing the gurney with the black zippered bag. I will always regret looking down the hallway of the hospice when we left that night.
(but more like 2a) The 6 months after my grandfather was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer to his death. We visited every weekend, but some highlights were watching History of the World Part 1 and afterwards saying he didn't know if he could watch it again because he was nervous he'd laughing (totally joking); and when we met with the rabbi as a family to discuss his last wishes with him there. And the fried chicken suppers he'd make for us every time - the best chicken I've ever had, or will have in my life.
When my aunt came out of the room to tell us my grandmother had died. She had dementia, and I had spent at least 2 full days a week with her since my grandfather passed 4 years prior. Even with her diagnosis, she was the most cheerful, quick-witted and lively woman I've ever met and I hope I have even a sliver of her spirit and courage.
When my dad told off my volleyball coach for being a religious bigot.
When I was in 7th grade social studies and my teacher made us stand up if we fit into a specific religious group. I was the only Jewish kid to stand up, and got ostracized by my peers from that day on.
I know I am a bit late to the party, but I felt the need to post these. These will be a roller coaster of feels.
1) When I went to spend the weekend at a college I was interested in. It helped me determine that that was where I wanted to go to school.
2) When I found out I had been accepted to my college. I was terrified I wouldn't get in, so I sent in my application as soon as they would let me. In October of my senior year of high school, I received a package from the college containing my acceptance letter. My parents and I were so happy.
3) A month later, being at my aunt and uncle's house for Thanksgiving. My grandfather was dying and we all knew it. So when things were quiet in the den, I went to sit with him. I showed him my acceptance letter. Speaking was hard for him by that point, but he told me how proud he was of me and how he knew I would be accepted. He died a couple weeks later.
4) When I graduated from college. It was a bittersweet moment knowing that we would all move away from each other, but we were so excited for the future.
5) When I received a job offer 2 months after graduation. It was more than 1000 miles away, but I knew it was where I wanted to go. So, we packed my things and dad and I went on a road trip to move me into my new apartment, site unseen.
6) Less than 2 months after I moved, my dad called to tell me that mom was in the hospital. I would be leaving for a business trip the next morning so I asked him if he wanted me to fly home. He said no, mom would be fine. I talked to mom, she asked me to stay and send her pictures of the red moon that night. I sent them to her.
7) The next day, I was out of town. A good friend of ours called me and said I needed to reach my dad immediately - mom had been rushed to a larger hospital. After almost an hour of worrying and saying to myself, no mom will be fine, he called me to say she was gone. I was standing outside the building, I sat down and started crying. He told me that somehow, I needed to get home because he needed me.
8) Shortly after I regained my composure, I went back inside and told my coworker what happened. I broke down and cried again, upset, and totally unsure how I was going to get home. I received a call from one of my bosses not 20 minutes later when we were headed back. She asked for the information from my driver's license. I provided it. She asked if we would be back before 7. I said yes. She told me she was sending me an email with a confirmation because she was flying me home that night. She said to take 2 weeks and figure everything out. Their act of kindness is something I will never forget.
Before I got into elementary and high school, I had to take an entrance exam that would determine if I belong to the smartest class in the while school. This elite class was called SPED FL (Special Education Fast Learners). It was basically one class that was put in it's own building and were given advanced lessons and those who were in it were treated like nobility (quite an exaggeration but it's like that in any Asian country with a hierarchical society). They were basically treated with respect by both students and teachers. I was made to take it because my sister was in it and my mom wanted us to get the best education we can.
I was a "slow" kid. I wasn't mentally challenged or anything like that but I was basically dumb for most of my days except on certain circumstances where something is of my interest. In kindergarten I was always scolded by my mom for not taking notes during class and not paying attention. The other kids often made fun of me since I was gullible and stupid.
So the exam time came, I sat there and wrote it. Often scratching my head in frustration because some things didn't make sense. It was written in English, which is my third language. I never spoke it at home nor when I go outside. Then the results came. I don't think I ever believed I would pass it but I did. My mom was so happy and excited for me. Of course I was excited and happy because those who I expected to get in didn't make it. It was an "in-your-face" kind of moment.
Like in elementary, I had to take an entrance exam for the Special Science Class (SSC) in high school. Again, it's filled with the brightest minds in the whole school and the exam for it was really known for the difficulty. At this point I know I'm following the same path my sis took but I cared more about the special treatment that was given to the SSC students. I was tutored, along with most of my grade 6 classmates and schoolmates, by our teachers to prepare us for this exam. We spent most of our summer time to study for that exam.
When the results came, I was notified that a lot of my classmates got in. They were looking for other people's names but they could not find mine. Nervous, I rushed my ass to that school so I could find my name. I was really scared that I failed because that would be humiliating for me. It's times like these where I can prove I wasn't all stupid. So I got there, went to meet up with my friends and then directly looked at the bulletin board where the results were posted. I searched frantically for my name and voila, I found it.
I passed the exam. I quickly notified my mom through a second-hand cellphone. I was so happy because that was the day I got good results for my hard work and I got my first brand-new cellphone (Nokia 7210) due to a deal I made with my mom.
In case you're wondering, these special treatments were the same in elementary only better. The teachers assigned to teach us would move to our buildings instead of the students moving from one room to the other. The building where we studied has a special washroom for our use only, along with a shed and a small open field where we could spend our free time with. We would also get good seats whenever there's a play or some theatre-related event. However, despite being treated like royalty, we had to learn like royalty. The lessons were much more advanced.
For example; in grade 8 in Canada (which is the equivalent of second year high school in my country) they would be teaching fractions for math. But from my high school, they would be teaching us advanced algebra and geometry.
My great uncle coming to visit me on Christmas Eve, decked out in full Santa Claus attire. Now it seems so obvious, but I'll be damned if I didn't think it was real at the time.
My family has grown tobacco for at least six generations. It is long, hard, taxing work. We spend 10 months a year thinking about the crop and you often define your life around its set schedule. However, it requires an entire family for each task. Some people never appreciated this, and with tobacco a dying crop, I am afraid the future generations may not get to experience it like I did as a kid.
I remember being 5 or so years old--we were "setting" young tobacco transplants into a field. My Uncle was driving the tractor. Our setter is made to plant two rows at a time, and it takes two people per row to handle plants. My Grandma, Mom, and both older brothers were there, Dad was hauling the water tank, and Grandpa was shuttling float trays from the greenhouse to the field.
Now, I was still too young to do any "important jobs," but there was still a task for me. Occasionally somebody on the setter would miss a plant, and you can't leave a hole in the row. So my job was to walk behind them and watch for missed spots. If I saw one, I would grab a plant, run back to the missed spot, dig a hole by hand in the soft, warm soil, and drop it in.
This particular day sticks out in my memory because it was just so...perfect. Not a cloud in the sky and that June sun wasn't too hot. We never ran out of plants, there was always water in the setter tank, nobody ever started yelling because something broke down. Everybody was laughing and telling stories to pass the time. It was the long, 10 hour day that farmers dream of. I remember that soft clay on my bare feet like it was yesterday.
There have been many memorable days in the tobacco patch, and every jobs requires family, but that day never fades away.
-my granfather left my life when I was young but I remember visiting him at a campground he lived at like we used to all summer and one time we needed firewood and I was about 5 and he let me steer the golf cart as he drove.
-playing random keys on a piano at my uncles house when I was young. I'm a musician now so I find it interesting that I always loved making your own notes and sounds. I play trumpet though.
-I remember every detail of the entire morning I found out my aunt had been murdered including my older brothers reaction which will always stick with me. I remember her entire wake and how she looked and how I felt when I saw certain people there. But I don't remember any of the funeral, just the drive in the limo to the cemetery.
-a lot of other deaths and funerals, but that one stuck with me the most
Irixian ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:05:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in third grade, my father would get up before my brother and me and put on "Head Over Heels" by Tears for Fears, and it would be our wake-up call. To this day, that's one of my favorite songs, and I think of my father whenever I hear it.
I was 25 and my son's mother had been pressured by her mother into having an abortion. We were in a Giant Eagle together, and we decided to have a little funeral with just the two of us. I grabbed a bouquet of roses and took about five steps before I sunk to my knees in the store and began to sob.
My son had his first febrile seizure when he was 20 months old and it was a full-fledged grand mal seizure. He turned blue and fluid was coming out of his mouth and he was rigid as a board and he shit himself. Time stood absolutely still. I've never been as scared, and it's likely I never will be again. After he was done, 911 was shrieking up the road and I was outside, standing with him in nothing but a diaper, in my socks, in the snow, hoping his temperature would start to go down.
My 22nd birthday when my ex girlfriend had planned out the whole day. I remember everything from the dinner we had to when she surprised with me with my present and a room she had booked at a hotel.
When I was 4 years old, we had a "camp out" in the living room. I stole a pair of my sister's tights and wore them under my pjs and socks, because I wanted to be a girl. That was the day I realized I was trans, though I didn't have a word for it back then.
1: When i was 5 my father put me in his tractor and let me drive it around(with him in the cabin,of course) 16 years later the tractor is still here and driven by me.
2:When my first phone bought by my parents got stolen by a gypsy.
2: Finding out that I was accepted in one of the best high-schools in the country only to be told that i would not be able to learn english because i'm not smart enough.
Oh,and when i was 6 i had a head-on collision in a bike with a guy that is still my best friend today.
3:Being the first one in the whole class to get the Cambridge Advanced English diploma.
4: When i told my parents that i wanted to learn how to play piano,and the second day i already had someone to teach me.
lukianp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
walking across the road to wait for the bus to go to school (6 years old), then forgetting to kiss my mum, walked back across the road, car hit at 90kmh and then 6 months in hospital, 1 month in coma. 2 broken legs one broken head.
Had to learn to walk again, had serious discipline issues but survived because the water from the garden hose gave me strength. Good times
It's hard to pick just a few there's so many once you really start thinking back, but here are some of mine.
Going to the lake all the time with my dad and brother. He always had one of those large Party Barge boats and we'd go to the lake all the time to spend the weekend, then once we got older and gas prices and prices in general got too high he sold the boat and it's now been about 25 years and yet I still remember it like it was last weekend.
Hanging out with my cousin staying up most of the night watching some cheesy movie we rented, playing NES games, and seeing how many nachos we could eat with flaming hot sauce.
Sneaking out at night with my friends and just roaming the town. It was so calming with the cool night air and silence, we never really did much of anything aside from walked around, chilled at the park or whatever but it was just very freeing feeling.
Going on trips to the mall in a nearby city with my bro and parents often. We'd make it an all day affair with shopping, going to the movies, eating, and the arcades oh how we loved playing at the arcades it was so awesome!
Staying the weekend at my aunt and uncle's house. My uncle had a go kart he built for us and he was a stock car driver and he painted the number 69 on his stock car and the go cart for my bro's age (6) and mine (9) at the time. We loved riding that go kart around the large yard then later on his farm when they moved, and he'd take us to a nearby city to race it on a concrete track. He died a few years ago and I miss him dearly.
OK I cannot write anymore without getting sad but they are really happy memories.
BtDB ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember being buckled into a stroller at a zoo (Brookfield Zoo maybe?) at an ape enclosure with a glass wall. Huge Gorilla would run and jump against the glass repeatedly. I was terrified, and my Mom laughed and just kept me there. I just knew that glass was going to break.
When I was about 12, I would sneak out a few times at night to go see my best friend at the time because I was moving that summer. We aren't really close anymore, but we had some really good times. One night, I was really thirsty and we were hanging out close to her house so I asked if we could go back and get some water really quick. She was like "yeah sure wait here" and she comes back about ten minutes later with bottled water. I was so thirsty that I started chugging and about five seconds later and about a quarter way through the bottle my throat starts to burn like nothing I ever felt before and then my tastebuds finally caught on and I knew it wasn't water. I spit it out and looked at her and she laughed and said she filled the bottle with straight vodka. She brought me another water bottle with actual water in it but being young and alcohol being a new/taboo thing for us at the time made it really funny.
Another time this same summer with this same friend, we stayed up all night after walking across town to go see a friend. We got back to our neighborhood at around 5 a.m., and if I remember correctly, we then decided to walk across the street to go hang out at the beach. This day was probably my favorite memory. We lived in Hawaii, so obviously the sunsets were really beautiful but this sunrise to me was probably the most beautiful colors in the sky I'd ever seen. The water was calm and looked like glass. I don't even remember what we did. Just hang out in the sand I guess. That was a good day. This girl and I grew apart when I moved but for the time that we were friends has some of the best memories I've ever made.
-being present and used as a shield during a fist fight between my uncle and grandpa. I was 8.
-helping my blackout drunk grandpa into the house after he passed out in a snowbank in the front yard when nobody else would (also his resulting hangover) Still 8.
-my father letting me drive the fixer upper boat he bought and was working on
-my grandma staying up late and driving me to blockbuster to return a video game at 11:55pm so I could play for a few extra hours (earthbound, if you were wondering)
-my grandma bringing me out for chili dogs to tell me that she had stomach cancer
-a priest aggressively asking grandfather for a donation to give grandma her last rites while I am in the room (I'm 12) and grandma lay dying in the next room
-noticing that I'm suddenly spending a lot of time with dad and praying that nothing is wrong
-visiting dad for the last time in the hospital (still 12)
-realizing that my prayers are worthless and do nothing
-showing up to visit grandpa and seeing blood everywhere by the door and a trail of it all the way to grandpa's bed. He's unable to speak and has an obvious head injury. I'm 16 and have to take charge of the situation and get him to the hospital because everyone else says he'll just sleep it off. He had a TBI
-showing up at grandpa's house to visit and seeing half a utility pole embedded in grandpa's car. Grandpa is drunk and didn't know what happened. A minute later the cops show up because someone called in his plate to 911. I'm 17 and give him one of those "I'm not mad, just disappointed. You're better than this" speeches in front of the police, the cop just kind of quietly says "don't let this happen again" and slinks off without doing anything else and grandpa hasn't had a drink since. I realize if I want things to change I have to make it happen myself, because nobody actually knows what they are doing and are just making shit up as they go along
My mom walking me into kindergarten on the first day, helping me find my seat, then introducing me to the kid sitting there. This gave me my first best friend.
When I was 8 years old I had a condition that left me with crippling pain in my left leg to which advil was the only temporary cure. No doctor I went to could figure it out. Finally was referred to a Shriner's Hospital. After one X-ray, I had a doctor and nurse enter the room. I remember my dad standing next to me and feeling very vulnerable in the hospital gown. He started touching my leg and explaining to my dad and I that I had a tumor which turned out to be an osteoid osteoma in my left femur.
I vividly remember when had to take some kind of specific x-ray that require driving a needle down to the bone and leaving it there while they took what seemed like a hundred x-rays. I was only 8 but I felt like I was crushing the nurses hand that was standing next to me trying to comfort me. My parents were not there for this and seemly knew nothing about the procedure.
I got to stay in a cast that spanned from my belly button down both legs for 2-3 months. Some of the highlights:
I was in the rec. room at the hospital and all of a sudden had to poop, the nurses rushed me to my room and put a bed pan under me, only to have a single little turd plop out.
Got to go home. There was snow outside and all my were friends were sledding. My parents wrapped my cast in plastic bags to take me outside but sitting in my wheel chair not being able to play was extremely sad.
My parents left for a while and I was home alone. Sudden the urge to urinate starts to build. I start looking for the little plastic receptacle that I pee in, but I couldn't find it. After like 30 minutes of search around me I finally find it between the bed and head board and it was the longest piss ever. I almost filled up the thing.
Going to school and my friends pushed me around in my wheel chair on the black stop.
My mom hurt her back lifting me into the car by herself just so should could take me to blockbuster, so i could sit in the car and she could ask me what movies I wanted to rent...she still complains about her back over 20 years later =/
My best friend (the one my mom introduced me to in kindergarten) buying me the mortal kombat soundtrack on cassette. Still think about that day when I hear it.
Meeting one of my ex girlfriends being one of the most romantic experiences. Then, after we broke up the most depressed I've ever been...sitting in my parents house in front of my computer, watching MASH, taking shots of vodka by myself, and eating Grands rolls with jelly.
Coaching my wife through the birth of my daughter without any medication. Fucking intense.
The time i told my ex i cheated on her. Ive never seen somebodys heart sink into their feet before that day, and ill never forget the look of sheer horror. It was awful, and i still feel awful two years later.
I dont know why i cheated, honestly. I was in a dark place, and i just sort of kissed another girl who i had developed feelings for. It was wrong. I dont regret telling her, it was certainly better than hiding it. I always pride myself by being honest, and so i was.
That was in 2014. We dont talk anymore, but its for the best.
Codoro ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think all of mine are sad ones :(
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Early childhood:
Going on two-week vacations with the family out of state.
Staying at grandparent's houses.
Playing and pretending in the backyard.
Reading my Childcraft books.
Reading the World Book Encyclopedia (yes, I was a very precocious child, LOL)
Watching the same VHS tapes over and over again (Balto, Winnie the Pooh, mostly non-Disney stuff)
One time when I was little, about 7 or 8 years old, I was out playing in the backyard while my dad was doing some yardwork. Suddenly, I see him running full pace from one side of our yard. He jumps straight over the side of our above-ground pool and into the water. Turns out he was being swarmed by bees. I've had a fear of bees, wasps, etc ever since.
Two days after my 18th birthday I was driving to school early in the morning. As I was heading out on the main road through my neighborhood the sun caught my eyes over some trees. I closed my eyes and proceeded to crash my Mustang into a parked car. I totalled it. My grandfather had bought it for me less than a year earlier.
Elementary school graduation. I remember our class sang "I Believe I Can Fly" on stage. It really felt like the end of something big, in some ways more so than high school graduation. I ended up parting ways with most of my friends from that era within a year. Also after I reached middle school (Grades 6 to 8) I realized my easiest years were behind me. I was always considered the smartest kid in class back then but it was getting harder to keep up. I almost always look back on elementary school fondly now.
First time I ever made a crowd laugh uncontrollably. As easy as shouting " this guy got his driver's license from an arcade claw machine! " in a bus full of grade schoolers that made one too many sharp brakes, but hey, I got addicted.
"Slip Sliding Away" by Paul Simon happened to be playing the morning of my 16th when I woke up and probably triggered a cynical outlook on life I still have today.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:09:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mum laying a phone next to me, so my dad can hear me babble. I don't remember how old I was but I couldn't talk, that's for sure.
I feel like my core memories aren't happy ones, but rather the ones that taught me the most. Those are usually painful and sad memories, yet my Amy pohler is still putting an optimistic spin on everything I do. I don't really consciously retain my happy memories, but rather they all combine to give me a reason to always be looking on the bright side and improve my own mood.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:09:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day I went to the school library to find out why lizard tails shook when they broke off, pretty sure my love of science and reading began there
Getting my first smart phone, it was the first time I had my own unimpeded access to the internet that wasn't via the family computer
Discovering fan fiction and the brony fandom
xJadore ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:09:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a doe-eyed 4 year old, I remember admiring my mother as she put on her makeup and got dressed to go to parties. Everyone always commented on how she was the most beautiful woman in the room. She was my favorite person in the whole word back then. My parents were always very busy working and I often couldnโt attend these adult parties so I would stare longingly at her as she got ready, hoping that Iโd be as beautiful as her one day. One morning when I was 4.5, I woke up to find my mother dressed in a business suit. She had on a scarlet lipstick and she looked so powerful. She has her suitcases packed and as soon as I noticed that, I was distraught. โWhere are you going?โ I asked her desperately. She promised me that she would return after a business trip and it wouldnโt be longer than 2 months. I was sad but I hugged her tightly and stole a kiss (and some of that gorgeous lipstick) before she left. After that I have very little recollection of ever speaking to her. My mom had gone to America after getting a divorce from my father to start a new life. My friends would always ask me where she is and I would never have a response for them. They would ask me how my mom is and I would say I didnโt know.
Fast forward to me as a 7 year old. I was sitting on the dining table playing with one of my momโs old purses and a Barbie doll. I lived a as a very privileged but lonely kid. As an only child constantly left with a nanny (who is still my second mom to this day), I found ways of entertaining myselfโฆ even if they were a little strange sometimes. Suddenly, the door bell rang 3-5 times in a row. I was irritated by the spamming and tersely instructed the butler to let the guest know that they should not ring the bell so many times. He opened the door and silence followed. No one moved, no one walked in, no noise was made. He stood there and turned his head to smile at me. Unknowingly I inquired, โWho is it?โ She popped her head in past the door. It was her. It was my mom. I was so shocked and dumbfounded that I had no idea how to react. Was this real? She walked in and I ran into her arms. I can still remember the tears welling up in my eyes. That was the first moment I remember being overwhelmed by emotion to the point of tears. I was finally reunited with her and she was even more beautiful than I remembered. A whirlwind month ensued and she got my visa/passport done to bring me to the United States. Later, as I got older, I realized that she had left a lavish life but unhappy marriage to start a new life in the states that was completely her own. Her biggest priority was to build something to have me come to rather than slaving away with a child. She is the reason I have the life that I have here in this country. She is the reason I have the opportunities I do. Her hard work and dedication made those years of missing her worth it. Strangely, that time apart has given us a special bond that she tells me she doesnโt have with my younger half-sister. I am the woman that I am now because of the sacrifices my mom made. She is very successful now and her success is completely her own. I aspire to have the courage she had to get out of a difficult situation, throw yourself into the fire, and emerge ten times better than before.
One of the first ones I can remember is the day my father moved out from our house when I was 5. I remember waking up that morning seeing him get out of his room as normal and hugged him goodbye. My parents at the time were going through a divorce and my dad had already moved his stuff out a day prior. So when I got home, I bust into his room only to find it empty.
I was moving away from my hometown once I had finished 4th grade. In the last week of school I was in the new place finishing my homework, and a Korean kid from across street who was my age came over to say hello. We have been best friends since then.
In my junior/senior year of high school, my girlfriend of 2 years had begun to ignore me and stop talking to me for months at a time. Each time I confronted her about it, she turned it around on me being the problem. She would constantly cancel plans with me saying she was busy the entire week but made plans with my friends and others the next day. Ultimately I broke it off and never looked back, while she left for some girl she had just met a month prior. She essentially tried to make me upset so I'd break it off that way she can be with that girl. I was bitter but never towards others. From then on I focused on going out of state for college and tried help whoever I can the rest of my senior year.
Fast forward to high school graduation, my freshman orientation for college was two days after my graduation. I remember arriving into town and instantly falling in love with the college town. I went to my orientation group and met a girl. As the day went on, I enjoyed spending my time with her. Little did I know then that she would be my current SO who I am happily with!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember being 2 and wearing these Toucan Sam masks that came on the back of Fruit Loops. Around '84
I think I was somewhere from 8th-9th grade. I had just been picked on by a group of kids from school - I don't remember what about. Who knows. I was thinking "I can't believe these people pick on me. I didn't do anything to them! What's their problem!?. They're just assholes."
And at that moment I had one of the biggest epiphanies of my life. I treated <other kid> the exact same way, for no reason. Yeah, those guys picking one me were assholes. But I was an asshole too for harassing this other guy for literally no reason.
I was as embarrassed and ashamed of myself as I've ever been, and vowed to change from that day forward. I ran into him at the bus stop for school sometime a day or so afterwards, and I guess he was having a bad day. He said "Not today, just leave me alone."
I told him I was sorry that I was a huge asshole, and that I wouldn't be making fun of him or bothering him anymore. I'd love to end the story with "And then we became BFFS!" but that's not what happened. We were friendly afterwards, and I never picked on him again. I also made sure I never treated anyone like that. No one deserves to be mocked or harassed just because.
HentMas ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
longing, wonder, joy, dispair an everyone is driven by rage
hooty88 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was about 4 or 5. I was eating a grape lollipop and we were at the space needle. My mom picked me up and let me hit the button to the top. I remember my hands were really sticky.
makocez ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first date ever. My boyfriend at the time (now husband) asked me out the homecoming dance. I was so excited and nervous. I got a really nice dress and a got my hair done at the salon, nails, the works. I looked gorgeous. We went out to dinner at Apple Bees on a double date with some friends from school Maddy and Bruce, who actually both ended up gay but anyway, I was so nervous I didnt even know how to act. The dance was Mardi Gras themed so I gotten a little black dress and had my mom modify it to have purple, red and yellow decorations on it and I got these really cool high heels that lit up when I walked. I had drawn a bunch of attention to myself with my shoes and the people at the restaurant were staring at me. It made me uncomfortable, and my date could tell and he suddenly stood up and asked the people that were looking at me if they had a problem. It made everything even more awkward, but the guy apologized for staring and said when I moved my feet my shoes lit up and he'd never seen light up heels before. Later that night, trying to actually dance with my date, he was the worst dancer ever... he just stood there and bounced up and down which made it worse. So we spent more time walking around talking and really got to know each other. At the end of the dance my ride showed up and I went to kiss his cheek goodbye after thanking him for a nice dinner and fun time together and he swung around and met me half way and planted one square on my lips, which was totally unexpected and exciting at the same time. I'll never forget how my lips tingled afterwords, like the kiss was still lingering there. I took a deep breath and smiled and basically ran away because I didn't know what else to do. We started to see each other a lot after that, and dated for years before breaking up because my dad didn't like him and grounded me until we split up, so we parted on peaceful terms.
The day my house burned down. This one is a day that is ingrained in my brain as a step by step. At this point and time my parents were going through a midlife crisis at the same time, I was a teenager and didn't care. My dad just up and quit his job a few months after my mom got fired because she didn't want to go to counseling because her mental health was affecting her work. So my parents were just sitting around at home, collecting unemployment and living off the savings my parents had been building since their third child who was now in his twenties. So, on this particular day, it was what we called Smokin' Saturday. My mom and dad and I would all sit around and get high and take a hike out at the park and then play card games until UFC came on. I didn't see anything wrong with this behavior because I was 17, and their youngest child so its not like they were really raising babies, and it was cool for me because I was always grounded anyway I could still have fun at home with my parents. This particular Saturday started different. We hard my dad yell from the basement and my mom asked if everything was okay. He said he got bit by another spider and he was tired of it. So he said we were going to go stay at my grandmothers for the weekend for a camping trip in their cabin. My dad leaves for the store to get some stuff for our stay at the cabin and included in his items are foggers that kill spiders. He has us prepare the house for the foggers and decides to do it on all three floors (basement, main & upstairs). We put the pets outside in the pet crates and cover the fishtank with a cloth and put all the appliances like the coffee pot and toaster and such into the cabinets. We get done and call my older brother whose working this morning to tell him we're fogging the house and will be at the Shack this weekend, let him know he can't come home after work so he will have to shower at a friends or go out to Grandmas after work. He's 19 and has his own car so this wasn't necessarily odd to me. What gets odd is next. My dad has us pack up all or camping gear, and pack clothes and anything else we may want over the weekend and loads it into the truck. Then we head down into the basement to smoke before we go. All is well, he sends us outside to wait for him while he releases the foggers. Now, I don't know if its because I was stoned, but daily smokers would understand when your used to doing it all day every day, it doesnt affect your perception as much as when you only smoke occasionally... anyway it seemed like he was inside for at least 20 minutes. I was sitting outside in the lawn chairs playing on my phone and chatting with my mom and even she thought he was taking a while. So he finally comes out and his shirt is all wet. We ask what happened, he says one of the foggers got him in the face when he released it because he was holding it and didn't put it down or something, I'm not sure. So he washed his face so it didn't get into his eyes. His eyes were kind of red so we believed him. We get into the truck, and load our two big dogs into the backseat of the truck and we all pile in the front. (We had five at the time, the other three were Chihuahuas and we put them outside in the crate) We drive out to dairy queen to get some hotdogs and Ice cream. Then my dad starts driving back towards the house, which I thought was weird. So I asked, I thought we were going to Grandmas. He says that we are, but we're going to head down to the beach for a bit to kill some time before we head out so that way when the foggers are done we can put the cat and Chihuahuas back inside before we leave and we'll wipe down all the counters and tables when we get back from camping. No sooner than we pass our road, and we all notice the large plume of smoke from down the road as we pass, so my dad hits the breaks and turns down the next road heading down there immediately. He's freaking out, and drives down there. Of course, its our house. The firetruck was already there. This is so bizarre to me, we're gone maybe a bout half an hour to forty five minutes and the house is just billowing smoke with a truck outside. My dad pulls up and everyone is just standing around, watching my house burn. Even the firefighters. In the aftermath, a friend of ours is a firefighter and he said our house was called in as a meth-lab which is pretty offensive, but that's why they didn't go inside the house right away I guess. Finally after my dad talks with the firefighters he gives them a verbal layout of the house and tells them he released foggers, and off they go. Within minutes I hear them kicking the door in, and smashing windows. I have no idea how long we sat there watching this happen. Eventually my dad says we need to leave, he's not going to stand around and watch his house burn. So we do, we leave. We get the Chihuahuas, my friend takes my cat to her house and we go out to the Shack. We stay out there for a little while. I'm restless, I'm upset. My parents decide to go back and check on the house. They want to leave me behind but I insist on going with them. So we all ride back to see whats going on. They're still there, wrapping things up now. My dad talks with the fire marshall and they let him go inside to try to salvage some cash my dad had saved but he can't, it has been burned. They come back out and my dad is upset. Everything is kind of blurry form here. I spent the next 3 months living in a hotel because they suspected arson. Then the next six months living in a rental but because my parents had no jobs and the insurance money was not paying up we had no furniture. We got a card table from my brother for a dinner table and found some pepsi crates for chairs. I slept in a fold out lawn chair or on the floor. Eventually some people started donating us some things and we were given some beds. In all this mess I tried to commit suicide, which was more of a cry for help than anything. Eventually I recover mentally and physically from what I'd done. I started dating my husband (again) about 7 or 8 months after my house burned down. I'm 18 now, so I decide to move in with him after a few months of dating because my dad kept getting upset we were dating again and said that even if I was 18 I was forbidden to date him if I lived at their house. I had just recently gotten a new job the past few months so I used my money I'd been saving to move in with him. We had dated previously in high school (as mentioned earlier) for several years so we were pretty comfortable with each other already and I started my own life from there, eventually getting married and such. Some time later I found out that the insurance company had in fact decided the fire was of suspicious origin, possibly arson. My dad went to court and everything, but the company found a loophole in not paying him his full amount of insurance even though he was never actually charged of arson. After all was said and done my parents walked away with 9k out of a 100+k policy. Its been over 7 years now, and I still remember everything so vividly, its like a video in my head.
I'm not sure why this one is a core memory but it is, but one day when I was probably about 15, I went fishing with my oldest brother. He was half drunk and brought some beer with him too. We were fishing for some blue gill. It was pretty fun, and I hooked a fish finally and I got excited, but I set my hook so hard I reeled in nothing but the lips off the fish. We laughed incredibly hard sitting out there by that scummy pond in the beating sun. Eventually he said we had to go before he drank much more so he could get me home safely. I was kind of bummed because we were having so much fun, but in hindsight, he was probably already too drunk to be driving me anyway so its good that we left.
aleppe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My oldest memory is when I was around 2-3. We were on a hotel's pool with one of my dads friend and he was carrying me across the pool in an inflatable donut. It was a purple donut with yellow thingies.
We're both surprise that I remember something that old.
-My best friend and I sneaking into the attic of his house to smoke weed out of a hollowed out apple, and him falling through the ceiling down to his waist. His feet just dangling into the floor below (from the ceiling of the living room), and kicking helplessly, as I'm rolling on the floor laughing my fucking ass off. His parents were not pleased.
-My first crush in 5th grade, I gave her a teddy bear and some chocolates, and she said she liked me too. Nobody had ever liked me up until that point. We spent every day together for two summers.
-My first gig with my first band. I broke a guitar string on the very first song, and didn't have a backup guitar. I was incredibly shy, so it took every ounce of strength to get on stage in front of strangers, only to have the worst possible scenario take place. But I don't regret it.
-Older brother just back from college while I am still in highschool, and we stay up all night playing Halo 2 every single night. I always looked up to him, but he never liked me up until then. I spend every chance I can with him, neglect my homework, have to drop out and get my GED. But I don't regret a second of it.
-My first car. A used 1998 Honda Civic with an upgraded stereo, compliments of my older brother. I'll never forget that feeling of freedom.
-Playing soccer, and seeing my dad on the sidelines enthusiastically yelling instructions.
-My first layup on my first basketball game in 8th grade, and nobody I loved was there to see it. But I'll never forget that feeling of joy that I actually contributed something to the team.
I remember looking at a rocking chairs back that had springs and thinking "I will remember this." Still do.
Amk2539 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
1) One of my first memories i have, being woken up by my mom crying. Picking me up and taking me to a hotel, hearing my father scream as she ran out of the house with me.
2) Going on trips every summer with my Dad, was what made me realize that even though i didn't see him much more than once or twice a year I was still the most important thing in his life. It's what's made my definition of family. We may not see eachother all the time, but if you have any issue we will listen and if we can we will help.
3) Stealing $50 from my step-father when i was 6-7 years old. He was an asshole, my first time getting revenge. I still hate that prick.
4) The first time i fell in love. We were laying together and for the first time my thoughts went from being there with her, to thinking about living my life with her. It was the first time i told someone besides my family i loved them, and i did.
5) The first heartbreak. Finding out the people you love most are the ones that cause you the most pain. GF (ex now) started dating another guy during our 3 year relationship.
6) My first dog, Scooby the Chihuahua. Had her from 5 to 21. Absolutely loved her.
7) Never getting to know my brother. He is 18 years older than I am, with children that are only 3 years younger than I am. He was always busy with his family, i honestly do not know anything about his life.
8) When i was young and had just come back from my grandpa's funeral. I realized one day my mom and dad would pass, and they wouldn't always be there for me. It was the first time i thought about mortality and i couldn't stop crying. We all sat on the couch and cried.
9) Right now, thinking about my parents. Knowing that i don't see them much anymore and one day i won't be able to see them or hear their voice. Or vent my problems.
Recieving my A-level results. In the UK, at sixth form, A levels are the subjects for which the grades get you into university. I did beyond impressive in my A-levels, 2 A* and a B. I was so happy and my Mum, who was with me, was so proud. I was able to go to my first choice university and have just finished my first year, loving it.
xSGAx ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
People taking me to feel town
My top 5 core memories would for sure have some pretty depressing ones there, but I have some happy ones too
Recieving my A-level results. In the UK, at sixth form, A levels are the subjects for which the grades get you into university. I did beyond impressive in my A-levels, 2 A* and a B. I was so happy and my Mum, who was with me, was so proud. I was able to go to my first choice university and have just finished my first year, loving it.
sitting in the basement rec room with my mom and sister watching my dad play the drums. the music was so loud but I fell asleep anyways, loud music has always put me to sleep.
summer camp, sitting on the bottom bunk reading a spiderman comic my dad gave me to help me feel less homesick, the other girls in my bunk made me "lookout" while they all had their first lesbian experience. I was scared they would try to get me to join.
sitting on the waterfront with some friends. looking at the detroit skyline it was around sunrise, it was one of those weird cool/warm mornings we were all just silent looking out, and one of my friends says " this right here guys, is a moment we will always remember, because this moment is perfect' he was right. it was perfect and I think we all felt it.
my husband and i were taking a walk and we decided to explore the woods a ways from our house, we found an abandoned putting range, we goofed around looking at everything then walked home a way we weren't familiar with, just talking and walking, it was a warm winter/spring day. warm enough to not have a coat but the snow was still melting. it wasn't anything very special, but i get a happy feeling when i think of it. I was truly happy for no reason other than existing kind of like the waterfront moment.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:13:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) My mom leaving my sister and I in a car overnight in Minnesota in the winter so she could go fuck some guy she met at a bar. Generally her being passed out drunk most days 3 hours after she got home from work.
2) My accelerated geometry teacher asking us to do a proof at the start of 9th grade as a prank that was supposed to be the culmination of what we learned that year. No one raised their hand , and he gave us a few minutes to think about it, when he finally said "time is up" I raised my hand because I was simply that cocksure about always being the smartest and best.
I went up there and had a meandering garbage proof that made little sense as I stalled for time, but about halfway through I figured out a real proof and switched to that. He gave me an "A" for the class and said I didn't have to do anything the rest of the year if I didn't want.
3) When I was in 6th grade I bought a girl a banana split when we stopped at an ice cream place on a school trip. She promptly threw it in the garbage.
4) My fiancee leaving me for the son of a world leader.
5) Quitting the best job I ever had in my life when my first child was 6 months old because I thought they were taking advantage of me and I could do better as a freelancer, and then pulling that off and making 2-3x what I was before.
I don't know I could go on and on, when you are 35 and not 13 there tends to be tons of them.
When I was 8 I was playing in the backyard and stepped on a big red ant hill. Even remember what dress I was wearing. Anyways, they crawled up my legs I was freaking out so my dad just lifted my ass up and threw me in the pool. That was the day I became afraid of ants and I learned how to swim. Ah memories.
Also,
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:18:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1- The day I realised it wasn't normal for my dad to be hurting me and my sisters.
2- The day a group of tourists stopped me to take pictures because I have long blonde curly hair. I'm a bit of a narcissist now...
3- The day in high school drama class we started masks. My teacher told us to forget who we are when we put the masks on a become someone new. I became someone who I thought is confident, a leader and strong. Ever since that day I've slowly become more and more like that and I'm just overall happier.
Busting my forehead on the spoiler of a car when I was 5, and needing to be strapped down at the ER so they could stich me up.
Slipping on wet concrete at 7 and busting my chin open, and the way my mom was earily calm as she pulled away the sock she had used that was now drenched in blood. More stitches, but this time no straps.
Meeting my best friend in 3rd grade on the playground.
The Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles
Being punished for not being interested in chanting in class in 6th grade.
Crying on the bus after a football game (we won. Not sure what the crying was about).
Standing up for myself and busting a bully up.
Throwing my sister to the ground, then barricading my bedroom door so she wouldn't stab me.
The day my dad said he was abandoning my family.
Kicking in a door to a classroom and charging another bully, full on tackeling him.
Discovering why my dad abandoned the family.
Standing on the front lawn and loudly telling my mother to go fuck herself.
The day my sister introduced the family to the man that would become her husband.
Getting a call from the principal that my sister had gone into labor and was giving birth to my first nephew.
Having sex for the first time.
Being drunk and crying because she broke up with me.
Getting into a fight at a park with two guys and a fat mexican chick. May have killed a man.
Getting my ass kicked at a conoco, I deserved it.
Moving out of my apartment because my roommate started fucking my ex.
Standing in front of a mirror with my grandfathers revolver pointed at my head and a single bullet in the chamber.
Moving out of my next apartment because that best friend from 3rd grade started fucking my ex.
Launching illegal fireworks with my cousins in Mexico
listen- ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:14:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We went to Cape cod and my little brother who was like 4 stood on the table at a restaurant, having some sort of exciting tantrum, and threw his glass of orange pop. It was a huge disturbance. I think of that any time someone mentions cape cod.
I have a massive dent in my skin at my hairline from falling off my bike when I was like 7,when this girl Beth rammed her training wheel into my bike's wheel. No helmets back then of course. Now I always associate helmets with my forehead dent
The day I met my old dog is one of my best memories I think of all the time. It doesn't get more core memory than that. I had gone to quite a few shelters looking for a dog but none were quite right. I'd browsed the current one I was at and given up, so I stopped by the cat room before I left just to look. A maniac dog came running into the room, bit my hand, then sprawled out on the floor frog leg style. Love at first sight. She had just been returned to the shelter and had been in a back room and got loose, running into the cat room. Yeah, she was just for me.
The only memory I have of my dad's hair not being grey or bald is his 40th birthday (so I was 7 I think) and his hair was very dark and the party was at my grandma's house and I didn't want ice cream because I'm lactose intolerant but my cousin didn't get it, and thought I just didn't want cold ice cream so she microwaved it.
JorusC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:15:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't like to think about them. I know they're there, but they can stay in the vault while I work to make better ones for my kids.
I'm a little late to the party, but oh well. I've got a story about my uncle, who was probably the nicest person I've ever met in my life. He passed away about a year ago - RIP uncle Benny.
I was probably around 5 or 6 around this time. Anyway, he had this old truck that he treated like his baby. On the front of the truck was a grill (not a cooking grill) that was coated in rubber. So basically you could push a car with his truck without denting or scratching the other car. He and I were driving home in a torrential rain storm and we passed by a small car that was stuck on the side of the road. He immediately turned around, drove back to the car, and asked if they could use any help. So he got back in the truck and pushed them out of the muddy ground they had their car stuck in and sent them on their merry way.
It wasn't necessarily a life changing experience for me, but this was pretty commonplace for my uncle. He would go out of his way to help people that were complete strangers.
thebumm ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:17:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine are hard to remember and pale in comparison to all these. I wish I had a better memory (my brain is 28 but may as well be 85) and I wish I had done more.
I'd say the first time I played Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. It wasn't my first video game ever (I had had some times playing Mario Kart and Mario Party at other kids' houses) but the DS was the first time I had owned a game system and Bowser's Inside Story was my first "real" game with a story and such. It was also my first turn-based RPG (which is my favorite genre) and my first Mario RPG (which are my favorite of those games). Also, video games inspired me to mature as a person. I had a few "reverse role models", characters I found so detestable that I did anything to be the opposite of them, which helped me to go from a demon child who regularly got sent home from school (I have ADHD which did this) to a generally better person.
Getting stoned with my best friend and discussing the universe and how awesome it is. We were so enthused and started getting louder and louder with every sentence.
The moment I discovered that my gf at the time was cheating on me with her ex. I can't even begin to describe the feeling, but it was the feeling of literal heartbreak. She was the first girl I truly loved.
Meeting my best friend in fourth grade, and creating a story about tiny robots living in our stationary/pencil cases. We're basically brothers now.
Said best friends parents completely trusting me with their house and leaving. I was shocked that another family trusts me that much, but I'm glad they do, since they're pretty much family to me.
Realizing the damage that divorced parents leave upon their children. For 10 years I packed/unpacked my belongings and went between mum and dads one week at a time. It hit me that I never really had a home, I was just constantly uprooting and settling. At that moment I swore that if I ever met someone and had children of my own, that I would never make them experience divorced parents like I did.
Playing Donkey Kong Country 2 with my step dad every night when he got home from work. He was always tired and sore, but would always play every night until we finished it.
At my 18th birthday (this year actually) whilst half drunk I looked into my step dads eyes and really took in the fact that he wasn't my father, but he always saw me as a son. Witnessing that changed the way I see him as a person and as a role model.
After rolling with the punches for so long, standing up for myself from bullies and basically not giving a fuck anymore. I gained a lot of self respect that day.
Skyping my long distance girlfriend in America (I'm from Australia), and realizing how beautiful she is, and that something that beautiful actually loves me for me, and would give anything to meet me and never let me go. (I'm planning a trip to see her next year)
A recent appreciation for those important in my life. I had a mortality/existential crisis and realized that I will most likely have to live through the deaths of my family and friends. (I'm the youngest)
Losing my virginity while I played my favourite movie in the background. It all went according to plan.
Building my first desktop pc, and when I booted it up I screamed "ITS ALIVE!" and laughed as maniacally as I could.
Realizing that most kids my age weren't raised with Seinfeld and Monty Python. That was a sad day, my humour fell upon boring folk.
(An ongoing process) Living with my grandma, who is a dialysis patient. Witnessing the slow decay that comes with age, and the bitterness and anger that comes from that decay. A truly sad yet educational process.
Becoming friends with my philosophy teacher, and talking to him about things on my mind. I'd sometimes spend my lunch just sitting with him talking about anything and everything. He's a great man, truly an inspiration to me.
There's so many more but I don't suppose this will be seen much. Have a great day everyone ๐
Crabbing with my dad, uncle, and younger brother and catching two blue claw crabs on a fishing rod. It was a beautiful day, I was wearing my lucky Yankees hat, and using this crappy orange fishing rod, but it was the greatest feeling ever as a little kid. I now love fishing even if I suck. Its so serene and brings me back.
Building up the courage to go down the waterslide that drops straight down in Atlantis. I was terrified of heights and didn't tell anyone in my family I was going for fear I would psych myself out. After that experience I was no longer terrified of heights and started my journey of loving rollercoasters and being more willing to try new things!
Getting my first video game system. It was my Grandfather's old Sega Genesis and it had a ton of games. We had this old tv we played on from my grandparent's house, too. My Grandpa passed away before I was born, but my brother and I bonded over those old games when we were really young. I always imagine he was there playing with us and bringing us closer together.
Winning the A league wrestling tournament when I was still in elementary school. My team, at the time, wasn't that good, but I was something like the 3rd person to have ever won it in my team's history, and my coach and parents were extremely proud of me. After that my team became much better and others were winning the tournament all the time, but I feel like I helped spur a legacy of great wrestlers from my town.
My Dad and Mom used to teach me how to play every sport I went on to play. I love playing sports, and I thank them so much for supporting me through each and every sport I tried. Each memory of them helping me with a new thing I tried is so precious to me...
We were in Maine, at the little cabin we rented each summer.
I was 8, and our black & white TV with the coat hangers for antennas didn't get good reception on the best of days, much less transmission from the Moon.
It was late, well past my bedtime, and I was getting a little cranky.
I couldn't see what was going on, couldn't make it out because of all the static and I started to get whiny.
My Dad took me outside and lifted me up on his shoulders and we walked down to the edge of the lake. The summer night was cool, and the lake was calm and flat and perfect.
He pointed at the Moon, high up over the tops of the pine trees. "Can you see them now?" he said. And I swore I could. We stood there like that, looking up at the moon, for a long time.
My Dad missed witnessing what was arguably the most historic moment of his life up to that date and instead, we shared a moment that I will never forget.
If anyone ever asks me what kind of a man my Dad is, this is the story I tell them.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My core memories used to be all the memories. I grew up in a household with not much. The best we had was a TV with cable.
Whenever I went to school, it was fun. Being around other people who shared common interests, those were core memories..
Until I realized that those memories were only my core memories. I realized that not everyone gives a shit about those memories. And so like sadness tainted the core memories by touching them, so have I.
Now my core memories consist of hanging out with people I truly value, toking when we can, talk about life. Next step will be to be financially independent while doing so, and enjoying my life as I please.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing banjo kazooie late into the night but having to go to bed for school the next day. I was on the very last part of the game, the maze right before the final boss.
I get home from school and couldn't stop thinking about the game. I get into my room and turn on the N64. The controller was greasy so I started to clean it with my shirt as the game booted up.
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
Popped up on the screen. I kept cleaning.
"Save has been erased!"
I couldn't get to the console fast enough to turn it off. :(
From that day I never let a greasy controller thrive. Ever. It bothers me to have greasy controllers for anything. I also back up my saves and double save it. Just in case.
I should maybe seek professional help lol
cl1ft ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:20:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I grew up in rural Kentucky....
Wednesday night singings... all the men in Church would have to get up and sing a song. I loved hearing all the different parts. I was scared when I was finally old enough to lead but no one judged and without a doubt we weren't all good singers, but nobody really cared... it was just the fact that we got up and did it.
I used to love cutting up apples, corn and other vegetables at the kitchen table with my grandma and my Dad and other family while my Mom would can it. Many a Saturday summer afternoon was spent snapping beans, cutting apples and shucking corn. To this day I'm much more skilled with a knife than anybody I know... probably because I was using them since I was 10.
Dad was always buying land and cleaning it up... old farmland, old barns, etc. Seems like they were always 10 miles or so down the road... we'd start out about 6 am and stop by the country store and get a bag of chips, a drink and a thick cut ham and cheese loaf sandwich on white bread. It sure felt good to work side-by-side with your old man all morning and then eat lunch with him under a shade tree. I never saw him complain or quit till the job was done. He was a firm believer until working hard till noon and then "slacking off". We don't work together near as much now that I have my own family and my own projects. I love my Dad so much.
My mom had a little black radio on the shelf in the kitchen. We had wood heat down in the basement. There was a grate in the kitchen directly above the wood stove... Id sit on that grate till my butt was on fire in the winter while my mom would dance around to Lionel Ritchie and Kool and the Gang while making lunch... I have no idea why my Mom who has lived in the country in Kentucky all her life loved R&B and Soul so much and can dance so good!
I have tons of "core memories". I had a great childhood, with two (still living) parents.... I've truly been blessed. My wife and I are trying to create the same memories for my kids too.
Columbus day at preschool. I was 4. I vaguely remember something concerning happening. I think I may have been shitting myself.
Halloween (or maybe the day before) in Kindergarten. Fell off a low wall and broke a finger. I remember freaking out when the doctor said I needed a "splint" because it sounded like they had to cut my finger off.
2nd grade, found out I was reading at a stupidly advanced level (I think 10th grade). Also pulled a crown out of my mouth eating a Sugar Daddy that year.
4th grade, stealing prize tickets from my teacher while I was talking to her. I've never found out if she noticed or not, but she never said anything.
6th grade, Won the school Geography Bee. Got excited to go to State and then never heard anything about it afterward.
8th grade, first "girlfriend" (Mostly long-distance, by middle school standards anyway). Still remember the day I walked over and gave her my AIM username on a scrap of paper.
10th grade, found a loophole in my History teacher's "quiz battle" system that put students against each other. My team went undefeated the rest of the year.
First kiss. Also in 10th grade.
12th grade, first IT job. Also most of my IT classes were kickass. Specifically I remember playing DOTA with the entire class after we finished our classwork for the day. We'd spend about 3 hours a day goofing off. Good times.
Lost my virginity at 20.
Met my (now) wife working an event for Big Brothers & Big Sisters. We were both in culinary school.
Lost friends due to my relationship. I won't go into details but a lot of that drama is still very vivid in my mind, despite being nearly 5 years ago.
Moved in with my wife (then girlfriend) and had to vacate just a few months later after I didn't have the money to keep up rent. Parents refused to help but took me back in while I got back on my feet.
Wedding day, for obvious reasons.
Death of our kitten Booker from FIP. First death I ever witnessed firsthand.
Bought a house! This is really recent but I don't think I'll forget many of the major details for as long as I live
My mom's death when I was four. Aside from that I can't really think of any others until my mid teenage years and Boy Scouts and working as camp staff became big in my life.
Kind of late to the party so this is probably going to get buried, but it's really been on my mind lately and I sort of needed to get it off my chest.
When I was 9 or 10, I woke up in the morning and my mom had made cinnamon rolls. She was a decent cook, but she very rarely made us breakfast at all (my brother and I were both old enough to make our own cereal or toast), much less a treat like cinnamon rolls. Especially on a school day.
She saw me in the hallway as I was coming out of my room and she was headed to the shower and told me there were cinnamon rolls in the kitchen, clearly in a good mood and happy with herself. They were in a glass dish on the countertop, looking tasty.
My brother wasn't up yet so I had first pick. I was sitting at the table eating my cinnamon roll when my mom came out from her room ready to leave for work. She came into the kitchen and then rounded on me, instantly angry, and said "You ate one of these"?
The glass dish with the pretty rolls was for her to take to her co-workers. There were two cinnamon rolls for me and my brother on a plate in the microwave. Now, I had no way of knowing that, and I obviously didn't do it on purpose. I don't even remember the rest of what she said, just that she was upset and couldn't take the glass dish to work now because I had ruined it.
The emotional memory of this is enough to make me want to barf and cry and hide in shame to this day. I knew I had ruined my mom's special surprise that she had been so proud of. But I was also mad because how was I supposed to know? I hadn't made an unreasonable assumption.
This was also around the time that I was starting to notice and care that I was chubbier than the other girls in my class. I felt so guilty and ashamed and fat and greedy sitting in front of that cinnamon roll.
I wasn't punished or anything, and as far as I can remember it was never mentioned again. But I will never forget that morning and the effect it had on me. I cried after my mom left for work in a huff.
I have a daughter now and I've done a lot of emotional work to avoid the narcissistic tendencies my mom had. Even if I could forget that memory, I wouldn't want to because it serves to remind me of how my emotions effect other people. Why couldn't my mom have just said "Oh darn, that was the dish for work" without being so angry? Or even just not say anything at all and take it anyway because who cares?
The thought of making my daughter feel the way I felt that morning horrifies me.
Yellow (Joy) - My parents picked me up on the last day of kindergarten and we drove passed our house and on to the freeway. I asked where we were going and they said Disney World (We live in Dallas). It was a complete surprise to me and my brother. We asked if we were there yet before getting into Louisiana.
Blue (sadness) - We had to put down our Chow because it attacked my Uncle nearly killing him.
Green (Disgust) - My mom worked at the preschool I went to when I was 3 or so and I remember they had these massive cans of vegetables. She wouldn't allow me to get up until I finished this disposable bowl of room temperature spinach that came out of one of those cans. I still hate canned vegetables to this day.
Purple (Fear) - I fell out of a car when I was two or three. It was an old Ford LTD and I was in the front seat without a seat belt. We had someone veer into our lane and the car swerved ejecting me out of the side window. I remember the stretcher they put me on (blue with yellow straps and a picture of a baby smiling on it) and I remember having scabs but they were pulling debris and glass from the road rash on me for hours.
Red (Anger) - In second grade I remember getting punched in the face by Dornell at the bus stop because he wanted to see what would happen.
Brown (Forgotten) - My mom reminded me of this because my wife and I just took the kids down to San Antonio for the weekend. We went down there as kids (I was maybe 7) and went inside the old catholic church downtown. I walked around to each of the areas that candles were lit by people who had made a prayer and blew them all out. My mom said I got through maybe 150 candles before the priest pulled me out by my ear and cursed at my parents in Spanish.
Having a "normal" lunch out with my dad before finding out he had cancer. My family's lives drastically changed after that. He passed away roughly three years after that. It was a good fight.
Getting a haircut after growing my hair out for a year. Definitely a confidence booster.
When I asked my girlfriend to dance with me to Don't Forget Tonight Tomorrow by Frank Sinatra in her kitchen, out of nowhere.
Saving my very first PC which refused to boot up, so I had to resort to using a diskette to fix the boot system. I was 11 at the time.
When my parents refused to buy me an electric guitar. I saved up some money and bought one on my own. LOOPHOLED THOSE OLD FOLKS.
Getting featured at this magazine for a game review I did on their website.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-my dad sliding back the door of our old Astro van to show me my Christmas present early. It was a two toned Western saddle with the most beautiful inlay. He gave it to me early I could ride in the town Christmas parade. Stuck with me bc months in advance I told him i didn't want anything. I knew we didn't have the money.
Still have that saddle. Must have been around 11.
-10 years old when I learned mom had cancer. I also learned people were cold. My teacher made fun of me for crying in class. I had been two weeks without mom bc her treatments were so strong children weren't allowed near her.
15 when I realized my mom would never be my mom again. She became an addict after the cancer issue.
-11 when my crush kissed me on the cheek before a band performance. Learned later my group leader asked him to to boost my confidence. Felt like i was flying till that lol
Namllih ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad was a police officer and he worked night shifts. When I was around 7 or 8 I was really sick and my mom stayed up with me. My dad came home around 1 am and brought me these action figure power ranger things I liked to play with. He came home in uniform but then left later that night.
My aunt gifting me the first Harry Potter book. Thus began my lifelong love of reading.
My dad also reading the Harry Potter books alongside me. He'd let me read them first and he'd read them as soon as I finished. We'd discuss them and theorize about what would happen in the next books, go to midnight book releases, see the movies together, etc.
My dad inventing ghost stories about this creepy old house in our town and telling them to me any time we drove by it. There was also one about a ghost train I'd hear any time we crossed the tracks.
My dad taking us to the airport just to watch trains take off, or to the railroad tracks to watch for trains. When a train was coming we would lay a quarter on the tracks and go retrieve it after the train drove theough and flattened it. We had a nice little collection of flattened coins.
My dad taking us to explore old abandoned houses. We'd try and imagine what the people who used to live there were like based on what we found inside the houses. The coolest one we went to was an old farm. There were animal skeletons and empty shotgun shells everywhere. Really creepy.
Being bullied in middle school. Sadly, this really damaged my confidence and I've struggled with it ever since.
Middle school band. This is what made middle school bearable for me. We had a great conductor and I had so much fun.
Finally realizing that I had to leave my abusive relationship when I was in college. This experience showed me my inner strength, something that I wasn't sure I had.
Seeing my dad after my parents divorced. It took him from flawless childhood hero to human being in my eyes.
Jarpz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:22:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I realized I was truly different than everyone else.
I slammed my finger in a door when I was 5, and immediately inspected my finger to see the damage. I began to notice the small lines that seemingly wrapped around my hands. I asked my mother what these strange lines on my fingers were. She said they are my fingerprints, and they are very important because it can show everyone else I am completely unique.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:22:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-trying to download photoshop and somehow getting malware AND adware
-going to a comic book convention and hi-fiving octodad
-drawing a picture of mewtwo and handing it in instead of my homework since i didnt do it
-i once had an allergic reaction to sleeping medication and got stoned off my ass after i went to school, and in gym class i thought i was spider-man and try to climb the walls so i could hit the ball better
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:22:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Finally beating the asshole neighbor next door in Pokemon Gold in front of all the other kids in the neighborhood. He didn't continue his asshole tendencies for a week or two.
Losing my virginity. I was sitting in one of those "Gamer Chairs" when my 16 year old girlfriend at the time randomly showed up. She was naked and holding Halo 3 (it was brand new at the time) and wanted to play it. It was the first time I saw her naked. I got to maybe the first cut scene in the game before we started.
Throwing up after standing at attention for almost an hour at band camp my sophomore year. For reference, I was a bass drum player and maybe 110 pounds at the time.
Taking LSD with new friends my freshman year of college. It was about a month after I moved away from home and I had been feeling powerless and directionless that entire time. I'm still good friends with most of that group and it was the first time in my life, I felt like I was in control, awkwardly enough.
Walking on stage to receive my Linguistics degree and seeing my dad and stepmom cry tears of joy.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:23:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine all got destroyed years ago.
I guess empathy is still intact, but goofyland is dead, football land is dead.
I'm one of those guys who think that other people should have a better life (the 99%) but other things that made me "me" have fallen away.
KeFFFF ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:23:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a red power rangers plush toy and i had a red balloon tied to it. I was draggin my red ranger plush toy when my parents warned me not to drag my toy but being 5 i didnt listen and the red balloon snapped off and floated away and when i finally noticed it was long gone. My dad pretended to stretch his arm as if he could grab it.
Long family road trips down dark high ways. I used to sit in the bench seat in the front with my parents. I had no idea how my dad could see since he wears glasses at night to see but with my mom passed out and my brothers passes out i would peek a little bit and see that my dad was handling it like a driving champion. Always made me feel safe.
In sixth grade our teacher told us to pray for something(went to a Christian school) and through the power of god we would get whatever it is we prayed for. I'm still waiting for my payday (the candybar) jesus. I think it's about time you spent 99 cents on me.
1.Hugs from a close friend of mine.
2.The first time listening to linkin park.
3. when i got my first guitar.
4.My first day training in Martial arts.
5.My first time listening to slayer. Holy shit.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:24:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In no particular order, even though this probably won't get seen
My parents last fight which led to their divorce. My mom was going to just leave, so my dad woke us up to make her say goodbye. Turned into a HUGE fight that ended with her leaving and him heaving a basket of clothes out the front door. I was 5.
My kindergarten teacher making fun of my class picture. Everyone else she would say something cool when going over them to the whole class. "Here's Zach Attack. Here's Mega Matt." When mine came up she called me "Sleepy Billy", because I blinked. and everyone laughed.
My grandfather playing baseball with us. There was a softball field behind their house, and we'd go out there with a bucket of baseballs and have batting practice. He broke a couple ribs one time getting hit, and another time a few toes as catcher, but he'd always go out there with my brothers and me.
My brother going through a mental breakdown. Took off his clothes and shouted about making the sun come up. We called the cops and had to wait 2 hours for a mental health person to come get him.
I got home after working for about 16 hours to a party at my place. Friend took too much acid went crazy at the pool. Him and another friend ended up arrested, and I got in a fight with someone while trying to kick him out of my home afterwards. It's a good story now, but it was a turning point for me.
My step daughter telling me that she's glad I'm her "other dad." I know I'm not her dad and he'll always be #1, but I cried after hearing that. I love her like a daughter, and she's everything to me.
My son being born.
Watching "What Dreams May Come" with my wife. We were going through a rough patch, and for whatever reason decided to watch that one. We both bawled our eyes out and cuddled incredibly close. So many emotions going through my head that night.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:24:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In elementary school, I was attending an event with an international theme, meant to expose kids to cuisine and other cultural aspects of other countries. My parents brought handmade Chinese dumplings, and to this day I still bristle when I recall how one kid reacted with disgust when he saw one on his plate (probably put there by a parent) and tossed it in the trash.
Its a sad one but it pretty much shaped me to be who I am as a person. Let me give you a little back story:
In my area middle school starts in 6th grade and the 3 elementary schools filter into one middle school. My small friend group grew and attracted a more mature 6th grader from one of the other elementary schools. My parents taught me to be nice and welcoming to others so I had no problem welcoming her into our group. She soon became a bully and would pick on me for anything and everything. She wore skin tight revealing clothes and talked about the boys she liked and the R rated movies she was allowed to watched. I was sheltered and my family was a bit more conservative. My clothes -- Babyish, my lack of interest in boys -- lesbian freak, my parents not allowing me to watch R movies -- I should rebel. This went on for weeks before I said anything. My parents weren't much help. My mom told me to "kill her with kindness" which just made me look like a pushover. She would ostracize me, put me in embarrassing social situations, or would flat out act like I didn't exist at the lunch table. The other girls in my group just went a long with it since she was nice to them. These were my friends since Kindergarten! Which brings me to my core memory:
It was PJ day. I was excited since I had just gotten a really cute PJ set. They were blue and had stars on them. I show up to school that day in my PJs and slippers so excited to take on the day. Lunch rolls around and they're all wearing aerie silk shorts and camisoles. I go to sit down with my lunch and they say there's no room even though there's an empty seat. I sit down any way and they proceed to stand up and move tables. I still feel the hot tears in my eyes now 14 years later. Another girl I had known since kindergarten saw this all happen and moved her lunch table to sit with me. She still one of my closest friends today.
Many people ask why I didn't stand up for myself. I honestly didn't know I was being bullied. I thought she was just mean and I still wanted to eat lunch with my friends! We still hung out on the weekends but during school I wasn't "cool". I thought I had done something wrong and deserved this but in all honestly the ring leader was a miserable person and needed someone to pick on. I am still welcoming and kind but I know when to stand up for myself.
1.- I was riding a tiny little car thing, it was more like a motorcycle kind of thing. I was about two.
I remember pulling it from the handles so hard I fell on my ass really hard. I remember it very vividly.
2.- The pet store where my dad bought my dog, it was all blue and black full of glass, to this day is one of the most magical places I've ever been to.
3.- Having a panic attack for the first time because I was feeling truly helpless. I've never ever been a suicidal type of person, but at that moment, it seemed like a wonderful idea.
4.- That one time in kindergarten when a boy kicked me in the crotch. I couldn't even understand what had happened.
5.- My mom singing a couple particular songs to me after a bath. Still can't hear to those songs without my mind travelling directly to that.
I remember being 4. My mom and her at the time boyfriend wanted to go see Miami Beach at night, so we left at 11:30pm and got there around two in the morning and walked on the beach, I wondered if it was actually real for a long time, but then finally confirmed with my mom that it did happen. I guess the mix of being incredibly young and incredibly tired made me second-guess and ever since then I always have to confirm my thoughts with others about certain events that took place, its weird.
I don't know is it counts, but this is the earliest memory I have. It was summer, and I was three years old, my mum had just finished give me a bath. I was naked, my hair was still wet, I asked if I can play on their large bed and my mum said yes, so I climbed on the bed and jumping up and down on it. I was so euphoric, and it became my earliest memory.
Elementary school mid 80's. I was the new kid and recently immigrated to the US and was bullied all the time. Out of frustration I threw a ball at a kid and got in trouble for it. Another kid I barely knew at that time, tall, blond hair blue eyed, told the teacher it was his fault and had to stand by the fence for the remainder of recess. This is the most well imprinted core memory I have. His one action defined who I am today. To be self-sacrificing and look out for others first. Up to that point in my life I had never experienced such an act of compassion. Unfortunately I never got to know him well because we moved the next semester.
J.H., this is that awkward asian kid from P.S. 173 you stood up for back when he needed a friend. If you see this know that I still appreciate what you did to this day.
My 2 year old daughter making her first basketball on the mini-basketball hoop I bought. She screamed, did a little twirl (that's her dance), did a half jump (that's her jump for joy), and gave me a hug. I recorded the whole thing and I watch it almost every day. Granted, it didn't happen too long ago but it's something I think about all the time, and I wish it'll always be like that forever.
Also, porn island.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom following me down the hallway in a "moon mask." It was actually a grey old man mask but I thought it was the man in the moon.
When I was 8 my father told me the news of us moving out and into a new apartment. I was so excited that we're going to live into a new place, getting into a new school and I was the only one that was happy about this, but actually it was an awful time for my family, financially. Weird.
I was fairly young, about 8-9 and was in the car from a family trip somewhere. I asked my parents why we never got to go on any overseas holidays (live in Australia which is very isolated and flights are $$, a few kids in my class would brag about their overseas trips) and my dad replied it was because it was too expensive.
We definitely weren't poor - middle class family, but definitely not enough to go on holidays a lot.
The next think I said was pretty horrible, I told my dad he should have tried harder in school (graduated from year 10 and didn't go through to the full 12 years in Australia).
He would wake up at 430 every morning to go to work and go to bed at 8pm every night to put food on our table so this was obviously a massive slap in the face and I still feel terrible about it today. Always had food on the table and the essentials - clothes textbooks etc.
I don't have them. I have incredibly poor memory so I don't really remember any experiences more than two years ago. At the best, I can remember things as if I've read them somewhere if my family has joked about it a lot.
My moms first OD was at mother fucking disneyland. i was 11
Liamrc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:27:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents are super religious and never let us watch movies, and my older sisters never liked me because I was annoying. At some point my oldest sister and I became very close and I would always sneak to her bedroom late at night to watch movies with her and stay up late talking. Some of the best moments of my life.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:27:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first one would probably be the millennium. It was my first alcoholic drink ever and my dad sneaked it from the punch bowl, passed mum and into the garden where we laid on the pavement with our punch and looked at the stars. It was wonderful.
My second one was where I grew up, with my longest and best friend, there was this tree that had a bouncy branch all the kids knew about it and was referred to as the 'bouncy tree' we were so creative I can't even explain. Anyway me and my friend where bouncing on the branch but I kept my feet on either side of a walk which was under the branch and my friend encouraged me to 'let my legs go' so I did and SNAP. We both go falling to the ground we both fall into a bed of nettles and were covered in itchy bumpy nettle stings. No one knows what happened to that tree, and never will.
My third one is my dear dog. Reeka. Sounds exactly how it is spelt she was a fluffy German Shepherd and the best pet I could of hoped for as a child growing up. When I was younger I was pretty troubled had a fear of loss and would cry at night about dying. Then the nightmares so when I'd have a bad nightmare I'd go into my parents room where she slept at the bottom of the bed on the floor, I used to sneak in there and sleep on the floor with her, she'd lick my face and my arm in that kind of 'I'm tired bitch but I'm here, and your safe' kind of way. Then one day she we woke up and she couldn't move, I don't know why because I was pretty young but she was taken to the vet and had been put to sleep by the time I got home from school. It was heart wrenching. I still miss her and think of her.
When I was four I bit my mum in the hand during an argument (i was a very stubborn boy) and it's the shame and guilt i felt afterwards that i remember till today.
My mother didn't even remember it happening when I told her about it a year ago.
โข Telling my brother how awesome the movie "300" was and how he has to come with me when I go to see it a second time. (That was the last moment I had with him, he died a couple of days later in a car accident)
โข My mom socking me in the stomach when I was younger (I was being a little shit and deserved it so I think it's funny and like to give my mom grief about it)
โข Driving to Colorado from Texas and playing N64 on a TV we hooked up in the back of our Suburban.
โข Countless memories from being at the beach with my family.
โข My Mom walking out on my dad and myself when I was 2years old. We got into contact when I was about 7, up until 19. Now nothing again.
โข Going to a lake all day and learning to swim and having a piknik pretty much every summer for 3 summers running with my (ex) step dad (he doesn't talk to me anymore. He's not with my mom anymore either)
โข Constantly getting the guilt trip by my (ex) step mom to help my dad out at work every night after college whilst she just spent his money (they're not together anymore. She's with a richer person now)
โข All the days out and spontaneous things I've done with my girlfriend since I met her over a year ago.
darb93 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:28:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My earliest memory would be of my great grandmothers house. To be more exact the sitting room. She had a chair in the far left corner and flakes down the side of that chair. I use to rob them and munch on them. I was about 3 or so.
The day my brother was born and I was 3 and standing in the doorway of my grandmothers house. She leaned down and said "your man had a baby and it's a boy". I also remember putting my hand into the crib in the hospital and my brother grabbing my little finger and gripping it.
Going on an "adventure" with my cousins when I was 5 or so which consisted of turning a corner and being out of sight from my house. I still remember the thrilling feeling I had.
My first marriage when I was 6 which was 2 plastic rings and some tissue in the girls hair. Still have not got that divorce.
My first proper girlfriend when I was 17 and looking back at the memory thinking how the hell it worked for 2 and a bit years.
When I was 8, playing little league, dancing around third base, daring the pitcher to throw over to me, then stealing home when he did throw a pitch. Pure magical kid adrenaline.
Also from little league, tagging a runner out at home as the catcher to end the game. That was a blast.
Learning how to tie my shoes while camping and being given a WHOLE HERSHEY'S BAR as a reward!
Losing my grandfather and subsequently learning much more about my father on a long, overnight drive to my grandparents house to help out.
Learning my mother had cancer. That was a sad one. Her beating it was a happier one.
A Halloween spent trick-or-treating with friends in high school when we were way too old to trick-or-treat.
Riding my bike way far ahead of my family on a day bike trip. Exhilarating! And terrifying for my folks.
cd29 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:28:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My abusive, alcoholic mother was on a drunken rampage one night when I was around 10, so I called my step-dad at the time (worked out of town and would be away for days at a time) and I remember him telling me he loved me and that he was on his way home.
When I was a toddler, my dad would take my sister and I to a private pool in town. That particular day, my sister brought a friend, and it was just us 4 there. I didn't know how to swim, but my dad was taking a nap so I decided to get in the pool. I remember fighting to stay afloat and gasping for air, as well as the sight of my sister and her friend laughing at me. Eventually someone walking by woke my dad up. The weird thing about that memory is that I didn't recall any of it until a car crash in my teens. I started having dreams and remembering random names, faces, events, and other things. I brought up the day at the pool to my dad once, and he said he had to bribe my sister to never say anything to my mom.
There are many memories which stand out, but if I'd to pick out the top 3 which have been the greatest influence in my life, they'd be these:
When I was a young boy, I had what was supposed to be a weird allergy that resulted in a nasty looking rash on my knee; the skin becoming scaly and somewhat black in colour. It was not contagious but it was rather nasty looking, and that did drive my other young friends away from me. I pleaded with them that it was not contagious and would not harm anyone, and they would give a stoic "Oh okay" but still maintain a marked distance from me. I would occasionally catch my peers staring with mild disgust at my knee. It was painful, but I didn't complain or cry; I thought to myself that maybe in the future I will look back and feel proud of how strong I was. Not to blow my own trumpet, but I do feel proud of my younger self, mainly because I doubt I can show the same mental fortitude now that I did as a little boy.
My first relationship which lasted only a few months: it validated most of the romantic clichรฉs that I had come across until then and taught me to love, to trust and to accept myself. The young boy, who had hitherto been fascinated with the concept of a lone wolf, a wandering knight, a one man show and such, had now completely let go of those notions in favour of love. How I cherish the heart-warming smiles, melodious laughter, lingering stares; she transformed me as a person. The relationship didn't last, unfortunately, but I don't think I can stop being in love with the memory.
The dejection and utter hopelessness I felt when I made my mother cry. It was not something I did to her, but rather the kind of person that I was becoming. I must point out that there have been some issues within the family - my idiot father who had an affair and deserted us, among other things. And consequently, I being the eldest child, was forced into a situation where I had to some responsibilities and face situations which usually aren't common for the age that I was when all this happened, and I wasn't being as responsible as I should've been. However, that sight made me resolve to never let me be the cause of my mother's tears ever again, and to this day I move forward with that intention in my heart.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I still remember the exact place at my old house where I was sitting when I first successfully tied my own shoes.
Three vast summers ago I met someone who I thought would be the love of my life. It was a crazy long distance struggle but something about her fed me and I was always hungry. We never met through the year and so it was the next summer. Summer of 2014. This was when the end started. I could not do anything as she had re-sparked a flame for her old lover. I felt like absolute shit and cried for three hours a day for a month or probably even three. Ed Sheeran made me scream, cry, puff, and who knows what else. My heart literally drenched and although there was no physical pain, I could feel my heart just fall. I just felt this immense pressure but it was all mental. Though no physical pain has ever hurt me more than those two hours every day that cruel cruel summer. I would listen to "Photograph" and whenever "And you can fit me inside the necklace you got when you were sixteen, next to your heartbeat where I should be." I would lose it all and just bawl uncontrollably. In fact I may or may not be bawling reminiscing that summer two years ago. For some reason I just cannot forget about that month, more so than the summer I first met her. They say you don't know what you have until it's gone but I knew what I had and when I could feel like it was going to go, it just made everything 10 times worst.
Unfortunately, this is my only REAL core memory that I don't have to think about. It's just embedded and a part of me forever.
edit: wrong lyrics, dont kill me Ed Sheeran
exitmud ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age 7: I let my friend at the time borrow my Pokemon Red for the weekend. Monday came, he said he "lost it" and gave me Super Mario in return.
Growing up my mom, brother and I lived with my grandparents for a while. I used to be terrified of thunderstorms, so my grandpa would force me to lay on my stomach with him looking out the sliding glass doors to the deck every time there was a storm. Made me love storms of all kinds, when the wind starts to pick up before a storm I crack a huge smile remembering him and those times.
Leaving my friends, girlfriend and my father behind at a train station, heading for Moscow then onto Australian. I have not been back since, it has been over 15 years ago. I will never forget that and how much I cried as the train pulled away.
Launching fireworks outside our apartment block during new year celebrations.
One time, while trying to make some money to play at an internet Cafe. Me and my friend were washing cars at the front of a big market place. Many kids would try and do that to get some money. As we washed a car, we had noticed that a couple of bigger, meaner kids were watching us and as we got to the end of our job and the owner came back to pay us for the job those kids made a move towards us. We had noticed that and decided to split. I leg it on my own two feet while my friend tipped out dirty water and ask that the owner give him a lift away around the corner. We ended up escaping from those kids and keeping the money. Spent the money playing the night at the internet Cafe.
Getting drunk for the first time. Something happened to my back muscles and it kept pulling me back and to the left. It was middle of winter and on the way home I kept falling over onto the side of a walkway and when crossing the road. Some people noticed my trouble and a guy carried me home. Parents never said anything and to this day I don't know if they knew that I was drunk.
Tripping on acid by myself in my room, while playing NFS shift. Menu ambiet sounds was something like a pit stop with faint voices and wrench sounds. I thought my mates in the living room was building something. I sat there in my chair for a while, trying to figure out what was going on until it clicked.
Watching Mr hell's for the first time with a bunch of mates all tripping. I kept thinking they are plotting something, because the show kept going around and around with no end in sight.
Having very loud sex with my new gf for a couple month straight, in an apartment. Then receding a mail from one of the neighbours, asking politely to keep it down. That kind of ruined our sex life and I am to this day paranoid about disturbing people.
Canazza ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
age 2, Throwing a tantrum because my mum wouldn't let me ride the Thomas the Tank Engine outside Woolworths, and her walking away from me, scaring me shitless.
Age 3, local kid threw a brick at my head and me needing stitches. First visit to a hospital I can remember.
Age 4, getting a Commodore 64 for my christmas. Also discovering I was allergic to Christmas trees.
Age 5, lying to my Head Teacher in order to stay outside in the rain (the 5y/os were supposed to go inside when it was wet). First memory of successfully bluffing an adult.
Age 8, being chewed out by my mum for using the phrase 'Paki Shop'. Getting confused because I thought it was 'Packie shop', as in, they packed stuff in there. That was the moment I became aware of Racism.
iidxred ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:02:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That last one is interesting to me as a Bostonian. We have liquor stores that we call "Packies" but it isn't a race-related thing, its short for Package Store because all liquor sold must be in some sort of sealed package.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sadness... Or fear.
I "dialed" (as in fake, didnt press a button) 911... My brother ran to my parents telling them. My Dad went off the wall at me.
Beating super mario rpg the first time (I think when I was 9). Was my first rpg and was very influential for my video game tastes.
Learning to play Magic the gathering at my first game store with a rank 2 judge. I have yet to stop playing, and even though its only been 3 years, I still look back on that day as incredibly important.
Meeting a former friend of mine the first time at the start of 3rd grade. I don't really see him anymore.
The project about sharing music with fellow students in my english class in 10th grade... I could have chosen differently and I always go back to it for some reason.
Setting off fireworks at a lake in indiana on vacation with my family.
For some reason the FF4 transition of cecil from a dark knight to a paladin really hits me in the feels (played through this the first time when I was 11-12) and has kept with me throughout my life.
Making allstate orchestra my senior year of high school, being the only one in my city on double bass and one of two (the other being a friend of mine) at my high school to get in.
[story from another thread] my dad telling me one christmas that my mom worked really hard at all of her jobs (including a church job) and that we should let her sleep in whenever we could. he had taken us outside to make a snowman and an igloo.
my grandpa bringing a wheelbarrow of sand over from the orchard and building us a surprise sandbox.
playing the piano with my grandmother and mother and them teaching me how to read sheet music.
my bus accident probably replaced my religious core memory.
making my first friend in 5th grade. i was very shy but she was new in school and she turned around to work on our social studies assignment together. i never knew it was that easy.
putting these together, i realized that a lot of things i remembered were very sad or angry. phyllis, get out of my head!
i would sit out on the playground alone during recess, first grade. the kids went out to play and i realized i had no friends, so what i did was i went to a little pole in the corner and sit for half an hour till it was over. i would talk to myself and explore the ground... it was fun. but then a kid who would be my best friend until i was like 16. we played runescape and halo together; it was sweet.
finding my mom alone and sad. really sad, really bad. i knew something was wrong and i knew it was because of either people like my dad or my stepdad at the time. i knew people were hurting her but i didn't know why. she was my mom and i learned what i meant, by pure will, to be defensive and caring of somebody who needs it. will always carry this.
My father and I doing what he called the Pluto and Charon dance...he would twirl around in the center, and I would hold onto his hands and rotate around the outside in a circle. It's why I've always been a little sad about Pluto's demotion. (It's also my favorite memory of my father.)
Looking into a cardboard box and seeing a little ball of black and white fur that soon became my childhood cat and companion. Even better once we picked her up and she relaxed into our hands instantly.
I mixed together all the Play-Doh in my kindergarten classroom, and when asked by my teacher what I had done, I said, "I made sourdough pie!" She made me separate it out by color.
Elementary school talent show: Instead of dancing or singing, I had some ridiculous skit that involved reciting the Presidents of the US in order, through Clinton. (And whatever material in the skit that wasn't the list was very flimsy.) No one applauded, everyone thought I was a gigantic nerd (true, but...) and I hated getting on stage after that.
Shortly after I was attacked, I was on a (pre-planned) vacation visiting another friend of mine and one of her friends. We walked along the berry farm that bordered my friend's house and ate blackberries and blueberries and raspberries straight off the bush. Minimal talking, just three teenage girls, a warm summer's day in California, and a bunch of fresh berries. It was the best therapy I could have had, and now I associate berries with that feeling.
A bit late to the party but on the very least i get it out my chest.
When i was a kid my mother would store my money. I have adhd and used to be a very active and anxious kid. So when i was nervous i would uncontrollably bite and suck my shirt until it had wholes in it. Since most of the time I was wearing cheap t-shirts that my mom didn't buy (carnival block t-shirts, politicians, promotional stuff), that didn't really hurt my parents financiallially. When my mom saw what i have done to three of my t-shirts, she took all the money I had in her hand to buy new t-shirts. It was close to the equivalent of 200 dollars, and one of these t-shirts cost less than 10 at the time. Worst part is, she didnt buy new clothes for me until my birthday, occasion on which she gave me clothes as a present. I have never felt so betrayed in my life.
There was a girl that was the daughter of my mom's bestfriend, I was about 9, i think. I had a really big crush on her. I was very caring to her and would use every opportunity to touch and hug her (which is common in Brazil). One day she kissed me on the cheek, held my hand and said that she liked me a lot. and I told her i liked her a lot as well. I was the happiest kid on the world.
This girl went to Germany because her mother married a german priest. She came back to Brazil for a short vacation when i was about 15. We immediately hooked up and foolishly decided to become boyfriend and girlfriend, knowing she would have to go back to Germany. My parents told me they would send me there every six months or so, but I was unable to believe that, because it would cost them a lot of money. I broke up, but i was devastated.
Sitting in the police station after being arrested for the first time and making eye contact with my dad through the window to the waiting room. That look of fear/disappointment will never leave my memory.
A good friend of mine telling me that he'd been in love with me through our whole friendship (which had only been about two years at that point), and telling me that he'd tried to kill himself because he knew nothing would ever happen between us.
Bit late to the party but, anyone who creeps my profile can now know a little more about me...
Coaching High School Crew for the first time in my life. I was only 22 years old and I have a bunch of 14-18 year old boys looking to me as a role model. I had no idea what I was doing at first but we ended up winning the state championship in our category by like.. 30 seconds. It was an amazing experience.
Getting in trouble for drinking alcohol my freshman year of college. I was on the Crew team and the school had a zero tolerance policy. I had to call my parents crying drunk at 3am that I fucked up and that I was so sorry. My mom listened until I was done and finally said, "It's ok, go to sleep, we'll deal with it tomorrow. I love you". Made me realize that nothing is more important than family and sticking together through tough times. Tearing up thinking about that one. In the end just got a stern slap on the wrist from the school.
Breaking up with with a toxic girlfriend. The relationship was terrible, she made me feel like the most worthless person in the world. There was no passion after the first year or so of dating, but both of us were too weak to break it off so we kept dating for 2 more years since neither of us could end it. Every time I brought it up she'd turn on the water works and I wouldn't be able to hold my ground, cave in then comfort her. One time after making the usual 2 hour round trip visit to her apartment in a neighboring city, I found there was no love in her greeting, no more sparkle in her eyes to see me. I tried my best and it wasn't good enough for her. That night when I got back home I called her like a coward and broke it off over the phone so I wouldn't have to see her cry again and repeat the cycle. It was for the best. She's not friends with me anymore but she seems to be very happy. And now I'm in a very loving relationship where for 3 years every time I come home I'm greeted with love, which is all I wanted in the first place.
Krail ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:32:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've got a lot of video game related ones, but I notice that most of my "core memories" are things that happened frequently, and not specific events. Is anyone else like that?
Watching my big sister play Super Mario Brothers.
When I was in college, my then-girlfriend was playing FF9 for the first time and a bunch of us got together and did the voices while she played.
Driving home from school every day with my mom just talking about what happened in our days.
The first time I ever drove myself anywhere and ordered food for myself at age 16.
In 6th grade, being told by other kids to go with my nickname because my full name sounded dumb and girly.
mreg215 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:32:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my mom and dad would wake me up hours before sunrise after my dad bought a 711, from the age of ten to about highschool to go help him out when employees were no shows or on Friday nights when I had to work graveyard shifts because the employee didn't mentioned he quit, mopping , sweeping, to accountinng they taught me all that stuff.
Really taught me to grow my character and respect every level of industry and how to connect with people as well as keeping a level mindset, although things were hectic 85 percent of our family time because of the business stress.
My buddies dads , they're fucking ass busters , but they really helped me grow by keeping the civil guidance and reminding me that hard work pays off.
Mom reminded me to be level headed but to stay human, God/alpha or whoever you believe in us great he really provided me with avenues of positivity, and of if anyone needs some positive avenues I can only spread more positivity and encouragement .
SCM1992 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:32:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sadness - at my granddad's funeral, we were in a private meeting with family and the funeral director. I hadn't been feeling too bad until he started talking about my grandpa asking forgiveness for his sins on his death bed. I'm an atheist, but...something about the scenario made my lose my shit. Uncontrollably.
Anger - some friends and I were hotboxing in the back parking lot of our apartment complex. Me and my friend's girlfriend get out because we're lame and it wasn't that smoky yet. Some drunk stumbling down the alley got mad at her and hit her. So I charged him and James Bond tossed him to the ground. I knocked him out pretty quickly and I wanted to keep going, but didn't. Dropped my knee on his throat and told him to leave and never come back. He left and didn't.
Fear - I was hiking trying to cross a tree, and slipped. I was on a mountain so I was hanging off of a log with nothing but vegetation below me. Didn't know how far the ground was, but wasn't strong enough to hold on or pull myself up. So I let go. Ground was like a foot from underneath me.
Disgust - Ate a jar of sofritos on a bet for $5. Could taste it weeks later. The only thing that induces gagging to me.
Joy - the first time I hugged my girlfriend she hugged me so tight...buried her head in my chest then ran into her cabin. We're still dating four years later, and I'm going to propose to her soon.
Christmas morning, I was maybe 7 or so. Parents bought me a SNES with donkey kong country. Greatest game ever. Sat in my grandparents basement playing it all day with my dad, brother, and uncle. We got stuck on the mine kart level and my uncle was finally the one to beat it.
Not sure why but it's probably the happiest memory I have.
A year later finding out my grandfather died. Was still young so I didn't totally understand it but it's my first memory of death. It kind of wakes you up to the world a bit.
Staying up late, shoving towels under doors to try and block the light. Playing video games with my brother until the early hours of the morning. Dead silent in the room so we can hear when my dad wakes up to go to work. This one is more of a collection of memories.
I'm sure there are more they just aren't coming to me now.
birdjon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:33:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As someone who never got to experience many of the things that people experience growing up, reading all of these responses brings me happiness. I doubt I'll experience the world the way it was intended. Always the observer.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:34:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This thread is just reminding me of how few happy memories I have. Almost all of them suck huge.
So let's ruin the happy streak, shall we?
I remember in like first grade, my mother had been in ICU for like 6 months up in Calgary (A three hour drive) due to a car accident that had nearly killed her, me, my brother, my grandfather, and my unborn brother. A group of neck vertebra had fused and needed to be replaced (it was a weird proceedure that included removing her hip bone and putting it in place of the vertebra) but, while she was there, my dad and aging Grandmother had been left to tend to us. One night my father put me and my brother in the car and drove us to the pub. He left us in the car all night while he drank alone. I fell asleep in the car and awoke to my brother crying to a crapped diaper next to me in the parking lot still. I didn't remember getting home, but after that my grandmother almost exclusively took care of us.
I'm going to go in chronological order here, so this was when I was about 12. I grew up in what was possibly the worst neighborhood in Alberta. Constant SWAT raids on houses and police arresting totally drugged out neighbors. We didn't have anywhere else to go apart from the back of our barely running car and the rent was enough for my dad to pay by working at Walmart. My mom was pretty immobile at this time, and she was mostly confined to the house and Car. I spent most of my days with "Friends" much older than me with gang affiliations. One of them was particularly sadistic and enjoyed beating the shit out of me, I mostly accepted it/ passed the pain down (regretfully) to my younger brother. It would have gone on like this forever if not for my "Friend" transitioning from physical to sexual abuse. After the first couple times, I stayed inside and hid from him and kinda still do. That kinda thing isn't very easy to cope with. But I'm trying my best with what help I have.
Last sad memory I'm gonna share. My mom called me crazy for telling her this until her sister told her the exact same story. So halfway through 6th grade, my mom had complications with her previous hip to neck surgery. Some of the metal equipment they used to secure everything in place had started to "decay" causing her lungs to fill with some sort of infection (didn't help that the previous proceedure meant that she couldn't use her mouth to eat 99% of food) it filled her lungs and was killing her. She has airlifted to the ICU in Calgary again, but this time we came along for the most of it and long story short she didn't die and there is no more metal in her neck, but after the procedure they had to drain her lungs into some sort of machine that stored the bile. It was supposed to be incredibly painful, but they countered the feeling of having 9 garden hoses in her lungs with a constant drip of morphine. Constant. She was totally stoned the entire time, she would cuss out the Vietnam veteran she shared the room with and said it was good riddance when he finally passed. But I think the worst thing she did, and the one that stuck with me was when she was in the lobby of the hospital with my deaf aunt. She convinced my also deaf uncle to go and buy her a toblerone we knew she couldn't eat, and she sat there and waited until some 80 year old cancer patient was wheeled by with her daughter. Which then my mother began to throw the little chocolate triangles at the poor woman from her own chair. It took my uncle physically taking the candy away to make her stop harassing the poor lady. That's the only time in my life I have seen my mother attempt to harm another person. It was insane
Please forgive my crappy submission, but the thread was too happy for me dawg.
My father used to take my brother and me "up north" (Michigan) for a few week each summer along the Suttons Bay area. This was during the early 80's when that type of work was plentiful. We stayed with friends of his who were migrant workers so it was anything but hotel living. We would just go where they went so each time we stayed at a different location. The places we stayed sometimes had dirt floors, no running water other than a pump outside and the bathrooms were always an outhouse. At the time I hated staying in those places because there were none of the things I was accustomed to. To me it was unfair. I felt like it was unfair because my father had a good job and made good money but he always took us to stay with his migrant worker friends for a couple weeks. My father came to this country as a young man, studied hard and was able to have a great career. He was a hard worker and excellent provider. Really when we were with our father we wanted for nothing so it was hard for me to understand why he would take us north to stay in those poor conditions.
Aside from staying in what I referred to as shacks we also worked in the fields either picking cherries, strawberries or apples. Basically whatever was being harvested we worked at. It was hot and I was always pretty vocal about my disapproval. One time we were picking strawberries and I was throwing them into the bucket really hard. A Mexican guy asked me in broken english if I was making "strawberry jam." I'd put good strawberries on top and take the bucket up front to a man who would hand me a little ticket. Kind of like those little raffle tickets you can buy in a big roll. I didn't know what it was for but later learned you traded them in later for money. The money went to my father's friends. Anyone who's ever done field work knows it's hot and back breaking. These people did it for a living.
After staying with his friends for a while we would leave and spend a week in a hotel doing all the things I really wanted to do like visit the Sleeping Bear sand dunes, eat ice cream, ride go-karts and by then a hot shower! It's amazing how much you miss simple things like that when you don't have them. After a few weeks without indoor plumbing I would always smile at the sight of a bathroom that had a toilet and shower.
As I became a man and started working regularly I always thought back to those days and came to the conclusion that my father was trying to teach me something. In my mind the lesson was to always work hard and to appreciate what you have. I took that lesson and have always applied it to my life. Anything I put my hand to I made sure to do it to my best ability and to work as hard as I could always thinking about the lesson from my father. That was more than 30 years ago.
I'm 45 now and quite successful in business. I've always contributed that to the lessons I learned from my father, work hard and be thankful. Last year I told him how I always worked hard and thought about our visits north with migrant workers. I told him I am thankful for his teaching me to appreciate what I have and to work hard. He smiled and said something that totally caught me off guard. He said, "I wasn't trying to teach you any lessons I just did that so I could see my friends AND didn't have to pay for a hotel room during those weeks!" I was so surprised to hear him say he wasn't intending to teach me good work ethics and to appreciate what I have even thought that's exactly what happened. I guess in the end I taught myself that lesson.
โAre you my Daddy?โ I asked my father, as I watched him walk up the sidewalk to my house.
I was playing outside in the driveway, alone. I donโt know how old I was for sure, so I will guess I was about four. Definitely preschool.
My parents ultimately divorced when I was a toddler. He had gone back to his home country overseas because things had become complicated, but he came back to visit a year or two later.
Age 3 ,Its my birthday, my father picks me up and places me on the piano in our living room.
Age 6.5 , I'm running away from a bully straight into the road, a car runs me over.
Age 11, Saddam Hussein starts firing SCUD missiles towards Israel, I learn how to use a gas mask.
Age 15, First actual kiss, we remain friends but nothing more.
Age 18, Drafted into the IDF, shit just got real
Age 20, One of my closest friends dies from a rifle accident/suicide (It was never determined), On behalf of his family I call up total strangers to inform them what happened and provide funeral details.
Age 24, My first marriage. It ended 9 months later.
Age 27, I meet who would eventually become my 2nd wife.
Age 29, My 2nd marriage, had a blast and still going strong.
Age 31, I become a father to a son.
Age 33, Once again I fathered a son. Soon after Hamas started firing rockets towards where I live. I experience a new type of fear.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:37:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My "core memory" happened a lot older than most of you guys.
When I was younger I met a girl, Julie, that I thought was just absolutely the one. Even at 8 years old when we were in Mrs. Sharpe's class, I was absolutely enamored with her. To this day I honestly think of her as the one that got away, and blame myself every day for it.
As time passed I managed to widdle away at her and by the time high school came around we were inseparable. We had gone to homecoming every year, junior prom, and senior prom. College time came around and we both chose to go to NYU, she was way more into it than I was, but I supported everything she did so I busted my ass to get in also.
We had a complete whirlwind romance as a young couple together in NYC. It was absolutely amazing, our favorite thing to do was to hop on the train and head down to Coney Island and walk around. She was very drawn to the water, and I think that came from her father who was a fisherman. New York was perfect for her because of all the water around, and I myself became a fan. Every weekend it was down to the beach or the waterfront for picnics.
This slowed down around our junior year of college, we were still together, but something about her was different. She was just so dry. I thought maybe she was tiring of me, but she kept insisting it wasn't something I did and that I was the only one for her. She just was off, something was different about her.
One evening I was stuck at school late, working on a project, after I finished up it was around 10PM. At this time we had managed to get a little apartment together, so after taking a cab back to the apartment in the pouring down rain I noticed she wasn't home. This was very unlike Julie, and to be quite honest with how things were going lately something was just weird. I tried calling her phone, but she wouldn't answer. I had this gut feeling that I knew where she was at. You see, in the few months prior to this her father had died, and we'd often make our way down to Battery Park and we'd sit there for hours just watching the water. She'd cry, but she said she felt that it was therapeutic to her, because of her father's love for the water.
I knew she was in Battery Park. I hopped into a cab and jetted down there. Julie was there, like I had expected. I walked up to her and she just sat there spouting off some nonsense about us and how she couldn't do this anything.
My heart was broken, I felt destroyed. I kept asking her what I could do. What she needed from me. I couldn't understand why she was doing this to me, we'd been essentially childhood sweethearts.
I finally grabbed her as she stood on the edge of the water and turned her around, "JULIE, WHAT CAN I DO. JULIE, WHAT DO YOU NEED?" "I need about tree fiddy." It was around this time I realized that this wasn't Julie, this girl was about 8 stories tall and a crustacean from the Paleozoic era. That damned Loch Ness Monster had gotten me again, "Damnit Monstah, I ain't givin' you no tree fiddy!" I yelled as she swam away into the distance.
I eventually found Julie, but she was just sleeping with my best friend. Fuck her.
10 years old, near my house at the time riding my bike in the fields (what me and my friends did at the time). Some people were walking their dog out in the field. For some reason the dog decided that I looked/smelled rather appealing, so he attacked. I was riding on my bike and this dog sprints at me, grabs my ankle and proceeds to pull me off my bike. So I crashed, and i have a dog chomping on my lower right light. Then he did that head shake that dogs use to help sink their teeth in deeper. I was screaming and crying, scared and in pain. About this time the owner finally reaches me and pulls their dog off of me. in tears with torn up jeans and bloody legs i sprint home. Dad takes one look and says where is the owner? like a flash my dad is gone to the field. I'll never know what he actually said but I guess it went something like this "if i see your dog off leash again, i will kill it, no warnings, no questions, just dead dog. then I will have a VERY serious talk with you (the owner). So it will be in your best interest that I never see you or your dog again." (my dad is a big guy) then he came and spoke with me, made sure everything was ok. I explain i'm scared of my own dog now and don't want to go in the house. Dad says I can't go through life scared of dogs, so he teaches me a couple of ways to grab a dog (or any animal with a spine) that can cause some extreme pain, even death if you do it right. never been scared of a dog sense that day. actually had to use that move on a couple dogs and humans during the course of my life. never went so far as to kill anyone or anything, but I have successfully informed the assaulting party that i was not the person they were looking for, and they should really just leave me alone.
Both my mom's divorces happened on Christmas. My first stepfather (father was never in the picture) ditched on Christmas, 2010. Second one stayed and acted civil, knowing how his actions affected me, 2015. The second one was more of a father to me, despite having been there for a shorter time. I haven't spoken to him in ages because since he's been out of my life I came out as transgender and while I'm sure he's already found out by now the stress of possibly having to come out to him and explain myself and hear him call me by my dead name prevents me from reaching out to him. Even though everyone else in my life has accepted me and I know he would too, something makes me think he might be the one who doesn't.
The day I came out and the overwhelming support from friends.
Freshman year, a senior girl named Vianni saw me eating lunch alone and sat with me. That's a good memory. She graduated and I haven't seen her since, and I don't remember her face, but I remember her name and her kindness.
My favorite summer, last summer, in which I got to play classic rock covers at California Adventure with friends 5 times, and spend the rest of the day at the park each time. This was the first time I had friends who I really had something in common with. I'm sure this summer will beat the last since my band Hoity-Toity is playing the Pomona date of Warped and releasing our EP that day, and the members of my band are the people I'd now call my best friends.
The night my mom got mad at me for giving her attitude (she told me to floss or some shit and I told her I would do it later), so she pulled my hair and threw me to the floor then picked up my guitar and started swinging it like she was gonna hit me with it so I slapped it out of her hand and she called the cops on me and they sided with her because she's supposedly a poor frail little woman despite being the most athletic person I know and holding a blunt object. The cops took me and I spent the night at my stepdad's house and he told me about some shit she had done that basically confirmed my suspicion that she abused him and he put up with it. Luckily since he's a big dude she never actually physically hurt him. At that point I decided I'm gonna cut my mom out of my life when I'm financially able to. Even though our relationship has been fantastic recently, my perspective of her changed so much that night that I honestly don't think I can keep her in my life no matter how well she treats me now.
The first thing my dad said to my mom when I was born: "Are we having fun yet?" She apparently looked like she could've murdered him right then and there.
When her mom passed away, it was right after we put our dog down and my dad had fallen off a ladder, shattering his heel. Was a rough week for us but as we were heading to the funeral, my dad turned and asked "Are we having fun yet?". We all laughed, including my mom, and then I joined two of the people who raised me as we buried the third.
This past Memorial Day, I was hiking a high peak with my old college bud and I got separated at one point, losing the trail on the way down. After climbing up some steep stuff and dealing with the elevation sickness I'd gotten earlier, I checked my phone to see if my buddy had texted me and was worried about getting lost, but I found a text from my dad simply asking "Are we having fun yet?" and the beer emoji as he thought I'd be drinking by then. It was all I needed to smile and keep going, and even tear up as I realized what an odd jumble of words to carry so much meaning for me.
1) Approximately 2 years old, coming home with my mom. The apartment is dark, dad is sitting in a chair by the window, drunk. He throws up all over himself. He walks forward and hits my mom, then swings at me and everything goes dark. She divorced him when I was 3.
2) The neighbor lady next to the apartment in #1 was really nice, she had a bowl of lemon drops and butterscotch by her door and she always gave me some. I liked the butterscotch better.
3) Approximately 3 years old, we were no longer living in the apartment, but still with the drunken jerk. I was playing his harmonica which he didn't like (I was 3), "I don't want to hear you playing that while I'm around!" - "That's OK, I'll play it when you aren't around." - Yeah, that was a beating.
4) Approximately 3 years old, playing scrabble with my mom and dad (I learned to spell and read at 2). Dad plays "Drag" and gets his points. My turn, I turn "Drag" into "Dragon", double word score! Yeah, that was a beating.
5) First memory, I'm sitting in a large dark leather chair surrounded by stuffed toys having my picture taken. We found the picture many years later, on the back it said I was 8 months old.
My primary beef with Inside Out is that her core memories were ALL happy ones. Not a single unhappy memory. Really? No pet ever died? No friend ever moved away? Ever? Really?
Mine is a little bit more morbid than most I've read on here, but it definitely is my most intense memory.
I remember my brother's funeral. He had muscular dystrophy and died in the hospital at 12 years old the day after Thanksgiving. I was 7 years old.
I remember exactly what I wore, a purple velvet dress, and I remember laying my head on my mom's lap throughout the entire service with a stuffed animal dog one of my friends brought me.
Once it was our turn, we went to say our last goodbyes. It was an open casket. I still remember exactly what shirt he was wearing, a pale yellow RL polo. I remember how pale his skin looked, and how perfect his hair was. And I remember seeing all of his favorite beanie babies in the casket with him. Most of all though, I remember the smell of the flowers. I get random breezes of it from time to time now. I especially don't like carnations now, because they smell exactly like that scent and bring me back to it.
TL;DR: Grammie gave me a soccer ball. Ex broke up with me. I failed out of college.
I know these are long, but the TL;DR really does summarize what the memories are.
For Christmas in 2000, my grammie got me a soccer ball. It was a really nice, professional standard ball, traditional black and white, and I don't remember the material, but I remember it being softer than most soccer balls, and really easy to kick. I was really into soccer, which plenty of kids are, but what made this gift special was that my grammie got me something unique from the rest of my siblings and cousins. Everyone else always got generic gifts for each other, but my grammie was the only one who would take the time to pick out unique gifts for everyone. This was big for me, because even at the age of seven, I liked to been seen as an individual, not as the same as everyone else, specifically not the same person as my brother. After this Christmas, I also stopped asking for presents I knew I wasn't going to get and told my parents that for my birthday and Christmas, I didn't want anything unless they had thought about the gift and got me something they knew I would need or want. I get fewer gifts now, but the gifts I do get mean a lot more to me. In fact, on my mom's side of the family, we no longer do gifts at Christmas (grammie, who is now passed, was on my dad's side). We spend the time eating, laughing, playing games, and just generally being together. It's a lot more enjoyable.
When my ex broke up with me about a year ago, I was devastated. We had only been together for about 4 months, but I honestly thought I would someday propose to and marry her. I was dumb, and it was my first relationship, I understand that now, but stuck with me was everything I learned in the following weeks after our break-up. I learned to read the giant red flags and understand they mean I shouldn't go there, even if I want to. I learned I can set boundaries, and that they can be healthy and prepare for a good relationship. I learned that being wary of cheating can be understandable when their behavior suddenly changes after meeting a friend of yours at a movie. Basically, I learned that everything I ever told my friends about relationships really does apply to even me. (Note: I was, and still am, really good at giving relationship advice for my friends, because I knew how to recognize underlying issues in the things that they were saying. However, I willingly ignored the very things I would have told my friends they should be doing, and that's really what got me in trouble. I've been single for almost all 23 years of my life, but those 4 long months taught me so much that I already knew, but thought I was somehow immune to. This whole experience also showed me who had really cared about me this whole time, and it was really heart-warming to learn that there were people standing up for me when I didn't think they really thought anything of me (one of my coworkers told off my ex's new boyfriend, another coworker of ours, and told him that he either needs to come clean to me, or he needs to leave me alone, because I was hurting enough from the break-up, and I didn't need to see those two together).
I flunked out of college my first go-round. It happens to a lot of people at some point, but this hit me especially hard. I was always a grade A type of student in highschool (would've had a 4.0 if I had put in any effort, but I got by with a 3.51), and it honestly felt like my life was ending. I had dealt with depression for years at that point, but that last semester had been the worst yet. There were days I couldn't will myself out of bed and would just skip class. I couldn't be bothered to do any homework. I did fine on exams, but I was so behind on homework and projects, that it didn't mean much. There was an entire class that I forgot I was taking until I checked my exam schedule. When I got my grades back, and more specifically, when I knew I wasn't going to transfer to the school that I'd been working to go to, I drove to my sister's house and cried to her. I told her that I wasn't going to be transferring schools, I told her what happened, and I told her I was terrified to tell our parents. She said she would help me, and the next day I went to go see my parents (my mom and dad owned their own independent clinic, dad was the doctor, mom was the nurse, and my sister was one of the receptionists). They didn't have any patients scheduled at that time, they closed the clinic for "lunch," and we all met in my dad's office. I told my parents everything. In fact, I told them everything as far back as when my depression first started, and all the things I'd kept bottled up inside, and how I'd felt like I couldn't tell anybody. My mom and sister started crying. My dad, trying to smile, said, "Thank you for telling us," and started crying. I'm actually starting to cry remembering all of this. From that point on, my relationship with my parents, which at that point had been almost non-existent, became much better. They helped me find a good therapist, who helped me with a lot of issues that I knew about but would sometimes forget were even issues (he also thought I might benefit from anti-depressants, and while I would end up taking them short-term later on in my life, I declined because I didn't want to be one of those people who depended on anti-depressants and couldn't live their life on their own. I'm no longer on them, but they helped me immensely when I was taking them). Flunking out of college was honestly one of the best things that would ever happen to me. It gave me time to just work and not really worry about the stress of thinking where my life was headed, at least for a short while.
Now, these stories are a bit out of order, but they all came together later on. Because of how I view gifts and gift-giving, I would end up ingratiating myself with my ex's family when I brought gifts for her nephews at Christmas, and then getting something special for her grandma when her grandfather died (I was there in the hospital room because I had asked for the day off from work, so I drove with her to be there for emotional support if he did pass [he had pneumonia]). Because of that, her oldest brother and I ended up becoming really good friends (her nephews were his kids). Because this was after I'd flunked out of college that first time (haven't again since, and I hope to keep it that way), and I was going to a local community college and looking to transfer to another school to go for my computer science degree, he told me about a scholarship opportunity at his alma mater. They were giving out scholarships to a few students for the new programs they were launching, and one of them was for Computer Science. If I got the scholarship, I would barely have to worry about money, and the school wasn't that far away from where I'm from, so I figured my (now)-ex and I would be able to see each other regularly, we could skype, and we'd make it work. I was fully prepared for that. Then I got the acceptance letter, then the scholarship, then she broke up with me, making an excuse about communication issues, when really (as best as I can figure with what little evidence I've found) she was trying to date that friend I mentioned earlier, that coworker of mine.
So I have core memories, that really start and end at varied lengths in my life. I still have a really good relationship with my ex's family, and I regularly hear about how they don't like who she's dating now (she's gone through 3 or 4 other boyfriends in the year since she broke up with me), that they wish she hadn't broken up with me, and that they thought we were going to marry for sure. Her mom and my mom talk fairly often as well, they're actually pretty good friends at this point. Her other brother (older than her, but younger than the oldest) and I have really similar taste in media (books, movies, music, etc.) and beer, so we get along really well the few times we see each other. Her dad said I was the only guy she ever dated that he approved of.
I've learned a lot from those memories, and the events of those memories also helped me get to where I am today. I have a really well paying job (for the situation I'm in. I don't need a whole lot right now), I'm going to school full-time on a full ride (tuition only) scholarship at a decent school. I've made connection with plenty of really good people who can help me whenever I choose to move up, whether with this company or another. Overall, while two of those "core" memories involve some of the lowest points in my life, they were also probably some of the best things that ever happened to me.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:41:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 10 years old I was shopping with my mom at a grocery store and wandered off into the cosmetics aisle where I found this cool makeup set in an awesome pink guitar case. I just had to have it, but my mom told me that I had to save my money up and buy it myself. It was the last one so I went to the customer service desk to put the set on hold, only the lady right behind me purchased it right then and there for me! A complete stranger had just paid over $50 for some stupid makeup that I really did not need. Changed my outlook of humanity right there and to this day I think back to that moment and it inspires me to be a better person to those around me.
12- I let down my partner in a history project. I swore to myself to never let that happen again to anything that trusts me
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:41:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting on a hill with my dad in his old blue pickup and watching the Olympic torch pass through my home town. Late 1985, I was 2.
Visiting my uncle and aunt in Virginia Beach. Got to go on the deck of the USS Forrestal (my uncle's ship) for family day - saw a man I thought was Jesus. Later, went to the beach and chased a bunch of bikini-clad teenagers. Summer 1986, I was 3.
Meeting my elementary school bully. I introduced myself, he rocked his chair down on my foot. 1992, I was 9.
Beating the holy dogshit out of my elementary school bully. 1994, I was 10.
One of my first memories is a dream. I was a toddler and I was in something called a "baby sewer swimming race". It is exactly what it sounds like. I remember my Aunt being there cheering me on. Not sure if I won.
A real memory for me is I was maybe 5 or 6. It was Easter morning and my mom had bought me two similar dresses. I picked the one I wanted to wear to my grandparents house. My dad had gone out to start our old Buick and he didn't notice me come outside. For some reason I went behind the car as he started it and I got covered in black smoke. My dress was ruined and I ran inside crying. My mom goes out and starts yelling at my dad and he does not even know what is going on. Sorry dad
notnAP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:42:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wife saying she wanted a divorce.
Explaining to the eldest daughter, then 3-4, that we were moving out of the house she was born in, into tow different houses, and that she wouldn't see much of me.
(It's gotten better... won half custody thanks to ex's history.)
redkatt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:43:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 7, my mom used to date a guy who took her to Florida on vacation for 2-3 weeks every summer. Mom would leave me with my grandparents during this time.
The very first time I was left with them, about 2-3 days into Mom being away I got really upset and was crying a lot. My grandmother heads off to the kitchen to bake a cake. After she's done, she's sitting in the dining room frosting and decorating it, and I walk up and ask, VERY excitedly, "Whose birthday is it??", and she looked at me and said, "Honey, this whole cake is just for you."
I've never enjoyed a cake more, and to this day, just seeing a cake makes me suddenly happy.
My step dad was a redneck through and through, determined not to hold an hourly job and be under "the man".
He bounced between various handyman jobs, but his main source of income was taking junker cars, fixing them and selling to illegal immigrants under the table.
He turned our suburban rental into a junkers hovel, which eventually got us evicted.
Rather than submit to society he decided to uproot us all and take us back to his roots, living a carnie life.
He pulled me out of grade school a month before summer break was to start.
I told my best friend a couple days what might happen, two days later he pulled me right before lunch. Entire class ran out with me to the parking lot, best friend spilled the beans. Some girls ran up and hugged me, friends shook hands or hugged and said good luck and goodbye, my crush came up and kissed me on the cheek (again this was grade school so that was hella awkward).
It would be one of the last times I felt I belonged.
Flash forward 2 years and a return to that same school (carniehood was a fail) and I'm once again the outsider. My "friends" barely talked to me and I slowly withdrew socially and started spending time in library or at the edge of the school with a sketchbook then more moving, more withdrawal, rinse, repeat.
One memory in particular stands out for me. I had just gotten over two health issues while in second grade- Mono and then a couple months after that, the flu, which scared my parents due to being susceptible to illnesses for a year after having mono. (I wasn't allowed to do any physical activity for a year because of the fear of a relapse and damaging my spleen).
So, here I am, a little kid, who had been forced to be indoors and not do much (normally I didn't mind, I didn't like the outdoors and i love reading) and i found out that the party lady (as she was called by other kids in my apartment complex) was giving snow mobile rides to the kids, going down a path and across the lake and such. I wanted to go. My sister, who was babysitting me and not paying much attention, had no idea I had snuck out of the apartment to meet Sheila (aka: the party lady) so I could have a little fun with a snowmobile ride.
She didn't even ask me if I had permission, she just said hop on and I did.
It was so much fun.. even a little scary because the lake she went over was only half frozen.
Unfortunately my fun ended when the ride ended because my parents had pulled into the parking lot, spotted me, and were NOT HAPPY.
The main reason wasn't because I went on the snow mobile ride or that I snuck out on my sister ( they were mad about that though), but it was the fact I had just recovered from two major health scares and I had done what I did without: A jacket, gloves, a hat or any winter clothes on. I had only a jeans, a shirt, and my shoes. And Sheila had driven me over a half frozen lake..
So, they got mad at Sheila, they got mad at my sister, and when they calmed down, my dad quietly talked to me and told me that while he understood my restlessness and boredom, i still wasn't out of the woods regarding my health, so therefore for my health and safety, i couldn't do anything like that again.
Little young me actually realized my parents were actually scared I might get sick again, so I promised not to do that again.
So a memory filled with lots of stuff. And it's one of the few that still stick out to me to this day, even with my crappy memory.
Before I started Elementry my dad was a truck driver. I was always going with him, and remember driving through Vegas quite often
The first time my mom was diagnosed with cancer.
Spending three weeks in Australia.
The final time my mom was diagnosed with cancer and most likely the reason she will die.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:44:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have none. Dont remember much from childhood, things are mostly "i know this happened" but i dont know how. I can roughly remember like a week back but after that its gone. I rely heavily on instinct and need to fact check and double check a lot.
Tauge ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:45:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Eating ice cream on the back porch with my mother. I was young, my sister hadn't been born yet, and my Dad wasn't there...I'm assuming based on the time frame, he was out at sea. Anyway...I've always loved rain since.
Another when I was very young, I don't think my sister had been born for this one either...it was a shuttle night launch. I remember watching it start on TV then running out and watching it fly off...I used to think it was the return to flight post-challenger, (the accident occurred the year I was born) the time frame is possible, I would have been very young, but not too young for memories, but that launch wasn't at night. Which would make is STS-33 or STS-38 and I seem to recall hearing Atlantis...which would make it 38...but memories that old are funny...anyway...I know that awakened a long love of rockets and space, which lead to a love of planes. Unfortunately the aerospace industry wasn't for me, but I still am very passionate about them.
Losing my last job and getting this one. Losing my last job was the kick I needed to see there was a problem, getting this one and doing as well as I have has showed that I'm well on my way to fixing that problem.
My dad buried a christmas present for me outside our apartment in the snow. He called me later pretending he was Santa Claus (Ded Moroz) and told me where it was and I went with my mum to dig it out.
2.Me and my only American friends taking turns playing GTA vice city at Warren's house. They often cheated and I would call them out on it.
3.Getting road head by my first girlfriend who I was a piece of shit to.
fuck everything, i wanna go home, there's nothing here for me, ... im sorry..
TIAT323 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:46:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Joy - being about 5 years old on a family holiday, we had just had a BBQ, it was a beautiful sunny day and the grass was that perfect green colour, like a rug of endless perfection. And I ran as fast as my legs would take me and I have never felt so free.
Sadness - My first beloved pet dying.
Angry - some girls at school not letting me in their 'gang' even though I came up with the name and logo. I was about 6 years old.
Fear - Nearly drowning age 3. I remember it really vividly. I got stuck upside down in my flotation aid and I remember thinking 'you're going to have to breathe in a second and that's a really bad thing'. At that point the lifeguard grabbed me.
Disgust - I used to let spiders crawl on m but one day there was a really horrible on that bit me and I suddenly realised how much they freaked me out. I must have been about 5.
One time like 4 years ago I was playing scout on tf2 barnblitz whike listening to modeselektor. I also have good memories playing gmod sandbox with the same people everyday a few summers back. I don't have many specific memories, but I do remember what I was doing at whatever point in my life.
Nerdwah ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:46:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My oldest memory. At around two-and-a-half, I climbed up the ladder of a jungle gym and leaned forward to grab the monkey bars. I was too short and fell forward on my face knocking out one of my front teeth.
That early lesson taught me to not be ambitious and try for things that look out of reach.
emu30 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:48:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 4 or 5, my parents got divorced, but my dad came over with this giant Cinderella bed set and spread it out on the ground for me to see it. We were all rolling around on it, as a family. That's when I learned that my parents being divorced wasn't the end of the world.
Finding out that a classmate had killed himself when I was 17. I remember it so clearly and, even though I didn't know him well and I wasn't close to him, I tend to think of my life as "before the suicide" and "after the suicide".
I'm not entirely sure why, but it's like having that experience, no matter how detached, "triggered" (ugh I hate that term so much) something in me and I was never able to go back to how I was before.
I was 4 years old, walking in some tall grass prairie. The smell of bluestem and ragweed is permanently imprinted. I flushed a covey of bobwhite quail, and I remember I could smell them where they had been roosting. It was like I discovered my nose that day.
gaoh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:52:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Transformers 1986. Ran that tape into the ground, got banned by my family because would literally not stop watching it. Can still recite 99% of the script.
My mum telling my siblings and I that she was leaving. (we later found out she was having an affair)
Being thrown across the living room by my enraged father after an extended argument with him and my brother. I was always in the wrong.
My "BIG" ex. It's been 6 years, I still think about her.
Watching a friend of mine escort her date to the door at 3 am in the morning. This was the morning after prom and they had come over to hang out. He got into a fatal car accident that morning and passed away. We were the last people to see him.
When my first boyfriend dumped me. I will never get my scream after he hung up the phone out of my head.
The day that my horse passed away. I remember it vividly. I woke up feeling dread and just emotionally raw. I knew something was wrong, but I couldn't figure out what. My dad called me after my classes to tell me that she had been put down. I miss her.
My first trip with my current SO. We went to Memphis and basically stayed in the hotel room the entire weekend. It was amazing.
I was about 7 years old. My dad would wake me up by putting my beagle puppy on my chest so she could lick my face. In hindsight this is the only nice memory I have of him. He is now a narcissistic alcoholic.
bttfp3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:52:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 8, at school there was this one evening where we could bring our skateboards, bikes, scooters etc to. I didn't own any of those and got bullied at school, so for me this was another reason why I was a misfit at school.
The evening before the event, I woke up to go the toilet and saw my parents (who had little money) fixing up a brand new scooter in the living room.
6 years ago I came home early from work to find that my roommate had set the house up like a house of horrors. I walk through the door and find a loaded NERF gun at my feet. The house was dark, unsettling music was blasting... It was clear he was hiding.
Sheets hung from the ceilings limiting field of view/room size. Creepy home made music was playing loudly limiting hearing. Some red lights were installed, some light bulbs were completely removed, one slow strobe light was at the end of a long hallway with a dummy slumped over in a chair under it.
I slowely examined the rooms in fear of getting taken out by a surprise nerf dart. Jim was quiet. Jim was patient. Eventually I realized that my fate wasn't to walk into his trap, rather to let him walk into mine.
I crept into the kitchen, slowely rolling my steps, quietly got inside the cabinets under the counter and contorted myself amungst the pots and pans and waited... Silent as a shadow.
After ten minutes I start hearing my puzzled friend searching for his kill. Once he was within range I fell sideways out if the cabinets... Nerf darts blazing.
That was easily one of the best moments of my life.
My senior year choir concert in high school. My dad would travel for work out of town a few days a week, but was really involved and tried as hard as he could to be there for big events and stuff. This concert was a pretty big deal because my barbershop quartet group was performing a few songs (I was the bass, deep voices FTW) and it was my last choir concert of my high school career. He was going to be across the state so I knew he couldn't come and honestly wasn't even bothered by it - I understood and he felt awful. Day of, we're in our cute barbershop outfits, walking out on stage to perform "Smile," and who do I see smiling up at me sitting next to my mom? My dad. He drove 6 hours round-trip just to see my hour-long concert, and could barely contain his excitement when I locked eyes with him. When the concert was over I ran outside to see them and he had a big bouquet of flowers for me and my mom had that super proud wife look in her eyes that I'll never forget.
A couple yellow ones:
My earliest memory of when I knew I wanted to play music in some form for the rest of my life. I remember being about 5 and I was sitting listening to my dad play Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" on his 12 string guitar. The way the music touched my soul for the first time in my life. It really set the tone for my life goals.
The second one is when my girlfriend and I told each other we loved each other for the first time. I had been through 5 or 6 other relationships that ended after a month because I had exhausted all of the "I care about this person" feeling. After three months we both looked into each other's eye and just had the same thought at the same moment. "I think I'm in love with you." Approaching 4 years later, that memory always brings me to tears.
Qenton ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:53:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I grew up with my father. My mother was an addict, and I never really had much of a relationship with her after 6. Therefore, many of my memories are with my Dad, or my paternal grandparents. Here are a few of them:
When I was about 7 or 8, my dad was really into UFC (Gracie days, not the stuff now). I remember he had set up a punching bag in the other room, and we used to watch UFC at night on VHS. We would watch the same one, over and over, and my dad would point out some of the moves and stuff, and I was always fascinated by the way he would tell it. One night, some Mormons came over (we live in the south) and my dad invited them in, offered them food, and noticed that they kept looking over at the fight. Eventually, they ended up watching the fight, and came over a few more times just to chat. Mormonism (is that a word?) never really came up.
-My grandfather was a big golfer. He loved it, and taught me to play around 11 years old. I still play, and every time I step out on a course, that smell reminds me of him. I also remember the black S10 he had, and how he would drop it down in gear, and put the pedal to the floor, just to hear me squeal with laughter when the truck sped up quickly. I can still remember the way he would laugh. Also - the orange Lance crackers with the peanut butter in them. And Red Rock Cola. He passed away in 2001.
-Grandma. She's still alive, and doing incredibly well for an 86 year old. I remember her teaching me in first grade, and being harder on me than anyone in the class. I would go to her home every morning, and she would cook me breakfast. As I got older, she taught me how to cook pancakes. I remember my proudest moment (as a child) as well. The day that I made pancakes by myself, and served them to her. They were probably the rubbery-est pancakes ever, but she pretended like they were the greatest. It still makes me smile.
Standing over my uncle's hospital bed when he was dying
.
He had been in declining health for a while, so it wasn't unexpected, but he had a stroke and we knew he was going to die soon. So me and my parents went to the hospital (I wasn't little, about 25 at the time) to see him.
Now, my mom was his medical power of attorney, and we were going to have to decide how long to keep him on life support. The whole family was against pulling the plug, but after going there and seeing him in that condition, it was clear what we had to do. None of the rest of the family would even come to see him, but they still hate my mother for letting him die.
.
Standing there at his deathbed, seeing someone I loved now brain-dead and unresponsive, and helping to make the very unpopular decision to let him die - that affected me.
And I knew it would at the time, I knew right then it would be a defining moment of my life.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:54:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข My mom, who was single and worked two jobs, bought us a SNES. We all stayed up and played Super Mario for hours despite her being exhausted.
โข Listening to Hootie & the Blowfish in my dad's truck after basketball practice. We'd sing like we had the best voices ever and didn't care that we were, in fact, lousy.
โข Watching "A Christmas Story" with my dad every Christmas Eve since I was nine.
โข My mother taking a day off (she couldn't afford to miss a day's pay) to take my brother and me to the park because she missed us. We pretended we were dinosaurs that day. That was the best day of my life because she was there and even though we knew she was stressed, she didn't show it.
โข My step-mom's mom (Grandma Betty) helping out my mom when I was running 104ยฐF temperature. My stepmom and my mom never got along, but my Grandma Betty was always there for us. She passed away this year and my mom cried harder than I've ever seen her cry.
โข Watching "Gumby" with my Grandma Pat(ricia) and eating radishes. She put curlers in my hair that day and took a picture. Turns out, I looked absolutely awful, but we had fun and that's all that mattered.
fizar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:55:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well. I woke up one day when it was a couple days away from my fifth birthday, and realized I had no memories of anything, didn't know my own name or even my parents, or even where I was sleeping, I stayed a bit calm y'know, as calm as I can be. found out about 6 years later that I had a skull fracture from the stories mum would tell me about my childhood, so I probably had delayed retrograde amnesia, still don't have any memories from before then. y'know, I think I tried tellin moms but she just passed it off saying it was like a passing feeling or something and i'd remember stuff in a few days, never did tho, so I guess I successfully hid amnesia to this day? idk, people definitely noticed changes in my attitude though, especially when I'd meet with someone who I supposedly knew for a long time or just talk to a week before and was completely bamboozled.
May_die ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:55:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Gonna go chronological:
I was bullied a lot when I was younger for being short. I loved the power rangers and one day after school my mom and I passed by a Tae Kwon Do studio with a cardboard cutout of the green ranger on it. Immediately signed up for classes. Cried my first class because I didn't want to take my socks off lol Stuck with it and loved every minute, 22 years later.
Seeing Fantasmic at Disney World. My family had just gotten word my dad's mom had died during the middle of our trip, and my dad suggested we still go see the show. I still tear up even watching it on Youtube; something about Mickey beating that dragon and shooting off all those fireworks really cheered me up.
First time I tried to commit suicide.
Hearing my ex-fiancรฉ yell at me that she wanted to die, and she hoped that we'd kill ourselves together so we'd never be lonely. I hope she's okay now.
The day I got my cat. He was meant to be for my cat-loving gf at the time, but I fell in love with him. Also, the day after her and I broke up and she left, he didn't leave my side while I cried in bed. He hasn't left my side since. Love that fuzzy idiot
Lying in my bed at 3 years old seeing a shooting star and wishing the Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles were real.
Visiting my dad at the "hospital" with all the other "sick dads" in a barbed wire fence enclosed building.
Dad coming home to live with us now that he was out of the "Hospital".
6 years old accidentally mixing up wood polish and Windex and being so worried that mum was going to beat me again when she got home because I used the wrong one while cleaning the house while she was at work.
Dad sneaking me out for Dairy Queen Dipped Cones while my sisters were busy because I was the son he never had.
Looking through the photo album and realizing Dad had actually been in prison.
There is more but then you would all end up reading a novel. There were a lot of key moments in my childhood memories...
9/11 shaped me more than I can explain. My father was flying that day, and when the initial attacks happened we weren't sure if my dad was on one of the planes.
No contact from him for hours, until he just opened the front door around 4. His plane landed in Atlanta and he got a rental car and drove home. Seeing him walk through the door was unreal relief.
I was 9 at the time. A few weeks have gone by and I was aware that it was terrorism and the military would be going to fight. I asked my dad if I could go. He got tears in his eyes and smiled.....he said "you have to grow up first....little boys can't go to war"
I had moved to New Hampshire to escape my dad when I was 15. My mom and I moved. I put a lot of heart ache on my family just because I was depressed and took it all out on my father. He reached out, and time and time again I told him I hated him. I hate myself for those comments.
17 comes around, and I enlist in the Army as a Cavalry Scout. I was shipping out to basic training, getting ready to board my plane to Ft Knox.....and my dad came walking up.
He hugged me, and with tears in his eyes said to me "little boys can't go to war"
I love my father beyond explanation.....and that moment shaped me into the man I am today. I regret what I did to my family when I was young. But through it all, my dad still looked at me as his little boy and showed me love and forgiveness.
I have a long way to go....but because of those two memories I've grown to desire a life of service, to help people even if they don't want to be helped, the willingness to lay my life down for those I love, and to do everything in life with compassion and consideration.
I don't know how he forgave me after the shit I pulled, but I'm forever grateful.
At age 8, having a hard time to listen to my brother teaching me how to ride a bike without training wheels. I told him to go back inside and I'll learn how to do it myself. He did. 2 Hours later after going in circles I figured it out.
My brother and I going really fast down a steep hill in a toy car.
Me crying hard in the theater from The Tragic Death in "Pokemon: The First Movie", followed by listening to the Pokemon soundtrack going home.
Blasting "Let Me Clear My Throat" in the car with my Brother.
Exploring the forest with my dog as a kid.
Being rushed to hospital after cutting my forehead open from jumping on the bed, and me getting annoyed by my brother making me do whatever I want for fun because he felt super guilty about it since it was his idea for me get on the bed to practice some WWE wrestling moves on me.
When mom told me I was going to have a little sister (I was 7 and livid about it).
My parents taking us to New York for Christmas and getting us both Xbox and PS2 when they were supposed to be sold out.
My brother and I destroying this advanced baby doll that my sister got for Christmas. It learned how to talk and and progressed with my sister as if it got smarter. Weird part is that she would leave it downstairs and that thing would wake up in middle of the night (3am) screaming for mommy or singing twinkle twinkle little star. My brother had to destroy that thing. It was a demon.
My parents destroying the PS2 and Xbox in response from us destroying the doll.
My friend threatening to stab me with a fork after destroying him in Smackdown on PS2.
Piling up pillows with my friend and throwing ourselves into them like a bowling ball.
Me attempting to run away from home after having an argument with mom.
Going on a family cruise after middle school graduation and being able to make friends from all over the world.
Me getting kicked out of mom's car after defending my brother in an argument.
Me not doing anything for my brother after he shattered his big toe nail and getting yelled at from Dad about it (I was 10).
Me skiing for the first time taught by my friend and almost skiing off a 50 foot cliff. Besides almost dying, I had the time of my life.
Me putting my 20-year-old dog down after suffering from severe arthritis.
Me flying 2300 miles away from home on my own after high school graduation to start community college and start my new part-time job.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:56:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Shit, the more I think about it the more I think that they'd be bad experiences
When I was 2 or 3, I was in the kitchen with my mom and older brother. Bro caught me staying down into the creepy dark basement. Naturally, he says to me, "The Devil's down there. He's gonna get you!" I move to go to my mom, but something's holding me back! I'm running in place, terrified. My brother is pissing himself laughing, and my mom is suppressing a smile as she comes over and unhooks my suspenders from the cabinet door knob. I think this has something to do with my weird sense of humor. And I love that this is one of my earliest memories.
I'm late so it'll be burred anyways. I have a twin brother and a younger brother, and I have a distinct memory of when we were 3 & 2 years old.
It was a hot summer day, and there was this little blue bucket. Well, we had the great idea of filling it up with cold water from the hose, stripping completely naked, and taking turns sitting in the bucket. All on our front porch with an audience of passerby's! For the longest time I thought I'd made up this memory, until I mentioned it to my grandmother a few years ago and she brought out a picture book with, sure enough, three naked kids taking turns sitting in that bucket.
-the time my mom's appendix burst. she was in and out of the hospital several times over the course of a few weeks with a lot of complications, and each time i was convinced that i was going to lose my mom. the part that sticks out most is watching her smoking a bowl of weed in her tiny apartment bathroom, screaming in pain because she didn't have insurance and couldn't afford an ambulance or a refill on her pain medication. i felt so hopeless, like i truly believed my mother was dying before my eyes and i couldn't do anything to help her. she survived, but it was the closest encounter i've had with death in my immediate family.
also
-when i was 14, in the honeymoon phase of my first relationship, my then-boyfriend and i were rolling around on his bed, kissing, cuddling, and the window was open next to his bed. it was a really beautiful, crisp, sunny day in september, and the sky was a very intense, clear blue. it looked the same exact color as his eyes. i was so in love, so happy to be with him, i think that was the first time i felt what i perceived to be love
I hope this doesn't get buried because it was such a significant moment to me. I grew up in the church. I had no doubt that God existed, and the people that went to my church were very loving and liberal considering the sect of Christianity (Pentecostal).
I was watching Cowboy Bebop one day, and they came upon the idea of God. Someone said something along the lines of, "Did God create us, or did we create God". It was so silly, but never in my life had anyone I knew questioned the existence of God. It threw me so hard and I had anxiety surrounding the idea. It was incredibly hard dealing with the idea that God was just an idea and nothing more. I didn't speak to my mother or any of my friends about it, but I shaped the way o view God for good. I believe in God now, but I cannot get comfortable with the idea of most organized religions anymore. It just ain't for me.
Learning how to use a camera - I still remember every little detail about how my little Konica worked.
My first really good photo - It was this one and I still remember the moment I finally looked back through and saw it.
Walking on a beach full of dead jellyfish and penguins in Argentina. That was freaky.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad pushing a fallen branch across a frozen river to retrieve a winter mitten my brother had thrown onto the ice. It taught me the value of creative problem solving.
My parents getting divorced the same night we all moved from Canada to France. It all went down in flames around me. Worst night of my life. Taught me not to get into marriage lightly.
My hetero life mate winning 10 million in the lottery and essentially vanishing off the face of the planet. True friends are hard to find.
Falling in love - the first time for how it should not go, and the second for how it absolutely should.
itsHIMM ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was around 7, I saw a beehive and thought it was something magical. I thought it was a teleportation device where I saw on the cartoon. I walked right beside it and got attacked. Screamed and passed out, woke up on the hospital bed.. And thought it worked..
I was the only kid in my second grade class who knew how to read fluently and actually loved doing it.
My teacher, Mrs. Davis, had a set of miniature books that were filled with fun random facts. She would occasionally read a few facts to us from those teeny books, but every kid in class knew that we were encouraged to read any other book in the classroom, she was the only one who was allowed to touch the itty bitty factoid ones.
Except me. During free time she let me look through her little teeny books to encourage me to keep reading as voraciously as I was. At the end of the year, she gifted me a navy blue t-shirt that said "So many books, so little time."
She not only influenced my lifelong love for books, she sparked my interest in minutiae as well.
That year we traveled to my grandparents' house (about 400 miles away) for christmas. On xmas morning, all I got were clothes and a couple of nerf guns, and some other simple toys from other family members. I remember being so incredibly bummed out.
The next day we drove home. When we walked into the house, there were a ton of gifts under the tree, including one unwrapped one -- my lego set. I remember being so excited that I put it together that night (we had arrived home at about 10pm). I still have the parts from it, 20 years later.
What I didn't know at the time, and what makes the memory even more special to me, was that my Dad had been going through a job change (you don't totally understand that as a kid). He had taken a leap of faith and left his factory job to pursue a career in the electronics industry, and he didn't even know at the time if he'd be able to find a job. Apparently he and my mom really scraped together every possible penny to give us a great christmas and get me that set I'd talked about for a full year.
A couple more: when I was super young, like 4 or 5, I had this teddy bear ("Jingles"). I would have Jingles with me when I went to sleep, but every morning he'd end up in some weird place in my room: on top of the bookshelf or the TV, hanging by one arm from my closet door, sitting on the window sill, etc. I always thought maybe he got up and moved (a la Toy Story). Found out not too long after that it was my dad moving him every morning before he'd go to work... still makes me smile talking about it to this day.
Also, and this will sound super 'murican, going to McDonald's with my mom after preschool. We didn't have a ton of money, and I was always taught that fast food was more of a special treat than an every day thing, so my once-a-month Happy Meal was always exciting. My dad also took me sometimes, but for some reason it's the ones with my mom that stand out.
Too personal to link to any account, but here goes:
Standing on the back of a boat trailer with my extended family, the boat slowly tipping, and me scrambling to the front and tipping it back down before anybody got hurt. My brothers made a few fat jokes, but I always remember how happy I was that I reacted so quickly.
Last week of elementary school, thinking next year would be better because I'd be in a new school with smarter people. Then later the realization that it would be mostly the same classmates and for some reason I was getting smarter faster, and how disappointing that was.
Being a tech in my brother's high school play, and a girl I liked resting her head on my shoulder. I was too awkward to do anything, so I just held the script between us for the hour we were on lights duty. It was still great.
As a kid, riding my bike at a friends house and losing control down a big hill. A younger kid was running next to the bikes, and even though I shouted to get away he got hit by my handlebars, gashing his forehead and needing three stitches. I remember being in shock the whole time the ambulance was there, just mumbling apologies and swears for shock value on the side of the road, while no one did anything except give me dirty looks. Never felt so alone.
My third grade talent show where I did a comedy act with my best friend at the time. The auditorium was packed, and I had a standup routine and then a few skits about IT support phone calls with really dumb people. In the practice sessions we made a sign that told the audience what to do (i.e. "Laugh", "What?", etc), and it was a huge hit. After the show a classmate told me it was really great, and I awkwardly said "thanks." and wandered off.
Waking up before school at 5am every day to play an hour of Final Fantasy 7. The first time was because the morning cartoons weren't on, but then I got hooked because it was so fascinating and deep and complex compared to the other games I had played as a kid.
Driving at 2am on the highway, with no other cars and an inch of fresh snow on the ground so you couldn't see anything. Passing the plows without a second thought because they were going too slow and it was a three hour drive. Ridiculously intense driving while blasting music and trying not to fall asleep.
I have a lot more but there are people at work looking over my shoulder so I'll end it there, doubt anyone will care too much about my nostalgia anyway.
Walking with my friend to her house only to find out the house was locked. There was four of us and none of us had phones yet in fourth grade. We had to go to the neighbor's house and she hated kids. She opened the door with an angry look but let us inside to use her phone. Right when I was about to go inside she held me back and told me I had to wait outside. I was the only one she told that so I remember very clearly sitting on a big rock, wondering why she singled me out and if my friends were still alive in her house. They all walked out eating ice cream.
Being sent to my room so my dad and brother could argue without me watching. One day it got bad enough that my brother went to a friend's house for the night and didn't return until the next day. I didn't fully understand why he left and thought he was gone forever.
My teacher laughing at how my Rs sounded like Ws. I didn't think it was funny at all.
Visiting my great grandma in the hospital. She died soon after that and we went to the memorial party at her house. They let everyone choose two things to take home from her house. I only choose a swan figure that had an empty middle for storing small things.
Calling my best friend to let her know I wouldn't be able to watch the fireworks with her family. My mom had a stroke and we had to go to the ER. My friend didn't know what ER meant so I had to explain it to her and the purpose of the ER. She was asked if I could still go if her mom picked me up. I was so angry because it felt like she didn't care about what happened to my mom.
The night before my scoliosis surgery I laid down on the floor in my room to stare at the ceiling and cried. It suddenly hit me that I wouldn't be able to bend my back after the surgery. The doctor had explained it before but it didn't really register until that night.
Visiting my brother in the hospital and seeing his wife brain dead. She didn't look alive. My brother looked so tired.
Getting accepted into an university. I planned just to go to community college but my counselor promised if I was accepted into an university I would get a scholarship.
I remember waking up in my bed with my sister sleeping beside me. We were about 4 or 5 at the time and I was upset because I could see my sister was wearing my new pajamas. I raised my arm to wake her up with a slap but then the phone rang. Even at 5 I distinctly recall wondering why someone was calling so early. I heard my dad say " Yes, that is very bad news" , hanging up the phone, then crying hysterically. I heard my mom tell him she was so sorry and then I just sat there listening to his high pitched sobs. My sister woke up and asked why I was awake and I said " I think Daddy is crying " and she sat up and listened for a moment. She then turned to me and said " No its not. Its just mom cleaning the windows" and she went back to sleep. At that moment I knew that her wearing my pajamas was not a big deal anymore and that's how I found out my grandma had died.
I gained a new one about 3 years ago when I was traveling alone in Paris. I had gone to Paris for a work convention and decided to stay an extra week for vacation. About the third night after all my coworkers had gone home, I decided to go out with a guy I had met at the first hotel I stayed at. He and I went out to a few bars, and after he tried to get fresh with me, I told him I had to go to the bathroom and slipped out of the bar. I wandered around for a bit and met some other people visiting the country, visited their hotel with them and drank some more. Then I wandered off again after they were all too tired to continue on, and it began pouring.
It was at this point I realized I was very far from my hotel (since the first guy drove us out to the bars in an area he liked), and I had no idea how to get back. I was completely out of money, and since it had begun raining the streets were now entirely empty. I began walking in the direction I guessed would be the way back, and walked for about 45 minutes with the rain beating down on me so hard it felt like I spent the entire time walking through a waterfall. At one point a bread truck, out making it's morning deliveries as it was about 5 in the morning at this point, pulled over beside me and asked if I was okay. I'm not fluent in French, but I conveyed to the man that I was lost, and I had no money left and couldn't find my hotel. After he offered me a ride, I explained that my hotel was only 2 blocks away from the Eiffel Tower, and if he could get me there, I could find my way back.
I climbed into his truck, and he handed me a small towel so I could dry my face off at least. The truck was warm and smelled wonderful, and I was glad to finally be on my way back to my bed, exhausted, drunk, and downtrodden. I was thanking my lucky stars that this kind man had seen my trouble and offered to help me. I silently cursed all the misinformed people who said that Parisians were snobs and mean to Americans. Clearly they were wrong.
After about 20 minutes in the truck, and learning I had been heading in the opposite direction while on my own, the bread truck driver pulled over on a street about a block away from the Eiffel Tower. I told him how thankful I was and as I was about to get out of the truck, he put his hand on my leg and grabbed me firmly. He told me that he knew I could not repay him in cash, but I should pay him back in another way. My heart was pounding, and I told him if he really needed to be repaid, I could get some money from my hotel room. He turned that offer down and slid his hand up my thigh, under my skirt. Suddenly anger outweighed fear (I imagine the fact that I was still drunk had something to do with this) and I yelled at him that he was giving the French a bad name, and how happy I had been to have him help me and now he was being a pig. I think this might have surprised him, or maybe he wasn't planning to be forceful but was just hoping I would be guilted into giving him what he wanted, but his hand loosened its grip and I got out of the truck and stalked/stumbled the 3 blocks back to my hotel.
Upon arriving back at my hotel room, I discarded my ruined shoes, tossed my soaking wet clothes into bathtub, changed into something dry, and sat down on the bed. It all hit me then how many times I had naively put myself in danger that night. First I had someone I'd only known for a few days drive me out to some bars I'd never been to, without even considering that I should know where we were going. Then after I was out on my own, I went with another group of men I'd never met back to their hotel room to keep drinking, without considering what peril could lie in that situation, because they seemed like nice people (which they were, thank the light). And finally, having stranded myself with no other means to get home, I resorted to hitchhiking back to my hotel room with another strange man, who actually did try a few things with me. I must have an army of guardian angels following me at all times, because I do not know many other people who would have made it through that night in a foreign country without so much as a scratch like I did.
I still travel alone from time to time, but now I always call my family if I plan to go out at night, I arrange my own means of transportation, I befriend hotel staff and keep them informed of my daily plans, and I do not let myself get drunk anywhere but my own hotel. Of course none of this will guarantee my safety, but it's certainly a lot better than the way I'd been traveling before.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:00:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was walking behind my dad on the couch while he was sitting on the couch, and he elbowed me as I was behind him. Or maybe that was my Uncle Shannon. I don't know, but its one of my core memories.
I'm 5 y.o. and my stepdad comes into a room and brings a big amazing OWL.He says it's my new pet. I was crying whole day and was asking him to set owl free.
My Mom was hiding candies in the pokets of big toy-dog and was saying that "In the night he goes outside to stole some candies for you"
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:01:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
a happy one: the first time i was away from my dog and the return home.
my dog is now almost 11 years old, he is a great dane, he is my best friend. a few short months after i got him (he was 3 and had lived outside in a cage his whole life) i had to leave town for about 10 days for work. i'll never forget the look on his face when i walked back through the door and how happy it made me to see him again.
โข My mother bought my twin sister and I this yellow playhouse and placed it in the center of our house. I was around 2 or 3 but i can still remember how vivid yellow it was.
โข Me feeing terrified hiding from my mom after we painted our playhouse with her make up
โข Seeing my parents fight about infidelity all the time when i was around 5.
โข feeling embarrassed for the first time when a boy told me freckles are ugly in third grade
โข This one i can still remember so clearly. I was around 8 years old and all i remember was this hot feeling coming from my arm. I look down and there was a puddle of blood under me and all over my white pajamas. I look up and see my mother's scared face and she immediately gets the car keys. I suddenly remember what had happened. In our home windows had double glass and my brother the day before broke one of the windows. I had accidentally been pushed to the window by my sister causing my arm to get stuck in the sharp glass. That day i got 47 stitches.
โข falling in love for the first time. I couldn't believe someone loved me. I was 15.
โข finding out my first love did cocaine during the whole relationship and wasn't that faithful to me. I realized i was so innocent i never saw that coming.
When I was about 6, two FBI agents came to my home and took my dad away and had him imprisoned for 5 years for the crime of being an active member of our Japanese Buddhist Temple in Hawaii (this was a few days after the attack on Pearl Harbor). All the kids in the neighborhood taunted me about my father being a traitor to the US and that I should have been imprisoned too. But one kid, came over to my home and sat with me and said that he thought my dad was a really good person because of all the good things he did for the community. He told me that I should be proud of him. I found out later that his parents had a part on his coming to me like he did. But I still think about that moment because it took a load of guilt and shame off my back.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:03:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I realized I loved dogs. I was around 5 at the time and absolutely terrified of dogs. There were plenty of strays around where we lived. Some residents cared for them and disciplined them. One evening I was walking with my mom, we saw a dog, I got scared and hid behind her. She then calmed me down held my hand and took me towards the dog. She then made me hold my hand out in front of the dog and he shook my hand!
martyz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:04:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I went to a summer camp in upstate New York and every couple weeks we'd get a bus that would take us into the closest town - we'd either see a movie or get ice cream. I remember on one of these trips when I was about 11, we were all walking down the street back to the bus, sometime around sunset - and across the street was a restaurant/club with it's doors and windows open playing some jazz - and I remember seeing an elderly couple - maybe in their late 70's dancing so happily together. I remembered slowing down so I could watch a little longer - it's always seemed like a wonderful thing to aspire to, to have such a happy, loving relationship that lasts a lifetime.
I woke up to my mom kicking my dad out of the house and in 15 agonizing minutes of pleading my dad was gone. Now I live with him because my moms a lunatic.
My earliest memory is from when I was 3. It was in my old house from a different town, and all my family made me wear was a diaper. It was Christmas night and the whole family came over to our house; mom's side and dad's side. I remember Grandma gave me a present after already giving me something before. It was the same thing; some Barbie movie. I was so excited that I got two of them. Grandma realized that the second one was supposed to go to my cousin who's a year younger than me, and took away the second movie. I cried because, well, she took my present away.
I also very hazily remember other things in that house. Running around in our tiny little backyard, blowing bubbles. Holding a bowl of cereal when my family friend realized my bowl was tipping over in my hands and he told my sister, and she stopped me from spilling milk and cereal all over the floor. I also remember dressing up as a Disney character for Halloween. Pocahontas maybe? Not sure. Also remember getting haircuts in that house.
I remember my first half of the year in pre-school (we moved in the middle of the year) a blonde girl in pigtails told a teacher that I pulled her hair. I didn't, but I got in trouble anyways. We both cried. That school also taught me how to dial 911. The teacher's name was something like Ms. Hill, or Ms. Valley... something like that.
After we moved into my current house, I have some other memories I'd call "core" too. My German Shepherd (RIP) ate a bee out of the air when my sister and I ran away from it scared out of our minds. I remember laying on the floor with him in the kitchen and crying when I was sad and he'd let me bawl all over him.
I remember we once found a lost dog. It was a gray dog, probably a Scottish terrier or something. We kept him and found the "lost dog" fliers and called the owners and they picked him up.
I remember the first time a boy ever kissed me. I was still 4, and at my sister's soccer game. I played with him the whole game. I had my toy dinosaurs and we played with them together, made them eat grass, whatever. After the game was over, I was heading to the car, and I wanted to say bye to him, and he came over and said bye and kissed me on the cheek.
Good one: My wedding. It went exactly to plan, and I cried my eyes out when I saw my wife walking down the aisle towards me. Great memories.
Bad one: Memorial day (ish) 2012. I was in a military band as a piccolo player and we had a performance out of state. One of the staff sergeants whom I never liked told me to play the famous stars and stripes solo. The thing is, I couldn't. I was never actually a good piccolo player, and I could never play that solo for the life of me. Alas, when solo time came up.... silence. I froze in silence, then completely botched the recovery attempt. It was one of the most embarassing moments of my life, and to this day, I count it as the biggest failure I've ever done.
-My dad used to get me ready every morning for school. (My mom was a teacher at a different school) I remember hearing my mom wake up each morning. I'd take her spot in bed, she'd give me a kiss and a "Love you", and I'd snooze until my dad got up. Once my dad woke up to shower, I'd watch cartoons until he made me get ready. I had very long hair and he was in charge of brushing it each morning. My hair was often very tangled and full of "rats". To make it easier on me, he would pretend the rats were coming out of my hair as he detangled it and we would stomp on them.
-I grew up with an older dog named Muffin. She would treat me like her pup. I distinctly remember her letting me use her as a pillow when I laid on the floor. She would nap while I watched TV.
-I remember jamming out to N*SYNC in my room, dancing like crazy and belting out the lyrics.
-Spending time at my grandma's house was the best. She always kept devil's food cookie cakes and other goodies for any grandkids that stopped by. All of us would say "hey grandma" as we headed straight for the kitchen. I remember we'd watch ice skating together and play card games that I'd make up as we played.
-My brother and I used to watch "The Price is Right" together during the summer (he's 16 years older than me, so he's never had much time for his little sister).
-My nephew was basically my little brother growing up. He used to belly laugh at me tap-dancing. He'd laugh so much and so hard he'd fall over.
Getting my first bike on my birthday. i think I might have been around 8 years old and everyone was over when my dad went outside to bring in this cute pink bike with training wheels.
Losing my virginity to the person I loved for the first time. It was crazy how everything felt all at once, almost dreamlike.
Getting married super young (22) in the courts because we were in a rush (for reasons I won't get into). Having some of my family there (who could make it last second) and feeling just out of place. Feeling emotional for more reasons than the obvious ones.
Moving out of my parents house and into an apartment with my new husband. Trying to figure out how to "adult" for the first time on our own. It was difficult.
Getting divorced 6 years later. Worst feeling on the planet and I hope to never experience it again. I will never forget everything that happened during that time period.
Going to my first music festival with my cousin. I felt so much pure joy I hadn't felt in years.
Paying off my parents house. I felt so much pride and guilt at the same time.
Pretty much this past year has been one large core memory. I've grown more in the past year than I ever have in the past 28 years of my life. So many new experiences, new people, old people. It's been insane.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:06:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In first grade at lunch, I told my friend sitting across the long rectangular table that I had a crush on Suzy, the girl next to him heard and yelled "what no way?!" told the girl next to her, and I watched it go all the way down the chain as I kept saying no, no, no. It went all the way down the table to the girl I had a crush on and I saw her turn her face wide-eyed and stare right into my eyes. I ducked under the table and cried from embarrassment.
Third grade, I was watching dragon tales while folding laundry and 5 of my older brothers friends had been watching me for 10 minutes through the picture window and they finally tapped on the window and all waved at me then laughed. I ducked under a nearby table and cried from embarrassment.
Mavsma ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:06:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 8yrs old and my dad and stepmom were in the midst of a divorce. I remember them fighting a lot and when he was at work she would lay in her room in the dark. She would bring my little sister (her bio kid)into her room and feed her dinner, but she would leave me and my sister to fend for ourselves. We'd usually eat crackers and butter or a granola bar and then go to our rooms to work on schoolwork. One night she called me into her room, which was unusual because we generally weren't allowed in there. She had been crying and packing I guess, her things were strewn about. I remember feeling uneasy and scared. She had a small box and she brought out some film negatives of herself as a young woman and proceeded to tell me that these were proof that she was my actual mother. (important backstory, I had never met my mother, however she was definitely not my bio mom). She was telling me that it was a deep dark secret from my dads side of the family and that my dad was trying to make it so we'd never see her again.
It really stuck with me because I was sensitive about not knowing my mom. My step mom had done some pretty bad things to us, distinguishing us from her own daughter (she fed us separately, and sometimes did not feed us. Money was not an issue. She made my sister eat her own vomit once as punishment. She made me sit on snow without pants as punishment, etc), so why would she want to convince me she was my real mom? I was young but even then I knew she was trying to fuck with me to fuck with my dad. That didn't sit right with me.
When I was about two I was placed in the care of my great uncle and his wife. I loved with them until I was five. To me they were my parents, and I loved them so much. I remember looking for houses and moving into one with them. Shortly after they took me to pick out a puppy. They were too small to take home, but I remember they were all in this little basket, half were black, half tan. I wanted a black one, but they were all claimed, so I pointed to the tan one I wanted. I remember talking with my aunt and uncle in our new living room trying to think of a name for the new puppy. I was obsessed with Daisy Duck at the time, so we decided on Daisy. I remember the day my aunt brought her home, I was in the backyard with my uncle as he was putting my swingset together. I was so excited I was squealing and couldn't stop hugging her. Daisy lived until my sophomore year of college. I remember all the little memories of getting her. After all this happened my brother was born, and she wanted to take me back. I had to leave my new parents, my new home, my new swingset, and my new puppy. It's one of my saddest memories sleeping on a matress at my mom's crying because I missed my aunt and uncle and Daisy. My aunt and uncle would visit me and bring Daisy every time. They also gave me a stuffed dog, and a plaque that said something about how your daughter is special no matter how far away she is. Can you believe a five/six year old could remember all that. Those memories are so vivid for me too. But I got a happy ending because eventually my mom couldn't handle life and I moved back to my home, with my aunt and uncle, and my swingset, and my sweet Daisy dog.
When I was 6 I went sledging with some friends on an old car bonnet. I had a huge smile on my face and was laughing, it was brilliant. Then someone yelled "Oh my God we're gonna crash!" I remember flying for a few seconds then next thing I know I'm waking up in my dads arms, my head is killing me and he was talking to a neighbour. "Don't worry she'll be fine, just don't tell Sandra."
When I was a toddler my granddad scared me. He was a typical farmer; tall, broad, loud and would clap his hands to get my brother and I to stop arguing. One day he took me to the park for a while, then we went to get ice cream and were walking through some type of garden/park to meet up with mum. We didn't really say anything and it was nice because it was the first time I wasn't scared of him. After a while I asked him if we could go back to the park because it was so much fun, he just said "No, we're already two hours late, your mother will be having kittens by now."
16, my gran was drunk yet again and was reminding me how I'll 'never be part of the family', I'm 'English, not a true highland lass.' She went on and on about how I'm not part of the family, not really, because I kept my English accent for a very long time. I wore docs, I dyed my hair, I had piercings and I wore what I wanted therefore I was 'destined to be alone forever.' (Which brought up another memory, when I was 9 she told me that I didn't have many friends because of the clothes I wore). After about ten minutes of her bullshit I flipped my shit and tore into her. I told her I don't have a Scottish accent because I was born in England and lived there till I was about 5/6ish, I told her I don't give a fuck if guys don't want to date me, I then said "What do you want me to do, take a leaf out of your book? Yeah okay, I'll become an alcoholic and spawn 7 kids then take my frustrations out on them. Because you're such a great role model." She's left me alone since then.
First time I kissed my boyfriend (when we were in the 'we're-not-dating-we're-just-very-close-friends' phase), we were watching movies and goofing about and he kept booping my nose with his nose. At one point we just looked into each others eyes for about a minute and when I pulled away he said "God dammit." I asked him if he wanted me to kiss him and after five minutes of him saying "I don't know it's up to you." "I don't mind." "I don't know." etc. etc. we ended up kissing. Not gonna lie, it was awkward. We were both sweaty because it was too warm in the room, we kept giggling before we kissed because we were nervous, we both barely had any experience with kissing so it was kinda sloppy and a bit too wet. Afterwards I was shaking because I couldn't believe we kissed, he hugged me for a long time then we talked about it. We both agreed it was a bit awkward and could've gone better, and we then decided to spend the rest of the night 'practice kissing....as friends.' Been going out for two and a half years now.
Car crash. I was about 2 years old.
In the car seat of my grandma's blue Buick. It was late and I was tired so I fell asleep in the car seat. During my nap I must have kicked the blanket off because grandma was reaching her short arms across her wide car. About that same time she swerved into a telephone pole.
I woke up right before the impact and blacked out immediately after I hit the dash. I don't remember the impact but I remember the swerve. The next thing I remember is waking up on a stretcher being loaded into the back of an ambulance, my mom and dad are both crying hysterically, grandma is nowhere to be seen. Dad gets into the ambulance with me and I pass out again. I woke up in the smelly hospital bed, blinding lights in my face, holding a creepy sock monkey with my parents standing over me.
Then my dad pulls back the curtain next to the bed and there's my grandma in the bed next to me :)
When I was young, we grew up poor, and my dad slept during the day working graveyard at a gas stations, so my mom would take me out during the summer and we'd play outside since it didn't cost anything. She taught me how to catch grasshoppers in this disused field a few blocks down from our apartment - how to stalk them, clap your hand over them from behind, and then how to hold them without hurting them (lightly holding their wings down or by the hind legs). She'd point out things like how the mandibles worked or how powerful their legs were to jump/fly like that, or how all insects had three segments, and I thought it was so cool that I had a mom that knew about bugs and was so good at catching them.
Years later, I'm 30 and visiting home during the holidays and reminiscing about these good times, and mom explains, "yeah, I actually fucking hate bugs." Turns out it was entirely for my edification and under normal circumstances she in no way would voluntarily go out and touch bugs all day if not for the fact that we couldn't afford to go anywhere during vacation and she thought that she could at least do this. Thanks mom, you really took one for the team.
My very first memory was looking up at a ceiling, with those florescent lights and cloth draped over them to dim the lighting. Then my eyes were covered by a hand, and then after a while (no idea how long), the hand was removed and it was the exact same scenery. Apparently, this dates back to my birth, when my father covered my eyes, afraid that I would be blinded by the lights (he's a very paranoid man and believes in all conspiracies (even dihydrogen monoxide, I'm never going to let him forget that one)), and the doctors told him that it was ok because the lights were covered up for this particular reason. The fact that I can remember this so vividly is rather disturbing to be honest.
The class was apparently leaving the classroom to go somewhere, and I thought it would by hilarious to hide in the little coat- cubbies we had on the side of the room to make the teacher find me. Some other kids tried too (the only reason I was doing it was because they were) but when the teacher called them they left to go line up at the door. She called a few more times, but I was committed to the long con, and stayed silent.
What I wasn't counting on was her actually leaving the classroom without me. As the door closed and time passed a sinking feeling emerged in my gut, and then one of intense anxiety. I've always had some pretty bad anxiety, and the thought of being stuck in that room for an unknown period of time terrified me. What if they never came back? Of course, the teacher did come back looking for me, and on maybe her second time calling I ran out of my hiding place crying and was vigorously apologizing to the teacher.
She told me that a play was being preformed in the gym and I was missing it. A play! How could I have skipped out on a play for a joke! I felt foolish and sad, exaggeratedly so. Still whimpering I sat down in the gym and listened to the two men preforming the "play" for us. My spirits were raised when I oberved they had not truly started yet. Instead, they had us do an interactive exercise, which I remember to this day:
"Kids, in this play we're going to need you to use your imagination. There are going to be many things we say we are doing, like climbing mountains, or fording rivers, or firing canons, but we don't actually have any of that to show you."
Other guy: "What I wouldn't give for a canon right now..."
First guy: " So we're going to do an exercise to help get your imaginations going! I want you all to close your eyes..."
I did.
"...now imagine a big old dinosaur! A Tyrannosaurus Rex!"
Incidentally this was the first time I had ever actively imagined something in my head. There likely occurred a lot of passive imagination before hand, but never before had I actively participated nor payed such acute attention to my thoughts.
Thusly, I was astounded to see a giant Tyrannosaurus Rex standing in a primordial jungle right there, right in front of me, right in my head. It was like I discovered I had a new pair of eyes and was opening them for the very first time.
"Now give it brightly colored polka-dots!"
I thought, and suddenly it had pink and blue dots all over it.
"Now make it run!"
It ran.
"Now make it roar!!!"
It ROARED.
I was euphoric for the rest of the play, the rest of the day. The play, such as can be said of two men preforming for elementary schoolers, was funny, a comedy about Lewis and Clark. What struck me most and what sticks through to this day most about this isn't the impact of those two events, but the way the second so completely transformed my mood from the first. I was used to being sad for the whole day after something bad happened since I would continue to beat myself up about it after the fact, but this time I didn't . This time the good outweighed the bad, and that exited me more and gave me hope just as much if not more than discovering a place where anything can happen right inside my own head.
A bit late but mine is about my first experience with the injustice of the world...
I was in first grade (so I was either 6 or 7), and at the end of every recess all the classes would line up by class and sit down to wait for the monitors to lead us in class by class. While waiting to be let in, I started throwing pebbles at this girl a couple of rows away. I have no idea what possessed me to, but I just did. She turned around and told the kid directly behind her "stop it." Of course the kid had no idea what was going on he was talking to his friend behind him. So I threw another pebble. She turns around and says "I'm going to tell on you." The kid has no idea why and starts getting defensive "I didn't do anything" he says truthfully. So of course I throw another pebble. Girl gets up tells one of the monitors that the boy behind her is throwing pebbles at her. Boy starts crying saying he didn't do anything. He gets a discipline slip for the pebble throwing and for lying about it. I get away with everything. I still feel guilty to this day. But I learned a valuable lesson about how unfair the world really is.
When I got in to my top choice for college and my entire family screamed and hugged me.
Having to call 911 on prom night because of going into anaphylactic shock.
Finding out that I passed my EMT test and got certified.
Crowdsurfing for the first time (great until I was dropped on my head)
As a small child helping my dad rebuild small things throughout the house. It was probably the biggest way we bonded, have a great relationship though.
The first would be when I was 4 or 5 and drilled my 3 year old brother directly in the skull with a golf ball after he disobeyed my commands to move out of the way.
Another would be around the same age when he lost his floaties around the deep end of a neighbors pool and sunk like a cannon ball to the bottom, I told my Mom he fell in and she said "well you gonna go get him?!".
I almost died pushing him up from the bottom.
Morale of the story is maybe he does hold a case for middle child syndrome.
My Nana (grandmother) was a bartender for a VFW Post in the Bronx. I used to go to work with her and play there as a child. I can remember that every year, she would march in the St. Patrick's Day parade in uniform as a flag bearer. I would march just behind her with my little chest puffed out with so much pride because my Nana held the flag. That is a LONG walk for a little girl, but I can still remember the pride and love I felt and the sound of the bagpipes. I still love bagpipes. :)
Aerda_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:12:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My siblings are on reddit, so they'll probably know this is me if they ever see it... but I don't care.
Waking up late at night when I was about 4 or 5, and finding my baby sitter in the kitchen drinking tea and reading a book. The lights were very dim. She was my favorite person ever at the time. I told her I couldn't sleep so she made me a glass of warm milk and let me play with our wooden toy train for a while. This is my first memory.
Going to Italy when I was still a kid. We visited our great grandma with my grandma and mother in Florence. We were at a hospital run by nuns, in a nice courtyard garden. My mom told me to kiss my great grandma on the cheek but I didn't want to. I still regret it, because she became mostly senile only a little while later. She died in 2011, just before her 100th birthday.
Another memory is playing shopkeeper in my grandma's appartment in Florence. The shutters to the window and the curtain were perfect for pretending to have a store. My dad bought my siblings and I toy swords and we played with those as well.
In a different trip, I remember walking the streets of Florence before it was infested with tourists. I remember loving how everything smelled like cigarettes and coffee (and didn't know that those were what they smelled like), and visiting the Duomo museum. I remember really liking their wooden model of the dome, and thinking Filippo Brunelleschi was who I wanted to be when I grew up (aka an Architect). I also remember walking by Dante Alighieri's house, and taking pictures of almost everything in the street. I also remember visiting the copy of the statue of David, up on the terrace above the city. It was deserted except for my mom and I, a couple taking wedding photos, and a few families.
We (mom and I) visited Venice on the same trip. I remember watching this man with something like 40 pigeons sitting on him. I also remember buying a blue and gold mask with a huge beak on it (I still have it on my wall), and playing with it on the train back to Florence. The man we bought it from was really nice.
Staying up all night when we had just moved into a new house, reading the Cherub and Harry Potter books. I still only had a mattress and a book light. I could smell the Ikea furniture parts in their boxes.
Playing Wii tennis with my twin. Playing ODST with my sister and brother, and my dad yelling at us for staying up until 3 am...
My sister and I being shitty to each other until this year, and how she doesn't seem to regret it at all.
Recently visiting France with my mom. Visiting Napoleon's tomb. I don't think I can describe it outside of just amazing for a history nerd. Being able to see how he was represented like a Roman emperor and god was interesting. Visiting the Pont du Gard, and discovering a whole set of ruins behind the main bridge. It was completely deserted on that side of the mountain.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:13:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My grandma teaching me about God. She told me fables and tales from holy books with great imagery. I'm forever thankful to her.
The drives during cold nights when we used to travel back home from functions. My dad played very old music on the stereo, and I used to open my mouth and inhale cold wind to drown the sound.
The moment right before I was given aesthetic on the operating table. I remember the doctor calming me down in a soft voice and a nurse strapping a rubbery mask around my face. I remember not liking its smell. I slipped into sleep within seconds.
I don't remember how it happened but when I was 4 I fell and sliced my head open. At the time I was out with my best friend/ man who lived in our basement and he started to run me home. We passed a park with a big yellow slide that I loved to ride and I pleaded with him to let me go on it. I started to freak out and cry, he kept saying no and eventually picked me up and said "I'll bring you back tomorrow". He passed away that night, I've never went back.
What was supposed to be my first rugby match. I was on the bench and my father decided I should warm up and practice getting tackled before I headed on to the pitch, he went high and broke my nose haha
A humid porch in Tennessee, light starting to fade above the treeline and a gurgling creek, with the sound of the pumphouse straining to provide our neighbors water. It always had trouble, and we'd check it every day or so. My grandfather, sitting in a rocking chair, with a glass of whiskey in one hand and a joint in the other, relaxing after a long day of work. We'd just finished up a long project remodeling a neighbors house, and it was a well earned rest. He poured me a glass of whiskey as well, and we sat there, talking about nothing mostly. I had just quit my job working at a small restaurant that was stiffing me, and told him the previous week that I was moving to California, to be with my girlfriend and start a career. We talked for a while about life, love, and finding happiness, and then he told me the one thing I'd always wanted to hear; "I'm proud of you, you've done good and you'll only get better."
It was the last time I really got to speak with him, and the second to last time we hugged. I parted ways at the airport gate, not knowing that that would be the last time I saw the most important person in my life. Wherever he is, I hope he's got a full glass and he's proud of me.
Oh, I want to answer this one, but my class is starting right now.
I will be back here in a few hours!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:15:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I rode my bike accross town when I was 10 years old to buy my Mom a birthday present. I went to the mall by myself and bought her a Glass Tiger casette tape...and myself a Transformer.
My parents fighing and divorcing when I was 11. My dad telling me I had to be the man of the house...and my beleiving him. Junior high and highs school was not fun.
Shoplifting bulk candy from the local Safeway, and never getting caught.
Dear redditors, you do realize this thread will be used to manufacture replicants, right?
Wgibbsw ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:17:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Huh - nope, none. No bad particularly bad memories nor good ones. Never really stopped to think, I'm not sure what to make of this.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:17:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reading The Chronicles of Narnia with my mom when I was only in kindergarten. Sparked me getting to the point of reading Dickens in 8th grade no problem.
Nearly suffocating to death all alone in school because the teacher wouldn't accept my note out for asthma and the nurse just left the room. (idk like 7/8)
Then being told I was fat at the pediatricians after I started crying saying I couldn't breath every day(8/9)
4.Literally holding my sick older brother up at a Social D concert because his legs gave out during the encore and the both of us being front row screaming along.
Building/painting/fixing things with my dad who has taught me to take care of everything I have.
Seeing the love of my life walk up the stairs to my apartment after making it through 4 years of military service. He drove 3000 miles in 4 days, hitting blizzards and storms the whole way.
From present to past, a look at the lessons I've learned that have been most influential on my personality. Could they be learned differently? Yeah, probably. Doesn't matter. These were me. These are me, for the time being.
"I can just agree with people." I was talking with a friend who was similarly contrarian, and realized I don't have to disagree for the sake of disagreement. Responses like "Truth", "Sense of agreement", and "True enough" firmly worked their way into my lexicon. If someone says something that is true, then I have no justification to disagree, and should state as much.
"I can trace my history to the birth of the universe." This was a few years coming. I was taking Behavioral Psychology, and was going through the anthropology of humans. I was able to trace our history back millions of years, through all of our ancestor species. Plug that into my knowledge of the evolution of life, the genesis of planets, the cosmology of the universe... I felt a strong sense of connection. Hey universe, it's me.
"I'm basely chaotic, but fundamentally predictable." Behavioral Psychology again. My actions are, from a limited set of inputs, predictable. There's nothing special about it. A long time atheist (the Hundred Years war, the Crusades, seriously?!), this was the final death of the idea of a soul. I was just a machine. Sure, QED says on a quantum level I'm random, but I'm bigger than that an a lot of my patterns can be observed and predicted. I'm just... me. The voice in my head, observing what my body does and commenting on it. That's it. Liberating, but really depressing for about two weeks.
"Electricity isn't that dangerous." I was building a laser pistol and screwed up. Shorting about 3kV at a handful of milli-amperes across your body doesn't kill you. Things seemed a lot safer. Not entirely so, but not enough to be constantly worried about it.
"You need sleep or else you will malfunction." Don't stay awake for a week straight on caffeine trying to study for exams; you won't study well and end up freaking out. Ever pray to a towel in full seriousness? I have, and had to prove my own existence to myself afterwards. I make it a point to get some rest everyday just to flush the memory banks.
"I can choose to be kind." I was fighting with my sister, and realized this wasn't kind. I began a process of becoming kinder then, and it's only been reinforced by my life experiences onward. This didn't stop her, as I was bad at sharing information. We basically stopped only after I learned some martial arts and accordingly how to block. (She totally thought that wasn't fair.)
"Embrace weirdness." Scene was a field trip. The challenge was to choose which agate was the most valuable. Every kid selected the most plain agate, and being contrary, I selected the most layered one. I was right! And I learned, there is something to being the odd man out.
My first roller coaster ride. I remember it so vividly from the drop to the loops. My father told me they had to stop it because I was crying hysterically. Funny thing is when I recall this I don't feel fear, I just remember it so clear.
The dolphin figurine in our living room. My sisters would tease me and that was my to go weapon against them.
My dad owns a truck and stupid me (I've grown up and realized how silly this was) would be embarrassed being caught riding it (My dad forces us to go even if we don't want to). So I would duck or slouch super low just to avoid being seen.
Playing in the rain. Our parents / nanny never let us play (could get sick, dirt on the floor) so the few times that I sneaked out I remembered clearly. The joy of dancing and playing in the rain with mixed feeling of fear as you might get hit by lightning.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:18:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad and mom weren't around much when I was a kid (teenage parents); so my grandfather would pick me up from school once every week and take me to lunch and a movie or the park or whatever we wanted to do that week.
I remember driving with him one time and we were talking about what I wanted to be when I grew up. He told me it doesn't matter what I want to be as long as I try my best to be the best at it. As a joke (early 90's) I said "what if I want to grow up and be gay?" just to get a rise outta him. He turned to me with a straight face and said, "then you be the best gay you can ever be".
That was the day I learned about unconditional love. He probably doesn't remember because his Alzheimer's is getting to a moderate stage, but I'll never forget it.
Every Friday my family would go out and eat chinese food. Only, my parents called it chinky food. I had no idea that chinky was a derogatory term.. so I happily said it very loudly one time in the chinese resturant. My parents were so embarrassed and pissed off at me, and it took me years to figure out why. I thought that's just what it was called.
I stepped on a long, cold, slimy nightcrawler in my bare feet and screamed like my world was suddenly screeching to a halt. My grandpa came running outside with a small, hand held garden hoe and cut it clean in half to show it who's boss. A few years later, I learned that nightcrawlers can regenerate....so there's that fear.
My parents had a large, fluffy bear of a black lab when I was a baby. They got her while my mom was pregnant with me and we essentially grew up together. Many of my "core" memories revolve around her. But one of my favorites was when I was 6 years old, I wanted to take a nap, but my dad was working inside. So I figured the best place to nap would have been the dogs Igloo shaped dog house. Of course. I remember she curled in there with me until I fell asleep, but she must have left because my dad was searching for me everywhere and finally found our dog just sitting outside of her igloo like she was standing watch. I knew I loved dogs before that, but she really solidified just how caring and protective dogs can really be, and I will always be thankful for my time with her.
When I was about 9, my grandparents and I were driving to California from the Midwest, and during one of our days of driving, I told my grandma that I had a really bad headache and I wanted to stop driving for the day. Now, my grandma is a military woman who doesn't take any excuses, no matter who they're coming from. So she handed me an advil and told me to take it, even though I had never swallowed a pill in my entire life. When I started crying that I didn't want to, she pushed my head against the seat and forced the pill down my throat. A little aggressive, sure, but she got the job done. To this day, I have a hard time swallowing pills and for the longest time, I had to wrap pills in fruit roll ups before I could swallow them. But my headache went away.
Childhood:
-Driving to my favorite custard stand in a warm August with the windows down, enjoying the cinnamon and apple cider fragrance of cow dung.
-Seeing a black bear come out of the woods behind said custard stand
-Asking my brother whether the Emperor was in Empire Strikes Back and him explaining to me that he is but only in hologram, whilst standing next to the washer and dryer in the laundry room next to the den.
- Stripping down and standing on the coffee table asking my sister's bohemian art friends to draw me
- a lucid nightmare featuring Nosferatu
- arguing with my little sister whether the baby my mother was pregnant with would be a boy or a girl
Adolescence and early adulthood:
-my first kiss: on the forehead with cold lips
-walking home at 3AM through the countryside after being cheated on, getting picked up by the cops, then getting drunk on my parents' beer and listening to Bowie
-getting robbed at gunpoint on my senior trip
-turning myself in after accidentally flooding a floor at my university
-getting punched in the face by my bipolar younger brother
-learning to play guitar and the whole journey that took me on
Adulthood:
-my father crying as he breaks the news to myself and my mother that the house was being foreclosed on
-my first two dates with my future wife
I feel like I have a lot more core memories, but these are the ones that stick out as bullet points in my life
Cajete ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:19:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first memory: My dad is a Cuban immigrant who came on a boat and then paid for us to fly from Cuba to Nicaragua and then the United States (1990s). I was 3 years old and I will never forget looking outside the planes windows and seeing those beautiful fluffy clouds and blue sky and ocean. It was incomprehensible to me and it made me feel so strange. A first epiphany perhaps? It felt like understanding and not understanding at the same time. I peed my pants on the flight and kept asking for "Pa"... At least that's what my mother said. I'm 27 now and I've never flown on a plane since because I've never left Florida. =\
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:19:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Taking a girl I loved more than anything in the world to see a lighthouse at the beach. Seeing her standing there in her white sun dress with her arms hanging over the railing, her hair blowing in the breeze, smiling and staring out at the ocean. Even now I will never forget how beautiful she was that day.
My father shyly mentioning how proud he was when I got accepted into universities. He said he is proud to be a laundromat delivery person (who used to be a civil engineer prior to US immigration) because his gamble (investment in his children) paid off.
I still get emotional just thinking about how he actually said those words since he was one of those quiet, and not an expressive men.
Nevertheless, I am employed now full time, fresh off the college, spent my very first paycheck to get him his dream car (Down-payment for a Volvo. I don't know why that is his dream car though)
Every summer my cousin and I are at the beach for the week with our family. At night we would just chill out on the beach for hours. One time we were at a different beach than usual and had walked a few miles away from the house without realizing it, around midnight we got a phonecall saying we better be back soon. This beach had huge sand dunes, so we would intermittently sprint and then jump down off the dune only to have to sprint up another dune. We made it back in 15 minutes or so. I've nev r had a bad time on that beach at night
After high school baseball tryouts, I was destroyed. I zoned out for a second or two and I saw the coaches were talking to me but I really don't remember hearing them. It was tough holding my composure. I went to the lockerroom, gathered my things and proceeded to beat up a locker.
In middle school, I met this girl at the pool, and me, having just discovered girls were a very cool thing, was smitten. That day was a very happy day, but two months later I got a text from her and she said she was moving to Africa. I still follow her on social media and she drop dead gorgeous.
The day I got my dog was one of my happiest moments ever, she was only 3 months old, and I carried her to the car. Now she's 7 years old and still full of energy, but is still the lazy dog she always was :)
cperko1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:21:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That one brick at that one Taco Bell.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:21:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
5th grade. teacher was this blonde in her late 20s. never wore a bra and had big perky tits. always wore like high waisted Levi jeans and a white t shirt. that was when I knew I was straight...because i fantasized about fucking her when i was like what...10?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:21:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
About 2 years ago: One of the strongest ones I have is definitely the time when my unit was at NTC (National Training Center) in California, for about 2 months of training. Active duty Army out of Hawaii. We weren't allowed to have cell phones out in the field while training, so when we got back for about a week's downtime one of the first things I did was get my phone and check to see if my girlfriend at the time had texted me. She had, and it was to tell me that she was breaking up with me to date her ex that had physically abused her. I shut down. Lots of shit happened over the next 3-4 months that played a huge part in who I am today.
On a happier note, when I was about 5-6, I remember my dad and I staying up pretty late one night (probably 11-12) and I sat on his lap and watched him play Age of Empires 2. Probably one of my favorite memories from that period of my life. He fostered my interest in video games and it's been something we do together a lot.
This is more for my own remembrance than anything else.
Waiting to see my dad every year. Mom died when I was six. Dad worked in a different country. For the 30 days a year I got to see him, anything was possible!
When my sisters and I counted our change outside of book store to see if we had enough to go in and buy a book. The feeling when we realized we could!
Defending my then elementary school best friend against three others. Causing enough hurt for my guardians to be summoned to school. Getting chewed out and suspended. (was scholastically the top kid in school, eventual school leader). Walking out with a satisfied smile on my face.
Visiting my sisters at their all-girls boarding school. Hearing the girls hoot and whistle was divine.
Waiting for the librarian to open the public library every evening. The library was next to our house and I was his most loyal visitor. The disappointment I would feel on days he would not show.
Sitting under the shade of a starfruit tree in the backyard in the summers and reading.
Peeling the husk of 800 coconuts in two-three days using a rudimentary (but fast nevertheless) implement.
Removing the ticks from our dogs. one by one. four dogs, many ticks.
Being used as a chase rabbit for our German Shepherd. I would get a head start, ran like the wind, jumped and scaled walls and obstacles so that the dog wouldn't get me.
Wondering how deep a vagina could get when examining that of a neighbor friend when we were both around 8. One time. Nothing else happened.
Asked to fondle/suck a tit by an older girl whose home I lived in for a few years. I was around 6 I think.
Traveling abroad all by my self for the very first time. Got my passport when I was six but traveled for the first time at around 16 with the passport picture of mine at six. Remember the immigration fellow asking me "Are you sure you are OwnTheInterTubes? You look like his father!"
Waiting by the side of the road to get a glimpse of my future wife-to-be as she blazed past on her Hero Puch (a motorized two-wheeler)
Saying hello to my future wife for the first time. Met in 1996. Never had a date (societal norms and her stern father), left her city four months later, knew she was the one. Dated long-distance for seven years. Married in 2003. Two great kids to show for it.
Meeting my wife's dad all on my own to ask for her hand in marriage. Feeling weirded out on hearing him pacing the room and signing hum Jingle Bells as I scarfed down lunch. In the middle of July.
Beating my best friend (still is) with an iron pipe while the rain poured down on us.
Walking an hour every night in a God forsaken town in Central India to call my girlfriend from a public phone booth. The feeling when the line finally connects and I hear her voice.
Landing in the United States for the first time. The prop jet flight from Detroit to State College,PA was choppy as hell with the guy next to me puking into a bag. Wondered if I would even make it.
First football game at Beaver Stadium.
Holding my wife's hand in the operating room as she gave birth to our first child. Ihave a fear of hospitals. Refusing to look when the doctor said "see, we are taking the baby out". Nope.
When both my kids showed their love for reading.
The current feeling that my 12 year old dog may not last more than a few weeks.
One core memory that sticks out to me is when I was about 5 years old, playing in the driveway in front of my house. I was in rain boots and an oh-so-stylish pink skort. For some reason, as I was squatting in a particularly muddy puddle, I decided, "Hey, I'm already messy enough, why don't I just pee in this puddle?" So I did, and it's my most prominent memory.
kp2412 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:23:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We were at my grandparents place. The whole family. Me, my mom, sister and dad along with my grandparents. So one night the electricity went off because it was raining heavily. Anyway, all of us couldn't sleep that night and I remember in the morning my dad saw all of us sleep-deprived and got us all in our SUV with blankets. Turned on the air conditioner and we slept at least for a good 45 mins until the electricity came back on. I vividly remember us laughing together sitting in the front seat. Just few days after that, he'd gone to Europe for work and met with an accident only to pass away after 10 days. That was one of my last memories of him. This was 6 years ago.. Will never forget it!
YsiYsi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:24:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was like five or so my family was really poor so anything outside of macaroni and cheese with hotdogs was awesome.
Sometimes my mom and dad would splurge and get these mesquite chicken breast things, they were the best things ever but we saved them for special occasions since they were resistive l expensive. One day my dad and I were watching some TV, some shitty little thing it was like 20" MAYBE, behind a nice glass table my grandma gave us and my dad asked me, "Hey YsiYsi how hungry are you?" I was really hungry but said i wasn't because I knew we had to save food, I didn't know but I knew that it was important.
My dad gets up and goes to the kitchen and gets something to put in the microwave, all the while I'm nervous cause mom is gonna get dad in trouble for not saving food, and when the timer finishes he opens the door and the sweetest most delicious smell I've ever had float through the rooms and wiggle its way into my nose evacuated from the kitchen; my dad made the chicken. My mouth started watering profusely, my stomach started rumbling so I told it to stop, we're not supposed to be hungry yet. I hear the kling-klang of forks and knives then I see my dad come into the living room and set the paper plate on the table... it looked like heaven.
My dad starts to cut the chicken up piece by piece, the looked like really small bites for him, I thought it was weird, but I snapped back to the TV so it didn't look like I wanted any. My dad takes a bite and I look at him for awhile, he looked at me and asked if I wanted some, my stomach growled and I said no but my dad looked at me a little harder and then told me, "It's okay just don't tell mom, she'll never know." I took a bite, I took two more, I smiled, and I laid down with my head on my dad's stomach and fell asleep watching TV with my stomach full of chicken.
One of my earliest memories ( age 3 or 4ish) is waking up very early (7-8 am at the latest) and toddling out to the apartment's large living room window to look out at the sunrise over the mountains in Colorado Springs. The colors are so so vivid, and the sky was so clear.
The best part though, was that was the first time I can remember seeing hot air balloons, and it was magical. They were rising up, higher than the mountains ( perspective, lol) in a variety of colors and sizes.
Another one would be when I was 5ish, and we went to the Disney store in a mall ( probably Colorado too). We were pretty poor, so I'm not sure what mom bought or why. I just remember standing on my tippy-toes at the check out counter to reach into one of those angled clear jars to pull out a Mickey Mouse keychain watch. I wanted it so badly because my Mammaw had a Mickey Mouse watch, and I loved to watch Mickey Mouse.
Well, mom said no and told me to put it back. So I plunged my fist into the jar and rattled it around as if pouting, but kept the key chain in my hand, shoving it in my pocket. We left the store and I don't recall if the alarm went off or not, I was so focused on playing it cool and making it to the car. Mom must have caught onto my act though, because she asked if I had anything in my hands. I held them out and replied "Nope! And nothing in my pockets too!"
You can see where this is going. Cue me getting a talking to, sobbing and wailing, and mom making me take the key chain back and apologizing to the young lady at the counter. I was so scared.
Sitting in my room when my drunk father came in slammed my laptop on my typing hands and breaking it. Screaming at me in the hallway about how I was worse than a drug dealer and how I was never going to amount to anything.
Waking up in my car in the mcD's parking lot. Grimy and just sad, no where to go and 17 so I couldn't get a good job. Just fucking wondering what happened.
Scoring a 34 on the ACT and having every college I applied to accept me. Knowing I was gonna be able to do something beyond a shitty minimum wage job.
Painting little figurines with the perfect girl. She chose a squat metal dwarf and I chose a rubbery centaur girl and we sat and painted them in this little shop for a few hours. Sometimes talking and sometimes not.
I don't know what my fifth memory would be. Perhaps it hasn't happened yet.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:25:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
-Logging onto my student portal and finding out I got accepted to my dream Engineering school. Ran down the street shirtless. Spent 5 years at a community college.
-At age 19, asleep at my friends house. Woke up to my parents phone call that my doctor had called them to bring me in ASAP. Already knew it was tell me I had Testicular Cancer.
-Not crying until I made eye contact with my mom in the car leaving the hospital. We all broke down after as I kept sobbing "Why me?" to them. This is kind of a happy memory though. My family doesn't share deep emotion with each other almost ever, and I had never felt so fucking close to them.
-Making it to my first year of being Cancer free, where my odds of return went from 50 to around 10%. This meant I wasn't going to need chemo, so my ability to procreate would be unaffected (Thank you god/universe)
At age 8, riding around in our new car with my family, Windows down, blasting Red Hot Chili Peppers "Under The Bridge"
Damn just realizing some of my core memories are really sad.
This one actually happened very recently, like within the last week but I know I will never forget it.
I was playing my first gig on guitar in like 8 months. It was a simple cafe open mic night so nothing spectacular, probably like 30 people or so total.
The first song went well so I start my second song which was an original. As I'm playing, a group of 10 or so kids come inside and start clapping to the beat. I nearly choked up while playing because I was so happy.
atyzer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:25:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm 30 right now. I remember the earliest around 3 y.o. when i was a tiny boy and had that insane perspective on child chute in the yard which i loved to slide and it looked for me as everest. When i was about 18 I've checked same yard and that chute was about 2 meters high. I remember a lot of incredible shit from my childhood like (lake dredger) at country side, first touch of horse at 6 y.o., first fireplace at 4 y.o., first tree me and my grandpa chopped to plant 10 new trees. The treasure retrieval which we hit with brick to dig our and which turned out to be WW2 air bomb at the house construction site. I remember first fight which i lost at 5 y.o. over girl that i "loved". I remember that i assembled 1st gang in kindergarten when I was 6y.o. with selfpissing twins who were incredibly malicious but i was always punished in the corner as gang member. Fights over this toy at 5 y.o. http://gorod.tomsk.ru/uploads/9423/1256714344/ussr_09.jpg. I remember my 1st broken bone at 9 y.o. But most of all I remember 1st story from my grandma at 4 y.o. about tricky fox. Shit i want to cry right now because my life can fit about 10000 page book.
1: the first time i witnessed my father hit my mom and me not being able to do anything but call the cops.
2: sitting with bottle of pills contemplating ending it. The neighbors 3 legged golden retriever jumped the 6 foot privacy fence; scared by the thunder storm going on. He ran straight through our dog door and came straight to my room and onto my bed with me. First time i met the dog. Just kind of hugged him for an hour or so before i called the owners. The dog probably saved my life and didn't even know it. They moved a couple weeks after.
3: Got in an argument over not being in the car with my stepdad driving drunk. Stopped at a rest stop for over an hour yelling when my mom started getting sick. Told me she had cancer that night. I knew she had it before, but something about the whole night just stuck, seeing my mom weak, my stepdad drunk and belligerent. It was one of the only times I've straight out yelled and gotten angry since i was 4 or 5.
4: wrapping my little brothers gifts from santa and stuffing his stocking when i was 10. My dad had gotten drunk and passed pit before doing anything. I didn't want my little brother to wake up to nothing.
Not a whole lot of happy memories in my life so far, but it's made me who i am and i've grown from every experience I've had. I wouldn't be who i am now without all the good and the bad in my life. I know it's a late reply, but had to get it off my chest once i started thinking of it.
Playing in the yard with my dad. I was very young โ I think this might be my very earliest memory. I was spraying my dad with the house and he was running and laughing, using the garbage can lid as a shield.
Seeing my wife for the first time. Then meeting her and discovering just how wonderful she really was.
Playing onstage with a rock band for the first time.
Laughing with my family at dinner time. I don't remember what we were even laughing about, but I just remember us cracking up and almost choking on our food.
When I was little (5? 6?) my dad was in politics, and around election time he was pretty much invisible. My mom was at the campaign office a lot, and add to that evening events that they would both have to attend. One evening I was sitting in front of the TV at my aunt's house and his party's song came on during a commercial break and I sang along softly, quietly crying and missing my parents so much, everyone else totally oblivious. I remember all of the lyrics to that 80's party anthem as this is a core (SAD) memory.
Throwing up at my dad's mud bog. I was wearing striped Osk Kosh B'Gosh overalls and a matching bow in my hair.
get_it ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:28:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really interesting question! Long post incoming:
staring in the mirror in my Minnie Mouse underwear, age four, as my older cousin explained that each chicken pox mark was where my feathers would start growing, and that's why they were so itchy. I 100% believed her.
Later that same year, at a park, she hung upside down on one of those horizontal playground bars. It was anchored into a cement block. I was mad at her so I decided to tickle her, and she hit her head really hard as she lost control of her legs and fell. My aunt (her mother), who normally only spoke to me in baby talk, spanked the crap out of me. I learned how gravity worked that day.
Having my first best friend at age 6. Going to her house and baking cookies for the first time (my mom doesn't bake). Mistaking the flour for sugar, and sticking a handful in my mouth. My friend's mom cried laughing as I tried to wash it out. First time I experienced feeling very loved by a non-relative.
my mom explaining that the reason why we eat latkes (potato pancakes) during Hanukkah is because the Greeks attacked with elephants, and when the Maccabees (Jewish revolutionists) discovered that the only way to defeat an elephant with a bow and arrow was to run under it and shoot it in the stomach, some got squished...into pancakes. I was playing with my friend and must have been 6 or 7 at this point, and knew it was a fake story, but the detail that my mom told it had a big impact on how well I tell my own made up stories. Friend also thought it was a really gruesome, disturbing story, I thought it was amazing and hilarious.
Eating at the Thanksgiving table among about 30 relatives, around age 8 or 9. I had asked some question about how bodies move, so my mom took a turkey wing and pulled on the muscles to show me. Everyone thought it was gross. I thought it was awesome. It started a lifelong passion for learning about how bodies work and why
Being driven home by a friend's parent in...8th or 9th grade? She was very devoutly Christian, and spent the entire ride, which was about an hour, telling me about how I was going to hell because I didn't believe in Jesus. She also made a point of pulling into her husbands place of work, which was a mechanic shop, gesturing him over, and having him tell me too how I better start believing in Jesus if I wanted to escape hellfire. I started losing my respect for religions here.
Being told by my Rabbi at age 12 that I was a bad and unloving child because I told my mom point blank, in his presence, that I did not want to go to an Orthodox girl's camp in Kentucky for two months during summer break (we were never Orthodox anyways). He felt that children should not be allowed to make their own decisions and that my mom knew what was best for me. He also said I would never get married if I continued being such a brat. My mom had asked if I wanted to go and I said no. I lost more of my respect for religious leaders here, and also stopped thinking of adults as all-knowing
My first kiss, age 13, sitting on a lawn listening to a jazz band with string lighting overhead.
Getting asked point-blank why I was "more protective than a wolf" of my friends getting bullied in school, by a bully. Explaining that I didn't want them to get hurt and was ready to fight people who wanted to be mean. Being asked if I was abused and saying no, then having them look at me like I was crazy. Realizing I was way overprotective of people.
there are more but I think as far as childhood-ish that covers it.
I was crying once when I was about 8 because my older brother's girlfriend "jokingly" called me chunky. My brother went over to her and told her to never mess with me and was mad at her for a week until we were all on good terms. It truly melted my heart because I was used to him just teasing me all the time and the regular brother bickering.
This is a really great question, props to Op. I had to think about this a bit. At this point there's little chance of this actually being read, but part of what makes this a good prompt is that I want to answer it for myself even if that's the case. So trying to go in roughly chronological order...
Being served a gigantic piece of cake when I was 4 or 5 years old, on a cruise in the Caribbean with my family. My mom won the cruise in a sewing/quilting contest, it's the only one I've ever been on to this day.
The aftermath of jumping into the bathtub also at age 4 or 5. I apparently tried to jump headfirst into the tub like it was a pool, at least that's what I told my parents at the time. I got a big gash on my forehead and I distinctly remember my mom screaming - she heard a big thud and then came in to find me sitting in the tub, dazed, with blood streaming down my face. I apparently was pretty unfazed and asked her what was wrong, and when she said I was bleeding I asked to see in the mirror. Seeing myself bleeding and her reaction is what I remember from this event. I have a faint vertical scar in the center of my forehead to this day, making me almost exactly like Harry Potter, but instead of Voldemort I faced a bathtub.
Playing with my brother in our backyard at our childhood home. We built Lego cities together that were more like empires. He made maps of the backyard and basement, and we divided them into states and territories populated by different types of toys with capital cities, army bases (controlled, of course, by army men) and over time an incredibly complex history and series of alliances and conflicts developed.
My first kiss, which happened in Germany in 2003. I was in a long-distance and then short-distance relationship with the girl, on and off again, until 2010. While later events may color that memory a bit, I know I won't forget it. It was... moist.
Breaking up with my high school girlfriend via text message outside the restaurant where she was eating with friends. Looking back on it now it seems so stupid - she was younger, I went to college and we did the "we'll try to make it work" thing, she cheated on me with someone else in our peripheral friend group (I wouldn't call him a "mutual friend"), and I for whatever reason didn't want to let it go. The sadness and shame I felt stay with me. On a lighter note, some years later I was able to commiserate drunkenly with the guy she had cheated on me with about what an absolute mess she was. They dated for a few months afterward and he had to put up with her, which I consider to be more than enough revenge.
The summer after my freshman year of college, when I was back in my hometown for the summer but rented my own apartment because I would do anything to avoid living at home. Since most of my friends were back in town as well and most were living at home, my place became the de-facto party house for the summer. Lots of good memories with friends and lovers (often the same people) were made then.
Everything on this list occurred prior to 2007, and while some things since then may rank equal in terms of importance, I feel like these early events in a large part define who I am today.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:30:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Career related, the day when I got a full-coverage scholarship to study overseas. My family isn't poor but not well-off, and this was my ticket to changing my life.
Non-career related, the first day I started playing RPG games. Skyrim was my first ever 'serious' game. It changed my perception of gaming, and now I enjoy it as an art instead of just a mean to relax
In no order of relevance:
-The time I fell asleep beside my girlfriend on a hammock after working on a shed outside her house with her father. I have trust issues, no one to blame for them but myself, and get instantly anxious if I close my eyes if people are around. We broke up, but I trusted someone that moment enough to fall sound asleep.
-Took italian classes for two years, in those two years I met very diverse people from different origins, different cultures within my country and different people from different regions in Italy. Most locals in my country have a negative attitude towards it, often cynical, and the first dream amongst teenagers, besides the deluded, most patriotic or homelike, is to study abroad, meet someone and stay there. Our islands and beaches are the highlight of our culture, receiving thousands of tourists every year. One saturday a teacher, two years older than me, asked me something similar. Which was my moment of joyous epiphany. Like a feeling of complete glee, uncorrupted by worry, a feeling of discovery. Having an arrogant, cynical attitude towards everything, I mentioned the first time I heard Dark Side of the Moon in it's entirety, I did not want to seem the odd one out. She then proceeded to mention why she came here, came as a volunteer to help the poor and illiterate here, took a small vacation afterwards, going to one of those islands with white sand beaches. She cried, she said, filled with that very feeling, and that was the moment that she fell in love with my country. It shocked me how someone from Italy, a land with such a rich cultural history, the crib of western culture, the land of world renouned musicians and artists, was more honduran than I, someone born to honduran parents, born and bred here. I learned that moment that patriotism is not blindly believing your home to be flawless, but to love it despite them, appreciating the beauty within. Since then I've tried to be more involved with the art and music scenes around, and have come to terms I will probably never study abroad or live in another country. I'd lie if I said she's not one of the teachers that had the biggest impact of my life.
Going to the hospital because my cousin was in a fatal car crash, I was too young to comprehend what was going on so I packed snacks for him.
Eating ravioli and quickly rushing out the door because my aunt (cousins mom) died suddenly from heart disease
My dad teaching me how to shoot
My mom trashing my room because she said I was an awful son because I talked to my girlfriend for 2 hours on the phone.
Getting my dog, he was just a puppy and I just recently lost my first dog who lived to be 18. I saw this little blonde ball of fluff and loved him immediately. He's going to be 7 in August
When i was 7 i was rollerblading on my porch. My mother had a cactus on the corner. While trying to Rollerblade around the cactus my skate fell off the edge of the porch and i fell into the cactus.
The cactus needles were all up my leg and on my ass. I went crying to my mom and we pulled them out with tweezers.
Once we were done i went back to the cactus and smacked it with my hand for revenge and once again had needles in my hand. This time i did not tell my mom and went and got them out myself because I was embarrassed that i got poked again.
Around 7 or 8 b I was determined to catch the giant bullfrog that lived in the ditch in the backyard. I would lie on my stomach and wait for it every day perfectly still, only moving to get up to go pee or eat lunch and I'd come back. I'd watch the crawfish build their little homes and hunt minnows and small frogs and tadpoles move about. I watched dragonflies and butterflies move from flower to flower and didnโt flinch when the garter snakes slithered by. I did this every day for 3 weeks until that damn frog finally came out and I caught him and he was bigger than my two hands put together. I was so excited! I showed everyone! My mom of course thought it was disgusting especially since girls shouldn't be playing with frogs. My neighbor was willing to cook it for me. And all my friends wanted to play with it and then kill it and eat it.
But I just wanted to let him go. We were friends now. I carefully sat him down at the edge of his ditch and he didn't hop right back in. He stayed, letting me just look at him.
Now, I spent the rest of that summer digging a homemade pool in the neighbor's yard and building a fence for all our snapping turtles. His parents were crackheads so they didn't care what we did to their yard as long as we left them alone. And we collected 13 snapping turtles and built a snapping turtle moat around their deck which was our new castle of course.
The last day of school when we were kids. Go for a half day or so to clean out your desk and just goof around. They'd line us up at the door, everybody just salivating to leave - including the teachers, no doubt - and the bell would ring, the doors would open and we would just scream and sprint out of there like a charging cavalry to go home and start our summer.
I was a child of the 70s so summer meant playing outside all day, every day. Little league baseball, pickup baseball, football, basketball, running bases, the neighborhood pool, friend's pool, in the woods to catch tadpoles or just ride the trails on our bikes, playing in the creek behind my house, setting up ramps to jump our bikes like Evel Knievel, making our own fun. No cellphones, pagers, any way for our parents to get a hold of us. Home for dinner when dad got home and then back out at night to play ghost in the graveyard or kick the can or flashlight tag or swim in my buddy's pool or sleep in a tent in the backyard. Fantastic memories.
Most of my core memories revolve around my Mom. She raised my brother and I as a single parent, and she was amazing. We lost her 13 months ago, and I know it's part of grief ; but for the past year all I've done is replay moments in my life I had with her.
The first time I ever saw the ocean. We had taken a family vacation to Hawaii and my Mom and I woke up before everyone else, and watched the sunrise. I had never been in more awe. I remember the way she watched me with so much happy in her eyes.
The first time a boy ever broke my heart. I remember just breaking down in the small kitchen of the small house we lived in. My Mom just hugged me and agreed he was a jerk. She let me skip school the next day.
When she found out she had cancer, round 1 : she decided to go get her hair shaved so she didn't have to watch it fall out. The hairdresser opened early and we all sat there while she got her head shaved. We were all bawling.
Round 2 cancer - when she sat on top of the toilet seat and let my brother shave her head. We didn't cry that time. I know we all felt sad, but we just kept cracking little jokes.
When I went to visit her after her stem cell transplant. She smelled like sweet corn, and I kept hugging her and sniffing her. She would laugh and bat me away.
When I had to put her hair in a ponytail for her - after second round with cancer, and before she shaved her head. She had a PICC line in her upper arm and couldn't bend it. I remember the look we both gave each other. I had this sad sinking feeling in my gut.
Having her brush my hair even as I got older. I've got long, thick unruly hair, and she would sit there and comb through it for me. I was probably 28 the last time she did this for me. (I am 31 now - my Mom passed exactly one month and one day after my 30th BDay)
Making the hard decision to pull her off life support. Holding her head and kissing her, thanking her for everything and breathing her in as she passed away. I would have just crawled into that hospital bed if I could and laid with her, but so many tubes coming and going everywhere at that point. I remember looking back at her as I left the hospital knowing Id never see her physical body again.
So many good memories with my Mom. A lot of game changing moments for me. I hope to be half the Mother she was to me if I ever have children.
One summer night when I was about 5-6 I couldn't sleep. My dad kept having to come in and try and get me to sleep. He asked why I couldn't sleep and I said it was because the crickets outside were too loud. With that he calmly told me to look outside. He left my bedroom and went outside my window where he proceeded to clap and yell for the crickets to scatter. He came back in and said he took care of them for me.
On another night when I couldn't sleep, my mom was with me trying to get me to sleep. At about 2am I was still restless. It became an endless cycle where I couldn't sleep, I'd get worried or anxious that I still wasn't asleep, then my anxiety still kept me from sleeping. My mom stayed up the entire time trying to help me sleep. She finally told me that I didn't need to sleep. If I could just close my eyes and rest my body and mind, that would be enough to recharge me. It worked like a charm and I slept the rest of the night. I still remember my moms advice when I have trouble sleeping.
I have amazing parents. They have taught me so much about how important family is.
I don't know how old I was when my father hit me. Hell, I'm not even sure it ever happened. It's just a vague impression that comes to mind every now and then. Maybe I've dreamt it, or imagined it as a child and lost trace of the fact that I did. I don't know.
When I concentrate on the image I have in mind I see my early childhood room that iv'e shared with my younger brother. we moved out of that place when I was 8, about 20 years ago - but I feel it has happened well before that. In this image you cant even really see the room. Only my fathers bearded face against a background of a light colored ceiling. I don't even remember the moment he slapped me, and don't know why he was mad at me. The only thing I remember vividly alongside the image of his face looking at me from above it this procession of feelings: shock, anger, and finely profound helplessness.
My father is a wonderful man, and we've shared great experiences together throughout our lives. never did he hit me again. Maybe he never did at all. Whether he did or not is a question that bares no importance whatsoever. I'm not mad, and don't need him to say that he's sorry. This thought, dream, memory, impression, whatever it is, it's now a part of me. I can't even start to imagine, much less explain, the extent of it's effect on my life.
minday ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:32:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My therapist and I discovered that a core memory for me is thinking I'm a failure at pretty much everything I do...even though I'm not a failure! It makes life changes and big decisions VERY difficult. And when I don't fail, it makes it hard to believe, like there's been some mistake.
I was sitting in my bedroom at my eMac (white!) ordering some flowers online. I was 19. It was the summer after my freshman year of college. I was having them delivered to my ex-girlfriend at work, my high school sweetheart. I made a mistake, I wanted to patch things up, this was the start of it. I finalize the purchase and all is well. Suddenly I hear what sounds like someone yelling the letter "e" in a screeching voice in my livingroom. Just an elongated yell of the letter E. I run to the other room to see what was going on, and my mother was shaking, half-sitting, covered in blanket on the couch. She was arching her back and staring over her right shoulder, screaming. Suddenly she flopped back down on the couch with some level of force. Her left hand slammed down on the table next to the couch, catching the edge of an overfilled ash tray launching ash and cigarette butts high enough to hit the ceiling. Time slowed and it snowed cigarette butts and ash, filtering the sunlight as she shook and grunted on the couch. I watched for what felt like minutes but was seconds, as it snowed literal trash and decay. Something old, something used, something you'd meant to discard but kind of left around by accident. Something that would never be new, or good, again.
I called 911. I knew it was a seizure, and they rushed an ambulance to my house. In the 5 or so minutes it took for them to arrive, my mother woke up and when I told her what happened she didn't believe me and didn't think it happened. This was how she treated all of the problems stemming from her alcoholism. She didn't believe me, and didn't think any of it happened. She hadn't had a job in a few years, never stopped drinking, and refused to even admit that just days prior I'd gotten home from college for the summer and searched her room finding 18 empty liter vodka bottles stashed about. Hidden. In her own bedroom. These accumulated during a period of just 4 weeks since I'd been home and cleaned out her room last.
Eventually she relented and we went to the Hospital. Coincidentally it was the hospital that used to employ her, from which she was fired for drinking on the job. We sat in the emergency room and she still refused to believe that anything had happened. I put my head in my hands and faced the floor, leaning way over, as if to put my head in the crash position between my knees. I started to cry, and for the millionth time began my diatribe about how she needed to understand her actions and their consequences and needed to own the reality she created if she was ever going to change. Before I got 10 words out I heard the letter E once again. I looked up, panicked, and saw her once again half sitting up, back arched, craning her neck over her right shoulder. I slapped the emergency call button on the wall and medical professionals came running. I got up and swiftly walked out of the room. I went outside, tears on my face, and found my father who just arrived -- still invested in his child and his many-years-divorced ex-wife. I told him I needed a cigarette and some alone time. As a non-smoker, it was an effective distraction. I sat against a wall and processed it all. It ended up taking almost another 6 years, but that was the day I knew she was going to die. She'd never get better, she'd never stop drinking, and there was nothing I could do to change that. I hated being right about it. But I knew.
rcab23 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:33:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
frontyard football, driveways were endzones, each sidewalk square was "10 yards" and ours was 10 perfectly. i had 3 bros so we did 2v2 all time qb was dad. best ever.
Probably a little late to the game but here's my contribution. I remember I was in middle school and my school bus stop was at least 2 miles from my home. It was pouring rain one day, I mean it was really coming down, and I didn't have an umbrella. I started the walk home but I was not looking forward to this one particular part in my route. It was a really steep hill and with a dirt bank next to the sidewalk which meant mud was probably running down the entire path I needed to walk. My house was at the top of this hill so there really was no way around it. When I finally reached the base of the hill, I paused and looked up to survey the path. In that brief moment, a public transportation bus stopped right next to me. Keep in mind, where I was standing was not a bus stop. The doors opened and the the driver, an old black man, looks at me and says, "hop in." I was drenched and the bus was full of people but I got in and stood next to the entrance. I told the bus driver that I only needed to get to the top of the hill. He smiled and nodded. When we got to the very top, he opened the door and let me out (again, this was not a bus stop). I'll never forget the kindness that that man showed me. It was such a small gesture but it has stuck with me my entire life. The world needs more people like him. It would probably make this place so much better.
Blu3j4y ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:34:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The summer after my sophomore year in college:
I was supposed to drive a friend home, and out of nowhere I asked "Do you have a summer job lined up?" He said no, and I said "Do you want to go for a drive?" So we drove around the country, and earned money playing duets on street corners. Our parents were royally pissed at us, but we drove around and honed our skills.
We visited places that I'll probably bever see again. Washed dishes, played music, stopped at every town on Route 66, and basically lived like hobos. We took baths in lakes when we started stinking, and finally made it home after about six weeks. Tanned and hairy, I pulled into my mother's driveway and told her about the adventure. She wasn't pleased, but she washed my laundry and let me sleep for a few days. 20 years later, she admitted that she wished she had taken an adventure like that.
Then she and my aunt decided to visit my other aunt in San Diego. They bought a car and drove back to Ohio, stopping at every town on the way.
Age 3, lived in the desert in a house which had a back yard that turned into a pretty steep slope full of sagebrush and such. Laying on my stomach on the concrete patio, playing with my Hot Wheels, I can still remember the feeling of the cold concrete seeping through my coat. Then I hear a rattle. Get up, walk across the lawn toward my parents' bedroom window, hear the rattle again. Look down and there is (to my 3 year old eyes) a HUGE rattlesnake sunning itself on this metal hatch under my parents' window that led down under the house.
I feel bad about this 35+ years later, but cue screaming, me running inside, "Mommy mommy there's a snake get Daddy's gun!" Das was at work so sure enough, Mom went out with a .38 and shot it. In hindsight, the snake did nothing to me and if I'd said nothing we both would have been fine.
Landing at the Panama airport in 1988. My uncle was stationed there as the garrison commander of one of the Army posts near Panama City. When we landed, the airport was dark and people were practically running to get here or there. It was me, my two brothers, and my mother and we were supposed to meet my uncle right outside the gate. I could tell my mom was scared, but to us, it was a bewildering experience. Thankfully my uncle and cousin were there to collect us but I noticed he wasn't wearing any shoes. He rushes us to his van that he had borrowed and throws all of our baggage unceremoniously into the back and before we can even buckle our seat belts, he peels out of the parking lot. I could tell he was nervous, and my mom looked scared as shit, but my cousin (who's the same age as me) was smiling and asked me if I had the new Michael Jackson album yet. I remember that about that same time I looked back at the airport behind us and noticed it looked like something that had seen several fires and a LOT of vandalism. A few miles down the road and as we get closer to the city, my uncle tells us to get our heads down. He's reaching for something under his seat but I figured he was looking for his shoes or something. Nope. It was his side arm and we were approaching a road block. I couldn't see much, but I remember him speeding up and a lot of yelling in Spanish as we passed a stack of burning tires. Then after that, it was nothing but beautiful scenery. He announced it was all good because we were close to the installation. All that behind us, Panama was fucking amazing and now that it's stable, I really want to go back.
Back story - my mother and uncle decided to not tell us about the whole Noriega thing that was happening. He had successfully convinced my mom that things in country were calm and that since we wouldn't be in the city, we would be safe and sound. I guess he either downplayed the situation or it escalated too quickly for him to tell us. The reason he didn't have any shoes was because he had to give them to the guy at the road block in order to pass through. He wasn't about to make us give up our shoes or put us face to face with armed men, so that's why he sped through the road block on the way back.
It was late at night and my mom was having an evening with her best friend at the time. They were having a girls night and I wasn't invited. My mom opened my door to my room, I was crying at the time. She let me out and she put a clear coating of paint on my nails while the two of them continued to talk.
_joof_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:35:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 6 on holiday in Brittany, France. I was pushing along on my new scooter. I remember there being a toad on the floor beneath two mobile homes on the left (it was a campsite) and I was wearing a stripy French top. Then a wasp landed on my knee atop a pus filled cyst on my knee (this formed a few days ago after falling over on my scooter - I remember this too!)
My older brother decided to slap my knee to swat the wasp - which caused a huge eruption of bodily fluids onto my shorts and his tee from the cyst. It must have been pretty traumatic because it's the only memory I have until 3 years later:/
darxeid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:36:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had just turned 3 and my mom was in the maternity clinic recuperating after my sister's birth, Dad and I were home and he made me dinner and we watched a Mighty Mouse movie (on 9mm film with a projector on a screen) and then we played with my Hot Wheels track. He had a sparkly bronze futuristic looking car; then I cried because I missed my mom and he held me. I'm almost 50 now and I still remember this clearly.
I was in preschool playing in one of those small plastic houses with another kid. A teacher came by and for a candy prize, we had to tell her what the tongue on our shoe was. I didn't know but the other kid did. That was the first time I remember being truly pissed off at someone
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:37:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Back in Spain when my dad picked me up from school to take me to the beach, I had to get naked in the car to put my swimming trunks on, and he let me move the stick shift thing while he drove. I remember it smelling like oranges because the streets where I lived were lined with orange trees.
When I lived in Sardinia and the beach was GORGEOUS, I saw a jellyfish on the shore and decided to kill it with a stick. More jellyfish kept showing up and it became a battlefield with my sister and I v.s. the endless supply of jellyfish. Also I had to poop really bad so I did it in the water and the poop floated; I was so embarrassed so I ran out of the water. The poop looked like a candy bar lol.
Leaving my family in Spain to move to America. I cried so much that the back of my eyeballs were hurting. It was like a scene in a Disney movie when the main character's ride is finally leaving and everyone they've ever known is lined up waving goodbye. My family tried to look happy, but I remember my aunt Monica shedding a tear in the background. I also remember waving goodbye to my friend Raquel, and I thought I would never see them again.
The different smell of the trees when we finally made it to Connecticut. Playing in the snow for the first time in my life. My sister sled down a hill and got stuck under a fence, I thought she was going to die. Riding down a hill on my bike with my sister standing on the rear hub; we hit a rock and we went flying into the concrete. Ahhhh memories.
Playing "walnut wars" with my brother, sister, and a neighbor kid. Basically we lived on a large property with a semi wooded area where you could collect walnuts and then throw them at eachother using rocks and trees for cover. Triggered a lifelong love of games.
When I was 8 or so my mother beat me because she thought I had hidden her glasses. Later she found them behind the desk she had put them on and figured the cat had knocked them behind the desk. She apologized, but I'd learned the lesson, doing good things or doing bad things doesn't matter. What matters is being rewarded or being caught.
When I was about 8 years old I got hit in the head with a cricket bat whilst playing. i remember I thought it was just a small bruise and then I saw the blood on my hand and started bawling my eyes out.
Miokien ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:41:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Shit. If I can think of a memory that got me interested in video games it was when I was a kid (I'm 18 now) and my grandma took me to Target to pick out a game. They had Gameboy stations of Pokemon Fire Red/Leaf Green and I believe I caught a caterpie. Ever since then I was always interested in playing video games. In the long run it probably wasn't for the better.
Another core memory that I know will stick with me is one from fencing and that is way more recent. I was really proud of my performance in the middle of one of my bouts and anyone who is passionate about something they do knows how good it feels to yell in the middle of the adrenaline or just to get that adrenaline rush. That's what I remember doing for the first time and I had totally earned it. Ever since then my confidence has gone way up and I've learned how to work hard to make myself better, and I also understand the meaning of pride much better.
Touching my little brothers forehead at the viewing of his body. He was so cold. Colder than I thought a body could be. I didn't want to touch his body but I knew I would never have another chance and I didn't want to regret it.
I was born in Baghdad 1962 and we left in 67, arrived to the states in 68. I have memories that surprised my mother I had any recollection...
My first memory is my eye swollen shut because a bee had stung near my temple and the swelling had shut my right eye. My father could see I was apparently milking it and kept my eye shut for a few days after the swelling called me over and sternly said "Open your eye". I did and this is one of my earliest memories.
The roofs of the homes in the area we lived were all flat which everyone used to sleep on hot summer nights. In a bed on the roof, mosquito nets hanging my mother softly tapping my back with her hand softly singing me to sleep. It sounds almost too scripted but it's a memory I most cherish.
My Grandfather had an enormous fig tree in the backyard and he built a swing for me, my sister and our cousins. I remember the size of the tree and the swing with its wood the rope and few times I sat and swung on it.
One hot day walking along our next door neighbors yard I saw a woman lying in the walkway of the house, a white sheet placed over her but had not covered her hair. I remember seeing her black hair, the curls spilling down onto the steps, women standing alongside her body weeping. This is a memory that surprises my mother as she never thought I'd remember it, the neighbor had had a heart attack and died.
We drove ten days from Iran which we'd been smuggled into to London in a car called an International. My mother told me I slept most of the way and am embarrassed to admit was still sucking on a bottle. My mother and I were in the back seat and I see my uncle turn around, he was driving, grabs my bottle out of my hands yells that's enough and tosses it out the window. He tried feeding me canned peaches at that nights stop I think in Germany and I remember being completely cold to him. He is now and has been since my teens my favorite uncle and we laugh about it now.
wava66 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:43:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My earliest memory of my mother was something she did and I didn't even know at the time. I was 3 or 4 so I hope they were real, but it doesn't matter because they are real to me:
My dad had the idea that we should go 'fishing' over the railing of the stairs that went into the basement. I don't remember much but I remember 'catching' a banana. it wasn't until years later I figured out it was my mother in the basement.
I also remember my mother getting very made at me for locking us out of the house. We had to spend the day at our neighbors until my father got home.
Our neighbor was having some construction in their backyard. I can see my self at the dinner table and my mother getting me to hurry up so I could ride in the bucket of the bulldozer. There were 5 of us kids in that bucket going up and down and all around the yard. It was awesome.
This is the sucky one. I was about 4 years old and my father sat us at the breakfast table to tell us our mother was dead. What i remember s he just said 'Your mother is dead.' Not sure how much I understood, at that time, I just remember the words.
I have also had great memories since 4, and the ones that stick out are:
The day I saw my wife (to be) walking down the aisle at our wedding. I remember grinning ear to ear, I was smiling so hard it hurt.
The day the doctor placed my first and second son on my wife's chest.
Sorta Late to this Disco but I haven't enjoyed reading an Askreddit as much as this one so I thought I would join in.
1.) Early Fall when I was in second or third grade I remember sleeping over at my best friends house and waking up early (6:45ish) and sneaking into a closet filled with holiday supplies. In the closet they had a giant bag of M80's (small firecrackers) and we would grab a handful and go outside to light them off. He lived in a very nice neighborhood and its a miracle we never had some adult tear us apart for being so loud at that hour. Living in a strict household it was a ton of fun doing something that seemed "bad"
2.) Late night games of hide and go seek in my yard when I was little. Nothing was better than those nights where we had family friends over for dinner so that we could play the game afterwards. We always started bundled up in the cool fall nights but by the time we were called in to go to be there was a big pile of coats sitting outside the back door.
3.) Spring of my 7th grade year I remember playing football with a group of kids I always looked at as the "cool" kids. I was buddies with one or two of them but never did I expect to being hanging out with the group of 20 or so kids who were there. It was so nice to not feel like the outcast I always thought I was,
4.) Walking into my first music festival will stick with me forever. I always have loved music and spring of my freshman year in highschool was the first time I was allowed to go to a music festival. I had a good friend fly in from out of state to join me. Though I am sure I looked out of place I sure felt like an adult. We were alone in the city, thousands of people around me, loud music and a beautiful sunset. I had seen pictures of massive crowds at a concert but I just assumed I would never be in a crowd that big. Well to my excitement I wasn't just in a crowd that big I was front row of a crowd that big and Weezer (my favorite band at the time) was playing. I was Euphoric.
5.) A year or two ago my current best friend and I were hanging out for one of the first times. I took him with me to a family party near by because I didn't want to go without a friend in fear that I would be bored to death. the party was at this crazy house that had a stable in the backyard despite the fact that we were still inside the city. While looking in the stable we came face to face with the largest horse I have ever seen. Its name was Meef. Meef looked mad. After laughing about how angry the horse looked we left the stable. Not 5 minutes later we hear a yell and we both whip around. Meef had broken out and was being chased by 10 slightly intoxicated adults who could not keep up. We got to watch from a hilltop the chaos ensued. Never have we watched anything funnier.
My first core memory was when I found out someone was dating my crush. I'll never forget the feeling of my heart opening for the first time and actually being able to feel how much I loved someone. Words cannot describe how much my life changed after that moment.
My second was the feeling of hanging out with my friends after school waiting for the football game. I've never had so much fun in my life. Just every single joke made me realize how lucky I was to have friends that were that funny and so nice and shared so many things in common with me. That moment made me realize that my friends were the most important thing in the world for me. I love music, I love learning, but nothing comes close to those dudes.
My third core memory was just a couple of months ago when I was watching anime. I just paused the show I was watching at a random point and this girl had the cutest smile on her face. That image stuck with me until a couple weeks ago I clicked that having a smile on your face makes life a million times more fun. My heart is soaring right now I never wouldn't thought that smiling could make this big a difference. Something about smiling and getting to meet my friends on a regular basis just feels so good.
END
The first time I played the electric bass in front of my relatives at Christmas. I was just starting to learn it and my uncle asked me to play Smoke on the Water. So I did, on the BASS. It sucked. He seemed so underwhelmed but didn't want to hurt me so he just nodded and smiled.
An Asian girl named Lauren rolled her eyes at me when I was in kindergarten. She was wearing a blue jacket and green pants. She had a rolling backpack. I am still mad about that.
The rapid deterioration of my friendship with my (ex) best friend of 3 years because of a 3 month back and forth relationship with some girl that just wanted to lose her virginity.
He told me we couldn't be friends because I needed to grow up, he thought he was a man because he had sex with some cow. This was just 3 weeks ago he told me this, but I know I'll carry this feeling of betrayal with me for a long time.
Moving out of my Grannies house at age 8 after my mum married my step-dad.
Getting my first dog, Bonnie, at age 8, who would live for 16 years.
Getting the phone call from my sister while I was in a nightclub to tell me that Bonnie had died. I made my way out the club and round the corner before I dropped to my knees and sobbed until my friends found me and took me home. I apologised to them all the way home in the taxi but they wouldn't accept it and also cried along with me. When i got home, my mum, sister and 2 brothers all left me alone with Bonnie so I could say goodbye and sorry to her for not being there when she passed. My brother and I then went out to the back garden in the lashing rain and buried her. I still go out to the grave now and again and say hello to her. My best friend.
Hanging out with my uncle who lives on the other side of the country when I was 3. He's just like I am. We were by a lake with signs all over the place saying don't feed the alligators. I fell and was scarred for life. We went back to the beach house and spilled tomato juice all over my socks. Weird memory
Meeting my first girlfriend and having her tell me she loved me. Was a weird feeling
shortly after that I tried to kill myself. Being 14 this was difficult to deal with
Going to psychiatry for the first time to help with my depression
after years of depression my girlfriend (the same one mentioned above) were at a REO speed wagon concert and I realized; I didn't want to die anymore. Felt really good
Learning to play Magic the gathering. Fun game
If i remember any others I will edit
georgeo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:51:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Taking a bath in the kitchen sink (no, not last week).
arciela ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:53:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
TW: parent/child abuse
My clearest memories are the two worst nights of my life and, while I don't know what the island would be called, they are both core memories and heavily shape who I am today.
My mother's boyfriend, who she considered her soulmate, broke up with her after a bad attack of West Nile Virus. She was unable to continue going over to his house to cook his dinners, clean his house, and be his bed bunny. It devastated her and sent her cycling into depression that she began to treat with alcoholism.
She became sick when I was 14. This night was when I was 16 and in the dead of winter. After ordering me to bed at 6pm without dinner for (admittedly) saying something mean to my younger sister, I refused. She backhanded me across the face several times before pinning me against a wall with her arm across my throat. Getting free, I fled the house.
I went first to the house of my friend who lived the closest, walking through swirling snow in my pajama pants, boots, and winter coat. She wasn't home. Sobbing, snotty, I had to turn away from her little sister because I was panicking and didn't know what to do if she wouldn't hide me. I knew mom would be looking for me.
So I turned and kept walking. Finally got to my other friend's house, taking what back ways I could, avoiding the sidewalks, because she'd be looking. Just as I get her father to answer the door my mom pulls up and I am screeching like an animal in terror. I get in the car and it's horrible.
We get home, I'm forced to talk to my great-aunt about my discipline problem. At this point I'm hollow inside and don't care about anything at all. Mom passes out from the stress and the 18 beers she's had. Apparently, at some point, she called my grandmother who shows up in a panic at the house and basically takes me home with her instead so I can cry and sleep it off in peace.
The second is not too dissimilar but it was so monumental that I go numb inside just reliving it. After having woken my mom up on a work night after she'd passed out drunk she cornered me and began punching me in the head over and over. This was almost two years later, I was over 18, and what she didn't know was that grandma and Z (not family but basically family) had smuggled me almost a thousand dollars cash as an emergency fund after we'd moved out of state.
I calmly tell her the next day that my boyfriend bought me a ticket to go visit him so I would be doing that. She says 'like hell I am'. I then pull the trigger on something I'd been considering for months -- I'm moving out. In a trance I walk up to TJ Maxx, buy the biggest suitcase I can reasonably afford, and stuff it full of everything I can. I took a taxi to the Greyhound station at 3AM and it took me years to go back.
Mom and I don't talk anymore.
I married my boyfriend.
As a result I don't drink, I have issues with people raising hands and voices too fast, and I miss my Mommy. She was a good mom before the drinking. I heard she's gotten sober but I can't bring myself to mend the bridge.
Seeing the film Iron Man as a kid. It made me fall in love with movies, which is something that's a critical part of me today. It started my interest in comics, which are now my biggest hobby. My love for film and comics is partly why I started my blog. The love for the film transferred to the entire MCU franchise. Years later, our shared love of it would cause me and my brother to stop the constant fighting we did everyday and become real friends.
Also, on a less happy note, the time when my father went on a very long, furious rant to me and my brother about how evil my mother was. The rant also included a lot of hating on our old church, because my father claimed the pastor was evil and is much of the reason he and my mother divorced. Hearing him scream for an hour about how mistreated he was and how terrible much of my family was, along with how he wished he had killed that pastor "when he had the chance" made me scared of my father. It made me stressed whenever I spent time with him because I was, still am, afraid that he could start something similar at any time. It's given me more stress than anything else in my life ever has, and made me more afraid of ever speaking against my father on anything. This made me less spoken on my actual opinions and feelings on anything and more uncaring about things around me, which is another reason I started my blog. It also caused me to turn to television as escapism, and escapism is now a really big thing for me. AND it made me realize how much a divorce can mess someone up, which broke my view of normal relationships and love in a way that hasn't been fixed since.
When I was 13, I tried to fetch a rogue soccer ball from what happened to be a bees' nest. I did not know it was a nest. They came at me like a movie when I accidentally ruffled it the slightest bit. I was then chased across three yards with hundreds of bees in tow. I was stung on the same leg (left calf) at least 10 times. Not allergic, but the pain was excruciating.
Thanks OP, this thread has made me realize my life has been sad and empty
Sorix ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:56:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me and the neighbour kid at my familys summer place renting a playstation and SSX Tricky and playing the shit out of it. We had it at his place because they had a better tv and one of the days his family and him was out on a trip or something so I had the game all by myself so I got a good few hours in on it and became quite good at it and when he got back I got to show off a bit.
Swim racing with my dad and older brother in our pool when I was a kid. I was never fast enough so I would grab onto one of their swim shorts and get pulled along. We called it being a "remora" like the fish that latches onto sharks.
Exploring Kakinada, India where my parents grew up. I will never forget feeling terrified and grateful when I saw a girl reach into a garbage can and lick the empty popsicle stick I had thrown away... :( X 1000
Playing through the entirety of Donkey Kong Country with my brother one summer.
Drawing cartoons and making up stories every single day at recess by this huge tree behind our elementary school with my best friends growing up. We simply called the act of creating these stories, "explaining," and we called the tree the "explaining tree."
Being dazed and confused, feeling a whirlpool in my chest, and falling asleep by my sister's side the day we found out our brother passed away.
Leading my volunteer organization as we set up a charity walk and worked the booths. I remember being with my friends and feeling ridiculously happy because they really needed our help.
Making out with my girlfriend for the first time while "watching" Full House. "Full House" is still code for making out ;)
Feeling really alone in my freshman dorm after my parents left. Halls were completely quiet and I was confused about what would happen to me and my girlfriend (same as #7, and we are still happily together lol). Little did I know, just a few hours later, my suitemate would move in and he would be one of my best friends from that day, till today.
Interesting to think about how we are constantly making new memories. I only recently finished college and I am sure I will look back and realize certain things were core memories that I just don't feel right now because they seem so "current." Really good question, OP!
I did too when I first came across this thread. But after I started writing them out, I remember a lot of positive ones and overall I think they balance out.
For some reason, the negative ones come to mind first
My dad taking me to The Lion King in the movie theater and him crying when Mufasa died.
My grandpa and I going to get a Super Nintento at Walmart in his brown truck. Instead of playing it he showed me his accordion and then we played around in his work shop.
Staying at my grandma's and he teaching me to read. If we came upon a word I didn't know I'd have to look it up in the dictionary.
My mom teaching me how to write. She's left handed and I am right. That was a fun time. Explains my shit hand writing to a degree.
When my brother and sister stopped being just me siblings but also my best friend's. Can't pinpoint an exact day but still very memorable/important.
That time I was feeling a little more outgoing and chatting with this girl. But then a mutual friend told me she said she felt it was weird that I kept messaging her.
Now I just be scared of girls I have any attraction to. Don't want to talk to them and be humiliated again.
Does that count as a core memory?
zfrop ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:57:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My best friend moved away suddenly and my dog died on the same day.
Breaking up with my girlfriend of 2 years and getting stalked for a couple of weeks.
Marrying my girlfriend and best friend. (not the same one that stalked me) Really, the whole wedding weekend.
Being taught the frailty of life with a BB gun and a can of soda when I was 7 or 8.
The first time I saw my mom cry.
I was 5 and she was sitting on the stoop of my grandmas house crying. Her boyfriend at the time punched my brother who was 8 in the face and my grandfather pulled a gun on him. Her shit bag boyfriend left and never came back.
I went to comfort my mom as she was crying on the stairs and she pushed me away. Then I started crying. I just wanted to be there for her and she pushed me away...
Really fucked me up. Will never forget.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:59:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my earliest memories was when I was about 4 - I fell off the back of a plastic sit on tractor toy and the plastic trailer tow arm was broken and sharp, I got it lodged under my left eye, still have the scar (of course) I don't remember the event so much as the feeling of pain and squeemishness it brings
Running away from school van with my mom and bus driver running to catch me on the very first day of my school.
The day I received my Master's degree from a top school. My mom & dad were there and so proud of me.
The day I got rejected by someone I really liked and deeply cared about. To my surprise, I was not able to wish her anything bad and still like her as a person (though we maintain minimum contact since it feels weird), in fact I still wish the very best for her. This experience made me realize that if you really like someone, you will always want what's best for them - and that's the litmus test I use to differentiate between a crush and something deeper.
Surviving a plane crash being almost unhurt.
Surviving a car accident on a frozen freeway getting out unhurt.
I don't know most of them, but I do know one of them.
I wanted to play a sport in high school and had already asked my mom & she had said no because we lived far from the school and she didn't want to drive me. My sisters and my dad told me if she said yes they would make sure I got to my practices every week. So I asked again.
Huuuuuge no-no with my mother, but I really, really wanted this, so I braved it. She was sitting in her office chair and I was standing next to her and she berated me for probably twenty minutes. This happened all the time, but it had never been that extreme before. She told me I was ungrateful, disrespectful, lazy, she didn't understand how I could not see all the things she did for me and still ask for more, I was a terrible selfish kid, on and on. I will never forget the look of pure disgust on her face. When she finally dismissed me, I went up to my room and sobbed uncontrollably for idk how long. Eventually my sister came in and sat on the bed for a bit, then told me to get up, she was taking me to a bonfire at someone's house. I remember being at that persons house in the pitch black away from everyone and deciding that my mother was never going to make me feel that way again.
So I highly doubt anyone will read this as the thread is so old, but I felt compelled to do this for myself. In chronological order:
My โbest friendโ at the time sitting in the front seat (90s) while her mom was driving, me sitting in the middle. She asked her mom if I was a tattle tail in a very smug voice and her mom said yes. This was after I had told on her for punching me multiple times when I didnโt want to play. I just remember being about 4 and thinking โadults arenโt supposed to be like this.โ
Being taken over to the neighbors early in the morning when it was still dark out and peeking out the window to see ambulances and cops surrounding my house. Asking what was going on and the neighbor giving me a sad look and try to lead me away from the window. My mom was a schizophrenic and I later realized that had been one of her suicide attempts.
Hanging out with the guy I liked in high school with my best friend in the coffee shop where he worked on nights he closed. We dated for 2 years once we finally kissed.
Just having a complete breakdown after one of the worst fights with my parents. I used to cut to cope and was sitting on the back deck in the dark crying, blood was dripping down my arms, and my dad came out to talk to me. He was nicer than he had been and concerned, but he didnโt see the blood or have any idea because of the dark. That was the closest I ever came to killing myself and I remember him hugging me, but having no idea what was actually going on.
Getting my honors sash for high school. I had been really upset when I thought I wasnโt getting it because I felt like I worked so hard for nothing and just wanted to make my parents proud. I guess word got around and the teacher with them personally came and found me to give me mine and let me know she just hadnโt been able to find me. Then losing it for a period of time the next day and being near tears and feeling so upset and stupid for making such a big deal, but being so careless (another teacher found it and brought it to me).
Hanging out with a guy on a class trip just talking about similar interests and coming to the realizations that 1. I didnโt need to date someone who I wasnโt happy with 2. I liked this guy and knew he would never like me, but there was actually people who existed who were similar to me. After coming to those realizations I knew I needed to break up with my boyfriend of 3 years as much as it hurt. It took 6 months of going back and forth. This one still messes with me because those realizations shattered my views of relationships and now Iโm scared Iโll never be happy knowing something so close to perfection actually is possible and Iโve found it since then, but it didnโt pan out.
I guess another one that goes with the comment above. Different guy than the one from the trip, but the one closest to perfect. Hiking in a foot of snow on a weirdly warm February day, passing no one on the trail the whole way, stopping to kiss and talk a bunch, reaching the peak right at sunset which was one of the best I've ever seen, hiking down in the dark and stopping to hold each other and look up at the stars. It was a perfect day straight out of a movie. We dated very very briefly, but I was in love with him.
Bman_Fx ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:01:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Almost dying from ketone acidosis and sitting in the ICU for a few days on the brink of death. Didn't die, wooo! :D
5 years old - my family was taking a trip to France. We flew out on the 4th of july and I remember seeing the fireworks out the window of the Air France 777
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:02:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Mine is when I first came out as trans to my mum (just turned 16 at the time). While getting ready for school she asked me why I always took so long to get changed and shower, and said she was worried that I was being bullied. It all just came out and we spent an entire car journey bawling our eyes out about how she wished I'd told her sooner but how I was too scared. I spent most of school crying, but when I got home the first thing I found out is that she'd booked an appointment with my GP so that I could start transitioning.
When I realised the idea of me being miserable for a second longer got her to immediately do everything she could to help me, it's the first time that I can remember feeling so happy and loved that I actually wanted to be alive. Bloody hell as if I hadn't cried enough that day.
Also I binge ate icecream the entire afternoon and didn't get told off. Not a bad day tbh.
When I was 4 or 5, I was bringing in groceries from the car like the good kid I was. I lived in Texas, which is infamous for their HUGE red wasps that sting and sting and sting. They're malicious. One of these wasps flew into my shirt and stung me 5 times on my stomach. Meanwhile, I'm screaming at the top of my lungs and my dad is violently batting my shirt with his hand to get the wasp out. Eventually it flies out near my thigh and stings me again there. My dad wasn't wearing shoes but he said fuck it and stomped the little bitch to the ground and killed it. I spent the next few days with a really high fever and took lots of oatmeal baths.
I remember hearing my parents crying and saying how lucky I was that I wasn't allergic to the stings because a kid had passed away a few years before from the exact same thing because of a terrible allergic reaction.
Oh and another time, I was waving goodbye from the window to my dad who was going to work and he was getting into his car. He rolled the window down to wave and yell that he loved me but it was winter.... and his window froze down. I like to think as that one as my favorite first memories because him stomping, cursing and whining like a baby was hilarious.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:04:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Performed in a play in high school. "The Nerd"
The last performance was the day after Sandy Hook.
We almost took a part out about shooting someone, but decided we can't let senseless violence bring us down more.
I just remember being really bummed out, but performing made it all the better.
Then after the play this lady comes up to me. She wasn't a family member of anyone in the cast, just a regular person. She comes up to me, shakes my hand and says "Thank you for bringing so much laughter and happiness, we definitely needed that today."
Such a meaningful yet simple comment. Has stuck with me my whole life.
This will probably get buried, but when I was about 7, I went on holiday to the Isle of Wight (small island of the coast of England) with my family. We were camping, and I remember meeting two other kids, the same age, and we got to be the best of friends for them two weeks we were both there. We lost touch though, as neither of us had facebook or anything like that (we were only 7). I still think about them occasionally.
Also, on the same trip, we went to a dinosaur museum, where i got my first book, which i still have. That was fun
We had just moved away from all of my friends. My grandfather and I would go out every weekend and work on whatever projects he had going. He was always busy and could always use a hand. He taught me the things a man needs to know, how to change a tire, and general care for a car. He taught me so many things and I love him for that.
As a man I once told him how important those days were to me. He blew it off as nothing, because to him what was the other option? There wasn't one.
When my grandfather died when I was five years old, and it didn't click with me that I'd never see him again until we had the viewing for him and I burst into tears in the middle of the floor. I believe it was then that I fully realized what death was.
When I ran my first 1600m in track and field, hearing my dad's voice over the entire crowd in the last 500m; last place still booked it as hard as I could, screaming "MY DAD IS HERE" the whole 500m and crying into my dad's arms when I found him again.
When I ran my first 3200m in track in field (same season) and I placed second. I literally flopped off the track and as I lay there I hear my dad scream "you did it! I'm so proud of you! I love you man", and I just lost it. I was being helped up from my flop by a girl and I actually collapsed into the girl's arms when I heard his voice.
When I met my idol from the band Silent Planet, him telling me the nicest words about my future and what success he could see from my ambitions and dreams, hearing and helping me find closure in every hard time I could never find solace in, then being told he WANTS to hear the music I make (I'm a musician with no band sadly).
When I broke up with a girl I had fallen in love with; we made exactly six months when she broke up with me over text at 10:30 on our six month anniversary. I was numb for three days until my friends nursed me back to "health", and danced with me for 3 1/2 hours at our homecoming dance that weekend; one of the best nights of my life. All my friends surrounding me in a circle of happiness and watching me dance and applauding and hugging me and all the sappy things.
When I was 8 my told me he was addicted to drugs. I didn't comprehend what that meant at the time and borderline repressed that memory. 4 years later my dad told me he was going away for six months for treatment. My memory from when I was 8 came back and suddenly things that I thought was weird suddenly made since. Not having money randomly. Dad pawning things. Mom and dad fighting. Dads business failing.
In middle school, I was bullied a lot. One day my teacher didn't show up, so a bully started throwing a handball at me. Soon the entire class of 30 people ganged up on me and was throwing handballs, spitballs, and pencils at me for the next 45 minutes
Getting into a good high school and my mom jumping up and down and running back and forth from excitement
One time on the bus in high school, a cute girl sat down next to me. I got really nervous and started racking my brain to think of how to start a conversation with her. Well, I didn't get the chance because within 30 seconds, she put her head on my shoulder and was in deep sleep. I mean deep sleep. I was supporting her entire body weight throughout the hour long bus ride. She was confused when she woke up and I don't think shr realize she had been asleep on my shoulder. She wobbled off in her half sleep and I never saw her again
I went to a Earth Day fair for extra credit. Everybody was there with friends and I spent an hour walking around trying to look busy to avoid just standing alone in one place. Remember no phones were allowed in school at this time so it's not like I can pretend to be distracted with my phone. After an hour I just left and spent the entire bus ride home in a fetal position depressed.
Got so depressed and exhausted that I missed 4 days of school. On the fourth day, my mom tried to force me to go. I got up and got dressed and packed, but I just couldn't go and begged my mom to let me stay. Around roughly the same time, I wanted to go into the stairwell of a building but was so mentally exhausted, I didn't move my arms to actually open the door and just face planted into it instead
My Dad screaming at the top of his lungs and hitting me when I found out I didn't get into any of my target or reach universities. My mom just lay in bed all day weeping.
Comforting my best friend and cuddling with her as she cried. It's probably the most intimate experience I have ever had.
Flying to the west coast on my own for a job interview when I was 19. (I live on the east coast) (no, I didn't get the job)
When my grandfather wouldn't wake up or move in the morning. He was diabetic and his blood sugar had dropped too low in the night. Even though I was sleeping in the basement two floors below, my uncle and my grandmother's screams woke me up. I remember the sight of 10 paramedics crowded around him
When my grandfather passed away from MRSA (6 months after the blood sugar incident). I remember seeing him in his hospital bed and it was indistinguishable from him sleeping. A little while later, I was down the hall in the hospital lounge when my aunt arrived. I heard her screams from all the way in the lounge.
When I was in elementary school I was the nerdy skinny kid and socially outcast. I saw all the kids who had friends also seemed to do well in gym class, so I tried really hard in gym too. Unfortunately, I was terrible at every game we played and became even more of a social outcast because no one wanted me on their team. Then my gym teacher suggested I go for the presidential physical fitness award.
There were three awards at my school for physical fitness. I can't remember the names for the first two, but the last and hardest one to get was the presidential fitness award. Only about 10 kids in the entire school would get it each year, and as a second grader I became determined to reach that level and gain popularity through it.
Some of the requirements I found surprisingly easy to achieve. My frame was so light that I was able to do 50 push ups after two weeks of training, and I already could climb to the top of the rope net. However in the end, two activities blocked me from my goal. I needed to do 70 sit-ups in a limited time frame, and run a mile in a short time as well. On the last day to try for the award (and also the last day before spring break) I was still unable to pass these two test. My gym teacher knew how hard I had been trying and offered that if I came in before school the day we got back from break, I could try again.
I trained all break long with my dad, running and exercising as often as he was home. He wasn't a very busy man, but he did work an office job and around this time had just gotten a promotion so was very busy and often brought work home with him. I was very happy when he took the time to train with me over this break.
That morning of my last chance arrived and my dad said he would be late to work so he could drive me and watch me run the laps. A mile was ten lapse around the blacktop, and by the second lap he knew that I wasn't running fast enough to make it. So in a full suit he came and jogged along side me, encouraging me and pushing me to go faster. I know I was dying by the ninth lap, but thinking back I can't imagine how sweaty my dad was getting (and he still had to work!).
Still, thanks to his support, I managed to run my fastest mile ever and passed that requirement for the award. Sadly, I still couldn't do the 70 sit-ups fast enough and didn't get the award, but that wasn't as important as the bond I had gained with my father. Going forward he continued to support me in whatever I did, but I always remember that morning on the blacktop in 2nd grade.
When I was 5 I was put into a mental care facility for a week. I had been experimenting with umbrellas and the wall socket. I wanted to see if it would light up. Between that and saying I had "little men" in my head, like that one episode of SpongeBob, convinced my ma to get me help and the social worker decided I needed to go to that hellhole. There was one person there who I trusted and and was didn't terrify me. He was there for pyromania.
As you might imagine that event has heavily influenced my thinking to this day.
Running through the sprinklers in front of a big stone government building in Berlin with my girlfriend in the middle of night.
Nobody was around and it was just us holding hands and laughing.
Happiest moment of my life.
We're not together anymore, but that's a time I'll never forget. I'm American and she was German -- I was visiting at the time. That's a beautiful memory for me.
Sad: the moment when my mom, lying in her hospital bed after fighting cancer for six years asked me and my siblings if she was dying. And my brother telling her "no". She passed the next day.
Angry: the moment my ex-girlfriend told me she had been cheating on me.
Scared: the time I told my dad that his spankings didn't hurt.
Joy: The longest and somehow shortest 15 minutes of my life as I stood hand in hand with my beautiful wife at our wedding. I sobbed like a baby!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:09:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I shot an animal. An impala in Pilanesberg Game Reserve. As I squeezed the trigger it took a step forward, and I dropped him, but he was still kicking around. I managed to hold it together long enough to quickly put him down, but immediately started bawling as I didn't intend to cause it pain. It made me appreciate hunting on a deeper level, and I practiced shooting often in order to never have that happen again.
My first kiss. Everything about the night was perfect. But the kiss felt entirely hollow and empty. It remains one of the most disappointing moments of my life, and has really messed up my relationships since.
The first time I listened through Siamese Dream. Most notably, the 3:30 mark in "Silverfuck." I remember lying on my floor when the cacophony of instruments drops into the heartbeat-rhythm bass. I felt an incredible sense of calm at that moment.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:10:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Roleplaying robbing a cargo ship as a necromancer queen slumming it out with a thief teleporter, an assassin, and a fishperson from space, all in Champions Online.
My first date. Threw up on the girl, and we eventually split but that night was hillarious in retrospect in how it shaped my friendships and life positively for the next 5 years.
Sad core memories:
A bad secret of mine revealed to my parents no I'm not gay is different secret, no speculation please.
When my hamster died. Fucker bit my finger a lot and I was terrified of it, but I still mourned after he 'escaped his cage and ran away' as my dad claimed for a while.
Disgust core memories:
When I was so sick last year that whilst on a run in the woods I vomited, sneezed, shat, and coughed all at once for a while.
Anger core memories:
Best friend attacked me. At the time it was split as fear and sad, but time has made me angry. My face was smashed into a stone wall. My torso was kicked. I was punched around twenty times. I was mocked. Why? Because 'he is fat and it was funny'. And that fucking cunt is in the military right now as cannon fodder. I hope he chokes on a grenade and his entrails be eaten by bugs and wild feral animals.
When a bully at school dared to speak ill of my parentage. Racist ill. Insult me, sure, but if you insult that which is mine in person to me I will not let it lie. The time for acceptance has passed. Righteous justice must be administered, as I grew up on a steady literary diet of heroes and good people facing evil.
The day my Dad told me that he would always be there for me and help me with whatever I needed. I don't think he realizes how much that meant to me. That's a moment I will never forget. I just hope I'm half the father he is.
When I was 7, my father pulled an old basset hound out of our well barely breathing. He was alive and my father wanted to just shoot him. I flipped out and promised to take care of him. I spend every moment i could with him. Named him buddy. He'd follow me around everywhere for a few weeks he was there. Then one day i came home from school and my father told me the neighbors found him dead under their tree.
I cant believe my father.
because most of my "core" Memories consist of him killing the animals I always brought home or found to take care of.
One time we had a cat that had kittens and we watched him purposely run it over in the driveway. edit A kitten not all of them. Then got out looked around for us and picked it up and threw it out in the field*
Other stories have come to surface that made me realize he basically killed every animal I had that they told me "got hit" or "was sick and had to be taken to the vet to put down" etc etc.
I still love animals and still take them in but everytime I see one I "need" I always think about that.
I have a dog and two cats and every-time I talk to my father he always brings up how I need to get rid of them and itll cost like 53 cents....because that's what a bullet cost. He thinks its funny.
Another one I can vividly remember is in kindergarten I found a dinosaur toy buried deep in the sand pit we had at school. I still have it to this day.
Or scaring the fainting goats the farm had next to us. There's a lot of my childhood I remember surprisingly.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:12:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was probably 2 I remember walking in my yard and getting bit by my dog. He got ahold of my shirt and kept pulling me farther and farther away from my house. For 2 that was pretty traumatic.
When I was 7, I went to my first ever amusement park - Cedar Point - and rode every coaster. My most memorable one was Top Thrill Dragster, a coaster that goes 120 mph and 400+ feet tall at a 90 degree angle. When I got to the top, my dad went, "Here we go!!"
When I was 11, I was walking my Great Dane in a sketchy neighborhood and she got attacked by a pit bull. Luckily the owners of the dog were there to pry it off of mine.
Pretty much my whole 6th grade year. (In a good way).
Pretty much my whole 7th grade year (not in a good way).
When I was 15 I played Ultimate Frisbee and got something called book hands - it's where you get a hand block and catch the disc in the end zone. Another time I was playing and I got a Callahan (look it up if you're not aware of what it is) and I also got a layout catch in the end zone (look up layout as well).
ImMrsG ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:13:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a few core memories including my first swimming lesson and how I thought I was going to drown but now whenever I smell chlorine I feel happy and young again, I was 3 at the time.
One of my core memories is embarrassing, but I was about 3-4 and had been potty trained for at least a year. Out of defiance, I crapped my pants. My dad was pissed and he broke my rocking chair as punishment. I think my first sad memory was him putting it in the dumpster.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:14:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mother is pregnant with my sister and I sit on the floor and watch her sitting on the couch sick. I ask her for water whenever I get really thirsty. As a memory this seems like an hour, in reality my mother tells me this was an entire day, at least 8 hours. I am 2 years old
After my sister is born I refuse to give my mother a hug even though I really want to because she disappeared without telling me where she went and I'm mad at her, I am 2.5 years old.
I am 5 and walking 10 miles my stomach hurts but I have to keep going.
I am 16 and I make out with the hottest girl at the party making everyone jealous and instantly elevating my social status for the rest of high school
My father beats the shit out of me and my sister pulls a knife on him and threatens to kill him. I am 18. After this my father moves out and I never live with him again.
โLife is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.โ ~ Wesley- โThe Princess Brideโ
My mom comes from a large family. She is one of 8, so as you can imagine the family grew a lot. Some of my fondest memories revolve around family BBQ's, Christmases and Thanksgivings spent at my grandparents home. We would even all go camping, we'd take up like 4-5 campsites. Those are some of the best memories I have. I cherish those memories, especially now. My Uncle died like 8-9 years ago and just last year, well tomorrow will be one year exactly since my grandfather passed. Those memories and times spent with family shaped me into the person I am.
eqleriq ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This one time I was listening to that one band... oh what was their name? No, not that one... the other one with that guy though. Wait, let me access my personal memory recalling device to the master database.
AD1CTZ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Watching inside out made me realize my core "islands" are nonexistent due to my childhood never having a stable foundation to build them on :( my adult life blows, lol
When I was 10 years old I had the best summer ever with my best friend. I was riding my scooter one day down the hill and saw this boy and his little sister playing with water guns. Back then, I'd make friends with everyone, so I asked if I could join in. We battled and laughed and that's the day I met the mst wonderful friend I'd ever have in my life. To quote Forrest Gump, "we were like two peas in a pod." We did everything together. We played army all the time, our favorite thing to do. We shot sling shots and he taught me how to ride a skateboard. Once the summer was over, we walked to school together and everyone thought we were boyfriend and girlfriend, which we both thought was hilarious. He moved a year later and I never got to say goodbye.
The day of HS graduation, my friend and I rode bikes around the neighborhood, found a tire swing near a creek and swung. Then, we rode to the high school and walked around one last time.
Basic training and all the hard muddy sweaty face pounding hard work when b4 I left my father told me I'd never make it and it pushed me thru so so hard. Became top in my batterie for top gun
When I was about 7 I thought it was shameful to have to wear glasses - so I didn't tell my mom about how weird my vision was getting for a long time. I got on the wrong bus (we had cartoon characters and I was supposed to be on Tweety Bird but ended up on Mickey Mouse or something) and didn't tell the bus driver. He made it all the way to the bus parking lot before he checked for extra kids and there I was, crying, in the back. He immediately took me back to the school where my mom had every single one of my teacher's checking for me...I got a lot of hugs that day...and when I told my mom about my eyes while sobbing, she just rubbed my back and said it was okay.
When I was 11, I was told that we were moving. I said good byes to all of my best friends...and not one of them seemed to actually care. Nobody asked my cousin how I was doing (he was still at that school) and no one tried to get into contact with me. Yeah...that one burned.
In 7th grade I met a boy that I really really liked. We were best friends, both very shy, but brought each other out. I wrote a note on my graphing piece of paper in math that "I think I really really like you" ...I'll never forget his face. I still have that piece of paper 7 years later.
Also 7th grade me was very depressed. I wrote emails to three of my teachers detailing this...got called into the guidance office as soon as I got in and had like a 3 hour meeting. I hated my life.
In 9th grade, I told my case manager how bad my week has been. On Friday she came up to my desk, leaned down and told me to have a good weekend and take care of myself, as well as handing me a notebook that I can write all my feelings in.
Easily prom night. I will always remember the look on my ex's face when he saw me all dolled up...and the excitement in his voice when he told me how beautiful I was.
Same case manager, four years later, I tell her 'thank you...for everything...' and she just hugs me and says it's been her pleasure. She still has a picture of us on her phone.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:16:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
School buses hold plenty of importance - I remember singing songs with friends and this big bump the driver always went over (this was around age 6). Then band came along, my friends and I had to entertain ourselves for trips. I remember we switched the number signs to spell dirty words at one point (no one got caught thankfully).
When I was around 8 we went on a cruise. I remember always wanting to stay on board for the children's group, mostly because of a little girl I made friends with. I still think of her sometimes and wonder how life went for her.
Deep sea fishing - when I was 10 I got to catch a sailfish while on vacation. that thing took like an hour to reel in :).
moving away from my childhood home right before my senior year. it's caused a lot of trouble for me since then, but my parents have always been supportive of which I'm thankful for.
When I was about 8, my great grandmother told me that I was a "true [last name] because you're a hard worker" and that I could be anything I wanted to be with that willingness to get it done. She died not long after that. Sometimes when I'm feeling lazy or unmotivated I remind myself that I want to live up to the potential that my great grandma saw.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:18:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Gwtting upset while playing hide and seek with my Mum. I was just over 2 1/2, and couldn't find my Mum, was upset and scares she had "gone away" like my Dad, who went to work one day and never came home cos he was a bastard.
My Grandpa dying. May 22nd 1999. I'd been babysitting, came home late to be told Gramps had died 7 months after having a stroke that robbed him of the ability to speak and all his dignity.
Meeting my boyfriend for the first time, and the huge, huge hug he gave me. The smell of his hair, the feeling of him pressed against me, all that good stuff :3
Getting rejected from UCLA and then accepted into UCLA on appeal. I had great grades in high school (well over 4.0), especially in math and science. Very high SAT and ACT scores. Was captain on JV water polo and won several awards for varsity. Did extracurriculars and community service every week. Was an Eagle Scout. Not getting in to my dream school with that background was devastating.
I had applied for a BA in economics, and at the time, didn't realize that would have a huge impact. Upon rejection I followed all of the posted guidelines knowing I had very little chance. I ended up appealing my application, but changed major to BS in materials engineering and wrote a cheesy "please let me in" cover letter. For months, I would check every few days to see a one line "your appeal is under review."
Then one late night right as I was going to sleep I checked my status and saw that the one liner had changed to about a paragraph. I only got through the first word "Congratulations..." 18 year old me ran into my parents bedroom like a 5 year old screaming "I GOT IN!!!!" I heard something like 10 out of 3000 appeals were accepted that year (no source).
Going to UCLA defined my life and led me to be an engineer. I will never forget that pure ecstasy of reading that one word.
I was playing little league and was probably 10. I was hungry after a game and wanted a burger from McDonald's but we were very poor. My Mom used what change she had to buy me a hamburger. I remember realizing at that moment how little money we had. I will never forget that moment.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:19:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting my foot caught in an escalator at the mall and hearing people around me cheer after it was wedged free.
Nearly being suffocated in a small container at my 4th birthday.
Seeing the grand canyon for the first time.
Swimming with stingrays on Grand Cayman island.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:20:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) my parents dancing around the kitchen, they were laughing and kissing. My sister and I peered around the kitchen door and told them how gross they were, but they kept making kissy faces and noises anyway
This is my last happy memory of them as a couple - they got divorced three years later and to this day despite their breakup that's the kind of love I want. Not every aspect of their relationship, but the fun they could have together. They showed me what love should look like and even a decade later (they have both remarried) they have remained really good friends. I didn't realize this was such an impactful moment for me until about eleven years later.
2) my sister has severe manic depression and minor anxiety. Her fourth suicide attempt they thought she would need a liver transplant. I came back from my university town and stayed with her overnight at the hospital, prepping incase she would need the transplant, I was the first one to say that I would do it. I barely slept that night and every time the machine alarms would go off (she has a very low resting heart and breathing rate when she sleeps) I would panic. I crawled beside her in her bed and made her promise me that she would never try to leave me again. Her other three attempts were hard but this one was by far the worst and the hardest. Even though some days I need reminders (because she can be a pain in the ass); she is my everything and I wouldn't want to live in a world without her.
Thank you for this thread, I'm not having the greatest week and a trip down memory lane to remind myself to be grateful is exactly what I needed.
Knowing that even though my maternal grandparents never really loved us grand children, they made an effort because they loved their daughter.
Being 13 years old and going to coffee with my Dad and his car buddies and sitting around just bullshitting for hours on end on Saturday mornings when I didn't have games.
Hearing my mom cheer for me when I played football or wrestled.
Watching my dad die while I was administering CPR.
Knowing ahead of time it would be the last time I would see my favorite grandmother alive.
Knowing the joy my kids bring me nullifies 90% of my pain.
dk1701 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:22:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Watching a Star Wars marathon (pre-prequels) on an old television set in our ratty trailer when I was about 6. That was the first moment in a lifetime of fandom.
Listening to instrumental music with my grandmother (shes the artsy type) as a kid led to my current love of instrumental music (mainly movie scores).
Movie nights with my family and two others (Dad's friends and their kids). It was a weekly event where my dad showed off his new home theatre system, and we got to watch movies like the Fugitive and Terminator.
Climbing out of the car in the middle of a safari and being dragged back in by my dad. Looked like the Jurassic park opening scene!
Beating up my brother's bullies. Crying because I felt so sad about how they treated my little brother afterwards.
Having a knife held up against my throat in university by an asshole who I ceased being friends with that day.
Having sex for the first time in university; it was with girl i never knew liked me until earlier that day (we were friends for months and I was clueless). She was so nice (as a person).. the sex was phenomenal as well.
But the biggest memory that defines me today? Walking around high school in Dubai without a person to call my friend. I knew people feared me because I was a good fighter (took on the biggest baddest dude in school on my first day there) but I was too much of a chicken to go say hello to regular people... was also too moralistic and upright for many others. It was sad times.
ikineba ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:22:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I had a 50-ish hour long flight from home to the US for my school, it wasn't the first time I flew to the US from home, but it was the longest, and the most unpleasant. Luckily I was with another friend and we ended up playing Fifa for most of the two 12-hour transits between flights.
My earliest memory when I was playing with one of my three dogs. I think I was around 3 or 4. Still remember holding on his long fur playing wresting or something like that, so soft.
My older brother telling me not to worry, that he loved me, and if anything were to happen, he would take care of me, when I was about to get on my plane to my new college after knowing, right in the morning, that my supposed-to-be landlord cancelled my rent right of the bat (I were not able to meet her before so it was mostly emails and no contract yet). In addition to that, the guy at the airport said that I could be deported having no place to stay in the US.. His saying that almost brought me to tears and gave me strength till now.
Still my brother told me how he would always love me, and taught me that blood is thicker than water when he was giving me a ride on his bike back from school. I think I was around 10 then. He studied abroad a few years after so we rarely ever saw each other since.
My best friend crying saying that I would always be his best friend at high school graduation.
First time I kiss my ex-gf on the balcony of my high school building. Felt electric running across my whole body.
Fjells ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:22:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha, you made me think of something great.
I was out sailing when I was 10 years old. It was the hallowed regional championship. Piss cold in the middle of october in Norway, it was raining, and really gusty.
I was sailing a small one man dinghy for kids, the Optimist, and my father sat in a real sailboat... cheering me on. Anyways, after one of the races, I sailed up to the boat my father was in and he yells at me: "Hey Fjells! You want some nice hot soup?" And I shiver out "Oh, yes please." Then my father, barely keeping it together says "That's too bad, cause we're all out." Then he erupted into laughter.
Hanging out all Summer at a lake cabin in the Midwest. My neighbor and I pooling our money to buy fuel to go wakeboarding (The boat never got more than about 1/8 full). The milky way across a night sky untouched by light pollution. Running around with my friends and with girls I had crushes on. Bonfires and swimming at night or in the rain. Sailboats capsized in whitecaps. Fishing in the fall, when it's cold and silent and the lake looks like a mirror.
First time doing a loop in a sailplane (spinning is up there too). A glider is incredibly quiet and the visibility is so good that the first moment of being upside-down with the sky and earth flipped has been seared into my brain forever. I couldn't help but laugh a little out loud.
I had this indie game on my Xbox called EzMuze or something like that. It was a simple game where it gave you a bunch of 4 bar loops that you could work with and make a song together. I was hanging out with my mom, stepdad, and brother. We thought it'd be fun to make a song together using it. We had fun starting it and I had an idea to make a guitar riff loop fade in every bar. After I played it, my mom was genuinely impressed and her mouth was agape, and said "Wow you have talent." While I played a lot of music, she never heard anything I personally made. She was genuinely impressed and I felt like maybe I could do something with music. I'm still debating if I could do music as a career, but that gave me so much validation.
When my mom found out she had cancer. It was a lovely summer day, just two weeks prior or so my biological dad moved out. She got the call, she called me over, she told me she had breast cancer. It hit hard that I may lose my favorite person in the world.
When my gf of the time texted me to tell me she had sex with another guy. We were in an open relationship but i told her not to tell me and it was a huge turning point in my life. It was a complicated situation that just resulted in me trying to better myself in every way possible.
When I met my current roommate. I don't know, just the second I shook his hand I knew we'd be good friends together through college.
In high school, I was once falsely accused of a lot of nasty business. The teacher bought all of it from this one other guy. I was a mess and I had no idea what to do. After a couple days, I finally got the courage to tell my parents all about it. While narrating the story, I broke down in front of my parents, because I was terrified. They both hugged me tight and said, I remember distinctly, "Oh my son"! The relief was immense and immediate.
I remember my family on a vacation to another city. My brother and I were very little then, merely 4 or 5 years old. We were just running around this beautiful compound at a heritage site at dusk and my family was laughing along and following us.
I was just in kindergarten and I had asked my parents for some money for a book fair in school. I went and spent the money on ice cream. I got punished at home; I was made to stand at the balcony door for a couple hours.
I was with my friends at a New Year's Eve party. At that time, a lot of my boys were committed. I was happy for them, but yet I had this grief all over me, for I had been single all my life and it was starting to get to me. So naturally, the clock struck the midnight hour and the party roared in celebration. I'll probably never forget what happened next. Once they could find me in the crowd, my friends came up and hugged me. This one dude came running, crashed into me, and almost crushed my ribs with his hug. I realized how happy they were to have me home with them, after a semester at college, and how fortunate I was to have friends like these.
These are just the ones I can recall well enough. I hope to have better core memory replacements made over the years :)
I was screaming and crying because of my older sister's snide tormenting when I was around 16. We were on holiday and with my mother at the time. My mom was crying too, telling me to stop, but I lost all ability to reason at the moment. My sister then called me an "absolute piece of shit" for making my mother cry. I remember apologizing to my mom, feeling terrible for everything I made her go through due to my bipolar disorder. I told my sister how I felt awful and sorry about what I did, but she could have been kinder with her words. All she said was, "Well, I don't take back what I said. It's true."
Telling my mom I felt like killing myself, to which she responded, "Then do." I think she said that out of frustration, but it still hurts.
When one of my friends in high school stalked me for several years, and I thought it was entirely my fault for being too nice to people.
When I found out I got into my first choice university with my preferred major, which has a low acceptance rate. I don't think I've ever been as full of blithe excitement.
Realizing I had excellent friends when they would bring me food and sit silently next to me when I was too depressed to do anything but sleep and cry.
Bhadgar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:24:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The day I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I was 16, with no family history of the disease to speak of. I wasn't expecting it until the moment they told me. I remember being left alone in the room for a long while after that. I was huddled against the wall up on the examination table, my knees drawn to my chest, staring at the thermostat across the room. No idea how long I waited like that. It was like a dream. And then my mom came in, and put her arm around me and said, "You're a tough kid."
That was 7 1/2 years ago. My life has been completely different since that day, and certainly not for the better. Yes, I have plenty of 'core memories' from my earlier childhood, but they don't even feel like a part of my life anymore. They are the memories of a different person. Until I was 16, my life was following something of a track. Then everything was shattered, and I've been living a different life ever since. Regrettably, I really haven't made any new memories since that day. My head's still spinning, this many years later.
Vacation at the beach with my family each summer, sitting on the rock jetties crabbing with clothes pins and string. I can still smell the salt tide, feel the rough rocks and barnacles on my thighs sitting on the jetty, and hear my little brother yelling "GET THE BUCKET!" every time he got a crab.
My brother and I hurrying and getting our shoes on and in the car as quickly as possible when my dad wanted to go somewhere. The feeling of worry that our mom wouldn't get ready in time and he would yell at her until she cried the whole way to where ever we were going.
My father coached hockey growing up, my brother played and I played on and off. I was a bit of an odd kid, and would do stats for his teams when I wasn't playing. One time, when I was around 14, I was sitting in this entryway to the locker room of his boys team that was my age, and as soon as I sat down, I could hear them making fun of me. They didn't know I was there, and were always nice to me in person, and I remember swallowing down the hurt of a bunch of kids I spent most of my time with only being nice to me because my parents ran the team.
Getting into my dream high school, and eating pizza and salad in my dorm room with teammates of mine, feeling like I belonged somewhere.
The day my mom told me she and my father were getting divorced. My now-husband, at that point fairly recent boyfriend, was upstairs and I ran to him and cried while he held me. I don't know how I would have gotten through that time without him. Especially once I found out that my father had been cheating on my mother with multiple people since I was about 2, and when she found out and said she wanted a divorce because of it, my father told her she had to tell my brother and I if she was going to "break up our family"
Sitting on the couch in my in laws house after my wedding, tucked in the crook of my new husband's arm and feeling him gently kiss my forehead. I was so incredibly grateful that the photographer caught this moment, I think I could have floated away I was so happy.
The day my son was born. It was truly the most amazing experience when he was placed on my chest and my husband wrapped his arms around us. That feeling of couple to family can't be matched
My grandfather who raised me has Alzheimers. I was helping him get ready for bed last year and he looked me in the eye and said, "I'm not alright am I?". That'll always stick with me.
When my family got a Chocolate Lab as a puppy when I was in high school I decided to do that dumb thing where you pretend your not really interested in it. Then the little shit started to nibble on my hand because he was teething and I just couldn't keep cool about it, It was just the cutest god damn thing in the world. Still with us just much fatter.
Kloyeh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:27:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day I met my cat (and best friend for 18 years through everything). I was 11 and finally convinced my parents to take me to the cat home, went into various rooms to look at the kittens. This one kitten, the instant he saw me his eyes went huge, he bounded up to me, jumped up on my knee and licked my face. It was love at first sight and I knew he was my furry soul mate, he never stopped adoring me unconditionally and everyone knew we were inseparable.
The day I met my little nephew. I held him on the day he was born and stared down into his tiny face unbelieving that my sister had just made such a beautiful, fragile creature. It was the most magical moment of my life so far. Love my little Freddie.
The day my boyfriend reached across that table in the pub and took my hand and kissed me, after I had confessed my love to him. We'd been friends for 7 years. I was terrified of being rejected and I utterly expected to be, as he'd told me he was not ready a few days before. We'd met up to talk about it and I thought this meant him talk to me about how we were going to stay friends. He's the love of my life. The minute he said yes to me I knew I would follow him to the ends of the earth. I waited such a long time for that moment.
Maybe these aren't my core memories but they're my happiest memories :3
I used to pay ยฃ30 a week to go and learn the drums. I've never owned a drumkit, and I don't play the drums anymore, but by god I won't ever regret having learned the drums, even despite the monetary investment. I like to think it gave me my musical core memory.
I had a two-week internship in London once, working in the government. The work was fine, but what I keep appreciating about it all was how it was practically free for me. There was a god-sent foundation that paid all of the expenses to get me there, and I met so many nice people and did so many nice things. I still get dreams about it today. It taught me that hard work really pays off, and a job worth doing is a job worth doing well. I really count myself lucky for it.
My last core memory is traveling. We went out to visit long-since-seen family in the Philippines. They were incredibly kind and giving, even despite their circumstances, and pulled out all of the stops to help make the trip one of the most memorable things I've ever done, taking me to islands and cities, from mountains to volcanoes. I love them, and I hope I can repay the favor sometime.
My main take-away from all of these experiences is that there are plenty of human beings out there, just like you and me, who do good things for others simply because they can. It's important to remember that in this world of bad news, even despite how easily we remember those who've done us wrong.
wckz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:29:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This made me sad because all my core memories have to do with being betrayed, controlled, or generally bad memories. I'm a happy person and don't think my life is bad. It just seems I don't have any extreme happiness moments or where I was surprised by love.
I'll give a few examples and PM if you wanna hear more.
I was at the beach with my family and I was buried under the sand by my sister. My father walked on top of me and he was clearly too heavy to be doing so upon a child, and it hurt. He laughed while I cried and I never forgot.
I was walking down a street with a bunch of mansions with my parents. They kept going on and on about how nice those houses were. Wouldn't I like to live in one? I was about 12 at the time, and they were clearly trying to manipulate me into caring more about money and materialistic things. I picked up a rock from the street and ran home with it. My parents probably thought I was running home with goals and dreams in my head. I knew that's what they were thinking at the time. I was thinking "This rock represents the manipulation of my parents that I will never forget."
I had a cut in my thumb and it started hurting. I asked to go to the doctor but my father told me to ignore it and walk it off pretty much. After a week it became a full blown infection where I was feverish in bed and had to puncture the wound to drain the pus and blood.
My sister and I collected quarters as children. We tried to get every single state and as many years as we could. She had a rare state and I used that quarter to buy a gumball. I don't even like gumballs, but I felt regret and horrible for it.
I have a lot more memories, but all of them just make me sad. I'm surprised I'm not a sad person since my childhood seemed so lackluster. Fantasy books and games probably helped me out a lot.
Age: 7ish... My younger brothers and I were feeding Cheez-It crackers to the seagulls at the beach and this beast of a grumpy woman got her panties in a bunch and started yelling at us. She didn't like that we were too young to give a damn about what she had to say, so she started yelling at my parents and told my Mom that she was "a bad mother"... Not smart. Before my Mom could react, my Dad stood up with the entire box of crackers and proceeded to march over to the disgruntled woman's beach chair and pour the entire box on her and all of her belongings. It was an amazing sight, and I hope she still smells seagull poo every time she sees a box of Cheez-Its
When I was maybe 6 years old, my dad joined a hunger strike. I remember my mom was on the phone with my dad. She had my brother, around 1 year old, in her arms. She was so upset and crying and I hugged her leg to "help". She railed at my dad for leaving her at home with two young children while jeopardized his health. What if something terrible happened to him? From that point on, I built a wall between my dad and I where his activism wasn't at all interesting to me because I saw how much my mom was hurt by his work. He always had meetings or rallies which kept him away from home.
Through my adult eyes, I see how dedicated an activist my father was and that he joined the hunger strike not for himself but for his community. But I remember how torn up my mom was and how I made the decision, then, to be on my mom's side instead of my dad's.
My dad has since passed away and it still gnaws at me how much I held his activism against him because he wasn't home enough for his family.
A guy came to repossess our car and I realized how poor we were so at age twelve I got a minimum wage job and worked like crazy to help my single mother with the grocery bill and thus created 'Hard Work Island' and 'Cooking Island'
My cousin was babysitting me during a summer break and she taught me how to handle makeup, shave my legs, put on a bra, understand my period and sanitary products and put together outfits. It was great since my single mother worked more than full time and she didn't have the luxury of spending time with me so I needed to be taught hat personal stuff. This created 'Self-Care Island'
Getting the Excellence award of my graduating college class and finding out that my class had unanimously banded together and made me the only nominee other than the woman I had voted for that car pooled and studied with me. 'Friendship Island' had been closed for a long time as I devoted myself to work and school but this was the change I needed to become open again.
__ugh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:33:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1993, I was 7. Obsessed with Dinosaurs. Jurassic Park was coming out. My parents had to pre-screen it to make sure it wouldn't give me nightmares. They decided it was ok for me to see and so it was my first "big kid" movie in the theaters. I sat in awe the entire time. Loved every second of it and especially whenever the Brachiosaurus were on screen. Still, to this day, I tear up when they first see the herds (and the whole like "they do move in herds" happens).
With that same memory was leaving the theater, my dad took me to KB Toys which was next to the movie theater. There, I stared at a T-Rex Jurassic Park toy that came with a "mosquito" in "amber." As I'm staring at it, my dad leans down and whispers, "You know, that could really happen." And from then on, I was terrified.
Finally telling my elementary school crush that I liked him. We "dated" until Valentine's day of our 6th grade year, when I promptly dumped him because I was terrified of my parents finding out I had a boyfriend.
Laughing on the floor of the kitchen in my studio apartment with my (now ex) boyfriend until we cried. We stayed up all night, talking about everything and listening to the city sounds and being in love. He recently committed suicide (we'd not been together in over a year, at that point) and I keep having flashes of great memories with him. Our relationship was awful toward the end, but we did have some great moments.
Some of your lives are so nice. It makes me feel warm to read these. Then I wonder why I don't have any happy memories. I can't remember the last time I was happy and I don't know if I ever will be. I'm kind of a waste.
Jeyts ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:39:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm do late to this and it will never get seen but I wanted to type my story.
My father is an amazing man and if I can be half the man he is I'll be happy.
We grew up fairly poor and after the housing bubble it hit our family hard as both my parents were laid off. We were at Walmart and they just released the self checkouts. The machine bugged out or someone didn't grab all their change but my father counted an extra 20 in his change. Without hesitation he walked up and gave it to the lady working there letting her know that it wasn't his and if anyone came.back for it. I questioned him knowing we were struggling and he just told me it was the right thing to do even if Walmart was evil he wouldn't be. Was such an important lesson to me. That I've carried.
In another instance, we were always moving. Never lived in the same house for longer than 3 years. It was hard for me to make friends until high school. And so I was fighting all the time. After one bad fight I remember him coming home and sitting me down. His voice was calm and caring. He didn't yell at me but worked to help me understand. I was never blamed but given a new perspective. What I remember the most in that conversation was he told me I need to walk a mile in their shoes. I had heard the line before but that day the gears finally turned and it made sense. That I don't have to fight with my fists but if I understood the people I was fighting I could better understand them and myself. I made so many friends that would've been enemies by just talking as gently with them as he did with me.
The last core memory is the lowest point in my life. I had been working as a project manager. I maybe slept 5 hours a night tops as I was always working. The company was ruthless with our construction crews. And I told to do a lot of things to people I didn't agree with. One day my boss told me to get a guy to quit because he was difficult and would call him asking for better conditions. I had to tell the guy to get in the back of a 2 door car. Share a seat with a cooler and ride from Washington state to Virgina. Or he'd be a no show. He of course quit and I paid half of his ticket to fly home. The day I found out he died of cancer I felt it was my fault. I kept him from home for so long and when he finally could visit I took away his medical. That weekend I drove to my friends birthday party in Houston and refused to work. They nearly fired me but I quit the next week as they tried to punish me. I had decided toreturned to school the next semester.
When I was in kindergarten and grade 1, I was the most popular kid in school. I was the leader of my group of friends, and everyone always looked to me to tell them what to do during recess. We all played games together that I made up, and it was great fun. My favourite games tended to revolve around pretending to be woodland animals, hiding in bushes, chasing each other, etc. I was big into animals.
Fast forward to the first day of grade two...
There was a new school built closer to my house, so my old class got split up a bit. On the first day of classes, I sought out some of my best friends- I was so excited to see them all again! They wanted nothing to do with me. They now had decided they all hated me, and wanted nothing to do with me ever again. They were now too old and 'mature' to play dumb games.
I spent the next 7 years of my life suffering through some of the worst bullying and taunting you can imagine. They always referenced my old favourite game- making believe that I was animal- and used it to harass me endlessly. I never got the hang of defending myself, and teachers and parents were no help whatsoever. I actually had a teacher one year who was so unpopular with the kids, that she tried out making fun of me to endear herself to the other students- it worked.
I had no friends at all until (thank god!) we moved between grade eight and nine. I started high school with a clean slate, and made friends with everyone there. High school was the best time of my life as a result.
But that one day- the first day of school in grade two, was a major turning point in my life. I never knew that someone could simply decide not to be someone's friend like that. It was the first time I lost a single friend even, but I also lost them all at once, and didn't make another for 7 years.
I grew up in a conservative Christian Church which is where I met my husband. (We've both been out of it for several years thank goodness) there was a lot of emotional abuse going on and it was pretty cult like.
Unfortunately a lot of my core memories come from that place.
I was at church camp one year staying with another family when they called me out onto the porch one morning. They told me that they were sending me home from camp because of my inappropriate behavior. I was confused at first but it turned out my then boyfriend now husband had poked me in the ribs. Someone had seen and turned it into a whole rumor so they decided the best thing to do was to send me home in shame. They said a lot of really hurtful things to me and I can remember the dislike and vindictiveness on their faces. I didn't know how to stand up for myself then, I really wish I had. I just stood on that porch and cried while the oldest daughter mocked me.
Nothing was ever said to my bf, I was the one singled out for punishment.
Once when I was little my dad woke me and my brother up in what felt like the middle of the night. He told us the moon was full and he'd built a spaceship, put us both in the wagon and ran around the block with us. Now I know he just had leg fidgets but it was so exciting.
The night my fiance bought me roses and asked me to elope with him. We didn't end up going through with it but I knew then he would choose me over his family and over that church. It's still one of the best things he's ever given me.
The day the mall I was working at had a shooting.
Waking up early when I was little to try and catch my mom before she walked to the coffee shop. She probably wanted some quiet alone time but she rarely told me no. Now she's one of my best friends and we still frequently take walks together.
I had a crsh on a guy named Alex in first grade and I made a heart with my hands and put it over him and he caught me.
Having my first plate of nachos on the plane over to California.
Seeing how skinny I had gotten had I was super sick and couldn't eat for like 2 months.
Making a pillow and couch cushion fort with my aunts and uncle.
Riding on my uncle's shoulders like an airplane.
Getting a genie Bratz doll for Christmas from my grandma.
That one time my friend lost a track meet and I tried to make her laugh and the only one laughing at my jokes was the girl who is still my best friend to this day, 6 years :')
My dad proposing to my mom and after she said no he threw a mug full of coffee on the ground and I was confused.
Staying up all night to see the tooth fairy and she never came. The following morning, finding my mom's coin purse with my teeth in it.
I woke up in the middle of the night and looked outside and it was so quiet in my normally ghetto street. Everyone was asleep and I was just looking outside looking at the snow.
Playing in the fire hydrant at the end of Custer street.
I have a lot. Kind of happy this was made, since I always say I don't have childhood memories.
Not getting into any of my โdreamโ colleges, it gave me a long deserved smack of reality that if I wanted to succeed in life Iโd have to work for it.
Running across Santa Monica Beach, wildly waving my bike tire after having ridden for six weeks across the US. I look back on this now and realize that nothing is beyond my abilities, as long as I apply myself I can do pretty much anything. It just might take a while.
Realizing that the real reason no one liked me was that I was being an insufferable prick and if I ever wanted to have friends I had to get myself together.
Being unable to study abroad at the time due to a medical condition, Iโd had it since I was little and I realized that if I didnโt take it seriously it was going to present larger obstacles in the future.
My girlfriend ending our 4.5 year relationship in my senior year of college. While it was heartbreaking and certainly threw me into emotional turmoil, it allowed me to go so many places and do so many things that I never would have done if we had stayed together, None of the below would have happened had we stayed together.
Feeling love for a girl five months later. While it ended up not working out, realizing that I could feel that way about someone else was the biggest relief I think Iโve ever had. I cried afterwords not out of sadness but sheer joy and relief, because for the first time in months the crushing depression I had been feeling felt slightly lessened.
Stepping off the plane when I arrived in China, and the realization of what I was getting myself into slapping me across the face.
Being denied border entry into Mongolia, and being thrown in a truck back to China in the middle of a snowstorm. Never felt more fucked in my life.
Realizing the opportunity to travel in Asia, and go to countries that I have always wanted to see.
Reaching out to my ex while I was in Japan (she is from the country), and realizing why it would never work, and that we were never going to see each other again.
Almost getting run over by a truck while motor biking in Vietnam, and then watching someone actually get hit two days later and be killed. Definitely a moment to remind me of my mortality.
Going to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat. While this in of itself was merely a very beautiful experience, it somehow captured how I felt about my life about that moment, that a dark period for me was truly ending, and that I had a brighter future ahead.
Getting my dream job at an amazing company that I feel happy and fulfilled with.
I started writing a post out but it made me think of my little sister way too much (lost her five years ago, RIP) as well as how old my folks have gotten and I started crying.
Most of my core memories come from being a young kid in Sinaloa Mexico in the early 80's:
My 5 year old self playing "chase" with friends near a broken barbed wire fence, and the feeling of the barb catching my left eye and it tearing from just next to my nose to my cheekbone on the bottom and across my eye lid on top. I remember going to my grandmothers house and explaining that it didn't really hurt as my eyelid would flop down when I blinked, because I was afraid of being punished and not being allowed to play with my friends. Then because the only doctor in the town was not around I was taken to the only other doctor around that happened to be at a military base in town. I had to get stitches but the doctor couldn't use anesthetic and my mom, dad and another soldier had to hold me down so the doctor could sew me back up.
Helping my favorite uncle growing up clear fields to get ready to plant corn and other vegetables when I was 5-6 years old, and how he'd make a game out of it by seeing how fast I could clear an area then trying to beat my best times.
Going with the same uncle to another planting site further into the mountains and accidentally poisoning the water supply by putting a poisonous toad in the bubbling brook. My uncle then explaining to me the consequences of what could of transpired had he not seen me play with the toad in the water. Also watching him slowly clean the water by digging the hole up repeatedly and letting the sediment slowly clean the water.
At the same site walking up to the clearing where his field was and seeing what seemed at the time like a giant deer grazing across the field from us. Then us scaring the deer and seeing it jump what looked like a "log", later to realize that the "log" slowly started to move away from us after the deer had fled, we scared away the snakes lunch that day.
Being at my uncles house when the soldiers came looking for him but he had left hours prior to them searching for him.
Watching the creek near my grandmothers restaurant swell after the rain.
How loud the thunder sounded when the storms rolled in and all the superstitions my grandmother would tell us about the lightning like to not brush your hair during a thunderstorm, covering your hair and not looking into a mirror.
Seeing two rain clouds converge on us as we cut firewood for dinner, it was as if someone had pulled the curtains closed but the curtain was a wall of rain.
Moving to the U.S. in 1989 and our Volkswagon bus catching fire on the way and a good samaritan stopping and having to ride in the back of his pick up truck the remainder of the trip.
First day of Kindergarten (what you'd call Preschool in the US) - I was 3 and I remember walking along the hallway with my mom. And all along the wall were little wall hooks for jackets which had little pictures besides them, so the kids could find their spot. I was so very impressed by how many kids there had to be, judging by the amount of hooks.
Playing 'puppy' in first grade and being chased by a group of three girls all around the playground every day at recess. One day, I finally built up the courage to kiss one of them (on the shoulder) and they all freaked out.
Possibly the same year, having hardcore crushes on all of them and hiding from them in the boys bathroom when they wanted me to dance with them at the end-of-year dance.
Having a mental break down in my 1st grade advance math class. I loved math, but couldn't figure out a certain problem while the 5 or 6 other kids understood it perfectly. I quit that day out of frustration, but regretted that decision all through elementary school.
On the last day of third grade, I was one of 12 students in my class to not miss a single day of school. As an award, I got a HUGE gift basket of candy and toys before I got on the bus home. I was so proud of myself.
In fourth grade, we all performed speeches in front of the class and recorded them. One by one, we watched them to find improvements. When it came to mine, I heard my lisp for the first time in my life. I sounded different than everyone. I remember how red my face got and the overwhelming sense of embarrassment in front of my peers. I stopped talking to others after that day and attribute that moment as a shift in my personality. I'm still trying to be more extroverted to this very day (14 years later).
The 8th grade graduation dance. I danced my fucking face off. Completely engrossed in the music and friendship of my peers. I had never had that much fun at a dance before.
Kloyeh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:50:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember when I was three years old my dad was reading the newspaper, and I kept asking him hundreds of questions about the words and what they meant and how you read. Remember very clearly my dad showed me the shape of the word 'the' and how to recognise it. I learnt to read my first word.
30 years old now and I'm a writer. Studied for a degree in journalism. Worked on magazines as a journalist for the past 6 years and now I'm working as a copywriter in the marketing department of a software firm. Love books more than anything and read every day. Thanks dad :'3
Kloyeh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:56:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Totally just remembered another memory from when I was 4: I was playing with my mum and said I wanted to write a story about the train set and farm animals. She made me a book from stapled together bits of paper and I told her the words of the story which she wrote down. I said 'I'm going to be a story writer when I grow up'.
September 23rd 2000. My girlfriend was killed by a drunk driver in a car accident. I was in high school. It had a huge impact on my life and led to years of drug and alcohol abuse. 8 years clean now.
Most of the top responses are so warm and nostalgic. What is it like to have functioning families?
Core memories:
tl:dr; version:
Parents fighting and using me in the fight
Breaking my brother's violin string and him covering for me
Mom letting me and my brother cut Saturday school due to rainstorm
High school English teacher demands I be in honors/AP
Virgin dormmate violently raped by stranger in parking lot
Long version:
At age 5, I was starting to come out of my napping habits. This day, an hour after kindergarten, I started to doze off at the edge of my parents' bed and decided to indulge in an afternoon nap. My dad came home, on one of those rare days of the year he's actually home, and my parents engaged in yet another screaming match in the kitchen. After 20 minutes of staying on the bed, pretending I could sleep it away, I gave up and went out to the kitchen to intervene with my cuteness. I was aware I'm useful for this reason at this point, and I knew my brother wasn't about to try. No luck. My dad grabbed my arm and threw it at my mom. I cried and ran away. I cried because this act was involuntary and violent (though it didn't hurt). I never wanted to get involved in the first place. No one asked why I was crying, and my mom's parents, who also lived with us in our 700-sq. ft. apartment, insisted it was because, "DontSendMeBack likes her mom more!" They disregarded my attempts to clarify, ignoring my pips of "No, that's not why!" But I learned that my voice doesn't matter. I never spoke in class, never spoke in conflict, never felt justified in defending myself. I've since reconciled much of that mentality and behavior, but there's still a ways to go.
At age 9, I wanted to do everything my older brother did. His favorite snacks became my favorite snacks. He liked blue, so I liked blue. He had been playing violin for over a year; I wanted to play violin, but we could only afford one for him (as was the case with most things like toys, books, and shoes). My mom never let me touch it. When she wasn't home, I snuck the violin out from under the bed and played around with the strings, plucking them to figure out the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star." I plucked the E-string (the thinnest) a little too hard, and it snapped. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What the fuck do I do? Fuck. Shit. No idea, so I quickly put the violin back into its case and slide it back under the bed and go about my routine. My mom gets home from work, and my brother takes out the violin to practice, only to find that his E-string was suddenly broken. At this point, I can see on my brother's face that he knows I must've messed with it. We look at each other and come to a silent agreement that he wouldn't rat me out because we were both fearful of my mom's fury (specifically toward me). We both played dumb and neither of us got into trouble. Luckily, it was the cheapest string to replace. My brother and I may not be close or talk about feelings, but that was the moment I learned that we have a sibling bond--it wasn't about who was the better child, as much as my mom tried to fuel that destructive dynamic. It was also when I learned that lying is sometimes necessary for protecting myself.
At age 11, we had to move. No one explained what was happening, what relocating meant, what changing homes meant. The move happened. It felt like a cold hotel for the longest time. A few months after the move, on a gloomy Saturday morning, rain came down hard. I woke up at 7:30am as usual, about to prepare myself for Chinese school. But my mom calls my brother and me into her room that we'll just call in to let them know we weren't going to class that day. We spent the morning in her bed helping me rehearse for the state spelling bee. Sort of. She didn't know how to dictate any of the words, so I was really just looking through the list. But it was the only time I remember my mom showing me sincere kindness--nothing masked by sarcasm or a demand for more or better or perfection. It was the first time the house started to feel like home. I also came to appreciate rainy days.
At age 14, I aimed to be an underachiever in freshman year of high school. I didn't believe in my ability despite my test scores. I signed up for all regular classes, bucking the trend of all honors since 3rd grade. Surely high school honors science and math would destroy me! Boy, did I overestimate my school district. I was bored and constantly cutting class that year. I attended maybe 10% of them the first semester and 40% of them during the second semester. But English was always fun. I loved reading novels and spent all my free time at the library. I finally started attending more regularly when my class was assigned a new teacher. She was young and funny and sweet. We were assigned to write an autobiography and given two weeks to write it. Being the procrastinator I am, I churned out a 5-page autobiography the day before it was due. A week later, I've forgotten all about it, but she asks to see me after school. This has never happened to me before. Ever. I've never been in trouble, but I sensed that wasn't the case.I go back to her room at the end of the day, and she sits me down to tell me, "I read your biography. Wow. I don't even have any revisions to make. It's eloquent, entertaining, and you have a skill for dark humor. Like this section on your dad. Why are you not in the honors class? Here. You have to apply to AP English." If it hadn't been for this teacher, I would've continued down a bad path of cutting class and thinking school doesn't matter. Instead I started signing up for all honors and AP's and became more academically engaged. If it hadn't been for this moment, I probably wouldn't have gotten the chance to go away to university. I always knew teachers cared, but I didn't realize how much they cared. She was a catalyst for my potential.
At age 18, my first year away from home, my closest dormmate was attacked and raped in the parking lot by our dorm. This is something that I will carry with me always. Trying to help her through the trauma, witnessing her nightmares, asking the male students of the floor to stop crude, triggering behaviors took a huge toll on me. As sarcastic as I was before, as jaded as I already was, I was still an optimistic when it came to humanity and other people, especially when I was finally removed from my home environment. This random act of violence made the world seem chaotic. How would she trust again? How would she ever feel safe again? What can I do to make the horror go away? How could something like this happen in our home away from home? We were powerless to the chaos of the world.
I used to say to friends that the only emotions you need are angry and happy. Reviewing my core memories has illuminated why.
One of my favorite memories is laying in a special bed with my Grandmother watching the show Dinosaurs. I was around 7 or 8. The room was so bright and sunny and it was the first time in a while that her and I had one on one time.
In reality she was losing her battle with cancer and that was the last time I remember seeing her alive.
Honestly it feels like I've forgotten all of my earliest "Core Memories". I don't even remember the bulk of my early childhood, i.e. before I was in High School.
-Going on adventures in my childhood friends backyard - he lived next to a large wooded area (probably 75+ acres) and we used to get up to all sorts of stupid kid shenanigans back there. We'd be out there for hours, from noon until dusk, completely alone or with 1 or 2 other friends. Fighting with homemade swords and such.
-Moving out of my mom's house and in with my dad. I remember the first day I stayed at his house. I had stayed there before but it never felt so scary. I was maybe 10 at the time and I didn't want to leave my friends behind. I moved from Michigan to Ohio, went to a new school, etc. The first night I couldn't sleep at all. My dad stayed up with me and we played Solitaire on his Windows 95 PC all night despite him having to work the next day.
-The day my dad was diagnosed with cancer - I remember I was playing WoW and he called me to tell me that he had colon cancer that metastatized to his pancreas.
-Watching my dad take his last breath in his hospital bed and feeling like I was stabbed in the gut. Then walking out of the room, calling my sisters and calmly telling them he was gone.
-Meeting my fiancee for the first time - I remember we met on a blind date through a mutual friend. It was really awkward but when I saw her I got butterflies. The first time we held hands it felt like lightning tearing across my arms and chest - but in a good way.
A small rust-colored tow truck, sort of a boxy looking thing, that I would play with for hours and hours.
Climbing the backyard fence and knocking on our front door to scare my mom.
My dad threatening to snap my neck because I'd bothered him one too many times. With my head in his hands and my neck torqued so far I couldn't breathe.
My mom crying in a closet with a stiff drink because of a fight my parents had had earlier. My sister and I found her and hugged her until she stopped crying.
Playing make believe with my sister in a dark closet going through the most wild and weird scenarios, we'd continue stories for weeks at a time.
The first time a kid lied to get me in trouble. He told the teacher I'd bitten him after he bit his own arm.
Telling a kid he was fat and being confused when I got in trouble.
When I accidentally backed a truck over a toddler and thought I'd killed them.
My dad telling me with all sincerity that he'd kill me if I embarassed him by being a drunk, a homosexual, or a deadbeat dad.
The first time I'd seen my now-wife in a long time and thinking how beautiful she was. We got married a year and a half later.
When my first son was born, holding on to his tiny hand and having the most surreal experience of loving a total stranger with all my heart.
My first memory sticks out the most. Probably 4 years old, woke up, which felt
like the very first time I ever experienced waking up, and walked around questioning whether my existence was a dream too. I was piecing together my life, it was strange.
Second would be my mom beating my dad with a suitcase because he cheated. When they noticed I was in the background, it was my dad, the one being beaten, that paused to turn and command me to get back upstairs. From there, I woke my brother up to watch the cops settle the domestic case outside.
Brother and neighborhood kid convinced me to jump from our 2 story playhouse onto a mattress. Wind was knocked out of me.
Neighborhood kid running me over with his bike on a gravel road.
Brother's friend asking my brother, right in front of me, if he could see my 7 year old boobs.
I mistakenly locked myself in a trailer we had in the backyard and suffered terribly from claustrophobia leading me to jump out the glass window. My dad was mowing the yard and couldn't hear me yelling until he saw me walking with blood oozing from both my nose and mouth.
Brother locking me in a closet for 4 hours.
Pulled the family's dog's hind legs when he was eating out the trash. He attacked my face and bit from my nose to the underneath of my chin where a 3-4 inch flab of skin was hanging off and pouring blood.
Dad took me to work, and I hung out inside of one his semi cabs and I shit myself so badly in there that it fell out of my underwear. I was in the office bathroom cleaning up when I heard him yelling who took a massive shit in his truck.
I was chasing our cat around the house when he hid under the couch. I lifted the couch to grab him, but I did not see him so I lowered it down only to hear him screech as I killed him.
Woke up in the middle of the night, went downstairs without turning on any lights and I tripped over a stranger's naked body. I realized there were 3 others naked too. My mom was having an orgy.
Remember seeing my mom watch porn while my brother and I watched TV 10 feet away... More times than I can count.
I am now realizing I am clearly trailer trash, and my "core" memories, or the most vivid, are negative. However, all of those memories span from 4-8 years old. Everything thereafter has been really positive. Hard to explain, but I've always felt a sense of gratefulness toward the universe.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:02:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Remembering when I said my vows to my wife. It was something else. I cannot describe that feeling of overwhelming joy of saying "I do".
Remembering the moment my sons' head popped out of my wife. I am not sure if he could see me, but that moment he came out, I was his first person that he made eye contact with. On top of that he was born on our wedding anniversary.
Remembering the moment when I caught my wife cheating. The amount of emotional pain was excruciating. Just six months after my son was born. I am not quite sure if anything at this time could measure up to that betrayal and heartache. It didn't seem real.
Remembering being at court and signing the divorce papers..
New Years Eve 2000! I was 6 and me and the neighbours kid got to light bigger fireworks for the first time that year. We wanted to light a nice rocket for when it was 12, but in our enthusiasm we jammed the rocket too far in the ground (very stupid ofcourse). Ofcourse we only realised this when it was already lit. No one else noticed and while my friend and I ran inside we were accompanied by the sound of shattering champagne glasses. No one got hurt but we scared everyone into the new millennium.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:08:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first girlfriend... I remember my first date holding her hand for the first time as we went on a walk. I remember my heart racing and feeling this warm bliss all over. I'll always regret leaving her, but she is happy now and that's good enough for me.
Sailing with my uncle on his boat in Mississauga. I went there for a week to stay with him by myself and work in the summer. I remember us crashing into the waves and feeling so free. Seeing the fireworks at Ontario Place with my dad and uncle. Tricking them into going into the IMAX with fold out chairs because we told them there was no seating and it was a thing you could walk around in.
Being practically arrested (as a 10 year old kid) for threatening to kill the school bus bully who cracked my little brothers head open on the window. The police did nothing to the kid even though my brother had a split open head. I was suspended for 5 days. My dad almost got in a fist fight with the cop.
Sitting in the back seat of the car when my dad followed home the bully after he repeatability beat on my brother and I for months more. He had a baseball bat, and he wasn't going to do anything (even I knew at the time) - but he put the fear of god into that kid. It only made things worse but I always appreciated he was willing to go that far even after the system continually failed us.
The day we put my dog down. I hadn't seen in her in years (college) but it hurt so much I couldn't even bare to be in the room.
The night when another girlfriend I had loved so much got drunk and told me that she felt no spark between us. It crushed me, and I ended up leaving her the next week.
The night I met my wife. I thought I had finally found the one. It felt so comfortable and warm around her.
The night when my wife decided to leave me for another guy. Our relationship had been over for a long time but I hadn't felt that kind of pain in years... This was the first time in my life where I truly hated someone.
My childhood friend sam. I have a lot of memories, but ones of him are the greatest. We were friends from when I was in fourth grade thru eighth grade. He was few years older than me, but he was awesome. He would visit during the summer, spending time with his dad who lived nearby, and would go to school in California. Anyway, right when summer started I would be at my window, every day, every few hours, looking to see if his dad had come home. And when he did, I would look to see if Sam was with him. Sometimes, it took Sam a few weeks. Other times, when I felt particularly lethargic, he would catch me off guard and knock on our door, letting me know he was home.
We hung out a lot. I was hardly at home when he was in town. We did the following ridiculous things I will never forget:
*Played Armored Core on the PS1 to the "I'm Blue" song by Eiffel 65
*Played Puyo Pop Fever on GCube to the Linking Park Meteora Soundtrack
*Made it a Ritual that every year we watch the Digimon Movie at least once
*Went to his dad's plays: Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, Waiting for Godot, and others
*Playing Flashlight tag at night
*Making crazy lego contraptions in his house
*Playing Perfect Dark on XBox live! He would let me shit-talk on the mic
During the years, his house was in constant remodeling. Different years left different smells imprinted in my memory. To this day, if the same smell hits me, I have to gather myself together, because the memories flood back and make me want to cry.
When I was eight years old and visiting Disney World for the first time with my family, I was eager to move fast and experience every ride. My dad was documenting our vacation with an old S-VHS camera and had stopped on a footbridge to film the sunset over a lake. I went up to him and complained that we weren't going to have enough time for the other rides. He turned to me and said "One day, you'll understand the true value of capturing a memory and telling a story". I am now a filmmaker.
Being in middle school, at the lunch line, and trying to do the soldja boy dance, but doing it wrong, and being made fun of. Looked down and got quiet, went to the back of the line. But they came back and tried to get me to stay.
Being in middle school and my best friend at the time telling me he doesn't want to be my friend anymore. So I did the same in the above, and he came back and told me he'd stay my friend if I got my act together.
Being in early high school and playing Halo Reach with my friends Wes and Drew, I don't talk to them anymore.
Being in high school, walking out on the last day of the last year, passing the crying people hugging and taking photos and just going to my car, heading home and playing Witcher.
Being out running in the summer heat, and completing my longest run without stopping, and putting my hands in the air.
My girlfriend, a friend from childhood, breaking up with me because I told her I was an atheist, and reading me a bible verse. I hugged her because she started crying.
Coming home to my parents with a class a misdemeanor citation for possession of marijuana. Being told this hurt their trust in me. Telling them eventually I support its legalization, then being asked "Who are you?"
Being near my best friend now as he tells someone that his best friend is someone else (a good friend of mine.)
I'm sorry if these are offtopic and aren't considered cores.
Growing up we did the usual beach vacation for a week every July. My dad and his brothers rented a big house just off the beach in Delaware. My grandparents went too so we had three generations, along with various in-laws and significant others who would show up for a few days and leave. And a big K-9 German Shepherd since we had a Philly cop in the family at the time.
Back then (late 70's) we would have quite the caravan headed down the road from central Pennsylvania. I remember stopping to eat at a diner (always the same diner) in PA Dutch country for breakfast. The route was super slow at that time too, mainly two-lane roads. The miles plus stopping to eat made it a six hour trip easily.
A few things stand out. My parents, siblings and I were crammed into a small room for sleeping. No A/C. Us kids were in cots on the floor. I recall falling asleep to the sounds of the little boardwalk amusement park up the street. All the bells and buzzers blending together, along with the smell of cotton candy and popcorn. An ocean breeze rustling the curtains.
Another year my mom decided she couldn't do the trip. Too many people crammed in that house. I don't know, I guess it was too much "togetherness" with no chance for her to recharge. Introvert. We said our goodbyes that morning with her crying in the kitchen. I wasn't necessarily traumatized, but looking back she should have sucked it up. An uncle went along with us in the car to help my dad manage the drive. I think it was the first full day that my mom called. Couldn't take the empty house, so my dad and another uncle drove back to get her Cannonball Run style. They got back in seemingly record time.
That old house is gone now, and the land it sat on is now a parking lot for a hotel.
My parents and an uncle still go, although separately these days. We took our kids for the first time a few years ago and stayed at my parents' rental. We headed down to the beach that afternoon after unloading. I picked my son up and carried him down to the surf's edge (he was just starting to walk), and as I pointed out at the horizon and told him that 'hey this is the ocean we talked about' I felt someone staring me in the back. Turning partway around I saw my dad had followed us down but kept a little distance. We exchanged glances briefly. He had a look of pride and maybe a little hope, like the torch had been passed.
During my parents' divorce, my father worked so hard to screw us over, and my mom fell into depression. One day I found her in bed crying, and I crawled into bed and laid next to her and sang every song I could think of to try and cheer her up. The song selection was probably a mix of Mary had a Little Lamb, Twinkle Twinkle and Frere Jacques.
After a particularly nasty breakup with a boyfriend, I channeled some of my anger into boxing, and there's great satisfaction in learning how to hit the bag well. I would leave the gym completely exhausted and mentally clear. It didn't hurt that I ended up losing 40lbs.
It was one weekend morning probably a year into my relationship with my now spouse. I woke up snuggled up and thought about how happy I was and how special it felt with him.
Watching my scatterbrained, careless brother become a dad. Watching him hold this tiny little creature who needed him changed how I saw my brother.
There was a particular night that I spent getting ass-backwards lost in a neighborhood I thought I knew better, with a girl that I clearly wanted to be with and vice versa, despite the fact that we both actively pretended otherwise. We wandered along side streets and stumbled into vaguely romantic parts of the city as we kept trying to find a damn train station, and yet no matter how much I regretted it, every time we kept to our stated intent... until I brought her home.
We kept talking, as we often did, until I got to rambling anxiously about something old. I was a mess, and she was a mess, and that's how we worked so well; we were each other's safe spaces, each knowing we carried the same fears and the same traumas. But this time was different. There was no embrace. No "you'll be ok." She instead responded by covering my eyes with her hands, ending my confused questions before they began by covering my lips with hers.
It was brief. We were brief. Really, we were doomed -- which was why we held back so long to begin with. But in that moment, nothing else mattered.
Rodic87 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:33:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Killing a cardinal with a BB gun christmas eve morning when I was 5. I had shot at birds before but never done any damage. This time the bird didn't fly away. I can still see the blood forming on his beak as he stared at me - unable to fly away anymore. I broke down crying. I learned the precious value of life, even in something so small, that day.
Riding in the front seat with my dad driving on long family road trips - singing songs, listening to the radio, pointing out sights. We drove all over the country every summer and it was awesome.
Watching Hogan's Heroes as a family while we ate mom's homemade pizza. Our grandmother would record and send us episodes on VCR because she knew we didn't have television but that we loved the show. That was a Friday night ritual that never got old. Sometimes when I'm home for the holidays even though all us kids are now grown, some married with kids, we still like to sit down and eat pizza while watching Hogan, Sgt. Schultz and the rest of the gang.
Receiving news I had gotten a full ride to college and could go exactly where I wanted instead of having to settle for the state school near home. That ushered in an era of freedom for me when I'd felt largely cooped up for my whole life.
A car accident with my best friend's little brother in the passenger seat and thinking I'd killed him. He came out okay, and I'm still great friends with his brother. But for an instant I thought I'd helped snuff out a life. That was a terrible feeling, I'll never forget it.
Realizing after the first date with my now wife that this woman was awesome and she really liked me for me - I didn't have to put on an act or worry that she was pretending. I cried on the drive home when I realized it.
Similar to the ant story, I was 6 when I went to go and get my bike out of the shed, it was leaning against some Pink Panther insulation, I remember pulling my bike out of the insulation and wasps coming with it, I was stung over 10 times. Ever since then I have been terrified of wasps and avoid Pink Panther insulation.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:19:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bedtime with my parents when I was about 3-7. Every night my mom would sing to my brothers and I, then my dad would come in and tell us a story (he would make them up on the fly and they were always awesome), and then he would interpretive dance. No joke. It was so cool to our little child brains, though.
In a similar vein, reading with grandma. My grandma used to gather us around in the living room (grandpa, my dad, my brothers, and me) and read to us out of this book of essays from our town's history. There were a lot of traditions she had when we were younger (we all lived together at the time) and I remember them fondly and try to keep the offbeat special moments alive in my life.
The first time someone outside of my family told me I was good at something. It was early on in high school and I had this teacher who used to read my papers out loud to the class for almost every assignment. The first time she did it completely shifted the way I viewed myself. For a shy kid with low self-esteem, it meant the world to me that someone thought something I did was worth praising and sharing.
The core memories I try hardest to hold onto are that of my grandmother. She passed away when I was 5.
I remember riding in her white Chevy Blazer and listening to Cher and Backstreet Boys
I remember spending the night at my grandparents lake cabin and her making me batman shaped macaroni. Shaped macaroni was/is the tits
I remember her spoiling us grandchildren. She bought me some power rangers toy i really wanted just because
I remember her bringing me to the hospital when i was 3 to see my mother. My sister was just born and I don't remember why but I was so upset and wouldn't stop sobbing. She then took me to the toy store
I remember her watching my sister and I while my parents finally went on their honeymoon
I remember New Years of '99, setting up my Toy Story board game, my mother answering the phone, and the wails that followed. My dad failing to console her. The ball dropped and I packed up my game not fully understanding what was happening, but knowing I wasn't going to playing it that night. I never did end up playing it.
I remember the funeral. Walking up and putting a sunflower on her cross
I remember that my family never was the same after that
This may be posted too late for most to see, but for those that do, please, always wear your seat belt.
Being taken into the bathroom and placed in the empty tub with blankets as a tornado passed over our house when I was two.
Moving to England and going to a British school for a couple years.
Receiving a Super Nintendo for my 5th birthday.
Moving back to the USA and going to an American school for the first time when I was 6.
Senior year of high school: Being told by the girl I thought of as my best friend that she really didn't want to be my friend and was tired of walking on eggshells around me because of my anxiety disorder.
Being invited to go ice skating in college with the group that would turn out to be my first real friends.
An old friend of mine had one of those inflatable swimming pools and a small tower playground with a slide. He and his sibling set up the slide so that you could slide into the pool. They also had their hose set up to keep water running down the slide to make the sliding faster. My friend, two of his siblings, a I had been sliding down for about an hour when his brother poured a bucket of water on my friends head as he slid down into the pool. When he emerged from the water he stormed out of the pool and into the house crying. I remember standing at the top of the tower watching him storm off crying about how mean his brother was.
After that I went inside and we played Mario on his NES.
Over Christmas one year, my sister and I setup camp in our basement since we had family visiting. We watched the Star Wars trilogy 2-3 times. We had a ring that rested on a lightbulb that she filled with white musk oil stuff to make the basement smell nice. That smell still brings me back there.
My mom coming to see my bad punk band play in a dive bar wearing a full on "sunday best" outfit. Stood in the middle of the mosh pit, completely fearless and proud.
Call from Mom telling me she had cancer.
After Mom passed I had to go through her things. Found a page in her agenda from the day she got diagnosed. She waited over 6 months to tell me because I was in a bad spot at the time.
There are probably more happy ones, but these are the strongest by far.
When everyone was invited to a birthday party in front of me. I didn't understand why my friends mom was upset about that, it was normal for me. I realized then I was and always will be an outcast
When my ex boyfriend kissed me while I was in the shower crying after he yelled at me for talking to my mom about him. I realized then I was worth something more.
When my now husband said, "When you think you want to break up with someone, it's already done. You can't go back."
When I walked down the isle to my waiting husband to "Longing to Belong" by Eddie Vedder.
Saying hi to my would be childhood best friend when I saw him playing outside two houses down from me and scaring him badly enough that he ran inside. (We were both in the same kindergarten class together, and school had been in for only a couple days.) He was a very shy kid before being introduced to me.
Being forever split from above mentioned friend after second grade (as far as classes were concerned) because we were nothing but two heathens who didn't know how to follow the rules unless we were separated.
In fifth grade, I found a kitten that had been abandoned by its mother at 3 weeks old (ish) when we were in the boonies for a chili cook off, and having all the other adults around us persuading my dad into letting me keep the kitten, even though he hated cats. I named him Country Cat (or C.C. for short), and it really taught me the values of taking care of another life.
Moving schools my Sophomore year in high school from a large school (class of 850) to a tiny school (where I had a graduating class of 30). Best decision I ever made. I really got to open up and participate in so many things that would have just passed me by.
Sophomore year in college, finding out my dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer. This was a huge turning point in my life. I had always been a "daddy's girl", and even though he had his bad qualities, I loved him more than anything. I went from an always perky optimist to a doubtful realist with depression symptoms.
Graduating college with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design. Not the degree I really wanted, but seeing the pride on my dad's face later that night after graduation as he gave me a heart necklace - that I still have to this day - as he teared up and almost cried.
My first date with my now fiance. We graduated high school together, but lost touch, then ended up having the same group of friend's years later. I had moved to a different city to start my graduate degree, and he came to visit me. What was supposed to be an evening of hanging out ended up as our first date. I stayed up way later than I should have when I had to be at work early the next morning.
The day my dad died. About a week before, I came into town to visit, and he never got up off the couch. I knew something was wrong because he was always the type of person who would never stay down for more than an instant - he was always up and working on something. I went back to work, and begged my boss to let me stay down there to be with him. He said that I had to finish up my week since the schedule had already been made. I went back home after my week of work, and was able to spend one last night with my dad. The next morning, my mom called me at 6 o' clock to tell me that he had passed in his sleep. That whole day was a blur except for when the Hospice people came to take him away. I remember seeing him that last time, withered and not looking a bit like my dad, and whispering my final "goodbye"s and "I love you"s in his ear before they wheeled him away.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:37:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 12 learning stick shift with my dad, I thought I could prove my skills by starting the car without him near all by myself. 3rd gear into his fridge which now has a giant dent in it. It's okay because now I prefer stick to automatic.
Watching my dog of 13 years being put down when I insisted I be in the room when it happens.
First time smoking weed, despite being a mild asthmatic.
Sneaking into an abandoned farm alone. Scared the piss out of me. A few months later I brought my crush there with me (nothing went down, get your head out of the gutter).
Attempting suicide. Without context it sounds terrible, but I was like 11 and though jumping off of my loft in a 2 story house would kill me. I closed my eyes and jumped and God as my witness landed on my couch. Now I'm glad it isn't possible to die falling a story.
Almost forced into sex (some would call it rape, in this situation I don't think it is) and told this person I had HPV to make her stop tickling me until she had my shirt off. Now at least 5 people think I have HPV.
On a little bit of a lighter note, starting theater class sophomore year of high school. For our final I got a lead role, and was married with another crush (not the same one from earlier) and got to kiss her numerous times over the production. One of the best times of my life being on that stage and arguing with her until we had to kiss.
avalan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:39:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When i was around 5-6 years old, i was with my dad inside our silo where we stored grass for our cows. The silo was 14 meters (46 feet) tall and almost completely full. My dad always had an eye on me while doing his job and told me several times not to go near the edge. And that one second he wasn't watching me my curiosity brought me to the edge to see how far down it was. It made the grass collapse where i stood and i fell down.
And i can still remember the moment i was in the air so clearly. It felt like i was in the air for so long.Every thought and question i asked myself; What was going to happen now? Why did i do that? Is my dad going to yell at me for not listening? The strange feeling of wind blowing upwards.
Luckily enough, i landed in the wheelbarrow my dad filled with grass, whereas the rest of the floor was cement. I was pretty bruised, but nothing serious.
And another core memory i have, is where i stabbed myself in the leg with a knife by accident, and by reflex pulled it out again in an instant. It was like the Kill Bill scene with The Bride VS. Gogo and The Crazy 88's, because it was blood squirting everywhere, the blood even made it to the ceiling at one point. It revealed that i punctured an artery, and if the knife was struck 1 millimeter longer inside, or if my dad didn't patch me up so good, i would be dead.
So yeah, it almost seems like there is someone watching over me, and i am truly grateful for that.
PS: My english isn't my first language, so bear with me, and sorry beforehand.
One time my mom said she wouldn't take me to the mall unless i tied my shoes by myself. She pretended to leave the apartment because i was taking too long, and the moment she left the apartment got really big and dark (in my mind). She claims to have been outside the door for like two minutes, but to me it felt like an eternity.
Recieving my A-level results. In the UK, at sixth form, A levels are the subjects for which the grades get you into university. I did beyond impressive in my A-levels, 2 A* and a B. I was so happy and my Mum, who was with me, was so proud. I was able to go to my first choice university and have just finished my first year, loving it.
I was about 15, in high school. One day I was teasing my best friend at the time,as his crush walked by.. My friend was on the stairs sitting opposite to where I was standing.. He decided he'd had enough. Gets up to chase me. While I was prepared to run away from him any one, I wasn't so mindful of the environment around me. Ran straight backwards and into a huge ass pillar, just as I turned around.. Friends took me to administration dept., hand covering the wound that would later need 12 stitches. They rushed my friends to get me to the hospital literally opposite the school. It was a hopeless government managed hospital. They managed to shave off the hair around the wound, no pain killers, nothing.. Sewed it up, no pain killers, nothing.. Handed me a 27 rupees bill. That's like half a dollar!! That included everything. The agonising treatment, the medicines, the stench, tetanus, everything!!
And I didn't have it. Didn't have any money on me at all. I saw my friends pulling money out of their pockets in 1s and 2s.. Finally putting together the amount. Watching them do that made me smile, even through the searing pain. Couldn't walk out of the hospital as it was raining outside now, and I had a piss poor job of a dressing on my new harry potter style scar.. Friends walk into the school, and come back with the teacher in her car.. She dropped me off at my home in her car.
There are times when I'm exhausted with my stress full life. With my daily routine. With requirements, bugs, architecture meetings and code that just should not go wrong, but does nonetheless. I'm sitting in my cubicle, stretching beyond midnight on my 2 day marathon. Work life balance tipped over by a shamelessly colossal pay package. And I drift off into the nostalgia of that day. The day I had no money, but I felt so immensely happy to be around those friends. It's been 15 years since that day. But every moment, every action is replayed in my head. And I felt something extremely emotionally overwhelming that day. So overwhelming that it still affects me. I then shut down my laptop and leave for home..
When I was eight right around Christmas time, my family was out shopping and I became so ill during our outing that my dad had to carry me on his back all the way to the car. I remember feeling slightly too old to be carried, but feeling incredibly safe.
When my dog passed away after the very first quarter of my college. My dad had suggested we leave before they euthanized her, probably to try and save me some heartache. I wanted to stay, but I was so scared. I never thought of how scared she must have been and how selfish I was to leave her all alone. One of my great regrets.
Me standing up to my brother's bully at the age of 5. My brother is 5 years older than me. I told him if he didn't leave my brother alone I was gonna punch him right in the nuts. He threatened to beat me up. I told him even if I lost my dad would kick his butt. He never bothered my brother again.
When I was seven I was extremely ill and slept in my parents bed for the night. They had recently been arguing a lot about various things. They argued and got on the topic of separation, thinking I was asleep. I was silently sobbing, until my parents noticed I was awake. It was the first time my dad had ever apologized to me and I will never forget it. They are still together and celebrated their 25th anniversary last year.
Spending the summer before college working at my mom's business. We spent a lot of time together just talking. I learned a lot about her and how hard she worked to help provide for our family.
My first true relationship, how amazing it was before I moved after college. Being too stubborn to admit how much I really cared for her and letting her go. I proceeded to be a giant prick to her and haven't spoken to her since. Led to a lot of reflection of who I am as a person and how I needed to change. I have reached out to try to amend the things I did not and could not have truly meant. She has never responded even though she now lives close by. Another of my life's regrets.
Explaining to my parents that I was no longer in medical school and I didn't want to be a doctor. I expected shame and disappointment, but my parents told me they loved me and they weren't disappointed. They just wanted the best for me. They apologized for being so overbearing when I was younger. My conversation with them that day really showed me that they loved me unconditionally.
When I confided in my current s/o that I was no longer headed for a career in medicine. She loved me unconditionally, even through the months where I had no idea who I was or what I should do. The first job I was able to get was door to door sales, very late at night. They would drive and drop us off in various locations. She drove 20 miles out of her way at 9PM to sit with me because I had made my rounds and they wouldn't come by to pick me up for another hour. She is amazing, if I play my cards right I will be married to her someday.
When my dad told me to treat my current s/o like a "princess". He's a bit old fashioned, but I knew what he meant. It was the first time my dad ever gave me relationship advice. He knew she was right for me. I know it too dad and I'll do my best.
-I remember going over the handle bars when I was 3. We had a babysitter. I remember the look on her face. She called her mom (it was bad). Her mom came and picked us up, and we got to be in the bar down the street her mom owned and play arcade games. It was weird because I grew up in Indiana and minors are not allowed in bars.
-I remember getting trapped in a sleeping bag when I was 2 and thinking I was going to die. Grandma came and unzipped it. I still have issues with tight spaces. Random but I can't shake it.
-I remember not having very many friends in elementary school and thinking about taking my life nearly everyday. I tried when I was a teenager. I haven't ever puked that much before or since. No one knows. They think I had food poisoning.
The final straw was thinking I was going to fail a class I was too smart for. I was so bored. They were reviewing books that I had used in classes three years prior (I was taking 4 advanced classes. Something had to give, so I was put in regular English). I hadn't done the last required assignment. It was the last day of school, and my final chance to turn it in. It wasn't finished. Dying was a better option to repeating that class for me. It was dumb, but gave me the extra time to complete the assignment, and I passed. I also couldn't walk correctly for 3 weeks. I was too shaky.
-When I was twenty-three, I decided that living in the closet was no longer an option. I started searching for other people like me. At twenty-four, I went to my first kinky meet-up, and met life long friends. It was the first time in my life that I didn't feel like an outsider.
-Three years ago, I planned out my suicide again. I knew more about anatomy by then and would have succeeded, but I had promised I would help out with a kinky convention the next day and the rest of the weekend. I was in really bad shape, but I have this thing about keeping my word. I said I would help, so I had to go.
I work my ass off (literally wore through my shoes) and had a great time. I started seeing a guy. He became my best friend, and we have been play partners ever since.
Mental illness runs in my family. My mom is bipolar and my sister and I both have learning disabilities, even though our IQs are in the high 130's. This was my eye opener that something was seriously wrong. I had a lot to live for and still do. Though, it is a constant battle.
Everyone in this sub should go pick up a copy of Karl Ove Knausgaard's My Struggle to get an entire books-worth of these types of memories!
Kbopbop ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:13:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day after I met my current SO.
We met for a drink after I was left at the bar by my friends. We talked for hours about everything. He told me stories that were so intriguing, and I told him my favorite childhood stories. That feeling of pure joy and love with talking into the late hours of the night will always stick with me.
The best part was when we left the bar. We went to this little diner for cheeseburgers, the kind of place that just has a counter and minimal seating. It was packed. We could barely move through the people to order. Once we got a couple cheeseburgers - we headed to this little statue that over looks the city we live in. We sat by that statue until the sun came up, eating our cheeseburgers and talking about everything. I felt like a teenager falling in love for the first time.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:15:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just after graduating college, I was driving back from Dallas (where I went to school) to California. There was a moment where I had just created a hill and started down a long stretch of straight road in the desert just before the California. It was sunset and I was listening to "Cary On My Wayward Son." It small moment but I had a feeling of satisfaction about the road behind and limitless potential ahead.
Moving to the U.S. It was incredibly traumatic. I'll never forget the moment when I had to read a book as homework, but I had no idea what it said and I cried in frustration while my parents comforted me. I used to be the happiest and most outgoing kid, but when I moved here everything seemed different. People seemed more hostile, I had no friends, and I had to learn a new language. The sense of wonder I had as a kid was gone. I developed depression and anxiety issues that are still with me to this day. I wish we never moved, but I'll be going back and I'll get to start over.
One of the strongest is when I was about 11 years old and my family and I were at family friends for Thanksgiving. All the women and girls were in the kitchen chatting and preparing the feast. The boys and men were outside in the nearby park. My mother told me I had to 'go and play with the boys". I refused, wanting to stay where I was having fun and felt comfortable. She insisted and ushered me out the door. I can very vividly recall standing there, in front of a closed door, consumed by rage and confusion, a feeling of total rejection. Years later I finally realized that I am transgender.
When I was 10 years old my mother went on girl's trip to NYC, something she had never done before. My father was, for the first time, the person responsible for taking care of me and my siblings. It was bedtime, so I put on my pajamas and went to tell my little brother goodnight. He wasn't in his room, so I called for him and found him in my parents room. My father was already in bed, and he told me that my brother was sleeping with him since mom was away. I remember him saying, "You can sleep in here too if you want to." So I thought, "Sure, why not?" That night I remember my father putting his arm tightly around waist during the night. I thought it was strange, but I just figured he was half asleep, and he thought I was my mom. The next night I decided to sleep in my own bed as usual - I just had this weird feeling about it. The reason this is a core memory for me is because that was the first night, among many nights to come, that my father would molest me. Starting from the age of ten to around 14 years old he would come into my room in the wee hours of the morning and touch me inappropriately. I don't really have the courage to give details. I would pretend to be asleep, because I was terrified to confront him. As I got older I tried angrily jerking away "in my sleep", turning over constantly, getting up immediately after he did to show him I was awake. It was then that I realized he didn't care if I was aware. Obviously, that tainted most of my childhood memories.
msbabc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:42:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my granddad died. He'd been sick for years and years. I'd never known him be any other way. I remember hugging my mum and she wouldn't let go and to know I was consoling her instead of the other way round was a real coming of age moment.
New years eve, 91/92. I was eight and we were out in the street watching fireworks. My dad put me up on his shoulders and talked about savouring the next ten years as I would change more then than in any period in my life. So far, he's right.
The first time I met my girlfriend. We worked for the same company and I'd moved locations. We didn't start a relationship for about 6 months, but something really caught my eye. Not a physical thing (although that was there too), just how she carried herself, her tone, she made me laugh.
Being hit by a car, age 9. Saw lights, froze, next memory is in the back of my dad's car.
You should all be glad you can even remember these things. I can't remember a single moment from my childhood, good or bad. Hell, i can't remember what i did yesterday. I feel like i'm slowly becoming ten-second Tom.
Cherish your memories people. They're the only tether you have to your past. When they're gone, they're GONE.
When I was 15 my brothers good friends from his frat died of an overdose from heroin. He killed himself on purpose and my brother was so devastated. My brother was a senior in college at the time and he drove to stay home with me and our parents for the weekend. I remember I was in the basement watching college football, while I hear my brother crying to my parents about what happened. This was the first time I remember my brother cry in about 5 years and I knew it struck a cord in him. He was giving details to my parents about what happened and it was saddening to hear it. It almost me cry too. My brother said he was going to kill the person who sold his late friend the heroin (he was just really emotional he never did it). This is when I realized how terrible drugs are and how your actions can absolutely crush other people who care about you. I said that day that I will never do any hard core drugs and I've stuck to that vow to this day.
The day my uncle died.
I was in the school. we had history lesson i remember my mother opened the door and asked me to come out. i knew something was wrong as he was being ill for a long time then. she told me nothing but to get my things and follow her. everything got blurry. I went inside the class directly to my desk, got the books and bag and slowly went to the door. I forgot to say anything to the teacher or to friends. Teacher stopped me , she was pissed off by me acting so insolent and yelled where the hell I was going. i turned and said - he died - and left.
The night I've spent in the closet.
I was 5 years old. all my relatives preferred my brother to me. he was the firstborn plus he's boy and in my society that means having privileges over girls just because you have penis. So I was in my grandparents' and everyone was having fun, there were like 20 people. all relatives. I sneaked to the next room and hid in the closet and waited for hours till someone realized i was gone. my aunt did. and it defined my special connection to her since then
The day my aunt cried on my lap for four fucking hours.
Her husband works in US. He left her family to get a job in US 7 years ago. it was first time he visited back . The day before flight he called me and asked to come and be with my aunt. I was upset and answered him really rudely not to tell me what to do, as when he leaves I am the one with her. I went to their place of coarse. he left. My aunt did not follow him to the airport. She spent 4 fucking hours sobbing on my neck, then put her head in my lap and I was patting her. She loves him and accepts that for their children's sake he has to work in different country and not see her for like 7 years.
I hate him for doing it to her.
The night I cried under the table.
Its just another break-up story. We were together since high school all the first love and staff. then we slowly started to fall apart and finally when I was studying in another country I got the courage to tell him that he did not love me so he was free to go. he did. I spent whole night sitting under the table, in the corner of the room holding my pillow and crying.
Meeting my soulmate.
I've known him for three years then but we were never close. It was our first time having beer. He had to leave early but did not know how to find the way. I walked with him. Then in the corner of the street i saw dogs, got frightened and he held my waist for like three seconds. Those three second is the brightest core memory I have now, because they kind of defined my relationship to him and all the good things we've had since then.
He left me too, though and that's the bluest core memory ever.
Listening to the National.
Having my dream coming true. I went to the festival with my best friend, spent hours standing just to be in front of the stage. When the moment came of the National come out on the stage I closed my eyes like hundred time to assure myself it was not a dream. I was standing there thinking that nothing is as perfect as this moment, waiting your favorite band to come out on the stage as there are some moments that you wish to be sound tracked, however that was so perfect without soundtrack I was exploiting endorphin's. and then the moment Matt's foot touched the stage the Smiths "please please please" started to play. That was it - Perfection as I have this song like a prayer and the words "please please please let me let me let me get what I want" was directly was followed by the thing that I was asking to get so hard throughout the years.
I think I was in 6th grade where we had an assignment to take a photo themed "Love in Bangkok" (yes I lived there). Very young me decided to take a picture of my dogs holding a bouqet in my garden so I urged my father to take me to buy said flowers. I went and I remember my father and my brother tailing me, phone in hand, to record me. I felt very embarassed and urged them to stop, but that only fueled their laughs and giggles. I felt bullied. I felt like I wanted to throw those flowers down on the floor and step on it and run away as far as I could. I think that's when my insecurities really blossommed.
i remember when i was younger on Christmas eve i was at my nanas house. the whole family was there as it was tradition and i remember opening the fridge to get food and then seeing the light go out just as it closed and of course me being like 7 at the time i asked about it and my nana told me that a little man lived inside the fridge and would hide whenever someone opened the fridge and that he was the reason the lights came on and off because that was his job. so me being my 7 year old self spent the next half hour or more quickly throwing the fridge door open to catch the little man and then closing it slowly to see if the little man would come out thinking that the door was closed. after multiple attempts i finally gave up and left the little man alone. after about an hour of spending time with family we left cramming into a couple cars and i remember playing a game with everyone in the car. we chose a side. north and south. i chose north so did my papa (grandfather aka my best friend and hero) and my dad. my mum, sister and grandma picked the south. the point of this was that who ever chose the side that had the most Christmas decorations on the houses. we one by a mile
1.
I've practised Judo for years, since i was about 5 years old (20 now) and in the 15 years i've spent doing the sport all i ever wanted was to represent the British team. I'm talking 4 nights a week as a child spent in a sports hall, sometimes training to exhaustion, throwing up, fainting etc. but i massively lack the natural skill required to be 'special'. Thus i hoped that practise makes perfect. Fast forward 15 years and i'm competing in the national trials, in the final fight of the final round... all i had to do was win this fight and everything i had ever dreamed of would happen. (long intro i know but bear with...) so the core moment i experienced in that last five minute fight was a wave of memories, from 5yrs + culminating with me getting my selection letter. Still my happiest moment, doubt anything will top it to be honest.
Second memory isnt as happy. I stood and watched my Grandad dying, literally watching him in a hospital bed as his heart failed. His eyes lit up as i walked in, and then he went back to trying to stay alive as his heart worked at 50%, 37%, 24% then 10%. I'd never seen my Dad or uncles cry before, but there we stood, four grown men in bits watching this incredible man die. I actually left early the hospital early to go to Judo (this was before the previous story) because my Grandad had said his goodbye and ushered me away. By some miracle he pulled through, i still dont understand how. But im not always sure it was for the best.
๐๏ธ PapiSurane ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:24:17 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That first one is awesome! Are you competing in the Olympics this year, or were the trials for something else?
aha thank you!! but noo, I'm a long way off that standard, but that would be amazing! it was the trails for the British team, but to go to the Olympics you need to be the best in the country and top 22 in the world as well
It was the last day of the school year and the last day at primary school for me. My teachers let the whole school end at lunch time and spend the rest of the afternoon playing on the oval. By this time I'd given up on having friends or anyone to play with. so I sat at the top under a tree by myself. I thought about my life thus far, what my future would be like and death as well.
I spent a lot of my childhood in hospitals, also my mother was a helicopter parent. She was always talking to others about my condition and about how the doctors said I'd have a short life or will have to live in a mental institution.
I came to the conclusion that for the rest of my life I would just go with the flow. Let other people decide for me what I should do and not do. I was going to die soon. If I survived I would go and live in a mental institution or on the streets.
Coming to the slow realisation in my twenties that things don't happen that way. Doctors and parents can be wrong. People won't do everything for you and even if they do you might not like it.
Swinging on the swings at school and watching the clouds, trying to see shapes.
Making a real friend in the first year of high school who didn't care about my primary school friend.
In high school; Telling my primary school friend (Who bossed me around, was the main reason I didn't have friends and was bullied) that I had my own friends now and that she wasn't my friend anymore.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:54:18 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My sister and I live in the UK whilst my mum, dad and younger brother live abroad.
It was my mums birthday and they went away to Thailand to celebrate. Little did my mum know, my dad had secretly arranged for my sister and I to meet them there and surprise her.
After traveling for 18 hours, we knock on her hotel room door and I will never forget the look of happiness on her face. I love her so much and love my dad so much for making it happen.
This also happens to be my earliest memory. When I was like 2 or 3 years old my mom took me to a park of some sort. There was a large grass field around some metal and glass building that was like the important thing there. Anyway, we were walking along a dirt path and I got stung by a bee somehow. I started crying and running away, but my mom quickly caught back up to me and calmed me down. She then taught me about how bees don't actually want to sting you because when they do that they die, so they'll only do it if they think you're a threat to their hive. So to avoid getting stung you should just act calm around bees so they don't see you as a threat.
I think it's greatly affected how I treat animals, which is a big part of my life as I've almost always had cats, and I haven't been stung by a bee since.
7/7 attacks in London. I was in primary school, the last year (Year 6) and as we had finished our exams and everything I was helping with paperwork in the school office as I was good with computers and everything. I heard what was happening in London on the radio and returned to class and said what was happening, which looking back on it worried some people without realising as their parents worked in London...
My father buying an entire box of Marvel trading cards (this was 1992-- I was six and had just discovered the Marvel Universe) and sitting me down and opening pack after pack and going through the cards one by one while he explained to me who each character was and what their powers were (he was, and is, a big comic book nerd as well). Never have I felt so connected to the man. Perfect memory.
Gregrox ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:22:32 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad dying, my feminist awakening, something with dogs, my mom blaming her ugly depressive episode on me, the moment when I realized my SO wasn't going anywhere despite my baggage.
I'm a bit late to the party, but thinking and typing it out has been cathartic. In chronological order:
Getting into a fight with my older sister, her lying and me unable to verbalize my side, leading to punishment for me. This made me much more introverted (think hard, speak soft); realize that life is not fair; and made me 100% honest since I didn't want to be a bitch like her.
Second place in a middle school Basketball tournament where the team that won had ringers (church team! they were later stripped of the title). This reinforced that life is still not fair, but with quality teammates and a little luck, we could overcome (we lost by 1 basket in OT).
Getting denied entry once from the lunchtime "nerd" group ran by a youngish computer teacher in high school. Made me realize I was not likeable to everyone, so promised to be less of a downer (difference between deprecating humor and harmless humor) in college.
First love. Realizing I was in love and saying the words.
End of first love and subsequent self review. I fell into pretty much every stereotype of lame bf short of abuse/cheating, plus some oddball ones, lol. I'm a much better communicator, but still have to work on my tact.
I thought I was late until I saw that people are still making posts on this.
Anyway...
Running in my uncle's foresty backyard, chasing fireflies.
When I learned I had aspurgers...which is actually a happier memory for me than sad. I remember thinking he actually said "ass-burgers" and laughing about it with my mom on the way home. I already knew I had autism so it wasn't big news, but honestly, the autism thing was something that effected me LESS in my childhood anyway.
The day I went to my grandmother's funeral. What really stuck with me was that I only cried when I saw my mother (who was the related one) crying.
I don't have a lot and they're kind of underwhelming, but I think that's just because I'm just starting to leave my teen years.
I was trying to formulate some sort of order for these, but honestly, I'm just not going to bother. Here are the most significant ones I can think of.
-My dad slamming my mother's head in the fridge because she took his beer out and shook it. My heart pounding in my chest as I frantically tried to decide what to do. Bitter disappointment at myself for my inaction. Roughly age 12.
-My mom driving us all to beach late at night, well past bedtime. I remember the scratchy blanket and hearing my younger siblings sleep quietly beside me. I remember stepping on a jellyfish and it sort of glowing. Maybe age 7.
-Always locking the door as my grandma walked around the car to open the door for me. Her always pretending to be surprised and laughing with me. Many years, as early as I can remember until maybe age 8.
-Playing hide and seek with my cousin. Anywhere, anytime, still to this day.
-Falling in love for the first time. It felt like being on fire. I was excited for every moment, every kiss, every touch. And alternatively,
-Having my heart broken for the first time. Turning to my best friend and having her hold me and pet my hair while I cried. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to smile, but I had to pretend everything was okay.
-Getting my first apartment. Feeling elated at having my own space, terrified at not having a house full of people all the time, and crying for the entire first two weeks I was out because I felt like a horrible, ungrateful child.
-Having my dad come home from jail and be sober. He was a severe alcoholic my entire life and I was angry and resentful at my mom for allowing him to come home to us. I didn't let him into my life or heart for a long time after that and did everything in my power to get him arrested again, but now I realize he really is a different man. Or rather, he's back to who he's supposed to be; the man my mother fell in love with, the father we were supposed to have. He's trying and I'm proud to call him my dad now.
You have some time before then then. A few months can change a lot, I hope it does for you!
nanome ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:28:19 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha late to the party, I know, but I've thought about this recently and thought I'd share it with whoever reads this.
When I was 2 or 3 I played peek-a-boo with my dad on one of our visits to the US. Just thinking about it makes me really happy.
The next real memory I have is of the night my brother was born. It was scary because Mom and Dad had to go to the Hospital and we kids were left with a babysitter.
Later, when I turned 8 we moved to another country. In contrast to the movie I looked forward to it and loved it.
In 6th grade I tried taking my own life. I had been bullied a lot and thought there was no way out ever again. Looking back I realize this was the moment I realized my life wasn't the centre of everything, but the loss of my life could make the lives of the people I love very hard. It's a sad memory that brings forth helping experience.
Next: 8th grade. The one 'real friend' i thought I had turned to me and asked me to bugger off already.
After this my luck changed to the good again. I got better memories but there are no more real core memories.
Nobody will see this, but what a cathartic question. For context, I've had major depressive disorder/anxiety since I was a kid. Didn't find out til college.
Chronological:
-My grandfather dying when I was ten. He lived with us and had cancer. He died in the middle of the night and I remember my parents asking me the next day if I wanted to stay home from school. I said yes because I thought I was suppose to, and then just went upstairs and read comics while well wishers passed through. I felt numb, and since that day shutting down emotionally is a huge defense mechanism.
-Being in an inner city school for two years from ages 12-14. I left because I passed a door one day with a grate-window on it that had been smashed through. I asked the janitors what happened, "one kid smashed another kids head through the window." All I could think was "oh, that makes sense."
-At the foot of my basement stairs when I was 16 or 17, holding my best friend as she told me she loved me. I said "I love you too" and meant it, but we never got together. But the amazing warmth I felt realizing I loved somebody.
-Being 19 and on stage and having a panic attack for the first time in the middle of a performance when I looked across the audience and saw a girl and thought about having to talk to people after the show. I got help for social anxiety shortly after.
-Having a stalker in college and having to file a police report after the cops took her away.
-Trying to kill myself at 21 and waking up the day after.
-Having a fight with a girlfriend, we really knew how to emotionally hurt each other. I said in the middle of it "do you know how hard it is to miss someone who's standing right in front of you?"
I've had good memories too, it's just far easier to remember the bad ones.
Things are alright now, thank you. Memory 3 is pretty bittersweet - we had a falling out years later. I'm better at handling the bad, if that makes sense. It's been a hellish year, definitely in the bottom 3. But I'm crawling out.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:48:55 on July 30, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Our choir did Wicked for our spring musical, complete with costumes, dance numbers, and special effects. We practiced for months. The opening song is dramatic and a bit shocking, and I can remember walking out onto stage and singing, Good news, she's dead! with dry ice fog spilling off the stage, red lights illuminating us. Seeing the audience's shocked faces convinced me to stay in choir all four years of high school.
When I got married it was lightly raining and we'd just said our vows when everyone began blowing bubbles and the wind picked up so the bubbles kind of swirled everywhere. Magical. I'll never forget the terrifying and beautiful birth of my daughter which almost killed me. Going to Japan and seeing Mt Fuji and going to Rome and being in an isolated town in Switerland standing outside listening to waterfalls and the distant echo of cow bells.
My 4th little birthday party my family held at local mcdonald's, all of my school friends,neighbours and close family were there. We were bunch of 3-7yo kids running around and laughing at each other. Good times
My elementary school's entry exam (i went to a private school so they held an entry exam lol). The night before i cut the skin near my left eye cus i stumble upon the corner of my gram's glass coffee table and i had a bandaid on and looked like a pirate. But still killed the exam though even with a one eye
The first time i won my piano competition. I wasnt there to receive the trophy cus my fat ass decided to eat chicken wings and milkshake instead at the hotel's restaurant where the competition was held when they announce the winners
Not a happy memory but i cant forget this one. I was out with my friend and went to the movies fast forward i was eating early dinner with her when my mom called to told me my dad had left our house. They got divorced months later.
My 4th little birthday party my family held at local mcdonald's, all of my school friends,neighbours and close family were there. We were bunch of 3-7yo kids running around and laughing at each other. Good times
My elementary school's entry exam (i went to a private school so they held an entry exam lol). The night before i cut the skin near my left eye cus i stumble upon the corner of my gram's glass coffee table and i had a bandaid on and looked like a pirate. But still killed the exam though even with a one eye
The first time i won my piano competition. I wasnt there to receive the trophy cus my fat ass decided to eat chicken wings and milkshake instead at the hotel's restaurant where the competition was held when they announce the winners
Not a happy memory but i cant forget this one. I was out with my friend and went to the movies fast forward i was eating early dinner with her when my mom called to told me my dad had left our house. They got divorced months later
my brother, three years younger than me, used to always run to me for comfort when he was upset/had been scolded. i remember one day i was upset and he came to me and tried to hug me/provide comfort as i had done to him and i pushed him away and said something to the effect of "get away from me!" the next time he was upset, i went to him as i always did and he pushed me away and told me to go away. i was only eight or so but i vividly remember him doing it, knowing why he did it, and wishing i could take it back because i really wanted to hug him.
spending the night with my grandparents when i was a little girl. we would sit out on the deck and watch the sunset, them with their glasses of wine and me with my wineglass full of grape juice. we would sit in the front of the fireplace, me with my back to the fire until it was so hot i couldn't stand it anymore and play old maid. their cat was too skittish to let me pet it but they always told me she would come sleep with me at night so i was always excited to fall asleep, knowing this cat would come sleep with me.
watching my grandpa comfort my grandma in the hall by the front door in the middle of the night when she learned that her mother had died. i remember that i couldn't hear her cry, but i could see her shoulders shaking as she sobbed and he was so gentle with her as he stroked her back and her hair. i was spending the night and they thought i was asleep.
picking up my younger brother, 14 years younger than me, from one of his first days at a new school and asking him how his day was. he told me it wasn't that great but didn't want to talk about it. i bugged him and he admitted a kid spit in his face after he asked to play soccer with them at recess.
my son being placed on my stomach the moment he was born, looking at his face, taking in his features, thinking "oh, that's what you look like" after wondering about it throughout my entire pregnancy.
walking up to my ex boyfriend in the airport a few months ago after being broken up for eight months. i saw him before he saw me. i remember the outfit he was wearing, taking in all of his features that had changed and the ones that had stayed the same in the time we were apart. it was a really intimate moment that feels so dramatic to explain out loud, but when i walked up to him we just stood there, with me looking up at him and him looking down at me until i ruined the moment by putting my hand in his face to break his gaze. i remember thinking "this is it. you don't feel these kinds of feelings with more than one person a lifetime. i'll spend my entire life trying to make it work with this person because no one has ever made me feel as alive as this idiot right here."
on the ferris wheel on the pier in downtown seattle with my ex boyfriend, with the sun looking so beautiful setting over the mountains, looking at his face and being torn between feeling more in love than i had ever felt and knowing it was not realistic to think that it would ever work out between us, but deeply wishing it could. wondering if he felt the same way when he looked at me.
I was one year old (maybe 2) and I remember falling face first on the side of the bath tub and knocking my tooth out. Soo much blood
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:51:29 on August 11, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting on a bench outside with a close friend, listening to Air by Bach sharing earphones staring at the clouds and enjoying the music. It taught me that there are some profound things in the world that have no words. That moment was something I've never shared with anyone since. Unrequited love can be very bittersweet.
There was nostalgia, happiness, longing, peace, intensity, and a soft hint of sorrow. All fused in varying degrees into one emotion.
Best I could hope for is to share some semblance of that moment with another woman again.
Riding my longboard through a small coastal town in Oregon. I had only lived there for three years, but it was the best place I have ever lived. The specific memory happened in December.
It was so foggy I could feel it. I could smell the ocean. My earbuds playing my playlist of bluegrass, classic rock, pop, and soul. I spent hours just riding through the streets, passing every freaking house in the tiny town. Riding under every street lamp. Thinking of nothing, remembering everything.
Whenever I'm back in that place, and the fog starts rolling in I think about that night. The night I fell in love with a little town.
Once when I snowed pretty heavily, I took my late dog (who was about 13 at the time) outside and watched her jump around in the snow like a little yellow puppy. I have never seen her happier than in that moment.
ePants ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:37:52 on August 19, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm far too late to the store thread, but whatever.
When I was in 3rd grade I asked my dad why we didn't watch basketball on TV. My friends had been talking about it, so I was curious. My dad always had reasons for things, so I knew it must be something. He answered me, "Why would I want to waste time watching sports? Watching a game doesn't change the outcome, and we don't know any of the players, so there's no real reason to root for either team."
This made total sense to me at the time. In fact, it still does.
I'm not against watching sports, and I enjoy the vicarious/empathetic excitement of watching a big game with a group, but I've never once chosen to watch a sporting event without being invited.
Back in high school, I was a terrible kid. There was one girl in particular who my group of friends was quite mean to. I didn't bully her as much as two particular girls in our group did, but I still pretty much verbally hurt her which is still bad. Fast forward to the beginning of senior year, I got my just desserts and ended up being left/ignored by some of the people in that group and they were kind of the only friends I had then in high school. Needless to say, I felt awful and lonely, and I would go on my own. I deserved that, but what I still think I didn't deserve was when the girl we had bullied came up to me and asked me if something was wrong. I was shocked as hell that her of all people would come to help me when I was feeling awful, when I had been terrible to her. Ever since then, we worked out our problems, I apologized to her, and now she is one of my closest friends.
jonasnew ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:34:13 on October 1, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have tons of memories, but my favorite one is when I was only four years old, I literally flipped on the garbage disposal. Here's what happened.
After noticing my mother turning it on many times, it made me want to turn it on, as I thought it was just a sound effect. So, one time when I noticed my mother washing the dishes and therefore had the faucet on, I thought it would be a good time to flip on the garbage disposal since at the time, I thought it would only work if the sink water was running. And not knowing how dangerous garbage disposals actually were, I very quickly dragged a stool over to where the garbage disposal switch was, then I climbed up onto the stool, then onto the counter, and I flipped on the disposal switch, and it went on. Thankfully, my hands weren't in the drain, nor my mother's, but my mother did freak out big time. It was like, the garbage disposal and my mother's yelling were battling each other to see who was louder. I couldn't quite make out most of what my mother was specifically yelling because of the disposal being so loud, but the one thing I could make out what my mother shouting "You may get hurt", as she said that right when I flipped off the disposal switch. At first, I was so confused to why my mother freaked out when I turned on the garbage disposal since I've seen her do it a lot, but then, I realized a couple of years later how dangerous they were. And that's my biggest memory of all time.
The first "I love you" from my first girlfriend. It melted my heart. We were at the beach for our annual marching band bonfire late August night. I was giving her a piggy back ride along the shore away from our group. She said, "raymondxcho, I love you" Super caught off guard, my response was, "Uh, me too!" She replied with "You can say the whole phrase, you know."
My dad threatening to physically hurt me. My dad's old school Korean. I grew up with spanks and beatings for doing wrong things. But this one stung because I didn't know what I did wrong. 10 years old. It was me and my parents coming home from our grandparents. My mom found out her dad is sick with cancer. Once we got home, she was crying in the car, and I handed her a tissue and was about to start a conversation when my dad butted in and said something along the lines of "Get outta here before I beat the shit outta you." - in Korean (so can't translate directly). Maybe it was a moment of weakness for him, but regardless, those few words he spoke severed our father/son relationship. Love was replaced with fear that day towards my dad. I never spoke to him after that unless spoken to. 13 years later, he's wondering why I don't like talking to him. Fuck that piece of shit.
Getting my first guitar. I picked up the guitar way after my friends did. I caught up to them in terms of skill level in about half the time because I was glued to it. Still playing strong 10 years later. :D
Being left in a playpen as around 2yrs old for hrs upon hrs everyday,being hungry and angry and being force fed. (i was kidnapped and held hostage for 4months)
The day my father was supposed to see me in the hospital while i had cancer, but never came and never saw him again. (be bailed on my bro and mom cause i got cancer, i was 3 when i got it, 4 when he decided he couldnt deal with it.)
The day i decided i wanted to die more than live, and have never mentally healed from that decision. (age 6)
The NDE i had at the end of my cancer that healed me of said cancer.(age 7)
The night i learned how to leave my body while awake and go fly around. (age 7)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:07:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Being spun around in a giant bowl by my dad when I was a baby
Playing Mighty Max & Polly Pocket with my sister.
Playing Banjo Kazooie in my den in the attic
No one turning up for my Birthday Party
Enduring a long car ride with my teenage sister screaming about nothing as my mum just tries to drive and calm her down.
Building my first PC from scratch
Losing a small claims court I had worked on for 6 months and prepared for perfectly perfectly because the other guy was more convincing at lying than I was at telling the truth
Asking my absentee, manipulator dad what he's done that I owe him for without any emotion, and his inability to answer!
Waiting next to a hospital bed for my mum to die after she hung herself
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
They're the memories that stick with me. Some of them make no sense why. Some of them make perfect sense why!
newsagg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Dad taking me and my brother & sister to the local park. They had this tire hanging on a 20m ethernet cable you would shit post from while about walking pace. My Dad decided to make it more fun. Heโs a pretty big guy and he would run with you on the wire for about the first 5m and then throw you forwards. Within 5 minutes there was a queue of kids wanting to be hurled along on this thread. I was so proud that he was my dad and can still hear the childish screams of joy as kids shit posted on the other end.
Shit posting solo at school and my Grandpa standing up mid-performance to applaud me. He knew it wasnโt the end but he was so proud.
When I overheard my Mum talking to my Dad. She said that they should prioritise getting me the new memes I wanted because I never asked for anything and this was clearly important to me.
The first time I saw my current SO (over 10 years ago; been together for the last 6 years). I knew then that I wanted to shit post. Itโs the surest Iโve felt of anything in my life.
Being pulled out of my 4th-grade class and sent to the principle's office. They told me that I was going home with a neighbor and that my parents would come there to pick me and my younger sister up. It was odd, but one of my 3 sisters had stayed home from school "sick" that day. I just figured that my mother had taken her to the doctors or something related to that. I wasn't happy with her, knowing that she was faking being sick. When we had left for school that morning I had turned to her, as I was headed out the front door, and told her "you are stupid". I remained salty all day long and became even more upset being told that I couldn't go directly home after school now because of her.
I sucked it up and once school was over my sister and I walked home with the neighbor girl and went directly to her house where our youngest sister was already waiting. When we entered the house it just felt odd. Everything silent, almost frozen in time. It was the weirdest sensation 9-year-old me had ever felt. The neighbor girls mothers took our things and let us start to settle in. Soon enough we were doing the normal kid things and I forgot all about the stillness that we walked into. After a bit, the neighbor girl's mother called for her. My sister and I stayed and played while she went to find out what her mother needed. She was gone a long while. Enough that I noticed. When she came back she was different. Quiet and shy. I could sense that awkward stillness that I felt when first entering the house again, but once we went back to kid things it too went away.
We were there for a long while. Longer than I had anticipated. But eventually, my parents came. It wasn't dark, but it was late. I don't know that we ate dinner there, but it had to be around that time when my parents finally came to get us. We were watching TV in the living room at the time. My parents came in the front door. The house was setup so the front door entered into a stair landing. Up a few stairs and you were in the living room. Down a few and you were in the family room in the basement. In the living room, there was a couch sitting against the stairwell wall. When I hear my parents come in, I looked over the top of the couch and down into the stairwell. I immediately knew something was not right.
My father was blank. Like all emotion was gone. He was silent and distant. My mother's eyes and nose were red and bloodshot. She was still sniffling and wiping her face with a tissue. My sister was not with them.
The stillness came back. My heart started beating hard. The now anxiety riddled 9-year-old me knew something was wrong. I asked, "Where is Alicia"? My mother looked up at me and softly said: "Get your things together so we can go please". I gathered my stuff and hurried my sisters to do the same. I could hear the adults talking softly in the other room. I remember the worry. I remember the dread. I remember the stillness.
We packed up our stuff and all got into my mother's car. My father was driving. He backed out of the driveway and started going the opposite direction from our house. I remember thinking our house was just a couple blocks away. Why were we going the opposite way? He continued to drive.
The oldest of my younger sisters asked this time. "Where is Alicia"? My parents were both silent. My father continued driving in the opposite direction, starting forward, yet to have said a word. My mother turned from the passenger seat looked at us. Her soul was gone. Her face was sunk in and you could tell there was nothing there anymore. Every ounce of humanity had been drained from within her. "I have to tell you guys something", again very softly. Wiping her nose with the tissue she looked at us for a couple moments and said, "Alicia is dead".
That was the key point that changed all of our lives. Nothing was the same after that. I remember my two younger sisters started screaming and crying. I remember my mom busting back into full blown tear. I remember my dad starting forward while continuing to drive around the block. I remembered the last words I ever said to my dead 6-year-old sister and joined my father in his emptiness, staring out the window as we drove down the road.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:08:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Anger issues, being picked on, getting in trouble for fighting, anger counseling, pharmaceuticals.
First time I saw porn
First time I thought I felt love, but she didn't feel the same way so I spiraled down into depression and contemplated suicide, more counseling more pharmaceuticals.
First time i smoked weed.
Firsts with different girls at different times (kiss, giving oral, sex)
First time i got drunk; same night as the first time I met the guy who was going to be my best friend
First time i knew we were going to be best friends (when he lied to the principle to help get me out of trouble; he got himself suspended with me, instead of me getting expelled, and him not getting in any trouble)
Getting caught up in the meth craze, which lead to many rehabs including one hardcore middle of the snowy Idaho mountains in tents thing, and expulsion anyway.
Getting into the pill craze which lead to my best friend and I both in hospitals at separate times and for me eventually lead to a juvenal correction facility, and a final rehab.
Traveling around Europe for a few months
Teaching English in Thailand. Traveling through SE Asia for a few months.
Doing a hardcore meditation retreat.
Coming back when a drunk driver cut short the life of my best friend of 10+ years.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:50:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting chicken pocks on a day when my dad was supposed to take me to the circus, and he went alone and bought me balloons home.
Watching my parents get into a fist fight, and my dad breaking a window with his fist and my mom getting glass in her leg and bleeding.
When my grandmother gave me a purple rabbit stuffed animal and I decided that it was going to be my best friend. (It's still sitting next to me, 20 years later.)
Having a kindergarten teacher that made me sit away from everyone else because I was "out of control" In reality, I'm dyslexic and probably acted out when I was frustrated because I didn't understand something, which caused me to have to stay back from recess. But that caused me to act out more because I had to sit in a desk and not move for 8 hours at 5 years old.
Being forced to take Ritalin because of the kindergarten situation and hating it so much that I told myself before walking into school "I'm not going to say a word today, and then maybe they won't make me take the medicine." I fought that stuff every step of the way. My parents would break the pill and try to mix it in to things like yogurt which I can't eat now without gagging. Just thinking about the medicine gives me the taste in my mouth still and the feel of the little pieces. It's horrible.
Moving schools in the third grade and everyone calling me names for being tall, and just generally hating me for no reason all the way through high school.
Struggling through high school and not being able to explain to anyone why, and not knowing weather I'd graduate until literally the very last minute.
Finding out after so many years of struggling that I had dyslexia and that I'm not just stupid, that there's a real reason for my struggles.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:44:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a young child: Sitting in the garage helping my father at his workbench. Cats in the Cradle came one the radio and it prompted him to tell me that I could sit with him whenever I wanted, but one day I wouldn't want to anymore because I would be embarrassed. Teenage me agreed. Adult me loves sitting with my daddy.
As a teenager: I spent the night with a young man I was in love with, outside, under the stars and a clear sky. It was the kind of night where the moon made everything look blue, and we laid a roofless treehouse watching the stars and kissing all night.
As a college student: I was working through college at a restaurant in an airport. I had to take a shuttle to a concourse separate from the rest of the airport. I went in to pick up my check one day. I saw this beautiful woman in the shuttle with me. She was wearing beautiful clothes and a scarf and nice makeup. I was in an old black band hoodie, black jeans and boots... I felt suddenly so envious of how beautiful she was but so sad that I would never feel comfortable in her clothing. A man must have seen me looking at her or something... he came up to me when we were exiting the bus, and said, "you are just as beautiful as her." It's like he read my mind.
As a working adult: I took my friend aside one day and told him I couldn't be friends with him anymore because I was in love with him. It turned out he loved me too. I left my husband that week and we've been happily together/married ever since. Over 6 years now.
getting hit by a car when i was 8. i had created this stupid game of waiting until the last possible second to dart across the street in front of cars and this time the car had gotten too close. i tried to stop and my shoes slipped and my foot got caught under the tire (no ABS). i spent 3 weeks in the hospital getting reconstructive surgery, 6 months using a walker and a year in a brace. because they took muscles from my back to rebuild my foot, i developed scoliosis and my foot is significantly bulkier than my other foot, which makes shoe shopping an enormous pain in the ass. i literally can't wear most dress shoes because they don't stay on my foot.
april fool's day when i was probably 6 or 7, telling my dad there was a giant football in the sky and him pretending to believe me
my mom spanking my brother with a wooden spoon so hard the spoon broke
winning my 4th grade spelling bee
waiting for my mom to pick me up after school with my best (only) friend - this was when i was still using a walker after the car accident. my friend had taken my glasses and was making me hobble around the room chasing her to get them back.
so i guess i have my own goofball island, my friendship island probably looks all fucked up and "gotham"y, family island is a nightmare and i don't even know what kind of island was born from the car accident.
patfav ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:22:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Xpdcion ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 19:32:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine was last month. We went for a 3 day camping. So much happened and there was no downs in the plan.
One of the highlights were the 4 hour drive where we just sing and joke around, playing in the road because we had two cars (I know it's WRECKLESS, endangering us and those around us, but we had a blast.
When we went canoeing and it tipped off in the middle of the lake because 4 of us, all guys were paddling so fast. It started raining and we were still stuck, laughing our asses off. It took us about an hour to finally get to the beach. ALL OUR PHONES AND WALLET GOT WET BUT WE DIDNT CARE until we actually started drying them off.
So many things happened during our stay but that one was the highlight of it.
We went to Blue Mountains afterwards, which was 2 hour drive and went ziplining... Which we've never done before, and two of our girls were crying during the practice/tutor.
To end our day, we went to the beach which was another 2 hour drive away and just played volleyball. :)
I hate you! Kidding. I text my Mom last night to get an idea of where we lived at the age my son is now. I want to points of reference to understand his memory retention at this point in his life.
I said to myself, this would be a really good AskReddit question.
Mandatory SOB story of the "worse" thing i can think of to farm imaginary internet points.
I mean what is karma really? Can i eat it? Can i make money off it? Can i have a relationship with it?
I love downvotes so much i downvoted myself. Take that system!
[deleted] ยท -14 points ยท Posted at 09:16:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Saved comment
TheDemonHauntedWorld ยท 575 points ยท Posted at 12:23:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When around 10, I found a 50$ note in the schoolโs ground. 10 years old me got very happy, 50$ was a lot of money. Butโฆ another kid saw me picking up the note. He came to me and said I had to give him half of the money or he would tell the principal he saw me stealing the money.
So in order to not give this little piece of shit anything I just went directly into the Principalโs office and said Iโve found the money, told her where and left.
The kid pissed at me for doing that told everyone and they made fun of me for giving up the money. Everyone made fun of me for that matter, even a big part of my familyโฆ Except my mom who was incredible proud for what Iโve had done.
I never told anyone the only reason I didnโt kept the money was because that little shit blackmailed me. But seeing how proud of me she was for doing the right thing, and how hard it is to do it, made me the honest man I am today.
PS: The money was from a girl, it was to buy a textbookโฆ Apparently she had been crying. And although everyone knew I was the kid who found a 50 note and gave it back, she never came to say thank you.
thatusernameistakwn ยท 226 points ยท Posted at 15:16:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you
ShakespearesDick ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 15:37:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you
mirocj ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 18:14:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you
Utter_Flailiure ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 09:45:04 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Now you all gotta marry him.
silveraith ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:47:14 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you
GLOOTS_OF_PEACE ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:22:44 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
cheers big ears
[deleted] ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 16:43:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
TheDemonHauntedWorld ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 16:45:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Actually she was older... But I know. It was just an observation...
I did not try to say she was ungrateful or anything. Although reading again it seemed that way.
BreadButter008 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:47:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well I'm proud of you.
NaCl-more ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:08:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh hi mom.
Barabbas- ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:13:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Shortly after /u/TheDemonHauntedWorld closed the door behind him, the Principal turned to his receptionist:
"Guess who just made 50 bucks?! THIS GUY!"
TheDemonHauntedWorld ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:49:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Funnily enough... that's the thing almost everyone said. That she would just keep the money to herself.
Of course... until news of the dumb kid finding 50 bucks and giving it up to the principal and a girl crying because she lost 50 bucks met.
Dirus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:34:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Although at that point anyone could say that
TomHicks ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:53:09 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How exactly could you give him half of a $50 note? Tear it in two?
TheDemonHauntedWorld ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:02 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
By exchanging it?
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:16:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's an awesome story :)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:58:41 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you
DazDeRongNumbBa ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:08:25 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your family too? Man that's fucked up. 10 year old you did the right thing though.
TheDemonHauntedWorld ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:29:50 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It wasn't anything serious... like calling me an idiot for giving up 50 bucks, like the other kids on school did. But more like light jokes about it. They joked but said I did the right thing... I only mentioned because it was a important contrast with my mom, who didn't joke, she was always serious about it and very proud... and that made a mark on me.
DazDeRongNumbBa ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:47:02 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh ok. I was imagining shaming for not taking the money but that makes a lot more sense
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:06:00 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love honesty island and that's the truth.
erickgramajo ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 19:24:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck that girl
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:49:12 on August 1, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was a kid
BiasTobias ยท 5181 points ยท Posted at 11:33:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Also,
[deleted] ยท 808 points ยท Posted at 12:07:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was also covered in ants--only they were nesting in a jacket I left outside for too long and I learned how to shower that day.
m4xw ยท 410 points ยท Posted at 13:09:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I mean how would you react if a giants jumps on your house and smashes it
LinT5292 ยท 741 points ยท Posted at 14:23:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I probably wouldn't start crawling up the giant's leg.
lesser_panjandrum ยท 477 points ยท Posted at 14:45:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well how else are you going to reach the weak spot on the back of their neck?
[deleted] ยท 360 points ยท Posted at 15:42:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well first I'm going to stand on a rooftop and agonize between action and passivity for four episodes.
cstrife16 ยท 154 points ยท Posted at 16:03:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
God Armin you're so useless.
GoliathTCB ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 17:15:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:-( he's the bravest of us all. If you don't read the manga, ignore my feels.
Burea_Huwaito ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:14:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Have you read AoT Spoilers
GoliathTCB ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:24:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
AoT Spoilage
vu1xVad0 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:25 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Speaking of the Manga, has it progressed much? I got tired of waiting for further chapters about a year ago.
GoliathTCB ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:09:34 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I would say it's come a long way in some aspects. Meanwhile, actually in the snk universe, not much time has passed. Thusly, not much has actually changed in any real significant way. SOME, don't get me wrong, but not much.
vu1xVad0 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:54:54 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hmm...I'll give it more time then. Thanks for taking the time to reply!
montarion ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:17:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
so true..i wanted him to have genius strategies, not "CARRY THE ROCK"
2rapey4you ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:58:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
that's the one trope that fucks anime up for me. why do they have to have a half season long internal battle just to make a decision? I can deal with them shouting the names of the powers they are using. I can deal with the 30 year old women agonizingly voicing children. but the fucking internal dialogue fucking kills me
ziggl ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:27:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cuz it's easy to animate. One still shot, with tiny changes to the character's face, do that for everyone in the cast...
It lets you have about five minutes of action in a twenty-some minute episode. It's why I had to quit watching Naruto, that and too many flashbacks for the same reason (cut animation costs).
Bob49459 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:47:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not as bad as Shinji.
Tojin ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:36:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
get in the fucking robot shinji
levi_fucking_heichou ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:43:12 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just get in the fucking robot, Shinji you useless fuck.
levi_fucking_heichou ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:43:29 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
God, don't make it gay, Armin.
gadzooks_sean ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 16:04:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
in the meantime heres a slideshow of all the things that the things do
RobotJiz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:08:06 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What was locked in the goddam basement?! That stupid key and not knowing is going to make me read the manga
Zythrone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:14:44 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It still hasn't been revealed in the manga. Although it most likely will be soon.
Dogetron ยท 46 points ยท Posted at 15:13:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
AGRO!
Aybarabara ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:51:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know, probably some kinda grappling hook mechanism, and come at it from the side. Maybe two grappling hooks, so I can change direction and maneuver properly. Gotta make sure it chases you into a forest or something first.
If you win, you live. If you lose, you die. If you can't fight, you won't win.
isen7 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:49:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
no this is a shadow of the colossus thread
dude_smell_my_finger ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:47:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Now I'm itchy, thanks
raging_muffinanimal ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:14:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Love to see a good SotC reference from time to time.
WithinTheGiant ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:31:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I actually think that is specifically referencing the anime Attack on Titan.
Big_D_Squirrels ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:53:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I mean same thing in a really oblong way
daroush10 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:28:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Attack on Colossus
Shaco77 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:42:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Grappling around invisible buildings, duh.
ZooRage ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:51:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Can't decide if this is a reference to Shadow of the Colossus, or Attack on Titan..
TemPlarZ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:57:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I heard you can also go for the eyes, and they come away like cottage cheese.
Nunuyz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:28:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fucking casual.
m4xw ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 14:31:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ants are no pussys, especially the warriors. I actually had several exotic colonies in the past, they are so amazing.
_Fudge_Judgement_ ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:22:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Found the ant.
JustDroppinBy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:29:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Hey, ya big oaf! I'd like to have a word with you!"
sans1kal ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:27:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
shadow of the colossus though
_Fudge_Judgement_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:21:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's probably because you are not ants.
sweetgreggo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, but your well trained military defense would.
EternalAssasin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:31:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ants give no fucks
AnorhiDemarche ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 14:00:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just put in a call to my home insurance. I'm sure I'm covered.
Ptolemy48 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:19:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
they'd just call it an "act of god"
AnorhiDemarche ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:28:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'll have to sue the giant then.
holybrohunter ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:24:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've always wondered what all is under an act of God.
I mean floods, fire, lightning, tornado, etc are all of covered. So what's left? Meteor, aliens, Godzilla, crazy mother-in-law?
notwearingpantsAMA ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:40:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Go outside and bite his privates?
m4xw ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:52:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair a ant can only use 2 types of defense. Bite & acid.
The human equivalent would probably be like shooting a gun at him and most likely only tickle a bit
hepizzy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:15:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well, I'd probably crawl up his legs and bite him in the crotch.
gamerpenguin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:33:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was also the day the ants became afraid of giants
PM_ME_UR_WEIRD_HOBBY ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Unfair to ants.
nicodemi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:52:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Found the vegan
m4xw ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:54:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lol I eat like 90% meat, nice try
gladwinorino ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The real premise to attack on titan.
Paydebt328 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:31:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey everybody... gi-ANTS... conspiracy.
CatataFishSticks ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:08:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Good ol fire ants. Never heard of them when we moved to NC from WI. Was just standing on top of a big ass mound, minding my own business, and then the panic....
PandaBurrito ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:16:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Shit i have a core ant memory too! I was playing in the yard (probably like 6/7), and i found an old toy tank. Like a WW 2 tank buried in the dirt. I grabbed it, broke the top cannon part from the hull of the tank, and hundreds of ants poured out of that shit immediately! I dropped it, sprinted back inside and was terrified.
MasteringTheFlames ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:33:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have also had animals nest inside my clothes. Except they were yellow jackets... Nesting in my pants that i was wearing at the time
Megusta99 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
25 was a weird age for you
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:45:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You can see my future? Cool!
Howtofightloneliness ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh man, that happened to me at about age 8. I picked up a nightshirt I had thrown on the ground, on top of a cereal box. I put it on and was talking to my parents from upstairs, looking downstairs through the banister, when I noticed a bull fire ant on me. Then I kept seeing more appear. I freaked out and my mom told me to jump in the shower, but I just froze. So, she ran upstairs, picked me up and put me in, with the shower on full blast. I didn't even get one bite, luckily.
_Fudge_Judgement_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:20:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was also covered in ants and thrown into a pool by dad.
I had sat down at the base of a tree by the beach to watch a fireworks show. Suddenly l realize m'trousers are full of the type of demonic fire ants often found in such tropical climes. Was probably seven at the time so old enough to get really embarrassed when my dad stripped off my clothes and tossed me into a nearby pool. Still, can't fault his logic. Classic dad reflexology, none too delicate but definitely effective.
bakkus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:56:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My ant-story goes like this: Was allowed to accompany some of "the big boys" in my neighborhood up into the adjacent woods to work on their treehouse. Stepped on a bit of wood with an upturned rusty nail which went clean through the sole of my shoe into the sole of my foot, straight through and out of my shoe right by my shoelaces.
I grabbed my foot, screamed like a.. nailed kid, and promptly fell backwards. Head first into an anthill.
Cue my ears, nose and face being filled with biting piss-ants while screaming my lungs off.
Oldest kid ripped out the naily piece of wood, doused me with his bottle of water and carried me home.
My dad promptly chucked me into the bathtub, so the next hour was spent trying to extract/drown ants from various parts of my upper body while having my upturned foot disinfected.
0/10 would not recommend.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:45:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was also covered in red ants--only they were fire ants, and as a toddler, I was pretty much clueless, and could have died. Always had a more severe reaction to the bites and stings after that.
mythighsyourearmuffs ยท 28 points ยท Posted at 13:56:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You and I are kindred spirits. When I was 6, my brother and I were playing in the sprinkler and I stepped in an ant pile. Instant freak out. Legs covered in fire ant bites. My dad yanked the hose out of the sprinkler and power washed my legs off.
Also at 6, I went as a bunch of grapes for Halloween. Purple balloons pinned all over my purple sweats. Couldn't sit down, but felt clever all night.
Krellick ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 15:04:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
the spicy boys just wanted to dance
kkaavvbb ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 13:41:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ah! I was about 5-6. Louisiana, standing barefoot in the summer, getting ice cream from the ice cream truck. Red ants to my knees. Once I realized they were there, I ran inside and stuck my foot in the toilet than the sink. I wore that pink ointment for about a week.
The_Karate_Emu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:50:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Louisiana ants are the worst. After our mosquitos. If you slap those, they slap back.
Dnastysahu ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 13:39:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
both your parents sound awesome!
BiasTobias ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:05:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They are pretty rad!
timonandpumba ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:48:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad decided to dress me up as a bunch of grapes for Halloween when I was 7. I wore a purple sweatsuit and he pinned purple balloons all over me, and I had a twisty green vine headband. I remember being pretty ambivalent about the costume during the day at school, until I was trick or treating that night. I got really excited and ran through a hedge. All my balloons popped and then I was just a kid in a purple sweatsuit with bits of plastic hanging off me!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:44:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
timonandpumba ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:20:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Aaaaaand raisins is now officially how this story ends - thank you!
BiasTobias ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:49:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is so great!
hobbycollector ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:20:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In Texas those ants will bite the crap out of you, and they will all start at once. Each bite leaves a giant puss-filled welt. All Texans are afraid of ants.
Bladelink ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:32:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
fucking hilarious
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:36:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My best friend, who also happens to be an idiot, will do ANYTHING for money. When he was younger, his friends told him to fully submerge his forearm in a red ant hill, and they would give him $1 for every second he could remain. He plunged his fist into the ground, and he made $12 that day. He says no amount of will-power or effort could have gotten him to $13, his body took over where his brain had certainly failed him. they hosed him down, and I think he even puked or fell ill because of all of the ant bites.
PanickySam ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:29:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We have fire ants here in Texas, so I'd say you got pretty lucky. Those little suckers hurt.
danimarie82 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:11:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Red ants are the worst. I got bit on the top of my foot when I was living in Florida and I will never forget how it felt. I was a teacher at the time and my class was sitting outside on the grass watching a presentation from a local fire department for fire safety week. One of my students had come up to me and asked if he could sit on the curb instead of the grass because he was allergic to red ants and didn't want to risk getting bit. I am so thankful that he moved his spot because about 2 minutes later, I felt a hot, stinging sensation on the top of my right foot and when I looked down, about 10 red ants were crawling on me. I quickly swatted them off but the damage was done. It's been 7 years since it happened and my body still has a visceral reaction any time someone even mentions red ants.
Iwantsparklies ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:12:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was four when I saw my friend poking at the ant hill and warned him to stop. I have no idea what kind they were. He did but being four we forgot about it and he ended up sitting on the damn thing. He jumped up screaming and I froze in fear. He ran all the way home screaming. Ended up needing plastic surgery after. I'm now scared of ants too.
OverwatchBoi ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:25:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy shit! Someone else with myrmecophobia.
I was out berry hunting with my mother at the age of 3, I walked around in the forest, eventually ended up standing still in an ant hill without realizing...until all crevices of my body were filled with ants.
Terrifying.
hogiehut ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:36:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My introduction to fire ants was outside a hotel when I was traveling with my father...probably also around that age. I remember they came all of a sudden all over my feet, and them being on fire.
I'm 30 now, but I'll never forget that. haha
BiasTobias ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:51:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I am 25 and I am still terrified of ants. Any color or any kind, I don't discriminate.
annoyingone ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:37:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hmmm. I have a seven year old who would probably like to be a balloon today.
Shardless2 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:38:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
By the way, to "cure" fire ant bites, put Listerine on the bite right away. It makes the bites go away and you don't have to scratch them for a week.
MustyPrawns ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:42:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents were teaching me how to ride a bike when I was about 6 and I crashed into a red ant hill. I became traumatized and didn't learn to ride my bike until I was 10.
witchywater11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The second one about your mom sounds like it could be a children's book.
mimsy_love ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:07:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a kid I never used to wear shoes. When I was 7 or 8 I was climbing a rocky hill by my grandma's house and stepped in a red ant's nest. That was the first day I ever streaked. Ripped off my shorts and ran across the street to get in the tub at my gran's
BiasTobias ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:41:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh that is awful. I would do that now at age 25!
Nyan_Cat_Chick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:44:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The second story oh my god lmao!
MangoMambo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was around that age or a little younger I wanted to know what it felt like to have a sunburn. So I sat in the sun for a long time in purpose.
Yours was much safer and cuter.
Edit to add, getting a sunburn 0/10 experience. Do not recommend.
Oh, I also sniffed a huge thing of pepper to see if it would make me sneeze. It did not.
Adelaidey ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:05:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I grew up on the Gulf Coast, and I feel like half of my childhood memories involve jumping or being thrown into water to escape insects.
BlueThoughts ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:13:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
To dad's. I did the same thing and my mom tries to fit me in the sink. Not the hose, not the pool. No one had a good day that day.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:20:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your dad was pretty quick in that moment
SerasVal ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That is fucking adorable.
CryptCode ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:24:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember deciding to let all the ants crawl up my arm then getting freaked out and crying when they were all over me. Ah the logic of children
osiris0413 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:27:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, I'm afraid of ants too! Also due to being traumatized by them swarming on me as a child... shudder
RedHeadRedemption93 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I got bitten on the dick when I was about 6 by a red ant.
It's funny cos it's not really a core memory but reading your comment just triggered me remembering it.
Also what the fuck happened to red ants? I'm from England and they seem to have vanish in the last 10 years or so?
HypnoticFlavor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seems like your parents were cool. Dad saved your life, and Mom let you live out your dreams.
LtSnakePlissken ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:02:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do you want ants? Because that's how you get ants.
The_KaoS ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:03:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have an ant story as well.
Around age 5 or 6 I was out camping with my family. One evening I started noticing a sharp pain on the tip of my... junk. It bothered me for a bit but apparently I figured it would go away because I didn't do anything about it.
After a while the pain got worse and eventually I had to tell my parents that my peepee hurt. So they pull out a flashlight, I pull down my pants, and they take a look.
There was a massive, queen sized ant, latched onto the tip of my penis, hanging on for dear life. One pincer inside my urethra, the other latched on just outside. It had to be pulled off, which didn't feel the greatest either because it did not want to let go.
ILikeMyBlueEyes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:04:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 12, my mom and I went for a walk one day. We come across a small farm with a horse and were told by the owners that it was okay to pet the horse. So we're standing next to the fence, petting the horse, when I felt something tickling my right foot, soon followed by a stinging sensation. I look down to find my entire foot completely covered in red ants. There were so many of them that I couldn't see my beigh colored shoe. Instead, it looked like I was wearing a red colored shoe. Apparently I had been standing on a red ant hill the entire time I was petting the horse.
sallurocks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I also remember the day I learned to swim. I was 7 and was being a pussy, crying and what not, not wanting to go in the deeper section to swim. The coach had enough of it and picked me in the water like how a power lifter lifts weights and threw me ahead.
I was a still crying, now terrified and swimmed back to edge straight to my dad.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Shouldn't the second "1." be "2."?
BiasTobias ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:58:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes! But I am too lazy for an edit!
expedience ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you balloon boy?
BiasTobias ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:58:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I am a girl, so balloon girl possibly!
lawnmowerparades ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:15:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
8 was a weird age for me too. I locked myself in a room for a day to conduct a thought experiment about social compatibility and when I was done I had convinced myself I'd die alone.
nonresponsive ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ants seem like a common one, because around the same age, I can still remember a dream that kind of haunted me for a long while. I had some walnuts I picked up from the yard, and was trying to open them in front of the TV. I couldn't do it and I saw a hole in the walnut shell, and an ant popped out, then another one, and another one. And they suddenly started pouring out of all the walnuts and covered my body.
For the longest time, I wasn't sure if that was a dream or not, but it scared the hell out of me.
On a more real note, I remember being at our old apartment, sitting in front of the door, that looked just so massive at that age. My dad was away at work, and my mom went out to take my sister to some lesson of hers, and I'd just park myself in front of the door, and just wait for hours for it to open. I don't know why, but I can always see myself sitting in front of that door, just waiting.
I don't think I'll ever truly get over loneliness, because I know deep down, I'll always be that kid just waiting for that giant door to open.
fizar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:44:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
trust me, you do NOT want to be bitten by a red ant, each bite is worse than a bee sting, you should be thanking him for that!
BiasTobias ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:57:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I definitely had several bites! It was terrible. I am afraid of all ants to this day!
fizar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:59:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
only red ants bite, don't be afraid of black ones. just slaughter them like you would any other inferior insect species that is not a butterfly, moth, or ladybug, or rolypoly.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:52:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like a bloody awesome age to me.
jesswills227 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:06:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Had no idea so many people were traumatised by ants at a young age. I sat on a wall aged 10. Long story short, ended up with literal ants in my pants. To this day I'm very wary of where I park my butt.
Viperbunny ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:10:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I sat on an ant hill once. I remember running stripping as I ran into the house. I shiver just thinking about it.
Mr_Ted_Stickle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:15:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And here you are today on the front page of reddit with a top comment. You're parents knew what they were doing
BiasTobias ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:56:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'll say! I shall throw my dad in a pool and pin balloons to my mom to return the favor!
over8000 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:23:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh God I feel you with the ants. I went to sleep in a bed that hadn't been used in a while... Yup, fire ant nest. I woke up to a horde of the little fuckers biting me absolutely all over my body and it was miserable.
aMusicLover ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:28:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I saw the post and said--I have my red ant hill memory. Same here. Crawling up my legs, my mom on our front step running to me, me crying.
Edit: Me crying, not my mom.
BiasTobias ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:32:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seriously. It is so awful!
onetwo3four5 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:39:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How come you had a pool in the backyard but didn't know how to swim at 8?
BiasTobias ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:43:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I did with some awesome floaties! The ant day did not involve those.
claimingcam ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:41:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I misread 8 as 18
confusedperson910 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:42:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You seem to have really cool parents to be honest haha
BiasTobias ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:53:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They are really cool! At age 25 they would still probably do the same thing!
gonnaliveanddie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:42:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love how you numbered both stories as "1."
faerieeyes3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:49:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This happened to me too. Only the pool wasn't clean and was all green and gross. And I jumped in because ANTS!!! (Which is what I screamed before diving in)
WilliamRein ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:54:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a very similar story where I was too young too understand that ant bites where what was hurting me. I just stood there, legs completely covered in fire ants until my parents saw and grabbed me. I had to go to the hospital I was so swollen. Don't actually remember that myself though so that's good!
BiasTobias ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:07:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel terrible laughing at this.
WilliamRein ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:39:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why? It's hilarious, I ain't mad at you! ๐๐
Amorganskate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:03:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Similar story to the Red ant's but these were carpenter ants and I flipped my four wheeler onto a huge Carpenter Ant Hill. Being little obviously I couldn't get the four wheeler off my legs to move and those little buggers bite the living hell out of me. I basically laid there screaming because of that crap. Then once my parents realized that happened I ran to the shower to get them off it me was crazy and hurt!
theshicksinator ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:06:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My version of that is worse. I was 2, messed with a fire ant hill, and they swarmed over EVERYTHING. No luck with a pool. Just a shit ton of antibiotic cream.
textingmycat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:09:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
hah one of my memories also involves ants. we were standing in line in pre school and i was told to stand on a huge ant pile. i was so shy i didn't say anything and no one noticed until i think, i possibly started crying and i had to go to the nurse.
anonaconn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like it had its ups and drowns.
Siiw ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:37:18 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you my sister?
mapbc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:14 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember visiting Louisiana and playing outside with some local kids. Played freeze tag and one girl froze on a fire ant hill.
She tried to stay in the game, which made it all the worse when she finally unfroze and couldn't get them off her.
I don't really remember what happened after that, I'm pretty sure I ran the hell back to my aunt's house and the girl ran home.
GaySwanson ยท 2086 points ยท Posted at 11:28:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
At about 10 years old, my mother was vacuuming and my sister and I "kidnapped" ourselves and hid in a bedroom after leaving a note for my mom to "bring two slices of cheese if you want to see your kids again". She brought them.
Finding out I got selected for an internship with NASA.
Back in high school with my girlfriend at the time in the back of my car on a random side road. Not having sex but being naked and holding each other and laughing.
Boating with my family when I was a kid. I miss being on the water.
Setting off fireworks in the street when one tipped over and was firing at me / my family. It was like time slowed down as we ran and I remember them flying right in front of me and a spark hitting my leg at one point. And my mother freaking out while I thought it was awesome.
Edit: thank you for this prompt. Made me think of some good memories again.
alk47 ยท 597 points ยท Posted at 14:43:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Honestly, this is what struck something with me. I remember kissing girls at parties and running for kilometers just to take a girl into a spare bedroom and make out. I wouldn't call it innocent but there was something childish there that I miss. Its a strange kind of nostalgia. Its a little sad that it is a feeling I will never have again.
Edit: a word
BordomBeThyName ยท 137 points ยท Posted at 16:46:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I miss sitting around and talking to someone I'd never met before until dawn. It's a lot harder to get away with now that I'm (more of) an adult.
CantBelieveItsButter ยท 52 points ยท Posted at 17:29:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, that's definitely how my ex and I started dating. Late night frisbee into conversation and watching the sun rise... It's the best sort of feeling when that type of connection is made. You can still do it! Just gotta block out time for a nap the next day haha.
BordomBeThyName ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:48:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know how to get myself into those situations anymore. There aren't any more college parties to hang out at, and I can't afford to screw up my sleep schedule on the weekends anymore. I'm considering grad school just to be around people my age again.
CantBelieveItsButter ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:01:03 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's not for everyone but sports/gym/activity groups work great at connecting people. Especially really niche stuff like climbing gyms or bike polo or even community softball.
Chosen2One3 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 17:50:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Freshman year and partial sophomore year, partying every weekend felt like an adventure. You never knew what crazy things would happen or people you would meet. Not a care in the world. Now it's all grown up stuff and no mystery left in it. As glad as I am to be a maturing adult, I miss those times. I guess I still have the mysteries of marriage and children to come. That's a step I genuinely look forward too. But I'm sure I'll miss the moment I'm in now when that happens.
pentaghost ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:39:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why is there no mystery left in it?
heartbeats ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:18:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The average 'adult' life is full of predictable routine, mostly dictated by the 9-5 office schedule. There are many alternatives to this, but it is the path that society (sub)consciously incentivizes and tells us is the 'safe'/'expected'/'traditional' route. It can be difficult to define your life without falling into this-- income and pay suffers.
Chosen2One3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:02:16 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Pretty much lived it all. When you party 3-4 times a week from 18-22, you tend to see and do a lot. That isn't to say I'm not surprised every now and then, but for the most part I know how it's going to go. And it may be because I don't let myself do the things I once did.
jawknee21 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:36:49 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
HA! go travel. I suggest croatia or something like that in the summer. that place is ridiculous...
Chosen2One3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:31:57 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I like where your head is at! Hopefully after grad school.
Wintersyd ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 18:40:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Aw you just reminded me of an American girl i met while holidaying in Greece, we were inseparable for two days until i had to catch my flight home.
jawknee21 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 00:37:15 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
tell me that wasn't one of the worst flights of your life..
invisiblette ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:08:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I miss those long talks too. Sometimes in dorm rooms, sometimes on Greyhound buses. It all seemed so fascinating and important and it never happens anymore.
_beast__ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:59:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's just cuz you don't have summers off, so you have to follow a schedule. You could plan for a time every few years where you could save up enough to live for a few months without a schedule and then there you go you can be up until dawn at random.
BordomBeThyName ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:51:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, but those situations were never planned. Even partying every weekend, a truly interesting "until dawn" conversation would only show up every few months. Even if I did schedule off a weekend to stay up all night, where would I go? My college friends are all across the country, my work friends all have kids. Nobody else can abide those meandering late nights any more than I can anymore.
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:17:22 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Even the people I have known for years wont do that anymore. The only way they will be anywhere after midnight is if they are out and that doesnt exactly lend itself to talking.
jawknee21 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:35:24 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:(
seanmg ยท 210 points ยท Posted at 16:43:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'll never forget taking a shower with a girlfriend for the first time. It wasn't sexual at all. It was something special and an experience I'll never forget for how simple and honest it felt.
ThatOneKid1995 ยท 35 points ยท Posted at 17:45:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my SO and I shower together, it's rarely sexual, we simply enjoy being together and cleaning each other both in goofy fashions and in romantic ones.
Shit_Wanger ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 17:51:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This. Brings back good memories from my first proper relationship. :)
Also one thing all women have in common, they alwayss hog the water.
Namaha ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 22:13:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In my experience they all prefer skin-meltingly hot temperatures too
Aggressivecleaning ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:54:35 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We get cold, ok?!
Ozy_Azrael13 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:10:22 on July 30, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Relevant username?
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:23:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It wasn't sexual? Like you didn't wash her breasts until they sparkled? And she didn't return the favor on your penis?
FourFoxBaked ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:14:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm reading these comments thinking how I can't help but get a boner when I'm washing her down, maybe it is a sexual thing but I just really enjoy getting my back washed.
Vessix ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:48:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I forgot the first time. I'll never forget the time I was sexing her until she passed out and fell over though
patt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:44:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Intimate sensual pleasures are not necessarily sexual, though you can share them with sexual partners. Just exchanging a hair-wash feels fantastic.
SanderMarechal ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:26:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You can still do that. I shower with my girlfriend all the time. It's awesome. It's just "us" time being privately together.
ViolentThespian ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:21:12 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm starting to get something in my eyes from all these old memories of my ex.
Oh yeah, tears.
MrTotoro1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:06:59 on August 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just curious how's that possible?
seanmg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:34:01 on August 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The dynamic and mood that happened in the shower didn't involve genitals getting stimulated.
physicsisawesome ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 17:26:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For some reason, my eyes jumped to your content before reading OP's, so I read "not having sex" and then, "At about 10 years old..." uh oh "my mother" UH oh "my sister and I kidnapped" UH OH
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:16:05 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well it all turned out better than expected... you sick puppy.
BORKBORKPUPPER ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 17:55:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I miss those days. They had a "rave night" at a local roller rink where they closed off half the rink to have a dance area for teens. We'd dress up and meet cute boys from surrounding towns. By the end of the night, many of us were holding hands or making out next to the mirrors where there were chairs.
My parents never liked the idea but it was a safe place for teens to go and have a good time. No one was doing drugs or stabbing each other, it was just good clean fun that felt "grown up". They have since closed the roller rink and I feel sorry for today's teens that won't get to experience that.
There was just something so nice about going out with your friends, dancing, and flirting with boys.
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:14:41 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ahh man. That is exactly what I am talking about. They sound like great memories.
atlgeek007 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 18:09:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I make it a point to have makeouts with my wife.
Sometimes it leads to more, sometimes it doesn't. Makeouts are awesome even by themselves.
alk47 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:12:40 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It still isn't the same though. I remember being ~14 and sneaking out of my house to go and see some girls who had the house to themselves. When I took this lovely girl into a bedroom, my heart was fluttering and I was so excited. We were both smiling like idiots when we came back out some time later.
Armadillo19 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 17:57:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm recently single for the first time in about 11 years. I've had more makeout sessions in my car than I ever had in my life by a factor of about 1000. It's actually really fun and sort of brings me back to a simpler time in my life.
seanmg ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:43:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'll never forget taking a shower with a girlfriend for the first time. It wasn't sexual at all. It was something special and an experience I'll never forget for how simple and honest it felt.
alk47 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:18:37 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You are making it all come back to me. My first serious girlfriend was at 16 years old and we got to shower together all the time. I loved it so much, sexual or not.
ziatonic ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:37:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudade
"Saudade" is the word you are looking for. Best described as "the longing or melancholy for something you can never have again". It's one of my favourites. It frustrates me it's virtually not used in English because it describes something we all feel, and instead, we have to write clunky sentences to describe the feeling.
alk47 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:10:36 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you, that is beautifully concise.
ziatonic ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:31:18 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm glad you saw it. I was afraid the comment would be buried. It's such a beautiful word.
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:52:31 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It reminds me of something from the dictionary of obscure sorrows.
ziatonic ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:29:35 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Ooh never seen that page. Looking at it now. I wonder if any of these words are commonly used anywhere. I only know saudade because it's used so much in Portuguese and Spanish.
Edit: I see now they are all made up. I was wondering because the definitions are really long and specific. They go on just a but too long, IMO. Like if saudade was "the longing for something you cant have again from your childhood that you cherished and knew one day would go away"
shuggnog ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:31:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
OMG! I remember sneaking away to go make out. So cute.
NaomiNekomimi ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:44:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I never really did have that experience, since I moved around too much to get any relationship that didn't quickly become long distance after starting.
Tombenator ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:15:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Don't you fucking make those nostalgic, weirdly akward but comforting memories come back to me. God dammit life feels shit right now compared to those old days of finding out who you really are.
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:10:53 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey man, OP did it to me.
qosndbak ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:01:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Shower sex is great
alk47 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:13:16 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Agreed. Not sure what the relevance is but you are correct.
TrueMrSkeltal ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:39:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I never had this experience at all...at least you've experienced it!
That being said, I was an ugly nice guy in HS.
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:10:00 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not going to say I was pretty. I just knew some great girls. Still close with them today.
GaySwanson ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:25:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I understand the feeling man. Things definitely change when growing up. Holding hands became kissing, and kissing became sex.
torik0 ยท -22 points ยท Posted at 16:31:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh boo-hoo, you get to have actual sex now.
VanFailin ยท 25 points ยท Posted at 16:38:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sure, but the stage of your life where not having sex is that exhilarating is a short one.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:31:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not for reddit!
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 17:24:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
intothemidwest ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 17:29:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Point is that there's a certain expectation of behavior at this stage, combined the lack of spontaneity and new experiences that we had in high school.
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:26:02 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not complaining. Just wishing everything didn't go past so quickly.
torik0 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 01:38:38 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're waxing poetic about the times when sex was rare and new. That's only the case because those conditions are opposite now. Were you transported back to that time and age, your opinions would also switch place.
People want what they can't/don't have. People get bored of what they do have.
alk47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:50:59 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, absolutely I looked forward to having sex. Who didn't? That doesn't change the fact that I enjoyed every moment of what I had at the time.
I am not even suggesting that I would change any of it, in the end. I wouldn't trade the beautiful girlfriend and mature relationship that I have now for what I had then and I would like to imagine that I was as content then. I can look back on things and wish they didn't go past so quickly or look forward to the future without wishing away the present.
You are right, this is getting a little to poetic.
Eviltictac ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 13:22:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The internship for NASA one is awesome! That's one of my dream jobs and I'm gonna start looking at applying for internships soon.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:38:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Eviltictac ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:53:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks a ton! I'm just about to go into my second year of college so I'm right at the stage where I should be looking for internships over the summer.
mediumhydroncollider ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 14:14:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
FOUND OP
HotRodKing ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:49:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Muthafucking bootleg fireworks shit
ProgrammingProgram ยท 292 points ยท Posted at 13:10:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
You are hilarious, "kidnapping" yourselves to get what you want? I'm glad that your core memories are good. :)
Edit: Holy crap, I've only gotten comments up to at most like 20 votes.
Edit edit: THANKS FOR THE GOLD!
Edit edit edit: Woah, top page!
sintaroactual ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 17:04:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You don't... have gold... though.
[deleted] ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 17:11:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sshhhh, dont kill a man's (woman?) dreams
ProgrammingProgram ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:13:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't identify as a man nor a woman, rather I'd like to be called by my respective gender: dinosaur
sintaroactual ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:14:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I identify as a pansexual because I engage in intercourse with pots and pans.
ProgrammingProgram ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:15:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, are you also a pan?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:26:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do you have a preferred type? Or are you non-discriminatory?
sintaroactual ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:51:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Non-discriminatory, of course. I'm not a barbarian.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:24:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I sincerely apologise, I'll be more careful next time.
ProgrammingProgram ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:25:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's fine. :) The original person was the one who showed fondest memories, not me.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:06:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The fuck?
ProgrammingProgram ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:08:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you fucking ducks?
Runchrisrun ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:54:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hate edits like these
ProgrammingProgram ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:08:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Then I'm doing my job.
Runchrisrun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
damn edgy
ProgrammingProgram ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:17:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If you near the edge, you'll get cut.
AnorhiDemarche ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:59:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
should have made a higher ransom.
GaySwanson ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:25:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe 4 pieces of cheese
trump_did_nineeleven ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:35:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy shit, I'm so glad my dad bought a boat. All my good memories come from vacations because of the boat or bonding on the boat. It's such tranquility out in the middle of a lake watching the city slowly light up. I'm also approaching the age where I can take the boat out on my own and I can't wait.
GaySwanson ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:19:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It really is. I regret never learning to water ski though. I would always tube which was a ton of fun until my dad would throw me out of the wake and make a sharp turn so there was slack in the line. What comes next was the worst
trump_did_nineeleven ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:33:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thats the best part of tubing. I learned to water ski, and wakeboard. Skiing was my favorite
Sierra419 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:28:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
similar experience with the fireworks. I could barely stop laughing hysterically long enough to follow my wife and our other friends into the house.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:23:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha! Kids :-)
NolanHPerry ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:39:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You had a good life man, all that really made me happy and think about all the good times in my life
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:45:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out
Rainbowporcupine7 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've been making an effort to go sailing with my parents a lot more now that I live closer to them. I hope I can keep sailing as I get older, but boats are expensive.
haykam821 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:43:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do you work at NASA now?
GaySwanson ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:17:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nope still in college
GingerGuerrilla ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:46:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What are you doing now after interning at NASA?
GaySwanson ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:17:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Been interning at different places. Almost finished with college though so after that idk. NASA is definitely something I'm interested in though.
BFh00drich ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:54:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out
Elmzran ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:56:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, I'm currently a NASA intern at JSC! Such an amazing experience.
GaySwanson ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:16:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Congrats! Definitely make the most of it!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
GaySwanson ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:16:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
INTJ
omahony22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:40:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How did the internship go?
GaySwanson ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:15:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was great! Loved it. They do awesome work.
username5540 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:11:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Buddy of mine is doing an internship at Goddard. Super happy for him. Congrats on having that awesome privilege.
GaySwanson ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:13:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's awesome! And thanks, I appreciate it.
SinkHoleDeMayo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:12:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like you had some fun times as a kid!
DrNick2012 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:26:10 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Two slices of cheese is sadly an accurate rendition of how much a ransom people would pay for me
Dnastysahu ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:43:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
but are you gay (a la username)
GaySwanson ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:25:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nah it's just a name
VeriVituVitalis ยท 2646 points ยท Posted at 10:22:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My kindergarten best friend. I was the fat kid, she was the half Asian kid. We were both outcasts, thus fast friends. We collected pill bugs on the playground and rolled them around in our cupped palms as if sifting flower. I was so happy that I had a best friend. I was invited to her house once. Her Asian mother was making food and my mother was from Indiana, so our household didn't exactly eat exotic cuisine. I commented about how it smelled weird. This was followed with admonishment, embarrassment, and me never being invited back to their house. My five year old brain stored that olfactory sensation my adult brain now recognizes as kimchi and rice, but forever associates it with shame and being ostracized. Edit: grammerz
Beccy477 ยท 1536 points ยท Posted at 12:00:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn that Asian mum was harsh! 5 year olds find almost anything different "weird"
corrikopat ยท 784 points ยท Posted at 12:38:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I commented to the lady at Chinese take out that my kids would only eat the lo mien and fried shrimp, and she seemed very offended, commenting that her kids will eat everything on the menu. Her daughter (maybe 8 yrs) was working the cash register.
[deleted] ยท 590 points ยท Posted at 13:13:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
corrikopat ยท 202 points ยท Posted at 13:30:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My daughter would eat anything from day one. She is 20 now, but back when she was little, she would eat raw sushi, little baby octopi, etc. These two boys (6 and 8) eat practically nothing. I don't know where I went wrong with them. The 6 year old will not eat anything red (ketchup, spaghetti sauce, etc) and the 8 year old will not eat anything white (mayo, ranch dressing, alfredo sauce, etc). Drives me crazy.
HadronNinja ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 14:18:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I grew up eating Chinese food so a lot of the time it was different from what other kids ate. I think due to this, no food is too "weird" for me to eat because what I ate as a kid was different. It really taught me that something different and exotic wasn't necessarily bad.
[deleted] ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 14:30:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
ImAlwaysWrite ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:05:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've started becoming very aware of how much sugar I've been intaking and cutting back a lot. One of the biggest problems is fast food. For some reason us Americans add sugar to everything, including meat and bread even in savory dishes. It's disgusting. Now that I don't eat a lot of sugar, I'm acutely aware of the nasty sweet taste of a fast food hamburger.
AshleyNomad ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:50:04 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, breakfast on the streets of Shanghai is amazing, so you were probably spoiled a little :P
ShadowDonut ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 14:43:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All of those white ones have a similar consistency. A girl I dated had a problem with texture more than taste. May be the same for your son.
Hydrangeas0813 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:02:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can't eat white bread because the texture is so gross. A good wheat or whole grain bread is fine but the squishy white sandwich bread makes me gag.
[deleted] ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 13:35:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
corrikopat ยท 45 points ยท Posted at 13:41:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I got married young and had my first at 23, then divorced. I was bitter for a while, then started dating again. Got married for the second time 10 years ago next month to an amazing man. What a difference in the two marriages!
theTwelfthMouse ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 14:41:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
genetics plays a role in tastes, so dont blame yourself too much :)
corrikopat ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 15:28:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ah! My mother in law said my husband would eat next to nothing as a child. I, on the other hand, grew up poor, so most of what I ate was either fish that my family caught or game that we hunted and garden veggies. (Or that awesome cheese the government used to give out)
theTwelfthMouse ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:40:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
this happened to me and my brothers. my older (full) brother is remarkably like me in terms of being a picky eater (as a kid at least). my younger (half) brother will eat pretty much anything. we were raised by the exact same set of parents (dad + my step mom) so if it weren't for the genetics would should be pretty much the same.
The_Karate_Emu ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 17:56:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Government cheese makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches
Lozzibee30 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:40:58 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know I'm really late to this, but everyone's talking about government cheese...which government is this? And is it too late to move there?!
The_Karate_Emu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:12:46 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's state government aid for poor families or, in my case, seniors in America. My grandma got it, along with a bunch of other things, when her husband retired.
DarkAngel401 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:23:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If you're talking about the block of processed crap. They still give that out. It's basically only good in Mac and cheese. And even then it glues you shut.
judge_me_gently ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:30:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Similar to me. First marriage younge and had my 1st son at 24. Divorced for almost 10 years. Remarried to the ONE going on 4 years. Had a son with him at 35. Hopefully we will get the joy of adding one more little jerk to our family. Boys are currently 13 and 2.
ClearlyDense ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:27:52 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Congrats on your 10 years, and especially on finding someone you deserve! I'm also at 10 years next month, and felt the need to check-in :-)
corrikopat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:16:43 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Congratulations to you, too!
detrebio ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:16:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Keep an eye on them if they ever get interested in time machines. If they carry on that resistance to certain colors I have a theory they might be up for some serious, SERIOUS sibling rivalry in Russia around 100 years ago
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 17:07:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If it makes you feel any better, my brother is in his mid thirties, married, and a father, and he didn't start eating his vegetables like a big boy until he met his now wife who is vegetarian and pushed him to.
We all love his wife.
Zv0n ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:29:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember when I was little I would eat things like sand, grass and such but I wouldn't eat anything that had mayo, mustard or sauerkraut in it. I'm more mature now, tho. I don't eat sand, nor grass anymore.
Mksiege ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:59:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No sauerkraut and mustard? Missing out on some amazing hot-dogs.
Zv0n ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:24:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My taste buds kindly disagree. I think hot-dogs with ketchup or chilly are just as amazing
isoundstrange ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 17:05:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They're even better heated up.
Mksiege ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:31:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There are different kinds of hotdogs. With the traiditional sausage frank, yeah ketchup or chilli all the way.
With a bratwurst or one of its close cousins? Sauerkraut and a good mustard will take it to levels chilli and ketchup can't.
Bigliest ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:21:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Make something yummy red white and blue like blue berries and vanilla ice cream with whipped cream and strawberries.
Then announce that for dessert whenever you need to serve something white or red.
RayNele ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:30:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Buy them that Chinese two coloured rice. One side is red, one side is white, in the shape of the taichi symbol. They can share and cover what each other dislike, and you don't have to buy 2 seperate meals and have them pick it apart.
Jimmy161 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:58:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I read this that your daughter also ate two boys 6 and 8
SinkHoleDeMayo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:06:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a kid I got yelled at quite often because I "was too picky" and didn't like anything except pizza and cereal.
Found out in my late teens (10 years ago) than I like lots of stuff, I just didn't like the boring stuff my family liked. When I cook it's usually crazy spicy Asian food (I'm not Asian), went to a Polish/Ukrainian deli a couple weeks ago, last week I went to a couple places inside a small Mexican shopping center, went to a Kurdish place last month...
It's great your daughter likes anything but strange how your sons turned out the opposite. Sounds like my sister and BIL and their two kids. The parents will try new stuff but their kids won't eat anything.
msbabc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:32:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
At around 3 or 4 years of age, my gran served up a rabbit stew. It was in some kind of white sauce. In my mind, a rabbit was a fluffy bunny; not food.
Now, 30 years later, I don't like mayo, cheese sauce, bechemal. Basically any white sauce.
And I figured out the link between this traumatic event and my tastes as an adult when I was about 25.
Point being - for infants, small events that we think are minor and inconsequential may not be.
notsureiflying ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:51:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Huh, I have a friend that still doesn't eat anything red... He's 30 and won't eat strawberries, catchup, tomatoes, red pepper, cherry, red M&Ms.... Weird, huh?
MotherFuckingCupcake ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:55:44 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm the youngest of 3. When we were little, I was always a pretty adventurous eater, but my sister and brother were both pretty picky. As adults, they've both grown out of it. But I'm sure it has more to do with personality than anything you're doing. We were all very close in age, so it's not like we got different parenting in that respect.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:44:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tomato allergy, egg allergy, dairy allergy? Texture issues? Sometimes if a child won't eat something, it's because it makes them feel bad or sick and they don't know why. Maybe you should ask the how they feel after they eat those foods, or get them some allergy tests just in case.
Or they could just be picky. Doesn't hurt to check though.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:25:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just gotta get rid of them and re-roll
southinthatmouth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:46:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Theres a saying in Spanish for this "Un indio menos, una tortilla mas" = "one less indian, one more tortilla." if they dont want to eat what you cook then more for everyone else. Just an anecdote, not tellin you how to raise your kids. :)
edamomnomnom ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:31:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
At least you'll never have to deal with finding sticky, half-eaten candy canes at Christmas!
InterdimensionalTV ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:31:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well let's hope the 8 year old isn't gay or else he'll be a boring boyfriend.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:34:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
At least you know your 8 year old wont be a cum guzzler when he grows up.
CestMoiIci ยท 212 points ยท Posted at 13:34:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Don't care. General tsos is delicious.
Twenty3isNumberOne ยท 38 points ยท Posted at 14:39:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bring that lo mein over to my fat white American butt and take my money!
Mrpoodlekins ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:42:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The documentary about it "The Search for General Tso" is also pretty good.
_corwin ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:16:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
General Tso was a wise and generous man, to share his recipe with us. He may not have won the war, but he won our hearts.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:59:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What the hell is T-Sauce. I gotta have some of that.
Idop ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 17:26:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's made with pure concentrated Mr. T
harryhartounian ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 17:35:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I PITY THE FOOD!
harryhartounian ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:42:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Bonus picture of my third birthday, with giant oversized Mr T birthday cake.
lddebatorman ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:47:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's awesome man.
jawknee21 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:28:32 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Gremlins cups?! A-Team plates?! Dukes of Hazzard Table Cloth?!
Lothar_Ecklord ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:40:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
People give me shit - it isn't like I refuse to eat Chinese traditional, I do and have many times, and enjoy it - if I am getting the Tso, it's because I want fucking Tso, not "Chinese". I could eat that shit every day.
vengefulspirit99 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:48:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
General tso not so much but the lo mien is super chinese. They don't eat it like we do over here though. But it is definitely an authentic chinese thing
Source: am Canadian born chinese
tertis ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:24:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, am Hong Kong American, General Tsos isn't Chinese but lo mein is. Some of the larger 7-11s and Circle Ks in HK sell lo mein, similar to how you would get a 7-11 hot dog in the US
deathputt4birdie ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:42:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yakisoba-pan!
tertis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:03:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I meant 7-11 hot dogs as in similar to over-the-counter fast food, not lo mein with hot dog buns lol. That thing looks pretty tasty though
deathputt4birdie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:20:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do HK's 7-11s sell oden also?
tertis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:28:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No because Hong Kong is not Japanese. They sell fish balls and siu mai though
deathputt4birdie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:31:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Too bad -- 7-11 Oden is the ultimate hangover food
lifeisbetterwithapug ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:05:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
lo mein and general tso's meants to make money off white people? Where do I donate? Take it!
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:12:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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lifeisbetterwithapug ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:13:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you! That was very informative. Seems akin to the profit margin of a pizza.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:34:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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lifeisbetterwithapug ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:35:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Care to share the recipe? That sounds amazing!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:30:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:45:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ah damn, something to keep in the recipes drawer until spring I guess. Take your time, and thank you!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:47:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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Mksiege ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:03:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So I take it the canned shoots aren't good enough?
I'm also interested in this recipe. I have enough space to plant bamboo if I must.
gattagofaster ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:22:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
can confirm, also happens at desi restaurants
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:32:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Where do you live?
This is all made up BS if you live in any of the countries I've been to.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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blizzarddmb ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:37:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm Chinese. This is bullshit, at least on the West Coast.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 16:40:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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blizzarddmb ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:41:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So you're saying that more often than not, in areas with less Chinese people, there are two menus? I'm thinking that's just the case with the one restaurant you're talking about. It's not like I've only been to restaurants here too.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 16:47:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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blizzarddmb ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:56:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mandarin is my first language. The places here that don't want to pay tax have signs that say "cash only." They don't give a shit if you're Chinese. The "authentic dishes" are always displayed prominently on the main menu. Maybe it's just where you're from, but the concept of having to print separate menus seems to make less sense cost-effectively than just printing everything on one menu.
BinaryHalibut ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:12:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Here in the Bay Area half the small Chinese restaurants have an English menu that's literally just the Chinese menu, but in pinyin.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:13:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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BinaryHalibut ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:17:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What I mean is that they don't even go through the effort of translating anything to make an English menu. Most of the people who show up are Chinese and can read Chinese, so there's no point in doing any of the secret menu stuff.
And to clarify, I'm talking about a bunch of restaurants that are right next to a Ranch 99. There are Chinese bookstores and stores selling traditional Chinese medicine in that same lot. So yeah.
GoldKoala ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:33:59 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wouldn't call those secret menus. Those are basically specials.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:49:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I've never been to Atlanta, but I've never seen what you're describing anywhere. It may be unique to your area.\
Edit: You guys are full of shit. I'm fluent in Chinese and always read both menus, the only discrepency I ever see is mistranslations and I've never seen anything written about no tax if you pay by cash, which is stupid for a whole host of reasons. Many of these establishments obviously do not pay taxes correctly, but they don't confess to this in writing on their menus!
Fucking Reddit.
Edit 2: Many of them only accept cash anyway!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:56:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, not really. You typically have to do something to indicate you are/speak Chinese to be given the super special secret menu.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:38:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hadn't known ๆฎ้่ฏ was Mandarin. I would've just used ไธญๆ.
talific ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:57:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's not something you see. I've never personally seen it either, because I'm white, but I know it exists because I have chinese friends who have been given the chinese menus when with family.
headdownworking ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:21:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I worked at a Chinese restaurant in the largest college town in Texas. Our restaurant had a second, chinese menu, and anyone who spoke chinese and paid cash got tax free.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:55:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:26:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You said it's written on the menu that the cash = not tax. Is this still what you're saying?
Obviously if you talk to them in Chinese you can get plenty of chefs to make you something they wouldn't normally make, much like any other restaurant.
But this story about a secret Chinese menu with the "authentic dishes" which also serves as a written confession that the establishment doesn't pay tax... I don't believe that for a second. Either you're mistaken or straight up making shit up on the internet.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:00:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:48:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So they print a Chinese menu that they never show anyone except employees, whom they supply with evidence of illegal activity? That's going to go well when one of the illegal immigrants they hire gets pissed off at the unlivable wages, finds another job, and rats them out.
Most Chinese restaurants have bilingual menus. They don't hide the Chinese version. What you're saying gets more ridiculous the more you explain it.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:51:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:10:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Having a larger repertoire of dishes than what's on the normal menu and that can be prepared on request isn't anything special. In that sense every restaurant has a "secret menu".
You wouldn't happen to know which one of those thousands of links supports your original claim that most Chinese restaurants have a different set of meals offered in their Chinese menu and that the Chinese menu is "hidden" and says that cash payments do not include tax, would you? Maybe you misread credit card surcharge as VAT/GST.
I've never even been in a Chinese restaurant that didn't have a Chinese menu as standard. I've been in maybe 1 or 2 that also had decent, well translated English menus, and the rest just had some Google translate shit for the English. The actual menu is the Chinese version and it's at the front/on the top. I've been to literally hundreds of Chinese restaurants across the world and this has always been the case, except when there isn't an English menu at all.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:28:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:48:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What would be stupid is believing some made up story on Reddit without any evidence.
I picked one. It didn't support any of your claims. It just said Chinese restaurants will make certain dishes if you ask them to and arbitrarily calls it a "secret menu". Nothing about your story of every restaurant having contradictory English/Chinese menus and expressly stating cash = no tax. It's your job to evidence what you say anyway, not mine to trawl through Google trying to find articles correlating with your story.
Anyway, it's pretty clear you are just making stuff up on the internet. But hey, at least you got some upvotes! Carry on.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:54:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:44:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
So which link in that blog post confirms your story?
This one: http://www.positiveliberty.com/
Or this one๏ผ http://www.tylercowensethnicdiningguide.com/2009/08/pasara.php
On the freakonomics website, "secret menu" is in quotes.
http://freakonomics.com/2009/08/17/where-the-real-chinese-food-is-hidden/
The comments there are as stupid as the comments here.
Jukeboxhero91 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:16:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The "Chinese Food" we know of in the US is pretty much the result of Chinese immigrants cooking the foods that were available here in the styles of actual Chinese cooking.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:22:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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justsoup ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:32:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm about to start my 3rd semester of Chinese at UGA. Fucking love it and am enthralled with the history and culture (and the food). I'd ask if you were serious on that offer if I didn't have to work all weekend :P
HoneyBunchesOfGoats_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm in Oklahoma (read: 0 authentic food of any kind) and reading your comments has made me so hungry it's ridiculous. For an english-speaking white man who loves to try new things, how do you recommend finding some good authentic Chinese food?
Hater_Later ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
While this is true, most Americans know this and really don't care. They don't have a pallet for that kind of food. Just like you were disgusted with our food, most people in America would be disgusted with authentic Chinese food.
RedditIsDumb4You ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:21:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Authentic Chinese food isn't fda approved.
jwws1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:23:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Red cooked pork = cha siu?
OneDownFourToGo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They do a similar thing in the Arabic countries, Whenever you go out to eat they ask if you would like an English or Arabic menu, they gave us 1 Arabic menu by mistake. Everything was about 4-5 riyals cheaper on average.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I went to a really cool Mexican restaurant in my city with my friend and his family once. His little brother, who is about 8 or 9, refuses to eat anything on the menu except the burger and fries. I tried to talk him out of it, but he's determined to never enter the amazing world of Mexican food.
the_short_viking ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:21:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So, why was she offended then?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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SirRinge ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:01:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're lucky to find a Chinese place that takes anything other than cash
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:02:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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SirRinge ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:08:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ooh, nice. I live in Vancouver, and it's pretty hit and miss here
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:09:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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SirRinge ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:15:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha, yea, two reasons why cash us better than credit around here xD
Fanc1dan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is very interesting. So what are the typical authentic Chinese foods I should I order?
Viperbunny ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:50:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sure, but it seems a bit ridiculous to be offended by what children eat, especially when they are still eating food that the restaurant offers.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:52:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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Viperbunny ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:32:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I understand. It is a good explaination. What I mean is it boggles my mind that someone would be offended when the kids are still eating food that they offered and prepared.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:38:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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Viperbunny ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:44:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I completely get what you are saying and it's a valid point. I have kids and one is a very picky eater. Eating there at all would be a win. My family is all Italian, and while we make some really good home cooked food, I wouldn't be offended if someone liked the Olive Garden better. Personal tastes. But I understand that it could be considered obnoxious. Then again, if it offends her so she doesn't have to keep it on the menu. The money she gets from making it doesn't offend her. It runs me the wrong way because I hate when people essential tell other people what they should like and I could see this being an indirect instance of that. I have no doubt you are right, this behavior just urks me.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:47:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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Viperbunny ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:01:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sure. That is understandable.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:03:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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Viperbunny ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:22:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lol! I am Italian and hate marinara sauce and am not big on ricotta. I get my pizza no sauce extra cheese.
GayWarden ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:50:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know about you, but I don't care if something is from another country. If it's good it's good.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:52:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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GayWarden ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:59:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
WaitWhyNot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:55:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lo mien is definitely a real thing. I don't know what American lo mien is like but it one hundred percent exists in China.
That red cooked pork is actually less authentic because there's ketchup. In China we use vinegar (which ketchup has a lot of just with added sugar). But I think in the pass fifteen years some regions started using ketchup as well.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:26:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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WaitWhyNot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:32:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Then you should know lo mien is real
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:39:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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WaitWhyNot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:55:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Yes I know but lo mien is still an authentic dish. Just not the Americanized version.. but obviously not the american version or else it wouldn't be called the american version.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lo_mein
"Traditionally"
As you can see from the wiki, in america there is the version you're talking about but it is an actual Cantonese dish.
The "red cooked pork" aka sweet and sour pork is the american version of ๅๅ่. It also exists in China with variations from the north and the south.
So if you can go ahead and say that the "red cooked meat" is a real dish and the lady wouldn't be offended because that is supposedly real, how is lo mien not a real dish? It exists just like your "red cooked meat" but just like it, there is an authentic and Americanized version.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:03:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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WaitWhyNot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:34:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We both agree that there are Americanized versions of the two dishes. You don't need to put my Chinese down to make your point.
But good on you for going in that direction.
mechaturtles ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:20:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I miss living in Hong Kong
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:28:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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mechaturtles ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:14:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Rule 1: Don't talk about the mainland
prosound2000 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:23:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Also, if you go to a Chinese restaurant that is authentic they'll usually serve you hot tea instead of cold water. If you get ice water first, then they're stereotyping you as a typical white customer. They'll probably give you forks instead of chopsticks too.
tomathon25 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:23:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Our restaraunt we dont have a secret menu but the chinese people that work here cook their own off menu stuff basically every day. (Sometimes they'll order sushi or pizza from other stores instead). Also we give free food to chinese friends fairly often.
mcnunu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:55:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It could also be that she viewed the OP's children as being picky eaters. Chinese children raised by traditionalist parents don't tend to be picky eaters because there's no practice of making a separate meal for children. Chinese children eat what adults eat, weaning food is usually rice porridge + whatever meat and vegetables adults are eating cut up into smaller pieces. I was amazed to learn that in North American countries, parents would stuff like chicken nuggets, grilled cheese and mac & cheese separately for their kids.
Also I don't know which part of China you're thinking of, but lo mein is very much a real Chinese food at least in the Cantonese speaking part of China. Oyster sauce lo mein is like the Chinese version of butter spaghetti.
englishamerican ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:12:27 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fried shrimp is definitely a chinese food, as well as an asian food in general. It's a fast food in korea basically. I haven't had it but it looks good!
Ofactorial ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:53:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's annoying that Chinese places guard the Chinese menu so closely. I've had Asian friends who will go to a Chinese place, see something authentic that looks really good, tell the waiter they want it too, and the waiter tell them that they don't have that on the menu even though there's a guy eating it at the table right next to them.
And even when Chinese places do have authentic dishes on the menu, I've found they're often incredulous when you order one of them. For example, I love mapo tofu. No matter what restaurant I order it from I can usually count on the waiter(ess) trying to talk me out of it, invariably trying to imply that it's too spicy for my white tongue.
jwws1 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:28:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Asian parents are hard on their children. I cone from a Chinese family and was told if I don't like what mom (or dad) cooked. I don't get to eat. My family is from Hong Kong and I was born in NJ so it's a must to love seafood.
jrotondi ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:21:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thats how it is with alot of family owned chinese places. The near me the ladies daughter been at the register since she was 5, ive watched her grow up the last 10 years.
guntermench43 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:18:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And people wonder how they're so good at math...
OctogenarianSandwich ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:09:34 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like a bitch. Of course her kid eats all Chinese food. To her it's just frigging food.
oTHEDOMINATORo ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:26:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's rude on her part though. I don't know why someone would feel the urge to criticize the food that their customers eat and then proceed to brag about their own kids. That blows my mind.
pgyang ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 13:47:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A completely different frame of reference. The Chinese lady most likely came from a situation where there was no choice, you eat whatever is available. To see the Americans refuse certain food makes no sense to her. To her the choosing is rude.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:47:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Where do you live? That's illegal in a lot of places
befooks ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:50:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I live in canada and ive seen that many times as a child. Of course its illegal, but usually nobody reports it.
Pm-me-your-aaughhh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:56:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I ask if I can eat the fish in the koi pond.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:43:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Chinese in general are kinda rude.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:13:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
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Hixhen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:39:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Great reference. Get back to piano shirley temple!
RedditIsDumb4You ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 14:21:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah my kid would act thrilled at everything I gave him also if I made him work for a Fucking living. Goddamn Asians are the worst in the service sector. Nobody can make you feel like a bigger piece of shit than a prideful Asian. You could come to the same store for 25 years and be treated like you're coming in to scope out the place so you can steal
detectivejewhat ยท 233 points ยท Posted at 12:32:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair though kimchi is like the worst thing to give a picky 5 year old.
SovietRus ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:02:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was five I was invited over my best friend's house and his grandmother served me kimchi. I could not for the life of me enjoy it/dislike it and it was just a weird thing to eat, probably the weirdest food I've eaten at that point.
nusigf ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 14:24:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a grown ass man who is visiting his parents, the smell of kimchi permeates everything, even the pillows... I love it.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:58:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
my mom even makes her own kimchi, they have a dedicated kimchi fridge and those giant brown pots. Every time I visit she makes me mool kimchi because I love that shit.
None of their clothes or things smells like kimchi; though my father smells like old Asian newspapers and it grosses me out. Farts smell like it though, have you been farting on your pillows?
Mksiege ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 17:26:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's how his parents stop him from overstaying.
AnonymousKimchi ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:31:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Even Koreans need to grow fond of it. My 6 year old cousin still can't handle the weird taste and texture. It's something you grow fond of, not immediately like.
droxxus ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 16:22:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Except for those of us who just immediately liked it.
Ofactorial ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:59:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Kimchi is weird in that regard. I hung out with Koreans a lot in college so I ate a lot of kimchi. My first year or two I didn't like it. Then after I went a couple months without it it's like a switch got flicked and I suddenly found myself craving the stuff. I've loved it ever since.
squidgymon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:38:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I liked it the first time I tried it; my dad likes to get it occasionally and I'll always have a bowl or two with some lo mein, yum!
sukoto99 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:48:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So true. That shit is spicy and stinky. Love it!
Bigliest ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:24:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Could have been stinky tofu in an Asian household.
Big_D_Squirrels ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:57:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But the best thing to give to a hungover 20 year old hot damn
NicePerson69 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:36:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And my picky 41 year-old.
GramarNotSee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Was given kimchi at 4/5yrs old and ever since then do not enjoy the taste or smell of it. Feel like my mom ruined it for me at a young age.
englishamerican ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:14:15 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It literally smells like farts. My bf's mom makes her own and smelling it is just awful. Like I would prefer to fully inhale my boyfriend's fart for a full minute than smell it ever again.
Appetite4destruction ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 16:43:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
TheStellarQueen ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:22:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Say hello to asian moms.
Source: am asian.
felonias_monk ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:07:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandpa is Korean and I remember how weird people thought it was for me to eat kimchi and people still think it's weird that I love seaweed the way I do.
kshucker ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:26:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Aren't most Asian parents harsh?
felonias_monk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:08:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes! They are. They seem to be more angry in general and much more strict.
Edit: Mom 1/2 Korean, Granda Full blooded....makes me 1/4 and I think I am probably a harsh father in a few bad ways.
kshucker ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:51:31 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So you're only a quarter harsh. No worries.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:41:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Mystik-Spiral ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:30:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is pretty typical in a lot of traditional households of people from various countries. Me never saying no to food and always taking my shoes off when I enter her home is why my BFFs mom loves me and I'm almost always welcome. (I say almost because if the the house is not deemed in a good enough state for guests we're usually banished to the back porch, LOL) To be fair though, my BFFs mom is a crazy awesome cook and you'd have to be a literal idiot to turn down anything she makes.
prosound2000 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:11:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Korean women are very sensitive traditionally.
peter_the_panda ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:05:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents took me to the Boston Science Museum (or the children version, I don't remember) around that age. There was an exhibit on Japan and their culture. Naturally Japanese people were there to speak on the exhibit and answer any questions. What was the question I asked????, "why do you talk like 'ching yong dong bing...." my father ripped me away as fast as he humanly could and yelled at me to apologize.
I was a little kid, my heart obviously wasn't in a place of racism but I can't even imagine how embarrassed my parents were.
row_guy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:46:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I really hate when people hold kids to adult standards. I hold my kids to a high standard but I also know they are very limited.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:54:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Absolutely they do. I was at a Christmas party with my family last year and was playing with my cousin's six year old son. There was an app on his mom's phone that you plug in your address and it shows where Santa is, starting at the farthest place away from your house and going from town to town until the kid falls asleep about half way through. Well, he had her start it during the day so it made it all the way to Italy. My Aunt had married a native Italian man, who explained to my cousin's son that they speak a different language there. He didn't quite understand at first. My Uncle said "let me explain. Here in Indiana, we say Merry Christmas. In Italy, they say (insert Italian phrase here)". My cousin's son just scrunched up his nose and said "But why? That's weird."
Kids just don't know any different.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:01:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why is 'weird' bad to begin with? Oversensitive mom.
tomathon25 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:25:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really she just didn't want her kid being friends with the fat outcast :(.
A-Grey-World ยท 268 points ยท Posted at 12:30:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's sounded like a great way to introduce a 5 year old to new and interesting culture, but instead "Nope, ostracize the kid!"
RedditIsDumb4You ยท 33 points ยท Posted at 14:22:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
She was disappointed in her daughter she would have such a shit friend.
boldandbratsche ยท 27 points ยท Posted at 16:11:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom was an ESL teacher, and I had a lot of 1st generation friends. I can tell you that it's more likely that the daughter was embarrassed that her house was "weird". It's very common that kids who have a different culture at home try to keep it separated from their American life/identity at school.
big-karim ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 16:43:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The Asian mother was probably more ashamed than the kid. I mean, we know it smells weird. It's too easy to say that the cuisine is a part of the culture, but the reason that culture even exists is to help us deal with being poor. And for a American kid to show up at your house--and the assumption is that he grew up eating rich foods, or at least is rich enough to have the luxury of being a picky eater--and tell you your food stinks...well, that hurts.
ccc45p ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:00:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How is kimchi a sign of being poor? There are foods a lot cheaper than kimchi.
Methatrex ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 18:17:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Kimchi was traditionally made in massive quantities and stored to last an entire season. My mother said her family would make three large containers full of the stuff and bury it.
It's only expensive because it's exotic. It's just cabbage. My mom still makes a solid 10 pounds of the stuff every now and then.
edit: Thinking about it, it's actually probably a lot more than 10 pounds... Maybe closer to 60 pounds? That crate of cabbage she'd bring home was heavy.
ccc45p ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 18:30:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And does your mom make 60 pounds of kimchi because your family is too poor to afford other food or because it's part of your cultural traditions?
Methatrex ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:35:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The latter, but I was just trying to explain that Kimchi is extremely cheap.
It's really important to note that my mother's family was beyond poverty stricken. They were refugees in the South after the Korean War. The war made the whole country suffer financially, as wars are often wont to do.
It's easy to forget how much progress has been made in South Korea over the past 63 years because of how heavily developed their metropolitan areas are.
big-karim ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:06:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But those two are not mutually exclusive. It's a tradition that teaches you (and your family) how to get by (and get along) when you're too poor to afford anything but cabbage.
jawknee21 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 00:30:39 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Was there a Kimchi treasure map?
OmgKidGetAJob ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:00:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But that is their culture, so she was doing it very well. Edit: Can confirm, dated a first generation Vietnamese girl
traffick ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:50:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is not been my experience with the many, many Vietnamese families I know in the bay area, including my (first generation) GF. Very welcoming.
ccc45p ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:59:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Welcoming if you approach them with an open mind and curiosity. Not if you call their stuff weird.
OmgKidGetAJob ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:11:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well that family is batshit crazy anyway, I hope people trust your comment more lol
UpUpDnDnLRLRBA ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:19:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Classic Asian mom...
tehburaldeh ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 13:11:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
HOW DARE YOU GET INTRODUCED TO AN IMPORTANT FACET OF THE VARIOUS CULTURES PRESENT IN THE WORLD, SCUMBAG
Mksiege ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:27:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I... I think you might need to add an /s at the end of that, based on the downvotes.
noumenalnegation ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 16:42:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Those are Orientals for you
-look-behind-you ยท 80 points ยท Posted at 12:32:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow ... that's really an over reaction ... I said so much shit as a kid all the time , mostly being totally oblivious to what I was saying may be taken as an insult .
I hope you are able to eliminate any residence of feelings of shame from this memory. If anything , it probably taught you to be more tolerant of other people, who might say things out of ignorance, and not spite .
Edit - residue, not residence !!
VeriVituVitalis ยท 145 points ยท Posted at 12:42:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Her mom was an immigrant and I don't think they had opened their house up to many people, which is why I think she was so hurt. I don't really have any residual negative feelings from this, but it's definitely a very strong core memory. Katherine and I stayed friends at school until I moved away. I have always wondered what happened to her, but there are just too many of her to be even remotely successful in looking her up.
smushweld ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 13:03:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
She was cloned? And this is somehow not the most important part?!
VeriVituVitalis ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 13:08:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lolz. She had her Caucasian father's last name, so she was essentially Jane Smith. Needle in a haystack!
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:55:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If she had a Korean name, it might have been even harder to find her: fully half of all Koreans share the last names Park, Lee or Kim.
GnothiSeauton_Fool ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 13:25:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Searching Google for her name along with her hometown, high school, or family members' names can give you enough leads to pinpoint their Facebook or LinkedIn. I've reconnected with people with common names and nearly zero digital footprint this way.
VeriVituVitalis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:41:06 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've done that as best as I can. I dying know where she went to HS she went to since I moved away shortly thereafter and Houston has LOTS of high schools.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:43:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was probably more a case of you seemed like a bad influence on her daughter because your parents didn't raise you well enough in her opinion. Seems unlikely a mother would really care what a 5 year old thinks about them in the way you suggest.
In primary school and we did a "food of your country" special event day (international school) where some parents (many, like mine, couldn't be fucked) would bring a bunch of national dishes from their homeland to the school and we'd basically spend the day eating it. One of the kids was Japanse and I don't remember what it was I ate, but it was probably fish and probably raw. Either way I vomitted basically immediately after eating it.
I turned out to love sashimi though.
VeriVituVitalis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:09:30 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Good call. I hadn't thought of it from that angle.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:03:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If there are so many of them, why didn't you just go to a different one's Asian household after you got kicked out?
VeriVituVitalis ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:07:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lol.
throwawayspamtime ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:13:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your residence is residue
_Liaison_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:08:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Kids being picky eaters definitely seems to be more of an American thing.
CrustyCrone ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:47:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My friend best friend was from Albania and I got invited over for dinner when I was probably 7. Her dad had made something that resembles a triangular crab rangoon but it didn't taste as good. I spit it out and they were all mortified! She pulled me aside and told me her parent didn't like me and we shouldn't be friends because I disrespected them. We're still friends but fun fact: she works for the White House as an economist researcher.
DeadDwarf ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:03:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't like onions when I was little, maybe around 7. This was my first time having supper over at my new friend's house, being the new kid after having moved to the area after my dad retired from the military, and I was excited to finally fit in. His mom put onions in some dish that I wasn't accustomed to having visible onions in, and I commented that my mom didn't make it that way, but I still ate it. Later on, this kid said that he shouldn't hang out with me anymore because his mom said I was gay (???). I think she got heavily into meth at some point...
caesarea ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:54:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I was in a similar situation. I live in a town in Croatia that was razed to the ground in the Homeland war (1991-1995) by Serbian agressors. Now, like in any war, it's not black and white, there were plenty of Serbs on our side, but, well, I started school in 1999 (I was 6). It was a shitty time. The city stank of garbage, it was just hastily patched up, and the wounds were raw - to this day, there are thousands of people missing, and sometimes found in unmarked mass graves.
So. First day, 6yo me befriends a Serbian girl. Nevermind her uncle was missing or other uncles and dad were in the Croatian army, she was still Serbian. Stigma.
My family, on the other hand, is Croatian, but my dad has palsy so he couldn't go to war. Also, he has a law degree and that caused quite a bit of envy in a small town. So - stigma.
I remember, we were in our shabby school, in its broken gym, anda popular little girl sitting in on the other side of a drawn line, saying "Don't sit with her! Sit with us! She's a Serbian." (edit: ironcally, her mom's serbian too)
Suffice to say, I stuck with the Serbian girl. We still see eachother, but the cultural differences and life choices were just too much, I guess.
I also remember correcting her dads speech (Croatian and Serbian are very, very similar) I apologised, and he knew I didn't mean it the way most people did (I was 6!), but she told me years later how he never forgot, because it showed him just how much our lives changed - for good. Still embarrases me, though.
wepo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:22:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I dunno, try finding a good tenderloin sandwich and a sugar cream pie outside Indiana.
VeriVituVitalis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:41:35 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The tenderloins in Iowa are insane. INSANE!
cid73 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:35:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I stayed the night at my friends house who came from Morocco. In the morning, his mom made pancakes but as I was eating them I noticed green flakes (in retrospect something like dried basil or parsley, but who knows what my kid brain thought) and an odd taste to them that wasn't sweet and syrupy like I expected. So I discreetly dismissed myself to the bathroom and vomited like crazy.
In my mind I got away with it. Sat back down and was polite and a good guest and pretended to poke around at the plate until it was time to move on. But who knows. I never spent the night over there again.
stufff ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:53:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I absolutely love kimchi but I wouldn't expect a 5 year old to eat it.
RedditIsDumb4You ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:24:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Would you hold him to social ettiquitte standards expected of an adult?
stufff ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:30:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, because he's not an adult. He's a 5 year old.
Honestly I feel like if I told most adults who had never had it that I was going to feed them fermented cabbage they probably wouldn't react that well either.
Th31rishL4dd ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:35:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
OP. I'm from Indiana. I'm so sorry you had to suffer through bland food everynight lol. Jk I bet your mother is a good cook.
VeriVituVitalis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:08:15 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh lord. My mother was not a good cook! There are lots of foods I thought I didn't like until I tried them again as an adult and realized it was my mother's cooking.
Mashed potatoes are pretty good if they don't come out if a box. Lol
saac22 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:01:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This reminds me of my 4th grade best friend! I was a quiet kid, and her family had just moved to the US from China. We became really good friends, we'd pass notes in class and she used to make me these little paper stars and little pyramids made out of tape that she'd put little pictures or beads inside of. I actually still have a scented gel pen from China that she gave me that has a tiny bit of ink left in it that I just take a whiff of every once in awhile for the memories.
Anyway, I kind of had the opposite experience as you. I went over to her house a few times, and I guess one day she invited me to go to her church with her. My mom thought it was odd but let me go, and I started going with her family to their church on some nights. Of course it was a Chinese church, and I would help them make food and serve it to everyone. I still remember one of my favorite things that I ever ate was a kind of soup or something with these little dumpling things in it. She eventually moved away and we never stayed connected, but I have some fond memories of her!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:04:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was about 8 and visiting a friend's house and remarked how messy it was. His mom drove me home. Later in life I learned about hoarders and it all clicked. Then I felt bad for multiple reasons.
Rambles_Off_Topics ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:30:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had neighbors from Laos (also from Indiana) and he made the best ramen noodles with hot sauce. I was around 7 or so at the time. I asked why the hot sauce had a chicken on the bottle and he said "...because it's chicken blood" and everyone laughed. I loved the stuff and every-time I went over there I asked for crab ragoons or ramen with chicken blood sauce. Tupu (grandpa) always thought it was hilarious that I called it chicken blood sauce. Didn't realize it was Siracha sauce until years later lol
scootersgalore ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:30:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was her failing, not yours. She was unkind. Imagine if she was a better person and had told you about the food and what it meant to her, in a sincere way. It would have been educational and meaningful. I don't care what culture someone is from, you always have the choice to respond kindly, especially if you're the adult. She's the one who should be ashamed.
Pat_ron ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:44:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In your defense, I didn't experience kimchi until I was 30 and I thought smelled pretty terrible. I had a bite to try it and it tasted worse than the smell prepared me for.
Mmneck ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm surprised a lot of people are commenting about how the mother was overreacting. OP had one experience, and it left him with feeling shame. Think about how the mother must feel. Maybe when she was younger, she had the same experience dozens of times. Class mates telling her that her food is weird constantly, and feeling the shame over and over again. I know OP was only five, but I think that's when you're most affected by this stuff. Maybe I'm ranting, but I guess it's cause I had the same experience when I was about 6 or 7, and I was on the asian side. I opened up my lunch, and all the people at the table wrinkled their nose. One of them said "Ew, what is that." I told them it was dumplings. He responded, "That's not dumplings, that's 'Yuck'". After a few similar episodes, I stopped bringing my food, and ate school lunch for the rest of my childhood.
cpcksndwch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:40:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't think there's any chance that we know each other but I have the exact same core memory!
I'm half Korean and remember collecting pill bugs with my best friend in kidergarten.
My friend also commented on the weird smell of our house and I wanted to share my side of the story. I was embarrassed that our house smelled bad and didn't want to have that feeling again. So I never invited my friend back. Maybe your friend felt the same way.
VeriVituVitalis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:53:05 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Soooo, what's your hometown?
cpcksndwch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:02:21 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I lived in Georgia for Kidergarten. I'm an army brat so we moved a lot. As I said, I don't think it was me. :)
shamelessnameless ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:51:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Pill bugs sound so much better than woodlice
VeriVituVitalis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:27 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. Woodlice sound terribly unpleasant!
Howtofightloneliness ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:53:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not about food, but this reminds me of when I was maybe 10 or so, I was in the car with my neighborhood friend and her family. I had just learned the word PHAT(pretty hot and tempting), so my friend and I decided to call her mom that... I think I'm the only one who said it though. Her mom immediately started crying and asking how I could say that. The dad was yelling and my friend and I were trying to reassure her of what it actually meant, not Fat... Anyway, that lady was a bitch and made me feel horrible and made me go home, even after we explained it. She didn't forgive me for at least a month after.
VeriVituVitalis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:02 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Whoever came up with phat was a giant asshole that just wanted to have an excuse to call women "fat" to their faces, but have an "nah girl, nah...." excuse if they got pissed off.
Howtofightloneliness ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:08:47 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I dunno. I just remember it was huge in the mid 90s and girls who knew what it meant didn't take offense to it. It could also just be used as another term for cool, if memory serves me correctly.
KingNick777 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Pill bugs?
VeriVituVitalis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:50:34 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Rolly pollies!!!! Also, wood lice I think?
KingNick777 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:42:01 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh cool!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
VeriVituVitalis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:50:01 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sad face. I was super curious about my friend's heritage since my mom had grown up Japan. We just said the wing thing to the wrong person is all.
APPaholic47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:41:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You were outcasts in Kindergarten? Gee I don't really remember their being a social pecking order at that age. We just all played together.
VeriVituVitalis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:48:27 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was like a really fat kid. My mom was pregnant and didn't want to deal with me, so she just stuck me in front of the TV with food so I'd shut up. There was only one other obese kid in the whole school.
Where we lived was primarily white, Latino, or black with little in between let alone mixed together. She was the kind of mixed kid where she just looked, well...very different. Her features were sharply Asian, but she had LOTS of freckles and light brown hair.
Definitely a pecking order that neither of us fit into.
Override9636 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:49:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Please tell me you have seen Gravity Falls.
VeriVituVitalis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:14 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've not!
Override9636 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:41:57 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's a hilarious cartoon for kids and adults and it features a fat girl/asian girl combo as sidekicks to one of the characters.
ill_change_it_later ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:49:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man, would have been a great time for educating a youngster on different cultures and politeness.
Could have been a completely different memory, too!
radams713 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:56:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I work with kids (most with learning disabilities), and what you said is very normal for someone of that age (with and without learning disabilities). Hell, it's common for 10 year olds. Kids have a limited vocabulary. Weird was just the best word you knew to describe your feeling. That mother was being ridiculous for getting offended by a five year old. You have to get over it, because the kids usually don't realize what they are saying. Kids have innocently called me horrible things, but it would be cruel of me to judge them so harshly. You didn't mean it and that woman was an idiot for being offended by a child.
VeriVituVitalis ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:43:59 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I realized years later it wasn't my fault, but I was sad for the change in tide if my friendship.
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:09:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's sad. They could have used it as a "teaching moment" to explain things to you. You were only 5.
VeriVituVitalis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:35 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Agreed. It was how it was though. It's ok. I turned out mostly fine :)
MDKrouzer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:02 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mum would make Western foods for my school friends when they came over to play because she figured they wouldn't like the Chinese style home cooking she usually made.
sounds_like_kong ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:52:30 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Korean womens most powerful attribute is grudge... you're probably still black listed if you were to inquire about it.
nomadicbohunk ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:42:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, she was just mean. I grew up in ranch country with plenty of immigrants around. I think lots of us called lots of stuff weird.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:15:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Some people are so insecure that they can't even take criticism from a five year old.
SovietRus ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:05:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nah I don't think it's that, like this one dude said it may be that the mother thinks that OP isn't a very nice kid/a bad influence. When I was that young I was always taught to be very courteous to people in their own house.
LookAtMeImTheCaptain ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 13:53:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You both sound disgusting
[deleted] ยท 4762 points ยท Posted at 11:00:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
VTCifer ยท 898 points ยท Posted at 12:39:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man. I just thought about that, and this is something that I really miss about radio not being as ubiquitous anymore. There is something magical about being able to request a song, and thousands of people would be listening to it at the same time you are.
SecretComposer ยท 306 points ยท Posted at 13:06:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Weird. Where I live the radio stations take requests all the time. Some only do it at certain times of the day (evening/night), others throughout the day.
[deleted] ยท 142 points ยท Posted at 13:15:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Radio stations still take requests but not as many people listen to the radio anymore. I know that my two teenage daughters stream most everything via spotify and youtube and have for several years now. Even in the car together we always seem to listen to someones playlist via bluetooth and, when I'm alone, I usually listen to an audiobook.
C0rdt ยท 242 points ยท Posted at 14:51:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe if they would play something other than the same 12 songs over and over all day then people would listen?
I only listen during the request hour at noon.
BytchinMoustache ยท 46 points ยท Posted at 15:35:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My thoughts exactly. Yesterday on the way home from work, I was flipping through channels and heard the same song on three different stations.
baardvark ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 16:10:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What a treat! Usually it's the same commercial on five different stations.
LainExpLains ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 16:41:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I experienced this exact phenomena last night.... stations that I considered niche that claimed to be alternative.
Meghan Trainor is not fucking alternative.
ClearlyDense ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:41:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hell thats been happening for 20 years though
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:02:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Listen to your local stations. I'm in CO so we have CPR, CPR Classical, OpenAir(new music), KUVO (jazz), radio 1190(college station that got popular enough they switched to FM. and I'm sure there's more but I can't recall. Never a commercial, and never will I find the same song on multiple stations.
kilroyishere89 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:46:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dude, even channels on SiriusXM play the same few dozen songs over and over. I've been listening to The Pulse in my car lately because I wanted something different. They play music from the 2000s to today; in the past 3 or 4 days I've heard the song Just Like Fire by Pink probably 5 times.
70s on 7 and 80s on 8 are the same way.
jtlee ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:15:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
SiriusXM The Blend is the station that the restaurant I work at has on every day. I make it a habit of counting how many times I hear a particular song every day and I can usually expect to hear the same ones 3-4 times over the course of a day.
revomer ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:32:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel bad for people with shitty radio stations. My local station is great, and I've really fallen back in love with radio. I get exposed to artists I probably wouldn't have found on my own, and there's something special about having a DJ introduce a track with their personal story or tidbit of trivia or what have you. They also do lots of ticket give aways so I'm always trying to be caller #5.
C0rdt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:51:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My local station is great too because when the hosts actually get to pick the music (before 6am, once per hour after that) it's always something youd never hear anywhere else. The hosts themselves are amazing too - I usually turn it off when the music comes on and just turn back to hear the conversation. It's literally Reddit radio - they just pick the best topics from Reddit and have people phone or text in about that subject.
WattledPenguin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:54:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're missing out. I get that request at 5:15 all to myself.
White_Shade ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You mean your station actually plays 12 different songs? Lucky.
Addahn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:59:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My local college radio station plays a lot of local artists and more hip, less "poppy" music. I'm not sure where you live, but I'm sure you could find that type of station if you look for it!
saintporter ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:01:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is exactly why people stream music. I rarely play my playlist on Spotify anymore and just go with the discover station just to hear new music. You can only listen to a song so many times in a day before you never want to hear it again.
CJB95 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:04:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Blame the clear channel/iHeartmedia for that one. XM is better in my experience, especially the specialized channels (Y2Kountry, 80s on 8, 70s on 7, etc)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:15:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Even if they decide to play more than twelve songs, chances are I'm still going to have to listen to music I don't want to hear whereas I'm in in control of what's playing with Spotify.
InterdimensionalTV ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:33:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's why I enjoy talk radio. Every minute is something different
happypolychaetes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:11:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Check out the KEXP station from Seattle. They stream online and play a huge variety of music. If you happen to be in Seattle it's 90.3fm. They're the only station I listen to now.
Orut-9 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:29:39 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jesus driving to school is the worst. The station I usually listen to plays the same few songs every day. Usually they're doing requests when I go home though. (Depends on the day)
C0rdt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:43:08 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One thing I also find enraging about most stations is that the "request hour" is usually actually less than half requests that should really be on there, and the rest are either completely pre-planned or they are just cherry picking songs they would normally play anyway.
That's what I love about 102.3 Now Radio in Edmonton Alberta - their lunch hour is actually fully listener requested and you are not allowed to pick anything they normally play.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:17:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really radio is just an inferior entertainment technology to streaming, that is okay, not everything lasts forever. I am sure people used to have a lot of meaningful moments fetching water and chopping wood too.
SecretComposer ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:21:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's also weird to me because radio stations in my town throw raging concerts
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:29:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They still sponsor concerts here also although most of us find out via our social media feeds rather than listening to the actual radio station.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:25:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They take requests but usually only play it if it's part of their program
fappolice ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:58:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You definitely misinterpreted who you responded to. He's talking about how commonly listened to radio used to be.
TheSinningRobot ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:54:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, but the magic isn't there. Now a days you cha pull up whatever song you want whenever you want with YouTube, spotify and the like. Before the internet the only way to listen to a specific song in the car was you either owned the cd/tape, or you called the radio station.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:55:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah depends on the station. 103.5 KISS FM Chicago and 103.7 Milwaukee are my personal favorites though I am long out of their range now. I visit their webpage and stream, and occasionally call and text them. The KISS FM stations have set times for requests which vary by the day.
The best scheduled activity on 103.7 KISS FM Milwaukee is Friday morning Drunk Jeopardy from like 7-8am.
Then there is 106.1 ENERGY in northern Milwaukee-ish which loves ripping on KISS. Very entertaining. They take requests all day and eventually play through a created playlist.
amart591 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:34:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Now you tweet your requests. No more hoping you get through or calling like 5 times to request your song. I dont even listen to tge radio anymore. More commercials than music and what they do play is shit.
SecretComposer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:02:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Have you tried listening to alternative radio stations? They usually play stuff that never breaks top 40 or before it's popular. College stations are also great for REALLY alternative/indie music.
jimbojangles1987 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:38:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I like the alternative stations and my go to is the 90s Alternative station. But even those stations have a lot of repetition.
amart591 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:52:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We just got one about 6 months ago. It's 104.3 the Shark which got lovingly renamed the Shart about a month later. We haven't had a good alternative station in a while. Also notable: this is south Florida so half of our stations are in Spanish.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm from around Philly and stations take requests all the time. One dj actually takes requests from hand written letters sent to the station only.
WillemDafoesAlterEgo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:03:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I work at a radio station and we very often do requests
vapirer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Where i live, radio stations BOMBARD us with ads. You're listening to a song while driving through terrible traffic (people honking all over the place) and before you know, you're already a minute into a commercial and you've not even realized when the commercial started. And it's the same ads all the time! I wish we had ad free radio channels here.
APPaholic47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:38:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yea but I think what he meant was that people couldn't just hear music anytime they wanted unless you owned the record. And far more propel were listening to the radio back then as well.
apairofpetducks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:30:27 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If it's a ClearChannel station (not sure if they're around where you are) they take requests... but only for the songs they are scheduled to play anyway.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:55:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
FrOzenOrange1414 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:07:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
NPR is almost 24/7 election coverage now, it got old several months ago.
fuckyou_dumbass ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:37:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They only play a "requested" song if they were gonna play it soon in their rotation anyway.
Imax_and_Climax ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:43:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I live in MD and there is like a station during the night. I think she takes requests or something similar. Her name is Delilah.
_pills_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:33:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sometimes the dj would play the phone call of your song request as an into to the song, which was also really exciting to hear :)
OneDownFourToGo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:27:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In the UK we have All Request Friday on BBC 2 its the best!
GeorgeAmberson ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:41:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Back when the internet was new I kinda cheated the system on that one. You could request by email (1998) and I used three different addresses. Got all three songs on the radio, two of them were back to back.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:02:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That triggered a memory for me. My older brother calling in during the request hour to dedicate a song to whoever he was dating at the time.
TuckRaker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Worked in radio for a while. Requests lost a lot of luster when you can call up pretty much any song at any time on YouTube. Radio's mystique and coolness has been beaten almost to the point of death
FlamingFlyingV ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:36:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Requests are still a thing, but depending on the station and when you call in you may or may not hear it soon. Possibly the next day due to voice tracking being the popular medium anymore.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:14:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Except that one time your mom drank way too much wine and called and requested a song for her very uniquely named dogs... that three of your friends at school then told you about.
Wait, that's just me? Ok then.
LethalSquirt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:05:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wait what did it say?
pro-life-dicks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:12:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The Wolfman's gonna get yeah!
BossRedguard ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:29:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
why did mods delete this?
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 14:20:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like you just need to find a new radio station, all 4 in my area take requests daily. The top 40 station even has a 1 hour segment for requests called the "4 oclock road block" before "The drive at 5".
seanmg ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:39:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Livestream radio is still a thing.
e_drizzle ยท 1689 points ยท Posted at 12:17:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh man. The brown eyed girl thing just hit me in the feels. My dad used to call me that and play it for me. Such good memories. He died last year and I still can't hear the song without crying. I miss him so much :(
hilburn ยท 445 points ยท Posted at 12:37:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Kids today will never understand what it meant to call up a radio station and request a song for yourself or someone else: "why don't you just get it up on youtube?"
089_Parker ยท 234 points ยท Posted at 13:05:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
With all the blocked videos in Germany, we sure do. Every sunday, 4pm - 8pm. The only time i listen to the radio, since radio usually sucks over here.
Edit: Typo
DrTitanium ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 13:27:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What is video blocking like in Germany?
089_Parker ยท 79 points ยท Posted at 13:31:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All the music from big labels get blocked because of the GEMA, you should google it if you are interested, my english is not that good to explain it correctly. To give you an idea, Germany is like: "You want to listen to that dope song that was released recently FOR FREE? hell no. And that old time classic? FUCK OFF!"
[deleted] ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 13:48:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
089_Parker ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:51:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As i mentioned in another comment, using VPN to get the blocked music is considered piracy over here, and i don't want to get in trouble.
RedditIsDumb4You ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 14:13:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Germany truly is lost.
danielswrath ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:24:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hahaha wow that is some major bullshit. How would they ever track you down though?? The whole idea of a VPN is that you are private
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:35:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't care if or how they gonna track me down, because i know that if they want to they can. I have been in prison and it is considered illegal, and if they get me they get me good. I am just staying on the safe side.
danielswrath ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm pretty sure that it is impossible to track you down if your VPN provider cares about privacy and doesn't log your activity and if you have a Killswitch/no DNS leaks.
Have you been in prison for piracy? Or something else?
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:46:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was something else, but they took my PC for "investigation". I am not that type of person that knows everything about how computers work and stuff, so i cannot be 100% sure they can't track me down. So i rather stay legal. Just personal preference.
danielswrath ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:17:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I guess I understand if they could put me back in prison for something like that. Sucks though.
egoods ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:12:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I recently visited Germany... it's a true pain in the ass. Hell, I was surprised when my Pandora didn't work (at all, even in France and Belgium), little did I know that NOTHING fuckin works when you're in DE...
Basically, go to /r/music, NOT ONE OF THOSE FUCKING LINKS WORKS.
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
with a little bit of sarcasm (nothing personal) i have to say i'm really bothered that even tourists have to experience the sadness of Germany...
egoods ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:46:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd trade our easy access to free music (in the US) for the Autobahn any day of the week.
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:49:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Let's just trade passports, i get both tickets...
Freeman85 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:58:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I find its gotten better lately, lots of labels seem to have separate channels that are GEMA compliant now. Just annoying when ppl link videos or the first results on google don't work...
089_Parker ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:02:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
even more annoying when you want to watch a video that is in no way related to music and but there is a getthoblaster in the background playing something from Sony BMG... blocked!!!
Freeman85 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:08:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
yes!! Also when its the artist's own channel and you just wonder why would you block your own song?? Though the way I understand it the artists get more money through GEMA and google wasn't willing to pay them?
089_Parker ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:18:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, the GEMA is supposed to pay the artists, but what actually happens is that the small artists get no cent of it, instead the money goes to the big labels and to artists that have enough money anyways. That is the main reason i buy myself a physical copy of the real good stuff, or else we will have only Rihanna or David Guetta in the future.
BTW, the GEMA wanted a tremendous amount of money, it went to court and GEMA lost, so they decided to just block everything they possibly could.
Freeman85 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
oh, good to know. Thanks for that. Though I suppose we should primarily be mad at the studios, I don't think they're forced to register their songs with the GEMA.
Sorry_that_im_an_ass ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:06:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your english is perfect! You used "dope" like a professional english speaker. Kudos!
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:19:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you!
PM_ME_YOUR_LUKEWARM ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:11:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Aren't there plugins that will workaround this?
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:21:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
considerd as illegal software
become_taintless ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:14:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your English is better than many adults I work with, all of whom only speak English.
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:23:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you, i put a lot of effort into it. I guess you have to if your only big goal is to leave the country...
ButterFlamingo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:14:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ich hasse das.
daddyolaf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:44:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Download "Hola better internet" from the Chrome store. It will solve all your problems
extremelycynical ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And the worst part is that people don't accept this to be the blatant censorship that it is. They all tolerate it in the name of "copyrights" or some other bullshit. They don't fight it. They don't even notice it anymore and Germans are blissfully unaware of most of the amazing stuff out there as a consequence.
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What bothers me most is not the censorship, there are enough ways to get all the music you want. It is the fact that our gouvernment try to make money with everything, even if they have absolutely no right to do it.
zenchan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:45:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Efficient.
Fideua ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:19:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really? I quite like German radio, it's generally a lot better than Belgian radio. Nowadays, I only ever listen to radio when I'm abroad anyway, to practice my languages.
089_Parker ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:26:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It got a little better in the recent years, but i don't think it is acceptable to hear some songs twice or even three times a day with the amount of music that exists. And when you tune in the next day it repeats again, only in another order. When i play my libary it can run for over a year without a song played twice. That is how i like my music. Personal preference tho.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:27:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ah, to be fair the UK music stations are just as bad for that.
jimbojangles1987 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:35:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My iTunes library was like that too. I had something like 25-30 gb of music on my Mac. My hard drive crashed a few years ago though. Luckily I backed all of it up on an external hard drive, but unfortunately it's only formatted for a Mac (at least I think that's the problem) so I can't get it to work on a PC. Whenever I plug it in it recognizes that there's something plugged in but it has no idea what it is.
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:44:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Have you tried to plug it into another mac? I also have a backup of my music, i would kill if i lose it...
jimbojangles1987 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:09:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No I haven't had a chance to but I'm holding onto the hard drive until I can. Same here I would be devastated if I lost it forever.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
089_Parker ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:42:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know what you mean with GPM, we do have spotify but when you use it for free you have massive amounts of ads (like 3 times more than others IIRC) and i hate everything about that Apple company so this is nothing i'm going to use. On the other hand, i am actually a music collector and have no issues with buying it.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
089_Parker ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:54:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have datacap on mobile, and i am not going to pay for music without having a physical copy of it or at least the mp3. I know i am picky, but that's justz me and my addiction to music. I just want to have it, you know...
SSGoku4000 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:13:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
With Spotify, it's actually pretty convenient cuz you can connect to wifi to save the songs for offline use, so that you can listen on the go without wasting data. Plus I just like discover weekly, which is a list of songs similar to your tastes based on what you've been listening to and it's pretty accurate for me.
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Does it safe the tracks as mp3 or as a file that i can only use via spotify?
SSGoku4000 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:19:21 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Only via Spotify, cuz you're able to save as many songs as your phone holds, so they couldn't exactly give you the mp3 to use. For me, personally, it's really convenient cuz you're legally getting whatever songs and able to find songs you wouldn't have otherwise with all the lists like discover weekly. I've been able to find a lot of really good music like that. I think for new users they do a $0.99 USD for three months premium trial before it goes up, but if you have a student email they'll let you do $5/month after that for like a year.
GroundsKeeper2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:41:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just curious, but is iHeart Radio, or some other radio app, available in Germany?
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:49:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just tried iHeart, seems to be blocked as well, i getz to the homepage but anything else gives me a 404. We have some radio apps, but nothing worth to mention.
FeralSparky ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Have you tried a VPN? You can get around Geoblocked video's.
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It works but that would be illegal, and since i have no good connection to the police and gouvernment after i fucked up my youth i don't want to risk going to jail again, piracy is a serious topic in Germany.
jelyons ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What?!?! But you have sunshinelive!
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But sunshine live is not what it used to be... And it is regional, only recently they started to broadcast on digital radio.
forcefultoast ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
VPN thats shit
AndrewSilverblade ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:02:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Which station do you listen to?
089_Parker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
EgoFM, regional in bavarian cities
DreamingIsFun ยท 47 points ยท Posted at 13:01:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Eh still a pretty common thing where i live
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:25:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
DreamingIsFun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:04:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's really not a "kids will never understand" type of thing.
PallBear ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:20:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Requesting songs off the radio, and recording them onto cassette tapes. All my mix tapes from elementary school were made this way.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:53:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There was something magical about when "my song" came on. It was just so unpredictable, so unexpected. Thats the beauty of radio, you don't know what song will be next. But man when I heard "Regulators, Mount UP" I would lose my shit! Thats my jam I would yell, thats my jam! And dance around in my room to the whole song. I came from a super strict religious family so if I ever had tapes or CDs that were "bad" my mom would take them and break them. I had Snoop taken twice, I loved that beat so much. But no one could take away my radio, thats all I had!
tdee3000 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:00:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was clear black night, a clear white moon ...
sithknight1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:25:11 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I'm a huge movie buff. And what you describe is exactly what it felt like with movies before cable guides were implemented. The only way to know what was on or what was next was an actual paper magazine called the Tv Guide. And it cost money. So if that month my dad decided to impulse buy a Tv Guide on the checkout line at the supermarket then that month we would have a TV guide. But that only happened about once or twice a year. The rest of the time, no TV guide. So I'd be probably 13 years old. It's Friday night. About 11pm or so, maybe midnight. My parents already went to bed and I stayed in the living room doing my favorite thing in the world. Watching movies. I have popcorn, and I'm sitting on cushions on the floor. All lights are off and the only light in the living room comes from the Tv. HBO is on, and a movie just finished. The credits are rolling on the screen. Black background with white letters scrolling on the screen. This is literally my favorite moment of the week. I know that by the time they start showing the names of the songs used in the movie, credits are almost over. Finally I see it. At the bottom. It's the logo for the Motion Picture Association of America. Then, would come a paragraph of legalese, which would close with the same last words at the end of every movie credit sequence: "and criminal prosecution". This is it. Game, set and match. It's over. Screen goes to black. They're about to announce it. My heart races. Any movie ever made could play next. Just imagine the possibilities. Back to the Future? Maybe Diehard? Lethal weapon? Gremlins? E.T.? Anything. Then the HBO music comes on, and the announcer voice kicks in: "Next, on HBO..... Nightmare on Elm Street". FUCK YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
mikeasaurus_ ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:23:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Didn't you hate it when the fuckin DJ wouldn't stop talking and it screwed up the beginning of the song?
PallBear ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:25:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ugh, yep. But there was a special "all request hour" on one station where they played the songs from start to finish.
ardvarkcum ยท 35 points ยท Posted at 13:11:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes because apparently kids today are retarded...
hilburn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It wasn't meant to imply that they're stupid, more that radio is become increasingly less relevant to people's lives, that fewer people listen to music on the radio and (certainly where I live) fewer opportunities to request songs are available.
It means the experience OP had of her dad getting a special song played for her on the radio will be one shared with fewer and fewer people.
I don't doubt that there will be an equivalent to that in whatever new media we use going forward, but it is in many ways a passing of an age.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:42:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Let people have their nostalgia...
jimmyhoffasbrother ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:18:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
/r/lewronggeneration
People still listen to the radio plenty. I was a radio DJ just a couple of years ago, and there were plenty of people--kids included--who would call up and request songs. Radio's not quite dead, it's just on its way.
hilburn ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:34:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The stats seem to be very different for the US (where I'm getting a lot of responses from) and the UK (where I'm from). A lot of local music radio stations here (which do requests far more - or at least you get your requests on more frequently) have already closed up, and listening figures for the <20 are insanely low.
jimmyhoffasbrother ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:09:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My guess is it has a lot to do with driving. There are so many places in the US where you drive everywhere, and when you're tired of your CDs, you just turn on the radio. Whereas my impression of the UK is that far more people rely on public transit, though I may just be getting that impression from my brief time in London and Edinburgh which are obviously not representative of the whole country.
hilburn ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:28:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, certainly going to be a factor. I know people in the states with an 80 mile commute every day, in the UK <10 miles is more normal and you're more likely to public transport/cycle/walk (for < 3 miles at least). London/Edinburgh are certainly outliers in terms of convenience of public transport, but all through the UK a lot of people use it even when it's more awkward.
Also, from my own experience in the states, there is more music on the radio when compared to the UK, which has a lot of panel shows and "talk radio" - hell BBC Radio 4 which has no music has about 15% of all listened hours.
john_dune ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:43:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't think the radio was starting to suffer until streaming music became common place.
faithmeteor ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:14:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The station we listen to every workday at school (I'm a teacher) has 5 hours a day devoted to listener requests. The senior common room normally has it on full blast and we even heard one of them get a request through once.
RunnerMomLady ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I do this for my kids with the kids channel on xmRadio! They'll say who it's for also!!! TOAST is one of their favorite songs!
DoktorMantisTobaggan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's still pretty common where I live. Hearing a song over the radio just sounds better for some reason.
Tamespotting ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:48:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yup, now it's like, "dad put on Spotify on his shitty smart phone speakers and I don't remember what we listened to because it was on shuffle and it was just serving as background noise"
Butt_pass ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:49:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know man, Rachael didn't seem to like it that much
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:49:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You can still call a radio station for requests. At some point during a road trip we are destined to drop into 3g because of the area, reach data limits, low battery and forgot the cord in the luggage tucked away in back, or drop off the cellular radar entirely.
A good radio station has good people doing the PR on air. Listening to them is like drinking a fresh glass of cool water. It is more than just a request :)
ColdWarConcrete ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:16:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Or standby the radio with a tape on the deck and your finger on the record button ready to capture your favorite song.
The art of making mix tapes!
hilburn ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:31:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember one of my friends had a neat thing which could buffer the radio for a few seconds before it was recorded - gave you that little bit longer to react
Zammin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:27:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a 24 year old man, I know what it's like to work at a radio station and have someone call to request a song.
The same song, "Dog Days" by Florence and the Machine. Every week. Same caller.
I have a less romantic view on this. At least the song is good.
Hikkigonenuts ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:35:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was going to say this is not true at all but then I realised I ain't a kid anymore lol
HuffySpartan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:52:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
omg it kinda hurt to read that...hadn't even thought of that :(
denimbastard ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I did this on Saturday night! My SO and I were eating dinner and drinking wine in the kitchen and listening to the radio. We called up a local Northern Soul station and asked for Reggie Garner Hotline and were jumping around and dancing with excitement when the DJ said our names. Sometimes those nights are better than going out.
liminoid_lion ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Kids these days"
KTPU ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:05:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm 20, Definitely still a thing. Bitches love that shit.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But kids today can jerk off in a bathroom at an airport using 60fps porn.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I still do it in the UK. I've called/written in and had requests and messages played/read out for every girl I've ever dated. They fucking LOVE it, especially if you can get onto a primetime show.
Plus I've had a few stupid requests played for mates.
Local shows are the way forward.
TraeWaynes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How is that a bad thing AT ALL?
lvllabyes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
nah we get it. i think it's just that we have really varied music tastes + we don't want to deal with ads so we go for streaming instead of radio. also, apples radio station beats1 has a 2 hour block every day where they only play requested songs aha
GramarNotSee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:08:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When driving I call into the radio station to suggest a song if they're doing it. Not necessarily a kid that grew up with YouTube or Spotify.
ThePurseOfRoloTomasi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:14:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't think that's true.
hilburn ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:27:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
On average US teens listen to the radio for ~16% of the time they are listening to music. According to the same study, 42% is downloaded and 31% is streaming.
The average amount of time spent listening to the radio is dropping overall relatively quickly ~18% from 2010-2015, with current teenagers listening to about half as much radio as older people. Also worth noting that these figures include all radio listening, not just music.
Detaineee ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:16:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Trying to get Pandora to play a particular song is a similar experience. Make a "brown eyed girl" station and there's about a 50% chance that you will hear the song in the next hour.
yb4zombeez ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:24:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a kid and I understand it. I mean, I also am old enough to remember using VHS and TV's with antennas. I also remember AOL Internet and it's respective browser, and, unfortunately, I remember Windows Vista. I was born in 2002.
WhAtDoEsThIsMeMeMaTe ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:58:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That may be true, but you know what's awesome? Typing a few key words into a search engine and having access to any song in the world at your finger tips. I'm sick and tired of older generations claiming to have had it better back in the day, or how everything was so much more magical and amazing before the technology of today. It wasn't better before us. It isn't better now. Every generation has been great in one way or another. You had the radio for music back when you were younger, we have the internet. Perhaps when older people say how much better things were back in the day, or how awesome it was and how kids won't know that feeling today, it's just their pathetic attempt at trying to feel special and young and cool again, but in all reality they're getting old.
DatTomahawk ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:03:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
/r/lewronggeneration
Lunarus ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:55:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm so very sorry for your loss. At least you have that song right? That is your song, no one can ever take that away.
ImAPixiePrincess ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:16:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Christmas Shoes does the same thing to me. My mom loooved that song. It's already a sad song, why does it have to make me sadder??
SomeoneWorse ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:06:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
this one got me. Sorry co workers. Im crying at nothing dont mind me.
thetate ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:33:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dangit, why are there onions this early in the morning
DoUNoTheNME ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:34:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is so beautiful :)
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:41:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm so sorry that your Dad passed :(
work-buy-consume-die ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:46:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Same for me. Even though I have blue eyes and I'm a dude. Sorry to hear about your dad :( he sounds like a wonderful person
ksedymami ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:53:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sorry for your loss. =(
Music is such a powerful memory evoker.
Chucklebuck ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:56:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sorry to hear about your dad. He left you with happy memories of that song, however, so he'll always be with you whenever you hear that song in the future.
bongdreams ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:56:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I just lost my dad to suicide. It'll get better for the both of us. Don't worry. โค๏ธ
e_drizzle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:17:29 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sorry for your loss :( It will get better. Just takes time. PM me if you need to talk
CaptBaha ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:57:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really sorry for your loss... Sounds like a great man.
My dad used to do the same for my mother with The Seekers' "I'll Never Find Another You" and sing along when it came on the radio. She used to laugh it off as something equally cute and annoying.
When he passed on, we played it out loud as we sent him off. It's a tune that triggers so much emotion in me now (mostly happiness as it evidenced the love my parents had).
Allllliiiii ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:17:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The 'Brown Eyed Girl' thing made me tear up because it's just like something my Dad would do, and your comment made me lose it. I'm sorry for your loss, it sounds like you and your old man had a great relationship. Tons of love.
e_drizzle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:23:52 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you. We did in many ways. He gave me such an appreciation for music and I'm so glad for that.
CherenkovRadiator ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:20:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My condolences. I lost my dad two years ago, I miss him every day.
Please accept an internet hug.
e_drizzle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:18:34 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you :) Internet hug back stranger.
SleepinAwake ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:43:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm going to see Van Morrison play this friday, I'll sing my heart out for you and your dad!
e_drizzle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:19:07 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This made me so happy! Thank you! I hope you have an amazing time! (pretty jealous if I may say so)
Viperbunny ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:51:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sorry for your loss. I won't say it gets easier, but it changes with time and becomes something you learn to cope with. The love will always stay with you :)
katielady125 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:06:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad requested Sweet Sixteen by Neil Sedaka for my 16th birthday. We always listened to oldies together. The DJ even included a special message for me from my dad. It was so sweet.
Years later I'm digging through some stuff in the house and find a CD labeled "birthday radio". He had taped it and put it on a CD for with a bunch of other birthday songs for me.
e_drizzle ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:21:39 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's so sweet :) What an amazing memory and thing to find!
hazeyindahead ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:26:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No words can express the sadness. Lost my dad 3 years ago and while I want to say that it hurts less and less with time, its really that it hurts less often.
Remember the good times and fuck the what ifs and the shouldas
e_drizzle ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:21:13 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Too true. Some days are fine and some days, you cry at reading about a song you loved together.
Internet hug to you for your loss!
TheRoadWest ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Making love in the green grass behind the stadium.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:05:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My ex used to refer to herself as my brown-eyed girl and play that song when we were together (back in my college days)......then I found out she boned a whole fraternity so.........fuck that song.
eternalsunshine325 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:48:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I used to have great memories of my stepdad singing that to me, until I grew up and realized the song is about Butt Sex....Yeah, I don't listen to it much anymore...
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:53:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You prolly already know this, but it was originally "brown skinned girl". That was too racy for the time, so he had to change it.
Flegumeister ยท 72 points ยท Posted at 12:23:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm teary eyed, this was beautiful, thank you for sharing.
juicius ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:02:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This sparks a memory. At a formal, I danced with my date to the "Brown Eyed Girl" singing it meaningfully as I stared into her eyes. At the conclusion, she said quietly, "My eyes are green."
Sheesh. Maybe. If the light catches them just right. But they were definitely more brown than green.
LegendEater ยท 138 points ยท Posted at 12:20:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They took away your bedroom door? That's insane. Can you not remember why?
[deleted] ยท 436 points ยท Posted at 12:32:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine did this to me once. My neighbors informed my landlord they has seen a fireball through my bedroom window and the landlord informed my parents.
I'm not even mad. Removing my door made me thing twice about creating fireballs.
shanedoth ยท 272 points ยท Posted at 12:38:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's an interesting euphemism for masturbation.
[deleted] ยท 317 points ยท Posted at 12:48:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nah, they never reported the masturbation.
There was a Brazilian woman who lived there and I could frequently see her topless and smiling as she did stuff around the kitchen. As a teenager I may have been less stealthy than I imagined and I'm pretty sure she got a kick out of it.
gosling11 ยท 133 points ยท Posted at 13:02:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You lucky bastard.
Shark-Farts ยท 33 points ยท Posted at 14:18:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My boyfriend always closes the curtains when I'm walking around naked so the kindly elderly man next door doesn't see, but I'm like "let the old geezer have a peek!"
itchy_bitchy_spider ยท 30 points ยท Posted at 14:58:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
hey its me, a 105 yo man
SoCalDan ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:19:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Weeell, I'm an old geezer. Why not PM some pics? You know, for old geezers everywhere?
Shark-Farts ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 15:23:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's not the same. I won't be able to spot the joy in your wrinkled old face out of the corner of my eye as I slyly pretend not to notice.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:38:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Pretty sure i can handle that pose :P
SoCalDan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, but you will know it's there. You could make an old man happy.
OscarPistachios ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:18:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How were her boobs?
[deleted] ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 13:24:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In retrospect, pretty good but not my favorites.
At the time? They were reliable, seen in real life, I was a teenager, I did not have the internet access of today, and it felt really taboo. They were a gift from God as far as I was concerned.
kliman ยท 33 points ยท Posted at 13:28:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It doesn't matter how many internets you have...real life boobs that you "aren't supposed to see" is one of the most exciting things in the world.
[deleted] ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 13:28:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
xFoeHammer ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 13:43:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I guess I'm nobody :\
Mksiege ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:28:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fellow nobody reporting in. The only thing I can see from my bedroom window is a walking trail and other people's backyard fences.
Kerriganskrabs ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:06:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
around here, a walking trail would give you an endless supply of blowjobs for crack for your viewing pleasure.
Mksiege ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:29:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like I must add I am in a family friendly neighborhood. The walking trail is used by families out with their kids, or kids in bikes/skateboard/whatever.
That would be an interesting sighting, though.
dorekk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:54:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a view of a fence.
Jawbreaker93 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:40:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He created a fireball, not a map of Hawaii.
laszlo462 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Best innuendo
OddaJosh ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:41:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fireballs are too risky. Should've casted a protection spell.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:10:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The DM told us we'd be fine without a Cleric. I didn't believe them but these piles of ash and I are doing pretty well so far.
thebootydoer ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:48:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you. I'm sitting here trying to wake up and I came across your post. My eyes are a bit teary now. May I ask how you managed to make a fireball?
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:50:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A can of deodorizer and a lighter. Or maybe it was the sparklers. Or the whiteout experiment. Or the time we roasted marshmallows.
It wasn't exactly an isolated incident.
thebootydoer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:55:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I usually did that stuff outside. There was the time we started a small brush fire near my friends house though....
GrandNightmare ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:42:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
El Diablo located
arclathe ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:41:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Like you made better ones or did them more secretively?
stosh2014 ยท 160 points ยท Posted at 12:40:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's an incredibly effective punishment for door slammers.
SLeazyPolarBear ยท 259 points ยท Posted at 13:15:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom used to make me and my sister shut the door without slamming it 10 times for every slam.
I quickly decided it was never worth the embarrasment of the family watching you have to do this silly thing. My sister though, she is very stubborn. She thought she could "win" against my mom and she would get to the last one and slam it shut, and my mom would make her start all over again. It got to where she was just boiling over with anger because she could not out stubborn my mom, and every time she slammed it and got ten more we would eventually all be laughing hysterically, because her fit was always over something trivial anyway. So she would sometimes have to do 60-100 door closes and every time she slammed on the last one and had to start again and we all laughed so hard. She would get mad at us laughing and slam some more but eventually she would resign and realize she was looking incredibly foolish and petulant and that she was never going to win against my mom.
RedditIsDumb4You ยท 134 points ยท Posted at 14:15:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom had a similar method. She would strike me repeatedly until it hurt too much to fight back.
ksedymami ยท 41 points ยท Posted at 14:37:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's a core memory right there!
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 14:58:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes my core memories were much more wooden-spoon related than giggling hysterically. Unless the hysterical giggling led to the wooden-spoon smacking. Then i guess i can check that box
SoMoodyMe ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:22:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fellow wooden spoon victim here
ramsay_baggins ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:28:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I only ever managed to get the wooden spoon once but my god, after that all my mum had to do was make the slightest hint and I'd stop misbehaving straight away.
Still annoyed about the time I got it though, it was my sisters fault - I didn't even know what I was doing. Luckily she got it too though or I would never have let go of it haha.
_14_glove ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Strike you repeatedly with jumper cables?
ChromeFluxx ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:26:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i've seen someone say this was meta, but i haven't seen the post, can someone link it to me?
Mksiege ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:31:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was a user who brought it up on every single post he made.
/u/rogersimon10
dorekk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's hilarious.
_14_glove ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:31:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
r/rogersimon10
SLeazyPolarBear ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:15:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This was saved for other offenses. Though it was never really too many strikes.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:00:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
hahaha thank you for sharing this story. It just reminds me of my family, too. I love little stories like this.
hobbycollector ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:16:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
People without siblings miss out on having their BS called on them regularly as a kid.
Twenty3isNumberOne ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:37:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Got about 10 years before my oldest is a teenager but I'm going to save this until then.
xotg19 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom did this as well and I used to slam it shut on the last one also. I hated it so much, honestly it was the most annoying punishment in the world. To this day I still go into rapid explanation mode anytime a door accidentally slams around my mom.
Somethingfishy4 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:30:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow so I'm not the only one. What is it about slamming doors that triggers parents so badly?
jenninsea ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:39:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Because as a parent you're in a permanent state of hyper-awareness for sudden injury, screaming, or breaking. A slammed door is an unnecessary jolt to an already overburdened alarm system.
ClearlyDense ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:43:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love this and I'll be doing it with my kids if they start slamming doors when they're angry
RigidChop ยท 35 points ยท Posted at 12:51:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
100% efficacy!
robot_nuts_n_bolts ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ok. Seriously, So, if I have a door slamming kid. I take away the door?? What harm does this do to a child's mind??
AnneBancroftsGhost ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:21:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey my sisters and I all turned out fine, if that's what you're asking.
Detaineee ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:18:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It plants the idea of consequences for actions. That's only harmful if you think raising your kid to think about consequences is bad.
sekva ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:47:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
You can't ignore the other unforeseen consequences, such as growing resentment and losing dialogue and transparency with your child by taking away their privacy and establishing that is something that can be taken away at any moment. The "lesson" behind this is that the child can't trust their parents or that next time he/she should just not get caught. It's not as straightfoward as you make it out to be.
And I'm not saying there shouldn't be consequences to their actions or that teaching kids to follow rules is wrong. It's just that punishment is proven to create other consequences beyond those you planned to achieve. Fear and anger do not lead to respect.
Detaineee ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:54:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Removing the door would not be the initial reaction. If the problem was door slamming, step one might be a discussion of how slamming the door is not an appropriate way of dealing with a problem. Step two would be further explaining that door slamming could damage our home and that won't be tolerated. Step three would likely be a final discussion about how the next incident will be responded to by the removal of the door.
sekva ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:31:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
But never in this logic it is being discussed why the child is slamming doors in the first place! Prohibiting that specific behaviour instead of understanding its causes can lead to infinite other behaviours with a similar function (let's take having a say in decision-making), such as smoking, swearing, running away, beating others, engaging in promiscuous sex, etc.
Are you willing to adress each and every one of these behaviours separately or should you take a step back and see the bigger picture?
Detaineee ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 14:50:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a feeling you just want to argue.
Step one was the discussion of why slamming a door isn't appropriate. Built into that discussion would be finding an appropriate reaction to whatever triggered the upset in the first place.
sekva ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:59:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not at all, just trying to understand where you were getting at. Sure, if you treat door slamming as a symptom of a bigger issue and are willing to work with them in building better ways to deal with it, that's awesome. I mistakenly read your first comment as one of those parents who just want their kids to stop being annoying and are unwilling to listen to them. Cheers!
Skeptic_mama ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:43:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My son only required this once. Extremely effective, and better than yelling at him or hitting him.
ideas_abound ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:15:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really?
lasttimewasabadtime ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:02:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My little sis got her door replaced with a weird vinyl slide door thing so she couldn't slam it anymore.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:58:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
stosh2014 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:02:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Where there's a will, there's a way.
DoubleRainb0w ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:06:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
FTFY
Mksiege ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seriously, unless they remove the bathroom door and the shower curtain/door, I'm sure the kid knows to use the bathroom as a backup.
MrWonder1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
An even better one is replacing door with cardboard door. How funny would that be seeing an angry teen slam a piece of cardboard
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My girlfriend's roommate needs this done to her. She pees like six times a night and slams the bathroom door and her bedroom door. Nobody ever taught her how to turn the goddamn doorknob before closing the door.
Six. Fucking. Times. A. Night.
goalieamd ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:49:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My sister used to throw serious tantrums and slammed her door and broke it one day. She lost her door until she could pay for a new one.
It taught her a social and financial lesson.
detectivejewhat ยท 35 points ยท Posted at 12:30:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is that weird? My parents used to do that shit to me all the time.
Wombatusmaximus ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 12:39:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think my parents threatened it once or twice but that was the early '80's
FinalMantasyX ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 12:52:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, depriving a child of what little privacy they have and opening up their only space to everyone is indeed weird.
detectivejewhat ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:00:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I know it's fucked up, what I meant was is it uncommon. I didn't know what privacy was until I was 18, they read my texts in entirety, controlled every form of media to filter out anything they didn't want me to watch (anything over pg-13 til the day I moved out at 18.) and didn't allow me to go anywhere or do anything without adult supervision. And they wonder why at 20 years old I still have a lot of trouble taking care of myself. My parents, well my dad and stepmom, are the fucking definition of helicopter parents. lovely people, fucking horrible parents.
Disclaimer: although my parents were very controlling, I do believe they were doing what they thought was right. I was never an easy child to deal with, I've had trouble with school, authority, depression, and at around 14 I started self medicating with illicit drugs. I didn't make it easy on them, but they didn't make it easy on me either. I still love them though.
doraquiexplore ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:40:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy shit dude lmao I feel you I've never seen anyone else say that last sentence ab their parents bc I say that to every therapist/doctor/psychologist
FinalMantasyX ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:00:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're 20?
This happened within the past decade? In the 2000s? what the fuck I was thinking 1970s or something
detectivejewhat ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:03:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I turned 20 a month ago. Parents these days are getting more and more invasive on their child's lives and it's not a good thing. I thought about killing myself everyday from 16-18 and whaddya know, once I decided enough was enough and moved 2000 miles away, I got a lot better. Fuck that toxic ass household.
WhiteRhino27015 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:32:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like you're still harboring some bitterness/anger about how you were raised. Have you ever seen/spoke to a professional about this? I know you may not still be in the house but bottling those feelings is no bueno.
detectivejewhat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:40:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Nah, I love my parents. At the end of the day they were trying their best. There were 5 other kids they had to deal with besides me, so they figured monitoring every little thing I did was the best way to keep me out of trouble since I sure as hell wasn't doing a great job at it. I understand where they are coming from, it just pissed me off that I was the only one that got in trouble. If any of my 5 sisters did something they weren't supposed to it was a slap on the wrist, if I leave the house for 5 minutes without telling anyone my door comes off again lol. When you're treated like a criminal your entire life by the only people you've ever had the chance to trust, you eventually just become a criminal to make it easier on yourself.
Edit: I actually still talk to my dad all the time. As soon as I moved out he started treating me as an adult, we've talked about the shit we've done and said to each other and it's behind us. We both made shit decisions when dealing with each other. I love the dude, I just can't live with him.
miesvanderflow ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:56:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm 22 and this happened to me in my teenage years. But my home situation wasn't like u/detectivejewhat because my parents were totally in the right to do it, even though it seemed like total bullshit at the time. Actually, my dad threatened to take off my 12 year old sister's door a few days ago, and if it ever did happen then she would probably deserve it too
Mksiege ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 15:39:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
What did you do, or your sister is doing, that would justify removing your door?
As someone who never had this threatened upon, less so actually done, it seems unjustifiable to me.
miesvanderflow ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:50:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It mostly had to do with attitude, secrecy, and lying for my sister, but it was just a threat. I doubt she'll do anything bad enough anytime soon to warrant it actually happening.
As for me, I was just a huge shit from ages 14-16 that was busy sneaking out of the window to do naughty things with my boyfriends and smoke cigarettes in order to cope with my depression and eating disorder that were slowly tearing me apart. My parents knew that I was going through some shit but I shut them out instead of letting them help me, so they did what they could to try to prevent me from doing things I shouldn't have been doing that they couldn't really prove I was doing. I grew up, realized life was worth living, pulled myself mostly out of the bad shit, and now my parents are probably my best friends.
AnneBancroftsGhost ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:51:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They had text messages in the 70s? TIL :P
Mksiege ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:37:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Extremely uncommon. The only time I have heard about it has been this Reddit thread.
xFoeHammer ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:44:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Oh boo hoo.
Losing your bedroom door for a while isn't the end of the world. I left mine open most of the time just because I didn't care to close it. Most people have a bathroom to change in or do other private... activities.
The kinds of little things reddit drops their jaw over is ridiculous. You must have been the whiniest kids.
WhiteRhino27015 ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 14:34:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sure by now you've realized by now that everyone is "different", right? Usually it's girls who go up in arms about losing a door because they're tweens who are raging with hormones and witty remarks.
warrenofauburn ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 12:40:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
probably because she kept locking it. thats what my parents did to me anyway
BoardingBrownie ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:23:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've never understood why some parents are so anal about their kids locking their bedroom doors. They want their privacy, let them have it.
ITpuzzlejunkie ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:30:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't have a lock, but would put stuff in front of the door, if I needed privacy. The last time I remember, I was making her Christmas present. She barged in hard (upset about the "lock" not something I did).
I dove on top of her present, and yelled back while she was mid-bellow and said, "It is that time of the year, if you want a Christmas present, get out." We never had a problem when I "locked" the door, again.
To be fair, I did follow her after covering up the present to find out what she came for originally and did whatever chore she came in for originally.
seriouslees ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:37:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why is locking your door a punishable offence? Wtf?
sekva ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:51:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly! Maybe they should be investigating why their child feels the need to lock the door in the first place (such as having invasive and controlling helicopter parents)
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 14:33:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I locked my door because i was 13 and I wanted to masturbate a dozen times per day in privacy.
"What are you doing in there?"
Goddamnit mom, go away.
andremeda ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:21:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Surely removing the locking mechanism would be easier, though?
Scalions ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:34:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
To remove a door all you have to do is pull the bolts out of the hinges. To remove a locking mechanism you have to unscrew the entire knob and you're left with a variety of parts. At least at my childhood home.
andremeda ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:50:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Idk why but I envisioned OP's lock to be one of those sliding bolt locks, which would be easy to remove. I imagine that more modern doors would be more sophisticated.
Eh, to each to their own (door)
janisaf5 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:51:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, my parents removed all the locks once I started locking my little sister in rooms. A permanent solution to locked door problems. But they never took the doors away.
warrenofauburn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:53:21 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i think they tried that at first, but then i just started barricading the door
caesarea ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How is that easier than literally picking the door up and taking it off?
Mksiege ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:40:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For one, much easier to put a knob away somewhere than an entire freaking door. The door literally has it's space made out for it.
caesarea ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:22:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ah, but the door can be barred with other stuff, chair, desk, whatnot.
gigabytegary ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:30:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"IF YOU DIDN'T WANT ME TO LOCK THE DOOR THEN WHY DID YOU PUT A LOCK ON IT?!"
SylphsAndSnowflakes ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:08:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom took my bedroom door off when she caught me smoking cigarettes in my room when I was 16 (she found the mug I was using as an ashtray). I had a few friends who had similar things happen for similar reasons. Once I came clean with her and told her that it was indeed me smoking cigarettes in there (and not my friend as I had originally told her), she put my door back on and made a pact with me that we would both stop smoking. She'd smoked most of my life, and I think she blamed herself. But we quit together, so the whole thing ended up being a good thing.
VSGNotice ยท 103 points ยท Posted at 12:50:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
if taking your door away as a punishment is insane to you... Holy crap you grew up privileged lol.
usually the door is taken away for slamming it or locking it.
[deleted] ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:15:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
VSGNotice ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It isn't about not slamming doors or even having a lock. If the thought of your door being taken off the hinge is "insane" to you....Then you grew up, idk if privileged is the word...lucky? IDK but you didn't get punished ever.
And before you say maybe you didn't do anything to be punished...Every kid does.
Helenarth ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:28:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bullshit. So if people never got this one punishment it means they were never punished at all?
VSGNotice ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:30:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If the first thing that pops into your mind is "insane" when you think of this punishment, yeah. I mean it's understandable if you haven't heard of it or it's strange to you. But to think it's literally insane, that kind of implies you don't get punished because this isn't very insane.
jackster_ ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:34:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents rarely grounded me or gave me actual punishments. My dad would just scream at me and then talk at me for hours on end about what a fuckup I was.
LegendEater ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:07:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I never had a door, I had stairs. I couldn't imagine someone with a door having it taken away.
Vladimir_Lenin ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 13:17:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Sorry, son. We're taking away your stairs. You've stomped up them one too many times, it's driving your mother and me crazy!"
SourV ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:29:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Doors usually have 3 pins that you can take out so it's really easy. I didn't have a door until I was like 8...
WhiteRhino27015 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:39:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ah you think doors are your ally? You merely adopted the door. I was born behind it, molded by it. I didn't see my parents until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but expected.
Refrigeratorinator ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:25:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yer a wizard, Harry
KingNick777 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:55:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a what?
seriouslees ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:37:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What? Why is locking your door something to be punished for?
iaminneedofassistanc ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:45:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Can't speak for others, but in my house the idea was that my privacy would be respected, nobody would enter without knocking first if the door was closed, but locking the door wasn't allowed. I guess because it could be a safety thing, if I locked the door overnight and there was an emergency that I didn't notice and didn't wake up for. Never really thought about why; it just made sense to me at the time.
UncleFatherJamie ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 14:31:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I lost my door for locking it except without the whole "we respect your privacy" thing. I was like 15 and after my parents walked in on me changing for like the 50th time I started locking it while I changed. I got caught basically immediately and lost my door privileges for years.
LukasKulich ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 14:49:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's it, I'm never calling my family weird and dysfunctional ever again
UncleFatherJamie ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:57:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's not necessarily warranted...there are a lot of ways to be weird and dysfunctional.
Mksiege ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:43:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I started locking the door when it became obvious that no one in my house knows how to knock. They never removed my door, though.
Hageshii01 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Similarish story, though my family wasn't quite as insane. My mother and step-father refused to ever respect my privacy. They'd barge in whenever they wanted, which infuriated me because I could be changing. I tried to ask them to knock before coming in which resulted in something even more infuriating; they'd knock and them immediately open the door. When I tried to tell them this also wasn't acceptable and didn't solve the problem I asked them to wait until I say they can come in. THEN they would knock and wait. I'd ask "Yes?" or "Who is it?" and they'd come in, taking my question as a statement that they could enter.
I finally just started locking my door. You wouldn't believe how often I'd hear one of them try and door, find it locked, knock, and ask to come in after that. They complained about it and I told them in no uncertain terms that if I could trust them to respect my privacy I wouldn't lock the door.
But even knowing how bad they could be, I couldn't see them ever removing my door entirely.
ffisch ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:03:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly. For us it was the same way, we didn't lock the bathroom door either in case there was some sort of emergency. Also I had a friend who lost the lock on his door because he would lock the door and go out the window at night when he was supposed to be sleeping.
iaminneedofassistanc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:28:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We were allowed to lock the bathroom door, but that's probably because the outside of the doorknob had instead of a keyhole a vertical slit by which the door could be opened just by inserting and turning any object that fit.
Barely_adequate ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:50:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've never understood the emergency thing. Most inside doors I've seen are far from sturdy, I've broken one on accident before. I'm pretty sure I, or anyone in my house, could shatter one of its hinges pretty easily if they needed to.
iaminneedofassistanc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:27:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can see that being true, but if it were a non-destructive emergency then it would certainly be a pain to have to destroy the door and replace it later, plus it's absolutely quicker to just open the door. As long as everyone knocks and is told "come in" before entering, locking doors seems almost always unnecessary. Also worth noting though is that I didn't really spend that much time in my room; in my house, bedrooms were pretty much exclusively for sleeping, if you were awake then you weren't in your bedroom.
Shark-Farts ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:21:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Still makes sense to me, up to a certain age. I feel like after age 15 or so you should be considered responsible enough to lock your door, but I would not feel comfortable with a 6 year old being able to lock himself in a room.
I'd probably just replace the door with one that is unlockable rather than making locked doors a punishable offense, though.
VSGNotice ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:04:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
if you hide in your room behind a locked door when you're asked to do something etc
seriouslees ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So the punishment is for disobedience, not locking the door...
VSGNotice ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:29:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
obviously.....
seriouslees ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:34:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The ... is original question: "Why is locking your door something to be punished for?"
VSGNotice ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:48:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's like saying why is going outside or to a friends house a problem when referring to a kid running away from home. It's obviously not the act of going outside(or locking your door)
seriouslees ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:24:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But the way you answered the question (of why a door removal is justified) in the first place gave the impression that the parents found something wrong with locked doors, not that they were removing the doors as a punishment for disobedience. You made it sound like parents were punishing children who attempted to have privacy.
dorekk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:57:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's not insane, more like...silly?
VSGNotice ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:46:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That definitely would be a better word for it.
EstherandThyme ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:11:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think it's a fucked up punishment. But my door was taken away for over a year.
TheSinningRobot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:55:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Used to take the door away for slamming, but would just remove the lock/handle if you locked it
VSGNotice ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:11:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, some parents take extreme measures.
"Eh you like to lock the door? How about I just take your door from you, bet you'll think twice now that you have no privacy"
GeoffTheProgger ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:48:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's not an uncommon method of punishment, I've heard it compared to being grounded.
zincaroo22 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:42:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's a pretty common punishment
lasttimewasabadtime ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:00:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Went to a school for kids who were kicked out of their school. A bad kid school if you will. One day I went to visit my friend from the bad kid school and he didn't have a bed frame a door or any chairs. He broke them and his dad took his door. Also he was in a gang called the crickets and he was the first person I knew who smoked weed. We were like 12
JustSayingMate ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:06:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Single mum here. I removed my son's door a couple of years ago when he was maybe 10-11 cause he'd bang it closed when he got mad. I warned him about it. No door for a week and he learned his lesson.
acejohn ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:11:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents removed my door one time. But not as a punishment. The handle broke and me and my three siblings had locked ourselves in there for a couple hours. Or days. Felt like days but my parents insist it was at most a couple hours.
nullpassword ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:23:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As kids when ours got taken down usually it was for getting mad at our siblings and beating the cap outta the door.
fusearms ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:41:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I did that to my son for slamming his door, repeatedly. It was becoming a habit, and it taught him not to take his door for granted. If he wanted the privacy of being alone when he was angry, he wasn't going to be slamming shot on the way there. It probably only lasted a couple days, but he doesn't slam his door anymore, so there's that.
MirtaGev ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:51:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not OP but my parents did the same thing. Mine was because I kept slamming the door in anger, and locking my parents out. I was 14.
raleighNY ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:13:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents did this for chatting w strangers on the interwebz in chat rooms.
KingNick777 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:03:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I got my laptop taken away bc my mom saw me on an chat room based of of an anime and she thought all anime was hentai
vectorama ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:17:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Obviously for slamming it in anger. Mine was removed multiple times as a kid/teen and I used to replace it with a sheet held up by thumb tacks. Perfect punishment.
eulerup ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:32:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I spent probably... Half my pre-teen/ early teen years without a bedroom door. I was an angsty 13 year old and slamming it and locking myself in the bedroom was one of my favorite means of expression. Clearly the punishment wasn't enough deterrent.
(My younger brother was smart enough to slam the door to the garage instead. Parents didn't take away his door, even though with his hormone fueled man strength (16 or 17 and jacked at the time) he caused some damage.)
RunnerMomLady ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:33:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My preteen got mad at me and went upstairs and slammed it. The look on his face when I took it off it's hinges was priceless. No door has been slammed (by any of the children) since.
amart591 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:36:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents did the same thing but i was a dumb teenager and i knew i royally fucked up for it to happen. I dont remember what i did but knowing how i was im sure it was justified.
crazedanimal ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:22:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If she was doing something dangerous it makes sense. Taking it away just for locking it like other posters are suggesting is psychotic imo.
hochizo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:04:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents took my brothers away for refusing to open it. They didn't care if we locked our doors as long as we opened them when they asked us to. He refused to do that, so they took the door. So...it was technically for locking it, but there was more to it than that.
T_Momo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This was a frequent punishment for my younger sister who had serious anger issues and would constantly break the rules (typical rebellious teenager crap). I specifically remember one time my mom told her that she was grounded and would be losing her bedroom door so my sister saved my mom the trouble and actually ripped the door off the hinges and threw it down the steps. XD
chowder138 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents did this on at least 4 occasions. Usually because I either got mad and slammed it, or they walked in on me jacking off.
jlynnmorgan11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I got my bedroom door taken away once for slamming it after arguing/talking back to my parents. I was maybe 8 or 9 and they put it back on after about two days.
MissKillian ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:53:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mother took away our bedroom door after I slammed it, we didn't get it back until we moved 3 years later. It made furtive tv watching or phone talking after lights out nearly impossible
hobbycollector ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:15:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is more common than I thought.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:23:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
LegendEater ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:11:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm British. Up to a certain age, we share rooms too. Although, I know of some people who are lesser off and in their early 20s still sharing a room.
Pressondude ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:26:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was threatened with this punishment, and it happened to my sister. I will be using this if I ever have unruly teenagers.
SirMeowMixxalot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not OP, but it was always threatened to me by my parents for locking my door.
forcefultoast ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:56:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom did the same, often, until I recently left.
Rc2124 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:17:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Happened to my sister. She stole a pregnancy test from a local drug store in 7th grade for one of her friends and was arrested. She'd been increasingly rebellious and my dad had had enough. After picking her up from jail he removed her door, painted her walls a dull beige (from her black and purple), removed her bed frame so that her mattress was just on the floor, confiscated most of her clothes, and gave her a predetermined outfit every morning. She hated it, but she never stole again, so I guess it has some effect
MattTheProgrammer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:21:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom did this because I slammed the door when I was ten and knocked a picture frame off the wall and it broke.
Rampachs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:45:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my friends got it for nude skyping a dude overseas she's never met before when she was 15.
ChewbaccaFart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:04:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You realize that there are culture where its is normal to kill your sister/daughter for dressing too slutty right?
LegendEater ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ChewbaccaFart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes. That is true insanity.
LegendEater ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:51:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's all relative my friend
ChewbaccaFart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:10:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I disagree. Slaughtering a sibling and living without a bedroom door for a couple days are completely different levels.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents did this too.
Guardian_Ainsel ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah that's not that crazy. My friend snuck a girl into his room once. Lost his door for months!
Azusanga ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:14:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I got my door taken away when I was caught being a very.... Provocative teenager. It was the best thing my parents could have done for me
cantthinkkangaroo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:24:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad took off my bedroom door when I was 16 or 17. I don't really remember, although he remembers it proudly. I was constantly fighting with my mom, and would run down the hall and slam my door afterwards. After the millionth time, she asked him what he was going to do about it. So he took off my door. He says I hung a sheet immediately, and started blasting music. He was proud that he made my mom happy, and proud that I continued to fight the man. I love my parents, and I'm glad I put their parenting skills to test. Haha.
HotDamn18V ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:52:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Everyone here seems to think this is a normal, useful punishment, but I think it's ridiculous. My wife's parents do this to her teenage sisters all the time and I just cringe. There's other ways to punish them. They're teenagers, they need privacy. Half the reason they get in trouble all the time is because they're always being forced to be around each other and their parents. Let them sit in their room, it's what they do.
issiautng ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:05:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
OP of the original plagiarized comment here. I think it was just slamming it too many times/ general disrespect.
awesomesonofabitch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:14:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I took away my kid's door because she couldn't stop slamming the damn thing in a fit of rage.
It was hard to do, I'll be honest. She begged and begged for me not to do it.
She hasn't slammed her door since. So I think it was a valuable lesson learned.
rekoob ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:02:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Making love in the green grass, behind the stadium with you."
cdc194 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:30:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, sure, "something or another"
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:06:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You know what that songs about right?
seventomatoes ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:21:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
did the dog wake up?
DirkDiggler2015 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:28:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I visualized that whole singing in the car scene when reading that comment.
issiautng ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:11:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was magical.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:50:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
American kids?
TheBlueFairy01 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:06:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
lol... losing the bedroom door. omg, I forgot about that. I had that happen a few times as well!!!
howtochoose ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:17:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
how did you come up with this list?
Heroicis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ayyy NC represent, what beach you go too?
issiautng ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:07:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
OP of the original plagiarized comment here.
Emerald Isle! I'm here right now on the same annual beach trip. :)
chowder138 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:40:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hah, my parents did this too. Usually after I got caught jacking off.
Eventually they decided the whole door was a hassle and just started taking the doorknob. I don't think they got around to putting it back on between the last time they took it and when I left for college.
Bobosmite ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I shared a room with my sister and we had bookshelves built by a neighbor. Mine was orange and hers was blue. When we were bad, mom would hang a sheet over the front and tell us to keep out.
leveled_81 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:48:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Awesome list... I can relate to a couple of them but your first one hit me right in the feels... I have an 18 month old daughter with big beautiful brown eyes and sing that song to her all the time and spin around with her smiling at me. Your memory made me more cognizant that I am building my own similar one and hopefully hers on a daily basis. Thanks for the big smile first thing in the morning.
sayintag ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Those are some nostalgic and poignant memories...
notyourdadsusername ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:00:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fantastic memories. Which NC beach?
issiautng ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:07:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Emerald Isle!
TrekkiMonstr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:13:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's an odd way to refer to getting caught riding a dick
AnneBancroftsGhost ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:25:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
OMG I thought my dad was the only one who did weird punishments like this!
I never made it to the full door removal phase, but my sister did several times. In fact there was a period of several months or even a year that she had no door because she was just too stubborn to admit that she even gave a fuck about punishments at all.
For us though it was for slamming doors. First offense and you'd have to open and close the door quietly 100 times. If you slammed your door again in too soon a time period, you got your doorknob taken off. I think this was so you just kept your door open since it was tricky to unlatch without the knob, but we all figured it out eventually. This phase I got to several times over the years. Finally if that still didn't stop you from slamming your door my dad would remove it completely and keep it in this sort of punishment shrine in the basement. Presumably so we could drool over it and think about what we'd done to get to this point.
He was also a fan of grounding us from furniture for leaning back in chairs at the dinner table.
swordsmithy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:27:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's so nice to know I wasn't alone in the 'losing your bedroom door' punishment. Never happened to my brother though.
GeorgeAmberson ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was some bull shit! I'm pretty sure I didn't have a door for like a year between '92 and '93. My dad actually apologized for it later on.
deardot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know why this surprised me that it happened to someone else. It was the worst punishment ever for me since my room open into the main living area of the house.
queefiest ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I used to have fond memories with my parents but they've treated me like crap from preadolescence onward so all the crap has outshone the happy times.
I guess my core memories are the day my adoption was finally finalized. They had me since I was 2 months old but my bio mom never signed the papers because apparently she wasn't receiving the pictures of me or the letters she was promised (case point 1. Parents are assholes). They took me to one of those indoor huge play structures.
Next is them getting a divorce a year or so later. I don't want to go with my mom, I wanted to stay with dad. He was driving away and I was running after him begging him to take me too.
Next was living in the Women's shelter with my Mom for a little while. Then staying with my creepy uncle and his family in a 2 bedroom apartment - 3 adults 3 kids.
Meeting my moms new bf for the first time. He's the only man I call Dad these days even though they've been split up since I was 13.
All my first days at school - each new year I was in a different school. I stayed at one school from grade 5-7 , in grade 7 they set me back after a couple months. I skipped kindergarten because I could read but because of this I was always the youngest in class and they decided I should do grade 6 again. Moved to another school for grade 7-part of 8. Moved to another school for end of 8-9 moved yet again for high school.
As soon as I was out of school I moved to Vancouver. Ran out of money so I started selling myself on the Internet. I did this enough to keep myself afloat until I got a place and a job.
Everything that's happened since has been a continuation of my shitty life, a life that my shitty parents laid out for me. Now that I'm older I'm working on me, developing emotional skill sets, trying to make sense of what went wrong then and how I can fix my future and end the shite. I have to because now I have two kids and I need to not make the shitty choices my parents made and bestowed upon me. I've left out a lot, but I'm trying to just lay out my core memories. The sad part is the happiest time of my life was being an escort.
forcefultoast ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 8 or so and on my way from Philly to the Outer Banks NC (I REALLY like pirates :) )Brown Eyed Girl came on the radio when I was with my dad. It wasn't specifically for me being that I am not brown eyed or a girl, but I liked the song so I asked him not to change it. He responded a smile and said "Van Morrison? Just like your mom.." then proceeded to sing the whole thing along with the radio. By the time we got to North Carolina I wouldn't stop singing it myself, and it became my favorite song in the world. From then on I would listen to it on repeat, as children do. Flash forward a few years, and it came on one of my playlists when I was hanging out with a friend. Me and her swapped Dad's introducing us to Brown Eyed Girl stories, and now we date :)
Denelectro ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Samsies. Only then the heater of his cigarette broke off onto my face and I spent the rest of the song crying being doused in polysporin.
3zahsselhtiaf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:06:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Losing the bedroom door! I used to get this for slamming it. I thought I was the only one. Also my dad would cut the power to my room if I played my music too loud and disobeyed requests to turn it down
pamplemouss ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:08:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your life sounds beautiful.
Muffinlette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:11:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my favorite memories is of my dad and I dancing to the radio in the morning making breakfast. I'd put my feet on his and if it was a faster song he would twirl me around like a fancy dancer. Then we would eat mickey mouse pancakes :)
ThatOneOta ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:12:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh man I remember when I lost my bedroom door.
atomicrabbit_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:15:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
YES! This is one of my core memories too. Gotta love it. At one point my door and almost all my furniture and belongings were in the hallway. "Privacy is a privilege" as my dad would say
Mmneck ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:20:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
thought he got you a call girl at first
oneagainafterthefall ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:21:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
you are living a blessed life.
Vega4628 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom would sing 'brown eyed girl' but yell 'blue' loud enough to make me feel good about my eye color.
it wasn't until years upon years later I realized she had made the change.
hackel ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, talk about a privileged life.
Smotherbears ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I too lost a bedroom door once
gimnastic_octopus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The "Brown eyed girl" thing made me tear up. I wish my dad would do something like this, but he doesn't even call me on my birthday.
AlbinoVagina ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That last one you wrote was beautiful to read. I felt very "at peace" thinking about it :) Thank you for sharing!
Squishyfishx ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That first bullet point sounds like it is straight out of a movie. That's such a feel good moment
killercupcaker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ha I used to think my father was so unique and creative for taking the door away as punishment! I guess this is a much more common thing than I thought.
Aarongamma6 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You went to the outer banks? NC local live few hours away from there and I just love it
Chemicalsockpuppet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
'I'd like to request the song 'smack my bitch up' for my girl. You know who you are honey'
knubbze ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if it is just me being perverted, but the first bullet point made me think of something like, your dad calling a radio station and requesting a "brown eyed girl" (stripper) as a surprise for your birthday. And then you danced w/ said stripper in the living room. May also be because I don't know "brown eyed girl"
yoiforgotmypassword1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:58:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
not too bright are you?
Gilstorf ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 13:24:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You sound incredibly white
nic131 ยท 3010 points ยท Posted at 11:43:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I went to an ice cream shop with my dad when I was little. In front of us was a mother and her son, a bit younger than me, who had just ordered a cone. She handed it to the boy, and he dropped it. He started crying immediately, and she had the most loving and comforting voice that everything would be okay, that these things happen. She cleaned him up, the floor, and got another cone, without one ounce of bitterness. I looked at my dads face and he had envy and hurt in his eyes. A few months prior, that situation had happened with my brother and mom, and she yelled at him for the ride home for dropping his food while he cried. It really impacted the type of person I wanted to be. For myself, and for my father. A few years ago, my father brought that moment up to me as a turning point in his life as well.
Teenage years, when I had miscarried a baby I didn't even know I was carrying. I was at a very low point for a lot of reasons in those few months, and for about a month after I was a wreck. I decided to change for the better, with a new set of friends that I still love today, a career choice that I am happy with, and taking better care of my health- mentally and physically.
I'm sure there are plenty of others, but those two are pivotal points in my life.
Edit: Guys. I Squeed. Gold. This made my day. Thank you internet stranger. I'd buy you ice cream if I could. Have a fantastic day everyone <3
Ashtonmcfish ยท 115 points ยท Posted at 15:01:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your first one reminds me of an incident that happened with my mom when I was a kid.
My mom took me to a fair and I was begging her to let me play one of those tin can throwing games. She didn't want to because she thought it was a waste of money but in the end she relented.
I failed dramatically and missed almost all shots. Each time I missed she would pinch my arm real hard because she was annoyed with me 'wasting money' . I remember looking to the side and there was this kid who was with his family. They were laughing and encouraging him and he seemed so happy. At that moment I just felt so sad. It happened more than 20 years ago and I remember that moment like it was yesterday.
[deleted] ยท 497 points ยท Posted at 12:37:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
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PM_ur_Rump ยท 79 points ยท Posted at 15:05:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My turning point like that was when my ex was having abdominal pain, and we went to the ER. They had her take a pregnancy test, and while awaiting the results, I told her I'd always be there for her and the kid if she was pregnant. She responded with "I have enough kids to take care of already between you and the dog, so I fucking hope not." I had been working 10-16 hour days to put a roof over our head, and she had been whining lately about me not doing enough around the house in addition to that (she worked pt at a coffee hut, so did most of the housework), so that really stung.
I went from "not really ready for a kid, but damn ready to step up to the plate," to "damn I hope this women isn't the mother of my kids, because I've seen how she treats those that care about her."
Chiakii ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 15:08:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Good on you for finding out before it was to late. Sad to hear nonetheless.
Cheers mate!
wydidk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:25:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow what an ungrateful bitch! I hope this was a long time ago and it worked out for you.
PM_ur_Rump ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:28:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes. We broke up soon after. This was almost ten years ago.
wydidk ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:35:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Good, hopefully she found a guy that sits on his ass and drinks beer all day ;)
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:21:29 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No..just no. Wishing a poor life on someone is awful, even jokingly. Hopefully she found somebody who helped her grow and mature, and she helped him as well.
wydidk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:25:53 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're right, I apologize. I depend on Karma (not reddit Karma, lol) a little too much is my own personal life.
[deleted] ยท 112 points ยท Posted at 13:37:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 34 points ยท Posted at 15:32:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
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HelenKellersSpotify ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 17:16:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I just absolutely cannot wrap my head around how people feel ok about speaking to others that way. I know it happens (I've been a server, so I know all too well), but it's still an abstract concept to me. I just... how does someone's brain allow them to act like that and not feel immediately humiliated about it? How do they even manage to get the words out without seeing the look on the other person's face and feeling like a tool? It sincerely does baffle me.
Allhailthe8 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 19:16:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Thats kind of funny. I actually really hate kids a lot, and a lot of people in general. Well, maybe not hate hate, but im not particularly fond of them either. But whenever it comes to personally interacting with them, i always act as polite and caring as possible, even when they start givin me the attitude n all. Hmm, its an interesting thought
disintegrationist ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:16:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Same applies to animal cruelty
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:35:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
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sensuallyprimitive ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:59:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seems logical.
ethebr11 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 16:56:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think there's a difference between "not liking kids" and doing something to hurt an animal - especially considering animals aren't ever really aware why they've been treated like shit because they can't link events like people can.
sensuallyprimitive ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:39:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Except we aren't talking about "not liking kids" and "doing something to hurt an animal." We're talking about "people who treat kids like shit" and "animal cruelty."
Mistreated kids grow up to become employers, voters, parents, etc. Animals typically die within the decade, and most of them die to feed another animal. I love dogs as much as the next guy, but it's really no comparison at all.
You likely kill animals almost every day. If you don't directly, your food source does. To claim that animal pain is more important than child pain is ridiculous.
ethebr11 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:54:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes I kill animals, but what does that factor in to anything?
And telling a kid to piss off is better, in my books, than kicking a dog. That was how I framed the above post, you may have thought they meant something different, that's your prerogative.
sensuallyprimitive ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:22:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm saying your comment was pointless/off-topic because it wasn't what we were talking about. I can say that murdering humans is worse than spitting on dogs, for example. It doesn't contribute to the discussion, and doesn't make you wrong, even if it's a true statement.
ethebr11 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 19:20:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Someone specifically said "animal cruelty", which is a defined term, then someone replied "I'd rather someone who was shit to kids than exercised animal cruelty". My comment referenced that. It wasn't off-topic - your "you still kill animals, their pain is less important" was further off-topic (and seemed more like anti-vegan rhetoric).
So in the interests of stopping this conversation, good day stranger.
sensuallyprimitive ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 19:30:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Next time, quote directly rather than just writing what you think they wrote in quotes.
At least we can agree on ending this.
jawknee21 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:22:48 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
to claim child pain is more important than animal pain is ridiculous as well..
nic131 ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 14:42:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm the same. Kids have never sounded appealing, but being that understanding, calm person to everyone has been a priority for me.
TheCoupDeGrace ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:10:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The way a person treats three certain categories of people - children, waiters and elders - is an excellent test of character in my opinion.
Chiakii ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:49:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey me too!
I don't want children, but being a person who could handle children is what matters.
GryphonNumber7 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:33:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Some people don't know how to treat children with love and kindness because their parents never treated them that way. Some try but you can't reprogram an entire childhood that easily.
ImAlwaysWrite ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:56:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy shit I just realized why I don't know how to interact with children ):
Gray_Fox ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:10:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
what's you criteria? lol what's the difference between someone who's bad with kids vs a shit person?
barring obvious stuff like abuse
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:29:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Gray_Fox ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:54:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i feel that
englishamerican ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:03:31 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah because there is always the possibility that you have kids or are babysitting or something like that and then what are you going to do? You're going to have to babysit not just the kids but also your partner. And if you have kids then it's even worse because there are always those small things that parents can do that are so hurtful but the other parent won't know about it.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:34:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd say so - even the ones who don't want kids it applies pretty well to.
Arch4ik ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 14:23:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Similar experience about 6 months ago. I had been dating a girl for about 8 years, engaged for 2. She was so negative all the time and generally wasnt very pleasant to be around. Eventually i couldnt take it any more and broke it off. Went about my life as a single guy for awhile. Tested out the Plenty of Fish dating app and met this amazing woman. I have now been dating this chick for about 2 months and Im already infinitely happier than any of my time spent with my ex.
theTwelfthMouse ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:42:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
dude, nice people are like the best. i aspire to be one of them.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:36:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Was the moment you realised that she wasn't the same person also a turning point in your life?
Chiakii ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 14:49:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Was it John Cena?
If its not a joke I don't understand the question, sorry.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:11:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Idk I'm bad with English I just wanted to hear your story about her lol
Chiakii ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:24:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah thats what I said, right?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:53:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
His username isn't relevant to his question to the OP. He wasn't making a joke, he was just asking if his ex being so negative in that moment changed his outlook on her.
Fysio ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:30:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
After a handful of relationships like your former explanation, one of the latter found me. I'd just quit looking, and was only in 'for fun' relationships. She's so lovely - it's been almost 2 years of awesome.
dustyceilingfan ยท 249 points ยท Posted at 12:39:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How's your mom and dad doing these days?
nic131 ยท 416 points ยท Posted at 14:38:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nothing special. From what I have observed over my life, my parents hate each other. They are together for convenience. My mom got sick when I was a teenager and it made her an even more bitter person to be around. I can't say she was very present in my life after 8 or 9 years old, though we lived in the same house, which I've come to view as a good thing. I'm just not the daughter she wanted. Luckily my dad stepped up to care for me when she didn't. I can't even begin to list the things that he has done for me over the years. Just being there for me in everything I have done is more than enough, but he has given me opportunity to do what I've wanted.
leglesspuffin ยท 122 points ยท Posted at 14:54:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your dad sounds like a great guy.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:39:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I read that as gravy guy. I have no idea why.
mwagner26 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:04:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Because you either crave gravy or you can't read?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:10:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I read that as "either gravy gravy". I have no idea why.
I_PM_NICE_COMMENTS ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 14:56:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He sounds like an amazing person. make sure you let him know. He will appreciate it.
nic131 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:03:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I will. I actually can't wait to see him again and tell him about this thread, and the impact it has had on others. He'd be just as happy about it as I am.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:00:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
Zaddis ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:06:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dropping food is understandable with stressful conditions. But getting sick? That's completely out of your control.
HerculesKabuterimon ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:23:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your dad is a really great guy. I'm glad this story was sad, but had a really good ending.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:54:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're blessed to share that moment with your dad. I hope life continues to be good to you.
Spanky222 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:25:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man, i want to give your dad a hug. He sounds awesome.
Please go give him a hug for me a tell him its from a fat, hairy guy on the internet. Thanks!
xerkir ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:39:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your mother sounds like my dad. I'm glad you turned your life around after your second memory. :)
Caboose106 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:24:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You should take your dad out for ice cream.
nic131 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:49:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm waiting in line now to get him a turtle sundae at the same shop. Well. The trip was mostly for me. But I'm getting him some too. It counts.
Caboose106 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:54:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Most definitely counts! Tell him the internet says Hi
PsychicNinja_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:05:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You and your dad both sound like great people
[deleted] ยท 28 points ยท Posted at 13:36:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I want to know
MAADcitykid ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 14:49:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dead
[deleted] ยท 249 points ยท Posted at 13:43:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
nic131 ยท 67 points ยท Posted at 14:20:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm glad. The amount of good parenting in this thread is just amazing to read.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:05:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thing is we tend to remember the bad things in our own memories, and the good things (highlights) of others'.
TerrorEyzs ยท 52 points ยท Posted at 17:26:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A good friend of mine was in the store with his nephew who started having a tantrum over candy or some stupid toy. It escalated to the point where the kid was on the floor flailing his limbs and screaming.
My buddy nick had had enough. He laid down and did the exact same thing. Middle of the store.
His nephew immediately stopped and told him that he was embarrassed by him and that he looked weird. Nick just calmly looked at him and said "and how do you think I felt about your behavior then?"
That kid has not had a temper tantrum since and that was like 5 years ago. It really stuck with him, I guess.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:25:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sledge?
GsoSmooth ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:42:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sledge, sled, and sleigh are technically interchangeable. Although sled is most common for sliding toys.
msbabc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:26:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is how I try I be. Kids are smarter than most people think.
aco909 ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 15:20:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sled* as in fun toy for the winter, or sledge as in sledge-hammer?
nibbl ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:54:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sledge as in the english noun for a vehicle on runners.
jawknee21 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 00:25:11 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
well thats a new one..
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:37:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
GsoSmooth ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:42:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sled is more common, but you weren't wrong.
Obsidian_Veil ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:25:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really? I've always heard "sledge".
GsoSmooth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:17:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Where are you from? UK?
Obsidian_Veil ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:31:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah.
I assume you're American (continentally, if not nationally)?
GsoSmooth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:54:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. Canadaland. Sledge is used very rarely and specifically. The most common usage I can think of is sledge hockey. Google it, it's pretty cool. Sled and sleigh and sliding are most used. A sled can also refer to a snowmobile.
Obsidian_Veil ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:11:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tbf, what with the frequency of snow in the UK, the topic doesn't come up very often. Sleigh tends to be used specifically with regards Santa Claus, though.
Captain_Wompus ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 14:33:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your first bullet point resonates with me in a way nothing has before. My oldest daughter is 6 and quite clumsy, and I get frustrated with her when she spills food / drinks. It seems like every time we give her a glass of something, it winds up spilled.
I'm done getting frustrated. We'll work on cleaning it up and work to keep it from happening again, without frustration or irritation in my voice.
nic131 ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 15:00:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm just absolutely euphoric that this is resonating with others the way that it always has with me. Thank you for wanting to better yourself as a parent, and as a person.
Captain_Wompus ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 18:56:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can't thank you enough for sharing this. I've always known that it's something I need to change - I get frustrated pretty easily (due to a number of different "life" things) and I've been working on letting things go, but I feel like your story is what will push me over the edge and drive me to change.
Our 6 year old is the smartest, funniest, sweetest little girl and I never want to adversely affect who she will be as a person.
therealleotrotsky ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 13:38:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That reminds me of the scene in Mad Men with Megan and the spilled milkshake. Don is just baffled and amazed at how calm and kind she is.
Obvious0ne ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:11:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This thread is making me feel out of touch... i have no idea what "inside out" is (mentioned in the post title) and I haven't seen Mad Men except for like 1 episode & don't know who Megan is.
daroush10 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:36:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Disney animated movie, premise is that people are machines piloted by 5 personified emotions, Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear. Really touching and heartwarming movie, highly recommend it.
decidedlyindecisive ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:21:40 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Inside Out is a great film. I'd recommend it to anyone.
feloser ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 13:37:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My wife is like your mother. Great and loving most of the time but prone to yelling. She'll yell and scold him while I'll worry about how he's feeling and buy him another cone with the promise of a toy. Pretty sure we're messing him up
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:19:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
reapy54 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 20:34:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You have friends that care enough about you to dislike hearing you rip yourself a new one, they sound like good people. If good people want to be around you, you are therefore more than capable of being a good romantic partner.
I've been watching Avatar with my kids recently and one of Iroh's quotes fits in well here. It went something like "If you never do things you cannot do, you will never be more than you are right now".
If you wish to be a great partner, you have to being by being a poor partner, you will never learn to work well in a relationship if you allow your fear of failure to stop you from trying in the first place.
I well understand this as anxiety stops me from doing many things for fear of failure. But failure is to be expected and to be normal, it is how we become talented at anything, repeated trials until it works.
Good luck!
Allhailthe8 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:47:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dude, im close to your age, and i would say my mom's kind of similar in some aspects. She's a single mother, and she used to do A LOT of yelling when i was little. She'd be happy and cheerful one moment, the next she'd start cursing all over the place in anger, and make me feel worthless in general. Made me wonder if she really loved me at all. But then realized my worth in other things. And i understood that the things she said in anger were just that, things said in anger. She had a serious flaw of misplacing her anger. Something bad would happen to her, and she'd instead take it out on the person nearest to her. I had a serious talk with her after i grew up. Hmm, I'd say she kind of mellowed out with age, but she's definitely better than before. But more importantly, i learned not to hate her for that, accept her for who she is. She raised me on her own after all. And i learned that hanging onto the words of other people, be they your close friends or even your parents, is massive foolishness. I still love you mom!
sonixflash ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:22:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like you need to have a talk with your wife man. Depending on the age maybe your kid too.
Best of luck.
feloser ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:31:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
She's an Asian from Southeast Asia. Our grandmothers, mothers, and her sisters are like that. I swear all Asian women are like that. The whole tiger mom thing. Yelling is normal to us, its when they're quiet that you have to worry.
zeroedout666 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:02:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You have normalized the horrible behavior. Here is a link on the concept https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normalization_%28sociology%29?wprov=sfla1
Getting angry regularly isn't okay.
sonixflash ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:46:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh my bad I didn't realize it was a cultural thing. No judgement meant was just hoping for the well being of the child.
Special_McSpecialton ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:30:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Watching people drop their ice cream is one of a handful of things that give me unreasonable sads. I'm so glad you were able to witness compassion in response to that, and to be able to share it with your dad.
Obvious0ne ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 18:19:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember very clearly my GF dropping a new jar of mustard that she had bought for us. It was a little thing, but I could see the little joy/triumph as she was showing me what she'd gotten for us turn into sadness and disappointment and it has stuck with me for many years.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:06:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's just so stereotypical that I'd go full Platoon and fall to my knees in exaggerated despair. Like crying over spilt milk.
MAADcitykid ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:49:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Point number one.. Shit. Idk if I can have kids, I wanna be that type of parents but I don't think I could
Botschild ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:00:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was a beautiful story to share. Got me thinking about how important it is to not sweat the little things and the major impact these things can have even on the casual observer.
After my wife's miscarriage and seeing the intense hurt she was going through (I was hurting but can't even compare it to hers) I said to myself that no matter what, I won't get upset with her over BS again, because I could see how badly see wanted to be a mother and how badly I wanted her to mother our children.
nic131 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you, as I've said, I'm so proud that it's having an impact on people, as it did on me.
I'm sorry for your loss. It's a pain that carries with you forever, and I'm glad you are there for her to comfort and understand.
ImDravenUCrazy ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:48:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
TL;DR:
Don't be a cunt over spilled ice cream.
I mean the person already lost their ice cream... be fucking nice.
Five_Decades ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:29:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That ice cream story is great.
Bladelink ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:30:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That first one was incredibly interesting. I always have a soft spot for people who get a nice thing and then have it ruined.
Rocky_Bukkake ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:20:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
wow reminds me of my step mom. not the kindness but the meanness. taught me maybe a really important thing: what not to be, ever.
notsherriseeley ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:01:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my oldest memories is of getting a cone at the Evergreen Dairy Bar in Southampton, NJ. It was vanilla custard and I was dancing around with my freshly filled cone. You can guess what happened next. My Mom just said too bad. Didn't even try to get me a refill. She was a bad Mom in so many ways.
crazymrrainbow ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:45:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember seeing a kid drop his ice cream on the floor, he was devastated and was really crying. All his mum did was scoop the ice cream off the floor and put it back on to the cone. It didn't help funnily enough!
Viperbunny ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:16:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I am sorry for your loss. I really hope things are better for you now. They sound like they are.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:19:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If you drop choc-chip on my watch I'll have your guts for garters.
dorekk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:49:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh man. I am experiencing a lot of feelings right now.
beepbeepitsajeep ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:08:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Even if you bought me ice cream, I'd just drop it anyway.
mr_pleco ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:16:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Real moment, I don't know which way my wife would go in this situation. Her mom was very abusive (not saying your mother was but her mom definitely was) and is clearly the second type. My wife wants to be the first type but she always reflexively falls into the second type when she's stressed/tired/etc.
It's a big part of why I'm very leery of having children with her. It's very concerning to me because I know from my own memories that small moments like that have very disproportionate influences on your development.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:27:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
mr_pleco ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:50:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've paid for years of therapy after my own efforts were insufficient and done everything else possible that I could do to help enforce her own efforts in improving her responses to stressful situations.
She's gotten much better, but when life isn't perfect, she's a different person and falls back into her old patterns. And most of the time life isn't perfect.
She knows this is a major flaw and she shares your same fears. We've talked about it a lot, but talking didn't make it go away. I've just been in a "wait and see" stage for years now so it's frustrating.
I don't really have a point in posting any of this other than I guess as an expression of frustration to somebody I know who would understand.
pro-life-dicks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:16:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So what happened between your parents after story #1?
Fordrus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:26:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh man, that first story- that absolutely makes me cry, because I- well- if I could, I would do that for the whole world. Hug it, dust it off, get it another ice cream cone, tell it "these things happen," and watch it smile.
I know that's very silly, the world isn't homogenous enough for that at all, but dangit, I wish I could give everyone the feeling that child surely felt when his mother comforted him that those things happen sometimes.
jawknee21 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:20:43 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Twist: the stranger that gave you gold was that little boy. (and he'd probably drop the ice cream and cry about it)
Judasthehammer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:40:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Regarding the miscarriage, I'm sorry for your loss.
Internet hugs
sintaroactual ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:08:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What type of peeing is this?
Back2Bach ยท 1276 points ยท Posted at 10:49:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting up at 5:15 a.m. before school for 12 years - starting at age 6 and continuing to 18 - to do 1 1/2 hrs. of piano practice.
The memory is so etched in my mind that it's the first thing I think of doing after waking up.
LightDrago ยท 401 points ยท Posted at 12:08:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out with the piano part.
Do you still play occasionally? I started a little more than a year ago and always regret not doing so when I was younger. With that much practice for years you must be pretty good.
Alkalilee ยท 295 points ยท Posted at 13:24:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
An hour a day for 12 years can get you "pretty good", haha. I'm 19 and have my ARCT, started when I was 7. I was never a morning person and I practice on a baby grand so I played in the evenings. Piano is a thing that unlike a lot of sports you can get good at whenever you want. I had a 30 year old beginner student that was making leaps every week before she had to leave getting ready for her first kid. I sure hope she comes back soon, she was my favourite to teach.
kryssiecat ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 13:53:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Even if you have short, stubby fingers?
I want to learn to play guitar and piano but I have confidence issues and my brother told me we're not built to play either because of our short fingers.
LvS ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 14:02:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes.
You can google lots of children playing guitar and your hands are larger than those of a 7 year old.
And then there's Django Reinhardt who had only 3 fingers and was still one of the best guitar players ever.
omnicidial ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:40:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Best bass player in the entire world arguably has short stubby fingers.
https://youtu.be/eynnYLXW3Fo
dorekk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:16:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
God damn, he's good.
omnicidial ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:55:19 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He's the kind of good I rarely see but did see a few people where I felt like I would never be that good at anything in life watching them play.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:21:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
omnicidial ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:13:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Vic has shorter fingers than me and my hands are not big. My buddy has fingers nearly 2" longer than mine lol he has good fret reach.
My 10 year old plays a small bass too, her hands Def much smaller than mine.
Howtofightloneliness ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:24:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't matter. Even the most talented violinists in history have short stubby fingers, and you have to have very nimble fingers to play.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:03:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My girlfriend has short stubby fingers and plays bass. Admittedly, she is tiny and plays a short-scale bass (Ibanez's Mikro line, if you were curious), and is still working up to the bigger stretches, but I'm sure that there's nothing she won't be able to do with some practice.
Name_Shmame ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:19:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think I needed to read this. I play piano, a select set of songs to be exact. I cannot read music well and have never been able to play sheet music but I really really want to. Going to carve out a bit of time in my day and hope that I can do as good as your student did :)
gigabytegary ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:48:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This makes me want to get back into playing. I used to as a kid but fell out of it when my social life seemed more important as I was turning into a teenager. Mid-20s now and I often find myself regretting not sticking with it.
Swatone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:17:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Aha, I'm 16 and prepping for grade 10. I also practice on a baby grand, but I practice in the mornings. My family has just gotten used to it, I guess. I suppose there's a reason they put doors on the living room...
Alkalilee ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:33:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you RCM? I hope you get the same guy that graded me, I sucked my first piece but he gave me almost full marks because it was January and he thought my hands were cold. What a guy.
Swatone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:34:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. That's super lucky. On my Grade 9 the lady docked me marks because I rolled chords in a jazz piece. Kinda ridiculous.
And aha, maybe you got my dad. He's an examiner. (You probably didn't, but it'd be a funny coincidence.)
Alkalilee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:42:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe. My guy was older, pretty thin. I did my exam in Mississauga. I firmly believe I played to a 75-80 but got an 89. In grade 9 I screwed up scales and got 78.
Swatone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:42:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Aha, not my dad. On my Grade 9 I think I played 55-60, got 65. Solid for prepping the whole exam in under a week... :p
Alkalilee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:00:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What. Did you learn every piece in 7 days?
Swatone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:54:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, not exactly. I learned about half my list A, half B, all of C, all of D, and all of both studies in a weekish, maybe a week and a half. Not to mention technique, I kinda blitz practiced that the day of. I'm pretty shit with time management.
Alkalilee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:16:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I never prepared for any exam less than 8 months but I skipped testing for prep, 1-5 and 7. I just kinda quickly did stuff from the first books and then suddenly started grade 6.
Swatone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:25:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's fun. I theoretically "prepare" 8 months in advance. Except for when I procrastinate and leave everything to the last week or so.
aixenprovence ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:00:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was wondering if you could give me a little advice. (This is long, but the questions are fairly straightforward, hopefully.)
I have a little bit of musical background, although it is not strong. I played saxophone in middle school and high school, and I've played a little guitar since then for enjoyment.
Back in high school, I took piano briefly, and the teacher proceeded by giving me a simple song, and having me basically memorize it, and then doing the one on the next page, ad infinitum. I eventually decided that I wasn't getting much out of the instruction; frankly, I can just go through rote memorization of a book of simple songs without paying for someone to give me due dates.
What I thought I would have liked instead would have been a teacher who would e.g. teach scales and then teach a song related to that scale, or teach arpeggios and pentatonic scales that turn up in particular kinds of songs, or whatever. That is, I'd like to learn skills, and to learn exercises that relate to those skills, rather than rote memorization of simple songs. Maybe this is brattish of me, but exercises and understanding the logic of songs are just more interesting than rote memorization of songs. There are no shortcuts, but the intent of the process would be to enjoy it, so whether rote memorization of songs is interesting is a key point.
So, 2 questions:
Question 1) Does that make sense? Do I have an idealized view of what a piano teacher can be? Or is it really pretty much just a question of starting with a book of simple songs and basically learning each one by rote? Can it be more?
I've always admired people who can e.g. hear a song and start figuring out on the piano how to play it immediately. Can that type of reasoning be taught? ("That sounds like it's in G-minor7, maybe?") Or is it just a function of having played for many years? I would love to have the logic of music and the piano in particular internalized to the point that I could improvise and just noodle around on the piano, rather than just having some repertoire of songs I memorized at some point, like a crappy iPod.
Question 2) If styles of teachers do vary in the way I had hoped, then can you recommend how I could find a teacher that would e.g. teach exercises rather than rote memorization of simple songs? I'd hate for someone to come by our house and start teaching me just to have to tell them "thanks but no thanks." (This would clearly be cruel and, again, bratty.)
Alkalilee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:35:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) There is no ideal teacher. There is only an ideal mix of teacher + student. If you would like to learn skills and more technical aspects of the piano by all means play through scale books and pick out studies from popular selection lists, etc. The way it worked for me was I had an RCM book per grade level, with a few pieces from each major era, and a few studies in the back. The repertoire was more for performance and studies were more for one single aspect of playing. For tests, these studies were worth fewer marks.
2) It took me a few teachers before I landed on one I liked. You can't just find a site that siffs through teachers and picks the one you need. Try different people. If you really want to get better at the instrument you have to be honest with people. Tell them what you need or tell them that unfortunately these lessons won't work out.
Being able to learn pieces by ear comes from both playing a lot, and listening a lot. Once you play a certain chord enough times you'll start hearing it in music, but don't ever focus on learning everything by ear. Sight reading is equally if not more important.
aixenprovence ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:14:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Got it. Thanks for the advice.
herecomesthenightman ยท -35 points ยท Posted at 13:43:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Oh worry not, she will. As a MILF nontheless. ( อกยฐ อส อกยฐ)
mister_bmwilliams ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 13:46:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why you gotta make it like that though?
herecomesthenightman ยท -21 points ยท Posted at 14:05:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why not
Sonja_Blu ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 14:28:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Because you've sexualized something completely non-sexual for no reason. It's disrespectful and creepy as fuck. Lady just wants to play the piano, keep it in your pants.
fool_on_a_hill ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:08:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
dude
DoctorWaluigiTime ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:40:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember the username. Think he's a teacher of it now actually.
theasianpianist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:59:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not OP but I started piano lessons when I was 4, practiced 5-6 hours a week until I was 16 maybe, still play a little bit (18 now). I'd consider myself decent at piano but whatever I could do always paled in comparison with the oodles of talent that some of the people I've met have.
nfstopsnuf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:15:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember when I taught myself piano at age 7, maybe played 5 hours a day, then I got into lessons at a local music academy (very informal) and played around 2 hours a day. My teacher said after two years that I was too advanced for her or any of the other teachers and suggested I go to this very formal private school for music, so I went but in that environment I felt very pressured to play the piano, so I only ended up playing an hour a week. I quit lessons at the beginning of high school, and ever since I quit I've been playing 4-5 hours a day. Sadly, it's too late for lessons now and I'm getting ready for college soon.
theasianpianist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:24:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You were a very dedicated 7 year old. My parents were always pressuring me to practice more and more which led to me growing to hate piano at one point. Now that there's no pressure and no more lessons, I've come to love playing it again and have spent more time playing than I did before.
nfstopsnuf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:12:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think the main problem was the pressure in addition to my teacher selecting pieces from all musical periods. I always had three pieces at a time, sometimes four, one from Baroque, one Classical, one Romantic, and sometimes a contemporary. Now without a teacher I've found the Romantic period to be the most beautiful and I'm studying Chopin and Rachmaninoff right now with a touch of Liszt.
theasianpianist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:20:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Similarly, now that I can choose which pieces to study I've basically done all contemporary.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:03:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Now he's a music teacher
ProbablyNotTheOP ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:42:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, I do still play occasionally. Not regularly or anything like that. I did get quite good, not a virtuoso by any means, but I got to play piano for the New Hampshire All State Wind Ensemble my senior year of high school.
Now it's just so I can bring back the memories of better, simpler times.
import_FixEverything ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:57:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Relevant username
Believe_Land ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I thought Bach played a harpsichord?
hwarang_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I thought Bach played power forward for the Providence Steamrollers.
gfysbro ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:57:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He seemed to specialize in all keyboard instruments:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Sebastian_Bach#Instrumentation
hwarang_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:03:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He also had a deft touch and thrived in the pick-n-roll.
SincerelyYourStupid ยท 146 points ยท Posted at 12:25:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I can't really figure out, is this a good memory or a bad one? My daughter is 6 and we're about to enroll her in piano lessons... I'm not sure how excited I am about it potentially being such a huge part of her life (for her sake, I mean)
Foursur ยท 243 points ยท Posted at 12:47:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just makes sure it's what SHE enjoys.
drmrsanta ยท 174 points ยท Posted at 13:17:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I'd also say to try to help her enjoy it, and explain to her why it's important. My parents put me in piano lessons in 8th grade. Bought a piano for me to practice. I'd already been in band since 5th, playing the trombone. I honestly don't remember if I'd asked for it or if they just wanted me to.
I liked it for the first year or so. Then high school came, and I hated practicing. I wanted to do other things; play sports, smoke pot, hang out with friends. I don't think I lasted more than another year at it, and they let me quit.
Fast forward 10 years, I'm married, my wife has a piano, and I look at it all the time, wishing my parents had pushed a little harder for me to keep playing. I wish I could sit down and play it now.
TL;DR: Kids are dumb, and don't always know what they will want later in life. At least I was.
EDIT: To everyone saying I can still learn it, you're right. When I said I wish I could sit down and play it now, I meant already have the skill. I do sit down once in a while and practice. But I also travel for work a fair amount (so I'm not home) and when I am, I have a kid that I enjoy spending every second I can with, and when he's sleeping, there are other things that take priority right now (spending time with my wife without the kid, cleaning/fixing up the house, helping my elderly mother, etc). It's not an excuse, it's reality.
ohmygodcharliedarwin ยท 25 points ยท Posted at 13:44:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Imagine if they had pushed you while you werent motivated though and you would have missed out on sports, hanging out with your friends, smoking pot and doing other teenage things. You prpbably would've wondered what your teens would have been like without the piano then. There are always past choices that people can think about how they would've done differently.
GoldenRays ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:30:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's never too late to learn. If you did 3 years worth of band practice I assume you remember what a score looks like, start basic and you can teach yourself.
Good luck :)
hidude398 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:42:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I taught myself the basics from handbell choir and an Aunt who plays piano. I don't have time to teach myself but it's still possible!
GoldenRays ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:01:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There are a couple of basic things you could start with - Maybe 10 minutes a day of memorisation with each of them:
Obviously the treble clef and bass clef staves (the two most used on piano) and then the circle of fifths - which will teach you all the major and minor patterns that you would need to know.
Treble and Bass:
Treble Spaces - Every Good Boy Deserves Football
Treble Lines - FACE
"Middle C" is a useful reference note - It's two lines below the treble clef stave and two above the base clef stave.
Bass Spaces - Good Boys Do Fine Always
Bass Lines - All Cows Eat Grass
Circle of Fifths - This is the chord progression, i.e. Move up 5 notes on the keyboard (From C to G) you would add a sharp in to the scale. This continues until you hit F# or Gb (which are effectively the same scale!).
If you know this then you're able to read most sheet music (if not all) and from there it is a case of practicing what you can see on the sheet... Knowing this also allows you to read tabs (which is what I do, mostly) as chord patterns are basically ingrained in my head. The people I really envy are the ones who can read sheet music as if it's nothing and play almost perfectly first time.
drmrsanta ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I actually stuck with trombone all through high school, but mainly because it was a class I could take. I can still read music, but playing one note at a time (and usually half or whole notes since trombone isn't usually the melody) is way different than playing chords with one hand and melody with the other.
I practice once in a while. I just wish I had stuck with it.
cbessette ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:25:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I taught myself to play piano at around age 28. I don't read music, I just learned chords and play by ear or chord charts. There is no reason you can't play piano. Learn a G,C, and D chord and you can play hundreds of songs in various genres.
I know a lot of piano players that literally cannot play the piano unless there is music sitting in front of them. I think that is a defect in piano instruction methods and it discourages people.
BabyNinjaJesus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:24:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
unless you've literally lost your hands theres zero reason why you cant pick it back up.
"i just dont have the time"
Yea they all say that, but if you really cared about it, you really gave a shit and wanted to do it. you'd find the time, somewhere within your routine, where you can sit down and just practice, even for an hour. its not a race, its a marathon.
dwild ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:35:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I prefer regreting a decision I took instead of regreting a decision someone else took.
Imagine what would have happened if you took piano and you regreted not having theses teenagers experiences. You would hate your parent for pushing you instead of hating yourself.
drmrsanta ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:46:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't hate myself, and I'm glad they didn't FORCE me to do it, but I wish they would have tried to explain why it was important, and that I might appreciate it someday.
I'm not saying I needed to practice 3 hours a day and be a concert level pianist, but a couple hours a week wouldn't have hurt. I probably could have found some happy medium.
Swatone ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:21:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents are musicians. They started me on piano when I was six, and I loved it. By the time I was twelve, I despised it. I didn't wanna waste my time practicing. However, my dad's rule was always "You play until you get your ARCT or you move out. Your choice."
Fast forward to sixteen, I'm so glad they didn't let me quit. I love playing, and I can't imagine stopping.
DarkAngel401 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:27:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
8th grade is about the time I got a piano too. Not a baby grand or anything like that. It was something my grandpa found either for free or cheap. It was an electric one. It ended up catching on fire.
Fartoholic ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 14:19:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's bullshit. You only have one childhood. You can always learn the piano.
Detaineee ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:25:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My wife and I worked hard to do that with our daughter. We signed her up for lessons and told her we would keep paying for lessons (approx $250 / month) as long as she kept working at it.
I would drop her off and the teacher would always ask me what I wanted her to learn and I always told them to ask my daughter because if she loses interest, then the lessons end. Some of the teachers had a hard time with that.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:25:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I dunno, man; look at a_username_to_be's comment right below yours expressing gratitude to his parents for "guiding" him through years of piano practice until he was finally able to understand the instrument and truly enjoy it. You have to be sensitive enough not to force her to do something if she truly is miserable, but prioritizing a six-year-old's "enjoyment" over all else isn't really the thing, imho.
ttothesecond ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:54:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I kinda disagree with this actually... My mom made me take piano starting in 2nd grade, and I absolutely HATED it. She would watch over my shoulder as I practiced, get impatient when I messed up, and we argued constantly about practicing and why I have to take lessons. She would constantly remind me that I would thank her when I'm older. Of course I never believed her.
And here I am at 25, a professional player on the side, absolutely love everything about piano haha.
I guess my point is that if you think she has a lot of potential, it can work out in the long run to "force" it on her. Kids don't operate on future potential of passion and enjoyment; all they know is how much they hate practicing right now.
notagnes ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:12:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
To further this, my parents made me play violin starting when I was 5. I always wanted to play cello, but my mom thought it would be too awkward to lug around. I played violin for ten years and always HATED it. It's a true shame because I genuinely believe if I had been allowed to play cello I would still occasionally play, but because I didn't choose it always felt like a forced chore.
badmother ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:55:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd just add that she will stick with it if she's playing tunes she enjoys hearing.
(I started teaching myself aged 19 - still play practically daily, yet many people I know who did grade 7 or 8 gave it up, as it was a chore. Sad.)
matwick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:18:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wish my parents beat me into playing piano. Piano players get the babes.
Qonold ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:50:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a proponent of this idea in principle, but as someone who enjoys a plethora of skills my parents forced onto me, I don't know if it's always the best approach.
Only now as an adult do I understand that the talents I have are a product of me and my parents' mutual suffering.
a_username_to_be ยท 75 points ยท Posted at 12:48:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Play piano myself, also started at around 6/7-ish. The first 4 years were terrible cause I never really liked practicing. But then, one day, I reached that certain level where you understand the instrument you're playing and are able to perform more than just variations of Twinkle little star. Suddenly I feel in love playing piano and i'm so glad my parents guided me through in the beginning - just not at 5:15am!
CentaurOfDoom ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:14:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This. Once you get past the basic "lesson books" filled with crap like Hot Cross Buns, and are able to play what you want to play- Then it's fun. I'm 16, been playing piano for 9 years. Haaaaaated it at the beginning, because I really disliked what I had to practice. Now I play songs from things close to my heart- Right now I'm doing some pixar songs, and I just finished a song from a video game.
andremeda ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:12:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Similar experience over here. I started playing piano at the early age of 4. I imagine I was pretty shit back then.
I never really enjoyed playing until I reached about 12/13. Once I had that appreciation for the instrument, I enjoyed it a lot more.
Alkalilee ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:26:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I started to like playing once I hit the point when I could hear a piece I liked, and had the technique to learn it. Before then I wasn't very happy playing, but did it because it was part of my routine.
travworld ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:40:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I started at around age 9 or 10. I always hated having to go to practice and it became a chore to me.
I quit when I was able to at around age 13 or so, and the older I get, the more I regret quitting as a teenager. I was a lazy little shit back then that just wanted to play video games.
Nowadays at 25, there's a lot of piano music that I love to listen to and I wish I could play it.
augustholiday ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:04:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I took piano lessons as a kid for a few years. Always hated to practice, and as such never really progressed. Years later, whenever I saw a piano I'd get a simple joy out of noodling around and playing things by ear. I've gotten to the point where I've started learning songs again, mostly via memorization watching those synthesia videos on youtube. I've also started to be able to improve decently. I may not be the best player but I really enjoy playing. It's an immense stress reliever.
thefranchise23 ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 13:14:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Obviously it's not good to force somebody to do something they don't want to do, but as someone who was put in piano at 2nd grade and has been playing for over 10 years now (and I work multiple paying piano jobs), don't let her quit easily. I know so many people who get to their late teens /early 20s and say "I wish I never quit piano lessons." piano lessons are extra work and kids are lazy (I was too. My parents encouraged me to continue).
I'm not trying to say she can never quit, but she might be thankful if you push her to stay in it for a while.
Edit: also, like someone else said, practicing and playing gets more enjoyable as you get better.
letuswatchtvinpeace ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:04:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
To some extent, you have to push kids or they would never try anything or learn anything.
thefranchise23 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:26:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I agree. That's more or less what I was trying to get at in my post
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:05:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yep. Really wish I stayed, now I can barely play anything anymore.
ImJLu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:38:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was forced into it for many years and I fucking hated it. Now I dislike playing instruments in general. Be careful.
PrinceOfCups13 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:41:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As an adult, I am so thankful that my mom made me take piano lessons as a little kid. Piano helped me learn to play the trumpet and the guitar, plus it improved my singing abilities. Basically it helped to spark a love of music that has endured through all these years.
But I hated taking lessons when I was little. Music isn't fun until you can play songs you genuinely enjoy playing. The first song I enjoyed playing was Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata."
SamuraiSmurfette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:14:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents put me in piano lessons when i was about 6 or so? I hated it. Hated that i had to practice when i could hear the other kids outside having fun. When i got to age 13, is when i started to like it. mostly because it was just an inescapable part of who i was, and i didn't really develop any other hobbies. I eventually went on to study music at university and got my bachelor's. I then packed up all of my books and never touched the keyboard again. I wouldn't say I regret it, but it's a part of who i am. Just be sure you allow your kid to be a kid first, and a pianist second.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:21:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I played piano for about 15 years, since I was 5. I definitely hated it a lot when I was younger but as I was older it was kind of neat to be good at something and now, even though I don't practice anymore it's nice that I can hear a song I like and pound it out on my own within a few minutes. It sucked at times but it isn't really a negative memory and the payoff is good. I've never met anyone that really regretted learning an instrument as a kid but I've met a ton of people who regretted not.
Edit: see if you can watch a performance or recording of the play Two Pianos Four Hands. Very funny play but also very poignant for those of us who grew up practicing.
Bachs_fingering ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:01:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've been teaching piano for five years and what I've noticed is that you have to be just as involved in it as she is. Sit in her lessons. Sit with her while she practices. Also, a six year old only needs 10-15mins of practice a day to progress. Consistency is important. Playing every day is more important than the amount of time you play each day.
SincerelyYourStupid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:15:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Excellent comment! This is honestly something I hadn't thought much about (mostly because my wife also plays and she's very keen on the idea of our daughter learning... I guess I'm expecting my wife to pull this weight, but I'll make sure to align with her first)
flat6turbo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:03:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
i didn't want to play piano (i liked guitar), but they refused to let me learn guitar and made me play piano, i still hold it against them to this day.
take a minute to ponder how fucking stupid that is.
SincerelyYourStupid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:13:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Agreed, that's pretty fucking stupid.
penaltylvl ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:07:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What /u/Foursur said, so much. Tl;dr at end. I started at age 6 myself in kindergarten, but not bc I wanted to. I was asked bc my older cousin was starting to learn, and I said no. Come that Christmas, my parents bought me an upright piano as a gift. I was young, so I thought it was cool, but not so much when lesson started.
I had lessons once a week, and the teacher wrote out all the days of the week, and told me to check mark the days I practied for 30 mins. When I started, I practiced every day bc that's what I was told to do, and my mom forced me. I hated it as it got more difficult. You can say I learned how to lie bc of this, bc I started fibbing the days I actually practiced by the 2nd grade. This is a memory I clearly remember, realizing that she doesn't have to know if I really practiced or not.
I kept doing it to please my parents and bc other family friends did it too, and we'd have parties every month or so and they'd make us play to show off. It was torture.
BUT, it does get better :) When I hit high school, I realized I knew enough to play what ever music I personally wanted tobplay, not just the lame lesson books. So, I ended up playing hours everyday, playing all the music from TV shows, movies, the radio, classics I thought were cool, and barely practiced my lessons enough to pass them. My teacher had no clue.
At my last recital (we have recitals each year where we have to play a song memorized at our level of play in front of all the students and families all dressed up), I was supposed to play Memories from Cats, but I made a hybrid of of Memories and Waltz in D Flat Major OP. 64, 1 by Chopin, aka the Minute Waltz. My teacher had no idea I could play music to that caliber bc she thought I never practiced anything. She never knew bc I never told her I practiced for hrs playing the music I want to play, not the crap she gave me. If anything, I wish I could go back in time and tell her how miserable I was playing the stuff she gave me and instead she made me practice what I wanted instead. I proably would have been a much better pianist than what I was when I left for college.
Tl;dr: If your kid wants to play, go for it. If they are forced, it may or may not go wrll, depending if they find their passion while learning. Get them to play the songs they want to play after they master the basics, which is unavoidable and boring depending on your kid's enthusiam.
hasumasu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:08:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly? There's really no way to know how it will turn out. I wish I had started piano young, but I wouldn't have liked it for more than ten years.
jaywinner ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:37:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As an adult, I sometimes wish I knew how to play the piano but I'm sure I would have hated taking lessons for it as a kid and I'm not exactly taking lessons now either.
SenseiCAY ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:49:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nothing wrong with it now, but it has to be something that she enjoys in a few years time, not just something you want her to do and enjoy through her. If that's the case, then just take lessons yourself.
I was forced to do it for six years. Why? Because during Maoist China, piano was outlawed and my mom wanted to play so badly but she couldn't by law, and I should appreciate the opportunity. Fuck that noise. Can't I play guitar or take voice lessons? Nope. Gotta be piano.
I won a free group voice lesson a few years ago through a karaoke competition (I was 27 or 28) and the teacher said that I have a fantastic voice. I don't have the time or money for lessons right now, and I wish my mom had listened to my wishes back then.
When my sister left for college, funnily enough, my mom started taking piano lessons.
splooshcupcake ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:35:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I played piano from age 5-18 and in college accompanied my church every week. I LOVED playing the piano. I had a shitty childhood and relatively shitty parents and piano was my escape. None of my siblings played, so it was mine and mine alone.
I lived in New York for most of my adult life and couldn't afford a piano or get it up the six flights of stairs. Now that I live in a house with room, I'm working to get a piano in my home because it will make me feel like ME again.
SincerelyYourStupid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:14:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Awesome! Best of luck getting that piano, it sounds like a beautiful connection you have with that instrument.
King_Poro ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Speaking as someone who has played since 5 years of age - It will seriously be tough for your daughter at times. During my time playing the piano, there were many points when I just broke down in front of my teacher, and seriously considered just quitting. At these kinds of times its important that you are there to support your daughter, and its even better if you take an active role throughout her musical education by following her progress with her teacher. It is a grind for many years before it pays off, but when it finally clicks, it is all worth it.
thedogcow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:02:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents put me in piano when I was en elementary school, so about the same age. I was never excited about it, and they let me stop sometime in middle school (i think).
I am much older now and it's one of the things I am most grateful for. Becoming 'fluent' in sheet music opens up a lot of doors - and makes it way easier to learn other instruments later.
It's not a huge part of my life, but it is definitely part of me. It goes without saying but everyone is different, this is just my story.
flamingtoastjpn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:17:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's worth it, go for it. As long as she doesn't hate it, learning music is worth it. (If she does hate it, I'd try finding her another instrument that she does like).
My parents signed me up for piano lessons when I was about the same age, and while I stopped playing music after middle school, I don't regret learning it.
BabylonMcToolbar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:23:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Played guitar for like 9 years from 7 to 16 or so, never cared much for practice but the lessons were the reason why i kept at it for so long. My parents have asked me lots of times if i wanted to continue cause id hardly play but i guess thats what teenagers do. Now after not touching the thing for like 3 years im having the time of my life playing it and learning songs and am pretty grateful of all the years of practice ive had. Give them a push in the right direction but dont force anything.
SosX ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:43:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As someone that plays guitar and has many musician friends it's always something good, me I am self taught but have friends that started very little, I think after the initial pain passes everyone enjoys their instruments.
korravai ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:45:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Having a good teacher helps. I had a strict Russian lady the first year and it was awful but then I switched to a very matronly, fun-loving teacher and I stuck with her until I graduated high school and loved it.
BetterThanOP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:50:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Big difference between just "enrolling your daughter in piano lessons" and the heavily forced structure that Op just described. Just pay attention to how she feels about it, it could be an amazing idea and she never would've known if you didn't try.
sushiitaco ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:59:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I agree with other people that kids are dumb and don't really understand what's good for them or what they want so it's good to keep that in mind but also encourage their interests in other areas.
kisakisa_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:35:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents put me in piano lessons around the same age. At first I really loved playing the piano. What really made me hate it was the fact that my dad would force me to sit and practice every single day for 1-2 hours from when I was 6 up to 14. I became really good at playing and reading music because of that, but it made me miserable to the point where I was incredibly mean to my piano teachers because I didn't want to be forced to play anymore. The one who taught me from the beginning to when I was 12 quit teaching me because I was being mean to her. I quit playing at 14 when my parents sold my baby grand because they were having financial problems. I'm 23 now and I really miss playing the piano now that nobody can force me to play but me. It was such a big part of my life. I wish I could play again, but pianos are expensive and I can't afford it at the moment.
ColorYouClingTo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:09:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents forced me to practice 20 minutes every day. I hated it. I often cried while practicing.
Now, I am SO happy they made me do it. It is the most comforting, amazing feeling in the world to sit down and be able to play anything I want. It's beautiful.
harrisonfordspelvis ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:30:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds brutal. Did it - with all due respect - ever amount to anything?
Tran-sistor ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:40:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If you're into anime, I recommend watching Your Lie In April
noodle-face ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:13:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This reminds me of a kid up the street.
He was a prodigy I'd guess, at least the best piano player anyone had ever seen around here. He played in every talent show, every school play, even got some gig working as a pianist out of high school, but that was later.
I remember his family being very very weird. No one was allowed in their house, and he had to go to bed at 7:00PM when he was 13.
one day we went over there to fuck with him and his family, we were just going to bang on the side of their house and run away, don't judge me. We looked in the window and the whole family was eating dinner except him, he was playing piano. He went to get up and asked if he could eat and they yelled at him that he had to keep playing, so he did.
We didn't bang on his windows that day, we felt too bad.
NaCl-more ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:56:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn. If I got up that early and played my Asian parents would simultaneously be very proud and mad at me for waking them up.
alextoria ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:00:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
did your parents get mad at you for waking them up? sometimes I play piano too late at night and they make me stop bc they're sleeping
NaCl-more ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:42:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents would. But they'd also be proud of me for taking the initiative to practice
crowscountingspades ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sooooo...how's that keyboard thing workin' out for ya'?
(What are you doing with your piano skills?)
hwarang_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Please tell me you sell insurance for a living.
DoesCheckOut ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:51:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out.
VeryMuchDutch101 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:56:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Waking up early and doing stuff BEFORE work is a really good habbit that I have never learned. I am doing it now, and it is great!
cunnilyndey ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:04:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ah yes, I have a very similar memory. Starting in kindergarten, my grandmother would come over to our house at 6am and make me practice piano in the hours before school. This went on until I graduated from high school. I hated every minute. But I suppose now I appreciate my ability to play and to read music. I guess I had to get something out of those 13 years.
captain_duck ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Piano practice at 5 in the morning? I hope you had a freestanding home because i would have murdered you if you were my neighbour.
Tykenolm ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:40:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not to sound creepy, but aren't you the piano teacher? I think I've talked to you about piano b4
acethetix ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:40:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I used to do this way back in elementary school, now almost 20 years later I have redeveloped the habit as a music producer. I love my mornings again :)
jwws1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:54:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was one of those too but absolutely hated it. I couldn't hang out with friends, go to football games, etc. I kept telling myself that i couldn't disappoint my parents and pretended to like it. But I couldn't keep that up so when I went to college, I completely dropped piano (became a science major). I occasionally play but for my own interest. I've mostly forgotten the pieces I've played for recitals/competitions/exams.
Edit: did this since I was 7-8 when I started the ABRSM exams.
s317sv17vnv ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:20:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank heavens my next door neighbors make their kid practice at 7 pm. (For the record, I live in a house with a shared wall that seemingly has the exact resonant frequency for piano tunes, so it sounds like it's being played in my own house). I'd hate to be woken up by that shit on my days off or days that I work late.
Also, they pull the "don't speak English" card on everything, so it's useless trying to explain to them to move their piano away from the wall.
BiggusDickus123 ยท 331 points ยท Posted at 11:53:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 15 and at a party in a park on the edge of the city, so there were fields on one side of the park.
Anyway the police come and are sound just telling us to keep the noise down we know you are drinking etc...
Obviously people don't quiet down as we are all underage and drunk so the police come back. As soon as that poor first soul is placed in the police car people GTFO.
Forty to fifty drunk adolescents bolt in all directions into the fields. Eventually i stop at a bush occupied by an attractive girl.
We end up kissing and dry humping for ages until her friends eventually find us and tell her they are leaving.
And here is the part that was really burned into my memory.
This girl doesnt want to go and is telling her friends to leave wothout her and then her friend said:
"Come on we need to leave. He's fat anyway."
And that seemed to convince her and off she went.
Tldr Girl called me fat
[deleted] ยท 101 points ยท Posted at 17:34:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If it's any consolation the girl you were with probably didn't agree, but was probably too self conscious and afraid of judgment from her friends.
kay1athegeek ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:03:08 on July 30, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I second this, this could be possible. Peer pressure is freaking tough.
Sasquatous ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 14:34:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
People are shitty. I'm sorry.
blazingbuns ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 16:22:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That part where everyone scattered reminded me of that gif where a cop went inside a tent where people were smoking weed, then everyone ran in all directions.
TheBobopedic ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 17:55:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The full video is worth every single second of the stoned narrator laughing.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:56:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you still fat?
BiggusDickus123 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:50:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Starting to bulk now so I have a little extra on me. ;-)
CottonCandyElephant ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:06:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe phat! 2Phat4Me?
l0b0t0mize ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:35:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
LOL. I'm crying. Thanks for that.
ill_change_it_later ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:05:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But you were getting there, man.
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:20:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:(
theroyaleyeball ยท -37 points ยท Posted at 15:59:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Girls are bitchy. I'd know- I'm one of the non-bitchy ones. Smh... Sorry they said that to you. Some people can be really freaking judgemental.
GatorProcrastinator ยท 313 points ยท Posted at 11:40:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my brother and I made a Tour in Turkey. We signed in for some sort of Tourist Tour in Canakkale. It was really awesome. We usually don't spend much time together because of the age gap of 7 years. Spending all day together and just being silly was a lot fun.
Driving to Turkey with my Parents (2500 km from where we lived). My Mom slept in the backseat most of the time and i sat in the front with my Dad. So i don't have a really good relationship to him but i stayed up all the time because i was scared he would fall asleep while driving. Because of that i kept trying to make conversation and i actually had a good time. Found out a lot about his side of the family (to whom we don't have any contact). At the same time it made me sad to see that he is not in touch with them anymore as some of the stories seemed great.
When i got accepted to University. I got the message really late and at that point i had already given up and thought about studying something else that was easier to get into. By the time i helped all my friends find appartments in the cities that they were moving to. Seeing them all leave while i stay home was pretty devestating. Then i got my acceptance letter and i called all of them. I'll never forget how excited they were and it brings me to tears how awesome they are.
invisiblette ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:10:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Great stories -- I love these.
dealant ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 17:32:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
you sound like you have a great group of friends
Enfield303 ยท 308 points ยท Posted at 12:45:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Chronological Order, kind of pissed how much sad there is here:
Sitting on the stairs hearing my parents argue in the lead up to their divorce when I was 8. Felt like everything was crashing down
Watching WW2 documentaries and eating ginger nut biscuits with my Grandad a few months later well past my bedtime. Those nights shaped me.
Meeting my Step-Dad for the first time. He gave me his SNES in a grey plastic box. I still have it and it still works.
Sitting with my Mum as she explained her ehlers danlos syndrome and how she needed me to help her now. Everything in my life shattered for a second time
Falling in love for the first time to a girl in my English class in year 10. For the first time in quite a while I thought I could open up. The Relief was something else.
Crying my eyes out six months later when she finally broke down and told me she'd only gone out with me as a dare. Let me tell you, that shit breeds trust issues.
My Dyspraxia diagnosis, finally an answer to so many questions.
Leaving school for the final time and realising I was free from all the people I couldn't trust. The Loneliness hurt but I'm better for it.
The growing cold in my arms as I held my cat Tango after he was put to sleep. 19 years of companionship done. I can still hear his last breath in my mind clear as day. I was determined to be there at the end as he was there for me during all my troubles. I took him home and I dug the hole myself, 6ft deep. I decided that now he was gone I didn't wan't to be alone anymore.
Sitting in the middle of a field 3,000 miles away from England in the middle of Pennsylvania surrounded by people I'd met through the internet. Raising my beer to my lips and thinking about how I'd be storming the beaches of "Normandy" in a massive paintball game with them come morning. Looking down at my shirt with our little symbol on it and looking around at everyone wearing the same. Yeah. That was a good feeling.
I'm determined to have more happy memories the next time this question comes around.
uniquememerinos ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 16:31:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
RIP Tango.
Enfield303 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 16:49:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
May he sleep on peoples chests in kitty heaven
uniquememerinos ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:50:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Was that him?
Enfield303 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:55:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yep! The orange wonder in the flesh once upon a time.
Billy_Farrell ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:33:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reminds me of a cat version of Henry the 8th
NaCl-more ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:10:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just remember, the fact that it took 6 months for her to tell you means that she cared about what you thought and your feelings.
lostatwork314 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:20:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Skirmish?
Enfield303 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:22:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yep. ION at Skirmish USA. I fly out to it whenever I can, missed it this year though but my mates still made it.
SkiddlyBum ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:41:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Good for you man. Childhood is rough because you only understand so much and people are shitty (and always will be) but at least you'll grow old knowing you're not one of them.
Edit: btw cool WW2 username. Can see those documentaries were really special
Enfield303 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:52:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks, Appreciate it.
They were, they sparked my interest in history and lent me understanding of what my Grandfather went through. Shame the History channel is nothing but "ALIENS!!!" Right now.
SkiddlyBum ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:21:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love history and I totally agree, it's a shame
FayeBlooded ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:38:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh boy...
If anything, we at /r/ehlersdanlos are there for you if you need to talk about it.
Enfield303 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:57:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's been the reality of our lives for over 10 years now but thankfully at the time we found EDS UK. But thanks for the link I'll check it out.
FayeBlooded ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:42:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sorry to hear that. At least EDS UK is pretty prominent! They do a lot of work for us zebras worldwide.
itzbetter ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 22:16:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The cat one- I put my boy Clinton down a few months back. I had a vet come to the house and do this, so Clinton would not be scared. He wasn't. He was on my bed, purrring as I rubbed him and he slowly fell alseep in/on my arm. I stayed with him until I knew for sure he was gone. I rubbed his little paws over my face and reminded him what a good boy he was. I spent 18 years with that cat. The only thing, including family, friends, and a marriage that I trusted and the only thing I could count on. It's still heart breaking, as I type this. I miss him very much. I am also very proud that I kept my promise to him and kept him safe his whole life.
fuck_bees ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:51:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have Ehlers-Danlos like your mom, and I always joke to my partner when I'm 45 he'd better be ready for the wheelchair to come out. I feel you on the last one as well-- it's a great feeling knowing that not only YOU feel like you belong but everyone else does too.
creepingfreelylove ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:36:20 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My best friend has EDS and she jokes about her wheelchair, calling it the "Pimp Mobile".
fuck_bees ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:39:15 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love that! Might steal it one day.
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:22:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn onion chopping ninjas. :_(
FranScan1997 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:51:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel you on the dyspraxia diagnosis. I was told I had last year at the age of 18, which meant I could finally get the help I needed!
Kukie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:10:29 on August 3, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What exactly is it? Never heard of it. Google doesn't really give good examples.
FranScan1997 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:43:51 on August 3, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's really hard to explain because there's so many different facets to it. How I describe it is that it's pretty similar to dyslexia, and often people who have dyslexia have dyspraxia and vice versa. Essentially it involves co ordination and memory problems, spacial awareness problems, and other cognitive issues like being unable to understand rules of sports or similar. I hope that clears it up a little!
Kukie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:17:08 on August 4, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah I guess, thanks! Descriptions online seem a bit vague so hard to understand.
Sierra419 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:44:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
awesome man! Sorry for all the sad times. It's heartbreaking. At least you got to go to D-Day though. I've always wanted to go.
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:42:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That girl from year 10 should never ever have told you that. Even if it was true, good God -- some things should never be said. Source: have major trust issues myself.
buggiegirl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:22:57 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're a good writer. These may be sad memories but they made me feel more than any others I've read so far. I hope your happy memories are incoming :)
wessexboyofsidney ยท 1498 points ยท Posted at 10:48:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The following is in chronological order, in terms of significance I would probably rank them 3,4,5,1,2. If I think of any additions I'll edit...
Screaming at the top of my lungs in the middle of a music festival because of the first girl I fell in love with as a teenager. We'd gone to a music festival together with two others, one of them was my best friend, who had recently become her boyfriend. I was teenaged and angsty about the whole thing, and that night, when they went into their tent together for the night, I wandered off, walked 8 miles through fields and country roads, slept on a bench and had to be returned to the festival by a kind Police officer the next day. Thankfully we remained friends, and all involved moved on from those feelings. The girl in question is actually sat opposite me now, we're still good friends.
My first day on the road of a 3 month US roadtrip. I saved money and used savings to fly to the US aged 18 (I'm British), buy a car, and explore for 90 days. In that time I covered 28 states, over 17,000 miles and had an absolute blast. The freedom and exciting opportunity of those first few miles was intoxicating.
Getting into my dream university. It was my third time round applying to universities, and I'd never got acceptance offers from anything better than my fourth preference. When the letter came, I was away from home, so my dad called me and asked if he should open it. My father was the first person in his family to go to university, and he went to my dream university as well. I love to reminisce about that moment when he screamed "YOU GOT IN!!!!" over the phone. I just graduated last month, and I absolutely loved the experience.
The moment my first girlfriend told me she loved me. This is definitely a bittersweet, yellow/blue memory now as we broke up last year and don't talk anymore, but that moment, and the thrill not only of saying it back, but feeling it was true, was incredible.
The worst moment of my life. Was a night in which I took a combination of drugs and experienced a trip which scared me in ways I could never have comprehended before. It led to mental health problems, and reliance on counselling for about two months. That was about 20 months ago, and I'm glad to say I'm much much better, although it remains a very significant moment in my life. Hopefully it won't remain such a 'core' memory for much longer.
Edit: making sentences make sense
[deleted] ยท 79 points ยท Posted at 12:21:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
wessexboyofsidney ยท 75 points ยท Posted at 13:33:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nevada doesn't require permanent residence :P
bridel08 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:09:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So I could buy a car in Nevada and drive around the US without having to register it?
FistfulDeDolares ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 15:47:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, you can register a car in Nevada without having residence there.
wessexboyofsidney ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:47:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This
[deleted] ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 13:17:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 14:33:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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wessexboyofsidney ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 14:48:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
this. The actual worst thing that can happen is you get sent home. I recommend registering just for the peace of mind.
CherenkovRadiator ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:43:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
* foreign national
MrsGildebeast ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:09:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm curious as well since most states require a permanent residence and in the US you can only get a driver's license on specific visas and the 90 visa waiver program isn't one of them.
Maybe he just didn't?
wessexboyofsidney ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:50:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You don't need a US licence, and in Nevada you can register a vehicle without a permanent residence or a visa :D (or at least, you could in 2012!!)
MrsGildebeast ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I mean, you would need the license to drive, right?
I'm not an expert on state registration law, so I can't really say what it's like everywhere, but I do know that every state requires you to have car insurance to get tags and to get car insurance to drive you would have to register it to a garaged permanent address, so...idk. I don't really care enough to dig too far into it.
Probably just some rich kid whose dad hooked him up.
-confuseddaughter- ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:24:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You can get an international driver's license. You just need your passport. Depending on the country, there may be a small test on driving laws. In the US, you can get them from AAA.
MrsGildebeast ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:43:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cool! Thanks for the info. I'm about to sound super stupid for a second, but I thought that international dl's were something that only Americans could get when they went to other countries, and were issued by America. After looking it up, it seems that's not the case at all.
-confuseddaughter- ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:05:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I am American, and had one while I was in Japan. Inversely, a friend and his Japanese wife moved to the US, and she had to get an international driver's license until all of her clearances and such went through to get a regular driver's license. She didn't use it often, but her husband wanted her to have it in case of an emergency.
You don't sound stupid. If you never needed or had a purpose for one, then you shouldn't be expected to know much about them. I honestly had no idea they even existed until I traveled outside the US and needed to have the ability to use a vehicle.
wessexboyofsidney ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:23:34 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, you need a licence, but I was fine with my British licence.
I had an acquaintance whose address I used to register the vehicle. In Nevada I wasn't required to prove I lived there, or required to have anything more than a 90 day visa.
OscarPistachios ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:26:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How are you able to type with a chocolate bar in one hand and a plate of waffles in the other?
[deleted] ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 13:44:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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OscarPistachios ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:51:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mayo was invented by the Belgians? If that's true, then I haven't given the Belgian people my most gracious admiration.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:52:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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OscarPistachios ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:56:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Am I Belgian? I love fries and mayo!
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:11:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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OscarPistachios ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:15:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do you have a malinois?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:40:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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OscarPistachios ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:27:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Malinois are considered the smartest dog breed, and they're Belgian
MrRandomSuperhero ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:15:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Belgian here!
A former classmate of mine did this actually, she bought/hired a campervan and went on a roadtrip. You should be able to do the same with some research.
FarkCookies ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:50:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why don't you just rent a car?
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 17:02:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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FarkCookies ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 17:22:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It will be probably more expensive, but it will be more convenient as well. You will not have to buy/sell/register/insure it.
Automatic - well most regular cars in US are automatic. Not sure what kind of manual car you can buy.
Fucking beat up to death - I rented a few times in US and every time they were in perfect conditions. Not sure where you got this idea from. Also would you be able to buy a car that is not beat up to death? I wouldn't
Likely FWD - whatever you pay for. I got 4wd last time. I personally don't care. I am not going to ride a snowy roads or drift.
I think your arguments against renting a car are mostly very subjective except for a price but might be not as bad if you consider your wasted time, potential value loss and all sorts of fees.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:36:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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FarkCookies ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:38:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I dunno, fighting US bureaucracy and sleazy used cars dealers doesn't sound too exciting for me.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:46:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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FarkCookies ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:53:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But you can rent car... I have done a few road trips in US and it was quite fun. I just don't care whether it is rental car or temporarily mine.
jawknee21 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:44:35 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
you guys want to come HERE? I keep hearing how much we suck and it seems like nobody would want to even come here to visit...
10-6 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:11:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Step 1. Buy the car.
Step 2. Buy insurance.
Step 3. Go to the DMV and register it.
Step 4. Drive the car.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:15:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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CherenkovRadiator ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:44:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I couldn't even do step 2. I went to the DMV to try step 3 but they looked at me like I was an alien (heh). I simply said "fuck it", got license plates from a junkyard and risked it.
redyouch ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:28:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Most states require an in-state drivers license to register the car. You need to be a citizen to get a drivers license in most states.
reddit-poweruser ยท 88 points ยท Posted at 12:19:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a similar psychological experience due to mushrooms when I was like 19-20. It fucked with me a lot afterwards. It was definitely aggravated when I would smoke weed afterwards, so if you smoke you may want to be cognizant of that.
tikeee2 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:48:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck, same. Thought it was weird or something. Couldnt smoke for 2-3 months afterwards, but then again i guess i stayed away from all drugs for 2-3 months after that.
Obsolescent ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:05:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This. Similar cocktail experience at a festival about 6 years ago and I stopped smoking for a while. It helped. You'll grow out of smoking eventually anyway.
Source: packed bowl sitting next to my computer for the past 5 months untouched.
rockettmann ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:41:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I probably won't even grow out of smoking. However, even after only doing it for 5-6 years, I've grown out of using it often. I probably smoke once, maybe twice a week. It varies.
llampacas ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:32:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A few years back someone thought it would be a great idea to feed me a 10 strip of acid without telling me about it beforehand. It caused some mental health issues that took a long time to go away. I also have trouble smoking weed, I wonder if maybe that's the reason. I just quit altogether because it makes me have panic attacks now.
wessexboyofsidney ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:51:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yep, mine was a combo of MDMA, Weed, Laughing gas (and Alcohol, I guess). Weed is very dangerous when combined.
merryman1 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:10:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think the nitrous might have been your main mistake, it has a habit of being pretty overwhelming when combined with MDMA or cannabis, let alone the two of those together!
wessexboyofsidney ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:46:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Can confirm this is true :P
logarithmyk ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:30:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Same thing happened to me. After my trip whenever I'd smoke I felt as if I was having a flash back. Wasn't fun
Dranthe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:45:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd say that 20 is too young for mushrooms. Most people are still working out who they are as a person. My first time was 25ish I think and it's always been nothing but positive. Then again, I've always been pretty confident in who I am and the decisions I've made.
Auto_Text ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 13:04:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's too young to be messing with psychoactives. Your brain hasn't even figured itself out yet.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:22:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:52:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
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jawknee21 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:42:23 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
nothing...
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 17:13:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Everyone seems to think they know the right way of doing drugs.
rabble rabble you gotta respect it, trip sitters, spiritual blah blah
But every time you hear a bad story you get a flood of excuses of why that is the exception and that everyone should still try it.
Auto_Text ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 05:43:52 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They are the exception.
thatcrit ยท 216 points ยท Posted at 12:13:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First of all - your reply was really interesting to read, though I do have 2 questions.
How the hell does an 18 year old gather up enough money for a 3 month trip to US and a car?! Guess it's just different not living in a first world country.
What made you do drugs? Also why mix them?
OnosToolan ยท 72 points ยท Posted at 12:21:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The saving for three months in the states is pretty impressive. At 18 I definitely could not have had the money saved to travel for 3 months in the US (and I'm from Canada). I did buy a car but it was a junker and all of my money was going to keep that thing insured so it could drive me to work..
vonmonologue ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:16:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If you bought a crap car and lived in it you could probably do 3 months for about $8k including the car. Not counting rent and bills, my monthly expenses are around $1500 and I'm hardly living on a tight budget.
If you start working at 16, and your parents didn't start charging you for rent, I think you could pull 8k in 2 years of working weekends.
ramse ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I never realized how bad insurance was in the GTA until my brother planned on moving to London and his rates were less than half simply because it's not Toronto traffic.
CanuckBacon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm Canadian as well. I'm actually planning to walk across the US starting in about two weeks from now. It'll take me a year.
OnosToolan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:49:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cool. I'm sure that there will be lots of awesome memories from the adventure! Hope it all works out well for you, hopefully you've done some contingency planning as well :)
CanuckBacon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:58:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's the goal! I have a couple contingency plans (depending on how far I am along when something happens). I'm just a bit nervous about it in this time leading up to it.
deadbykiwi ยท -17 points ยท Posted at 13:03:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
jeez, some people just can't handle their money.. Atleast a hundred fucking milleniums to save up and you barely could afford one??
Chiakii ยท 150 points ยท Posted at 12:23:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Are you saying England is not a first world country?
EDIT: Thanks guys, they meant they're not from a first world country!
I'm from germany and I couldn't have saved up enough by 18 for a 3 month trip to the US and a car either, so there's that.
BarryManpeach ยท 70 points ยท Posted at 12:33:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
He means he's not from one
edit: I was first suck on dem titties
Stalwart-Lover ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:32:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First
qngff ยท 108 points ยท Posted at 12:35:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not after Brexit it's not.
Shgrizz ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:51:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We haven't brexited yet. The tough times are just starting. But hey, at least we'll get to kick all the immigrants out... /s
ilyemco ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:34:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No I think they are not from a first world country.
jambola2 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:39:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nope, /u/thatcrit is implying that he doesn't live in a first world country.
larrydocsportello ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:41:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was confused by that as well, but I think they're saying they're not from a first world country themselves so they can't comprehend saving that much money.
suagrupp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:49:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They are saying as someone who doesn't live in a first world country, they can't imagine what it's like.
pointlessbeats ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:57:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, he's saying that HE doesn't live in a first world country so he could never imagine saving up that much money prior to the age of 18, and it must be easier in first world countries.
floris5th ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:01:27 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not after brexit
Sipuli69 ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 12:25:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I live in a first world country and I have no idea how anyone could save that amount of money at that age.
insertnamehere987 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had already earned about $60k in taxable income by the time I turned 18...it's doable (USA here). Started working on a permit at 15 and worked my ass off. Worked 30-40 hours a week during school, 40+ during the summer and was paid a fair wage. I was spending weekends on the lake with my own boat (and quickly learned to get a friend with a boat instead).
cb43569 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:18:57 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How did you get the job? Family connections?
ThaBlobFish ยท 50 points ยท Posted at 12:25:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not Op, but....
It's fun.
Usually even more fun.
says-okay-a-lot ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:41:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Usually" being the operative word here
bigbluethunder ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:22:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd even venture to say "can be" would be a more appropriate operative.
youre_a_burrito_bud ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:33:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Different funs put together. Like fireworks and molly.
Shit one of those is still a drug
sknnywhiteman ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:34:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
He said he was 18, so he was probably still living with his family. If he had a job as a teenager but isn't paying rent, he could save up thousands in a matter of months.
wessexboyofsidney ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:55:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This!
Clutch_22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He meant he wasn't from one
sknnywhiteman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
must've derped while reading it. fixed, thanks
Clutch_22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:24:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No worries, took me a few read through. It's worded weirdly.
[deleted] ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 12:41:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
deleted What is this?
PhranticPenguin ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:58:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Music festivals can be dirt cheap. In the Netherlands you can go to a lot of them for 10-30 euro's. And there's also several services to get free tickets to big expensive ones (e.g. "I'm in" app).
And for travelling in Europe, there is the Erasmus+ program. Free accomodation + travel services provided by the EU.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:07:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
At 16-17 y/o? Wtf? Why?
Flying_Cactus_Chick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:48:44 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why not?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:02:53 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Because those are the ages you would have had to be working to save the money to go to the festival ...
Flying_Cactus_Chick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:51:19 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For the wealthy? Oh God this thread. Does everything in the US cost so frikin much that you all think this was so wildly expensive? I went to countless music festivals as a teen, ranging from free to up to about 20 dollars and those were like the most expensive ever. Most of them were about 5 dollars.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:02:07 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Music festivals are hundreds of dollars just for the ticket, forget all of the incurred expenses.
Flying_Cactus_Chick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:52:46 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ah, the land of "freedom", where the only really free ones are the rich.
Flying_Cactus_Chick ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:46:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why are you all so shocked by the money thing? His parents probably paid for it. What's so strange?
monkeybeats ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:54:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For people who grew up without money as well as parents without money, it's shocking even if they did pay. Just a different type of life
Flying_Cactus_Chick ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:10:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well, I traveled the world for 9 months with less than 10000, half saved by me, half borrowed from my parents. So it's not that wild.
monkeybeats ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:30:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As I said before, for people who didn't grow up with a lot, that still sounds pretty wild. There are a lot of parents out there who can't lend their kids $5000 and a lot of kids who are too busy trying to escape that same situation to spend $5000 and 9 months travelling the world. Nothing against doing that. It sounds awesome. Just saying there are many people out there where it simply isn't an option.
Flying_Cactus_Chick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:43:00 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know. But also consider that in England parents usually don't have to pay for college so they can pay for their children to travel. He's British, not Cambodian. I know many people wouldn't be able to afford it, but he doesn't have to be rich, just a regular British person. I'm a middle class Uruguayan and I could do it. Granted Uruguay is not the poorest country in the world but definitely not the richest.
monkeybeats ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:32:35 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think you still may be missing my point. There are people out there whose parents can't afford it regardless of not paying for college. Like, many many parents don't pay for college because they can't afford it and a good portion of those parents also wouldn't be able to afford to help their kid travel. It's not about what country people are in. It's about just not having money
Flying_Cactus_Chick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:59:14 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes I know. I was just saying it's not that uncommon. You don't have to be rich, just middle class in a country where you don't have to spend all you've got on health coverage and college. Most young Europeans travel a lot, especially if they're from western Europe. It's very common. In fact it's very hard to find a 20 something year old in Europe who hasn't traveled quite a bit. It's a very important part of their culture, and their countries economies allow for that.
flamero ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:42:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Travelling the world for 9 months didn't grant you the insight that a majority of people don't have that sort of opportunity? You are living in a bubble if you think most people's parents have 5k to even borrow.
Flying_Cactus_Chick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:31:01 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dude 5k in 9 months is less than they spent on me only on food when I was living with them. Come on. Plus in my country education is free so they didn't have to pay for college. Health coverage is also free.
Some_Stupid_Cunt ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 17:01:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Neither I nor my parents could ever just casually afford a 3 month road trip, and I live in the US. This guy is rich, mega rich
Flying_Cactus_Chick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As I answered in the other comment, I traveled the world for 9 months with 10000 dollars. I think most people don't travel because they think it's wildly expensive for some reason.
flamero ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:52:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Already replied on your other comment but holy shit. $10k IS expensive. Maybe not to you or your peers but for a lot of people it's half what they make in a year or more if they're from less wealthy countries.
Flying_Cactus_Chick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:39:08 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm from Uruguay man. I just saved for years and did it. And I didn't even had like, real jobs. Just summer jobs and shit. I just barely spent on the minimum. But what I mean is, if both his parents have a 2000 a month salary, which is not at all out of the ordinary in England, they could quite easily afford for his trip, which probably costed much less than mine. I mean, people work regular jobs and they save and they buy cars and even houses, and pay for their kids' education. And some parents, with whom I strongly agree, consider traveling part of their children's education. Also, I'm not sure but I belive in England you can go to college on government loans so maybe his parents didn't have to pay for college so they paid for his trip instead.
MrsGildebeast ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I mean, I'm from the US and I couldn't have done that and saved up enough to live on completely for 3 months by 18.
You can't really start work until 16 here, and I was still a junior in high school. In my state during the school year you can only work a limited number of hours and have to be done by 10 pm on week days.
Minimum wage when I was 16 was 6.85 an hour and the cheapest car I ever got was about 1200 bucks from a friend of mine. But it was super shitty and never would have been able to make it cross country.
On top of that you have registration and tax costs. Gas, maintenance fees. Here that's about 6% of what the car would book for in decent condition via KBB. Which was way more than what I got it for. Haha
My car didn't get great gas mileage at the time. Maybe 19 miles to the gallon? And a gallon of gas was like 1.70 something when I graduated. I think.
Then food, clothes, entertainment. It just doesn't add up from the American side of things unless you can pull some strings.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:16:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Depending on where you live, it's easy. In the area where I live (southern Germany) its possible to save a couple thousand bucks every summer vacation if you manage to get a good summer job.
merryman1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Its not exactly uncommon for young people.
Tea-is-my-life ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:20:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My friends (18) spent 3 months traveling the world. They worked 2 jobs for 6 months prior, living with parents not paying any rent or generally home costs.
korravai ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:58:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
To be honest I had more disposable income at 18 than I do now. I worked 5 days a week making more than minimum wage, but didn't pay rent or for any food I ate at home. I saved mine up to go to Europe while I was in college.
tangoewhisky ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:26:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Umm....
thatcrit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:04:29 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What? I don't get your quote, I'm not British. Could you clarify?
Jarwain ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:48:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Psychedelics are popular for a lot of reasons, and don't have as many cons as many other drugs. Usually aren't chemically addictive, tend to have a longer duration, and relatively harmless in and of themselves. Bad trips are more of a set and setting thing compounded by dosage.
Mixing psyches can have differing effects and intensities.
Although I kinda am assuming he only took psychedelics and not a psyche with an amphetamine or opioid
merryman1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:15:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
From the sounds of it he took MDMA whilst drinking and smoking weed, then did some nitrous. I'm not surprised that caused a bit of a freakout tbh, nitrous can get very intense very quickly when mixed with other drugs.
forman98 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:53:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Did you not read that he is British? You have to convert his age to metric. OP is actually around 56 US years.
Bk_iGingy ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:22:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If you can find a decent job and live with your parents (which is more than likely for that age), its very attainable. At 16, I had a summer job as a doorman making $22 an hour and did that for the next 4 years. In 3 years(so when I was 18), I had more than enough money from working the summers alone to probably make a trip like this and I wasn't even very smart with my money(I say probably because I don't actually know how much it would cost because I never even planned a trip like that.) My main expenses were bus and train fares to get to work since I worked in NYC, gas, food(which was only really when i went out to eat) and car insurance. Its not something everybody can do, because you have to be lucky enough to find a decent job at the age and have minimal expenses too. I only got my job because a family friend was a super at the building, so knowing somebody also helps a lot.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You can buy a shitbox with 200K miles on it for very cheap. Sub-1000 dollar cheap.
insertnamehere987 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:10:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And drive it reliably around the country for 17,000 miles in 3 months?
AngelicaArchangelica ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:16:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Which drug did you do? I can recommend to try Ayahuasca. Its a very nice medicine for heart and soul.
wessexboyofsidney ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:11:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Managed to recover just with CBT and support from friends thanks, am very much disinclined from using drugs heavily again!
ImDravenUCrazy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:53:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Carry that weight... make it your friend, because it's not going anywhere.
Grow from what upset you.
You cannot un-peek the curtain.
wessexboyofsidney ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:10:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Part of the trip showed me what I'm really afraid of, so in that sense you are somewhat right.
Other parts of the trip however were just nonsense, which made sense in the same way a dream does; it's convincing whilst you're asleep, but full of holes and inconsistency when you wake. Preventing myself from giving in to believing in the nonsensical things I saw is a very important part in getting my head screwed on straight again!
ImDravenUCrazy ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 20:47:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We mustn't acknowledge the seams in our reality eh?
Then nothing would make sense right?
wessexboyofsidney ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:26:07 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Either you're trolling me or a bit of a pillock, either way please stop :)
wlee1987 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:07:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You are taking about your first love, but you say she's opposite you and then you say you guys don't talk anymore??
wessexboyofsidney ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:44:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First love and first girlfriend are different people! First girlfriend was my first requited love :)
wlee1987 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:46:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ahh I stand corrected. Thanks for putting me in the clear
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:36:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
wessexboyofsidney ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:05:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, as someone who has had the smallest fraction of your experience, I am so sorry. Good luck sorting the rest of everything out. I found that healing happens quietly in the background; I wouldn't realise I was feeling better until I felt worse again. Slowly those pleasant gaps between moments of feeling worse went from being measured in seconds, to minutes, to hours, days, and months. Very best of luck with the recovery.
shayluhhh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:38:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Out of curiosity, which drugs did you mix?
wessexboyofsidney ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:56:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
MDMA, Weed, Laughing Gas, Alcohol.
shayluhhh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:25:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fucking woof.
sk8fr33k ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:44:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd love to do an america trip when im 18 like you described but then I remember that i'd lose my right to drink.
SirPsychoSexy22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You've seen more states than I have, and I live here. I also took a roadtrip across the country. I was very broke after that.
KentShadows ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:16:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In a situation like 1 at the moment, only with less screaming and getting lost, but I get why you'd do that :) Interested to know how you moved on.
wessexboyofsidney ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:29:10 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You have my sympathies, it sucks. Unrequited live is so bittersweet. Time and distance basically is all I can say, sorry I don't have something more proactive to recommend. I would emphasise trying to make sure your crush remains your friend if that is how it is for you too. I always remained strongly aware of how much I would be upset if I lost her as a friend, which stopped me from doing drastic or stupid things which might wreck our friendship.
KentShadows ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:42:30 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cheers. Definitely want to stay friends with both of them, closest friends I've had in a while. Distance may not be an option, however, considering we're all moving into the same student house (this was arranged long before any of this happen) along with a couple of other friends in September. Appreciate the help, though!
frugalrhombus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:16:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Does the girl know about the feelings you had for her?
wessexboyofsidney ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:12:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
She just read the entire thread, including my original post and your question, so yes :P
She is very cool and understanding about it, and in fairness it is 6 years in the past now!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
wessexboyofsidney ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:55:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember wondering that. I also remembering soon after my trip thinking of my wellbeing as a score /100. I remember deciding that immediately during and after the trip I hit about 40/100, and for about a month after I was stuck around 70. For reference on that scale, I believe that at no point in my entire life before hand had I been below 85, and my average on that scale (where I'm back to today) is about 92.
I have the same triggers, I didn't go back into my living room (where it happened) for a long time after, And still don't like being in there in the dark. My heart also still jumps where music with choral voices plays (is. what was playing at the time, something from the LOTR soundtrack I believe).
Just went to Amsterdam last month and smoked weed for only the second time since my trip. Weed doesn't do what it used to before my trip, now it sort of gives me echoes of the trip, but much more controllable. In fact I think smoking up again may have helped me master what was real and what wasn't about what I saw 20 months ago.
SteveSteve003 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Can you expand upon the drug trip at all?? Tell us what it was all about!
wessexboyofsidney ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:02:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hmmm, okay.
Broadly it was a little like waking up, like my entire life previous to that had been a dream. Teamed with that was a feeling of incredibly intense deja vu, so overall it wad sort of like the entirety of my existence was just repeatedly having the same dream, then waking up from it and starting again, and it was only during this waking up process that I would briefly be able to understand the truth of what life was really like; this infinite process of reliving the same life and quickly forgetting you'd done it before.
So, pretty terrifying, existential nonsense. As I mentioned elsewhere, smoking weed now gives me 'echoes' of this trip. This is quite helpful however, as I can remember that things are different the different times I get high, which defeats the argument that I'm just repeating my existence.
Anyway, there you go. This was written quickly, because I don't care to relive it, so sorry if it doesn't make too much sense, in fairness, objectively the trip didn't either!
SteveSteve003 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:51:22 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks man! Very interesting...
tw04 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:06:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wait so when did the screaming actually occur in your first story? It just sounds like you walked off in a huff...
wessexboyofsidney ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:22:27 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In the middle of the crowd in the festival.
skyturnedafirered ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:27:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
what does yellow/blue memory mean?
wessexboyofsidney ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:23:22 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reference to the film the film the thread's about. Yellow is 'joy', Blue is 'sadness'.
SenorKerry ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:29:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had the same drug experience. That was the last day I did drugs. Stuck with me in a serious, scared cold sweat way for almost a year. Now it tries to creep in and scare me sometimes but it's under control. I think I broke part of my brain that day haha
singlemalt_ninja ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:43:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Can you tell me about that bad trip without relapsing? I'm glad you are better either way. Stuff scares/intrigues me.
wessexboyofsidney ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:25:02 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Posted above to someone else, copied here...
Hmmm, okay.
Broadly it was a little like waking up, like my entire life previous to that had been a dream. Teamed with that was a feeling of incredibly intense deja vu, so overall it wad sort of like the entirety of my existence was just repeatedly having the same dream, then waking up from it and starting again, and it was only during this waking up process that I would briefly be able to understand the truth of what life was really like; this infinite process of reliving the same life and quickly forgetting you'd done it before.
So, pretty terrifying, existential nonsense. As I mentioned elsewhere, smoking weed now gives me 'echoes' of this trip. This is quite helpful however, as I can remember that things are different the different times I get high, which defeats the argument that I'm just repeating my existence.
Anyway, there you go. This was written quickly, because I don't care to relive it, so sorry if it doesn't make too much sense, in fairness, objectively the trip didn't either!
singlemalt_ninja ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:29:54 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks. I can see can give you the feeling of going mad. Thank you for sharing and I hope are well.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:09:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Out of interest, what university was it?
wessexboyofsidney ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:21:33 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cambridge University :)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:22:48 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn, that's one hell of a university for the first ones in the family, congrats.
wessexboyofsidney ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:05:06 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks, I'm very proud to follow in my father's footateps. He was able to go largely because of the grammar school system in the UK, which allowed (some) children from poorer backgrounds (ie., unable to go to private schools) to receive more academic levels of schooling, which made university more of a possibility for them. This scheme was championed by a politician called Rab Butler.
When my father went to Cambridge for his applications interview, he went through the wrong door and came face to face with Lord Butler, who at that point was a fellow there. I've always thought that was a poetic moment.
YouAreCorrectt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:39:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love you, u/wessexboyofsidney, i hope this memory of us replaces the one about the bad trip. Also if you had to choose your favorite place in the US that you visited, which would it be?
wessexboyofsidney ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:47:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hmmm, Monument Valley was incredible. We arrived in the dark and camped in the desert, by chance right next to the famous view of the three main 'monuments'. Waking up was absolutely remarkable.
I also absolutely loved Chicago, and both Zion and Waterton-Glacier National parks are stunning. Also New England generally (esp. Upstate NY) was a joy to drive through. Acadia National Park is beautiful as well.
mttdesignz ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 12:21:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
GREAT AGAIN. FTFY
wessexboyofsidney ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:07:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The inside out characters for Donald would be fucking terrifying.
Expiredskyline ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 12:57:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So....you didn't start having memories until you were like fourteen?
wessexboyofsidney ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As in the film, core memories can be replaced. These would be my current ones.
Manleather ยท 139 points ยท Posted at 11:47:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad taking me for golf lessons as a kid- I sucked sooo bad at golf and hated every minute, but my dad just wanted a golf buddy. We play best ball now, golf is really just a nice walk in the woods ruined by sport.
During orientation for my current employer- more than 10 years ago now- and I remember sitting in the parking ramp before a shift almost being in tears because the job was too stressful and guaranteed to just crap the bed every day. I remember not turning off my car, thinking I could turn around and just go home, or I could keep fighting through it day by day.
My first mountain bike ride. I loved whizzing through nature with all those great smells. Thinking back to the first two rides, they were so crude compared to how I ride now- picking my bike up to go over some rock or stump, sticking to wide cut grassy roads instead of deer trails because those were too narrow, not having a clue where I was going or what I was doing.
When my daughter was born. Easily the most adrenaline and anxiety-filled day I've lived through. I remember every second of that entire day, every time I asked the nurse for more coffee; every time I helped my wife to the bathroom during labor- only twice if you would believe me; where all the nurses, training nurse, med student, resident, and attending were standing in the room, professional yet there was always a wide and clear exit to the door in case things had to get cutty in surgery. The moment my daughter came out I remember thinking two things- my wife is some kind of superhero person for blowing her business out like that, and for all my life experiences, a fresh newborn baby in the flesh is even grosser than anything else I've ever seen. But the moment she started crying, she became the most beautiful. Funny thing that was.
Mysaw ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:38:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So what happened with the job? Did you stay or eventually left?
Manleather ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:57:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Still there. Lots of bad days, but lots of good ones too. It's a crossroads memory, like I could stay or I could go, that was the day I decided to tough it out.
invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:58:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Annnnd now the onion-cutting begins. I got this far into this thread and....
-eDgAR- ยท 4018 points ยท Posted at 11:20:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've told this story before, but this is definitely one of those important memories that has stuck with me for years.
When I was a kid we didn't have a lot of money, so we often shopped at thrift stores. What I loved about that was that you could get 10 books for a dollar, so I would plant myself in front of the book section and make piles of which one I wanted to get and then decided after I'd gone through them all.
One day an older lady saw me sitting with my piles and asked if I liked to read. I told her I did and showed her a few of the books I found that I liked. She smiled and then pulled a dollar out of her purse, handed it to me and said, "Promise me that you'll keep reading." I was so happy and immediately stood up and said that I would. She smiled and walked away and I went back to my piles able to pick out an extra 10 books to take home.
It was just a small act of kindness for her, but for me having a random stranger encourage my love of reading and making me promise to never stop definitely had a lot to do with my continued love of reading. This was probably about 20 years or so ago, but I still think of her whenever I buy a new book.
grovelactuary ยท 631 points ยท Posted at 12:52:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Something similar happened to me, not too long ago. I was on a bus, but realised after I had gotten on that my little card that you need to get around on trains, buses, etc. was empty. The man in front of me took a 50$ note out of his wallet, gave it to me and jumped out before I could thank him. I didn't even end up filling my card up, and I still have that note, preparing to do the same thing that he did.
Shark-Farts ยท 465 points ยท Posted at 14:47:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was once waiting in line at the gas station when a big burly biker with a cut and chains hanging off his jeans walked right to the front of the line and pushed in front of me. I was mildly annoyed but I had actually been in the middle of a text fight with my sister so his rudeness gave me another minute to finish mashing my fingers on my phone screen. When I got to the counter the attendant said my gas was free, because apparently the biker had left a $100 bill to cover the few people in line he had cut in front of.
KidFrankySan ยท 132 points ยท Posted at 16:50:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Promise me that you'll let people cut you in line"
sdglksdgblas ยท 45 points ยท Posted at 17:03:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Goddamnit i want USA gas prices too wtf man
Obvious0ne ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:33:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Currently $2.09 per gallon here in Texas
kychleap ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:37:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
$1.81 in Indiana.
Cobbleking32486 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:43:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
$1.89 in Nevada.
Barabbas- ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 20:16:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
$37.42 here in Connecticut
Ezny ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:23:58 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
$1.95 in Kansas. But who cares about Kansas?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:06:21 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
Barabbas- ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:06:24 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Dela-where?"
FTFY
cb43569 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:15:33 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Around $6 per gallon is average in the UK right now.
Obvious0ne ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:37:36 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Electric cars must really start to make a lot of sense with prices that high...
goosegoose125 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:11 on August 12, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy fucking shit
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:26:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
Deftlet ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:35:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you filling an industrial oil tanker
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 21:08:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
jawknee21 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:16:59 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
haha. my truck was at 1/4 tank and the pump stopped me from getting any more after $80. (gas is $3.09 here in ca)..
sdglksdgblas ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:20:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Germany and Turkey is where i mostly am. soooo expensive
jawknee21 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:17:22 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
why those 2 places specifically? they're not even touching..
evylllint ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 23:42:40 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
...so?
sdglksdgblas ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:16 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Turkish dude born in Germany. Go figure lol
HeWhoKnox ยท 25 points ยท Posted at 16:32:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy shit
scientisttiger ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 18:03:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A year and a half ago, when my dog was about 8 months old, she ate a half a bottle of ibuprofen. Her kidneys completely stopped functioning. I had to take her to the emergency vet and my options were to put her down or spend a lot of money on the small chance she might make it. She was the love of my life... I couldn't let her go. After making the initial payments I left her there and they called me back a few hours later. I came in to see her and they told me it was worse than they thought and I would have to spend even more to continue treatment. While I was there, hugging her, trying to mentally budget, and preparing to possibly have to say goodbye, she urinated straight blood all over the exam room floor and they took her away. As I was up front, sobbing and shaking, trying to split the cost between three different cards, a lady tapped my shoulder. When I turned around, she shoved something in my hand and said, "I know what this is like; I love my pets too." It was a $100 bill. I started crying even harder and hugged her and tried to express my gratitude. My dog ended up making it, and she brings me joy every single day. I will never, ever forget her kindness and generosity. Sometimes strangers will surprise us, and that feels so good.
PixelMaster36 ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 16:42:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's one cool dude.
Colgate2in1 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:22:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha that'd be amusing here. ยฃ55 ish to fill an average coupe car, so $70-80? $100 would've covered his bike and one car.
InterdimensionalTV ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:37:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy fucking shit dude. I'm so sorry for you. I can fill my car for 25 bucks from empty.
Colgate2in1 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:56:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah I was in Florida recently, and we wanted to put just half a tank in our hire car, so we gave $20 thinking we'd use it all and have enough to last us the few days (btw what a ridiculous system - paying before you fill).
Anyway yeah the whole tank was $19.something, so we had to go back in to get change (case in point). Couldn't believe how cheap it was.
InterdimensionalTV ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:58:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You poor thing you. Eesh. I'll never complain again. You've given me good perspective.
SosX ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:40:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy shit, that's more than 4 times what I pay in my country.
Colgate2in1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:58:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha yeah, and I love riding my motorbike because the 10 litre tank 'only' takes ยฃ11 to fill.
dyopopoy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:53:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
that's one amazing moment.
nonofax ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Awesome
sounds_like_kong ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:08:11 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So he's an asshole with a heart of gold.
mrdarthdan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:56:31 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A few years back I got free soda fill ups at the gas station because I helped a couple old ladies pump gas. I guess it was a really horrible day for the attendants there because just alleviating a bit of pressure for them was enough for them to give me free soda any time they saw me after that.
StopLurker ยท 184 points ยท Posted at 15:20:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Promise me that you'll keep riding trains"
throwawaynewc ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 15:46:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
???
Instructions unclear, OP now a celebrity on FetLife
A-ADiN ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:26:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
3meta5me
Viking_Lordbeast ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:26:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is it really considered meta if we're still in the same thread?
OccasionallyClueless ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:15:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
crunkadocious ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 13:22:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's fantastic, but how much more fantastic would it be if it were counterfeit and the person you gave it to got arrested?
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:17:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Gotta lower the average value somehow
VeryMuchDutch101 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:55:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Last night I had to get 2 metro tickets for me and my SO. The metro was already pulling into the station and behind me was another couple that would not have time to buy a ticket. The tickets are only $1.25 so I changed my amount to 4 so we all could get on before it left.
But then the machine didnt work :(... so we still all got on but then without tickets (got tickets at the next stop).
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:12:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Im guessing that you aren't from the USA since you referred to the bill as a note. Where are you from and what is the value (in USD or euros) of 50$?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:51:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Australia maybe? Also if they didn't have money to use the bus (since their card was empty) and they didn't spend the 50, how did they continue riding the bus?
sithranger1601 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:34:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably got off the bus and hopped away on their kangaroo. $50 is only enough for a one way trip in Australia, so it would have been inconvenient to walk back.
nonofax ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Awesome!!!
partot ยท -18 points ยท Posted at 13:20:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hate to burst your bubble but if he just gave you $50 and quickly jumped off, the money might not be clean (ie it might be stolen or some shit).
50 bucks is a lot to simply top up on your card.
Iwanttofuckmyexgirl ยท 43 points ยท Posted at 13:46:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I delivered some pizza to an apartment complex once, and there was an older man out front playing with his grand kids. I said hello as I walked past them to the apartment that ordered. On my way back to my car, the man stopped me and gave me a $100 bill. He told me it's good to see a young man out working for his money, and that he was proud of me. He may have just been showing off for his grandkids or whatever, but it meant a lot to me being a full time worker and student.
Sometimes people are just nice.
llampacas ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:21:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sometimes the tip doesn't really matter as much as the way that the people treat you when they give you an outlandish tip does.
I delivered pizza to a wealthy neighborhood on Thanksgiving day. They ordered about $20 in food and gave me a hundred dollar bill then told me to keep the change. They thanked me for working on the holiday and said without me they wouldn't be able to eat. The man even gave me a hug before I walked away. It was nice feeling appreciated for once.
Another time a guy tried to give me a bag of weed as a tip and when I refused he gave me a hundred dollar bill. Pretty sure he was trying to get in my pants because he asked me to come back to his "hotel party" later that night and kept looking at me like he was undressing me with his eyes. While it's the biggest tip from a small order that I've gotten, I didn't feel that great about it.
poetaytoh ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:07:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We order Dominos so often, the delivery folk know us and our dogs fairly well. One of them let slip once that they take turns over delivering to us, or sometimes jump at our tickets whenever they see our address to beat others out on the delivery. Apparently we tip well. When he told us that, our response was that we were well aware of how lazy we are to order pizza so much, and really appreciate them for enabling us. We also tip extra on crummy nights - sometimes cause we don't want to go out in the weather and our orders are making them so the very thing we are avoiding, and sometimes because we didn't realize the weather was crummy and felt bad for making them go out in it.
The point of the story is: you take care of the people who take care of you: bartenders, taxis drivers, and food delivery folk.
DirkRight ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:03:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If that kind of man doesn't inspire his grandkids to be hard workers, I don't know what will.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:19:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The MTA's monthly unlimited card costs $116.50 and the weekly unlimited card costs $31. Transport is expensive :p
I-write-stories ยท 74 points ยท Posted at 13:04:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love that in every good thread, there's a response by you. Especially with this story, because I've heard (seen) it before. I feel like you're a character on one of my favorite shows.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:54:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I like power users like edgar or ramses the pigeon, genuinely interesting and nice people. I mean after the first time, aren't people like vargas, ducks guy and the jumper cables guy just the same joke told again and again?
To each their own I suppose, but I got downvoted the last time for daring to ask how to ignore those users (hard ignoring, not just the "is person is ignored, show anyway?" on RES). I swear I used to be able to actually block them, but now I cant' :/
Vindicantur ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:35:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, he has the funniest storys, I have him tagged as water-ear-orgasm-guy because of one story.
Tykenolm ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 15:41:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Always seems like his are fake though for that exact reason, that just takes a little away from reading it imo
ChimpChief59 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:07:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's not like it's unrealistic?
Tykenolm ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:11:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He's a great writer, yes, but this is supposed to be truthful anecdotes, and I have trouble believing that his are true.
danbanifa ยท 135 points ยท Posted at 12:45:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:')
procrastinator_prime ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:18:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've read this story of yours before. It made me very happy - as much as the first time I read it
gibeaut ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:10:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was at a parts store around the time when I was six or seven and was roaming around the store while my dad was at the counter thumbing through catalogs of parts trying to find what he needed with the clerk. At some point I was by the front door and playing with the candy machines only I didn't really want the candy, I was trying to figure out how the mechanisms inside worked and imagining all sorts of things. We didn't have a lot of money so receiving candy from one of these machines wasn't a real possibility for me. Some guy walked up and thought I was trying to swindle some candy out of the machine and said something to the effect of "id give you a quarter but I don't think your dad would like that." I remember looking up and seeing my dad look back at the same time. The guy walked off and nothing came of it, but man no I wanted that candy. My dad wouldn't have cared one bit, but I'm pretty sure the guy was just scared of my dad because of the way he looked (biker type) and decided it wasn't a good idea.
So now, when I see kids ogling the candy machines or whatever and I have some change I give it to them. Because one, the parent should be watching the kid better and two because maybe the kid will get a treat he rarely does. If the dad gets pissed at me? Well, now I'm a big scary type guy and love being the nice guy.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:57:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a somewhat similar experience when I was doing some university fieldwork during my undergraduate degree.
Me and a friend were carrying out geological mapping in the Lake District, UK. We were about 5 weeks in to a 7 week field season and were thoroughly fatigued by the whole experience. The work formed a large part of our final year grade, and the process to get the data was both physically and intellectually challenging; the pressure to do well was very high for me personally as I needed to get a first class degree to get a bursary to help fund my attendance. The weather was some of the wettest the area had seen in years, and every day was incredibly tough for someone who hadn't spent a lot of time in the mountains before. We were both living on minimal funds and could barely afford to eat anything substantial - my lunch at the time was a single marmite sandwich, and a penguin bar. This did not add to the morale..
My friend and I were staying in a youth hostel in the valley which had a back room that, due to the fact that we were long term residents, were trusted to use beyond the usual hours. the room had a ping pong table and a tv which we would use every day after work. One evening a young woman of about 30 came into the room and started chatting to us. She was from the US and was travelling with her sister who was already asleep upstairs. We played ping pong, watched tv and talked about ourselves for a few hours. We shared a few cigarettes with her (a precious commodity for us at the time) and she said thanks and left to go to bed.
I think she must have picked up on our low morale and desperate situation, as when we arrived back at the hostel that evening she had left us a note and ยฃ10 cash. She said thank you for entertaining her, and for the gift of cigarettes. And for us to use the ยฃ10 to buy a couple of beers - On the proviso that we help out people in need when we get the opportunity.
It was a small gesture but incredibly kind and generous given our circumstances. It really stuck with me going forward and I hope one day I can pass it on in a similar way.
YoMothaFlippin ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:05:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
10 books for a dollar?
WHAT A DEAL!
I don't care much for reading (personally I am much more of a movie guy) but that's a lot of value!
Not-The-Messiah ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:24:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my early childhood memories also resembles this. I was at my cousin's school fancy fair, where you could win small prizes by taking part in different challenges. One of them consisted of bursting balloons with darts. I was still quite young (around 5 years old) and clumsy, and I didn't manage to blow any of the balloons, so I didn't get any points to spare for the prizes, and I started crying. A nun who was organising this event (it was a catholic school) saw me weeping in a corner and came to me to ask what was the matter. I must I've tried to tell her something about the balloons and the prizes, because she explained to me it wasn't important, and to console me, she gave me a golden pendant of the holy personage the school was named after and told me a bit about his life. I don't remember this last part, but I was so surprised that a complete stranger would give me something that valuable that this event stayed in my memory all this time.
Aidentified ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:12:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Its little things like this that can really change who we are as people. She probably had no idea that you'd still love reading because of her to this day :-)
Kunstfr ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:57:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is this the first time you post this? I know you comment a lot here on /r/askreddit but I feel like I already read that story
wrongrrabbit ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:08:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know its a bit sad, but I've read your memory a few times now and I often think about it.
The old ladies gesture always reminds me how one small act of kindness can change someones life. I want to be that old lady damn it.
plantbabe667 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:18:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not exactly the same, but in college I worked at a very relaxed used book store. We sold kids books cheap, usually a few for a dollar. Whenever I saw people stressing about affording all the books their kids picked out I'd ring up what they could pay for and give the rest to them for free. I always secretly hoped it would encourage them like it did for you.
thebbman ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:33:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm an adult with money and I still love book shopping at thrift stores. Used books are the best thing on earth.
LoneStarmie6 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:15:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The joy of bringing happiness ton other people is what I think the pinnacle of the human existence is.
TabletTeacher ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:23:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a teacher and every year I look to buy somethings that will help throughout the year since the only good sales are in August. Couple years ago, I'm buying ~150 notebooks cause they were like $.15 each or so. Lady hands me $5 to help out. May not sound like a lot other than the kind gesture but that's 30 notebooks. Made my day. Sadly, other than family, I haven't had a stranger do anything like that lady although I don't bulk buy things either so I can't fault anyone.
empireit ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:40:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Something similar happened to me, and if you know me, I love books. I keep stacks of books next to my bed, and habitually read at least a book a day. I've Got a library here in this mansion up here in the Hollywood Hills, and I keep bookshelves above my Lamborghini, which is great to drive up here in the Hollywood Hills.
andremeda ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:15:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's beautiful! I hope you've kept that promise! (reading /r/askreddit doesn't really count now does it)
PM_ME_YOUR_LIT ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:03:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No archive.org plug anywhere in this story ,0/10.
In all seriousness, that's beautiful.
frenchfrites ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:36:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ooh! I remember reading your story before and I am so happy to come across it again. This is very special.
RabbitQueen_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:59:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've read this story from you before, and I absolutely love it every time. I had a teacher renew my love of reading after a family member shattered it for me, so I love hearing about other paper fairy tale angels in the world inspiring fellow bookworms.
CuteThingsAndLove ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:00:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I definitely think I read your story the first time you posted it, it sounds just way too familiar.
WhAtDoEsThIsMeMeMaTe ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:08:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Matilda?
Namllih ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:19:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
HAHA IS IT RAINING GUYS?
CrabbyBlueberry ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:19:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, I've seen this story before! You probably copied it here verbatim, you karma whore! Oh, wait... you're that edgar guy. Cary on then.
AlbinoVagina ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:23:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I got chills reading this! I think it's crazy how sometimes a "small" gesture or comment can follow us throughout our lives. I wonder if that woman ever thinks (thought?) about you. :)
_Fudge_Judgement_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:26:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Matilda?
Loushius ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:32:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I did something similar last week. I was in a comic shop across from my office picking up some new comics. A kid was in front of me in line (8 or 9) buying Pokemon booster packs. He was counting out all this change and 1's he had to see how many packs he could get (2 I think). I ended up buying him another booster pack and handed it to him as he left the counter, that kid was so happy.
I ended up overhearing afterwards that the lady with him wasn't his mom (she described herself as a friend), and that he had "lost" his deck. The kid was discussing with one of the shop employee's about playing in a store tournament. I'm assuming that he most likely didn't just misplace his deck and that the lady was a social worker of sorts (may be entirely wrong). I'd have gotten him one of the starter decks if I knew that before.
trump_did_nineeleven ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:36:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How long ago did you tell this story. I think I remember it
Cerberusarms ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:42:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Something similar happened to me about a year ago.
I had made a stop at Dairy Queen (I was 14) and had about 3 or 4 dollars or so on me. I ordered two ice cream cones for my brother and I, then the total came out to been about a dollar or so above what we had. Some kind old lady saw this and handed me a 5 dollar bill and told me to keep the change. I thanked her and promised myself the next time I see her I'll give her a hug and pay her back.
That kind of thing just made me so happy and when we sat down to eat I looked over and smiled at her, I hope I see her again.
ZaMr0 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:45:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Have you shared this before, I remember reading this a few months back.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:52:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Stuff like this make me regain a sliver of hope in the goodness of humanity.
nonofax ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:57:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Awesome!!!!!
BattlefieldNinja ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:59:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is great. I really wish I could still read the way I used to. Sadly, due to my ADHD progressing and my need for constant stimulation (video games mostly) I can't enjoy reading the way I used to. It breaks my heart.
ballrus_walsack ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:01:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Those weren't thrift stores they were libraries! ;) jk cool story!
CinnamonSpiceBlend ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:07:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wish somehow that woman knew what an impact one dollar and one minute of her time had. Now, many years later, long after she has probably gone, over a thousand people read your story and it affected them.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:08:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This one makes me tear up
noworkallplay1 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:26:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
iv read this story before here
notcarriefisher ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:26:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've read this story before when you've posted it in a similar thread, it makes me smile every time! What a kind gesture on her part and it's amazing that the experience has resonated with you so much that you still think of her.
khan_the_terrible ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:36:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man, this just made my day. When I was growing up, I was a total word nerd, and loved reading, but my parents always wanted me to get outside and run around. Why run around outside when you can read BOOKS? Glad I'm not alone.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:40:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck, this is something out of a Disney movie and I love it
LilliaHakami ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:44:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For me it was my aunt. I lived with my mother and my stepdad and my two half siblings. Birthdays and Christmas were really tough displays of the differences that were drawn between me and my siblings. My aunt did very little for my siblings but for my birthday each year she would pick me up, we'd drink tea/coffee and browse through Barnes and Noble and I'd be permitted one book to buy and bring home. When I was 11 it was a 'Big book of Insects', 15 it was the next book in a series she started me on at Easter. I've only recently resumed reading and lament having ever found myself too preoccupied with life to stop.
Onkel_Wackelflugel ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:50:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Niagara Falls, Frankie Angel.
ehlayna ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:53:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Omg feels ;_; made me tear up a little bit
NoncreativeScrub ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:56:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a second grade teacher who would do something similar with poetry, except you could memorize a poem and get a prize, like a comic book, which in hindsight, was a nice prize. He also kept his classroom open early and late, and it was always open to kids that wanted to hang out and read.
EmberDione ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:07:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know this feeling. My family didn't always have money, but when we did, my mom would always buy me books instead of toys. It really helped make me who I am.
JudgePrudy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:37:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your story gave me chills. I need to carry around cash so I can support the dreams of children at bookstores I frequent. One of my memories involving reading was my grandmother and I reading the Tarzan comics when I was 8. She helped me learn how to pronounce the "big words" and helped me look up their meanings in the dictionary.
Radvila ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:50:23 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dude, I'm at work. Goddamn onions.
Zabiool ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:10:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-gives thee biggest hug- :3
Twales ยท 528 points ยท Posted at 12:21:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I won a poetry contest in 3rd grade. The competition was to write about the color of kindness and I said camouflage because even though you don't see it that doesn't mean it's not there. Ever since that day I knew I was a wiseass and wrote a little differently than everyone else.
[deleted] ยท 66 points ยท Posted at 15:19:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jesus, you're a genius.
madusa77 ยท 43 points ยท Posted at 15:41:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey I wrote a poem about a booger in the 3rd grade for an assignment and got an A
spaceflora ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 16:54:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom wrote a poem about the town dump once. Well actually my mother had an assignment to write a poem about the town dump and when she told her parents what her homework assignment was, my grandfather immediately came out with:
The town dump has a hell of a smell
If you've ever smelt it, you'll remember it well.
She decided she couldn't come up with anything better and submitted that.
RegalGoat ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 15:35:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn 3rd grade you was a bright little philosopher.
KyrieEleison_88 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:13:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's really clever!
saintkreaux ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:10:30 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reminds me of a couple of writing assignments I had back in the 4th and 5th grade. The story I wrote in 4th grade involved a reporter investigating mermaid sightings in a remote area of Hawaii known to locals as "Mermaid Falls". The reporter is rescued by a mermaid and is taken to her home under the water. He falls in love, etc. The story ends with the reporter waking up in bed, wondering if it was all a dream...yet the entire bed was soaked. The teacher liked it enough to ask me to read it to a class of 5th graders. I didn't realize until later that it totally came off as a parable about bedwetting. Oh well.
The 5th grade story was about WWI flying aces, where the narrator is in the really heavy shit, his plane is a shambles and he's under heavy fire and out of nowhere his buddy, who he thought long shot down comes out of nowhere to save him from certain death. The narrator awakes in a hospital bed, completely unaware of how he got there or how the battle ended. A kind nurse tells him that he was surely a goner and was saved by another plane that killed his pursuers and he later crash-landed, lucky to be alive. He inquires about his friend and is told that he was shot down several hours before he was and is dead. The narrator then lifts the covers of his bed to find a carburetor (from the plane's engine) lying near his feet, shot full of holes and still warm.
I had a big thing for twist endings. Oh my God, I was a young M. Night Shyamalan. Ah well.
mus_maximus ยท 951 points ยท Posted at 10:22:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandfather walking me to the bookstore, and letting me pick out anything I wanted.
A group of girls I thought were my friends shit-talking me in French, thinking I wouldn't understand. The conscious decision to stay 'friends' with them, as it was better than being alone.
Walking out of high school on the last day. The warm sunlight making the little chips of mica in the sidewalk shine like mirror stars. Never going back. Alone and free.
Too many pages of poetry, of vastly varying quality.
reverendmalerik ยท 793 points ยท Posted at 11:43:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a similar experience with a french housemate. Didn't know her that well as we only shared a kitchen, but we had always been cordial to each other. One day her friend is there and we're all in the kitchen and they start talking in french and saying quite hurtful things about me I didn't think were justified. I just turned around and said, in French, something along the lines of "what the fuck makes you think I don't speak French?". Never spoke again.
[deleted] ยท 614 points ยท Posted at 12:11:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have the best kind of boner right now
The-Boner-Police ยท 380 points ยท Posted at 13:11:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sir your going to have come with me.
mistakenlovechild ยท 127 points ยท Posted at 14:44:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Grammar police here. Sir, you're going to have to come with me.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 17:57:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Circle jerk here. Sir, you're going to to have to come with me.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:01:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
( อกยฐ อส อกยฐ)
greedcrow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:24:18 on August 1, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You got it wrong. That's just hos title
NinjaTurkey_ ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 15:44:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
2 year account and only one comment? Impressive.
The-Boner-Police ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 16:45:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Had to pick my moment.
ballrus_walsack ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:13:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You had to *prick your moment. FTFY
Ajaxlancer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:09:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well you should have at least used correct grammar, asshole
seamus522 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:27:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I almost spit water all over my computer holy shit your username and timing are incredible
logarithmyk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:33:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I demand a lawyer!
blue_dice ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:47:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
two year account and this is your first post? that's dedication.
The-Boner-Police ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:45:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Had to pick my moment.
UltraHellboy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
/r/retiredusername.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:15:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But this is his first comment.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:56:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wanted to upvote, but you were at 69 points.
puddlebrigade ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 13:06:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Petty revenge boner
ialwaysrandommeepo ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:10:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
JUSTICE BONER
andremeda ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:07:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The 'about to get laid' boner?
UncookedMarsupial ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:08:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
annnnnd now I do too.
Jesse-James- ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:56:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
me too, no fucking idea why though
DemonSquirril ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:48:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
/r/nocontext
egernunge ยท 137 points ยท Posted at 13:28:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That reminds me of this:
Once, I was sitting at a bus stop with a friend, smoking while waiting for her bus. We're both Danish. These two guys walk in, asking us in English whether we had a lighter. Sure. They keep standing there and start talking to each other in French, clearly thinking that we didn't understand that language. Well, my friend didn't but I did. These guys are talking about my friend and I, comparing our boobs, discussing which of us they'd rather fuck etc. I'm translating what they're saying to my friend while trying not to laugh. My friend's bus arrives, she gets on it and I start walking away. As I pass the guys I say "Au revoir" and send them my best 'yes, I speak French' smile. The look on their faces was priceless.
[deleted] ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 15:42:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love the "they didn't know I understood their language" stories!! I have a few of them saved, and read them every so often.
reverendmalerik ยท 33 points ยท Posted at 16:27:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Well then, one for the road!
I used to work in a supermarket in Wales when I was a student. Didn't speak Welsh, but my now wife had tried to teach me a little. People would come up and say, in Welsh, 'do you speak welsh?' and I would reply, in English, 'no, sorry, not a word'.
Always threw them for a minute.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:03:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's hilarious!! Thanks for sharing that.
v-tanabata ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:46:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in high school, I had a pair of Mexican students who were sitting next to me in a math class that took place in a computer lab. The one closest to me would take my answers and work and describe it to his friend and they'd skate by like that. I didn't really care so I let it go on for a pretty long time. At some point, I said something along the lines of 'I know what you've been doing, but whatever' to him and they looked mortified and said 'You could understand us!?'
Trot_Sky_Lives ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:02:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So, did they surrender?
bobasaurus12 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:30:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's in their nature
thebbman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:45:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do you live in Canada or something?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:21:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair Quebec French is like Alabama English. I was in Trois Riviรจres and I thought they happened to be german exchange students or something.
thebbman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:26:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really? That's peculiar to me since I have no trouble understanding any forms of American English. Maybe I'm a hick and I just don't know it?
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:10:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nah I'm just playing, I've never heard Alabamans talk; just wanted to say that Quebeckers have thick accents that even if you spoke French relatively well (not perfectly fluent but legally enough!) you cant understand them.
thebbman ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:12:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If I was to reconfigure your analogy I would say it this way, "Quebecian French sounds like Pikey English to me."
reverendmalerik ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:32:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Actually that was when I was studying in Liverpool.
bored_melon ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 15:00:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Both of this are just confirming that french people are dicks.
*I know some french people who aren't dicks, but its a stereotype for a reason I guess.
CalDY23 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:04:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's funny... I don't even remember my last day of high school and it wasn't even two years ago, and yet it's one of your 'core memories'
reapy54 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:15:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was a great description of leaving high school. I had a similar life memory finishing college. I was in my cap and gown, holding my diploma as I opened the door to my apartment. The sun was out that day shining down, and I remember telling myself "Never again, I'm done".
I most likely should have gotten my masters, but I just can't take the crap that must be stepped through to learn at an institution.
hrefchef ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:05:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My High School graduation was bittersweet. I got out of jail on the day of my graduation, so I was pretty shaken up during the entire ceremony. Even though it was rough, I had the same thoughts as you. Never having to walk back into the building again is such a sweet feeling...
Until I had to walk in about once a week the entire summer to fight for them to actually give me my diploma. But, at some point I truly did walk out of the building for the last time, and that makes me happy.
Crazy_GAD ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:07:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
must be all that poetry
Booksandcards ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:56:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What book did you get?
mus_maximus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:10:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The Neverending Story. I still re-read it every couple of years.
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:19:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can see that mica. Very evocative. I hope you're now writing lots of poetry (of not-so-vastly-varying quality) yourself.
seedofcheif ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:44:30 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i feel that completely. i was bullied heavily in middle school and there were these boys who would make fun of me but they would let be around them. i chose to stay with them because it would be completely alone otherwise
Tails-92 ยท 9870 points ยท Posted at 10:24:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing a music solo at school and my Grandpa standing up mid-performance to applaud me. He knew it wasnโt the end but he was so proud.
When I overheard my Mum talking to my Dad. She said that they should prioritise getting me the new wardrobes I wanted because I never asked for anything and this was clearly important to me.
The first time I saw my current SO (over 10 years ago; been together for the last 6 years). I knew then that I wanted to marry her. Itโs the surest Iโve felt of anything in my life.
MrPartyRocket ยท 4165 points ยท Posted at 11:24:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Feels-R-Us
Cruel_Intention ยท 998 points ยท Posted at 11:46:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All aboard the Feels Train, choo-choo.
RowMeOh2 ยท 1136 points ยท Posted at 11:52:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bing-Bong! Bing-Bong!
jug_the_khaki ยท 1263 points ยท Posted at 12:43:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my wife and I watching the scene when bing bong sacrifices himself to help joy, as he faded away, I turned to my wife near tears in my eyes and said, "oh no, Bing bong died." she looks me square in the eyes and said, "bing bong was already dead," then turned back to watching the movie. I think I married a sociopath.
HppySqrrl-67 ยท 234 points ยท Posted at 13:07:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I lost it. Sobbed for probably ten minutes.
Elodie29 ยท 39 points ยท Posted at 13:47:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Actually started sobbing when Bing-Bong had that look in his eyes, he just knew it, they were so close, he was so heavy, and they tried over and over again, singing that awfully cheerful song along the way, I sobbed a little, I bit my lip, I tried my best to watch it but I just had to pause the movie and cry for a good 10 minutes too.
And I didn't even like that stupid-looking Big-Bong ! Damn, they're good at making these movies, hadn't cried that much since Big Hero 6 I think.
Digitalburn ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 15:48:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I actually remember seeing this in the theatre and that look you speak of I just whispered "No." And my wife was confused, seconds later we were both misty eyed and saying we hate Pixar for making us feel. My daughter (3) was just happy Joy got out of the hole.
And that fucking Lava short. I thought they were going to end it about a minute sooner and was about to be incredibly depressed.
HppySqrrl-67 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:30:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I saw it coming from a mile away and I still lost it!
Obvious0ne ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:38:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What movie is this? I haven't heard of Bing Bong
copiouscuddles ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:46:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If you're serious...Inside Out which is mentioned in the title of the thread. XD
Obvious0ne ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:31:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes I'm really that clueless - hadn't heard of the movie before this thread. Will check it out
IslamicCaterpillar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:05:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's worth it. Great movie.
copiouscuddles ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:06:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's okay. You're one of today's lucky ten thousand!
https://xkcd.com/1053/
...depending on how much you like "feels"...
Bad-Brains ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:12:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME CRY AT WORK?!?
mms09 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:32:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I cried SO HARD!!!
CaptainBalkan ยท 134 points ยท Posted at 13:20:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Take her to the moon for me..."
:(
weres_youre_rhombus ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:34:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dammit.
Snuggles596 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:28:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
FTFY
Just reading this stream of comments, reopens the floodgates from Bing-Bong.
superduperspam ยท 169 points ยท Posted at 13:11:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
some night over the next 20 years, your wife is going to rise up in the middle of the night, reach under the bed where she has been storing the bread knife, plunge it deep into your chest and with a dead look in her eye, say "/u/jug_the_khaki was already dead"
then go back to sleep
jug_the_khaki ยท 107 points ยท Posted at 13:28:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's where she keeps the sex toys though... I don't know which is worse...
ANUSTART942 ยท 84 points ยท Posted at 13:32:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
some night over the next 20 years, your wife is going to rise up in the middle of the night, reach under the bed where she has been storing the most acutely angled butt-plug, plunge it deep into your chest and with a dead look in her eye, say
"/u/jug_the_khaki was already dead"
then go back to sleep.
Gemspark ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 14:05:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
deleted
LezBeeHonest ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:30:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"was already pegged" (idk how to edit sry)
Jlsky156 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thought it was an ice pick?
nursepayton ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:58:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ice pick, butt plug... they both feel the same.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:47:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
jesus that would suck, bread knives have rounded ends!
Gnarbotron ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:15:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was watching it with my 7 year old step daughter. Tears were streaming down my face and she turned to me and said "Geez, you know everything's going to work out in the end right? It's just a movie."
not_old_account ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:57:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love when a piece of fiction is super fatalistic. I can never tell what's going to happen when no one has plot armor.
ThePizzaReaper ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:47:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dad?
jug_the_khaki ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:50:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes?
ThePizzaReaper ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:01:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:')
ThePandaChoke ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:02:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My daughter still teases me because I cried at that part.
pizzadeadpool ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:52:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What is dead can never die
ballrus_walsack ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:05:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bing bong morghulis
SupaDoll ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:35:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Does she yawn when she sees you yawn? If not, chances of her being a sociopath are very high. Report back OP.
jug_the_khaki ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:45:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe? What if she usually yawns first and I don't yawn??? It was me all along??? Am I the sociopath? Tell me now or I'll murder someone...
SupaDoll ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:58:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yep. You're the sociopath. I'm just going to slowly back out of this conversation now...
Mksiege ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:59:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He can't be a sociopath, he cried to Bing Bong!
sketchedy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:44:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I showed this comment to my wife and told her, your response to this would have been, "Who's Bing Bong?" She immediately replied with "I have no idea who Bing Bong is." She doesn't really like animated movies and blocks them out, even though I'm sure she's been in the room a bunch of times when our daughter was watching Inside Out.
thecrius ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:32:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your wife is awesome. Scary but awesome.
Well, more scary now that I think of it. But please don't tell her I said that.
soundsaboutWRIGHT ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:02:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If someone turned to me and said the phrase, "Bing Bong died", I would bust out laughing. I'm laughing right now just thinking about it!
Jarvizzz ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:51:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Omfg my fiance and I are polar opposites when it comes to showing emotions. I'm a brick wall 90% of the time (I feel normal emotions, I guess just not as strongly as others) and she cries at the drop of a hat.
Except, when it comes to movies we both switch immediately. I love a good tear-jerker and get misty eyed when things like the Bing-bong scene come up, and she ALWAYS ruins it by saying some stupid shit as soon as the sad part is happening. It makes me FURIOUS. It's like she has no empathy and I have all of it.
extremelycynical ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:10:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe she is saying stupid shit to distract from the sadness so she doesn't cry.
Making fun of something is a common reaction when people don't want to acknowledge their own feelings.
happybex ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:07:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My ex husband used to get SO ANGRY at me when we watched scary movies and I would start making jokes about the movie at the scariest parts.
It was really because I was terrified and needed to calm myself down or I knew I was going to have nightmares...maybe your fiance is doing something similar!
Jdogy2002 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your wife and my wife should get together and go bowling.
beldaran1224 ยท 141 points ยท Posted at 12:21:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I actually cried. No kidding. My bf got a bit misty too, and we called each other childish :)
gigabyte898 ยท 59 points ยท Posted at 12:52:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I'm a grown ass man and I shed a few tears at that part. Whoever didn't isn't human
Edit: Damn synths!
Humg12 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:49:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't really like Bing Bong so I didn't feel anything when he faded. Though, I was bawling like a baby when Joy finally let Sadness dilute the core memories while Riley was hugging her parents.
MimeGod ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:08:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It wasn't diluting the memories, just changing the perspective a bit. Because it's now all things she misses.
Kind of like how when your grandmother passes away, all of your happy memories together now make you sad. (I lost my grandmother a couple of weeks ago, so it seems like a perfect analogy at the moment)
hobbycollector ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:24:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The feels!
2nd_law_is_empirical ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:08:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I din't cry for Bing Bong in particular because I kept predicting there would be a twist and that he would be the villain who was causing problems by keeping his own memories and deleting other ones.
CottonCandyElephant ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:31:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
INDEED, MY OCULARS HAD BECOME LUBRICATED WATCHING SAID SCENE; WHOMEVER DID NOT MAY BE A ROBOT, BUT I SURE AM NOT.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:19:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
AGREED. WHEN THE FICTIONAL CHARACTER IN THE FICTIONAL STORY STOPPED BEING WRITTEN, I ALSO EXPERIENCED SEVERAL EMOTIONS, PRIMARILY NEGATIVE, DESPITE KNOWING THAT THE ENTIRE FILM WAS COMPLETELY FABRICATED AND NO ACTUAL LIVING CREATURE HAD SUFFERED IN ANY FASHION.
ISN'T IT DIFFICULT BEING BESET BY ALL OF THESE VERY LEGITIMATE EMOTIONS? IT IS VERY HARD. I FEEL THEM EVERY DAY.
kjbigs282 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:12:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
/r/totallynotrobots
PepperBelly01 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:41:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Welp, I guess I'm not human..
KingNick777 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:43:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't cry. I didn't watch the move either
theroyaleyeball ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:14:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
TIL I'm not human because it takes a LOT to get me to cry...
hidude398 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe I'm inhuman.
fred1840 ยท 111 points ยท Posted at 12:27:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
HAHAHAHA.... yeah... i cried at the short before the movie.
CrystalElyse ยท 42 points ยท Posted at 13:05:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lava was seriously one of the most emotional things I've seen from Pixar. I was sobbing when I saw that.
Jgibbjr ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 13:32:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I cried and cried. Luckily we were at the drive-in, so it was dark enough. Just hearing that song on the radio breaks me up when I'm at work, and I am a Grown-Ass man...
skooba_steev ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:32:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They play that song on the radio?
Everybodysbastard ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 14:42:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was some sad ass shit. Poor volcano! I seriously thought he was gonna die and never have her hear him again.
CanIGetNandos ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:38:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a dream....
ScoobeydoobeyNOOB ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:45:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Don't watch the little match girl. I'm not a crier but that short made me bawl
ameya2693 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:30:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Can a stop cutting onions guys?
BeoWulf156 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:48:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
While cutting onions, the trick is staying not too emotional about it.
Neafie2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:48:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What was the short before the movie?
EndOfTheSquirrel ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:05:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
IIRC it was the volcano one. 'Iiiiii lavaaaa youuu'
londoncalling27 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:29:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
so did I. My very macho, bearded biking beer-guzzling meat-loving SO was sobbing....
VibratorVixen ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:18:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My husband and I watched this together and when Bing Bong faded away, I looked over at my husband all teary eyed, only to see that he was teary eyed too. We both laughed and said "Stupid!" at the same time. We did that when the old people died on The Notebook too. It makes me smile just to think about it. We are such saps.
beldaran1224 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:13:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yep. Almost exactly how it goes with us.
Chemicalsockpuppet ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:52:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I must have a heart of stone
beldaran1224 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:54:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:(
Chemicalsockpuppet ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:57:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm trying...
...
No, there is literally no point pretending, I was born without a soul
Ajaxlancer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:50:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You fool! You gave too much information!
I have found you!
Chemicalsockpuppet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:41:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
...ok. A troll? I didn't think I was :/
Ajaxlancer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:42:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nay, but an ugly ginger
Chemicalsockpuppet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:43:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh. I'm blonde but haha.
Ajaxlancer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:47:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Gingers have no souls.
Chemicalsockpuppet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:48:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ok...I got that that was the joke dude.
Ajaxlancer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:51:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just making sure. It didn't sound like you did.
Chemicalsockpuppet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:03:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:41:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
beldaran1224 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:53:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lol, I had no idea. Thanks!
TerriblePrompts ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 12:22:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Destination: The Moon
anthonys_white_ass ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 12:38:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Who's your friend who likes to play?
fireork12 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bing bong, bing bong
LGBTreecko ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:23:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Uncle Jeffrey and his magic wand!
Introverted_Learner ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:44:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not crying! You're crying.
Well_thatwas_random ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:08:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me and my fiance still bring this part up. One of us says "bing bong" in some form or fashion, and the other replies with, "aw poor bing bong".
KatieMcKaterson ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:46:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
God damnit, I just managed to stop crying over that part.
Pan-The-Man ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:09:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
NO BING-BONG!
Cockalorum ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:49:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, god damn it
Rule1ofReddit ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:57:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn you Disney! Got me again. *wipes away rogue tear.
plantbreeder ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:59:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My SO and I always yell Bing-Bong at each other randomly throughout the day
xAwkwardTacox ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:50:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:(
THUMB5UP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Brojob?
PieFlava ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You people know a lot about trucks
Siriacus ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:21:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't hand in my permission slip for this feel-trip.
YouAreCorrectt ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:33:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First stop, feelsville
thelastrhino ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:44:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha yes, I too am experiencing feelings.
Frynge ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:27:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I need an adult...
himalayan_earthporn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:38:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey the feels train can be about them good feels too!
Typical_Adc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:54:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All aboard the feel train, boo-hoo!
Barabbas- ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:22:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Promise me you'll never stop riding the feels-train"
notenoughspaceforthe ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:12:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is this the same thing as that Bro Job train?
Wenderbeck ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:23:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tails-92 is now tagged as "FEELS-R-US" forever
boomsauc3 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:58:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Got myself a Happy Feel with a side of cries
SomeoneTrading ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:41:56 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Feels: the movie.
fuckswithducks ยท 3273 points ยท Posted at 12:18:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The early days of meeting your SO are the best kinds of happy memories. There's so much excitement and wonder as you get to know each other on a level that you've never shown to anyone else. There's the thrill of the unknown to it as well, like whether or not they'll be into your rubber ducky collection.
ClaudeJackelele ยท 1381 points ยท Posted at 12:22:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For fuck sake every time.
General_Georges ยท 456 points ยท Posted at 12:34:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
*For duck's sake
CeleryStore ยท 363 points ยท Posted at 12:51:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
this is the first time I've seen /u/fuckswithducks in the wild and not by a linked post, I feel like I busted some sort of reddit cherry
scloutkst2889 ยท 63 points ยท Posted at 12:58:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Clearly you're not on reddit enough. Mr. ducks posts all the time,and I stumble across him fairly frequently without being linked.
Botek ยท 160 points ยท Posted at 13:10:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cool.
mediumhydroncollider ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:01:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nice karma grab mate
TheWorldMayEnd ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:11:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Beans.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 14:29:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Are
gsav55 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:58:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
FadeCrimson ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:43:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ye, he gets around.
PDPGINSU ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:08:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mr. Ducks is his father. Please, call him Fucks.
I_Am_Day_Man ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:47:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe you're on Reddit too much
scloutkst2889 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:50:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
(โฏยฐโกยฐ๏ผโฏ๏ธต โปโโป
Not possible!
cookrw1989 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:27:47 on August 4, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โฌโโฌใ(เฒ _เฒ ใ)
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:01:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
scloutkst2889 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:08:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I was corrected by another redditor, I too assumed a guy. Makes more sense as a woman now that I think about it.
Edit: went and did some more research after being corrected, seems it is Mr duck after all.
Okieant33 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:04:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
She?
scloutkst2889 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Re-edited My post, was originally he. I was corrected, but the correction was wrong. Looked through Mr ducks posts and he is indeed a guy.
Okieant33 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:13:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh ok. I was quite confused for a minute
DragonflyGrrl ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:42:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You had it right the first time, it's a he.
scloutkst2889 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:48:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes after a bit of research I have this nailed down. Thanks.
Butt_pass ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:42:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ms*
DragonflyGrrl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:43:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nope, it's a he.
Butt_pass ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
IT.. He/she is an IT
ScoobeydoobeyNOOB ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:46:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Duck you autocorrect
psykikduk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:05:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You called?
BenignEgoist ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:23:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have him followed so I can't be surprised anymore.
"What's with this redditor's name being orange?...oh....u/fuckswithducks....this should be interesting!"
I'm considering unfollowing because there aren't enough surprises left in life.
D8-42 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:39:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You know it's not a joke user like the jumpercables guy right? He/she genuinely has a rubberduck fetish and I think it's awesome they're so open about it.
latenightnerd ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:51:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've even friended him so his name is highlighted. Still fell for it.
karabutov ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:28:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I added a red tag with his username using RES to always see when I'm about to be ducked. In a way, it ruins all the fun, but at the same time the I don't go "oh fuck not this again" nearly as often as before.
Jstall34 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:07:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly he gets me every time too. Fuckswithducks is an absolute master at... whatever you call writing posts that seem normal until you insert a duck reference.
ChrisTheB ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:01:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You need to tag that motherfucker with RES or else he'll get you everytime.
My tag is just a bright pink with 'god damnit' in it.
emsok_dewe ยท 111 points ยท Posted at 13:27:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I drove by a giant inflatable duck last week in NY on the thruway. I was driving, in the real world, with real people. I saw that duck and, goddamnit, I thought of you. Surrounded by my real, flesh and blood friends, I thought of you. What the fuck, Reddit?
drunkcowofdeath ยท 338 points ยท Posted at 12:59:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What makes /u/fuckswithducks better than other novelty accounts is he is actually interesting and straight forward for the first 95% of it. Other novelty accounts are novelty accounts because they had nothing else interesting to say so they needed a shtick.
Bladelink ยท 51 points ยท Posted at 14:14:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He really puts in the effort. I've seen him gives some really long winded explanations about ducks as well.
inspector_norse ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:06:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's a she, though! Which somehow makes it even funnier.
PoisonHeadcrab ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:05:08 on August 5, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't seem like it.
aerovistae ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 15:53:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Does it really count as a novelty account if it's just something he's so passionate about that it's his primary use case for reddit and happens to come up in all conversations with him? Like, if SantaClaus had a reddit account and talked about Christmas a lot, would that make it a novelty account?
indaelgar ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:14:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is it really a novelty account is this is actually their life?
Thaddiousz ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:29:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's not a novelty, he's serious. Dudes had porn made and everything.
TheKeenMind ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 15:19:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
/u/poemforyoursprog would like a word with you
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:11:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nah man, the earthquake guy and person who draws stuff are awesome.
NoncreativeScrub ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:58:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You always learn something new when he posts.
AGARTHA_IS_REAL_17 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
REDDIT USER AND UNCONFIRMED LIZARD PERSON /U/drunkcowofdeath PROVES NOVELTY ACCOUNTS ON REDDIT ARE A CONSPIRACY FROM ZETA RETICULI 12
chronomachia ยท 97 points ยท Posted at 12:31:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Aww that's so true...wait what?"
Paradon ยท 169 points ยท Posted at 12:20:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You've never failed to fool me.
Cheese_Pancakes ยท 48 points ยท Posted at 12:55:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It seems like every time I don't notice a username before reading a comment, it turns out to be u/fuckswithducks.
zeekaran ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:05:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have him tagged with a bright magenta tag that says DUCKS and I'm wondering if I'm only disappointing myself.
ShiftyMcShift ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:35:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Drake a chill pill, buddy!
imGnarly ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:03:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I miss the dad-beating jumper cables guyโฆ
andremeda ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:24:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wouldn't it be crazy if the rubber duck guy was the jumper cables guy?
Manleather ยท 66 points ยท Posted at 12:56:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm curious- have you ever said no to a duck? I don't want this to come off like I'm duck-shaming you, I just want to know if you have an attraction scale criteria, or if all ducks get equal attention.
theroyaleyeball ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 14:15:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I second this.
TheSinningRobot ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:55:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This requires an answer.
imn0tg00d ยท 61 points ยท Posted at 12:40:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I miss my ex so much :(
Pastor_0f_Muppets ยท 73 points ยท Posted at 13:00:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's okay buddy :)
You'll find someone else
Chucklebuck ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:02:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And someone better.
kstebbs ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:53:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Might not though.
Pastor_0f_Muppets ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:16:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm an optimist
Ubernicken ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:17:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Or something else... Like a rubber duck... Multiple. Rubber ducks.
not_vulva ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:27:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just like his ex did!
Smiley007 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:45:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That username is fantastic
TheGift_RGB ยท -7 points ยท Posted at 14:57:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You don't know that. Giving people false hopes should be a crime, cunt.
Pastor_0f_Muppets ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:10:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn, aren't you bitter?
TheGift_RGB ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 15:22:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Call it being realistic.
Ricardo1184 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:40:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Agreed, life isn't a fairy tale.
imGnarly ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:03:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It'll be alright don't worryโฆ been there
ExcitedAlpaca ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:59:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
been there, still there 3 years later. People always say it gets better, and you'll find someone, but I mean at least for me - it hasn't. I hope you have better luck. Do remember there is a reason they are an ex, something wasn't right at the time.
kevin_zavala21 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:30:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"At the time", I find it to be a better solution to improve yourself and become the person you dream of being. Then, that is when everything will begin to fall into place. Look at yourself and make a list of what you would like to improve, then maybe try and get your ex back.
P.S. Obviously some relationships are unable to work out, but if you still feel like there's hope, then go for it buddy :)
ExcitedAlpaca ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:18 on August 13, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
late reply, but yes I agree. Thanks for taking the time to reply! Hope you're doing well :)
Narfff ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:32:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know, it hurts.
And every day it hurts a little less, and every day you think about them a little less. And one day you think: "Hey, I haven't thought about them all day" And you learn.
And then you meet someone and everything you remember about your ex comes flooding back because part of our personality is past experiences. And maybe this new person works out, maybe it doesn't. But you learn, and you grow.
And after a while you'll see it as the thing it was. A learning experience. And it hurt at the time, but not anymore.
:-)
Doctrineate ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:00:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just know that is an entirely ok feeling. Your body, and your mental state is going through withdrawals.
What's not ok is contacting them during this withdrawal process. You need to go through it and accept the fact that they're gone in order to move on. It may take a week, a year, or a decade. But they're gone from your life, and you should be gone from their life.
Get a hobby or two. Dive into work for a little bit. Go get a gym membership. There isn't a better feeling in the world than busting out an intense workout and crying over someone at the same time. You'll be stronger in no time!
imn0tg00d ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:26:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm already doing those things. I'm in great shape now and have little trouble finding a girl, but things never take off because I'm still so hung up on her 6 months later. I am morbidly afraid of marriage yet she was the only one I've ever considered it with much less asked. Im 31 btw, I've been in a lot of relationships. This one is just different though.
Doctrineate ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:10:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're putting too much pressure on dating! Focus on your hobbies and work, while going out to have fun. Think of the person as a best friend that you're going to go hang out with. Anything that will help you take off the edge and relax will do you wonders.
6 months is far too early. Give it more time and date more. You are not looking for someone to marry, you are looking for someone who you get along with super well and who meshes with your personality.
Who gives a damn if you're 31? You're young. There is still plenty of time to meet people and enjoy their company.
imn0tg00d ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:13:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wasn't saying that I'm running out of time or anything like that, I was giving my age to show that I've had experience and can tell what I lost.
peter_the_panda ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:08:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
don't....they are your ex for a reason (unless you are calling them that due to some horrific accident in which case I am sorry for your loss).
you gotta only look forward, no matter how painful it might be.
things will always get better
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:18:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
imn0tg00d ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:23:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There are just so many memories though. It's hard to believe that I don't matter at all to someone who means so much to me.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:07:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You hit it right on the head. Well said. That's loneliness, and it sucks 100%.
It's a huge reason why break ups hurt so much. There's nothing I can do to make it go away, but there are at least two things that make it better.
Work out, and be happy. Take a few Push-ups every day (no, really!). Do something fun with a friend. Go-kart, hiking, whatever. Just get out there and create some new memories rather than staying home thinking about the old ones.
Little by little you'll notice that it gets easier, but it will take time. Then one day perhaps you'll realize you don't specifically miss her that much anymore. Maybe you'll realize what you miss simply is being loved and having someone to care about and sharing your life with. And that should give you hope, because you can find love. The hard part is to maintain it, but now you have a big book of experience you didn't have the last time around. You'll figure out how to use it.
As I said before, I know it fucking sucks, but try to keep your chin up. Remember this is also a beginning.
Feel free to pm me anytime.
imn0tg00d ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:50 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Already been working out for 8 months now, actually started back into it before the breakup. I've been pretty good at this whole breakup thing in the past because I'm good at finding a replacement, but this time around its different. It feels like no matter how many times I try to replace her, I can't.
TheGeopoliticusChild ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:18:05 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm right there with you :(
detectivejewhat ยท 56 points ยท Posted at 12:25:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I fucking hate you so much you sneaky son of a bitch.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:03:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
detectivejewhat ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:03:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't care
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:11:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
detectivejewhat ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:12:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Crooked civilized
Poolboy24 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:34:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn you got me. It's like when a person wears a mustache as a disguise but you dont realize it until after they pull it off.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:45:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not for me. The first year with my current SO was awful. There was every reason in the world for us to break up, but we just didn't. Now things are the best they've ever been (5 years later). So unlike most people's relationships that start out awesome and dip in quality over time, ours goes in the reverse.
fearofbears ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:25:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah I feel like most realistic relationships start this way. Its one thing to have a primitive idea of attraction, but relationships don't become successful because of attraction alone. Sometimes it takes a lot of fights and bad experiences to really know someone and whether youre compatible.
lowblowbybobloblaw ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:01:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i always forget to read the username, you sneaky bastard!
NoxIam ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:06:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, fuck me, take the up vote you bastard. You get me like 90% of the time, damnit.
honeywave ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:08:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I mean, rubber duckies are pretty normal. Just wait until you see my dank meme collection. That tends to scare people away.
Hurray_for_Candy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:10:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are there people who aren't into rubber duckies?
Tunavi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:08:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Im going through this with a girl right now. I'm 25 and after 10 years of shitty fuckin dating I met the coolest and most similar girl to me who actually shows me the respect I deserve. It's surreal and I hope it works out between us.
inelegantwench ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine was. They're in pride of place in the dining room now.
Tails-92 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:29:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ducker Fucker!
BlubberyPancakes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:33:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Every ducking time.
Plague_Walker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:34:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I ducking love you
Ibney00 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:38:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
WARNING: DUCK FUCKER ABOVE
ThatGuyWhoEngineers ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:40:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love your work.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sorry for the every time they weren't.
Jagd3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:42:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've gotta learn to read usernames first haha :)
I_FUCK_JUICY_PUSSIES ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I become a billionaire I will cover your body with golden ducks.
Wannabe_Iceman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You've become the new jumper cables guy!
SixAlarmFire ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh you.
ImAPixiePrincess ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:20:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Apparently I ignored my SO when I first met him. He was trying to talk to me on vent. and was attempting to ask me about a build on IRO. I didn't even realize it until later on when I actually started playing the game with him that it was him I snubbed. To be fair, I suck at games and was following a shit build my current bf had started me on.
ELxSQUISHY ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love this guy. Gets me everytime XD
Charly_ZA ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Please tell me how it is that I see your posts so regularly around.
Craftmasterkeen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
QUACK
DAREALANUS ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
audibly groans with emotions unknown to the groaner
Butt_pass ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
On a side note from how awesome this account is, here's your future husband https://www.instagram.com/ahmad_abi/
caytuex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:18:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
married my wife after knowing her for 8 weeks. 18 years later I do drift off to those first few weeks but the current ones..... the ones after you have struggled with life, finances, children, and just growing up together.......those are the moments. the ones where you look back down that mountain and together you still are in awe of your accomplishments.
Captain_Wompus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:25:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I met my wife in 1st grade. Needless to say, she was yucky back then.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:41:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reading this is extremely depressing for me. I met a girl exactly like you guys are describing it a few weeks ago(except the rubber duck part) and I can't go for anything serious with her considering I'll be moving to another continent in a few weeks.
Shit's hard yo
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I never got to meet my SO. We've been friends since grade school. There was the first few months of dating, where he went from my friend to someone I loved, but I think that's different. I loved that I never had to be uncomfortable around him because he's always known me, but now I wonder what it would have been like to get to know him from complete scratch.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I support your affection for vinyl plastic waterfowl. You keep on doing you, friend.
AestheticMemeGod ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:32:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh my God.
emptycollins ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:14:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Goddammit.
dorekk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:47:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This fuckin' guy! Or gal. Whatever.
p71interceptor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:54:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My gf sings the rubber ducky song sometimes and it's amazing.
Bored_White_Kid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:32:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Have you shown many love interests your duck collection fuckswithducks? What's their general response if so.
Swaglfar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:53:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The man... The legend...
Beccy477 ยท 64 points ยท Posted at 11:56:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your family sound awesome :)
Katzotter ยท 55 points ยท Posted at 12:20:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
you are loved :) i like your memories!
ShakespearesDick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:23:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm probably going to die alone
MadHatter69 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:29:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I like your mammaries.
Katzotter ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
oh.
MadHatter69 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:31:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
;)
Frawtarius ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 13:37:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I almost tore up in public at the part where the grandpa stood up mid-performance to applaud you. That has never happened to me, but I think that's the point. When I was growing up and especially when I was in middle school and used to play the piano and numerous times performed at concerts, I was living with a foster family and went through from first grade to high school without actual parents. Back then was when I had passionate interests, like drawing, playing piano, a feverish knack and enthusiasm for writing, among other things, but I never had people in my life who cared to applaud me, who cared to tell me that I was good and that I should keep going, and I feel that's why I've lost interest in those passions, and probably have a stronger than average need for validation.
The grandpa part hit me right in the feels. He was proud of you, but I'm proud of him.
LordNando ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:51:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember seeing the girl that would turn out to be my wife for the first time. I remember what she was wearing too. I've told her this before and she's like "I DONT REMEMBER THAT DAY AT ALL". She acts like she doesnt' care, but I've noticed that she keeps the shirt that I told her was the first shirt I saw her in. I've seen it in the back of the closet. It's old and raggedy and doesn't fit her too well anymore but I'm sure she'll keep it forever. :)
thedoginthewok ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:18:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When people post stuff like this and say they remember stuff from their early childhood I always feel like my memory is broken, because I can hardly remember anything from those days.
It's basically just very small fragments of memories thar are left over, but I couldn't even list them.
LordNando ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:48:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I should clarify, it wasn't "early" childhood (I realized i called her "girl" and its sounds like she was some kid). I met her in college. 13 years ago. We were both 20 at the time. She was just "a college girl".
cespes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd love to experience that. I've never had that kind of instant connection with anyone.
Weaponsofmaseduction ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:37:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This brought tears to my eyes. What beautiful memories!
gosling11 ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 12:59:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
4 u
jeserodriguez ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:20:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
it will be very painful
WasabiofIP ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:00:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Or perhaps he was wondering why someone would put a kid on a tire... before throwing them down a zipline.
masnaer ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:03:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Music solo? What instrument?
Tails-92 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:08:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oboe - thanks Mum for picking the coolest instrument
masnaer ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:16:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, at least it wasn't the bassoon. AKA: the oboe's bitch
GothamRoyalty ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:22:40 on July 30, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Still practicing?
idleflightsoffancy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:16:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It hit me so bad that I was sobbing when you mentioned about your grandpa. I just lost mine a few months ago and all the feels just came flooding back in a sea of tears. I miss him.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:54:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your life is scripted.
It_Was_Lag ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:03:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What instrument?
Tails-92 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:08:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oboe - thanks Mum for picking the coolest instrument
Ballerinja ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:50:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The rock Oboe?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:04:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Hey, Barney...see that girl over there...? I am going to marry her!"
noodle-face ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:25:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The grandpa thing is awesome.
Both of my grandfather's died when I was very young so I feel like I missed out a bit.
SicilianDynamite ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:35:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
TheRealMarshalLee ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:28:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Childish screams of joy as they are slammed into the other end"
digitalkc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:06:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Careful with that word, "current". My wife gets really upset when I introduce her as "my current wife".
frodokun ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:05:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Friend of mine always referred to her as "my first wife". They had been married over 50 years at that time.
dankmoms ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That gave me as much feels as when Bing Bong faded. Your parents sound amazing!
dogsn1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:48:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That first one sounds like something that wouldn't be allowed to happen these days with the outrage culture, people would be crying about health and safety, pedophilia, etc
roeder ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It seems like you are surrounded by the right type of people.
And judging by your post, it seems that you know it and appreciate it. :)
sayintag ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:54:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Treasure your family bro, sounds like a loving childhood.
Steellonewolf77 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:54:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
for you
MattPH1218 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:58:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Having just got engaged at 26, I get asked a lot why I did it so young. The best answer is exactly that, "it's the surest I've felt of anything in my life." It's a cliche, but when you know, you know. :')
ostein ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man, I am so jealous of 4. I have a great girlfriend, but I just don't feel that sure about literally anything. I'm happy and live an extremely charmed life, but I'm worried about whether I've just not met the right person, or if this is just how I experience love.
basedvulpes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:06:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, you're crying
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:08:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
4 = Classic Shmosby
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:13:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your last one made me cry, I'm happy for you.
Gamejunkiey ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:18:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For you.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:24:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Number 4 is cliche asf
Bleue22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:26:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man I feel this would do well as the voice over during the final scene of some movie where the main character dies but explains that it's okay since he had a fine life. Great now I need to watch american beauty again.
Viperbunny ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:35:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It sounds like you have an awesome and supportive family. I have two young kids and seeing this made me hope my kids have these kind of powerful reminders that we love them and support them. Thanks for brightening my day :)
Rob_Zander ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:38:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was great, you gotta go further! What lands did they create, what's your sad, an so on?
n88888888 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:42:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your Grandpa standing up mid-performance is the most heartwarming and adorable thing.
motionblurrr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So are you going to marry her or what?!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had that "I want to marry her" feel years ago but there were people getting me so drunk at age of 16 or so that without peer pressure or if I wouldnt following other peoples example then I would have much better life currently, even if my father would hate me for having wife that is less educated person that he wants us to have.
TheKingJules ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:03:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That last one hit harder than expected
frufrufuckedyourgirl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:06:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I could befriends with this guy
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hmm. I should break up with my girlfriend.
MustangPolar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:25:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Kind of had the same experience with my wife. Was a rather strange feeling...when I first met her, we were both dating someone else at the time, but there was something about her that I just could not explain.
Long story short...she moved out of state with her b/f at the time and I eventually had broken up with my g/f. About a year after she had moved I was at a movie one night with a buddy of mine and guess who shows up? Yea...she was there with some friends. We hung out a few times after that and the rest is history. Been together 14 years now.
Persian5life ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
you have an awesome life bro.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:29:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tell us how you met !
Instincts ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:40:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oy! Fuck you and your happy memories!
juliagulia287 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:51:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love your Grandpa! tears
Rocky_Bukkake ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:18:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
oh god dude i feel the same way about a girl right now. i hope it works for you.. for you, but a little for me as well.
bb999 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not to rain on your parade, but do you have any important, but sad, memories?
BLASPHEMOUS_ERECTION ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:58:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know why but the grandpa story hit me the hardest.
I didn't sign up for this.
croissantlesbleu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:06:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In a minute this struck a deeper emotional chord than the nearly three hours of Boyhood.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:33:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
On #4, that's a similar feeling to when I met my wife for the first time.
I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw her walking towards me.
BarekLongboe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:38:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If you knew you wanted to marry her when you first saw her, how come you only got together after 4 years?
Just curious, don't want to sound blunt or anything
Tails-92 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:04:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Answered this in another response.
She was with another guy, so I waited.
BarekLongboe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:54:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ah, thanks for the response
Xanius ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:39:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah but what do the islands look like? This is almost as important.
Zifna ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:53:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What about your SO caught your attention? Did she do something in particular?
Jpatrich2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:00:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn dude why'd you have to start chopping onions
TurboChewy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:05:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So are you married now?
FreemanPontifex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:10:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow happy people are weird
mog_goblin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:11:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first one ! We have these in the uk! They're called death slides over here! My dad used to take my brother and I to the park and would launch us on these and nearly send us flying off when it hit the end!
RichWPX ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:33:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
About number 4, to be fail a lot of kids felt that why when they saw Mina Mongoose, but you got her man.
Ozy_Azrael13 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:18 on July 30, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
4 u
( it's a great core memory, but I had to ๐)
goosegoose125 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:27 on August 12, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Grandpa's are the most supportive people sometimes.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 11:48:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Since you were 14?
Tails-92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:26:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm 24.
Started going out with her at 18.
Met at 14. Did puzzle together. She had a boyfriend. I waited.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:10:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nice!
SlashTheGovt4Liberty ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:12:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have to down-vote this because of all the micro-aggressions towards kids, virgins, LGBTQ, and ugly people that didn't have it so good.
love_weird_questions ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:36:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
username implies '92 memories, those are still in RAM not coreplease don't downvote me please I need karma please
Wincko ยท 126 points ยท Posted at 12:39:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a few that I remember clearly.
When me and my sister raced towards the Sydney Opera House, to see who could get to it first. I lost. (I was 3, she was 5.
When my dad, my mother, my sister and I were gathered around the dinner table one afternoon. My father and mother told my sister and I, that they were going to split up. We all four sat and cried together. Thankfully, my parents are still on the good foot with each other.
When my mum and dad were arguing loudly post-divorce. My dad didn't think it was fair that he had to pay for everything my mother did, and only get to see us one weekend every two weeks. It lead to my father yelling at her, and my mother grabbing us to the car where my father was throwing things at my mothers' car. I had never been so scared before. Now that I am older (18), and have spoken about it plenty of times with my father, I understand everything he did that night. It was absolutely unfair, but it's all in the past now.
When my grandfather put me to bed, and sang me a good night song when I was eight. He and I had a special bond, and he used to go watch me at soccer practice. The day after, I awoke to my mother crying on the phone with my grandmother. He had died in his sleep from an aneurysm. All those memories, and just like that he was gone.
I was on ski vacation in february 2013. I was with my step-brother, sister, and mother and step-father. We were in Austria somewhere, and it was my first time skiing. I thought it was gonna be boring, but it turned out to become the most memorable vacation of my life. It started out with me, my sister and my mother having a private ski instructor. My sister and I were decent, and went on to the small slope down some hill. It wasn't that big, but it'd hurt if you fell. My mom was still behind with that private ski-instructor. I went down into the line to get up on the slope with the ski lift. And there I saw her. A girl, roughly my age, and a couple of friends laughing in the back of the line, poking at peoples ski's. I admired her, and she was simply the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. I got in front of her in the line, and she poked at my ski's with her friends. They laughed, but I had not figured out it was them until I turned around to see it. I laughed it off, and smiled to her. She smiled back at me. I realized that they were on a school trip, from Britain. We immedietly began talking about where we were from and what we were doing here. Had a blast, and an all out amazing time with her. Then my family came by the hill, and I went for some lunch. I was quite lucky, because she and her friends were also eating at the same place. All I could think about was getting out there and be with her again. The next day, I they were there again, and I got to hit it off with her once again. At one point, one of her friends was on the lift with me. She turned to me and said; "You do know she's got a thing for you, right?" I didn't know what this meant, but i figured out that she liked me. Turns out she wanted my phone number, but considering we were from different countries, and I have a weird name, I never got to get any way to contact her. The next day, when I returned to the same place to say goodbye, she was not there. We had ended it all with a hug, and a goodbye, but I felt like it was not the end. I never saw her again.
by_whom ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 16:45:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You haven't seen her again yet
HGF88 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:41:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'M GONNA CRY
Wafflespro ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:36:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
fuck that ending man
todayismanday ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:03:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know this got buried, but it's excellent. So sorry for your grandpa and the girl that got away. We really need to seize the moment
operatethethings ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:00:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hopefully she reads reddit
Wincko ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:55:11 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I do remember her name, actually, but it turned out to be a fairly generic british name.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:46:27 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, that last bit was really sad to the point where it motivated me to never have that happen to myself - note to self: man up and get the girl's number before it's too late
trollerroller ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:22:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
always gotta close, man
jawknee21 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:47:33 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
magsioo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:37:30 on August 1, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Which ski resort were you at?
Wincko ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:14 on August 1, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't remember, but it was somewhere in Austria in early 2013.
[deleted] ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 17:38:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
LOL beaten by a girl!
[deleted] ยท 793 points ยท Posted at 10:56:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
gangleeoso ยท 270 points ยท Posted at 12:41:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wait...there are FOUR different kinds of sprinkles? I've been lied to for years.
CallMeJeeJ ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 14:37:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The fourth kind is mulch.
[deleted] ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 15:08:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
Onkel_Wackelflugel ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 18:01:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tittie sprinkles
Crashri ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:06:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
**Chocolate Jimmies
vearz ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:46:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There's hundreds and thousands.
RoboticChicken ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:54:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There are HUNDREDS of them! THOUSANDS!
ProgrammingProgram ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 13:03:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"I've been lied to for years"
Wait.. FOR is a word? I always thought it was four! I've been lied to four years.
FingerMilk ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:46:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
four for years???
GramarNotSee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:54:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Rainbow, Chocolate, White, Yellow.... I swer it's not a race thing.
iamtheowlman ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 17:03:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There's different kinds of sprinkles?!
[deleted] ยท 95 points ยท Posted at 12:57:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
ogskie_ ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 15:41:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like he saw that he wasn't hurt and made a joke about it.
RedditIsDumb4You ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:40:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah or they feel abandoned and it causes long term emotional issues.
PunkRockMakesMeSmile ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:39:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
haha, yeah. I was late to learn how to ride a bike, and on the first day I did, I took it right down to the park we hung out, and promptly steered it right into the creek (by accident). Went ass-over-teakettle into a cold, overgrown creek full of jagged rocks. I just laid there in the water moaning and waiting for someone to comfort me. When it clicked that there was no reason why that would happen, I was just like "Well, shit", then hauled myself out of there.
Deadspray ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:16:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My grandpa always used to tell us "come over here so I can help you up" after we fell. Always made us forget what had happened
BeaverCascadian ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:08:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And along the same lines, if you use a super cheerful tone to note what happened, kids will laugh off falling flat on their noses. My little siblings laugh off bloody messes now (age 8) because we smiled at bloody knees at ages 2, 3, 5.
WingsOfDespair ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:36:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What did you do at age 4?
BeaverCascadian ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:11:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Apparently at age three we laughed and smiled so much at pain they decided they were invulnerable and leaped off the roof. Age 4 was coma.
Moderation everybody.
Finnise ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 12:52:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad used to say this to me whenever I hurt myself. Hit your head on the car getting out? "Sure hope the car's okay!" Drove me crazy.
much_longer_username ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:17:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, well, you'll heal - the car won't.
RedditIsDumb4You ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:41:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My brother didn't..
Bladelink ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:34:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lmao at grandpa having a laugh about it. He tried to put some levity in the situation but it went over your tiny 5 year old head.
alaskafound ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:57:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is delightful.
RussellsTeaParty ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:36:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is like the time my grandma opened to door to the pantry to find me during hide and seek. Little me has been leaning on the door, so I fell right out onto both of my palms and jammed both my wrists. She held me while I cried, and we watched "Boom, Boom, ain't it great to be crazy" all night.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:37:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was six when I fell down the stairs. I was crying because it did hurt. My mom told me to come to her. I thought she was going to hug me or something. Instead she hit me for being clumsy. I cried harder.
theroyaleyeball ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 14:29:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He was just joking... right?
Bicoastalshrimp ยท 675 points ยท Posted at 10:41:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fighting my brother with wooden swords up and down Hadrian's Wall aged about 6. I was always the Roman Centurion, he was always the one who smacked me in the fingers.
Finishing SATS in year 6 (age 10-11) and spending the entire next day playing football (soccer) in the playground.
About 2 weeks after that, building a scale replica trebuchet with a teacher and some friends and firing water balloons from it.
nerfjanmayen ยท 137 points ยท Posted at 11:05:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The actual hadrian's wall, or just pretend?
[deleted] ยท 177 points ยท Posted at 11:48:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The actual one.
nerfjanmayen ยท 284 points ยท Posted at 11:57:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
That's awesomefool me once, i'm mad
xXColaXx ยท 91 points ยท Posted at 12:26:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's not OP
Hum-anoid ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 12:55:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This bugs the hell out of me. Why do people comment and answer as if they're the op? It's fuckin weird.
fool_on_a_hill ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:15:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They think we're on yikyak or something
captmetalday ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:46:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's the good ol' OP-aroo
nerfjanmayen ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:32:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
reading is hard
madmelonxtra ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:57:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fool me twice, how could you?
nerfjanmayen ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 13:03:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
fool me three times, you're officially that guy ok, you know the one
madmelonxtra ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:10:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Youย go up to the bar and he's like, "This suit is, uh, officially it's aย Giorgio Armani, ech, my dad knows him."ย
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:25:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
FUCK YOU! I aaaaiiiiiiinnnnntttt havin that shit!
madmelonxtra ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:33:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
slight smile
nerfjanmayen ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:08:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
that's the best part, the realization of what he's just done
sutongorin ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:16:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well the remnants are still there. You can walk along them and fight on them too I reckon.
Gilrix ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:49:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fool me twice, I'll cut you
r0tekatze ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There's a few kids I know of who grew up around Wallsend who played Romans on or around the wall. It's quite a popular attraction up here, and I think sections of it were used in that Merlin film.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:35:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well OP is clearly in the UK so maybe the real one! :)
Fleeting_Infinity ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:05:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He probably means the actual one. Its still intact, just about. Me and my Dad hike along it sometimes.
Bicoastalshrimp ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:17:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The actual one
nerfjanmayen ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 20:12:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Then it really IS awesome
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:46:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
First-Of-His-Name ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:03:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Also Hadrian's Wall....they don't have many of those in the US
scubaguy194 ยท 47 points ยท Posted at 12:04:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds a lot like what we did after our SATs. The day after we finished, we either got the opportunity to bring portable video consoles, watch films or play footie. Being the fat shit I was at the time, movies and junk food was my desired choice.
We marathoned Star Wars. Brilliant.
ProgrammingProgram ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Good for you. :) you were the fat shit. (Meant to be a joke about how people say, "That's the shit, bro!" or the likes of it like "That's the bomb!")
Bicoastalshrimp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:17:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was fucking awesome yeah, so much free time!
flamebirde ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:52:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
wait, wait, wait... Are these the American SATs? and you took them when you were 10/11? Jesus Christ.
Bicoastalshrimp ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:20:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
British SATS. Not American
prodigoaway ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:13:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I logged into my former-child-prodigy throwaway to let you know that, unlike /u/Bicoastalshrimp, the one and only time in my life that I took the American SATs was at the age of nine.
There are also tons of CTY applicants who take the SATs at the age of 11 or 12, although they generally also take the SATs again in high school.
MrRandomnez ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:05:02 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know I'm super late, but your first memory reminded me of this picture of me and my dad doing the same thing
Bicoastalshrimp ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:51:08 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey that's awesome man!
FranScan1997 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:37:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ooh you might be from near me. I live very near where the wall finishes.
Bicoastalshrimp ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:18:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't actually live near the wall, just went on holiday there
EmptierHayden ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:38:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy crap that first one is almost identical to one of mine! Are you my brother?
Bicoastalshrimp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:20:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How old are you? Are you an annoying shit?
EmptierHayden ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:19:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm 22 now. I used to be.
Anastik ยท 8109 points ยท Posted at 10:50:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My father would get ready for work long before any rooster crowed. My mother, sister and I were all intimately aware of his moonlit ritual; we slept in the same bedroom, a trait we inherited from his Thai background. A few minutes after the alarm clock sprung him to life, he would let out a long sigh, trudge into the bathroom in his underwear and shower. He moved silently, trying his best not to wake us. Despite his quiet footsteps I never fell back asleep until the ritualโs conclusion. Before leaving to embark on his two hour commute into the Bay Area, heโd run his hands through my hair, stroke my meaty face and kiss me goodbye. It was my fatherโs private way of making me special.
He endured this long commute so my sister and I could wake up three hours later, take a short walk across the street and arrive at school. This daily arrangement had one serious downfall. Upon arriving home, after battling hours of gridlocked traffic, heโd have little energy and no patience left for us. Iโd beg him to come outside, wrestle around, or play a game of catch with me. But he rarely acquiesced to my pleas.
My life at elementary school provided me no productive outlets. My socially graceful sixth grade sister knew everyone who was anyone. In contrast, I spent my recesses meandering around the playground as a dorky third grader.
I had spent the better part of a year smitten over a leggy blonde girl named Valerie, and up until this point, I possessed little interest in school politics. But when our teacher asked if anyone would be interested in running for office, Valerieโs hand had gone up. I instantly saw how these two seemingly divergent interests could intersect if I developed a keen interest in politics. I declared myself a candidate for the hidden purpose of winning a girlโs affection. Valerie registered for the position of Hostess; therefore, I signed up for Host to increase the amount of time we would get to spend together. Each candidate had one week to campaign, advertise, and prepare a speech on why they should be elected to represent the student body. I developed a rousing speech to secure the student body vote. This being my first venture into public speaking, my grandfather decided to serve as my head speech writer. After hours of writing, erasing, and rewriting we came to the conclusion that I should stay away from education; instead, I needed to highlight the critical need for longer recesses and lunches.
My sister would make the perfect lobbyist but she didnโt want anything to do with me. I couldnโt blame her. Iโd recently watched the movie โRadโ and became infatuated with BMX. My mother, trying to satisfy my infatuation, bought me a green BMX sweater. I loved this sweater so much that I decided to wear it to school every day and earned the unflattering nickname โuniform boyโ from my classmates. But after a shady back room meeting I wasnโt privy to between my grandfather and sister, he was able to persuade her to publicly admit our blood ties and hired her as a lobbyist.
My father was ecstatic with my decision to campaign for office. I had temporarily suspended the old routine of pestering him to play a game of catch after he got home from making his two hour commute into the Bay Area. He preferred our new routine where he sat on the couch, ate his dinner, and watched me practice my speech while I stood on stacked yellow book pages in our family room.
Election day would be held outside on a sunny California afternoon. My confidence was sky high until I arrived at the school courtyard and beheld a sea of students sitting in neat rows of blue chairs. The hours I had spent practicing in front of my supportive family couldnโt have prepared me for speaking in front of hundreds of judgmental peers. I looked down at my piece of paper and mentally rehearsed each word as my sweaty hands smudged out my sloppy handwriting. The only exterior stimulus I took note of were the popular students receiving a loud applause. Unpopular students, my social caste, were shown pity with a polite golf clap.
As I heard my name called a tight knot of nerves formed in my chest. I slinked to the microphone, not tripping on any stairs as I had feared, and started speaking without hesitation. Halfway through my speech I sensed something was wrong. Most of the audience had puzzled looks on their faces; a few of the older kidsโprobably led by Keithโwere laughing at me. Overwhelmed by my nerves, I hadnโt realized the microphone was inches above my head; nobody had heard a word I said. My first savior was a thoughtful teacher who lowered the microphone and told me to start over.
In a panicked moment I recalled the gravelly voice of my grandfather who said, โLook above the audience if you get nervous.โ This sage wisdom commanded my eyes to the back of the courtyard where I found my second savior standing in the shade of a skinny tree with sun tanned arms resting on his puffed out chest. It was my father. As our eyes met he tilted his head and revealed a radiant white smile. Iโm sure it was the same smile heโd used as a nightclub singer in Bangkok to woo my mother. He now unearthed it, years later, to inspire me.
I started my speech over, and delivered each of my carefully crafted words into the microphone. I felt the syllables and phrases about the dire need for longer lunches erupt from my diaphragm. I looked every one of the older kids in the eye and pounded my fist into the podium to conclude my speech. My lobbyist sister performed her duties admirably as the entire sixth, seventh, and eighth grade roared a voracious approval for longer recesses. My campaign was sparked for Valerieโs affection, something I would never win, but ended with a victory of incalculable valueโmy fatherโs admiration. In the following years Iโve won a few more elections, but never felt as happy as I did on that day.
I thought this feeling was forever confined to my child memories until I performed my standup comedy bit in front of my father for the first time. After telling my best joke of the night, amidst the laughter of the audience, I happened to catch a glimpse of him from a few rows back. The lights were still bright but I was able to see his crossed arms, puffed out chest, and radiant smile. He looked and I felt exactly the same.
Fristiloverke13 ยท 909 points ยท Posted at 12:51:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
10/10 would buy book.
Beccy477 ยท 1686 points ยท Posted at 12:05:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're a great writer!
[deleted] ยท 1025 points ยท Posted at 12:23:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Write a fucking autobiography, OP. I can only imagine what you could do in a full book.
fearmypoot ยท 277 points ยท Posted at 13:43:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd read that. I'd read that so hard.
hookdump ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 14:17:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd read the fuck out of that.
[deleted] ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 14:52:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd fuck the read out of that.
Fristiloverke13 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:32:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm so goddamned hard right now.
shadowthunder ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:09:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Meanwhile, I saw seven gilds and a mass of text, and immediately to scrolled to the end to check for jumper cables.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:28:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Gilds*
FTFY
shadowthunder ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:29:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yup, thanks!
IAmAGoodPersonn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:52:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The "Radiant Smiles with Puffed's Chests"
[deleted] ยท 34 points ยท Posted at 13:33:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
Ajaxlancer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:55:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The Speech Bamboozler
by /u/Anastik
FinalMantasyX ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 12:52:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
spicewoman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:26:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But why is his face so meaty?!
blackmist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:32:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And there was me skipping ahead looking for tree fiddy or jumper cables.
breadwithgrenades ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:50:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think it was his "head speech writer Grandfather" who wrote it
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:11:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You should read a classic book then
mttdesignz ยท 418 points ยท Posted at 12:38:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dammit if this is what a CORE memory means. Good job OP.
wthat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:57:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, I didn't watch the movie either.
DrZaiusV2 ยท 190 points ยท Posted at 12:33:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reading this produced a good moment. Thanks man.
datix ยท 147 points ยท Posted at 12:47:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ugh, Keith is the worst.
pnk6116 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:37:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fucking Keith ruins everything
theroyaleyeball ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:18:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That son of a bitch Keith
Daedalus128 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:42:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck Keith
monkeyDeric ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:11:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
F
DrBearPHD ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:58:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
U
zamonblaze ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:50:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
C
NiceRon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:52:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
K
kittenborn ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:58:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
/r/fuckkeith
Mksiege ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:20:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love that that has been a Subreddit for 5 years
Mouthshitter ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:28:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I heard he dies at the end
tissues4_ur_issues ยท 212 points ยท Posted at 11:56:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
God damn. That was beautiful
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:05:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know right? Rad was clearly the single best thing the 80s ever offered.
nanogoose ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
relevant username. tissue, please?
tissues4_ur_issues ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:41:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
hands over a sticky tissue
You're welcome Mr. Goose
pineapplesmellgood ยท 125 points ยท Posted at 12:15:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is amazing. I hope you publish it as a feature article somewhere. :')
detectivejewhat ยท 135 points ยท Posted at 12:41:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck you I'm not tryna cry at work
disintegrationist ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:30:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Resistance is futile
budgybudge ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:34:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Same boat here. :/
Stormviolen ยท 92 points ยท Posted at 12:47:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do you write for a living? You really should cause damn that was great!
gigo09 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:52:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If he's a comedian (depending on what type of sets he does) he most definetly writes for a living
Stormviolen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:31:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ah that's true, missed that! Very good then. The world needs good comedy :)
lonelyseagull ยท 472 points ยท Posted at 11:49:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dammit, who's chopping onions?
YouAreCorrectt ยท 158 points ยท Posted at 12:43:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh... sorry, ill just dice them later
C_Eberhard ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 13:30:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No no, just send what you already have. I need them for my omelette.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:39:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seriously dude I teared up at work. People are gonna start thinking I have issues.
Director_Phleg ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:09:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My eyes are just a little sweaty today.
hookdump ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:16:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
+1
ImCuttingOnionsNow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sorry
LoBsTeRfOrK ยท 78 points ยท Posted at 12:51:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I would upvote you 100 times if I could. Thank you for this story.
startingover1008 ยท 84 points ยท Posted at 12:02:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love this story. Beautifully written.
[deleted] ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 13:31:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was so afraid of it ending with jumper cables that I needed to read it twice to get the real feel out of the story. A really talented writer indeed.
Vancocillin ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:03:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I scrolled up again halfway through to double check and make sure it wasn't Vargas. I was invested and I didn't want my heart broken again.
General_Georges ยท 47 points ยท Posted at 12:43:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you, that was a beautiful story.
XXLame ยท 56 points ยท Posted at 12:38:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Beautiful. You have a way with words.
TheOriginalPepper ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:08:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
you should let your father read this, it's beautiful <3
Peil ยท 40 points ยท Posted at 12:39:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you a writer?
GayWarden ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:44:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well he's writin' ain't he?
Peil ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:59:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
True shit
Gibblet_fibber ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:11:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This really got to me. Any story to do with a Father-Son dynamic strikes a chord with me. This was a great story. (If anyone else is like me, I recommend The Flash as it has some great character dialouge between father and son)
CoogzBL ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 12:48:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Excellent read!
put_respek_on_it ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:01:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For a moment I kept checking the author and also was afraid it'd end in tree fiddy
HuffySpartan ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:08:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sobbing at my desk with this, I felt like I was IN the story. Just wow OP
Nola2Tx41 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:14:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was excellent writing. Beyond excellent. Don't think I've ever read something so powerful on here. If you ever do stand up in Houston (provided you are actually a stand up), let me know and I'll be there.
Mksiege ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:22:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That makes two of us
anchoranova ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:07:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm so proud of you and I don't even know you!
dontreadmyusername19 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:03:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I rarely take time to reply to comments, but wow. This one just blew me away. I felt like I was standing up there with you. Your writing is amazing as well. I'm glad you got to experience such a wonderful feeling.
ibes222 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:08:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A lot of stories I heard from other people or read in books are problematic for me. I cannot really concentrate, if they go on for a while, especially on the Internet. And I was always thinking that this was my personal problem, not beeing able to really listen and enjoy the story. But today I realized something: it's not about me, it's about the person who is telling me a story. You absolutly soaked me up with every word you wrote (Is this a legit english expression? :D ). I couldn't stop reading this beautifully delivered tale. Thank you!
stupid_sasquatch ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 12:42:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not enough up votes.
downtheway ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:51:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn son.
s0974748 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:14:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This was beautiful! Thank you!
signalfire_ ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:15:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I want to read your autobiography.
tipperarytrad ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:16:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wonderful. Thank you so much.
madeinrussia ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:24:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This was amazing, this is the best thing I have read in a LONG time.
SandorLegGainz ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:22:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If you haven't yet. Show your father this post and tell him you remember that. It will mean the world to him.
Inspira2 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:11:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That last line tho......BRILLIANT FINISH!!!!!!!!!!!!
andremeda ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:58:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. That was written superbly well.
What's happened to Valerie since then?
pnk6116 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:38:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
She got fat and lives in a trailer with 12 kids and 20 cats. She has a crippling meth addiction.
andremeda ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:51:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What a difference it is reading OP's beautiful piece and then reading those two sentences lol
pnk6116 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:23:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
OK fine! She has a beautiful meth addiction then.
Lost_In_The_Past ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:21:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It will only take five minutes to read and will cheer you up all day.
harrisonfordspelvis ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:28:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I thought it was going to say bike. But no, sweater. Funny stuff.
Stannis_Stark ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:14:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mate, that was beautiful!
bycisnet ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:54:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
not bad but you sound like a god damn thesaurus
singingwolf ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:45:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Everything about this - your story, your writing, the atmosphere you were able to create in a few paragraphs - it all is absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing
xXSpyderKingXx ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:04:07 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tagging as Epic Fucking Writer.
TheSoulWanderer11 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:32:57 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was an insanely good read!
NoToThePope ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:17:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I could swear I saw that movie about 30 years ago.
Techfuture2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:21:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Please write more. I would buy so many short stories and books by you. You had me tearing up at work! That was fantastic.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:22:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A fantastic read. You are a phenomenal writer! Great story, thank you very much for sharing!
puppersetpurple ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:24:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You are a very good writer. I would read a book you wrote. Thank you for this. It is s good story.
this_bear_is_a_bear ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:27:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That this isn't the top post is shameful.
Also, any plugs?
RGNrok ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. Your story makes me want to go and do some public speaking.
sharklops ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This could make an awesome screenplay
the_bulls_hit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy fack!
Got my upvote and a few tears shed. Hopefully no one comes into my cubicle in the next few minutes.
pikachewww ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man, the experience of reading this beautiful recollection is a core memory in itself.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Can I just mention that a meaty face gives me visuals of a kid who fell asleep eating beef jerky?
Daedalus128 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's enough internet for today, I want to stay in this good mood you put me in, not hear about terrorists with knives killing people.
FionnaTheHumanGirl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jesus, I had a Keith when I was in school. Fuck Keith.
argregg390 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:46:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you for sharing! And now I'm crying at work. Beautifully done. :)
Unicorn_Tea_Party ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:50:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not crying, you are.
runchanlfc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was just lovely OP
wilallgood ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:56:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Incredible. Truthfully when you said he stroked your "meaty face" I had to make sure this wasn't a joke post. But I'm glad I finished. As others have said, you have a superb grasp of storytelling. I'm sure your standup is top notch. Do you tour or just perform in the Bay Area?
mpurd18 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:56:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy fuck I was so prepared for you to lose, and for me to cry. You write like a pulitzer winning demigod.
BDK235 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:58:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is hands down one of the best things I've ever read.
long_live_rattlehead ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:58:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I dont know if what I just read was a reddit comment or a wonder years episode, but I like it
sayintag ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:00:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You have a way with words and emotions, that was fucking beautiful.
Ayit_Sevi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:03:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This made my day.
itsyaboyDIL ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:04:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You've pleased me
RealMericans ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:05:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Now I want to know more about your stand up comedy, or whatever writing you do. Tell us more!
TeamJumanji ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:09:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
OP this deserves to be published (somewhere in addition to reddit)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:09:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow... That was beautiful. If you ever write a book or an autobiography, let me know. I will buy it in an instant because, I'm not joking here, but that is the first time I've felt so emotionally attached to a piece of writing in ages, if not years.
pixygarden ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:10:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Beautiful story! Thank you so much for sharing - this made my day and makes me hope I can leave my children with this kind of memory.
Shikyi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:10:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If someone else got the feeling of a this being a repost, it's the same guy that posted the exact same wall of text in an AskReddit thread about "What makes you feel manly/womanly?" 3 months ago.
You aren't crazy and he's not stealing someone else's story afaik, even though it is a repost of sorts I guess.
fortmoney ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:10:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't come here to feel these feels! Thanks for making me year up at work! :')
tonyaustin6 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:12:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not proud to say I skipped to the end to make sure your father wasn't the Loch Ness monster...very well written
GashMcEwan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:12:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for that. Made my day. Fantastic.
sweetalkersweetalker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:13:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I cried.
DraRick11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:14:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I rarely read these long comments because of lack of time, but man was it worth it this time! Thanks for a story, you are a fantastic writer, keep it up.
BabyNinjaJesus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:15:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
you need to write more. Please.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:16:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was so nervous that this was going to end with tree-fiddy or jumper cables or something. What a beautiful story, please write more things. The world needs more stuff like this.
kjbigs282 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:17:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So... When can I read your memoir?
Jstall34 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:17:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Beautiful story, really.
SupremeBlackGuy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:17:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I really want to be able to write like this one day.
Herkus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:19:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nope... This is not a tear in my eye.... !!!
gloriousbatter ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:19:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
God damn, your writing is amazing. Do you have more written work? I'd love to read them.
supercerealthrowaway ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:20:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm crying. This is beautiful
tunelesspaper ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:20:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Too good, I just knew this would end in tree-fiddy.
Walls ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:22:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
...wow.
Slow hand clap
PlaintiveTech40 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:32:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Great story, Ernest Hemingway. Seriously, great story. Would buy this book.
BirdsArentImportant ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Have you posted this story before? I know I've read it before. Thanks for sharing either way! I love this story and I'm always happy to read it!
StebanBG ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:34:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I almost never comment but just had to do it. This such a beautiful, well written story, it made me tear up on the bus. Thank you for writting this
MEGAPUPIL ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. I'm on the bus to work and have tears welling up. Beautiful, man.
chrisc151 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No idea why but I teared up. Brilliant.
shermenaze ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Can we see the stand up? Or at least hear your best joke of that night?
OneQuarkyFeynMan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This would be the college essay that would get you into your dream school.
himalayan_earthporn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:41:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Expected fucking jumper cables; Not walking into a room full of oompaloompas chopping onions :( ....
ScarlettSA ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:42:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was beautifully written and brought a tear to my eye.
ImNotAClown ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:44:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is probably my favorite thing I've read on reddit. Great story!
_Phreedom ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:44:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn man, you fucking killed it! If you don't write for a living, you seriously need to consider a career change.
HighlyEdgeMecated ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:44:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Beautiful and sweet. I was worried for a bit not knowing which way the story was going to go. I envy the relationship you and your father share. Best of luck in your stand-up career!
RedBanana99 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This has just bought me to tears. There's nothing bigger in my eyes than your parents appreciating your hard work and attending your public speaking / playing in a band / school sports day just to be there to cheer you on whilst busting with admiration.
I'm a lucky gal to experience this too and I love both of my parents dearly.
You write really well, too.
THUMB5UP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've read this before. How many times have you posted this?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:48:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck, man, I'm tearing up here.
GovmentTookMaBaby ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:52:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A little lengthy for this forum. You've obviously got talent, but if you made it a little more concise I think that would have helped you out hear. Just a suggestion, if you don't like it or agree please feel free to throw it away and spit on it.
illradhab ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:52:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Read that all without noticing how long it was at all. Huge props.
dudefuckthatshit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Amazing writing, but seriously though, I was totally expecting a tree fiddy at the end...
Noobkids ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember that story! I know I've read it somewhere on reddit before but I can't remember where or when.
regandlmz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:58:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly saw the length of this post and thought it would end in tree-fiddy but this is beautiful!
TheKingJules ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:59:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love how you've captured what could easily be a fairly mundane story and told it in such a beautiful way
thewitchofagnesi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:59:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was going to save your comment to read later. My sucky college starts tomorrow and I'm so glad I read your comment. Thank you for making my day!
PS - write a book! :D
Honkylips ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:04:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Written very well. I hadn't thought about Rad in years until just now. My best friend and I used to watch the movie then go out side, turn on a boom box and ride his empty pool.
I remember us spending hours trying to create some cool opening scenes to music just like in the movie.
That's a memory I had forgotten about until just now. Thank you so much for jogging that for me. My morning is 100 times better now.
You fucking rock!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:06:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Obama?
SnoopyandthePenguin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:09:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This was beautifully written. Someone should make this into a short film. Or hell, even a full-length feature.
Lord_Of_Shits ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:09:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was so ready for jumper cables
mikey_says ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:11:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How could a third grader be "leggy"?
veRGe1421 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:12:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I fuckin' love Reddit
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The details of my life are quite inconsequential... very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a fifteen year old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds- pretty standard really. At the age of twelve I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum... it's breathtaking- I highly suggest you try it.
John_Q_Deist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks Obama!
121mhz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:17:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm reading this on my 1.5 hour commute into the city. I'm gonna give my kids an extra hug tonight.
Someone on this bus is chopping some onions.
wedonotsew ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:18:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I half expect to hear this same story on a public radio show....
Whatsgoodthoson ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:21:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This made me tear up. Very moving. I had a similar nervous experience when I was young. It was my first ever organized basketball game, and I was probably around the age of 10-11. I got fouled and had to shoot free throws. I shoot the first one and it felt amazing coming off my hands, then I realized I couldn't see the ball anywhere. I had put so much power on it that it flew over the backboard and got caught in the support wires. It was then that I knew basketball wasn't my sport.
cheessebread ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:23:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No tldr? Damn......
Ganglere ยท 633 points ยท Posted at 12:06:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Watching my mother comfort my father when he received news that his mother had died. It defined the "In good times and in bad" factor in relationships for me.
When my dad told us he had bad news about my mother... "She broke her ankle last night." Shit man, I thought it was serious like she was dead, can we go swimming now?
Losing my virginity to a lovely lady and carrying on a sexual relationship with her for about 6 months until she got married to her fiance of several years that I didn't know existed.
Meeting my now wife by a small pond in the middle of a beautiful windswept meadow.
Waiting until she fell asleep one night to tell her I loved her in a whispered voice.
Telling my dad to survive his heart operation or I'd kill him.
Coming to the sudden realization of how lonely and sad my sister was when I was 10 and she was 8 and making the decision to be nicer to her.
Watching Casper the Friendly ghost with a close friend in the hospital the day before she died of an infection in her heart.
The time my wife wanted to have a three-way with a lady friend of ours and we ate snacks and drank wine and boned for 9 hours.
A priest telling me I was going to hell when I was around 11 years old. Not that I was in danger of going to hell, but that it'd already been decided.
My father telling a terrible teacher of mine to shove it up her ass at a parent teacher interview.
My mother sitting and reading a book while she rubbed my back for like 8 hours when I was really sick and trying to sleep.
Judasthehammer ยท 109 points ยท Posted at 14:51:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well... that took an unexpected turn.
Mmneck ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 15:46:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I expecting something like
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:28:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Makes you question the lovely lady part.
kay1athegeek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:31:42 on July 30, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Was thinking the same.
[deleted] ยท 27 points ยท Posted at 15:42:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The part with you being nicer to your sister made me happy.
MissNesbitt ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 15:01:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of these things is not like the others
ItsYaBoyChipsAhoy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:26:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
2 of them involve sex what do you mean
TheKingJules ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 15:16:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love how varied these are
TheDesktopNinja ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:27:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wish I had so many memories of my childhood. A lot of my life before I was around 12 is basically a blur. I can pick out small bits and pieces, but not a lot.
Mmneck ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:45:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel the same way. I think puberty screwed my brain over and turned my memories to mush.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:31:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What was your dad mad about during the Parent Teacher Conference?
Ganglere ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 16:50:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In third grade, I used the word "cause" in place of "because" in a creative writing assignment where we were supposed to write a little one act play.
She called me up in front of class and mocked me for using cause, like I didn't know the word was because.
She asked me why I would write like that, and she really didn't like it when I said, "Cause that's how people talk."
So she called a parent teacher meeting with my dad to talk about my attitude or something and I thought I was going to be in real trouble.
Dad just told her to shove it up her ass, stood up abruptly, put his arm around my shoulder and he walked me down to the head office and told the principal not to call him to take time off of work for something so ridiculous again. Then we went home and never talked about it again.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:31:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
slow clap When I'm a dad, I hope this is how I'll be.
Booty_Is_Life_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:39:43 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your dad sounds great
TranceVI ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 17:33:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I see you went with well fuck it, already damned.
Ganglere ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 17:36:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If I'm going to hell anyways, might as well try to impress the devil.
Give 110%.
whatisthisicantodd ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:15:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh man, the parent teacher thing really takes me back. Teacher did a terrible thing, and my mom told her to fuck off. Only time I've ever heard her use that word.
Ganglere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:19:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah I had maybe four really terrible teacher, one really great teacher and the rest were just... meh...
Dad always had my back in those meetings though.
VeryMuchDutch101 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:30:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I do this too... And I think its sweet :-)
ScroteMcGoate ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:37:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I want your life.
jimbrownstillsucks ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:22:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Whoa...you knew Fr. Deniger too!
sydneytpm ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:20:55 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is my favorite answer so far. I guess I relate to g most, idk. Thanks for posting.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:55:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
Ganglere ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 16:11:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well we had a great time, but we're all huge sluts.
We had a half dozen more boozy play dates, until our lady friend started a for real relationship, so now we just hang out and do non-sexual things.
We were friends before, we were friends during and we're still friends now.
It takes a certain kind of person though, it's not for everyone.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:54:24 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
Ganglere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:36:19 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nope, just casual acquaintances.
Victim_Creep ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 12:46:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:01:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fucking Christ, man, stop it.
theroyaleyeball ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:52:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've been told that I'm going to hell too. I guess I'll see you there?
underskewer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:22:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you being sarcastic?
Ganglere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, we weren't friends or anything, we didn't really know much about each other's personal lives, we just had sex. I didn't know she was engaged until I found out she got married.
Appetite4destruction ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:02:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is my favorite one.
satansrapier ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:22:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Boy, this had some ups and downs.
bonydogmen ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:57:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yours is nice :)
I like yours
RyCohSuave ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:57:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Must've been a long ass book! Momma's got endurance!
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:02:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What a rollercoaster of emotions there.
FromABeardsView ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:43:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So you did have the 3 way but used 8 hours and 55 minutes of that to eat snacks and drink wine?
Ganglere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:01:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I really like wine.
Fivefooteightgiant ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:48:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Can you tell the meeting of your wife story?
Ganglere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:09:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was with a group of hikers that I didn't really know very well and none of us were very experienced.
Thing weren't going to plan and I started to get worried that I'd made a mistake coming out with these people. It's starting to get dark and we're quite a ways away from any civilization, now I'm starting to think I might actually be in danger of dying from exposure to the elements.
There is this lovely little pond hidden in the rushes and there is a woman standing next to it. I break away from the group I'm with and start talking to her. She tells me has a farm around here and asks me if my party is doomed. I tell her I'm not really an outdoorsman and ask her if she knows the way to town. She really raised my spirits, shared some of her water and walked back with me and we became friends.
A few months later she'd dumped her dead weight of a boyfriend and we started dating and that was 10 years ago.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:56:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Ganglere ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:23:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My wife and I had been together for probably 7 years or so at that point and we'd kink'd it up pretty hard, nothing either one of us could want would surprise the other.
We had talked about a three way before and decided that we'd be able to handle it because for both of us, sex is more like a good meal than it is a super emotional commitment.
We went to a party at a friend's house and this woman was there, my wife had known her since they were young teenagers, but I'd only met her 3 or 4 times previously.
She was being flirty, so I was being flirty. My wife is not a jealous person and neither am I so this didn't sit badly with her.
At the end of the night I just asked her point blank if she wanted to come back to our place for, "Drinks and sex" and she said yes.
We had a fun night and everything was good so we did it again a bunch of times and its all worked out.
Now for the reasons I think it went so well.
My wife derives sexual pleasure from watching me interact with another woman.
My wife is bi-sexual
Our playmate is bi-sexual
We all knew we were just having fun and that there would be no emotions except friendship, appreciation and boners
My wife and I had talked about what was allowed (everything) and what wasn't allowed (nothing) beforehand, which you must do before you start playing with someone else
My wife knows that I function on pure logic and have very subdued emotions, meaning that I won't fall for this other woman, I believe she referred to me as, "Fuckbot 3000" and offered our playmate my services at one point
Communication is key, and if someone isn't 100% into the arrangement, you might want to reconsider.
You must have a solid relationship, because jealousy will come seeping in through any cracks in your foundation. My wife knows I would never leave her under any circumstances and I know the same about her.
That is my advice for a sexual adventure, be safe and have fun.
Gridgrinder ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:50:45 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was really unfair, I was in a meeting controlling my laughter and probably looked like I had a stroke
MotherFuckingCupcake ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:22:12 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a really similar memory of cuddling with my mom on the couch when I had the flu at age 6 or so. I was wrapped up in a blanket and we were laying on the couch watching a movie (Land Before Time, maybe?), and she was running her fingers through my hair. It was so incredibly comforting. Now when I'm sick as an adult, I wish I could transport myself back to that memory.
MrTotoro1 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:21:29 on August 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love this it sounds just beautiful. I'm curious how did it happen and what did you do?
Ganglere ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:00:35 on August 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was hiking with a group of friends of a friend. We got pretty lost and we were quite far from civilization.
I saw her standing near a pond by some rushes and asked her if she knew the way back to town. She walked us back to the road and I invited her to come have dinner with us as thanks, our treat.
We hit it off and became friends, when she dumped her lame boyfriend a few weeks later, I asked her if she wanted to date.
That was almost 11 years ago now.
MrTotoro1 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:54:35 on August 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's awesome, thanks for sharing
Shindo989 ยท 1115 points ยท Posted at 12:10:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A_Wake_ ยท 633 points ยท Posted at 12:52:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jesus man. Are you ok?
Shindo989 ยท 575 points ยท Posted at 13:18:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Most days, Thank you for asking.
A_Wake_ ยท 686 points ยท Posted at 13:19:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Dont mention it. If you're ever not. Hit me up
EDIT: Wow thanks for the gold guys!
Shindo989 ยท 190 points ยท Posted at 14:38:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you
satansrapier ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:19:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm also available. I don't know the pain of losing a sibling (or being stabbed or shot), but I am intimately familiar with learning about an affair, and the subsequent depression. If you need to talk, I'm more than willing.
[deleted] ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 14:55:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
King_Pollox ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 15:18:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What if I asked: What is never the answer?
Checkmate atheists.
NinjaTurkey_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:39:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:08:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
NinjaTurkey_ ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:03:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What are they selling?!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:18:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
At least one of your numbers was positive. I'll take it.
Ferocetis ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 14:02:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I ... want kitten too.
Shindo989 ยท 27 points ยท Posted at 14:47:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That cat has saved my life more times than I can count. After every bad day when I think things are getting too much, I'll get home and she will be so happy to see me and just plonk down in my lap and pur, and everything just seems not to suck so much
TheEllimist ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 15:17:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You have a female cat named Jack? I have a male cat named Jack! They could totally Jack off together!
Shindo989 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 15:20:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When i got her I was told she was male. And since when I first took her home she never slept and was an expert in torture (She likes to bite me on my ankles whilst i sleep if she is in the mood to play), I named her Jack Bauer.
Tickle_Fights ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:23:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is awesome. nice work!
DiversityThePsycho ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:49:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your cat beats its meat?
mayallrob_ ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:08:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm gonna need to see a photo of this cat.
Ferocetis ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:27:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I will find place I could call a home, I will find a black cat to start a family. He will be named Magnus. Magnus, the Three times a Cat.
markercore ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 14:52:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Did you stop going to/working at the petrol station? Sounds like a bad place to be.
Shindo989 ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 14:55:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, I did :)
markercore ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:04:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cool, good :)
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:03:41 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
markercore ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:56 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yep, that is a ton of bullshit to deal with at the same place to say the least.
[deleted] ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 13:51:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Shindo989 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:52:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:39:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
Shindo989 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:51:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Stabbed twice during the armed robbery, one in my back and one on my arm. Shot by the same guy months later, once in the arm almost exactly where he stabbed me and once high in the chest exiting out my right shoulder blade
xTheNameless ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:05:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Did this guy intentionally target you either time?? It sounds like it couldn't have been just bad luck.
Shindo989 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:16:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First time it was just bad luck, I was the guy on shift. The shooting was because he went to jail for stabbing me and wanted revenge
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:41:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
Shindo989 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 00:15:31 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can help you understand his thought process. He was a meth-head who lived a block away from the petrol station.
Mksiege ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:48:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What happened to the guy after the shooting? Hopefully he isn't planning the next revenge.
How long was he in for the stabbing, anyways? I would hope attempted murder is a years long sentence.
Shindo989 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 00:14:20 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He was in jail for ~9 months for the armed robbery and stabbing. He is still in jail for the attempted murder.
markercore ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:53:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do you have any permanent nerve/other damage from the injuries?
Shindo989 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:59:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well his knife entry in my back was very close to my kidneys so I was lucky there. Both knife would and gun shot wound were in my upper arm so pretty much a flesh wound. With the one that went in my upper right chest and exited my shoulder blade did some lasting damage
markercore ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:05:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Geeze, sounds very lucky apart from the shoulder blade.
pelagiidae ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:59:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love the one about the kitten! So sweet.
tashibum ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:56:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Can I have more stories about Jack?
Shindo989 ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 15:14:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You mean like how she used to pimp slap my Great Dane while he was sleeping just to wake the dog up before sauntering off?
Or how she likes to bite me at 4am while im trying to sleep in an effort to get me to play with her
Or the time she just "found" my cd's scattered all over the floor
Or maybe you want to hear about the dirty look she gave me when she heard me talking about a "mouse" on my computer desk
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:22:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Shindo989 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:05:42 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Until the night she brought half a dead mouse to me in bed as a present at 3 am
tashibum ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:51:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
She looks super soft.
Shindo989 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:04:49 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You have no idea how soft. The closest way i can describe her is "A white fluffy summer day cloud of fur"
smokky ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:17:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Take care bro
Shindo989 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:20:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you, I do try
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:19:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fucking hell. They're all blue
Mox_Ruby ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:20:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wish I could give you a hug. Got a pussy at the end there though so that's nice.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:20:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
/hugs
tevert ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:23:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Abused, stabbed, shot, cheated on, got a cat. You are an inspiration, dude.
Shindo989 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:25:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yep, living the dream
Up_My_Ass ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:23:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy shit. I'd hug you to bits right now if I could.
Shindo989 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:27:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks, but right now I'm laying in bed with Jack sitting on my chest demanding I scratch under her chin... So I'm good for now
sakura_euphonium ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:23:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe don't go to that petrol station any more.
ninetypercentidiot ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:24:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My cat's name is Jack, too. I adopted him when I was at, probably, the lowest point in my life. There's just something about cats named Jack, I guess.
FreyaWho8 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:34:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow this is a lot to handle emotionally but I'm so happy that you now have Jack. I hope things are better now, I send you a big e-hug.
Shindo989 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:59:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you
Hely0s ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:42:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Love you man.
notpran ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:57:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
how are you?
Shindo989 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:00:10 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm feeling the love today sir.
IlI_DEXTER_IlI ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:05:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
bro hug, from internet stranger. Shit happens, just look Trump's face ;)
forbiddenway ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:16:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hug you. And I love the last one.
The_Better_brother ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:30:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Take care man.
Uni_hockey_guy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:32:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Can't really say much to that, but hope you're doing okay! Cats are great, you can't help but love 'em
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:37:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
๐ข
VorpalSquirl ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:44:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First. Damn son. Hope you're ok. Second I was getting ready to make a post which I rarely do because everyone else's pivotal moments are all cheery and happy and all mine are mired in misery and regret.
IAmTheNight2014 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:10:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
2 and 3.
Holy fuck, what are the chances of that happening?
Shindo989 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:02:38 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well 3 happend because of 2. He was arrested and went to jail for the armed robbery and assault with a knife. When he got out, he came back and shot me because he went to jail.
TheBearHug ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:20:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like if I met you, you'd be someone I look up to. You, persisting through everything you've written about, speaks volumes about what kind of strength you have inside. Thank you for sharing, really :)
Batgirlofburnside ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:32:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm so sorry... I hope you have more happy memories to add soon. :/
Silydeveen ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:53:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That is a lot to go through. But you're still here and I do hope the rest of your life will be better. Give Jack a cuddle for me. :)
itzbetter ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:07:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jack is a lucky kittah!
Taktika420 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:16:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Most of mine are along the same vein, mostly negative... I feel you man
NickPalmFist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:18:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
From one cat owner to another, anytime your down just hug that little kitty until the world doesn't seem so evil, that's what I do, cuddle with my cats.
TheFlagpole ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:19:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do you want ice cream or pictures of kittens?
Shindo989 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:25:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think ice cream would be best, I wouldn't want to upset my cat by looking at pictures of other cats
TheFlagpole ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:48:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh. I don't know how to send you ice cream without it melting so... ICE CREAM
Gaashura ยท 69 points ยท Posted at 13:14:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-I was probably 2 years old, but it's fresh as if it was just yesterday. My aunt and uncle took me to the Circus, my mom took a picture of us, in front of the old F150 pick up truck that took us there, I fell asleep on the way to the Circus and woke up just as a Ballerina was climbing the elephant for the final act. It's my earliest memory.
-When I saved dozens of Pepsi bottle caps so I could trade them in for a thermos that changed color with cold water, last day of preschool, my mom shows up with the thermos, it's the happiest day of my life so far, I still tear up when I remember, I was 5 years old.
-My first day of first grade, I was really anxious, it was all new, I talked to a girl, her name was Miriam, and arranged that if my mom didn't pick me up, she would ask her parents to take me home.
-Playing with about 20 very cheap Roadrunner and Bugs Bunny toys that my mom got me, it was common to find them inside piรฑatas, as they were very low quality, but it was what my mom could afford, I spent many afternoons arranging them, as it was all that could be done with them. I loved them.
-The first time I went to a movie theater, I was 5, and my mom saved up for a whole month so I could watch a movie about a dinosaur theme park.
-The first time I grabbed a boob and it led to my first kiss after school, my face was completely numb and I had a massive boner.
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:29:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I loved all of them. Your mom is awesome :)
__youcancallmeal__ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:35:31 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Was it billy and the Cloneasaurus?
realfoodman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:38:48 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So... Jurassic Park?
Gaashura ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:40:09 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes. It was Jurassic Park, back in '93
realfoodman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:53:27 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Possibly scarring for a child, but not a bad first theater experience.
Powerpuff_God ยท 473 points ยท Posted at 11:39:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn, I don't actually like long posts like these. I rarely read them myself xD. Oh well.
What I consider my oldest memory, I was around three years old, walking and talking. We went on vacation to visit family across the atlantic. Aruba, to be precise. But while there, we also went to Disneyworld, Florida. There was a sort of public square, with these tiny houses for cartoon characters. I was excited, and I wanted to go inside! But... the doors were stuck. What? No, they can't even open. I was sorely disappointed...
Meeting my now-best-friend, for the second time. The first time was a halloween party in the first year of middle school, where I met up with my then-best-friend. He was dressed as a scarecrow, and met another guy dressed up as a (better) scarecrow. The three of us hit it off, pretty well. The next morning, during first period, I walked out into the courtyard and saw that guy sitting on a bench, eating his food, as he looked up to face me. We became best friends pretty much that first year, and we will remain as such for the foreseeable future.
Getting accepted into the highly prestigious Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Internationally recognized, considered the top of the Netherlands. I never thought I'd be able to study music, but I've been doing it for three years now! I don't really show physical excitement that easily (I'm not emotionally troubled, my body just doesn't respond to my brain a whole lot), but after the phone-call I was literally jumping around.
Two months into said study, my dad passed away... There's a few moments I clearly remember, but I'll talk about two. The first one, I was just playing League of Legends (with the friend I mentioned, and another guy I know well). My mother came up to me, with the phone in her hand, saying that my dad had been admitted into a hospital, and there are certain problems. The doctor did not, however, tell us we should fear the worst. So I kept playing.
A few minutes later, I heard weeping, coming from outside. My mom just heard her husband of 50 had died. I did not cry then, as it was still strange to me, and even then I hand't cried since the beginning of elementary school. Never once - again, I'm not emotionally troubled. My body just doesn't care that much. I talked to my friends on Skype, and told them 'so uh, I just heard my dad has died.' And, well, I left the game, and family picked us up to see him.
The second memory is when we got there. I looked at him for a minute, until I burst into tears. In the car I mentioned to my mom how I just wanted to make him proud of me. He was into music, and he was so excited to see me go even further with it. She held me as I wept, telling me how he was already proud. It was a surreal moment. But I didn't remain sad. He wouldn't want me to be. He was simultaneously hard-working, but laid-back in philosophy. Don't worry about things you can't do anything about. Just do what you can do, and live a good life. So I'm doing just that.
Creaturbing ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 13:44:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love you man. I just cried because of the sadness and the beauty of a reddit post.
Powerpuff_God ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:44:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hah, thank you very much. Again, though, I don't actually feel sad writing this, or anything. I haven't cried in almost four years, now. I actually enjoyed putting this out there! But to think a complete stranger is moved by this, is quite amazing. I appreciate it.
Zeromone ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:35:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah yeah okay we get it tough guy, you don't cry
Powerpuff_God ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:41:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tough guy? I'm not emotionless or anything. It's not like I'm trying to actively conform to society's image of men who don't cry. I wish I cried and laughed more.
UpvoteBecauseIcan ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 13:50:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had someone leave a game for that exact reason before. We were all okay with it (obviously) except our jungler. He said he hopes he died on the way to see him :(
gigo09 ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 14:55:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Aaaaaah league...
Powerpuff_God ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:42:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn, that's sad. And yeah, some people...
I recall talking to my friend, later, and he remembered that moment very vividly. Our families also get along quite well, so he also felt like he lost a dad. Man, I consider him a real brother.
UpvoteBecauseIcan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:09:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's sad, good thing you had someone close who you could share the burden with. I hope everything's easier for you now!
pentarlax ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:14:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Was he playing yi?
UpvoteBecauseIcan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:17:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Either yi or Zac
pentarlax ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:32:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Knew it xD i love yi sometimes as it's a break from Lee sin but I just enter full trollmode xD
UpvoteBecauseIcan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:31:14 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you even playing yi if you're not 2-10 and you flame the other team when you get a double?
pentarlax ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:24:57 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well I only play him on my silver and gold accounts xD all my friends are silver4lyf xD
FancyPingo ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:07:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The onion ninjas are creeping through this post I swear...
I remember when my grandmother had passed, the doctors called my mother and her and my sisters went to say goodbye at 2am, I didn't go because I was refusing the fact that I was gonna lose one of my favorite people. The next morning my whole family was crying but I didn't shed a tear, I didn't want it to be true. It wasn't until the wake did I cry and oh did I cry, all the feelings of regret for not saying thank you, thinking about how much she did for us all just came to me as I stood in the back of an empty funeral home and could see her cold body laying in the casket in the front... I wasn't able to go near it I just physically couldn't and I felt that something changed in me and I know something is different but I still can't figure out what it is. I miss that woman and I'm sure you miss your father very much too
Powerpuff_God ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:54:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hm-m. Until that day -or rather- until a year from that day, I didn't know what it was like to 'think about him/her/it every single day of my life.' Whenever I heard that in a tv show, it just sounded so cliche. But now I know it's real. In addition to that, I hadn't really dealt with death before. Well, we had two cats die earlier, but it's not the same. My dad's mother died only 5 weeks prior to him (oh man, how my grandpa must have felt. But he's doing fine, don't worry), but I didn't have much of a bond with her. (Yes, this means my dad passed, just as he was done grieving. He was on a hike with some friends, until his heart gave out). But what I'm trying to say here is this; If there's one thing we gained from this, it's understanding. The reality of death, and feeling what other people go through. Again, that's my dad talking, always looking at the silver lining.
lddebatorman ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:18:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Keep it up. Your father lives on in you. Clearly he raised a good person.
invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:39:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I like your dad. He raised you with some pretty healthy philosophies.
Powerpuff_God ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:12:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks! I'm glad he did. Though he didn't go out of his way to tell me exactly how he lives. I just saw he he lives, how he reacted, and how he'd give advice on specific matters. And at some point, I realized how well he did.
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:18:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's a blessing that he lived long enough for this to happen.
Powerpuff_God ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:44:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not spiritual like that, but I'm definitely glad he was at least able to raise me until adulthood, and made me the person I remain to be.
invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:56:52 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not spiritual like that either. Not "blessing" literally, just as a kind of gift.
Powerpuff_God ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:05:59 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hm-m, and as such a he gifted me a lot.
Ayit_Sevi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:22:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
damn, op got me like
thebbman ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:53:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm very similar to you. I just don't cry about things that easily, at least I didn't. My body is a little more accustomed to expressing emotion now that I've got married and have had to learn to display some emotion so she knows how I feel.
Powerpuff_God ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:56:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, nice to meet a person who knows what I mean. It's strange to tell people about it, and feeling like I have to tell them 'oh no, I'm not uncomfortable showing emotion. The threshold is just higher. I find it equally funny or sad, but it;s like my tear ducts are lazy.'
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:00:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
DUUUUDE! My parents have old home movies of me trying to open those doors over and over when I was about the same age.
Powerpuff_God ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:39:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha, man, such disappointment...
greenhawk22 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:54:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn it, my eyes are sweating all over this thread.
Powerpuff_God ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:57:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well, consider it an emotional workout, eh.
speaktosumboedy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:35:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your last story gave me chills. We all just want to make our parents proud.
ronseephotography ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:39:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mate, my dad died when I was 19 and I didn't cry right away either. It just felt surreal . It wasnt only until his funeral which was like 2 weeks later when I cried for the first and only time. We had a great relationship but I'm like you and don't feel too sad about it either. Sometimes when I tell people I feel like I need to clarify like you are doing when you say you are not emotionally stunted as well. I guess we are lucky with how we can move on from things quickly.
Powerpuff_God ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:46:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hah, we were the same age, then. But it's nice to see people who know what I feel.
meggem369 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:03:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father died two years ago.
Your post made me cry like a baby.
I'm so sorry for your loss and admire the attitude that you have, going forward in life.
FancyPigeonIsFancy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:18:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I recall my intense disappointment that you can't actually visit all the cartoon houses. It was like a tease. I think only Mickey's house actually opens up, and everything is roped off like a goddamn presidential birthplace. Bulllshiiiit.
Powerpuff_God ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:37:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Right? Gosh dangit, that moment is imprinted on my brain forever.
ThatOneKid1995 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:07:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That last line about not worrying about things you can't change and just doing your best because that's all you can really do is something that I try to live by as best a I can due to countless things reminding me of that truth. Recently, was a customer at work telling me that if I made it safely to a retreat campground I was headed to that weekend, then I was supposed to be there because I wasn't the driver in the carpool, but if I didn't make it, then it wasn't something I could change anyway
DarkPasta ยท 68 points ยท Posted at 10:08:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-the smell of bark in spring. The council used it to fertilize flower beds etc. It reminds me of BMXing around town, putting coins on the railroad tracks, firecrackers, playing football and running around the woods.
OnyxPhoenix ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:30:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy shit this gave me crazy nostalgia. They used to use that bark in my school's playground and we used to throw it about.
On_TheBrink ยท 70 points ยท Posted at 15:39:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
7 years old. Telling my father I hated him and him replying with "I'll give you a reason to hate me"
15 years old. Getting my father's gun an putting it to my head. This moment is when my sadness turned to anger
15 years old. Getting a knife and my father's gun from its hiding spot and sitting at the top of the stairs waiting for him to get home. Luckily, mom got there first
*20 years old. Crying like a baby to my SO because I was so lonely when her, my mother, and my sister were the only ones to tell me happy birthday.
tyco_brahe ยท 67 points ยท Posted at 12:46:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In 1st grade. The girl I had a crush on told me to my face "You're ugly". It has stuck with me for the past 28 years.
Sasquatous ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:28:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Kids are dicks.
I think you're pretty.
nave1833 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:33:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:( children can be horrid. that sucks man.
unrelated, but i'm super jealous of your username!
thatusernameistakwn ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:21:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Now I'm sad
sdglksdgblas ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:25:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
damn dude you had a crush in first grade ? first grade was all finger paints and singing shit for me lol
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:41:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Don't sweat it. Somebody's gotta be ugly and it might as well be you.
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:23:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You are awesome :)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:50:41 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey man I think you're hot
[deleted] ยท 65 points ยท Posted at 12:46:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
half-idiot ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 16:29:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What would everyone know if you said anything about the kite runner?
Sierra419 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:54:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being a father of two little babies - I can't even imagine the rage that would be summoned from the depths of hell after hearing about this.
mysterypeeps ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 18:30:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We no longer have anything to do with her. I couldn't keep up a relationship with her afterwards, I pretty much dropped the relationship we had built up, and wouldn't allow her alone with our baby again. We really couldn't look past it, especially since she refused to apologize or admit any wrongdoing, and combined with other things she's done, we've finally made the decision to cut all contact as of a couple of months ago.
Sierra419 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:03:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Good for you. I can only imagine how incredibly hard that would be despite the very good reasons for doing so.
Dnastysahu ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:12:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
woah woah woah why not take the kid with her? Also I don't understand the Kite Runner one...
wertyuish ยท 233 points ยท Posted at 11:29:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Coming downstairs after bedtime and playing hide and seek with my parents. I walked down into the tv room and hid under a table and started giggling. I was completely surprised when the found me.
My first day of special ed, was there for being a shithead. Ididnt have any real problem outside of not wanting be in school. Remember realizing what embarrassment it was to be there seeing kids with real problems and that people saw me that way. I Didn't get to back to "normal" school until middle school. I Feel like it really fucked me for learning how social interactions work. It took until after high school for me to really get back on track.
My mom talking to a 17 year old me about how bad her marriage to my father was going. I think this sticks out because it made alot of things click and make sense. It literally changed my perception of my family.
Train ride from College back home. I remember it being really surreal, it was late around 9pm. There was only a few other people in the train and we were going through the well lit and empty streets. It was really calm and quiet.
The evening my mom said good bye to me before I left for basic training. I remember being dropped off at the hotel the army paid for me to stay at the evening before they bused me off to basic training. She was crying and hugging me in front of the hotel. I thought it was embarrassing and in all fairness she was making a scene. But looking back the night was really the last night I was really her baby boy. Everything I did past that point was and is out of her control.
ThatPelican ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:07:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Same situation with Special Ed. Had a really hard time reading when I was younger, still struggle a bit today, but other then that I was totally capable of everything else my peers were doing. The only friends I had were from special ed, a few kids in for bad behavior, and it just fucked me up socially for so long. I never learned how to deal with a big classroom or how to make friends when in a new environment. Its better now, but I wonder where I'D be if I was in mainstream all my life.
wertyuish ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:17:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For me during high school I just wanted to blend in and not have any attention called to me. I think this mostly because I was worried people would remember that I was in Special Ed. Made it hard to make friends, but now that I'm out of high school and far away from the people I grew up with I'm fine. To be honest I think I would have made the same choices I have regardless of whether I was mainstream or not.
ThatPelican ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:20:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel. I major problem I had in middle school/high school was not only did people remember I was in Special Ed I was also a big guy so I got this label as a Hodor esque slow-giant. I kinda shook it off towards the end of my junior/senior year, but it still made making friends super hard.
wertyuish ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:21:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you doing better now that you are out of High School?
ThatPelican ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:26:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well since I graduated like three months ago im not too sure, haha. I think overall im in a better place then I was in middle school and high school. Im taking a bit of time off before college to enjoy having to responsibilities. Everyone always says that High School is awful for everyone. That seems to be pretty true. Kids in Middle/High School are in a weird place were they arent quite adults, but they have to start making decisions that will impact them later in life. They also start becoming, like, people during that time. They develop opinions and stuff. I have a small group of friends still, but I love these ones and im making fun memories. That's what I wanna do with my life, make memories, so im doing pretty well right now.
wertyuish ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:29:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's a good ambition, probably the best.
Gorecakes ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:09:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel you one number 2. Although it wasn't that long for myself, the one year I spent in the "romper room" was probably the most shameful I have ever felt. It was for the better though, it changed me the next year and I did a complete 180.
T_Momo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:04:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not a core memory but your train ride from college reminds me of my own. I was leaving Pittsburgh and I had my pet betta fish in an ice tea bottle and I hoped no one would see him in there and make me get rid of it lol.
wertyuish ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:06:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What mind of monster would make you get ride of your fish?
T_Momo ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:41:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have no idea but I was absolutely -terrified- they'd find out and flush him. I had never traveled on a train before so I wasn't positive of the rules, so I was sweating it.
invisiblette ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:56:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The Anti-Betta Police. The Betta Extermination Squad. But I have had similar fears, and actually still do.
Tophertanium ยท 124 points ยท Posted at 11:51:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The birth of each of my children.
The first time seeing my SO and as we made eye contact, thinking out loud "Have we met? Because I KNOW you!" Even though we had never met.
A rough patch in my parents relationship when my mother smacked my father for no reason. He took it and never bad mouthed her to me or my brother.
The days following 9/11. I had military friends and friends whose family volunteered to go help with rescue efforts. Watching people come together not in hatred of the attackers, but in solidarity to comfort and protect those left behind.
The day my first dog died.
kikat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:41:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
9/11 is etched into my memory too, I was in third grade and one after the other a bunch of kids were called to go home until the entire school shut down. I also remember my mom being horrified watching the news and seeing people jump from the burning towers.
RhysSnow ยท 1006 points ยท Posted at 09:16:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
When my dad left for Iraq '03, mum had just divorced him and we met at a random retail park Burger King to say goodbye. Really signified the end of the relationship between him and me. EDIT: I was 8/9
EDIT2: I thought of a few more.
My cat was with me for all my teenage years until he passed away. I was at work and got a phone call while on break from my crying mum telling me Felix had suddenly taken ill and they rushed him to the emergency vet. My work made a big deal of letting me go and I got there after he had been put to sleep. This was only 2 years ago, but has really affected the way I think of pets now. I used to think I'd want any future kids of mine to have what I had, but not anymore. My work made me make up the shift the next day.
My first ever real girlfriend also cheated on me after 2 years of dating, around the age of 17. Has kinda soured how I look at relationships.
Some yellow ones - the first time I played American football, my grandfather taking me too the zoo before he passed, my first kiss.
Manleather ยท 261 points ยท Posted at 11:50:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dude, that's a hard blue right there.
Blank_-_space ยท 108 points ยท Posted at 11:08:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Instant tears, you ok bud?
RhysSnow ยท 171 points ยท Posted at 11:17:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I ain't even remotely butthurt about it. It's just a significant memory of mine. I've always been a mummy's boy and my dad never treated me like I was anything special
Flegumeister ยท 37 points ยท Posted at 12:21:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel you.
weres_youre_rhombus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:48:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn, i need to hug my kids, but they're with their mom. I think I need to work on that dollhouse when I get home today...
The goddamn feels in this thread.
thefistpenguin ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:29:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I cant stop kissing my son and telling how amazing he is.
GarbledReverie ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:34:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I love my dad. He's always been like an uncle to me.
NeetoMosquito ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:27:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know why but I just find this hilarious.
RhysSnow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Buttholes are funny
floris5th ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:28:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He probably wanted to.
RhysSnow ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:41:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He told he once he thought I only wanted him for his money, because I'd spend months away from him then be disappointed when we did nothing for a weekend he decided was good for him to have us over.
floris5th ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:51:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
oh,
malacovics ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:11:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Did you try reconnecting? You cut all contact?
almondania ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 12:43:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't think that's a good way to look at that. You shouldn't shelter your kids from reality. Pets dying are tough, but is the 15 years of having the pet make it worth it? 99% of the time yes.
baeblades ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:53:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The passing of pets also helps kids learn how to deal with death.
CuteThingsAndLove ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:12:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's what I was going to comment. Pets are the best luxury life has to offer.
GoAwayJesus101 ยท 43 points ยท Posted at 11:19:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
fucking hell that was a suprisingly rough paragraph to read. Hope you're ok dude, and you'r dads ok.
romanozvj ยท 187 points ยท Posted at 11:42:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"You'r dads" was rough to read for me.
GoAwayJesus101 ยท 108 points ยท Posted at 11:54:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'll give you something rough in the anus if you're not careful m8.
LicenceToBill ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 12:27:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think you need a time out.
panamajones3 ยท 56 points ยท Posted at 11:59:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well Jesus went away
peex ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:47:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
*you'r
GoAwayJesus101 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:50:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
heh
pointlessbeats ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's funny, cos it's like the apostrophe just accidentally got removed from dad's and placed in the middle of your. That's the only thing wrong but it looks so weird.
PsychicNinja_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:03:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The comma from "dad's" just took a trip to visit "u" and "r," that's all.
leyebrow ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:49:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My cat is named Felix and I couldn't read this after you wrote his name. My cat is so important to me and has seen me through so much shit.
pointlessbeats ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:51:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dude, I really don't think you should base any attitude or outlook on the actions of a dumb 17 year old. Our brains don't develop proper impulse control until we're 25, and even more than that, people are just stupid and unable to think about how their actions affect others.
Also I'm so sorry about Felix. Fuck your work =( I hope if I'm ever a boss I display ten thousand times more compassion than those assholes. It's a rare occasion that someone loses their best friend.
RhysSnow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:11:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It crushed my confidence right at a time when I was probably at my best. I don't even blame her fully anymore, just miss pussy, nam sayin.
Losing your best friend is the worst, and crying in the middle of the office, and being told you can't go to see them dying is even worse
NotABMWDriver ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:19:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If you don't mind me asking, how did this affect you? Is your personality any different due to this event?
RhysSnow ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:40:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe if my dad was a different person. He's never treated me as if he's proud to have me. It's always been about his ego and things he does for himself. My mum is my hero.
Penqwin ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:22:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your work sucks hard core!
RhysSnow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ikr
ShiftyMcShift ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:44:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
8/9ths makes you just under a year old when your father left. If the Burger King didn't have a playground I'm liking this guy less and less.
Dougdahead ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What did you think of playing American football?
RhysSnow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:14:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Best time of my life. I was offered a scholarship to a smaller college but didn't go because my family had just moved house
Daabevuggler ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What do You mean American Football is a yellow one? Like kinda good kinda bad?
RhysSnow ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:13:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yellow is joy iirc
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In which language or culture? As an American I've never heard the phrase "yellow memories."
RhysSnow ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:23:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The film inside out
RA2lover ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:58:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
FTFY
TuxPenguin1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your work sounds kind of shitty.
RhysSnow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:26:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, they fired me 6 months later after finding out I was going back to college
serious_mullet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:15:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You can't let one cheater sour your view of relationships man. Not healthy or realistic.
Fumblesz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This was pretty sad to read, and I hope you're ok. But adding the part about work asking you to make up a shift is unnecessary because it was completely reasonable on their part - them giving you a hard time about leaving is understandable (given it was busy at the time and help was low) yet still kind of douchey by them.
RhysSnow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was more the way they put it across to me. Either I promised to make it up the next morning or I didn't leave
Fumblesz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yea it's a dick move for them to do that WHILE someone is in the middle of a crisis
crunkadocious ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:26:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You sound pretty bitter about some of those, you doing okay?
RhysSnow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm actually doing super fine. My mum always says I have a massive chip on my shoulder
oss_spy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:59:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why did your mom divorce him just before he deployed? That's seriously fucked up
RhysSnow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:29:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They had been separated for a while. But it's hilarious to me that you think my mother should put up with a man who made her unhappy just for the sake of keeping his spirits up before going. She could have issued the divorce papers while he was away and I wouldn't have any sympathy for him.
oss_spy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:46:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That explains nothing and I take it that you were never really exposed to army culture.
RhysSnow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:21:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What kind of explanation are you expecting? Should soldiers have different consequences to things they do at home compared to a civilian? I couldn't care less for army culture. My dad chose the military over his family at every opportunity and still does. It's safe to say I don't have the best opinion of the armed forces. Too many of my friends have had similar upbringings
vincele3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:20:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
tell us about your experience playing football
RhysSnow ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:39:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Played a season as QB of an under 16 team. Then 2 seasons as the starting Left Tackle for an under 19 team, also played Nose Tackle the 2nd year. First season we went from the bottom of the division, to 2nd place. 2nd season we went undefeated and won the North. I never gave up a sack either season and was offered a scholarship to an athletic college but couldn't go cos my family had just moved into a bigger house so we'd all have more space. I got a job a few months later and haven't played since
vincele3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
dang what a transition from qb to line.. so many memories made from high school football
Easterling ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I just broke up a month ago with mi first ever gf (I am 24) the relationship lasted 2 years; and I still remember when i heard that she cheated on me, whole relationship went to shit; I forgave her and she did it again. Worst part was that my best friends knew way before me and didnt want to tell me because I was going on a 2 month trip to Asia, so they kept the secret for almost 6 months.
Right now I am in one of the worst moments of my life emotional speaking because I dont know who I can trust; life is a uphill battle.
tossinthisshit1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:01:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
sounds like loss has affected you quite severely. everyone experiences it, and it's formative for everyone.
but pets and relationships, as concepts. aren't bad just because they end.
i'm no psychologist, but it sounds like your parents' divorce has affected you more than you realize.
hulkbro ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:39:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think it's good for kids to have pets, even if they die. You obviously loved your cat deeply and that's special. But I also believe it's not a bad thing for kids to experience opposing a pet either. Sadness and acceptance of loss are things we all have to deal with in life and I feel it's better for kids to have the joy of a pet and also experience that loss.
Teach them to remember the good times with one lost and you'll be teaching a great lesson for life.
Hope you are feeling better, I've lost loved pets before and its hurts. But remember that stupid thing they did that made you laugh :)
Ymir_Is_Here ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:53:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What's happened to your father? Do you keep in touch at all now? Did you at least see him after he got home, or write him during his deployment?
RhysSnow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:25:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I sent him letters and stuff, but I never remember having a dad that was happy to see me. He's always been do the least possible kind of guy
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
RhysSnow ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:24:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cry with me
vorbis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:07:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
this is my most hippy-dippy side but I really hope you can reconnect the happiness and good things from these experiences. There is beauty in the pain of loss because it means we actually truly cared and connected with something/someone. Eventually all of the bad things become part of your personal narrative, I hope it is a story about how you reached a place personal understanding and acceptance. I'm not saying ive done it but im closer than I was before processing some things from my past.
the_procrastinata ยท 59 points ยท Posted at 11:52:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Knowing how much my mum loved me (and still does).
The 'click' feeling that I got when I saw my dog in a shelter. I knew on the spot immediately that he was the dog for me, and I loved him with all my heart.
Loving a pair of blue bathers (swimmers/trunks/togs/swimming costume/whatever slang) so much that I would get up after my mum put me to bed to put them on and parade around my room in them.
Moving to Cambridge in the UK, and falling in love with the city.
The feeling of being loved so deeply by my SO.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:05:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents' love is really tangible to me even now, and I'm nearing 30. Every time I see them it's so clear in how they talk to me and look at me. I don't know how I'll survive their eventual passing, but the memory of the feeling of their love has definitely shaped me more than any invidual event. It's an amazing feeling, knowing you're unconditionally loved. Sometimes when I visit them and they give me dinner, my mum will just sit opposit me and watch me eat, smiling softly.
the_procrastinata ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:56:32 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't it make you feel incredibly lucky? There are so many people out there who don't love their parents, whose parents don't love them, or all the people who've lost their loved ones.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:02:50 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. I saw a lot of my friends deal with lousy parents, some of whom never really recovered and either continued the cycle, or just let it beat them to the ground emotionally. To this day abuse by parents, emotional or physical, is something that will make me unusually angry.
the_procrastinata ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:21:40 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's pretty sad, especially considering the power imbalance in a parent-child relationship.
My stepmother seems to show her care for people by criticising them. It's incredibly difficult to deal with her negativity, and she laments how her daughter no longer speaks to her. I don't blame my stepsister for not speaking to her, considering how critical stepma is all the time. stepma cries and gets pissy for several YEARS if anyone tells her that they don't appreciate being criticised all the time.
My mum, on the other hand, is awesome.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:39:44 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yikes. Yeah some people just shouldn't be parents.
amandycat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:38:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cambridge resident here. Can't ever imagine leaving this city.
the_procrastinata ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:52:46 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I moved back to Melbourne, but hardly a day goes by that I don't pine for Cambridge. I'd move back in a heartbeat. Have tea and scones for me next time you go to The Orchard!
[deleted] ยท 1854 points ยท Posted at 10:10:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
cdc194 ยท 336 points ยท Posted at 12:03:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a parent, I could never imagine doing that to my kid
The_Dr_B0B ยท 269 points ยท Posted at 12:10:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Most parents say it unintentionally.
Dienerdbeere ยท 139 points ยท Posted at 12:14:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
well it was intentional but i can understand their point of view by now
a_perfect_cromulence ยท 72 points ยท Posted at 12:33:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sorry you have to experience whatever sadness or pain made you say that. If I could hug you, I would.
maddafakk ยท 58 points ยท Posted at 12:48:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You sure don't sound like a disappointment to me. If my kid donated bone marrow to a random person I would be extremely proud. Sorry you've had to go through so many shitty things in life.
Rahbek23 ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 13:10:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair he/she could have been a real shithead back in their younger days. My sister sure was, but grew up a whole lot in her twenties and is now a wonderful woman with wonderful kids. Not that I think my parents would have said something like that even then, but if their parents were a bit more hotheaded than mine, sometimes the mouth runs faster than the brain.
MRbraneSIC ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:44:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bethematch.org
Just in case anyone reading this thread wants to know how to donate.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:09:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Onematch for Canadians.
Every now and then I get an email (like less than once a year) and I have a heart attacking thinking this is it, game time; but it's some stupid ad to boost their campaign.
Ferocious_raptors ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:20:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad told me the family is much happier when I'm not around. I feel you friend.
Dienerdbeere ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:31:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
what a fucked up thing to say
Ferocious_raptors ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:50:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's what I thought. Any way he got his wish. And I'm far happier not being around that negative energy anyways
Amannelle ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:55:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If you've never read any books by Mr. Rogers or watched Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, I think it may be a strange but pleasant experience for you. The bulk of his message is that you are likable just the way you are, not because you are perfect (often we are far from it), but because you are capable of so much growth and goodness.
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Mr+Rogers&safe=off&tbm=vid
tinkerbunny ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:28:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hopefully you mean you can understand why -- in their condition at the time -- they might have said something so hurtful, and not that you agree with them that you are a disappointment.
If the latter, please don't give in to others' negative views of what your life may mean, contain, be worth, or stand for. Even your parents'. Physical and emotional distance from them may help. Only you decide who you are. If you don't like who or where you are now, don't give up on the person you can become.
And if the former, you are amazing in that you can position their cruel comments in the context of their point of view, and even understand them somewhat! That is true empathy. You are rising above the personal hurt and seeing them as human, flawed people who make mistakes in judgement.
All my best to you.
Dienerdbeere ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:37:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
well, they we're disappointed because i didn't meet their expectations . I do understand that they actually had something good in mind and i didn't act according to that.
We are very distant though and i moved to the other end of the country because f them
outerdrive313 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:13:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"I'm not mad, son. I'm just disappointed."
hobbycollector ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:50:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mother's line was, "I didn't ask to have kids." Catholic, 5 kids that lived, 2 that died from RH-factor mismatch.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:57:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do they? Mine have never, in fact I once asked my dad if he ever felt disappointed because we didn't go to uni or do anything important, and he said he could never be disappointed with us. He just wants us to be happy, and good people. I know verbalising it isn't the norm, but I never thought it's common for even non-abusive parents to express disappointment in their children.
The_Dr_B0B ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:40:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I didn't say it was though
Edit: Oh so I just read a few more replies I got and I see where you're coming from now. What I meant to say was "Most parents who say it do so unintentionally."
I didn't mean most parents do say it :)
Laureltess ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents did this a lot when I was a kid and I'm sure it wasn't really on purpose. Some weird way to motivate me when I'd get a B on a test or didn't have as many friends as my older, much more popular brother. I know my parents love me. I know they're proud of me now. I'd never tell them how much they messed up 11 year old me, how the long term depression and anxiety stemmed from their need for perfection and comparison to my (admittedly much better) brother. I love my family too much to make them feel guilty for that, when I know they had my best intentions at heart.
wrxie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:33:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh I fully believe my parents meant it when they told me that I was a disappointment and an embarrassment for never graduating college.
skeddles ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:43:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Or they're narcissists
wrathfulhaggis ยท 78 points ยท Posted at 12:21:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I've heard it from my mother. Stranglely enough, I've very much removed her from my life.
Edit > Obvious typo, but I'll leave it there.
JasonNafziger ยท 56 points ยท Posted at 12:30:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is this a confession?
wrathfulhaggis ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:35:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I suspect it's a curse. I can no longer spell 'stranglely' properly. There, see ?
weaselpaws ยท 62 points ยท Posted at 12:28:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You strangled her so I could see why she is removed from your life.
petit_trianon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:02:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've recently done the same myself. It is hard, but my mother is a terrible alcoholic and I won't enable her any longer.
weaselpaws ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:00:42 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for leaving it there. It would have made my comment so moot and its the only slightly clever thing I've ever said
pointlessbeats ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:46:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well, she sounds cruel. Good choice.
wrathfulhaggis ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:44:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, it was an obvious choice. She's really not a good person, and actually did a lot worse than that over the years. She's paying for it now, though - her life is a very lonely one. What goes around sometimes does come around, I guess.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:57:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
welcome to real life motherfucker
jet_heller ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:21:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a parent, I would venture to guess that the fact that they said it means they were never capable of helping their child not be one.
Stop_Sign ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:25:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Am adult who heard that throughout childhood. It was because I wanted to play video games and they didn't want me to, so my parents and I had an arms race of lies, deceit, insults and punishment that never ended as I tried to play and they tried limit me.
In retrospect if they spent a few weekends exploring other available hobbies and really asking what I liked about the gaming (using all of myself because everything else was so boring), we could have fixed it. They didn't know there is a difference in gamers and I didn't know how to express myself.
That didn't happen, so I was permanently below their standards of socialization and they let me know it quite frequently.
Now my mom is level 1800+ in candy crush of course.
lettuce_tomato_bacon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:31:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I heard it from my dad this past March. I haven't spoken to him since (I was in the middle of opening up to him and telling him about the stress I'd been under. Great time to tell your daughter she's a disappointment btw).
RazorToothbrush ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:08:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:(
Viperbunny ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:55:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Agreed. The thought of someone saying that to their kids makes me want to cry. I can't imagine doing that time my babies.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:42:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's because you're a good parent.
Some of us had parents who had no business having children, but did anyway.
wholegrainoats44 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:44:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What about Hitler's parents? Some kids are just really disappointing. And murdery.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:28:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Some people respond to praise, with some others it goes over their heads. Therefore some people have to be stimulated by negative comments.
That's one of the basics of psychology.
corrikopat ยท 39 points ยท Posted at 12:40:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is it as painful as they say to donate bone marrow?
Dienerdbeere ยท 101 points ยท Posted at 12:59:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
there are actually two ways to donate!
One is via surgery (i had that one first). To break it down you are under anesthesia and they stick a giant needle in your back. Afterwars i stayed in the hospital for a day and then was sent back home. Every movement and even sitting down was painful for about a week, but i got painkillers.
the other method is less intrusive, you take medication for about a week that makes you feel like you have a flu and the procedure is very similar to donating blood plasma: one needle in the right and one in the left arm and your blood gets pumped through a machine that seperates the blood and the bone marrow(that is in your blood because of the medication). this tooke me about 4 hours and i could go home afterwards. my arm hurt a bit for 2 days or something.
after all i would say that the donation is kinda painful but that pain usually doesn't last longer than a week while otherwise someone dies of cancer so the decision once i was registered wasn't that hard
jbeale53 ยท 28 points ยท Posted at 13:22:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I registered over 10 years ago, and did get a call one time. Went through a bunch of questions, and they eventually told me that I wasn't actually an exact match, so it never went further than that.
When my wife found out I was on the registry, she said "Oh my god, you know it hurts really bad to donate right??!?" And I responded "Yeah, but having cancer and dying sucks a lot worse than that.".
Dienerdbeere ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:25:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
to be fair i 100% understand people that don't want to register and donate. after all it also is a danger to your own life (especially surgery)
corrikopat ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 13:03:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I registered for bone marrow donation a few years ago, but I guess no matches so far. Everyone told me that is was terribly painful. Glad to hear from someone who actually donated.
Dienerdbeere ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 13:07:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
yeah, it was really weird to me as i got notified about a week after i registered. My employer at the time was really great though so i didn't have to come to work until i could sit again comfortably
Imnotveryfunatpartys ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:58:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I used to work for a charity that registered people for donation. Your chance of actually donating is extremely low. About 1/5000. But we need millions of people on the registry so that we can get the perfect match for every person. About 20% of patients never find a match.
hochizo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:33:37 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
See, I also had the surgery, and I wasn't in much pain at all. The day after was the peak, but it just felt really sore (like I'd had a really thorough lower back workout the day before), not painful. I was slower getting up and down, but that was about it. The only thing I wasn't immediately comfortable doing was running. But after a few days that was fine too.
It's so weird how different people's experiences of pain can be for the same procedure!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:18:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
NO, IT IS NOT! I don't know how this rumor got started, but it's probably killing people. Register today!
I donated bone marrow when I was 16; it was no big. I got general anesthesia, then a huge needle into the hip, then I woke up. I walked like an old person needing a walker for a few days, but it wasn't even that painful (and I really know since my local pharmacies wouldn't fill the pain med scrip so I was on ibuprofen only).
My worst reaction was to the anesthesia, actually.
Cruel_Intention ยท 787 points ยท Posted at 11:47:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
oh boy.
pm me if you ever need anything.
e- username is NOT relevant.
Tinyfin ยท 420 points ยท Posted at 11:54:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your username says the opposite
RedHelling ยท 60 points ยท Posted at 12:39:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
is the intention that counts!
Hobbesisdarealmvp ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:55:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's the implication.
28lobster ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:41:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cruel Intentions was such a good movie.
DirtiestHarry ยท 53 points ยท Posted at 12:03:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bone marrow. He needs bone marrow.
jpark217 ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 12:30:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Actually he was giving it.
pointlessbeats ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah so now he needs more bone marrow to fill up the hole where his was taken out, right? Isn't that how it works? You fill his hole, then someone else fills your hole?
jpark217 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:50:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
( อกยฐ อส อกยฐ)
roipoule ยท 47 points ยท Posted at 11:55:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out?
Dienerdbeere ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:11:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
you won't trick me! ha!
Wombatusmaximus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:36:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's a trap!
DaVinci_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:54:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When he says username its not relevant, thats part of his cruel intentions. Run
DoesntCheckOut ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username does not check out.
DoesCheckOut ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out.
[deleted] ยท -17 points ยท Posted at 11:54:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Don't worry about it man, at this rate he'll be dead soon.
bljjlb ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 12:02:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jesus dude, there's a time and place for everything
Sizzlesazzle ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:28:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
From someone with the username "eat the poor", it is pretty much what I would expect...
Cruel_Intention ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:01:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
so you can say in his case username IS relevant
Dienerdbeere ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:17:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i hope not, but you never know
Oreo_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:18:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh well... I thought it was funny.
magdayo ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:39:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you, all these posts are heartwarming loving moments, it was making me feel like crap. Some of us are formed by shitty moments, it's nice to see I'm not the only one
Dienerdbeere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I also have a lot of positive memories but to be honest, the ones that at the moment seemed like they were the end of the world and were hard to overcome are the ones that happened to be the most influential
magdayo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:45:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly. :)
Sphaxle ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:47:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you so much for donating. My new cells are going in today, and since I'm not allowed to meet my donor, I'll settle for thanking you. I wish you the best in all you do.
FadeCrimson ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:56:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sorry dog, these are some pretty dark memories. First of all, screw your parents if they want to be like that. Nobody should be told they are a disappointment. That's just fucked.
As for the suicide.. I've been there dog. Close friend of mine went that way too. She was much older than me and also somebody who I looked up to as a person. In fact, i'd say shes one of the most prominent figures in shaping who I am today. One day I was feeling lonely and alone when I had moved a few hours away from everybody I knew to go to a college on my own and decided to check facebook. I don't know if there's many good ways of finding out about a suicide, but finding your facebook page filled with all your friends writing memorials to somebody you had sushi with 2 days earlier when you were lonely and visiting your hometown...
I'm sorry man. Suicides suck for everybody involved. There's just no way around it. Some people are really good at hiding their own tragedy. Some of the most depressed people are also the funniest and most helpful.
Hope you're doing well in life yo. We learn from these tragedies. Let the shitty things of the past simply shape us into even better people.
Dienerdbeere ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:08:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My friend was older than me too and i learned about his suicide from checking facebook too. I was devastated. Later i learned from his family that he struggled with depression for years, which is something i never would have expected from him. i was really blind-sided.
what was your friend like?
FadeCrimson ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:54:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
She was bi-polar. Struggled a lot with depression and such. Nasty condition that one. You'd never think that from meeting her though. She got married to another of my very close friends who is somebody who tries to seek happiness and adventure in his life every day in whatever way he can. They both did. They would go shooting, skydiving, motorcycling, or heck even just play silly little games or start competitions at work when things were boring. She was adventurous and always looking out for people however she could. I remember she (as a manager) once saw a customer yelling at poor little 16 year old me, and she swore him out of the theater lobby. As a manager it's something you would almost never do. I didn't realize till later that it was because she valued my feelings and standing up for anybody she can above what one customer thought of the business. She later told me that that guy could fuck off, because even if she had acted like the typical corporate puppet and he decided to become a regular at the place, she easily valued her friends and her employees over a bit of extra business from one individual.
The two of them held very odd beliefs compared to the average person. The universe at large, religion, philosophy, you name it. They didn't care what you believed in however. What they valued and pushed on others above all things, was to question everything. These two were the ones to get me into philosophy. I miss my days of working at that theater simply because we never ran out of conversation topics. They also never once made me think that my ideas on things were odd, despite how wacky and out of touch some of my thoughts were as a young creative teenager. They were a large part of bringing me out of my shell. If not the biggest part.
She died around 3 years ago. Funny, feels like it's been longer than that. I've had my time grieving. Went through some bad depression myself (genetic imbalances as well, so not just because of this incident. Medicated and dealt with now.). Her death was very sad, and made me very sad for quite a while, but I still take what she taught me in life and try to apply it every day. Her death only made me appreciate those lessons more fully.
The husband went through some bad times for a bit. He's an army vet. Young, but he's still seen some shit. He was a sniper, and I always figured that snipers were something people always tried to talk up and say they were because it sounds impressive, but one year I found him hiding in the back room while we were lighting fireworks at the theater. I'd never seen him so freaked out. He wasn't blatantly scared per say, more that he was so on edge that I could swear his brain was working on hyperdrive just to take in every detail of his surroundings. He's a guy that hid his emotions well. On top of that, he's somebody who was good at dealing with his emotions pretty well in his own time instead of bottling them up. It was hard seeing him cry at the funeral. I didn't realize how close of a friend I was to him until I was the shoulder he cried on at the funeral.
He's since gotten a lot better. He's now moved out with another one of our old co-workers. I hear rumors they're dating, but I also think that they're more somewhere between dating and just being very close friends. They moved to a city about 2 hours north of here, but they just recently moved back into the area. Talking about this now I think I will see about catching up with them on facebook soon. Maybe go on a camping trip or something before the summer is up.
Sorry that this is a long read, it's just something I haven't really thought about for a while. I've since dealt with my problems quite well. Between the depression I felt and some other psychological problems, I now see a professional psychiatrist that I quite like. My medications work wonders, and i'm in a very good point in life now. About half a year ago I started taking a medication that brought back my artistic spark that i've been missing for so long, and that reason alone makes me so happy I could (and do, often lately) cry out of sheer joy from how happy I am to create things just for fun.
Sorry it's such a long read, this is just something I haven't thought about in a while. More I wrote it all out just because I was going through my old memories on those times and got carried away. That was very therapeutic.
What about your friend? What were they like?
Dienerdbeere ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:11:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's been a few years too since i thought about him. He was very intelligent and good with his hands so he worked as an electrician. He once told me about his fucked up childhood that i could empathize with a lot.
He was never short of a witty remark and once you got close to him and got him to talk you could talk to him for hours about literally everything.
Our group of friends broke up once we got older and we all moved to different parts of the country and some days i still feel guilt thinking about what i could have done different. e.g. i made fun of him because of his girlfriend(none of us liked her because she sure was an aweful person) and i sometimes think about what we could have done different or if we could have stopped him. Well not if we could have but if i could have.
I am glad i met him and had him in my life even though it was too short.
i'm happy to hear you are doing well and recovered from such a tragic event. And yeah why not meet up with your old friends and share your memories
FadeCrimson ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:26:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He sounds like a great dude. I understand that defeating attitude of wondering what you could have done different. Only 2 days before my friends suicide I actually visited my hometown and ate sushi with the two of them. She seemed a little down, but I figured she just had an off day. Took me a long time to stop thinking what I might have done had I realized how sad she really was that day. The past is done. We can't change it. My attitude is that even the shittiest things in life simply build us up to be better people. We are the sum of our experiences after all.
Hope you're doing well yo. And stay positive. We can't let pasts filled with dark and heavy shit like this keep us from living happy and great lives. :)
playitleo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:45:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for donating your bone marrow.
mrs_snrub ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You saved a life doing something completely selfless. For a complete stranger. You are as far from a disappointed as they come. You are a fucking hero!
HeavenPiercing ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Things my dad has told me: -You're an embarrassment. -What's wrong with you? -why aren't you normal -where did I go wrong?
He probably thinks that telling me these things will give me the push I need to become a functional human being (in his eyes).
knight_owl87 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:07:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I just want to say that I'm sorry that you had to go through the first 3 memories, however you didn't allow them to shape who you are. Those memories were things you couldn't control, but the last one, your bone marrow donation, that was a completely unselfish thing that YOU did and because of it you saved a life. You took action and focused on what you could control and not what you couldn't, and I'm so proud of you for that. Congratulations and God bless you. I wish you the best.
trigunnerd ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:14:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're a hero, man.
Dnastysahu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:17:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I dream of the day that my mom or dad tell me they're proud of me. IT'LL HAPPEN SOMEDAY!
Horst665 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:09:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, somehow that's a common thing - not with my parents as well.
Sometimes I think I am just good at failing things. But at least now and then I fail big.
Esc_ape_artist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Helped save life. Get some shine.
LadyJiggles ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:36:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cheers friend, the only core memory I can think of is when my mom sat me down and told me I was a burden to the family and what am I going to do about it.
Creaturbing ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Should I read your username in German? I like your last memory very much. What you are doing is awesome. :)
Dienerdbeere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:41:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, it's an Artikel
Creaturbing ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:29:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you aus Deutschland? Oder ist das nur a username like any other?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:07:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Dienerdbeere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:09:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm glad your sister made it :)
lack_of_ideas ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:20:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
On another positive side: yours must be one of the cutest user names I have ever come across! Nerdbeere... klasse!
Okieant33 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:12:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're awesome for saving a life
LuciaLux ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:16:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You've had a lot of sadness and you still helped save a life. People like you are everyday heroes.
Blood does not always make family. People who will love you and appreciate you are out there, I wish you the best in finding them.
Viperbunny ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:54:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I am sorry for all the hardships you have been through. You did an amazing thing by donating bone marrow. It really makes a difference, not just to that person, but that person's friends and family. Your parents may not have appreciated you, but you should be proud of the person you have become.
gangtokay ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:57:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What loving parents you have. Mine never failed to mention it.
jesus_sold_weed ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck your parents. You saved a stranger's life! From what I hear, donating marrow is very painful. That's incredibly selfless of you. Don't listen to your parents, I don't know you, but if I did, I'd be proud to.
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:59:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
English is indeed hard. Yours is good. You are a hero for donating marrow. And I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but I now freaking hate your parents.
low_lobola ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:15:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks to your post, I remembered to get to my local donor registry and update my contact details since I spent a few years abroad and all my info changed.
If I get called up, it will be thanks to you!
jawknee21 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:32:37 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
St. Valentines day?
How long were you on the list to donate? I've been since like 2009 and apparently im still not a match..
Fariedomarah ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:52:12 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I like to believe that the hard life you had helped in a way to make you the compassionate person who tries to help others. I also hope that you've had your share of life being hard, and that you too find others around you who are willing to help you become happy.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:42:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your happiest core memory is Cancer.
OhWhatsHisName ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:01:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
FTFY
mudclog ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:54:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's literally saving someone's life. Not many people can say they've done that. That's amazing.
TheMagnet69 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 11:57:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just go back to bed fam. You deserve it.
Meleach ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:37:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No one deserves that...
[deleted] ยท 45 points ยท Posted at 11:44:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
RedTwizzler214 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:59:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Aweee. That's so sweet of you guys! Love this.
T_duggs ยท 50 points ยท Posted at 14:49:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The date was September 11th, 2001. I was five years old and in the first grade. The day started with my mom walking me and my brother to elementary school, like usual. My father, who was a New York City firefighter, was already at work doing a 24 hour shift. I remember the whole school being called into the gymnasium and hearing an announcement that we are being sent home early. I was excited to spend the rest of the day off playing video games with my brother, however when I got home I looked at the tv and saw two buildings on fire. My mom tried to explain what was happening as best as she could to me and my brother. I'll never forget the feeling of not knowing if I said goodbye to my father for the last time. Thankfully, he made it home safely. Since that day I have been determined to join the New York City Fire Department and will be taking the test soon.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:58:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
you being 5 at the time makes me feel old. well done good luck with the test.
T_duggs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:24:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're not old, just experienced! Also, thank you.
fbjac01 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:12:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Respect.
MetaphoricDragon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:27:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Best of luck on your test
T_duggs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:11:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you!
Im_Not_Kevin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:33:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Best of luck! True heroes work you have cut out for you :)
T_duggs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:11:00 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks!
SketchBoard ยท 124 points ยท Posted at 10:08:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My last day walking home from school saying bye to faceless friends I would never met again. I was 8.
BigPenisJohnson ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:06:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not sure why but this really hit me...
ShameAlter ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:30:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not to sound ignorant, but I don't get it. Someone explain?
SketchBoard ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:39:25 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I left that school, never to return. Faceless = friends that I've long forgotten
[deleted] ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 14:34:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd hope you'd never meet them again! Bitches had no faces!
yuhafftobemad ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:09:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I understand. It's kinda hard to be friends with people without faces. How would you even tell them apart??
[deleted] ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 14:29:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Mynameisspam1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:49:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He did not remember their faces
Arogar ยท 38 points ยท Posted at 12:11:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad taking me out to hunt at around age 6. We get to a clearing in the woods and and he tell me to sit down by a birch tree. He pointed and said that the animals is likely to come from over there and move past us over there. He then pointed behind us and said I will be over there, wake me if something is coming. Then he placed the shotgun (most likely empty) over my legs and to be still or they will hear me. He then crawled under a pine tree put his head on his back pack and "fell asleep".
That was the most exiting day of my life. I was the man, the hunter it was all up to me.
Damn it dad I miss you so much.
SuperSamurai420 ยท 2801 points ยท Posted at 09:01:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First things first, hats off to you OP. This is an original one, and I hope that is recognised with karma for you.
igdub ยท 180 points ยท Posted at 11:51:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wait for the flood of "people of reddit, what are your worst core memories" etc.
reddit-poweruser ยท 679 points ยท Posted at 12:25:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
"Lizard people of reddit, what are your best memories from living in Earth's core?"
Bassoon_Commie ยท 164 points ยท Posted at 13:17:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When Hillary left for the surface, obviously :P
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:20:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Her and Cruz got kicked out the same day IIRC. That had to be a great day.
satansrapier ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:50:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was personally ecstatic. I was sick of that bitch being the most lizardy of all of us lizard people.
Billy_Farrell ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:39:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What about Obama tho was it a big loss? Did people realise that he could do so Much up here in the surface?
DctrCat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:25:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My work was just hired out for a David Icke talk.
Crazy people, crazy people everywhere.
crunkadocious ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Whoa, this post had no invotes but was already gilded?
ShadowOvertaker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:25:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They're one of the best kept secrets on Earth. We don't want them to come out randomly.
AGARTHA_IS_REAL_17 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:36:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
THE EARTH DOESN'T HAVE A CORE BECAUSE ITS HOLLOW INSIDE, THATS WHERE THE LIZARD PEOPLE COME FROM! THE PLANET INSIDE THE EARTH IS WHERE THE DINOSAURS WENT!
Dances_With_Boobies ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:32:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Retro computer collectors of reddit, describe your core memories."
GryphonNumber7 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:25:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Reddit let's have a therapy session, because that's healthy."
iadtyjwu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:32:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Core memories can be the worst though.
Cruel_Intention ยท 134 points ยท Posted at 11:47:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe this will become one of his core memories.
ForceBlade ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 12:32:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If they're that much of a drop kick sure
๐๏ธ PapiSurane ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:39:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well, once you've reached the front page of reddit, its pretty much all downhill from there.
damhammer ยท 407 points ยท Posted at 10:47:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wish he'd explain what the fuck he's talking about
Re_D_Hair_Shanks ยท 792 points ยท Posted at 11:35:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Inside Out is a disney pixar film from a couple of years back. Core memories are the memories that have the biggest impact upon our personality and help define who we are
Mattxy8 ยท 564 points ยท Posted at 11:45:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A couple years? Inside Out is from 2015
[deleted] ยท 120 points ยท Posted at 12:03:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I thought it was more recent than that
poptart2nd ยท 183 points ยท Posted at 13:01:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm pretty sure it's from the future.
Niftapotamus ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:38:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It just released today
lambdapaul ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:20:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reddit learns time.
rayzman18 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm pretty sure it really is butter
EternalAssasin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah the trailer just came out tomorrow.
MirroredReality ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:32:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We need to go back!
Quasarkin ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:58:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wasn't even sure it came out yet.
linuxguy192 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:07:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How do you get much more recent?
Re_D_Hair_Shanks ยท 62 points ยท Posted at 12:08:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hell I was only a year out. Not bad for a guess
Shgrizz ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:47:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You were out by a margin of 100%
Not that I care or mind. Just thought it was a funny observation.
Storemanager ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:09:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One year short of a couple so yeah... good attempt!
Ubernicken ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:18:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you a time lord? What are you doing here in our time period? What are you up to?
Mattxy8 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:10:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I read the post and couldn't help but think I had just recently seen it in theaters - it's still been longer than I thought
tack50 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:41:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I perfectly remember when I watched it (last summer), because of how we ended up watching it.
My friends and I wanted to go to the cinema, and looked at the list of movies and their critics. We were 4 people:
-2 were movie lovers, and so the critics convinced them it was one of the best movies ever and that they had to see it
-I was usually the one that joked with the "let's go watch the kiddie movie". Seeing the joke becoming true convinced me (plus, critics were good, maybe it was for all ages?)
-The last one had no idea what the movie was about. The title made him think it was a weird indie movie, which maybe flew under the radar.
When we bought the tickets, and we told him it was a kids movie, his face was priceless XD
We all 4 enjoyed the movie though.
ProgrammingProgram ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:06:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd love to know his reaction. I know you said it maybe flew under his radar, but it'd be funny to see your friend just going, "Where's the indie movie? Huh, why are we watching a Disney movie? Pretty sure this was the indie movive." and just rambling on. Lol.
holybrohunter ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:21:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We had something similar happen. So me and 3 friends got together to partake in some herb, and 1 of the guys left to get our movie tickets. While on the way there, he apparently got distracted by how delicious a Fry Lover's Burger from checkers might be and ordered 6 of them. So after that, he gets to the theatre 5 minutes before us and the original movie we were going to see was sold out, so he bought us tickets to inside out (it being the first movie the girl listed as available). We get there and at first are pissed, but about 10 minutes into the movie (after the short which I kind of liked) we are all loving it. Easily in my top 3 movies I saw last year.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:23:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There's something /u/Re_D_Hair_Shanks is not telling us...
rawrausar ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:43:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
YIFY's last movie. RIP
pointlessbeats ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:45:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen.
I feel like we were all a lot more innocent way back last year.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
2016 has been a looooong year
ItakBigDumps ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:51:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Must have had a core memory malfunction
knowwheretofindme ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:48:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Inside out was released 1 year ago? Fuck I'm old
JackAceHole ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:12:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Only 2000's kids will remember it!
fozzik ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:15:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck it's been a long year
randomguy186 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:47:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
2015, 2016 - that's a couple of years.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:55:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you for the answer I came to this thread for. Apparently just saying "defining who you are" is too much work.
Or maybe i should watch more disney movies.
feedmaster ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:16:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You should definitely watch more disney movies.
AngelSaysNo ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:37:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Or at least this one because it's the best! No catchy songs, just straight up adventure.
iBleeedorange ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:58:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
IIRC with askreddit's rules the post gets auto removed if he adds text to the box.
tkornfeld ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:34:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
/r/insideout
Jaychillin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:53:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe if askreddit still had the description to questions nobody would be confused...
Gr1pp717 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:37:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What do you mean? Just google it! Core memories are those stored with tiny magnetic toroids. Easy peasy.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:49:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Have you not seen Inside Out??
damhammer ยท -16 points ยท Posted at 12:52:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i'm not 10 years old so no? obviously i haven't seen it because if i did i'd know what the fuck he's talking about??????
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:54:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Gr8 b8, m8.
But seriously, you need to get on that shit right away.
feedmaster ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:15:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What makes you think you have to be 10 years old to see Inside Out?
damhammer ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 13:26:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i dont know i figure more 10 year olds watched inside out than most adult aged people. i mean it's not like toy story which transcended all media
feedmaster ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:16:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not true at all. Toy Story and Inside Out are both great movies for kids and adults.
crossbeats ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:57:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And don't know how to use Google? So instead you act like a curmudgeonly ass?
hockeystew ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:22:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
lol seriously? with that attitude you probably wouldn't even appreciate the movie.
damhammer ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 13:26:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i probably won't watch the movie anyway so i don't really care.
pootaboo ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:46:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I read this as OP's inside out characters talking inside of his head.
Mr_Markus ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:42:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
tips fedora
The_Dr_B0B ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:08:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wouldn't say original. It kind of is another "tell us your best memories" question, which pop up very often.
mttdesignz ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:32:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No the same imho. OP is asking about "core" memories, those ones that impacted you the most and contributed to who you are. The moment something happen and you decide on a course of action that you'll follow the rest of your life, it becomes "your" code of ethic.
These are rarely the "best" memories.
I for example, consider a core memory the moment the priest at my Catholic Church didn't accept my yearly subscription to catechism because I was out on vacation with my parents and the deadline was over. I was head altar boy for my church at the moment, went and helped him three or four times a week and he didn't sign me up to the year that I was gonna have my confirmation ceremony for being ONE day late. That was the moment I became an atheist, I vividly remember dawning on me the thought that "God isn't a real thing then".
The_Dr_B0B ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:42:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've also seen many questions following the "What memories impacted you the most?".
denver_dan80 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:40:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's not original. He literally got the idea from a movie.
WaspSky ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:50:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/4b4h9x/in_the_movie_inside_out_people_have_core_memories/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/3t0p8o/just_watched_inside_out_movie_what_is_one_of_your/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/3hrp5q/if_our_brains_worked_like_in_inside_out_what/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/41x0v2/what_are_your_core_memories/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/43mnf2/what_are_your_core_memories/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/48qkqs/what_are_some_of_your_core_memories/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/3umpny/what_are_your_inside_out_style_core_memories/
impactblue5 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:50:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of the best feel good threads in a while.
throwitupwatchitfall ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:08:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is one of the rare instances of where there is an OP whose mom I did not fuck.
sheepcat87 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:23:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Everything's original if you've never seen it before, this same post has been made many many times since the movie came out.
๐๏ธ PapiSurane ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:44:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks! I wasn't quite prepared for the number of responses when I got up this morning.
iamaquantumcomputer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:14:30 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey OP! You edited your post to add text to the textbox which is not allowed so the mods deleted your post.
Edit it to fix that and then message them to restore it. Right now, no one can see your post
iamaquantumcomputer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:23:36 on August 13, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
RemindMe! 5 minutes
iamaquantumcomputer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:25:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
aaaaand the mods deleted it
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
wow. he asked a question. how unusual!
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 10:03:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i agree. to the top!
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 11:49:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/search?q=fondest%2Bmemories&sort=relevance&restrict_sr=on&t=all
beldaran1224 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:50:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not the same thing at all. These don't have to be fond memories. In fact, it's about what shapes you, not what you like. Sadness, disgust, etc, are all emotions the film recognizes and can be associated with core memories.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:07:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[removed]
beldaran1224 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A post that is already almost 4 months old. It's a highly interesting topic and can bring on a lot of interesting stories. I haven't read a single response that I found boring or repetitive. Except yours, complaining about reposts. I get it, you don't like it. Just don't open the thread and love on to the next question.
ProgrammingProgram ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:53:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not complaining, I'm simply stating that there are reposts but you said there weren't.
beldaran1224 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You found one repost with exactly 7 comments. It had almost nothing in terms of responses.
I can understand your frustration with the repetitive nature of many questions. I just don't feel that this question qualifies.
ProgrammingProgram ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:00:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
... "one repost", I think you're targeting the wrong person. And I'm not frustrated.. lol?
beldaran1224 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:17:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You pointed out the repost, so I wasn't targeting the wrong person. I did assume you were the one who implied that it was a common repost (on mobile, so not easy to check usernames more than one post back). I apologize for that.
I never said that it hadn't been reposted, though. I merely pointed out that those links he provided were not the same question. Yours was, but garnered little attention. So, I apologize for conflating your response with the original comment.
ccnorman ยท 344 points ยท Posted at 09:07:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All bad ones unfortunately . A shotgun to my head, a bottle of beer thrown at me. My mother being bashed repeatedly. I've got very few good ones.
[deleted] ยท 155 points ยท Posted at 09:57:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I got a dad holding a knife to my throat one. He bought me a game gear when those first came out. Returned it three days later with no warning.
cdc194 ยท 292 points ยท Posted at 12:10:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And here I am going through a divorce because my wife slowly became a religious fanatic and said I was going to hell for believing in dinosaurs.
reddit-poweruser ยท 188 points ยท Posted at 12:21:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I told you to stop telling people about dinosaurs. That's supposed to be our secret.
wlee1987 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:12:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bonersaurus
mrohyeah ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:23:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Even the flying ones?!
FingerMilk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:45:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, even the Aerodactyls...
workraken ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:56:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But is Archeops okay?
YouAreCorrectt ยท 46 points ยท Posted at 12:40:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Get a load of this dino-believer over here, pfft
Concanbill ยท 25 points ยท Posted at 12:35:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's kind of ridiculous and a completely reasonable reason to get a divorce. I mean dinosaurs? Are you crazy?
alk47 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:44:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He is a paleontologist...
boomdeeyada ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 13:20:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Mom did the whole dinosaurs aren't real thing last year. Told my kids all about Creationism. Thanksgiving we are in NYC and go to the Natural History Museum. Oldest son (10) takes a selfie with a dinosaur. Hands me my phone back, leans in close, and whispers, "Send that to Granny."
takie01 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:45:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your kid is a hero!
Squirrel_Bandit ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:23:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hope you know what an awesome kid you've got there!
colemac ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 12:31:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dude in fairness your situation doesn't sound good at all either. I can't imagine that happening to me it'd kill me. I lost my faith a very long time ago but my SO is only recently delving more into atheism and I'm perversely proud of her. Nothing against the average religious person but people who take it too far generally aren't worth the inevitable divide that religion can drive between people. Sorry you're losing your wife man, keep your chin up.
cdc194 ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 12:57:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The worst part is I can quote the bible, I was raised on it, I just think it's ridiculous. She goes around telling everyone how to think, how to act, and admonishing them for not being a "good Christian."
colemac ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:03:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Screw that, jump ship if you have to bud. Nothing noble in dragging out something that's unhealthy for you both.
It's a shame love isn't always enough eh?
Dont____Panic ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:29:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. Yikes.
Lord_Of_Shits ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:28:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's not being a Christian that's being an asshole
pooteetweet ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:41:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is it okay if I had a bit of a guilty snicker at this? Best of luck brother.
alk47 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:45:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guilty snickers earlier. It had peanuts and chocolate. It was delicious because I didnt have to laugh at a man's suffering to enjoy it.
Mistermartijn ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:45:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If dinosaurs exist, why did i never see one then, huh!?
ProgrammingProgram ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:08:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"These generations these days.. back in my day, we used to hunt dinosaurs!"
(Meant to be a joke)
plusoneforautism ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've saw one yesterday. Wanted me to loan him $3.50 for some reason.
juicius ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:09:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The dino thing is so weird to me, I can sort of understand if you take what's specifically in the Bible literally. Your religion, your dogma and all that. But the age of the Earth isn't in the Bible. It's all extrapolated stuff using some sketchy interpretation with only passing acquaintance with logic, and bam! This is how old the Earth is. If you dispute it, you're not really disputing the Bible, just some guy's interpretation of it. We can all disagree about that without it being some kind of soul-damning flaw.
But apparently not.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:59:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The Bible was written by men, not some God. At that time, men had no idea that dinosaurs existed. Very few had any idea that SCIENCE existed. Had the book been written by some all-knowing God, dinosaurs would have been included. Just another way to debunk the myth that the Bible is anything but a long collection of short stories written by MEN.
juicius ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:15:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know that. But there's an acceptance among the faithful that the Bible is either the literal words of God or the work of divinely inspired people. Regardless of its provenance, it's canon to its faithfuls. But the age of Earth isn't canon. Even if you drink that kool-aid, you shouldn't consider it an unassailable truth.
BTW, an omission of dinosaurs in the Bible proves nothing. It's a collection of laws and morality tales for men long after the dinosaurs went extinct. Even if an all-knowing God wrote it, dinosaurs would be an irrelevant detail. Its inclusion or exclusion is meaningless.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:10:58 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But didn't God know we'd question their existence?? ;-)
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:18:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow...
What the hell does she think paleontologists are doing in fossil digs? Are they part of some big conspiracy or something according to her? Sorry man, that's insane.
cdc194 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:40:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Actually yes, she is convinced fossils were left by the devil to try to make people doubt God exists.
trrrrouble ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:19:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A Jew told me that fossils (and any other evidence contradicting intelligent design) are left there by God specifically so that humans still have a choice whether to believe in God or not.
FrontierProject ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:35:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Be sure to tell her how the Bible condemns remarriage after divorce multiple times
timmythedip ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:30:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't get how someone can become a Creationist. Sure, I can see how people brought up in fundamentalist households or get involved in religious groups at school fall into it, but to get married having experienced "real life" and then come up with that crazy idea is so strange to me.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:41:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Its the dam jews fault for making the dinosaurs so we wont believe in our lord and savior jesus christ
Burea_Huwaito ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:38:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So God made the Earth.
And God was like hold up.
This shit is boring.
It need more shit.
God was like I'mma put dinosaurs on that bitch.
Link for the unknowing: https://youtu.be/eKqjs_6Qc-w?t=5m
kay1athegeek ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:52:34 on July 30, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
God I knew someone like this....
Wafflespro ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:24:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
how long did the process of her becoming a fanatic take and how quickly did it become apparent it was going to be an issue for you guys?
cdc194 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:48:18 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
slooowly over the course of abou 12 years
Brave_Horatius ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've got one holding a knife to a dad. Reversaroo!
nyctibius ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 09:13:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh my god..
peex ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:48:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Story time?
brianjm_bandos ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:01:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Maybe your bad ones are over shadowing your good ones. I'm sure if you think a little harder you'll think of some good times.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:56:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't have much either as a child. My adult life got better over all, but up until 24 most of my memories are shit :( I wish my family had the kind of love that some of these others do. Now i just feel sad :(
pdawg1234 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds awful, but, how does one survive a shotgun to the head?
ccnorman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:12:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The trigger wasn't pulled!
Stouffy19893 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandpa once said none of his life memories were positive ones. I guess that goes for you as well...
puddlebrigade ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Makes you hold the few good ones even closer. If you ever have to cast a patronus, I'm sure you know exactly the memory you'd choose.
Yousif_man ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:09:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
if you don't mind me asking, can you elaborate on these? I'm just really curious, they sound so interesting.
geak78 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:22:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
/r/FamiliesYouChoose
tashibum ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:52:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Can I hear the good ones?
ccnorman ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:16:10 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Most involve drugs but There was the time I finally fought back and bashed my abusive stepfather almost to death. Thats a conflicting memory..... The time I swam with humpback whales was good..... Skydiving was ok... . One time I scored 61 points in a basketball game the day after kicking 16 goals in an AFL game..... I hit 200kmh in my Porsche... It hasn't been all bad I suppose. I find enjoyment hard to appreciate.
Dorksim ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:06:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You should make a point to focus on those good ones. Make those the important ones.
ccnorman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:07:53 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I try man, I really do.
The_Dr_B0B ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:30:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's what I thought too until I thought about it for a bit. Didn't you ever had any particularly happy Christmas? How about a birthday? Maybe some great day with your friends?
For me, it was kind of therapeutic to think this through and force some memories out.
I got a day when my father woke up early some Sunday to make us breakfast and take us to church. It didn't mean as much then as it does now because I didn't know he had cancer yet, and that he would stop doing that.
Also a time I got high with some very close friends me had a blast walking through a little town eating some knick knacks in every restaurant we saw.
Or the day my mother accepted me as an atheist and told me that god wouldn't send me to hell no matter one.
Strangely, any day of being in my high school, where I was bullied. I would always feel safe regardless of the bullies, because I could escape home for a bit.
And perhaps more darkly, the day my father committed suicide after taking us to a park and giving us a last happy day. While it destroyed me, it was sadly relieving to know I would be able to mourn him then and leave the country to study the scholarship I had gotten, instead of spending his last days besides him while he withered away and got lost as the man I knew.
Brain cancer, bullying, abusive mother, drugs, loosing a parent, etc. they all were bad for me, but in their own way, they taught me something and made me who I am today. And for that, I am grateful.
throway_nonjw ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:41:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your Dad was a good man, don't lose sight of that.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 11:31:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
ccnorman ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:34:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not to everyone!
YouAreCorrectt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yea, ive only had venomous snakes pointed to my head and drop bears thrown at me tbh :/
ShogunTahiri ยท 81 points ยท Posted at 12:12:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably when I hit around 12 and realized my nephew (Who is 5 years younger than me) was being bullied at school. I tried to ask him and he just said "nothing" and walked away. It was pretty serious though (he'd come home with bruises, black eyes, etc.) I realized the reason he wouldn't tell me was because I had spent his entire life making him feel like shit, and beating him up a few times because I was jealous of the attention he got from my parents (him and my sister lived with us for a while). I really reflected on myself and realized how much of an absolute prick I'd been to him. From that moment on I swore I'd change and be good to him, and now hes like my little brother.
Alexanderphd ยท 197 points ยท Posted at 10:58:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1:Playing army and barbies with sister at 6.
2: Playing Mario party with sister, farting super so loud that our mother calls us down thinking we dropped and broke something.
3:Meeting my SO at a quidditch match then later that night with some of her friends then walking home in a makeshift blue ford anglea (like the movie).
4:19th birthday had a huge bar crawl with 60+ people never felt more popular.
5: Proposing to SO.
McLower ยท 46 points ยท Posted at 13:25:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This reminds me of graduation day for high school. When they call your name to stand on stage, everyone cheers. Everyone got a decent amount but when they called my name the place lit up. It was deafening, I almost cried I was so happy. One of my best friends even lost his voice he yelled so hard when I was on stage. I never considered myself to be very popular but always went out of my way to be nice to someone or hang out with them when they were having a bad day. I always thought most people disliked me but to hear that? Wow.
theasianpianist ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:27:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lol our graduation was lame, went go to a "classy" high school so no cheering. Fuck that, still yelled for a few of my close friends.
McLower ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:02:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck are they gonna do, suspend you? I woulda told the principal to eat a dick on stage
theasianpianist ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:20:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They probably couldn't have done anything. I cheered anyways. What pissed me off the most was that they didn't let us throw our caps because again, we're "classy." Like, I worked my ass off for four years, boosted your test scores and statistics and whatnot by a shit ton, and you're gonna tell me I can't throw my fucking cap? Fuck you.
LemurScentedDoorknob ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:09:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My school did not hand you an actual diploma on stage and would withhold it and your transcript if you tried any shit during graduation. Fuck my high school.
foxhunter ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:14:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There was a kid at my high school who wasn't particularly popular. He was older than all of us because he'd been held back a couple of times when he was younger. He came from a locally notorious family for dummies, drugs, dropouts, and redneck hard living.
He was kind of the butt of a lot of jokes through years of school mostly based on the prior and had a reputation as a bit of a hot head, but I don't actually know anyone who ever saw it. In fact, you'd see him in the middle of fights, mostly breaking them up or holding someone back - and he always seemed like a nice guy, even if just a little off.
Anyway, at high school graduation, he made it in 4 years (the normal amount!). Of I think 8 kids, he was the only one in the family to graduate high school.
The round of applause he got at graduation was huge. I'm sure some of it was a bit of a joke, but some of it was also seeing a kid that was genuinely a good person really work hard and rise above it. Really huge for him, I'm sure, and I can't imagine the happiness, and the pride he brought his family.
Interesting aside - but a few years after this, he turned into a local legend. A high school kid capsized his kayak on a low rise dam, which is pretty much a death sentence if you're familiar with them. The guy happens to be walking by on the road, sees it happen, dives in and rescues the kid. Pretty sure he ended up with the keys to the city!
Alexanderphd ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:39:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was'nt so popular in highschool this 19th bar crawl was at uni. I only had this many friends because i talked to everyone on my course and societies. Turns out popularity comes from making sure your nice to everyone you meet and putting in effort for everyone, a lot of hard work though, grades dropped that year.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:40:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Now it's all downhill.
YMCAle ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:00:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sorry what?
fishhibiscus ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:09:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's a thing. I'm a quidditch player, albeit a shit one.
YMCAle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:46:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How do you play it?
fishhibiscus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:17:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Running with sticks between our legs, looks hilarious. Quaffle stuff is the same as the books/films, bludgers are dodgeballs that the beaters throw, if you get hit you have to dismount the broom and tag your team's posts before you rejoin the game. The snitch is a ball in a sock attach to the back of a neutral snitch runner's shorts and is worth 30 points so there's actually a point in chasing. If you're interested, the World Cup final was on Sunday! Happy to answer questions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoqEMRLknmM
Simoneister ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:16:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Muggle quidditch is a thing. The 2016 World Cup just happened a couple day ago. It's a lot of fun, very physical, also pretty silly lookin'.
Alexanderphd ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:29:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, loads of British universities play, here is a little snapshot near wayne manor.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=nottingham+quidditch&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiw3Iiv05HOAhUMCMAKHed_A2AQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=VnaF0r5O0JW8fM%3A
YMCAle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:45:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No shit! I had no idea this was a thing at all.
Smiley007 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:34:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This entire thing is adorable, but thank you for reminding me of playing Barbie's Dreamhouse with GI Joe and co. with my brother.
honeynut-queerios ยท 37 points ยท Posted at 12:38:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In chronological order
โขThe day my father picked my siblings and I up from after school daycare and we were supposed to go home and pack for a cruise that left the next day. Instead we rushed home to pack and fly to Virginia, to watch my grandfather who was dying after a massive stroke.
โขStanding in the shower at 9 years old while my mom told me I was "getting too fat."
โขWhen my father picked me up from school the day my middle school guidance counselor called and told him I had been harming myself. It's my earliest memory of my father crying.
โขThe night I told my mother I couldn't be pleasant at home because I wanted to die. My parents and I stayed up past 3AM, crying and trying to figure out what to do. The next day I was admitted to the mental hospital for the first time.
โขThe day my mother confessed that, out of her four children, I was the most difficult to raise. She clarified that it wasn't in a bad way, she just didn't know how to handle the issues I presented her with. But neither did I. We both cried.
traffick ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:54:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The levity of your responses is when I read your username.
bouilloncat ยท 186 points ยท Posted at 11:31:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) My mother locked my sisters and I out of the house until we weeded the garden (I'm pretty sure she just wanted to drink cough syrup at the time), instead we made a mud bog with the garden hose and tried to see how much mud we could layer on our feet so that when we stepped on the prickly pants it wouldn't hurt.
2) Having no food in the house because my mum thought we would all be fat if we ate. So my sisters and I ran up to an orchard about 1 mile away and picked the fruit. We lived on the for about a week.
3) My mom is schizophrenic, one day she came to my dads intoxicated and climbed into bed with me crying saying that I was going to die. My dad had to drag her kicking and screaming from my room.
4) My dads friend telling me that he liked it when his wife dyed her hair because it was like a different girl giving him a blowjob each time (I think I was about 10)
5) ANNND the best one yet at 16 my sisters (now ex) husband molesting and forcing himself on me.
dustyceilingfan ยท 96 points ยท Posted at 12:36:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You had a rough go. I hope you're doing ok now.
Controversies ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:28:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hope you're doing much better now, and not letting let this all affect you.
Gderu ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:02:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Best??
FingerMilk ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 13:49:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Some people just have ALL the luck.
harrisonfordspelvis ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 13:32:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well how about that.
Expressman ยท 132 points ยท Posted at 12:49:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom kicking my baby brother then blaming me.
My mom chasing me with a hard rake.
My mom laughing and jeering at me while I was spanked.
My mom throwing a plate at me, it breaks, and I have to clean it up.
My mom saying it was the devil that makes me think she is an angry person.
Being forced to apologize to my mom again and again for my many misdeeds and bad attitudes.
And people give me shit for not talking to her in four years.
And then being publicly excommunicated and shamed. In hindsight one of the best things to happen to me.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 15:08:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's fucked up. I'm glad she's out if your life now. I hope you got to build your own family of choice.
Expressman ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 15:16:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm making great progress thanks. The rest is fading in the rearview.
damen65 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:31:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm so sorry that happened to you. It seems that it's for the best that you don't talk to her anymore.
Nyan_Cat_Chick ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:10:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
People just don't understand (smh) it's good she's out of your life.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:26:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reminds me of one of my core memories. This was when I was about 17. It was a school evening and my dad was drunk and angry, which was not uncommon. I don't remember the exact details of what transpired, but he was arguing with my mom, getting in her face and shouting, so she decided she was going to take me and my younger siblings to a hotel that night.
My dad stood by the front door and blocked us. I lost it. It was my senior year of high school and with the stress at home my once perfect GPA had been plummeting. I had a big assignment due the next day and just wanted to get to the hotel so I could get my work done. I knew he was deeply insecure about being a loner in high school, and I was too, so I went after that insecurity. Told him what a failure he was for letting that insecurity make him be drunk and mean to his family. He stood there blankly, then without warning pitched his glass of coke and rum at me. It shattered on my chest. Nobody said another word and we walked out.
That was I think the moment I realized that the harm my dad had done was beyond reproach or forgiveness. I haven't spoken to him in almost 2 years (it's now been 8 years since this incident) and he's tried to email me a few times saying how he "needs to have a relationship with me." I still have nightmares about this incident and other times when he threatened to hurt me (tried to provoke me to fight him so he could kick my ass and call the cops on me, pulled a knife on me after I dumped his drink out, etc).
Hope you're doing okay and have managed to rise past your adversity.
Aayin ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:12:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sorry your mother is a piece of shit. I hope you've found peace.
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:13:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:( Cyber hug for you.
invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:44:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You were right to go no-contact. You are brave.
[deleted] ยท -45 points ยท Posted at 14:51:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 35 points ยท Posted at 15:48:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck that. If a person in your life is toxic you're under no commitment to keep them around doing damage.
We_Are_The_Waiting ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 16:35:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And some peoples moms are assholes.
T1melimit ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:28:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, but sometimes you're better off with no mom.
DeFy_Logicc ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:25:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It doesn't matter when she treats you like shit.
Lebor ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:26:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
so?
selling-seashells ยท 96 points ยท Posted at 11:26:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think most of mine are sort of groups of things rather than specific, one-off events:
1) camping with my family in the summers growing up. Weekend trips, multi-week trips, with friends, extended family, or just us. I miss camping.
2) playing with Legos and Knex and Beanie Babies (the last two are perfect sizes for each other) with my brother during the summer. He built everything and I, being a stereotypical girl, kept the story going. Which usually meant I'd get frustrated that he was building things instead of paying attention to whatever crisis was happening in Beanie Baby town. :D
3) Getting my guide dog. Obvious reasons.
4) The last couple months of my last relationship. Not good memories, but have really made me more self-aware and made me realize I needed to change some things about myself so I wouldn't end up with a similarly manipulative person. AKA love yourself! You're worth it!
5) Hearing the announcement that I'd won the scholarship to study abroad. It was two years ago and I'm currently sitting in my dorm room at the end of said year abroad, packing up my room to move to an internship in the same country for six months. Never would have guessed I'd come this far! :)
mrcpi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:56:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
May I ask why you got a guide dog?
selling-seashells ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:24:59 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Legally blind! :) I've been that way my whole life but started realizing how much it was affecting my desire to go out. I was honestly afraid of going new places. Now I have a second set of eyes, and other people know that I might ask for help and I don't feel as dumb doing so. :)
mechanicalmonster ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 14:27:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Guidance.
JKChambers ยท 67 points ยท Posted at 09:39:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of not so good stuff in my childhood, the rest about lessons of positivity I've learned and aspired towards from important movies growing up.
Let's just say I owe a lot to Julie Andrews and Disney in general.
SecretBlogon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:08:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Shit. This sounds a lot like me. I had a lot of negative stuff, and a lot of my positive memories were mainly of me doing things alone. Or making friends with stray cats.
And the rest of my positive childhood life lessons came from television, movies and books. I really wanted to be like Dumbledore growing up. Always joking and smiling even when things are bad.
Edit:
Just felt compelled to add that one of my most internalized memories was when I was really really young. And someone was going to get married. And the little girls were to dress up and accompany the bride. It was going to be my neighbour, and me. But on that day, my neighbour cried and said she didn't want it to be me, she wanted my sister to be with her accompanying the bride. So my mother took me out and I wasn't part of the wedding anymore.
And several other times afterwards where extended family members openly didn't want me to be around, but wanted my other siblings, and I was left out of sleepovers. There were times where I was old enough for them to realize they couldn't hide that they didn't want me there (even though i've been well aware of it ever since I could remember), so they put up with me and ended up being passive aggressive.
Cats are better friends. They at least want to hang out with me.
kennyneth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:05:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why did they treat you like that?
SecretBlogon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:15:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I don't really know. I was an awkward kid growing up. I didn't understand people, and people didn't understand me. My parents said they had to go get me tested, but doctors said I was normal.
I understood cats though.
My theory was that I was an overly hyperactive kid, and that annoyed a lot of the adults. They probably didn't realize I could understand that they were annoyed at me, but couldn't understand why. And kids have really short memories, so while it might have been a build up for them, to me, it's been that way ever since I could remember. To my tiny brain, it was like people disliked me being born. But that doesn't explain other kids not wanting me around either. But I think, maybe, the other kids just preferred my sister. She was a really popular outgoing kid. So it wasn't that they didn't want to be with me, they just wanted to be with her. Because they would play with me, as long as she was around to play.
But those early memories internalized into me thinking nobody would want me around. Ever. That was all I knew. But I'm older now and managed to work things out and I've got lots of friends and all that. But it did take a very long while.
But when the extended family come around, I still make sure my other siblings are around because I'm of no interest to anybody. The black sheep. They're also not the nicest people. So there's that too.
But I still mainly have no idea why people didn't like me. It sucks when they dislike you for no reason other than you being you.
I now have a niece, and I'm trying to put as much effort as I can to be as patient as possible. And try to keep in mind that she wouldn't remember a lot of things from when she's younger, which can be as close as a few months ago. I would always try to only focus on the present and explain what she's doing wrong.
kennyneth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:25:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, wow. I hope you won't be treated that way anymore.
I have a nephew (well, a first cousin once removed, to be exact) who is treated the way your family treated you, all because he was conceived out of wedlock. He's about 7 years old now. And being a group of conservative folks my family is, I guess everyone kinda considers him a bastard. A disgrace. Unlike his little brother, who was conceived and born after their parents got married, so everybody loves him cause he's legit.
SecretBlogon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:51:39 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't see them much these days. Just that one day on Christmas or something.
Things are different now, we're all adults, so the issues are different. But I know they don't think too highly of me. So I just take myself out of the situation whenever I can.
But growing up, I was pretty close to my sister. She would always say it was a miracle that I never got jealous of her, since I was always in her shadow. She would always be the preferred one. But it never occurred to me to blame her for it. Because even without her, people wouldn't want to be around me. The only reason they put up with me was because they wanted her around since you're not supposed to out rightly ostracized a kid.
And some of my positive core memories came from her. I have memories of her telling me that even though no one else believed in me, even my parents, she did. She would invite me to hang out with her and her friends and would tell me to not be bothered that other people didn't like me. They didn't know me like she did.
So to a certain extent I owe a lot to her for keeping me going. You can see why she was so well liked.
So it's great that you exist for your nephew. It's always good to know that someone else notices the disparity in treatment. I think any kid would appreciate being told that there's someone who notice and cares and know it's not their fault for existing. Even if it doesn't change the situation much. They just need to know that it's not them.
I hope your nephew finds a way out of that situation when he gets older.
kennyneth ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:43:54 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes. Yes I can. I like her already just from the way you described her.
And thank you, I hope so too. His grandma and aunt (his mother's sister) really love him and are proud of him, though, despite everything. They're strong intelligent women and I know he'll be okay growing up under their guidance.
Best luck to you. Hope you'll find more people who can love you for who you are.
NiceJobTwoDads ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Disney has some of the only movies I can still remember vividly from my past. My dad loved the sound of music and would watch it fairly regularly, and I always remember that as one of his favorites.
Azmodeon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:12:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Who's Julie Andrews? Someone of significance?
Soccerdilan ยท 30 points ยท Posted at 12:22:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One definitely stands out. When I was about 13 my parents and I watched the movie John Q. And after the movie we were talking about the scene where Denzel was going to shoot himself and I jokingly and kind if sarcastically said to my dad "would you ever give me your heart?" He looked at me, stern faced, and said, "Without a second thought." I think that was the first time I realized just how much my dad cared for me and I remember getting pretty emotional about it.
CardboardSoyuz ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:23:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's kinda fun. My 11 year old son as taken to saying, "I love you more!" when I say "I love you." I don't discourage it -- although I occasionally say, "some day you'll know how much I love you" -- and I hope when someday he has kids of his own I'll be there to point it out.
Penultimately ยท 30 points ยท Posted at 13:37:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is going to get buried, but what the heck.
I remember coming home from town with my parents on a Thursday night when I was four or five. We were all dressed up in our raincoats, and we stood in the dark around the answering machine as we got the news that my grandma had had a car accident. The next thing I remember is being at the hospital, although I think that was a few days later. My grandma was on and off a part of my life until she died almost ten years later.
Until I was sixteen, my family kept horses. We moved because of my dad's work and ended up in a place that, to a civilized horse lover, seems like a hellish pit of torture. Not a good, god-fearing board fence to be seen. My parents did their best, but one day, when I was about 14, one of our big, beautiful horses rolled in the mud and got her back hoof wrapped in the barbwire. When my mother and I found her, the cut was spurting blood almost comically. We were half a mile from the barn, and my dad wouldn't be home for several hours.
My mom panicked at first, then she settled into problem-solving mode. She told me to hold the horse while she got the first aid material. I was almost as afraid as the poor horse. I kept calling back to my mom, wanting to hand her back, but eventually mom came back with the first aid box. It was one of the only times she ever yelled at me, and she said "I have to wrap her leg. I need you to just hold her."
Thinking about it, that actually doesn't sound as life changing as I was setting it up to be. But from that day forward, I've known that I can always do whatever I have to, even if I'm afraid.
Also the horse was okay. She got her hoof stitched back on and she happily derps around someone else's board fences now, looking for new ways to hurt herself.
I've been sitting here writing and rewriting various memories, but I can't pick a third one.
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:37:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Those are great memories :)
Baranix ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 13:56:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not really in chronological order:
My first and longest bout with depression as a teenager. I didn't even know I was depressed. In fact, at that time, I thought "depression" was for attention-whores and not an actual illness. Probably stems from the fact that my parents didn't believe in depression either. I don't even remember much of my teenage life. I do remember giving up and "dropping out of homeschooling". Pathetic, right? Who the hell drops out of home school? I just figured there was no hope for me anyway.
Mom doesn't know it, but she was the one who peeled me off the floor from my depression. I was so down, my mom finally sat beside me and explained to me how I am smart enough to accomplish things, that my family needs me, that there's still hope for me. She convinced me to take an acceleration test that allowed me to go to college without a highschool diploma. I passed by a hair strand.
I beat up a guy in kindergarten. He and his boys took over the playground and declared "no girls allowed." But I wanted to swing, damnit! I ignored him and walked straight for the swingset. He blocked my path and pushed me to the ground. I punched him in return, and the next thing I knew, someone called the teacher for us to stop fighting. I don't remember who won exactly, but mom says I bit the guy's finger and he cried for it to stop. I consider myself the winner.
I saw my younger sister cry when she was picked as the second voice and I was the lead vocals by our voice teacher. She tried to hide it, but I saw it. It took me a while, but I decided to stop singing so that she could be the lead. It was one of the "mature" things I did. It surprisingly was not hard to sacrifice for her. I am happy for her, even if I do miss singing.
My second bout with depression was in college. This time I knew what it was. I think the counselor figured it out too. She would hunt me down in the hallways, and I would always try to avoid her. I wasn't ready to cope with it, and I didn't trust her to deal with me. It had gotten so bad, my boyfriend forced me to visit a doctor and even paid for the sessions. I stopped going when I made a decision: if I didn't graduate by the end of that school year, I will kill myself. I had it all planned out too. Ironically, the same place where I bought my serotonin meds is also where I bought razor blades. When I got home after buying them, I stared at the little box of razors on my hand. I had never felt so much control over my life! I literally could choose to live or die. That... surprisingly... gave me comfort. I hid the blades away. I graduated that year.
When I was 7 years old, I have had a variety of answers for "What do you want to be when you grow up?" They ranged from "a singer" to "an artist". But lately I had started to enjoy Science. It was really fascinating how the planets revolved around the sun, or that rocks can be made and not just destroyed. Plus Bill Nye was cool. So when I was asked again, I answered "I want to be a scientist!" But one of them asked further, "What kind of scientist?" I was dumbfounded. "There are many kinds?!" They started listing the kinds of scientists one by one, until I heard the most glorious phrase little me ever heard: "Computer Scientist". Like omg I love computers! I play games on that and paint stuff! "I want to be a computer scientist!" I chanted. I graduated BS Computer Science.
IamJenface ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:47:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Depression is fun isn't it?
Baranix ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:57:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was a rollercoaster ride.
I hate rollercoasters.
SerasVal ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:59:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Comp Sci master race! \o/
Baranix ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:07:50 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Proud to be part of it!
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:45:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You rock girl :)
Baranix ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:03:38 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you so much! :)
Im_Not_Kevin ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:36:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Heres to keeping the depression away; and cheers to you for continuing (and finishing!) Your education!
Im heading into college in two weeks, my depression getting to be too much is my main concern.
Baranix ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:06:41 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cheers! Good luck to you too!
Having someone, anyone, believe in you is a blessing. If it wasn't for my mom or my boyfriend... well. I hope you find or have someone like them. Speaking of hope, never ever lose sight of it.
kkyz13 ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 13:08:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Being bullied into being class rep to only take unwanted responsibilities, more unwanted attention, and more bullying. I never stood up for myself and suffered through those years because I wanted to be nice to everyone, the bullied or the bullies, until one day I snapped and yelled back, only to be bullied more. I shut myself up and never socialized throughout my school years. Hiding in the library from people I don't want to ever talk to at that time, I met nerds and other people who I could relate to.
Going to the science center for the first time with my Dad to see giant bugs and an artificial whirlpool! It really made me super interested in the world, it's history, geography, politics, that I read encyclopedias to pass the time. (this was before wikipedia came about)
Having a serious crush on a girl for years, but having an inferiority complex and aforementioned memory no. 1, never confessed. She left town, but before we parted, told me to just confess to the next person because she knew, and that I should just be braver.
Being helped out of depression by another girl, who I fell in love with, hung out a lot and made me realize that I need not fear other people. She made me a bit more sociable. She confessed to me but I rejected her out of shock and embarrassment (fuck my Asian heritage). I couldn't amend this.
The day I was able to improv on the piano and play (almost) any tune I had in mind. It came as a surprise, even though by that time I've been learning to play for over 8 years. It really made me happy and boosted my confidence in performing on the piano.
Deleting <WINDOWS_95> through learning command prompt and feeling proud of myself, only to realize the computer couldn't boot later. Got a ton of scolding because it was the family computer. I installed that Windows 95 and thought it could be deleted like any ol' game.
Can't think of anything else that's really depressing/happy that stuck with me.
Sierra419 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:58:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
lol thats awesome. Sounds like something I would have done as a kid always messing with the computer.
Acylas ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 11:52:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My uncle showing up bare-chested and bloody to my mother's wedding. He had been stabbed in his own home by his girlfriend's psycho buddy (male). All the men at the wedding collectively rolled up their sleeves and went to his apartment. No direct violence followed, but the guy never touched him again.
Walking with a classmate after school as we had the same way home. He was kind of a chubby, nerdy kid. Halfway there one of his bullies bumps into us. Starts teasing him, taunting him, then hits him in the stomach. Hits him again when he was down. I didn't do anything to stop him. Decided that day to never again stand idly by when something like that happens.
There is more but those are probably the strongest in terms of shaping me as a person.
Solidifys ยท 76 points ยท Posted at 11:23:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine are all pretty miserable
My parents were divorced and my dad had just gotten out of the hospital. I figured everything was alright and my mom made me spend the night with him at his apartment. Little did I know that would be the last time I'd see him in a decent state of mind. That next morning after I'd left to go back to my mom's, he called to let me know that would be the last time I'd probably ever see him. He ended up moving back in with his parents because we didn't have the money to have him properly taken care of. Ended up seeing him a day before he passed away in the ICU, he was so drugged up you couldn't understand what he was saying and I doubt he made any sense of what we were saying. He ended up dying of cirrhosis and stomach cancer. I remember that night at his apartment, the phone conversation, and the day of his funeral exactly. Still fucks with me to this day.
Another one is nearly dying because of a defect my mom's car had. We had a really steep driveway and my mom had my infant brother and I sitting in the car with it running while she was doing something. The gear shift malfunctioned and we started rolling down the driveway at probably 30mph, only thing that stopped us from hitting a house or a tree was the car getting stuck on our neighbor's chain link fence. I was only 6 and that scared the living hell out of me.
Last one is my first day of middle school. Where I lived had a really weird zoning policy for schools and I found out I wouldn't be able to go to middle school with my friends from elementary school. This was like 3 months after my dad passed away so it didn't really help with the grieving process. Ended up going to some shitty Christian school with people I had genuinely had no interest in. Around that time I also denounced my belief in God because that school just fed bullshit to all these kids that had been brainwashed since birth. The school didn't give a single fuck about what I'd been through and I can happily say the feeling was mutual. Reality slapped me in the face at 13 years old and I hated every moment of it.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:44:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How were you publically zoned for a religious school?
Solidifys ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:46:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh I forgot to add how I ended up there. In short, the middle school that I was zoned for had white students in the minority and my mom wasn't cool with that. I don't really see how that could've affected me in retrospect. She decided to put me in a private Christian school.
battlesbegun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:18:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had almost the exact same experience. My brother and I (4 and 6) were with my Grandma at the top of our giant gravel driveway when she forgot to set the brake. We started rolling backwards, her driver door slammed open, hit a tree and busted all the glass out, I remember seeing my Grandma chase after the car (she was already in her 60's) but being helpless to do anything. We ended up in a giant ditch full of poison ivy/oak and who know's what else. My brother was traumatized after. He refused to stay in the car if there wasn't an adult in it until he was around 8 or so and understood where the emergency brake was.
rockmasterflex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:46:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds more like somebody forgot to put on the parking brake.
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:10:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jesus man, I'm so sorry :(
fiveandthreequarters ยท 249 points ยท Posted at 09:33:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Chess and DnD, my teachers, my refuge.
Dos 2.5, I fell in love with that blue screen, flashing white box, and menu. Been working hand in hand with computers ever since.
aurora borealis, dancing, whispering. My very first night doing winter survival training. There was no sleeping that night. Then it got an upgrade as Burning man, it redefined everything.
Blue prints of a house, car and table. The art of problem solving. The lingering waft of ammonia as the pages were unrolled, the artistry of every line, tick and letter. Form and function born on a blank canvas, the plans that would facilitate a new human accomplishment.
My grandmother sitting on a sofa, her polio hand hanging there with cards stuffed between her fingerd, a cigarette hanging from her lips, flower printed summer dress, cup of steeping tea. My grandfather belly laughing. My aunt holding my brother. my parents coming down the hall way arguing about when to head to the farm. That sweet/musky tabaco smell from players light that permeated that apartment, it was the same sweet/musky smell that was grandma. Then came the rapping at the door, my uncle had arrive and our tribe was whole.
Watching a forge, turn black iron, cherry, then a hammer make it move like butter. That ringing ping of a strike, the charcoal crackling. The seering scream of quenching iron, Hmm joy.
eplogie ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:33:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That was really beautiful to read, congrats on the good memories :)
fiveandthreequarters ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:47:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It has been a grand adventure so far. Glad you enjoyed the cliffnotes.
darderp ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:52:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, What a diverse list!
You have a fantastically captivating writing style too. This is definitely one of my favorite responses.
fiveandthreequarters ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:20:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you,
Ya I try to live a colorful life, it's funny how you see them as a diverse list and I see them as a woven tapestry.
BopplePopple ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:57:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
man that seems kinda pretentious
ethebr11 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:27:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tbf his writing did seem a little bit too self-indulgent, like unnaturally luxuriating.
sutterley43 ยท 33 points ยท Posted at 12:27:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
have you thought about becoming a novelist
fiveandthreequarters ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 12:35:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm currently working on two books. But I view them as a self indulgence project.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:44:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Please for the love of god publish them I'd read them in a heart beat.
yuhafftobemad ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:25:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I personally didn't really like the way it was written.
Interesting stuff though! A good response to the question.
DA_ANALTH_DIMENSION ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:58:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn that's some good writing!
fiveandthreequarters ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:21:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you, ๐
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:06:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
fiveandthreequarters ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:14:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you
Aidentified ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:10:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You paint a fantastic picture, it was a pleasure
invisiblette ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:23:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is dazzlingly poetic. You know that, right?!
gari109 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:11:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
On the part about the forge. Doing it is even better. I love every second I'm working steel.
fiveandthreequarters ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:37:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yep, I love working with steel, I only really do it for gifts these days, It's a fun hobby.
Did a set of six napkin holders and pair of matching candle holders. As a wedding gift back in april.
gari109 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:06:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a knife maker, it's a hobby that pays for itself because I camp a lot and good knives are expensive as hell
Sierra419 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:39:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you secretly 1000 years old?
fiveandthreequarters ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:57:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nope, they evicted me from the womb in 1980. Just a few solar laps shy of a k.
[deleted] ยท 25 points ยท Posted at 11:52:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
dorekk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:03:44 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wanna see the photo! Sounds wonderful.
OrnsteinSolaireChild ยท 46 points ยท Posted at 11:33:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My favorite:
After a marching band competition in a big city during my freshman year, me and a few friends were the first ones to leave the gate when everyone started leaving. One of them played the bass drum, and he suggested playing The Hey Song really loud on our way out. Me playing the trumpet, naturally I agreed. So we started playing, and eventually almost every single band joined in to play with us. Naturally, we sounded great.
To this day, one of my favorite memories.
LordoftheBanjo ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:50:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Gah, I love that stuff. 200+ people bursting out into music is just awesome. Trumpets fo lyfe yo.
pbjandahighfive ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 12:57:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting emotional in my morning coffee, the thread.
DisneyBounder ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 11:27:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going to the London Zoo during the summer holidays. It would be absolutely boiling out and we'd watch the penguins. The penguin enclosure was really bright white so it would blind me when the sun was on it and all I could think of was how badly I wanted to go swimming right then.
This was the penguin pool they used to have
[deleted] ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 13:04:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Idop ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:38:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm so sorry. I hope you're away from that scum of a person.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 22:04:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
he left my mum luckily. still see him every now and again since he's my little sister's dad but he stopped with the bullshit once i was old enough to knock him out.
traffick ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:57:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hope you're out of that house; that toxic environment will ruin you if you let it.
Ethnic_Ambiguity ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 13:06:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-The way I felt every time my dad was chaperone for a school field trip. Everyone else had lunchables, including me if my mom chaperoned. But when dad was there, he made THE BEST, biggest, handmade, NY deli style(where he grew up) sandwiches on French bread. Ham, swiss, mustard, and mayo is still my favorite.
-On the day he died a neighbor came running over saying there was an emergency at the field where he was playing softball. She stayed and watched us, and my mother left. I was 12 and there was no indication anything worse than a broken leg had happened, which is what my mom said as she rushed out. Right as I felt myself fall asleep that night, I knew he was gone. I said it in my head and knew it to be true, even though I'd never been a worrier and still am not.
And I remember every moment walking down the stairs at like 5am because I couldn't sleep, and my grandma being randomly at our house, and of my mom telling me. It's made me into one of those people that goes with their gut above all else.
Sorry it's so depressing, but oddly enough, this is where my adult memories kick in. Everything before this is pictures and 15 second clips of remembering at most. There's probably something to that.
BreadButter008 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:22:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
If you don't mind my asking, what really happened on the field?
Ethnic_Ambiguity ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:35:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
He had a massive heart attack. They were having the end of the season tournament. His team had just won and were advancing to the next round. He was in the middle of stretching in between games and was chatting with a friend. I was told that the moment his friend turned around after talking, he heard the thud of my father collapsing behind him.
There was malpractice associated with the whole thing and years of lawyers because the doctor missed 6 weeks warning signs just before it happened. I feel bad for him too. He was pretty chummy with my dad. I know the doctor took it hard. My dad was 38, and decently fit. Why should he have considered it a possibility.
BreadButter008 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:47:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe a little late, but I'm sorry for your loss. :(
Ethnic_Ambiguity ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:05:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's very kind of you, thank you :). It's been almost 15 years, and me and my brother are thriving. The only sadness left is for the milestones in my life that he's missing. I'd have liked to have him help me move into my first Manhattan apartment. Seeing as how he grew up in the Bronx but raised us in Arizona, it came full circle. I like to think he would have bought me pizza after. Haha
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:41:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, the "something" is called trauma. It has a way of deleting memories, or obscuring our access to them.
DoesUsernameCheckOut ยท 50 points ยท Posted at 10:32:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Moving to my new house.
First girlfriend.
Getting my 2 dogs.
First time performing on stage with my band, and other performances.
These are all I could think of currently, I'm sure I've got more, but these are a few of my fondest memories!
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:31:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yours seem to have happened at a later time in life relative to other's.
DoesUsernameCheckOut ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:44:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
These were only a few from what I could remember at that time...
From when I was a kid:
Getting my first console (PS2), the first game I played was NFS: Hot Pursuit 2. The soundtrack still brings nostalgia!!
My first time staying at a friend's place for the night. We stayed up and played video games and watched movies.
My first nightmare... Happened when I was 5, and I dreamt that i was devoured by flesh eating bees.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:49:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That last one, sounds horrible.
DoesUsernameCheckOut ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tell me about it... That was the day I'd learned about bees, and that night I dream about that! :P
EdgarAllanPoe9 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:35:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out
DoesUsernameCheckOut ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:42:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Does it?
DoesCheckOut ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:11:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes
DoesntCheckOut ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:11:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No
yolafaml ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What did I just witness? IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!
NameOfUserChecksOut ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:22:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out
DoesUsernameCheckOut ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:24:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
2 months and 24 days since you made your account? I think username checks out!
DoesCheckOut ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:12:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out.
DoesCheckOut ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:12:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out.
DoesCheckOut ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:15:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out.
DoesntCheckOut ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:12:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username does not check out.
mechanical-animals ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 11:58:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holding hands with my dad while walking down the street and he carrying me on his back so I could look at the stars. I was about 4/5. This is the last time I saw him.
My dad visiting me and gifting me a lot of orange ballons. I was 4.
A lot of bad memories from my childhood: being slapped and beaten, the nasty comments from my mom, staying home while the rest went out as a family, my creepy neighbor that sexually harassed but I was too young to know what was happening.
When my grandparents would come to visit me.
When I first met the love of my life and all the good things we've experienced since.
Dnastysahu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:18:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
can I ask...how old are you?
mechanical-animals ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:48:40 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm 19.
Dnastysahu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:07:06 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cool cool cool I'm 20
iblamepaulsimon ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 14:06:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Aaand I give up because I'm crying now.
ardenriddle ยท 67 points ยท Posted at 11:08:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In roughly chronological order:
At 8 or so, learning Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy weren't real all at the same time. I started becoming skeptical about other things too, like God.
At 10 or so, the first time I held a musical instrument and sat down for 4 straight hours trying to learn to play a basic song. Making music felt like magic.
Reading the Harry Potter books. I basically lived in them.
At 12, finding out my parents had pretended they were married and in a relationship. They'd actually broken up when I was 5, never married, and had just been lying ever since. Made me realize parents are just people, and sometimes lie and make mistakes.
A conversation I'd had with my college ex-boyfriend, a year after I broke up with him. There had been an incident months before we actually broke up, where he intentionally publicly humiliated me in a pretty horrible way. I'd never gotten closure about why he did it. His answer allowed me to reflect on our relationship as a whole and realize I NEVER again want to be with someone who I'm afraid to be 100% honest with, who would take his frustrations out on me, or whose macho ego I have to somehow uphold.
polerberr ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:18:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Would you mind sharing what your ex did, or would that be too much? I'm genuinely curious but understand if you don't want to bring those memories up.
Sierra419 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:56:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
you can't leave us hanging like this. We need clarity here.
fiqar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:00:13 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wait, so your parents raised you together even though they broke up at least 7 years ago? How could they tolerate each other?
todayismanday ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 17:58:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That last sentence is powerful. Love it
Emerson_Bigguns ยท 32 points ยท Posted at 12:25:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lying in my bed in the dark, listening to monsters outside, when I have an epiphany: that's the noise of the boats on the lake! Then I almost immediately have another one: people do different things because we are all different from each other! (My family would never have taken a boat out after dark) and then a third, thinking about these different people who I didn't even know: I am not the center of the universe! This is also one of my very first memories, I was probably 3.
Sitting in the bathtub with my dad, fully clothed, and covered in blood. I had cut the bottom of my foot open, and it just would not stop bleeding. We didn't have insurance, or any way to pay the doctor, so my dad was trying to read an old medic field manual from when he was in Vietnam with one hand, and holding a blood soaked washcloth on my foot with the other. My mother was on the phone with one of her friends who was a nurse, seeing if she would come over. It was the first time I realized we were poor. I was 6.
One of my middle school classrooms had a floor to ceiling "living mural" thing - the teacher would periodically put butcher paper over the top of sections so that we could add more to it. I found myself alone in the classroom and decided to write an off-color remark in giant letters all across the whole wall. Everyone thought it was hilarious, and I didn't use any bad language so the teacher left it. Nobody ever found out it was me. I was 12.
Trying to get my uncles ashes out of the generic urn they came in, and into the beautiful handmade one that he had picked. The ashes were in a bag that had been filled inside the urn and sealed shut, so now if you tried to take the bag out it wouldn't fit out the hole. My aunts and I raided his kitchen for a funnel and then decided to do the actual "transfer" outside. In the wind. We laughed until we cried, and probably got about 80% of him in the nice urn. The rest was in our hair, our eyes, our mouths, and all over our clothes and the side of the house. I was 20.
When the OB at my very first prenatal exam ever left the room to get another doctor to help him read the ultrasound. I was 12 weeks, and there was a fetus, but no heartbeat. The second doctor told me it had died at about 10 weeks. If my mom hadn't decided at the last minute to come, I would have been all alone. I was 26.
Three days after #5, I came home to an empty house. It was just by chance that I didn't get home before my husband left to go do something that was going to take several hours - I forget what. About 15 minutes in I completely lost my shit. I absolutely trashed the house in about ten minutes of screaming, crying, rage filled mayhem. Luckily nothing was broken, and I was able to get the whole place cleaned up before he got home. If anybody had been a fly on the wall that day I fully believe I would have been taken to the loony bin.
My husband yelling "FUCK!" and chucking my pregnancy test against the wall. After we were finally able to carry to term (took 3 tries, and I had issues all the way up to delivery) we decided we were done and that we had no desire whatsoever to ever go through that bullshit ever again. So I knew it was positive without him having to tell me. I was 33.
heatherledge ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 16:25:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The bathtub memory is insane. I grew up relatively poor, but it's really easy to take free health care for granted.
MathFranks ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:54:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
4 is actually a really sweet way of remembering a relative that has passed away .
edit : I am dumb and accidentaly made everything in bold letters , sorry
dorekk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:00:57 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
# 4 is hilarious and reminds me of my family scattering my grandmother's ashes in the Pacific. As far as we know, you're definitely not supposed to do this. So we waited until it was dark out and waded up to our waists and tossed them in. A good amount of them blew back on to us. We were laughing our asses off. Which is how she would have wanted it!
ManiacFoSho ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 12:36:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being told I have a brain tumor, and laughing at the neurosurgeon in response.
therealocshoes ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:18:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That makes me feel better about how I reacted when the orthopedist told me he suspected I had spine cancer and was sending me to neurosurgery, lol. I ended up being fine and not having a tumor, but I always felt weird for reacting with "cool!".
israel210 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:51:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you OK?
therealocshoes ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:41:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha, but seriously, I'm perfectly fine. Turns out it was just what they refer to as artifact - evidently one of my veins was showing up in a way they didn't expect, or something. It's funny, my medical records as a result are huge (like a ream and a half or something) but most of it is "scan was inconclusive, we'll bring him back for a another" :P
Thanks for asking though, I appreciate it.
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:18:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
LOL, sorry missed that part, I'm really glad you're OK though. :)
therealocshoes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:42:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha, no need for apologies, I was just having a bit of fun :P
Thanks again :) Plus I kind of like talking about it anyway, so you gave me an excuse to expand on it :P
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:51:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Are you OK?
cheshire_brat ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 12:12:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The time I saved my brother's life mostly by accident.
My mum waking me up in the middle of the night to tell me she was taking my dad to the hospital and I had to look after my brother until she got back. He had appendicitis. I was nine years old, and my brother would have been about three. I stayed awake, prepared to look after him, until they got home four hours later. He didn't wake up once.
Waking up and turning on the lounge room light on to find my mum sitting on the floor, staring at the phone. Her dad had died during the night, and my grandmother had called to tell us. It took me a lot of years to realise she'd probably been sitting there all night.
The first time I ever got behind the wheel of a police cruiser.
Being with my SO in our first house together, sitting on the floor eating pizza, surrounded by boxes. We had candles on since the power hadn't been connected yet, and all three of our cats were curled up in the box piles, purring like a symphony.
EmberDione ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:30:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That last one is so similar to one of my favorite memories. Maybe not a core one, but sitting on the floor, in a house filled with boxes, eating pizza, while all my friends just chatted about normal bullshit. I had just moved out of my ex's place, and was moving in with a wonderful guy, and I had to just choke back tears because of how happy and exhausted I felt.
fiqar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:05:11 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Please elaborate!
cheshire_brat ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:38:12 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So my brother would have been between three and four, which I think makes me about eight or nine at the time. Anyway, this being Australia, you learn how to swim basically as soon as you're old enough to walk, because it's fuckdamn hot in the summer and beaches and pools are everywhere, and drowning kids are sad.
We had some friends who had a pool, and we were messing around in it. There would have been about maybe ten kids, and the respective adults were sitting around the outside of the pool, keeping most of an eye on us. I would have been one of the oldest kids there, and I definitely knew how to swim. For the kids that didn't, there were floaties and those ring things. My brother had one that was shaped like an elephant - it wasn't a full ring, it was shaped like a C with a little opening at the back so you could get it on.
Anyway, he jumped into the pool, and the ring came off. You know how people talk about disasters happening in slow motion? I very clearly remember watching his elephant ring go flying across the pool and land on the other side, and thinking "Hmm. He probably needs that, huh. I should probably help him" and then swimming over to get his idiot head above water before my mum pulled him out of the pool. My mother, on the other hand, swears I was over there before the ring even touched the ground.
I say mostly by accident because there was zero conscious decision on my part to go make sure he didn't drown. It just sort of happened, and at the time I didn't even think I did a very good job. He kicked me in the face and it was stupid hard to even keep my own head above water.
He has not gotten more sensible as he's gotten older, and whenever he's being a jerk I remind him of that one time I saved his stupid life and then he usually stops being a jerk.
[deleted] ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 12:21:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
BaronVonWasteland ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:48:16 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That "who died?" is priceless, haha!
venom_11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:06:55 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
well we were sad he passed away, but also kind of relieved. He was fighting cancer for about 10 months. It spread all over his organs. We were so tired from looking after him. For 2 or so months we drove one or 2 times a week for about 170 km because he was in a specialized hospital in a city. We knew he will pass away any moment after they sent him home.
[deleted] ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 12:25:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-I used to bite people when I was little. Me and my siblings were wrestling with another kid and I went to bite his leg. He kicked at exactly the right moment and knocked my first baby tooth loose. I stopped biting people after that.
-My younger sister teaching me how to ride a two-wheeler bike after many failed attempts by my Dad.
-Crying in the car after church because I was so lonely, only for a girl I kinda knew to spot me, ask if I was okay, and take me to Dunkin Donuts.
-The jealousy and pain when the guy I was crushing on asked me for advice on approaching another girl, then the fear when he asked me what was wrong and I explained. We talked for hours and ended up as each other's first relationship.
-My first kiss, same guy as above. I wasn't planning on kissing him at all so early in our relationship, but he kept talking about it. I happened to mention that my nose was sunburned, and he asked me if he should kiss it better. I said okay, misunderstanding him, and kissed him on the mouth when he'd been aiming for my nose. It was awkward and uncomfortable. I didn't know what to expect, but it was just mushing my mouth into someone else, nothing special or enjoyable.
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:51:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ha ha ha, the last one is really cute :)
Icanjam ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:21:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Aww I loved my first kiss! And I still love kissing more than...a lot of things!!!
YouAreCorrectt ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 12:31:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My brothers and I are really close. One of my (oldest) brothers left to travel the UK for roughly a year while i was in grade 7, but at the time he wasn't't sure how long he'd stay for. We called weekly for hours, me telling me how much i missed him, he would then tell me all the cool things he'd done. Toward the end of his trip he would be too busy to call and it really upset me, but hey, i knew he was enjoying himself and that made me happy, at least.
The day before my birthday my step sister took me out for a skate around the neighbourhood. I loved to skate, but i only had my brothers old trick deck to use (cons of being the youngest) and i couldnt do tricks for shit. We must of been out for a couple hours before my dad called and told me my brother was on the phone and had something important to say. I had never skated home faster then that day, i don't know how my stumpy little legs could even push that hard without spontaneously combusting. Anyway, i got home and my brother apologized for not calling lately, but i didnt care, to know he was safe and having a good time was all i cared about, really. Before the call ended he told me he got something for me while traveling, for my birthday. I was so excited i asked him what it was, but as soon as i did he hung up. This made me really upset and as i turned to my dad to ask if we could call him back, my brother was standing there in the open doorway, holding a brand new skateboard. The way he said happy birthday while holding back the tears still stays with me to this day :,)
mythighsyourearmuffs ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 19:55:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You have a good brother!
RandomPratt ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 13:14:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going fishing with my dad and catching my first fish when I was four years old.
Getting raped by a stranger in a park toilet when I was five years old.
Crying like a baby when I saw my wife in her wedding dress for the first time.
Wanting to die after watching a re-run of a MASH episode in rehab after my marriage broke down, just after my kids left from a visit (with my then ex-wife) - they'd brought me a 'picnic' of my favourite food, and we ate it together in the visitor room, under the watchful eye of the nurse in charge. After they went home and I was locked in again for the night, I was torn between wanting to die because I'd fucked up so badly, and wanting to live to be a good dad for my boys.
Volunteering at my son's school canteen once I got clean, when he brought his entire class up to see 'my dad in an apron', making sandwiches and selling chocolate milk, because he was so proud.
Shadowyugi ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:33:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The last one sounds wonderful. :-)
I hope you are still close to your boys and you're making them proud... and vice versa
RandomPratt ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:38:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I teared up a little while writing that one...
You should have seen his face - my little man, with his whole class in tow, coming to see dad helping make everyone's lunch.
He was the king of the kids that day... and he still talks about it, two years later :)
Shadowyugi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:51:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like you've given him a core memory ;)
RandomPratt ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:01:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hope so...
I want my boys to remember me as a good, kind and generous person - not the alcoholic mess I became.
I'm sober (mostly... dammit) these days, and I still volunteer at the school canteen - largely because it's rewarding to help out, but also because it's a good reminder for me to try very hard not to go back to what I used to be.
... if it wasn't midnight here right now, I'd be heading over to give my boys a hug.
But I'll see them in the morning to help my ex to drop them off to school and daycare - it gives me something to look forward to :)
Shadowyugi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:02:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I am genuinely happy for you!!!
It's all gonna work out wonderfully in the end (_)
RandomPratt ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:08:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hope so :)
thanks for the encouragement :)
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:41:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Number 5 is awesome! :D
DukeCanada ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:16:47 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
5 got me all teared up and shit.
danivus ยท 82 points ยท Posted at 11:28:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well seeing my first pair of titties would be in there for sure. Joy and Panic.
PhillWithTwoLs ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:40:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Those are strange names for titties. Which one was which?
Skippy8898 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:43:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I understand the joy part but not the panic. Please elaborate?
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:43:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How do i tune these??
cubbybear517 ยท 60 points ยท Posted at 11:41:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1.) Unwrapping an electronic keyboard for christmas in 6th grade. I even taught myself how to play using that little screen on the keyboard and comparing it to a hymnal. Huge hobby I have
2.) my dad taking me to a Tesla concert for my 15th birthday. I still see the guitarist playing the intro to "love song" and falling in love. For my 16th birthday they bought my a guitar. Again, huge hobby of mine.
3.) my brother finding a stack of DBZ cards and handing them to me after a basketball tournament I was in. I didn't know what they were but wanted to draw the people on the cards. I drew every one of those cards over and over again and started watching DBZ. It led to my loving anime, dreaming of coming to Japan and drawing. I currently live in Japan and still watch anime n draw too. My oldest now loves to draw now and I hope he keeps going.
4.) my grandpa giving me a "my first Bible" storybook when I was about 4. It was my first book and while I was learning to read, I read the entire thing over and over again because it was what I had of him before he passed. Ultimately, I'm a huge bookworm.
This defines me. I love my family so much nothing can take them but ultimately, I know I would've been a recluse if not for my husband loving who I am.
Judasthehammer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Heh. I love the teaching yourself to play the keyboard. I should really do something like that. I love old hymns, and that would give me an excuse to play them all the time.
"Honey, Can I put on some Crowder? Jesus Culture? ANYTHING else?"
"Sorry, Love, gotta practice my piano skillz!"
Skippy8898 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:25:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I smiled seeing you went to a Tesla concert. Just saw them a week ago for the first time. I only knew one of their songs (Signs) and they weren't bad at all.
Mythicshard ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:49:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What's your current favourite anime/manga
itsfoine ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 12:17:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The earliest memory I have was being about three years old sitting in a playpen near my grandma's bed. She came over and asked me if I was ready to meet my new brother. I feel like I remember it so clearly and yet I didn't fully understand what she asked or where I was going I knew it had to be something important. My brother and I are extremely close and always have been and I hope we continue to stay as close as we are now.
firience ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 12:22:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting on my grandfathers lap at the age of 7 or 8 playing the piano for me.
After years of dissapointment from my grandmother (had long hair and listened to metal, she was not a fan), when I told her I would go to university, I finally got a look of pride from her eyes.
The first time my dad finally said he loved me and were proud of me, just before he died in a car accident, to me he is not dead, he is proud.
And when my sister asked me to walk with her when she one day gets married, nothing would make me more proud.
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:53:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You just made me smile :)
firience ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:12:38 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I am glad I could bring a smile to your face :)
fiqar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:06:24 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, how long ago was this? Seems very old-fashioned.
firience ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:12:21 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
this were around 10 years ago, she herself were born around 1920's I would think it was.
perpetuallycurious ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 13:09:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A few specific ones for me:
1) Waiting at the airport for my mom to return from the 1996 Paralympics in Altlanta, Georgia after having won gold with her team (and along with this, seeing her work within and dedication to get to that point even while raising 3 kids as a single mom). And similarly, her returning from Australia from the World Cup competition, also with gold. My mom in general has shaped and continues to shape who I am and what I believe to be possible in a million small ways every day, but these are the major ones.
2) Being 16 and in the hospital, eventually completely losing the ability to move or feel my legs at all, what would turn out to be a battle I'm still fighting in different ways every single day. I'm in a wheelchair now, but luckily I have the inspiration from number 1 to pull from, almost as if I was given my mom to help prepare me for the difficult parts of my life. And the nurses and other healthcare providers I had while at my worst while spending months in the hospital helped shape my career path and passions.
3) Meeting a guy online while playing World of Warcraft - even though he lived 7 hours away in the US and not Canada where I lived, I bet my sister $50 that I would marry him months before we ever met in person. Eleven years later, and our 6th wedding anniversary is in another week.
4) This is the negative one that messed me up (and continues to) both in ways I'm aware of and in subconscious ways I'm not. My mom and dad divorced when I was 3, and my dad has been a sideline figure in my life ever since, occasionally popping in and out and always going back on his words and promises. There is no specific incident I can point to, but rather a pattern throughout my life. His wife is openly terrible to me, with the best example I can think of being when I was staying with them and having an asthma attack and she didn't believer and made me sit outside for "fresh air". Eventually I had to sneakily call my mom an be taken to the ER by her because I was having an asthma attack that was only getting worse. My dad did nothing but allow it to happen.
So there's both good and bad, but I like to believe the good has helped me successfully navigate the bad.
invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:48:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Happy almost-anniversary!
perpetuallycurious ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:39:22 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you!
[deleted] ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:58:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:21:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I believe in you, you'll do great :)
Graceland09 ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 14:29:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Going on a school trip to France when I was 16. Watching all the popular girls get drunk daily, then getting labeled an alcoholic for having one too many beers at a group picnic. I felt humuliated, as I hadn't really gotten drunk before and a classmate recorded me stumbling on his camera and showed it to EVERYONE. Related: hiking in the Alps was one of my best experiences, it was on this trip that I realized just how small we are, but how grand life is.
My parents arguing (I was 4) over something ridiculous, I remember crying on the couch while I hugged my legs begging them to stop. I felt invisible many times, but this sticks out for me. It escalated to the cops getting called because my dad hit my mother then ripped the phone out of the wall while she called the cops.
The day I had my son was the day I learned about unconditional love and how terrifying it is to love someone so much.
September 11th, 2001 - my dad was in the military and had to stay on the base for over a week. He had the car, so our neighbor drove us to the store to buy groceries. Related: December 2002 my dad had to be deployed during the war, I was 11 and would have night terrors about my dad being killed by terrorists. We had to put our beloved dog down while he was deployed due to a tumor that grew back 2 days after being removed from his jaw.
After 20+ years of moving around states, my mom convinced my dad to move to her home state of Michigan so she could be with her parents. We moved back in January of 2003, with my dad still deployed. My grandfather died July 8th, 2003 wasted away from cancer, my grandmother died November of 2003. She had been a nurse, and had seen blood when she wiped, but didn't say anything because she wanted to die (she had colon cancer).
If you read these, thank you. It is nice getting all of this blue out :)
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:50:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That is a freaking lot of blue. A flood of blue. I hope you're doing OK now after all of that loss. Can relate to the humiliated-kid-on-school-trip thing; teacher singled me out on the bus ride home as "the bad one" who was on his "bad list."
Graceland09 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:17:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Doing better, thank you. I get humiliated easily, and am very sensitive to any criticism. Teacher sounds like a dick. What did you do to get in that list lol
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:25:12 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Glad you're doing better! Our school trip was to a journalism conference where we were expected to attend workshops. I foolishly attended no workshops at all but spent the weekend drinking w/ my boyfriend and pals. Teacher was 100% correct, but in a dickish way. Learning experience....
destinyps4helper ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 13:56:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My sister and I playing hide and seek against my parents by hiding in the toy chest in my room.
Being on vacation and finding a "secret " room under the stairs that was full of fossils and sells
My parents yelling at each other while my sister and I played Othello. She let me win and held my while I cried myself to sleep that night.
My father leaving my mother. He came back to get what was important...he only took my sister with him and left me.
Meeting my future wife while we were in high school. Eyes locked across the room. We've been together ever since.
This list made.me cry...
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 15:08:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Before age 10, I lived with my single dad. We didn't have much, but he did what he could. I remember this one house we lived in during my 2nd-3rd grade age. I would walk to school from there, as it was in the same neighborhood. I passed a church on the way home and saw some kids I knew go inside. I followed them, and they were having choir practice for a Christmas play.
This was the house on the left, I think. I remember us living on the corner and a house being next door, but it looks like the corner lot is now empty. The church is to the far right. The school is four blocks down the street. I put two street views together because I couldn't fit both the house and the top of the church in one.
In that house, I remember the electricity being off and taking a bath with candles in the bathroom, using some watered down dish detergent to bathe. I didn't realize at the time it was because we were poor. It had been storming so I thought the lights were off from that.
My sweet dad, he did what he could for us. my older brother (by 5 years) and I would either go to my dad's auto body shop if he had to work late, or the boys and girls club if he didn't. He would pick us up from there on the way home. There were times he didn't have much business, but he always worked hard and worked for himself if he could.
If I went to the boys and girls club, I would get on a bus at our school and be dropped off at the upper school where my brother was. We would walk from there, past a park, and to the center. He was sick one day, but I still went, so on my way to the center, I walked through the park and came across a group having an easter egg hunt for a day care center. (This was on Good Friday, I remember, because I asked why we had to go to school if there were some places closed, too). I saw a dyed, hard boiled egg they had hidden by a tree, peeled it and ate it.
In second grade, I remember him coming into my classroom with two grocery bags to our valentine's day party. He had brought two jugs of red punch and some bakery cookies. I gave him a big hug and was so proud that MY DAD!!! was at the party!! I showed him where I sat, who my friends were, what drawings I had on the wall, and I wanted him to stay all day, but he had to go back to work. I know it wasn't much money in retrospect, probably less than $10, but at that time, it was a lot.
From the body shop days: The smell of bondo, Making little paper towel ghosts for his waiting room to hang up during halloween, Jumping off of the steps and cutting my knee, Finding my first four leaf clover in the grassy part out back. My brother and a kid who lived behind the shop riding bikes down a street beside the shop. I was standing in the gravel parking lot behind the shop watching. My brother told me to move, even though I was quite a distance away from the road. Sure enough, his friend jumped the ditch and crashed over the parking barrier, right into me.
I found the street view of the back of the body shop building. This all took place almost 30 years ago, and we no longer live in this town, but that's the building. The trailer wasn't there, then, it's sitting where the grassy part was. The parking barriers are still there.
In eighth grade, I wanted to try out for the drill team at school (they did choreographed dances during the pep rallies, like the rockettes). I made the team, but the sponsor/teacher/coach was really biased to the rich, pretty girls and not to me and a couple of others who were not rich, pretty, or particularly athletic and thin. She found an excuse to kick me out after my dad had saved up the $500 or so it took for uniforms and camp, he was 30 minutes late picking me up after practice. Another girl had been caught smoking cigarettes behind the bleachers after a game but she got to stay on because her mom donated money to the team. He told me to go in the truck to wait and I could hear him yelling. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but I knew he was ripping that wretched woman a new one.
I told this story a while back, but it's still one of my core memories.
ill_change_it_later ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:51:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your dad was poor; but he was still a winner!
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:16:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Many of mine are negative, so here's the one that got me past that. My daughter was four months old, and her mother had left in the throes of postpartum depression, grief for her passed grandmother, and self-doubt thanks to her abusive mother.
It was the end of the day, I was rocking the baby to sleep, and I finally (days after she left) got a chance to reflect on what had happened. Baby girl was studying my face when the pain hit me, and when she saw that I started to look sad, so did she. I set her bottle right, and she rejected it and started to whimper. I cleared my mind, forced my emotional state to neutral, and smiled. She took the bottle and contentedly started going to sleep.
At that moment I learned that I can choose my present emotional state, that it's important to do so, and promised myself that she'd never be sad just because I was. That moment more than any other in my life shaped who I am today.
EmberDione ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:27:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
hugs
DeadRadical ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 11:49:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jumping and dancing on my mums bed as she played various 90's hits full blast, the likes of early Blur, Oasis and Fatboy Slim music are instantly nostalgic to me.
Sitting outside in my nans garden with her on a summer night, looking up at the stars and just chatting.
Being up early on Christmas morning, just me awake and it was still a little dark out, the room was warmly lit with Christmas lights, struggling to play on my Gameboy Colour thanks to its lack of backlight, for some reason it's a really powerful Christmas memory for me, and I had fantastic Christmas's as a child, but that small moment stuck with me, the bleeps and bloops of Pokรฉmon Yellow probably helped cement it.
The only core memory from my teenage years is me deciding I had enough of being sad and miserable all the time, I was done with so much self pity, I wanted to change, a night of secretly drinking wine and watching comedies seemed to kick my brain into wanting to keep the joy progressive.
Captain-Cs-Mandolin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:16:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
These are great. First three are so familiar to me and the last one is just really cool. Nice you have such a positive, defining memory even though there wasn't a big event going on.
DeadRadical ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:45:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks dude! I find the positive memories stick with me the longest, bad memories fade and sometimes entirely forgotten. In general I try not to let bad events play on my mind for too long, always important to contextualise and find what DOESN'T suck in your life :)
Scorchykotz ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:08:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably gonna be buried but here we go...
1) when I unknowingly waved my dad a goodbye for what would be almost 20 years (age 4)
2) when my stepdad got arrested for being a heroin addict and dealer (age 8)
3) when I first saw my soon to be dog jumping out between a few carpets at in Greece (age 9)
4) when I got the call that I now had a little babybrother (age 12)
5) when I bullshit-spoilered my back then good friend (now SO for 9 years) about the ending of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and she squeeked incredibly loud (age 16)
6) when last year I held my dying dog while I cried like a little baby... (age 24) and yes, I know it is early to call this a core memory... But goddamn if that moment didn't have an impact on me!
7)... to be honest I am kinda afraid what 7 will be...
ManLeader ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So you recently saw your dad again?
Scorchykotz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:50:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, few years back... Damn it was awkward from start to end
But hey, now I can say by myself what a huge asshole he is
ManLeader ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, closure is closure
Ztrehlo ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:35:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
kogeliz ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 12:51:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When classmates all pitched in their lunch money to a boy (I am female) to punch me in the face. He did. Teachers didn't seem to care until my Dad came to the school pissed.
When Dave died. He was the neighbor and friend of my Mom's family. My parents had me young and he offered for us to stay there after my sister was born (I was two). We all lived together until he died of stomach cancer when I was 14. He was like a second father to me. I remember he came home from the hospital and I was scared to see him because I knew he was sick. He shortly went back to the hospital for hospice care and I was too scared to visit him to say goodbye. I still have panic and avoidance with any living creature dying or sick.
When my Dad and teachers thought I was gifted and just wasn't applying myself. Then I took the "gifted class" exam and failed it.
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:54:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:(
jincredible ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:06:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Probably will get buried but whatever.
In 2nd grade, I was with a group of my classmates. We were pretending to be spies in the playground sand pit when I couldn't control my anal sphincter and a giant turd slid out and rolled down my pant leg, right in the middle of a circle of my friends. It was so smooth, it was like a sleight of hand. In a moment of genius, I pretend like it was someone else's turd that I almost stepped in. I got away with it AND gained the sympathy of the rest of the class. Haha, what a bunch of idiots.
My grandparents dressed me up like a girl and enrolled me in beauty pageants when I was in kindergarten. My parents never found out. I never told anyone. I can still feel the tights riding up on my crotch to this day.
[Edited: formatting]
israel210 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:20:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
At first I was like: "Ha ha ha you are a fucking genius" but then I was like: "WTF!!!???"
MeeshC ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:13:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My dad telling me he was moving out. Shortly thereafter I found out the reason why when I had to see a therapist and get a lawyer. He molested my sister and beat the shit out of my brothers (half siblings, technically)
This one isn't so specific, more so just a big blur of screaming and fighting in my house amongst my brothers and sometimes my mom. I do remember one time my mom had to call the cops because my brother was trying to fight her. When the cops arrived my brother locked himself in his room and I just remember the cops screaming at him to get out or they'll just knock the door down. The only good thing I remember about this is my big sister holding me and trying to console me. We've always had a good bond.
Going to the therapist. I hated her so much and going was completely useless because I wouldn't even talk to her. but hey, at least she was still getting our money. She didn't give a shit. I literally would hide under the couches while I waited for her because I really didn't want to see her.
Here's a pleasant one. My grandmother was a part of a quilt group that was held at the library every Thursday. My cousin and I would go upstairs and read so many books and take some to brig home, or we would just hang out downstairs my grandma and the quilt ladies.
Another pleasant. Living in a time where we could roam free as kids. I'd spend my summers at my cousins house in Maine and we'd walk miles by ourselves to her friends house, the lake, the convenience store for candy.
T_Momo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:36:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom forced me to see a therapist from 6 years old until she died when I was 14. I loathed going to see someone twice a week just so they could tell my mom what she wanted to hear, that she had a "difficult" kid who needed to be medicated. I wasn't difficult, I was just a kid (my siblings ended up having actual problems, go figure).
MeeshC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:02:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah it was the worst. I didn't know how to process what was going on let alone try to talk about it. And the lady I saw just sucked. My lawyer was nice and I opened up to her a tiny bit more, but seeing a therapist as a kid is just not a fun thing.
Of course yours tried to medicate you. Terrible how quickly doctors want to medicate people, especially kids. All about the money
[deleted] ยท 86 points ยท Posted at 10:37:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Edit: Thank you everyone for the heart warming replies. I'm doing slightly better now. But sadly the feelings and thoughts from what happened still lingers. And I don't think it will ever leave me. But again, thank you everyone. For caring at least a bit. Even if you're all just sat in front of the opposite side of the screen. It still means a lot to me.
Thank you for caring.
The time my mum kicked me down the stairs at full force, because of my temper tantrum. I remember my spine hitting the edge of each step, that had these metal plates fixed onto the edges of the steps. Luckily, the metal plates were curved, so it wasn't a sharp corner. I also remember the back of my head slamming into the concrete wall at the end of the steps, before you had to take a right down the stairs, at full force. I wasn't bleeding as far as I knew, and there wasn't any blood on the wall, so I presumed I was okay. But I also remember seeing my farther and brothers sitting on the sofa. My dad was ignoring what had happened and was focused on the TV like it was a daily occurrence, which it was. Whereas my younger brothers saw what happened and was just staring at the scene of what just had transpired. And he had that look that screamed "that's wrong but I'm powerless to do anything". At the time, this made me hate the world because I realised even if there are rules and laws in place, people would still break them because who's gonna find out? It doesn't matter who breaks the rules. No one would find out if they cover their tracks good enough. It could be anyone. It could be your friends. You. Your girlfriend or boyfriend. It could be a relative, or your parents (as it was in my case). It sucks but that's the reality of it. And It just made me give up on people, because they do it because they just don't care. And I was only 6 or 7 at the time of this realisation. That's pretty messed up for someone so young.
The next core memory of mine, would be when this girl I had became friends with, as a kid, had found out I had loved her. And due to how my parents treated me, I consider my friends like family and loved them to bits with all of my heart. This girl that I was close with. Because I knew her for so long, and I had always hanged out with her, I enjoyed every second of being around her and the experiences I shared with her. When she found out I was in love with her, she decided to fake everything and pretend to be my girlfriend. I know it's childish for 10 year old children to be doing that sort of stuff, but I didn't care. I really did love her and wanted her to be happy. To make her smile, and to enjoy every second we were together. That's sort of love I had back then, and still have now. But when I found out about everything, she basically broke my trust and love for her and everyone else (I later on found out my so-called best friend had knew about all of this). when I found out she was toying with me and pretending everything, I couldn't help but break down. The headteacher of the school had to comfort me about it, because I had broke down during our registration session. And what she did was take me away. Not to her office. But to the edge of the school courtyard, just next to the grass field everybody could play on during the breaks and lunch time, in the summer. She asked me why I was bawling my eyes out, and I told her why I was crying. She told me that my reason behind my break down, was "childish." At the time, I wasn't able to explain why I felt like this (had to leave out how I was treated at home, otherwise I would've been taken away, which scared me for someone reason. I probably had Stockholm syndrome). This made me to never to trust anyone ever again, no matter how much they're nice to me, or how much I loved them. Getting close to people only brought pain and deceit. To myself and to them. I was only 9 when this happened.
The last one would be when I was still recovering from that trauma. I was getting better, and then finally getting ready to start hanging out with my friends again, until the class selection for next year's class. I was placed in the "lower-to-middle tier" class, whereas all my friends and main group I played with, were placed into the "higher tier" class. I would like to clarify why this is a big deal to me. Because of the way my home environment was, coupled with my hate for my parents, I didn't invite people to my house. And because of that, nobody was willing to invite me around to theirs. This meant outside of school, I wasn't with my friends at all, and my only time together with them, was in school. So not only did I not get to spend the first new school year with my friends, I had to recover on my own from what had happened to me, with no one by my side. I remember like 2 or 3 months later, I was walking around the school field on my own during lunch break, and I sat on top of a small hill and I ended up breaking down. It's because I realised how lonely I was and having nobody to comfort me or even to love me. Not even just friends. It hurts. And for a kid, it hits harder than a train. So there I was, sat on top of a small hill. By myself. Crying. And I told myself when I'm older (around 18 I said), I would have people that would be there for me. People that would love me and help me. And would let me do the same. I would have a girlfriend who's there for me, loves me, smiles with me, laughs with me, worries about me, cares about me, wants to keep me smiling and happy, and knowing I would do the same for her. I knew it was a lie. I knew it wouldn't happen. I knew my experiences that have accumulated at that point, would fuck me up mentally, to the point where I wouldn't have any friends, or any of that social and romantic experience. Essentially killing my chances to be normal. But I believed in it. I need it. Even if it was just a lie. But I was right. I became a social outcast. A loner. Ever since then, I've been doing things by myself. Not because I love it. But because I'm used to it. Because I'm used to being alone and feeling lonely. And the disappointment of having people saying they'll be there for me. Or will do things with me. When in the end, they won't.
BalbvsGvbenator ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:25:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you for sharing, we all appreciate it. I hope you are holding up better now. Please inbox me if you ever want a chat, meaningful or meaningless!
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:44:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm slightly holding up better. I had someone reach out to me and accepted the miserable person I became and she understood why, after telling her my past. But she's out of my life now because of how different I became thanks to her. It's sad but it's how things should be.
BalbvsGvbenator ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:46:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's good to hear that things are better than they were. Are you happy with the different person you've become?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:55:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
BalbvsGvbenator ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's good to hear that the you're more comfortable and open to people now, though, even if it may be at the cost of being those qualities too much. You're right though, it's a tough balancing act, and one of those things that, frustratingly enough, may just need time to fully get a handle on.
Zuzublue ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:28:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Those are some rough core memories. I hope you can find a group to connect with. There are good people out there.
MrRyyi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:57:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sorry and I hope you'll find someone different from all of that
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:11:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
oinkpigrock ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:44:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If she was such a big turning point in your life, it would really suck to not be able to say goodbye. I obviously don't know everything about your situation, but I've been there and the regret afterwards is... pretty powerful.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:53:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
oinkpigrock ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:25:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fair enough. Best wishes - if I can do anything to help, let me know.
MrRyyi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:16:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm by no means an expert on these kind of things, but I really want you to be happy. I appreciate you and all you've said, I think it means a lot that you can word it out and not have to deal with supressed emotions. I think the best thing is to lay it all out on the table and sit back, 3rd person kinda thing (perhaps you already have). Unfortunately that's all I know. Best of luck to you!
ShakespearesDick ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:35:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm going to die alone
kidkolumbo ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:28:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
While children [in genetal] may not understand the why of love, I've read love is felt just as intensely at any age and should be treated with respect.
DontClickTheUpArrow ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:32:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel for you and would be there if I could, you are not alone in your loneliness...
frrostbitee ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:32:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So sorry this happened to you.Hope you are doing well now...
othercountrymusic ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:26:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, thanks for sharing. As some others have offered, feel free to contact me if you need if you need someone to talk to. Or if you're ever in NYC let me know!
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:27:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey buddy, lots of love from a mexican random stranger :)
IAmAWizard_AMA ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 11:02:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I played D&D in college, and for the first time I truly had friends
My mom getting me a Gameboy Color and pokemon red because I was doing really well in school to earn it
My mom singing to me before bed when I was really young
My dad reading various fantasy books to me
Now that I think about it, it's kinda sad that all my good memories are either from when I was under 10 years old, or from a few months in college...
Wenderbeck ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:59:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know the feeling. No wonder youth is so valued and sought after. It's the youthful perspective that we miss, more so than the situations.
traffick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:51:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Whatever happened to Pokรฉmon?
IAmAWizard_AMA ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:34:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What do you mean? I still have my Gameboy, and at least one pokemon game from every generation. And I played Pokemon Go last night too
traffick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:54:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My comment was sarcastic.
IAmAWizard_AMA ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:59:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, it whooshed right over my head...
caca_milis_ ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:42:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
(Hard to know if it's a 'core' memory or just me making up the memory based on being told) I've a vivid memory of being in a cot in my room, maybe around 3 years old. Throwing up and seeing carrots in the vomit. Would only eat plain food until I was a teenager. Still weird about certain foods but much more open-minded.
Related to being a picky eater - I was around 7, refusing to eat, and being a shit of a kid to my mum who'd made dinner for us. My dad got so pissed with me he took me to the living room and spanked me. It was just the one spank, he'd never spanked me before (and never did after), at the time I was angry/mad/hurt, but now I realise I must have been being a serious brat if it drove my dad to doing that.
Not a single specific memory as such, but just generally, after dinner when dad would wander around the house / garden doing dad stuff, mum and I would sit at the table, drink tea and she'd tell me stories from her childhood. She'd always tell the same 5 or 6 stories over again, but I loved hearing them anyway.
Humiliation. I was trying on old swimsuits ahead of a holiday so my mum would know if I needed new ones, had a swimsuit on over a vest, found my tutu from when I was 4 (I was about 8 at this time), went into my sisters room to show her how silly I looked, she told me I should go downstairs and show our other sister who was studying as it would cheer her up. I went into the room, jumped in, shouted "TA-DAAAA" then seeing a man in the room said "Hi dad..." only to realise it was NOT my father but my sisters' friend. I screamed and hid for about 2 hours after.
The excitement when dad would come home from working abroad and the beautiful toys he would bring back. Usually wooden hand-crafted pretty stuff.
This amazing day I spent with my ex, I knew I loved him but was too afraid to say it. It was just... Idyllic.
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:31:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Number 4 was really funny :)
CARNIesada6 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:57:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The one I can distinctively remember is actually a smell so I don't know if that counts. I mean the smell does trigger a memory so I guess it works. It is the smell of particular flower. I can never pinpoint exactly what it is, or if it is merely a combination of a bunch of them since there were many there. Either way, every time I come across that smell, I am brought back to being 11 years old at my mother's wake and funeral.
It's been 16 years and luckily, I find myself still remembering her face and her memory. I have pictures to resort back to. If I didn't have those pictures, I don't know how long her image would last, but that smell is something I will never forget.
That smell will stay with me forever.
DeathDodgerKay ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:14:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
getting stabbed (only the first one tho the second and third times are all just a blur)
Getting shot at
The first time I lost a friend to murder
The First time I made my own ยฃ1000
Crashing a car through a bush over a ditch and driving through the field to the otherside
Petr0vitch ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:55:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
got a relevant username there
DeathDodgerKay ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:58:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Relevancy is everything
RupsjeNooitgenoeg ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:22:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First day of kindergarten, breaking my arm at age 6, the first time I rode my bike at age 7 and the death of my father at age 13.
man-of-God-1023 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:22:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad saved me from drowning when i was 8. Still remember the way he looked swimming towards me full-speed.
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:32:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man, what happened?
man-of-God-1023 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:45:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I think i posted this elsewhere at some point. Eh.
Barbados, Christmas 1997. My family went down for a vacation. We went swimming up in St. Peter with my aunt and her family. I pulled away from the group a bit. Next thing i know, a wave knocks me over. My brain is panicking, wants my body to kick up and breathe, but salty water keeps rushing in as i open my mouth. I don't remember if i was screaming or anything... But i do remember this. As i floundered and slipped back under, i caught one glimpse of my dad. Swimming straight to me. My brain may have whited out for a second because the next thing i know, my dad is walking up on the beach, carrying me in his arms.
Edit: Now I think about it and what i know from drowning victims, it's remarkable that he noticed me. My dad is a fricking BEAST. Here's the post
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:04:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man, your dad is AWESOME!
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:28:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Helping my father clean and service his large gun collection. He showed me how every one of them worked, what ammo they used, and how to disassemble, clean and lubricate all of them. He taught me how to be careful and thorough with complicated physical tasks.
daisydog23 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:00:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
1) My brothers leaving a trail of oreo cookies on the floor to try to lure me out of my hiding spot under a corner table in my living room. I was hiding there because at school that day (maybe 4th grade), I had walked up on a group of girls talking about me. Not nice things. Some of them I thought were my friends.
2) Dancing the night away at my oldest brother's wedding.
3) When I handed in a creative writing paper in 7th grade and my teacher liked it so much she said I should submit it to a teen author site. That was one of the first times I think I ever felt really good and really proud about anything.
4) Sitting around a table on my patio at my house with all of my friends after school let out after senior year. It was just such a serene night. I felt so loved. There's nothing like that feeling.
5) Sitting in the car with my boyfriend the day after we found out his little sister had leukemia and right after we had gotten into a huge fight about me leaving for college and just crying together. For a long time. But it wasn't even a blue memory; it was one of those blue-yellow bittersweet ones because even though it was a horribly sad time, I knew right then that I loved him more than anything I ever had in my life. I knew he was the one. It was an incredibly surreal feeling.
mwagner26 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:23:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your brothers are awesome.
daisydog23 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:43:54 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
They really really are, thank you :)
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:26:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ill_change_it_later ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:52:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mmm, "Pond Water"
I hope to be that creative with my child.
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:08:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Those are a lot of emotions in a post.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:06:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No day is better than the last day of school. Three months without class, three months without teachers, three months of doing anything you wanted to do. As soon as the bus stopped, I would sprint down the lane to the house, fling my backpack inside the door, kick off my shoes, run as fast as I could thru the field and climb up my favorite hay bale. I would lay on top of it and watch the clouds and feel the warmth of early summer and the gentle breeze and dream about how amazing the next three months would be. I can do this every day I thought, I don't have to do anything. And I would do it often just dreading the end of summer when I would have to go back, back to books and reports and teachers and khakis and my dreaded Christian school. My strongest memory was on the last day before school, getting one last day on the hay bale, staring at that red Kansas sunset thinking how great it will be when I am older and I can do this every day and no one can tell me what I have to do. But now I am older and I live in the suburbs and I have a house payment and car payments and I work in a cubicle and I don't think I could find a hay bale around if I tried. Fuck this Im going to go find a hay bale.
israel210 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:09:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There you go! Climb the shit out of that hay bale! :D
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:06:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, where are the hay bales these days? I think I saw some in Nebraska.
bsimp42 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:13:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:19:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
This will be a long list....
1997/1998 (??? Mom says I was 2 or 3) - I remember regularly going over to my Aunt's house so she could babysit me while my mom was away at work. There were a bunch of other kids she would babysit at the time too. I remember this one kid who was a lot older than me, and he was on the couch watching some music video on MTV and my Aunt said 'Jordan, whatever you do with your life, don't grow up to be like him'.
December 1998/1999 - Being scared shitless by some rapping Santa toy that would start to play music and dance whenever you clapped. I turned it on accidentally and ran upstairs.
August 2000 - It was almost my first day of Kindergarten, so my parents had me go in a quick ride on the bus by myself just so I could get a feel of what it'd be like. I remember I was kind of nervous at the time, and right before it was time to get on my dad was really really pepping me up and was REALLY hype and excited and all my nervousness just left and I ended up going on there with no problem.
October 2000 - I think this was my earliest memory I have of anything related to Halloween. I learned about it in class and we all sang Halloween songs. I remember at one point during that day when we were walking to the class, the piano played one of the songs that we learned by itself.
August 2001- I went on a trip to Virginia Beach with my mom, sisters, and my babysitters. We stayed over for a couple of nights in a hotel room. I remember my babysitter and I watching a lot of Toonami that night (she was a big animation/cartoon fan, like me). On the same month a few weeks later, my aunt had her wedding and her reception.
September 2001 - This one is embarrassing. I got in trouble because I had a little bit of a temper tantrum at school. I dropped some of these kid's backpacks from their cubby hangers. A few days later (?), the nurse had came to me in the hallway and told me i'd be moving to a remedial class. I don't think it had anything to do with that event though, I think my folks knew something was up were planning to do that for a while at that point.
October/November-ish 2001 - I stayed over at my Mom's close friend's house to hang out with her kids because they were having a football game one day that weekend. I remember staying up all night the night before and watching a lot of TV, specifically Toon Disney.
(Not sure) 2001 - While I was playing in my room, a television had fallen on my head and I had passed out, then I woke up and learned I needed to go to the hospital. Literally everyone I knew at the time was there to see me which really surprised me even as a 6 year old. Turns out I was completely fine and there weren't any real injuries at all.
July-August 2002 - Earliest that I can clearly remember seeing all my cousins on my father's side. We had a 4th of July cookout and we all played in the pool and really just had a great time. My Dad has 8 brothers and sisters, so I had a lot of family to hang out with.
September 2004 - 3 years after my parents had learned I had a non-verbal learning disability, I stay at the hospital overnight because I told them about intrusive thoughts (that were of a very self deprecating nature) I was having at the time. I eventually get diagnosed with both Autism and Asperger's Syndrome.
There's a LOT more than this, but I feel like most people will probably stop reading after the first few in this post, so I probably shouldn't share any more.
Abraheezee ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:51:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, please, continue!! I'm (and probably many others are) intrigued by your narrative!! :]
ill_change_it_later ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:04:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lol, as a child I was worried about missing my bus home; so I memorized it. And 30 plus years later I still smile when that number comes up randomly. 156
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:57:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Those are great memories :)
Shidell ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:46:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Abandon hope all ye who enter here with dry eyes
MisterPhamtastic ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 12:32:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Joy: Graduating from high school and getting a picture with the girl I've liked since the 7th grade hugging outside of the opera house where our ceremony was held, we looked super cute and a lot of folks thought we would end up together but that wasn't the case unfortunately, I'll never forget the impact she made on my life though.
Fear: The bitch from The Ring/The Grudge, basically any Japanese ghost ladies.
Sadness: Getting turned down for Prom the same day I opened all of my rejection letters for colleges and scholarships.
Anger: Finding out that the worst roommate I've ever had in college killed my rabbit and used his bones to make a sacrificial altar thingy because she was a Satanist.
Disgust: Eating a 5 pound burger in Vegas to get a free t-shirt.
Super Random: Going to McDonald's for breakfast with my dad and my brothers, we never had a lot of money growing up and McDonald's was a special treat.
BaronVonWasteland ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:29 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tell me you called the cops on that roommate. What the genuine fuck?
apoliticalinactivist ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:38:27 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Less about being a satanist and more just a inconsiderate asshole. You can buy your own damn rabbit to sacrifice.
MisterPhamtastic ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:45:12 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Moved out, called the Cops, turned out she was no longer a student at the University we went to as she failed out the semester before but was working at McDonald's to try to get back in.
Yeah she was pretty crazy and the landlord gave her the boot so she was forced to Greyhound back to New Mexico or Arizona where she was from originally.
[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 10:24:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There are a few mostly about playing Lego with my little brother or stick fighting in the woods with my little brother or being on holidays at the Red sea or Mediterranean with my Grandmother, there is one thing I'll never forget that stands out:
We were out all day with my mom and when we came back home me (7 or 8) my little brother (3 or 4) and my older sister (11 or 12) were still full of energy. The room of me and my brother had a bunk bed I slept up he slept down and a hammock next to it. So we children went upstairs and started fooling around jumping from the bed to the hammock and other stupid stuff. What I remeber like it's yesterday was the moment I was at the top part of the bed my little brother holds the hammock open and says "jump", I want to jump head first and as I let myself fall forward he pulls the hammock aside. I see the floor and black, I have no memory of seeing anything but I remeber what I heard where my siblings freaking out, my mother sat me down on the stairs and pull my puller back. Well 10cm above my wrist my arm had a bend of about 45 degrees down, it didn't hurt or anything just that image is always there. Ambulance was called i was put to sleep for fixing it and woke up with a big plaster, feeling sick, and I learned that I cannot trust my little brother...
I'm not sure if this fits but it's my most vivid childhood memory that is kinda essential.
Azmodeon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:19:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"pull my puller back"....lol....wut?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:51:22 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I mean the sleeve
nixalo ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 11:38:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) Butchering my first animal for dinner as a young child in the West Indies 2) Seeing Space Jam in the theater with my dad 3) Getting my first pair of glasses and seeing my mother clearly for the first time 4) Taking turns playing SNES with the family
mwolfee ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:59:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The time where my family was fully intact and happy, maybe. At 27 I've come to terms that people drift apart, but sometimes I get jealous of happy families.
emjaybe ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 11:59:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Working with my dad on any project when I was a kid. I probably wasn't the greatest helper, but he made me feel like it. Taught me all the tools and the proper names for screwdrivers etc. He always says one of his proudest moments was when I corrected my "know it all" grandfather on the proper tool names.
Speaking of "know it all" grandfather, the day my dad, who had been laid off for 6 months, asked him for $92 so he could pay that month's mortgage (this was early 80s) and my grandfather said no. It was the first time and only time my dad ever asked him for money and the first time I saw my dad cry. Our neighbour found out, wrote my dad a cheque for $300 to pay the mortgage and to make sure my sister and I had something to open on Christmas morning as this happened 2 weeks before Christmas.
Driving out west, my mom would drive the overnight while my dad slept in the backseat. I would be the map navigator while we would sing old tunes. Anytime I hear one of them, it instantly takes me back to that drive.
My grandmother not knowing who I was when I visited her after she had a stroke when I was 15. Her and I were thick as thieves and it broke my heart she didn't remember. I was never close to her again after that happened.
Judasthehammer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:55:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Because she never fully recovered, or from the emotional hurt?
emjaybe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:39:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Both actually. She was never the same after. My cousin, who is next oldest to me (I was the oldest) also said the same.
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:15:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That neighbour is the best!!! :D
acogs53 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:11:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-My dad losing his job when I was in fourth grade and the strain it put on my family (Don't worry, Mom&Dad are still together and more in love than ever, my dad got a better job and many blessings followed)
-Our week long family vacation to Panama City Beach two years later
-Proving my mom wrong and getting a full ride to college after I didn't let her edit my essays for it.
-Having my best friend point out a guy riding a longboard down the street and me not having any reaction to him. We are now married.
-Going to Yosemite with my family and experiencing the incomparable feeling of visiting somewhere that is part of your soul in the physical; where you feel like all the things you hope come true COULD come true.
HuffySpartan ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:01:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably the coolest idea for a thread I've seen in a long time! Super Karma to OP!! :D
quadrobust ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:36:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I agree. So much personal feelings and experience. It just gives you a lot more perspective about other people's lives.
Yanqui-UXO ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:06:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In preschool I walked out of the bathroom without pulling my pants up and showed the entire laughing class my uncircumcized ding dong. In retrospect, I'm sure this contributed to me losing my virginity so late
breebree934 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:09:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My elementary school teacher giving me my own journal to write in. This eventually lead me to persue a career in writing.
My first horror movie. I can't remember exactly which one it was, I think it was either the grudge 2 or the ring. Either way, it opened up the door for horror movies for me and I do consider myself a bit of a fanatic. I love it when a movie makes me afraid to turn off the lights.
Dancing with my sister in our living room to whatever music my mom wanted. She always blasted it loud which as kids was a blast and we would put on my dad's button up work shirts and run around like crazy.
My abusive ex boyfriend. Unfortunately gave me the hard lesson that you should follow your gut and not everyone has your best interest in mind. I'm very cautious around letting people in, but my closest friends are the ones I know I can trust everything with.
My sister, cousin, and I holding each other and crying in our downstairs bathroom while my aunt and mom fought because of my narcissistic grandmother. This would be the last time for years that I would see my cousins on my mom's side and it's been years after that now as well. I had to tell my sister and cousin that day that everything would be fine and it still haunts me that nothing would ever be okay again and that I couldn't keep my promise.
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:02:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1 :)
2 :D
3 >:(
4 :_(
Internet_Ugly ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:27:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My forth birthday where I had my one and only birthday party until I was 15. I wore a pretty red dress and my brother's friends stole my balloons. I got bedding of a certain disney princess. I loved that bedding. I have an unhealthy obsession with giving people birthday presents because I remember how happy I was that day.
I got stung by a bee when I was 5 and had an allergic reaction to it. My mother yelled at me for getting stung and complained that she had to take me to the emergency room the entire time. The stinger was left in my foot for over 6 months until I dug it out. It was crystallized at that point and I thought that was really neat. I tend to over mother on people who don't feel well or are just sick.
My mother would often pull me out of school to help her make bake good for the local flea market. I remember she paid me in lemonade and funyuns the next day if I sold over 500 dollars worth of goods. I still have a strong work ethic and crave a "Good job." at all my jobs.
My mother used to put me in beauty pageants. She never actually coached me but loved to doll me up. I always placeds second or "first runner up" and she would tell me it's because she couldn't hide my ugly with makeup and pretty clothes. I still think I'm ugly and so far no one as told me otherwise.
On my 14th birthday my mom took me to a bar. She proceeded to get shit face drunk and forget about me even being there. I had to hitch hike home at 2 in the morning. A group of college girls took me home and I'll never forget their kindness. I often ask people who walk to work or everywhere if they need a ride.
MacdougalLi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:34:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If this is made up, you get points for being creatively tragic.
What fucked up life did your mom even have before you that turned her into a monster?
Assuming this is real; Hope you are living a good life with the knowledge that you are a better person than your mother.
Internet_Ugly ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:01:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sadly, this is real. I don't know much about my mother's life except she was into drugs and a huge narcissist. She's dead now and I never saw her after my 14th birthday. I can only hope to be a good person and make other people's lives better. That alone makes mine amazing.
israel210 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:24:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You sound like a wonderful woman. And I truly want to be your first:
YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL! :D <3
Internet_Ugly ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:24:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you so much, /u/israel210
invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:17:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your mom was a nightmare. This is why I always say parenting is the hardest job in the world which should require emotional qualifying exams and a permit. Some people really should not be parents, as I know from my own past and that of many friends.
Internet_Ugly ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:23:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I actually agree with you on that. Some people just aren't emotionally ready for kids.
Mythicshard ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:45:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're beautiful!
Internet_Ugly ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:22:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you, /u/Mythicshard
phillsphan7 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:00:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Waking up at 9 years old to realize thay after months of my mom getting drunk and asking me who i would rather live with, she had finally left overnight. She fell through on most vists. The most memorable was christmas morning. I was sitting outside with my bag to go with her for the weekend. After a couple hours i realized she wasnt coming.
My dads (ex) girlfriend blatantly lying to my dad to get me in trouble. My dad always believing her
My step mom calling me a worthless piece of shit and kicking me out on graduation night
My highschool girlfriend cutting contact with me out of no where the second she got to college. Her admitting to me she had sex with the guy she met at orientation who texted her "goodmorning beautiful" every morning. The guy she says wasnt a threat.
My live in girlfriend of almost 3 years texting me and saying shes staying after work to grab a drink and shed be home at 12 latest. I wake up at 5 am and shes not there. I call a few times and her phone turns off. I call the police because i have no idea whats happening. She finally turns it on and answers around 630. Shes mad at me for waking her. The next day she tells me she doesnt love me anymore. The day after that i move out while shes at work. The day after that shes dating her coworker. At this point in time shes pregnant with his kid.
My sister trying to pay my gfs ex to sleep with her.
The look in my rescue dogs eyes when she finally trusted me
Getting a house with my best friend
Getting drunk with my friends and screaming the lyrics to blink 182 songs
Getting a piece of writing published
Buying my own car in my own name
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:41:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh my God, the first ones are awful. The last ones are great!
SUBsha ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:06:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This will get buried but fuck it.
-Watching my brother walk down the street to play with his friends and feeling really confused on why I couldn't go with him.
-Driving from North Carolina to New Mexico, everything was beautiful and I was content watching the world pass by. We stopped at a playground somewhere and I played with a little girl, when we left I gained a feeling that I was searching for someone.
-Trying to fall asleep one night on pain killers I was taking because I had like more than half of my teeth removed (I was like 6) and Independence Day came on the T.V., being young and on drugs I quickly became confused and thought that aliens were attacking my house and my step dad was fighting them off. Woke up the next day very confused but grateful because the house was completely intact despite being attacked by aliens.
-At father-son day at school, I turned to my mom and asked her where my dad was, and why all the other boys had dads. That fucked my mom up real bad and she went on to marry an asshole so that I had a father figure in my life, one of my mom's many parenting mistakes. (This was after my mom had left the dude previously referred to as step dad)
-Being chased by my step-dad (the asshole my mom married) who had an axe handle in his hand. I ran away that day. I wanted to kill myself, and tried very hard to find something sharp in the woods so I could slit my wrists. I didnt find anything. It was the first time I would have suicidal thoughts.
-I've always had a feeling (even when I was young)that I was searching for someone, and that one day I would find them and know that they were the one I was searching for. There were many false hopes, but I finally found her, and she is the best friend I could ever ask for, the best lover, and everything that makes my life worth living. She makes me want to be a better person despite all the shit I've been through. She has taught me what family means, and what a healthy (or healthier) family looks like.
Idk these are just memories that stand out the most, my childhood was unpleasant but not terrible, but for some reason my mind blocks a lot of it out.
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:44:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why couldn't you go with your brother? And congrats about finding your girl :)
SUBsha ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:07:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think because my mom wanted my brother to play with his friend by himself. And thanks!
deadnoodles ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:14:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
off the top of my head, in roughly chronological order:
the smell of the first rains of the year and jumping in every puddle on the ground at the farm I grew up in.
sword fights with my cousin after watching every starwars movie (yes even the prequels).
long winding journeys across the border to visit my grandparents in marizburg. the terrifying, thrilling and gorgeous views and sheer drops of van reenen pass. the smell of grass and the soft constant, comforting drizzle that comes as such a relief to anyone who grew up in a desert. hadeda's cawing in the distance.
almost stepping on a black mamba when i was 10. being frozen in absolute terror and not being able to shout or scream. then my brain kicks in, i back away and call my father to get the gun out. I've had many encounters with cobras and puffys before and after then, but a mamba will always stick out in your memory.
my brother in a purple and leopard trim pimp suit he bought from thailand
my best friend drunk out of his mind, cutting oranges on the boot of his car for tequila shots at his 21'st at about 3am
a night of teenage debauchery fueled by drugs, alcohol and hormones. "narrowly" escaping police, and watching the sun rise
making an explosive with my highschool chemistry teacher after the final exam. there was inert nitrogen tri-iodide (IIRC) all through the lab. apparently the class the next day was chaos and purple smoke.
watching the sun set on a kopi an hour out of town with a beer in my hand, and a few close friends at my side, talking well into darkness.
newyears in the okovango delta with some really good friends. every part of that trip will be etched into my memory. the roadtrip up there. the copious amounts of yaka we made. rolling down the channels with a whiskey in hand and a croc every few feet. getting our boat driver drunk. jumping into the water in the lagoon and getting the hell out because crocs.
sorry for the wall of text and terrible (non-existent) formatting!
fairestof ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 19:52:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in elementary school, I was invited to a girl in my class's birthday party. I didn't have any friends, so it was a big deal to me, and though we were poor, my mom made sure I had a nice barbie doll to gift to her. In class the next week after the party, we were sitting on the floor with the lights dimmed to watch a movie. I scooted up to sit next to this girl and a few others from my class. They looked at me; I smiled at them. Then, they looked at each other, and without a word, they scooted away. I remember the sharp reality of the fact that I had only been invited to the party so that I could give this girl a gift. I remember a feeling so cold in the pit of my stomach, not anger or hurt or disbelief, but some terrible combination of all three. I don't think I watched a moment of that movie. Later, I apologized to my mom for having her spend money on the doll.
When I was in second grade, I found out my best friend had a crush on me. My teacher put on a documentary, and in the middle of watching it, she called me out into the hallway. I remember the image of my friend so perfectly: he was in the corner with his legs tucked up so that he could hide his face in his knees. The teacher explained to me that my friend had confided his crush to another classmate, who then proceeded to tell everyone in class. I knelt beside him and told him that what people say doesn't matter and that they couldn't touch our friendship. I remember wishing that I could've been more eloquent, but he finally stopped crying and the teacher let us sit together for the remainder of the documentary in the hallway, sometimes talking to each other, sometimes just waiting in a comfortable silence, listening to the TV through the wall.
My parents' relationship was always tumultuous. One day, they drove us to a waffle house and told me, my sister and brothers to go ahead inside to order while they stayed out in the car. We were allowed whatever we wanted, for once, so I was excited. The waitress asked us where our parents were, and I told her they'd be in soon. Afterwards, my parents' fight continued even as we were driving home, and when we were at a stoplight my mom told my dad to just go and never come back. I screamed and cried as I saw my dad get out of the car and begin walking in the opposite direction while my mom drove away. I wouldn't see him again for another six months, but in that moment, I was sure I'd simply never see him again.
While my parents were separated, my mom managed to convince her great aunt to let us stay with her in her trailer. We all slept together in the living room, rotating between sleeping on the floor, the lounge chair, and the fold out mattress. At this time, my mom was desperately trying to find a job, my grandparents had cut off communications, and my dad was no where to be found. We were truly at our lowest, one of those lowest being finances. While in this situation, my birthday came around. I didn't receive any gifts, and I was old enough to understand why and be okay with that. We did have some things that we brought with us from our old house, one of those things being Pokemon cards, which I often battled with my siblings and other kids from the neighborhood. For my birthday, one of my brothers gave me his absolute favorite Pokemon card: a holographic Zapdos. Not rare, but it was 100% his most prized possession. I went to the bathroom, held it in my hands, and silently cried for an indeterminable amount of time. Then, I gave it back to him and told him that he needed it if he was ever going to beat me.
I used to work at a job where I drove cars between dealerships across the state. One day I was looking at a 14hr trip and I asked my best friend if she wanted to go along with me. Of course she did. We talked the entire way, got lost a few times, stopped at comic book shops in multiple cities, and even made a phone call to a billboard hotline where you could discuss with a pastor your feelings if you thought you might be gay (neither my friend nor I are straight). He ended up being surprisingly polite, even as he did condemn us to hell for our homo sins. The trip took longer than 14hrs but the memories last a lifetime.
Same friend (Callie) and another friend (Garrett) made a public post on social media the night before a convention, lamenting that they weren't going and asking jokingly if someone would drive them in Callie's car. They had just found out Stan Lee was going to be there and Callie couldn't drive because she was studying for a test and didn't feel comfortable with the distance. Being me, I took the post 100% seriously and told them I'd be down to drive. It was one of those moments where we were all joking like, "Wow wouldn't it be great if we could just go," until someone said, "Well, why can't we?" and everyone kind of realized we actually could. I already had another friend over at my house at the time, and kind of sprung it on her that we were all going. Mind, this is at about 11pm at night. At about 2am Callie picked us up from my house, we went to Walmart 24-hr grocery and picked out a fuckload of snacks to bring with us. At about 4am we all went back and crashed at my place to hopefully get a little sleep before we left the next morning. I was so excited, I couldn't do anything but vibrate as I lay there for the next two hours. That day ended up being the most memorable day of my life. I was eighteen at the time, fresh out of high school and still didn't feel like a true adult but had so many new responsibilities that I didn't want. I still look back at this trip as the pinnacle of my transition. So many inside jokes born of that trip. So many memories. We ran into a bunch of other friends there. We bought lots of shit we didn't need. We ran on pure adrenaline and were exhausted by the time 7pm rolled around, but luckily Garrett's cousin lived about halfway in between our city and the convention, so we were able to crash there for the night since I had so little sleep and didn't want to drive the distance. Not only is this my favorite memory, it cemented these friends as my platonic soul mates and the only people outside my immediate family that I feel I can truly trust with anything, which as I get older the more I realize how that is such a rare thing. I'm turning twenty-five this year and I can't believe this has been almost seven years ago.
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:30:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is awesome.
HeskeyTheMessiah ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 11:45:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) Looking up at my parents whilst holding a toy train as they shut their bedroom door on me to look after my newly born sister.
2) Drawing on the radiator with crayons and attempting to blame my newly born sister when I got caught.
3) My sister pushing me down stairs.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:39:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How do you feel about your sister?
How do you feel about your parents feelings towards your sister?
Do you think your parents prefer your sister to you?
HeskeyTheMessiah ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:58:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Love my sister, definitely don't think my parents prefer either one of us and it doesn't bother me at all. They are just the earliest things I remember. For all I know they could have been playing with me for hours before they had to go and look after her but I have just forgotten.
dustyceilingfan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn sisters...
c9_Helios ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:10:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
this is a beautiful fucking thread
invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:45:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Right? It's restoring my faith in humanity after this morning's news about the murdered priest in France.
MajesticWaterHorse ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:34:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Parents telling me they're getting divorced at ~7 years old and not knowing what that meant, then not seeing my mom around.
-Girlfriend of 6 years cheated on me on Valentine's day, about 3 years ago. Unfortunately still tears me up.
TestDoctor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ahhh man! hang in there. I am sure good things will come your way.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:48:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn man. Ruthless. Says a great deal about though her than you. You could look at it as a blessing, got rid of an unloyal, no one needs those right? Right?! Right.
You're golden.
MajesticWaterHorse ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:11:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Indeed, thanks for the kind words
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:16:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Girlfriend of 9 years left me for another guy, about 3 years ago. Definitely still tears me up. Stay strong man, we can make it. :)
HalfMoonSky ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:18:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow what an amazing question... let me think.
Core #1 (yellow): the day I met my childhood dog, Oreo. Good god what an amazing dog she was. Her paws were too big and she walked down the hall to me. Growing up, I kept to myself and hid my shame and sadness to everyone. Except her. She was always, always there for me. When she was about to pass, her breathing became labored and... it was bad. My family was like, she'll be fine, yada yada, but I knew. I took her to the vet right then and there and spent her last few minutes holding her paw and bawling. I figure, since she was there for me during my worst, I would damn well be there for hers. I'm crying remembering it. But that first time I met her with her big goofy face and amazing personality... I miss her so fucking much.
Core #2 (blue and red or green mixed): fucking up the part while auditioning in guitar class and getting stuck on the rhythm section for that song. I got performance anxiety and was so upset at myself. Drove me to practice harder and play better even now 15 years later. I really need to play more often. Damn apartments and night schedule.
Core #3 (yellow): laying next to the Christmas tree one the eve, listening to the sounds of bells on the roof with my siblings. My folks skrimpt and saved all year to give us everything on Xmas. I hate it now because we lost that closeness, but growing up Xmas was the best because of the anticipation and nervousness and everything my parents did for us.
Core #4 (Red, little blue): My 6? 7? birthday. My brother and his friends stole all the bicycle decorations my mom bought me and my friends so we could ride in the town parade. I was heartbroken because of him. My brother turned into a nightmare of physical violence and anger. He's a prick now, but not nearly as bad. Growing up my sister and I thought ways to get rid of him. He denies he ever punched me or my sister or dogs.
Core #5 (yellow): this may make some uncomfortable to read... but I was about 6 and stole my sister's Jasmine (from Aladin) pants. Blue ones, if you can remember. Didn't know why I loved wearing those girly pants until I faced myself and came out and started to transition to be myself. A woman.
Core #6 (yellow, so bright it hurts): Looking in the mirror for the first time without seeing a complete stranger. That first time, I bawled. I was so damn happy. And now, I'm fit and redheaded... I've never felt more happy and content with myself. But that first time... I was so damn happy I cried.
Damn. That was a fun trip down memory lane, thank you!
invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:29:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That must have been such an amazing feeling, looking in that mirror. Kudos to you for finding your true self.
HalfMoonSky ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:11:45 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was, and is, every day. I feel vain, but I can't help it. She's real! I'm real!
frizzielizzie83 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:05:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โขAt about 3 years old, wearing a red and white polkadot dress and carrying a potted plant into our new house.
โขAt about 8 getting to courage to walk my bike to the top of our street that was a steep hill and ride it down, just like my big brother did. Halfway down, I panicked because I was going way too fast, hit the back breaks and flew over the handlebars subsequently getting road rash the entire length of my body. And then running home crying to my mom.
โขAlso at 8, watching my brother hit a car while riding his bike on our street. He had a severe concussion. He literally hit a parked car. That moment defined my view of my brother for the rest if my life, he's a fucking idiot.
โขAt 13 acting out and getting kicked out if school. I was fighting constantly with my mom, running away, getting in trouble. Started doing drugs. She picked me up from school and is yelling at me for getting kicked out, at a stop sign she turns to me and asks, "What happened to you Elizabeth, were you molested or why are you so angry?" I lied and told her no. That was her way of asking because she had a suspicion that my step father may have molested me. Her suspicion was right, but I didn't tell her for a couple more years at which point she had already divorced him and kicked him out.
โขAt 15 sitting my mom down and telling her I was pregnant. Her look of sadness then sterness and telling me, "you have a choice, straighten up and get your shit together. Either raise this baby or put it up for adoption!" I decided to fix my shit. Stopped hanging out with bad people, stopped doing drugs, and started going to school. I was going to raise this baby. I honestly thought I would have my mom's help though.
โขAt 15 9 days after I delivered my beautiful daughter, my mother died from stage 4 lung and breast cancer. I didn't cry, I felt alone but that I also had to be incredibly strong for the rest of the family. To show them I wasn't a baby and that I could raise a baby.
artemisodin ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:07:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
StarboundandDown ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:46:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Waking up on Christmas morning at my grandmother's house, coming down to find what, to my 6-year old mind, seemed like an ocean of presents. The presents weren't what stood out, though. What did stand out was a simple parchment scroll, tied with red ribbon. I untied the ribbon, unrolled the scroll, and proceeded to read a handwritten note from Santa telling me just how good and kind I'd been that year, and that he hoped I enjoyed my Christmas morning. I can think of a thousand ways that my grandparents could have made those scrolls. I know that they took bites out of the cookies. I know that fairy dust was just glitter, and that the dusty coal footprints were my grandfather's boots. I know all of this, but none of it matters. That morning they taught me the most important lesson I have ever learned: Magic is as real as you make it.
Thank you, Grandma Bell. Thank you, Donnie. I will never forget the way you made me feel that day. I have never forgotten what it felt like to be that loved by someone.
I have never forgotten you. And I never will.
Amp_The_Monkey ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:56:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Honestly, all of them are sort of tied to one big memory: An operation I had done on my spine when I was in the sixth grade. For some context, this thing couldn't have come at a worse time: I had just started middle school in a new district, I didn't have any friends, recess was a thing of the past, I was getting bullied like crazy, and puberty was just beginning to rear its shit-ugly head.
On top of that, I had been dreading this thing for the year that I had known it was coming. And I'm not using the word "dead" lightly. I would start to sweat and shake just thinking about it. I had little "stress sessions" several times over the year where I just sit there and stew in fear.
And honestly? It was pretty much just as terrible as I had been expecting. The minute they gave me some morphine, the whole thing spun out of control. First, I went blind. I literally watched as my vision just inexplicably faded to black, and then the room started spinning. I'm not sure when my vision came back, I just closed my eyes, grabbed the bed, and tried to wait it out, hoping I would wake up post-surgery and any second it would all be over.
It wasn't. Turns out I had a bad reaction to the morphine and spent about 20 minutes vomiting my guts up, on top of the vertigo. And it's not like I was thinking clearly through any of this: In my memory, the whole thing is just a spinning blur of doctors, monitors, white walls and my own vomit that never seemed to end.
And even when it was finally over, it wasn't really over at all. I had been under the impression that the surgery itself would be the hard part. I had had no idea how painful the recovery would be.
The long and short of it is that my back hurt. A lot. More pain than I had ever felt at the time, probably more pain than I have ever felt since. I barely remember this, but I've been told that the first thing I said when I saw my mom and a dad after the surgery was a weak "You promised it wouldn't hurt." That, sadly, set the tone for the following weekend, which I spent in the hospital.
They tried morphine again after the surgery, with the same reaction as before. I ended up spending the weekend with nothing but extra-strength Tylenol for a pain-killer. Any small movement hurt like hell, so much so that I didn't get out of the hospital bed for 2 whole days. At one point, after they'd taken the catheter out (which was another great fuckin' experience all by itself) I sat in the bed and pissed myself because getting up and walking 4 feet to the bathroom would've hurt so much, and I never would've been able to move fast enough anyway.
And yet...There were moments during the whole thing when I was the happiest I've ever been in my life.
Like when my mom and I were watching some cartoon the following morning, neither of us having slept much, or being particularly interested. It wasn't even a show I cared about under normal circumstances, I think I was a few years too old for it at the time. Anyway, it ended on some unexpected joke, and my mom and I ended up laughing our damn asses off. You know, the kind of laughter that feels like an ab workout, the kind where you laugh until it hurts to smile, and then you keep laughing. It wasn't even close to that funny, it just felt really fucking good to laugh about something. Anything.
Or when I got home after a weekend in the hospital to find that my brother, sister, and grandma had put together this big banner that said "WELCOME HOME ROSS", and there was the Gamecube all plugged in, complete with a new copy of Super Smash Bros. Melee, all ready to play. I hadn't thought about them once the entire weekend: I had been thinking of the surgery as something that didn't effect them: It was my thing, they were...insulated from it. I'm really happy I was wrong about that.
Anyway, for the first day, I didn't walk on my own. I needed help to get anywhere, and it was one of the most intimidating parts of the healing process. There was a barrier of pain standing between me and anywhere I wanted to go, and the only way out was through. That scared the hell out of me. It had been pretty much agreed that I would need help to walk for at least a good 3-4 days until my scar healed up some more.
Then the second day in, I just decided "fuck it" and decided to stand up and walk all the way across the house, by myself, just to surprise my mom. It hurt like hell and it took me about 5 minutes to walk maybe 200ft, but when I got there, her reaction was perfect. She did this flawlessly comedic double-take, like it actually took her a second to figure out why it was a big deal. Then she hugged me, which also hurt. But by then, I didn't care about the pain anymore. I remember thinking every step had been worth it.
AfrikaPanther ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 19:36:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was nighttime at the San Marcos river. I was six, leaning over the river on my hands and knees. I saw a big leaf and leaned down to grab it and fell in. During this time of year the river flow is pretty rapid and I took off. I'm about 30ft away now and I hear my cousins screaming that I fell in. I look up above the bridge going over the water and I see my dad jumping into the river. He swims towards me and grabs onto me, gripping tree branches, leaves, whatever he could grasp. I vividly remember saying "Are we going to die, dad?" In which he says. "No, not today, Andrew." Whenever I think of the story it gives me chills.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:47:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dad skills strong. Pass on them genes son!
MrEnderGhast ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 11:18:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my dog died. Sort of gave me the concept of mortality, that none of this lasts forever.
When I cooked my first dish. I was nine, inspired by a cartoon, never stopped since. Looking forward to starting culinary after another year o high school.
When I got rejected by my previous crush. It was sad, she didn't like me. I got into a depressive state. Like really depressed. Attempted suicide several times, all because of that day. When she got pissed.
When I met my current SO. It was in /r/depression. Feeling low as usual. Then I met her through her post, and now we're in an LDR about to reach five months. It feels really nice that you're helping someone out who is in the same situation you were in years ago. You never want anyone to experience that and to see someone I love slowly getting out of that state is what really drove me out of my depression.
rbevans ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 12:23:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably these:
foolmetwicestrike3 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 14:17:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
sunbasket1989 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:34:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"The night before I was on breathing duty, counting the seconds between each of her breaths, my grandpa came in and thought I was asleep. He crawled beside her in the hospital bed, started to cry, and asked her to wait for him. To wait for him because he did not want to be here with out her. It was beautiful."
</3 Beautiful.
Qwertastic321 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 11:50:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The night my brother was born, and the morning after when I went to see him.
Holding my baby brothers hand in the hospital causing him to fall asleep while we waited for my mum to be released.
The night my parents told me they were going to divorce.
The day I left my childhood home behind(see point 3).
The first time I surfed and meeting a guy I thought I would hate(very different personalities, I'm an introvert and he's is a major extrovert) who has become a solid friend and who's company I enjoy. This taught me to not judge someone straight away.
There are more but these tend to be the most significant ones. Some happy, others not so much.
Mastersploder ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:54:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm going to jump on the feels train here.
My parents divorced when I was little, I was maybe 2 or 3. Dad lived in a major Midwest US city, and Mom in a small town of 300-400 people about 45 miles west of the city. Spent every weekend at Dad's, both parents remarried and Dad had kids with his new wife, we all get along great and always have. My Dad is a truck driver, in 6th grade he calls me at my Mom's house and she said I can take the call in her room, which was weird because we just weren't aloud to be in her bedroom. We had no business being in there and I never really cared to be. I pick up the phone and my Dad is super excited, he says "Mastersploder how would you like to spend your summer's with me in Wisconsin?". (He had been offered a transfer with work) I vividly remember saying "Dad that sounds terrible", I could instantly tell he was kind of disappointed and he tried to convince me it will be a lot of fun. So I just agreed to appease him. Well moving day comes around over winter break and there's a bunch of my aunts and uncles helping us move. We all stay at Dad's new house over break and a huge blizzard comes through so we had to leave early. I'll never forget him taking me back to the bedroom with just a mattress on the floor and boxes all over, sitting me down, and saying "I love you so much bud, I'm really excited for you to come back up this summer" then, he cried. I had never seen my Dad cry before and it was just a shock. We have a great relationship and I spent every summer at his house from 6th grade when he moved, through college. I'm married now with kids and we still go up there every summer. That conversation and my big tough Dad crying because he was in a way leaving his son in another state and knew he wouldn't see me as much will always stay with me.
My only other "core memory" is the day of my wedding my older step-brother saying right before we walked out to the ceremony, "a tip from an old pro, just focus on your bride dude". It wasn't significant to him, but I remember it and will remember it for the rest of my life for some reason.
XOSnowWhite ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:59:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
9/11 was big for me. I was fifteen when it happened, and I was living right outside of DC. I'd never been truly afraid before--afraid for my dad and friends' parents who all worked in DC and at the Pentagon. Until that point, I'd lived in a happy, wealthy bubble with no real worries, and this was the first time I realized there was true evil in this world. I remember looking out the window of my algebra class and wondering if I'd see the plane before it hit our school.
When I was in 2nd grade, my parents got divorced. I have a super clear memory of being taken to Target by my Dad so that I could pick out a new bedspread for his new house. I was more excited that I got a new Lion King blanket than sad or cognizant of my parents' divorce. I'd file that under either optimism or ignorance.
A guy I thought was "the one" told his best friend (who told me) that he thought I was too fat to ever marry. Yay crippling insecurity!
The song "Forever" by Chris Brown triggers such happy memories. Dancing in a little dive bar with friends in college. Long road trips to the beach. Kissing this guy I had a short summer fling with in college.
Judasthehammer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:00:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dad was station at Andrews AFB (For those who don't know, it is an air base just outside DC, and it is where Air Force One is housed.) and let me tell you... that was trippy. We lived just near one of the side gates. That sucker got locked down like no-ones business. I worked off base at a local bookstore, and I had to call in and explain that I couldn't leave base for a few weeks. My dad (Cook in the hospital) had to raid the commissary and Base Exchange for food because the 18-wheelers were not allowed on base yet. Strange times, man. Strange times. I was 17.
Roleingtoplay ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:00:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad was a pretty great guy growing up. Then my mom divorced him. She handed him the papers a few days before Christmas Eve. It really hurt him, and I don't think he was ever the same after that. Was very different between us in terms of how he acted. Feels like I lost the dad I remember growing up with. I'm still angry over that.
Probably the day I came out to my family. My mother hates me, my dad is there for me. I learned who my real family was then.
When I met my husband. Everything from then on was different but better. Can't imagine anything without him.
llosa ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:11:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I really enjoyed trying to answer this question. I realised that I have a lot of memories, but none of them I would consider 'core memories'. Not sure if I am just suppressing them...
mythighsyourearmuffs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:34:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Same here!
trubiekatie ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:14:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first dog, a golden named Maddy. I wanted a dog so badly my entire childhood and on my 9th birthday, I finally got my wished. My parents totally trolled me good - I opened my presents first before the card. I opened the first one to a tug of war you to sheer confusion. Next, a dog magazine which I just assumed was to read. Next, a leash to "keep me at bay". The card was a bunch of puppies that read "Would you like one, yes or no? Please circle. " Miss that dog like no tomorrow and solidified that I will get another dog in my life.
Attempting to surf near Rio on this semi-private beach with my first solo trip with my sister. After eating shit repeatedly to the howls of my sister, this hot Brazilian told me how great I did. (Read: I stood on the board for less than 5 seconds at any given time). To this day, it still makes my sister cry laughing to think of my flailing. It reminds me of how much I love my only sister and how great that trip was.
The first day I met my now fiancรฉe in person. We had met online in a gaming forum in a set of weird events that determined we lived in the same small town in Canada. After months of solid MSN chatting and Solitare Showdown, we finally decided to meet in person. I was 14 (compared to 17) at the time and we went to Quiznos. I was so nervous I was talking the entire time, him silently eating his foot-long sub. He finished the whole thing and I had only taken 2 bites and just sort of looks at me "Maybe you should eat." It was so awkward. He's my rock now and we're getting married next June 2016.
Getting Pokemon Gold on Christmas when I was 9 (same year I got my dog, which was a stellar year). It was my first ever handheld game and I had been asking for years. My family friends lent their retro Gameboy so I could play because my parents were hesitant to fully invest in video games (my first console was a PS2 because I had to explain the health benefits of DDR). It opened the door to my love for video games, introduced me to the gaming forum I met the love of my life on and of course, was a fantastic introduction to the world of Pokemon.
Going skiing for the third time ever at age 10 in Austria with my family. I was a total brat on the trip, and was overly concerned with the difficulty of the hills. My dad promised my sister and I that the biggest wipeouts of the day warranted 2 euros, which was an hour of free time on the hotel Internet Cafe (peak Neopets era). My mom assured me that this run was safe and easy - except she missed the turn off and we were stuck on 100ft of moguls. I wiped out so spectacularly that I ended up completely backwards, legs spread out and skis pointed fully upwards as I bounced down the whole hill. I was sobbing at the bottom and this German tried to ask if I was okay, to which I blubbered out in horrific German I only speak English. She looked mortified and skied off (I'm so sorry for whatever I said). My parents told me later they were laughing too hard to come help me. Three years ago, my mum made a similar mistake and took us down a closed ski run that was closed for not enough snow.
TL;DR I have 3 main islands: love for dogs, love for my (growing) family, and love for video games.
OPs_Moms_Fuck_Toy ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:31:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom rocking me and singing Jesus Loves Me when I was 2.
My dad taking me to Showbiz Pizza when I was 6 or 7.
My daughter being killed by a drunk driver when I was 19.
invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:27:44 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Did not see that last one coming, but obviously that's what makes these core memories core memories. We never see them coming -- not even the ones we think we see coming. So sorry for your loss.
OhDrewlius ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:15:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm probably too late but here goes 1. My family has gone to stay in my grandparents condo in the lake of the ozarks every year since I can remember. This also is where my first (I think) memory comes from, at age 3. We were walking along a path by the lake, a little elevated, maybe 7ish feet, with some nice shrubs by the edge. I was walking with my older brother, my parents, and my aunt and uncle. I spaced off a bit, and before I knew it I tripped, and slid off the grade into the lake. All I remember is a rush of green in my vision, followed by a splash. My uncle (ex-air force, and a surgeon) luckily had the wherewithal to jump in after me, and I believe he probably saved my life.
TL;dr fell off ledge almost drowned, and the goofy coaster fucked my psyche up for years to come
angel_munster ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:26:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The moment I realized I was gay. I would always sneak down into my uncles room (he live dint he basement) and he had pornos which I would watch. One day there was a sex scene with two guys and two girls, the two girls went at it while the guys watched and I asked myself why were the guys not having fun together too?
There was no "gay" discussions in the 90s so I didn't understand those feelings for a few years. When I did it was like a whole new life opened up before me and the depressed feelings were lifted a little. Very confusing times but that moment i thought of the guy before the girls then the eureka moment, I'm gay! will always be etched into my mind.
easyluckyfree13 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:26:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I โค๏ธ this thread.
geekwizard ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:26:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ImNotRedBatman ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:58:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I stumbled upon an open email on the house computer. It was a back and forth between my parents about how one had cheated on the other and they were getting a divorce
A ferry ride to Martha's Vineyard with my on-off girlfriend of 8 years. It was the beginning of our second year together, we were high school seniors. It was the first time we acknowledged we were falling in love. I'll always remember how dark it was, and how she pulled me away from her family to stand on the side of this boat looking out over the water. How beautiful and vulnerable she looked. And how I felt when she told me she was in love with me. I'd been in love with her for 3 years.
First time I ever smoked pot. Walked to an elementary school playground to use the swings. All my teenage troubles and worries melted away.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:59:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My family used to spend the weekend at my grandfather's house in the Catskills (Upstate NY). One perfect summer night, my dad came in to the room my brother and I were sleeping in, and quietly woke me up. I remember thinking it was the latest I'd ever been awake. In that half-dream state of just waking up, dad took my hand and led me outside. I was sleepy so he took me up on his shoulders and walked down the road, which was just gravel with tar over it. I can still hear the rocks crunching under his feet.
The smell in the air was that perfect summer aroma of dew on freshly cut grass, swamp, and that indescribable mountain air scent. A little ways down the road was a pond I would always catch frogs and salamanders in. We walked down to it, and he set me down on a log on the bank, and took a seat next to me. The only sounds I heard for the longest time were the frogs and crickets, until my dad nudged me and said "look up". The sky was brilliant and clear, with more stars than I'd ever seen before. All of a sudden there was a streak, then another, then what seemed like hundreds more. He had taken me out to see a meteor shower, and it was the most amazing thing I had seen in my short life.
After sitting there for what seemed like forever, I started to get tired. He picked me back up, but I remember telling him I was "big" and wanted to walk with him. So he put me down, took my hand, and we walked back. I remember thinking how big his hands felt, and how small I was compared to him.
We got back to my grandfathers house and he tucked me back into bed. Before he left he gave me a big smile and said "don't tell mom you were up so late!". She wouldn't have cared; but he knew saying that would make it even more special to me. He was right.
BaronVonWasteland ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:59 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, what a beautiful story, how old were you?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:05:38 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks! I would have been about 6 or 7.
Pixelator0 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:14:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Pretty fuzzy in general. I got a pretty bad concussion either my freshman or sophomore year of highschool and it affected my memory, so everything those first two years of highschool and before middle school is kind of blurry, and middleschool I basically don't remember at all.
That said, I do remember seeing a pair boobs in the band room at one point. I have no clue what the context was or whose they were, but at least my brain held on to the important part.
MissFushi ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:14:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a distinct memory of when I was a little girl. My dad was playing Ocarina of Time in the living room and my little brother, sister and I were watching him with eyes glued to the screen. It was our favorite thing. My mother was in the kitchen cooking supper and dancing around to Mariah Carey. To this day when I hear Mariah Carey or see Zelda, I must associate the two with each other. I always get nostalgia flush either way.
bearaby ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:15:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) When I was 11 or 12, my father told me that if I didn't manage to get into a good middle school, he'd take me to the highest building in the country and throw me off. I instantly replied that he wouldn't have to throw me off, I'd do it myself. I don't think I felt that upset at that moment, but only after that did I realize my feelings were really hurt. I brought it up recently and he says that he doesn't remember it and was probably joking. I don't consider it one.
2) Just before taking my examinations that would decide the high school I'd be able to attend, I was pretty stressed out. The morning of the first day of my exams, I found a note my mother left for me. It was simple, written on a blank piece of white A4 paper. Translated from Chinese, it said something like "Don't worry. Your mother has confidence in you." and had stars and a smiley face drawn on it. I still have the note.
3) I don't even remember when this was, probably about when I was 9? After my parents had a particularly bad argument, my mother sat on the couch in the living room and cried. I didn't really know why or how to help, but my kiddy mind went "Mommy is crying", so I went up to her from behind the couch and held her head to my chest and cried too. We spent a few minutes like that, just silently crying. She ended up having to console me instead of me consoling her.
4) Not a one time thing, but when spending time with my friends, just listening to them talk (I don't talk all that much), sometimes I get this warm feeling and I'm really grateful to have them.
5) I was at the beach at night, standing with the waves going up to my knees. When the water was receding back into the ocean, with me staying in the same spot, it felt a little like I was moving through time. It was a weird feeling, neither good nor bad, but for some reason it remains fresh in my mind even though it was a good 10 years ago.
MemerGate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:18:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I resonate with 4 a lot
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:51:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Number 3 is the cutest ever!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:22:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:19:35 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You are a good son.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:00:39 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:25:38 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're only human.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:32:13 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:20:10 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It absolutely does. I agree.
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:25:43 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
But given our species-driven limitations, I would wager that she is so glad to have you, exactly as you are.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:04:34 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:14:49 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have similar guilt. It's true, sometimes everything just falls apart. Hang in there.
hjai ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:32:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In kindergarten, my parents never came to any event I had. Our class had scheduled a picnic with parents, and I never even bothered to give my parents the invitation. On the day of the picnic, every other kid had a parent there with them, and I was sitting by myself. I looked up and saw my mom walking across the field to me. I had never been so happy in my life. I told her about this memory when she was dying of cancer, and she didn't even remember it, but we had a good cry about it. I'm glad I was able to tell her. I miss her.
Jonboywelsh ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:08:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My only real "Core memory" was from when i was about 6. I was sat in the living room of my grandmothers house, I never liked the house. It had an old dusty house smell that only grandparents houses can aquire.
I was watching the wild Thornberrys movie and wondering if Donald was in any relation to Tommy Pickles from the rugrats, as my mother rushed in panicked. I didn't know what was wrong, but it was more than apparent that something was up. My mother has always been a cool calm and collected individual, but she was running around like she had just heard the four minute warning. She grabbed my jacket and pulled me into the kitchen. She told me that I had to go into aunty Julie's house for "just a bit." So I grabbed my favourite action figure and went three houses over to aunty Julie's house, who was there to very quickly usher me in. After about 10 minutes my mum ran in with all of my stuff we had taken to my grans house, toys, clothes, my favourite shampoo (I was a picky child) and about 5 minutes after my mother arrived I heard screaming coming from outside. It was a man's voice, my dad's voice. "Jonboys grandmother, where are they? Where the FUCK. ARE. THEY?!" I heard him slam my grandmothers front door as he must've entered. It was a sound like I had never heard before. Like the sound between the cracking of lightning and the snap of a broken cheap plastic toy. I had never been scared of thunder, but this cracking made my belly feel like a knot and want to be sick.
My mum grabbed my hand and looked at me "Jonboywelsh. You must stay close to mummy and do exactly as I say, ok?" She led me outside and we got in the car. As I sat in my blue mesh booster seat, my dad came out of the house. I remember the look on his face, where it was so red and screwed up where he was angry, he looked like a pig. My mum started the car as he ran down the cobbled drive. As we pulled away he jumped into his car and took after us.
I had never heard a car make noises like this before. The engine was angry and the tyres were screaming. The car was hot and smelt funny. Like bonfire night, but different. I remember thinking "This isn't fun."
We often played games in the car, my mum and I. One where I would hold onto the part of my booster seat where the built in cup holders would slot into when they weren't in use. I could always get my finger inside and use it hold myself up if we were going round a big bend. Mum told me I had to do the same and try and stay upright.
I looked behind and there was my dad's car, he was going fast as well. I remember asking "mummy, are you and daddy racing?" She told me through tears to "make sure your seat belt is tight." We went round bends and corners through the back lanes of where we lived for what felt like forever. Every now and again the car would jerk forward, and the back. It is only recently I realised that it was my dad trying to ram us off the road. The back window of the car smashed as we tried to slow down for a corner. The car was cold after that, and the wind was loud, like we were on top of a mountain in a storm, but mum kept driving. I couldn't see anything apart from hedges. The occasional gate into a field or a cow, but I remember having this very distinctive feeling of being lost. Not knowing where we were. My chest went tight. My nose felt as if it would bleed like when one of the boys punched me in school. There was a rock in my throat like the time I Overheard Great grandma had died. But I didn't cry; I didn't want mum to be distracted. I let out a couple of tears that tasted as salty as the ocean, the taste of tears always take me back here. To that distinct corner we turned as I saw a police station, with vans and cars parked up like they were soldiers on parade, in perfect regiment.
Dad drove off as we pulled into the station. We parked up and my mother broke down. Two officers ran out to see what the commotion was. I remember visiting that station over the next year. It was a tough time, but things were sorted.
I've never told anyone this story before. It feels good to finally get it off my chest. I'm sorry for taking up so much time, I know this was a long post.
MsBeerSnob ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:24:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Anymore background on what caused it? Glad things are better now.
Jonboywelsh ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:36:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mum and dad went through a messy separation. Dad went a little crazy and angry.
Malacos0303 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:16:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man, this thread has made me feel like a monster... the only things I can think of are terrible things. Abuse and pain, but good thing have happened in my life! Well, mostly star wars has happened in my life.
Phantom471 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:23:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fishing with my dad. Back then he was so strong. He made it look easy. He would lift, without a jack, up the aluminum boat and connect it to our 4wd 1999 Silverado. He would tie the boat down with the strongest knots. And there was no fish that was too big for him. everyday he grows weaker. Now I have to do what he used to.
nolandroid ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:44:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a memory from age five of wearing handcuffs in a dark basement lit only by an aquarium playing super Mario world on SNES. I asked my dad about it years later and he was amazed that I even remembered. Turns out he had gone over to a family friends house, who happened to be a cop, for dinner and I got my hands stuff in some handcuffs that I wasn't suppose to be playing with and couldn't figure out how to open them. So I did I what any child would logically do and played it off as if nothing happened and went downstairs to play Mario.
Handcuffed in a dark basement. 8/10 would do again.
krupu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:56:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"Oh geez, you remember that? Sure, I had this cop friend, had a dinner engagement, he left his cop stuff on the pantry. Normal stuff. Also you chained yourself to the radiator."
epedemix ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:52:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I broke my wrist one time at wrestling practice. I went to the ER, got X-Rayed, casted, and given pain medication. I took the pain medication, and then went to bed. I woke up later to some sort of commotion, and It took a minute to decide if it was a fever dream or what because I did not feel right, and the fighting seemed unnatural. After sitting still for a moment while the drumming went down in my head I could make out some of what I was hearing... and it was not good. After maybe 10 minutes of laying in bed I could hear it getting physical, and my mom being choked. I was so scared, I had no idea what to do. I was too young to stop it, but I couldnt sit idle. It was an emergency moment where I knew I had to do something, but I had no idea what to do. I hoped that because I broke my wrist earlier that night, maybe there was some sympathy for me. I hoped that if I walked out of my room that maybe I could act frail, helpless, lost... maybe I could touch on his emotions, maybe he will feel bad that his maniacal rage woke me up. It did work, and it did stop. I was probably 12 when that happened, and I made a vow to myself to never stand by idle. Never do nothing, never allow someone to be treated in such a manner if I was around. That night/ memory drove me to fight a lot. Not to prove myself, but to be battle ready for when it happened again.
TheBirdCop ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:11:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
tl;dr I spent an entire day working my way through the Museum of Natural History to meet Neil DeGrasse Tyson despite everyone telling me I couldn't.
In 2011, just after graduating high school, me and 2 friends drove from Indiana to New York City for a week to meet up with our friend who had an internship with the Jets. I was wary of big cities but being the science guy that I am I told them I'd come along if we could go to the Museum of Natural History, because Neil DeGrasse Tyson worked there and he was my god. (This was just before he really got big in the public eye) So we go to the museum on the third day there and an hour into our visit I decided "I'll probably never be in the same building as NDT again. I am going to find him."
In the hall of ancient human history I snuck off from my friends and went to the nearest security guard. "Hi, I really love science, going to college for biology, etc. Is there any way you could direct me to Dr. Tyson's office?" The guard proceeded to laugh and tell me that dozens of people come in here every week wanting to meet him but you can't just walk in and talk to him. So I walked away disheartened.
I began to think about my Dad who'd passed away just a few months prior. He was notorious for sneaking behind the scenes of concerts or other big venues to meet whoever the big name was he wanted to meet. He'd taught me to always ask for what you want, the worst someone can say is No. That set me off on a warpath. I was going to meet NDT if I had to talk to every person in that building.
I spent the next 5 hours speaking with every security guard, volunteer, gift shop cashier, custodian, and person with a name badge. Most of them would tell me that you couldn't just talk to him, he was very busy, even they would love to meet him, etc....Until Larry.
Larry was a volunteer in the geology area that sat right next to the Hayden Planetarium. He was probably ~80 years old, partly deaf, loud as fuck, and wore the thickest glasses I'd ever seen. Bless that man. He took me by the hand and led me to the main security office. I spoke with them until they allowed me to talk to Neil's assistant over the phone. She told me he was busy all day except he could possibly shake my hand in about an hour if I met her at the glass elevator in the Planetarium. I. Couldn't. Believe. It.
Jump forward an hour and I was sitting on a bench at the doors to the elevator. They opened and an adorable, short, older blonde lady invited me inside. She took me up in this giant glass elevator, overlooking the Hayden Planetarium to the top floor. She pointed me down the hall to the only open door. As I walked I heard his voice and my legs nearly gave out on me. I looked in the room and saw he was giving an interview. "Oh, are you TheBirdCop?" "y-y-yes!" He then turns to the interview crew AND ASKS THEM TO STEP OUT WHILE HE SPOKE TO ME. The dude stopped a video interview to talk to some nobody kid from Indiana! What followed was a 20 minute one on one with one of the greatest science educators of all time. What did we discuss? Cosmology, biology, the fall of Animal Planet, FoxTV, Family Guy, chicken recipes. He even burped. He was human, he was just an everyday guy.
I learned that day that if you want something you should go for it, and be persistent. I also learned that no matter how high you may put someone on a pedestal, everyone is human.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:50:32 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
๐๏ธ PapiSurane ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:12:55 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a similar experience when I was coming out of a period of depression. For the first time in a long time, I felt genuinely happy with life, and realized, wow, I'm actually happy again.
mindovermacabre ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:48:21 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, thanks for replying OP!
And yeah. It was sort of like the Hyperbole and a Half comic depression and part 2 except while my general experiences were different, the core pattern was the same. Walking down the Disneyworld street (or, in the comic, finding the dumb piece of corn funny) was completely revolutionary and changed how I looked at my depression. Since then I haven't seriously considered ending it all or whatever, because the rational part of me knows that on the other side of this downswing will be a moment just like that- where I'll be happy, and I'll realize I'm happy, and I'll be so happy to just experience that happiness and for a few minutes my life will be flowers and rainbows and hallmark cards.
Now when I get low, I tell myself that it's just a matter of getting there again.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 21:37:31 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Being told by a doctor I would be mostly blind and require help the rest of my life. I will always remember the words my dad said next "We are getting a second opinion on that one" and then him yanking me out of his office
The day I got Zeus my pet Bearded Dragon. That little stinker has been by me after so much. He's bit a would be robber in the private area, helped me see after I scratched my cornea, and just been there for me.
Getting my first bow and arrow. It was a Genesis Original, it was purple, and God did I use the crap out of that thing. Every day after I did my homework I would go out, text the neighborhood warning them (kids and pointed arrows don't mix, especially if there is a visually impaired kid shooting them), and shoot for 2-3 hours
The moment when I was alone, someone with a gun had broken in, and me standing just out of sight holding my bow and saying "I am armed, put your gun down and lie down and I won't shoot" he didn't and I as a 12 year old had to force myself to (non fatally) shoot a person with an arrow
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 09:34:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A la inside out?
DerNeander ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 09:58:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The Disney movie "Inside out" that portrays your emotions as a group of little people in your head that control your behavior and save all your memories as crystal speres.
Important memories (the girl in the movie had one about leaving the town she grew up in) are called "core memories". They define you and influence your decisions.
notahipster- ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:57:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There is a pixar movie called Inside Out.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:02:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
the animated film.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:58:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Inside Out is a critically acclaimed Pixar film. In its universe, everyone's mind has "core memories", memories that define their personality and mannerism and interests. The main character's core memory includes skating on a frozen lake, which centerpieces her love for hockey.
Hooray345 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:03:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
FTFY.
phed1 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:36:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out!
nomowolf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Took way too much scrolling to find this. Thanks. Never heard of this movie.
GrandeSizeIt ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:58:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I will never forget being at Costco when I was probably like 6 years old with my family and my dad buying the Beatles 1 album. I instantly became obsessed and it was the first time I really became intrigued with a specific band/ artist and wanted to know everything I could about them. I even got made fun of at school as this was before the days of limewire and it wasn't cool to listen to older music yet.
Fast forward 20 years and my amazing wife buys me tickets to go see sir Paul last week for my first time ever. It was so surreal seeing such a huge prominent figure in both my life and history in general that I even still can't really process it. I would be lying if I said I didn't cry during that show because those songs now mean even more to me because of her and my 2 week old son.
CobaltArkangel ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 11:29:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Since we need more positive ones atm...
Got my first sibling(boy, btw. Pain in the ass). I remembered that was all I wanted as a birthday gift for a bit, now I kind off wished I picked the damn xbox...
Got my first xbox. A JPG'd 360. I got to play Saint's Row The Third and Halo for the first time.
Graduated Elementary. Grandma gave me a ring as a graduation gift.
Got accepted in a great university, in spite of fully expecting that I wouldn't make it.
Confehdehrehtheh ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:55:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've never seen inside out, but there's three days I can remember perfectly.
The day my dad went into respiratory arrest during his stroke recovery.
The Sunday of that week when my grandparents showed up at my house at 9am to tell me he died.
The next morning at school when I broke down in tears in front of everyone backstage before class started.
Nothing else really has the kind of clarity I still have from those days.
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:35:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:(
TacoSwimmer ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:59:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seeing my hometown for the first time from thousands of feet in the air on a plane, amazed at how small my world really was.
Having my first kiss. Simply wonderful and innocent, late in the night with music that couldn't have fitted better.
My mom singing me a lullaby that she had made when I was a toddler. Sweet, slow, and very melodious. Sometimes she sings it to herself absentmindedly now and then, and I see myself through the eyes of a young girl again. No problems, no worries.
TheBeardyGamer ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:11:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I like this question, lets give this a go. This is chronological order.
That just the first 23 years of my life lets see how the rest goes :D
IceDevilGray-Sama ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:21:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day I was in a really bad car accident and had to go to the hospital to get a suture to seal up the giant gash in my face.(7 years old)
The day I went to school after breaking my wrist the previous day. People were asking me tons of questions and it was way more attention than I've ever had before. The anxiety got so bad I started crying in front of everyone and just walked off. My advisor and another teacher saw me (I had stopped crying at this point) and asked me what happened to my wrist. I started crying again, but said that my wrist was hurting just to play it off. She gave me a hug and then called my dad to pick me up from school. Most embarrassing moment ever. (8th grade)
The day my mom told me and my brothers that the only reason she was with my father still was for us. Basically said he isn't the person he was when she married him, he's manipulative, selfish, unwilling to accept others opinions, and very controlling. And basically we should try to get the fuck out or the house as soon as possible because he isn't the type of person we want in our lives.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:34:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
madzozs ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 12:38:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Facebook that bitch
Shivvykins ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:28:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
you old romantic, you! <3
UltimateGammer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:48:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And Report back goddammit!!!!!
Dnastysahu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:08:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I like the succinct way you put that. I concur.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:16:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
its vargas, we arent even sure if he ever was a child
kkaavvbb ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:18:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seriously this! Even if she's all grown up and has a good life.
I recently face booked some folks I was friends with as a 4-8 year old (so I knew them 20+ years ago). It was sweet to see them all grown up.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:14:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
abusive family
bullies at school
getting hit by a truck
spending a lot of time in hospital and having over 20 surgeries because my eyes are screwed
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:32:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:(
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:48:19 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:)
Evilofficial ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:14:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know if I have had exact memories that have shaped me like in Inside Out. I loved the movie, but it probably simplifies how memories of single occurrences shape a person.
That being said, something that have definitely shaped me is when my parents took me and my brothers out of school to live in Bolivia, a very poor country (I'm Danish). We went there twice, each time staying for about half a year. The many memories of a completely different culture, people living in clay huts, others begging in the street, the huge gap between poor and wealthy. The memories of the beautiful mountains, the colorful clothing and the wonderfully alien noises of a different language. Those memories have had huge impact, though I can't make them out exactly. The experience as a whole has shaped me.
iSouljah ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:25:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
-First fight on the school yard
-Killing a bumblebee to put it out of its misery, it was on its back and couldn't fly.
-Sliding downstairs on inflatable chairs with my brother
-Sitting in a tree, pretending to be robin hood
-Dressed as a Red Indian with my brother on the float, accompanied by my granddad.
-Going to the top of my old 3 story house, home alone, and reading the bible.
-Beautiful girl asking me out on the schoolbus, I was watching her and imagining her life, the next day she came over to me, asked me to be her boyfriend.
-On holiday with friends, stealing a boat and sailing out into the sea in the middle of the night with full moon. (bad idea)
-Everytime I was asked out.
-The first time I knew I fucked up after smoking too much weed and started hearing voices.
-Jimmy hendrix poster talking to me about the universe.
-An insane meditation, where I left my body and spoke to 'God'. It was the most profound, powerful and beautiful experience.
-My first panic attack
-Dissapearing clouds with my mind, successfully making people sing using energy.
-Seeing energy for the first time.
-Getting knocked out, blackness, then a gold dot in the center, then awake again.
-The first time I saw my 'nemesis' or atleast, in my mind my nemesis... I had paranoia at the time.
-The first time I was honest about my addictions and mental state, and breaking down and crying for the first time in many years. The trigger was "what would granddad think?". Never thought I could cry like that.
PikaCheck ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:05:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
*Going on what I used to call "adventures" with my grandma when I was 4 or 5, which consisted of us visiting the nearby horse stables and feeding the horses, then taking a hike along the horse trail. Tasting the nectar from the Honeysuckle and the smell of orange blossoms was heavenly. Then picking fresh oranges from the local orange grove and heading back to her house to make fresh orange juice for my grandfather.
*Riding in the back of my parents car, listening to The Police and watching the California summer sunsets.
*Getting 50 cents from my mom on a summer morning, biking over to my best friend's house, and then the two of us would walk to the community pool and swim for hours.
*Playing Commander Keen on our old PC while the Disney Afternoon lineup played in the background.
*Christmases where we drove to Sunnyvale and spent a week with family there.
*The summer that I turned 9 when we drove to Kansas and spent weeks with my dad's family. Growing up in California, this was such a cool experience for me- it really felt like going off the grid. He grew up in the small town of Ellsworth and his dad still took care of a farm. I spent the summer catching grasshoppers and fireflies for the first time, got to rid in a Combine, saw the home that my great grandmother grew up in, and delighted in the concept of basements.
*Trips to Seal Beach with my grandma and having lunch at Ruby's on the pier.
*My husband's face when we saw each other for the first time on our wedding day.
*The day I got my son's diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy and it felt like I was watching all the hopes and dreams I had for his future crumble right in front of my eyes. Knowing that it didn't change my love for him, but still crying my eyes out for days because I knew that he would have to struggle to do things that come so easily for most people.
Faustias ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:08:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
OK, after reading what core memories are...
I'll just say my cringey past haunts me for 50% of my nights, which probably result to what I am now. Defeatist, semi-cringe, asocial, and has no long-term goals in life because I believe it will be fucked up one way or another, as if that's my destiny already.
I always keep thinking "Did I do it right? Hopefully it wasn't cringy."
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:13:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My mom getting arrested by 5 police officers in front of me over some bullshit that she started.
Playing football with my friend Carlos and pushing him into a light pole and getting in trouble. My dad asked me if I purposely did it and I lied and said he ran into it. Later that day I told my dad to throw the ball to me as I ran out to catch it and ended up running into that same fucking pole.
Eating honey combs cereal as my older brother played GTA Vice City, and Midnight Club on my PlayStation. I especially remember the times in game when it was dark. The me thing I'd always remember about my ps2 was the startups that made that piano noise( or whatever it was)
When my parents divorced and my mom told me to get in the station wagon with all of our stuff. This happened when I was only 6 and I had no idea what was going on at the time.
Sleeping in a pine green circle chair similar to this. I was small enough to just curl up into a ball and put a blanket over myself and have the most peaceful sleeps ever.
All of these happened when I was between the ages of 3-6 yet I remember them so vividly and I look back on them with nostalgia.
israel210 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:45:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Number 2 is hilarious! Ha ha ha ha
KellanSasquatch ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:17:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father and mother were going through a divorce and my dad worked 3 fuckin jobs so she could "take care of my siblings and I" (not too good of a job). So one day my dad took the day off, which was almost unheard of. He and I went to this waterpark that was like two hours away and it was a nice trip away from reality, the soundtrack to the road trip was the Lion King soundtrack and the Grateful Dead.
My mom surprising me with the Spider-Man video game on the original PlayStation
My brother leaving to go live with his dad
Entering New York City the first time
First concert: Bob Dylan
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:19:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my mother handed me one of those prebaked cherry pies to tell me my uncle had commited suicide. I've never touched cherry pies since. I was 8.
When my mother held me in front of her as the men she hired to take my older brother to a reform academy told me in her hushed tone "I hope you never turn out like him." I was 12.
When my mother and father conspired to punish their children by not buying food. This is fallout from something my brothers and I refer to as the "Orange Chicken Incident." I was 13.
at 17 years old, I was accepted to an accelerated collegiate programme for the summer. In this program, I had a zealous feminazi as an english teacher that forced us to read this awful book written by a therapist of abused women. It demonized men. I had to write a male version of a chapter of the book, so being the disillusioned youth I was, chose the chapter on self-body image. The paper's title was "Penocentricity". A debacle occured, I got sued and kicked out of school but due to the terms of which I was admitted, I could not be removed from the housing dorms.
I staged a revolt. Everyone involved in my punishment was fired. This is called the "Penis Paper incident" in the family. This is where I lost the rest of my faith in the competency of adults and general good intentions of people.
When I heard my mother telling people that I break into people's houses to hold drug parties with my drug friends. They found 1 gram of pot. I was 20. Shortly afterwards, I left the country and told them to write me out of the will.
Watching my father die. This was 4 months ago.
I swear I'm not depressing in person, just horribly depressed. But I look on the bright side of life, because someone has to and I reckon that's me.
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:18:17 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You have a great sense of humor which has clearly helped you get through some of these awful traumas, which brought you pain that you definitely didn't deserve. I'm glad you can look on the bright side of life, but hope that, in time, you will feel less depressed.
BaronVonWasteland ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:29:03 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh my god. You have got to go further into that penis paper story. That's the funniest thing I've ever heard. What were you thinking? Haha!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:56:11 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd love to, but it's a fucking tale and worthy of its own post.
Is there a place to post such an item?
MetaphoricDragon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:52:58 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do let me know if you ever post it somewhere. Also I'm really sad you had cherry pies ruined forever for you. That's a dick move.
BaronVonWasteland ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:09:05 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably /r/tifu seems most appropriate/biggest following. Over half the stories on there didn't happen "today" so it still works
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:13:47 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Alright, but it has an ending where I win! I just had to trudge through an entire mountain of shit for the win.
sweetalkersweetalker ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:21:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
apotheotika ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:25:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All the feels in here, damn. Mine:
FreedomTaco ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:27:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Fuck, I hate and love reading these things because they just make me feel like shit but let me realize that there are actually good families out there.
The only really "core" memories I have are just my father abusing me.
*Beat the shit out of me when he lost his job (2008 was a bad time for the housing market in Florida)
*Slammed me into a wall for stopping him from punching my brother over not wanting to play basketball on a travel team anymore.
*The time I stood up to him on New Years 2014 (The last one we shared together as a complete family) caught his hands when he pushed my brother on the couch for something stupid. He kinda just looked at me then stormed out of the house, breaking the stained glass on the door.
*Then most recent one would be the divorce and me having to give up on going out of state for college in order to help my mother and 4 other siblings.
*Almost forgot when I asked him to help me with payment for a semester since I had been budgeting to help take car of his kids. He simply told me that school is not important, you don't have to go to school.
Sorry for the long list but its something that I had to get off my chest for a while. Shit sucks keeping it bottled up. Only good thing is that I have pretty much made it the goal in my life to be a better father than he was.
BaronVonWasteland ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:43:16 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You will be a better dad.
FreedomTaco ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:54:42 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This honestly made my day, thanks for making me tear up at work you beautiful bastard.
BaronVonWasteland ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:03:45 on August 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Been looking for this (rather passively, I know it's been a while) ever since you got back to me, found it today, it meant a lot to me and I thought you'd like it as well:
https://www.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/3ty01d/my_son_asked_me_dad_how_did_you_know_how_to_be_a/
FreedomTaco ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:37:02 on August 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just got the message, thanks for making me bawl like a baby at 9:30 AM. Means a lot bud, Im glad you got back to me.
BaronVonWasteland ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:16:59 on August 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thought you'd like it, and glad you did! No problem, man. Being a dad is tough, but rewarding beyond measure and worth every second.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:32:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day they beamed me down after all those medical experiments.
pmorrisonfl ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:48:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Between 4 and 12โฆ
Joy:
Standing on the beach, seeing a July 4th fireworks display for the fist time.
The very first time I read a book on my own, without momโs help.
Christmas, chemistry set, volcano on a dinner plate. I was sold on science from that point on.
Standing on the balcony of our house, watching Apollo 11 begin its trip to the moon.
Waiting on the porch for the news of my brother being born.
Dad bringing home a pile of tropical fruit and sherbet, cutting it all up and serving it in a scooped out melon. It happened exactly once, but it was a very happy memory.
Another Christmas, one of the few times we got everything we asked for, and one more thing: a camera, already loaded with batteries, with film and flash cubes (does anybody remember flash cubes?) in the box. Amazement, delight, and now I try to make sure the batteries are installed/charged (or whatever the equivalent is in making sure the gift is ready to enjoy immediately) on every present I wrap.
Anger:
Sadness: Fear:
All, combined:
Later, the last time I saw my father, he put his arm around me and said I was a good son. He died in post-heart-surgery complications late the next night.
Waking up that Saturday morning, to find out he was gone. Starting to cry, but stopping myself because I felt I had to be strong for my mom. I didnโt cry again for ~10 years.
Disgust: Not really coming up with anything.
thisismebutnot ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:03:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was ~12-15, my younger sister used to take a class every Friday afternoon. My mother would pick us up from school and we'd go. I had to entertain myself for the several hours then before heading home, my mom would get us dinner. A couple of weeks in a row I asked for a sandwich from this Italian place. One week my mom got upset with me because "don't you know how expensive this is?!"...then handed my sister a twenty for her weekly McDonald's treat meal. My sandwich would have been $8.
A man I cared about telling me I was a spot of joy in his life. His butterfly.
Someone I knew from Reddit worrying about me when I moved to a new city, alone. I joked about being cold because my blanket would only cover my ears or my feet...they knew money was tight and thought I didn't have heat/enough to buy a bed and blankets etc. Offered to send me some(they were very well off). COMPLETE overreaction because I was absolutely fine...I was just being careful shopping around and it was taking a while. But just thinking of the kindness and generosity of this person and how much less lonely I felt in that moment still brings me to tears.
My dad making me pack my bags, wanting to kick me out of the house when I was 12 because my little sister and I fought over something silly and she told.
Running-leaping-catch-me hugs from my god daughter.
SparklySpunk ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:09:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my cat died. We'd had him since i was four, he was part of my uncles cats litter and the only boy, he fell asleep on my dads leg and fell down the side of the cushion, dad thought he had squashed him.
Eleven years later, Charlie goes missing for a fortnight. We assumed the worst until my cousin heard him mewing from behind some garages on our street. He was wretched. This fat, fluffy, black and white adonis amongst cats was a scabby, balding, skinny shadow of his former self. We had him to the vets and tuens out someone had been abusing him, puncture wounds from syringes all over his body. We took him home, bathed him, cuddled him, got treats he usually devoured in a heart beat, but now ignored. We made him as comfortable as possible.
The next morning i go see how he is, he's too weak to lift his head. I knew it was coming. I bundled his blanket into my arms as you would an infant. Scratched his chin and rubbed his ears. I spoon fed him water and he just would not look away from me. One loud and eleongated purrr... He was gone.
Raabiam ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:44:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really sorry to hear that about your cat man. I have a fat, fluffy torbie and she means the world to me. I can't even imagine her not being there to greet me when i get home. I hope one day you two will meet again, wherever and whenever that may be. Peace!
nicnacks ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:09:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was adopted. When I was 6 years old, my birth mother came to town. It was the first time I'd ever seen her in person. She said she was moving back to town, was going to get a job, take me back and we'd have an apartment with my own room. I was ecstatic. I told EVERYONE and anyone that would listen about how happy I was.
A couple of weeks later, I saw my birth mom on a Tuesday morning. She'd come to see me off to school. As the bus drove away to take me to school, I looked back at her in the road and felt something wasn't right. That afternoon, when school let out, I came home to news that my birth mother had left that afternoon. She just took all of her things and didn't say goodbye to anyone, least of all me. I was completely devastated.
I didn't hear from my birth mother for over a year. When I was 8, she finally called and told me it was my fault she left.
She did the same coming into my life, leaving without saying goodbye, and not calling another time when I was 12.
Other core memories: - stepdad suicide. Nothing will be a core memory more than cleaning blood and brain spatter off the wall and never being able to answer why.
On the bright side: These struggles have definitely made me a stronger person. I've gone on to be successful and started a PhD in cognitive psychology. And I know, for the most part, that life is cyclical and even if things aren't working out now, they eventually will.
maul_walker ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:13:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my sister was born, I was three years old but remember waiting with my grandmother in the hospital to see the new kid that my mom made.
Being dropped off by the pre-school bus every day at noon. My mom would be waiting for me at the door. I would run to her as fast as I could and give her a flower (dandelion) that I picked for her at recess. She would have lunch waiting for me (sandwich and soup) and let me eat in her bedroom and watch Sesame Street.
My dog dying when I was age 8. My dad took her to the vet to be euthanized. I had hoped so much she would somehow come back alive. When my dad got out of the car alone, I was crushed.
My first girlfriend giving me a letter professing her love for me.
When I found out one of my best friends had died in a car accident. It didnโt seem real until I saw him in the casket.
Winning my first powerlifting contest, for a former skinny nerd, I felt that I had changed my circumstances through hard work.
Getting married to the perfect girl.
Finding out that perfect girl had been cheating on me for a year and divorcing her.
My dog dying when I was age 28. I dug the grave while my parents took him to the vet. While I waited on them to come back with the body, I sat on the floor in my parentโs kitchen and sobbed like a child.
Marrying an amazing woman that gave me a second chance at things.
The miscarriage of our baby. I donโt think Iโll ever be over that.
Her descent into mental illness, subsequent suicide attempts and hospitalizations. As hard as we tried, we didnโt make it. I still think she is an amazing woman.
Winning a powerlifting contest after years of being away. I needed a distraction from the depression I was in after the divorce. I did nothing for 6 months except work, sleep, eat and train. While winning felt good, I now understanding what people mean by "it's the journey, not the destination".
Buying a house as a 41 y/o single man and starting my life over, again. I moved in by myself, no help and quietly set everything up. I realized then that lifeโs big moments are more fulfilling when you can share them with someone.
Belboz99 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:46:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Watching my father cry at the dinner table, with the whole family sitting around eating dinner.
He'd suffered a major heart attack a few months earlier, with a triple bipass. What struck me most, hit the hardest, wasn't just that he was crying, even though this was the 1st time I'd seen him cry in my entire life at the age of 18... No, what struck me most was "why".
As he broke down he said that "nobody gives a damn" about how he feels, what he thinks, etc... And that struck a chord with me, because as the 8th child, I'd been laughed at, mocked, neglected by many siblings and my own mother.
This goes right along to finding his Minolta SRT 101 hung up in the basement for 30 years... I asked him why he stopped taking photos, his answer was "nobody gave a damn"... I was completely perplexed by this, I couldn't grasp why that would be a deal breaker with a great hobby.
That is until 10 years had gone by, I'd spent countless hours and countless dollars on making photos, prints, slideshows, and more for family... and guess what? They didn't give a damn... went out of their way to accuse me of being greedy, selfish, lazy.... Fuck 'em! I haven't picked up my camera much in the past 5 years either.
RsTexas ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:02:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm late to the party but I have a few
On the playground in elementary school after a fire drill on my birthday and I see my mom in the car line. I run over and she rolls down the window of our van and holds up Mario Kart for the SNES. It had just come out and was always rented at the local Blockbuster. Did she get the two day rental? Hell naw she paid the extra $4 and got the 4 day or whatever. My mom has always done a ton of stuff for me and my sister but this stands out for some reason.
Seeing my dog for the first time in a small pen outside Petco. I thought she was cute and if she was there the next day (she was from a rescue org) my wife and I could get her. She was there. We got her. I never knew I could love an animal that much. I think I love her more than most humans.
Driving to my baseball games or practices in my dads car listening to Dexter Freebish CD on repeat. My dad has always been there for me and for some reason this sticks out.
Seeing my wife outside my college dorm on her first visit to see me. I'll never forget the smell from the little cafe, her outfit, and the fact we were "just friends" at the time. We just recently found out we're pregnant and I can't imagine my life without her. That moment when the core memory was formed is when I knew for sure.
cjandstuff ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:29:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Two memories immediately came to mind upon reading this. I wish I could burn them out, but hey, that's life. One is my Mom, my brother, and myself at home watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer somewhere around Christmas time. Suddenly, there is loud banging on the front door, followed by confusion, yelling, screaming and crying as our alcoholic father was trying to beat the door down to get into the house. I don't remember what happened before or after that. The second memory is him, pounding his finger into my chest telling me to stop being so smart. At the time I was a straight A student; not for much longer. "No matter how smart you are or how good you are at something, there will always be someone better. So stop being such a smartass." Years later, he finally sobered up and became a decent human being, but those memories are two I wish I could eliminate.
moneymay195 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:46:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seeing my dad cry for the first time. I've always thought of my dad as a really tough guy, and at that age the only pain I understood was physical pain. I immediately thought that my dad was in so much physical pain that that's why he was crying. Turns out my parents were basically broke as hell and my dad needed a moment to himself to figure out how he was going to take care of us. The only thing I knew to do at the time was walk up and kiss my dad and say "it's okay" like my parents did to me when I scraped my knee or something. He just smiled, gave me a hug and stopped crying. Now we're doing really well. I guess I just learned that there isn't anything in this world that gives us more strength than being loved.
maskedrolla ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:47:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a terrible memory, so my "core memories" change over time as my current roster of memories weigh in on who I am.
I do have many more, but those are 3, technically 4, that I really think about often.
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:46:35 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It also shows how much you loved her, and how much love you are capable of.
maskedrolla ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:14:13 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I just figured no ones read this, and I just read your reply and burst out crying at work. Sometimes even shining a light on something so simple, just makes someones day.
Thank you so much for that.
invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:24:51 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You're welcome, but thank you too for posting that comment. I've known so many families in which love was scarce to nonexistent. Loving one's relatives is not to be taken for granted, because for many sad reasons it doesn't always happen. ... I wish your mom had told you what she liked about that dog pic.
maskedrolla ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:29:14 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wish she had too - me now
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:46:32 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me too.
NoeWanSpecial ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:48:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Saving my brother from drowning. It was a core memory because I contemplated (for a moment) NOT saving him. As a grown up the pause I had as a kid sickens me.
m_autumnal ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:54:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Finding out my step sister had committed suicide. I remember every detail of that phone call. I remember being in shock when my dad called me. And going to tell my mom and she cried and held me. And I tried to go to school anyways, and broke down about two hours later and had to go home. And sleeping way too much for the next month and a half.
A more yellow memory would be when my mom got a puppy I immediately had a connection with. She became mine after I moved out of state. http://imgur.com/t9TQcBU
gumbywonton ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:55:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was a year old and I woke up in a dark room inside my crib, I cried out because I was afraid I didn't know where I was. Quickly the light turned on and my dad came in and picked me up and brought me downstairs. He warmed up a bottle of chocolate milk, cuddled me and let me sleep on the couch. This is my first ever memory. It makes me sad in a lot of ways because we are estranged now. But Im definitely holding onto that memory forever.
Another one would be when me, my brother, my sister and her friend got lost in the woods. I was pretty young and we had no idea where we were. I remember a lot of the area was flooded and I had no idea how to swim but it was a magical experience exploring the woods. We saw houses in the distance after being lost for a few hours but the only way to get to them was a broken tree over a ravine. My sister held onto me for dear life, putting my safety in front of her own. That always stuck with me... We did make it to the houses and we got some lady to drive us home. Even after this experience the forest was still a place that I loved to go to often, eventually knowing it like the back of my hand.
When I was 12 smoking pot for the first time with some friends. I remember walking down to a park and everything moving in slow motion and just laughing a lot. It was a door that opened many core memories for me. like dropping acid for the first time, traveling and going to music festivals later on in my life.
I would say my main islands that make me who I am are love, music,family, and you know the unpredictable wild island where I test the boundaries of my psyche. EH they are forever changing.
:D
pawnzz ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:02:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a kid I used to be such a goofball. My mom would always take me clothes shopping with her and I would walk around holding up bras and asking if they brought out my eyes or made me look fat.
One time I found a latex glove, filled it with water and then woke my parents up by stsndong on their bee holding it behind me so it hung down between my legs while singing the Duck Tales theme song but instead of "Duck Tales" I sang "hemorrhoids whoo!"
I was maybe 10.
I miss that version of me.
E_a_s_y ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:55:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't even know you and I miss that version of you too.
souHad ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:04:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No way anyone's gonna see this but fuck it why not.
When I was 16 I had a bad case of wanderlust. I just wanted to leave the house and get away from my family, go anywhere but here so to speak. My parents naturally refused to let me leave the house and live on my own. So I took to sleeping in the back yard. Now, once they'd gone to sleep, I'd sneak out of the back yard and walk, sometimes for hours. One day my travels took me into town, to the only place that was open, a small pub tucked into an alleyway.
I sat down outside and got some water, and there was a group of 3 people sitting outside and smoking. I noticed them because it was an odd group: an old turkish man, a young white woman, and a tall, muscular black man. The white woman caught me looking at them and motioned me over. I went to join them and they asked me a couple of questions, but the conversation quickly changed to other things. As we talked, I learned more about them, and while I've forgotten most of it there's one thing I won't ever forget.
The white woman said she was only in town because her mother was dying of lung cancer. She had her problems with her mom, they didn't get along very well and they fought constantly, but now that her mother was dying all she could think about was how much she'd miss her when she died. Then she looked me dead in the eyes and told me that one day, probably sooner than I thought, my parents would die too, and that I should appreciate them while I could. We talked a little more and then went our separate ways.
I'll never forget the look in her eyes, it was so tired and hollow. That incident really made me rethink my relationship with my mom and dad, and put an end to my night journeys.
iamaquantumcomputer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:19:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I saw it
souHad ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:48:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you friend
monksarehunks ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:06:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This'll probably be buried, but here's mine:
When I was about 12 my dad woke me early one Sunday morning while my sister was still sleeping and asked me if I wanted to go for a ride. I loved riding on his motorcycle with him so I immediately whispered back yes and got dressed as quietly as I could without waking up my sister.
It was overcast and the air smelled like rain and it was the perfect temperature. The roads were empty and I felt like my dad and I were the only two people in the world. We rode around aimlessly for a while and came across a lovely brunch place called The Blue Moon Cafe.
We ate Belgian Waffles under the ivy covered terrace in the garden at the back of the restaurant. Those were my first Belgian Waffles and I loved them so much that my dad bought a special Belgian Waffle maker and made me Belgian Waffles every Sunday (complete with strawberries and whipped cream).
I didn't want that day to end. We just rode around for most of the day, not coming back until evening. It was perfect. My dad brought it up a couple years ago as one of his favorite memories and we were both surprised that the other still thought of that day often.
My other core memory would be finding his body after he committed suicide.
I really wish I could've had more memories with him, but after his death I hold that perfect day even closer to my heart.
iamaquantumcomputer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:07:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
OMG. I am so sorry
monksarehunks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:00:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you. He died pretty young, but really it was his fourth suicide attempt, so I'm grateful that he failed all those other times and I got so many more years with him. There will never be enough time with the ones you love, but I have a lot of great memories. :)
Xechorizo ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:13:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Every summer as a kid, my dad and I would pack up the truck and drive a few hundred miles north to celebrate the country's birthday with an old friend and his family. They'd once lived in the same city I did, but had moved up north long before I can remember. It's a long drive, especially at that age, but I cherished those hours with my dad and the endless open road winding into infinity. Sunflower seeds, good country music (yes - it exists), and roadside antics always made the journey an adventure.
His friend was always there to greet us warmly at the end of our drive, along with his small family at the end of a dirt road. His wife was always equally glad to see us year after year, as was his daughter who was my age. I may have been six months older, but she never ceased in matching me with her quick wit, edgy sense of humor, and taught me all about pushing the envelope of rebellion. I was immediately smitten! Many summers were spent together at the end of a dusk-lit dock at the corner of our quiet marina. Catching minnows and horned lizards quickly turned to lamentations on life as a teenager as both our parents tried our patience. I looked at her and although I saw the whole universe in her eyes, I never quite mustered the nerve to speak on my feelings for her face to face. Our time together always ended too soon, but the dock at the marina will always be my island.
Every year between summers, emails were exchanged and letters were written. Love poems over the digital pony express and long nights with headphones drowning out the heartache became too much to bear. One year became two and then three. My dad's schedule quickly filled with other goings on, and despite her and I meeting a few days here and there when her parents came down south on a whim, her and I eventually drifted away. High school began and then college. She moved down south to my city and still we remained apart. I'd since found others to fill my heart, as had she through the years, and not long after she was married. I attended the wedding of course, and spent my time at the ceremony staring remorsefully at the back of the groom's head.
Moving out from our parents, finishing school, and starting our careers, our love lives continued to challenge us in ways we'd never have imagined. We spent those years growing and learning what love we're capable of, and both being met a day late and a dollar short by our partners. One day, we both found ourselves single after everything unfolded. I'd since found that nerve I'd been missing. We spent our first date as adults talking in the car until six in the morning, just as we'd done decades ago as kids. I held her hand. We kissed. We'd both been in love before, but never known love like this.
We now live together with a couple of dogs, a cat, and the fish. Sleeping late on Saturday mornings, trying new dinner recipes, sipping lemonade while tending the lawn under the hot July sun, staying up late on week nights gaming or watching movies, sending unflattering selfies throughout the workday, inappropriate jokes, and long road trips up north, hand in hand, to visit the parents - I've never been happier. I was meant for this.
I've been told long ago that things only happen when they're meant to, and while I'm no fatalist, I can't help but marvel at how true that seems to be. Good things fall apart so that truly great things can fall together.
Lumi61210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:10:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We most definitely were meant for this. I love you eternally. <3
Gorecakes ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:35:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've got quite a bit, mostly sad, but there's enough sad posts here and it's nice reading them. Why? I think it helps me realize that whatever shit I'm going through, you're not the only one. Thanks everyone. The one thing of recent that stands out to me though, is forgiving my farther. He wasn't there growing up, he left my mother once he found out she was pregnant. Growing up without a father figure was challenging, the struggles of a single parent are tough. So I grew up with a lot of resentment towards my dad. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I took a hard look at myself and realized I am a man, and it didn't take my father to teach how to be one. All the years I spent blaming him for my own shortcomings was a complete waste of time, time I could have spent building a relationship with him. He has early stages of dementia now, which sucks, but I'm doing everything I can to spend time with him and help him cope with this awful disease. It's bittersweet, but I'm happy were here, I wish he could read this pops, haha.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:14:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Graceland09 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:27:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Glad to see you're persevering.
Bloodwalker09 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:16:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
After that my view on the hole thing changed forever. Since that i truly believe that my mother always is here and protects me from bad things. (A "Schutzengel" here in Germany). And somehow I'm happy how everything is, I have a great family (yeah with up and downs, but in the end everybody loves each other and we help us a lot) and everything in my life is going very well.
Sorry for my horrible English, but I hope you understand what i trying to say ๐
Edit:
There a lot more core memories, but because of my potatoe English I think it's better I only wrote down my biggest core memory's.
israel210 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:36:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is so beautiful.
And the second memry hits home really hard :_(
nauram ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:59:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in the first grade, my father showed up at school in his police uniform one day and my whole class saw him. No one knew he was in the transit department at the time, so I used that to my advantage for a couple of years after that. Every time someone bothered me, I would tell them, "You do know my dad's a police officer, don't you?". And it worked for some reason.
When I was around 8 or 9, I told my father I didn't want to go to his house on weekends anymore. He broke down because he didn't understand, I broke down because I didn't know how to tell him I hated his new wife.
The day my cat Dalรญ arrived home when I was 13. I couldn't believe my mum had agreed to that; she supposedly hated cats. Also the day he died. My mum told me over the phone and we both cried for hours.
When I was 20, I agreed to meet my father at a cafรฉ and I told him why I'd stopped visiting him. He cried and apologised, and I hated his cunt wife more than ever.
Every time I slept over at my grandparents' place as a kid. I would pick a book from my grandpa's bookshelves and sit by a window, on the terrace or in my grandma's garden and read for hours. My grandma would cook delicious meals and knit or sew; my grandpa was always watching car races or reading and making grandad jokes. He would teach me the 3 textbook phrases he knew by heart and could utter in English: "I'm a very handsome boy", "The teacher and the pupil" and "The cat is on my shoulders" (for this last one he would grab one of his many cats and place it on his shoulders as if it were a scarf; not one of all his cats ever complained throughout the years).
Once, when I was about 11, my mum came home crying because her job situation was very, very bad at the time. It was the only time I saw her look vulnerable and afraid.
That one time I thought of killing myself.
The second something clicked in my head and I admitted to myself I really liked my current SO, with whom I'd been friends for years before we started dating. How I'd bite my tongue not to tell him "I love you" a couple of weeks after we started dating because I didn't want to rush/ruin things like I'd done before.
When I showed my art teacher what I'd drawn for my art folder's cover and she refused to believe I'd done it. I thought she was referring to the artwork itself and I explained I'd seen the illustration in a book and freehanded it for the cover she'd requested. But she made it clear she didn't believe I had the ability to freehand that and even accused me of having someone else draw it for me in front of the whole class.
I could go on but I can only think of sad ones...
15amay ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:01:57 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Made a stuffed animal disappear under a hat while playing magician when I was 4. (Found out years later that my dad took it while I wasn't looking and totally played along when I thought I actually made it vanish).
Dad had a stroke in the middle of the night when I was 5, and the first time I saw him in the hospital he couldn't clearly say "I love you." He wasn't the same person to me, and he honestly wasn't the same person after that.
Parents were in an argument about my mom cheating when I was in third grade. Dad was on the floor crying after my mom pushed him down and he couldn't get up due the stroke. He told me he was going to kill himself right then and that he'd see me on the other side. He still says he's going to kill himself every time I talk to him.
Won the science fair in 7th grade with a project about overfishing that my partner didn't help with at all. Got a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card that I used to buy my dad Grateful Dead Monopoly.
First time I got high (junior year).
Got waitlisted to my dream school (a pricey and rigorous liberal arts school) and got in after writing a letter to the dean of admissions.
Went to my first music festival after graduation.
Got all As my first year in college.
Was offered a 10-week summer research project that paid $5,000. Just finished and am currently procrastinating writing the report that will be published in an academic journal.
Kjdii97 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:03:28 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Walking in on my parents screaming at one another. My father leaving because of an argument about laundry. My mother sobbing and me not being able to do anything about it. My suicide attempts. My meeting with the EMT who talked me down. Becoming an EMT so I can help others how he helped me.
commandy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:36:41 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My two best friends and I got horribly drunk one night at my parents lake house and we swam out to the middle of the lake during the dead of night. We all held hands, laid on our backs, let the water cover up our ears, and stared into the night sky. It was the middle of July and the water felt like a bath, and there were no boats out to disturb us. It was just us, the silence, and the open sky--far enough away from the city that you could see hundreds of stars. It felt as if we were floating in space.
sleepingmoon ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:18:41 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
.....until.....something brushed up underneath you....from deep within the dark, deep water.....
Widget28 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:56:26 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โขmy dad passing away. I was six years old when it happened. My mom and dad were divorced at the time so I rarely saw my dad. My mom sat me and my siblings aside and told us that our dad was found dead in a creek. It was suicide.
โขmeeting my first best friend. I was in the third grade when I met Nicole. We became fast friends. As the years went on I fell in love with her. The year after high school she met someone else and got married. I'll never forget how much it hurt knowing she never felt the same about me.
โขleaving the LDS church. I was raised my whole life in the church. When I turned eighteen I began to seriously question the religion. There years later I completely denounced the church and realized it was never real. That was the biggest eye opener of my life.
โขmoved out of my mother's house when I turned eighteen. She hated me for leaving her. It was almost a year before I made contact with her again. It was a hard time, but I think it made our relationship stronger.
โขa year ago I started seriously dating, finally getting over my low self esteem. I've met a few really awesome women but have yet to lose my virginity. I am twenty-four. When I find the right woman, that will be my next core memory.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:25:39 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
gresskar1 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 11:11:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
When my mom and dad told me they were getting a divorce.
When I found my brothers weed (which in hindsight isn't a big deal but it was then).
When the guy I liked and had hooked up with sent me a text asking me not to tell anyone as he would be mocked till the end of time if anyone knew.
When I realized I had gone from unpopular to popular.
When I realized that I was attractive.
Wenderbeck ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:02:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The last two I can remember as well. Realizing that I don't have to kiss ass and be friends with people that don't really care about me. "Losing the crutch" was how I remember thinking about it.
elendil21 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 10:43:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
9/11 is probably my only one
ThatPelican ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:03:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
9/11 was a turning point in human history. Its hard to see it now, but the world as it was before 9/11 cannot ever be emulated again. Well, at least not for a very long time.
sizah ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:42:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just that it was such a major shock/traumatic incident? Or were you there when it happened?
invisiblette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:05:54 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well, it's a huge one
RaPlD ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Did you lose someone? Or were you in town when it happened? Did it affect you somehow, like did you enlist or something because of it?
elendil21 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:21:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was in first grade and my mom came and got my friend and I out of school after the first plane hit. I remember walking by the teachers lounge and all the faculty were sobbing for some reason. Well, we got home Just in time to see the second plane hit and that messed me up for some reason. I asked my mom after we found out it was a terrorist attack, "are we gonna nuke them?" The next 2 years I wouldn't sleep on the top bunk of the bunk beds because I thought I would die first if a plane hit the house. Also, I had multiple paintings in art class that had planes crashing into buildings. For some reason it really got to me
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 12:51:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
nevr fogit
Shoutingchimp ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:57:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
To say that you're an asshole would be an understatement.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 02:00:20 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Then call me something that fits me better.
CakeBandit ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 13:50:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
MRUKA
OnyxPhoenix ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 13:32:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hillary?
LauraJ94 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:52:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) When I was younger and my father was alive I used to stay at his home on weekends. Every Friday he would come pick me and my older sister up we would go to the local super market and pick up the package meals, 9/10 it was the Chinese one as its my favorite! It was like a big bag with 3 main courses, side dishes the lot it was great. We would then go to the DVD store and rent Cats the Musical. I would then get right in the center of his huge couch and eat my food and watch the movie with my dad and my sister :) it is a great memory!
2) When I was younger I also had a egg shell collection. I would find little bird egg shells and love trying to find out what bird they came from and I had a fair few! I remember one time when I was about 8 sitting on my kitchen counter holding the jar that contain most of these watching my mum clean the counter with us both singing along to the Stone Roses music and just having a great time :)
JDogg_of_RS ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:53:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting a puppy when I was 6 because my baby brother wanted to "keep sleeping". He was still born, but I didn't learn this until 10+ yrs later.
The first day of kindergarten, being released into a crowd of other children who just wanted to play as much as I did.
My first kiss.
My first 99 skill on Runescape.
The overwhelming feeling of accomplishment when I cashed my first paycheck.
nel_wo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:54:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 7 years old my family and I hiked up ็ ๅญๅฑฑ (Lion Mountain) in Hong Kong. We saw a tiny opening with a stream on the left side of the trail. We squeezed ourselves through the opening and found a stream that trickled down from the very top of the mountain. There were baby ghost shrimps, fish, and salamanders living there. So my dad somehow fashioned a fishing net by ripping off his sleeves and tying it to a stick and we spent hours catching and releasing the animals.
I won the Hong Kong national solo-verse speaking championship for grade 4 - 6. I remember my teachers, my teammates, my mom and dad all jumping up and down and screaming their lungs out as I held the cup. I was the first person in my school, La Salle, to win that championship, and also the only guy in the championship and beat out all the girls. I remember that was the first and last time my dad said "I am so proud of you son, I feel like I am the proudest dad in the world."
I was 3 years old. I was playing Legos at home under the AC. My toy soldiers were defending against an onslaught of dinosaurs. My brother ran in and with one might kick destroyed my soldiers castle and then stomped on the dinosaurs. He killed them all.
I was 6. My dad is having an argument with my grandma. It was loud and I was hiding in the kitchen trying to avoid the commotion. I peeked out and saw my dad push my grandma on the ground. More yelling and shouting ensued. My maid just held on to me and took me to her room and told me stories about her home in Indonesia.
invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:08:18 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I like your maid. She was very compassionate and quick-thinking.
thereaderrunt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:03:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My sister's wedding, my high school prom, passing first year of university, and the firsts I've had with my boyfriend.
Rebelninja ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:04:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The night when my father passed away about 8 years ago. I was young and the whole event felt so surreal to me. I remember saying to my bathroom mirror reflection that everything will be fine. I didn't even burst out sobbing about it until I relived the memory a year later. It still feels like it has happened recently and yet I don't remember what his voice was like and what his personal preferences were.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:04:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-The day I figured out I wanted to be a physicist. -The day that my disabled sister said she wished she was dead, and crying with her after. -The day I figured out I was in love and wanted to marry him. -The day I came out to my parents. -The day they finally accepted me and my partner. I am still waiting and hoping this last one happens...
justkidding515 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:07:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bad ones: The afternoon that I came home from work the Friday before I started college and my dad asked me if I liked his friend Carol (who lived across the country). Then, him telling me he was leaving me to tell mom he was going while he got on a plane to CA.
Then driving to my brothers house so that I didn't have to tell mom alone.
A good one is the day I got engaged or the day I bought my first house!
somestupidloser ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:09:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Winning first place at the conference (think 12 schools) art show
The day I tore both knees and couldn't play contact sports anymore
Getting my first job out of college
My long term girlfriend just dumped me after a very rough year for me and my family. I don't really retain bad memories that well though, so I hope none of that stuff sticks with me for too long.
CompleteTriscuit ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:09:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
When I first arrived in the US at my host family's. I was so shocked by the acres of backyard. I didn't know people could live this way. With a giant cup of McDonald's soda still in hand, I fell in love with the country right there and then. Now I'm a US citizen.
Edit: that was from ten years ago.
mythighsyourearmuffs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:32:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:) McDonalds clinched the deal, eh? Haha. Where did you move from?
FrostedCereal ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:10:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Pooping my pants so I could spend more time playing in the sandpit and having to explain it to my mum when I got home.
Getting into university and my mum crying as we thought I wasn't going to get the grades.
Waking up naked on the toilet with my mate sat on the bath after I'd thrown up and pooped all over my sink and toilet.
Going to my first Wales Rugby game with my mum and dad.
My mum's death.
meklovin ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:15:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably my earliest memory from childhood. We were visiting my grandparents in the old country - my father emigrated 10 year earlier - on their farm. I've got 3 memories left. First one when my father and a couple of other men came backcfrom a hunt with a boar and how he told me he shot it. I knew he told shit and he knew that I knew. Second how my father took me out to the weed fields. Freshly mowed and my short legs were red and bruised from the scratches. I wined immensly but forgot about that the second I saw the massive combine on the hill. Joys of a child. Third how we were heading back from our visit and when I sawthe military guarding the bridge we were crosing, with rifles and tanks an shit. And the UN convoys. I asked my father what this was All about. He told me about the conflict how two groups of people are fighting about land and home. Naive as I was back then I asked why just can't one folks leave?
Two weeks later there was a big military Operation, my family down there fled and was displaced. Nothing was the same afterwards.
LogaansMind ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:16:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bit odd this one. Nov 2008, PDC in LA. I was in a presentation about .NET Interop (and some other bits) and realised I am better than I think I am, and I should think better of myself. I understood everything in the presentation that I thought would go over my head.
This needs a bit of explanation, I am quite a shy and timid person. I classed myself as a second class citizen, junior programmer (when junior was no where in the title) and I thought of myself as a bit rubbish.
Going to the PDC changed me. I stood shoulder to shoulder with guys more experience than I and I could hold a conversation. It made me strive to be the best that I can be. It made me more confident.
Judasthehammer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If I can build off of this, I worked help desk at my company for three years and pretty much always felt like I was behind even the new guys. But the moment when you finish a technically challenging call and knew the fix and sounded pretty dapper on the call to boot, I had a moment of "What a minute. I know what the heck I am doing! I rock!"
plzexplainthejoke ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:24:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For me it was when my family fell on hard times, and when I was about 4 years old we had to sleep in a daycare center for the night, because the owners were nice enough to keep us off the street. I remember so clearly seeing all those crates of toys, and not understanding why I couldn't play with any of them.
Those were rough times.
wingednazgul89 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:26:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Blue - Losing my grandma to stage 4 breast cancer.
Yellow - There's a couple of these,
The first time I went to disneyland. Me. Mum, dad, and a lot of other little cousins. I remember going nuts at the sight of all of my favorite cartoon characters and couldn't stop Yelling at the top of my voice "Disneyland! Disneyland!" so much so that the other younger cousins joined in and my mum went ballistic trying to shut us all up.
My first solo bike ride. The feeling of looking behind and seeing that dad wasn't holding up the bike anymore, I was the only one riding it.
The birth of my a friends daughter in April of this year, who I am now a godfather to. Holding her in my hands and seeing those little eyes open and look at me and the gurgling amd cooing of a little child, a complete bundle of joy.
Making a blanket fort with my best friend and Yelling "Moooooooom, cookies!" down the stairs.
The first time I met my fiancรฉ. And I knew she was the one for me.
Red - Being passed over for a promotion that should have rightfully been mine. All this after I worked nights and weekends to fix a pretty sizeable issue with a client and helped strengthen ties with them. My boss within my consulting firm them took all the credit and walked away with a bumped up salary, an insane bonus and a holiday paid for by the company.
androbot ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:26:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Commanduf ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:28:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A memory I have never forgotten no matter how old I get is the time I was the most bored I have ever been in my life.
My mum was taking me out in one of those push seat things, must have been like 3 and she runs into another mum doing the same and they start talking.
GOD, I don't know how long I was sitting there as I was too young to really account for time, I just know it was long and it was the most bored I have ever been.
Lardypoos2 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:29:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is great thread to read
Playing drums at my first show. Playing drums 15 years later to 20k people.
Being there with my Grandad when he took his last peaceful breath. Was an amazing experience as he lived a full life. He taught me so much and was an inspiration of character and integrity.
Parents divorced and were fighting for custody when I was 8. Mother, Brother and I lived in a small town in VA. Didn't see my Dad that often because he lived in another state. Brother and I had to go to a court room and say who we wanted to live with. Shittiest thing to ask a kid at 8/9 years old. Said Mother. Remember leaving Courthouse by myself very confused. Saw my Dad drive off, ran after his car, yelling his name, crying, didn't even get to see him that day.
DarthTeufel ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:30:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Its going to the hospital when my grandmom was getting her intestines taken out (she lost a couple of feet). There was a soda machine, that dropped a cup, then some ice, then filled it with soda. I was 3 yrs old and absolutely fascinated with this machine.
The_Dr_B0B ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:32:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For me, it was kind of therapeutic to think this through and force some memories out.
โข I got a day when my father woke up early some Sunday to make us breakfast and take us to church. It didn't mean as much then as it does now because I didn't know he had cancer yet, and that he would stop doing that.
โข Also a time I got high with some very close friends me had a blast walking through a little town eating some knick knacks in every restaurant we saw.
โข Or the day my mother accepted me as an atheist and told me that god wouldn't send me to hell no matter one.
โข Strangely, any day of being in my high school, where I was bullied. I would always feel safe regardless of the bullies, because I could escape home for a bit.
โข And perhaps more darkly, the day my father committed suicide after taking us to a park and giving us a last happy day. While it destroyed me, it was sadly relieving to know I would be able to mourn him then and leave the country to study the scholarship I had gotten, instead of spending his last days besides him while he withered away and got lost as the man I knew.
Brain cancer, bullying, abusive mother, drugs, loosing a parent, etc. they all were bad for me, but in their own way, they taught me something and made me who I am today. And for that, I am grateful.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:32:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
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invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:27:53 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's awful being a kid and hearing a grown man cry -- it seems impossible. Memories....
lilyrae ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:33:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My eldest sister bashing my other sister's head into a chair. An ambulance was called. Subsequently, when I saw my older brother and his friend fighting at another time, I immediately called 911 because 'that's what you're supposed to do.'
In Kindergarten we received pine saplings for Arbor Day. My mom and I planted it in the front yard, near the road. A week later my dad wasn't paying attention and mowed over it.
I woke up one morning to my parents screaming at each other, throwing plates and other things, some time around Christmas, as the tree was up. I recall telling my younger brothers that our dad pulled down our eldest sister's panties and had a knife, and that's why they were fighting. Dad went away for a while after that.
Playing Ski Free, Chips Challenge, and Betrayal at Krondor in my mom's small "apothecary" on our cutting-edge Windows (NT?) computer.
Eldest sister fighting with older brother. Other sister locking me, two brothers, and herself in the bathroom because S had gone crazy and was chasing my brother around with a knife.
Too many incidents of my older cousin playing "games" with me...
For my 8th birthday I received a stuffed bear from older brother. It was the best, and I named him Herman, because my mom had gotten me a cassette tape of Herman's Hermits, the oldies group. I loved that bear. Later that year we got lice and had to put him in the barn, in "quarantine." I never got him back.
Waking up in the middle of the night to my mother, grandfather, and other sister hugging in my room, with my mom crying. The next morning, other sister woke us up for school and got us out there. I found out after coming home from school that Mom's fiancee passed away next to her the night before. He was talking with her one minute, then his pacemaker died, and so did he.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:00:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:50:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Core memories are the memories that make up major facets of the character's personality.
8wdude8 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:01:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm reading the title over and over again.....and I still dont get it.
crok91 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:05:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That time my mother called me the parasite of her life. I was about 10.
SirPsychoSexy22 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:13:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine's a little boring, but Office is updating, so whatever.
My third summer camp. I had just started really hanging out with who would eventually be my lifelong best friends, and I could tell that we were going to be friends for a long time.
Going on a road trip with those same friends, about 6 years after our summer camp experience. We went through 12 states and that made me immediately want to see the world. Sadly I'm sitting here at my desk job in Atlanta.
Being in a band with another of my best friends (met him later). It was pretty short lived, and we sucked, but we had loads of fun, and I learned a lot about a lot of things during that time. Our guitarist ended up dying of a heroin OD, that brought the rest of us pretty close.
This is the bad one. Getting cheated on by someone who I thought loved me. Definitely raised my wall quite a bit for pretty much everyone.
My grandfather dying. That basically led to a downward spiral of craziness in my family, and ultimately ended up driving us apart. Not completely, but enough to where it affected our relationships.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:17:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
These are all moments that had a huge impact on my life, on the way I think or feel about things, or they signify something that was already very important to me.
Maybe there are more, but these are the first that come to mind...
EDIT: Just saw someone else mention this one, and it's one for me as well, though with different significance. My 11th birthday changed the experience of my birthday forever, since my 11th birthday was September 11th, 2001.
pinkwired ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:21:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I ever had sleep paralysis, I was about 7. I woke up in my parents bed. It must have been about 5 or 6am, I just couldn't move at all, I felt like someone was pushing down on my chest. It lasted for a couple of minutes and afterwards I just couldn't tell any one I thought I was crazy.
Getting a phone call during break at work from my older brother, to tell me him and my dad had to get our dog Lou put down.
The night I met my so sat in bed with her watching the notebook. I wasn't very interested in the movie, but it just felt right being next to her.
I was at my So's house watching something on TV and my phone rings. Its my dad and I can tell he is trying not to cry. He tells me my mum is dead, the first thing I said was "are you joking?" After I realised what was happening I just completely broke down. My so had to take the phone from me just to make sense of the situation.
The birth of my son. It was the greatest day of my life and watching him grow up gives me a reason to get up in the morning.
IamJenface ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:21:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If anyone asks me what my favourite happy memory is.. it's that. Still over 10 years later.. it's that. I will never forget it. Even now, despite seeing this band live over 90 times I can still never find the words to thank them for everything.
A few years before that I'd planned to kill myself. I'd set a date and everything. I'd written the letter. I did not want to be alive anymore. My mum found out that I'd planned all this and I was sent to an inpatient unit. As the day rolled round to my suicide, I realised that I wouldn't be able to do it in the hospital. In the week of my suicide attempt. I lay on the hospital bed, not eating or talking to anyone.
The day I graduated from university. It had been a long slog because half way through my third year I had a relapse with my eating disorder and nearly died again.. but walking across the stage brought my mum to tears. Something I'd never seen before.
The day I met my boyfriend. I immediately knew that he would be the one I'd probably spend the rest of forever with.
longhorn2015 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:26:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wish I had more happy core memories I just am so caught up in the moment whenever I don't feel sad because its such a rarity.
comeaumatt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:26:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
toekneeg ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:30:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This kid will be posting here in a few years:
https://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/4uo4f5/daddys_driving_the_train/?st=ir3i1tbq&sh=e8f7a3fc
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:30:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
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IntentionalTexan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:38:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Walking with a girl I liked. It started to rain but it was August in Texas so we kept going. We stopped and kissed in the rain and I decided to marry her.
FingerMilk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:42:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
2katlady ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:44:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first kiss. First grade underneath the dragon slide in the old wooden playground we called "the big back yard." I still remember his name. I cried when they tore everything down when I was 15.
My dad opening his beer over my head because he knew I shook it up before giving it to him.
Being a rebel and buying candy with all the money a friends mom gave us to buy syrup while we were camping. We walked back to the campsite the longest way possible and we were supposed to pack up and leave that day. My parents have never been so relieved to find me or so mad that I wandered off.
Going on a road trip to Texas from MA because my grandfather I never met had passed away. We were in an Embassy Suites hotel in New Orleans and I tricked an older boy into giving me his holo charizard for a plain old pikachu. My mom made me trade back even though I was adamant about saying "no trade backsies."
When my childhood dog died of cancer and our other dog couldn't go on without her. She just moped around the house, wouldn't go outside except to pee. One day I took her for a walk with my brother and she saw another dog that looked like Kelly. She nearly broke my arm trying to get this dog and was incredibly upset when she realized it was not her best friend.
The day my dad died my mom and I were off looking at a college. He called and we were talking to him. At the end of the call my mom said "I love you" to him. They had been divorced for 8 years and never said a nice word to each other any more.
Athletics115 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:44:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In 6th grade I was called to the school office and told to bring my stuff. I show up to see my dad waiting for me and asks if I'm ready for my doctor's appointment. I didn't know I had a doctor's appointment. When I got to the car I see my glove and A's hat on the seat. My dad drove us to a weekday day game. Lance Blankenship hit a double off the left field wall in his first at bat. On the way home, dad said, "We'll have to reschedule your doctor's appointment."
When I was 8 and my brother (14) and his friend ran off somewhere at the park. I went looking for them and found my brother receiving oral from his friend, I didn't know what was happening and then told to do the same thing. Started 4 years of molestation. (33 now, therapy for 3 years, now and in a better place than I've ever been mentally)
Making a save on a PK during the finals on the best player from the topped ranked team in our region as a sophomore on my Varsity soccer team. We won 3-2 and won the preseason tournament. I remember everything about that save and then the celebration at the end of the game with my teammates
Sitting at a Denny's with my friends and the girl I was in love with sitting next to me and under the table she reached over and held my hand. We weren't anything official yet, and she kept trying to friends zone me. It was the moment we started a journey that is 12 years and 3 kids deep now.
me and my best friend since Kindergarten playing home run derby in his back alley when we were 10 or 11. We would draft real players and have to hit like them (stance and everything) we would do this for hours and he would always win.
Chronically_cute ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:46:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My doctors sitting me and my brother down and telling us the reality of our chronic illness - that we'd likely need a lung transplant and our life expectancies were 30 years. That's the day I realized I was going to die, and CF was going to kill me.
My dad sitting me and my brother down (I hate sit downs) and telling us he was addicted to meth. I didn't understand at the time but that was the start of a very long, very painful chain of events that lead to me not wanting anything to do with him at all anymore.
Shortly after my fiancee (then boyfriend) asked me out, he came over to my house to watch scary movies. It was mid October, the air was cool, we had the windows open. He was my first boyfriend. We got halfway through the Omen before we fell asleep cuddled together. That day, I fell in love.
Now I'm feeling emotional and nostalgic. ;;
PIP_SHORT ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:49:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Following dad down to the lower barn to feed the cows. The snow was knee-height (to me), and the sun was just about to come over the horizon. The farm was in a small valley, and the sky was overcast and low, like a blanket over a child's fort.
The crunch-crunch sound as we walked through the snow, then the wave of warm air and cow smell when he opened the door. The cows getting excited that the humans were here to feed them.
I did this every morning, before school, while all my friends were sleeping. I wouldn't trade the memory for anything.
mellontree ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:51:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Being about two or three and being in bed with my mum one morning. Her being tired and wanting to sleep just a little longer (single mum working multiple jobs) and asking me to lay sill and stroke her back. The sunlight streaming in above the curtains while my arm ached and I stroked her back and breathed slowly so as not to disturb her. I remember feeling like I couldn't lay still enough and I was worried I'd let her down, I'd not be good enough.
Being on the back of my mums bike in a child seat and her putting my helmet on then knocking on the top of it and saying 'tough nuts are hard to crack.'
Going out for breakfast one morning with my stepdad, just me and him. Feeling special while eating shitty supermarket breakfast, but worried about doing or saying the wrong thing and spoiling it.
Standing at the top of the stairs with my younger sisters listening to our parents argue. Having my very old mobile in my hand with two 9s dialled and ready to press the third 9 in case he hit her.
Going out for a bike ride with my first crush. Feeling free and bursting with vitality as we sped down the track, then laying with him in the middle of a ripe cornfield in hot summer, everything golden and exquisite, sharing kisses and feeling utterly entranced at being wanted.
Sitting outside the hotel with my husband on our wedding night, feeling like a beautiful princess and listening to him tell me all the ways in which he loved me and the feel of his warm skin against mine. Just us and a bottle of champagne, quiet all round, his deep blue eyes and feeling finally worth something meaningful.
Holding my (step)dads hand at his dads funeral, the man who abused me as a child, and telling him I was there for him and I'd support him. That feeling of calm transcendence at the service, feeling my inner strength and being at the centre of my family's linked hands, and passing my strength down to them. At the meal after when he was unsure about making a speech, telling him that I understood he had lots of memories of his dad before he found out he was a paedophile, and that he should do a speech and honour and mourn for the dad he missed. My (step)dad doing his speech and telling everyone there how proud he was of me.
ricardo_lacombe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:14:56 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for sharing these
mellontree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:19:08 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your welcome. It was a very interesting question.
aquamafia ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:52:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The night three of my budgies died due to Teflon poisoning. My last budgie survived and was just as grief stricken as our family.
The day I got into a massive argument with my two older sisters when I was 12. We made up and ever since then, we actually bonded as siblings.
The first time me and my best friend hung out at her place and played Tales of Vesperia in her movie room.
The night my sister and I hung out at Sonic and really talked about college, life, and our struggles with depression.
The night my sister committed suicide. Also the day of her burial, especially our close friends standing in a circle and holding hands by her grave.
Telling my close friends that I'd also been depressed and suicidal for years and them promising that they'd help every way they could (and they did!)
The day I adopted my Nanday Conure, Fluffy. She's a rescue nobody handled due to aggression. Now she's a total cuddle bug and is the reason I'm happy to wake up each day. Pic of her first day home: http://m.imgur.com/SimZXFm
fembotcosmonaut ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:53:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Finding a small meadow in the woods at 6, sun shining through the tall trees casting rays down toward the vibrant green grass and feeling inner peace for the first time.
My mother kicking me in the stomach when I refused to stop crying one morning before school
My mother's stony face in court as she signed her rights away to my estranged father after I decided to live with him.
Meeting my best friend in Spanish Class, becoming friends over out mutual hatred for everyone in the class with us.
Taking apart my first computer, smelling the sharp scent of ozone, the fascinating little black chips and the smooth circuits. Falling in love with technology.
Sitting on the front porch of my first apartment watching the peach blossoms falling off the trees while I had an existential crisis that led me to break up with my ex-boyfriend, quit my job, and move away.
My boyfriend and I driving hours to another city to pick up a puppy, making stupid jokes about the names of creeks and landmarks in the remote areas that we passed on our way there. Laughing until tears streamed down our faces and our cheeks hurt from smiling.
David Bowie's Major Tom hitting it's crescendo as I take my husband's hand after walking down the aisle, his eyes full of happy tears.
iwearsassypants ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:55:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-playing on the scale version of the Mississippi at Mud Island and realizing I had no memory of arriving there. That was the first moment I realized I had memory issues. They're much easier to handle now, by placing cues everywhere.
-my mom asking me which family friend I would want to live with if she died when I was seven.
-meeting my fiancรฉ back when we were freshmen in high school and he didn't know how to open a locker
-kissing my fiancรฉ for the first time a year after the locker incident and realizing that it's okay if we just enjoyed each other's company instead of having sex. I had a rough, twisted, and scary introduction to sex and relationships just a couple months before (and lasted a while longer than I would have liked) but the sweet man I'm marrying has slowly shown me through the years of growing up together what true love means.
ncoomer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:55:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well I have a few, but this one sticks out to me in particular. I was a little child and I had gone with my parents to see the rest of the family. While the other children went around and played with the others, I chose to stay behind and hang out with one of my other cousins who wasn't so athletically inclined, just as I was myself. I had resolved to read a book, and my cousin to simply play around in the dirt. Now, I hate to say this, but the particular cousin that I was sitting with, was a bit of a special boy. He wasn't born with a full deck, so to speak. So while he was in the dirt, he picked up a rock and started smashing some of the bugs. Relentlessly, one after another. I thought and thought, and I just could not figure out why he was doing it. I asked him and he did give me a very coherent response. He simply continued to smash the bugs. You know, as I recount these events I just hope that meaningless violence like that displayed by my cousin can be avoided as I go with my queen to conquer Westoros.
nivolu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:56:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was young, I was homeless with my brother, Dad, and Mom. One day we were at the beach and I remember my Dad asking a man for a lunchable for my brother and I to eat. The guy gave it to him and I asked my parents if they wanted any. They said they were not hungry even when I knew they were to allow my brother and I to have more. I'll never forget that.
DoUNoTheNME ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:57:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This question has stirred so many memories in my head, and it's too difficult to get them down in writing (or typed out, whatever). But now I'm an overwhelmed, tear-y mess. I'm smiling, laughing and crying all at the same time.
rayallen73 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:58:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My uncle Martin holding me upside down with my feet on the ceiling. We have a picture somewhere of it. If I find it I'll add it to this comment.
Jaylan96 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:59:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was one of six kids in 3 Jr high schools that made both the varsity choir and varsity band at the high school we were all merging into as a sophomore. The choir was slated to go to Italy the following year and sing at The Vatican. It was the best high school music program in the state. Then one day after school near the end of my freshman year my mom say me down and told me we were moving to a different city, 3 hours away. I'd have to choose choir or trumpet because the new high school didn't have the same programs. And it was too late to make the varsity of either. Everything had been working towards was gone.
The day my grandmother called me fat.
The day I saw my little brother get thrown to the ground by a local kid. They'd wanted to fight and I was going to watch. When he went down, I jumped in and kicked that kids ass.
The day my dad told me to "wipe that garbage off your face". It was the 80s and Ozzie Smith (short stop for the cardinals) was in his prime. I had written "Ozzie rules" in face paint on my face at summer camp. My dad thought I was referring to Ozzie Osborn.
Chasegold19 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:01:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My brother, Dad and I picking out our now 15 year Black Lab when she was a puppy
My Dad crying and giving me a big hug when he picked me up from school on 9/11
Finding out that my Mom got breast cancer
Getting the phone call from my Dad to tell me that our Golden Retriver had died (It was really unexpected and he was only 8)
Skateboarding with my friends all day in the summer when I was a teenager
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:01:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
in no partocular order of importance:
hiking the kalalau trail when I was 15 or so. such an amazing hike and truly gave me a greater appreciation for the outdoors I have carried with me today
when I was in 8th grade I ran for 13 miles out of nowhere. I just wanted to. I was running with a middle school track team where we practiced 2 times a week but I felt like just running that day. running has always been a big part of my life and is something I need to do at this point.
when this one girl lead me on for 2 months before saying she never liked me at all and thought I was an annoying piece of shit. blah blah blah that summer was some shit but I feel I grew a lot from that situation and came out a better person. or at least that's what I tell myself when I get nostalgic about the good times I had. She was the devil and i'm happy I havnt seen her since.
I had this close friend (elementary school) who lived down the street form me who every day after school I would hang out with and most days in the summer I would leave after breakfast and we would do anything and everything. There were just a lot of great moments I had from playing baseball with a diet coke can till it exploded to hosting a 1v1 basketball tournament with 20 neighborhood kids coinciding with march madness.
getting rejected from a magnet high school where my older brother went to and was ranked in the top 5 high schools for a long time. I was smart enough to handle the workload but I was bale to go to my regular public high school and loved it a lot more than I would have liked this super hard core school. Ended up pretty good as well without it.
fuzzyduckies ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:05:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know this will be buried but this is such a great prompt.
Growing up, our family always went to my grandparent's condo in Florida. One day, it was just my Papa and me; my brother, grandmother and parents had gone golfing or something. He took me to see the manatees and there was a little park nearby that I was much more interested in. I sat in the little play clubhouse, playing "store", handing my Papa leaves and pretending they were money in exchange for wood chips and rocks that he bought. He passed away a few weeks ago and this memory comes back into my mind a lot.
When I was about 7, I pulled my sisters arm out of the socket when I was dragging her across the floor, playing a little too roughly. Her arm got pulled out of the socket twice more that summer.
My earliest memory was walking to the corner store by myself in my diaper when i was about 2. My mom walked my brother to school every day and I wanted to follow them. The man who worked at the realty agency connected to the corner store picked me up and walked to my house since he recognized me. I wasn't scared at all, but thinking back, things could have been really bad.
My parents never gave us presents for "St. Nick's Day" growing up. Living in an upscale neighborhood and going to catholic school, I was in the minority. Kids at school bragged about their new CDs or movies or clothes that they got that morning, and I remember just sitting there and crying. This was in 3rd grade. After class was over, my teacher called me to her desk and gently told me that sometimes St Nick comes at Christmas instead, and to be patient and wait for my presents until then. She was an amazing teacher and always made me feel very safe and calm. It also made me realize how spoiled kids in my town were and how my parents raised me right.
catsandicecream ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:05:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
my core memories of inside out are mostly youtube. though in high school i did see No Spiritual Surrender in the used bin but i didnt buy it.
Ratchet31 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:06:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My earliest memory is from when I was 2-3 years old, I was standing in my bedroom and my father rubbing anti-itch ointment on me because I had the chicken pox.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:06:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My dad went on a business trip to Boca Raton when I was 2 and he brought my mom and I. My first memory is me chasing around lizards at the hotel, while there was a big pool slide in the background.
Playing hide and seek in the warehouse of the construction yard where my dad worked one Saturday with him and my 2 brothers.
When I met the kid who would bully me up through sixth grade when he went to a private school. He wasnt nice and I couldnt figure out why.
2 eighth graders shaking the bus because they could when I was in first grade. I was so scared they were going to tip it.
My friends older brothers burnt down their house.
9/11, we were at recess out on the side of a hill next to some steps when suddenly we got ushered inside early. When I got home my parents were sitting in front of the tv crying.
Called some girl a fuking retarded bitch in fifth grade. She left me alone after that, but I was really scared she was going to tell on me.
Got in a fist fight with one of my bullies best friends in 7th grade in the back of the bus. The friend and I were cool after that. Later that year I fought 2 eight graders during middle school hockey practice. It wasnt exactly fair because they couldnt really skate.
When it became clear that I was going to either fail out of college or have to drop out. On the same note, getting back in was better than getting in for the first time.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:13:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if typo, but if not, it's Boca Raton.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:24:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ya typo ty
destinyvendetta ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:06:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad was either bored or sick of our shit so he sat my (then 12) and my brother (10) down and told us we were about to watch a very life changing important movie. Aka 'The Last Castle'. I took it in trying to figure out wtf he was talking about so I could use it in every day life. Five years after I asked him about it and he informed me he'd never seen or heard of the movie...
Road trip to California to spread my dad's ashes. It made me realize what I want out of life and how I'm going to attempt getting there. He was always so health conscious and after he died it kicked me into becoming healthier.
Wenderbeck ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:07:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I need to stop reading these damn FEELS grenades at work... You win this time Reddit.
radruzzie ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:07:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
crawling on the floor under a coffee table
getting stoned with rocks by the neighbor kids
dad driving off telling mom shed never see her kids again and her face as she peeled from the hood of the car
the morning i got home and my brother told me my girlfriend was dead
getting arrested in front of the whole school for something i was later acquitted of.
Summer night on the deck of my house together with my fiance having a beer. Bills paid, home clean, a cool breeze but not too cool.
graduating college. my whole family was there except dad but thats ok. Friends, family, my grandpa was like my dad since he left and he was so proud.
geak78 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:07:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) My father talking about his love for big cats especially black jaguars. This made me want to study big cats in Africa and determined which college I'd attend. Spoiler, I completely changed directions in college.
2) Horrid start to 7th grade which helped me come to the realization that what other people think of me isn't that important
3) Seeing my wife for the first time. She was sitting on an upturned laundry basket in a closet of her dorm room.
4) Starting a forest fire at my bachelor party
5) Finding out my wife was pregnant on April Fools Day
6) Seeing my son for the first time
Planetoidling ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:07:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lying in bed as my dad would tell bedtime stories about his best friend, O'Johny the worlds biggest elephant.
Spring break and going on a cruise with all of my best friends. I got so sunburned and so sick that I was just a pitiful mess most of the time, but I still had one of the best times of my life.
On the final night of Hell week as I stood among my pledge brothers, getting initiated into our fraternity. I was so sick and exhausted I could barely stand, but I pressed on because my hard work was finally paying off. I called my dad that night and told him I made it in and he seemed happier than I was! He was in the same fraternity while he was in college.
Winning the national championship with my team. We worked our assess off that season and a lot of people really didn't want us to win. As we scored the final point all I can remember was how it turned from "just another game" mentality to "holy shit were the best in the country" in a split second. Charging the field and congratulating everyone is something I'll never forget.
ThinkingOfYou75 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:08:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tnthle123 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:08:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first night during a two week rafting trip in the Grand Canyon, I woke up because the moon was shining so brightly on my face. I wanted to look at the sky forever.
The breeze filtering through the windows and the sun on my face as I drove around the countryside with my first boyfriend, taking random turns
Going to a recording of SNL for my eighteenth birthday. I was in awe of Kristen Wiig.
The sound of applause after my scene as Yenta the Matchmaker in Fiddler on the Roof when I was a middle schooler
Sitting at the kitchen table with my mom and finding out I had cancer
When my brother threatened to kill himself, the strain of his voice filling the house
Driving out to a random suburb with my best guy friends during my freshman year of college and playing laser tag, then sitting in the car drinking McFlurries afterwards.
When friends from different circles surprised me on my birthday this year in front of the library with sparklers and cookie cake
ExcitedAlpaca ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:08:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is such a fascinating question, I just wish i could participate. The more I think about it, the less I remember about my childhood. My parents are good folks, I had nice friends... but nothing. I don't remember anything or maybe nothing has made an impact.
This is a very... alienating feeling. Damn, maybe I should think about this a little more...
SchleppyJ4 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:08:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not one individual memory per say but a mishmash of memories of my parents, as well as the only grandparents. Just a big mishmash of the little things that give me warm fuzzies.
HeyThere19991 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:08:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Honesty, beating the shit out of my bully when i was 16, I have never felt so fulfilled in my life which is pretty sad but at least I can always remeber I broke that fuckers nose.
vacuousaptitude ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:08:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember most of the details of my life that are of any kind of significance so it's hard to pick out which are the most important. My memories start at about 18 months of age, and after about 6 or 7 they're nearly 'complete' to everything that would fill in any time. So I guess here's a few that stand out when thinking about this question. All but the last one seem to involve me learning some lesson or something fundamental about myself.
When I was 4 years old at my dad's grocery store, I pushed a neat looking button. Turns out it was the panic button when someone comes to rob the store. My dad asked if it was me and I couldn't say anything at all. I couldn't speak or move. I didn't get in trouble but it felt like a lie and I feel really bad about it to this day.
Before I was permitted to leave home for my first day of preschool I was made to recite my multiplication tables up to the tens.
When I was in kindergarten there were a group of my friends making silly animal noises at lunch. I participated. The teachers told us to stop so I stopped. My friends did not stop. After lunch the teachers told everyone to stand but those making noises to stay seated. I figured I should half way stand up as I had made the noises but stopped when asked the first time, so I was squatting over my chair awkwardly. Those sitting were made to miss recess and got a lecture. That also felt like a lie and I feel bad about it to this day.
In fourth grade I went to the vending machine and got myself a soda, an extra quarter came out with the change, I thought this was cool so I got an extra soda for one of my friends with this quarter. After I sat down one of my classmates came up to me and said that she had put her change into the machine as I was getting my drink and it must have come out in the change bin and that she wanted it back. I was confused by this as I don't remember anyone reaching over my shoulder but I apologized and explained that I thought the machine had fed out extra change and had already purchased a soda for my friend. She demanded that I pay her back, I told her that I didn't have any more money and that I was sorry for the misunderstanding and I would pay her back tomorrow. I guess she really wanted a soda and went to the teacher, a substitute so he didn't really know my reputation of being a kind person that does shit like randomly buying my friends soda with my spare money and believed the story that I had somehow stolen this girls money. I explained my side of events but he didn't believe me, and it just so happened that during the english lesson he was leading that way the words steal and thief were used in the sample sentences. He looked directly at me and said those words very loudly when they came up. I find it strange that a 50 year old man felt the need to publicly shame a 9 year old kid who had a reasonable explanation for a misunderstanding over the matter of twenty five cents, but I cried about it after class.
When I was in seventh grade there was a group doing a model stock trading thing we were doing to teach us about investments and interest. There weren't enough seats for all four of us so I elected to stand. I was the smallest in the group of the four of us and the shortest as well. The tallest girl was at the time probably about 165cm/5'6" to my 150/4'11 and more than 10kg/20lb heavier than me. She told me that she wanted me to be sitting instead of standing and I thought this was really weird and I told her no it's alright I can stand it's no big deal. She told me that her mom said she was tall because she stood a lot and so I should be sitting. I sat there trying to figure out why someone would care how tall I was, while saying 'no it's really okay' when she came over and slapped me in the face for not sitting down. Hard enough to make me cry. The same day at recess she had one of her friends come over and ask me out. It made me very nervous for a number of reasons I stammered something out about not being ready/allowed to date and that I wouldn't until I was in college (which did in fact hold true so it wasn't a lie) and she never spoke to me again. She went to a different school the next year and I don't know what happened with her. I think if she would have asked me herself I probably would have said yes. Makes me wonder if she could tell things about me I didn't even know yet at that age. I mean yeah I guess so right.
This one is much more recent, this year in fact, but the first time I saw her face when I got off the boat at the harbour, after all we'd been through over the past nearly 2 years to get there. She was sitting on a bench smoking a cigarette, she had sunglasses on that seemed to hide half her face, a knit cap that covered the top of her head, and she was sitting behind a corner mostly obscured. But I still knew it was her immediately, and despite being at the farthest possible doorway and there being many other people she looked over immediately at me. I started walking toward her and of course a crowd of the slow moving tourists pours out of the door in front of me. Over a hundred, as I tried awkwardly to be both sufficiently deferential as to be polite, and sufficiently assertive as to get through this crowd before I had to stand there all day so I could get to her. It was maybe thirty to fourtyfive seconds that I had to wait, she remarked later about my awkwardly standing there trying to figure out when to go and smiling at her, as well as her surprise that I had recognized her so quickly. I got to hug her for the first time after I got through that crowd, I'll never in my life forget it.
capoking ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:09:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father put me on Duke Kahanamokuus paddle board at Waikiki Beach at the old Outrigger canoe club[1950] next to the Moana. Getting shots to go to Hawaii{because it was a territory} smelling surfboard resin on the repair sites of the outrigger canoes
FirebendingSamurai ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:09:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For being "Core memories", it's hard for me to think of any more.
Reddit_Bork ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:09:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father paying the guys who worked for him to sit around a park for an hour while he watched my soccer game.
Being so introverted and shy that my first year at camp had me literally curled up and crying in my bunk.
Winning a math competition against people in my highschool who were two years older than me, and then having the award given to the person who got the second highest score. The teacher running it hated me.
Getting my 365 (old Canadian learner's permit) and my brother pulling over to the side of the road on the way home and letting me drive.
Being rushed to the hospital (yet again) after falling out of a tree on Mother's Day and breaking my arm. Sorry mom!
Climbing trees with an arm cast on.
After the cast comes off, calling to my mother to come see what I was doing. As I hung by my arms off of a tree branch about 20 feet up.
Any time my wife smiles at me.
Shortly after my father died, I had my son sitting on my shoulders for the first time. I showed him what he looked like up there in a mirror, and he laughed so hard I couldn't stop laughing. And then I started crying uncontrollably.
Getting my karate black belt.
Running my first Tough Mudder with my brother and some friends. I was in shape, but most of them were in marathon shape.
Being too small to carry a 5 gallon bucket of sap when collecting on my grandfather's sugar bush, so I was given the job of driving the tractor pulling the wagon instead. Somehow it didn't end up being directed by Michael Bay.
Jdhook96 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:09:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-The realization of how quickly life can be taken away. My father dropped at work from a seizure which later was discovered to be caused by an abscess the size of a golf ball. This brought along many months later the loss of the home in which I spent the first 14 years of my life, as well as the separation of my parents. He had multiple seizures a month. I fondly remember one major in which he was hospitalized for a week unconcious. I stayed by his side nearly the whole time, I couldn't let myself leave. He has been seizure free for a little over a year now. -graduation day. Of the 4 of us kids who made it to highschool, I was the second to graduate. Freedom.
Fockles ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:09:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Coming home from a island Fair with my aunts, uncle, and grandma to see my other grandparents had gotten home from up north. I was 5, and had been asking for a pup of my own. I ran inside and asked my grandpa if he got me a puppy, he said no, so 5 yr old me was upset and ran back to my room to see a big square object covered in a blanket. I uncovered it and there was my sweet girl Daisy, my Golden puppy who was with me from when i was 5 till i was a sophomore in high school. Happiest memory. She was my best friend.
Coming home when i was very young to see police coming to my home and arresting my grand father for drug relations 5 years prior. had been clean for those 5 years.
Going with my dad to hunting shows, and seeing a baby black bear cub. I got to hold it and feed it with a bottle. Started my love for bears. I was an only child and even though i wasn't much into hunting like my dad, it was something i really enjoyed doing with him.
Seeing my SO for the first time. We had started dating before we had hung out at all. My aunt dropped me off at the Island in town and he was supposed to be down by the Ice Cream shop, but he was actually sitting at the picnic table. We were very shy and awkward and walked the ledges that afternoon, then walked to the coffee shop, then walked back down to the gazebo on the island and then got pizza by nightfall. I just remember us trying to hold hands and we couldn't stop laughing because our height difference made it a bit difficult. I'm 5'3/5'4 and he's 6'3. It's been almost 6 years. We don't have kids, and aren't married, but i would never change anything
Our first kiss. Sitting on the couch watching his favorite childhood movie the Brave Little Toaster. He turned my head and just kissed me out of the blue. It was sudden, and i wasn't prepared but i couldn't stop laughing but he was as nervous as i was and it was adorable.
when we first relaized i had asthma as a child. I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't breath. It was dark, i was a kid, and i couldn't breath. I remember gasping for breathe and crawling across my bedroom floor to get to my moms room to get her. I was like a gasping fish.
When someone turned off the pump to one of those big inflatable slides. i got stuck inside of it when it started deflating and started having a panic attack because i was stuck init and couldn't get out.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:09:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 7. spent the weekend at my grandparents house. My grandma gave me 2 bowls of fruit loops. I ate one and a half. I screamed and cried for an hour but she never let me leave the table till I finished the bowl. The only time anyone was able to force me to do something I didn't want to do.
"Quitters never win. Winners never quit." - Sensei Rod my martial arts instructor.
"Your bipolar is never an excuse. You need to learn to live with it." -my mom
Visiting Maine and staying in a cabin for my family reunion. The loons sounded so beautiful that I cried.
12 years old. The first time I helped butcher a cow. When they slaughtered it, they wanted to keep the heart for stew. My father had me carry a fresh cow heart to the house. I had warm blood up to my elbows. Even though it was my first time seeing death and blood and bone I wasn't scared, I felt proud that I was helping.
My first kiss was on a buss on the way to school. She was 16 I was 14.
My sister ripped the school library's copy of an early edition of the complete collection Sherlock Holmes. She did it on purpose just to push my buttons. I seriously considered brutally beating her till she passed out. I screamed so loud I tasted blood. I didn't attack her.
Randomn355 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:10:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Onenif my all time favourite memories involves my grandmother, who I very rarely saw as she lived in Malaysia and I'm in the UK.
I'm half chinese/English and my parents split up when I was very young ao I've had a very Chinese upbringing. We were at a Chinese cash and carry which was a very normal occurrence and my grandma was looking at the different fish the English guy working there asked if she needed help, she declined.
Later, his boss was passing and asked her if she needed help (I've chinese). When she engaged him he turned to the English guy and scolded him in Chinese asking why he didn't help the lady. He replied, saying he did.
My grandma just said 'wah! You speak Chinese?!'
For the record, she could speak fluent English she just didn't want to.. haha everytime it pops into my head it makes me giggle :)
hobbycollector ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:10:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Poked in the eye is my earliest memory. I was standing in a crib or playpen.
Decided to make a satellite at 7. Had no idea what it was, but parts from an old toy tank seemed relevant.
Got a pedal-powered tractor at some point for Christmas. It was awesome.
Told my dad I didn't need kisses anymore, let's just shake hands.
Saw my first computer at my dad's work. He programmed this room-sized machine to play tic-tac-toe on paper, which was the first time I'd played a "video" game. He explained abstraction to 8-year-old me (rotations of the board are the same, so there are really only 3 first moves) and it made some sense.
It was time to go to church, but I wanted to keep playing with my tower-plastic donut-stack thing. In retrospect it may have been my younger sister's. Anyway, I said "I'll put it in the oven for an hour," and we left.
My mom having a cub scout meeting at our house. She was the den mother.
My mom selling tupperware.
Driving in the car, all 7 of us, dad smoked but didn't stop, throwing up out the window.
Got caught in a lie at a gas station. Can't remember what it was, probably I played with something I shouldn't have, but I remember how disappointed my dad was. I don't lie much as an adult (unless it's to be nice).
Took apart a cuckoo clock at my grandfather's house to see how it worked.
Edit: one more. My sister was mad at my brother, so we decided to throw all his stuff off the second-floor balcony. Bed and everything. It was fun, but afterward my mom came home and one of us had to distract her while the rest of us carried it all back up the stairs.
Tobeatkingkoopa ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:11:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Staring at my sister in the baby ward when I was 2.
Going to a K-Mart in the late 80's and my Mom bought me Disney Bubblegum. I think I was 4.
Kissing a girl on the bus in Kindergarten and having to get sent to the back of the bus where no one was allowed. I still remember the girl's name
Filling my pants in 2nd grade because I was sick, in Gym class, playing Jump the Skunk.
In 5th grade I got into my first fight with a kid named Joe because he pushed my friend. I remember telling him he looks like a wiener.
In 8th grade I remember my first crush and how devastated I was because her parents wouldn't let her date me because of their religion. I cried. I remember the 8th grade class trip and how much fun I had.
In sophomore year of High School I had my first bad grade so I came up with an elaborate plan to photocopy my report card into an A. It worked.
Had my first relationship Senior year, only to get hurt because she slept with my best friend at the time. I never forgave him.
My first real job and how excited I was.
The first girl I fell in love with and giving each other songs, only to have it end in heartbreak. I still can't listen to those songs to this day.
I remember way more than I probably should in my life. It's a blessing and a curse, but those are just some of my core memories.
Big9erfan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:11:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was about 10 and we took family vacations up to the local mountains during the summer to fish and relax and just get away from the summer heat. Sometimes we'd all go fishing but this time it was just my dad and me. We got to the lake nice and early and got "our" spot as he called it. The fishing was very slow until we heard the telltale sound of the stocking truck. I told my dad I wanted to hike a bit around the lake closer to where the truck was going to stock the fish. He reluctantly allowed me to go. I was out of view very quickly and came up to where the truck was preparing to stock the lake. I positioned myself nearby and waited. They released the fish and I began casting out my lure and bringing it back in. Within about 20 min I had caught 5 fish and had them on my stringer and started walking back. That's when I heard my dad whistle for me. Just then I turned the bend to see him and he saw me holding up this bunch of fish. He was so proud, he let out a hoot and chuckled.
I was 14 my childhood dog had to be put down. It happened when I was at school so I didn't know until I got home. Other than my grandfather who had passed when I was 5 (and I didn't "get" death then) it was the first time I'd been exposed to death and the pain it brought.
age 20 and my first super serious girlfriend. Ended up marrying her at age 24....and then divorcing her at age 27. She had cheated. Several times. That screwed me up for a bit.
my dad passed away. That shook me to my core. It was a massive heart attack and nobody was prepared for it. Still miss him almost daily and it's been almost 8 years now.
meeting the woman I would eventually marry and remain married to
meeting my son after right after he was born. My wife had a c section and some minor complications so he and I got a long bit of 1 on 1 time that fits two hours of his life. Watching him grow up this last year and a half has been amazing.
finding out we're going to have another baby
Mostly good...some bad.
thrwaway939 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:11:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad slamming me against a brick wall, because it was storming, so I ran out of his truck without closing the door.
My dad looking at me like I'm stupid, when I couldn't figure out how to use my breaks on my bike.. so I ran into his truck door and sprained my arm.
My grandfather trying to break into my room at 2 am and rape me.
Some kid throwing soda on my pants at school and getting teased for the entire year about "pissing myself.
Kids at school getting my parents called saying I was being bad. So my mom came to my school and yelled at me.
My dad threatening to kill me for opening a bag of dog food.
Hiding in the closet so my dad wouldnt hit me.
My grandmother and discussing how stupid I am to my grandfather due to me failing school. (Never did my work because I was depressed over the abuse.)
My grandmother killing my pet, because I didn't "deserve him."
The first day I played Pokemon.
My teacher telling the class about what was said. My grandparents asked if there were any bad black people in the school. Where I'm from you got hurt for being white.
My first love ghosting me.
Hanging out at the park until 5 am with my best friends.
That stupid bitch stealing my boots.
elmo274 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:12:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is it bad to not have any core memories like what people up there have? I don't have anything significant that has affected me and it feels like I'm just an emotionless walking bag of meat...
undercover_batgirl ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:12:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my core memories is being taken to see Santa at the mall as a kid. My sister and I got our picture taken, and we were asked what we wanted for Christmas. My sister said some popular toy at the time. When asked what I wanted, I replied with, "I just want everyone to be happy," because there was always some sort of BS going on at our house.
joshuad80 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:12:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
best friend was hit and killed by a bus when I was 5.
my idle curiosity got boys banned from my best friends room forever.
house burned down when I was six. Dad joined the army to get by because we couldn't afford to get back on our feet.
stayed with my grandparents for 3 months while he was in Basic. Ate my first sugary cereal because my grandpa was awesome. But that, among other aspects of staying with them, also began my descent into awful eating habits as well.
the 'haunted tree' out by the house in Norfolk. Scared the hell out of me
getting on the wrong bus to go home at my new school
my older brother was picking me up and the bullies at school were picking on me. So he got in a fight with them. I ran home to get mom.
six flags over Virginia(?). The Big Bad Wolf was the only coaster I'd go on because I was scared of loops. It was a really chill hanging coaster that was a real blast.
got in a shoving match with a girl. She was winning, so one of the aforementioned bullies kicked her ass. They never picked on me again.
the drive home to Portland from Texas in a uhaul. The Doberman was poorly trained and was aggressive. He took up most of the space, and bit me and my brother both once or twice. I'm cautious with dogs even though I love them.
my brother and I caught my dad cheating. Ran and told mom.
our first welfare Christmas. It was the biggest Christmas we'd ever had. I got a gamegear with a broken power adapter, but it still worked with batteries.
dad finally left. Mom moved directly in with one of her coworkers. We spent the next six months the getting to know him. He was amazing. Loved us like his own kids. After a year, they got married. My brother and I gave her away. 3 months after the wedding he was hit and killed on his motorcycle on his way to work by a negligent driver. The driver owned a construction company, and we got a quarter million dollar settlement two years later. Mom bought a house and property, and we went on an epic vacation to Disney World for a month. I ate churros. So many churros.
dad started living with us again. Not back with my mom, just didn't like paying rent. This went on and off for a very long time, until the tables turned, my mom lost the house and is now living with my dad.
at 18, I left home and went to Texas for a year. I attended a Christian fundy internship with a now defunct ministry call Teen Mania. They flicked me up, but I met the guy who would become my best friend and help me break a lot of the chains that my fundy upbringing and the internship put on me.
in 2008, the stock market tanked. I worked for Sprint in a retail store, and they were downsizing. So I got laid off with a nice severance package. At 24 I took the opportunity to go to college.
met my wife. The single best day of my life. It still makes me smile.
married my wife. A bittersweet day, because it wasn't what we wanted. Too manual politics and people there we didn't care about. And my grandpa, who was in the early stages of congenital heart failure.
visited grandpa at the nursing home. Helped him to and from the toilet. The nurse needed help and didn't tell me how to use the strap. I squeezed his chest and think I may have hurt him.
grandpa died.
I got my first dog. A Boston terrier rescue. She's the most consistent thing in my life.
that time I told Reddit all my core memories.
thecoachtaylor ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:12:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The last time I saw my grandpa in person he told me how proud he was of me, died suddenly a few months later and I'll never forget the way he said he was proud of me.
Scout_022 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:13:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I drank a bee that was inside a can of coke during a birthday cookout party when I was a kid
Almost hitting 3 different volvos when I was allowed to drive alone for the first time. that's the kind of suburb I live in.
my Grandfather teaching me that I can pee outside after my mom so laboriously taught me that I need to pee in the porcelain thing in the bathroom.
seeing the view from the tippy top of breckenridge mountian for the first time. the rockies are goddamn amazing. they make the mountians here on the east coast look like little hills.
that time I expressed my feelings and tried to turn a friend into a girlfriend. she said no and it was the most profound sadness I have ever known.
the time I left my dog at the vet to be put to sleep. the second most profound sadness I have ever known.
1stLtObvious ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:13:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Being held back in Kindergarten for social issues.
Getting two cats just after I turned 6, most importantly Midnight.
Almost dying from pneumonia when I was 6.
My 10th birthday party when nobody came.
My 15th birthday when my parents couldn't quit their petty squabbling for one night for my sake.
My friend Matt tricking me into going on the Rock'n'Rollercoaster at Disney and finding out coasters are way more fun than scary.
About a week into my first year of college, my mom calling me to ask why Midnight kept trying to climb on the back of the couch and sit on their heads. I used to lay on the couch with my head resting up against him, and he missed me.
My friends I made in Australia taking me to a space-themed attraction that probably bored them to tears just for my sake.
Having to put Midnight down.
My nephew coming up with his own special name for me.
Taylorenokson ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:13:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Saying goodbye to my 18 year old brother being deployed to Afghanistan. The seriousness of the whole situation never hit me until I saw him carrying a M16 and two sidearms as he got on the transport bus. That's when it really hit that my little brother was going to war.
rack_em_willie ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:14:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
EDIT: I understand some of these may not be "Inside Out" memories, but they still have stuck with me through my years and some way or another turned me into who I am today
I went to Europe one time and pissed ON the ferry from Venice. I am never able to escape the story and what came of it. But I've always been good at embracing it and looking back on it, it's a damn fine story.
I went to EDC on my 21st birthday to try and figure out what all the hype was with these events that seemed to be taking the country by storm (this was back in 2011). At midnight on the end of the first night, I turned 21. My best friend picked me up on his shoulders and started singing Happy Birthday to me. Before I knew it, the entire crowd exiting the festival around us were all singing me Happy Birthday. If I had to guess I'd say it was close to 2,000 people easily.
PeopleComplete strangers kept coming up to me after the fact and wishing me Happy BirthdayThe night I met my girlfriend at a bar in Key West. It's a hell of a story and how I typed it makes it sound pretty cliche, but this post is already getting long.
The time my grandpa took me out to dinner a couple months before passing away. In that brief 2 hour dinner, he taught me so much that I've carried with me since then. I can still close my eyes and see him sitting across from me
flipping_gosh ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:14:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I used to run in the road in front of cars on purpose and tell my parents "See, I didn't get hit" when I was about 2 or 3.
Our family cat got him by a car and my dad showed me the flattened feline in the trash can. I stopped running in the road after that.
Another one, I remember driving through a canyon in Idaho and we saw a truck on it's side and a big hole in the windshield. Dude had crashed and flown out the windshield. We were the first on the scene. We drove back into town to call 911. I was 2 when that happened.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:15:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Pens winning cup in '08 Pens winning cup in '16
PMME_YOURACTUAL_EYES ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:15:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Having my dad shove me against a wall, hard, grab me by both shoulders, shove his face into mine and speak through his teeth with all the intimidation he could muster because I was doing something annoying that 3/4 year olds do. Terrifying when your dad is a 6'2" infantry man (regular occurence).
Having my dad come into my room while I was sleeping and wake me up to tell me how much he hated himself, how much he hated life and how it wasn't worth living, and how much he wished he had the guts to kill himself (also regular occurence).
Class ski trips in grade 7, 8, and 9. They were amazing. So much fun. No supervision, so I could just separate myself from the rest of the class and do my own thing.
Moving out when I was 17, laying on the hood of my friend's car and just feeling so amazing to finally be free.
That same friend one day stopped talking to me. I thought it would be a good idea to try and reinitiate contact with him the day before Christmas eve. He was drunk at the moment, and started screaming at me that I was a paedophile, that a cell phone I had sold him 3 and a half years earlier had child porn on it. This is completely untrue in every possible regard, and I was so angry amd asked him why he didn't just confront me at the time so I could have sorted out whatever he was confused about. No good answer to that.
He was drinking with a bunch of our mutual friends and also told them about whatever the fuck he thinks he saw. I lost most of my friends that night.
trenchantelephant ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:16:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going on a road trip by myself to Canada for the first time. There was something very zen about making the trip alone. I went back many times, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends.
Having my first child, a boy. It's amazing how being responsible for another life changed my thinking about SO many things!
Moving my 5 year old son and I across the US for a new job. Didn't know anyone in the new city, but somehow we made it work.
Having another child, a daughter, 13 years after the first. Because apparently I forgot the lessons I learned the first time around. :/
Finding out my firstborn had been sexually abused by a close family friend. I got him all the help I could find, and he's doing really well now. But it trashed my trust in myself and my choices.
Watching my son get married last October.
Watching my daughter graduate high school in May.
HungryKangaroo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:16:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Adrenaline from bridge bungee-jumping, all travelling through Europe I have done, extensive and very active sleepwalking, my best friend lying on the floor and asking me to kill her as she was going through heroin withdrawal, endless nightmares and lately insomnia. I have seen quite some shit
Lysergicassini ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:16:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Grew up in a musical family and noticed that all my siblings were supported and helped out significantly more than me, leasons, etc for them and none for me. One time when I was about 16 I asked why my siblings got music lessons and I was left out.
My dad just said "you didn't need help to flourish" and never asked for help.
It had an impact on me mostly because I was looking at the situation wrong for a long time without speaking up.
Also around the same time I was working for a masonry company and had gotten too drunk one night when family was visiting. My dad woke me up wicked early and forced me to go to work sick as a dog saying "you have a self inflicted sickness today and that is not an excuse to screw people who depend on you over"
It instilled a sense of responsibility that I feel can be detrimental in cases not related to work, but I always make it to work at least.
SuddenFellow ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:17:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Making cake in an easy-bake oven with my dad, and while it tasted horrible(I still remember how sickly sweet it was) we both had so much fun stirring the little batter packet and waiting for it to bake.
In 10th grade, I was making a cake in the Home Ec room and it started to overflow. It caused the entire room to smoke up and also made the principal, secretary, and a couple other teachers come to make sure that nothing was going to burn down. There still is a running joke about making cake there now.
Finding out that my Grandmother has passed away. It wasn't particularly muggy that day, and I just got my car fixed. I had seen my mother driving home and I got out of the car at the same time she did, only to see her crying and attempting to hold it together to piece a sentence together. When she finally told me, everything went quiet... I dropped my purse into a puddle into our driveway and I felt this immense feeling of cold rush over me. I still get chills thinking about it.
The song Glycerin which seems to play every single time I am feeling horrible and I have to pull off on the side of the road and sob for a little bit. It somewhat reminds me of all the bad things that I've experienced in my life, and that after all of it, I'm still here. I cannot listen to it without crying.
Lastly, in 2nd grade our teacher asked us who our role model was, and I proudly stated it was Steve Irwin. She then said she couldn't hear me, so I said in the weirdest voice "His name is Steeeeeve". I still laugh about it to this day, and I do miss watching him. I still cite that he is the person who made me want to become a Biologist.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:17:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
(Happiness) Sitting on my parents' bed with my best friend at the time playing "Batman Forever" on the Sega Genesis. Afterwords, we would go outside and one of us would be Batman and the other Two-Face. Two-Face always said "antibiotic" because we were too young to understand that it was actually "fuggit about it".
(Anger) The frustration of never getting pass the "Chemical Plant Zone" in Sonic 2. I either drowned or died from Robotnik. Fuck CPZ.
(Disgust) That one time I had to clean up explosive diarrhea at work as a kid. Someone apparently missed the toilet completely and wanted to paint the walls and floor brown. The amount of paper towels in my nose and mouth was never enough.
(Sadness) The day I found out my father had been using hard drugs for 9 months and nobody bothered to tell me. My whole family knew but because I lived a little over 4 hours away, it was "none of my business." I still don't know why they thought I wouldn't notice his weight loss..
RenzelTheDamned ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:17:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The good:
--Riding through Atlanta with my brother.
--Visiting my grandparents at the beach, I can remember my grandmother boiling king crabs alive.
--Losing my virginity behind the treeline at a highschool football game.
--Riding around town with highschool friends and smoking.
The Bad.
--Getting blamed for stuff by my brother as a kid.
--Getting strep on my penis and thinking it was herpes (yeah, strep throat on your junk can happen)
--There was a hotel party I went to a couple of years ago with my girlfriend of 6 months. We were both drugged, I was dragged out onto the sidewalk and she was taken advantage of. She ended up dating the guy that slept with her that night. ยฏ_(ใ)_/ยฏ
--the morning after the party I wouldn't let her drive me home. I was still out of it from all the drugs and walked 23 miles to my house.
Satellitegirl41 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:17:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lookthatwaythrowaway ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:18:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was going to answer, but Damn all my core memories are depressing and abusive.
LoneWolf67510 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:18:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think these count as core memories, since these really cemented who I am as a person. A weirdo Hot-Rodder with a music obsession.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:18:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my family and I went to pick out my best friend, our sweet sweet golden retriever. I remember her running all over the house and me chasing her around; she was so small and furry.
My first kiss. We were so awkward and head over heels for each other. I asked her if she had kissed anybody before as we were sitting in a meadow and she said no. We both just went for it at the same time and it was awkward and beautiful and I'd relive it in a heartbeat.
The day I got my driving license. My mom let me take my first car out around the neighborhood by myself. I got in, and Better Man by Pearl Jam was on the radio. Once I got to the end of the street, out of sight, I cranked the radio and gave that little Saturn hell. It was my first real taste of Independence.
Seeing my ex (and my first real gf) for the first time in several months when I visited her at her college. I always had been kinda insecure and hard on myself but when I walked through the doors into her dorm lobby she ran down the hall and into my arms and that was the first time I ever really felt wanted. I do miss her.
Hellooooooooo_nurse ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:18:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
*My grandmother driving me around country roads for hours to get some corn, stopping for ice cream, and taking me to the river to throw rocks in the water. I didn't realize until last year that she never really needed any corn- just an excuse for us to spend some time together.
My older brother calling me a worthless piece of trash. He was pretty horrible to me my entire life, and that was far from the worst thing he did, but the memory of hearing those words still hits me like a brick.
Meeting my husband for the first time. I didn't especially feel the earth move, but he was joking around, glanced over, and winked at me. My only thought at the time was, "This guy is gonna be trouble."
LiamPlaysWhatever ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:19:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
lonelysubconscious ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:20:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
6 years old, bout to go to bed. I think, Yo, what if I thought of a word and remembered it in the morning?
17 years later and I still remember the word.
looktothesky13 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:20:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandpa almost lighting the microwave on fire trying to reheat the Arby's he got me while my grandma was in the hospital.
Calling the same grandpa at 10 pm because I just didn't want to be at home. The call woke him up while he tried to sleep before work, he still came and got me.
Telling my biological dad I hated him. It's still true
Getting a call that my grandpa had passed and the years of depression after.
Finding out I was being cheated on by my long time boyfriend.
My mom looking me in the eyes and telling me I was the greatest mistake and disappointment of her life.
My sister looking at me and saying she loved me in her toddler voice, and her knowing what it meant and meaning it.
Governor_Porter ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:20:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dad with muscular dystrophy lunged out of his wheelchair to beat the shit out of 4th grade me for yelling at him and throwing my glasses. Those glasses cost too much. Respect what people buy for you.
Mom beating the shit out of me with a paddle named Shirley (which we tried to burn with gas and fire but she wrapped it up in tape and made it even stronger) for riding my bike off into the neighborhood without telling her I was leaving for a few hours. I always let them know where I was after that.
College Business communications class; giving a speech on who I am and what I want to accomplish with my life. Got a very warm and awesome reception. My first big speech and I learned I was pretty good at speaking. Lead to my current career as a warehouse manager, future governor of Mississippi, and outgoing personality.
The first date with my now wife. Nothing had ever gone so perfect.. from her being late and me joking with her via txt that I was leaving the restaurant dramatically and seeing her face of shine up when I presented her flowers upon her arrival.. to giving her the first kiss at the end of the awesome date to ensure she knew second date had to happen.
Seeing new wifey walk down the aisle on our wedding day. I definitely married up in the world.
Beating a gundam game (journey to jaboro?) on playstation 2 with my best friend and favorite cousin. We split the final mission into 3 parts as none of us could beat it alone. Friendship rules (I BEAT THE BOSS and claimed total victory lol)
Being 4 years old with grandma, who was drinking coffee and talking to her friends on a rocking swing in the front yard, as me and the other 5 kids my grandma was baby sitting were riding down a paved hill driveway (about 25 feet downward) on little plastic cars. I love early mornings right after the sun comes up because of how nice it feels to remember those peaceful times.
asiandaredevil ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:20:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first ever electric guitar, a Mexican Lonestar Fender Stratocaster. That purchase made me fall in love with guitar. I don't have the guitar anymore (traded up for a American) but that sparked me to take guitar seriously.
sillybanana2012 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:21:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
bamfbanki ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:21:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Dad abusing me when I was young. This would be "Compassion" island
The first kiss with the person I've loved the most so far; we were in the hospital together but they would let Me, Her, and 3 other kids who weren't trouble makers sit in the side room away from the rest of the ward, and with no camera. We had just started 'dating' (I.e. expressed mutual interest) and I looked at her and said, "Gabi, lean over, I need to tell you something". I grabbed her chin and then pulled her in for a kiss in probably the smoothest move I've ever pulled. This would be "Gabi" island
Watching LotR with my mom as she explained all the little, and having her explain all of the little story pieces that weren't fully in the movie but were in the books. This would be "Fantasy Island"
-Watching my mother loose herself to alcoholism, and become negligent to the point where I had to tuck her in at night. This is "Protective Island"
Ezemy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:21:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It wasn't really a childhood thing, but my brother running the last 30m or so of my first half marathon when I was 16.
It was nice to know I wasn't alone and having my family with me in that moment.
MusiclsMyAeroplane ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:22:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can't remember. I wish I could, but when I try to think of something like this, nothing comes up. I know they're there, I just can't find them...
halfbreed_prince ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:22:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember dreaming i was walking down a board walk with a chain link fence above the guard rail and for some reason i knew it was a college dorm of some sort. I was carrying a little baby and in my dream i loved this baby so much like the baby was my own. When i woke up i felt so sad because i wanted to go back into my dream to be with that baby, i really missed this baby that didnt exist. The next day i wrote a facebook status about this dream and my and a couple of my aunties were commenting about it and joking around. I mentioned it was gonna be a boy if it ever happened and one of my favourite aunties who passed away told me the baby was gonna be a girl. The year after my girlfriend got pregnant. I was only a first year welder at the time so i knew i had to be more than that. I took my schooling back to back and become a third year welder before my beautiful 8lb 4oz little stinker of a daughter was born:)
TiredRightNowALot ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:22:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my family immigrated to Canada I was quiet and shy for the most part. First day of school they dropped me off and I remember being told "in Canada it's different, you need to speak up for yourself". Back home everyone was a lot more reserved, especially in school. I know that this one line changed a lot of who I am. Fast forward to today, I've run businesses, lead people and make great money. I am pretty sure I owe it to my parents for that day (and many others of course).
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:22:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I went skating. I was about 4 or 5 when my dad took me to the park where they had hosed down one of the baseball fields. It was nighttime so the rink was lit up by floodlights. We were out there for hours and within the next year I was signed up for hockey. Still playing 17 years later.
Moving. I've moved twice. Once from the Midwest to the west coast and again from the west coast to somewhere else in the Midwest. Both were really hard and took me a while to accept. I'm pretty introverted so making new friends is not easy but leaving old ones, friendships years in the making, is even harder.
When a girl broke my heart in high school.
(I understand the first two are pretty similar to Inside Out. That movie hits way too close to home for me)
stevesmith5 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:22:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I tried putting them in order for you, but these are definitely the ones that stand out in the 26 years of having a brain. โข I had a diary most of my childhood and one day my older sister, she was probably 13 and I was 6, grabbed it from my hands and read what I was writing. She read aloud " My sister is fat". I'm assuming she saw the picture I drew of her as well. We were pretty nasty to each other growing up but every time I think of this it makes me sad and I feel horrible. I remember the look on her face after she read it. Kills me really. โข When I was about 8, my childhood friend from the apartment complex I lived in at the time, Tori, stepped on a little frog on purpose in front of me and laughed. She was also a girl who played on street sign poles for fun and named them. Her pole was named Bob. I realize now that her mom was definitely an exotic dancer. Ongoing memories and my husband doesn't really believe me but my other childhood friend from the same apartment complex, Alexis, was just a bad kid. We were both around 11-12. She smoked weed, had sex, we would sneak out of windows, hide under blankets of strangers houses that we shouldn't have been in. TWO MEMORIES HERE. โขShe did this thing were she would go to the laundry mat and go through other people clothes in the washing machine and take them and put them in her loads. She told me once to go get her clothes because she was scared to do it herself. I walked in to get her clothes from the dryer and a woman was sitting on the washers in front of the dryers on her phone, turned to look at me and just shouted," ARE THESE YOUR CLOTHES?". She points to a dryer full of clothes with a clear lid. I say with fea in my voice," Nooo." She quickly replies," OK WELL I AM CALLING THE COPS BECAUSE SOMEONE STOLE MY CLOTHES AND PUT THEM IN THISSS DRYER." I said, " Ok." I ran out of there as fast as I could. โข I would stay over at Alexis' house a lot, even on school nights. One night she had a group of friends over and I fell asleep first. The next thing I remember is being woken up by someone drawing on my forehead with black eyeliner and another girl smearing my face with this awful smelling foam, hair mousse. I ran to the bathroom and DORK was written all across my head. To this day, the smell of that hair mousse I will never forget. I found better friends later in life. She got pregnant a couple of years after that.
potatosplease ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:23:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1.When I was younger, I stayed at my grandparents house for most of the weekends simply because I was close with them. Every morning my sister and I would watch Disney shows like Bear in the Big Blue House, Roly Poly Olly, and PbJ Otter.
Sports games in elementary schools...my parents were always the first fans there.
I went to SF with my family for thanksgiving one time. Non traditional thanksgiving dinner was spaghetti at a famous Italian restaurant. Not crowded at all so it was mostly just the four of us dining and enjoying dinner.
ImmaSuckYoDick ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:23:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Muslim immigrants cheering footage of 9/11 at the movie theatre during Omen.
Toz122345 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:23:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
coming downstairs on a Saturday morning when my mum had just finished making a fresh batch of scones, and going for a drive into the countryside, followed by a walk and a picnic with those amazing scones and cups of tea from a flask
staying over at my gran and granddad's, giving my Gran foot massages with body shop peppermint cream and chatting about all sorts
going to a hotel type place run by my godmother with friends for my 13th birthday and us deciding we were going to walk along the seaside cliff path to the nearest town (quite some time away), all of us wearing flip flops and with no supplies other than a packet of polos. It was cold!!
Autumn at my term abroad college in NY (meeting my now husband, being in the play, campus in general)
El_Philosophizer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:24:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-The time when I five or six and slipped on a piece of playground equipment during recess. Something sharp pierced the area right near my right eye and blood just started to pour onto my clothes, eventually drenching my new bball shoes, that lit up every time you stomped them, in blood. When I was getting stitches later on that day, my older brother gave me one of his favorite Pokemon cards, Zapdos, because I didn't cry.
-When my little brother was born. On the car ride home, the sunlight would keep getting into his eyes but he would shield it with his outstretched arm. I always thought he was the smartest baby for that.
-When I hit my first home run in little league, my dad - who'd never missed a game before - was ecstatic, jumping up and down, and all smiles when I was rounding the bags. As soon as he made sure I got to home plate, he took off to go find the ball behind left field.
-When I was eleven, I was admitted to the hospital for a nasty flareup of Crohn's disease for two weeks. I shitted blood, it was painful, but my mom was there everyday to make sure her boy was recovering. My family was also there and we watched so many movies with Robin Williams, all laughing together. I'm still convinced that he was at least partially responsible for my recovery.
-My first kiss. After my family, my high school gf, and I came back from a ball game, I got out of the car to go walk her to her door. As we said our lingering good byes, we both went for it under her awning. My parents couldn't figure out why I came back to the car with the stupidest grin.
-When the son of a close family friend committed suicide. He was always so kind, and whenever my older brother and I went to his house, he would always make sure I was included and we would play Madden on his Sega Genesis for hours. It was unreal seeing his open casket at the funeral.
Th31rishL4dd ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:24:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-First time I ever played a video game with my dad. We played house of the dead 3 on the wii and played it for hours -The first time I learned a whole song on piano. -My first ever play, backstage, this supercute girl and I spend 30 minute intermissions each night telling eachother dark and dirty jokes. -At camp when we were singing my favorite song I looked at my gf at the time they said the phrase "I love you" in the song. -My first kiss. Clichรฉ but, it is.
kingkaider ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:24:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In chronological order I guess:
Actually making a best friend aged around 4 or 5, as up til then I'd just sort of had people I was around, and realising just how large that difference was.
Going to scout camp aged probably 9-10, and meeting a bunch of people I already theoretically knew but now suddenly became very good friends with (and still am 12-13 years later!)
Moving up schools, and realising that all the friends I'd already made weren't coming with me, and having to react, and attempt to make new friends, who were all very different from the people I had previously been friends with. (I moved from the local primary school up to a private school in the outskirts of London, almost in the country).
Discovering how much I enjoyed being a part of the school stage crew, and actually forming a hobby that involved other people, rather than just playing computer games, or reading, or other things that involved me being sat alone in the house.
Meeting my first girlfriend, and all the drama that surrounded that, both social, romantic and otherwise.
Re-meeting a bunch of my primary school friends, having reconnected through facebook, and just being amazed that there was a group of people larger than 4 or 5 I could be collective friends with at once (If it hasn't been made somewhat obvious by the other posts here, I'm somewhat of a massive introvert)
Discovering my depression. I'd always been... different, but having what was undoubtedly the best summer of my life so far seemed to turn all my emotions back on. Including the ones I'd beein trying to suppress.
My longest relationship ending. Not really all that long in the grand scale of things (only a year and a half or so), but still long enough that leaving it changed how I saw things again, as I'd become so used to being in a relationship that things weren't quite the same anymore.
The moment I realised I was seriously losing the fight against my depression. Having gone to uni since the last memory, I'd isolated myself from a lot of what used to make me happy (not intentionally, but as we all moved across the country, and I gained more stress...), I started not showing up, and things started to spiral out of my control.
Realising that my now best friend in the entire world really was there for me. She was always someone I'd appreciated as a person to be around, but since we'd moved in together for the second year, and we started to talk more (both of us are very introverted), it became apparent how much we needed each other.
Her suicide attempt. Sitting outside the room knowing full well what was going on, and being unable to do much but say reassuring things and call an ambulance, all the while internally panicking, but knowing I couldn't let that show.
My first suicide attempt. The sheer despair and self-hatred I had at the time, barely contained as she held me for the entire night.
My second suicide attempt. Specifially, the moment I stood on the platform, waiting for a train to come, and upon seeing one, meeting eyes with the driver and knowing that I simply couldn't cause that much stress to someone intentionally, that I didn't deserve to be able to do that, and the incredible wave of pathetic-ness that I felt about it for weeks to come.
New Years 2015-2016. Realising, together, that we'd both somehow made it through the worst year of our lives, and that together, we were getting to a better place. Slowly, but we were getting there.
Woops, that was much longer and more depressing than I intended it to be.
crunchthenumbers01 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:24:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Walking up to my future stepdad when i was 3 and hugged him and called him daddy, his eyes went wide and the stunned look on his face is etched in my mind permanently. This was also the 1st time he was meeting me and my brother and grandma.
When i stood up to a neighborhood bully and struck him with a weedeater breaking it in half, the look on all the neighborhood kids faces was priceless.
The first time I held each of my daughters.
The smile when i met my wife for the 1st time at her door.
Lemortjoyeux ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:24:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This made me realise mine is what I have tattooed or will get tattooed.
theswaggymcyolo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:25:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When the yellow lab/german sheppherd mix dog who was the first pet I had ever had as a kid passed away Christmas morning. He was an enormous dog, and being that I was just a little kid, I will always remember being able to lay across him, and use him as a full body pillow. I was so scared of him at first because he was so big, but we quickly became best of friends. I'll never forget my parents making us kids go in another room and play with our new beyblade arena... Only to come to the souring realization that my best friend up to that point in my life was gone.
Inversely, when my parents got my siblings and I the most perfect golden retriever puppy you could possibly imagine on Christmas morning 2 years later. I'll never forget the way he sat at the top of the stairs, sort of hiding behind the bannister trim, that he was about the same size as. He had the absolute most PERFECT puppy dog eyes/face. I will always remember that scene.
Finding out my grandfather had passed away. When I was 3-4 my grandpa was my hero. I had always wanted to be a cowboy. Think old western style. He would watch all of the old John Wayne movies with me, since he was retired at that point and my grandma and him lived next door to us. I spent so much time with him, talking about being a cowboy, they actually got me a plastic rocking horse, that was absolutely amazing. I would then spend countless hours at their place, riding my horse, and playing with my grandpa. I will always miss him.
*Edit, Forgot to mention, I am actually named after him and my dad. I'm the 3rd, and we are all uncannily similar.
Finding out my mom had flipped her car late one night when she was out at a casino, and none of us knew where she was and couldn't get ahold of her. I just remember her coming home, and my other siblings crying and hugging her. I just kind of stood back. I didn't feel empathy for her, I was cold. I was angry. How could she be so selfish, why should I feel bad for her, she was the one who had messed up. Still gets to my head now and then. Not so much what she did, but I can't believe 12 year old me could feel that way, and be so cold to my own parent.
Meeting my present day girlfriend of 2 years on Facebook. We had never met before, and had no idea the other even existed. We had plans to attend the same school, and she posted something on the class "get to know other people before you get here" page. It was asking if anyone else played League of Legends, and if so, if anyone wanted to play with her and some other friends. I of course commented because who doesn't want to play video games with a cute blonde girl? So we added each other and started playing. 8 hours later at 4am, after we had fed our asses off in multiple games (still somehow managing to laugh the whole time), and watching BBW yoga together: we decided to call it a night and said we would talk the next day. Spent the next 2 months before we were actually able to meet in person talking through skype and playing games together for hours on end. Any free time we had would talk or play. I'll never forget the feeling of finding someone who actually felt like the other half of me that I'd been missing up to that point. I plan on spending the rest of my life with her!
Doiihachirou ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:27:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
*Running in to find my first new classmate, a girl, to which I said good morning, introduced myself with a great big smile, and asked "Wanna be my friend?" to which she looked me up and down, stared blankly at my face and said "No." and ran away from me.
*Standing in School formation every morning, with the teacher holding my hand, squeezing my knuckles hard with intent to hurt me. I sucked it up and kept my mouth shut despite the tiny tears swelling up in my eyes. She knew she was hurting me but I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction.
She turned to me and smiled that big froggy smile with her toad-like mouth "... Am I hurting you?" she would ask in that sickly sweet-old lady-tone.
"No." I would reply, every single day throughout first grade.
*Allowing my little brother to go in the pool without his floaties, while I deflated them a bit to be able to put them back on, getting distracted for two minutes, only to turn around and see him jumping in the middle of the pool, too close to the deep section, when I see him slip over the middle and slide down under to the deep zone of the pool.
I could see him jumping and trying to swim up, but the 7 year old didn't know how to swim. I was 18, so I jumped and saved him in three seconds. It felt like more. Not one adult noticed a kid almost drowned in their stupidly deep pool at a kids party. My aunt chatted with me after I sat back down, drenched from head to toe. She never realized I was wet. She never realized her nephew almost died two seconds ago. I didn't sleep that night.
maro_chik ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:27:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In no particular order:
-My dad coming out to watch my soccer games. He'd watch from the car, but he would always hoot and holler and honk his horn when I'd score a goal. -Sitting with my dad as he took his last breaths on this earth. -Snowball fights with my brother -My mom telling me she accepted me no matter what and was proud of me -Reaching the other side of the many struggles of my life, always emerging stronger than before.
thund3rstruck ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:28:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Sitting on my granddad's lap while he read the paper and I read a book in the den of my grandparents' big, old house. It smelled like pipe tobacco and the fireplace in there, and had huge floor to ceiling bookshelves that seemed they were as tall as eternity. He died when I was 7. Last year (20+ years after his death), my grandmother gave my mother his old camera bag. When we opened it, it smelled exactly like the den. We both just hugged each other and cried (tearing up writing about it).
My father's change of command ceremony. He was in the Army and became a big deal, in a behind the scenes kind of way, and I am so proud to call him my dad. We sat down on the front row and, after a pass and review of hundreds of soldiers, remarks on how proud he was of the men and women in his brigade, and how our duties are to our faith, family, and country, he gave my sister and I challenge coins. He paused from giving this beautiful speech to walk and hug his family and it was just so great. Typically, the XO gives those to the kids of the outgoing commander but my dad had special ones made for us. In a move, the coins were lost, but the memory is still so special. It reminds me how much my parents love me and how lucky I am to have genuinely great parents. They've showed me how to love.
My first week of college and how filled with wonder, fear, and excitement I was. I'll never forget staying up late doing all of my reading (ha), playing video games with new friends (some who are lifelong friends but at the time were just strangers trying to make connections), my first big college party and all of the fun mischief that goes with it, and the feeling of missing home but knowing I was where I belonged at the same time. I still have that feeling, but we probably all do.
Breaking up with my girlfriend of 4 years awhile back. I didn't think I was creating a huge moment since we regularly checked in, I really just wanted to be sure she wanted to keep dating since we'd been together for awhile. I told her she meant the world to me and I was, as always, willing to do what it took. We were on the same team. It turns out she had been pondering a huge career change and didn't want to do distance for a year, but said she'd stay if I wanted her to. I told her that I couldn't keep her from her passions and dreams and she should go and that I'd be happy for her. I had to go to a very important formal event alone a few weeks later - totally blindsided, but it taught me a lot about love and life. My heart still hurts a little thinking about that but I know we both did the right thing.
My dog dying. He wandered off one night when we let him out (my family lives on a farm) and didn't return. I looked until sunset for him the next morning and just passed on the couch. Woke up after a 2 hour nap and started looking again. A neighbor found him, drowned, in a pond. We think a snapping turtle pulled him under and drowned him. My dad came home from a business trip and we all buried him together. We planted a tree over his grave and held each other, crying together. The dog moved many times with us, would check on us all at night while my dad was deployed, was often times my sister and I's only friend for awhile when we'd just moved somewhere new, and was an all around character. Again, this event taught me a lot about love and life. I miss him so dearly but am a better person for sharing life with him. Rest easy, Chip.
All of these things are related to learning how to be as good a person as I can, treating others as best I can and, whenever possible, loving others and myself in the best way that I can. I don't have a lot of money or many cool things, but I do have a profoundly blessed life.
BennyHarassi ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:30:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Counting to 100 to my mom .. When I got to 100 I thought that was it, then she said "101, 102.." .. Blew my 4 year old mind
I miss her .. Lung cancer sucks
kaett ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:31:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
walking down a hallway with green walls and darker green carpet toward a small kitchen where my parents were. i wasn't quite 2 yet (and i only know that based on what my mom told me about when we'd lived in that house). it's my first "real" memory.
my first day at daycare... i remember that half the floor was wood/parquet, half was rough carpet. that was where i met the 3 kids who were my first friends, and one i still keep in touch with today (40 years later).
we spent christmases at my grandparents' house (fairly big family). i was the only grandchild (at the time), and someone had given me a big bunch of balloons to play with. i ran around the living room yelling "BALLOONS! BALLOONS! BALLOONS! BALLOONS! BALLOONS! BALLOONS! BALLOONS!" i remember thinking that was the best gift EVAR.
being on an airplane and my ears refusing to pop. i was screaming my head off in utter pain, my parents were trying to calm me, the stewardess was kneeling by my seat (they'd moved me over to the aisle) with a cup of water trying to get me to drink something so that the act of swallowing would pop my ears. i remember thinking "this is the one and only time i'm ever going to be able to get away with something like this in public, so i should milk this for all it's worth."
(ninja edit)
VrtcllyChllngd ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:32:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first memory, as far as I'm aware... I was around 3, wore dresses absolutely all the time. My older brother had an even older friend that was (I believe) from Africa. He would take me into my older sister's room and molest me. I have distinct memories of this happening 4 different times. He always got away with it because my dress was easy access. It was over ten years before I wore a dress again.
I was 13, lost my virginity to one of my sister's best friends. He was 22, I babysat his 3 year old son. We had tried twice before, but I always chickened out. He was never rude or pushy abkut it. As far as I was concerned, he was my first love. It ended up happening after he picked me up from a school dance, we went to a new neighborhood that was still being built. I lost it on a pile of plywood. We got Starbucks afterwards, and he scolded me for the self harm scars he'd felt. He's still very close to my family, my sister plays D&D with him and his new wife every week. This would have been 10 years ago.
I had three miscarriages as a teenager, at 14, 15, and 17. The first two, those were the days I found out I was even pregnant. I remember the pain, anguish, and utter self loathing so clearly it still hurts. My biggest fear in the world is that I won't be able to carry a child, but I'm far too afraid to go to a doctor to find out.
Being 16, planning on ending my life. I told my theatre teacher I wouldn't be back to school, and that I loved her and would always miss her. She gave me the biggest hug I've ever received, and told me I was more loved than I'd ever understand. So I told her I would be gone for awhile, but I'd come back. I told my theatre crew I was going to get myself put into a mental hospital to get help. We all cried and sang and loved. That was closing night of our fall production that year. I will forever thank my troupe for saving my life.
My childhood best friend texting me, asking if I'd be her maid of honor at her secret wedding. We'd known each other since I was 3, but we always lived cities away. We never stopped being friends, but I wouldn't say we stayed crazy close. The fact that she chose to ask me to be there with her still makes me smile.
Going to pick up my very first dog. I was 16, had dropped out of high school after getting out of the mental hospital mentioned above. I was living with an older guy who genuinely seemed to want to help me. He worked nights, and didn't want me to be alone. His parents had two old dachshunds that I adored. He had been keeping an eye out on Craigslist for anything that seemed right. One morning he woke me up and said I was going to have a wonderful day. We got into his car, drove for at least 45 minutes to get to this guy's house. I walk in, and there are wiener dogs everywhere. But I first noticed two tiny ones running around. I decided immediately I wanted the runt. I sat down in the living room, trying not to cry in front of a stranger, and watched the babies. The runt, a black and tan, was tearing through the house, eating paper. The other, a just slightly bigger red, waddled up to me, scrambled into my lap and fell asleep. His name is Bing (after Bing Crosby), he's 7 years old, and the absolute best thing to ever happen to me.
Last week, I escorted my mother via Amtrak to visit my father on the other side of the country. We were on the train for four days. He was supposed to take Friday off of work, but he ended up going in anyway. I was mad, because it was just one more time he disappointed me. His house sits on a canal connected to Cape Cod. I sat beside some railroad tracks, blared my music, and just soaked in the weather. It was almost 30degrees cooler than back home, the wind was blowing, the water was gorgeous. My soul felt warm for the first time in years.
foxdank ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:32:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my parents had me strapped in a seat on the back of their roadbike. They parked it with the kickstand and then walked away to go get something and I was begging them to come back because I could feel the bike was very unstably balanced and was liable to fall over. And it did while no one was around. I was hurt and crying but couldn't move because I'd been strapped to the seat, and when my parent got back they said it wouldn't have happened if i'd just sat still. Maybe 2 or 3 years old
The first time I wrote a word by myself: "mom". I took it out to my mom who was gardening and showed her, and she was so excited.
My mom taught me to draw Buster Bunny when I was 3. I do illustration for a living today.
My mom was trying on shoes at Macy's and I wandered off. I was probably 3. I remember going outside the store and then i couldn't get back in because the door was too heavy for me to pull open so i ran to another door, and another, and I couldn't get in any of them, so I started crying. A woman approached and asked me if I needed help, picked me up, and carried me to mall security. They asked me questions i didn't know the answer to like address, phone number. I remember enjoying talking to them. Eventually my mom arrived. She was upset with the situation , and told me that lady who rescued me should have never touched me.
Judasthehammer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:33:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Great question, btw.
Man, choosing just a few is hard. What I can recall well is not necessarily the ones that helped define and shape who I am.
When I was about 7 or so I was allowed to have pets beyond a fish. Four hamsteres died to do the cold (poorly insulated house, and hey... I was 7. I had no idea what I was doing), so I ended up with a Guinea Pig named Blackie. Because he was Black. I was 7, what can I say. Anyway, I had picked some fresh grass for him to eat as a treat and was trying to get him to eat it. He was more interested in exploring, but that did not deter my efforts to direct his head to the grass. After one last attempt he started twitching and shaking, then he laid still. I called my dad and explained, trying to understand what happened. Turns out 7 year old me had broken Blackie's neck and killed him. Yeah. Haven't thought about that in years, and now I am sorta sad.
We moved a lot since my dad was military. I never really made attachments to places, more to people. This will mean more later, but for now I want to make the point that I only really have emotional anchors on people, never places.
So... when my first "friend" when I was 12 to 14, a neighbor boy, when we moved to Alaska got a little... physical... I had no idea what was going on, but I didn't want to lose my "friend." I am very thankful that the abuse did not get explicitly sexual (I.E. clothes never came off, it was all "wrestling"), it did severely impact my social and emotional development. To this day I do not like touch from anyone but my wife. (Formerly the rest of my family. More on that later). Touch I allow is deeply connected to my trust of that person. So, a Pastor at my church whom I view as a mentor/father figure is someone I can go up to and give a hug to and be ok. I can accept hugs from "Church folk" in general and not visibly react. Internally I am very uncomfortable and want to leave. If I dislike you the most you will get is a handshake. Or a telling off.
When I finished all my finals for my first semester of college. I was homeschooled the whole way though primary school, so college was... a trip. I had to catch waaaaaaay up on social skills and such because my family was very insular. Looking back I can see now how messed up my home life was. At the time it was normal. But anyway, I finished finals, was walking back to my dorm and just let out a huge whoop. I was so pumped. I took 17.5 hours that semester and just OWNED it.
My first fiance ending our relationship. She did not know I was dealing with addiction to pornography, and that plus the pressure she was feeling from her dad prompted her to end things. Just before valentines, too. She later apologized, the next guy (who she married) her dad not approve of either, and she realized no guy would measure up in her dad's eyes. In the end this was a good thing, we would not have done well together, but man... I loved her so much. I was devastated and I went into a downward spiral for about two or three years. I walked away from my faith. I still believed in God, but I was pissed at Him and basically told Him to go screw Himself.
I guess I was about 25 or so. My mom was up in New England to bury her mother. She had spend about three months there just prior to take care of her dad. She had just found our like... days before Grammy died that dad was having an affair.
I mean... shit. This man I have looked up to, admired, was (almost) everything I aspired to be... he did what? It... it really messed with me. I knew that my dad was just a man. He had faults, believe me I could list them. But... that was just... he taught me what it meant to be a man. To live with honor and integrity. Just... I hate cussing, I do... but fuck that. I just... It's still hard to process even five years or so later.
I met my now wife on eHarmony. We were married within two months. Our three year anniversary is coming up soon. She has been so good and gracious to me. She has taught me what it means to really put the needs and desires of someone else above my own. (which... frankly, makes it even HARDER to understand my dad... sorry.) She was abused by family when she was very very young. Sometimes she still has nightmares and I have to hold her and pray over her and let her know that she is safe now. Those moments stand out to me. But I think what really is a core memory with her is sitting in the car of a motel parking lot (on a trip to see some friends get married) talking about spiritual warfare and such and experiencing God working in my life. Not going to go into detail since this is not a faith forum, but it redefined my faith in ways I am still working out. This poor ole Baptist Boy had no idea what God had in store for him...
My mom telling me over the phone that I was a mistake and she wished I had never been born. I don't recall what the issue was... I think I had asked for her opinion on something and she was tired of me asking her opinion and then doing something else entirely. I had to explain to her that I was an adult. I wasn't asking what to do, I was asking for input and advice. Not instruction. I was almost 30 and she had not let go of me as her child, I think. Anyway, she blew up on me. Totally lost it. She sent emails to me about my wife. I told her she was out of line. It devolved for about three days until she ended with "I wish you hadn't been born." Things along the line of me not being worth it. I think I began to see what happened to Dad... Anyway. Dad... disappointed me again. He taught me to either step in as a moderator or to back up my spouse. He did neither, and said he wanted nothing to do with the argument. Um. WTF? Am I not worth anything to you, either? You have the chance to be a voice of reason here. Or to at least show support to Mom, even if I disagree with you. This... pansy ass crap is retarded and not at all what I was taught. I lost a lot of my respect him because of that.
Wifey and I just moved into our first "together" home. It's a small 650 sq. ft apt, but it's new to both of us. She had moved into my studio apt (360ish sq. ft), when we got married, and ... it was cozy. Yeah. So we are moving in, we have a week of over lap on leases so I am taking my time with it to do it right. I guess four days in or so I am heading to bed while Wifey is watching NCIS or something on Netflix and I just stop. I see our bed, the makeshift walmart cube bookcase/headboard thing we set up, the little matched paintings we did as a date hanging above that, and I just get overwhelmed. Home. I was home after thirty plus years of never being anchored to any one place. This was home. We had our home bedroom, it was ours, it was safe, it was... holy? I don't know. I just... I was home. I pulled Wifey over and tried to explain. I think she understood.
This is longer than I intended. Sorry. But yeah. Some good. Some bad. I think I turned out pretty good.
JTH
Antisera ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:44:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
These aren't in any particular order, just the order I thought of them in.
When I was 17 and my "sister" told me that I had actually been adopted by her mother and I was actually her daughter.
When I had a nightmare as a young child (maybe 4) and my father (actually my step grandfather) screamed at me for being scared and that I should be ashamed. He sent me to my room and my mother (grandmother) who usually protected me from his outbursts up to that point did nothing to comfort me.
When I converted from anti-theism to Christianity.
When my childhood crush finally showed interest in me after 3 years but when I asked him out he said he'd never date me. He's not been a part of my life since but he still shows up in my dreams almost weekly.
Marrying my husband.
Having my daughter.
robotundies ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:44:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Crying in the school toilets almost every day during lunch and recess for weeks at a time because I felt completely alienated by my peers (I was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder). It's always my first and strongest memory and 18 years later I still feel the shame and confused self hatred just about every time I cry.
-Rafting down this little creek in the middle of my tiny NZ town in a tiny blowup dingy with my brother and the best babysitter ever (thanks for the gigapet, Dan!)
-Staying up all night drinking mimosas with my mum then walking to get breakfast at 6am. I was 16 and we'd just moved to a new town where she had almost normal work hours and double the pay. It was the first real quality time we'd spent together in over 5 years and she's been my best friend ever since.
psychedeliccolon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:45:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My headquarters is definitely run by Sadness. Don't wanna be a downer so I'm not going to list anything but most of my memories are of me getting embarrassed or made fun of. lol
dannymason ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:15:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Same here.
dsiluiel ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:48:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well, this is going to be a mixed bag but alright.
In the 6th grade I went climbing for the first time for my first girlfriend who was very into it. Trying to impress her I climbed as if it were no big deal. Didn't look down once, however the moment I finished I looked down. My legs started to shake and nearly wet myself. To this day I love climbing and have lost my fear, but gained a taste for the adrenaline from heights.
11 made lego "bombs" with best friend at the time. threw them on the ceiling to break and we woudl dodge and block and try to survive the hailstorm of legos and duplos.
Found my older sister drunk when I was 12, she was unconscious and drooling. She was laying in the middle of the road and my mom and I had to take a cab to the ER. She puked and the cab driver stopped and yelled. I punched him in the face. Luckily my mom was able to pay extra for the puke and punch. She had to get her stomach pumped.
Barricading myself in my room by shoving the cabinet and bed against the door. I had a kitchen knife with me. My dad and mom was abusive. Therapy helped and now both are great!
First real break up happened freshman year of high school. My SO at the time made a website for us with cute pictures and stories. We went long distance after a few months of dating. She emailed em screenshots of the website and took it down. I called my best friend and he and his SO hugged me while I cried.
My best friend and I moved the mattress to the living room and accidentally stayed up the whole night watching horror movies and playing video games. Making home made popcorn and grilled cheese and milkshakes. When we realized the sun came up we frantically went to sleep.
Kissed my current SO on the empire state building. We were walking around the city that never sleeps for the first time. It's near 1 am and not wanting to go back to the dorms I asked a police officer what there is to do here.
Made a fort with my current SO in the dorms lounge and stayed the night there.
Another fort in the SO's house, greatest fuck ever.
SO made a shadow box with everything that meant everything to me. Cried because of happiness for the first time in my life.
Some shit happened, suspended from the university, stuck in the hospital against my will "just to be safe". No way to communicate with anyone. Family halfway across the world. Made lifelong friends in the suicide ward and we stuck together, basically the breakfast club but rated R and a fuck load darker.
Spent the last day with SO before I had to leave, biking in Central Park, walking in a museum and held a butterfly, hugged goodbye.
BrazillianNuts09 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:48:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember 2 very brief moments of my 2nd birthday party. I was in my Little Tykes Flinstone car (The one with the floor cut out) just cruising around my backyard. My memory then shifts to me infront of my Lion King cake. My Dad had grabbed my hand and made a handprint on the top corner of the cake. I have a picture, somewhere, of the cake with my handprint on it.
Jasonbluefire ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:48:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I am late to the party but:
Red: Some kid was playing with a pen on the bus and managed to get ink all over himself, He then proceed to tell his parents that is was my fault and his parents confronted mine. My dad was pissed, kept yelling at me to tell the truth, I told him over and over but he would not believe me. It was the day I realized I hated my dad. (of course lots of other things happened before and after this event, but it was the moment of realization.)
Yellow: One night I was telling my friends how I thought my parents where going to get a divorce, then the next day my parents sat me down and told me they where getting divorced.
Blue, green: I had a crush on a girl in middle school, and as it was my first crush I had no idea how to act in these situations. I asked her out repeatedly, sent her notes, gave her gifts, nothing worked she was always nice to me so I did not understand why she kept turning me down. The moment of realization hit when on a bus to a X-Country meet, which I started doing just to be near her, I passed are a note which I had spent crafting. She got upset and just started yelling at me to leave her alone. I was petrified at the time and now look back on it with disgust in how I acted, I don't even know what I put her through.
Yellow: College, the whole experience. I grew so much in my four years of college. Made many good friends and relationships and had many great experiences. I learned so much about life in those years.
900yrsoftimeandspace ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:49:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mom and grandparents forgot to pick me up from daycare one night. I was this painfully shy, already anxious six year old and the teacher who got stuck staying late was slamming things around, complaining about my mom. Almost all the lights were off and I sat there for an hour, silent, certain she'd come take her anger out on me next. She didn't know we had moved in with my grandparents fleeing my mom's abusive boyfriend.
In Fourth grade I wandered down a hallway looking for a quiet place to read during recess and came upon the most popular girl in my class sobbing because her boyfriend told everyone she's a slut. After telling me all about her problems she said "You are so lucky no one notices you." That was news to me, it shook how I viewed myself for years afterwards.
Going to my dad's house after his only sibling died unexpectedly. The house felt oppressively lonely and angry, I was sure I wouldn't be able to breathe for the days I had to stay with him.
My first computer programming class, playing around with BASIC as a freshman in high school. It was uniquely satisfying.
throwaway8902457892 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:49:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Bad
My dad hitting me for the first time.
Being told to lock the doors because my brother had threatened to kill my dad, he was actually busy trying to kill himself.
Seeing my other brother at the hospital and being told his heart was failing.
Finding out my father was addicted to oxycotin.
Trying to hang myself on my nineteenth birthday.
Mom driving off with a large box of meds threatening to kill herself.
Talking dad out of attempting suicide.
Finding out my first girlfrined had been making sex tapes of us since I lost my virginity to her and sharing them with her "ex".
Waking up to a phonecall from the cops.
Good
Flying kites on the beach at wildwood and going to the boardwalk at night.
Getting my first tree to sprout.
Night kayaking under a harvest moon on the bay.
Kissing my highschool crush the first time.
Waking up at sunrise in the backseat of my truck in a walmart parking lot and driving around southern maine looking for breakfast.
Seeing my brother get completely clean and free of drugs.
Picking strawberries at the farm in the summer heat with a girl with auburn hair.
Riding on the back of the tractor across the yard.
CynicalSully ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:49:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Apparently none of them are good. Here are a few. When I was young I called a kid a retard. He was actually disabled and his dad let me have it. One time my uncle made me laugh so hard I pissed my pants and it was really obvious. The one time I blew up on an NCO for being a dumb fuck with the chaplain standing right there. Getting blonde highlights and wearing hawaiian shirts all through middle school. All of my core memories are cringe.
Sharkoh ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:49:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-my earliest ever memory is my brother and I hauling a big ass plastic bin full of Lego up from the basement and then dumping it all on the living room floor.
-I also remember pooping my Batman pajamas and then hiding behind the couch because I knew mom would be mad. I did say "look mom I have a tail" tho because it was a pretty stiff shit that poked out.
-I remember my dad showing me all of his meticulously hand painted WarHammer 40k miniatures and him regaling me with all their back stories.
-I remember my mom crying on the phone and telling her sister to come pick up my brother and I while we watched helicopter news footage of my dad having crashed the family car on a bridge while intoxicated
-I remember going to British Columbia to visit my grand parents and almost drowning in the lake, but my brother dove in and saved me
cassanova5 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:52:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 10, my dad came back from lawyering downstate with a story about a Leprechaun he met at the bottom of a rainbow named James Stanfield. He had pictures of the rainbow and oddly enough, pictures of "James" (that still had the Google search bar on the top of the image where he had typed in "leprechaun" lol). My younger brother and I, of course, didn't buy the story, until he told us had stolen James' treasure chest. We started freaking out a little like, "no way Dad, no WAY you met a leprechaun and stole his chest!" But after he said it was buried under a ton of clothes in his closet, we ran upstairs and started digging through his stuff and to our surprise, there was literally an antique chest with the name James Stanfield right on it! He had all these riddles for us to solve that James had given him, each one resulting in a clue that would help solve the next, eventually leading to the code word that would open up James' treasure chest. After a couple hours of fun and a continuously growing belief that this could be a REAL leprechaun's gold, we finally finished the last riddle revealing the password, B00KS. We opened the chest to find a whole bunch of stuff my dad had bought for us, from binders for the upcoming school year, to games we could play, to books we could all read and talk about. It was one of the coolest things that I've ever experienced, and looking back, it's great to see how much we were loved. Family is so cool. I can't wait to make it a tradition and do the same for my future kids :)
nin_halo_8 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:54:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A few months post divorce, my Dad was a wreck. Colorful years, these were for me. I would see him on weekends. He would pick me up and I would accompany him to work (night shift, tape backup admin). He would be working in the main computer room all night while I would explore the bank. I would go in offices, look at peoples' pictures, eat candy from the dishes by the teller booths, and play with the books of matches that were complimentary on the tables where you fill out deposit slips. Part of his job was to close and lock vaults on the way out. During the shifts I would go into the safety deposit box vault and pretend I was some kind of robber. I would also try to navigate across the main office area without tripping the motion sensors (an amber light would come on on the camera if I moved too fast). I would pretend I was James Bond or somebody.
A few years later, my Dad had gotten out of the Bank gig and was transitioning to a new job as an electrician. Same visitation arrangement Friday 5PM until Sunday 5PM. He had moved into a family farmstead outside of our hometown. The truck would pull up 5PM sharp (my dad is never late). I would fight tears every time. Sometimes, I couldn't help but cry when it was time to go with Dad. It wasn't that he routinely hit me or was a purposeful hurtful jerk, he just was moody, cold, and very much emotionally unavailable. He would come to the door, my mom would hand him my weekend gym bag full of clothes and we would get on the road. Silence. Still fighting the tears. I remember all I could think about during this time was how soon Sunday would come. We would arrive at the farm house, I would put my bag in my room, and my dad would start dinner. This was before I got into reading books, so I mainly just played with whatever was there. I remember we had a boardgame from the 90's with a telephone in the middle of it. It was for girls. I still found a way to amuse myself with the game. Anyway, the core CORE memory of all of this is about to begin: One weekend my Dad had to stop at his brother's house before we headed out of town. My cousin, who was 3 years older than me at this point (I had to be 8 she had to be about 11 or 12) was playing in the driveway. She is very intelligent. Evidently she was then too. I ask my dad if she can join us for the night on the farm. She's standing right there. She knows there's nothing to do there, but she doesn't really show any emotion about the idea. We could play in the barns, the corn crib, the chicken coop, but that would get old fast. Not the most exciting prospect for her preteen imminent self (she socially developed early, I think she already had a "boyfriend"). My Dad says its fine. I am too young to know it or realize it, but my 12 year old, emotionally intelligent cousin is well aware of my situation. She knows about the divorce, how hard it had been and how much pain I was going through at the time. I am not expecting her to want to come stay the the night one bit, but she shrugs her shoulders and says "I don't care." I cannot recall many times where I was so overwhelmingly overjoyed, excited, and happy that she decided to come. At the time I felt like I would have to sell it to her, like I would have to coerce her to come and keep me company. Now I know that she was way ahead of me. She came out of love. She put someone else before herself, and she was 12. I don't even remember what we did, I'm sure it most defintely wasn't the best time for her, but I was just so happy to have somebody there to keep me company.
Thanks Mel. I love you, and will NEVER forget this.
daffy_deuce ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:01:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can't remember. Joy never got out of the pit. :-(
singlewithadog361 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:02:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel very late to this party but here goes.
When I was 7 or 8 my dad and his brothers where working on a old nova i wanted to help out (hand them tools and such) he told me to fuck off and go inside the women.
When I was 9 I wanted a computer but my dad said I was stupid and would just mess one up so no. As i was pouting in my room my mom brought in 3 of his old broken computers and said "you're father's just being an ass. You can admit defeat or use these and build your own" i had a new computer by the end of the next day.
My dad got angry at my little sister and pushed her into a wall when I was 14 so I smashed my right fist into his jaw knocking him out cold. Looked at mom and said we are packing his bags or mine. I was so proud of her when the divorce was finalized.
DadKush ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:03:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandfather was the police chief for our city for a very long time. When he retired he was granted a key to the city and a small wooden token, that whenever he took it to a McDonalds, he was known to always go to, he would get a free BigMac. He use to pick me up, we would cruz in his old Cadillac and go get some burgers. We would bond over something so simple, but every time I get a BigMac, I always do think of him.
StePK ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:03:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Meeting my girlfriend for the first time. I was 15, she was 13. We were at camp. I was putting on my "trying to be cool because I don't know anyone" persona. She hated me and thought I was a dick. I wasn't fond of her because she was kind of full-on dumb blonde.
Over the next few days we really connected and became best friends as we both let down our false faces and acted like ourselves around each other. We fit together like a puzzle piece.
Then we went home. She lived in a different state. I asked her out, but there was no way I could see her for at least a year, and regular dates were out of the question. Nobody thought we'd stick together.
That was over five years ago.
hannowagno ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:06:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1.) My two sisters and I all shared a queen-sized bed when we were little. One night at bed-time, my mother tucked us in and told us that she and my dad wouldn't always be around, and that our sisters were our best friends and the most important thing in the world. That's one of my earliest memories
2.) My sister was in a car accident which left her wheel-chair bound for several months. When my sister was still in the hospital, as she was drifting to sleep, she told me, "our mom loves us so much." Our mother had been by her side every single day, and hadn't left the hospital even once. For some reason it was when I really felt the weight of how much our parents loved us.
3.) My grandpa, on his deathbed, pulled me in for my very last hug. When we pulled away, he took both of my hands in his with tears in his eyes and said, "I'm not gonna forget you, babe." I still don't know what exactly he meant (he was going to heaven and would look out for me? when he was sick he wouldn't forget who I was?) but the way he said it was with so much love that it's been burned in my brain ever since.
4.) I was sick with some sort of virus one day. I was throwing up every 20 minutes so I couldn't keep any liquids down which made me dehydrated/a little delusional. I was naked, on the toilet, and vomiting into a bowl while my boyfriend rubbed my back and helped me get cleaned up. That was when I realized he was in it for the long-haul and that I could trust him with anything.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:09:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mom blasting "Higher Love," by Steve Winwood, while cleaning the house on a random Saturday. The smell of Pinesol is strong with that one.
My dad spending one of my birthdays giving me presents all day. It was just me, him and my mom all day, and every hour or so I would get another present.
My mom packing her cigarettes in the morning and it annoying THEE fuck out of me. Later on during my smoking phase, I would realize why exactly she did this.
Going to a diner with my parents when I was super young, on a rainy Saturday morning and walking through the kitchen because my dad didn't realize it wasn't an entrance.
My dad surprising me on a Monday morning, with a hundred stuffed animals that he won at one of those claw machines inside of the bowling alley that he was apart of a Sunday night league at.
My parents buying their first house. I was only 4, but I remember leaving the crowded condo we lived in and one of the older kids in the complex giving me a giant box's worth of MicroMachines.
I have a ton more, but its just because I'm afraid of getting Alzheimer's one day, so I take inventory of these memories A LOT so I don't lose them.
aym1489810_rlew ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:09:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Great question! These ones are in chronological order.
First day in a new school, trying to make friends with a boy when he told me to "just go away". Ouch!
Building a huge lego skyscraper with my friend. That thing was amazingly tall, almost reaching up to the ceiling. We were building it for weeks, and it was great!
Making my first ever computer program on Liberty BASIC - it asked for your boss' name, and then told you that it sounded dumb. That's when my interest in computers sparked! I was about 9 or 10 back then.
My mom not letting me go to a field trip that I was extremely excited about. I was looking forward to it for months, had her OK for the entire time, and on the day before the trip she suddenly tells me I can't go because of some bullshit. I was heartbroken
Showing my videogame to my classmates. I made it completely from scratch and worked on it during roughly 9 months, all by myself. They loved it! Game development was my main hobby since then.
Going on a week-long school trip in a rural area across the country (as a part of the school program). Even though my parents were strongly against it and refused to pay for it, I was old enough (18) to pay from my own pocket and go anyways. It was my first time being away from my family for more than a day, and I had the time of my life!
idealisticwhitegirl ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:11:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I realize these might not sound like the happiest core memories, but I really did have a happy upbringing and life. A lot more good than bad.
CottonCandyElephant ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:12:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wasn't born in the US, so English isn't my native language. About a month after moving to the states, I was enrolled into a nearby elementary school. New places, new friends, SNOW; I was so excited for everything!
My first day of school, I walked into a small classroom and was brought to my seat by the teacher who knew I couldn't speak English. The moment my butt hit that chair, homesickness finally kicked in. I bawled my eyes out, realizing I couldn't understand a word anyone was saying nor could they understand me.
It might have been a few minutes, but to me it felt like days! Finally, the teacher put her hand on my shoulder and pointed to one of the computers at the back of the room. She brought me there along with a girl. GIRL. GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL. WHO DIS. SO PRETTY.
Forget about homesickness, I was in Puppy Rainbow Town now. "Sobrang maganda!"(way too pretty!) kept repeating in my brain to the point that I'd forgotten she was showing me how to use a computer.
I don't even remember the rest of the day because of her. Unfortunately, I still didn't know English so I spent 1st-5th grade in ESL
RedShirtDecoy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:14:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time Papa thought I was old enough to go fishing with him. He was the only father figure in my life and ended up passing when I was 11 but I will always be great full for our fishing trips together. Im a tom boy because of him and at 33 I dont think that will ever change.
Oh... and my swear word control panel definitely got an upgrade on one of our fishing trips when I was about 9. His fishing line got tangled and my control panel got an immediate upgrade that day!
rachelbisso ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:15:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
At 7, lying in bed after dinner, hearing my parents yell across the dining room table at each other. My mother never usually let my father's nasty words upset her but this one time they did. I thought they were going to divorce.
At 8, my dad came back from over-the-road trucking with gifts from Vegas. He gave me a porcelain baby doll. I was so happy to get a gift from my father, even though I was well past baby dolls, I cherished it.
My older sister followed my mom around the house, complaining incessantly until my mom came to me, crying, begging me to do whatever so that my sister would stop. At 15, it was the second time I'd ever seen my mother cry and it bewildered me. I swore that I'd never be as selfish as my sister.
At 23, finally gathering the courage to break off my engagement and chase my dreams instead of settling.
At 24, going home to visit my family and seeing my siblings with their children. Realizing we're adults and this is life now. One day we'll get old and I'll see them die.
trenchburner ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:17:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I saw a large, burly, muscular, tattooed man on the side of the road on his phone, crying. It's forever changed me.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:18:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
PM_ME_UR_THESIS_GIRL ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:18:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well if we're going by the definition in the movie, a core memory is an important memory that influenced something that became a fundamental part of your character. With that in mind, mine are the following:
The first time I saw Iron Man. I found myself very attracted to Tony Stark. As a 13-year-old boy, this was confusing for me, and would end up being not only the first indication I got that I was Bisexual, but also fostered my love of superheroes and comic books.
Getting caught by my dad at age 5 having dumped my spaghetti down the space between the couch and the wall. He told me then that whatever you do, you should be prepared to explain to someone why you'd done it. That I should never do something without first knowing why.
The first time I played Dragon Age: Origins. Once again, slightly after the Iron Man occurrence, I found myself attracted to a male character in a work of fiction. I used Dragon Age's romance mechanic as a proxy through which I could explore a homosexual relationship, and it helped me hugely in coming to terms with my sexuality.
My first date with my SO. It was nine years ago, I was twelve and she was 13. We were going to get bubble tea but when she showed up, she told me that she couldn't have bubble tea because of her braces. Instead, we walked circles around a local park for hours, getting to know each other. Nervously forming our first romantic bonds. I can't say that at such a young age, I knew we'd be together forever, but that day felt right in a way no day has felt before or since. I'll always treasure the day love became part of my life. We're still going strong at 21 and 22.
EnigmaVariations ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:19:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
smellther0ses ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:19:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Decided to do chronological, just the first few memories that I think really shaped me. These are more from 10 and up. I've got a thing for dates.
May, 2005:One of my greatest and most vivid memories is when I got my first dog (not the first my family owned), Belle. Of coming off the bus and seeing my grandma and my mom standing there with this 3 year old, beautiful Cavalier who I just instantly knew was going to be mine. She helped me a lot for the 7 years I had her.
October 19, 2010: Going to to see Enter Shikari, which was at the height of my obsession with them, at Gramercy Theater in NYC. I was center stage, pressed right against the barricade, and they played most of the songs from Common Dreads, my favorite album, and I still label it as one of the best days of my life.
July 4th, 2012: Belle died. I had to make the decision to put her down and I remember my father and I driving full speed to the emergency vet and my dog, completely out of it, drooling heavily on my chest. I was drenched. I hated sitting there with him after she was taken away to be wrapped up. What was worse is, when I got home, my best friend at the time had driven over to my house and was crying with me on the house. I went to go wipe an eye boogie out of her eye (automatic reaction, I was/still am paranoid about those big bug eyes of there's getting an infection), and it didn't close, obviously, and I lost it again. Huge thunder storm and huge downpour of rain that night on LI also, my dad was digging the grave in it. It was quite dramatic.
October 28th, 2013: Got my heart broken by my current SO. We were FWB at the time, and had only been seeing each other for two and a half months but fuck, I really liked him. I was only 18 and he was 25. He wanted to start seeing another girl his age. Cue two more months of insane drinking, and a lot of Molly use. We got together, ironically after this girl ended up breaking my nose.
February, 2014: After two or so weeks in of dating my current SO, we came back from a night out and went to have sex and it turned it making love. It was normal, under the covers, super vanilla sex but something about it was so different. Afterwards, just laying back and hearing him say, "Holy shit."
renaldorini ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:20:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably too late but my brother passed away four years ago (I'm 26 now) but when I was 12 he was 9 and we were playing little league and playing for the local championship when we were down by 5-4 with one out and a runner on 3rd in the bottom of the sixth. When my brother comes up to bat and smacks a ball down the first base line scores the run and ends up with a double. The next batter comes up and strikes out and starts crying like he would typically do so it is now my turn to hit and I come up and hit one to the gap and my brother scores and we win the game. I remember running and tackling my brother and being so happy. Yeah that is a core memory. Fun Fact: it was probably in our interest to lose that game as it would have given us a 2 seed and a significantly easier bracket to play through but would never change it.
Well_thatwas_random ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:21:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Random selection I know, but they were the ones that popped up first.
kchearts ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:22:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Meeting my dad when I was 4. I remember the dress I picked out for it (it was also my birthday) and I remember standing in ants and he saved me from them. I also called him Robert because ya know, I was 4 and didn't know what "dad" was. I also got like 5 Barbies that year. It was pretty sweet.
Playing with my brother outside when we were probably 7 (me) and 4 around our newly made clubhouse in rural Louisiana. Our neighbors had mean dogs and I had seen that they'd escaped the fence so I ushered my little brother in the fort (it honestly was a few boxes and blankets far from the house in the backyard) because I knew we didn't have time to make it to the house before the dogs would reach us and probably attack us. We sat huddled in the fort hugging each other really tight as we heard the dogs arrive at out fort and actually start fighting amongst themselves just feet away. We fought a lot as kids but after that we had kind of a turning point and got along a lot more.
Swimming in my step dads house during the summer listening to the radio with my brother and step siblings all day. I can't even hear No Doubt songs anymore without faintly smelling chlorine.
The day my best friend completely rejected me because of the person I started dating. That was my biggest heartbreak.
The day my mom brought me home a GameBoy Advance. It was me and her and we were really broke and living in a garage apartment at the time (exactly what it sounds like) and our landlords let her keep rent the month of my birthday to be able to buy me something. I was so ecstatic.
Sharing reeses peanut butter cups with my dad when he would take me to work with him on the road. He drove a semi and we would buy the king size and each eat one at the start of the trip and the last two when we arrived where we were going.
itsmybootyduty ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:23:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Walking to the store in England when I lived there for pence candy.
Playing Harry Potter characters on the front lawn with my best friend and getting yelled at because she was Muslim and we weren't supposed to be doing shit like that.
Driving to my second foster home with my younger brother and watching the trees go past.
Having sex with my first love in her bedroom one night. I went down on her and I remember looking up at her and her grabbing my hair.
Holding my mom's hand as she died in the hospital.
My first big episode of depression in August of 2014.
My first panic attack. The first of many.
The most recent: a wonderful night spent playing Minecraft. I didn't care about anyone or anything or any emotions other than content at that time. At 26, I've finally found my escape.
miss_2 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:23:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Zea1ot ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:23:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข The day I flipped off my dad. I was around seven and on this particular day he had me doing a bunch of chores and eventually I got fed up with it, I was down the hall when he asked me to do something else and where I was standing the wall was blocking his direct line of sight from me. I flipped him off and the moment I did he stood up and said "What did you just do?" I was horrified and flabbergasted at how he knew what I had done. After my whoopin' I later found out he saw me through the reflection of the sliding glass door
โข I was 10 and my brother was 5, our family had literally just gotten our keys to our new apartment and after moving in the first piece of furniture my little brother says "I'm not feeling so good" and proceeds to projectile vomit pink stuff onto the white carpet
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:23:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ohh god so many more. I should write them down, probably mostly anger/fear lol because it would explain why I am not a happy person.
P_Money69 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:32:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is the gayest thread ever...
thelirivalley ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:33:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I "kissed" my wife. We were friends and we were drinking at my cottage, we had ended up on the stairs outside and I know she wanted to kiss so I kept leaning and and back out playfully.
jamasiel ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:33:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bing-bong: A 30 minute song about Buck Rogers I sang while building a dam in a creek by myself
WhitneysMiltankOP ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:33:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Got some.
When I was 4 I had to get treatment because my brain did not produce growth hormones. So I had to start taking injections every day (till I was 22). Like Lionel Messi. I was so afraid of needles so my parents were not able to give it to me. They took me to my doctor, they pinned me down and gave me the injection. I'll never forget that feeling of being helpless and not protected by my parents.
When I was 10 a had tooth hanging on it's root. Since I was afraid of anything happening to my teeth (still to this day) I hesitated in just picking it out. So one day we visited my dentist and she checked everything. At the end she asked me about said tooth and 'just wants to check, stay for a moment longer please'. I knew something was up, she picked something out of a drawer and suddenly I was pinned down AGAIN and they just pulled it out.
When I was 7 we visited a soccer game of a local club in my hometown. I just derped around on my own and flipped over a goal on the side. I impaled myself (or rather my shirt) and got thrown into the air. So I was hanging there with my shirt above the post and myself attached to it. I cried and got chocolate after.
The death of my uncle. The night before I had to go to the hospital for a check up regarding my hormone treatment I was in my bed and our phone rang. I heard my parents leave the house just minutes after. I pretend to be asleep but I knew something bad happend. Next morning I ask my mom what happened, she said 'your uncle had a heart attack'. Nothing more. But I knew something was up. So I said 'well at least he isn't dead'. Turns out he was but they did not want to tell me because they were afraid that it might affect my health on that day. I never visited his grave or the funeral. I still miss him, but I can't get myself to his grave.
Watching my club win the Bundesliga in 2004. I was never happier in my entire life. I still know what I wore (club shirt with #10 Micoud, scarf, shorts and sunglasses) and what we did the whole day. I even know what I ate the entire day.
Holidays with my friends at 17 years old. We visited France and some part of the ocean had 'sea urchins' around. Like with signs and shit. We made fun of it before jumping in like 'yeah, sure, how high are the chances of...' I stepped on one in that exact moment. I fell down, pushed myself up with my hands and touched another one with my right hand. My friends almost drowned because they couldn't stop laughing.
Watching my friend die. When I was 18 one of my closest friends of that time from school jumped down a bridge while we were leaving a party. He asked us if we felt something about this day earlier. We said 'no, nothing special, do you?' We said goodbye (he had to go over the bridge, we did not) to him and heard a scream seconds later. We turned around, saw his jacket on the edge and him no where around. We called the police and they found his body beneath it. We found out after that his girlfriend betrayed him, told her parents he raped her and they told his parents. They did not believe their own son and he was still a virgin. He told us everything about his girlfriend acting weird and stuff but we never bothered to ask direct questions about it, since everyone had trouble with girls in that age. To this day we still blame ourself somehow for it (we know better, but you know, 'what if we..?').
LordKahra ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:37:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ectogasmic ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:37:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I have a lot honestly but these stick out to me: โขthe first time I witnessed my mom having a seizure. I was 8, heard a loud bang when she fell from her bed and ran from my room to see her. I, obviously not knowing what to do and not even knowing what was happening, called my uncle since he lived a couple doors down and cried until she stopped and woke up. She didn't know who I was for 10 minutes and I sat crying until her memory came back and she held me and told me how much she loved me and that she never wanted me to see that happen. My mom has had epilepsy since 2000, a year after my sister died and I hadn't known about it for 5 whole years of my life. It really changed the way I saw my mom and we've been extremely close since. โข my 18th birthday, my best friends and I stayed at one of their houses after my mom threw me a party. My friend's parents were out of town and we sat in her room and blasted horrible music and took shots. I was barely drunk but my friends were waaaay past their limit but spent that entire night by my side laughing, reassuring me that I was a good person, telling me that the guy I liked would definitely like me back and our date would go well (and we did get together and are still together!). it's one of the fondest memories I have of them. Also of them sitting in my drive way while we set off the little hand held sparklers. โขI went to the Philippines with my grandparents and my dad and my dad spent the entire vacation with his friends there and forgot all about our trip we were gonna take to Disneyland in China. I was really disappointed but my cousin who is much like a sister to me spent the entire 2 weeks I was there with me exploring and trying new food and sitting on our house roof top looking at stars. โขthe first time my now boyfriend told me he loved me. He had said he might be in love with me before and it made my entire head spin and that night, at 4 am in his car in the parking lot outside work he held me and told me he loved me and I kissed him before I even replied to him. โขwhen my grandpa on my mom's side passed away I didn't go to school for 2 weeks. i spent the entire time brooding but also spent it with my family as we all talked about how much he meant to us and how much he did for us. around that time my mom also nearly committed suicide but my family managed to stop her. she was under an insane amount of pressure and my grandmother was making it worse on her telling her it was her fault. in the end my mom held me again and told me how much everything hurt but she would never leave me like that.
djsputty ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:45:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my mom drove out of the house after fighting with my dad and crying about how none of us (kids and husband) appreciated her. The hour she was gone was one of the scariest hours of my life. I was 6.
cmd_bat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:46:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
today i have learned my core memories are not good.
ginnyincus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:( is that productive at least?
JayJLeas ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, not everyone's lead emotion is Joy, but Riley's mum's lead emotion was Sadness, and her dad's was Anger, and they're still happy. Just because something shapes you, that doesn't mean it has to define you.
Slntskr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:46:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents were going out to eat and the sitter was coming over. My mom carried me upstairs and changed my diaper. She must have been all dolled up or something but how her face looked is how I always imagine her. I must have been 2 because at 3 we lived in a single story for a few years.
I was eating dinner with my family and they let me use my own fork in the high chair. I was trying to show off to my older sister that I could use it. We had goulash. It felt good when my sister smiled. Now I'm crying. Young emotions are so strong.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:47:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
krupu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:51:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Isn't it counter-clockwise from the other side though? If your point of view is in the middle it's neither?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:00:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
krupu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No, it's just something I've always been baffled by. Thanks for confirming my suspicions.
loridee ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:53:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have very clear core memory. I was 5 years old. I loved Snoopy. We went to the supermarket and they had a raffle going on and you could win a huge stuffed Snoopy. It was huge. Taller than me. I was so excited. We were going to win! Except we didn't and the day we went to the supermarket and I realized Snoopy was gone and not going to go home with me I sobbed and sobbed. I remember following my Dad around the store and sobbing "he's gone, Daddy, he's gone!". I remember my Dad talking to the manager of the store while I was sobbing. I got a big box under the Christmas tree that year, wrapped in red foil wrapping paper. My older sister whispered "I think that's Snoopy!". I couldn't believe it could be so. I opened it like it contained breakable glass. It was Snoopy.
It wasn't until I was older that I made the connection, my dad talking to the manager to find out where to get the stuffed Snoopy.
I kept it and it was my closest companion. My reading spot, my pillow, my horse, my crying spot. Finally I started to outgrow Snoopy. It was grey and torn and the filling was lumpy. I took it out into the backyard to try to wash it and it turned into a sodden, sad looking lump. It ended up disappearing from the back yard. Nothing was ever said but I suspect my mother bagged it up and put it out for the trash. I think I knew that but didn't want to talk about it. By that point in time things had changed and my dad wasn't someone I could look up to any more.
My parents were not good parents to their children. They really weren't but this one time, and the only time in my life, my dad came through and was a hero. He ended up distancing himself from his kids and eventually abandoning us but this one time, he was there.
YoureParanoid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:59:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My mom was killed in front of me when I was 2. When I was about 4, I remember telling my adult cousin about the circumstances and realizing that I wasn't supposed to know those things.
Making friends on the first day of school because we'd worn the same dress and all knew how to tie our shoes.
Spent the day with my adult cousin shopping for her "nieces". We picked out the best stuff and were surprised to receive it as gifts the next day.
Returning from summer vacation to learn we'd moved.
My HS dance team was doing our spring show. At the booster club / parents' meeting, they had them write cards for us. My dad wrote "You disappoint me sometimes, but I still love you." I hadn't been in trouble or done anything wrong in recent memory. He just had a rough way of communicating affection. For a long time, I carried that card with me everywhere as a reminder to be better.
Seeing the pain in my dad's face when Grandma died and recognizing that he'd been a little boy with a mommy once.
Unplanned pregnancy at 27. Terrified, frustrated and disappointed. Miscarriage 3 months later. Devastated in a way I never thought possible.
On the way to get our marriage license, we passed a broke down van with a small woman trying to push it alone. Cars were aggressively rushing around her. My (now) husband didn't hesitate to pull over, push the van out of the way, offer her (and the 4 kids in the van) a ride and any other help they needed.
Hearing my dad brag about my son's development.
Spending a day with my dad teaching me leather tooling last year. It was the first time we'd spent "quality time" together in my life. Easily one of the best days of my life so far.
Crying alone in my car outside of an HEB the day after my dad died. The house was full of friends and family ready to support me. Emotionally, I've always thought of myself as an open book. I just couldn't bring myself to lose it over that in front of other people.
My toddler looked at me and said "I love you Mommy" and gave me a kiss about a week ago.
LilyLurkerHamblurker ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:09:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So much pain in your life, but I read happiness within there too, and I suppose that is what life is all about. I've always enjoyed the phrase "may you have enough rain, so that you can appreciate the sun." It honestly sounds like you've had more than your share of rain, but you've not lost the ability to enjoy the good in life. Thank you for sharing.
YoureParanoid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:12:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I like that quote. I almost feel guilty for how much my pain appears to almost outweigh my happiness. I do think hardships have shaped a lot of who I am, but I'm pretty content with my life right now. I think that it's just eased this direction, rather having significant events that led here though.
dimensional_bats ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:02:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my best friend got kidnapped.
Tl;dr - best friend was moved across the country suddenly by her mom, in the middle of a school day. Thought it was my fault for years.
This'll be buried, in sure, but it messed me up for a long time. Legally, it wasn't a kidnapping, because it was done by her mother, who at the time was in a custody fight with her grandparents that hadn't been officially settled. She lived with her grandparents then, next door, and we'd known each other all our lives (were 8 at the time) and rode the bus to school together. Her grandmother knew there was some stuff potentially going down, and told me to keep an eye on her, make sure she was on the bus home, etc. It was my job to make sure she was safe.
One day after school, she wasn't on the bus. She was nowhere to be found. I freaked out and refused to let the bus leave without her. After an epic tantrum, they brought me into the office to call my friend's grandma, who told me to get on the bus and they'd explain when I got home. Turns out hey mother signed her out of school and moved 3,000 miles away. No notice. I thought it was my fault, because I was supposed to make sure she was there, and she wasn't.
I didn't see her again for two years, when she finally came back to visit. 8 years after leaving, she moved back with the grandparents. We managed to become best friends again, like when we were little. I finally realized it wasn't anything yu do with me, just a crappy family situation, but it still left me with a lot of trust issues and difficulty making friends (assumed they'd all be taken from me). Almost twenty years ago, and I remember every detail of that day.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:11:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age 3-5 I had this recurring vivid dream that if I stood on top of a wall/the stairs/ any sort of height, closed my eyes, whispered "1, 2, 3" and jumped, I'd be able to fly. Now, there came a day when I felt the need to determine if I did indeed have this superpower, spent 3 hours in A&E with a broken ankle having basically thrown myself down the stairs. Life's magic died a little bit that day
flipzmode ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:14:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Basically: What are your strongest memories that make you who are you?
justinerwin ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:14:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a little kid (like, 5 or 6), my dad had a couple of strokes due to the chemo he was receiving for a brain tumor. He was paralyzed from the waist down and lost a lot of motor skills and speech skills as well. I remember one afternoon, leaving my grandparents house (he and my mom had divorced, pre-tumor and they were his caretakers through the whole process) and I reached down to give him a hug in his recliner. His skin was always cold, but he hugged me back and I heard him stammer out "I love you." I'm getting married in 10 months to an amazing woman that I know he would have loved, and I miss him every day.
LoveToHateMe666 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:16:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
-Going to Disneyland and eating cotton candy with my parents. This memory is more sweet than the candy. About 6 yrs old.
-Sitting on the staircase by the door. My parents asking us (the kids) who they will go with when they get divorced. 8 years old.
-My mom chasing me into the bathroom with a knife when I failed math. 11 years old.
-My first kiss. Her gentle lips and silky hair. Those deer eyes. Lying in bed watching pixar movies. 19 years old.
-Watching my first gf (now ex) board the plane. Never saw her again. I just remember the feeling of being empty. 19 years old. Still single haha.
Choo Choo* feel train
x3Fast5u ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:16:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
cp2080 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:16:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember being about 4 or 5 and at school, sitting on the floor listening to the a teacher read a story. I saw that my shoe was untied and I sat there during the whole story time trying to tie my shoe, and I finally got it and tied it on my own. I knew my Mom was going to pick me up soon so I purposely untied my shoe so when she went to tie it, I could show her that out of no where, I knew how to do it. I thought I was so cool.
JakeFromCE ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:16:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 12 we took my neighbors moms car for a joy ride down our gravel road (lived in the country). She came home from work early and caught us. I will never forget the moment of watching her give my best friend/neighbor a back breaker while watching from inside their house. She was so mad that she picked him up and dropped him on her knee. It was like I was watching Monday Night Raw.
We didn't drive the car after that day.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:17:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first love getting raped and me actually seeing red. Anger and pain like nothing else I've ever been through.
rnflhastheworstmods ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:18:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There was this tree in the yard of my childhood home.
Everyone knew it as "the bee tree" because bees lived in it.
This must've been close to 20 years ago but I remember my brother taking our little nerf baseball bat and proclaiming "I ain't scared of no bees" as he wacks the tree and proceeded to get stung a half dozen times.
CoconutWill ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:18:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I remember sitting and hugging around my dads legs while he was walking. That feeling when you're a little kid and your dad just lifts you with his feet as he's walking with no effort at all. I still remember exactly how this feels.
Skullpuck ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:18:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:26:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mmmm I just thought of this before opening up Reddit.
I was 17, senior on high school. It was New Years Eve, and my parents had my aunt and uncle over while I was going to leave for a friend's house and bring my Soda Stream and carbonate some grape juice.
I hop in my GM Sonoma, open the garage door and back out. It was snowy and dark and I was in an angle, but I backed into my aunt and uncle's new car. I knew I had left a big scratch across the passengers side doors, but that night I left and hung out with my friends.
My friends girlfriend heard my phone ring from my jacket pocket upstairs and got it. She said it was my dad. He was livid. I came home and I've never felt so guilty.
My uncle and aunt has already went home, but they were surprisingly chill about it. They reassured me they weren't mad and as long as I paid the repairs, they were happy. My dad was really disappointed in me and we couldn't be in the same room for a week.
I remember feeling really low. I know without a doubt I will never leave the scene of an accident again, no matter how inclement or trivial that accident is.
upsydasy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:26:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Sitting in the woods with my dad by a dirt road having lunch consisting of beans and weenies. Our campfire smoke disturbed a huge owl (to my childโs eyes) which swooped down and flew down the road. Iโll never forget that day and my living room reflects all the colours that I saw on that beautiful sunny autumn day.
EDITED: several times to fix my grammar. Still not perfect but I'm done! Sorry...
SeattleGreySky ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:37:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
watching my older brothers play excite bike when i was 5
earliest memory i have
FishDicksGayFish ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:40:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) One of my earliest memories was my four year old self walking into the dentist's office to have surgery on some of my teeth that were rotting away. I was scared and did not know what to expect, but as soon as I saw the toys in the waiting room all my fears evaporated... Until it was time to go into the surgery room. My dentist, Dr. Toby, was incredibly kind and made me feel at ease immediately (and he remained my dentist for the following 10 years until he retired).
2) When I was six years old I was adamant about staying up all night on Christmas Eve so I can meet Santa. My older brother and sister kept telling me it won't happen, but I refused to believe them. Right at midnight I saw a red light in the sky that promptly disappeared into the clouds. I was SURE I just saw Rudolph. I ran inside to tell my brother and sister, but they were already asleep. I fell asleep smiling because I knew I caught a glimpse of the man that makes Christmas so wonderful for millions of children. A year later I found out he's not real and I saw an airplane.
3) I can't remember if I was 8 or 9 but I can vividly remember when I got my first pack of Pokemon cards. My brother encouraged me to get a pack because he was too and every kid at school was collecting them. My dad took us to this small comic shop up the street and bought us each one pack. I opened mine and what do I get? A first edition Charizard. I was so proud of it and received much admiration from my brother and friends. Unfortunately, I sold it to that very same comic shop years later for $75. I wish my teenage self kept that...
4) Playing video games with my siblings are some of my most precious memories. We spent hours taking turns playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic & Knuckles. My brother and sister were much better at those games than I was at the time, so I was usually content watching them play. Same thing with Spyro 1, 2 & 3, but we all had our own game saves. We still loved watching each other play as much as we loved playing the game ourselves.
5) I was 11 and my step-dad getting out of prison and coming to live with us. He was just as cool as I remember him being during visits! Not even a month goes by until he shows his true self. He is a verbally abusive prick that would occasionally hit my mom. My best friend at the time stood up to him once and got smacked down. My mom pleaded with him not to tell his mom so the cops wouldn't get involved... That was the point I lost respect for my mother and realized she is going to choose this man over us if she was forced to choose (and she did). This man destroyed my self confidence, made me crawl into my shell, which led to me becoming overweight.
6) I'm 18 and meet my best friend for the first time. We started playing Xbox Live together and found out he only lives 30 minutes away. My brother and his friend are headed up his way and invite me along. I ask him if he wants to meet up in person. I'm a shy awkward teenager, he's a very friendly and genuine person. He helps me open up a lot and break free of the shell I created myself. Even though he moved away we are still hetero life mates and talk every day.
7) I'm 24 and single. This girl at work e-mails me asking how I do so well at our job and asks for tips to improve. We continue e-mailing one another for a couple weeks. I find myself anticipating her next e-mail and wanting to talk to her more and more. I find out she has never seen The Goonies, so I lend it to her and ask if she wants company I would love to watch it with her. She invites me over and we talk for hours and hours, even through the entire movie. I never felt that connection with any of my previous girlfriends.
8) I'm still 24, it's only been a month and a half. Me and the girl from my previous memory have been dating and we spend just about every day together. We are getting ready for work in the morning and take a shower together. I can tell she is trying to work up the courage to tell me that she loves me, but instead of telling her myself I let her work up to it because I thought it was so cute. She starts listing off things she loves that weren't me. As I'm starting into get out of the shower she says "Hey! I love..." and as I'm getting out of the shower she points to me and turns around in embarrassment. I get back in, wrap my arms around her and tell her I love her too. At that moment I realized I have never loved a woman before. I thought I did in previous relationships, but this is what it truly felt like.
juliagulia287 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:41:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
OnehourFrodo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:41:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The last time my whole extended family got together for Christmas was a few years ago. I'm the second Oldest of them all and I was probably 20 years old. All of us cousins were sitting around talking when my brother randomly started singing the Pokemon theme song. Everyone immediately joined in and we all sang the song with the intensity and harmony that it deserved. It was super fun and I have no idea why that memory sticks out to me so much, but I really miss those big gatherings with my family _^
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:47:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In grade 12 I was first trombone in jazz band. I picked trombone because my dad was a professional trombonist, and it just seemed natural. I'd just picked up trombone that year though - the orchestra had needed a tuba player so I played tuba for a couple years, but when they were short on trombones, I decided to switch to fill the position.
We were competing and I had my first real solo. I'd practiced for days and blown it so many times. But that day I felt I nailed it and was super pleased. When it came time for judging the head judge stood up to announce the winner and said "while we can't give the award to a single player we want the trombone soloist from $highscool to come get their first place award". It didn't register what he'd said because we'd all thought another school got first so we were zoned out. When it clicked I ran up to get the award then back to be surrounded by the band. On the way out I was stopped by a few people who said my solo was great
I got home and told my dad how it went and he just hugged me and told me how proud he was. No grand moment, but that is one of my best memories in my life.
Schlick80 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:47:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm the second oldest in my family and my older sister bullied me relentlessly and my parents never cared. I don't remember what it was I did, but I did something to really piss her off and my mom was yelling at me about it. My sister flat out asks her if she could punch me in the face and my told her to go ahead. I was so stunned I didn't even have a chance to defend myself. My older sister isn't "girly" or small by any means, she was a multi sport athlete and went to state in high school for shot put and discuss, so yeah, this hurt on many levels.
I stayed the night at my grandparents for a few days before going back home. I was 12, she was 15.
I moved out a few years later and lived with a friend on their farm. Few years after that I went back home to visit, now 6'2" and 210lbs. Sister had some friends over and tried to push me around again, she flew across the dining room, landed on the table and ended up in a heap in the corner. That ended her history of bullying me.
Now, 20 years later, her kid(10) is a snob and behaves just like herexcept she's not nearly as physical and picks on my son (7). My son is also a regional placer in wrestling and a SubLeague jiu jitsu champion. My parents and sister love getting his case when he stands up for himself, I've had to tell them all to fuck off more than once.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:48:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
stephm524 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:04:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You might know this, but in case you don't. I'm a microbiologist and you're supposed to have some "germs" on your hands that even soap or antibacterial gels won't wash off. It's actually really bad for you and your health if you don't have some type of "germs" on your hands. They are collectively they're called your microbiome and they are actually very good for you. Even 5 years ago this wasn't very well known among health professionals.
LouisCaravan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:10:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha, thank you! I do know that you're not supposed to be "germless," but most of the other students had visibly less germs, so young me was crazy-disappointed.
emmiehatesreddit ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:57:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โขBeing told my brother was diagnosed with autism. I didn't really understand how it would go on to affect me when it happened, but 13 years later I can say it was a turning moment in my family's history.
โขThe first and second times my SO and I first said "I love you" to each other. The first was when we were sixteen in his car, and I still remember what song was playing. The second time came a few yearslater after we had broken up and spent some time apart. The second time (again, in his car. We have a thing for cars) might have even been more special, knowing I could go a long time without seeing someone I care deeply about and discovering that even while apart, we had grown in the same direction.
These next ones are less core, more precious:
โขIf anyone remembers those books, "The ____ From the Black Lagoon." My brother told me my dog was the dog from the black lagoon, and we hid together in a refrigerator box from him.
โขMy dad planting flowers in my playhouse windowsill
โขRiding bikes in the house
I had a lovely childhood, spattered with some bad memories (see memory above regarding the autism diagnosis) and this thread helped me to remember. Thank you, Internet :)
Amax2192 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:06:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The last time my entire family was having dinner before my grandfather passed away a few years ago. We had gone out to celebrate my mother's birthday a little early (he passed on her actual birthday) and the entire family came out - something that never happens. I remember sitting there, with my entire family laughing, eating, telling stories and enjoying each other's company. It is still the most vivid memory of my adult life because little did we know that the following week, we would be mourning and grieving. It was just such a wholesome feeling that I never felt before then and have not felt after.
lalauniverse ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:06:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My brother was in the fourth grade when I was in Kindergarten. Since my school time was only in the afternoon, we'd take the bus home together. I remember one ride where he taught me how to snap my fingers.
He and I had bunk beds and every day when we got home from school and went to take our shoes off, he'd sit on his top bunk and throw his socks on my head. We also used to stay up until 11 PM (gasp!) watching the Simpsons on really low volume.
We watched Homestarrunner religiously as kids. Sent in countless emails to Strongbad, quoted Trogdor so much that our mom eventually picked up the references. He introduced me to video games and beat bosses for me. I once spent a summer watching him play the Metal Gear Solid series. He called me his co-pilot and I was really excited.
I remember when he failed out of college and he lost his direction for a while. He wasn't ready for it yet. I don't know why he and I didn't talk more when I dropped out of college. He joined the Marines and our family was really proud of him.
I got into some trouble in March, and my mom sent out a family-wide message that I was going through a tough time. He called me and talked to me and didn't pass any judgment on me. I haven't seen my brother in years, just due to moving around a lot and the Military ate up a lot of his time. He sent out a package yesterday filled with some books he's collected, on the bottom he drew a little Trogdor.
Voqals ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:06:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first memory was looking up at a man who I instinctively knew as "Daddy" and asking him, "Daddy, what's my name?"
RobinsEggTea ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:06:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I tried writing it all out but theres like 30 memories. I think I'm doing it wrong.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:08:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 5 or 6 years old I went to Disney World with my family. My mom and I were waiting in line to ride the Buzz Lightyear ride and we were standing behind a man with a tattoo on his calf. My mom has never been a fan of tattoos and so when she noticed I was intently looking at this man's tattoo, she said "If you ever get a tattoo, I will cut your balls off." I have never forgotten that day and have yet to get a tattoo.
Over-Analyzed ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:09:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
When my parents forgot me somewhere and every time they forgot to pick me up after swim practice. I have abandonment issues. I am always afraid of being forgotten and left alone like Stitch.
When my brothers ganged up against me (older and younger) while we were on vacation and I chose madness to escape from it. The event wasn't bad but that was the first time that my anger and eccentricity became something to be mocked. I am always afraid that people will gang up against me. Madness became my only way of fighting back against my fears of being alone.
When I was picked up and thrown because I was small. I'd never feel like a giant again or trust in people to hold me up. I'd always be small.
The first time a girl in school rejected me. Cue spiral of insecurities and never feeling like people would like me or that I'd find someone who would like me.
The moment I realized I could never beat my older brother in anything. I lost any ambition I had after that. What was the point? I'd just lose anyways.
When I was told that I couldn't show off my intelligence by correcting the teacher.
Going into the 6th Grade with no Honor Classes and earning every one of them back, proving that I'm as smart as I think I am.
The time I attempted suicide or The Day that God reminded me that there was still something to live for.
The day I guided down a raft of customers down a class 3 River. Where training, effort, and renewed confidence proved that I was a responsible and capable adult when it truly matters.
The day I did a Full Moon Paddle down the coast of Maui in memorial of a friend's suicide, to talk to God, Cry, and accept death if it should come for me. I overcame fears and experienced a world unlike any other.
My Testimony
NondeterministSystem ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:10:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Do adult memories count?
In my early twenties, I had a lot of issues--most of them personal. I suffered from what has been called "the drama of the gifted child" to that point in my life: I had defined myself pretty much solely in terms of my intelligence. Schools and colleges had reinforced this, praising me for doing well academically while never really noticing that I never really learned how to work hard or relate to others.
So, the short version is that I left college one class short of an honors degree. I could have graduated with a "vanilla" degree in my field at any point, but I couldn't bring myself to do that. Nor could I quite finish that independent studies course. I became a cliche, an early-twenties smart slacker. I knew enough, was diligent enough, to make ends meet, but I wasn't fulfilling my potential and I wasn't a great friend. I filled my evenings with escapism--video games, anime, tabletop games--while my struggles with issues around identity, responsibility, and adulthood manifested as major depressive disorder.
Now, a lot of people will talk about epiphanies. A lot of people have them, but they aren't usually as life-changing as they feel in the moment. Then late one night I saw the final episodes to an anime series I'd caught off-and-on for a while. It was all symbolic and a little surreal, so it could've meant a lot of things to a lot of people, but... To me, it was all leading up to the moment that the main character reached into her past, beyond all the things she used to numb her pains and her anxieties, back to a point where she had--as a child--first made herself believe that she was a victim when she wasn't. Correcting her misperception about that delusion made the pattern of her life clear: when backed into a corner, she constructs an internal narrative that absolves her of guilt. What she needed to do, instead, was apologize, accept her guilt, and move forward anyway.
I realized that was me.
I finally got my honors degree, by the way--even got a doctorate and a master's to go with it. Now I'm married, and I'll be starting a very professional career with very important people very soon. Anime, video games, and even tabletop gaming are all still important parts of my life, but they're smaller parts now. Running, studying, and quality time with my spouse (who I met an anime convention) are probably even more important to me now.
In a way, I owe it all to surreal anime.
TheYearOfThe_Rat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:12:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Paranoia Agent.
CarolineTheGnome ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:19:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
If you don't mind, what was the name of the anime?
NondeterministSystem ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:23:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well, I deliberately try not to mention it, even when using it as an example of an anime series that does a good job with mature themes (in every sense of the word). Even saying up front what the series is gives away something vital about the narrative themes. Having said all of that...
If you're interested in good surreal anime, look up the work of the great Satoshi Kon. As the other comment points out, I'm talking specifically about Paranoia Agent.
Zombie_Jesus_83 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:14:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In 5th grade my class was doing math. The teacher asked who in the room could count by odd numbers to 21. For whatever reason, maybe daydreaming, my brain translated that to who can count by threes to 21. I eagerly raised my hand thinking that this was easy. I started counting "3, 6, 9," repeatedly being corrected by the teacher. After about the 3rd correction, my brain still focused on counting by threes, I just stopped saying anything. The room was silent. In the silence one of my classmates just looks at me and says, in a disparaging voice, "What's wrong with you?"
I absolutley lost it and started crying/bawling right there in front of the class. I should add that this was in the middle of when my parents were getting a divorce so that likely contributed to my fragile emotional state.
I attribute that memory as contributing to my general shyness and avoidance of speaking in front of people.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:22:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
1.) Getting dressed for my first day of Kindergarten. I was so excited to go to the same school with my 3 older siblings, I couldn't be happier. I had trouble getting dressed (button up shirts and kindergartners don't mix). My mom started getting frustrated because I was going to be late, she started yelling and I started crying.
2.)In 3rd grade I brought a pocket knife to school; I'd just received my whittling chip card from scouts, I thought of it as a conceal and carry license. Knives are cool, so I thought I'd show my friends my awesome knife. Jacob went and told other people I threatened him. Those other people spread the word until a particular girl who hated me learned about it. She went and told the teacher I threatened her with the knife. My mom had to pick me up from school, she wouldn't believe that I was telling the truth even though I swore to God that I was. I was Catholic, meaning that I knew breaking an oath to God was a mortal sin and I would go to Hell for it, yet my mom still thought I was lying.
3.) Going to the YMCA and seeing a horribly disfigured person. I told my mom that I thought that person had a good Halloween mask, then learned it wasn't a mask.
4.) I grasped the concept of mortality (and eternity) and cried in my mom's bed while she held me. What can a parent do in that situation? I'm not not sure I want to have children, knowing I'll remake this memory with them.
5.) In 5th grade my class illustrated and composed our own story books. Our teacher stressed the importance of taking our time and producing a quality work rather than trying to finish quickly. I took too long and she wouldn't allow me to attend the end of the year school carnival.
6.) In 7th grade my mom caught my dad sneaking in late at night (sometime in the a.m.) and started screaming at him for being a peeping Tom. Then next morning when my dad gave me my ride to school he asked if I was awake last night, I said, "no". I knew that he knew that I was awake.
7.) In 11th grade during the summer I invited all of my friends over to celebrate my birthday. We planned on it during school, in person, and everyone agreed to go. No one came. They didn't have the decency to say they weren't coming either, they just didn't show up. (I did not invite anyone to my grad party for this reason.)
8.) In 12th grade, I performed Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue on stage with the seniors of my school's band. I received a standing ovation that lasted way too long. A full year of practice went into that song.
Most of these are depressing, but the happy moments are often small and more often and therefore make less significant changes.
icefirebeta ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:26:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember finding my best friend because we both got expelled for something we never did. Later when I went to appeal it, we just saw each other and didn't even say a word. Just nodded at each other. We were best friends the next year and have been for the last 5 years.
solarnoise ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:27:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
LeMyst ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:30:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My memories are not hopeful. Also I do not have many. 1. Being punched in the gut by a boy. I walked home holding my gut and my breath. Not sure what happened after that (this was between kindergarten and first) 2. Running out of the house to go to school. The school was on the next block. My mother chased me down and spanked me while dragging me by my arm back home. I believe I left too early for school. (This was around the same time frame as the first memory). 3. We had a wooden paddle my parents would use to spank us. It said Pa knows best as everyone knows but what ma says always goes. They wrote our names on the back of it and tallied how many times we were hit with it. I took the paddle and I would add marks to the other kids so it looked like I was the best. (Again same time frame as the previous two memories). 4. My father had found out my mother was cheating. (He was recording her phone calls with one of my toy recorders). He told my brother and I that we would be locked in our bedroom. We shared a room and being locked in was not uncommon. My dad locked my mother out. When she got home the fight started. Not sure what was said until I heard her screaming my name that my father was going to hit her. I ran for the door thinking it was locked but knew I had to do something. It was unlocked. I ran out into the living room screaming don't hurt her. They both ran to me and then my memory ends. Not sure what happened. I was 10.
After that it is mostly depression that I don't dwell on today. In fact I try desperately not to remember, think about it, or do anything that reminds me of the shit storm of my childhood.
yourockmysocks ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:31:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my mom called to tell me my brother died of an overdose. I will never unhear her voice.
At the funeral they played Into The Mystic and hearing my mom sing her heart out while bawling harder then I have ever seen.
There are a lot of painful memories of that time that I don't think will ever leave.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:33:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was around 10 years old I remember a cousin of mine (14 years old) was messing around telling scary stories at night. I remember the exact moment when he told me "if you say 'Oh Marรญa' 3 times in the bathroom, you die".
To this day I haven't said it just in case.
Kayfith ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:36:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Being choked against the wall by my stepfather reaching out to my mom while she helplessly watches us. -Picking flowers with my grandmother and hearing her telling me stories of dragon flowers. -Playing make beleive in the schoolyard with my friends. -crying at the canal with a big slow strobing light going off and repeating "I'm sorry" to myself over and over again.
AikenLugon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:36:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thankyou #PapiSurane for this post, it set me to thinking about some things I've not thought of in a very long time & helped me realise it wasn't all bad. Yes, there's some (read, a lot) of painful memories buried in my brain but there's also some really really good ones too.
Thankyou, sincerely.
JohnnyTsunami23 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:37:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my earliest memories was of me sitting in the back seat of a car with the guy I thought was my dad and my mom in the front. My mom was a single mother of five so my dad wanted to take me with him to give me a better life. They talked and talked but ultimately they decided to let me choose. Initially I said I would go with my dad thinking that I would still see my family all the time. But as my mom sobbed away and explained to me that I may never see them again and begged me to stay, I didn't have a choice I had to stay. I always think back to that moment. About how different my could have been for better or for worse. When I was younger I regretted it but now I'm glad I stayed because I'm me and I can't imagine how I would have turned out had I gone.
dmxept ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:41:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting on top of model tractor in the Museum of Science of Industry and looking over the many other cars with my Dad. That was the beginning of a love of engineering.
Being told I couldn't hang out with some classmates because I looked different. I don't think I realized it then but that was my first encounter with racism.
The first time I rode a bike without training wheels. My dad took me to a grassy knoll. It begun a hobby which has drastically increased my confidence.
heroicintent ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:42:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably my first solid memory. My parents were fighting and my Dad shoved my mom into the table, which hit my highchair - toppling it with me strapped in. My head cracked against the heat vent in the floor. Dad took me to the ER and told the doc that I wasn't strapped in and fell out of the highchair. It was the first time I'd heard him lie. I remember getting 20some stitches and the doc telling me I could cry if I wanted, but I didn't think it would be OK to cry.
allkindsofboring ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:44:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
At age 5 my parents' last argument, which literally ended in a tug of war with me.
At 8, I pestered my dad for something, and he punched me dead on in the forehead. I still remember the white flash and the stars that followed.
Age 13, awkwardly stumbling my way through judo.
Age 17, my first muay thai class. It was painful and satisfying to start to harden my shins.
MartianPotatoes ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:44:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 8, my dad putting me in a canoe and repeatedly capsizing it all day until I was able fix the problem on my own and get back to the right position . That's when I was allowed to start canoeing alone.
Around the same age I had a spelling test. I only saw my dad during the summer, but had a visit during what should of been school time because my mom was on vacation or something. My hard word was "elated" and he used that word with me all day until it was impossible for me to forget it. Sometimes he would use it in a not so correct way, such as after burbling or farting, he say "oops I just elated!" Mom had never been hands on with my schooling and it was amazing how learning was fun all of the sudden.
Once during a summer camping trip with my dad, I had to go to the tent every night and work in an educational work book. It was horrible because I could hear everyone having fun outside the tent and I was stuck doing this work. My dad hated sending me to do it. One evening after being told to do it, I said "why do I have to?!? No one else has to do it!" My dad said he was sorry, but no one else's teacher gave them schoolwork during the summer except mine. I explained that my mom bought the work book at the store and it wasn't from my teacher. My dad grabbed my workbook and ripped it in half. I heard him angry on the phone later with my mom for letting me miss out on the fun for know reason.
Biggest and best memory: Once my dad took me to work with him during summer break. On the way back we saw a trail head off the side of the road. He stopped the car and we hiked along side the stream for awhile which was against the trail. The trail stopped and we were at the top of this massive, steep hill. At the bottom of this hill was a river. We decided to come back the next day and finish the trail.
The next day, we got to the hill again and there were these ropes leading down to help you. He went first in case I was to fall. It was a pretty steep drop. I get down and we walk along side the river. We turn the next river bend and we are standing at the top of a waterfall. The waterfall is falling into this giant bowl of water. The whole area was surrounded by these giant stone walls.
We make our way down and went swimming. We continued to go there everyday and would bring gold pans and fishing poles and had so much fun. The place was covered in soap stone and I took one and wrote "Daddy + MartianPotatoes" on it. I haven't found that trail since and want it more than anything in this life. I've scoured google maps to no avail.
Lastly, was my dad dying. He had cancer. We drove past that trail head one day and I said very excitedly "Dad! Let's go swimming!" He said no, he was too weak. I was 14 and he was 45. That was our last summer together.
rs_yes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:49:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I truly hope you find that trail
MartianPotatoes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:04:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
There is nothing more I want. At the time my dad was fireproofing a second property for an old man that was an albino and couldn't go out into the sun like that. We found the trail when we drove from the old mans first home to his second home.
I found their contract after my dad died and what I presume is the two addresses of the main properties. I looked at the driving routes on google maps and just couldn't see anything...I think it was near the towns Georgetown and grass valley, CA...I'm not sure about the grass valley town but I think that is it.
RyH1986 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:44:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) When I was 6 I got the entire range of ghostbusters toys from my parents, went to my grandparents house in the afternoon and I had the entire Teenage Mutants Ninja Turtles toy range there. My son is named Casey and I have a lower part of my leg tattooed with Ghostbusters and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
2) 5 years ago last Saturday being woken up by my wife waving a pissy stick at me to tell me we were expecting Casey
rs_yes ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:47:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Like...Casey Jones?
RyH1986 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:48:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Like Casey Jones
rs_yes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:10:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Awesome, sir!
RyH1986 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:33:29 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hahaha thank you. He was one of my favourites growing up
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:47:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In kindergarten we were playing kickball at recess when I noticed a classmate crying - almost bawling. I asked what the matter was and the classmate said they lost a necklace. I helped look for it, and I eventually found it. The classmate was so relieved that we found his necklace that he hugged me and thanked me continuously. I thought it was kind of weird that, 1.) the classmate was so upset about a lost necklace, and 2.) so happy to have found lost necklace. I understood the answer to why those emotions showed that day.
I learned that this classmate came from a very, very troubled home with an extremely abusive alcoholic father and drug addict mother. I heard nightmarish stories of neglect and abuse that this kid went through. It got so bad that he eventually moved in with a family nearby (they eventually officially adopted him in high school). When the kid first moved in with the family, the dad would call at random times and plan a date to visit. The family - initially - told the child that the dad was coming to visit. The day of the visit, the child would sit on the front porch, waiting for the father to show up. Hours would pass. The dad would never show, but yet the kid would sit on the porch with tears in his eyes just to hope to see the lowlife father. Eventually all contact between the child and father was disconnected. I learned all of this because my relatives were good friends/neighbors to the adopting family.
I look back on that day we found the necklace every now and then. I think about what that classmate would've had to endure if he came home from school without the necklace. Something that seemed so minuscule - finding a necklace - may have been the difference between getting beaten or just being left alone that night. I will never forget those tear-filled eyes, full of fright. As an adult I look back at that event and realize what true compassion is like. I definitely wasn't a very compassionate kid growing up, but I was that day. We may never know the background of the people we meet and encounter, but we must always be compassionate towards one another. The simplest act can make the biggest impact.
DarkOmen597 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:49:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My VERY first fight was in 1st grade.
Long story short, I was in Karate and thought I could take on a 5th grader who was bullying all the kids at recess.
He shoved my friends face into the fence as my friend looked through the fence at the slide that was being removed.
I got angry and confronted the dude. Immediately we were surrounded and you hear "FIGHT!". The dudes arms came up and mine did to. Karate time!
Nope!
One punch to my solar plexus rendered me useless. I fell to my knee out of breathe and gasping for life. Thankfully, the dude walked away.
My friends all came to me and said.
"Dude, I thought you were in karate."
Through struggling breathing and a sob I responded:
"I am but I am only a white belt." :(
EmberDione ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:50:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Core Memories - they are the ones that create islands.
I remember my mom, holding my hand during church one time. I had just learned about how to find someone's pulse. So I found hers. She noticed me doing it and leaned over, saying "My heart beats for you." It was in that moment I really understood... I had two awful step sisters, my brother was a mess, my dad didn't get her... she loved me best.
This one is complicated - I was 14 or so and my brother had moved out again, and for the first time ever, I was able to play video games without him interfering. I sat down and played Myst, without his help, without him taking the computer from me, etc. It took me 4 days. I convinced my mom to buy me Riven, which has just come out and was still expensive, and beat it in 2 days. She was so mad I had beaten it so quickly. A week later, telling my brother about it, he was impressed, because he couldn't beat them. For the first time, I felt like I could play video games too, despite being a girl.
I was in college, and I was having a hard time of it. I was mid-process of losing my faith. I had no friends. I was really unhappy with my roommate. I was watching one of the early episodes of the 4th season of Buffy, and she had gone to college and was having a hard time of it. I had the thought - She did this, with MONSTERS. I can do this. I almost instantly felt better. When I tried to explain it to my roommate, she immediately starting talking about what an idiot I was to "get advice from a tv show". I was upset about this for all of 5 minutes, when I really thought about it, I knew I wasn't going to see her again after college. I wasn't seeing any of the assholes I went to high school with. Her opinion did not fucking matter. As I pondered it, I realized - no one's opinion mattered. Literally, no one in my life was living my life. Their opinions did not matter to me - they weren't me. That was my first step in letting go of doing what people expected of me, and conversely, caring what people did. Family members get so hung up about "did you hear cousin sue is living in sin with that idiot boy who works at walmart?" And now I am like "Who cares? It's her life! Is she happy? AWESOME. Let her make her own mistakes and figure it out!" This was also about the time I started studying philosophy and reading the Mithgar series by Dennis McKiernan, which helped shape many of my views on religion, free will, and life in general.
As an adult, right out of college, waiting to go to grad school, I was fucking around on the internet one day and discovered a school called The Guildhall at SMU. It was a grad school, but taught you how to make video games. I wanted to do that, so I went to visit, thinking there was no way I could get in. Not only was the school perfect, they were asking for an application made in Neverwinter Nights, which I had been using for YEARS to make my own d&d campaigns. Lastly, when I talked to a professor, he said "Don't do this if you think it would be fun, only do this if you can't imagine yourself doing anything else." It clicked. This was exactly what I wanted to do. This was what I was good at. This is what I could do and do well, and make my career.
I had had a son, and had NOT bonded with him at all. My ex was being awful, and the whole thing of motherhood just wasn't clicking. I knew I was a terrible mom. I was also super depressed due to my relationship situation. I went to visit my mom, a few states away from where I lived and distinctly thought about how she would take care of my kid if I died. I thought a lot about dying that week. Of course, my 11 month old son didn't want to be more than a foot away from me the whole week and it was super annoying because he was crying all the time, almost walking, so getting into things, and super clingy on me. I was upset and frustrated and screamed at him (11 month old... ugh what a horrible mom). And my mom looked at me and said "He's not trying to bother you, it's just you're his mommy, and it's an awful lot to ask of such a little boy to be away from his mommy, even for a little bit." I looked down at him, and in that moment it clicked. I was literally HIS WHOLE WORLD. I resolved to get some help as soon as I got home. But that was our bonding moment. It went from being the worst experience to the best, in a single moment.
I had been dating my current boyfriend for about a month when I went over to his place. I told him I would talk all night, and he needed to let me know when he wanted me to leave. This was Friday night. He looked at me and said "I suppose I would let you go Monday morning, since we have to go to work. But otherwise, you can stay as long as you want." I thought he was joking at first, but then realized he wasn't. He really didn't think I was annoying, silly, or any of the awful things my ex husband had thought. He really liked just having me around - even if we were just playing video games in the same room. That was the moment I fell in love.
gorkt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:51:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) Age 5: My mom telling me that she was divorcing my Dad. Me visiting my dad in the hospital (inpatient mental facility - I never knew this until years later, but he had a breakdown.) and bringing him a york peppermint patty.
2) Age 7: Meeting my stepfather for the first time at the local swimming pool. I still remember how wrong he felt. First impression aren't always true but in this case it was. 3) Age 10: I had just had a lesson in school about alcoholism. I went to my dad's house for my weekend visit, and I realized for the first time he was an alcoholic. It was like a lightbulb going off, the odd behavior, clumsiness, acting goofy after 8pm etc....
4) Age 14: Meeting a boy named Jason when I was on a camping trip. It was a really unusual interaction. I just met him as I was walking by myself, and we started talking. We talked all night, he introduced me to music I had never heard before, and Steven King novels and all sorts of other things. There was nothing romantic there, just an instant connection and friendship with someone that had a profound influence on my tastes and personality to this day. 5) Age 16: Meeting my husband at my 16th birthday party. He was a friend of a friend, and lurked in the corner.
6) Age 20: My Dad died.
7) Age 29: My daughter was born. 8) Age 31: My son was born.
suddentlywolves ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:51:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The most important one: The day my (always busy) dad took a few hours to fly a kite with me. Doesn't looks like much, but at the time he was working almost every day of the week non-stop so my family could have the careless life he didn't have when growing up so I really have very small memories of him and me having fun just the two of us.
Another: The moment I stepped in the Natural History Museum and saw a T-Rex skeleton. Since then I love dinosaurs and ancient stuff.
washheightsboy3 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:51:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad spanked me one time. I was three and tried to run away. He turns 80 this year, and I think I can finally take him. Payback bitches!
waffleironone ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:51:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was little my grandparents lived 7 houses down from my family so my sister and I spent so much time at their house. My grandparents were the best people. One of my favorite rituals with them was when we would get there my sister and I would run down to their front door and we had a special knock. My grandpa would come to the little window next to the door and shout "who's there!" And we would be like "Grandma!!! It's us duh! That's our knock!!" And she would be like "ohhhhh" and open the door for us and we would run in and give her hugs. Then grandpa would come shuffling out of his study and he'd always say "hello ello" (this story is much better if you could hear their South African accents). Grandpa would sneak us black licorice and dark chocolate and we would sweep the concrete in the front yard for my grandma for quarters and then we'd go pick tomatoes off the vine and eat them in the sun like apples. My grandpa made a little "clubhouse" for my sister and I. He had a million potted plants. Their backyard was concrete and they had a beautiful pool but you couldn't see the concrete, my grandpa had made a forest with potted plants all around the house in their teeny so cal yard, all you could see were trees and flowers. In a corner down the side of the house he cleared a little space and flanked it with trees and it was like a little secret tunnel. He put two little chairs and one big chair and we would sit in there and my grandma would bring us tea and lady finger biscuits and we would talk and laugh and have our tea parties in the trees. That time hearing stories from my grandparents were so crucial in my upbringing.
IronOhki ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:52:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've posted this before but I have been working very hard on the answer to this question. 17/20 pages done, almost finished.
The more direct answer to OP's question is this page. For the lazy: Skiing, Camping, Volunteering, Music, and Romance. (Spoiler: Also Drawing).
tch0r7 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:52:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Way too late to the game, but I'm pretty sure that one of my son's core memories is going to be sobbing for 90 solid minutes while watching Inside Out, the reality of depression washing over him in the context of another child. He was still 8 when we watched it.
theenigma31680 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:52:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My core memories were very harsh and not something I am happy about.
my grandmother and I used to curl up on the couch and watch horror films together. she was living with us because she was on kidney dialysis and in the last stages of diabetes.
stronger than that memory was the moment that I woke up and was told that she had died in my bedroom.
my grandfather that used to go fishing with us and was a really cool dude. he ended up with alztheimers and I watched him slowly decline until the last moment we saw each other in the nursing home and he flat out said he didn't know who we were.
my parents stayed together for me even though they hated each other with a passion. the day I moved out, my father said he was getting a divorce.
things like this and growing up with them have given me many issues with commitment and becoming close with another person because I don't want to hurt them or have them watch me go through something like that.
somecallmenonny ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:53:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first violin recital. I was four years old, and my mom had taken me to a music lesson she was teaching to fifth-graders because she couldn't find a babysitter for me. The fifth-graders put a violin in my hand and taught me to play. My earliest memory is a few weeks later, playing a scratchy, squeaky rendition of Jingle Bells on the first violin I ever owned, and my audience was the fifth-grade class that taught me. That gave birth to Music Island.
Five-year-old me watching my brother play Mario platformers, on the SNES, then on the Nintendo 64. My dad, sister, and I rooted for my brother as he raced the penguin down the ice slide. I couldn't wait until I was old enough to hold the controller semi-comfortably in my tiny hands - and when I could, my big brother was right there to teach me how to play. I kicked his ass at the Clefairy minigame in Pokemon Stadium, and out of the laughter and pride came Gamer Island.
Eight years old, I was washing the dishes in my dad's kitchen when I dropped a mug into the sink, and the mug broke clean in half. It was my stepmom's mug, an old Valentines gift from my dad. I apologized to her dozens of times, and she kept demanding I apologize again. The next time I saw her, two weeks later, I gave her a heartfelt hand-written apology letter and one of my favorite teddy bears. She told me it wouldn't replace the mug. It was probably a ten-dollar mug, and she never accepted my apologies. It didn't form Inadequacy Island, but it shaped it into something stronger.
Math Island came from Intro to Abstract Math, one of my first college courses and the one that taught me the basic rules of logic and proof construction. I was eighteen, good at math, and finally learning what math is actually about. One of the best decisions I've ever made was majoring in Mathematics.
When I was nineteen, I got my first F. I was in a programming class, and I broke the rules by helping a classmate with his homework. I begged and cried and got snot all over my teacher's desk, but his mind was made up. I knew the penalty for cheating. I risked it. I got caught. The next day, I broke up with my then-boyfriend. We'd been together for a year and change, and he had been abusive that whole time. My family had tried everything short of physically forcing me to stay away from him, and the turning point was getting an F. That was when I realized that I wouldn't feel any worse than I did that moment if I broke up with my boyfriend. I don't know what to name the island that represents letting go of toxic relationships, or the one that represents accepting failure, or even if both of those islands exist - but one of them must, because that's a core memory.
And then there's Romantic Island. That's been there ever since I was little, when my dad passed his love of Disney movies on to me. Romantic Island became quite jaded among strings of rejections from boys who didn't think I was pretty enough, a long, emotionally abusive relationship, and a guy I fell in love with who committed suicide (another core memory - Grief Island died down a few years later). I pretty much gave up on romance. And then earlier this year, a cute guy dropped out of the sky and asked me out. He's super smart, generous, patient, handsome, and one of the nicest people you'll ever meet - and I still don't get why he would choose me, of all people, but I'm so happy he did!
But the oldest and most important island is Family Island. I don't even know what core memory represents it, because I have so many memories that contribute to it. My sister is my calm, my confidant, my comfort. My brother is my guardian, my pride, my strength. My mother is my advocate, my perspective, my safe space. The bond we all share has been tested time and time again, and by now I am certain that it's unbreakable. I am proud to call all three of them my best friends.
ierofrankie ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:56:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I remember my eighth grade choir concert, December 19, 2012. I was wearing a sparkly red tank top, a white cover up, and my nicest jeans. The concert was for one of the lunch ladies at my school who had died of cancer. Her name was Debbie. That concert was the first and only time I had a solo. I remember being halfway through Candle in the Wind and I looked out at the crowd, and not a single person was there for me. My mom was at home with her boyfriend and my stepmom and my dad went to Vegas. Two songs before we were finished, my brother walked through the door and pulled out his phone and started recording me. When we finished, I ran down the stairs and hugged my brother, and cried. Later on in life I learned that he had been working the night shift for a while and he was just getting ready to go in when he saw I had written "CHOIR CONCERT 6-7" in big pink letters and drove as fast as he could to the school jut so he could see me perform.
I remember the moment I realized what I feel right now for my significant other is love. I hadn't seen them in a month and a half due to travel plans and I'd had the longest, shittiest day at work and all I wanted was to go home and curl up next to them. I was just starting my car after my shift and I remember my phone going off and them asking if I was working, and I said my shift had just ended and they told me to go home as fast as I could. I was so confused but I trust them so I did. I had just gotten done showering and my phone lit up with a text that said "check your front door" and when l opened the door, there they were. I was shaking and crying. They held me so tight and buried their face in my neck and that was the moment.
edit: grammar
SimonCallahan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:58:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So many, and the funny thing is that they are still being made. A few highlights:
My parents taking my sister and I to see Ghostbusters II at the drive-in. I had developed a love of Ghostbusters when I was 5-years-old or so, and this was the first time I had ever been to the drive-in, so it was an exciting experience.
My brother being born. I remember being so excited for this. I was getting a little brother, I was going to teach him everything I knew. It was awesome. Unfortunately, it happened the day before...
My house burned down. I remember going to see my newborn brother, but that same day I got to see him, our family got news that our house was on fire and we were, effectively, homeless. We did get help from friends and family and we eventually got back on our feet, but it was a rough road.
Going to see the first Pokemon movie. I know this seems like a weird one, but it symbolizes, to me, the last time my siblings and I actually really got along. I mean, my brother and I are still really close, but my sister made some different life choices that resulted in her distancing herself from our family. On the same tack, there's the final...
My brother coming out of the closet to me. This literally happened just after Christmas last year. Again, we're really close, so it wasn't a huge surprise to me because I could see some changes in him, but it also changed my thinking on a lot of subjects. I was never anti-gay, but I was always dismissive of a lot of things.
JohnCenasUncle ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:59:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom moving me to another state away from my whole family to live with a guy she just met
When my mom got divorced from that same guy in a DIFFERENT state and then got my brother and sister taken away for not having a job at the time.
When both grandfathers on the two sides of my family died.
And winning my little league's championship game. I got a sweet trophy out of it.
Umbra_Sanguis ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:59:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can't read this thread anymore
wickedhoneyb ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:02:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 3, fed rubber spider to harry the hamster, thought he liked bugs. Brothers and mum didn't know cause of death until 15 or so years later. I still feel a wee bit bad about it. :(
Picking okra with grandma in her garden, I was 8? great auntie comes over and freaks out because we're not using gloves. It didn't hurt our hands at all.
Age 17, dad calls me while I am at my bfs house on Sunday, tells me my brother is dead, he hung himself. I don't remember most of that year. 11 days before my birthday, 6 days before his. We all lost our minds. That hollowed out feeling doesn't go away, neither does the anger, it just becomes less frequent.
invisiblette ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:06:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 10 and had never learned to ride a bike. Friend tried to teach me by putting me astride her bike at the top of a driveway and pushing the bike from behind. Bike sailed down driveway, gaining momentum, then smashed front-wheel-first into the opposite curb, throwing me pelvis-first onto the bar. Nothing broken, but blood and pain and Mom screaming like a maniac. She chose that occasion as her moment for telling me "where babies come from" and I was confused.
Ambiegrace ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:09:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This post is mostly dead, but I've lived with this memory for years and need to write it out.
I was in the 4th grade, I called my mom after school and begged her to stay after so I could go to drama practice with a friend. She said "no you need to come home" I screamed at her like the selfish child I was and told her that she was SO mean. She told me my step father would be there soon to pick me up. She always picked me up from school. When my step father got to the school, I asked him why my mother didn't pick me up. He told me that we would talk about it when we got home.
When we got home, I was expecting to get yelled at for talking back to my mother. But what I walked into was nothing I could have ever imagined.
My mother is a very strong person, she lived through a physically/mentally abusive relationship with my biological dad for 14 years and never once did I see her cry.
I walked into the house and saw her sitting on the couch hugging her knees to her chest, and sobbing. She didn't even bother to wipe the tears away, she just let them fall out of her red swollen eyes and coat her blotchy cheeks. My first thought was "Oh god she's very sick, is she dying. Did she have a heart attack??" I ran to her side and asked her what was wrong. " Your grandmother died, and grandpa is on life support" she could barely form the words and then started wailing again.
My grandparents were very lively people. My grandmother was my mother's best friend, and her death was very sudden. They were on their way across country on their Harley for the last time before retirement when they hit a pot hole in Salt Lake City. They were not wearing helmets, as it is legal to ride motorcycles without them in Utah. When they hit the pot hole, my grandmother was thrown from the bike and was killed on impact. To this day I often wonder what was going through her head as she was flying through the air. She promised me before they left that they'd be back for my birthday party at the end of the month. I wonder if, while she was flying to her death, she knew she wouldn't be able to make it.
Thanks for reading, Reddit
YodaIAmNot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:21:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sorry that happened. It's strange to see parents at their most vulnerable
sdguero ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:12:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I was 1.5 years old. Very clearly remember riding in my Mom's lap in the front seat of a Jeep while my Dad was driving through the woods in Colorado. I remember crossing a creak and bushes/tree branches snapping in the window, reaching out, touching them, pine needles brushing my face.
I was 5, beat up the only other boy in my class (my rival) under the jungle gym and then kissed 3 girls in the sand box the same day. I also remember the watching the challenger disaster the next day and comforting my ladies.
I was 7, I accidentally hit my little sister in the face with a baseball bat when I was hitting tennis balls in the back yard. I knocked our 4 of her teeth and she had to get 11 stitches inside her upper lip. As soon as it happened I ran and got a towel to put pressure on her mouth and yelled at our Spanish speaking babysitter to start the car to race her to the hospital. I really thought she might die because there was so much blood.
I was 11, I surfed by first wave while on vacation in Hawaii. Clearly remember standing up on the board, watching the jetty go by and feeling the power of the wave underneath me.
I was 15. I lost my virginity to a Puerto Rican girl from New York that I met at Club Med. I can't even remember her name anymore but very clearly remember the look on her face, her older sister moving around in the other bed in the room, and the taste of the post-coitus cigarette.
There are others but those are my top 5. I watched Inside out with my daughter last night (she's almost 3, and loves that movie) so I was just thinking about this last night anyway. It was fun to type it out. :) I had a near death experience about 10 years ago, these memories ran through my head at the time (among a few others) and I just had this good feeling like I had lived a full life even if I died at a young age.
atlgeek007 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:16:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Shean224 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:19:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 16, I was pitching in a baseball game. There was nothing extraordinary about the game, just a typical summer league matchup. At one point a guy who talked a lot of shit to my girlfriend got to the plate. I hated this kid, I mean the kind of guy I'd take one look at and my face goes red with fury. The things he would say to people were unbelievable. So I threw him as hard a fastball as I could, and he rockets it into left field for a single.
From first base, I hear this kid talking about how bad I am, how easy it was to get a hit off me. He got in my head, I lost my composure, and balked. For those who don't know, this just means I made an illegal move on the mound, and because of that the runner gets to advance to second. He laughed so hard he snorted.
My dad was the coach of the team, and he could tell I was angry. My whole life I had trouble managing my anger effectively, and I could tell he was concerned. He made a move to walk out and talk to me, I shook my head and gestured him back into the dugout. I was determined not to let my enemy score.
The next batter stepped up, I threw him the two hardest, most perfectly located fastballs I had thrown in my life to that point. Struck him out on the next pitch with a curveball he never had a chance at finding. 1 out. Next batter gets three straight fastballs. All around 85 mph. He never had a chance. At this point I hear my assistant coach in the dugout "Let's get him angry more often." I laughed. 2 outs.
This next batter was tricky. I blew the first fastball right past him, but the second one he timed. He ripped a line drive just foul down the first baseline. I knew he was expecting another fastball, and I knew he was going to swing early. I shook off my catcher until he called a changeup. The single prettiest pitch I've ever thrown in my life resulted in the single ugliest and most embarrassing swing I've ever seen in my life.
No memory is sweeter in my mind than the laughter of my dad and assistant coaches, the high fives from my teammates, and the cursing from that asshole I stranded on second base.
Logaline ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:25:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was a really late winter night, it was lightly snowing and my window was open. I was playing World of Warcraft with my entire Guild. We got prismatic crystals and transformed ourselves into turkeys. We walked from Storm wind to Iron Forge and we gained a huge following of other people just watching about 30 turkeys walk across Azeroth. I had a big fluffy sweater on, a blanket over my legs, and a mug of hot chocolate. I felt truly happy, I was playing a game I loved, with people I loved, and no one could stop me or tell me it was weird.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:27:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My best friend agreeing to be my girlfriend. Probably the purest happiness I've ever experienced. It didn't work out, but it doesn't matter. The happiness that that moment brought me is immeasurable.
The only bad one: My dad arguing with my mum when I was very young. They were both in the kitchen shouting and my dad launched a coffee mug at the wall while I sat outside the door watching. They're both good people, but they had their troubles.
A sleepover round my friend's when I was 16. We all slept outside on a large trampoline. We talked all night staring at the sky, watching an all-night meteor shower.
dulcetdecorum ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:30:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Almost ten years ago, and my three oldest kids were pretty young (around seven, four, and 6 months old). We were very young parents, and my kids' father, who was my husband at the time, had lost his job recently, and times were tough. Like really, really tough.
We had no car and no money, and each day we'd pack the stroller and take the kids to the local public library, which was about three miles away, so each of us could take turns job searching and using the free internet while the other entertained the kids in the children's library area.
One day, we'd been up there for nearly five hours and it was almost time to take the kids home and feed them, get some naps in. I remember I was at the computers feverishly putting in as many applications as I possibly could in the time I had left, and also doing my application for community college (which ended up being the gateway to better times at last). The Chuck Taylor's I was wearing at the time were ancient, with two big holes in the soles, and had been soaked by the spring/summer rains so many times that year that I could smell their musty stink and age as I sat at that library computer terminal, and it had me almost in tears.
My ex husband came around soon after and we left with the kids. They were very cranky and tired and hungry, and I knew we'd stayed longer than we shouldve. I felt pierced with guilt, but I was desperate to find a job and get my kids into a better situation so I felt I didn't have a choice. It was still brutally hot outside and we began the trek home through the heat of the four o clock sun, carrying the tired kids but about to fall over ourselves. It was Sweetest Day, as it so happens.
As we neared the convenience store about four blocks from our apartment, my oldest daughter started to beg for a Slushie and a snack, citing the heat and the fact that she was hungry. I had not a penny to my name, so I simply told her "not today, hon, " as we began to cross the side street just before the store. She began to cry, and so did I. I didn't want her to know so I clutched her closer and let the tears course down my face as silently as possible.
Just before we crossed the side street, a big white SUV pulled up beside us and a woman with a headful of gorgeous gray dreadlocks sat smiling at us. Instinctively I drew the kids closer and behind me, but she wasn't threatening in any manner so I relaxed.
She asked if I was okay, and I told her I was just hot and stressed, we were having a real tough time. The sympathy in her eyes unleashed the floodgates and the sobs started coming, the real hard heavy ones that you are powerless to stop, that only come when you are helpless and have nowhere to turn, and there are small people depending on you.
She smiled at me again and said, "Sometimes the lord tests us, baby." Then she held out her hand to me, and in it was two twenty-dollar bills.
I was completely incoherent with tears by that point but I managed to thank her profusely and take the offered bills. She said, "happy sweetest day, y'all gonna be okay, " and drove away in her SUV. I never saw her again, and I have never forgotten her. She gave me hope on a day where I had just about given up on hope.
A month later, I was in school and had begun the process of turning things around for good. This was the lowest time I ever faced as a parent. I will always be grateful to this wonderful, kind woman who took time and money away from her own life, and gave it to a young family struggling in the heat by the side of the road.
FullNoodleFrontity ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:33:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm approaching 60 years old, so I have a lot of them. In chronological order.
My first recollection (age 3): My uncle coming to visit in his brand new 1963 Volkswagen Beetle. I asked him if I could go for a ride in it and he said yes. Apparently he assumed I meant "some time" whereas I assumed he meant "right now". When he was getting ready to leave I started putting on my snow suit. I stepped out the front door a few minutes after him to see an empty driveway.
Age 8: Mom waking me up to watch cartoons as she made my breakfast before school. I had always assumed that cartoons only aired on Saturday mornings. Back then we had only 2 channels on TV (3 if you counted the French channel) and only one of them played cartoons, mostly on Saturdays from 8:00 to noon.
Age 11: Running from the school bully on the way home after school. He lived four blocks from school, I lived a block and a half further. Looking over my shoulder as we passed his house I saw he was still pursuing me. I was getting tired so I pretended to fall. When he approached (I was still on the ground), I wound up and punched him in the 'nads. He never chased me again after that.
Age 13: My uncle (a different one from first memory) taking me to join Air Cadets (his old squadron). That turned out to be the first day of ~25 years of wearing a uniform of some sort.
Age 18: Losing my virginity.
Age 20: Passing my medical, passing the air crew selection screening and being told that I'm on the waiting list for air force pilot training.
Age 21: Reapplying for pilot training and being told that I failed the eye exam.
Age 24: Holding my son for the first time.
Age 25: Seeing my twin sons (born three months premature), each in incubators, the only way I could hold them was through an opening in the side.
Age 26: Burying one of my twins. He passed away three weeks before his first birthday. He never came home from the hospital.
Age 48: In hospital with my wife, we found out a couple months before that she had cancer. The TV in the corner of her hospital room is playing an item about a double homicide just out of town. My mom came in a few minutes later and told us my uncle (the one who got me into air cadets) was one of the two killed in the news item.
Age 48: Holding my wife's hand as she took her last breath.
fearofbears ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:41:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I should not be reading this while on my period.
This isn't a childhood memory, but last year my mother passed away when I was 29. This was obviously traumatic and I am still suffering from PTSD from it, but I pretty much changed my entire life over the last year. The lack of good friends there to support me during the worst moment of my life? Cut them off. Found an amazing support group of friends, Cut back on drinking (my mother basically drank herself to death and we hadn't found her until 3 days later), Pushed myself in my career, and I generally feel as though I am the most authentic I have ever been.
I look at like from a viewpoint that doesn't include bullshit, or facades, and I'm not going to do things or be friends with people to be tolerant. Life is short. Just be authentic, and kind, and if others don't fit into those guidelines, cut them out.
So, in a way my mother's death is a major core defining moment for me, I became the woman I am, and who I will be, and created my strong values in her absence.
thehistoryoflover ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:03:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข when one of my best friends killed herself this may after a holiday (at the age of 16) and I couldn't (and still can't) remember what the last thing I said to her was.
โข the days my SO and I watch movies on bed all day.
โข when I discovered that I loved reading and the time I read 5 books a week.
โข when I heard my favourite teacher (who was like a second dad to me) had died, only a month after my friend had comitted suicide. Meeting his family is part of that memory.
โข my grandmother waiting for us at the top of the staircase and being able to hear her calling my nickname when we climbed those stairs
โข when my SO first told me he loved me and that I was able to say it back and mean it. I've never loved anybody so much.
JudgePrudy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:20:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you OP for giving me this opportunity to reflect and be thankful for the life others and I have created for myself.
In chronological order,
From ages 6-11, I would spend one night a week at my Nana's. We would play card games (Crazy 8's, Speed, and Go Fish), watch Fried Green Tomatoes, and read the Tarzan comics. She would have me read the comics aloud, and helped me pronounce the tough words. We would look up any words I didn't know in the dictionary together.
I remember a fight my mom and dad had before they got divorced. I was confused because it seemed to be a fight about who was going to make my sisters and I some dinner. It didn't seem like something to fight about. I remember my mom crying over the stove and really feeling for her. My parents divorced shortly after that, when I was 8.
I had read Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone before my eleventh birthday. On some level, I knew it wasn't real. But on the off-chance it was... I left my windows open that night and waited for my owl. I cried when midnight came and went. I didn't tell anyone for years because I was embarrassed to have believed.
In fifth grade, my crush and I had spent the following summer together. We each had our best friends dare us to kiss the other, we went to parks to play, and held hands in secret. In the first week of school, he told my best friend to tell me he didn't want to talk to me anymore because the other popular kids didn't like me that much. I remember crying myself to sleep for weeks with my mom rubbing my back. My mom told me that my capacity to love is a great gift, and sometimes it can hurt, but to never stop letting others in.
I was 17. The boy I was in love with finally asked me to be his girlfriend. It was a summer's evening and we had just walked back from the park. He asked me to wait a minute before I went upstairs to my family's apartment. He told me he really really REALLY liked me and asked if I would be his girlfriend. I said "Yes!" It's nine years later, he's my husband. I said "I do" with the same level of enthusiasm. :)
Sagemoon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:24:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
aerialistic ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:29:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was outside with my dad chopping wood for... I honestly don't know why. He told me to be careful with the wood as it had a tendency to splinter when whacked with an axe. Sure enough, I hit it in a bad spot and a piece of the wood came up and hit me in the face. My dad laughed. I ran into the house and cried. It wasn't a vindictive or mean-spirited laugh, but to a 10 year old boy, it didn't really matter.
I was sitting at home having just discovered the MMORPG Maple Story, as well as Green Day's "Holiday" and Hot Hot Heat's "Elevator" and "Bandages." I spent hours that day playing with new friends online and my window open, the perfect sunny day. I must have had those three songs on repeat for four hours. I remember it as one of the days in my life when I had absolutely zero responsibilities and nothing else to worry about other than just leveling up my character.
My dad was diagnosed with liver and kidney failure in 2011. By spring of 2013, he was in hospice. Watching his body whither away was tough, but it was when the toxins started to reach his brain near the end that it was toughest. He began hallucinating and almost seemed like he had dementia. He once tried to escape our house and run home to his parents (his dad died when he was 8, his mom died when I was 9). It was such an odd feeling being able to hold back my father, who used to be 6'2" and 240 lbs, and myself a 5'7" 145 lb kid... I had this strange feeling of pride in myself and intense sadness that this was what it had come to.
I was coming home from a concert a week later, and I got a call at 3 in the morning from my mother. I immediately knew. That feeling of instant realization will always stay with me.
I have a lot of memories of my father, some good, many bad. I don't miss him. It tears me up.
captmetalday ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:38:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a bit late to the party, but whatever.
-When I was 7, my dog got excited and dragged me down a hill. I didn't touch the ground until the bottom.
-When I was 14 I got a text message from one of the more attractive/popular girls I went to school with. She wanted me to ask her to homecoming. When I did she apologized and revealed it was on a dare.
-Falling in love for the first time. Knowing that there's nothing that person could do to make you feel differently. When I told her how I felt, she said that I just wasn't right for her. She then went and dated one of my closer friends for a few months.
-Trying to think of any reason to not jump off a cliff on my 17th birthday. That was the day I decided that, no matter how bad things got, I was going to live, even if just out of spite.
-Telling my best friend how close I came to killing myself. It was a wake-up call and she made me seek treatment.
-My first real girlfriend telling me that she loves me.
-My first real girlfriend breaking up with me and not saying why.
-My grandfather dying. It was the first time I really felt something from a death. I realized how cold I was to my family and protecting them from my problems wasn't helping anyone.
Woahtheredudex ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:42:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why was this thread deleted?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:48:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I would also like to know this.
Woahtheredudex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:53:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So would I.
FragHatter ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:44:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
From ages 5-10, my family, every new years eve, would pull beds into the living room, make massive amounts of snack foods (which I never got to eat much as a kid), and we would spend an hour at Blockbuster renting about a dozen horror movies. We'd then have an epic, all day movie marathon of scary movies. We got to stay up past midnight, which was also rare. I love horror movies, above all other genres, because of this tradition.
My very first sexual experience was literally met with a standing ovation from a party of 50 people. After coming back from the woods (it was an outdoor party), they were all cheering and clapping. Just foreplay, but damn did that make me feel like a badass.
drvonlakenstein ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:45:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First time my dad was deployed for 8 months to a country I didn't know existed
Getting a PS2 and Starwars Battlefront 2 Christmas of '05
First time someone spoke English to communicate with me as the foreigner
sandyversace ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:50:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In the 1st grade, I remember during Phys Ed we were jump roping one day. I was just doing my thing and I looked around to see everyone jump roping until I saw one of the kids running around screaming his head off dragging his rope behind him sort of like a tail. No idea what he was trying to accomplish. He was just running laps around the gym like that.
After that he left the school the following year and I never saw him for a long time until we ended up working at the same place this summer. I am now aware he has a mild autism or something. Don't know how I didn't pick up on it, I knew something was up
ms2102 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:52:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tubing off the back of my parents old cabin cruiser in a lake we'd every summer at. I remember one instance perfectly clear, I remember going until I fell off then seeing if my brother coils hang on as long as I could. It's the first time I remember tubing but I must have done it a million times after that. I still love boats.
Trying to fall asleep in the above mentioned cruiser when I was young, my two brothers and I in the bow and my parents in the aft cabin. That goes under family and boating...
Getting called out of a classroom when I was young to go get special help for reading. Still pisses me off. Three years later I was in advanced classes, then all honors in highschool and a scholarship to college. I never needed my parents to push me to do hw or punish me if I got bad grades, the fear of being humiliated like that again was more than enough and eventually you learn to care about your grades.
elemeffiness ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:03:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Late to the game, but mine is my sister and I rollerskating in the gym of the local high school. It was just the two of us: she in a pair of purple and white skates, myself in white and blue Mickey Mouse skates. I was nearly 10 years old. While we skated, we listened to the only two tapes I had over and over: a recording of "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, which I had taped off the radio, and a single of "Whoomp, There It Is!", which my dad had found in one of the school's locker rooms.
The reason we spent so much time doing this is because my dad, after losing his job in a profession he loved, got a job cleaning the locker rooms at the high school overnight and on the weekends. I was just beginning to realize that we were poor. Nevertheless, what lingers is the memory of fun with my sister (and pizza afterwards: the high school sold Pizza Hut pizza at lunch time, and on weekends, if there was any leftover, we got to take it home), though it's now tinged with pity for my parents, who were going through one of the roughest patches of their lives. I still get a twinge of joy and guilt whenever I hear Tag Team or eat sausage pizza.
DerpingtonHerpsworth ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:31:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The biggest one that sticks out in my mind is the night my dad died. He had gotten sick maybe 3 weeks to a month prior, and it started as seemingly just a bad cold.
Eventually it progressed to pneumonia, and he became weak, like really weak. He was off work for a while and started hobbling around the house with a carved wooden cane that he used to use when we would go hiking. He stopped playing with me and largely quit talking to me and my little brother. I assume because he was in pain and didn't have the energy to handle much beyond going to the bathroom or making his way to the kitchen for a drink once in a while.
Eventually he went to the hospital and stayed there for maybe a week. My grandmother came to stay with us and help my mom while he was gone, so to my brother and I this was just a fun change and the hospital would fix our dad right up and things would be back to normal.
Then one night my brother and I were hanging out in the living room watching one of the lethal weapon movies (our parents were very liberal with what we could watch), when the phone rang. My mom raced over with my grandma right behind her. After a minute or so she hung up and in a shaky voice said "boys, turn off the tv."
Of course we protested at first, and at least in my case, partially because I could hear what had happened in her voice and didn't want to hear it. Like If I just remained blissfully ignorant it wouldn't be real and my dad would come home, but eventually I relented and turned off the tv.
"Boys... daddy died tonight"
I'll never forget those words as long as I live, and I swear as soon as I heard them I could actually physically feel and hear a part of me shut down. I haven't been 100% emotionally functional since, but after 20 years I've gotten a lot better.
After that there was lots of hugs and crying. I had already shut down by that point and worried I would look like I didn't care if I didn't cry at least a little bit so I forced some tears out.
And i still remember my grandma (mom's mother) asking "why him" and saying things like "he was such a good man". This still makes me sad now because it shows what a close family we were back then. And now my father's parents are gone as well, basically removing that entire half of the family from my life, as well as any memories of my dad they might have shared with me.
Lastly, and not entirely related, but it shows how in denial I was about it all I guess. There was this one time my mom called before she left work saying she had a surprise for me, but wouldn't say what. This was a year or two later i think. I was so excited for the 30-45 minutes it took for her to get home, and I raced out in the driveway hoping she would be pulling up with my dad in the car. Turns out she had won or been given a jet ski at work. I tried really hard to act excited but I was crushed.
mllecarling ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:50:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I stayed up until midnight and wished myself a happy birthday and said goodbye to single digits when I turned 10
My grandpa took me on a hike along the train tracks to an abandoned cabin near our summer cabin by the lake and I sat in the old, rusted out truck in the yard
Same summer cabin, left by train one year. It wasn't a passenger train though and they simply stopped along the track. I got to sit with the conductor and blow the whistle.
I was crying because some of my parent's friend's kids were bullying me and my mum and dad told me I was doing exactly what they wanted by getting upset. They told me to get back at them I should just be happy. That one really stuck.
Going flying with my dad, who was a private pilot, at about 12 years old in a 2 seated Cessna and he let me control the plane and land it.
When my cousin's idiot (now ex) wife very unceremoniously broke the news my grandpa had passed before my parents got back to the house. That one really sucked.
Reading an online review that praised my customer service when I was about 17.
Running into a guy I worked with years prior (at my very first job) in the hallway of my college and having a very brief conversation. We reconnected after that and have been married for 3 years ๐
Rhinomojo90 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:12:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Growing up I never really got to let out my inner child around the house as much as I feel a child should. I grew up in an abusive home And was bullied daily (physically, mentally, and emotionally) And when I was about 6 my grandfather started leaving Texas in the summer and going to New Mexico to take care of a tourist park in Cloudcroft.
One summer when I was 8 my mom let me go with him for a few weeks. It was magical. The p8ne trees. The mountain air. The birds. Twmpetures not exceeding 80 degrees. He would take me on mountain bike trips each morning (he was an avid bicyclist). Well one morning during my second week. We got up early, had breakfast, got our bikes ready and at the first light from the sun we started off. We rode for a couple hours into the woods up hills down hills through trails off trails. Well the reason this me or sticks so vividly is because this particular day was true and pure magic.
We came to a clearing at about 9 a.m. it was through the opens of these massive pine trees. I could hear metal being hit in the distance. It was normal yet not, probably because of the placement. We rode closer and I could see people in the distance. Forest in each side except behind them, behind them was blue sky for eternity and a cliff drop off about 300 yards back. We went over and they welcomed us. People were sword fighting, laughing, eating (it smelled amazing), and enjoying themselves. It was as if I walked through a wardrobe into another land, if you catch my drift.
We stayed for about 30 minutes and we rode on. We stopped in town, I looked at knives because I wanted one to widdle walking sticks from Yucca trees. And then I bought some incense. We rode home. But the excitment wasn't over yet. As we rode up the massive hill to the RV, I see something in the distance. I got closer and unrealized it was a bear, a cub. It was so fun to look at but my grandpa calmly said "best leave it alone, what do ya say?" so I waved at the near and we rode the last 100 yards. We spent the rest of the day widdling walking sticks for visitors and refilling the humming bird feeders. I was in heaven. I have never felt that happy since.
Now obviously I understand at the age of 25 that we came across a rennaisance festival, and that if there is a cub there is a mom and how dangerous that is. But at the time I was innocent enough to just believe I was in a magical place. For once in my stressful life, I felt completely safe and at peace. I experienced something you can only experience when you read a book or see a movie But in real life. I will never, ever, forget that day.
zerocoke ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:58:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dog getting hit by a car and having to be put down. Seeing his dead body across the road in the field for a week after.
Pappaw dying when I was 28. Could still feel the strength in his hands lying in the casket as I wept and said my goodbyes.
Being my brothers best man. I more remember when he said to me " You are my best man"
Sitting on the couch at 27 and realizing I don't believe in religion anymore.
Having my head pinned to a rock in a waterfall while white water rafting.
Realizing I was letting go of my first gf forever at 21.
Realizing I was letting go of the girl I thought I would marry at 30.
Learning how to play music and a lot of little epiphanies along that road.
Joining my first band and writing my first song.
First time having sex without a condom.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:58:09 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Going to my dad's slo pitch games as a kid. I basically grew up at his sporting events, and the guys on his team always made me feel like one of the dudes. Those were just purely fun times.
-Getting the phone call from my mom that my dad had a stroke. I have never felt more shocked or helpless, but that phone call and then going to see him in the hospital have greatly shaped my life.
-About a year and a half after the stroke, my dad being at my senior night basketball game in college. It was the last competitive game he'll ever get to see me play in person, and he rebounded for me during my pre-warmup shooting routine. The reason this matters so much is that that routine is a time for me to get myself ready to play and to get my mind focused, so usually it's just me, the ball, and a hoop. To share such precious time with my dad (my former coach) one last time after all he had been through was one of the most important things I've ever done.
eloquent_bacon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:10 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This story nearly brought me, a grown man, sitting in an office eating his lunch to fully blown tears! It's such a sad but beautiful memory! I'm now the proud owner of a soggy bagel
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:19:46 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My relationship with my dad is lacking in many ways, but sharing sports with him will always be a special place that we bond.
DarthMurcielago ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:17:44 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was about 4 or 5 years old waiting by the front doors inside of a restaurant after eating a nice dinner with my mom and dad. I remember they were getting their stuff ready and paying the bill while I stared at the quarter machines. My dad didn't like to give me quarters or much else growing up so asking him for one would be fruitless. I remember having that little kid intense thought of "I wish I just had a quarter..." I then felt a tap on my shoulder and the first thing I saw was an adult mans hand holding a quarter out for me. I didn't know what to do because I was taught to not take things from people but when I looked at him I knew it was OK. He had on a cowboy hat and a longsleeved shirt and jeans and cowboy boots and had the kindest smile on his face. I just stared up at him and quickly took the quarter and quickly jammed it into the gumball machine. I turned the knob and I got this huge gumball and stuffed it in my mouth and tried to chew as fast as I could to shrink it down so my dad wouldn't see it. I've never forgotten such a simple kind act and how much it meant to me just to get a little gumball. Now whenever my kids aren't expecting money for the quarter machine, before they can even ask and they turn around, I'm holding out quarters for them and I see my glee in their little faces.
Forgottenpassword7 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:17:41 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Playing football with my dad in front of our apartment as a young child
-Running around naked after a bath, slipping, falling, cutting my butt on metal, and getting stitches on my butt at age 3
-Playing cops and robbers with the neighborhood kids on our bikes
-Puking after my 1st cross country practice
-Marrying my wife
-The day my son was born
seedofcheif ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:21:33 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i got a couple
being sexually abused by my older sister at age 9
my dad answering any question i had even going to the effort of writing scientists if he didnt know the answer
at age 11 having to walk to school after my dad had to leave because he lost his house and couldn't find a job after the '07 crisis, he was moving cross country to WA. and i didn't know when or if i would ever see him again, it was the day before my birthday
age 12 begging to a god i didn't believe in to kill me and asking why he let me live
age 12/13 my suicide attempts
age 13- meeting a person who actually wanted to talk to me, the fact that anyone would even treat me as a person after all of the bullying i received was unthinkable, she later talked me out of attempting suicide again
age 13 during high school orientation i went a school in a different district and during lunch a girl and her friend sat down next to me and her friends came and soon the table was filled and people were sitting on the ground beside it, it was so different from anything i had ever experienced it blew my mind
age 13 that girl who sat next to me becomes my first girlfriend and being able to hold her and feel like middle school was behind me
age 15 helping the girl who helped me with depression with her new physical disability and being there for her the way she was for me
age 16 being held by my current SO and being told that i was wanted, even though i had gone on dates before, being wanted was so strange, in my mind girls just sort of 'consented' to being with me so the idea of being truly wanted was inconceivable
age 18 being accepted to a college on my birthday despite all of the odds
franticshouting ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:22:30 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Baby ghost in my bedroom when I was like 18 months old
-My dad flying me around in Cessna airplanes
-When I was 6 and asked to spend the night at my grandma's because my parents were fighting and it was annoying. Same night, my mom calls over to grandma's to see if she can come spend the night, too. We ended up never going back home. My parents officially separated that night for about 3 years. I often thought that maybe if I hadn't asked to spend the night with my grandma that night, they never would have separated.
-Writing novels and plays in my dad's office in the mornings while I was about 9
-Getting my first dog, Rascal.
-Trying to sneak my kitten to school in my backpack when I was in kindergarten because I wanted to take him to show and tell but my parents kept telling me "no." So I put him in my backpack secretly, we all got in the car, I felt him moving around in my backpack and heard him meow and when we were almost to school, I just broke out sobbing because I felt bad for the kitten and I also knew I'd done something wrong
-My first kiss, age 12. Didn't even like the guy. Felt pressured, wanted to be cool. He liked me a lot, but I ended up dumping him after a day and he cried.
-Going to prom with my boyfriend in high school. We thought the prom was lame as fuck so after showing up just for photos, we grabbed some sodas and went to the park with some friends. My boyfriend was 18 and in college, I was 16 going on 17. When our friends were out of earshot in the park, he played a Dashboard Confessional song on his phone and we slowed danced to it near the swings so we could at least get in one, meaningful, cheesy dance.
-Being 20 and catching that same boyfriend cheating on me after 4 years together. Destroyed me.
-I have a basket of core memories that just consist of making out with different people at this point.
-Getting married, getting pregnant, giving birth, getting divorced, meeting the love of my life, losing the love of my lifeโgood core memory material in there.
StealthyOwl ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:55:00 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably the first was being back stabbed by my best friend. The fallout of it still hurts me to this day. The trust issues, the loneliness, and the hate. It drove me into severe depression and suicidal ideation.
The second was the two times I attempted suicide. I don't think that needs much explanation other than I failed both times. After the second time, I felt shame. Shame for trying to end my life, and shame for continuing how it is. I told myself I'd change. Although it didn't happen for a while, that thought stayed with me.
The third was when I played this game called Undertale. It broke me. It made me feel things I hadn't felt in many years. Comfort. Belonging. Laughter. Actual happiness. But it also brought pain. Sadness. Nostalgia. It reminded me of things I'd long repressed. Grudges I never let go of. Most importantly though, it made me feel. It made me reconsider my life and it's worth. The messages and themes in it gave me strength to push on and beat back the clout of darkness.
A fourth would be the first time I listened to The Dark Side of the Moon. That album forever molded my taste and appreciation of music.
The most recent core memory however has to be drawing once again. The biggest change in my life, and in the struggle against depression, has been picking up the pencil again and decorating a blank canvas with my imagination and desires. To take back what depression stole from me and made worthless gave it worth, and so onto me did that worth go. I felt like I had a reason to live, something to live for. I've drawn every day since that fateful morning on January 1 at 1:03 AM. I wrote down that time because I told myself at that moment everything would change. And changed it has.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:01:28 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My uncle bringing a movie projector to have a movie night with my dad , (this was before VHS was invented) and we used a bed sheet as the screen and watched movies in the lounge room.
decidedlyindecisive ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:12:43 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a difficult relationship with my parents. I was around 13 and was seeing my Mom for the first time in over a year. I was tubby and goth in the awkward way that only a 13 year old can be. I stepped off the train, happy to see her, excited to reconnect. She looked horrified. Deeply horrified. Her first words weren't "hello!". Her first words were "oh my god, get in the car before someone sees us". I'll never forget that feeling, that deep ripping pain, the automatic disassociation from everything. No tears, not ever.
My sister, I was 7, she was 5. We were driving through the woods and, wanting to spook her a little I say "It's daaaark.... It's creeeeepy.... It's!!!!" She interrupts, in a completely bored voice with "Superman". We laughed so hard we couldn't breathe.
Bhargo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:15:26 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My stepdad getting angry about something when he was drunk and throwing my in my room at my bed. It was an old box-spring mattress and one spring was sticking out, cut my stomach pretty bad, and my crying only mad him angrier, he wouldn't let me leave the room or help me. I remember my older brother being so focused as he wiped me off and bandaged me, even while I was positive I was bleeding to death. After he was done he smiled and said "See, it's never as bad as it looks".
Walking home in a huge snowstorm. My mom wasn't answering her phone and it was really coming down hard, that nasty wet sticky snow that saturates you and leaves you feeling like you just climbed out of a pool and are standing in a freezer. Hour long walk home. I literally couldn't feel anything by the time I got inside, actually ended up going to the hospital for that one, mild hypothermia. My mom had forgotten I needed to be picked up and went drinking with her friends.
Sitting with my grandpa. That movie Jungle Fever was playing and he called it stupid, then told me stories about what it was like being a black man dating (eventually marrying) a white woman in the 50s. He told me the very fact that I existed proved love would win over hate every time, even if it didn't seem like it at first.
Some school camping event that everyone was super psyched about. It had a $50 fee to go but it was a week long and was pretty much the biggest thing at the school. Every kid who went came back with stories of first kisses and new relationships, it was pretty much the gateway into being a teenager for everyone. My stepdad put aside the $50 and told me I had to do all the chores and clean the house for the two weeks preceding the event to get the money. Man I cleaned the shit out of that house, that shit was sparkling, I was practically singing spirituals mowing the lawn. Day before I go to him and ask for the money, and he tells me he already spent it on something else. I will never forget the way he said "Life is full of disappointments, get used to it" and just walked away. First time I was ever truly heartbroken.
neoslith ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:21:13 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So I got
Sadness
Fear
Joy?
Anger
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:20:06 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandma shouting at me on the day of my beloved grandpa's funeral as I brought her the wrong colour hat.
When I was 11 I went to this camp and had a panic attack while out walking. There was this 16-year-old guy who was the youngest counsellor there. He carried me all the way back. He was kinder than anyone had ever been to me in my life.
The time I sat down at a bus stop crying and this thuggish looking kid in a hoodie sat down next to me and said he was sorry I was crying and he hoped things got better soon.
Trying to look up an older girl from school who was nice to me and was part of the reason why I didn't try to kill myself sooner. I just wanted to thank her for making a difference. Nothing came up on Facebook so I googled her and found out that she had committed suicide a few years ago after a period of depression.
The nurse who said horrible things to me after I attempted suicide in my teens.
Doing a class presentation about my experience as a suicide attempt survivor about 18 years later while studying counselling and having a room full of people express empathy. Empowered by that, writing to the hospital thinking it was too late to complain - that it was just symbolic, for closure - but actually they investigated and sent me a letter of apology admitting all their mistakes.
When I broke down and told my husband about some things in my childhood and got all the comfort and support I needed.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:42:45 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age 8? or younger: Mom was really angry. After a lot of screaming, she stormed out to the car and drove off. My two younger siblings and I were crying hysterically on the porch, thinking she would never come back.
Age 10: At the end of my first year at a new school, I was awarded "Aesthete of the Year". I wasn't expecting it at all, so it was a very happy and proud moment for me.
Age 13: First day at a new school. After some information from the teachers, we got a short break. All my new classmates (who had already known each other for years) left the classroom without talking to me, not even looking my way. I sat by myself in the hallway, holding back the tears as I told myself: "It's only for two years. I can survive two years by myself."
Age 16: One morning I refused to get out of bed and I could barely tell my parents what was wrong because I couldn't stop crying. I had been in denial regarding how behind I was with essays, tests, and presentations in pretty much every subject, and I just... gave up. Before this, I had always been a bright kid with really good grades, but that morning I realized I wasn't as smart as the people around me had led me to believe.
Age 16-19: Went to art school. For the first time in years I made friends (that I'm still in touch with after graduating). Every day was fun with them and I will always treasure those memories.
Age 18: Mom was beyond angry. After screaming at the whole family, she and I got in the car, since she was supposed to give me a ride somewhere. During the whole trip she tells me how she feels unloved by us and how our family is the worst. When she says (in a surprisingly calm voice) that she's thinking of putting our (perfectly healthy) dog down because she's sick of taking care of her, I finally burst into tears.
rerackyourweights ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:30:53 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Late to the party so I'm only offering one.
I fell off the tire swing at a playground as a child and scraped up my knees. My dad scooped me up and carried me home. I bled all over my dad's favorite (white) wool sweater. I cried not because I was hurt, but because I "ruined" his sweater. He shrugged, took it off, and cleaned the gravel out of my wounds and put Band-Aids on them.
My dad isn't a super emotional guy, and made some mistakes while I was growing up, but he loves me and has never been a bad parent.
To this day, I don't have many core memories that affect me as much as that one does. Can't really explain why or how; it just does.
ssyl6119 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:04:53 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my best friend died unexpectedly at age 24. I can still hear my mom's voice when she told me on the phone what happened..
punkerpavine ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:42:03 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This one needs a little backstory.
My dad and I never really got along great. We still fight a lot to this day. But there is one core memory that we share, and we speak about that fondly.
When I was about 9 years old I got into hockey, because literally every kid in my class did hockey. I decided I wanted to do it as well. And despite the shit relationship my dad and I have, he still went to every single game, cheering me on at the sidelines. Not being an asshole and yelling (like the other parents), but genuinely cheering me on and supporting me. After every game he would buy me a grilled cheese and some ice cream. Even if my team lost, he would still buy me that, and would get me my favorite soda in a way of cheering me up.
The thing he always brings up when we talk about it, is that he always remembers me as a running red-faced, mouth-guard wearing little monkey he was proud of. Despite the shit relationship we have, this memory gives me warm and fuzzy feelings.
CrimsonManatee ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:13:27 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad singing his old tunes to my mom in the dead of summer heat on a weekend.
drinkscocoaandreads ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:39:14 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in the second grade, my best friend was the daughter of a minister, just like me. Our respective parsonages were on the same road, but about a mile away. We had to walk or bike down this random sidewalk (random because we didn't live in town, but on a rural state route), and for second grade me that took about 20 minutes. Anyhow, when I saw her for the last time before I had to move I walked with her down to her house and then ran almost all of the way home, crying, and I spent what felt like the remainder of my expected time sobbing on the church steps until I could collect myself and go home.
This is more an amalgamation than one memory, but my best friend turned on my at the start of my freshman year of high school. She called me a whore (or a virgin, depending on the day; both were meant as insults), fat, ugly, gross, and to put the cherry on top she put a really horrible cartoonized version of me next to the cartoons of other athletes and such in our grade's hallway, with buckteeth, acne, snot, and period stains.
I attempted to punch out a junior football player when I was a sophomore in high school. My dad's best friend/my brother's mentor had just died that morning (while subbing for my brother's math class, no less) and my brother kind of lost it. Refused or was incapable of speaking, steady flow of tears for a couple hours, that sort of thing. My brother was also one of the best football players in the school and his mentor was a coach, so the whole team was pretty in the know. This guy was just jealous and trying to prey on my brother while he was weak for popularity points, but he lost all of those when his friends had to hold me back from destroying him.
I took a theater class my senior year and our teacher had us do that guided relaxation crap on the stage one day. Everyone but my friend and I fell asleep during it. Our director had arranged us so everyone's head was next to their neighbors' feet, so when we sat up we were facing each other at a very close proximity. I had the fleeting instinct to kiss him. Just for a second, I had a fire burning in my belly, my cheeks flushed, and I found it hard to get a breath. Now that we're dating, he told me that he had the same reaction.
Years later, well out of college, I was in the final stages of preparation for my year+ teaching in Korea. It was January 14, exactly one month before my first Valentine's Day with my boyfriend and exactly one month before I was to leave the States. I got a call from my recruiter screaming at me about lying to her about a medical condition (nerve damage in my right arm). Turns out that she had forgotten to ask me about my medical history in her excitement to get me into school. Unfortunately, my condition meant that my visa would never go through and that my contract was voided. She ended the call by saying that Korea would "never want somebody like [me] working with children".
JamesBlitz00 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:30:00 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I saw my little brother in the hospital the day he was born. It was october 1988. I was just under 2 years old.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:57:54 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
๐๏ธ PapiSurane ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:54:37 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for sharing, and I'm sorry you had to go through some of those things. It amazes me how unfeeling people can be sometimes. I hope you make it to a better place in your life soon.
TheWookiePrincess ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:05:27 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Late to the party, but I have to be in on such an awesome question.
tommy_the_tit ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:29:36 on July 31, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is old already but I just wanted to say:
I'm legitimately bothered that I can't identify moments or memories that I cherish.
I know I like sports. I can't remember moments when I was watching and having a good time.
I know I like playing video games or hanging around with my friends. I can't remember a lot of particular instances.
I did a lot of fun stuff in high school, especially extracurriculars, but I don't remember specific parts of them.
I can't remember the good, only the bad. Like when my rugby captain broke his wrist. When my debate team argued with each other in a round and we got eliminated. When my parents separated and I told my friends. Is something wrong with me?
iamaquantumcomputer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:27:06 on August 7, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Never too late to make some new happy memories :D
J9AC9K ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:47:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
When I was a kid my parents were gunned down by some thug while we were walking home from a theater. I've hated crime ever since.
I also fell into a cave and was assaulted by a horde of bats. Bats are now my greatest fear.
Luckily I inherited tons of money so I could afford therapy. I now live the life of a completely normal wealthy recluse.
mythighsyourearmuffs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:21:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dunnadunnadunnadunna Dunnadunnadunnadunna
spiritrain ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:34:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Getting my first bike when I was 14. It was secondhand and my parents found it at a garage sale but it made me feel free.
-The moment I made my first friend when I moved into a new area.
-Playing with my miniature, fake horses in my parents room.
leaderxtreme ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:59:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was from Minnesota, but moved to San Francisco. Minnesota gets pretty cold. The lake freezes over and that's when we play hockey. I'm on a great team, we're called Prairie Dogs. My friend Meg plays forward, my dad's a coach. Pretty much everyone in my family skatesโits kind of a family tradition. We go out the lake almost every weekend.. Or we did, until we moved away. We used to play tag and stuff.. But everything's different now, since we moved..
ahmericha ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:03:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents always refusing to let me play in the front yard when I was a child. When I was little I resented them for it, but now I'm thankful because that neighborhood was one of the worst in the city. Glad we made it out.
yaosio ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:30:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't have any. All I have are random short memories of things I can't even recall now. I've seen pictures and video of myself doing things I don't remember doing. I've done things in the past I don't have the slightest clue how to do. My cognitive abilities have slowly decreased over time, although I have no idea by how much.
Azmodeon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:54:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Right there with you. For a second, i though "i don't remember writing this today". Then i saw your username.
How bad is your memory? Mine is dismal. I used to play piano. I could play the entire Phantom of the Opera with my eyes closed. Now? I think i can still play chopsticks.
Childhood memories? I think i can remember losing a balloon once. That's about it. the rest are foggy or i get that feeling of missing a step that isn't there when i go to try to recall anything.
More often than not, family will recall some thing i did and i'll have zero memories of it.
Being an intellectual, I feel like losing my mind is the scariest thing i could ever lose.
zkeya ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:58:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Salt - r/hearthstone and other gaming subreddits probably
aguyintheshadows ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:28:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All of my core memories, good and bad, seem to link up to each other.
I grew up in a very small farming town, and I was the only kid in school who wasn't white (Mexican, but I may as well have been blue with the way the other kids would avoid me for being different). Needless to say, I was the boy with no friends.
My parents divorced when i was 12, when my psychotic father pulled a gun on my mother. My mom ran away from that house, and didn't look back. She didn't speak to me again for many years.
My dad and I moved into a bigger city 30 miles away. Our new neighbor suggested I join the local boys and girls club. That's when I met my first real friend.
I won't forget the first time I spent the night at his house. It was my first real sleepover, and I was thirteen. Everyone in the house was asleep except us. We were on his mom's computer in the living room wearing just shorts, a comfort level I've never felt with anyone before. We were browsing the same pages we always did; funnyjunk, stick death, Joe cartoon.
Suddenly I noticed a bright light outside his living room window. I looked outside to see that someone lit his garbage can on fire.
He woke up his mom, who was on the cordless phone with the fire department while trying to battle the blaze with a garden hose. Her efforts were in vain as the flames got closer to the garage roof.
The fire engines showed up and thankfully made quick work of the fire before it reached the house. While we are standing there outside, half naked and barefoot on the sidewalk, he leans into me and says "I guess you don't want to sleep over anymore, huh?"
Without hesitation, I replied "are you kidding!? This has been one of the most exciting nights of my life!" His concerned expression turned into a relieved laugh.
We quickly became inseparable. I was always at his house, or he was always at mine. Almost every night, I was sleeping in his bed with him, or he was sleeping in mine. When we did have to part ways, we would hug each other, and tell the other "I love you". This was my first real friend, and I would always let him know how much I appreciated him in my life.
Over the years, things got a little more serious. We ended up being closer than friends. One night, he showed me some massage techniques he learned before bed. He rubbed my back, my feet, my legs...then things got intimate.
I returned the favor, and shortly after, he fell asleep with his arm wrapped around my chest, his head resting on my shoulder. This became the new sleepover ritual for years.
When I was eighteen, he suddenly seemed distant one day. He wouldn't tell me why. A few weeks later, he told me his family was moving to a new city thirty miles away. We hung out a few times after that, but the sleepovers were not the same. He began telling me of this girl he met in the new city, and he had a date with her that weekend.
Then he stopped answering my phone calls.
It was as if he dropped off the face of the planet, and I had no idea why. He gave me no reason, no excuse. I felt completely devastated. The friend I had viewed to be my other half walked out of my life without a word.
I couldn't sleep anymore. I didn't smile or laugh anymore. I was broken, and it lasted for years. Several suicide attempts later, I decided I needed to start a new life.
I moved to another city and got a new job in phone customer service. I was feeling pretty good about life, but he was always in the back of my mind. I still missed him.
I woke up from another dream of him and decided to look him up on MySpace. The first thing I saw was his profile photo: him and his new wife on their wedding day. Reading his profile, I discovered he had a child with her, and another on the way.
Something inside of me snapped. I felt like the last strand of reality had been broken away from me. I lied on the couch until it was time to go to work, staring at the ceiling.
I was talking to the third customer of the day when I told her "excuse me ma'am, I'm going to have to put you on hold for a moment." I got up from my desk, went to the bathroom, and began crying, crumpled on the floor. I kept screaming "is this what you want!? Is this what makes you happy??"
A half hour later, picking myself off of the restroom floor, I realized I lost my voice. I told my boss I needed a personal day. I logged off my work station (where my customer had long since hung up her phone), and left the building. I didn't go back.
I moved back into my dad's place and lived on welfare assistance for the next year and a half. I gave up on life, and just went through the motions without ever leaving the apartment. An old friend of mine reached out to me out of the blue one day and asked if I wanted a job with him. I took it, and tried to begin life over once again.
The dreams never stopped. He was still with me, and my heart felt full until I would wake up, alone once again. One morning, after eight years had passed since he last talked to me, I decided enough was enough.
I looked him up on Facebook. I saw his face again and without hesitation, I sent him a friend request. By the time I finished letting out a long sigh, he had already accepted it.
I was nervous, my sweaty hands shaking over the keyboard. I didn't know what to do. I carefully typed up my first message to him in years.
"Hi."
Immediately, I get a "hey" back. I ask him how's life, we make small talk, and I ask him if he wants to get lunch and catch up. He says yes, and we plan on meeting at our old favorite burger spot.
I walked through the door and see him at our old table. He looks just as I remembered him. I pull up a seat and we make awkward banter for a few seconds. Before I knew it, we found ourselves in a conversation as if we didn't miss a day.
He wants to introduce me to his family. I accepted. We go back to his house, and there I see her, his wife of seven years. "I hear you are like my husband's brother," she says. "I guess that makes us family too!" I let out a relieved, albeit awkward smile.
We didn't connect in the romantic way we did before, but we quickly returned to the same emotional level we were before.
One day that I'll never forget, as I left his house, I turned back to him standing in the doorway. "I love you", the words leapt from my mouth without restraint. A large grin spread across his face. "I love you too!" he blurted out, and took me in for a hug.
I drove home with a large smile on my face.
He would later tell me that he realized that day eight years ago that he wasn't gay, and he didn't know how to handle this relationship. I told him I understood, but he will always be my brother. I officially came out a couple years ago, and he was very supportive. I still hang out with him and his family, and his kids know me as uncle.
I'm thirty years old now. A lot has changed in my life. But I'm proud to have my first real best friend around once again.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:58:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
jjtcorsair ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Steve?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:23:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I really try hard to throw away memories unless they're recent, I really hate living in the past.
The idea that core memories shape who you are is completely incorrect for me, the only really strong memories I can think of on demand are sad ones, which is just about the complete opposite of me. I'm a happy nutjob, get angry sometimes but very rarely upset.
Memories don't define you, they only define your insecurities. Your personality is what defines you.
TheKocsis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:45:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
FandingoDango ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:47:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going to a store with my parents, then showing a pokemon card to one of the store assistants thinking it was my mom. Then I got embarrassed and since then don't approach people much.
swimzone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:55:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
After years of hard work, winning State in a relay with close friends and getting all American.
studying abroad in Germany
Going to the amusement park and building a Rollercoaster afterwards (Knex)
Being at the cabin as a child
Neferia ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:55:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Way back in 5th grade, my Mum ripped up my homework and threw it down the staircase when I asked her for help. My trust issues compounded from there, and I just about refuse to ask for help.
iForgotMyOldAcc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:00:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Still very young right now, not many life changing things worthy of being core, but definitely a few.
Grandmother's funeral. Never dealt with any sort of grief and the religious side of it, as a closet atheist, was something I always thought about, especially in Chinese culture where the eldest grandson (I'm the lone Grandson) does a lot of the things. Ended up shaping a lot of my beliefs now.
My sister crying when my parents were arguing. That happened really early in my life and probably my earliest memory. Legit just stood between my parents, who were always arguing back in the days, and cried for them to stop. For many years they never settled disputes via violent actions and shouting. Eternally grateful to my sister for that.
Getting rejected. Well not in terms of getting a date, just a simple, casual request towards a friend of mine to go to prom with me, which she said no to after spending half of the next day thinking about it. Not really interesting, but that was the final straw of a chain of events that happened this year that finally convinced me that I needed to change myself up since I've been getting "no" over and over again throughout the year.
My mom saying to my face that she hates me in a fit of rage. For a 10 year old me I took it pretty harshly for I've always loved my mom to bits. Started finishing all my homework and studied hard for the majors to win her back. She then told me that she said that because I was incredibly tired of getting phone calls from my teachers complaining about me, and forgave me after I proven myself to have changed. Now she's the only reason I remain motivated continue living at all.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:01:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first kiss with my first girlfriend. Easily one of the best moments. The amount of passion, hand-in-hair pushing each other closer, other hand feeling the curves of each others bodies. Jesus, I can feel the emotions.
Worst memory... Probably one of the worst. Finding out my WoW friend died. She's from the same country I am and we often chatted in WoW and over text messaging. We had the same sense of humour and she had beaten Lukemia once.
Sadly she got a relapse and was hospitalized. I promised her that I would find time to visit her, but those were empty promises.
Till one day I found people posting on her Facebook page, saying that they'll miss her. PMed one of my guildmates, that's how i found out she had passed on.
It absolutely crushed my soul for some reason. This whole thing also made me hold true to my promises to my closest friends. Never make a promise you can't keep, that's what I remind myself daily.
handsome_vulpine ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:09:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ooooh...core memories...hmmmm...I'll have to think about this one...
OneMoreMatt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:10:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
) My first large Lego set as a kid, Cargo railway 4559 ) When my dad died ) Going to Disney for the first time ) Passing my driving test - oh the freedom! ) Graduating from uni
evhan55 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:13:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
With my CPTSD I have horrifying core memories for days...
TheDudeNeverBowls ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:20:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well, read the last thread from this sub that was on the frontpage and you'll get the idea.
My life has been difficult.
FormerSmart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:22:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've been thinking about it, but I don't feel like choosing any memories in particular and say that they are the "core" ones.
I've lived so many things with so many people, even if I tend to be of the stay at home playing videogames side (and maybe because of it, thank you game developers), that choosing something in particular doesn't feel quite right. I would have to say something about everyone I've chosen in my life to spend a little bit of it with them, because I have become what I am thanks to every person that has shared a sincere conversation with me.
atworkthrowaway666 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:24:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There's a lot, but this one is the first and the most formative: Sitting at home, alone, at 7 years old while my family attended the funeral of my 4 year old brother. I wasn't allowed to attend because I was told I "wouldn't be able to handle it".
tanxh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:24:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Supersaucepanman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:24:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
At my local theatre I got the part of 'Action' in west side story after the person playing him dropped out to do a tour. This was a youth production so the ages 15-24, and was 12 at the time. Also to top it off two others auditioned, both in their 20s and the week before I had seen one perform (brilliantly). To think the day before I was convinced I wasn't going to audition for the part because I definitely wouldn't get it, it did great things for my confidence and made me fall in love with theatre and created most of the friends I have now! You'd be surprised to see even what doing one performance could do, not just for confidence but organisation, motivation, fitness and relationships!
jjwax ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:26:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandfather, before he was taken by cancer.
My grandparents lived in a town about 1.5 hours away from us, so we would often go spend the weekend with them. Every time, my grandfather would take me to the mall, gave me $5 to play in the arcade, then we would get a slice of NY style pizza at the shop next door. During these trips we always talked about whatever was going on in my life at the time, I just wish I had asked him more about his :(
harrisonfordspelvis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:28:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad used to sort of vault off this retaining wall when he was working outside, instead of walking around the long way. I thought I could copy him and threw myself headfirst into the concrete parking bay. Apparently my head was split open and blood was gushing out, but I was mainly concerned by the giant spider I'd seen on the wall that I thought was going to eat this baby snail beside it. I was concerned I'd squished the snail.
aryasneedle42 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:29:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What does it say about me if I can't think of any?
Does that mean I am suppressing stuff or do I just have an awful memory?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:30:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being by my oldest brother's side and exchanging last words before he died of leukemia.
Surviving my first suicide attempt.
Being neglected by my parents and them kicking me out of the house.
Rejecting a girl on Valentine's Day, then watching her commit suicide.
Being proposed to by my SO.
Mickelham ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:33:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haven't seen inside out, but what I can guess from the question:
ShiftyMcShift ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:33:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Almost all are tragic; my amazing success was all will and personal positivity.
Which is probably not what the cartoon said...
mulduvar2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:33:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing AoE at my friend's house
Drawing huge maps of gameworlds on many many sheets of 8.5x11
That one commercial where everyone starts chanting "Algebra! Algebra! Algebra!"
Writing my name on paper plates over and over when I was 2 and spelling it wrong.
Everyone being mad at me in Sunday school for asking questions.
Being alone somehow outside of my house and crying because my family had forgotten me.
yaheardmeyadig ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:34:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My earliest is falling off the slide wrestling with my older cousin and busting my head open and there being blood everywhere on the way to the hospital.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:34:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
viral marketing attempt a year too late lol
NiceJobTwoDads ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:34:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know if I can list them all. Backstory; my parents weren't married and I've struggled with depression, half-assedly diagnosed and not really treated. - making a bindle to take with me to see my dad. This was the first time i really remember going over to see my dad and hang out with him. - A big dude named Mike with a gruff construction worker voice showing me how to ride a two wheeler down my driveway. - My dad teaching me how to round edges and what flush means. Learning new things will still make me giggle 15 years later. - 7-8 year old me sitting on the steps in a house we were working at and pulling nails from finishing, drinking root beer, and playing warioware on my gameboy advance. My dad said he's pay me 10 cents a nail, and I pulled a few hundred. Wonderful time. -Redeads scaring the shit out of me. Still do. -Smelling the red rubber track on the first day of football practice. Still hate that track. -Realizing I forgot my wallet on the first date with the first girl I had a long-term relationship with. Still miss her. -Feeling totally different one day. I felt less smart and less capable and in serious need of sleep while working on a school project one day after school in the library. Retrospectively, this was my first run-in with serious depression. -Seeing my friend Brian on the couch of his childhood home hardly able to breathe, communicating through a tablet, in the final stages of ALS. That smell of that old, cluttered house with furnishing from the 80's and his dad's bad toupee will haunt me forever. -Realizing that all of the anxiety that I feel, regardless of where or how I am will always come to pass, and that everything's okay. I don't remember where I was, just the feeling.
Woof, this was cathartic.
mynickname86 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:34:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day I was arrested: April 2006. I know it's a late one, I was 20, but it sure replaced whatever else was there. I had been drinking and I left my then girlfriends house and started driving. Now I normally go a certain way home, but I decided to take a different route because I hate the stop sign on the normal route. As I was driving I got pulled over and was arrested for underage drinking. I was well under the .080 limit (.014) but I was over for the under 21 limit. This is where the core memory kicks in...when my parents came to pick up the car thy had to see me in the back of the cop car. Seeing my crying moms face out the window of the back of a cop car will always be burned into my memory. It was a moment i never want to repeat, but it's also a moment I never want to forget because it reminds me why I stopped drinking.
Silencer_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:35:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Playing Baseball in my room at my dads house with my mom. I was around 3. We were playing with my mickey mouse baseball and glove. I'll always remember the huge smile on her face and her laughing heartily.
Being in my Aunt's van in my Dad's driveway. I was about 4 years old. Everything seemed a little weird, and i couldn't understand why my mom put so much of our stuff in my aunt's van. But, my mom said we were having a sleepover at my Aunts, so I was excited
Scoring my first goal in street hockey. I was 5, playing in a league with all 7-9 year olds, and I was really bad. The ball was sitting in the crease, nobody realizing where it was, and I slid on my knee pads atleast 3-4 feet (for no reason lol) to hit the ball into the net. The place erupted.
4th Grade. I asked a girl in my class what she wanted to get for Christmas. I probably had a slight crush on her. She responded, "I don't celebrate Christmas". I, confusingly, asked her what she meant. She said "I'm Jewish". I replied "What's Jewish?" From then on, i realized how sheltered I was. A sudden realization that there are more than one religion changed me for good.
Hearing smash mouth all star at summer camp. I probably heard the song 75 times that summer, but for whatever reason, a specific time sticks with me. To this day I get most nostalgic about that song =)
whateverbruhwhatever ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:35:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first rated M video game I played The first time I beat said game Joining my Soccer team I stayed with for 7ish years Beating my family at Sorry! the first time The time my parents saying I was lesser than my older sister.
AliosSunstrider ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:35:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All mine fell into that pit....
Depression is a bitch.....
MattyLePew ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:37:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
World's smallest violin
Ah-Um ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:35:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-listening to oldies cassette tapes (the Eagles, golden earring etc.) during the summer car rides between my two parents' homes as a kid
-being the rope in a tug of war between my tweaked out, drunk mother and my protective sister, also as a kid
-hearing Led Zeppelin's Kashmir on the radiofor the first time after listening to almost solely AC/DC for the first ten years of my life
-discovering my high school girlfriend had cheated in me with the German foreign exchange student
-finding out my ex had moved to Germany with said foreign exchange student
-finding out my ex and foreign exchange student moved into a ridiculously nice home, got married, and have a child on the way
-losing a best friend because I stupidly made out with his girlfriend (they were in a break at the time but it doesn't matter)
-trying cheesecake for the first time at the ripe old age of 22
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:35:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The one I can think of the most is honesty.
When I was 16 my curfew was about 11pm, my parents didn't mind if I was 10-15 minutes late. This one time I came home probably 1am from a few blocks away at a buddies house, none the less after my curfew. My dad asked me sternly "What time did you get in last night?"
"A little after 11" I told him.
Without missing a beat he said "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't know the truth, don't lie to me next time."
I never have, and he didn't punish me for lying or being late, but he made it clear he expected my honesty.
psychosus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:36:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
3 years old, sitting on the deck of my grandmother's apartment building on a warm New England summer evening. Leaning slightly over the lower rung of the railing and sipping a juice box while I looked through the window of a neighbor's home as they watched Jeopardy on their TV.
lolaordie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:36:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-the last time I saw my grandma and her voice saying "I love you", I was leaving knowing it was the last time I'd see her.
-the day she died.
-the day my son was born, right before the c-section, when I was still pushing and my boyfriend was there holding my hand and helping me.
-the day I was told my dad's dog was hit by a car. twice. she died.
-when my mom got in a fist fight with her older sister, I was there and she kicked us out leaving us homeless. She had bit my mom's finger taking out a piece of it and I told her we could go to the police. I was 5/6.
Ebo907 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:36:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was pretty young maybe 7 or 8 I never cleaned my room and my parents were always telling me to clean it. One day my Dad had enough and he took me to my room and dumbed everything on the ground in the middle of my room and showed me how to clean my room. He showed me everything had a place and it should go back in that place when I was done with it.
When I was 11 or 12 my mom got this middle aged dog that was a complete dick. The whole family hated it. One day while I was walking it, it got hit by a car because it took off into the road. I took it back home in my arms balling. My very religious grandpa tried to comfort me by saying it was in a better place. I screamed at him and asked him what if I didn't believe in heaven. He didn't respond to this wasn't angry he just said back that it wasn't my fault the dog got hit and hugged me.
When I was 21 my grandpa got sick and was in the hospital he was like 90. We all knew it wasn't good. One morning I got a call from my mom saying I should be ready for bad news. Soon after my dad called me and he was crying, it was the first time I ever heard him cry and he told me my grandpa died. I was in my living room to not wake my now wife then gf and I was in the middle of the floor silently sobbing. We were together for maybe a year at that point. She woke up came out and spooned me and said she was very sorry for my loss and just laid with me. I knew right then and there she would be my wife.
There is some others but I figured this was enough for this post.
UnapologeticAlterEgo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:36:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The Good:
The day I graduated college, my dad told me he was proud of me for the first time ever.
My first healthy and real relationship was long distance, we were together a couple of years, and I still very clearly remember how happy I was every time we finally got to see each other.
The first dove I shot, and also the first deer.
The nights my best bud and I would stay up until 2 am playing Starcraft and GoldenEye 64.
All the times my cousin, and my two brothers would go camping in the woods behind my grandma's house.
The Bad:
My best friend of fifteen years leaving for Iraq in 2005 and not coming home.
When my first girlfriend tried to kill herself, her and her sister told me it was my fault.
The first time I saw someone die.
The things my loving wife says when her bipolar disorder flips her mood.
PitchinApples ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:37:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Finding the first litter of kittens that a stray had... And then taking in the last surviving kitten after the mother stopped producing milk.
Being heartbroken that one of my two friends was moving away after his parents devorce.
Staying up until dawn with my best friend playing SSBM, and finding out that the paper boy was an older man who drove a truck.
Being abandoned by my mother the night my grannie died, and the struggle my dad was put through for the two years my mother was gone.
Making a lot of internet friends on Runescape. Joining my first clan, and finally getting my first 99: Agility!
When a guy said I looked a lot like Lightning from FFXIII.. And falling for him shortly after.
Finding out that he was cheating 3 of the 4 years we were together.
Making my first new friend at my job after being there for 3 months.
Reconnecting with an old high school friend after being out of contact for 6 years, and becoming friends with his group of gaming buddies.
habitualtroller ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:37:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't have any core memories. I can remember specific things and events but when I recollect my past, it's mostly a blur and nothing particular stands out.
kai288 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:37:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad took me to the movies to see Follow That Bird.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:37:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Father taking the side of my brother hitting me during the 2007 Super Bowl because "I was being a baby"
Not being able to talk to my grandmother when I needed her the most due to her dementia
Wanting to kill myself 3 years ago but worrying too much about who would find me.
Feeling completely lost and motionless in a crowd unable to speak at a freshman event in high school.
KingKingsons ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:37:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nobody believes it, but I swear it must be true. I was adopted when I was 9 months old and I remember my brother and father made some funny noises when they just got me. I asked them about it and they asked how I knew they made those noises. I said I feel like I can remember it, but they think someone must have recorded it and that we must have lost the tapes. I know better, though!
Second memory is when I fell off the stairs at age 3.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:38:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My father saying I'm too ugly to be his offspring so my mother must have cheated.
Sexual abuse at the age 6.
A teacher making fun of my voice in middle school.
The first time my sister said I'm ugly (in front of her friends)
The moment I realized that no matter what I do people's view of me will never change.
freshblueeyes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:38:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1.. Walking to school with my brothers and promising to never rat on each other about swearing 2. Camping with my family on a trip to the east coast . Baton twirling,beaver tails, horseback riding and laughing a lot 3. The day I got a call and my mom was crying (which never happens) I found out my brother had been hit by a car at a cross walk and was in a coma. 4. The day my now husband kissed me for the first time out of the blue. Probably his smoothest move ever.
fred_flag ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:38:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mother dying in a car accident when I was 5 years old.
Christmas eve, a drunk ass miss the curve and hit my dad car in face-to-face. Since it was a really old car, (no seat belts) my mother was ejected from the car and die instantly.
35 years later, I have never drive my car drunk, not even after drinking 1 beer and I always ask my girlfriend and my kid to buckle up before I even move the car out of the parking lot.
It change my life on so many level.
trendywendymark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:39:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Taking md for the first time at Groovin' the Moo festival in Canberra and feeling truly euphoric with some of my best friends (lame but true)
Eating a home-cooked dinner and singing the Tracy Beaker theme with my best friends in the entire world before a night out in Berlin after we finished school
Uncontrollably crying on the plane when I left Sydney after having a really mad year living there
Hugging and crying with my friend's mum in their empty house when they were moving away from my street after living there all my life
a lot involve crying haha
StoopidN00b ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:39:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Never saw Inside Out. What are you talking about?
TheChurroBaller ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:39:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing Legos with my best freind
HGF88 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:40:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seeing my father dead on the floor. It being ruled a suicide.
Also, my eighth grade graduation and my month long overnight at this camp for kids with autism/adhd/depression.
TheRealtorGuy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:40:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Kind of a mix of good and sad things:
Adamal47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:40:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was maybe 13 or 14 at the time and it was late at night. I was in the downstairs ganeroom doing what every teenager with Internet access and Noone else around does. There was a large glass sliding door to my right but the blinds were closed so Noone could see...or so I thought.
Apparently my "friends" stopped by and could see through a small Crack and decided to knock on the door. I could here then giggling before they took off running. Since then I have paranoia and social anxiety.
GreatWhiteHulk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:40:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad kissing me and telling me goodnight and he loved me when I was young. I pretended to be asleep so I didn't say it back. He died a few months later from cancer. I still regret it.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:40:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. Original Ask Reddit thread. Props.
These are probably my few.
Surviving a grizzly bear attack.
Falling off a ladder and concussing myself and breaking both wrists.
Signing up for Co-Ed volleyball in 5th grade and being the only male in the league (dominated it)
Moving towns and homes from everything I knew when I was 14. Made me do a lot of growing up.
Noob3rt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father teaching me about nature. Showing me that compassion in all things is important, even to a tree in the forest or a frog in the pond. Everything feels.
My mother teaching me to respect others and treat them how I wish to be treated, even if they are treating you poorly.
Being bullied every single school day from kindergarten till grade 10 which caused me to quit school due to being unable to function properly.
My mother crying to my father thinking I couldn't hear as they worried about my future since I chose to leave school.
Telling my brother to work hard at whatever he does and to not throw away his life like I did.
Sitting outside at night and thinking about what I could have been or what I could have done if I had the strength when I was a kid to pull through it. This has caused me to work as hard as I can at any opportunity I have so that I can never let anyone down again.
Travyplx ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There are several of my father: laying on his lap asleep, his body scent is permanently embedded in my senses from that day; walking down railroad tracks with him which led to my love for trains; his funeral where I suddenly realized that death is actually a thing.
When my mother was hospitalized and she went from having youthful energy to seemingly aging 50 years. She has sense recovered sort of, but is not the same person I remember as a child and it makes it hard for me to see her.
The first time I kissed a girl I cared about, we are still best friends but our relationship ended after a long time because we were headed in different directions in life.
The moment I meant my daughter and the clarity of just what love means.
The first time I left my home country on a trip to Canada. It was sunrise as I drove into Montreal and the bridge was absolutely gorgeous in that sunlight, I now have a love of bridges and sunrises always remind me of that moment.
The first time I saw the Killers live and the realization that they are in fact my favorite band. I was so tired from how happy I was that night
The shuttle accidents. I know I want to go to space so badly, and I would give anything to do it. They gave everything for it. Whenever I visit space exhibits I get emotional thinking about those crews.
These are the memories that mean the most to me.
Foustian ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I got verbally bullied a lot in high school. At one point I had a mental list of people I wanted to kill. One day I was doing something stupid and preventing my friend from being able to leave for the day. His sister was waiting to drive him home, so she was getting pissed at me. She told me to stop, and asked if I cared about what other people thought of me. I realized that if I didn't, then nothing anyone said would bother me. It sounds stupid, but in that moment I decided to stop being insulted. Noone stopped what they had been saying to me, but I stopped getting upset about it. I actually went as far as to embrace the things that I was criticized for, which can be summed up as "being a weird kid". That was almost 20 years ago, and to this day there's really nothing anyone can say to me that will make me angry.
The day my dad died. That was the day I began to realize I don't really care about people. I've never met a single person whose absence from my life would sadden me for more than a brief moment. I actually get more upset when I finish a good book, because I'm more emotionally attached to it's characters than real people.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like this could be cross posted to /r/askscience
scapoor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I also have the similar memory "hanging with tire"
wordsinmouth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:42:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Things get better.
keithwaits ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:42:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me calling my friends house to see how he was doing. My friend was suffering from leukemia for a while, but no indications that he was doing particularly bad. I called with the idea that he would be back on his feet in days.
I got his dad on the phone and he said my friend could not come to phone right now. Next he asked for me to put my dad on the phone. I felt bad immediately and knew something was wrong. This sinking feeling started to grow in and I was panicking a bit.
After the call all I had to do is look at my dad to confirm my fears, my friend had died.
theonehandedwriter ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:42:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not a religious person, but I think I had a religious experience. I'd been hiking for three days doing a section hike (a piece) of the Appalachian Trail. I was hurting, dirty, sweaty and generally I felt awful. I come across this patch of brambles and fallen trees, then ascend honest to God stairs up to a bald mountain. A bald mountain is a mountain with no trees on it. Just grass or rocks or what have you.
I get to the top and there are only a few clouds in the sky and the sky is gorgeous in that way that early afternoons can be in the mountains. I was at the top of this bald mountain and could see twenty miles in every direction and I knew this because I did a 360 spin. I got dizzy from both a bit of sudden vertigo and this childlike delight at the amazing beauty of it. Trees as far as you could see. Mountains shaded in the background. A few houses stitched in-between, but not many. Maybe a half dozen.
It's called Max Patch and it's in the United States in North Carolina. If you're ever in NC you should go. It's one of the most gorgeous places on the planet. Especially if you're used to flat land like I am.
dTanMan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Learning programming in school and realizing how open-ended coding could be, and how there can be multiple solutions to a problem.
Playing by ear on the piano and/or guitar without realizing it, and only realizing when my mom pointed out, "dTanMan, you're playing by ear!" And i was like, hory shet, i am!
Composing for Mother to make her feel better.
Passing of mother to metastasized breast cancer. This is where i matured the most: a close encounter with death. This is probably what Heidegger talks of, that you realize how close death actually is.
Artsy215 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yellow- The day my hubs took me blue fishing on the ocean the first time. I caught 6 gigantic fish! Never been so proud of myself for reeling in those beasts on my own and holding them up for photos :) great great day!
Purple and blue - Watching mom and uncle driving away, leaving me at college for the first day of freshman year. It was one of those "this is the first day of the rest of your life" moments.
Red blue AND green -Breaking up with my high school boyfriend of 2.5 years when I found out he was lying to me about a million things. Up until then he was my security blanket from all the other crap in my life. But that breakup gave me the courage to end any and all unhappy relationships later on in my life that did not need to continue.
Yellow - High school graduation. Got the feels/Holy Spirit up on stage singing There Can Be Miracles. Sang louder and prouder than I really should have. Caused my classmates around me to bust out laughing. Hey it's better than getting sappy and crying up there!
Blissfully yellow- my wedding reception in the Dominican Republic. It was every possible thing I wanted it to be. Fire dancers, iPod DJ of my favorite songs, my new hubs and our closest friends and family celebrating us and loving life!
Dota2Anna ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I realized that my parents weren't special people and that they didn't actually like me or care to understand how my thought process worked. I was 5 or 6 and laying awake in my bed watching a mechanical clock slowly do it's thing around 4:30 in the morning. That feeling of isolation has never really gone away.
Patterns of movement on an SNES controller for certain games. There's a muscle memory there that got imprinted on me as a kid while I constantly failed and tried over and over and over at difficult platforming games until I got shit perfect.
Music. There are many pieces of music that I attach irrational meaning to because of an emotion or a time that I associate them with. I can't play for shit, but there's a lot of orchestral pieces which can instantly turn me into a child, hormonal teenager, or young adult in a heartbeat.
Coffeesq ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That goddamn Sears air conditioner commercial.
untitledmoviereview ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The times Jay Walter Weatherman used to try and teach me and my family lessons.
When Sally Sitwell asked me to take a golf cart ride, and i got so embarrassed at my dad saying i was going to stick to her.. in front of her dad!
When my dad always used to pit me and my brother, GOB, against each other and film the ensuing fight
When i played a lawyer in the play "the trial of Captain Hook"
Mccolleen82 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
2 years and 2 months old, 1984. I am the 5th child in a family of 6. It was September, and my closest (in age) older brother was leaving for his first day of junior kindergarten.
The early morning light of late summer had illuminated our family's home foyer with warm amber and yellow. It was a hard and emotional realization that my favourite brother was now joining the older group of siblings, who leave and then come back later. I wanted to go to and didn't understand why I wasn't allowed to. I was sad, yet happy for him. I can instantly access the smell of my mum's porridge for breakfast, the vivid colours, the warm September air and of course my emotional reaction.
beldaran1224 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's a real mix for me
My dad yelling at my mom, who's crying. I was a toddler and didn't understand, even though I knew what it was about.
All the times I read the Night Before Christmas my grandmother got me. I'm a Christmas Eve baby and it always makes me feel close to her. I lost that copy, but it was one of the first gifts I got my nephews.
All the times I would ask my dad some question about how something worked or science or math...and he would go into WAY more detail than I was looking for :)
Talking to my mom about faith and the Bible. Especially when she told me about her issues with it. I was so happy that she would share something so serious with me at that age (8 or 9).
This one week when I was 15. We got the call that my grandmother had died...my mother just fell to the floor crying. The funeral. My parents packing up and moving us several states away out of grief. Possibly the most important week of my life.
That moment I started my first upper-level philosophy class. I knew that I had made the right decision, even if it wasn't "practical".
Several moments when I was studying abroad in Morocco. When we went to the little group of homes (a single family, three buildings) in the middle of nowhere. The homes were one-room buildings of tin with dirt floors. We were there to look at some stuff the women had woven and help support the local church who was trying to teach them a skill. Just this realization of the privilege I had, even though we were so poor growing up.
When my nephews were born. Each one was different but so amazingly special. Those boys mean the world to me.
The moment my sister took a swing at our dad. Her oldest was in the room, crying at all the screaming. She had been growing increasingly angry and violent, and it was this big shock to everyone at what she had become. It tore a big hole in our family. Even though we've mostly healed, there's still this sense that we can't trust her.
A few with my bf. Our first date. When we first said I love you. Our first rough patch, and how we made it through. When we first realized that this was it - that we both want to take this all the way. In some ways, this one is really about a collection of all the moments. The reaching across the room to hold each other's hand for no reason. The goofy moments. All of it.
jayboogie15 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father playing along with me with my Hot Wheels while on the floor. He would travel to the USA and buy huge boxes of those little cars every damn time he went there to work. I still have about 100 of those (34 yo right now).
Me being beaten up as a kid. It happened several times due to different reasons.
My first day on the new, bigger, high school. It was scaring yet amazing. Kids seemed so mature and independent.
Giving my at the time best friend the whole english test before he left for another city and never said good bye. Never talked to him again and he is probably dead by now (he was member of a gang already). 18 years have passed and I miss that fucker.
My marriage. The only time I ever shamelessly cried in public.
Discovering my best friend fucked my wife right after we split up.
The birth of my daughters.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:44:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Coming to Australia - we left during the last days of the stand of Unionism against Thatcher and there was a garbage strike on. It was a cold, grey April day and rubbish lay piled up on the pavements as we drove through London. There was a long, confusing journey through Bahrain and Singapore, and we arrived in Australia at 4 am to warm air scented with gum trees.
We went straight to my Grandparents house in Morley - all us kids - me and my my sisters and all my Australian cousins, piled into the games room while the adults talked and made tea. We watched spiderman cartoons on the old television, which was terribly exotic for us.
Then at six in the morning, we drove down Morley drive and Karrinyup road as the sun came up. There were parrots ! Parrots !! On people's front lawns. Melons growing by the side of the road !
We went down to Trigg Island beach to the most perfect white sands, tiny freshwater springs and a glorious coral reef coming right up to the beach. I was a keen snorkeller and had taken my mask, snorkel and flippers on the plane with me. Floating out over that reef was the most magical thing you can imagine. We played in the water for hours while the adults drank tea and ate egg and bacon sandwiches on the beach. We still go to this beach, almost 35 years later :)
For me, the thing it reminds me of most is in The Wizard of Oz, where Kansas is in black and white and the land of Oz is in glorious technicolour - that's exactly what it was like leaving dreary, grey Britain and coming to Oz with its parrots and coral reefs and multicoloured fish :)
Very much a core memory. I can't actually talk about this without tearing up, and I'm getting a bit sniffly just typing it out. It was magical. It still is.
yummyyummypowwidge ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:44:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well, one is definitely the first time I kissed my future wife. That's probably the best moment of my life. Another would be the day I adopted my cat. The only other one I can think of would be the day my parents brought my sister home from the hospital.
AAAAAAAAAAAAA13 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:44:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 8 years old and I had guitar class after school. I didn't have a case because I couldn't afford one and had to walk from school to home daily. My mom then bought a sewing machine and made a case out of black textile. It had a handle too. I was happy because I could now carry my guitar without embarrassment and it was much easier to take home.
Thanks mom.
Speech500 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:44:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a very faint memory of a woman holding my hands to help me walk in and out of little pools at a beach in Wales. She might have been my mother or my aunt, I can't remember. It was overcast, probably about 3 in the afternoon, and a little chilly. I wasn't able to swim at the time.
I also remember going to a bonfire at firework night when I was 5 and sipping boiling hot soup out of plastic cups with my little cousin. It had carrots and something else in it, but all I remember is burning my tongue. My cousin's face was all lit up from the glow of the bonfire, because it was completely dark, and behind her was a building in which adults were talking about things I can't remember.
BTW these type of memories are called flashbulb memories. They aren't fully known right now, but for some reason, have a vivid clarity and remain forever. Psychologists aren't sure why they exist. Some speculate that they don't exist, and they're just normal memories that we've revisited so many times that we can no longer forget them.
MaxBiggavelli ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:44:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Escaping a civil war and looking through my dad's blood soaked gear they sent us after he was killed. Good times.
jazzpie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:44:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my core memories was when I was 7, my grandma was sick and we kinda knew she was gonna die. We got a phone call one night at like 10 pm and I just knew. The next morning when I wake up I remember my dad saying something to my big brother and he just burst out crying in his sheets to muffle the sound of it. My dad then came to me and said "She is gone." and I just did the same thing as my brother... only thing was, I didn't cry and I just didn't know how to react, I guess I didn't really understand or something. I was just confused I guess but didn't feel anything (I understood at least)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:45:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom napping when I was very young, and I was afraid to wake her, so I went outside to play by myself. I got bored, and went to ask a family friend who was staying over if he would play with me. He took advantage of the opportunity to molest me.
My grandmother died when I was 10, and my dad waited until we were nearly at my school the next morning to tell me, then told me I could stay home if I wanted. I opted to go back home, and spent the day just sitting around, and that night my dad told me if it would help I could stay in his room with him, which was the only time my dad and I ever slept in the same bed without my mom there.
When I was 12, we lived right next to a river, and there was a huge flood. We were standing on our back porch, watching the water rise, when it hit the point where trees started to topple over in our yard, and my mom started crying.
Sitting in my bedroom a couple weeks before I left for college, looking at all my dorm stuff I'd gotten piled in the corner of my room and being so excited to go and get this new start on the rest of my life.
dRunningGuy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:45:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
dRunningGuy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:45:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
infah8r ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:45:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That my deskmate soiled his pants on the first day of school, he was afraid to tell the teacher at first so I had to smell it until recess when the teacher noticed. That horrible smell is burnt into my memory than nothing else.
alaskafound ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
jevchance ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being busted for stealing my dad's car when I was 14. No bueno.
Defiledxhalo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I saw a computer lab. I was in kindergarten and the computer lab was in a far off wing from the rest of our classrooms. I remember walking in and seeing rows of those brightly colored Macintosh computers blinking and humming at me. I was so amazed at the site and fell in love with computers.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
when i was about 5 my mum said i had ยฃ20 to paid at the toy shop then when we got there she said i can only spend ยฃ5 that really fucked me off
dankmoms ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ugh as a person who grew up in an abusive situation and was bullied as a kid, my core memories would all be blue. They give me the strength to make sure my kids core memories are definitely the brightest yellow.
TwistTurtle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a teenager, walking across a bridge over the small of a lake near my childhood home, listening to Rock 'n' Roll Suicide by David Bowie, getting to the bit where he starts yelling 'You're not alone!' repeatedly, and deciding that I'd give this whole Life business a go after all.
I won't go into details, but; a sexual experience with a close friend of mine a few years ago, that finally made me okay with people touching me again, roughly a year after a significantly worse sexual experience (not rape, but pretty horrible) that had made me terrified of getting intimate with people.
Christmas at my grandparents house - All the years sort of blur into one long memory these days, though the Christmas I got my N64 (assumedly 1997, when I was 7), and the Christmas I got my Wii (assumedly 2006, when I was 16) stand out.
The first Christmas after my Grandmother died.
2Spooky4_me ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not really anything significant but it's one of the oldest memories I have. After moving to a new house and meeting my neighbor/best friend at the time, I had my 3rd or 4th birthday party. We were running around in long wigs for some race my mom put on and we were shooting silly string at each other the whole time. It was really fun and I miss the days of being completely stress-free.
mcsestretch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Quetzel ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My brother pinned me down by sitting on my chest and started repeatedly hitting me in the face.
My dad came home drunk and started talking about my two brothers. The oldest was the most athletic. The middle was the smartest. The only thing he could say about me is that I was the cheapest.
Finishing the New Jersey half marathon earlier this year. It wasn't the first half, but I far exceeded my own expectations and even beat out some of the runners I always considered faster than me.
Amannelle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I loved acting and performing when I was a small child. We had a large VHS camera that I would set up and perform skits for with some of my friends. One day we would be news anchors, the next day we would be doctors, etc. Sometimes I would sing for the camera, other days I'd monologue. The whole thing was just fun. As I got older, I became involved in more and more plays and musicals, and I was quite good. Core Memory: One night, when performing Annie at my elementary school, I missed my cue to position myself over by the curtain for the following scene. When the other kids started, they tried to improvise why my character was missing, and I hastily sprinted across the stage to get to them. I remember the sound of everyone in the auditorium laughing. At that moment I never wanted to act again. And I never did.
As a toddler I would watch my brother and dad playing sports, and I thought it was the coolest thing. I loved watching hockey, swimming, baseball, basketball, you name it. So when I was old enough for Little League, I begged my parents to let me try out. I went with my friend (who had played Baseball since he was old enough to hold a bat) and the coach wanted to have a mock baseball game to let us see what we were or weren't good at. Core Memory: When it was my turn to bat, I went up to the plate and felt really confident. I hit the ball and it went past the pitcher. I dropped my bat and ran. I ran as fast as I could. I ran the wrong way around the bases. I was so incredibly embarrassed and anxious from it that I never played baseball again. Or any sport with a ball for that matter. Only when I did swimming and running was I able to enjoy athletics without the anxiety.
Though unpleasant, both of those events were extremely formative. I went from being a child passionate about athletics and theater to being a shy, quiet child who did art instead. If those events had gone differently, my entire life could be different. I think my parents just wanted to be supportive of me, so they never pushed me to do things I didn't want to pursue. However, I'm probably a good example of the "If you fall off your horse, get back on again" metaphor, because by not "getting back on", I became unable to enjoy those things ever again.
Nationofnoobs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-The look of Joy on my dads face when I bought him his dream motorcycle.
-The extra loud cheering my parents did when I walked across the stage to get my BSN.
-The overwhelming sadness when my dad was diagnosed with Terminal lung cancer on Valentine's Day last year.
hockeyjoker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad leaving my mom for another woman and taking care of my mom and sister for the subsequent year.
Leaving home and going to boarding school a few states away
Traveling to India for the first time
Addiction and sobriety (broken engagement with girlfriend of 9 years, rehab, moving and rebuilding my life)
*edited to add more details
andres327 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The day my mom fell off her bike when we were coming back from a day of biking in the park. I was five years old, and we were on the way back to our house, when I saw her wobble her bike in front of me before falling to the side. It was in the street in front of our yard and she wasn't wearing a helmet. I don't remember much from the day but the next twenty minutes are vivid. She fell on her head and her skull broke on the pavement with blood pouring everywhere. I helped drag her to the curb and she told me to run home and get my older sister. I reacted without crying and did as she told and went to get my sister who called 911. She was fine after a few weeks in the hospital, which I don't remember at all.
I suppressed this memory until I was about 14 when it started giving me anxiety attacks and I couldn't ride a bike anymore for a while. Anytime I see a bike wobble or someone peddles a bike hard a certain way, like rocking it side to side, I instantly see the image of my mom doing the same motion before falling, the fall, the blood, and her voice telling me to get help. It doesn't bother me anymore, but it sometimes takes me out of the moment to replay it in my head. She's fine now, by the way.
Fun fact: apparently when my mom, who has a thick accent, was in the hospital recovering, she spoke English without any accent at all for a while. She had never done that and had never done that since. The human brain is an interesting thing.
wolfereen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When i first learned what death was.
pyoro64 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing Metal Slug X on the ps1 at three in the morning when I was five
Not_quite_a ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:48:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first father-daughter dance in school. I was raised by a single mother and did the whole making Father's Day cards that said, "Dear Mom, Happy Father's Day! Love, Not_Quite_A." and so on. Well, 3rd grade, my mom's boyfriend took me to that dance and bought me this little light up jelly diamond ring and danced with me the whole night. For the first time I felt like every other kid in school. That man has been my step dad for the last 25 years and I casually brought up that stupid ring a few years ago. He started to tear up that I remembered. So, I guess that became a core memory for both of us.
Nerdinator3000 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:48:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting on the porch of my uncle's beach front condo on a deck chair at 7 am when I was 5. I'm sitting there listening to the waves crash, a warm sea breeze in my face. I'm sitting next to my mother. There's a tractor in the distance raking the sand but there aren't any other people on the beach. It was like the world hadn't woken up yet. We didn't say a word, but I just remember feeling so happy, just completely at peace, without a worry in the world. We didn't say a word. We just looked out across the ocean, at the warm rising sun
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:48:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was chilling with my dog like 10 years ago and I said "I will remember this" and I still remember it and I love dogs
gyuude ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:48:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1: when my parrent's got divorced, we stood in the door and waved as he drove of with all his stuff in a trailer
2: when my mother came in and told me my brother was put in a psychiatric institution for manic-depressive illness. Probably the first time I ever saw her really cry
KingLemons ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:49:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In 6th grade, when I heard a Muslim woman talk about how much she could feel the holy spirit or whatever in her mosque and that's how she knew her religion was real and the best. It sounded just like what my extremely religious Christian mother had said the day before about her church. It really opened my mind and made me more sceptical of things.
Praisen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:49:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I entered my room and saw my own PC, I was four years old and so excited I didn't even want a desk to play with it.
When I accidentally hit my cousin with a swinging chair.
When I was denied access to my grandparents home, after a fight my father had with them over my mothers schizophrenia
The day I came home to find my father and brother inside, only to tell me that my mother had been taken to a mental hospital.
Months later when I saw my mom for the first time in months, after treatment.
The day I finally felt I was worth something, after years of depression.
Getting a standing applause from 700 people after nailing Pippins "Corner of the Sky" in my schools play.
The moment I was announced as the winner of a Law School competition.
Car-face ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:49:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going out with family friends when I was about 7 and laughing until I threw up, then falling asleep under the table at a restaurant.
It gets brought up constantly at family gatherings, so it's more or less permanently etched into my subconscious now.
myroddin10 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:49:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Who are you, my shrink?
deputypresident ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:49:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haven't watched Inside Out so someone need to tell me what it is - then I will write down mine. Seen other posters' examples but I need to be correct.
Rosehip_Blues ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:49:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One time when I was 4/5 we lived a ways out of town and didn't have a fenced in yard but our dog would run circles around me to keep me entertained and safe at the same time.
My mom's second husband telling me I was fat at 5.
The first time my mom's second husband kicked me into a coffee table.
The nasty divorce between my mom and said second husband and the last time I spoke to him after he told me I would never be loved.
The first time I ever did SFX Makeup.
Finally being diagnosed with bipolar disorder after 3 years undiagnosed.
The day my fiance proposed.
-Finally coming out of the worst depression of my life (earlier this year) and having the conviction to follow my dreams no matter how hard it is going to be.
jombeesuncle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:49:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first memory, I was probably 4, maybe 3. My mom and her asshole boyfriend were fighting again, I picked up the phone to try to call 911 and he smashed me in the head with it.
My 5th birthday, I got $5 from my friend Kim Hobbs. Mom's asshole boyfriend took it from me saying I'm too young to have money.
I'm going to stop there. I don't want to ruin my morning.
Dougdahead ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:49:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going to the beach where I lost my favorite toy in the water. Going to an Indians Yankees game at Municipal stadium with my dad and older brother. (My helmet fell off as I leaned over the wall to watch the Yankees warm up, Dave Winfield gave it back to me) I'm an Indians fan. My older brother blaming me for opening Christmas presents before we were allowed to, he told my younger brother and I our mom said it was okay. Finding out the Easter Bunny (and by extension Santa Claus and tooth fairy) was fake because of my.drunken uncle breaking half the eggs by dropping them when he was supposed.to help hide them. I could hear my mom whisper yelling at him about it. The first R rated movie I was able to see legally No Where to Run.Jean Claude Van Damme and Rosanna Arquette. Many more, but that would take a long time to type them all our.
ATMOoffense ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:50:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This one is good. Some bad memories. Some good ones
my earliest memory is seeing the family dog get run over. I remember the dog ran outside and my dad was telling her name for her to come back. She was hit by a truck and my dad quickly pushed me back inside. I don't really remember the aftermath.
I was the fat kid. I was also a boy scout. One time at the scout fair (I forgot what it was exactly but it was something like that) I made my dad wait In line with me for two hours to go down this big zip line that was set up. When i finally reached the top of the structure the zip line was hooked onto, I was terrified I was too fat to use the zip line and if I did, I would break it. I climbed down. Dad was furious.
Another fat memory. It was a bad day in the family. I think we may have been on vacation or something. Either way we were driving somewhere trying to figure out where to eat, which turned into an argument. It got so heated that my mom said something to the effect of "the 500lb gorilla in the backseat" referring to me. She later apologized but I still remember that like she just said it.
I was diagnosed with ADD in 5th grade. Prior to that I made mostly Cs and Ds. On graduation day, the very last grading period in elementary school, the teacher announced my name and looked at the crowd and said "and Mom...he made the honor roll!" My mother bust into tears and ran down the aisle to hug me.
meeting my wife for the first time. She walked into the flying saucer I was at. The sun was setting behind her and highlighted her blond hair and made her blue eyes and I knew I was done. Married her two years later.
watching my alma mater, Texas Tech, beat #1 UT on a last second TD Pass and rushing the field
-grilling, drinking, listening to music and taking football with my dad. It's become a tradition when I visit
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:50:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I did some planks yesterday and my core definitely will remember that
puss_inboots ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:50:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Doing CPR on an 18 month old girl after she had drowned. I knew she wasn't going to make it, but I would've sold my soul just to hear her take a breath.
Watching the first snowflakes fall while in the woods sitting alone.
The first time my dad told me he was proud of me. I was 22.
The look on my mothers face when she had to tell me that my best friend had passed away.
Telling a mother that her son had been killed in a farming accident and had died instantly. I will never forget the sound she made.
The first time I self-harmed and felt the release of some of the anger I felt.
The time my psychiatrist said "You've had a pretty hard life, I bet you're going to do something really great some day. The world is just making you tough." Cheesy I know but at the time it gave me some hope.
This is sad, where's the anti-depressants.
topher78714 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In order of occurance:
1) Almost dying in a car crash 2) Brother almost dying to drugs 3) meeting my wife 4) getting married 5) my parents getting divorced 6) birth of my now 6 week old daughter
lizzkhalifuh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Watching WWE and I thought I was the Undertaker (I'm a girl). I also had purple sparkly sandals that made me so happy as a kid.
CaptainPubes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The last time I saw my Dad before he passed away. I was 11 years old and it was at my trumpet teachers funeral. My Dad had walked with me from school with a group of students who were attending the funeral.
After the ceremony I was too busy talking with my friends to properly say good bye to him and just gave him a half hearted wave and walked off with my friends, my Dad had a heart attack and died 2 days later.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
not a la inside out but first memories, being on my face before God and then being sent out away from him, encased in a rainbow bubble traveling fast, full of RAGE, RAGE, RAGE ..... clawing at that bubble, if i could kill it i would have .... finding out i was the most painful of 12 kids to deliver ....
trueblue4686 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my dad and I took a road trip to see the Tuskegee Airmen Museum. We spent the whole day driving and talking about life. Explored the old planes and overall geek'd out on WWII memorabilia.
He passed away from Leukemia a year and a half afterwards. We had known about his condition for years.
I feel we received the most of what we could in the time we had.
I'm pretty sure this is one of those yellow/blue orbs.
5paz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father attached a rope from his motorcycle to a power wheel. Then proceeded to drive my brother and I around the school parking lot. There was no steering, just sliding and screams of joy. Mom was not impressed when she heard what happened.
renovationthrucraig ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Hurricane Andrew , my family separating in the evacuation and the eventual divorce of my parents 6 weeks later
abandoned by mother, so she could better care for my brother by sending him to best boarding school
swallow bottle of sleeping pills entirely at peace with not waking up. I woke up and bought a flight to Hawaii that day. Lived in the jungle for 9 months. Pele saved my soul.
death of love of my life/middle school gf, for two years we had been rekindling a love affair from a distance. died in a car accident days before we were to move to across country together.
meeting my wife who I knew immediately I would spend the rest of my life after just a single weekend together.
-birth of our son. The single most positive thing to occur to my life in every way I can imagine My life changing.
inconspichusen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In no particular order. If you want me to order it, just order me to order it.
A day my dad apologized because he knew he was being overbearing. So much context here. Big moment. 11
The day I had my first real fight with my brother. 9 or 10
The day my brother took me to hang out with his D&D buddies. We watched professional wrestling before the campaign. 7 or 8
The day my brother took me to sibling week at his college. 12
The day my brother left for college. So much blue.
The day I left my small town in Iowa to go to college in California. The furthest anyone in my family had ever moved away at thst point was 2 hours.
The day I found out my girlfriend of 3 years was cheating on me from 1800 miles away.
The day I found out my mother might have early onset, aggressive alzheimers.
The day that might... Turned into a does. (yesterday)
The day my father had a heart attack and we were sure he was going to die. He didn't.
The day my brother got married. I was his best man.
The day I found out my sister has a disease no one knows how to cure or what it even is.
The day one of my best friends. Truly a brother. Family Member in all the ways that matter. Fell asleep at the wheel and left one of my other best friends as a widow in this world.
My life has been so happy and so incredible. Because each of these moments is filled with so much love and so much help from my family and friends. They are sad moments. And I've had a lot of sad times. But no matter what happens to me and my family, we get through it so well together. My family fucking rules. So much blue. But as I grow older, those blues turn all sorts of different shades.
x3ShiroX ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
playing league with a girl till 7am? does that count lol
imn0tg00d ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Waking up in a panic and running downstairs to check on my sick father, only to find him curled up on the floor. His body was still warm, he had probably just passed as I sprung awake. I held him and cried.
My fiance calmly telling me that she is leaving me, while waiting to hear news of how my mom's brain surgery went. This was 3 months after my dad passed.
Wow. It just occurred to me that none of my good memories are dominant in my thoughts anymore. I have so many good ones and overall have lived a good life, but this last year has been really fucking hard.
Scruffyo2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Posting this late.
When I was playing football with my dad, I was about 5, I kicked the ball wide and as my dad watched the ball going past, he then turned back around to look at me only for my shoe to fly off and hit him in the nuts funniest moment in my life hands down!
15 years later I still laugh just thinking of it.
MrPickEm ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father explaining to me why we won't be going to church anymore. "we want you to be good everyday, Not just one hour on Sunday"
Girl I lost my virginity to, went on to sleep with her professor 3 days later. Probably the most hurt I have ever been.
One of my best friends calling me when he was horribly depressed saying he really needed someone to talk to. I didn't know what to say in that situation, and within a few weeks he had a suicide attempt. He is fine now, got help, but it took some work to get him to this point.
Proposing to my fiance. Something I will hopefully hold onto forever.
Running out of money while starting my first job out of college. It was only for a short period then my paycheck got put into my account. I wasn't being fast and loose with my money. I was a broke college kid who had to pay $900 deposit on my apartment and $900 in rent within 3 weeks of each other. It was rough, but I am very fiscally responsible now.
adf27 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Please excuse my long drawn out stories..
When I was four my mother found what turned out to be a tumor on my left side and I ended up losing an entire rib to it. The only memory I have of the entire ordeal (mom has since made me question the validity of this but whatevs) is waking up in a big room with lights brighter than the sun in my eyes, looking over to the door to see my mother and father, with my grandfather bawling behind them. I had never seen him show any emotion except when he was laughing. He was one of the happiest people I knew so seeing him so torn up over me was something I'll never forget.
When I was a freshman in high school I switched schools at Christmas (actually states,from GA - TENN) and started dating my best from from GA while there. My father owned a company and constantly had to travel back and forth, so I went with him whenever I could. I remember once I was down there and her mother came to pick me up and bring me to their place (we shall call the gf GIRL). We get there, and this is what I'll never forget, GIRL gives mom and sister the most fleeting look and proceeded to bless me with the sweetest embrace I've ever felt. Maybe it was just because we missed each other such an awful amount, but I will never forget the look on her face or that hug (sorry for the sap).
Honestly, These are just a couple of stories I think about a lot. I think my best core memories are those I don't remember fully like learning how to read music or even just what all the notes are on a piano, etc.
I might think of more if anyone's interested.. Thanks for reading!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I dont think I have any, what is meant by core memories?
jaytar42 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One memory that gets me every time is that smell of the very first summer rain. I love this one.
VOZ1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Saying goodbye to my mother-in-law as she lay dying in her hospital bed, after she just days before found out my wife was pregnant. She'd been in the hospital for months trying to get a heart transplant (heart failure from childhood illness), infection took her after her heart stopped for 45 minutes. My wife and I spent 2 weeks at her side. Never experienced anything like that before. It's a gift to be able to accompany someone out of this world.
And on the opposite end of the spectrum, the birth of my daughter 5 months later. She was born in our bed at home (it was planned, AMA about homebirth?), and so began the rest of my life. As cliche as it is, I didn't really know love until I met that screaming, tiny little human and she looked me in the eyes. And the feeling only grows as time passes.
dondon13 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I got a call from a friend of mine that my best friend was killed in Iraq in '06. He was like superman to me, never thought of the possibility that he wouldn't make it back. Made me realize that bad things happen, life isn't perfect, and I don't think I've ever been able to fill the emptiness that he left behind.
Happier note doing my first solo singing performance. I've never shook so much in my life, but when I finished and got the applause that was awesome.
And even further back.. To when I was five. My mom made me a Spider-Man costume. Like from old clothes and cloth she bought. Was probably the best costume I've ever had, and she made it herself. My mom is the best.
OneBeardedScientist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My gran tricking me with a fake newt when I was a kid.
Reading a book my parents got (to help them cope) from the library after my diagnosis with Tourette's Syndrome and assorted others that described it as a "life-changing disability", and deciding that wasn't going to be me.
Telling my first girlfriend I loved her, her saying it back.
Not getting into medical school, moving to a city I'd never been to before to start a (back-up) degree I didn't want to do.
Graduating said degree and being on the verge of tears because it was over and it had been the best four years of my entire life.
Getting into medical school.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I used to have lots of them, but then I got depressed and now they've all gone.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My mom sitting in our living room on a 26th December, crying silently because my father was "visiting his family" and actually went to someone else to cheat on my mother. Tore my heart out. I was 13.
How good it felt to tell a false friend to fuck off after he treated me badly after my mother's death. I never changed a single word with him again.
A dream I had after my mother's sudden death. That dream kept me warm inside during a lot of rough spots.
Me, crying on a park bench after I finally had found solid proof that my husband cheated on me. A stranger came by, sat beside me and just told me that it will get better. He didn't ask what happened, didn't linger long, just comforted me and went on his way. Small kindness with big impact.
fenrirctj89 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
1) Going to see star wars episode I in theaters when it came out with my father and grandfather. 2) giving a presentation on the episode of the Magic School bus about electricity. 3) Watching my father fall asleep in my arms when he tried to kill himself when I was 13. 4) walking at high graduation and seeing my mother cry walking by her. I almost didn't finish on time or at all.
gvizzy123 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Riding on my mom's shoulders through the supermarket while she did her grocery shopping.
Sitting on the kitchen counter in my underwear, covering myself with brownie mix from the bowl when my mom wasn't looking, and the subsequent bath I took in our kitchen sink.
Walking two blocks from our apartment to the beach, staying there all day, and my mom pushing me back in my little red wagon.
In middle school, realizing that the people I thought were my friends actually saw hanging out with me as a burden, and choosing to be alone because of it.
Realizing just how overweight I was and deciding to make the change for good (70lbs lost so far!).
The feeling that I had the day I left my (very first) SO of 6 months to go off to college, with the promise of talking on the phone every night and seeing each other over breaks, knowing that this probably wouldn't last.
The similar feelings I got after parting ways every time we saw each other over the next 2 years that I was away at school.
The amazingness of graduating college, knowing that we we're moving in together. And the similar feeling that I get waking up next to him most mornings knowing that all of the pain of being apart for so long was worth it.
RWSchosen1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Got quite a few here. Thanks for the unique and wonderful prompt, OP.
I fell and skinned my knee in kindergarten, getting some glass in my knee. I didn't want to stand up, and one of my classmates pulled me up and said "I'm not gonna leave you behind".
Getting the phone call and being told that I'd developed Type 1 Diabetes at age 16, and having my life's dreams at that point crushed.
Giving myself insulin for the first time.
The day I got my insulin pump and experienced how liberating that technology was. Been on it about 8 years now.
My old karate instructor telling me that my life had intrinsic value and that I could really be something if I fought for it.
Being assembled in the gym, being told that our parents in New York might becoming home late tonight. I came home to watch the Twin Towers falling over and over again on the news. I was 11 years old.
Defending my first client during my externship with the Public Defenders office.
Taking (and failing) the bar exam for the first time.
Walking down a row of houses on the New Jersey shore and recognizing addresses; I did some legal work during the Sandy reconstruction era in approving variances and helping people get up to the new flood codes. Seeing the houses being rebuilt and the people who lived in them, knowing that I did something to help.
The look of pure joy on my first criminal expungement client when I told her that she qualified for the program.
Failing the bar exam for the second time.
Staring out the window of the small plane with my grandmother and seeing the Galapagos Islands getting larger as we came in for a landing.
The entirety of my stint with the public defender's office, defending juvenile clients.
Standing outside with my mother and sister, hanging laundry or picking blueberries.
Sitting up in the middle of a slightly drunken Mario Party game and realizing that I'd finally found everything I'd wanted since I was a small child; acceptance.
Sneaking out of junior prom to give myself insulin in the bathroom, and wondering if this was how I was going to live the rest of my life.
Seeing one of the people I'd trained with for ten years dying of jaundice in the hospital. I walked straight past his room, despite the placard on the door and his family inside, because I couldn't believe that I was seeing him.
Being told that I am an illegitimate child (this was never hidden from me; it was explained to me as soon as I was old enough to understand it), and telling myself that I would never bring another child into the world under those circumstances.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The sound of the door slamming as my dad left my mother. A thunderous sound I've never heard any door make before or since
Accidentally scoring a goal in third-grade soccer, the only one I ever scored
Dancing with my mom to Louie Armstrong for an elementary school project. I wish I could thank that teacher for assigning that project
The first time I drove to college after I graduated high school, blasting "Malibu" by Hole
Performing an acting piece in front of an A-List megastar who told me I was "very brave" with great stage presence and that I should keep acting. I'm an actor for a living now
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The trips me and my childhood friend took to his vacation home in the woods across the lake near where we lived (rural village in Norway) - we used to play so much pokemon on those trips, followed by incredibly fun walks through the woods. Late night fishing trips on the lake (I learned how to drive a boat), grilling on the patio. We did this until my family had to move when we were 10.
When I got the phone call that said friend had killed himself, we were both 14 at the time. The funeral was filled with mixed feelings, as I met a whole bunch of friends that I hadn't seen since, as well as his parents which I considered my own second family. Haven't visited since.
Met one of my longest known friends, my parents knew his (they invited them over to visit one summer), and bonded over jurassic park and warcraft 3.
First time I smoked weed.
Moving out on my own for the first time, to a city I've never been to in my life. I met a whole bunch of people studying philosophy there that I'm very happy to have met. Still good friends to this day, despite everyone taking completely different paths in life.
Plenty of other stuff as well, I'm sure. These were the first things that popped in my head.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom was calling us for dinner so I offered to go get my dad who was in the garage working on something. Eight year old me wandered outside as it was starting to get dark and I entered the lit up garage. Inside, my dad was assembling a homeade truck he had made by himself out of wood scraps. It was crude but the axles turned and I love d the shit out of that truck.
ceedubs2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting in the bathroom with the lights off, my toes curled into the bathmat, realizing I had to divorce my wife to be happy.
My sister having her first grand mal seizure when she was six. Tiny Toons was on, and I remember getting a sort of glee out of waving the school bus away so I could signal the EMTs where our house was.
A moment where my grandfather is teaching me how to put. It was under a tree on some putt-putt course, on a hill. He had a white shirt and a Panama hat on.
That click where I finally got how to ride a bike (I learned how at a much older age than most). My mom took me out to the community college parking lot, and we were out there for a few hours. I remember being really excited and riding in circles.
For_We_Are_Many ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
*Rolling my first car. The second time didn't really mean as much. The first time saved my life.
*When my first big gf cheated on me and told me.
*When I finally decided to quit taking my adhd meds.
*When I got diagnosed with adhd and started medication.
*When I realized, a couple years after quitting them, that I can't function properly in society without adhd meds.
*The first time I ever remember my mom telling me she was proud of me and knowing she wasn't just saying it out of some sort of parental obligation.
i_am_theonewhoknocks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I must have been 4 or 5, walking with my mom in the park where I always played and where I would go on to play until I was 14. I looked at the trees and asked mom why I had never met anyone as tall as a tree. In my mind it made sense that the more we grew, the taller we would become. My mom responded saying that at a certain point we stop growing and then we die, we never make it to the same height as the trees.
And that's how I was introduced to the concept of death. It haunts me to this day. I remember what my mom was wearing, the smell of the Autumn air. Looking at those trees with a sense of sadness. The perception that a door was closed.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:54:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was bullied in school and my first friend(who later became my best friend) stood up to the bullies for me and we hit it off. We were best friends for years. Then I walk into school one day and everyone's quiet and staring at me. His dad took him to a shooting range where he decided to end his life. He never seemed like he would. And he lwft a note and I was given a copy but I never read it. I was afraid that somehow I would make some connection to making it my fault.
Another friend, this was senior year of high school, came to visit me on his break while I was in study hall. We were joking with each other and the last thing I said to him before he left was "go away nobody likes you." The following saturday i get a phone call from another friend who said that he got into an argument with his mom and hanged himself from a pull-up bar in his room. He was on life support when I got to the hospital and I was told I could see him if I wanted to. I did. I think I would have regretted it either way. He died 10 minutes after pulling the plug.
I got beat up coming off the school bus one year and I was scared to tell my father (he was generally abusive as well) so I told my brother who is 7 years older than me. He told me not to worry and it won't happen again. He left with a baseball bat, and came back about half an hour later without it. The kid missed the next few days of school but never picked on me again.
The third time I did stand-up locally was around Christmas time and all my friends came out to see me perform in this coffee shop. There was probably 40 people and I did really well. People who didn't know me laughed and the whole set went really well. Over the next few months I would get recognized by people and they would tell me I'm funny and stuff like that. Possibly the best feeling in the world.
Edit: words and what not.
tack50 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Happy
-When I ended up winning a mathematics constest in year 8, and that trip ended up being the best trip I've ever made :D (had a lot of fun and met a lot of nice people there, even if I haven't kept contact since they live too far to visit them). Bonus points for 2012 not really being a great year for me anyways (2010 and 2011 were much worse though)
-On a similar note, the first trip I ever made without my parents (but with my school) in year 5. Second best trip I've ever made, and there I visited the best attraction I've ever seen.
-Again, when we won a contest and got to visit the European parliament, and Belgium with the trip subsidized by the EU (wasn't completely free as we decided to stay for a week, instead of the 2 or 3 nights that were paid by the EU). The trip itself wasn't as enjoyable as the others, but the feeling of winning that was amazing.
-When I left school in year 8 (I left when school had already started), and my classmates made a surprise party for me. I didn't get along with many of them, but it was still very nice of them.
Sad
-When I went to year 7, and was bullied for like the first half of it. Ended up avoiding jerks and finding friends at the same school, but that really hit me for some reason. That probably changed me for the better though.
-Similarly, when I went to another school during year 8 (for reasons unrelated to the above stuff though), and didn't really make close friends. Sure, I had people to be with at school and stuff, but I barely hanged up with people afterwards (I averaged like 1 meetup every 2 months until year 10)
-I was also slightly spoilt, and especially a crybaby up until then, but there aren't many concrete instances of that.
corvusaraneae ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
GJ OP, I actually had to think long and hard about this.
Those weekends my mom and I would go out. Usually to the bookstore. She'd let me pick out one book and afterward, we'd grab a snack (usually fries and sundaes at McD's) before going home.
The one afternoon when I sat in my room and actually drew a person. Up until then, I'd been drawing mostly cartoon characters and animals but this was the first time I drew a humanoid figure.
My mom confiscating all my comics and video games and telling my friends I had to stop hanging out with them because they were bad influences and I wasn't studying 24/7. Ever since that day, I never shared my hobbies and developed a difficulty to ask for anything because of the fear of them taking these things away again.
The day my grandmother died and I had to fill the hole she left in the household.
IceArrows ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My childhood dog. When we got here from the animal shelter, it was pitch black outside and I was sitting with her in the backseat of the car. She was shaking and drooling all over me, she was so scared. We weren't expecting to come home with a dog, so we didn't have a crate ready for her. We put her in this big cardboard box for the night, and every time I'd look over she was standing in the box looking at me. She was so much fun and such a smart dog, I miss her so much. My dad tried to keep me away when she had to get put down (aggressive lymphoma, she couldn't eat anymore because her neck was so swollen), but I was there and held her paw when she took her last breath. I named my Jeep after her and I keep her ashes on my window sill.
When my mom went on a drunken rampage after drinking too much at a party. She said horrible things about me, fell down four flights of stairs (I tried to help her but she kept pushing me away and screaming), and then collapsed on the sidewalk when we got outside. When we got home, she went walking down the street in her nightgown screaming, trying to walk to the train station to pick up the car (we'd taken the train to the party). I'm still a bit traumatized and I don't know if I'll ever be over what she said that night.
Finding out my boyfriend of 4 years had been cheating on me with an underage girl. It broke my self value for a while. I was in college working hard and making dean's list every semester and working part time, but he chose the whiny kid that was getting her ass kicked by remedial chemistry. His excuse was that she had time for him and I didn't. I suppose I dodged a bullet.
Getting my first car. After my junky hand me down car suffered transmission failure, my parents wanted to get me a gift for high school graduation and being a good driver in my old car. We shopped for a while until we found a car all three of us could agree on, a little red Subaru hatchback. I love that car, it's quick and reliable and it's exactly what I wanted.
colemac ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Taking the training wheels off my bike two weeks before my 5th birthday (that was when my dad said they could come off). Took me hours to get the bike back together, my dad came home and found me trying to tighten the bolts back on and helped me with them and started teaching me how to ride a bike the next day.
The day my dad died. I was 10 years old and I had a report on the state of Nevada due that day in school and I remember being super relieved when Mom told me there was no school but I quickly realised something was wrong and when I asked she wouldn't tell me. An hour later she sat us down and said "Dad is with the angels now.". I broke down crying and I remember my 4 year old niece putting her arms around me and trying to comfort me. I felt guilty about the relief I felt after hearing there was no school for a long time even though it was before I'd heard my dad had died. (There are a lot more core memories wrapped up around this time of my life.)
My 13th birthday party was at my house and was also the day before I moved 3,000 miles to a new country. It doubled as a fair-well party for me and my friends.
Breaking up with my first love. I knew things wouldn't work out between us in the long run even though the relationship was going really well after 2.5 years. I broke up with her 2 days after getting back from a 3 week trip with pretty much no warning that anything was even on my mind. I'll always regret the way I handled that break up she deserved much better.
And most recently, meeting my current girlfriend. We were camping for a mutual friend's birthday party and we made out a bit that night and fell asleep outside looking up at the trees/sky. Asked her out later that week and 3 years later we're still very much in love.
Sorry if that was a bit long winded but this question was awesome and I didn't want to leave out the details that, for me, made those memories important.
stephlovescamp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a young child, 8-9, I figured out that I was adopted. My mom was very secretive about it and wouldn't answer any questions. My dad sat me down and told me how with his other children "he got what he got", with me he was able to get to know me and love me. He told me that he chose me to be his daughter. To this day, I have never felt more special and loved.
Man, I miss him.
ElPazerino ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my kids were born.
Standing on Stage with The Offspring and the Dropkick Murphys on the same day at a festival.
Watching 3 doors down live with my best friend
Smokink a cigar with the same friend on the pop of a mountain right bevor snowboarding it down after a long hike up.
the first kiss with the mom of my kids^
when i saw my sister in the hospital nearly death because of anorexia (She is fine)
My first time beeing high on Weed
TheGreatLakesAreFake ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
notgoodwithyourname ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My earliest memory. My first day of preschool at 3 years old. My mom was talking to the teacher and telling her how I liked my apple juice
My dad always being there at my sporting events. Baseball as a kid and soccer in high school. He would come right from work so he'd still have his work clothes on. And even coaching my baseball teams
Putting together shows with my sister and cousin for my grandma while on vacation in Florida
Trips to Notre dame with my grandpa. He's just an amazing man
My first date with my fiance. Just amazing. Was only supposed to be to the movies, but we spent the whole day together. Went to the park, drove around, went to dinner and a movie.
Not to end on a bad note, but my last memory is when my mom and I had to take our dog to get put down because he was so sick. I'll never forget that. It still makes me sad 6+ years later.
Beingabummer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:56:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
nontechnicalbowler ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:56:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seeing Giant Commander Voltron on the shelf at Kmart for Christmas and actually getting it.
sfshilo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:56:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why not....
Red: My mother ending another marriage and taking zero responsability for it. Blue: Realizing I was not taking an "easy" path in life and nearly quitting my degree in despair over how much work there was ahead of me. Yellow: Everytime my wife and kids smile and look visably happy when I enter a room.
Sapphire1166 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:56:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is it possible not to have core memories? I have plenty of memories, but they're mostly all just hazy snippets of events. I remember getting a super soaker for getting good grades in second grade, but it's like watching a 3 second clip on fast forward through fog. I can somewhat remember the emotions each memory entails, but it's very VERY rare that I distinctly remember an event or the emotion it invoked. Usually it happens when I least expect it- sort of like deja-vue.
Fractalideas ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:56:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nice try, Google
EdwardPastaHands ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:56:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad shouting at me when I couldn't ride a bike properly and then arguing with my mum, weeks before they divorced
Falling down the stairs after trying to run like a cat
My teacher in year five telling me I have a brilliant imagination and should write a book. Eight years later and I have.
Picking blackberries with my brother and sister behind some old ass abandoned building
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:56:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) Me at 3 years old, sitting under a pear tree in a little chair when my dad comes up behind me, picks me and the chair up and spins me around. From that point on "My dad was always stronger than yours"
2) 5 years old, the opposing soccer team didn't even show. So my grand father (former England player in the 50s) got up and decided to play with us. He remembered that moment as well after forgetting a lot of other things when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer
3) When I met my SO at 13 years old and told my parents and her that I would marry her. We are 27 now and engaged and searching for our first house.
OracleofLife ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:56:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-My father explaining to a 3 year old me that the woman in my life wasn't my real mom and that my mom had passed away. He had many tears in his eyes.
-My grandmother making me oatmeal while I waited in my high chair.
-My grandfather taking off his belt after he was convicted of molesting my cousins. He always wore these big Texan belt buckles but only got to wear it for the trial.
-Hitting a baseball in my backyard that landed in my sister's hood. We laughed the whole evening at that one.
-Almost not getting on a train to meet my SO. We found each other on Friendster and meeting people online was still a new and weird thing to do. We've been married 6 years and I just gave birth to our son.
IAmTheOne9999 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:57:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day I looked into the mirror and it hit me that I'll always have this deformity... no matter what.
meaela ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:57:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) my sister and cousin convincing me that I was adopted when I was 8
2) splash mountain
andthatssad ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:57:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
.
SEND_ME_BITCHES ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:57:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Once there was this kid who.
Got into an accident and couldn't come to school.
But when he finally came back.
His hair had turned from black into bright white.
He said that it was from when.
The cars had smashed him so hard.
louisaq ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:57:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Staying up all night for the first time.
Very particular parts of San Francisco
My first times seeing my now boyfriend since second grade. It turned out that we liked each other then too.
Working with my dad in his electrical jobs in mansions by ski resorts.
My first instance with bulimia.
My last instance with bulimia.
One day in the summer after seventh grade where all the mindless rebellion was quenched.
_fancy_pancy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:57:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think it is the best time I had with my dad when I was a child. The relationship between him and me is decent. We get along, but we are very distant. Parents divorced when I was 4, lived with my mum ever after and my visited my dad once or twice a year in another country.
However, my dad loves nature and loves exploring everything there is. One day we were driving home from some trip and saw these HUUUGE pipes lying around by the streets. At least I found them big. I was maybe 7 or 8 and could completely stand upright in those pipes with even some space above my head. My dad is about 1.70m and had to bow down to fit inside. They were building a house nearby and we figured they must be using them somewhere, tho we couldn't imagine what they were used for. However, the pipes were all assembled together and about 100m long in total. So guess what we did. We stepped in and ran through the whole little piping system from one end to the other. That doesn't sound as exciting as an adult than it was as a kid. To then I always wondered what those big pipes that you sometimes see at the side of roads are and look like from the inside. Finally being inside I felt so much joy I keep telling the story to friends sometimes. Somewhere in the middle the pipe was kind of going steep upwards so my dad had to pull me up, because I was too tiny to get up there myself.
It's such a simple thing, but I know I will never forget this. The weird thing is that sometimes I don't know if that story is true or in fact a dream. My father can't remember it, but to me it feels so real - I can see every single picture infront of my eyes.
Thetruthisihate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:57:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My stepfather slamming me against a wall for crying when I broke my arm. I was seven. He gave me a concussion .
My mom dying and leaving debt in my name. The lawyer telling me how I owed more than I can ever pay.
My dog and best friend being killed by my neighbour. Poisoned.
Losing the apartment. Taking my bag to the shelter.
Searchlights ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:57:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Some of us have great stories, pretty stories that take place at lakes with boats and friends and noodle salad. Just no one in this car. But, a lot of people, that's their story. Good times, noodle salad. What makes it so hard is not that you had it bad, but that you're that pissed that so many others had it good.
hashtagrealtroll ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:57:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mijeman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:58:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day when I was about 14 overhearing someone talk about their trip to somewhere or other, and I made a comment, "Rich little snot," trying to be cute. It wasn't. I learned to stop being a little shit and grow up a little.
I left a girl on the dance floor when I was about 17 because I didn't want to fast dance and got embarrassed. I've regretted that ever since, and I learned that sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do for a greater purpose.
I was fired from my very first job for "stealing," because I had candy in my locker without having a receipt (I was working for a grocery store). I learned that sometimes you will have to pay the price for things you didn't do wrong.
My sister became very ill when I was about 20, and I stayed with her in the hospital for a week while she recovered. I learned to cherish family, even through your differences, because you never know when the next moment will be their last.
The most recent is that I was broken up with because of my anger issues about a year ago. What I didn't realize at the time was that even though we were still together, she'd checked out of the relationship a good year before that, and it was my fault. I volunteered to attend anger management and learned to control it so that it does not hurt anyone else. I learned that you have to let things go, because the things you don't will hurt more than just yourself.
There are so many more, so many life lessons tied to specific memories, but these are the ones that had the biggest impact on my daily life.
K-452b ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Running around at the park acting like a t-rex, or spinosaurus, depending on the amount of fingers I had out.
Getting a monster truck world finals tape when I was maybe 6. I know monster trucks are sorta lame, but damn if at the time they weren't the coolest things on the planet.
Watching a stream of the Curiosity landing and sharing in the excitement of all the scientists jumping around.
Going downtown with friends to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra play The Planets after our own school band had the privilege of performing it.
c0gnitions ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad was a heavy amphetamine addict a while ago, and as a result used to physically and mentally abuse me, singling me out from my other two siblings. I would still stick by him, spending time with him as he injected speed while being rejected in terms of love and affection (I was about 6/7 at the time), but every night he would come up to my room, stroke my hair and cry about how much he loves me and how sorry he is. That's the one core memory I have, other than being around drugs from a very young age.
Auto_Text ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Core memories? Do people have those or do you just mean my favorite/earliest/ most vivid, from childhood?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being babysat by my grandparents as a toddler and being allowed to do whatever I wanted while there. I basically would get the same feeling a teenager gets in highschool while his parents leave for the weekend. Wether it was riding my bike for hours on end or eating junk food all night, this is what makes me, me.
n0remack ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1: Going to Vancouver to see Metallica in concert then on the drive home getting into a really bad car accident (but coming out unscathed - 2008). However...right up to the car accident I was an all time low in my life - had thought about suicide, thought I was worthless, thought my dad didn't really care about me etc etc...Well, the accident changed all that - gave me new perspective. my first real brush with death gave me the outlook I was looking for. Also my dad came and picked me up from my wreck and he just hugged me so hard that I dropped that whole "dad doesn't love me" shit. 19 was a strange time.
2: Having sex for the second time (but first time with my ex). Although I do remember losing my virginity...I'd rather not talk about it. Having sex with my ex though...damn...that was a fun summer and a fun couple of years...
3: Failing my first test in second grade. Absolutely devastating.
4: Kissing "Sam" under the "giant parachute" in 1st Grade after everyone got lost and tangled in it.
5: During a school play - infront of a crowd of over a hundred - I ran off/ran on stage at the wrong time. I doubt anyone remembers but running off. Then running back on - when everyone saw (because we were in a line and about to sing a song...)
...Many memories...
illeaglealien ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I once pood in elementary school. There were some kids in the bathroom who began to make fun of me when I left the stall & ive never pood in a public bathroom since. I was probably 10... I'm 31 now and it still effects me.
McCHitman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Telling my mom bye and kissing her on the cheek and greeting her. I would say "Yo" she would say "Hey hey", I would ask "What's up?!" She would say "Nadda Nadda". When she didn't say Nadda Nadda I knew something was bothering her. I never actually moved out. When I bought my first home I moved mom in with me. It didn't make since for the woman that struggled and worked so hard to make sure I was ok growing up to struggle to make it alone. So she came right with me. Every day since I was 10, I would hug my mom and tell her I love her, God Bless you and kiss her on the right cheek. Over the years that right cheek became magical to me in a form of it giving me strength. It showed her that I loved her and her hug and touch showed me. As I would leave we would blow a kiss to each other which over the years grew into 3. Idk how they just did.
Watching the last breath leave my moms body. She passed away on May 29th of this year. I'm 32 now and on that day I kissed her on the cheek for the last time. She laid in a hospital bed in my living room, I woke up told her good morning and went to change a patch behind her ear. I kissed her on the cheek and told her I loved her. It was the left cheek because her head laid to the right. She was asleep and none of this woke her. I saw her stop breathing for a second and I held her hand and told her I loved her. Her face squinched up and she drew one more breath and she was gone. With tears in my eyes I tilted her head and kissed the right cheek. Daily life hasn't been the same since.
Jade_GL ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:00:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad was in the Navy and flew in P3s. The way he described his job to me was that he "listened for sonobuoys" but I never really thought too much about it. I just knew he flew in a plane a lot. When I was maybe 4 or 5, the daycare center on the Navy base set up a day where kids would get to eat a nice sit down lunch with their Navy parent and then they would get a tour of their work place, which for me was an actual P3. So I got to go eat lunch with my dad, which was very cool. Near the end, they were going to serve pudding for dessert, but we decided to go see the P3 because of a time crunch. Well, we got back after seeing the plane (it was very cool, I'm certainly not complaining about that) and there was no more pudding. Being a very young kid, I started crying, because I felt like I missed out. My dad comforted me, and I regained composure after a few minutes.
Well, my dad had to get back to work and I ended up going back to the daycare to wait for my mom to pick me up after she got out of work. She picked me up, and I told her about the day as kids do, but I didn't talk about my pudding cry because I had pretty much forgotten about it at that point. When we walk in the front door, my mom sees that there is a package of puddings on the kitchen counter (Del Monte metal cans with the pull tops, chocolate) and some balloons tied to the package. My mom asks me why there's pudding on the counter and I just couldn't even say anything. I started crying. I've never in my life felt so much love from someone, and at the same time so much shame for crying about pudding. I don't know what kind of person I would have become with both of my parents, especially my dad.
For others, the night my husband proposed. He recreated our first date, it was pretty much a perfect romantic gesture. On the other end of the spectrum, the day I learned that my best friend had committed suicide. I had only talked to her on the phone the day before, and suddenly, the next morning, my mother is sitting me down at 6 am to tell me that she had shot herself. We were 13. I pretty much spent 2 weeks in a haze.
hey_fishface ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:00:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 4. My dad went to my kindergarten class during recess to talk to me and basically say that him and my mother were separating, that he wasn't gonna be living with us anymore, and that I'll never see him again. I went back from recess unable to stop crying, I was unable to articulate why at that time, and I spent the whole morning being punished by my teacher for disrupting the class.
I'm now 32. I can only remember crying once since then, at my grandfather's funeral. I might be dead inside. Lol.
Goliad_stormo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:00:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Said I love you to my girlfriend after dating for just a month and being apart for 3 of those weeks. She smiled and said it back.
Being accepted into university for engineering after being told I can't do it with my at the time marks by my mother and having 0 confidence in myself because I never had the grades in all my schooling until that year.
Didn't experience this one but it heavily affected my perception of things. My dad took a job that paid good but demanded a lot of hours and work. My brother (his first child) had recently been born and he had to work from the morning until the night and he cried because he hadn't seen his son all day.
brianjm_bandos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:00:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All sexual. First threesome, when I lost my virginity, worst sex, best sex, first tits seen, best tits, best ass, etc. I'm a goddamn deviant.
Rogpog777 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:00:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Acting Island: in 5th grade, I played one of the Wise Men in the nativity story. I walked down that cafeteria aisle with a dish rag on my head...and suddenly the sands of Bethlehem were in my sandals as I took this bottle of whatever the heck Myrrh was to the most important baby in the universe. Ever since that day, I wanted to be an actor.
Mischief Island: in middle school when it was just me and my ma for a while, there was a construction site next to my house. During the twilit end of day, I snuck over there and climbed into the machinery they left. After having my fun, I climbed down only to get this nondescript goo on my hands. I ran home and hid my hands behind my back while my mom watched TV. I started crying in my bathroom when it wouldn't come off in the sink. Mom was so mad!
Shield Island: at the peak of the fights my family had, my father threw the house phone at my mom when I was sitting right next to her. I felt incredibly guilty that I never caught it. I still remember the yelp of pain my mom let out. From that day forward, I was overprotective to everyone I cared for in my life.
Determination Island: when I was a senior in high school, my dad and I had a long talk on a drive. Up until that point, I always thought I wasn't the son he'd hoped to have: I was a nerdy theatre kid who sucked at sports and he grew up being the badass lady-scammer who beat up jocks and bullies (while being a little bit of a dick about it.) On this drive, I told him of my insecurities and doubts toward my future. He told me the one thing he admired about me was that I never give up on things. He used an example of when we were younger and he'd have one of his play fights with me and, no matter how hard he pulled my leg or tickled me, I'd squirm to fight my way out. I hope he didn't see, but that was the first time I ever teared up in front of that man.
Lone Wolf Island: when I was leaving for another shit day in 6th grade and my Dad told me he was going to prison. He told me I wouldn't see him for a few years. He also told me I had a little brother I didn't know about out there in the world. We sat on the couch for an eternity. I just sat there, staring at a picture of this kid I didn't know, desperately looking for words that never came because I didn't know them yet. That was the first day I felt absolutely alone...and when I learned how to be okay with it from time to time.
Thank you for this. It was incredibly cathartic.
deusdragon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:00:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Modesty Island: I was about 4 or 5. I had to change clothes for something and suddenly became very aware that we were in public and there were people who might see me getting undressed. I threw a fit and forced my mom to find a restroom for me to change in.
Gamer Island: Staying awake till 3am one night with my mom and her cousin, playing Super Mario Bros 3 straight through.
Jokester Island: My mom had put an ad in the newspaper (back when you had to do that since Craigslist wasn't a thing) to rehome our dog. While I was out running errands with my dad, we stopped at a payphone (OMG, I'm old, aren't I?) and my dad had me put on a deep voice and call my mom, pretending to want the dog. We revealed the ruse at the end of the call and laughed and laughed and laughed.
Unfair-World Island: When I was 10 years old, almost 11, two days before Christmas, my dad died from a heart attack. Worst Christmas ever.
Heartbreak Island: This one is almost self-explanatory. I met a girl and fell ass-over-teakettle in love with her. And she left me. I ran into the bathroom and sobbed.
True Love Island: This is a two-tiered island. After many girlfriends and flings, I finally met someone who I loved hard. Like, when a kid opens their arms wide and says "I love you this much. It was a love that filled, and continues to fill, me even today. And then we had a kid. And holy shit. I thought I'd felt love before. But when I held our son for the first time, I wept. I felt love from the bottom of my socks, because my heart just want deep enough.
Last one.
Career Island: A friend of mine and I fancy ourselves writers. One day, he's written something and wanted me to take an honest look. And I did. And I realized that editing was something I am naturally good at. It made me want to pursue it full time. And that's what I'm doing now.
hanny_9595 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:00:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-getting my heart "broken" the first time. Guys an asshole and I really dodged a bullet but it led to an amazing year of self discovery and getting out there in the dating world like I'd never done in an effort to get over it.
-flying across the world by myself for the first time. Flew from Chicago to Dubai. Had a donut in Tim Hortons in Canada on the way. I felt like an independent woman for the first time I think.
-asking a guy out and having him actually say yes. It was scary but it was the most confident thing I'd ever done. I had pretty low self esteem before that. We are still together. :)
-Getting broken up with (temporarily). It changed me. Made me realize how not to do relationships, motivated me to workout, motivated me to go back to school, experienced genuine heartbreak for the first time (so incredibly painful).
-Being in India in the summer when I was 12 and getting my period for the first time, experiencing mood swings and all that. That first proud was hell. Not sure how but I felt like less of a child when we returned I the fall. Like I didn't need piggy back rides anymore and wanted to listen to rock music instead of Avril lavigne.
-This one night when I was a kid my dad was in the garage getting his DJ equipment ready and I just sat there talking to him until late at night. One of my only memories feeling connected to my dad.
monkey804 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:00:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:01:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Riding on my dad's shoulders and him telling me to duck under the doorway
-Sitting Infront of my dad on his motorbike and flying down the hill past our house
-My mum and dad arguing and her telling him not to come back after work
-My dad getting his stuff and leaving as my brother begged him on his knees to stay
-Me getting angry about something and then smashing my power rangers toy and getting even more angry
I don't really wanna write anymore. Maybe this is why I don't think about this stuff
SirCliperton ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:01:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting kicked in the mouth when I was about 5 years old because I was standing behind someone playing hackey-sack in the basement.
In relation to that, I was unable to enjoy my orange juice after that because my lip was cut, so it stung really bad.
...that's about it.
normandesmond ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:01:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a kid the time around my birthday was the most exciting period. My parents would leave no stone unturned to ensure that I had a great time with my friends and as with all birthdays, the unwrapping of gifts was the best feeling. When I turned 9, I told my parents that I didn't really want a birthday party and on my birthday, my father surprised me with a collection of Roald Dahl books that was waiting for me in the living room when I woke up, I think I cried a little because I wasn't expecting anything and I got the best gift ever.
When I was 11, I enrolled in a boarding school in India and pulling into the driveway of the school in my car felt somewhat like how Harry must've felt rowing to Hogwarts from the train station. My boarding school had a beautiful building at the entrance that looked like a castle and seeing it for the first time was mesmerizing.
My primary school was away from the city and I had a daily commute of 4 hours on the school bus to and fro combined because my parents wanted me to be educated in a school that was more in tune with nature and one that gave good individual attention to students. Turns out my school was so in tune with nature that one day as the school day ended and I was walking toward the buses, I had to walk along a pathway that had coconut trees on one side and suddenly something fell from above, about 2 inches in front of my feet and slithered away into the bushes, it was a harmless tree snake but I was not prepared for it. I told my friends and we had a good laugh about it but it was the revelation that something unknown lurked at any corner there. It was a beautiful school and most of my childhood memories were formed there.
TLDR Got a surprise gift from my dad, it was a Roald Dahl book collection. Was mesmerized by the gothic architecture of my boarding school seeing it for the first time in person. Got startled by a tree snake that fell two inches in front of my feet in primary school.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:01:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I won't post them all but here are my teenage career related ones;
Funnily enough I am now a programmer and have worked in ans on games with a master in CS. These memories and experiences drove me forwards faster than anything else.
AdmanUK ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:01:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mum asking me if she's going mad, very earnestly, as Alzheimer's started to take it's toll. I have never been so fundamentally sad.
My grandfather teaching me to skim stones on the river by his caravan. I've never felt so purely loved and happy.
Seeing a man get taken into the sky by a lamppost, during hurricane Charlie in Florida. I realised just how fragile life is.
My girlfriend looking down at me with pure love in her eyes, when I woke up after a nap on the couch. I swear, I'm going to marry that woman.
My brother sticking up for me against some older kids who beat me up. Family is everything.
AintThatSomeSheet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:01:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
-when my mom and step-dad told me the whole reason their marriage didn't work out was because of me
-that moment we were laying under the stars in a remote field and he pulled out a condom and just looks at me (first love, virgin, and it was the sweetest thing ever. Not like a "fuck me, woman!")
-when my gf of 7 months called me and told me she had been lying all along about her terminal brain cancer and was, in fact, not ill at all. Rather, she loved me, was obsessed with me and couldn't bear the thought of losing me (A LOT more to that story) oh, and a restraining order against her now
-the moment I realized I couldn't afford to go to my dream college that I had been accepted to
-the first time I tried to commit suicide and all I could hear were my step dads words, "'no one will ever love you, you're worthless, you don't have any friends, you might as well kill yourself"
-the day I won "rookie of the year" for my high school lacrosse team. We all thought it was going to be that betch Victoria. They said my name and I'm still like, "to hell with Victoria" but nope. My coach is looking at me asking if I'm gonna come on stage. Hell yeah I am! Burnnnnnn Victoria.
obrunikoko ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:01:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
kmae1028 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Moving around a lot. My dad is a pastor, so every 2-6 years we would move to a new town/church(es). (Inside Out really nailed the emotions that come with picking up your entire life and starting over somewhere new.) I hated it when it happened, and hated leaving my friends. But looking back, moving every few years is what really taught me the independence I have now. It made me outgoing and strong and ABLE to start over. These days, I live all by myself halfway across the country from my family. I love them and miss them, but I was able to do what is right for me.
-Getting my first pet. I got a bunny the day before Easter when I was in second grade. He was black and white and we thought he was a girl so I named him Daffodil. Later, when we figured out he was a boy, we called him Daffy. Daffy was the sweetest bunny. He lived to be 12 years old and died of old age my sophomore year of college. I didn't go to class that day. I stayed in my dorm and watched movies, and cried all day long.
-My parents taking me to visit the college I ended up attending. We had visited a couple other colleges of my choice already, so when they suggested visiting their choice, I reluctantly agreed. I didn't want to go there because I thought the college had a dumb name. Anyway, we visited, and I fell in love. It ended up being the only college I applied to, and I got in. I cannot imagine the ways my life would be different if my parents hadn't dragged me there. I learned so much, and made the dearest friends in the world, who I still speak to every day.
-My brother and I fought all the time growing up. So I really remember the moments when we were friends. Like when my mom would send us to our rooms for fighting, and we would sneak out and play Legos in the hallway. Or when we took all of our stuffed animals to the big ramp at the church and played Noah's Ark. Or when we worked together to befriend the stray cat that visited our yard - the cat that we eventually got to keep. :) As adults, my brother and I aren't super close, but I always remember my parents saying to us "Stop fighting, you're on the same team." We are pretty decent teammates these days.
joel_stjimmy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Talking to my mom in Hawaii watching the sunset, promising never to forget that moment
The first party I attended after losing 60 lbs
The first time I heard Green Day's Holiday, shaping my taste in music up to this day even if I'm tired of the song
Playing shadow puppets with my grandma
Winning student of the year for my grade in high school
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Summer vacation, age 3-4. My grandma tried to slow-boil a live lobster. The lobster jumped at her and clawed her, I ran away screaming. Eyed the cooked lobster with fear for the entirety of dinnertime. I love the taste of lobster, but seeing them alive makes my skin crawl even to this day.
Christmas Eve, age 6. My grandpa was playing with me and my Barbie dolls. I had a bad feeling all day, but said nothing. Grandpa was rushed to the hospital at night with a heart attack. Died there while I was alone at home, watching, well, "Home Alone", which was on TV at the time. My family told me he would be away on a trip for a while and gave me a Playmobil airport set, saying it was a gift from grandpa for Christmas. I refuse to watch "Home Alone" now, no matter what.
Summer vacation, age 7. I have an accident and go through a series of surgeries that last until I am 10, I end up with a limb. In the meantime, my family's long-running thyroid problems manifest themselves, which signifies the beginning of me getting fat and going through an entire life of struggling to lose weight (at the time I gained 20kg in 3 months). Still fat to this day, though significantly less so. Injuries are now my greatest fear.
Irrissann ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ice skating forms the first one, for sure. From the first time in loaned hockey skates at age 6 to winning nationals as a 16 year old in speed skates, to finally losing the ability to breathe because my ice rink had a broken dehumidifier which lead to me getting pulmonary fibrosis.
Second island is probably something photography related. Got my first camera (zenit E) as a kid and wasted all my pocket money on film. Got myself a fed 3 later, then a bessa II and eventually digital stuff.
Third island is probably fencing. I've spent more on antique swords and fencing gear than anything else in my lifetime.
The other islands are likely empty and waiting. Ones slowly being filled with Biotech stuff, because that's my job, but I'll never fully complete working on that island because there's just too much to learn
RadioHitandRun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom rocking me in our rocking chair singing me "somewhere over the rainbow."
My sister throwing me a birthday party when our parents were out of town
My dad drunkenly crying how I moved several states away at my sister's wedding(I've never seem him cry before)
robit3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Waking up in a tuesday morning hearing my grandmother scream "Robit3's mother did WHAT!?" I thought she had killed herself as she had been in a slump for some time, and I was mentally prepared for it. As my grandmother walked in, I could tell it wasn't my mother's suicide. My grandmother tried to collect herself and my brother kept asking what happened. After a few seconds, he and I both yelled out simultaneously, "nust say it!!" Turns out my mom had murdered my youngest brother in the middle of the night.
Every time I got an A on a report card, my grandfather would take me to get a new hot wheels car.
One bad, one good.
rblue ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:03:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my dad died, the one that played over and over was time spent on the dry creek bed that runs through Happy Hollow Park in West Lafayette, IN. Just me and him. We decided to make a spear, so we found some flint and he showed me how to break it down. We then later went to the State Police Post where he worked, stole some twine and built that thing. I don't know why, but the time spent with him at that park just played over and over, so I didn't realize it prior but I guess that's a huge "core memory."
Definitely more, but that one means a lot to me.
generic_sun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:03:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ala cadabra
ManLeader ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:03:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The day I found out my girlfriend cheated on me. It sounds like a little bit of high school drama, but that day changed the game for me. I trusted her with my entire life, and she'd been hiding most of hers and manipulating me. I'm ashamed to say I'm still feeling it's presence in new relationships even years later.
My first gymnastics show. This sounds like something that would've happened early in life, but it was freshman year of college. I joined a gymnastic performance group and its changed me. I want to be a street performer now, and I have a sport that belongs to me, not my brother or sister, and my family happily travels to see my shows.
This one is weird, but a few of my close female friends have confided in me that they've been assaulted. It absolutely disgusts me that it has happened to people so close to me with impunity. It's made me more attentive at things like parties, no one else is going through what they've been through if I'm able to stop it.
My first surprise party. I was 20. It really made me appreciate those friends around me, and makes me try harder to repay them for that party. I can't love them enough for doing that for me.
indistrustofmerits ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:03:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing Heart and Soul over and over again with my sister on the piano and singing about various plot lines in the Sweet Valley High book series.
Seeing Wicked on Broadway. One of the original cast's last runs too, right before Kristin Chenoweth left.
Smoking my first joint with a girl I thought I was in love with, behind the tennis courts my freshman year of college.
My first road trip across the country.
MirtaGev ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:03:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandfather used to give me and my sisters jewelry. He'd spread it all out on the bed and let us choose. Later I realized he was only doing this to alleviate his guilt for molesting us. The jewelry is now a source of revulsion and I have no interest in receiving it as a gift.
The first time I climbed the Alpine tower. I clawed my way onto the top platform to the cheers of my fellow campers. I could see all the way to the lake, and the breeze smelled like pine.
The first time my brother fought back. I was mean to him, teased and pushed and taunted him mercilessly. The day he snapped and hit me back, I was so shocked I started crying, and then he started crying because he thought he'd hurt me.
Graduating college after dropping out for 3 years.
The last time my whole family saw a movie together. It was Tarzan.
bigtittiesbigbutttoo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1.) In kindergarten during story time or something of that nature one of my cute best friends put her head on my shoulder, I shifted myself to help her be more comfy, but she picked up her head and didn't put it back.
2.) My family had a house fire when I was in 4th grade, we lost everything, but my parents believed that we would be able to return to normal eventually. Unfortunately, they continue to struggle with debt from that fire....
3.) I dated the most amazing girl in high school who I fell in love with, she broke up with me when she went to college, but I will never forget the amazing times we had together.
4.) Present Day: I mask my depression with fake happiness, because the little bit of joy I receive from making others smile is more meaningful to me then voicing my own feelings.
MC_Fuzzy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Parents splitting up. First time I saw my dad cry as he told me the truth about what's happening (no one else did because I was young). I don't remember the exact date, hence why I'll number this zero (EDIT: I guess this is numbered as one. Whatever). That, and I'm told this event changed my attitude from this outgoing person to someone who locked himself inside. I personally can't see that change, but again, I was young. I barely remember.
Getting evicted/becoming homeless. I wasn't the type to ask for much because of my situation growing up, but this only made it a permanent thing. I can't dream of wild fantasies that much. At most, I want a house with some grass on the lawn.
Dad's car got totaled, with him surviving and leaving the hospital the next day. He was forced the get a new car (he had his previous one for a long time and had no plans of ever changing it). Realized how much I loved my father, despite not living with him. After this event, our relationship became what it is now.
I kinda don't want to discuss this since it's a depressing thing. I'm fine with it personally, but since I prefer to lighten people's days with smiles and laugh and not depress them with shit, I'll make it quick and vague: I made plans to not be here, those plans were seemingly set in stone and everything made sense. Before I could "complete the mission," my pops called to tell me happy birthday, that he loves me, etc. I forgot to add him into the equation. I decided to put the "mission" on hold, as it would destroy my dad to lose another son. Decided that the purpose of my life was to help others, since there wasn't much to my own life. Became outgoing and friendly (once again?).
Finally moved into an apartment, wasn't overweight, got a girlfriend. I'll group this together as they all happened around the same time. The happiest times of my life.
Years later, lost my best friend and my GF dumped me. Other things happened that I'll skip over to make this vague enough, but this was "The Week" for me, and things were not going my way at all. I believed the world was beating me down. The service at my friends wake helped with my personal demons. I still think of my friend. Didn't deserve to lose his life, especially when he was the best of us, and I'm busy thinking of jumping off buildings. I still am, and hope to curb those thoughts sometime soon.
I apologize if this didn't answer the question because I haven't seen Inside Out.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a mixture of happy and sad, but here's a few:
When I was young (4/5) and my Grandparents used to look after me. Used to play in their (huge) garden in autumn and my Granddad would set a bonfire to burn leaves/bracken etc. He's gone now but every time I smell a bonfire in autumn it makes me think of him. Love that smell.
One time when I was arguing with my mum and she kinda signed and said, "okay, fine...". She looks exhausted and for the first time I realised that my parents maybe weren't the superhumans I thought they were. I try to be a better person to them now.
When my first proper girlfriend broke up with me - I was leaving for university, so must have been about 18/19. She was younger and didn't want to try the long distance thing.
Graduating from university and the feeling of accomplishment I had.
Living with my friend Matt and another guy who I didn't really get on with. We had some shitty times because me and the other guy argued, but most of the time we got on. Sitting around in a really dishevelled house where the blinds moved in the breeze whilst knocking back beer, eating pizza and playing computer games/watching kung fu films was, at the time, shitty but I look back on it fondly now.
I'm one of those people that kinda focuses on negatives too much and I could reel off a dozen bad memories for every good one, but I've had a good life. Maybe I need to learn how to reflect on good stuff more often - could have a more positive effect on my attitude.
zincdreams ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
eyerunbackwards ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
dedbeb ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1:) The PlayStation 2 boot up noise. My entire childhood revolved around this.
2:) Putting the graphics card in my computer. I bought the computer and the card with my own money so it was a really big deal.
It sounds really stupid but these two things are hella important to me.
jankovize ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
mostly parents trying to kill each other in the living room
my first day at nursery
my first day at school first date
first breakup
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a young 16 year old, I was a massive pain in the ass, and totally lacked in self-confidence. I could, however, swim like a fish and had been swimming competitively for 5 years.
I went to a Christian summer camp and it was the camp relay race day. I remember that my counselor picked me to be on his team but I was sure he did it, not because he valued me (nobody knew about my abilities) but because he was really nice guy and didn't want me to get picked last.
The race consisted of a 1 km swim, 500 m out to a buoy then back, a 1 km canoe, then a 5 km run.
There were about 50 teams of 3 and we started with the swim. I was super nervous but got in the water with my swimmer's confidence, alongside 50 other people. When the flag dropped to start the race, I just took off. It was pretty crazy at the start, but I did not even think. I just swam and swam and did not even stop at the turn around to see where I was -- I just kept swimming.
When I started to reach the shore again, I could hear cheers and so I swam faster and faster. I felt unstoppable.
When I reached the shore to tag off to the guy with a canoe, I finally looked back to see how I did, only to see that the next fastest swimmer hadn't reached the turn around buoy yet.
And that was when I finally started value what I could do...and gained in confidence in myself. What a day.
CndConnection ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:05:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't wanna think about these memories mannnn
Fuck all you people with your happy memories and shit and the fucken "saw this girl knew I loved her then and there and now we are married XD!!!" Fuck thaaaaaaaaat shit
Loveforeveryours08 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:05:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
-Hanging my head out my grandfathers sunroof while he drove up the drive way. -Playing school with my grandmother on the staircase at 3 years out. - The day that my mom and evil step dad decided to move away resulting in seeing my grandparents twice a year. - The day that I graduated high school and moved back to live with my grandparent. -The day I finally got out of a very abusive relationship -The day that I met my SO. - getting my tonsils taking out 2 days before thanksgiving when I was 8, and waking up from surgery to my grandmother there. She sat at home with me for thanksgiving and let me eat all the potatoes I could handle.
anttonknee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:05:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We were on vacation with our family-friends and in an old school ice cream parlor. I was eating mint chocolate chip ice cream and "My Girl" came on the speakers. My dad scooped up me and our family-friend my age (we were probably 8) and spun us around the room belting the lyrics straight to us. I think of that and so much love over pours.
HppySqrrl-67 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:17:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You made me cry
jpatricks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:06:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sure like everyone, I also have "core memories" but ever since that movie, I have referenced those memory islands in terms of video games I played and how they shaped my taste in future games. So forgive me, but here are those:
1 Bioshock: Descending into rapture for the first time
2 Red Dead Redemption: Riding into Mexico at sunrise with the music playing in the background
3 CoD MW2: digging the knife out of my chest and throwing it at the general
4 Zelda OoT: Pulling the Master Sword from the pedestal
5 Assassins Creed: Diving off of a high tower for the first time
erikarew ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:06:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
HppySqrrl-67 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:16:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
2๐๐๐there is no better toy than a cardboard box . It can be anything. There is a website that ranks childhood toys. Cardboard box is number two I think. Lego is near the top too..
aTrucklingMiscreant ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:06:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Most memories of my papa who died (grandfather on mother's side) when I was 10 years old. I remember fragments over the relatively small amount of time we spent together.
My papa greeting me and and challenging me to a playful boxing match.
My papa suddenly got cancer in his late 60s. Remember playing K'nex in the lounge as he lay on the sofa.
After my papa passed, I went to see his body in the coffin. I was allowed to touch him and I just remember him being so cold. My dad told me he was proud of me when we walked outside.
uniqueusername0054 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:06:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Watching my grandpa die, that man suffered since he left Vietnam but would not stay down. He died 3 times before the last time. We felt him leave, you could see him really seeing beyond. In his room he was surrounded by children and grand children but he wasn't looking at anyone just through us. he turned that yellow color and his eyes shrank and we knew that old man was gone this time. Clear blue North Carolina day all day until he died and we stepped out side and a random thunderstorm showed up. He loved thunderstorms, he liked to sit on the porch watch and listen to them and smoke his L&Ms . I don't smoke cigarettes but I love the smell of them, reminds me of him. Fishing on the pier with him is another good memory. One time we were fishing and my siblings were watching, we'd cut up the shrimp and leave the cut up piece on the ledge. After awhile we notice that out bait keeps going missing and were only using half the shrimp and the other half is disappearing. Next thing I know I look over and see my brother pick up a piece of shrimp, smell it, and throw it into the ocean. Had a good laugh telling him that was our bait. The moment that put the biggest smile and gave me goosebumps was reading his letter for what he did to receive the navy comm. greatest man I ever knew. Damn war hero.
Pancakewagon26 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:07:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The way the girl I liked in high school would say my name in a sweet sing song tone.
The way I kissed her after she told me she like me too.
My parents telling me they were getting divorced.
Me getting into college, then getting a giant ass scholarship.
The phone call I got telling me that I got my first real job.
Meltingteeth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:07:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first two times I was told we'd have to move due to poverty/family arguments. By the third and fourth times I had stopped trying to make friends and invest in high school social life so I didn't really care.
jimicapone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:07:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Realizing just how much my parents did for me growing up and seeing most of my friends parents that didn't do half that. I am truly lucky.
compezell ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:07:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Driving cross country on family camping trips
-Playing with legos for hours on end, it got to the point where I could walk on them without being hurt
-Losing my theater director senior year in high school two weeks before the show, and still putting it on
-Being able to go to Ultra Music Festival, Miami this year and seeing all the different people from other countries
ManLeader ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You don't have to make up memories, you know
awesomesonofabitch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:07:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have incredibly few memories from when I was younger. I do have some really vivid ones from when I was 5. (I can specify the age because I was in Kindergarten in my first home.)
My mom and dad whipping each other with towels in a playful way.
Walking home from school and my friend's mom telling us how he swallowed his tooth and pooped it out
playing with blocks in class. Nothing at all special about this day, I just remember playing with the blocks.
I went to this kid's house on the street and he always had THE BEST LEGO. I stole his pirate's banada. I put it in my sock. I felt very bad about this for many, many years.
I used to go to my now-deceased grandpas house and steal all of his cheap-as-shit double-chocolate cookies.
My parents divorced shortly after we moved from that house about a year or so later. The rest of my memories from that point on are almost exclusively bad ones. I don't blame it on the divorce, but life in general changed continuously after that, so that is what I attribute it to. (I also have a really bad memory in general.)
ManLeader ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:12:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Never forget tooth-poop day ๐ฉ
awesomesonofabitch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Right?
Such a weird, random thing to remember for such a long time.
ManLeader ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:52:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm pretty sure I'll never forget it now
baboonsamurai ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Time spent on my Grandparents farm as a kid. I have a vivid memory of me sitting on the lawn in front of their big old house and realizing how happy this place makes me and that I should always remember this moment.
They sold the farm a couple of years later.
ManLeader ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:11:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That's a solid yellow blue, huh
i-really-like-nachos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
ManLeader ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:10:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Your Grandmom loves you very much it seems :)
ViralPoseidon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mind explaining?
HYBRID98 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dad leaving-2
Pill addiction-13
Brother leaving-16
Love of my life leaving-17
Meth addiction-18
Nicotine addiction-13
When my dad disowned me-18
Recovery-18
backtolurkingagain ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ยท as a child having my face and lower jaw ripped off by my babysitters sick dog. "6 plastic surgeries later, you can hardely tell......"
ยท being locked in a bean bag for two days by my brothers
ยท being forced to eat boogers off of my mothers pimps finger.
ยท being forced to gladiator style fight my brothers, at the same time.
ยท getting tied to a chair and having all of my hair cut off. "I told you not to move, now you have a blow hole"- as my brother took the first clipper full out of the top of my head. My hair was down to my waist at that point.
ยท having my ET doll thwon into a old rancid pot of greens "left outside". They "hid" him.
ยท getting bit a second time by a foster homes dog. It tore my lower left eye lid half off. Could see my eye and everything.
ยท meeting the incredible hulk at the LA airport when I was a child "they were shooting an eoisode there". My mom left me there, alone. To catch a flight back to the rez that im from. I remember him clearly though. He was nice, we talked about why I was alone and waited with me for a bit.
ยท learning to pipe carve from my uncle. I was around 9 and it was the only time I was ever guided to do anything.
ยท the first time I saw my son.
ยท the last time I saw my son.
And a few more.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
A family trip to Canada at Banff National Park. I thought that there was a painted backdrop, because coming from South Texas, I couldn't imagine that anything could be so beautiful. We climbed up a mountain and me and my dad made squirrel houses the whole way up, there was a restaurant at the top and my family shared poutine.
When I was 4 my mom told me she would let me comb my own hair. She lied, and began to roughly comb it for me. After that, I refused to comb my hair for a number of years. I always wondered why this memory stuck with me, but I later found out she was an alcoholic, and I think this was the first time I realized that she was lying to me.
My mom trying to sneak me away to the beach for the day on the birthday, and me saying no because my dad would be delivering flowers to my school, and the look of hurt on her face.
Spending days and days at a 'curenderos' house. My mom was also going back to get her masters in anthropology, and her thesis was on a curendero--a mexican witch doctor that performs exorcisms and lets dead saints live within him. He lived on a farm that had different stations which were meant to show the saints progress in life. He also had a tiny, one roomed shack filled with said saint and barbie dolls dressed like the virgen de guadalupe. His grandchildren lived on a trailer on his property and I would hide in it with them and play super mario while my mom watched exorcisms. He terrified me. (later found out she was in love with him)
My brother and dad taking me to limited 2 and forcing me to buy dresses and skirts. I cried in the stall as they made me try them on. (in hind site, I am extremely thankful. My favorite clothes up to this point were a wolf shirt that I'd had since I was 8, and a long black dress with camouflage on the sides)
My dad screaming at me in fake chinese at hastings. It sounds really racist, but it is one of my favorite memories. At that time, where we lived, I had literally never seen any other races besides white and hispanic. He would let me roam the dvd aisles and then sneak up behind me screaming (CHING CHONG DAO! OOOO CHING CHOW) and I would run away screaming and laughing as he chased me while everyone else watched extremely confused. In the checkout line he had reeses and a dr pepper waiting for me.
flower_bot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โ
Exodia-TheDragonKing ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well, lets see: I walked in on my mother and sperm donor fornicating when I was like 4 or 5.
Aforementioned sperm donor beating (mainly) me for random reasons (very few were justified.) during the moments my mother decided to communicate with him.
My cousin and sister tying me up with a extension cable thing and taping my mouth shut for a long period of time when I was around 5. (Still hate that sister to this day for that and countless other stuff she has done, I feel eh about the cousin.)
There are probably a few more, but no good ones that I can think of.
Patomark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Coming home from school one day to find that my grandparents had dropped in and surprised us. Mum had the air-con running (it was late spring in Rural Australia, so hot AF) and informed me, as I walked inside ecstatic to see my grandparents, that the 50 cent bet she put on a horse in the Melbourne Cup for me won $7.50, which I got to keep.
It's not my earliest memory (I was about 10 at the time), but it is definitely my most vivid. I love thinking about it, so many positive emotions.
Coord26673 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had one just a couple of weeks ago, I recently got a new puppy and my anxiety combined with the sudden realization of the immensity of the responsibility now placed on me to supply this tiny creature with a happy life.
So there I was, sat on my kitchen floor mid-crisis, nearly paralyzed by anxiety, unable to clear my head in the slightest and hurtling rapidly towards giving up and admitting that I was simply unable to care for him. He wanders over to me and puts his head on my leg and stares at me with his stupid fluffy face.
It was in that moment that I knew I loved this dumb furniture destroying poop machine more than anything I have ever loved and that I wouldn't let my own stupid anxieties get in the way of him being happy.
https://imgur.com/gallery/FUyUpnP
WizardofStaz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The time my dad fractured his skull trying to run up a children's park slide when I was 5. It was 11pm and my 13 year old cousin had to drive us to the hospital, where I proceeded to call my mom and open the call with, "Mommy, I'm in the Emergency Room..."
When my mother took me to Mississippi to escape a hurricane and it changed paths at the last moment to come after us. She resigned herself to letting me splash around just outside the hotel room and I saved a snail from drowning.
The first time I ever had a crush on another girl. She is to this day one of the most beautiful and hilarious women I've ever met. Hair like Merida from Brave and an adorable snaggletooth. We were teenage musicians together and I wrote her awful poetry. Specifically, it's the moment I first saw her all decked out in the marching band uniform, as dorky as that is.
The first time I ever met the love of my life in person after two years of long-distance courting. I turned a corner getting off the plane and saw him standing in the crowd. He was holding up a sign with "The girl I love" messily written on it. I stood on my tiptoes to hug him.
The feeling of getting back to my apartment alone after the last time I visited him, suddenly realizing that every room without him in it is claustrophobically small, and that I would never be happy without being near him. Realizing in the same moment that it would be years before we had the faintest hope of living together. It smelled like lysol and the balcony was littered with dead leaves.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first two girlfriends who, while I was with both of them respectively, broke up with me out of literally nowhere. No warning signs, no fighting, no emotional distance apparent. The first one left me for a guy who ended up beating and raping her and then when I would not take her back she got with a guy who forced her to convert to Islam. The second one I moved across the country for and less than two months after I did that she broke up with me and I ended up stuck in that area for over 2 years. These experiences have ruined every other romantic attraction I've ever had in some way, shape, or form.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Trying to kill myself sophomore and senior year of high school and having my mom scream she was going to jump out of the hotel window when I was moving into college
fatnerdyjesus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What are core memories? What do you mean by inside out?
The_Neon_Sky ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have 5 times in my life that I remember where absolutely nothing special or significant was happening. When I was six, I decided to take a perfectly regular moment and commit everything about it to memory. I have done that 4 more times since then and now I have 5 memories of the most insignificant and regular moments of my life.
bajsgreger ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Making friends i still know today when i was 10.
Inside out i guess we would hate each other and our internal organs would be exposed
Jimmynothrow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:10:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:10:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Riding through the desert with friends in the western US with my feet out the window laying across the back seat of our SUV. I don't know why, but that memory just sticks with me. I won't say that was the first time I'd been truly happy, but it was one of the happiest, most relaxing times of my entire life.
Petalsper ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:11:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There was this time when I was pretty young, Iโm not sure exactly how old but probably 3-4. It is my first clear memory and I was competing in a corn husking contest with a bunch of kids. I husked one ear and then started to eat it. All these people were yelling at me but my dad just sort of burst in and told them off. I could eat that damn corn if I wanted. It always stuck with me that my dad was going to back me up with me being my own person.
When I was little I memorized a book so that I could convince others I could read. I proudly showed my mom, clearly turning the pages at the wrong points, and she caught me in the lie. Later I did it with my friends and my teacher who apparently screamed at my mother that she was pushing me to read to early. (not true I just faked it). My mom would always take the time to read to me any time anywhere and answer all my questions about the content. But it was this moment when she yelled right back at my teacher about how I could read if I wanted and there was nothing she or my teacher could do about it, that really convinced me I needed to learn to read for real.
In 6th grade I went from Montessori private school to public schools. It was hard, really hard. There were about 200 more kids than my previous classes. I made one friend early on but her group of friends didnโt like me so she dropped me. I ended up sitting with a group of nicer girls all year who did not really like me. All the while people destroyed my school projects, beat me up, called me names, basically brutally bullied me. The real moment that was a core memory was a boy who bullied me lied to teachers and said I was saying I was better than him because I went to private school. The teachers despite seeing him physically bully me ruin school projects believed him. My parents were called and I got this big speech from a teacher about being humble while my bully stood behind her with this look of satisfaction on his face. I learned it wasnโt ever going to be fair.
Freshman year of high school I went to a school play a camp friend of mine was in. I lied about another friend coming with me because I didnโt want my mom to come instead. I ended up going backstage and lost track of time when my mom was going to pick me up. She panicked. I was nowhere to be found. She went to my friendโs house who didnโt come found out I had lied and was really worried. Meanwhile I am waiting forever and have no cell phone. I ended up interrupting my friend in the plays dinner with the cast and she and her mom came to drop me at home. I felt terrible. I caused so much annoyance and worry for a lot of my friends and my mom. I still feel that deep in the gut guilt when I think about it and its been over 8 years since this happened.
Junior year of college, my cat who I had gotten when I was 5 became very sick. She was a huge part of my life. Traveling from one parents home to the other, sometimes even by plane. We tried medications and treatments for her failing liver but she was clearly miserable, in pain, and losing weight. All she wanted to do was sit on my lap and get some attention. We took her to the vet to be put to sleep. I didnโt want to leave her with other people when it happened since she was really frightened of other people in general. Because she was so lethargic the vet said we didnโt need the medication that made them sleepy before the medication that kills them. This was a huge mistake. She let out the most horrible pitiful pained noise as she died with her head in my hand and she bit me. I can barely forgive myself for it but it would have been worse if I wasnโt there.
JahwsUF ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:11:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not fully aware of all of mine, but there are a few I can rattle off easily enough:
One day in my teens I was being a little snot and didn't realize it; unlike any other punishment I can recall, my father explicitly punished me for my attitude, not for anything I'd actually done. Cue natural outrage and obstinate-ness on my part at the time... but looking back, I'm extremely thankful for what he did that day.
As a computer programmer, the 'eureka' when I realized how pointers/references work. I was largely self-taught (in C++, no less) until the 12th grade, when my school was finally able to offer a programming course; the instructor had me do the classic Towers of Hanoi problem that day, which was the catalyst for the realization.
Back in the sixth grade, I was at a new school in the inner city due to weird school district policies in my area. So, I'm a nerdy white kid in a predominantly black PE class, I'm not particularly great at any sport, and I'm not used to my classmates' (inner-city) culture. My 'coach' for that class takes notice of me and gives me one-on-one training in volleyball.
A few months before I was due to enter college out-of-state, my pastor invites me to go through a book with him about apologetics (defense of the faith) and worldviews. (Congregation: around 150 people.) While I had experience with the former topic, this was my first recognized exposure to the latter, which gave me skills indispensable to my successes since then.
The closest things I can think of in terms of others are more general and timeless:
I grew up on sci-fi. Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, Babylon 5... all of it.
Mom and Dad always made sure we helped out in the DIY projects around the house, against our wills, and were always highly involved in the local church. Witnessing their work ethic and willingness to serve has instilled the same work ethic within me.
haydenantal ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:11:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is my favorite Ask Reddit.
Captain-Cs-Mandolin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:11:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going to see Glasgow Celtic playing for the first time with my Aunt Sharon, who died when I was 13. She was the biggest football (soccer) fan I knew, which is still slightly strange for a woman, despite the fact it shouldn't be. Can't remember who we played but remember us jumping up and screaming when Celtic scored and hugging each other. She then turned and hugged the guy next to her and got me to hug him as well, despite us not knowing them. Fell in love with Celtic and all things football that day.
Sitting on a rock on the edge of a cliff face that we'd had to climb to reach with my girlfriend when we were either 17 or 18. We had been together for six months at that point. We were facing out to sea and I still remember exactly how I felt looking at the sunset reflected out on the Ocean in front of us. This is a memory that has kind of changed from blue to yellow. I remember thinking that I just wasn't that excited to be there. I wasn't having that much fun, and we had been kind of bothering each other that holiday, a few screaming matches. I thought it was the moment that we fell out of love. We're still together to this day, and I love her more than anything else in the world. Now it's kind of a reference point to me that shows me that relationships aren't always plain sailing, and that just because you're not still caught up in the whirlwind beginnings of your relationship doesn't mean you're not perfect for each other (I hope).
Picking my dad up off the floor when he had his suicide attempt. He had been drinking all day and then took a cocktail of pills, just medicines we had around the house. He had very little control over his eyes and his voice was really slurred as he apologised. Handed him over to my mum who then took him to hospital whilst I stayed at home to look after my sister. Very blue memory, but he is in a much better place now.
Being looked after by my big brother (17 years my senior) when I was a very small kid. We spent hours building a series of ramps and similar things to launch a bunch of my toys at the front door from our staircase which faced directly on to it. Built the ramps with books, pieces of cardboard anything. Also tied toy soldiers to the banister with swing and swung them. My mum and dad came back from a night out and we pelt them with everything we've got. They're pissed off - they've just been hit with two dozen bits of metal and plastic for no reason. We're fucking killing ourselves.
TL;DR - Watching Glasgow Celtic score a goal with my late aunt. Sitting on a cliff face with my girlfriend in Spain and hating it. My dad's suicide attempt. Throwing toy cars and soldiers at my parents with my brother.
Really liked this question OP. Felt good typing some of this out. Thank you.
DudeImCheyAsFuck ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:11:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first memory ever is of my older brother (18 at the time while I was 2) packing up and moving out to leave for college and he gave me a scorpion preserved in a glass dome. I still have it to this day. My dad dressing up like a clown on Halloween and riding my school bus being a fool and making everyone laugh. My dad coming into every science class (kindergarten through 5th grade) with his collection of fossils and teaching everyone about dinosaurs, then passing around one fossil in particular, then telling everyone that it's fossilized dinosaur poop
keenly_disinterested ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:11:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reading a book about Abraham Lincoln when I was six-years-old. I realized that an entire world can exist within nothing more than printed words, and that any world I choose can exist entirely in my imagination.
KATastrophe_Meow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:11:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Going to the vernal pool with my father brother and sister while my mom was at work. Then on the way home getting lemons and my dad making the best lemonade in the world.
In high school, the girl who I thought was my best friend stabbing me in the back and all of my friends taking her side, all because I talked to the boy she liked during class.
The day my math teacher told me I wouldn't do well in engineering because of the level of math I was in, when not mentioning it to the boys going into engineering in the same class.
Moving into the freshman dorms and meeting the guy who should be my best friend, but we lost touch and don't see each other any more.
The first trip to my favorite sushi place with my older brother. It was the first time we spent time just the two of us since we were young. We spend 4 hours eating sushi and talking.
-My ex bf and I's last "fight" where he told me that our problems were all my fault and that he didn't find me attractive anymore.
The second date with my current bf, when we stayed up late watching horror movies and then laid in his twin sized bed and talked all the way through the night. We didn't even kiss until the morning before I left.
The walk with my younger sister. We went to the pond by our house and walked two laps, talking about how our mother treats us and realizing that it wasn't just in my head that my mother treats us all badly, and especially me.
There's definitely more, some too personal to share and others less important. But this is what I could think of for now.
lestartines ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:11:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-When I got my first dog. He was a rescue and we went to go meet him. He had to be coaxed out from underneath the deck, and he was so sad looking. I loved him right then. He was completely bald and like a little skeleton, and he came right to me and licked my hand.
-Crossing the gate into Disneyland for the first time. It was so exciting! I thought I would never go there but there was a teacher strike (my mom was a teacher) so we could afford the trip and the time off
Most of my other core memories aren't good memories so I'll leave them out
Xradiationator ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being very young and answering the phone while my mom was in the bathroom. Whoever was on the other line said, "HI sweetie, can I talk to your daddy?" And I said I didn't have a daddy. My mom heard the last bit and was mortified. I did have a dad, and he even lived with us, but he spent so much time at the bar I barely saw him and didn't realize he was my dad.
This was after my mom informed my dad that his own daughter didn't know he was her father, my dad would sit on the couch with me and we'd eat salt and vinegar chips. Every Friday he'd bring me a snickers bar. Still love both.
My older brother playing barbies with me. He was 16, I was 9. Even though he crashed my Barbie Mustang, it was still loads of fun.
Spending tons of time at my cousins house. She's the closest thing I have to a sister and we were thick as thieves.
My older brother (the one who played barbies with me) was murdered just 3 years ago. The day I found out was so vivid. I was 19 weeks pregnant with my daughter. She's named after him.
dracotaka ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a little girl, I lived with my grandmother because my parents were divorced. My mom had to work two/three jobs at one point to help financially raise me while I was at grandma's. My mom and I didn't get to spend much time together either because of work, but when we did, it was usually occasional weekends and the summer if she wasn't too busy.
When she finally became successful enough to drop all the other jobs, I remember her sending me a card every day. She still couldn't live with me because she had to work, but she made up for it with the cards I got. This happened for a few years and didn't stop until I was around 10/11. As a kid, I would race to the mail box every day, excited to see what card I got.
There is one card that I remember was when my mom finally started working her stable job. It was incidentally the first card I have ever received from her. It had $1, a piece of gum, and a message that said: Dracotaka, mommy is sending you a card to tell you how much I love you! I can't wait to see you.
At first, I cried because my mom happened to spray that card with her perfume and left a kiss after the message, leaving six year old me to miss her. After my grandmother explained to me that I would be receiving a card every day, I wiped my tears and I recall that I did a little baby happy dance around the living room.
ImaginationGarden ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[loads of well-thought-out comments here. but i'm mostly a lurker and i don't contribute much (except for upvotes) so i'll just think of this as a sort of reply to a previous question regarding getting something off one's chest]
back in preschool, i was deemed "most outstanding" and so i was tasked to give the 'sending-off' message to fellow graduates. by the time i was onstage, i was shaking! with no copy, i kept waiting for cues before finishing it. although embarrassing, still went home triumphant with my big-ass fake gold-plated medal
sitting by the staircase outdoors (built beside building walls) taking to my mother about a mess i made. taunting me i can't graduate. refusing to understand i could fix it. by the second i knew i lost her trust, jumping off the railings was an option. i made sure she couldn't hear me sobbing through the phone
drinking with a dear friend, she confessed to me she got raped. both her cousin and her boyfriend claims she wanted it. their victim-blaming got me bawling 'til i blackedout. a burden that has nothing to do with me turned into a burden i carry every day
VeggieHeathen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being yelled at by my mom because I wasn't understanding the math problems on my homework as I cried over a giant box of pens trying to figure it out. To this day I still hate math.
And when my cat died. It was a beautiful day. Nice, warm and sunny not a cloud in the sky and I remember how devastated I was but the world [of course] keeps going and how insignificant we really are in the grand scheme of things.
I don't have happy core memories. Lol
Flarestriker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably way too late now but:
First memory ever: crying over the Bob the Builder VHS reversing because it made a really horrifying sound for 2-year-old me.
First lucid dream ever, meeting my friends in kindergarten, playing with blocks, then knowingly saying goodbye to them as it's only a dream anyway and hopping through a portal. That instant, waking up for kindergarten.
Seven years old, going home with mom at night, seeing a giant spider in our hallway. I have arachnophobia to this day.
Witnessing my father having a torn ligament while playing football with me at seven years. My step-mom brought him to the hospital and brought me McDonalds. Took him years to revitalize from that.
Meeting my first girlfriend. A friend of hers asked her about her video games or something and after he was finished, I chimed in and talked with her about it. The first time I showed courage in such a situation.
trigunnerd ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-(joy) Prom with my current (and first) boyfriend. I went with him just to have a date, but I fell in love with him that night.
-(sadness) Crying in my closet at 12, begging God to let me live somewhere else than that Army town. It was the height of my emotional turmoil and I cried every single night for the year that I lived in that awful place.
-(fear) Feeling a strong voice suggest I take photos at a family outing with my sister who had cancer. I listened, thankfully. She passed shortly thereafter.
-(anger) Getting punished to my room as a child by that sister. I was only 4 or 5, but managed to pick up a chair and throw it at my dresser. A handle on a drawer broke. Fear of getting in trouble came then.
-(disgust) I had a crush on a guy in high school and my then best friend knew this very well. I was on the phone with the guy, he answered an incoming call. When he got back on the line, he told me my friend had just asked him out and they started dating. I was expected to be happy for them and they'd kiss in front of me, sit in each other's laps, etc. I was horrified that another human could act that way.
nestcto ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Don't really have any memories that I consider "core", or anything like that...but the one that really stands out.
I call it my first memory, because I was super young, maybe 3 or 4. Outside, early in the morning. Sun was rising, still frost on the ground. My mom was seeing my dad off to work.
I picked a blade of grass and breathed on it, and the frost went away, which was amazing. I wondered what mom would think if I managed to do that to the whole yard! So, breath was hot, what else was hot? Hot water.
I grabbed a cup, filled it with hot water from the sink, which I couldn't reach without the foot stool. I went outside and poured it in the grass. Sure enough, it melted. I went in and grabbed another cup, came out, and searched for the place where I had poured the first, but couldn't find it. I poured the cup out, and went to grab another. When I came back, I couldn't find the second place I had poured water either.
I did this a couple more times before I decided to sit and watch one of the thawed areas...and saw it slowly freeze over. I found this incredibly fascinating, and remember it as the first time I (consciously) used a process of critical thinking to solve a problem.
Mechanicalmind ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day we had to put down my dachshund because of a tumor. I was holding him down while the (highly incompetent) vet gave him the two shots. I pet him until the end. Everytime i think about that moment, my eyes water up, and when i go home i feel the need to play and cuddle the mutt we adopted after the dachshund. I don't even want to imagine the day he won't be here anymore.
A dream...or rather, a nightmare i had when i was 4 years old. A couple of rather old people bringing a newborn in a church, asking the priest to baptize him, and telling him "without a name he won't go to paradise". The baby died in that moment, rolling its eyes white.
Ftramza ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember when I was younger I read this barney book to my little baby brother (who was suffering from cancer). I had him on my lap, he was hugging me, looking up, and reading with me. There was one page I'll NEVER forget. It was a picture of the moon.... and I said to him "Justin, where's the moon?!". He smiled, laughed, and pointed at it, and then gave me a kiss on the cheek. It will be the greatest and most beautiful memory I'll ever have in my life. He lives every time I think about, makes me tear right now!
Now to think about that's probably why I love the night sky so much, I look up and feel like I'm alone but also feel like I'm part of something bigger. Anyways, here goes to the feels in the morning!!! dammit.
Budgiebrain994 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
as much as these are core memories, I find it hard to recall them
Maximus7713 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my dad decided to teach me to swim by shoving me out of the boat in the middle of the Tombigbee River. I still remember my moment of panic as the water closed over my head as he yelled, "Sink or swim, buddy. Your choice." I still occasionally have nightmares about drowning.
jellojello123 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
hotspots_thanks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting on the bathroom sink, watching my dad as he shaved in the morning. He'd let me lather up my face, and gave me a razor (with the blade removed) to scrape it off.
First ever kiss. I was terrified and excited. On a winter night, the boy I liked brought me to a moonlit field. I remember that the clouds looked like sea foam when a wave recedes on the beach.
When my high school cross-country team won the state championships. I was in tears and beaming in every picture.
How it felt when my antidepressants began to work. I had no idea life could feel that way, and that time could pass so easily.
tofuonplate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:15:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Too long maybe, but that sums up highlight of my life.
eferyreyr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:15:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Climbing on dad's shoulders under water before he jumped up and we flew into the water.
Shadowyugi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:15:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm going to assume that by "Core Memories", you mean the good and bad, so here goes;
Scheming with my little sister on how to convince my mum to let us play video games when we were young.
Lunch time in primary school with my set of close friends, and this particular crush of mine. We'd play cops, robbers and damsels... and every time I and the guys saved the 'damsels', she'd give me the sweetest smile that melted my heart every time.
Seeing my sister in the hospital, unknowingly for the last time, because I had to go home for the night. The last thing she ever said to me was "Don't worry. God is in control.". She passed away that night.
Being picked by my dad's driver from boarding school early in the term, because my mum was "travelling" to the UK. Only to come home to meet a grieving family, and a picture of my mum. Haven't cried that intensely since.
Hearing my dad say that he could "afford to neglect" my elder sister and I, in front of his mum, which made all three of us cry. He's good at saying things that shouldn't be said (cos he might not even mean it), but bad at apologizing about it.
Crying in the car with my oldest sister, after unwittingly writing a poem about how our mum won't be there to see us get married.
Confessing my feelings to a girl, who reciprocated, only for her to end up with my best friend a week later.
Fujisaito ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:15:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first kiss: I was young, no more than 6 or 7, and she was a month younger than me. She was a super cool girl, not into girl things - she wanted to play with the batman figures I owned and she wanted to do action-y type stuff with them! When your raised thinking all girls love pink and Barbies, it was really nice to realized that the stereotype could be broken. Anyway, we carried on playing and moved on top of the bunkbed to go under the covers and create a cave sort of stage! And then she kissed me. We weren't "boyfriend and girlfriend" at the time, just friends. I just remember her saying "that was fun!! Let's do it again!" And then we ended up going out together (by kids terms) for about 3 more years!
More recent, 4 years ago. I went through a very rough part of my life so far in high school over girl troubles. It led to self harm, and I hit a real low. I lost all contact with my friends and really just moved my entire life online. I made friends all across the world and realized that just because people don't like me / don't want to hang out with me in my home town, doesn't mean that people somewhere else in the world don't want to spend time with me. Which leads us nicely into core memory number 3!
I met my bestfriend 5 years ago through a website based on Vocaloids (Japanese synth singing things) which had all sorts of sub-forums. We're talking like Roleplaying, Music, Games - things that might not even relate to the main site just added on (I don't know if I'm aloud to give the name of the site :x ). ANYWAY. We met through a roleplay and started to bond over passtimes we both enjoyed, anime, video games, music etc. and she helped me get through a lot of the issues i went through in school (petty issues now I'm older and look back, but when your 15, a broken heart hurts a lot...it's like the end of the world). After a year of being friends I asked her if she'd want to try a long distance relationship with me, if she'd want to give it a go. We both knew it would be difficult, but she said yes! And next month is our 4 year anniversary. But the core memory is about a month ago, she came to visit me for 2 weeks and stay with us. And seeing her in person for the second time, and actually living with her, changed my entire life. She made me realize that there's more important things than video games and treating yourself. She made me realize that I was an adult and the things I wanted have made a sudden shift. Which is the reason why I'm going to her home state in November to see the Zelda Symphony Orchestra - something we both wanted to see for a long time, but now I'm budgeting, and caring about my money, it's a physical reality.
I'm only 19, 20 in November, so my memories are still being made. But these are some of the ones that make me happy even just typing about them!
Also, heck yeah to being able to answer an ask reddit question in the United Kingdom! I'm nearly always late!Dnastysahu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:15:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Right now. Everyday I wake up at 4:15AM for my internship at a big 3. I should get back home at 3:30. Usually much later (7-8). All my money will go to pay for school, and I remind myself everyday that I'm doing this to get a good job so that my little brother doesn't have to worry about student loans like I do. Someday it'll be worth it.
throwawayaccounthe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:15:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
the day my 2nd cat died. the day my best friend/ex fiancee died. the day i decided to pursue opera when going pop/rock voice wasnt going that well. "samuel your voice is so loud, almost operatic" the day i decided to lose weight. i turned to my cat, who is my biggest influence, and said "cuddles im gonna start losing weight today" the day i gave up my cat to my mother as i was moving out and couldnt take him with me. still the most depressing week ive ever experienced. and recently: my first opera performance which was also my first ever performance which was also my first ever paid performance. the day i got my cat back. i visited him like every few months as mum lived 6 hrs away but now that fucker is right here next to me and im never giving him up again.
PrayTheRayAway ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:16:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably my dad killing himself.
lIlCitanul ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:16:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think my most iconic one is a simple one. I was unemployed, living at home while I was capable of finding work. I have a degree in IT and Economics, have had three different well paid jobs but messed them all up because I didn't care for anything.
During this time my mother was depressed and had been in a mental hospital for several months by now. My stephdad, a great guy, had recently found another job, nothing special, just a job. But he was clearly suffering from all the pressure and things going on.
We were just talking right before he went to work about something random, can't remember. But then he had to go, took his backpack and when I saw him walk down the yard to his car I just felt awful. Here he was, never having had a decent youth due to his father, clearly suffering right now from circumstances and still slugging through life. And I was being a lazy guy, somewhat profitting from that.
So since that day I stepped up my game, found a job I like and won't forget that memory.
overbread ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:16:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How my Dad - usually not much into the stuff i liked as a kid - gifted me Pokemon Yellow on a standard non-holiday. I was so baffled i literally thought it wasn't for me.
AboynamedDOOMTRAIN ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:16:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My older brother throwing me to the ground and jumping off his bed and onto my hand, breaking most of the bones in it.
Driving around downtown in a golf cart with my dad (who was a volunteer organizer for a local parade) at the age of ~12. Was the closest thing to driving I'd ever done and I was scared shitless but having a blast.
6th grade, a group of "my friends" made fun of me for being smart (a common occurrence throughout my childhood). I very distinctly remember making a conscious decision to no longer be smart. I actually remember sitting Language Arts mentally "praying the smart away" so that I could be cool. This is probably also my single largest regret in life.
Age 14: Walking into my grandparent's house and hearing my uncle exclaim "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeey the boooooyssssssss are heaaaaar" for the first time after learning what gay people were and putting 2 and 2 together. About 10 minutes later my Aunt showed up on a Harley with her girlfriend and I put that together too and suddenly realized why this was the first time we'd seen the 2 of them in about 5 years. My parents were pretty intolerant as it turns out.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:51:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How is your hand now?
AboynamedDOOMTRAIN ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:56:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, it healed up just fine. It was just a really terrifying moment. My older brother was kind of a psychopath.
Rango939 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:16:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cracking my skull when I was in kindergarden is one of the very few things I cannot forget haha
Jurellai ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:16:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Picking out the bathroom floor for my bathroom when I was 6. My parents were building a house and I got pink linoleum with flowers, I was so excited and felt so grownup
Making "obstacle" courses in the yard with my cousins, then trying to run them dressed up
Sitting out in my grandfathers garden with him, eating all the sugar snap peas we were supposed to bring inside for dinner. This happened at least once a week.
Sitting on the empty floor of the newly rented apartment with my fiancรฉ two weeks before the wedding. We met there for lunch because we just got the keys. It was the first place I'd ever lived away from home, we were so excited, and still celebrate that date every year we've been in the place
apachehood ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:17:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First fight,first buck,first bully,and first kiss
misskelseyyy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:17:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom taking me along on a robbing "spree".
Playing outside with my friends in elementary school, then moving away and moving back after 6 months or so. We were all such good friends and it was really, really nice to move back.
First cruise. My dad and I really started bonding then.
Getting accepted into my chosen university.
My latest trip to Disney World (June of this year). It was such an amazing time and another really good time to bond with my dad. I am old enough to actually enjoy and remember the trip, too. We had such an amazing time.
Getting engaged.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:17:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Falling down the stairs.
The first time my dad took my sister and I to the mountains.
Laughing at my dog Fred. He ran through a corn field and it hurt his butt so bad he couldn't sit. We started calling him corn butt.
The day my dad left when my parents divorced. It's the only time I ever saw him cry.
Hitting my first in the park home run in little league and feeling accepted by my teammates.
Coming home from a weekend with my dad and finding out my grandfather had died.
Dapoopers ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:17:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents divorced when I was really young and I was unlucky enough to look exactly like my mother. My father got full custody of my two older brothers and I, so that lead to being ignored and looked down upon by my father, while he completely loved my brothers. He never hit or beat me, he just treated me like a background character at best, and a anchor or annoyance at worst. I was about four years old and was up by myself one night watching tv when my dad came home from work. He walked in, looked at me, laid down his briefcase on the desk and we looked at each other for a moment. He opened up his briefcase and pulled out a chocolate bar, walked over, gave it to me and kissed me on the head. That was the last time he did anything nice for or to me. It's my happiest memory.
tspike7 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-my bipolar girlfriend having a manic episode and cutting her wrist in from of me
-first night going to bed at basic training saying to myself "what the fuck did I just get myself into
-going to a Christian summer camp in Japan and taking care of the grounds by cutting grass and moving bricks etc
-dealing with depression and feeling lost when I went to Kuwait
These are just a few that come to mind
yoteachcaniborrowpen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day I got into graduate school. I come from pretty humble beginnings, was the first in my family to even go to college, much less pursue academia.
I was in a serious relationship with the man I knew I wanted to marry, who also couldn't relocate to a different city because of his job. There was one university in my area with one professor I wanted to study with. Fortunately for me, I was his lab manager for a while before applying to be his student.
Unfortunately for me, I was wait listed. I had a good GPA but I wasn't a strong test taker or writer so I understand the decision.
I knew, personally, the other guy that was accepted in the only available spot and I knew he was going to accept the offer. So wait listed was any good for me. The agony I felt was insane. I had a choice - either give up settling down in a happy relationship with the guy of my dreams and pursue a career I loved in another city, or give up on following the career path I desperately wanted.
I chose the guy.
A few weeks later, on a Friday afternoon, the prof pulled me into his office to talk to me. I thought I was getting canned because he was running out of grant money.
Instead, he told me that a spot had opened up in the department, and they wanted to extend an offer to me to join the program.
I was dumbfounded, and immediately started crying in his office. I just couldn't believe it. I was going to get a chance to earn my PhD. My fucking PhD! Me, lowly little kid from a fucking alchoholic, dirt poor, backwards ass family that worked my ass off to crawl out of that shit hole of a life. And it wasn't that the other guy didn't accept his spot - he did. So to this day, I don't know deal with the devil that my adviser made to get another spot open and get me into that program, but I will never fucking forget it, or that moment.
He completely changed my life and set it in a path where I am financially comfortable in a career I love. I just cannot express how much that means to me.
corememories12 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I made this account just to comment on some of mine since I saw a picture that made me think of many of my core memories"
lets start with the nice ones...
When my baby brother called me dad by accident since I was the one that raised him.
Meeting Laura.
Sad ones...
The moment when my best friend took a bullet for me which led to his death and me being alive.
Laura getting killed because she wouldn't give up her necklace to a thief.
Moving away from where Laura died without saying goodbye to her mom.
Realizing I'm doing nothing with my life even though my best friend sacrificed himself for me.
Vycadin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
7 - mom telling me that I can't paint/draw even though the teacher says it was beautiful. Frustrated artist.
8 - singing boy band songs (backstreet boys, boyzone, westlife) at the back of my father's car. He owns the cassettes btw. Made me appreciate any form of music.
11 - playing basketball before classes even start. School uniform was all sweaty during the morning classes. Explained to teacher that I won't back down to any competition.
12 - while crossing the street, books fell of of my backpack causing a multiple-vehicle collision. Hate crossing the streets til now especially with a backpack.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just jotting this down now, I'll add more when I have time during the day
nonchalanti ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was about 6 or 7, misbehaving and poking my tongue out at the dinner table. My Dad was getting really annoyed with me and so caught me off guard and put mustard on my tongue the next time I poked it out. I cried because it felt hot in my mouth and I don't eat hot/spicy food to this day.
I went to the Royal Cornwall Show whilst at primary school and ended up meeting the Queen, kind of by accident. My teacher took photos on my camera and I took it home at the end of the day to get the film developed. Mum excitedly got dad to open the back of the camera to remove the film, when, as the back sprung off the camera, there was no film inside. Mum had asked Dad the night before to make sure there was a film in the camera for me and he had forgotten it. I still use that against him jokingly today.
The kids on my street and I were all firm friends and we used to ride our bikes around the block. Halfway round was my grandparents house, opposite an orchard. We all decided to make a den under a big tree in the orchard and my Grandad made us a swing that hung from a big sturdy branch. One day, me and some of the other kids were playing on the swing, seeing how many of us could hold on to it, when the ropes came undone, sending all of us flying backward and we went tumbling down through a big bush and landed straight on top of some sort of animal skeleton. We were afraid we had 'rabies' for weeks.
I remember going on holiday and getting a tamagotchi whilst there. It was pink and yellow, and the little pet was a duck. We were travelling home from the holiday at night and the tamagotchi died. When I got home I reset it and hatched a new one. I took it out on the street to show my friend and he smashed it against a lamp post on purpose, and broke it. Thanks to him, I had to have a crappy pretend tamagotchi with like 15 different animals to choose from as a replacement. I mean that might sound better but it wasn't. It just wasn't the tamagotchi.
Actually I have loads and if we are talking inside out, quite a few of them are blue. Go figure!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Numb3rs4 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I still have that card!
PuffsPlusArmada ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All involve shame and humiliation.
raudssus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHArCl_fPm0
Dolannsquisky ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Breaking my arm.
Breaking up with my ex.
Breaking up with my other ex.
Discovering alcoholism.
Losing all my friends.
Minariku ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's threads like this that remind me a good bit of my "core" memories are sad. 1. The first time my siblings and I stopped eating everyday 2. My dad punched me in the eye for being a smartass and lying about it to my teacher, the following counselor, and social services. 3. My 5th birthday when my grandfather got me a pony 4. The first day our house was broken into. 5. The night my mom tried to kill us both by crashing the car. 6. Sitting on a fence post feeding my pony and apple
bsuracer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:20:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When dad and I went to our first Brickyard 400 (it's a big race in Indiana). The race didn't start until like 1pm, but we had to get there early so we left at 5am. I was only 7 and I was up before dad. I was so excited for the race that I talked all the way until the race started. It's now a tradition him and I have done for the last 18 years.
My first day of university. I had never been away from home before. I was on my own. My parents left after I had unpacked and got everything together and I was left in this mysterious place on my own while I still had to wait 6 hours until my roommate would move in. That first hour I cried. I was terrified, everything was all on me now. But luckily after the first hour, everything went well. I met friends that I still talk to today and created some amazing memories.
When my girlfriend of 3.5 years cheated on me and left me for someone else. It's been a little over 2 years now and I honestly still haven't recovered from it.
My grandfather's funeral. Not because my papaw died, but because my dad cried. I was 16 at the time and that was the first time that I ever saw my dad cry. All my life this guy has been the strongest man I knew (and still know to this day). We've been in some dicey situations and I never saw him flinch once or show any extreme emotions. Just seeing him rattled like that shook me pretty hard, but it taught me it is okay to cry too.
jl4855 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:20:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
dad taking us to the ballpark to catch a game.
Delica ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:20:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom was raising two boys with no child support, off the pay from a secretary job. She came home from work and had bought groceries. She had randomly bought my brother and I each a pack of cards.
It sounds unimportant, but it says a lot that, even with barely enough money to survive, she made an extra effort to show love.
Darenthelion ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:20:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 5 my dads younger brother (my favorite uncle) immigrated to the US and lived with us for a good year before moving out and getting married.
During that summer I remember that a bunch of our family was coming over and my mom was in the kitchen, my dad and my sister were reading a book, and I decided to run into the living room to see my uncle standing in front of the patio door. He said "hey Darenthelion" and picked me up and put me on his shoulders and we walked around the house.
It's tiny. But It's made me love having a chaotic house where everyone is doing something and family is all in one place.
Made me sad when my uncle left and my dad and him had a feud where they are just now getting on speaking terms.
But the past ten years have basically been without my uncle. And I wonder if we'd be closer if not for what happened.
Still it is one of those memories that stuck with me.
kaydesmith ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:21:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One time my dad said goodbye instead of goodnight.
We never said hello again.
CoatOfPaintByNumbers ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:21:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
More or less in chronological order.
Watching the tractor that crushed my dad being taken away from our family farm. I'm not sure if I remember this or have created the memory, I was only about 18 months.
Building my own tree house.
My border collie cross kelpie peeing himself whilst protecting me from the vicious jack russell that was all talk.
Using mums ironing board as a space ship launching pad.
Doing most of a backflip on my bike, unintentionally.
The pranks mum and I pulled on each other.
The pranks mum and I pulled on our extended family.
That time I accidentally on purpose hit my crush in the head with a cricket ball, thrown from 50m away and had to write an apology to her.
As a surf life saver, having to rescue and give car to my mum whilst on duty.
I should have put more effort into the speech for my wedding.
Skydiving.
As a fire fighter, the last conversation I had with two of my colleagues before they died during emergency response.
Sitting in the chair rocking my 18 month old to sleep, thinking about all the moments I've had and will have with him, and that my dad never had those with me.
JyzzKhalifa ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:21:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably late to the party but oh well.
That feeling as child, where I would run up to my dad and he would swoop me up off the ground. Being 28 now, it's something I know I'll never be able to experience again, but will always cherish.
igottashare ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:21:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was almost 3 when my parents split up. I remember standing at the top of the stairs, dropping a large dye cast model of Hutch's Grand Torino into a box. At the new place, I remember hating that there was no yard and kicking a ball against my bedroom wall. Eventually I got out the Torino and started banging that against the wall to make it look damaged. I never played with the Torino after that day.
robbieeeeee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:21:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
housethatjacobbuilt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:22:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
โข Reading Harry Potter with my parents when I was a kid. โข Seeing Boyhood for the first time in theaters in the summer of 2014. โข Traveling around Europe on a Student Ambassador trip in 7th grade, made so many friends and had so many cool experiences. โข Universal Studios with my Dad. โข Partying for the first time with my cousin in Iowa. โข Making out with a friend of my cousin (different side of the family) in Chicago after going out for dinner and getting drunk in his hot tub. โข Going clubbing at a resort in Cancun with my Iowa cousin (lots of partying with my cousins memories). Felt so free. โข Stepping on the scale and seeing I had achieved my goal of losing 60 pounds. โข Listening to "Let it Happen" by Tame Impala for the first time on spring break in California in 2015. โข Law and Advocacy Camp at American University in D.C.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:22:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 4-5 I had a terrible nightmare and went into my parents bedroom and asked to sleep in the bed with them.
The time in elementary school where I forgot to bring shorts to gym class and had to stay in underwear.
My first kiss.
The day my father left.
The day my father beat me bloody.
The first time I went to a live sporting event. It was a soccer match.
My first piano recital.
My first live concert. It was Muse.
The day I met my wife.
My first vacation with my wife.
The day my father had bypass surgery and survived despite low odds and complications, and the subsequent reconciliation.
The first (and so far only) time that I got to perform a piano concerto with an orchestra in front of a large audience.
The day that I served my wife divorce papers.
wellunder9000 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:22:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
being carried on my dad's shoulders at the state fair
Falling off of a tall snowbank, playing dead, and receiving my first kiss from a girl I kind of liked to revive me
the first time I ever wore goalie pads,wasn't afraid of the puck
using "the punch" on a kid who was being a dick to me at recess
setting a record speed run from the southern suburbs to sillwater in my friend's 850r at 2am
The first time I heard my mustang start before I bought it
Doing donuts in a snowy parking lot on Christmas morning
My first rebuilt engine starting on the first crank
A girl lovingly washing me off after I had a long, sore, dirty day working underneath a car
captmomo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:22:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
my mom telling me that i don't love her enough.
my dog getting run over by a van. carried him and ran all the way to the vet. he didn't make it.
Flying_Cactus_Chick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:23:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 1 or 2 years old, and I was in the supermarket with my parents. Suddenly we hear the sound of glass breaking and we see this trolley turned over, broken bottles on the ground and this maybe 4 year old girl with her face covered in blood. I'll never forget her face covered in blood. Years later, my parents told me more of the story. My dad ran to get bandaids while her father literally held togheter the two sides of a large cut in her forehead so it wouldn't open more. Her mother was frozen in ansolute shock. They put lots lof bandaids vertically (the wound was horizontal) so as to prevent it from opening, while they waited for the ambulance.
Climbing through the kindergarten class' window with my best friend. Some would argue that we were girlfriend-boyfriend but that's unclear. His mum and my dad helped us in, and the teacher said "oh, you guys always comming through the window!" in kind of a mock-reprimand way. My mum confirmed years later that it was a usual thing.
Arming myself with books and candy to make it through a whole day of theatre rehearsal of my mum's theatre group when I was about 9. Thinking back, it was pretty awesome. I had no responsibilities and I got to read my books and eat candy all day.
Meeting my ex bf in this dance club at 17. I was sitting with a friend and we were about to make out to have our first lesbian experience, when all this guys come talk to us. I didn't give a shit about any of them. I was so drunk. Through barely opened eyes I looked at them all in a haze. Then, I saw him and was taken aback. He was so fucking hot I couldn't believe it. Imagine my bliss when he kept my gaze and grabbed my hand. A bit later we kissed. It was so perfect. The relationship, well, not so much.
The first time I felt insane chemistry. It was with a friend and there was so much sexual tension accumulated over the years. The release was incredible and we didn't even get to go all the way because we were in a living room.
When my trip alone started last year. The plane taking off. I felt such a rush of excitement! And so many other memories during those months but it would take me too long to write.
My first time trying mdma this year. A feeling of absolute peace and connection with people. I don't advocate for drugs so I don't know if it's wise to comment this but I can't help it. I know it will be imprinted in my mind forever.
funktopus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:23:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My fiancee leaving me for a married man. After I left a job I'd had for 8 years, and the state I grew up in.
Sleeping on a park bench after being attacked by my mother.
My friends meeting me in Cleveland after my fiancee left me.
The birth of my son.
My parents telling me they are really busy and can't come meet him.
GreyFoxNinjaFan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:23:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Gacode ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:23:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My brother swallow a bubble gum which my father always forbid us to eat because of that reason, My father was going to really give my brother a lesson with a belt, but i kept my brother lock inside my room and hide him under my bed so my father won't find him. After several hours, my father say he will fogive him if hes going out, so he's out and nothing happen afterward.
My first day at kindergarden
My uncle and i playing in front of out house.
TheOneCanuckian ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:23:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Grade 9 French class. Languages were never my strong suit. I preferred science and technology to arts and languages. I was doing decently in the class, but I definitely wasn't the top student. Jacqueline was. I tended to listen more than participate in French class since I wasn't confident in my abilities.
One day I was feeling like I was really catching on so I worked up the gumption to answer a question, only to be incorrect. Jacqueline, who sat in front of me, turned around in her chair, looked me straight in the eye and said with dripping mockery: "You're an idiot".
I didn't participate much in French class after that. I scraped by with a barely passing grade and my grades dropped in other classes as well because my ability to participate in the learning experience was just shattered. That was... 16 years ago now, and I can still see her face and hear the mockery in her voice whenever I consider trying something new.
I've been picked on before and made fun of, but most of it has gone away and I've matured beyond petty bullying, but for some reason Jacqueline's comment is one of my strongest core memories and has seriously impacted how my life has been shaped.
borensoren ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:23:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Telling my first grade class that I thought my stepdad hitting me and calling me a "stupid motherfucker" was bad touch. Probably the first time I realized what was happening to me was wrong
Watching my uncle strangle his wife until she passed out and left in a hurry, leaving his three kids and two nephews (ages 2-8) to fend for themselves.
Staying up late with my mom's future husband watching bloodsport
First day of school in France
adfadfafaasdfadsfa ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:23:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was like 9 or 10 years old I wanted to get Subway. My dad took me there, and I asked him if he wanted a sandwich. He said no, I asked if he was sure, and he still said No. So I get my sandwich and when I come back my dad asks for half. I told him wtf but I asked you if you wanted one? Give me more money Ill go get you one right now (I honestly felt that I shouldnt share mine) and then he told me this. "If you were willing to share that sandwich with me I would've given you 500$" It wasnt about the reward or anything, but that memory stuck with me to not be cheap and be charitable to others when I can.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:24:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow reading all those stories make me feel so empty inside.
LordOfDustAndBones ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Same here man...
peanutismint ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:24:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Simple things.
sas624 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:24:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wearing the Superman costume under my normal clothes outside, then having my cousin pretend he's in trouble to reveal I'm Superman in Christopher Reeve fashion "saving" him
This is the one that I vividly remember
Sabliere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:24:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 6, we moved from South Africa all the way to Germany. While that isn't a core memory for me (although I vaguely recall something about Harry Potter being shown on the plane?), this meant that we rarely, if ever saw extended family and that includes my grandparents. We would fly back about every 3 years over christmas and we would visit family. But in the mean time, I think my grandparents on my dad's side visited maybe once or twice. The last time I saw my grandma and grandpa was when I was about 11 or 12 and was incredibly emotional for me; I recall being at the airport, watching the airport staff drive off on those small car things and my grandma waving back at me. Once they were far enough, I burst into tears and couldn't stop crying. I think in that moment, something in me recognized the fact that this would be the last time I saw them like this? That realization hit me so hard and I think it was the first time I was confronted with mortality. Yeah, my grandma passed away from cancer after that and my grandpa just got so, so old and confused. He passed away a few years later. I'm 21 one and I still remember it so well.
When I was 16 I had a weekend job at the local museum, just supervising the random assortment of stuff, nothing important. But it was on sundays and as such, my dad would drive me down to the museum. One of the sundays however, it was raining heavily and we just chatted about a random assortment of things; how's school? How's work? All those types of things. I'm not sure how that part of the conversation started, but my dad was telling me about how he and his dad used to take longer drives when it rained. It seems so simple now, but it kind of gave me this sense of belonging and connection? I used to be a very angry teenager and I think that that experience of contentment and calm, watching and hearing the raindrops fall, gave me a baseline to take comfort from. It made it ok for me to not be the outgoing, constantly talking teenagers that everyone expected and to simply just be.
This one is less a single memory, but more a bunch of them coming together. At this point in time, me and my middle sister barely talk. I see her perhaps a few times a year and that's it. While that may be the norm for some people, my family is actually really tightknit and this was a slow crescendo of dislike, spite and irritation. I remember when we younger, me and my middle sister used to create worlds for the heck of it; maps, creatures, names, the whole thing. It was something that we could do together creatively and it was fun. That was also the last time we probably had a long term civil relationship. From then on, everything just went down the drain; I continued with worldbuilding (and still do) because it's fun and it makes you think, but on one occasion, I was explaining the ideas I had and she disagreed with them; this ended with a fierce fight, which went on from leaving the restaurant we were in, to shouting on her part in the car, me telling her to pullover because she was driving so eratically and me being called "emotionally disconnected". On another occasion, I disagreed with her taste in clothes once she asked me for my opinion and got a "you're not the fashion police" spat in my face. There was also her telling me that my godfather thought I was a spoiled little brat and that he didn't want anything to do with me, at that time I was 12 or 13 and enduring some pretty bad bullying in school. There were so many more fights, but it kind of escalated in the last 2 to 3 years; when I was 17, I got to do an internship in China for 3 months, shortly after, I came back to Germany and then had a job for 3 months in Italy. Later on in that year, I started my degree in Malaysia, going there completely alone. Basically, this meant that I had to do a shitton of maturing, as I was traveling alone, living alone, generally being independant. Of course, this meant that my family was proud of me thankfully, however, in the next fight I got that thrown in my face as well, that "she keeps hearing about this matureness, but she can't see it". After that, I kept asking the rest of my family what I should do, as anything and everything I did seemed to get under her skin. No one knew. The best was my mom telling me to "accept her the way she is" and to "keep trying because she IS your sister", at which point I really had no energy left anymore. There is so much apathy on my part at the moment. The last time I talked to her was at her wedding in April, as skyping with me is "just me talking about myself all the time" apparently and she doesn't want to listen to that. She recently moved as well and I literally heard about it the day they moved into the new place and still don't know what it looks like. Damn, this is getting somewhat long, eh? Honestly though, this is a core feeling for me and it's not something that is over yet.
TheAlmightyPierceB ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:24:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is in no particular order.
โขBecoming an uncle for the first, second and third time they all were pretty amazing looking into the little faces of my niece and nephews realising I was going to be a part of their journey in life and being able to watch them grow up and develop into their own person all from the fun distance of I don't have to look after them 24/7.
โขMy step dads funeral. I loved that man to pieces he was my best friend after my parents had separated and I moved out of my dads house because I couldn't handle the constant bullying from my step mum. I still remember my step sisters trying their hardest to get through their speech and final goodbyes to him thinking about it still brings me to tears to this day.
โขMy childhood dog who passed away late last year. I absolutely loved her to pieces even in her final days she was the happiest little thing in the world she gave me 15 years of non stop love and happiness.
โขFalling in love for the first time and taking the risk of revealing how I felt. She was my best friend and we had shared so much with each other and she had helped me battle depression, lose weight and become an all round happier person. Unfortunately she didn't feel the same and the friendship wasn't able to stay the same and eventually we stopped being friends entirely. Wherever she is now I wish her all the best.
โขGrowing up in Dunedin playing cricket and rugby on the streets with all the neighbourhood kids until sunset I remember endless summer holidays spent playing pick up games or just roaming the streets with your friends. Reminiscing about those days never fails to bring a smile to my dial.
โขMy parents divorce. This for me felt like the end of my happy family really, everything felt divided in two. I remember I held on to hope for the longest time that my mum and dad would get back together only for them to meet new people which was a really hard pill to swallow.
toddsleivonski ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:24:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
everydyingember ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
-The time my band members made me walk on stage wearing a red cape whilst the superman theme played through the PA system, as we were about to perform in front of our largest crowd ever, 100+ sold out hometown show of tour, in Brighton, UK. The adrenaline was overwhelming as all of our friends and family were there.
At aged 9 or 10, going through my Dad's huge shelf of CD's and picking random ones and putting them on my walkman. Discovering The Beatles, and Blur, and The Who.
Driving home in the middle of the night after things ended with my "girlfriend." Getting home and watching the whole of The US Office series 1 to ease my pain.
Kudhos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a kid, me and my family + relatives were in Mallorca and at a bar there was a claw machine. That claw machine was "broken" so it had like a 80% win chance. Me, my brother, and the rest of the family went to that bar every night and I probably won 10-20 plushies each day. They even made it "out of order" a while.
on a vacation in Paris, France, my + my brother + my dad went every night and bought McFlurries at McD. Only because these McFlurries had a lottery on it where you could win more McFlurries. So if we'd win, we'd come the next day for a free McFlurry. It was neat because we got to walk through the beautiful city of Paris while having fun.
learning to drive with my dad. After a fee months, we'd drive for hours and just.. Talk. About all and everything. It was so sweet because I learned more about his life before me than ever before.
rck_james_bitch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My uncle came to live with my family when I was very young and I remember playing catch with him outside. Every time the ball fell on his end, I remember the way he picked up the ball, bending at the waist and one leg off the ground. He committed suicide or got murdered a few years later. Every time I play ball with my kids, I pick the ball the same way unintentionally, but it reminds me of him. Every time.
My aunt telling me I looked good in my new sunglasses about 10 years ago. She died 2 years later of cancer. I will never get rid of those sunglasses and still wear them to this day.
Njncguy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Two related core memories here:
When I was about 12 my dad left home (forever) at the end of a heated family argument. My older brother (age 16) had stood up to our dad over his horrendous treatment of our mom. Our dad left in a huff when he demanded that our mom make my brother apologize for calling him a liar (which he most decidedly was). Thank god my mother finally stopped letting dad push her around and didn't do his bidding. It's just too bad my brother had to be the one to call dad out on his bad behavior. ... Dad was a serial cheater. He also abused our mom with such techniques a the "silent treatment" (would just blankly stare at her for the purpose of trying to drive her nuts).
The day I found out my wife had for years been living a secret life of affairs. The moment came when I got a call from an ex lover of my wife who in his anger over being spurned (wife had moved on to a new lover) decided he would spill the beans. So much for my 18 year marriage and raising our two young children in a loving family. As it was, for years my wife had treated me badly. As my counselor helped me see, in many ways I had subconsciously recreated my childhood by marrying someone similar to my dad (pre-disposed to cheating and quite capable of being abusive).
werequeer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Middle school had ended, and I was having a difficult time with life. I attended a small school, and was not only bullied but also socially excluded from the majority of students.
My best friend from the year prior moved away, and we lost contact. On the first day of my freshman year I was sitting in study hall and as discreetly as I could manage I began to weep, in a fashion where you try as hard as you might the tears won't stop falling.
Before I knew it, a 12th grade boy, by far one of the most popular kids in my school, sat down next to me and said, "Are you okay?" To which I responded, "Not really, no..." Our conversation went something like this: Him: "What's wrong?" Me: "Well, my best friend moved away, and it everyone is mean to me." Him: "Aww, I'm sorry to hear that. If anyone is ever mean to you, just come to me and I'll handle it right away." Me: "Thank you."
He rubbed my back in a completely platonic, caring manner, and then said, "Don't worry, things will be okay." Before walking away.
Although my school was small and I saw him often we never talked a single instance after that. But his words helped me a lot. At times I would think that everyone hated me and I was better off dead, but then I would remember strangers like him, who literally knew nothing about me, and I would think to myself, "Wow... maybe I do matter."
So although I doubt you remember this, Thank you, Anthony. You're awesome.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hmmm... I am way late to this party, but I'll share anyway.
-Sitting at the top of the stairs in my old house, listening to my parents scream at each other. Swearing that I would never be like that.
-Christmas mornings, coming down those stairs before anyone else woke up and just staring in awe at the tree and all the gifts and decorations.
-My brother being born.
-Breaking up with the first girl I loved; hating myself because I knew I broke her heart.
-The first time my (now) wife and I said we loved each other.
-Seeing my son for the first time.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
"Indoor picnics" with my grandparents. They looked after us a lot, and on rainy days our favourite lunch involved putting a blanket in the lounge spread with all the traditional picnic foods. We wore our sun hats and pretended to be on the beach.
The day my cat followed me to school and his little head appeared at the classroom window.
Witnessing my parents having a huge fight because my dad hadn't fixed the oven so my mum was going to take me to McDonalds instead. Such a stupid reason for a fight but they got really heated and even hit each other. I felt like I had caused it because I'd asked for a Happy Meal.
When my brother broke both of his arms at school and I ran to see the ambulance. Feels like a big deal now but my diary entry for the day reads: "Mum's car failed it's MOT! Oh yeah and [brother] broke his arms."
Aged 15, meeting my friends in the park late at night to have a 'fight' with plastic axes and swords.
Going to university and driving through the entrance for the first time. Then waving my parents off whilst everyone else was only just arriving.
Studying abroad in the US, watching the shadow of the plane move over the city as we came into land for the first time. I'd never even been on a plane before and I felt so free, like there were limitless possibilities in my life.
In the early stages of being with my SO, lying on the floor of her room together, listening to music in the dark.
edit: the grammars
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
IDK At this rate I've lost count...
FatalAmbassador ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:26:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time that I came back from Iraq, I remember standing in this huge, empty building and standing in formation with the rest of my unit. I hadn't been able to get in touch with any of my family and I remember being completely heartbroken that I couldn't see them in the crowd that sat in front of us. When they allowed our formation to break to meet our family, I was prepared to go off alone. It was then that my mother ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug. I don't think that I've ever been happier in my lie, nor happier to see her.
After my last deployment, a "psychologist" (quoted because that's what people said they were, though I don't think anyone knew for sure), came to speak with each person in my unit. I remember a good friend of mine went in before me and when he came back out, he said that he unloaded everything on the psychologist and the psychologist told him that he should just suck it up because he was going to be out of the Army soon anyway.
I don't remember much after the day that I had drank myself to oblivion and cut myself up with a razor (about a year or so after I got out the Army), but I do remember my mom finding me in my apartment, taking me to her place and putting me in the tub. Specifically, I remember her crying on the phone to my sister saying that she didn't know what to do. It broke my heart, even in the drunken stupor that I was in. She did take me to the VA hospital and the hospital eventually put me into the psych ward. The memory of my sister and my mom standing there with tears in their eyes at the door, telling me that I was going to be okay and that they love me has always stuck with me.
Holding my newborn nephew and seeing my sister's face light up while he was in her arms.
ThePotatoeWithNoMass ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:27:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reading my first novel. I was maybe 10 at the time and I was reading the first book from the CHERUB series. Avid reader since then.
My dad reking my 7 year old ass in FIFA and my subsequent crying because I wanted to win and he never let me. Been 8 years since, and I am as competitive as it gets. I love my dad.
My dad telling me girls always had better grades than boys (I'm a dude) when we were leaving my grandmother's house. Just finished middle school at the top of my class and had the second best math grade of the school in my finals.
DontTouchTheClock ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:27:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Being carried up the stairs, by my now disabled mother, to a house we used to stay every year. When I woke after the nap, I found my marbles and loaded them into a shooter. I would aim for the skirting, where they would bounce off. I had a large biscuit tin full of them, the front was white with a clown painted smiling with a sword.
Sitting in my nans lounge as my grandpa would watch as many shows as he could by switching through the chanels rapidly. He never left his chair at meal times, he would set the television to one channel and eat at his chair.
Losing my boyfreind. We had been together for three years, before we began dating, he was my only friend. I was bad at making friends, I failed at small talk and idle conversation, I had such anxiety and frequent therapy I left school in year 9. He left me the day I left, we lived close by but he found someone else. We remained akward friends for a while, until he forced himself onto me.
Meeting my girlfriend, calling her beautiful was the best decision I have ever made. She understands how I am terrible with people, she helps me deal with it, I don't know why she stays with me... She never fails to help me be confident and cope.
Tearing the ear off someone in a fight, I don't remember how or why. I remember the taste of their blood and the chunk of their ear on the floor. I blank out when I am angry, I can never remember what happens. I do remember I didn't feel exausted, that causing pain on another person is easy, if you ignore a moral compass causing pain can be as simple as spilling a cup of tea. Since then I have always envisioned the way someones surrounding can hurt them, or how I can make it hurt them. I try not to consider it or follow through, I rarely follow through with causing the pain. I concetrate on the next step, the reaction that might fall on me. If in need I use words to attack, then I leave them. I would rather acheive my personal goals without the handicap of a criminal record.
Bonus:
Once when in town, the two decided to fight over me during a chrismas-bash. I was stuck up against a wall as the two got rather angsty against one another, eventually he lost( and I am forever greatful that he is gone now.).
Catnip_Fatty ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm normally a pretty relaxed guy, and I used to love being in front of crowds (I was in drama, etc.), but in college a few years back I was giving a presentation, and I gave an incorrect answer to a question another student asked, and the professor just looked at me and said "Really? You have no idea what you're talking about, do you?"
I ended the presentation and walked out of the room right there. I was mortified. I see that professor's look of disgust every time I even think about public speaking, and it scares the bejesus out of me. Haven't spoken in front of a crowd since.
fire_n_ice ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There are a few that stand out to me:
When I was a kid, my dad would often let me sit in the front seat and shift his '85 Corolla GT-S for him. Also, whenever we would visit my grandparents, I would usually go outside and sit in my Papaw's truck and pretend I was driving. Really solidified my love of cars.
My dad's best friend from high school moved to MA a few years after graduation. But every time he came back to town to visit family every couple of years, he would make a point to set aside a full day to spend with my dad. It taught me that some friendships really do last a lifetime and no matter how much time and distance separates, you can always pick up right where you left off.
sault9 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For me it would have to be the beginning of my sophomore year of high school a few years back.
I went to my guidance counselor's office seeking advice for the college process. I come from a low income background, my parents are immigrants, and I would be a first-generation student. I was a bit flustered with how he application process worked and wanted to get started ahead of time so that I would be ready for when the time came to apply to universities.
When I went in seeking advice, my guidance counselor told me that I was not going to college and that I would not make it into a two-year institution (state college/community college), much less at a four-year university.
All of my life I had lived through people doubting me and telling me that I can do this or that I can't do that. I had to mature from a young age, having to work from a very young age to help my family with bills. Now, you all can say that this is irresponsible on my parent's part but I attribute my character and my successes thus far to the work ethic that my parents taught me. Nothing had ever affected me as deeply as what my guidance counselor told me.
I took it upon myself to prove her wrong. And these statements pushed me to work harder in school and in the workforce. When the time came, I applied to a total of twelve universities. I was accepted into nine out of twelve institutions. I was accepted into all of the public schools I had applied to in Florida, and I was also accepted into UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UCLA and Berkeley. I was also given an interview to attend Harvard. When I walked across the stage for my high school graduation, I received my high school diploma and I also received something else - I received a diploma from the state college I decided to attend following the statement my guidance counselor made to me. I was able to graduate with my Associate in Arts degree, making me the first person in my family to graduate with a college degree.
This story isn't about to brag about myself, even though it may seem like it. I know people will interpret it differently, but take it as you will. My main goal for anyone reading this is to show and prove to you that value of hard work and determination. To show you that words spoken can really have an impact on someone's life.
I hope someone out there can learn something from my experiences. All I hope to do one is create a positive change in people's lives. If any of you have any questions about transitioning into college, or are just feeling lost and don't know where to turn to, feel free to send me a PM. I will the best I can to offer advice and help in any way I can.
Hope you all have a great rest of your day. Thank you OP, for such a thought provoking question. Remember, there is no limit to the dreams you want to make a reality.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Coming home and seeing my house on fire at age ~5
jEr3MYonR ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going on a road trip with my family. We drove through Estonia-Latvia-Lithuania-Poland-Czezh Republic-Germany-Denmark and Sweden before we got back to Finland were we started.
Staying in Cambrige for a month
My "christianity camp" where I met one of my current best friends (I don't know if that is a thing in other countries, but in Finland nearly all 15 year olds go to a camp that is organized by the church. Even though it about god and stuff, almost all who went there say it was awesome.)
Going to a fishing trip with my dad when I was 10. We stayed two weeks in lapland fishing and camping, visiting Norway to see the sea and hiking. Still one of the best summers of my life
Throwing my first ever hole in one in disc golf
Jihra ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My aunt asking me if I was happy while she was in bed waiting to pass away from cancer. I gave her a big smile and said of course, she just looked at me for a few long seconds and closed her eyes to meditate. She saw right thru me, I was really unhappy with my life and was having thoughts about ending it. I went into the bathroom and bawled my eyes out, that was my turning point. Lost a ton of weight, went back to school, read self improvement books, pushed myself out of my comfort zone, and reconnected with my friends. 4 years later to this day I haven't stopped and its thanks to my Aunt Rose.
PM_ME_YOUR_BOBBYS ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
my first S'more. My whole family used to get together for a week to vacation in Cape Cod. We'd stay in this house just down the street from a beach. I have a lot of memories of that place, but this one sticks out. We had a little grill that we wheeled out to the beach, and I remember my grandfather asking me if I wanted a s'more. I sat on that beach at sunset with my family, and it was great. This memory really isn't about the s'more, but that carefree feeling of summer as a child in the early 90's. No matter how hard I try, I'll never relive that feeling. I'm lucky in that I still have my family, and we're still doing great and we still get together, and I have a family of my own, but it will never be the same.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My family had a house in Pennsylvania when I was young. My family and I were playing blackjack because that's what good father's do, teach their kids to gamble (with fake money) I had 52 chips and I go alright fuck it. All in. My dad tells me son what if you lose at least keep 1! Naw all 52 yo. Ofc I got a black jack and made him dish out all 104 chips. I asked my sister what 52 doubled is cause I didn't know that shit.
zultari ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โขBeing 3 years old and riding a merry go round with my sister, lost my grip and almost fell off, my dad, in what seemed like a second, caught me and held me up. That man wasn't on the ride, he jumped the fence around the merry go round and swooped in to save me from getting hurt.
โขMy sister sticking up for me throughout school until she graduated. I was a quiet kid (still am), and I'd get picked on a lot. My sister, 5'9 and 95 lbs, could beat the shit out of any kid who's dare pick on her brother. I don't know if she remembers some of them, but I always tear up knowing she had my back all these years.
โขMy mom when my parents were still together, would come and play with my hair and sing "You are my sunshine" to me until I fell asleep.. I woke up to see her not asleep with me and I cried until she walked into my room.
And thanks OP for the thread, it's good to remember these things, I haven't tested up like this in awhile.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Going to try balance this out, but honestly, most of my core memories are shit.
1) My older brother and sister huddled around me on our bed while my father beat my mother.
2) My grandfather visiting from overseas and taking us down to the crappy arcade so my brother and I could play street fighter. He just sat to the side and patiently waited.
3) My dad freaking out and smashing a very sturdy laundry bin.
4) Convincing my mum to drive me an hour to the city to buy Doom 2 at less than 10 years old. Did the same thing for Carmageddon at about the age of 14.
5) My older brother having the guts to stand up to my father the last time he almost hit her. My brother was about 2/3rds his size.
6) Falling in love with someone much older than me. Even though the relationship never got physical it became pretty obvious the feeling was mutual when a member of my family asked me if something was going on.
7) Losing my dog to cancer. She wasn't young but she wasn't old either. The first night she spent in our house my mom told me not to get attached coz the vet said she wasn't going to make it. She spent that night in my bed, covered in fleas and mites coz I told my mum she wasn't going to die. Thanks for the 12 years of love Shadow.
8) A pretty girl asking me out at university finally helping me to realise that I was attractive to women in general.
Edit. 9) My Dad bailing me out of a problem involving money no questions asked.
NinaLaPirat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 10 years old, front row to one of the many farewell tours by KISS, with the original four members. Ace motherfucking Frehley leaned down and tapped the security guard on the shoulder, handing him a pick to give directly to me. I had been too short at the time to catch the ones they were all throwing. I was buzzing the rest of the night.
The first time I had to put down one of my dogs, I was about 12 at the time, and this dog had been with us my entire life.
The day my first little brother was born, and I was in the hospital room in a Christmas dress. I didn't want to give him back after they handed him to me.
The night my parents confronted me on being bi. Lots of yelling and crying, and threats to out my girlfriend at the time.
The night I packed up a Uhaul and drove away from an abusive relationship while he was away at work.
The day my best friend told me he wanted to be with me for the rest of our lives. We're planning our wedding now, and he's the best thing to ever happen to me.
Radingod123 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My most powerful one is probably a bittersweet one.
I was about fourteen and I walked my dog down a busy street, the very same street I had lived on for about two years. Her and I walked by a pizza joint at the bottom of my street and I tied my dog outside of it. I already knew that the pizza there sucked but I wanted a slice either way. I went in and got a slice of pizza then came back out. My dog and I ate this pizza together - she had one half of the slice and I had the other. It was pepperoni and cheese, my favourite. She wolfed her slice down and I followed suit then her and I walked back home right after the slice. She died about six months later of cancer. To this day it's a very bitter sweet memory and the only memory I can use to make myself cry. On a rare day I go to that very same pizza joint, sit outside on the steps with a pepperoni slice where her and I ate the slice, eat half that crappy slice then toss the other half away.
ivt03 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 3, my family and I built a 2.5meter snowman in our front yard. It seems very mundane, but it really solidified winter as my favourite season and is one of my happiest memories from childhood.
After hiking for 2.5hours and about 11km, I finally reached the top of a local mountain. It was a perfect day and you could see all the way into Germany. I had just moved there and it made me realize that I had found a second home, and I want to embrace this new culture and world that I now live in.
I have always excelled as a student. Since leaving my home country, to go to graduate school in another, has been an adjustment. In doing so, I ended up failing (dreadfully so) an exam, a first for me. It broke me, I had never felt so dumb and powerless before. It made me think that I am not capable of everything and worse yet, not as smart as I thought I was. Learning how to fail at 23 is the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with.
Gin-German ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Everything....somehow. I remember everything from age 2 onwards more or less, but most of them are negative. Here is a selection:
Being abused in the Kindergarten by my Kindergarten "Teachers", which did all sorts of crazy shit with us (most notably: Forcing every child to eat the black stubble of the banana's end). They complained to my parents that I taught myself to read and were alter found out to have severe psychological disorders (they should have NEVER been employed in any teaching position ever!)
Abuse in school. I was physically beaten for 2 years straight in school by a group of 8 (later 7 as I befriended one of them after beating him up when he tried to jump me alone. Turns out he never really knew why he attacked me at all). Tied to this: Going to hospital to return my left testicle back where it belongs as these 7 had kicked it 5cm up my inguinal canal. Men get kicked in the balls often, but did you ever know the pain of having your testicle SEWED TIGHT in your sac? Hell's Bells for sure...
The big one: 3 weeks of merciless, brutal drilling by the hands of my father to get my Biology Mark up. I went from an E to a B-, but it damaged me for life and set me out on a journey through attempted-suicide-land and sub-sequentially therapy.
Therapy. Mentioned above, but I learned a lot in these 6 years, including me "suffering" from Asperger's. Just 10% Aspergers, but apparently worrying already. These days nobody notices my antics anymore because I learned to control myself (but my thoughts remain a bit "scrambled"). Still, for as harsh as it was it sent me off to a better path. Feels really good now that I think of it.
Graduation. My milestone, managing the Abitur (German GSCE) and succeeding where all my bullies failed at. I was personally congratulated by the headmaster for powering through and my marks were among the top third of the class (aside math. Never again...). Now I study Japanese Language and Culture as well as the English Studies to broaden my cultural and linguistical Know-How. All that's well, ends well...so far.
damen65 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1.) when I first kissed my girlfriend. We were in a park in my hometown and we were having a picnic together. We were playing fighting and tickling each other then we ended up laying side by side. I went halfway for a kiss then she meet me halfway. We ended up dating a few days later and have been dating for the past few years. I absolutely love her and plan on marrying her.
2.) the time when my little sister called me to tell me that my dad is dead. She called me bawling and said that she is pretty sure that he is dead. He used to call us every day to ask us how we were and how our days went. He hadn't called in three days so I left my part time job and I went up to the city he was living in, which was 30 minutes away, to go see if he was okay. We had to get a police officer to open the door and she said she found him laying on the floor dead. He had died of an heart attack in the middle of the night and fell off of his bed. I felt an extreme amount of guilt when figured this out. My father was an alcoholic when I was younger. He has never treated us badly but he always spent our money and put us in bad situations, like always losing his job and not working. The few years before he passed away, he stopped drinking and started to get his life back together. He got a stable job and was working that. He took a lot of time to come see us and make things up to us. However, I was an asshole and wouldn't make the time for him. I wouldn't answer his calls or go see him. I feel an extreme amount of guilt about it now and wish that I would have seen him more before he died. He died a week before my senior year in high school started and I never told anyone in school except for a few trusted teachers and my best friends.
3.) I played football in high school, which was a small school. I started on defense and we had made it to the playoffs. We lost in the first round. All of the seniors started crying because we had lost. I didn't cry until one of my favorite teachers, who was also one of my football coaches, came up to me and talked to me. He walked up and gave me a big hug then told me that my dad would be so proud of me and that my dad will always love me. I broke down crying right there. It was the first time that I had thought about it in a while because my mind had been focused on school, activities and sports. I felt relief when I just cried it all out.
4.) At the end of my senior year, I had finally decided what I wanted to do for my career and what college I wanted to go to. However, I was worried how I was going to pay for it. My family is low-income and we had got little help from FAFSA. I had an awards night that I had to attend where we figure out what scholarships we got. During the ceremony, I figured out that I had gotten a full-tuition scholarship (a state one) and then a few local scholarships, which helped cover all of my school expenses. I was so amazed and happy! I am now the first person in my family to attend college.
5.) My first day of college. I went and currently go to a university that is about 45 minutes from where I lived when I was in high school. It was one of the best and most scary days of my life. I was finally on my own for the first time and was in a whole new world. I made a ton of new friends. The scholarship that I got that was full-tuition has a community that you must be a part of. They were and still are a huge help and I don't know where I would be without it. I'm currently a junior in college. I have three more years left because I just switched my major. College has been the best time of my life and the happiest that I've ever been.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Core memories, core memories..................ahhhh, I remember pictures of my colonoscopy, gross!
Bluetiger5408 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The main one is when I woke up from a nap (I was probably like 5) and just saw my mom sitting in the living room smoking a cigarette while she was crying.
Passwordis_Taco ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holding my children after birth and then handing them over to my wife so she could see them for the first time.
My entire high school senior year varsity soccer career.
nirie89 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Me and my parents building our cabin, we wrote our names on a plank right before we finished it, so everyone could se that we built it together.
-My grandma and me dressing up in silly costumes
-My grandma dying when I was 8
-When I had this huge crush on a guy my age me and my dad saw in a movie and my dad spent hours on the computer trying to figure out his name for me.
-In eight grade when my best friend of many years suddenly turned popular and yelled at me in front of the entire class that "nobody would ever care about anything I would ever say"
-The first time I talked to my husband. We were hanging out at work (I had just started) and all of the guys were pestering me to join the conversations and talk about myself, I was so shy and kept telling them I had nothing interesting to say. Then my (now husband) sat down next to me and talked to me for hours. He then said "see, you are interesting. Don't let anybody tell you any different." I knew he was the one right then.
ec20 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Here's one with weird phenomena attached to it: waking up as a child to the sound of my mom on the sewing machine (she was a garment worker).
Odd thing is that every now and then I'll wake up and I'll hear that same sound even though I know it's not actually there. No one has ever properly explained why that happens.
klhl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Preschool. Pushed another kid down for whatever reason. He hit his head and was bleeding, I thought I had hurt him badly and ran away in panic. Later I thought I cause him brain damage, but later I figured out he was in fact already suffering from some sort of disorder. For years I was terrified of hurting someone to the extent that I wouldn't participate in stuff like king of the hill.
Same-ish age. I hear mom coming home from work. I run downstairs to meet and hug her. She smells good.
Coming home from school (7 years old) and finding my dad crying in the floor, unable to get up. He suffered from severe depression.
Being an asshole towards my mother, most likely because I too was starting to suffer from depression. She sometimes got mad and shouted at me saying how arrogant I was being. She always apologized later. One time she didn't.
EpicLakai ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad spanking me as a child for laughing too loudly. I had seen something asinine, PP stenciled on the top of a remote control car I had found. My older half brother was there too, but I was the one who was punished.
I remember walking away from someone I absolutely loved after spending the day with her. She had been seeing someone at the time, and it was the last time we spent together. Shit would hit the fan later, and ruin everything, but I still see her on that street corner, in that dress, smiling at me.
I'm sure I have more but these two are never far from my mind.
bamicee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1 (happy) The moment when i was being bullied and my only friend at the time threatened to beat up a kid for me when i was 12
2 (sad) The moment my father died, seeing his gaunt face on the bed and leaning my head up to his heart and hearing nothing, after so many nights of using that as comfort.
3 (anger) the moment a girl made fun of my sister because our father had cancer, in particular when i walked up to the girl who made fun of my sister and screamed in her face during a class. (i vividly remember wanting to hurt that person 100%)
4 (happy/sad) the moment i graduated from highschool knowing that seeing my dad there was the one thing i wanted even though he was dead, but my brother in that moment hugged me like never before and i burst into tears on the football field in front of the whole stage.
orangeworker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In order of strength:
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad saying we would take the family to Perth for vacation. We never took a family vacation before. I flipped through all my books and encyclopedias to find out about Perth.
2 weeks later when I asked about it, he said "he was just saying". From then on, the little 6 year old me knew that what he said cannot be trusted.
da_manimal420 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
justxcookies ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I only have 3 that I can really recall as "core memories"
_TheConsumer_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The one memory that I recall often:
My father trying to teach me how to ride a bike...when I was 23. The laughs that he had watching me bust my ass, tip over and veer into trees were priceless. It was one of the funniest/happiest moments we ever had. He passed away, unexpectedly, a year later and that memory has helped me hold onto him.
It also let me realize that some of the most random, seemingly inconsequential moments can leave a lasting impression on you for years to come. Life's little moments have a way of staying with you.
CanadaEh97 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Teacher(s) in grade school telling me that I'll never amount to anything in life and that I'd be lucky to be a janitor or garbage man.
Getting to be a member of Team Canada at an international level. Being able to represent your country is an amazing feeling and seemed like everyone loves Canada. I can't tell you how many random people ask myself and teammate for pics with them. I hope to do that again.
Sitting with my friend in bed, having a beer, watching TV and movies. I just remember the feeling of her pushed up against me and holding me. I never felt happier and calmer in my life. When I think of that day I can still remember that feeling. Oh man I miss her a lot.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Listening to Pink Floyd with my Dad, when I was very depressed, he told me he will always be proud of me, no matter what. He died later that year and I still can't listen to Pink Floyd because it is too overwhelming. It's a beautiful memory that I will treasure for the rest of my life though.
Qazwsxlion ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can't think of any D:
travworld ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Strangewind18 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We used to live in a big fancy apartment and suddenly we had to move to a small brick house by the shitstream. I was happy however, because I was in grade 2 in primary school. Being in touch with nature you know, got a dog for the first time all that shit. Until that day I saw my mother cry hysterically on the telephone. That's when I realised there was something wrong with our family.
You know that dog I just mentioned right? Sweetest little dog, named h Harry. (Harry Potter had just hit south Korea at that time) half breed jindo. (Its Korean shibe inu) I had to say goodbye to him after a while, and they loaded him on back of the truck and I still remember looking at me with excitement like expecting me to hop on with him. And the truck just started to drive away. I don't know why but I began to ran after it. I never ran so fast in my life. I still remember Harry looking at me barking, as if he was saying: "come on man you can make it just little more" but I couldn't catch up. I just had to watch him move further and further away. I can still hear him bark sometime, in my sleep. I broke down in the middle of the road. I never saw him again.
This was a big family decision. Koreans back then (2004) took English education very seriously. I remember my parents wanted me and my sister to pick the city, Townsville, Cairns or Brisbane. I remember I chose Townsville in a heartbeat. I was a pretty big powerpuff girl fan because we had subtitled cartoon network at home. Looking at it now it was a big fucking mistake because nobody told me Townsville is like 4km away from the surface of the sun. (Credit to Dylan Moran for that joke.)
This was completely by mistake. I have had a very close cousin younger brother, my sister's son. Since being Asian and all, growing up I had ABSOLUTELY no idea that he was adopted until I was 18. When I was talking to my dad's sister she just said "So how is _? You know the adopted kid?" And I just said "....._ is adopted?" And she just fucking panicked, with the complete oh dear god what have I done face. He still doesn't know apparently they want to keep it that way, I respect their wishes but fucking hell man, I'm worried about him. Because he sometimes tells me "bro I know lot of teenagers must say this but I swear me and my parents are nothing alike"
Jesus fucking Christ the amount of composure I need to have.
This was one of those bitter sweet core memories. See, he used to be a field medic in the Korean war, like the ones actually taking care of bullet wounds mod battle. He's seen some shit and I don't think he quiet got over his PTSD. He basically drank himself to death and he was always very cold person to talk to. But he started apologising for every action he did to me, how he's been a bad grandfather to me and how's he's been a bad father to my mom, telling me to treat her better than he did because he couldn't fight his demons. then he also apologised for selling my dog (Harry) to a restaurant without telling me (yes, Koreans eat dogs how horrible) I'm going to be honest with you, it was sad day and I hope he finally is resting easy in heaven after hell he's been throigh, but I got to admit when he told me that, small part of me was thinking "Well shit grandpa, I'm now kind glad you're dying" Seriously though, may he rest in peace. (And Harry you beautiful son of a bitch)
I asked out my formal partner to date me. Risky move I know, what if we broke up before that? But we didn't but I sensed it was coming to an end. Because I got in to University of Queensland and she was already attending uni in Townsville . So when she told me, the most sweetest, shiest awkward introvert I KNOW, said that she will follow me wherever I go and moved down to Brisbane as well, I thought to myself "she's the one" and we've been together ever since. We celebrated our 5 year anniversary this year. It was quite amazing.
I don't even know what to tell you, Korean government is not a part of Commonwealth, so living in Australia as a non Commonwealth country citizen is fucking difficult because we get fuck all subsidised from Australian government. I'll give you an example. We (our whole family) couldn't get universal healthcare for 12 fucking years we stayed here, we had to pay fucktons of money everytime we went to the doctors. But since my parents had to pay $72000 a year for me and my sister's school fee for 12 fucking years in a country where they don't even speak the language, that naturally meant we just didn't go. So when I got my Medicare card all that's in my head was a memory of my dad going to work yet again as a manual laborer at a construction site nearing the age of 55, with his hair visibly turning grey. He had muscle pain all the time and has a call is the size of a fucking egg on his hand. Yet one day he came in to my room and told me that he. Out of all people that HE was sorry for not doing enough for me. It hurt like hell but oh my god that one also reminded me how much they really love me.
So even after all that Australia decided to put the cherry on top by telling my parents to get out of the country because their guardian visa expired and gave them 3 months to clear out. (My sister is currently working on bringing them back because she gets citizenship in August.) At a Gold Coast airport I thought my mom would scold me again, saying stuff like "quit smoking OK? Study hard" you know, parental shit. Instead she hugged me and said "thank you son. Thank you for growing up to such a wonderful man. I am so. So. Proud of you and I love you" I didn't cry then I held it together. But when I returned to my family home, the hastily emptied home that was once full of laughter no matter how hard things got. That's when what my mom said hit me like a brick. That 12 years worth of pain they must have endured for me and my sister, that 12 years of worth of pain they never. Once. Complained. About to us was in that brick. And now they were gone, all I had was this empty house. I cried for 3 hours in that empty house.
Sorry for such depressing core memories but I truly believe what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It can only get better from here right?
Tl;Dr Asian guy moves Australia and has a tough life, bit learns that family is the most important thing in life the hard way.
fuckingstubborn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom yelling at me because I broke a glass (3 or 4yo)
My mom hitting me with a belt because my room was messy, it hitting a fresh scar and blood spraying out.
Losing my friends bc a "cool kid" told them not to hangout with me (middle school)
Learning to in-line skate on the parking lot of our building.
My mom telling me I'm only good for spreading my knees.
This kinda surprised me I hadn't really noticed those were the things that stuck.
abrasivebison ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dad not coming home.
Jasani ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad would work long shifts and then went to go back to college for to update his degree
He would be up and out the door from 5 to 6 am and home around 10:30 to 11 pm
Thankfully that didnt last TOO long but it was a good while.
I was young and wanted to see my dad but my mom wouldnt let me stay up that late. So I would get up at 5 with my dad and eat breakfast with him while watching the crocodile hunter on Animal Planet. And then when he was done with college for the second time and would be home he and I would lay in the family room watching crocodile hunter til I fell asleep and he would carry me to bed.
blakespot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ash_is_my_name ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:32:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Showing my middle school friend my old elementary school and then stealing some coke together from under a staircase. It was okay though, since that school's teachers were garbage and basically ruined my childhood. Consider us even
Slapping my bio-dad across the face on christmas. He held me or did something else that I didn't like so I gave him a slap from the right and slapped him on the left on the return. I laughed, mom laughed, everyone laughed.
It was 10 at night and I was sitting in a parking lot behind an alley in Serbia (I had been visiting friends in that country.) I just sat there with 1 kitten in my lap, one between my legs, one under my left leg and one was sort of climbing randomly over my legs. I just kept petting them while their mama kitty sat next to me, watching over them. It was a blissful night. It might be the happiest and most relaxing I've ever been. Me, 4 stray kittens and their mama.
A teacher making fun of me for turning off the oven early during kitchen class. She looked at me with a smirk and said "we've learnt not to turn off the oven early" and some other things. I just let out a no and she was surprised but kept on going. I didn't learn to let the oven stay on that day, all I learned was that the school had shit ovens.
When a guy didn't give me back my beyblade after we had traded ours with eachother. He said if I gave him back his, he'd give mine back. I never saw either of them again. This taught me not to trust people with material items or money.
When I escorted a classmate half the way home from school because she was scared. I told her to just yell for me if she needed help and I'd come running, but I had to get back to school before the teachers knew I was gone. Later that week me and mom were called in to a conference where they said I'd done something wrong, but for this one moment in my life, mom was on my side and supported my case, saying she would have done the same thing and such.
When after 11 years of suffering pain, collapsing due to pain, being bullied severely, getting injured/damage and not being believed by anyone, a blood test proved I was right all along and had the terrible Bechterew's disease. That moment just ruined my life, while it also sat me on the path to getting the rest of my 11 undiagnosed medical conditions diagnosed. I'm still working on getting most of them diagnosed though...
When I quit WoW for the first time and I spent an entire day just PVPing with a guild buddy in Outland. We fought and fought in all sorts of places, having immense fun and competing over who could do what the fastest. It was a great time, but I was too bored of the game in general to stay. I'll never forget that awesome day.
Lastly. When I tried to commit suicide in England, my friend from England and my friend from Russia both called in to get the warden and ambulance to save me. It was during the 8 hours that I spent in a hospital bed, that I realized I had people in my life who loved me. I was 20 and for the first time in my life, I experienced love and a new emotion which I hadn't felt before. I no longer wanted to die, I wanted to live. 1-2 years later I had a dream where a plane was crashing and I yelled in my sleep "I don't wanna die, you son of a bitch!"
ACE-Shellshocked ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Late to the party, but I have thought about it a few times:
Coming home from school in the third grade to see my mother on the floor crying because some girl on the bus had been very cruel to my sister for being "weird"
8th Grade, a boy had been repeatedly harassing me on the bus and no one was doing anything to make him stop. So I lied to my mom, saying that he had touched me inappropriately so she would finally do something about it.
Telling my Crew coach in private that everyone on the team had skipped practice that day, even though I knew it would make them hate me and we would all be punished
When I saved a boy from drowning in the ocean in New Jersey
When I was accepted to my dream school after a year of busting my ass to get the grades I needed
When I finally left my abusive ex
lasssekongo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing football(eu) in my room with a foam ball with dad, best friend and his dad.
Playing football in the backyard, kicking the ball over the fence and a car running it over.
My first wrestling medal and my trainer lifting me up on historia shoulder and doing a victory lap.
Dad saving me from drowning
My first flipping someone off (family dinner, 25 ppl, grounded for a week since i didnt rat on my cousin) my cousin gave me so much candy after this
First sleepover at my best friend, we almost got caught by cops for destroying the schools pipes with fireworks
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ITT people with real families.
Mine:
Creating my own font when I was maybe 8.
First time I played Dungeons and Dragons -- first edition, bitches. I was a Cleric, got up to 5th level before getting killed by goblins or something. We played "The Keep on the Borderlands." I still have all my old D&D stuff.
Later on, creating my own fantasy world over the summer at my mom's house in the mountains, drawing an elaborately detailed map with colored pencils, coming up with cultures and histories. I intended to do trade routes too, never happened.
Wrote code in BASIC for a zork-style text video game out on paper and then typed it into this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80_MC-10
running around by myself in the woods around my mom's house with a broken broomstick pretending it was a sword
Walking around the schoolyard with my 2nd grade teacher talking about life while the other kids did bullshit recess stuff and ran around screaming. This was the same teacher that let me read books in the back of the room while she taught the rest of the kids.
Going to the public library when I was a kid and checking out dozens of science fiction and fantasy books.
Yeah, now that I think about it -- basically anything that would help transport me out of the reality I was living :(
honeydewclouds ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How do you guys have such clear memories I struggle to remember even my graduation which is pretty significant...
alycyh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 4 years old, I fell down the stairs that from my parents bedroom to the dining room. I remember tripping and rolling down the stairs holding my breath while bracing myself for the pain that would hit the moment I come into contact with the tiled floor. Instead I was met with a huge soft blanket and my dad's arms as he heard the noise and dashed over to catch me before I reached the last couple steps.
My dad and mom taking my sisters and me to the elementary school rollerblading rink and teaching us how to rollerblade. I remember him saying "if you can do this, you can go ice skating in Canada" (we lived in Taiwan and was preparing to immigrate to Canada). I was 6 years old.
My grandpa never failing to walk me to and from school in the morning and afternoon. I loved to shop as a kid and he'd buy me the latest dolls and action figures so I'd be happy. He spoiled me so much as I was his favorite <3 He's the jolliest man with the biggest belly I've ever met. I haven't seen him in over 8 years now and I'm finally flying back to see him on Sunday. He's 93 years old now and still as happy and jolly as ever <3
One morning while walking with my grandpa to school, we saw a woman die and puke blood with her eyes rolled back into her head. She was sitting up right on the ground at the breakfast shop we always passed. I was horrified and couldn't sleep for days. This happened when I was 5 years old and whenever I think back on it (even now and I'm 20 yrs old) I still feel my chest tighten.
I've always been petrified of ghosts. My older sister thought it'd be funny to play with my mind and told me that the highest floor in the school (where all the sixth grade classes were) was infested with monsters and ghosts, especially after school. One day after school while leaving school with my grandpa, I find a name tag that belonged to a sixth grader (said so on the name tag) and he told me to turn it in to the lost and found. He waited for me downstairs and as I have never been on the highest floor of the school, I was excited. However, for some stupid reason, my mind decided to remember all the ghost stories my older sister told me the moment I set foot in the sixth graders' territory. I froze in fear, dropped the name tag on the ground and quickly booked it back down the stairs to my grandpa.
crunkadocious ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I took a computer apart and put new ram in. My parents struggled to change batteries in remotes and I felt like some kind of god at age 9, like I could do anything. My mother figured it was toast anyway and had planned to buy a new computer so she let me mess with it. Ever since then, though it isn't my main passion, I have always fixed my own computers, put custom roms on my phone, install car speakers, build custom musical instruments. All because my mother trusted me to work on a gateway 2000 computer with no networking card and .5 gigs of bad ram.
useless_switch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
/ playing hide and seek in our very small apartment with my brother and dad, making a "fake version" of myself with badminton rackets, and dad convincing me he was fooled by it
/ playing with legos with a wig on my head (didn't end up transgendered)
/ asking for a magical wizard uniform for christmas so i could pull out bunnies out of my hat
/ playing video games till my butt hurt and couldn't sit anymore
/ falling down from a bike in front of my building
/ first time being complimented for not being fat anymore
/ my mother yelling at me for not looking people in the eye while shaking hands with them
Trevman39 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 5 or 6 my parents got in another fight on the way home from a party. My father pulled the car over and threw my mother out on the side of the road in the dark. I remember her standing on the road. Her face lit by the red tail lights of the car as we pulled away.
ANUSTART942 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my mom picked me up early from school in third grade and told me that my dad had cheated on her and left us.
Going with her to work at Blockbuster when she couldn't find a sitter, sometimes until 3 in the morning. I miss that sometimes.
Getting into the only college I applied to or wanted to go to.
Graduating as salutatorian
My first year of college. The whole thing.
EDIT: Also the first time I had any sort of teaching role in a classroom. I'm an ed major, and that first time was fantastic.
arsenal1011 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hope I'm not too late for this.
One that's always stuck with me is getting beaten to a pulp by my father. This specific situation was definitely way beyond the norm. We're an Indian family so traditionally we ate on the ground when we were kids, on a dastsarkhan or clean tablecloth on the floor. I remember I still loved my dad back then, and my affection towards him was the same as any other 8 year old towards their father. We had just finished eating, we usually watched tv while we ate, so everyone was just sitting zoning out.
My dad had just gotten back from a long day of work somewhere special, as he was wearing a white kurta shalwaar. He was exhausted. I guess I couldn't really fault him for his unwillingness to engage in my attempts to get him to play with me. He didn't ever seem to play with me.
But today my stubbornness took over. I was determined to get him to play with me. So I go over and touch his hand to get his attention and all hell breaks loose. I mean I guess my hands were dirty so I shouldn't have touched him but I didn't think a beating was warranted. My father, however, did.
He broke 2 plastic clothing hangars on me; another metal wire one; his belt that he had worn to work the previous day had been torn by the constant lashes. He beat me more because that was one of his favorite belts.
The aftermath was pretty brutal. I had small bumps and bruises running up and down my arms, around my back, and ass. Every twist and turn of my body would send another shock of pain through my body. Tears had stopped coming a while ago. I was close to vomiting but held it in for fear of dirtying my father's clothes and receiving even more beating. I had to miss school cause of all the bruising on my body and the fact that I could barely walk.
Yet somehow all this pain didn't amount to anything compared to his words when he was finished. He said to my mom, "Take him, I'm done with him. He's not my son, and never will be."
adaytoocala ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad teaching me how to shoot my first BB gun that I bet my savings to get during Super Bowl XXVII.
A lot more of them involving my dad than I can write about.
The first time I met my best friend Skinny, I was drinking coffee waiting for the school bus, and he comes strolling out of his house, throws a lit firecracker maybe four feet from me, and says "Hi, my name is Skinny. (He and I have the same name, and introduced himself with his real name. The nickname skinny was bestowed upon him later in life.)
The first time I kissed my wife.
The day my daughter was born.
And with regret, the day I had to stand up and give my fathers eulogy. I was too emotional and couldn't really get words out. I felt like I didn't do his eulogy justice like he did his best friend's.
nm1043 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My older brother and I riding our bikes back from the wawa down the street. It's such a hot day, and we were about a third of the way there (5 minute ride?). Because it was so hot, my brother was telling me he was almost out of saliva, and made it a point to announce how many gulps of saliva he had left before he would dehydrate (to death I guess? We were kids). After his last "gulp", I knew we were in make or break mode, and we hightailed it back to the house where he could get water before the death set in... It was dumb and I knew it, but it was fun.
fearmypoot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting beaten with jumper cables by my dad.
darth_mo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My first moonlight hike to Delicate Arch. It cemented in me my respect and love for those red rocks, and instilled that pull on my soul that I will just always feel for Moab (and southern Utah in general).
The beginning of my marriage. On the wedding day, my mom told me it was the worst day of her life. In her defense, she could see the guy I was marrying better than I could at the moment. I'd been head over heels in love with him from the moment I met him. Him, less so. In the first months of our marriage he told me A) he didn't love me or even like me any more B) that he had sexual fantasies about his ex-girlfriend and when he talked to me he replaced my name with hers in his head and C) that when we had sex he replaced me in his head with everyone from exes to random girls he saw throughout the day. Completely destroyed everything I was. That was the beginning, and it didn't really start to get better until about a year ago (about 12 years of that). This one did a kind of dark takeover of my entire core for a good decade or so. I can't explain it, but it made me feel as if everything that I was was simply not good enough and all of me was pretty insignificant under this failure of mine. I am only now really trying to recover the good bits about myself from underneath this, trying to beat back the darkness and make it insignificant. It's hard to mine for light.
awe300 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nice try, Samaritan!
CarlsVolta ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As an ice hockey loving girl with a degree in psychology who moved from North to South (in the UK) at 6 years old, Inside Out really resonated with me.
So much of it was my story. I think that's what makes it such a great film though. Most adults can probably completely relate to parts of it.
My imaginary friend was a little brown dog. I can't remember his name, but can still remember roughly what he looked like. Wouldn't be able to imagine him back as my friend.
Fumblesz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting on my grandfather's lap looking at blood slides (he's a Pathologist) through a microscope whose lenses were too far apart for my 4 year old head, so I was squinting through one struggling to understand what I was looking at.
On a field trip from school when I was 10. We went to go see a popular waterfall - it was gorgeous. My mom asked me to take a picture of it and gave me our only camera (which were film cameras at the time) so when the rest of my classmates and teachers were leaving and I hung back for a second so I could get a good picture when it wasn't as crowded. I was looking through the lens, getting ready to click when I heard a splat/thud sound and felt wetness on my feet/legs. Turned out that a man had jumped to his death from the top of the waterfall about 3 feet away from me (it was sort of arched so the rocky area where we were standing could be reached from the top and I guess he didn't wanna take a chance by surviving the fall if he jumped into the water)
The day I brought home my dog, who is a brother to me and my best friend. He literally chewed my homework that day
The day one of my best friends made me realize that if you have to be someone other than yourself around your friends, it's not really worth it to have those friends. It completely changed my life and ironically led me to have way more friends - and real friends at that - than I ever had before.
The day I got accepted into Medical School
Core memories 1 and 2 pretty much influenced me to get to core memory 5 haha
throw-away_dude ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Was playing doctor with my cousin. Dad saw this and started to beat me up with whatever he got his hands on.
Was trying to suck my own dick and my mom saw it, and asked what are you doing.
and probably a lot more!
AnEcasey ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dancing on my grandfathers feet Sailing on grandfathers boat eating prawns Wearing nans lipstick Getting upset because the ocean stole my jelly shoes (I was standing ankle deep and they were pulled off my feet by the shore)
one4buffett ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was smart mouth teenager, I slammed my door really hard once, after putting a "don't come in my room" sign on it. My dad said "this may be your room, but it's my house" and he took the door.
SlipperyQuark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:36:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข Joining the swim team in 6th grade
โข Lip synching to Bohemian Rhapsody with my siblings when we were young. Each of us had our own parts and we always got really excited when someone played it.
โข Being diagnosed with OCD
โข My grandpa telling me that I was his pride and joy in his last few weeks of life
โข My cousin really wanted to do a sport his freshman year in high school, but he didn't make the JV baseball team. By the time tryouts were over, every other sport had already begun. We had a brand new water polo team that year and we needed players, so I asked my coach if he could join and he made the team. We became pretty close after that.
โข When I was depressed my freshman year of high school. I did not know whether or not I was depressed for a long while. One night I asked myself a simple question to figure out whether or not I was depressed: If I had a gun in my hand, would I shoot myself right now?
Yes. Yes I would have. After that I got up and talked to my parents. I was beating around the bush a lot because, I mean, how do you tell your parents that you want to kill yourself? But, before I could tell them anything, my mother asked me: "Kyle, are you okay? You just haven't seemed happy lately. You don't smile as often...I miss seeing you smile." needless to say, I broke down after that. I cried in my mother's arms saying "I just want to be happy, again," over and over while my dad called the hospital.
โข My grandpa (other side of the family) helping my parents pay for my therapy
abra5umente ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:36:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I broke my arm in 2001. My brother pushed me out of a door frame (I was climbing up it by wedging my arms and legs, like a chimney climb) and I fell on my arm. My left knuckles were touching my inner elbow.
When my mum woke me and my brother up one morning to tell me we were leaving my dad. We lived in Woi Woi, NSW (about an hour's drive out of Sydney, on the beach, on a little island) and we drove all day back to rural Victoria. We listened to the McDonald's Disney Musicals tape.
When my mum's psychotic meth-addicted boyfriend threatened to murder all of us. We had to have a police patrol outside of our house, and slept with one eye open for about 6 months.
First year of high school, my friends one day all decided they hated me about 3 months into the first semester. Spent the rest of the school year by myself, every single day. Tried drinking methylated spirits from the school science lab to go home sick, more than once. Side-memory: My mum during that year. She was my rock, and she worked so hard to get me into the new school which I started at the next year. It cost her $14k a year, but she managed to pull the money together from her sole parent income to pay for me to go there.
First day of my new high school, started walking around the school, resigned to being alone again, when a kid asked if I wanted to sit with him and his friends. That kid would become my best friend for 10 years.
High school after the first year. So many great memories. Getting drunk for the first time, smoking weed for the first time, hanging out with friends, getting arrested for being idiots... Might not sound like it, but high school was the best time of my life. My friends and I were always together, always doing something stupid.
The time my dad moved to Germany. I cried at the airport terminal, at 14 years old. I was inconsolable.
Getting my first job. It was at McDonalds, but all of my friends worked there. It was a blast. I worked on opening day in my town. We all got paid triple time and got free food. Worked from 6am until 3am. I was 15.
Playing the first show with my band. We had practiced for months, writing songs, getting hype up, we even recorded a small EP with a real producer, at our own cost. At our show, it was insane. We had circle pits, a wall of death, had signed bands moshing to our music, got to meet so many great people. We loaded everything into my old Ford station wagon, and drove across the state to play. Looking over at my best friends on stage, seeing how much fun we were all having, seeing the crowd loving it; it was the best 30 minutes of my life up until...
Meeting my SO. Met her online on Facebook. She asked for Sims cheats for PS2. I inboxed her all the cheats I knew and said that I loved the Sims. Not expecting a reply, I shut down the chat. 2 minutes later, I got a reply saying "Thanks cutie! :)" and immediately got butterflies. We then spoke from 11pm until 7am, and then every single night after that for a week, until finally meeting. When I met her, I was so nervous that I was thought I was going to pass out. We saw a movie, and on the way I found $20 on the ground. I held her hand during the movie, and after we walked out she pulled me aside and kissed me in an alley way. We've been inseparable for the past 5 years and 2 months.
Having my first son with my SO. He is 4 years old now, and growing so much every day.
Having my second son with my SO. He is 1 year old and 3 months. He's a spitting image of his bigger brother.
romeodiienno ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:36:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
bjbarlowe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:36:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me, nervous as hell, sitting on a swing by a lake, telling my wife (then girlfriend) that I love her for the first time. Smiling, she asks me, "What does that mean?" I say, "It means I want to give you a wonderful life."
Me, holding the last rejection letter to a history PhD program and feeling, at once, fear and, surprisingly, relief.
Nola2Tx41 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:37:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandfather (dad's dad). I spent every weekend with them from the time I was 7/8-13 and he had his routine. I remember how he'd get home from the railroad (he worked for Southern Pacific but I never bothered to ask what exactly he did) on Friday's around 6pm. He would throw his bag on the table and give me a big hug. Dinner was ready almost immediately after he got home and we would eat. He would then shower and sit down in his recliner, where he would watch Cardinal games (if they were on, they were his favorite baseball team) and finish off his crossword puzzle from that day's newspaper. He had his trusty lead pencil and his thesaurus on the table next to him. Bedtime was always after Jay Leno's monologue. Saturday morning he was up by 6am, at the latest. My grandmother was up before him, putting a pot of coffee on and getting the newspaper ready for him. Breakfast was always eggs and toast with his coffee and reading the newspaper. I usually ate egg sandwiches, minus the crust, in my room while watching cartoons or Police Academy 6, which I had on VHS. After breakfast and reading, he would cut the grass, weed eat, and edge. Then he would tend to his coy pond and cut down some sugar cane he grew in the backyard. He would always toss me a piece to chew on, telling me not to spoil my appetite for lunch. After all that, he would shower and resume his spot in his chair to watch football or baseball, whichever season it was, and do that days crossword puzzle. He usually took a nap during this time. I was always in and out of the house but I always made time for that piece of watermelon he would cut just for me, taking the seeds out. Dinner was always ready by 6pm and that's when I usually came in for the evening. After dinner, I can remember sitting on his lap as we watched Lsu football (if they were on TV) or a Cardinals game. Sunday was filled with more crossword puzzles and sitting on the porch to just enjoy the day. He would also attend my dad's highschool's basketball games and give my uncles shit for being awful referees. He would see me and tell me to let them know he can give them his glasses if they are having eye trouble. He never missed any of my basketball games, no matter how far away they were. My grandparents would do anything for me. I always thought he had the best job in the world, until he got lung cancer from asbestos from working at the railroad. He passed away November 29, 2006 and as we approach 10 years since he passed, I've been thinking more and more about him the past few months. I am married, have 2 kids, got my degree, and moved to Houston for work but I always think about the look on his face as he'd get to enjoy his great grandkids. I miss him terribly more so now than ever. His recliner still resides in my grandmothers living room and I always sit in it when I go over. I hold my son on my lap like he would hold me and I wonder how it would be different if he were still here. They raised me for the better part of 6 years and really shaped me into the man I have become today.
Berjj ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:37:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age 3: Walking in on my mother and father fighting in the kitchen, just as my father hurls a kitchen knife at her in blind rage.
Age 8: Experiencing depression for the first time. I was certain I would die before my 12th birthday.
Age 11: I find the kid who stole $250 worth of Pokรฉmon cards from me. ~20 people from my class who I barely ever speak to also find out and decide to back me up as I demand he return them. He did.
Age 16: I join a group of level designers as we create some 20 custom levels for UT2004 and release them online in a big pack for the Unreal community. The release is a huge success, directly resulting in some of the participants landing jobs in the game development industry over the following months.
Age 19: I find out one of my childhood friends has been doing drugs for a while. He's told everyone by now, including friends and family, but he wouldn't tell me because that was the first time he actually felt ashamed of it.
Age 20: Studying to become a professional level designer. The best, most enjoyable years of my life so far.
Age 25: For the first time ever I am actually in fairly good shape. I am participating in the "Tough Viking" race. A 7.5km long obstacle course with obstacles such as swimming through a pool of freezing water, running through mud, climbing over monkey bars etc. I didn't work enough on my stamina for it and about half-way through I nearly collapse and am about to throw up. My friend who was with me somehow managed to keep my spirits up, and I got back up and finished.
PM_a_song_to_me ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:37:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father returning from Desert Storm. I ran out to the air field to greet him. However as I ran in I couldn't find him. Started getting worried until he picked me up.
Playing on the roof of our house, I was actting like i was a paratrooper. Mom found me screamed for me to get down. i jump and rolled. The fear of my moms eyes gave me chills.
My grandfather came down to visit and had me skip school to tour the city. My father was angry when he got the call from school. Grandpa just said, " take it easy Gomer Pyle" Never saw someone stand up to my dad before.
A friend and me trying to beat Zelda Orcarina of Time in one sitting. Stayed up throughout the night.
TheLostOne97531 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:37:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine are all losses...
infinitypIus0ne ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:37:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember the day my mum was told she had cancer with almost photo recall. I think i was 5 or 6 at the time. two things you need to know the day i found out I was sick and when i was kid I had a really stupid habit of opening the car door when the car was moving at speed (60kmph plus).
So on this day I remember going to the dr's office with my Thomas the tank engine toy. I remember it because when we got to the front desk my mum told the woman on the desk i was sick and I just remember the woman's face when my mum told her. she almost burst into tears. Then my mum said "oh no, the appointment is for me he just has a fever".
My mum asked her if she could watch me while she went in. she said sure but as i was playing on the floor with my toys I got bored and went to see what my mum was doing.
I remember the door was open just a tiny bit so i pushed it enough so my eye could see in the room. Then i saw something that made me instantly upset/mad/scared. For the first time I saw my mother crying. I just remember wanting to go in and hit the dr because he must have been a bad person if he was doing that to my mum and up until this point I thought my mum and dad were gods. I didn't understand that they could be scared or that they didn't know everything. Seeing her cry freaked me out, she looked just as scared and confused as i was when i normally got upset.
I remember backing away from the door and going back to the front and just playing with my toys like nothing had happened. all the while trying to process what i saw.
When my mum came out she gotten her shit together so on the surface she seemed fine. At this point I was like maybe the dr gave her a shot and it really hurt so she cried and now she is all better. It was all i could come up with at the time because up until afew minutes ago i had no idea my mum could even cry let alone lie about how she was feeling.
So we got in the car and I remember I was sitting in the front seat and the door wasn't locked, so when my mum drove thru the green lights I decided it was a good time to open the door. I remember opening the door and expecting my mum to snap at me but as i looked at her face with the door still open I could see she wasn't there. the door had been open at speed for like 10-15 seconds at this point and I just remember closing it myself and thinking how scared I was.
It was years later when I figured everything out but that was the last time I ever remember opening the door to a moving car
Haltheleon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:37:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being evacuated during a particularly intense Arizona wildfire.
Helping other evacuees at the evacuation shelter after we'd settled in with some friends out of the evac zone. I wouldn't trade this time for anything. Easily some of my proudest and fondest memories of myself and the human race come from these couple of weeks. I was only 14 at the time, but was given charge of the pet area in the back. I kept track of when the evacuees' pets had last been fed, watered, and walked, and made sure they got appropriate amounts of everything. The person in charge later commented that she never would have laid that burden on me if she'd known I was that young, but I've never been prouder of anything I've accomplished than acting like an adult and keeping a level head in that kind of situation. Tensions were also high and I got threatened by multiple people with violence, and one kid (around my age) even choked me because I was supposedly standing too close to his little brother.
My first kiss. Not necessarily particularly important, but it was minorly important because it was with a good friend and honestly our relationship turned a bit awkward from that point forward. I've since lost contact with her for the better part of two years or so. It's not like we hate each other, but we've definitely grown apart.
Being rejected by the only person I ever thought about telling I liked romantically.
That's all I can think of for now, I'll add more if I think of any.
im_not_done_ye ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
good gods, first goddam sentence of the first goddam comment and my eyes are stinging. maybe i'm allergic?
Tylahhh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-When I cut my own hair off during the school day in first grade and then threw it in the garbage. I'never forget the kid who pointed into the garbage and yelled "There's hair in the garbage."
-When my sister painted her entire body in nail polish after my mom told her to put in nicer clothes. We found her sitting in the corner of her room in a laundry basket with pink sparkly handprints on the walls.
-When my grandad came to my house for the last time and told us funny stories about a dream that he had. That was the last time that he had enough strength to leave the house, he died of emphysema within the same year I think.
-The first time I got high. lol
-Pretending to have questions so I could stay after math class because I could see a group of guys waiting outside to beat me up because I was gay.
Eagles700LvL ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being chased around the trailer we were living in by a pig from the farm behind us. Every lap I saw my mom and dad laughing in the doorway. I don't think I was in any real danger.
Watching my dad (who later took off and never saw him again) fixing the car from the doorway of the same trailer while eating doritos.
After dad took off we moved in with my grandparents. I got a nintendo. I snuck downstairs in the middle of the night to play nintendo. Pop caught me and gave my a half hearted kick in the ass as I ran upstairs.
Pop used to let the grandkids punch him in the gut. I didn't know he had to prepare for it. One day I walked by and and punched him unprepared. He doubled over, I felt terrible, he laughed it off.
drew2057 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have seared into my brain a memory of the very first time I ever saw a video game.
The original Super Mario Brothers, and it was mind blowing that some one was controlling what was on the screen. It has lead to a lifetime of video gaming!
I_LOVE_ASSES ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-My older brother losing his eye when we were in elementary school
-leaving for bootcamp
-car rides to preschool everyday with my dad on his way to work
-don't know if this counts, but the multiple memories of my older brother and I really bonding and becoming close again
Edit: remembered my first time out of the country with the military. Met some of my best friends
blurks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dad retiring age 52 due to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and mum going to work full time. Shaped the direction of my childhood (I was 6 at the time), and even though we missed out on some things, me and my sister grew up very independent, self sufficient and with s working knowledge of chronic illness.
Meeting that girl I'd IM'd with for a while IRL, walking up behind her to tap her on her shoulder and her spinning around to wrap me up in the biggest hug I'd received in my life. Knew that first night I was going to marry her.
Understanding completely and fully just what the reality of my wife's mental illness meant for her and my life. That dawning sensation that it's not ever likely to change, that this is it. Not overwhelming dread, but not a hugely joyful realization.
Our first child being born, being delivered by emergency C-section and me being kicked out of the operating room by the surgeon because something went wrong. No explanation, no time to ask a single question, just the surgeon's direction to "get him out of here" and being dumped in the hallway. Longest 10 minutes of my life, not knowing what had just happened, and whether I'd still have a wife and/or son when the door opened again.
Deciding to fight back against the mental illness I was developing as wife's carer and kinda sole parent to our son. She wasn't coping, everything fell on me (including working full time), and getting to the end of my rope and choosing to fight rather than give up. Still have to remind myself of that semi regularly.
Finally, the realization that I and my wife were in a place to have the other child we always wanted. That she'd learned to cope much better, her mental illness was in much better control, and that there was the potential for life to continue the way we had given up thinking it might. Our son is 6 now and our daughter almost 11 months. Wife is doing better than ever. Me too.
Dont_Blink__ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Mom reading to me every night before bed. I'm still an avid reader because of it.
SassyTopiary ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't mean to be long-winded, but it happens.
My senior year of high school, I was getting bullied almost daily by a girl. My parents were really upset by it because I would come home every day more discouraged by it.
I applied for an amazing program at the university I would most likely be attending and was anxiously waiting to hear back from them. It was a very small number of people that would be accepted and I felt so at home with the people I had met there.
Anyway, I come home one day, very upset because of another terrible day with the bully. The house phone rang and it was for me. I took the phone all the way upstairs because I'm a pacer, and my parents (who really never spent much time up there) followed, looking excited.
The call was from the director of the program to tell me that I was accepted! I got off the phone and we celebrated; they wanted to know every word of the call. My dad likes to document every exciting thing, so he was filming the entire exchange. My mom didn't notice and suddenly exclaims, "Take that, stupid bully's name!"
We laughed for a very long time once she realized she was being filmed. Needless to say, we don't share that home video with many people.
Truly, that was such a defining moment in my life. I realized that high school didn't matter so much, and I would be out of there so soon. That program ended up bringing me more important moments and core memories, being the place where I met over half of my wedding party, including my wonderful husband who I married this year.
rmsprs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mom dragging me on the street as a kid while I cried cause I didn't want to go to tuitions. Asking dad what nipples were for. Not being able to comprehend what spiders were the first time I saw one. Exposed my aunty to the family by pulling out her packet of her sanitary pads from the drawers while saying she wore diapers.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure about all of them, but I certainly remember one night reading a book to my mom in the hospital when I was 5. She had cancer.
On a similar note,I remember tge looks on my dad's face when he got the call(they were divorced) that my mom had died.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Back in 2006, I was in 6th grade. Hollister Polos became all the rage and me, a nerdy white girl with no friends and no concept of bodily hygiene decided I wanted to join in the fun.
I begged my mom to take me to Hollister and get me a polo, and she caved. We went to the store, and i picked out a nice deep pink Polo.
I wore it to school the next day and this kid named alex made fun of me for wearing it, simply by saying "Nice polo Canoodlerstar" in that childhood teasing tone.
I still remember that stupid fat kid. He was so mean to me.
vincentrose88 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can only think of two islands:
(Actually my first memory: I was four): I walk into the living room, with dust particles sparkling in the sun to ask my dad, quite frankly:
Wide-eyed I ask him to explain more, and he starts pulling out books with pictures printed on sharp black paper of space ships, planets, atoms and everything in between, and start to explain how from physics we have gone to space, taken pictures of far away stars and understand our place in the universe better than ever.
Our PE teacher in highschool (freshman+sophomore had PE together) challenges anyone who dares to compete in a 2500m race after us running for two hours in different disciplines. Winners gets two bottles of sodas. Me (freshman) and a couple of sophomores takes up the challenge. I am a skinny, super nerdy kid, who is always picked last on teams and so on. We race, and the sophomores who smoke falls off one by one for each round (we race on a 400m track), and for the final 400m it is only him and me. I speed up and he can't follow. At the very end I look backwards and almost trip as I'm so far ahead that I can walk into goal. It was the first time I ever won any sport activity.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mother dying in my arms at 1am, it was one week before my 20th birthday.
Watching a man jump in front of a train on my way to my co-op placement in high school, though i saw the aftermath i never learned his name. They didn't let me take the day off either.
After having a rough love triangle experience with a friend i was obsessive about, i cut off the friendship because it wasnt healthy for either of us. I ran into her a year later and we were both doing better so i asked her for coffee. Mid way through the date she broke it to me she was seeing that ยจother guyยจ i was heart broken.
Waking up one morning to check the scale, i had lost over 100 pounds and finally reached my goal. I was obese and struggled with food for most of my adult life. Seeing that i was finally in a healthy weight range nearly brought me to tears.
Driving on a hour road trip across country to drop my friend off for university, knowing this was the last time we would see each other. It was bittersweet.
Walking into the National Gallery of London England when i was 18, i was so awe struck it inspired me to become an artist.
Taking 10 grams of shrooms on my second ever trip. It was an emotional roller coaster. It completely broke down my understanding of my life and shattered everything i thought i knew, ive never looked at like the same way since.
Having a man chase me with im pretty sure the intention to kill me at 11pm in a forest after stumbling upon him burning evidence. ive never ran so fast.
Playing halo with my friends back in grade 8. We didn't care about anything else it was the best of times.
Theres a lot more, some better some worse. But these are a few of the juicy ones.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mother sucker punching 6yo old me me in the head so hard I broke the wall when I hit it. Fuck core memories.
goannabanana ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข The day I met my husband, I remember every detail of that day, and it was a big day, flying from Prague to Barcelona in the morning consoling a Middle Aged man about this 'murderous' mail order bride on the plane. Getting to the hostel and seeing the sexiest man I'd ever seen standing in the common room, meeting him at dinner, sharing the duty free chocolate with him (an unexpected gift from the man on the plane for me for listening to him), visiting the magic fountain, going out for tapas with the hostel crew until 3 in the morning.
โข the day I gave birth to our son.
โข the night I slept in the Sahara desert and got upgraded to 'luxury tent'.
โข 6 years old and my mum told me we're moving to Queensland. I was disappointed to hear that the queen did not live there.
โข 9 years old. playing 'crocodile' in the pool at night with dad and my sister (pool light turned off and dad would swim under the water and grab our ankles). How the police didn't get called for those screams I'll never know! Best fun ever! Good ol dad worked all day and would come home and play in the pool with us every night.
โข visiting Iceland with my sister and having a wild time! Also seeing northern lights, and getting upgraded to business class on the flight home.
In summary. Travel and heightened emotions with loved ones are was sticks with me.
Gadafro ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just from my (much) younger life. I have some more recent ones, but it makes sense to focus on these to me:
When I woke up when I was 4 years old on Christmas Eve to see my parents filling up my stocking. Besides learning that Santa actually wasn't real, it didn't affect me a great deal, but it is a precursor to what comes next, which is;
Waking up on my 5th birthday (a few months after the previous Christmas incident) to find my Dad standing next to my bed holding a Nintendo 64 with Mario Kart 64 and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It defined the part of me that understands my parents are nearly everything that makes me who I am.
Finally, also related to the previous point, is the fact that as a 5 year old I was allowed to stay up until 2am in the morning playing 4 player split screen with my Dad, Brother, and my Brother's friend on Mario Kart 64. This probably defined my life the most since gaming is probably my biggest hobby; it influenced the friends I made nearly 18 years ago (I'm 22), many of which I still hold dear today, as well as one of my still biggest discussion points with my dad.
lizzehnator ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:40:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting around the campfire at the cottage with a lot of family. My cousin playing the old, terrible cottage guitar and everyone singing along to whatever songs he was playing. I distinctly remember him playing the Franklin theme song (that kids show with the turtles and various other animals), which he had learned just for me (I was probably around 8?).
Playing ball games at recess with my friends, and one friend threw a ball towards me and it hit me right on the forehead and shot straight up, then fell right back down on my head. We all cried laughing.
The day my grandfather shot himself in my basement, when I was in grade 8 and at home. My grandparents lived with us. He had prostate cancer, and hated that he was losing his independence. This is my most vivid memory. I remember exactly how that gun shot sounded, and the confusion and panic that followed.
Going on a week long road trip with my mom down to Williamsburg, Virginia (we live in Canada). Mom gave me the maps and told me to navigate us there. I only got us lost one time, when we ended up at some deserted beach just around sunset. We got out of the car and just watched the sunset, and it felt incredibly serene.
Playing Jenga and watching the game show channel with my grandma. She had Alzheimer's, and I often had to take care of her when I got home from high school. My mom worked shift work, and dad worked fairly late. We eventually had to move her to a home, but this is when isn't wasn't too bad. She still knew who we were, but her memory was quickly slipping, and she was different. The memory though, is of a really good day for her. She seemed like my real grandma again.
Finally getting accepted into the program at university I wanted to get into. It required passing an entrance exam, which I had already failed twice.
Getting the phone call from my dad this past Easter Sunday, to tell me that my cousin had been killed in a car accident. We were incredibly close, and she was the closest thing I had to a sister. I've never felt so much sadness before.
kekokek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:40:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 4 or so, I was driving with my dad and this guy behind us was tailgating like a mad man. We end up at a traffic light and my dad gets out of the car and goes to his car and says, "If you keep on tailgating me I'm going to slice your fucking neck off, bitch!". He comes back into the car and gives me a warm smile and appears cool and calm and we go on our way.
Those were his exact words and I remember everything clearly.
paper_liger ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:40:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was winter and I was 7. The trailer had no electricity so all of us kids were huddled together with mom and dad on the big bed. The youngest started crying saying she was thirsty, and my mom made me go get water. My bare feet felt like they turned to crystal when they touched the floor, so cold it hurt. My breath made clouds in front of me. When I got there the pipes were frozen solid.
I remember sitting on my mothers lap at a sunlit kitchen table when I was much younger. My mom laughed like others breathed. She was drawing. With a few flicks of a pen she could make a bird or a tree or a face. And I was laughing uncontrollably because it seemed like a miracle to me, that you could make new worlds with nothing but a pen. This is the moment I think I became an artist.
I was home on leave from the army. My dad and my siblings had all been out drinking the night before, and I woke up early to help my sister the carpenter finish her roof. Cell phones weren't common but I had one. I left it charging, couldn't hear it ringing over the hammering on the roof. When I went inside I saw 12 missed calls. I drove to the sister who'd called, she said dad had been calling but she was at work. I ran up the street to his house. I found him dead, curled up on the floor next to the bed. I waited with him for an hour until my family and the undertakers came. I remember laying on the floor with him and stroking his grey hair and crying so hard I thought I'd break something.
I remember releasing my mothers ashes at her favorite place. It was a waterfall in the middle of the desert. Me and a few siblings stood there on a pit of rock in front of the falls, the cool air blowing in from the falling water. When I opened her ashes they didn't drift into the water, they exploded into the sky and it felt like for a second every atom in my body was saying yes at the same time as she rose into the cool desert air.
I remember kissing her in the back of the church, the first girl I ever fell for, long hair and braces and the smoothness of her skin underneath her shirt. Every girl is mixed in with this memory, all my lovers past and future, all one.
I remember the exhilaration of surviving a firefight, the absolute joy of a happy squirming three year old who loves her daddy with a purity that all of us have forgotten how to give. I remember saving a girl one dark night and walking away without ever telling her my name. I remember it all, and I'll forget it all one day and that's part of the truth too.
Flintml ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:40:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This question rules.
IGotSkills ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:40:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There was this one time I did a flip on my bike off a ditch and when I landed my groin hit the frame of the bike really hard and it hurt
Oceanswave ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:41:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
None. I've lost all my marbles.
Cherry_3point141 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:41:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if this is a "core" memory as defined by the OP, but it is a memory I will never forget.
Waking up in the hospital and talking with two people I had never meet before as they told me I had been in a car accident, and my best friend Peter "didn't make it." It was allot for a 14 year old me to comprehend and for a few years after that accident when I was feeling stressed, or walking into a new situation (like moving to a new school) I would imagine my friend Peter was walking next to me.
This was well over 20 years ago and while I don't often think about him anymore. Every now and then he will reappear in my conscience and I will wonder what, and who he would have developed into.
The two people I didn't know I learned later were Peters cousin and Aunt, whom we were on route to see for Christmas when the accident occurred. Instead of hanging out with the family during the holidays, these two along with other family members had to sit in a hospital and try and console their sister (Peter's mum) who I later learned was barely holding in together upon learning of her son's death. She was the one driving who fell asleep at the wheel and crossed into the on coming traffic. I mention this simply as a fact, not as judgment call at all.
About a month after the accident Peter's dad passed from his injuries about the same time the doctors confirmed there was no chance Peter's sister would ever walk again. I felt more sad for his mum as my Dad told me to give them their space as the mum had suffered a complete mental breakdown, whatever the fuck that was.
No Dad, not a breakdown, just grief. Fuck that pissed me off.
Why was I with this family instead of mine at Christmas? Usual bullshit of not getting along with my parents, living in a group home and this family invited me to stay with them over the holidays.
MoonLoony ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:41:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
*Playing on the beach in Hawaii as a kid in the mid-70's and hearing music from someone's radio. The smell of coconut oil sunscreen was intoxicating to me. *Peeing on the side of road in the middle of nowhere in Utah on a roadtrip. Hadn't seen a car in an hour, but the second I squat here comes a car! *My husband and his cousin setting up a Nintendo 64 for the kids on Christmas Eve (1999 maybe) and playing Mario Cart until the kids woke up in the morning! "Hey kids! Look what Santa brought!"
killrapture ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:41:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Idk man, I can't remember
VeryPatientMan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my dad bought my first jigsaw puzzle. I was probably like 8, and my dad came back from a business trip and bought me a jigsaw puzzle of a F1 Racing Car on race track with a blue side rails. It was just 50-100 pieces I think. Me and My dad immediately got to work on that. It took me nearly 2-3 months to finish it. He would join in and out, but the day it was finished he gave big high-five. And talked to me about getting things done. I lost that puzzle at some point, and I hope I can buy that again. BTW, I played with that for years, I dis-mantled it and rebuild it back so many times. I got so good at it, i could do that in 15 mins.
My dad took me and my brother to the swimming pool during a summer. I was probably like 14-15. My brother(13) was so scared, he would not get into the pool. Nothing helped, a week passed, and my dad was pissed. On that particular day, I got into the water, and was asking my brother to come in, and he was refusing as usual. My brother saw my dad approach from behind, so he slid away from the pool. My dad hold his hand, slapped him hard and pushed him into the water and told him not come out for 30 mins. I stood there in the swimming pool and just cried for my brother. I felt really hurt for my father's behavior. I talked about this with my dad, years later. My brother used to study in a hostel(This is in India, and this is a top notch school). In this hostel, there was a swimming pool, and year after year, some kid about my brother's age would die of drowning. My brother was joining this school that year, and my dad came to know of this info by visiting the school and talking to parents from already enrolled students. And so he took on himself to teach minimum swimming skills in that summer for just in case scenario.
My grandfather and me(probably 15) were walking from the theatre home. This is in a remote village in india. The road is dark and the only light was from the fireflies and the stars above us. Also it was no-moon night. That is the first time we talked about constellations. He showed me the ursa-major, orion and other constellations. He would then ask to me to find If I see any other patterns, and I keep searching for them, even today, when ever I look at stary sky. That night is embedded into my head, and I would do anything to feel that emotion again.
VerdigrisVolva ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Am I already late to this? Man, an hour ago this ask had maybe 300 upvotes! Whatever, I love this movie, so Iโm gonna blather on here (mostly in chronological order).
SmiteVVhirl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Extended Family Land: A Halloween party at my grandmothers house, all of her family was there and its where I really got to know some of my cousins.
Hero Land: I saved my cousin from drowning in our pool, my family was so proud of me and I didn't understand why I was being praised for something I would have obviously done.
Best Friend Land: I asked my first grade best friend if he wanted to be my best friend on the first day of school, he said yes.
Family Issues Land: A car ride where my father got pulled over for tailgating, my mom flipped and I realized my parents weren't the fairy tale couple. (There was other stuff later, this was just when I realized it).
Wealth Realization Land: After moving to florida I realized that I was upper middle class in an area of impoverished people, felt weird.
Theater Land: After I finally got my big part as the Artful Dodger in Oliver! I felt like theater was finally something I was able to do. This eventually morphed into Shakespeare land as I got older and now do mostly Shakespeare.
Running Land: This one is dead now, but XC was one of my defining characteristics for many years, and I remember my first 800 meter race where my would-be main coach praised me for having improved so much from 7th to 8th grade. In 7th grade I completed the mile in 10 minutes, now I was running a 6:45 mile.
Gay Land: I knew I was gay, but finally embraced it and accidentally slept with my sisters best friend when I was 15.
Club Land: I was (though it was weird and loose knit as fu-) vice president of a GSA at my school and even became a significant member of the Key Club organization. I remember the counciler at the school pushing me to become a member of Key Club and I sort of did it on a whim, but then decided to take it seriously once I did get the job.
Depression Land: I was in 6th grade and tried taking an assortment of drugs in order to kill myself. Everything else sounded painful but I felt like I would just drift off into nothingness using drugs. Welp. I survived and got really sick. Yay.
Videogame Land: When they tore down running land, Videogame land took its place. I remember going to my college game room for the first time and being invited to play League of Legends with a guy I never met. That guy is now a good friend.
DarthMelonLord ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad giving me a leather suit and a kid size motorcycle helmet on my birthday so I could ride with him around our neighbourhood.
Tracing the tattoo on my dad's arm and asking him if I could get one too when I was older, and he was so happy that I liked his ink and wanted tattoos too.
meeting my dog for the first time
when my mom moved out, and I was left with grandma and grandpa.
only time my grandma has cried in front of me. She told me she and grandpa were getting divorced. She was so sad, and I didn't know what to do so I handed her my favourite stuffed animal and said that she could keep it, and she started to cry.
seeing my baby sister for the first time
going for ice cream with my dad, and he put a Queen song on (which sparked a life long obsession and permanently altered my taste in music)
breaking my bully's nose with a book
fylex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
No memories worth remembering, FML..
AndrewRK ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
getting chased around my house around the age of six by a bunch of a bees whose hive I disturbed; I cried a lot and I remember it very clearly even fifteen years later
playing my first violin rehearsal and being nervous and scared and feeling like I didn't practice enough (I didn't practice enough but nobody will really be too judgmental of a five or six year old playing)
jumping off the top of the playground in sixth grade (would not do that today - probably) and completely owning it to the applause of other kids and the disapproving glare of teachers
first time I played Diablo and WarCraft and knew that I would love video games (probably was 7-10 years old)
talking to a suicidal person on ChatRoulette and feeling the weight of every word for the first time in high school or middle school
first day of high school track practice as a freshman when it was raining needles and I met a really good friend afterwards; both of us really hated that day and were exhausted but it was the start of a great relationship
listening to bath by maudlin of the Well for the first time and having a genuinely moving experiencing from a piece of music - as BS as it sounds, I felt like I truly understood what it meant for music to be art
playing To The Moon and realizing how much depth every person's story has to it changed my perspective forever
finishing The Catcher In The Rye for the first time and dwelling on adolescence and what I could do to change the fact that I thought Holden was kind of an ass but also a lot like me
RoadYoda ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:43:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
5 years old, meeting the two girls across the street after we moved in, by throwing rocks at each other across the street, ended up being good friends
Being carried by my dad, down the side of the hill after flipping over on the mountain luge in Ober Gatlinburg, face scraped up, mom hysterical at the bottom of the hill. I got a toy Dale Earnhart car and ice cream
Going to the beach in Destin, FL most years
First time I hung out with my now-SO. We ditched a charity event in highschool to drive around and do nothing
Getting married, on a beach, with less than 2 dozen ppl there
My son being born (and most of the memories of the past two years since he's been here
SucksYouSay ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:43:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Little late to the thread, but mine is swinging on my grandpa's tire swing. He told me if I swung as high as I could go I could yell to my Grandma in heaven. He passed away two years ago and even though I am not religious I still got on that swing and went as I high as I could go and yelled "I love you Grandpa!".
Cassiyus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:43:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Watching a girl that I definitely shouldn't have been dating take her shirt off for the first time in front of me. "Nothing in my life has ever been the same. It was like touching the obelisk and and realizing I could use tapir bones as a weapon."
Running over the catcher at home plate during Little League.
Having my first dog fall asleep with me on the couch the night we brought him home.
Losing the geography bee because I didn't know Canada's largest province, and therefore not getting to go to Space Camp.
emax4 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:43:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Before I get weepy with reading these other stories, I'll put in some of my best. My parents say I don't remember anything unless it involves food or toys, and to some extent that holds true. On mobile now.
Now earlier in the day I had done chores for my neighbor and she gave me a dollar in quarters (this is crucial). Later in the afternoon my dad took my downtown where I stood outside of GC Murphys and collected for children's hospital in the cold and snow. About an hour had passed and the can was getting heavy, so I took a break and went inside to warm up. I took my can, walk past the lunch counter, past the toys and games and headed straight back by the video games. I laid my can down at my side, took the quarters out of my pocket, then played Space Invaders, Pleaides, Scramble, or PAC Man. People were horrified that I was stealing money for the hospital and using it for my own entertainment! My Dad came around and yelled at me, but I had to explain that I did chores for the neighbor and got paid.
My maternal grandparents would work in the mornings, so I would wake up and do my chores while they were gone. I finished early and was feeling mischievous. I went in their room, turned their TV on to MTV, turned it up to maximum volume, then shut it off. I totally forgot about it that day and went back home to my parents for the weekend, until I got up the next morning. My Mom tells me they went up to bed, my grandmother went to the batheoom, my pap to the bedroom. He turned on the TV and it scared the shit out of both of them, my grandma being at the right place at the right time. This was in the era when Headbangers Ball was on.
Taking my paternal grandma shopping. She never drove, and I loved being over her house, but it was a treat spending time with her. My Dad would drive her up the street to the grocery store, we'd come back, she would try to pay my Dad and he would refuse (but jokingly I would offer to take it). Other times I remember taking her to the mall. I'd split up with them and Shop at the Hobby Horse, Bookstore, and toy store, then meet up with them at Pappan's (PA restaurant, mid 80's). After dinner my Dad took me to Children's Palace where I got a GI Joe artillery gun, Cobra Commander and another figure, then went next door to David Weiss (Dept store) where I got a GI Joe Cobra hanglider. Just the rush of toys and spending time w my grandma was so memorable.
In Kindergarten I got in trouble for looking up girl's dresses, and I remember my Dad reprimanding me for it. Around the time I was 24 at Thanksgiving I was bringing up that memory to my Dad, who said, "Yeah, I remember yelling at you, but I never told you that in the back of my head I was thinking, 'ATS MAH BOY!!!!' ".
Edit:formatting.
Jaereth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:43:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Deer hunting with my Grandpa. First year I was old enough to hunt, and his last. We usually went as a large party, but my baby sister was being born so dad was out and me and Gramps just went by ourselves.
Got a one shot - one kill on a nice Buck that my Grandfather selflessly spooked over to where I was concealed rather than shooting it himself.
Really glad I got to share that experience with him. As something that will only happen once in both of our lives, it seems really special.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:43:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I went to target I thought that those big red concrete balls in front of were big bouncy balls, so I ran and kicked one with all of my 6 year old strength. I broke a couple toes and never even got to go into target that day.
Bend_Over_Please ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ANGER: ~12 years old. Near drowning because my sis thought it would be fun to jump on me in the pool and ride on my shoulders at the deep end.
FEAR: Fell off a wooden tower which a group of friends and I were building. About 5 meters up. Broke a thick wooden pole with my back on the way down. Survived with no apparent injuries. Get shaky from heights from then on.
DISGUST: I was doing a presentation on the food pyramid. I was talking about needing to limit your intake of the snacks and stuff. For some reason I thought I had to drill the point in with some wit, so I said "or you'll end up like <insert fat classmate's name here>." There was an audible gasp. Worst thing was, I hadn't finished my presentation, so I had to stand up there for another 3 minutes while the class gave me death stares.
SADNESS: Dog.
Tuss ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dancing in the summer rain one morning with my cousin at our summer cabin
My parents yelling at me for not eating when I wasn't hungry.
Stanfing up to my neighbour being bullied by ither neighbours
Movie nights with my two best friends
Visiting my best friends summer cabin in the mountains
Day nap times with my ex
Falling asleep on the floor with a bath towel around me, in my first apartment, waiting for my ex to arrive with our bed.
My ex driving home from a friend in the middle of the night to console me when I had depression
Ending up in the hospital due to the depression
Being lied to by my ex
*My ex breaking up with me
GrandNightmare ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This thread is already filled with memories by this point, what about the personality islands a la Inside Out?
I remember my gf at the time asking me that as we walked out of the movie and I rattled off, "Batman island.. Horror island. Um... Pussy island."
throwtheamiibosaway ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me and my mom leaving our house with basically nothing when she had a big fight with my father and decided to divorce (first strong memory, i was around 3 years old)
My stepmother telling me that i shouldn't try so hard to make everybody like me (i'm too nice, avoid confrontation)
My father bragging in the car about never finishing school/messing around as a teen (if i could do it all again, i would!) before halfway chaging his tune and with a very sad voice finish his sentence "If i could do it again... i'd do it all differently :( :( :( ". First time i've ever heard him say something straight from the heart.
My father saying over the phone (to my mom) that if he'd had to pay alimony he'd no longer wanted to see me (my mom let it slide for about 16 years because she didn't want fights over it, but needed it to pay for school. I could hear what he said from across the room. I didn't want to see him for 10+ years after that untill he contacted me.
My teacher laughing and telling me i should quit college, since i'd never make it, happened twice. I made it, twice.
Now that i think about it i have very little positive core memories..
Jimmers1231 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
idlewildgirl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Earliest is going to the seaside with my Dad as a baby and him zipping me in his coat so just my eyes saw out as it was freezing. So weird as I really cannot fathom being that small.
threecolorless ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The number one thing that's sticking with me in this thread: you never know what seemingly simple or mundane experience will go on to define you or someone else forever. Be pleasant, be kind, be decent, and maybe if you're very lucky you will become an irreplaceable and eternal part of someone's memories.
iFr4g ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'll do a few:
The day my Gramps died, I was only 6 but remember the day clearly.
The day I scored a goal from the half-way line in Sunday League Football (Soccer) in Canterbury/Wincheap.
The day I didn't throw myself in front of a train.
The day I married my Wife.
The day my Granddad died in a hospice. And the two weeks I was able to spend with him prior.
(Coming Soon) The day I emigrate to America. (To live with my Wife)
enjoyyourshrimp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Termmina ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Sending a secret admirer candy gram love letter to my crush. It getting delivered when we have a period together and her immediately turning around and asking if I wrote it.
When my parents never showed up for one of my last school band music concerts.
My brothers and my sister eating dinner together alone And joking/playing around/laughing so hard I spit my food, my sister fell of her chair, my brother had Coke come out his nose, and my other brother staring blankly because he was too young to understand. Then my dad immediately shutting it down because he wanted us to eat right.
Running away from my grandma's house because I felt that I was unloved by my extended family.
Dropping my baby sister on the floor and going under the bed because I didn't want to get yelled at.
Falling asleep on the bus, thus missing my transfer point, and waking up in the last stop. Then proceed to cry because I only had enough change to take one more bus and I would still be stranded. Calling my dad and him finding me and taking me home.
Letting a classmate borrow my trade cable and him never returning it.
Family road trips to Mexico.
Tiblia ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my greatest memories was listening to the radio on trips down to Cornwall with my dad. He loved old show tunes,so I now know every word to every song in Anything Goes by Cole Porter
Probably want influenced me to want to be an actor!
It was either that or Slim Dusty's Greatest Hits, which I also now know every word to. Just might sound a bit weird coming from the accent of a pretty middle class Englishman. My dad's an Aussie and that really helped me feel a connection with my "Motherland" as it were...
Again, probably part of the reason I want to go back there so much!
I always hated those visits to Cornwall, but the long drive down singing along with Dad who I didn't see so much after the divorce was always the best part. Also just hearing the rain wrap on the top of the car. My dad was probably so tired from the eight hour drive, and from flying back from Delhi to see us, but the energy he put in for us is something I really want to maintain for my own kids eventually.
Other than that, my brother used to have a bit of a temper, kinda troubled childhood. But, the Xbox was in his room, so i remember having to sit there quietly whilst he was on the computer, and though he presented to the world this standoffish aloof teenager, I'm glad for the time we spent in his dark room/cave, cos I got to see how he did care about me and actually like me, despite what he said and did. Even now songs from the games we used to play together, Ronfaure Theme, for instance, or anything by Coldplay or the exact line "No one can catch Phantom!" From don't mess with the Zohan playing over and over cos we left it in the Xbox and couldn't be bothered to move it. Also the entire movie Iron Man.
Probably why I am such an avid gamer now, cos my main interactions to my big brother were playing games with him, pulling all nighters to get them finished. We've now moved on to movies, but whenever he comes back home, it's the same tradition; pizza, TV, closed curtains, and silence whilst the movie is on :D and no coming out of the room til the dreaded birds start chirping...
Radiant_Indignation ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Waking up in the hospital at age 13, dizzy and in pain, weak as a kitten, with an IV in my arm. Mom told me my blood sugar bottomed out unexpectedly (hypoglycemic at the time) and I had actually been dead for a couple minutes.
The pride on my dad's face when I passed my driving test.
The unexpected pleasure of being named Outstanding Senior Girl for my high school marching band, after years of harassment and derision for being a female percussionist.
My friends pitching in to by me a computer so I could create art (and play World of Warcraft).
The moment that my ex at the time and I realized that we couldn't live without each other, laying in each other's arms on New Years Day. We got back together quickly after that and are going strong.
Losing my job and my cat in the same day...still miss you Shu...
Sapiophile23 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Joy: baking cookies "on my own" when I was 7 (mom was there, but I had to read and follow the directions). Pretty much all my happy memories are me and my mom in the kitchen.
Fear: when my sister tried to kill me
I don't remember much sadness, anger, or disgust. I found solace in reading and escaped to my bedroom often.
Dnt_believe_this_guy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Family car driving away, imagine Joe Dirte's family leaving him, to go to Chuck E Cheese's while my cousins wave goodbye and laugh. Plot twist my mom was driving. Still have abandonment issues to this day.
IwishIwasaPainter ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't have any
Grammarnazi_bot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my parents helped me build my gaming desktop computer
Seeing the acceptance note from that really good high school
Going to Universal Studios for the first time
Meeting my best friend in Kindergarten
LordoftheBanjo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:45:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Sitting on a set of bleachers with my Grandpa outside my hotel in Disney World learning to play banjo.
Roadtripping through the states on my way to Montana with my brother and mom listening to "eragon"
My uncles goofy face as he jumped on the hood of our car, clinging to it, asking us not to head home to Illinois from Montana. It was the last time I saw him.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:46:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โขgoing to visit my mom when she got off work with my dad and brother when I was 4. She came out and hugged me crying and said that she was going to quit because she missed us so much(basically worked all day every day)
โขthe first time I scored in peewee soccer. Usually instead of actually playing I would sit and tear up the grass/flowers. But that day I got off my ass and my dad was super proud so he took me to get ice cream afterwards. You could say I'm an active person(understatement)
โขIn preschool I built a city out of those wooden blocks on top of one of the toy shelves, and my friend was sitting on the ground on the other side. I pushed them off onto his head and got in big trouble. Thats when I learned to be considerate of other people
โขOur very first art assignment in kindergarten was to draw a giraffe and try to make it abstract. I drew a 100% recognizable giraffe(quite a feat at that age) and it got in the local newspaper. I've loved art ever since(not for the attention, because I believed I could actually be good at it)
โขWhen I was called a fattie on the bus in 1st grade. Hurt because it was true. Queue formation of schema that will negatively effect my mental health for my entire life โขThe first time I held my dog. We got her from a breeder so when she was a few weeks old we got to visit. Shes probably the cutest havanese out of all the havanese. And no, we keep her hair short so she looks like an actual dog and not a fur purse. Anyways, I've loved animals ever since
PlantedDerp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:46:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a little strange. I literally have no vibrant memories of my childhood or even my teenage years. If I sit and really try, I can remember maybe one or two things up to about 10 years old. I can remember things that have happened in the past few years but it's hard for me to get into the memory.
I didn't have a bad childhood, or even a bad teenage experience or college experience, etc - I just can't remember it very well.
Josh4King ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:46:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting at the front door singing with my twin sister, we really enjoyed each other's company
Going to a water park with my family, probably the happiest I have ever been in my life
My first time playing video games (N64) with my cousins. This one really ignited my passion for gaming
Sitting at my sister's bedside as I saw her taken from me by cancer. We were only 6, not ready for that shit to happen.
Sitting at the bedside of the only other family member I truly enjoyed spending time with as he was also taken from me. This really hit me hard as I felt quite alone for many years, which has really scarred me since.
Psychoicy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:46:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had this core memory of my father sleeping in his arms by my hospital bed when I had German measles at 8 years old. My only good memory of my father sustained my love for him through a life time of physical, emotional, and psychological abuse, until I am in my 30s. Beginning of this year, a new memory (red , blue, and green) was formed when he made one of the countless insult towards my husband. The dad part of the family island crumbled and fell off, and the hospital memory stripped of its core memory status. Along with that core memory, many other negative core memories associated with him also lost their core status. My islands of personally now looks drastically different now.
It wasn't easy, but my father is no longer in my life. My family island is now powered by core memories of husband holding his head in complete awe when he saw our son for the first time and me holding my sleeping newborn at the hospital gazing into eat others eyes.
FriedLouie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:46:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Did you also watch Inside Out last night at a park in Minneapolis?? I feel like this is too convenient
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:46:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The thread is one person's core memories with a bunch of comments... really people.
VetProf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:46:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tried to run away from home early in the morning when I was ~7/8 years old because I hated homework. Of course, me being a dumb and naive little kid, I didn't bring along any food and water, only a clean pair of clothes (because "good kids" have to take off their pajamas by 10). Crept out of the house, wandered around the neighborhood a bit, changed my clothes in the middle of the street (barely any cars and people were still sleeping, at least, that's what little old me thought), got chased around a bit by a persistent stray dog (legitimately thought I was gonna die), managed to lose it by running around a probably-abandoned house and eventually ran back to my house crying because I was scared as shit. Good times. My parents thought I was sleepwalking, though I doubt that they're that dense.
Still, when I looked back at it, I was grateful for my encounter with that dog. Worse stuff could've happened. I could've been ran over. I could've been kidnapped. And yet, I'm still here. All thanks to that dog. Thanks, doggo.
MissKillian ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Planting seeds in kindergarten and having a little boy dump dirt on me
Riding a skateboard down the Boston Common hills with my mother hanging on
Age 5 wetting my pants at choir rehearsal because the choirmaster was mean and I was too afraid to ask permission to go
Sending balloons off from my bedroom window with notes attached, asking for a pen pal replies
Laying on my back in the grass at summer camp, listening to Chuck Mangione over the loudspeakers
Being singled out for attention and praise for my artistic ability at a young age
My mother removing my bedroom door after I slammed it
Seeing the neighborhood dog getting run over by a truck and his body not removed for hours
Kissing a boy, who I thought was repellant, because I wanted to feel what it was like, only to deny it later
Trolling an on-air live TV preacher with my aunt. We called so much he said we'd go to Hell. It was great
Apple picking in the fall and then going to the haunted house
Singing road trip songs with my family on long car trips
My father taking me to kung fu movies in Chinatown, they were very inappropriate for a 10 year old but reading the subtitles were added fun. Using my father's hand to cover my eyes during the bloody or violent parts and getting ice cream and hot dogs afterwards.
wastemeaway ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mostly high school. I don't have a great chronological memory, but here goes.
1) My uncle dying and then my grandmother dying 3 days after him.
2) Falling in love with a girl that was with someone else. She strung me along for a while because she enjoyed having someone adore her. She just stopped speaking to me one day.
3) My dad gave me my first bloody nose by punching me in the face after we started arguing about ramen noodles.
4) My friend showed me Reddit. I was shown /r/gore and /r/gonewild within a fifteen minute time frame. I was hooked.
5) (This one is from college) I broke up with the girl that I was hoping to marry someday. A lot of things just went wrong.
Corememorythrowaway ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Last one. My mom coming to the school and chewing out a teacher who had physicly abused me in her class.
I'm sure I have many more to gain and a few more I'd love to share but I don't want to dump them all out.
kizombapanda ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โขOn the way home one night with Dad and Footloose came on the radio. I was probably about 11 years old and didn't really know the song that well but he just came to life. Started singing and dancing along while driving this massive van and part of me was thinking "Oh my god how embarrassing" but the other part of me knew how special I was to have him and that I was going to remember this for the rest of my life.
โขShortly after my brother was born, I was 5, Mom was rocking him to sleep and singing lullabies along with a tape or cd we had so I grabbed one of my baby dolls and started doing it with her. One of the lullabies ends singing about after Mom dies how much she'll still love us or something and I couldn't handle it. I got so sad thinking about not having my mom I started crying so she had to comfort both me and my brother at once.
โข Sunday mornings with my sister in our poofy slips and tights dancing around the living room with our stuffed animals before going to church.
โขKnowing every single line that everyone had in my kindergarten play and mouthing it from the back row of the choir.
Maybe there's more, I'm not sure.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Grandfather had lung cancer and was bed ridden for many years and couldn't do much. I was over at his house one evening and had my trumpet with me as I was practicing. He also gifted me that trumpet for Christmas a few years before that. He had asked me to come into his bedroom and play him "When the Saints Go Marching In", so I took a few seconds to think out the notes in my head and then played it for him. He just layed there and closed his eyes and listened to me play the trumpet that he had bought for me. Once I finished he thanked me and we sat there in silence with each other.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me and four of my buddies took a road trip from Virginia to Big Bend National Park. This was during college, and I was in a fraternity, so we stayed at chapters along the way. Texas A&M, Villanova, Alabama State, and we stayed at Tulane during Mardi Gras. This was one of the best times of my life. Especially because the five of us used to get a ton of flak for "only playing video games".
I met the girl of my dreams around that same time. I thought I loved before, but this one changed me. She is the most genuine person I know, and is kind to everyone on instinct. She went to Europe to study abroad for a year. The summer before she left, I saved up working 40+ hours a week, and surprised her with a roundtrip ticket to her uni. It was amazing, and I knew she was the one. Been almost 4 years now, and they've all been amazing.
In highschool I spent so much time playing Minecraft and WoW. I spent months making my own server, and had a fair amount of people play on it. I told my mom, and she was really proud of me, and encouraged me to keep working on it. My mom mentioned it to my dad one day, and he made me shut it down that day. I was getting a couple C's in high-school, and that needed to be my focus instead. He bookmarked the forum thread, and made sure I would never post on it. It killed my creativity. Years later, I've found that one of my biggest hobbies is world building. Kinda sad that I never had time to develop it more in highschool.
Those are the only three that come to mind.
pontiferosplatypus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 3, I soiled the bed and when I came downstairs, my mom happened to be doing laundry at 3am. She helped me change with warm clothes, change my sheets, and tucked me in. I felt so loved.
When I was about 7, I stole $5 from my grandpa (my favorite person on the planet), but I felt so bad that I told him within 15 minutes of doing it. He didn't get mad, he told me that he was glad I was honest and that be loved me. Then we had a talk about stealing, lying, cheating; a talk I had never had before. Then he gave me the $5
Between about 6-12 once a month I would spend the weekend at my grandparents and my grandpa and I would have a boys night at the sprint car races while my twin sister and my grandma would have a girls night at the house doing 'girly things' as I called it.
When I was 8, my parents told my sister and I that we were going on a vacation, but we were really put in foster care. My dad didn't hug me back when I was leaving, my mom was in tears. I didn't understand, but the state forced them because of the drugs, alcohol, and neglect because they worked too much. And I lost my shit when my sister and I got put in separate places.
3 weeks into foster care, I had been to 3 homes. I was in a home in Anacortes for 1 night, and in the morning, the DSHS agent came and told me I was moving again and I completely lost it. I thought it was my fault, that I was a bad kid, and no one wanted me. I kept saying I would be good and do better.
That same night, sitting in the foster care agency in a little play room, I hear from the other side of the wall my grandparents GOING OFF on the people and demanding to have me. After an hour, the DSHS people say screw protocol and give me to them. A week later, they find my sister and get her too. I had never seen them get mad before. It was really scary, but I've never felt so wanted.
Christmas of that year, I am given back to my parents. My mom came to pick us up. She balled and apologized. It hurt me to see her so mad at herself. My father didn't come to pick us up with her, he stayed late at work like every other night.
A year later, we are back in foster care. The last day of school (3rd grade), we are given to a new family again.
From 9-12, severely abused (me physically/emotionally, my twin sister emotionally). Too many bad memories. One day I was forced to stand in a corner for 16 hours. One meal, and 2 bathroom breaks. The dad, Alex, went to bed while I was still standing there. Michelle the mom woke up and was surprised I was still there. They had forgot about me. I never felt so unwanted.
Once while standing in the corner, I threw up and was yelled at, told to clean it up, and given more time to have to stand there. Another time they wouldn't let me go to the bathroom, so I pooped myself. Again, they had me clean it up and yelled at me and had me stand there longer. I was so ashamed of myself.
One night when I was 12, I finally stood up to Alex. I just wanted to die and didn't care if I lived, I just decided that I would never stand in the corner again. Was pushed into doors, choked. Twin sister called the police, and when they came and investigated, we were taken away and put in a new foster home. I was so happy to be free from that man.
Ended up with a big, friendly family. My first day, I already felt loved.
Was adopted by this family when I was 15. Started to feel wanted again.
There are so many more memories, but I have to go to work!
graygray97 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first memory I have is when I was 2 or 3, my family went to see lion king the musical and they didn't let children in under 5 as it could frighten them (shitty reason). So after I was denied my family all went in except from me and my dad who went to walk around London, we got popcorn and watch some performers for a bit then went to hamleys and I got two stuffed toys a lion and a puma.
DOCTORE2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All bad memories . me being bullied at school or at home . me being hit by my parents . 0 happy memories from my childhood unfortunately , no birthdays (I didn't have any) , no parties (not a single one no prom nothing )
joeyfay ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The moment I met my SO. We were just kids in high school and I was involved with another girl at the time. It was after a football game and she was hanging out with some of my friends. We locked eyes and she smiled at me for the first time and I'll never forget it. At the end of the night she told me that I was gonna take her to the dance instead of the other girl, and she was right. We've shared every dance since for the last ten years, all starting and ending with that same smile that's forever imprinted in my mind.
randomphoenix03 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:48:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sadness, Disgust, Fear, Anger. No Joy.
oliviathecf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:48:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The moments spent with my dad were rare. He worked a lot to support all seven of us, selling cars first before becoming a manager at various places. But I'll never forget what we did with him, breakfast on Sunday mornings.
I grew up in Northern Illinois, just south of Chicago. In our little town, there was a hierarchy of breakfast places in our little minds. The highest tier was called "Egg Harbor" and it had the best pancakes.
The lowest tier was a place called "Butterfield". It wasn't that the food was bad there, it's just where my parents would go if there was a sports game on. I didn't like that because we would pretty much have to have a silent breakfast as everyone was glued to the TV screen.
Another one takes place at a family reunion in North Carolina for my mom's side of the family. My aunt was watching us, I was around four years old at the time. She made us all lunch, I remember it being a bologna sandwich because I hated bologna with all my little heart.
It also had Kraft singles and a little smear of mayo, turning it into something of an abomination to me. I turned my little nose up at it.
Now, my aunt wasn't a teenager. I'd like to stress this part, because her actions always make her look immature. She had two children at that point and would go on to have another one after this.
I remember her trying to force me to eat the sandwich, but I refused. I tried every excuse in the book, "I don't like it" didn't work, so I went for, "I'm not hungry."
Eventually, it turned into a shouting match between child and grown woman. I end up yelling for my mom, and my aunt says that she's not there and that I have to listen to her.
So I yell that she's not my mom, and my aunt starts to chase me. I had no doubt in my mind that she was going to hit me, and flight ruled out over fight, so I ran away fast and locked myself in my room.
Not anywhere near our first issue with this aunt and nowhere near our last, but this is the one that seems to impact me the most.
Another one, I started taking piano lessons at four years old and I took those lessons until we moved away when I was ten. We (my twin sister and myself) had this wonderful woman who doted on us. She was younger, probably mid twenties, and was very sweet. She was very patient with me, but I pretty much refused to practice. I'd sit down and nothing would happen.
She ended up going back to college, so we were paired with another piano instructor. He was an older man, gruff and not gentle at all. He'd come into the tiny room that managed to house a piano, stick his motorcycle helmet on top of it and have us get to work.
He quickly grew frustrated with me, but just as soon as he got angry, he figured out a solution. There was only one song that I had memorized by heart, a traditional jazz scale that was masquerading under the name "party song".
While my twin sister was content to sit and practice the piano, no matter how much she hated a song, if I hated the sound of it, I wouldn't play it. She moved on, advanced through book after book, but I stagnated very quickly.
One day, my teacher got up and left the room. I wondered if I had pushed him to the end of his rope by not practicing. My mom and sister were outside the room, and we all stared at each other for a few moments.
But he came back, toting another book with him. He shut the door and handed the book to me.
"Do you know what this is?" He said.
It was a question with a fairly obvious answer, the book had the word in big letters.
"...Jazz?"
He nodded, opened the book, and set it on the music stand for me to play.
And play I did.
The next memory is one that I hinted at above. At ten years old, we packed everything up and set our sights elsewhere.
Massachusetts.
Us kids weren't too happy about this. We pleaded with our parents, made jokes about having to take turns standing on the state, and cried a lot. It was no use though and, during the summer of 2007, we packed our lives up and drove across the country to move onward.
I'll never forget it though, my twin sister and myself had a friend in the neighborhood. He rode up on his Razor scooter as we left, early in the morning, and he waved us off as we left.
I remember everything about that moment. The grey sky opening up and beginning to drizzle, soaking our friend's blond hair. How the One Republic song "Stop and Stare" was playing on the radio.
I remember my mom crying and my grandfather (who had flown from Massachusetts to help drive us up) handing her a tissue. My hands tightening on the big, blocky grey DS that my older brother had given me when I broke my DS lite (we were leaving him too, although he'd be joining us later).
And, yet, I can't help but remember feeling glad as we hit Indiana. The sun had come out, my DS was fully charged (I was playing Diamond version of Pokemon of course), and the radio was playing some decent music.
And, there we were, moving forward.
I was only ten years old, but I feel like that was the end of my childhood in a way.
I have a few more moments, but I'm rambling at this point, so I'll keep it brief from here on out and elaborate more if anyone wants to hear them. They're in no particular order, I'm writing them as I think of them.
The first time I picked up a bass.
The first performance I gave on the piano.
My first "boyfriend"
Bisexuality and how I figured that one out. Featuring: My coming out story and how coming out really isn't a one time thing.
My first time getting paid, and how (and why) they stiffed me for it. (Hint: it has to do with faking an overtly sexual relationship with my best friend).
The four teachers who impacted my life the most, three fantastic and one so bad that it would shape the rest of my schooling.
Why I didn't go to college, and why I'm dragging my feet on answering if I will or won't in the future (even to myself).
asdfthrowaway18 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:48:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dad liked to play video games in his bedroom, especially Zelda - A link to the Past, Yoshis Island and the Kings Quest Series. That's what introduced me into gaming on the SNES, later into gaming on the computer and later into my interest in computer science. I'd like to call that my "Computer Island".
When entering the secondary modern school, I was, not trying to sound ignorant, the most intelligent of my class. I was fuckin' brilliant, makin' everything easy without even learning and correcting the teachers sometimes too. That sounds good but well, kids are assholes (and teachers too) so in my second year everyone started to bully me, especially my class teacher. That went so far that I started to intentionally make errors so I wasn't "that good". They especially bullied me when I had to make presentations cause I also was used to my dialect back then. I developed a speech defect and social anxiety. That's my "School Island" I think.
Things went much better when I finally came to my desired Higher Technical Institute for Computer Science. I even discovered something new - computer music. What first started as a love for "hands up" - a techno genre more or less famous in Germany went on as a love for electronic music in general and I wanted to make this music, I so adored, too, so I got FL Studio and just started right ahead. This was 10 years ago (oh boy, I'm old) and I'm rather active in the bass music scene and made a lot of friends. I still can't really express my feelings via words to people thanks to my anxiety, but I can do it with my music. That's my "Music Island"
rilekit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:48:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) When I was in elementary school, I had a half hour to clean my room, take a shower, and get dressed for bed. For every item on my floor at the end of the half hour, I got hit once. One night I'd gotten distracted, lost track of time, and realized I had seven minutes to shower, dry off, and get dressed. So I rushed out of my room, slammed my door, and heard all the items on my shelves hit the ground. I don't remember the beating, but I remember hearing that and knowing there was nothing I could do about what was coming.
2) In eighth grade, I had my first suicide attempt. Part of the reason was that at the end of eighth grade my friend group would be splitting up and I would be all alone again. I failed miserably at killing myself, got grounded, and my birthday party was canceled. My friends rallied around me and we had a mini birthday party at school.
3) In ninth grade, the senior I was infatuated with sat me down and asked if my stepdad was abusive. He was the first one to put it so bluntly and how I realized what happened at home wasn't normal and it wasn't my fault.
4) Meeting my older brother for the first time when I was eighteen (he was adopted and didn't find us until I was seventeen). I was so scared he wouldn't like me, but he did
5) Driving with my best friend to our friend's party at his step-dad's lakehouse. We had the music up loud, the windows down, and I felt completely free.
6) My first fight with my boyfriend a week after we moved in together. I was expecting him to tell me to get out of his house because I'd never had a fight with a significant other that didn't end in a breakup. He came into my room and we worked it out and it blew my mind.
7) Being told by his wife (we're polyamorous) that she'd rather be a single mom than put up with my depression anymore. We resolved the fight but I will probably never heal from that wound.
8) Going to the movies with my boyfriend, my girlfriend, and my best friend and feeling so unbelievably loved.
Superloseday ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:48:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-My sister and I running toward each other at full speed and bumping our bellies together. We'd fall to the ground in a fit of giggles. She'd ALWAYS put her arms up and elbow me instead.
-My mom never showing up to pick us up. She always had some excuse. (Sad one.)
-When I graduated high school and seeing how proud my dad was of me. He's always proud, but he cried.
-When my fiancรฉ told me he loved me for the first time.
-The first time I heard my son cry. I had an emergency c section and the minute I heard him cry I started to shake uncontrollably and smile. The shaking has to do with the rush of hormones they say, but when they brought him over to me finally it went away long enough for me to touch him and kiss him. I will never forget that joy.
Domo1950 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:48:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Running through the woods at about 11, feeling like I could fly as I ran and jumped over fallen trees and bushes - free, flying, one with the world... I never lost that feeling.
reallypissedturtle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:48:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was little and still living in Jamaica, we lived on a house on the hill. My dad had planted a bunch of fruit trees in our backyard overlooking the ocean.
My favourite memory is waking up around 6AM saturday morning and eating cherries under the cherry tree. I sat there eating and watching the sun rise for a few minutes until my dad sat down next to me and told me how happy he was that I'm his son.
We're best friends and that was my earliest memory of just the two of us bonding.
PlZZA_LoL ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:49:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Losing all my friends
marygolightly ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:49:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I stole a Lisa frank pencil sharpener from a girls desk in first grade. My parents saw it and asked me where I got it from, so I lied and told them it was from the little store at my elementary school. This was the first time I remember lying to my parents and feeling bad about taking something that wasn't mine.
probablyhrenrai ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:49:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Coming home from our yearly Christmas Eve celebration with my dad's entire side of the family... we're talking nearly a literal hundred people. We'd all bundle into the cold minivan, and the I always got a window seat in the back. Dad'd turn on Christmas music, we'd all talk sleepily for a while, and then the entire back seat would lean to one side or the other, covered in blankets, and go to sleep.
Running a 3k run/walk event as fast as I could in 2nd grade because dad said I was too little to do the 5k with him and my older brother. I beat everyone in the 3k by several minutes (no one else was actually racing, but I didn't care), and dad said that he underestimated me.
Tripping a kid off a 5-foot wall back in second grade. I tried to bury and forget about that for years, so the detail are fuzzy, but the memory of the horror and shame I felt at seeing his bloody face come up off the concrete as his eyes locked with mine... I've never purposely hurt anyone again.
Watching my brother play this game on the computer for hours at a time. He always asked if I wanted to play, and I almost always declined; he was better, and watching was just fine with me.
Norwegosaurus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:49:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Learning to swim in a pool at a resort in Thailand around 2001. I was 4 years old and just felt like I could do anything.
Walking out of my bedroom in the middle of the night because my parents we're arguing loudly at the top of the stairs, they divorced about 6 months later. That was 11 or 12 years ago now.
My first football practice during my exchange trip to the San Fernando Valley. I also remember sitting down when I was showering that night because the offensive line stance had destroyed my quads. Repeating the workout the next day and enduring the pain.
Telling a friend I made in the US that I loved him and that it felt like we we're brothers.
Three separate mental breakdowns, one that ended with protective custody and a full mental examination.
Telling my current girlfriend that I love her way too early in our relationship, and the various problems we've had in our relationship. Also a late night after heavy drinking I bawled my eyes out in front of a couple of friends because I thought she was going to break up with me.
Seeing my father cry for the first time after my grandmother passed away and holding his hand during the funeral.
Schootingstarr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:49:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
two of my core memories are from day care.
my mother was a single mum and I was lawys one of the last kids to get picked up, because my mum had to work late and my grandparents weren't retired either. I remember feeling really sad sitting there with one of the teachers until 5 or 6 in the evening when everyone else had already left for hours
the other one was a few years later when I was already at school, but had to go to day care afterwards, because again, everyone in the family had to work. my mother had a boyfriend at that point who was supposed to pick me up after work that day. he didn't though, and I had to wait until 5 or 6 again before my mum came to pick me up, absolutely furious the guy forgot to pick me up, and was playing diablo 2 instead :(
Araama ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:50:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Singing Bohemian Rhapsody with my dad. I was the highs, he was the lows. As I got older, it turned out I was better at the lows. No problem-- he could sing the highs.
Getting to drive in the parking lot at my dad's facility.
Drawing enough pictures to cover the walls of my dad's cubicle at bring your daughter to work day.
We had sandrails (dune buggies) that we would take out to the Mesa every weekend.
The time I begged and pleaded for my dad to take off my cast. He went at it with a saw. I let my flapping hand hang out the window on the freeway home, grinning like the Cheshire cat.
When my best friend died in my arms, while I waited for an ambulance.
FriendlyPerv ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:50:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
4 years old dribbling a basketball with my little fat hands while my family swims. I dibble off my foot and the ball goes in the water. I move close to the edge and reach for the ball until falling in. I remember splashing around trying to scream and see my oldest brother dive over my sister on the opposite side of the pool. I don't know how he got to me so fast. And that's how I got my fear of water!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:50:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
mellontree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:58:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What?
SlightlyAboveAvg547 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:50:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bad ones:
In elementary school, some of my "friends" singing "Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees" while pulling up the corners of their eyes. Didn't even know they were making fun of me until years later.
The day my mom told me she had late stage 3 lung cancer.
Good ones:
When I got into the law school of my choice with a partial scholarship, my dad cried and told me he was proud of me. It was the first time in my life he's actually said that. I know he's proud of me for many things, but he's never actually said those words until then.
When I was a kid, I used to fight (physically and verbally) with my older cousins quite a bit. I'm usually the one that runs off crying. The first time I made them run off crying was an achievement for me and I'm very proud of that moment.
The day that I finally stood up for my mom and myself against my maternal grandparents and aunt. Made me realize that I even though I'm related to them, I don't have to be apart of the toxic relationship and drama. And I think it made them realize that I have no respect for them just because they are my elders.
jlynnmorgan11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:51:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad holding me up to see the blooms of some giant sunflowers we had grown in our garden.
Going on "Daddy Dates" with my dad when I was really little. Usually we just went to McDonalds or for ice cream or something but I remember feeling really special and important.
Opening my lunchbox on the first day of school every year to find a post it or a little piece of paper with a smiley face and, "I love you," written on it from my mom.
Once after a really hard rain, the bed of my Dad's truck somehow stayed filled with water so my sister and I put on our bathing suits and went "swimming" (she was maybe 5, I was about 7).
The first time my now-husband asked me on a date, then when he asked me to be his girlfriend, and then when he proposed.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:51:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
sleepaway summer camp...
Partying in highschool when we found out someone's parents were away
producing music and listening to my own creation and actually liking it.
Cross country road trip from Vancouver to NYC with my brother, in a Mercedes SL55 AMG hard top convertable.... best 10 days of my life... we dipped south so that we didn't have to go across I-80 up north since i had driven that so many times having gone to school in Madison, WI... plus, we figured going south would let us see more interesting things, glacier national park, a lot of yellowstone, rushmore, devil's tower, and then once the scenic part of the trip ended, on to Kansas City to have 3 meals at the 3 most famous bbq joints... then over on up to pitt, went to a pirates game, great stadium, finally back to NY. Stayed at a giant cabin in the woods in St. Louis, someone we know has a friend who lives there, thing was built in the 1800s and is a horse ranch or something, felt so cool being there... man did i not want to get back to new york fucking city... i belong among the wild flower, i belong somewhere I feel free.
In wyoming we stayed at some ranch in a mountain, it was owned by the parents of the girl who's car it was (they are filthy rich, her car was in vancouver and she wanted it in NY so we offered to drive it back since we had always wanted to do a cross country road trip) Here's the funny part though.. her parents are so rich, they didn't even know the girl had bought this 130,000 dollar car. So we stayed with them, driving their own daughter's absurd car, and they didn't even know it was hers. we were so scared they might figure it out. But they were so nice and kind, the epitome of southern hospitality.
Just remembering sitting in the car driving, and all the smells, (kansas smells the best mate)... ugh, by far just the most fun thing in the history of my life... And I'm so depressed because i feel like I'll never have anything like that ever again. i have no one and it wouldn't be fun alone, plus everyone is grown up and mature now, no one would want to do that.
anyway, we went to a rodio, drank some wiskey every night, rolled our own cigarettes even though neither of us are smokers, listened to johnny cash as we drove through the mountains in the PNW... god damn, i feel like I'll never be able to do it again.... i feel like if i ever start dating again, a prerequisite for any girl will be that she needs to like road trips and want to do a cross country one with me at some point once we've been together for a while.
doubledongbot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:51:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
None, this kills the childhood.
Zack_n3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
juloxx ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I took acid
Rampaging_Elk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Deciding not to give up and die when going through chemo.
The first time my daughter and I connected at all. Babies are horrible, but I still remember the first time I put her down on her playmat and she reached for me, asking in her baby way for me to play with her some more. Lots of other memories with her, but that sticks out.
Similarly, getting my son to laugh for the first time.
The conversation where my then girlfriend told me she loved me for the first time. Been married 6 years now.
Making fun of a bully who was picking on one of my friends. He got mad and pushed me, and I just laughed in his face (he was a lot smaller than I was). Still can't stand bullies.
A previous job, hanging out with coworkers working on some random nonurgent stuff with the World Cup in the background, laughing and joking while getting work done.
Seeing the Star Wars theatrical rerelease special edition for my birthday. When my two friends and I got to the theater, it was packed, but we found 3 seats, dead center front row. It was awesome.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nearly dying, along with my mother, because we went too far out on the mud in a dock and got stuck. I managed to pull my way out, but my mum needed rescuing by other people.
suicidal_smrtcar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really great question OP. It really made me think about what events and memories have helped shaped and define me.
1:
Following my mom and dads divorce my mom brought us back to the city I was originally born and where my dad was from. My dad originally didn't move back because he couldn't find work here and spent the next 4 years working in other cities. When he came back he wanted shared custody, and thought mum was blocking us (she was good though, she just told us to say what we actually wanted). So him and his lawyers got together one day and asked my brother and I what we wanted, I told them I wanted what we were doing then, mum during the week, dad on weekends. They didn't like that and I remember one of them saying "Well he's a kid, he doesn't know what he wants"and everyone else nodded and agreed. I was probably 8 or 9 at the time but remember being super angry about it. They asked for my opinion to try and get their way, but as soon as I didn't agree they brushed me off. To this day I hate being completely ignored or used like that.
2:
Back when I was 10 I was playing Aussie rules in my local league and my brother was just old enough to start playing sport. He chose to take up soccer though, and went out for the signup day for the team a lot of people from our school were playing for. I tagged along and then went and joined in on the kids playing from my age group. Seeing as they were short of players they asked me to join the team which I did and I eventually dropped out of Aussie rules and my love affair with soccer began.
3:
The latest one: A year and a half ago or so when my little one was just starting to really talk and string words together. I knew I loved being a dad and had always wanted to be one and have a family, but having her so young and the mental health issues that both my SO and I suffered through really made that first year tough especially. Anyway my SO calls me up and tells me that our daughter had something to say to me, she puts her on and my little one says " I love you Dadda." It hit me like a bullet, I immediately choked up and this overwhealming feeling of happiness overcame me. Hearing her say that for the first time really made me realise how special being a dad was to me, it wasn't just that I loved her and enjoyed being dad but that she loved me and needed me and that I was that special person to her. It's something really amazing.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
KyleOfTheBeard ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Blue - I was rushed to the hospital after collapsing on my 17th birthday, just after my party ended. Turned out to have Type 1 Diabetes and my blood sugar was at about 900. Don't really remember much about that entire day, but waking up in the hospital bed the next day and being told I had an incurable disease was definitely a low point.
Red/Blue - This was a recent one. I'm 24 now, still living with my parents who're both in their late 50s. My brother and sister weren't home yet from college, and I had the entire upstairs to myself. My cat had been sleeping in my room with me and suddenly pawed at my face and woke me up, which he never does. I got out of bed and followed him to the top of the stairs and he just sat down and looked up at me. That's when I heard my parents talking to each other in the family room, their voices floating down the hallway and up the stairs to me.
They were talking about how I was such a huge disappointment to them, and that they didn't believe I'd ever measure up to anything in life. I just sort of sat down on the steps and my cat jumped into my lap. I listened to them talk about me for a good thirty minutes, and the whole time, tears were falling down my cheeks and I was believing what they were saying. I still kind of believe it now.
Yellow - Finding out that I'd been selected to work at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games as a broadcast production runner and utilities worker. I was still in college and it counted as a paid internship, and I got to take a month off from school with no penalty.
Green/Yellow - Finding out my little brother had gotten a job with a starting salary of $60,000 before he'd even graduated college. I was so incredibly proud of him, and so incredibly jealous at the same time.
Purple - Looking out of a small airplane door as I was 14,000 feet above ground, tethered to another man's stomach, just before we both leaded forward and fell towards the ground. After that moment, the whole fall was definitely a yellow memory.
Supreme_Leader_Smoke ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
samboslice1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The day I met my buddy Jim. He lived behind me, meaning our backyards met at this little wire fence. We put an old slide over it so we could climb over and play and what not. We would meet each other there everyday after school. One day I went to meet him, and he wasn't there. I waited for about twenty minutes and my mom came out there with tears streaming down her face. She told me that Jim had been in a car accident on the way home from school that day and wouldn't be able to play anymore. That one took quite a toll on 8 year old me.
Now for a happy one. We used to have this cabin in the Blue Ridge mountains, and we would spend our summers up there. One time I started climbing the mountain our cabin sat on. I usually stopped about a hundred yards from the house, but I had just gotten a new bb gun, so I was pretty much invincible. I walked and walked until I reached what I guess you could call the peak, and it opened up to one of the most beautiful views I had ever seen. Gave me a great appreciation for nature that I still have today.
One day when I was in middle school I got called to the front office, which i thought was a death sentence since my school was pretty strict on things, and I wasn't very well behaved. I got there and my dad was waiting for me to check me out claiming something "very serious" was happening. We got in the car and I asked what was so serious, and he said "Nothing, its too pretty of a day to spend it all inside, we're going to the golf course." So we went and played golf and he gave me my first beer. One of the best days of my life for sure.
Tamespotting ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:53:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Growing up until I was 6 in a European country and then moving to the US. Just the simple things of walking to school, taking the tram down town to see my dad at work, walking to the grocery store with my mom, walking to the outdoor pool place in summer. Then moving to the suburbs in the US with shitty rotten kids, and having to drive everywhere with no real downtown, the core memories became more depressing.
Mrman2252 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:53:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
bondkevin347 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:53:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My memory takes place in South Dakota, I would visit there every year or so with my dad to visit my family down there. I would wake up every morning to the smell of pancakes being cooked by my grandma. She passed away about 4 years ago, but I always think of her when I make pancakes.
Beccy477 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:53:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
She really could wait to find an excuse because she didn't want you around so that her child could spend more time studying. Gotta get them A's
Istealicecream ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:53:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cape Hatteras near the point. Sometimes a lagoon will form due to the tides and the sand constantly moving. I was 10 and just got done surfing when I decided to go into the lagoon. Walked in and it got to about waist high for me when a small shark (4ftish?) Swam right by me. Freaked out and ran my ass back to shore.
I've seen sharks before but that's when I'm on my surfboard so I feel more comfortable but when my body was submerged under the water that's when I feel uneasy.
Lady_Cricket ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:53:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was a wild (not really) kindergartener, so these are my earliest ones.
Getting caught for stealing a ring pop because I wanted two candies and chose the nerds instead, but snuck the other one out. Moral learned: don't flaunt your loot, keep that stuff quiet
Lied about having seahorses as pets and that I could give a kid some. Their mom eventually called mine asking about it and I had to say sorry. Moral learned: never tell a lie that can be found out in a simple phone call.
during a bathroom break, stay a little longer with other girl to clean up a bunch of the paper towels thrown on the floor and make the place nice. End up being a few minutes late to class again and getting yelled at by the teacher. Moral learned: doing a good deed doesn't always end in reward
SlavesNBulldozers ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:54:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just one really, because it defined my life so much.
I'm 7 and mom leaves me in the local library with a pile of books and says, "I'll be back in a bit.", kisses my cheek and heads out. Never saw her again.
FailstoFail ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:54:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-When my parents first separated my mom called me to see if I wanted to live with her at my grandmothers. My dad was next to me whispering, "No...no", and walked away with tears after I said yes.
-We had a tropical storm, and the ditch in my backyard flooded. My friend's dad brought over a boogie board and a bunch of resistance bands tied together. One person would lay down on the board, someone would hold their ankles, and his dad would stretch out the chain forward so when they let go of your ankles, you would fly down the ditch. By far on of my favorite memories.
-Just being around my family at my grandfather's funeral really showed me the love and support that's supposed to be here during the tough times.
electric-blue ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:54:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
A few of mine:
-Playing lead trumpet in a mass ensabmle piece in a full Albert Hall with over 130 musicians on stage and my solo ringing out over them all.
-All my many family holidays to the same beach in cornwall
-A 3 week holiday to Malaysia, going from the busy streets of Kuala Lumpur to watching 1000+ fireflies meet at a particular tree in the dead of night, their lights pulsating in time
-Music tour to Germany, where I earned โฌ150 in an hour playing improv Jazz outside Mozart birthplace, the street erupting in applause as me and the other trumpet nail a Super C
-Friday 13 Bataclan, Pulse Nightclub. Those both hit home
-When the Malaysian Airlines plane was shot down over Ukraine a few hours after we traveled the exact same route. I was a plane flight from death.
TheRealDaffodils ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:55:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing pretty pretty princess with my father. Going to disney world and having dinner the princesses Going on a disney cruise and having brunch with chip and dale My dog being put down and turned to ash when i was in 5th grade
Blktoofpirate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:55:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going to the "new" Wendy's with my grandpa, while grandma thought we were shopping for a power washer
Going to cosmetology class with my mom when she couldn't find a sitter and getting a full makeover (and loved it!) because the teacher wanted to keep me busy
The "heartbreak" of catching my dad smoking weed when I was 7, then awesomeness smoking it with him about 10 years later
-Watching my older brother play video games and pretending to care by asking questions, I really just wanted to spend time with him
Crap4Soul ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:55:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Where is jumper cables guy when you need him?
kuhore ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:55:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Driving from Norway to Greece with my mother,dad and brother every summer (I am half and half). Playing games, telling stories and listening to dads tape on the radio/tape player and off course getting stuck in stau.
The year I moved from Norway to Greece.
First time i watched the episode "Godfellas" from Futurama.
The summer i discovered the magical Island of Gavdos and fell in love with the love of my life.
The year i moved back to Norway and "lost" the love of my life. (she followed but left half a year later because she could not stand Norway and i had nothing to move back to In Greece and had no future there).
The time I did a volunteering program in Northern Thailand involving saving mistreated elephants and living with a poor Karen Tribe in the Jungle.
choralmaster ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:56:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seeing my wife in her wedding dress for the first time. I just thought to myself "Wow. I get to marry her."
Hearing my little girl say, "I love you, Daddy!" for the first time, and then she gave me a big hug.
Playing in the snow with my parents in Utah.
Leaving the house I lived in for 16 years when my folks became missionaries.
The first time my daughter bumped her head hard. I felt like an asshole for not being there to protect her.
KilgoreTroutQQ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:56:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So is every comment in this thread about a father's approval or just every one I'm reading?
BasicBarbarian ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:56:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've only been a physician for a little over a year now, but I feel like every single one of my core memories has been related to my patients or medical school. It's like they've replaced me with someone new.
1- Finding out that a very close friend I had expressed feelings for but whom didn't return them, had hooked up with my roommate while I was on interviews, and feeling the rage build up, calmly having a discussion with my roommate instead to get the information of the whole story, and then walking it off at night. I knew he wasn't mine, but the fact that she would callously talk behind his back, was already dating 3 other men, then went after the one sore spot I had, was maddening. I found myself at a CVS and bought a pack of razor blades, and just kind of turned them over in my fingers, thinking about how many patients I had had who had resorted to that, how much darker a place they must have been in their own times to use those, and then put up all the blades in the utility drawer. I had called a friend that night, who was good to talk to. But I never told anyone about the blades because I was embarrassed that I felt compulsed to buy them even though I never took them out of the package until later for something completely unrelated.
2- A patient I cared for on the Liver service as a medical student. I had her for the entire month I was on that team. I'll never forget her name. She wasn't going to get a transplant because she was still addicted to alcohol, and she was so far gone into liver failure that her estimated life expectancy was going to be 2-3 months shy of even making it to the length of sobriety needed to be put on the waiting list. No one visited her, because her own husband also had alcohol addiction and couldn't drive. She was encephalopathic, confused, and cried most days after my rounding was done because she was scared, and my face was one of the few she came to recognize. But if you talked to her, she drank because she was abused as a child, started early, and then never had the support to quit. This was a huge reason I went into psychiatry.
3- Working nights in the psych emergency room by myself as an intern. Had a patient threaten to kill "the first person I see", heavily insinuating that would be me, with the steak knife he snuck into his bag. Being so tired, that it only half registered with me the emotional intensity of the situation, and I just deadpanned turned around and got security to take it away from him. Then within the following week when I returned to the inpatient unit, a patient visitor was making a scene to threaten legally if they couldn't visit their loved one before visiting hours. Also the loved one never specified them as someone we could communicate with. They gave the whole inflammatory bit, "I brought my lawyer", "What kind of medical school did you train at?", "this staff is incompetent" etc. My medical student was flustered to all hell, the nurses were all flustered to hell, and I...honestly, the drama rolled straight off my back. Whatever, someone threatened to murder me last week and you're not packing a steak knife. It puts things in perspective. I showed them how to do things properly, didn't give them special treatment, didn't raise my voice, and sent them on their way. It was that point I felt like I transitioned into being a doctor instead of just someone who graduated from medical school. Also...who the hell threatens legal action for not breaking the rules for them? That is just going to make me follow protocol THAT much more tightly.
4- The moments when things click, you and the patient are speaking the same language with the same slang, and things are real. And while the room is filled with heaviness, you see that this moment is when they recognize what is there, that you can see it too, that you're ok with it, and because of that, they can accept it too. Marks the time when people finally have their turn around, and dig into what they need to do. Seems like half of my best heart to hearts are spent with me sitting directly on the floor with someone refusing to get out of those low lying beds. But I've basically sworn off skirts and dresses for that reason, because you never know when you're going to need to get low enough to look someone eye to eye, and listen in a way they know you hear them.
5- The ever deepening definition for how bad someone can get. That's a revolving door. So far, I have not found anyone who is more psychotic than someone eating dirty toilet paper out of their handbag. Walking into a situation so insane that once you're out of it, you can only laugh at yourself. Giving that knowing look to your nurse of "I've got you. You need something?" Getting the same one in return, and laughing about it later.
6 - Almost forgot. Jumping in with a team of 6-7 people to hold a young woman down who was actively trying to strangle herself using the gurney as leverage, by taking off her clothes to use as makeshift rope. While she was screaming and crying, me telling her that we would keep her safe while the nurses drew up sedating drugs, and then placing her under leather restraints, but even then she was biting hard on the metal buckles and we were doing everything we could to keep her from killing herself/hurting herself further. She was really strong. Dead set on dying. I can only imagine how traumatic the situation was for her to be put in restraints and given injections, but we weren't going to let her kill herself in the hospital. I threw my neck out for 2-3 weeks after that, and my station was this pharmaceutical grab bag of ibuprofen, Tylenol, and tiger balm. But it was worth it.
If you asked me what my core memories would have been years ago they would have been completely different, and many of them much more positive sounding. But while medicine has a way of taking over your life, I'm very privileged to have these experiences at all.
fitzy798 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:56:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't have many memories before I was 13 anymore, but these are what stuck with me.
Playing around in the pool one holiday in Spain. We would jump at dad and he would flip us into the pool while mum took photos. I burn really easily and I remember this bright yellow t-shirt I wore over my swimming costume.
Meeting my best friend in reception class. Immediate connection with her. We were paired up for something, i don't remember what, I just remember laughing. Still my best friend years layer.
My sister, who at the time I thought hated me in the way 9 year olds do, chasing my bully around the playground for making me cry. This is important to me not just because she protected me, but that year she went to secondary school and my cousin became my protector, then he went too, and I have a connected memory of a boy picking on me, and pushing me, so I pushed him into a dustbin. Not saying it was the right thing, but they taught me to stand up for myself.
My dad saying 'just because they are related to you doesn't mean they aren't toxic'. He was explaining why we don't see some family members aa he had cut them out, yet his ex step mother (divorced before I was born) was still just grandma. 'if they act like family, they will be treated as family'.
My SO randomly saying 'i love going through life with you'. It was completely out of the blue, coming out of a supermarket or something and I made him laugh. It made me melt completely. I had decided I was going to go through life alone due to a past abusive relationship and my disability, and I frequently feel like a burden in the relationship, so having him say that made me feel like someone could enjoy being in a relationship with me.
Reading through these I feel very lucky. There are a few bad ones I can think of, but they have nothing to do with family except when I had them to rely on in bad times, which makes me feel lucky to have them.
GKinslayer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:57:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a child I had really sever like in almost life threateningly bad asthma. I was in the hospital more than a few times. My parents got divorced when I was 6 and to be honest their marriage was so bad that to this day I think it would have been better if they never met. Add to that lot that fir dime reason my reading ability shot through the roof starting in 2nd grade. This meant from early on my parents could not relate well with me. All of that is set up for context, lonely smart kid without any warm family relationships.
So when I was 12 I had a really bad asthma attack. My doc had told me for a really bad attack to take half of 1 of my pills every hour to clear it. After fighting to breath after 5 hours my mom finally took me to the emergency room. When I got there I started to convulse sky they strapped me down. I was told as I fought for each breath that my lips and finger tips were turning blue, I was too busy not passing out and fighting to sit still.
Then a nurse came in with what looked like a 5" long and big ass needle and says they have to take blood gasses, this means they have to draw from an artery which are surrounded by muscule. I was told it was one of the most painful blood draws. Know here I am, 12, in the emergency room, strapped down to keep my convulsions under control, fighting to pretty much live, looking at the biggest needle I had ever seen coming for my arm. It was at this point my moms aid she could nor deal and walked out to leave me alone.
That was not the worst or core of it. I later found my doc was really wrong, the med dose age he told me to take was the same dose a full grown man would take for a week, so I also OD'd on asthma meds. I was also really dehydrated so they had me admitted for 8 days. I had an IV in each arm, O2 tube to my nose and EKG leads to monitor my heart. I was not allowed out of bed for 4 of those 8 days. Sine my mom was divorced she had to work to support us 3 kids so I was alone mostly but since I read a lot I could cope. But the nurses always love me for some reason. They made a sign for my room door an such.
Well one time my mom was there to visit and after a nurse brought me dinner my mom started going off on me. She said I was faking being so ill and that I was doing it for the attention from the nurses. It just destroyed me and to this day I believe it woke me to a harsh reality.
My mom did not give a shit about me.
That is a core memory for me.
GKinslayer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Even my older sister admits our mother had issues with me due to no actions if my own. My sister has 2 boys and has told me more than once that remembering how our mother treated me make her cry when she looks at her own boys. I also think the shit relationship I had with my family is why I don't connect with people.
farrenkm ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:57:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Core memories are important in and of themselves but the follow-up question is: what part of your personality do they form? Which islands formed as a result of these core memories?
I have a core memory from my early 20's. Without going into a whole lot of detail, I got into an argument with the owner of the company I worked for. My co-worker went in and talked with him. Turned out the owner thought I was in my mid-30's and ought to have known better. We had a very fatherly-type discussion. One key point which I haven't forgotten is that if you want to put something on paper, you must be willing to put your name to it. That memory formed my island of business integrity -- don't say anything, don't do anything to ruin your name, and if you feel strongly enough about it to write it down, sign your name. There have been many times where I've thought "I'll leave an anonymous note" and I come back to this. Either I leave a note with my name or I don't at all.
CaptSmileyPants ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:57:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haven't seen the film so I'm not sure what a core memory is, but I'll take a whack at it.
For whatever reason I have a very strong memory of not wanting to eat my Lima beans at dinner one night. This was a pretty average dinner, pretty much like every other dinner even the Lima beans, but for whatever reason this particular dinner stands out. I remember being told to eat my Lima beans and then yelling that I didn't want to. I was at this point told that I'd have to sit at the table all night if I didn't eat them. I then promptly got up and ran in to the living room. Now from this point on the memory is from the point of view of someone else like in third person. I ran into the living room which was very dark and I just stood there in the middle of the living room.
And that's all I remember from that night. I don't remember going to bed, a spanking for being a little shit, playing after dinner, being called back to eat the Lima beans, nothing.
gotlactose ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:57:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Finding out my MCAT score. There were many other smaller moments in the years that went into applying for medical school, but this was the pivotal one that stuck around as a core memory because it was a solid enough score that I knew going to medical school was a real possibility. I remember calling my dad and spending the rest of that afternoon sitting with my then-girlfriend in front of our school's library talking about our life plans. She knew I didn't like spontaneity, but she insisted to take me out to dinner that night. Nothing fancy at dinner, but I just remember that day well.
When that girlfriend and I moved in together when I started medical school. We were so happy we were living together. We also found a place that allowed pets, so we adopted two kitties. We were both so happy, I can still remember the first time we visited the apartment to check it out, the first time we entered the apartment as new tenants, how the manager left a welcome gift basket and she was so excited by that.
When that girlfriend and I came back from our respective winter holidays and decided to take a break. That break never ended, it's been two and a half years.
In my psychology class, we learned about anticipated memories. Here's an anticipated core memory:
OrionStarr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:58:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The first time I saw my favorite band in concert. They're a legendary metal band, and I was able to get right up in front, my arms dangling over the railing. The stage was in-the-round, and it felt like I was at the center of the universe for three hours. I was in awe, so close to my heroes that I could see the sweat drip off their nose, could see the color of their eyes, feel the burn of the pyro when it went off. I shouted along to every word- it was a quasi-religious experience.
My dad tickling me to within inches of death when I was young. I would pick a fight with him, jumping on his back or poking his belly. And he would pin me down and tickle me until I couldn't breathe. I would be gasping for air, sides aching, face turning red and legs kicking. But my dad would keep going until I almost passed out. When he finally stopped, I would catch my breath for about thirty seconds, then pop right back up and jump on him again.
Christmas at my grandparent's house as a kid. When all the presents had been opened, my grandpa would just throw all the wrapping paper and empty boxes into a big pile, and my cousin and I would dive in and thrash about, tunneling through and popping up for photo ops. There's a video of us doing it one year, and it's as though pure joy was captured on film.
When I was in 5th grade, we voted to give each other awards at the end of the year. There were a lot of awards, so that every kid would end up getting at least one. I ended up getting two. At the time, I was more taken with the "Best Hair- Boy" award, because I spent so much time every morning working on the gelled up, frosted-tipped porcupine spikes on top of my head. Only later in life, when I realized how reserved and shy I had been as a kid, did I appreciate the other award I got: "Born Leader." I think other people saw things inside of me that I couldn't see at the time. I still try to live up to that award to this day.
The day I met her. It was supposed to be a quick coffee date- neither of us expected to sit in that little booth for over four hours. But we fit together right away, like two adjacent puzzle pieces. She was leaving for a business trip in two days and asked for a second date the very next day, and I said yes (and that one was almost as long as the first one.) We're still together three years later.
There you go. The five best moments of my... sorry excuse for a life. My greatest hits.
herefor1reason ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:58:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
playing super nintendo games in the basement in the dark with my mom and brother when i was really young.
getting glass in my foot around the same age.
when me and the girl i would go on to love for the rest of my life confessed to each other on the way home from seeing the first harry potter in theaters, she said to her mother "hey, we know we like each other, can we kiss now?" unfortunately due to circumstances out of my control we lost contact and drifted apart.
mastering sonic adventure 1 and 2 as well as the classic games (i was better at adventure which is why i named them first)
meeting my best friend in 6th grade (still my best friend). i thought i'd hate him but he managed to break the ice and my preconceptions.
being told my drawing sucked by my role model and friend. it hurt at the time but eventually i came to realize how right he was and started trying to improve in earnest.
my mom used to sing me and my brother to sleep and i would always start crying at "my little sunshine" because it was about losing someone you love and i always thought i was losing my mother when she sang it (i was very young)
giorgadze17 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:58:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Reading this was depressing... all my memories were sad
JerryTheWhale ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:00:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of the most core memories in my childhood is sitting down with my fairest friends on my next door neighbor's couch. We would plop down and engage in endless hours or Mario Kart 64, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, and Black and White. We spent the night on his floor and one night I can recall throwing up because I ate too many pizza rolls. Good times.
Another memory of mine is fairly recent. My first winter formal date was probably one of the first girls I ever liked. She broke up with me on the same night, while the song "Shut Up And Dance" by WALK THE MOON was playing. Not my best memory.
Besides having being flaked by the girl like, when I was 6 to 7 years old, I saw snow for the first time in my bustling, weather confused city of Memphis, TN. It was magical. The river behind my house froze and the tree that fell over the crevice of it become crossable. That day, my other next door neighbor's brother tried to cross it, and the whole thing snapped in half when he got halfway down the trunk. Luckily he wasn't hurt too bad, but he did fall through the frozen river. As a 7 year old, It was the funniest thing to see.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:00:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
my earliest memory is of me sitting in the back of a tonka dump truck and my brother pushing me around the house. i probably have more memories of my childhood which involve my brother than anyone else. even though we don't see each other or talk as frequently, and have vastly different personalities, it is those memories (for both of us) that keep a pretty tight bond. he might be the only human on the planet i feel is truly dependable.
within my first month of going to college, i remember my step-dad calling me to tell me how the intervention went with my mom. she stormed out in the middle of the night, drunk, and disappeared for 2 weeks. this was the catalyst for their divorce and the first time i felt like i didn't have a home, which is something i still struggle with.
this was only a few years ago, but i was with my grandmother the moment she received the call that my grandfather had passed. he was physically and mentally disabled because of an aneurysm & stroke - she was his sole caretaker in those conditions for 20 years. when she hung up the phone she kind of fell into my chest and i hugged her. we are not a physically affectionate family, but this has shaped me because it represented a paradigm shift. she has taken care of everyone, her whole life, but now she needs to be taken care and in many ways it will be up to me to make sure that happens.
my first, real, live concert was pink floyd, the division bell tour. i was pretty young but just old enough to appreciate it. i think more than anything this was the biggest contributing factor to my love of music because it's the first time i really wanted to explore everything a band had to offer. truly an awesome experience and i'm thankful my parents wanted to bring me.
SacredWeapon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:00:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
getting hit by older kids.
getting hit by my mom.
hitting back.
DFullz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:00:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hopped in the back of my moms blue mini van after a day of preschool. She was early and a lot of my classmates were still waiting by the curb. My teacher was going to slide the door shut so my mom didn't have to get out the car, but I hadn't even said bye to my friends yet! I waved like any child would, full arm extension, and my teacher slid the car door right on my arm.
That's my earliest memory I can recall.
fotophrenzy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
when i was very young, probably 4 or 5, my family used to go to church. it was my immediate family plus my aunt, uncle, and two cousins. a new church was being built, so for two years, mass was held in a local high school cafeteria. the floors were made of that tile that is in every high school, light gray and slick. being the young child i was, i was bored during mass. i had brought some marbles in the pocket of my dress. i was fiddling with a large, shiny purple marble with a gengar (pokemon) on it during a prayer, and it slipped from my hands. the marble bounced all the way to the front and rolled to the priest. everyone started to laugh and i was absolutely mortified. i tried to play it off that it was my brother. the priest made a joke to diffuse the situation, but the damage was done. my face was beet red, i was incredibly embarrassed, and i lost my favorite marble. my dad put his arm around me in comfort and let me hide in his jacket. when it was time to receive communion, we walked up and got the jesus wafer, and he casually went to the platform where the priest had placed the marble and slipped it in his pocket. the priest made a comment towards the end of mass that the marble had vanished, and my dad quickly squeezed my hand to reassure me. to this day, my dad is the kind of man who has always taken care of me when i need him most. his support has made me a much better person, that is definitely one of my most vivid memories.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
When I was very young, my grandmother owned a horse farm and my family would go visit every weekend. We spent so much time there that it was like a home away from normal suburban life for me. Some of my best memories are from that time: first learning to ride a horse, sitting in the summer grass under the tall tree in the front yard, picking out kittens to adopt when the barn cat population got out of hand, jumping in puddles even though my mom told me not to, that kind of thing. But by far the most vivid memory was leaving after one wintery evening we spent at her farm for Christmas. It was late at night, so it was very dark and cold outside contrasted with the warm interior. I remember clearly how I stepped outside and there was just deafening silence. It was the only farm for miles in either direction, so the whole area was completely dark except for our house, which glowed brightly in the darkness. I could see the Christmas tree inside from the car as we were preparing to leave. As my dad drove us away to go home, I turned around to watch the beacon of light slowly shrink and then finally disappear. It was just a small moment in time, but it sticks in my mind as a symbol of what that farm meant to me. It was family, and it was home. Unfortunately my grandmother got rid of it a few years later, and they ended up selling my first horse out from under me without telling me first.
FreshPrince3430 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This was very cathartic, thank you OP. ...I should make some yellow memories.
Reyaweks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Happy - When the worship is so on point you get goosebumps and a shiver down your spine.
Sad/fearful - repentance
Happy - hotboxing my truck with my buddies in college
Angry - boxing out my college roommate for being a drunk ass
disgust - pornography use
Happy - pokemon as a kid and then again as an adult
rozkovaka ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
my dad coming home after his another week of work away and giving me chocolate
me wanting to jump down the balcony, because of another fight with mom
my mother and the police chasing her stealing "lover"
me playing with "talking phone" and mom and "lover" working out beside me
I just want to get away from my family ASAP..
poltrgiest ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Kinda surprised at how long this got psht
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The only one I can really think of that changed me a lot was fairly recent, about a year ago. It really changed how I felt about relationships, and what I wanted out of one.
At a college party (only like 10 of us). And by college, I mean UK version. Everyone was asleep, and I was on this sofa with a girl I liked. We did some grinding, but the core memory is the just cuddling her.
Bear in mind I've been single most of my 19 years, and not really been fussed about it. Now I keep thinking back to that, and really wish I had someone to cuddle with. And honestly, I would rather that and watching a movie and just generally hanging out to sex.
Zuzublue ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:02:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It sounds like that happened to you a lot younger than the rest of us. Keep fighting the good fight
AwesomeAutumns ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:02:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Way too many feels in here to read it in the train.
ScumEater ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:02:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
New birthday bike. 10-speed. Was told, "whatever you do, don't pedal backwards". But all the cool kids did the pedaling backwards, so I did. Chain came off, got stuck in sprocket, thought I'd ruined it in the first ten minutes.
Falling off open garage door when it closed. Climbed up from the roof of the car. Waking up on the couch.
Getting chased home by the neighbor's pet crow.
Walking through the vacant lot behind local businesses on the way home from school. 7 years-old. Pass a guy on a smoke break behind the diner. I look at him. He looks back, and says, "Fuck you."
Hitting the gold ball when my grandmother asks me to wait. Hit her right in the leg so hard she fell down.
Smoking in the woods with my friend's older cousin.
Moon Landing. Hours and hours and hours of pre-launch boredom.
Getting told I would be going to boarding school because my grades were bad.
Hitting Miguel over the head with my cast, and him calling me, "cabron".
Eating government peanut butter with my first "girl friend". She lived in a literal shack. Told I could not see her anymore, probably because she lived in a shack.
Accidentally drinking bubble blowing liquid. Then running into the nice 90 year-old lady from the other dead end street for the first time. She was really sweet to me.
Snackalots ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:02:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have three core memories.
At the age of 18, I went on a trip from Denmark to Peru to climp Huascaran. I had never been on a trip without my parents before hand and I had never been so far from home. The whole trip were exciting, but i felt for the first time in my life that I accomplished something when standing up on the top of this 6768 meters high mountain.
I didn't have many friends in primary or secondary school in Denmark and after I finished, did I go to a boarding school to do what i liked, playing handball. In this year did I experience real friends for the first time who wanted to play my favorite sport with me and wanted to hang out with me, like I never had experienced before. And on the last day where my parents picked me up it just hit me, and hit me hard. I didn't wanted to go, and I just busted into tears because I knew what felt like a dream ended that day.
This last one am I still trying to process since it happened not long ago. I had taken the flight to visit my grandparents to help my grandpar preparing his boat so he could sell it. My father were allready there helping out and we were done quickly. After dinner did my grandmother server coffee and we started to talk. Out of nowhere do my grandpar start to talk about a rise of thieves in their city and what he thinks about that. It were mostly my father and grandfather whom talked but i joined in a few times. I tried to tell my grandfather that he could not just compare his youth to mine because of multiple reasons such as media, high density of people etc. After one of my comments were I told by my grandfather that I were a irresponsible, lazy and that I were better knowing which he didn't like. I have through my whole childhood and youth looked up to this man... And that sentence hit me so hard that I on the evening didn't knew what to say or do. It ended up me confronting him with it asking why he thought so. To where he just answered that's how I were and he didn't want to comment on it and left. I left the house and went for a 5 km walk to think. And I'm still thinking 4 months after.
Sorry for the my bad writing, the last one became longer than expected, but it felt good to get it out on writing somehow.
arthur2-shedsjackson ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:02:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Camping. During the summers I spent the whole vacation exploring 150 acres of woods behind my house. I also had a three acre yard that I could shoot guns in since we didn't have neighbors. I resented my parents for living out in the middle of nowhere because I thought being in town would have made me happier. Now I want nothing more than to more than to get out of the city and find a house somewhere in nature and not have any neighbors.
Dovahkiin47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:02:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Living on the east coast. My mother has all of us pack into a tight closet in our house because there is a storm outside. She begins having us all pray that the storm will "dissipate".
I don't remember how old I was at this time, but it was before I was in school. I am at the park with my family, and I am eating a sucker. "Don't let go of the stick, or you could choke on it." My mother had told me. I saw a bunch of tiny golf courses a small distance away from the playground. (plastic kiddie putting set sort of things.) 12 or so of them all in a row. I ask my mom if I can play golf, and she said to go ahead, but i couldn't go over there with my sucker. I have her hold it while I happily run over there. I begin to hit every golf ball into the hole on each of the toys in a row. I had about 4 more to go when a woman put her had on my shoulder, "Where are your parents at?" she asked. I panicked, having heard that strangers that ask that are trying to steal you. I scream and run back to my mom. I'm about to tell her that someone tried to steal me, when I see that she is eating my sucker. Chewing on it. I start crying and trying to say everything at once, and she just keeps asking "What's wrong?"
Driving home from my grandparents house. We are headed directly into a front of rather dark clouds. I can hear my mom panicking, telling my dad to turn the car around. "We'll just spend the night here and leave early tomorrow." I was convinced that we were going to die.
Family camping trip with my grandparents. We all went fishing, and I wanted to catch something big, so I had my dad get blood-based catfish bait. (there were almost definitely no catfish in the little stream we were fishing in, but he got it for me anyway.) i woke up the morning after we had gone fishing to find that raccoons had torn the bag open and stolen the rest of the bait. My dad pointed out their tracks to me, and showed me their claw marks on the bag.
Going with my dad to run our beagle. He hunted rabbits with them, and went to competitions, so we did this frequently. He saw a coyote nearby, so he called our beagle back and told me and my siblings to talk loudly until we got to the car. "Coyotes will go after beagles, but they are afraid of us. I've never seen one out in broad daylight like this before. Not in town."
I come home from school one day in third grade. My dad is still at work. I tell my mom that I've got a crush on a girl (my first crush). She begins relentlessly teasing me about it, getting my brothers and my sister to join her. My brother (one year younger than me) had admitted to liking girls multiple times and never been teased like that. Whenever a girl was brought up around my mom after that, she would try and start up the teasing again.
My dad taking me and my older brother to see Jurassic Park 3. We had been obsessed with dinosaurs because of the first 2. We hadn't hardly noticed the fact that the movies were meant to be in the horror variety, because we were so focused on the dinosaurs. We had learned so much about dinosaurs from books and documentaries since then, and we were very excited to see the new movie. I hadn't gone to any theater movie before that, so I was extra excited.
6th grade. My teacher asks the class if any of us would like to try out the instruments that the orchestra and band teachers had brought over. (they were trying to drum up some more students) I knew my family couldn't afford for me to get an instrument, but I thought it'd be fun to try out. I wanted to try the horns, but since so many other people put their mouths on them, I decided instead to try the violin. It didn't fit my hands at all. I was clumsy. I tried the viola, and I hit the D string. It made a beautiful steady tone, and the feeling that I did that was amazing. I tried the base and cello, but the viola just felt perfect.
I tell my parents that I want to play viola, and to my surprise, they are excited. The hesitated at the money part of it, but went along with me anyway, asking what the difference between a violin and a viola were. I brought up the website on the brochure the teacher gave me. They look at audio clips showcasing the instrument, and my mom tries talking me into the violin because it is cheaper. "You could learn to play that song from the clip, doesn't it sound cool?" My dad chimes in, "He could play that same song on viola, it would just sound lower." She gave him the stink eye and acted like she didn't hear him.
I knew a girl that rode my bus home in 7th grade. We also had the same gym class. I told my best friend that I was going to ask her out on the bus ride home that day. He bet me a penny that I wouldn't do it right there in the lunch room. I was feeling confident and whimsical, so I agreed. I asked her out, and she said she had a boyfriend. My friend, true to his word, handed me a penny. One of the girl's friends comes up after the girl had walked away and asked it I had done that on a bet. I panicked and really didn't know how to answer, so I tried to explain the whole situation, but I know it came out confused.
End of 7th grade, I'm playing a viola in a small performance outside of a basketball game along with a group of my friends. I had practiced hard to be able to catch up with everyone else that started a year before I did. This was the second performance that I didn't have to pretend that my bow was touching the string. I was so proud of myself. I didn't care about the basketball game that I got into for free afterwards. I remember getting a burger there, and it was the best burger I had ever had. I savored the smell of it.
End of freshman year of high-school. My new orchestra teacher made it pretty clear that she didn't like me or my friends in the class. We didn't take it quite as seriously as some of the other kids, but we were never disruptive, and I still did quite well in the class. She pulls all of us over the the corner on the last day, and informs us that if we sign up for orchestra again the next year, she would not be allowing us to move up to the next level. She specifically told me that I had an "A" in the class, but my technical skill just wasn't there. I got an "A" primarily because of the playing tests that we periodically would do.
I go back to orchestra again the next year anyway. None of my friends did. At the end of the year, I was known in the class for being very good at improvisation. We played a call and response game where one person would stand in front of the class and play two measure of whatever came to their head, and the class would try to imitate them. Everyone was impressed, and let me know. I needed more of a challenge to keep the songs interesting, so I would do the playing tests with my eyes closed. I was the best violist in the class. The teacher told me at the end of the year that my technical skills weren't quite good enough for the next level, and if I stayed in orchestra, I wouldn't be moving on. I haven't played viola since because I was playing a rental instrument and I can't afford to by myself a new one.
Taylorenokson ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:02:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There's one that always stands out to me every year around this time. It was a couple days before the 4th of July and I was probably 8 or so at the time. My I went with my mom to the grocery store to pick up some things. While we were there, I saw this really big guy, like very overweight, and I remember kinda laughing at him. Not out loud where he could hear but for no reason at all I had a bunch of negative thoughts about him. Later that evening, my parents were running a fireworks stand for our church. It was insanely hot that night, like every night in July in California is. Out of nowhere, I see the man from the store pull up in his car. I recognized him immediately. He had brought all of us popsicles. He didn't know us and we didn't know him, but he knew it was hot and went out of his way to help us cool off. After he left I remember feeling like crap and I broke down crying. That was 20 years ago and since that moment I try my damnedest to not judge people based on how they look.
Green_Hierophant ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:02:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In seventh grade, I won $200 at a big spelling bee and my classmates gave a crap about me for a few hours the next day. Eighth grade, I only won $50 and was a disappointment.
Seventh grade also had a formative moment where I wrote my first "book" (Typed out, it was just under 200 pages or something. eh). The conversation went like this:
"I finally finished my book."
"Cool."
"Do you want to read it?"
"No."
I should have known that the same conversation would repeat itself for the next thirteen years.
At seventeen, I had my first panic attack and didn't know what the heck was going on. My nerves have never been the same since.
At twenty, I asked out a woman and she said yes to me for the first time. Every other time, I only got a "you're nice, but..." or a laugh followed by "oh, I didn't think you were serious." I remember getting back to my place and sitting with my head in my palms just thinking repeatedly: "What do I do now? I've never gotten to this point. So what the hell do I do now?" The idea of being told yes was so foreign to me that I didn't know how to react. Her and I were a couple for a few months, then she dumped me. I've never been on a date since.
At 21, I started submitting novels in an as-of-yet-worthless attempt to get something published, and I distinctly remember the first response I got. It was actually an agent requesting to see more material and told myself that I must have something good this time. A day after I sent the sample, I got a "not right at this time" which I now know probably meant "It was so bad I didn't read past the first page." Then began the relentless storm of "not right at this time" that I was stupid enough to believe meant that I just hadn't found the right fit. I can still recall the empty hope that came with that delusion.
I__Just__Wanna__Help ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:03:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nothing happy, thats for sure.
KyleHooks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:03:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've just realized that all of my "core memories" are bad things that happened. I honestly don't have a lot of memories from childhood, but the ones that remain are almost exclusively bad.
Bluefoot44 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:03:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
An old wagon. My mom pulled us in it when we were little. It's wooden slats sides were practically old barn siding when we were teens, and we used it to pull the trash cans to the street. I just need to think og it and a magical thing happens in my brain. Nostalgia.
AnonymousMaleZero ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:04:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a one of my dad threatening my mom with a knife on the steps and me standing between them screaming at him.
thowawaygumby ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:04:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Playing at the playground down from my house when I was 5 in Hawaii. -Holding my baby sister after she was born. -My 6th birthday party, I was attacked by everyone with water balloons, I don't think anyone got me. I'm quick. -Old school Halloween party with grapes for eyeballs, spaghetti for guts, etc. -Moving from Hawaii to San Francisco, San Francisco to Santee, Santee to Oceanside, Oceanside to Fishers, IN. -Living on Treasure Island when it was an active navel base and being able to see Alcatraz from the playground at the elementary school. -Getting my haircut on every base we lived on. -When my Dad had something to do with getting a rather large eagle, globe and anchor statue outside his office on MCRD. -Getting to see combat training in person. -Crying my eyes out at my Dads retirement ceremony because I couldn't imagine my life, or my family's life outside of the Marine Corps. -Driving across the country to live in Indiana. Stopping in Vegas, Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam on the way. -When Grandma passed away. -When I first met the girl that I fell in love with for the first time. -When my Dad and I went to a soccer game that handicapped kids were playing in. A girl with two prosthetic legs got tackled and her legs fell off. My dad and I tried not to cry but we couldn't help it. She was so strong for getting back up and playing. I remember thinking," I don't know that I will ever be that strong." -When I saw my first love drive away for the last time because she was moving back to California with her parents, and even though we were going to do the long distance thing, I new it was over at that moment. -When a kid that was picking on me through a chunk of asphalt into my back while I was walking away from him. -Watching Kung Fu movies with my Pilipino buddy down the street. -Finding porn in a bush down from my house with my first best friend. It was a midget blowing a business man in a pool hall. I was 11.
That feels like a good one to end on for now.
Smruttkay ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:04:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing little league baseball for the first time when I was 10. About halfway through the season, my dad had to miss my game to travel for work or something. Well that game I got my first double. When my dad came home I asked him not to come to my next game because, well, I was a turd I guess. He said he wouldn't go and I thought that was that. I figured it would help me hit another double. Well about halfway through the next game, I see him standing under a pavilion like 300 feet away from the field trying to hide so I wouldn't see him. I wasn't mad. I was young, but when I saw him I realized it was stupid to ask him not to go and I realized how much it meant to him to share baseball with me.
FinancialModel ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:05:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Dad worked rather far away and very long hours, one day he brought us kids home an Xbox game.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:05:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Never seen Inside Out. What do you mean by "core memory"?
DFWPhotoguy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:05:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was between 8 and 10. Its summer in Texas. Its so hot and humid. I'm at summer camp for scouts in west Texas. The cicadas are singing their summer song. A table is setup with green Gatorade that is almost boiling but it doesn't matter because its wet. We are all bored, boys just sitting under the Oak and Mesquite trees trying to stay cool. We keep pouring water on our neckerchiefs to wrap around our necks. We keep finding spear grass and make a game of throwing the little spears at each other. The heads of the grass are sharp and stick to our clothing.
Someone finds a nerf football in some grass. We quickly realize we have a wide open field and we need to play skins vs shirts. I'm self conscious of my body but play skins because I'm tired of not being tan.
We play and play and play. Its touch football and all being friends, its full contact light tackle. Everyone is laughing. The older boys and the younger boys are all having fun. I try to be Troy Aikman, throwing perfect long spirals that connect with my tall friends when one of the older boys comes up and tells me that sometimes its better to be Emmitt Smith. We swap and he throws the ball to me and I run and run and run. Gazelle boy Go! they all yell as I jump over people diving at me.
I remember all of this but more than anything, I remember the smell. The smell of lemon grass and burning cedar and mesquite. The smell of sweat and sun. The smell of the hill country with spring wildflowers drying in the summer heat. If I could bottle that smell and pump it into my house I would, 25 years after the fact. I catch whiffs of it still, from time to time as I hike the back country. Sometimes its an open field, sometimes its a small forest clearing, sometimes its a dry river bed. I just sit down and close my eyes. My wife knows exactly what I am thinking, she understands perfectly well and takes the opportunity to water our dogs as we sit under the Oak and Mesquite trees and enjoy the sweltering heat of a Texas summer.
IThinkILostMyPenis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:05:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
From the ages of 3-11, my younger sister, mum, dad and I would sleep together on a queen sized mattress. Thinking back on it, I don't know how we managed that for so long and explains why dad got up in a fit of rage in the middle of the night to assemble the new bunk bed we just bought. But I digress.
I remember being one of the first to wake up on those lazy weekends at roughly 9am, seeing the sun shine straight through the window, bringing a yellow warmth to the white ceiling and walls. My parents groggily waking up, whilst my sister slept with her mouth open drooling. I remember feeling such a strong sense of love and security in that moment, never wanting to leave it and to drink in the scenery forever.
It would always get to the point where I'd stay in the bed, clinging to that feeling as everyone slowly left the bed to go about their day, one by one. With me eventually falling back to sleep, dreaming of those warm yellow walls keeping us all safe.
IThinkILostMyPenis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:24:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember going to woolies pretty late, around 7pm, with mum and dad. Heading to the toy section and quickly picking up a toy truck asking if I could get it. Dad telling me no whilst mum butted in finally relenting after much hassle. I must've been 3 years old.
I still remember placing my head gently on my mum's swollen belly listening in on my baby sister and suddenly feeling a light tap on my head and being in awe of what the hell that was only to have my mum yelp in pain.
I remember being dropped off by dad at a family friends house right after school and not being picked up until pretty late. The next time I saw mum was in the hospital. I always wanted to visit her and try all the different types of hospital food myum saved for me. I always liked the apple juice they had in those weird cups with foil sealing it. Dad would always tell me off to let mum have her food to build up her strength.
I remember standing on my tippy toes trying to see above the bed where my mum and sister lay. That was the first time I saw her. Weirdly enough what really sticks out was the placenta still attached to my sister and me thinking it was a gnarly piece of poop my sister made (it was pretty much the length of her)
AkaFuhrer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:25:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This seems fun,
โข my parents telling me I'd never be accepted to college. Also mentioning they had no intentions of paying for me to go. ( very wealthy family btw. )
โข my first day at a university.
โขfinally addressing mental health issues and seeking help.
โข letting the girl of my dreams know how I felt, and her reciprocating the feelings.
โข having a huge argument with her later, moving on from her and never being able to resolve feelings.
โข The day my loving grandmother bought me a car even though she can't afford it.
These are just a few I like to think I'm doing okay here and there.
ailee43 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:25:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
building a lego helicopter with my uncle dave when i was 3 or so, i think its my first memory too. I only met the man once or twice in my life, but his playing with me and building me a lego helicopter is indelibly inked in my brain.
Beccastartedthefire ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:25:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
On the very first day of recess in kindergarten, I finally made it to the top of the rickety 10 ft high slide and (with good reason) was petrified. I froze. Kids began to anxiously shuffle behind me, and the teacher walked up and yelled, "Hey! You in the white shorts! Move!" I tried to climb back down the ladder, but it was impossible, as the kids refused to move. I finally closed my eyes and sat down. From that day forward, I went to the swings immediately everyday and am still terrified of heights.
Also in kindergarten, my teacher left the room for a few minutes and left us in the dark with light music playing. I remembered an episode of Arthur in which the kids start throwing wadded up paper at each other and offered up the idea. It was pretty awesome until she came back in, and my name was put underneath the sad face on the chalkboard for the rest of the day. Traumatic.
In the second grade I had my very first ulcerative colitis flare up and had to be sedated for a minor procedure. Three nurses and both of my parents had to hold me down as I writhed away from a tube that was to be inserted in my nose. My parents both looked they were going to cry. That entire year was one big blue memory (sad memories from the movie).
Later in elementary school, I was at my parents' church at a weekday kids service. Beforehand we would play in the gym, and that day I had gotten a plastic container with glittery eye makeup in it and obviously had to smear it all over my eyelids. One of the older girls walked up with her group of friends and asked, "What is that awful stuff on your face?" I remember thinking, "We're at church. Aren't people supposed to be nice here?" Then my best friend at the time laid into her, saying something along the lines of that if I wanted to rub mud on my face, it was my business, and it might even look awesome.
The summer before he moved to Colorado, a friend and I were both at a music festival on the beach. I was dating his roommate at the time, who treated me like garbage (he's in a few core memories himself, but none that are fun to recount). We walked from one stage to another, and for three days, I fought the urge to smash my face into his. On the last night, he walked me back to house where I was staying. We stood there for a few minutes, and he kissed me. I broke up with my boyfriend the next day, and now my best friend and I have been together for three years.
Looking over these, I wish I had more happy sounding ones. I'm sure I could think of more if I tried, and now I have something to occupy my mind today. Excellent question!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:26:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me kissing my boyfriend for the first time when I was 16. I had kissed people before but this was my first heart engulfing one. It was at a lake he took me to and it was in response to him (a newly made friend) getting me a direwolf for my birthday. I followed the kiss up with a sheepish "Does this mean I'm your girlfriend now?"
Me sitting and crying on the bathroom floor of a friend's house. I was at a sleepover of someone I had only recently met. I woke up to a voicemail and multiple texts saying my best friend had attempted suicide. I wasn't close enough with the host to wake her up about this. Another friend who was there sat in the bathroom with me.
My brother is in the army and has been since I was very young. He would deploy to Iraq a lot and his base was in Texas which was on the other side of the country for me. So about once a year when he would come home, he would come to my elementary school in his uniform and talk to all the kids in my class about his job. I felt so special. I'm sure he did too.
monster01020 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:26:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was three I stepped into the road in front of a green Rover. I remember the badge and car colour very well. It stopped right in front of my face and my mum rushed out to grab me.
When I was eight I was stung on the back of my neck by a wasp in my back garden next to the tree we have that is still there today.
Crabbing in the Philippines with family and friends when I was 12. Also, on the same holiday I stepped into a puddle full of red ants which made my foot incredibly itchy but I don't think they bit me, I'm sure it would have been much worse if they did.
Lumber-Jacked ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:26:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A bad one: growing up I always tried to be like my older brother. As we got older I felt he'd stop viewing me as the little kid and more of an equal. One day on early high school him and his friends were hanging out and they let me join in what they were doing. Then they suggested going to the friends house. We all started walking out the door. My brother then turns and asked "where are you going" I said I thought I would come too. He then asked "why?" So that hurt.
A happy one was shortly after that an older kid was being a real dick to me and my friend and my brother got in his face to leave us alone.
As we grew up we became a lot closer. We have a very good relationship now.
archclan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:26:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That i failed two people in my life. every night i keep having dreams about them and everyday im constantly reminded by my own consciousness that i have failed them greatly.
how my brother taught me how to use the computer when i was very young by playing CS 1.6 lmao and Diablo 2 i forgot what age i was lol
pbpanzer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:26:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Glueing my eye shut with super glue when I was young. I remember climbing the drawers of my parents dresser and looking down the tube. Next thing I know there is a burning sensation and I'm screaming. Granny worked in the health care industry so a family friend fixed me up pro-bono.
The sound of road pavement grinding metal and glass as you are sliding down the road upside down. Old lady ran a red light and t-boned me. I will never forget those sounds.
Rushing out to meet my dad when he returned home after the Persian Gulf War. He was gone for over a year. That hug lasted for an eternity.
K0stroun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:27:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm hiding in a tiny space between the door and a wardrobe crying while my parents are shouting at each other. Divorce came soon after that. That was harsh.
We were on a school trip for a few days in the mountains (I was 8, maybe 9 years old). One of the kids that I considered to be friends with started making fun of me, saying that I farted. Everybody started picking on me for the rest of the afternoon. The very next day, I started something similar and made fun of him. I was as cruel as kids can be and everybody joined me. The boy had something like a meltdown, he ended up sitting in a corner crying and his parents had to drive for him early. I have never felt any regret for doing that.
1thruZero ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:27:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad explaining politics to me as a kid - he used to listen to rush Limbaugh's radio show and cus at the radio. I asked why he's listen to something he didn't like and his response was: "you should always listen to both sides of an argument, not just the one you agree with. Always think of issues from every possible point of view and never be afraid to admit you could be wrong."
Being 5 and having my mom tell me she was so proud of me - I'd just finished kindergarten and I remember being in her lap as she hugged me and told me I was a big kid now. It was the last time I got affection from her.
My dad explaining how immunodeficiency worked when I was a kid - he was sick and got a transplant, and explained it in a way that a kid could understand. It fascinated me.
The first time my mom tried to kill herself and I had to stop her - and me being 8 thought every kid had to talk their parents down. My mom was a horrible mother, I have horror stories galore about her.
My dad dying - my mom tried to turn it into some paranormal spectacle because he died at home. I was 12. I played with my cousins like it was nothing while the church people talked, but lost my damned mind when they went to put him in the ground. This was the pivotal moment in my life, when everything went the worst possible way. So my life kinda seems sad. I'm not sad about it, because all this and a lot more could not break me.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:27:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Swiftwaters ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:27:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
aleksolberg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:27:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Moving to Bangkok and being very nervous the first day of school only to meet what would be my best friend while staying there after about and hour and instantly becoming friends. I slept over at his house that day.
Having a walk with my crush a few days before we became a couple and realizing she was into me as well.
Going on an interrail-trip with some friends and my girlfriend across a large part of Europe. Had some of the best experiences of my life on that trip, including being the perfect kind of drunk at a Franz Ferdinand concert in Scotland, having a really deep talk with a friend in Amsterdam, and bathing illegally in the canals of Bruges, and getting stopped by the police.
Playing a concert with the school band at a small bar in front of the whole school I went to, and everyone having a great time and singing along. Probably one of the best feelings I've ever had.
Narconis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:28:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad calling us home from the park to give us our first Nintendo Entertainment System.
Getting my rental violin taken away from me by older boys on the school bus who made fun of me and hit me with, causing me to ultimately quit learning music
Getting beaten up by a group of boys until I couldn't move for being fat and poor.
Getting picked on constantly for enjoying school and being smart
So yea... grew up a nerd and by high school became a tough guy after getting sick of being picked on in school.
Produkt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:28:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One time my dad took me to FAO Schwartz and told me I could pick out anything I wanted. I picked a balsa wood airplane kit that probably cost like a dollar and I broke it in the first 30 minutes of playing with it. I remember him asking when I picked it out "Are you sure that's what you want?" I said yes because there was an employee demonstrating how to use it and it looked cool to little kid me.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:28:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ace318 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:28:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My ultimate core memory: kissing the girl I love while riding my two wheeler on a country road in the middle of the night at about 60 miles per hour. I was sitting in front, she was behind me, and i had turned my head completely around to kiss her. I know it was dangerous, but I ride pretty well, and it was the most intense, yet beautiful and peaceful thing ever.
So yeah, kissing my girl while on a bike under the moon light :)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:28:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age 4, traveling with family and feeding an elephant bananas. The elephant gently sucked my tiny arm into its nostril for a few seconds. That is one of my earliest memories and one that has stuck with me always.
My dad ordering spaghetti to-go back when we lived in Hong Kong, and scooping out the pasta from under the sauce. Another very vivid memory.
Age 15 when my dad took us to Red Rocks, CO for a Neil Young concert. He drunkenly screamed at me and threw rocks at me because I was in a bad temper and we always got into fights. That moment was a turning point in my life where I vowed to never be like him. My feelings are still unresolved about the matter.
erghjunk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:28:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad slaughtering chickens.
Ocula ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:29:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข The day I woke up in my parents' bed to my grandmother saying, "it's a boy!" I finally had a brother.
โข When my parents sat down all of my siblings and told us they were getting divorced. This may be the single most defining moment in my childhood, as I remember being heartbroken while all of my siblings either didn't care or were too young to understand.
โข My parents very obviously being able to tell that I was the only upset child allowed me to finally get a kitten that I had been begging for for years. That cat became my closest friend and greatest confidant through a tough time dealing with divorce and growing up.
โข The day I left for college. Knowing I love my family dearly but moving out of my childhood home would be amazing for me. Realizing life is actually just starting.
Mjhoops ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:29:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad and I sitting on the back porch looking at the stars with a telescope, having a quiet moment to ourselves to enjoy something together. He is a quadriplegic so there are only certain things we could both enjoy doing together. Often we had meaningful discussions about life and I remember telling him if I got one wish it would be for him to be able to walk again.
ZetsubouZolo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:29:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me pushing a cat in a pool when I was 5
Getting baptized as a Jehovah's Witness
Passing out after getting drunk for the first time
My first sex with an entertainer chick from an Italian camping site
Telling my parents I don't wanna be a Jehovah's Witness anymore
When my first gf broke up with me. Completely changed almost anything I was before
AizenShisuke ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:29:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mind is so warped by self-doubt, none of my memories seem important and the better memories don't seem like they belong to me.
notaunicorn-yet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:29:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1 Joy: I caught a high fly ball while playing 3rd base in t-ball and threw it to 1st. the 1st base coach on the other team didn't think i'd catch it and he definitely didn't think i could throw it all the way to 1st so he told his runner to go.
1 Sad: I turned down my dad's invitation to join him in a catamaran race. I quickly regretted the decision and after a few minutes burst into tears and ran back to him to ask if I could do it, but the resort had already paired him up with some other random woman.
CapnJAHN ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:29:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Occasionally, while my sister and I would be up in our own rooms doing homework or something, our parents would play Tim Mcgraw's "Grown Men Don't Cry" from the living room downstairs. As soon as we heard it, we'd jump down the stairs like it was Christmas. We'd hold each other in a giant embrace, and slowly danced as we gradually burst into tears.
alexsupertramp12345 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:29:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Opening my first pack of pokemon cards. The holographic Pidgeot inside became my most prized possession. I think the scent of the new cards is what has stayed with me through all the years...so good.
mcmanybucks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Watching Ninja Turtles, and finding two pvc pipes outside for me to play with, pretending i was Leonardo.
Coulndt afford the Lego Hogwarts so i built my own.
Every Christmas
The faint amber glare of the backlight of my das winecabinet
cartev ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom would show up to day care to pick up my brother and me but frequently and randomly she would have her bathing suit on underneath her regular clothes but she always waited until right before we got in the car to surprise and tell us we were going to our favorite water park for the rest of the day. I remember being so excited, jumping around, when she revealed her bathing suit. I was 4 or 5 and it was so simple.
To preface, my brother and I were combative growing up together. He is 18 months older than me, close enough to have similar focuses and an overlapping friend group but personality wise, we were of different temperaments, which caused issues. My grandma always favored my three girl cousins more than me and my brother. The couldn't do anything wrong in my grandma's eyes, while she always was condescending towards us. I could handle her because I could brush her off as being an old bitch and didn't even pay attention to what she said, but it always got to my brother more. He couldn't understand why she treated us differently. He was also a kinda macho guy and took after my dad in the way that you save your emotions, marginally stoic. When I was 16 and him 17 we were visiting and he decided to confront her about it, to where she essentially denied it all and said he was making it up. He cried in front of our entire family. I remember being so incensed and feeling how dare someone make my brother feel that way. I talked to him about it all for hours afterwards. It was a moment that really catalyzed my brother and my's friendship.
I was visiting Chicago with my best friend & staying at her brother's apartment the summer after our freshman year of college. We were sitting on his porch drinking really shitting champagne, smoking cigarettes. We had a conversation reflecting on how we had become good friends and what we meant to each other, and I deeply realized how with her I had become the person I had always thought about being but wasn't in high school because I wasn't surrounded by people I really trusted to myself be true around. I was more vocal and opinionated, her friendship gave me confidence to come out as gay, we agreed on so many ideas that I had never broached with previous friends. And we both felt the same way about each other, that we had provided that friendship to each other we hadn't had before. I'm very thankful for her.
kryssiecat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
*My mom took me to the doctor and when the doctor was done doing whatever they needed to do for me, my mom asked me to go sit in the waiting room so she could have her appointment. I sat in the corner and waited for what I knew was going to happen. My mom walked out of the hall to the exam rooms, talked to the receptionist, walked out of the front door, got in her car, and drove away. I think I was about 7. I knew she was going to forget me. The emotional panic of not knowing what to do. She then came back and yelled at me for not reminding her I was there.
*Being told by the OB that my baby needed to come out when I was only 27 weeks pregnant. I was lying down because they had the fetal heart rate monitor strapped to me and I couldn't breathe. I remember the panic and struggling to breathe and I finally had to sit up to get myself to take a breath.
*Meeting my husband for the first time and two days later telling my friend that I'd met the man I was going to marry.
*Shaving my head instead of going to the dermatologist. Needles in the head are not fun and I just wasn't willing to have to deal with yet another inept doctor who didn't know how to not be an asshole when dealing with a young woman whose hair was falling out.
fonlimm ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
gettng dumped by tons of people :(
funkthulhu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:31:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Louis CK has a bit about how he "came online" in the middle of a painful shit at age 4. I thought it was absolutely hilarious, then I started to think about it. One of my earliest memories is taking a crap in the middle of my bedroom floor, being fascinated by it, and going to get my Dad to show him. (I got swatted) We moved out of that house when I was 3, so that was pretty early.
Same house, remember seeing my Dad on the TV because he was fire chief for our small town and the grain elevator was on fire. My mother wanted us to move to the far corner of the house in case the elevator exploded and we'd be further from the debris falling. (we were a 1/2 mile away, I thought that was dumb)
Obsolescent ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:31:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My parents always worked constantly. For the summer they wouldn't have alot of babysitting options. One year I spent the entire summer at my grandmother's in the suburb of a rough city. In the morning my parents would drop me off and then come pick me up after work. Every day my grandmother would make me breakfast and then I ran outside to play with the neighborhood kids. I was probably 5 or 6 and completely unsupervised. The pure freedom of just riding around with your friends but being home before dark. That summer was great. I clicked instantly with the neighborhood kids and we rode bikes nonstop. Building jumps, making BMX trails in the woods, having the old man down the road yell at us for groing through his lawn... just overall getting filthy. Looking back it made me realize how much it sucked to not grow up in a neighborhood. Looking back I probably wouldn't let my future offispring do the same, but I'm fortunate that I had that opportunity.
My older half brother(12 years apart) would visit my dad on the weekends. Him and the neighbor were the same age and would get into shit tons of trouble by either tormenting my female babysitters, running around with slingshots, buying porn illegally from the corner store, etc. I remember vividly that I was around 3 or 4 and they were playing Sonic on Sega Genesis. My mother told them "don't give him candy before dinner". I sat in there and they were force feeding my anything sugar they could find to shut me up while they played. They always had the best goddamn candy. Needless to say I was bouncing off the walls and they got in trouble but thought it was hilarious. I don't even like candy anymore.
fireinthesky7 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:32:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The two and a half years of high school in which I played in a band with four of my best friends. It was one of the biggest factors in turning high school from a crappy experience to an amazing one.
Breaking the one-minute barrier in the 100-yard freestyle in the last competitive race I ever swam.
The first time I noticed the woman who's now my wife from across our junior high orchestra classroom, and the three or four years I spent after that trying to get her to date me.
The first time I rode a motorcycle, and the first time I rode my own one home.
The day my paramedic license went official.
Jolly0428 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:32:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The beautiful, glowing, ecstatic smile of my first girlfriend when we agreed to start going out.
Then the depression that ensued three years later when she cheated on me.
And discovering my passion for teaching that brought me out of that depression.
Manner16 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:32:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not necessarily my most core memory but my first!
I was woken up in a bed and had a women get me ready to go to school who called my name that I suddenly realized was mine.
As soon as she dropped me off at the playground, I instantly registered that she was my mother and that had been my home I left in the morning. That was followed by walking up to two boys and calling them by name and proceeding to do what we always did in the morning.
Looking back it's the day I started remembering things and it spooks me how vividly I remember that day.
OhNoItsAGhost ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:32:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Super late to the party but whatevs.
Field Hockey Tour When I was 14 I made the school's A team for field hockey (men). Shortly thereafter i even made the provincial team. Our school was invited to a league in the southern part of the country. We took a bus at 2am and it was a good time even though we lost super badly. The first memory from this is when I kept giving out money to my teammates who had spent all of their trip allowances on the first like 2 days on stupid stuff. So i would give them drinks and food when they were hungry. None of them ever thanked me really and excluded me from a lot of the social stuff. This was my first ever experience where being an introvert in a group of extroverts showed. I didn't get to participate in the classic field trip activities (trying to sneak into the girls rooms. Shaving cream on someones face, etc) because i wasn't invited or no one told me about it. But during dinner one evening the coach asked me to sit next to her and the girls team who was touring with us. One of the girls asked if it was true i was buying food and i said yea and explained myself. The rest of the trip the girls kept going on about how nice I was and how I am a good guy and all the guys got super jealous. I will always remember that but also how i felt being excluded from all the activities.
Moving to Canada I mean that is pretty obvious. Moved when I was 16. Was a big deal.
Depression Had a super hard time during the first 2/3 years of University and it got to some really dark/messed up places. I got into a really toxic relationship but i eventually pulled through. 2 very serious lessons I learned. People are assholes and relying on others to help me feel better or support me is a waste of time and venting to people will cause some of them to leave, doesn't matter how much you have helped them in the past
Current SO I met my current girlfriend at a board game thing and it has been non stop amazingness ever since. I am happier than I have ever been. Lost 15kg because she is really active and I want to keep up. Motivation at work increased because I want to make her proud. Etc etc. She is incredibly supportive and understanding and makes me feel like I matter which is something I haven't felt in a while. I plan on proposing to her in Fall of 2017 if all goes as planned. She made all the best memories that i listed above seem mediocre and insignificant. Stepping stones towards her.
Munkles ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:32:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Saturday mornings with my brother and dad, sleep "out" in the living room with sleeping bags friday night to watch saturday morning cartoons and when dad would wake up we'd wrestle for a while while mom would cook waffles/pancakes/scrambled eggs etc.
My dad taking us every friday to a corner drug store to buy a little candy with our allowance then take us to a park while mom got some much needed alone time and a chance to make dinner in peace.
Going up north to a little resort called Beaver Creek where we'd play mini-golf, swim, ski, and spend tons of money at the arcade. Great memories with both grandparents and my family.
Lastly I remember walking along the beach of the Mediterranean, we lived overseas for a few years and it was almost a daily occurrence for me. Watching the sun set over the crashing waves on the break waters, the sky lighting up all shades of pinks, purples, oranges, magenta's and reds. Like the sky was on fire.
xRehab ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We've moved a lot in my life, a lot. I'm at something like 26-27 houses/apts in my 25 years. Earliest memory I have is of my dad running through the living room pushing me in a big ol' moving box into a pyramid of empty boxes. This became a ritual.
Watching my brother receive his first mini-bike (50cc) on his 8th birthday, followed by my father telling to be safe and "demoing" it for us in the yard; at which point a 35 year old man hit the front brake too hard, flipping the mini-bike, and spraining his wrist.
Tormenting my little sister when I was 10 with our vacuum by lifting it into the air while it was running and threatening to suck her up with it; she swatted it, hit the roller, and had to use a splint for a while. I wasn't allowed to vacuum after that...
7th grade summer, I was sitting in the giant field with my best friend, his brother, and my brother behind our school tossing the apples on the ground back at the deer feeder to watch them explode. This was followed by a shout of "oh shit there's an ATV!!!" - aka holy shit it's the guy who owns this land RUNNN. What makes it memorable as a stupid youth moment is our decision making skills at that point. Instead of turning and running 20ft into the woods next to us and trying to disappear that way - where the ATV can't go - we decided to try and out sprint him the 150 yards, through a field, to our bikes at the school. They made it about 20 yards and gave up, I made it about 100 yards and finally froze when he was behind me screaming he was going to shoot (upon closer inspection after stopping, he had a shotgun on him). Learned a valuable lesson that day - have your escape route planned before you need it.
rachel226 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โขplaying outside with my younger sister and neighborhood people โขgetting in the paper for PJ day because I wore this (on a 10/11 yo) GIANT zebra robe and was so comfy all day โขgetting my first goal in soccer โขbeing with friends in middle school โขthen friends being stupid and me learning that not everyone is nice โขseeing how broke my parents were but how they still tried to give us the best (such as a PlayStation for Christmas one year but no memory card so we had to beat the games while the PS never turned off) โขbeing friends with people in high school but not getting invited out as often as others โขparents fighting and almost divorce โขhuge teen angst โขgoing to college and finding myself โขmeeting my best friend for the first time and not realizing that he would be the most important person in my life for years โขhaving depression โขbeating it every day โขmoving out of my parents hold on me and realizing I can adult โขhaving a better relationship with my parents โขliving with so many different people in college โขwhen my sister joined my sorority
That's it :)
Sparkelle227 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time my dad took me to Six Flags Great America when I was 5. We had just moved to Wisconsin from upstate New York that previous fall, and I'd never been to an amusement park. I remember being in the car driving to Chicago and seeing the roller coasters, and mentioning to him that I wanted to go there. He had said, "maybe someday we will!" I promptly forgot about it, but he remembered. Fast forward to that summer, and he had me get ready for day camp like normal, but then he took a different route than we normally did and stopped at a gas station. I asked him why we were going the wrong way, and he had me guess. I kept getting the answer wrong, until he finally gave me a hint and said, "It's on the way to Uncle Mark's house..." and I remember screaming and jumping up and down in my seat and chanting "SIX FLAGS SIX FLAGS SIX FLAGS!" Once my little sister was old enough to join us, she started coming, too. Then, when after my parents divorced and my dad re-married, we started going with my step-mom and two step-brothers. We went every single summer, the first Tuesday after school let out, after that until I graduated college.
My mom and I dancing to October Project and the Indigo Girls on Friday nights while we cooked Shabbat dinner. I still associate hearing those bands with the smell of Shabbat candles, baking chicken, and the musty scent of an old oriental rug.
Coming to the realization around age 13 that I had been really mean to my sister growing up (she's 7 years younger than me), and making the conscious choice to be nice to her and include her more. Nowadays, she doesn't remember me being mean to her, and our relationship is incredible. I don't know many people who have the kind of friendship we do, in addition to being siblings. I love that kid so much.
jennybyte ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
*my godmother teaching me to find four leaf clovers before a big speech in high school *Riding a motorscooter at age 13 to artcamp in the summer with my family's pomeranian in my art bag *watching my brother try to suture my dog's leg after he cut himself on the fence *Eating Maryland Steamed Crabs for the first time with my family- and then every other time as it became a tradition **when my highschool boyfriend told me he loved me on a canoe during the thick of summer
octopuswaffle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What a truly unique question. You really made me think and remember some things vividly this morning that I had not thought about in a long time. Thanks.
salmix21 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me in after school soccer practice. Our coach was pretty strict and at the end of the practice he gave us unlimited play time. Time slowed down and I made a goal that I still remember how it felt today.
Parents going out for karaoke and leaving me and my brothers money for pizza. All 3 of us and 3 medium pizzas, perfect bonding time.
When I confessed to my crush, we hugged and I just felt as if all the toxins were leaving my body and I was cleansed from unhappiness. Still have not hugged someone and felt like that till this day.
Playing COD MW Co-op at my cousins house in the morning.
DrSeussBitches ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:34:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I wish I remembered more about this sort of thing, but when me and my older brother were 6 and 4 respectively. We would collect fire-ants in those gallon ice cream buckets, the ones with the red handle and a lid, and try to sell them to the neighbors. We of course we're terrible salesmen, so we never succeeded.
ZetsubouZolo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:34:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn so many different memories and stories.. Makes you really think differently about people. Life is strange
BasilGreen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:34:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father and I sat on the balcony of our hotel room at the beach. The moon was incredibly large and rising over the ocean. I asked him what it was that made the waves and the tides, and he answered me with a question, which was, "What do you think? What do you see?"
Maybe it sounds stupid, but I come back to this memory all the time. He is a great father who often didn't tell me answers but shaped my thought-process for me in order to get to the right conclusion. Man, I love my Dad.
swordsmithy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:34:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We were in the theater and a preview for The Two Towers came on. When Gandalf showed up, the guy behind me loudly said 'he's alive?!' I turned to my brother and dad and said 'it's a book?!?' My dad looked disappointed. After the movie, he pulled me aside and said 'people have different geniuses, kid. That guy could have been the most amazing plumber in town. When you have a burst pipe, do you care if the plumber has read Lord of the Rings? We need diversity in knowledge.' Made me respect and admire people for their own variety of skills irrespective of my own.
-Fen- ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:34:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was going to answer this, then I realised how dark many of my core memories are. :/
Benulous ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:34:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nice try, Scientology.
BMLM ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:35:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I found a collection of SNES games in our family garage I wasn't yet allowed to play as I was only 5 or 6. MK, MK2, Final Fight, Street Fighter 2, etc. My grandpa convinced my mother to let me play them as long as I assured them I knew what I was playing was not how things were and it was only make believe.
The last time I cried from sadness was when I was 13. I learned my first pet, an amazing cat named Eden had been run over.
When I was in Kindergarten I was fought over by two girls. A blonde and a brunette. One day at the end of recess, the girls each wanted to hold my hand, but be the only one to do so. They each tugged on an arm. I remember getting a huge kick out of it.
My very early childhood was wrought with sickness. I had pneumonia several times when I was very, very, little. I vividly remember being kept in a room with one of those vicks air purifier things for long periods of time. My mother or grandmother always coming in to check on me. The smell of menthol is one of comfort to this day.
Dumbdog27 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:35:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seeing my (now) girlfriend for the first time and immediately knowing I wanted to be with her. Been going out for over 5 years and just bought an engagement ring
leftoverrice54 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:35:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was with my uncle and 2 sisters ice skating in pennsylvania. This massive lake had frozen over, as it does every year during the winter, so my uncle rented skates for all of us. We had never skated before, but with his encouragement we got up every time we stumbled until we were finally skating on our own. It was just so perfect.
We did this for about two hours until my younger sister aked to go home. We were all skating back to the bridge when i start hearing cracks. Suddenly, the ice breaks underneath my uncle, and he plunges into ice cold water. I had no balance whith my skates on, and all he told was to "S-s-sray back Christian!" He thought that more ice may break apart near him and might take me too. Every time he tried to pull himself up, a little more ice gave away.
He was shivering so much, each breath becoming more and more strained. I just yelled his name over and over again. After about 2 or 3 minutes he finally hauled himself up, and laid flat on the floor. The store owner who rented the skates out to us was brought over by my sisters. He had called an ambulance. The man vrought him inside and lit a fire, leqving my uncle there to possibly gain more warmth until help arrived. All of us huddled around him, hoping to warm him up or provided some level of comfort. That day i almost saw my uncle die, and it made me understand just how easy it is to lose someone.
Branston_Pickle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a memory fragment of my young mother crying while ironing, with hockey playing on a black and white television.
I think this was when my uncle was killed in an industrial accident in September 1972, when the Canada -- USSR series was underway.
I had just turned one. We were about to leave for my uncle's funeral.
RolandSnowdust ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A few weeks before my third birthday, on the way to the hospital, I was given a square white box with a ribbon around it. Inside was a hand puppet of a grey elephant with red and white polka dot ears. But I wasnโt interested in the puppet. We were heading to pick up my mom. She came out the front doors in a wheelchair with a silver tray across her lap. Various bottles were on the tray. But in her arms was my brand new baby sister. In a show of great trust, as well as a complete lack of consideration for safety (for that is how things were done back then) I got to carry my sister on my lap for the car ride home. She would become my closest friend growing up.
betsyboblawyerpants ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My biggest one was in moving the United States. I was born here but we moved to Central America for 2 years and I moved back in the summer right after I turned 7.
I remember crying the second I got on the plane. I was leaving my family, the only immediate family I knew. I knew I was moving to a place where I knew no one, not even the language.
I remember we stopped at Mexico City. Went to the Basilica, stopped at McDonalds and got a happy meal. The happy meal had Play-doh in it. I remember we flew Delta and the flight attendant making conversation with me because she saw I was upset as we boarded our final flight.
To this day whenever I smell Play-doh I feel nostalgic and SO happy my parents decided to move back the United States.
Nellanaesp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going fishing with my dad when I was around 8 or so. We got at 5 am, rode out to the dam on the lake (about a 30 min boat ride), and proceeded to catch 7 striped bass. They were delicious. I'm 27 now, and I keep bugging my dad to go fishing again one weekend like we did when I was little.
When I was in 7th grade, I wanted badly to sign up for English 1 and Algebra 1 for high school credit. I knew algebra wouldn't be a problem, but my parents were worried about English. I remember laying in bed, and my parents were outside of my room arguing about it. My mom said while referencing English 1 word for word, "I know he CAN do it, I just dont know if he will." That left an impression. Granted, I didn't do that great, I think I got a C, but that memory fueled me when I was getting a degree in Electrical Engineering. When I was graduating this past may, my mom looked at me and told me she was proud of me and that I turned it around. She referenced my bad grades in middle school. I told her the truth: that I was lazy and didn't care in middle school. Never told her about overhearing that conversation though.
-5 day road trip that me and my dad took in a rental moving truck when I was 6. He had just separated from the military and we were moving from Utah to South Carolina. We spent 5 days on the road, driving through mountains. It was an awesome trip. He obviously hated the drive, but I absolutely loved it. I think thats why I dont mind long drives and road trips now. Its kind of funny... He told me that when he was planning the trip on the map, he went and asked a semi truck driver the best route to take. They told him the WORST route. He figure it out a few years after the drive. We think the trucker gave him the route over highways and mountains in order to keep him off the interstate. It was still fun though.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing kickball with my siblings and neighbor buds one more time before the sun dropped out of sight. Everyday. The light in that last hour is different... And so were our intentions. We knew we would be called in soon so this was it. the sun seemed to recognize that. It was the first time I can remember setting up rituals and desperately trying to be in the moment.
The sandlot reminds me so much of those times. I'm a child of the 80s so the eras don't quite match up, but the aesthetic and group dynamics are spot on.
Another memory with the same group... Found $20 bucks on the sidewalk. Debated buying a ton of candy which was what I always did with money at that time. But I was getting older, I was the eldest of the group of kids, oldest of my siblings and for the first time I had a different sort of an idea...
2 foot hollow plastic swords were on sale at our discount store (Phily sales) for 99 cents each. I figured I could buy 18 or 19 and everyone in the cul-de-sac could go crazy. So I did. The cashier was nice enough to tape them together in a bundle for me so i could manage them on my bike.
When I got back and laid them out... It was the best decision I had ever made until that point in my life. We played medieval games, star wars games...had duels... For about a week until the cheap swords were all destroyed. And I made it happen. Everyone thought I was the bringer of joy.
I grew a lot from that whim. Until then I was a bit of a tyrant. Boastful, demanding. My age commanded respect. I noticed how the inspiration trickled down too... The kids slowly moved from trying to outdo each other and constantly posturing... Towards working together, trying to help each other have fun. Watching that was powerful for me. On that day I gained the love of the people. I had one sword squirreled away that wasn't broken while all the others were. I reverted towards lording it over everyone. Everyone looked on the last sword with a certain sacredness so it was easy as a kid to just go back to eating it up.
Finally, I had another idea... I knighted one of the kids for doing some random good deed, I did this in front of everyone and gave him the sword on the condition that he find someone worthy to knight by the end of the day. This set up a virus of everyone trying to do good things to become knights to get the sword, and then knights having to weigh the actions of each other at the end of the day.
Me and my first knight sat back watching. I remember he said something like "this is cool" and I said something back to the effect of "we did this". The sword broke soon enough. But they kept knighting each other for good deeds.
Tradman86 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
When I was in 1st grade, we went to the beach. The whole place was covered in beached jellyfish. I was running through and just having a gay old time. My mother grabbed and told me not to do that b/c they are poisonous. She sounded so urgent and afraid, I've had a phoebia about Jellyfish ever since.
The first time I watched Star Wars, I think I was like 4 or 5. It's defined my sci-fi fandom ever since.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The core memories in Inside Out made me sad because I have a terrible memory when it comes to remember things I've actually done.
Lemonade_IceCold ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Apparently I was only 3, but the image of the Walt Disney world epcott center ball is permanently ingrained into my brain. It must have been super astonishing to me at the time, because that memory has stuck with me forever. I haven't been back yet to see if its still impressive.
Gothym ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:36:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Telling my mom I didn't believe in God anymore. I was 13 years old. She was bugging me about not going to church with her and started screaming at me about how God would never accept me if I didn't show him love by going to church. I looked at her and said "Sounds like that's not a god I want or need to love me, mom. I'm staying here."
Completely changed our relationship. After that, she'd yell at me for nothing and everything. I was always wrong (and still am). I'm 24 now and things are a little better since I moved out but I'll never feel loved by her.
FriendlyITGuy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:37:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was little I would get to ride the lawn mower after my father finished cutting the grass. One day when I was 4 or so my younger brother wandered away looking for my mother (who was out at the time) and my father went looking for him. I was alone at home and scared for my life. I grew up always being scared I would be left alone.
Spending 10 days in Las Vegas every summer growing up visiting my grandparents. Haven't been back since 2008 and I really miss the city and the condo. My uncle still owns it though, and I plan to finally make it back there next year.
Longer Story:
Probably one of the biggest was my starting band in 4th grade. And for some damn reason I chose to play the flute. I never practiced, but I improved during sectionals and full band rehearsals. 7th and 8th grade came along and I felt I didn't want to continue in band. But I kept going. I got to high school and joined the marching band, began playing piccolo, and got first chair all through high school.
Freshmen year of college came and I went to a tech school with no music program. I missed band dearly. After transferring to another university, I joined the marching band and continued playing through undergrad and one year of grad school. I've since finished my masters, but have not had time to get back into playing my flute this past year. I miss band dearly, not only for the music I got to play, but for the fun and interesting people I met that I now call my friends. I would not be the person I am today if I hadn't stuck with music throughout my education. I wouldn't have met my girlfriend of the last six years if it weren't for music either.
prizbokc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:37:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting out of the car when I was 6/7 in a grocery store parking lot. My mother was saying something to me and my sister and, who knows why, but it just hit me out of nowhere that my mother was a completely different person than me. She doesn't know what it's like to be me and vice versa. If I were to get hurt, she would not know the pain I feel. I also remember thinking very clearly that when she dies, I will not know what that feels like. That was my first realization that everyone is their own person and everyone feels/thinks differently.
When I was 11, my dad had to get open heart surgery. I remember sitting at the dinner table with my siblings while he was telling us about the preparations for the upcoming surgeries and how he had debated whether or not to sign the DNR forms. It was the first time I had thought about one of my parents dying. (Different than the first realization with my mother. With my mom, that was my fear of death and not knowing would death would feel like. With my father, it was actually realizing that my parents might die any day and not years in the future)
My 10th birthday when I got a kitten as a present after begging my parents for one for almost 3 years. This cat still lives with me, almost 14 years later, and I am constantly reminded of how I felt when I saw my sister walking over to me, holding this tiny kitten, and saying "Happy birthday, /u/prizbokc."
In 8th grade, walking into homeroom and seeing all my friends sitting in a different spot than usual. They all looked at me when I walked in and then turned around. The day I lost all my friends at once and I have no idea what I did. Sadly, I have not really been able to make good friends since this and it has been almost 11 years.
Seeing my mother cry after learning of her father's death.
Seeing my grandmother in her casket at her funeral.
Going to see the first Harry Potter movie at the age of 9. I brought the book with me because, as the naive child I was, I thought the movie would be word for word exactly like the book and I wanted to read along. Boy was I wrong.
There are several moments I clearly remember while reading the Harry Potter series while growing up.
Playing a game with plastic animals with my first friend in kindergarten. I got to be the giraffe and she was the hippo.
Also in kindergarten, I don't remember why, but I remember the first time I laughed so hard that I cried.
I have a great memory and could go on and on, but those are first 10 that came to mind.
deoxys_101993 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:37:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
PapaSteel ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:38:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I couldn't get on the bus. My legs just didn't work.
I ran back, kissed her, then hightailed it back to the station and caught it just as it was leaving.
I'll never forget the color of all the lights and the smell of new rain and the realization that I was both in love and it would be for the last time.
Growing up on a farm. Playing in a field all by myself an hour away from the house. Fell from a large hay bale and landed on my back, hard, grazing my leg on a pitchfork and causing it to rip through my skin and leave a massive scar. Didn't hurt much until I made it back, I realized how close I almost came to dying.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:38:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bit late to the part but here's the ones I remember straight away:
When I was in year 4, we had a swimming lesson and I pooped in the pool but never owned up to it. I was still really embarrassed.
As a toddler I once walked from one end of the beach to the other pushing a long my tractor-toy. It was about a long beach so I had to keep stopping to rest but when I finished, I looked up at my parents for the first time in however long it had taken and I saw they were smiling and then dad gave me a piggy back whilst mum went to buy me an ice cream as a reward.
My aunt was walking me an my sister down the road and some guy in front of us dropped his drink can or something and my aunt screamed at him until he picked it up to dispose of it properly.
We were called for a 'family-meeting'. My mum revealed she had cancer and my older sister was crying but I didn't really understand what was happening so I didn't really react the way I guess I should have. She survived.
Visiting various model-railway shows with my dad whilst he lectures me on what different trains they have. (He grew up in the 1950s so Steam Trains were his 'thing')
Going to a farm to pick my dog on my 13th birthday. All the puppies were in a barn and as soon as I entered they all crowded me which was cute. I sat down on a bale of hay and a couple of them tried to climb up to cuddle me, one of them got stuck in between two hay bales on the way up and fell asleep. The other made it up to me and lay in my lap - I chose him.
MyLegsTheyreDisabled ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:38:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Parents divorced at 6 years old. Carted between them for years.
Sexually molested by dad's girlfriend's son at 7 y/o, he was twice as old as me. This made me a weird person. I repressed the shame and indulged in gross sexual behavior. I didn't know it was not normal.
My aunt used to do tricks with my sister and I. She would lay on the ground and we would run at her and jump. She would kick up her legs and then vault us across the room into the couch.
Spending the night at my grandma's house and making popcorn surprise while watching our favorite movies.
Playing in my great grandpa's apple tree and making homemade cinnamon applesauce.
Ostracized in 6th grade by the whole class. I had to make friends with my little sisters class because no one else would talk to me. This is a continued theme throughout my life.
Singing to N'Sync and jumping on our bed with my sister. Basically all of my sibling interactions are 1 big, good memory.
My parents fighting and beating each other up. Choking with a necklace, a face of hot coffee, and an elbow to my nose.
Made my 1st best friend in 8th grade. 10 years later we still hang out every weekend.
I was raped in my freshman year. It was the catalyst that catapulted me into depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies. Its only getting worse the older I get.
Falling in love with my now-husband. Been together almost 8 years now.
My great grandpa whispering in my ear before he died, "I'm so proud of you". Only person on my dad's side who I truly loved and ever said that to me.
My husband coming out to me as trans.
mccoyster ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:38:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The feels when you realize that probably all of your core memories are negative and have been for years...
gierinjr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
In no particular order:
โขwinning a state-wide hockey tournament as a fifth-grader. My dad walked me out onto the ice after most everyone had left the rink and told me I'd remember this moment for the rest of my life - little did I know just how right he would be.
โขdriving around town aimlessly with one of my best friends late at night the summer before we left for college. For the first time, I spoke openly and honestly with someone in my life about where we hoped we were heading, the dreams we had, and how we longed to find a significant other with whom we could share these wonderful experiences
โขmy father, banging away at a typewritter long after such a machine had become obsolete, and playing Sinatra as my mother, my brothers and I talked quietly in the other room. I can't help but believe that something about those nights has stuck with me after all these years. In a lot of ways I'm an old soul and nothing seems to soothe me quite like the sound of swing, a cigar, and a neat scotch
โขas a kid in the late 90s / early 2000s, I'd spend my summers golfing nine holes in the morning, then playing at the pool until it got dark. Countless hours spent with friends and family over a number of years have amalgamated in my mind to become a "perfect day" kind of memory - sun-soaked perfection for 12 straight hours, with not a care in the world
โขplaying "ghosts in the graveyard" with the neighborhood kids until you could hear the parents up and down the street calling us back in, one by one
โขheading to goalie camp every July on Lake Muskoka. The ice time was loads of fun, but what stuck with me was late-night kayaking and fishing with all of my new friends - and secretly pining after one of the older girls in camp
โขThe first time I remember hearing 3eb's "Semi-Charmed Life" and Lit's "Ziplock" on the radio the same day. Gradeschool me was so estatic at my newfound love for post-grunge 90s rock that I was glued to the radio every evening for weeks after that day, hoping like hell to experience the rush of bouncing to those guitar riffs just one more time before bed
Edit: words
deardot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting behind my Grandmother in the big chair in the living room combing her hair. We'd sit there for hours watching TV or talking about things. I was fairly young but it happened for many years.
Walking down to my mom at the fire pit when I was 3 or 4 in my bright florescent coloured jacket. Being so happy that I was responsible enough to walk from the house to the fire pit. (It was literally 150 ft).
Grandpa swerving on the road and asking 'did you see that squirrel?' even though I couldn't see above the dash. It always made me laugh.
Standing crying in the living room window after my dog was hit by a car. I was 4 years old. Best dog ever. Loved playing dead with him because he would come over and flip you on your back and lick your face until you laughed. Then he would sit beside you looking so proud.
Saying goodbye to my second dog after he passed away during the night. I was 16.
Walking down the isle with my Dad. And my first dance as a married woman with my Dad. These two always meld together for me.
Riding on the back of the 3 wheeler with my Grandpa. Laughing as he tried to hit every bump so you bounced on the wood seat he had on the back. Your bum hurt but you had so much fun it didn't matter.
The sound of my Grandma and Grandpa's laughter. Grandpa has been gone 16 years, Grandma passed away in January.
baxtelf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father and I listening to Alabama Football on AM radio in the kitchen together when I was a kid and later watching it on TV
Sitting in the car after breaking my leg when I was 3 and my younger brother wanting to play.
Having my children
My cat dying in bed with me at only 14 months old. Horrible grief to this day.
My father dying after I told him Bama beat Auburn and we would be in the SEC Title game.
Fragil1ty ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
/kinda sucks that I can't really locate a lot of happy memories, mainly sad ones.
ALSO THIS MOVIE DROVE ME TO INSTANT TEARS.
CaptainErronous ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in first grade my friend and I thought it would be funny to pee into the little drain in the middle of the bathroom. Someone told on us and we got in big trouble by the teacher and therefore told our parents. I was so distraught because I had never really gotten into trouble before that. I remember wishing I could fast forward my life a little and get past this. A day went by, then a week, then a year. Now 20 years later, every now and then I think about that day and how small of a thing it was.
ZSloth11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day I got my dog. She's 12 now and has a tumor, but we got her when she was 7 weeks old. My dad thought getting me a dog would motivate me to keep playing middle school football, but getting a new puppy just motivated me to quit so I could spend time with her.
My Aunt's funeral. She died of her third fight with cancer. Seeing my mom cry and not be able to finish her speech was pretty fucking rough.
5 in the morning, 2 days before the midnight release of The Dark Knight Rises, I made out with a girl for the first time who I've now been with for 4 years.
AlexStar6 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wow thinking about this was an emotional experience in and of itself. Oh boy, this will be interesting. Let me start by saying I'm 35 years old, and these memories are as vivid as if they happened today.
Laying in my bed listening through the wall to my mom on the phone with 911 as my father was dying of a heart attack on the bathroom floor.
Sitting in the ER waiting room, not the general area with everyone else, but the one with the comfortable chairs as the doctor came in to tell us my father was dead.
3rd grade, getting set up by my best friend Mike so that another kid could deliver a vicious kick to my stomach causing me to throw up on the playground in the most humiliating way ever.
Being surrounded by a ring of other children as I got shoved back and forth with them hurling insults at me until I snapped and bit one of them.
Age 11, Returning to school after my father died, sitting at my desk, as the other children filed past me mumbling condolences and apologies for my loss. Breaking down in tears, not sadness, but anger. Righteous firey anger at the audacity of those who tormented me comforting my pain to feel better about themselves. Hate.
Age 17, breaking down after finally having met someone who listened to me. Who didn't try to tell me what was wrong with me, who just accepted. Apologizing to my mom through the tears for the horrible person I'd been. Telling myself I'd never hate again, realizing that I'd never wish that upon the worst person in the world.
2011, sitting in the delivery room as my wife gave birth to our twins.
2016, Watching my son give his twin sister a toy he wanted just because he preferred for her to be happy.
I am not the man I was 1 year ago, 6 years ago, 20 years ago. But I could not be the man I am today without being that man first. I own every experience I had, every decision I made the good and the ones that still hurt to think about.
But yeah.. that's what I got.
Edit: You know it's funny... it wasn't till after I submitted this that I realized having cancer and surviving it didn't even make it on the list LOL.
TheFork101 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ShagBox ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
While playing with a mess of Legos on the floor, watching my Mom and Dad yell and argue about whether or not I should use my new Lego Vacuum. My Mom thought I should use it, while my Dad thought it would make me lazy and that I should pick them up with my hands. Parents got divorced shortly thereafter.
Hunting frogs and polliwogs in the creek with my cousin.
Laying/pretending to be asleep in the third row of my parents SUV with my then girlfriend (now wife) and secretly kissing while driving back home over the pass.
Running down the driveway as fast as possible every day after school.
modank ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was a fair held by a school My brother went to. I was >4 years old. I had tied what I thought was a sturdy knot on my wrist which was attached to a fancy helium balloon. I thought it was the shit because it was the fist helium balloon I had ever seen. Anyhow the knot I had tied failed, and the thing I remember the most was me holding a wire fence while looking up in sheer despair at my first helium balloon floating away into space.
TL:DR... First memory is sad memory of lost balloon.
JackSylvane ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Drugs destroyed my memories.
TexasScooter ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my favorite dogs died. He was a German Shorthaired Retriever, which are very active dogs. But every evening, he would lay beside me on the couch and lay his head in my lap while I ate dinner and watched TV. I loved that dog. But one day we found out that he had leukemia and he wasted away until one day we had to put him down.
I still remember standing out by our barn as we buried him. My dad, who was pretty stoic and never really emotional with us, hugged me, looked down into my eyes with his tearing eyes, and told me "it's okay to cry".
A rare emotional display that has a big impact on my life.
FinFihlman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I swear, being able to record yourself, feelings and memories would cheapen human life even more but would be valuable to each individual and their families in such a huge way.
What do you remember about yourself?
CakeBandit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:41:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Waking up at 4 am with my older brother to play Super Mario Brothers on the only TV in the house. I still remember the dim blue glow of our CRT beaming out from the entertainment system. Running the loose pile of our blue carpet through my fingers while my older brother played through level after level. (age 4-5)
Getting called to the principal's office because we'd taken a survey of our favorite television programs. Mine were "The Andy Griffith Show, Waiting on God, Monty Python's Flying Circus, and The Beverly Hillbillies. They'd called my parents about it too. My parents told them to mind their own business, but it was the first time I was overtly made to feel like I was strange. (Age 5)
Being hoisted into the air by my shirt and being repeatedly hit in the stomach by a bigger kid during recess. Nobody helped. Some kids even laughed. (age 9)
The feeling of being tangled in the long hair of my first girlfriend, watching TV, loafing around in her family's house. Warm, close, content. (Age 16)
Walking through a store, getting a call from the police asking where the car my grandmother had purchased my first girlfriend and I had gone, and knowing it was over.
In the weeks prior, she had found out that her mother was at risk for cancer (Chain smoker, duh). She and I went half way across the country to come home and take care of her in case the tests came back poorly.
But that was a lie.
Along the way back, her car had failed (Engine block exploded) and my parents picked us up, driving us nearly an entire state. Later, my grandmother had dipped into her retirement fund to get us a car. We lived in a rural place, and it's impossible to hold down a job or really do anything without a vehicle. Being a 20 year old man at this point, insurance would have been much higher if I was put on the title of the vehicle, so it was a thing between my girlfriend and my grandmother. I felt useless.
The next semester of college started around that point and I was missing it. Shortly after, the cousin putting me through college got into an intense legal battle, and I knew I wouldn't be able to go back.
In light of this, I got a shitty job at a shitty call center taking shitty calls from shitty customers for a premiere nationwide cellular service. I was sleeping in the car in the next big city over, just trying to make enough to get an apartment for us. Girlfriend stopped responding to texts, Skype, email, calls. Her family was keeping me on their cellular plan even.
My family knew what I was doing. They came a city over to set me up with canned goods and things like that. That's when I got the call from the police. Prompted by people who paid for my phone. Girlfriend and her family had been attempting to set me up to steal the car out from under us and ruin me.
I confronted her and she revealed everything. Depressed, I quit my job and moved back in with my parents, which is toxic in its own way (hoarders).
My faith in even the people close to me crumbled. We'd been together five years. (age 21) three years later I have friends I trust, but severe personal anxiety. I don't think I'll ever be in a truly comfortable romantic relationship ever again.
leo4573 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:42:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing in the conference room at my dad's work. He'd play cartoons on the giant screen and I'd just run around.
My favourite year at summer camp. My group and counsellor were just great.
Seanfen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:42:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Driving across Canada and trying to make my dad laugh. Finally doing do so when we were somewhere in Quebec. 4 days of trying to make him happy for one fleeting moment.
Feeling my first pair of boobs, under the stairs at school. What awesomeness that was!
Holding my daughter for the first time. Just feeling complete. (as well as the feeling of being scared and alone when I couldn't call a single family member to talk me through the nerve wracking ordeal my wife was going through with her labour)
The day I first paid rent and received keys to my abysmal basement apartment. It was dark, dirty and smelly but, it was mine and I loved it. I was free and could come and go as I pleased.
Being with my parents on the Angel Glacier in Banff or Jasper(can't remember which) and my mom falling with my dad's camera bag one her shoulder. It was a hard fall. The first thing my dad says "Is the camera ok?" I knew from that moment on I didn't want to be like him at all.
CozzyC0 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:42:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seeing my granddad, a old proper broad Yorkshireman walk in the front door of my family home carrying a tray of yoghurts shouting "Ayup!"
Seeing my girlfriend for the first time at my best friends fig about 4 years ago. I can still remember her sillouhette and her long flowing red hair now.
The feeling of utter elation as a walked out of the cathedral after graduating with my degree. I was walking in a procession with bout 80 other people. But I didn't feel it. I felt like a giant.
Seeing my dad cry when his sister died of ms. It was the day I first feel like I really had to be a man for the sake of someone else.
buttstuff2015 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:42:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My cousin pushing me off the ladder of my tree house and falling into a rose bush
Going to the train museum with my dad then going to the discovery channel store at a nearby mall and letting me play with the zen garden and the jellie-fleshlight things
Desirai ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mother's day, 1994. My brother was 6 weeks old, I was 6 years old. It was 9 pm, my mom took us across the street to our neighbor's house. then her boyfriend came in the truck, got out, and mom handed my brother to me, and he started beating her in the neighbor's driveway. I ran in the neighbor's house and we called my grandmother, and my grandmother came and got me and my brother.
I will never forget that. I want to but I never will.
"hit me tammy. hit me. why aren't you hitting me? what's wrong, huh? can't you hit me?"
jtvergarav ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
NotATuring ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Cousin hit me in the head with a machete when I was 2 or 3.
Brother tied me to a tree and left me where no one could find me sometime under the age of 6.
I was the one who discovered my grandmother after one of her strokes and I was a dick trying not to be discovered by her at the time when I was like 4 or 5. I did realize something was wrong though and ran to my cousins house for help.
Teacher yelled at me for doing something wrong once in front of everyone when I was in the 2nd grade.
My dog died in the back of my dad's truck (he was healthy before this) while we were trying to leave the area because of a hurricane that never actually hit us. We buried him under a pile of stones in San Antonio.
The more I think of things I'm trying to remember about my past the more I realize all my memories are terrible. I'm sure there must have been good things in my past...there must be...Okay, yeah, I had a few friends in college. That was pretty nice.
Naulty85 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember visiting my father in "college." I was three. I was confused as to why there was several gates to go through, and bars on the Windows.
This is the only time I ever saw my dad playing a sport. He was playing basket ball.
silkenskin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:44:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lounging around on the grass and eating macarons at the Palace of Versailles(behind the Petit Trianon) with my sister, who was living in Paris at the time. I was going through a bad time in life- I felt pretty numb but this moment made me happy and at peace
walking to my first eating disorder out patient consultation. I was still convinced at that point that I was fine and I didn't need help. As soon as the therapist asked me how I was, I broke down in tears.
sitting on my dads shoulders when I was 3 at the Mardi Gras parade in Alabama. Every time I think of it, I smell something sweet in the air and remember the neon pink palm trees at the Ruby Tuesdays we went to for dinner.
-taking a greyhound bus from Toronto to New Orleans with 2 of my friends for spring break. Also that whole week in New Orleans.
Getting a kitten with my S/O and knowing that I wanted to be with this man forever.
Watching my dad sob when he heard of his close friend passing away. His friend opened up a pop can and a bee flew in it. He didn't realize and drank the drink with the bee. Consequently, it stung his throat. He was allergic to bees. I remember sitting on my dads lap as he cried and I just hugged him and cried with him.
someone jumped in front of the train I was on and died. The body landed next to my window. First time I saw a dead body.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:44:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 8 or 9, I had a BB gun that was fairly powerful if you pumped it up a bunch of times.
I was out shooting random things - tin cans, the back side of our old barn, leafy vegetation, you name it. I was stoked!
Then I decided I needed to test my marksmanship on live game. So I walked around the front of the house, and I laid down in the grass looking toward the bird feeder.
I shot a chickadee - one of my favorite birds - and the moment I hit that little bird, I knew I had done something wrong. He didn't die right away, and I had to humanely finish him off.
I'll never forget the feeling of waste and shame. That bird lost its life, and taught me a valuable lesson on what it means to exercise restraint, think things through, and generally, what it means to be good.
I will never forget that.
JeanBoxes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:44:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข Waking up on Three Kings day and running to the living room to see a huge bouncy balls of different colors, a white plastic chair (my grandma had one, so I wanted one just like her), and a kiddie pots and pan set. I remember running to my grandma and hugging her like crazy. It was the best day ever. We didnโt have much, but my grandma saved as much as she could, just so I can have something for Three Kings day.
โข Being three years old and running from a Bird-Eating tarantula. I remember running across my (paternal) grandparentsโ yard and up the stairs to my grandparentsโ living room, with that thing still chasing me. My parents and uncles thought it was cute that I was screeching as I ran across the yard, believing that I was being imaginative. But once they saw the huge ass tarantula, they all ran after it with a machete (FYI this happened in Ecuador, at my grandparentsโ farm.)
ShuckleThePokemon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Jumping off a metal swing only to have it hit the back of my head, crying, then going inside and sleeping for an hour.
My sister swinging and my little sibling who had just learned to walk started to bumble into the path of the swing. My best friend was close to the swing, but not close enough to my sibling to pull him out of the way. So instead he stood in the path of the swing and took the full brunt of my sister to the stomach.
Kissing my first girlfriend for the first time then got pulled over that night, I think it was a sign.
Sitting on a beached dock with my now-fiance for hours talking about life and school and friends and everything possible. I'm not much of a talker, who knew you could even speak that much.
mproj ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Scraping my knee and feeling the pain of Hydrogen Peroxide for the first time -- I was staring out at the backyard where my baby basketball goal was as my parents tended to my wound
Realizing that I was apparently more sexual than any of the other kids my age (age 7-10); I remember being 7 years old and imagining having sex with my "girlfriend" at the time. I used to think about it at night and I started masturbating at around this time. My friends thought girls were "gross," I thought they were beautiful and I was ready to do stuff. It's still a very weird realization.
My mother catching me playing Grand Theft Auto III at around age 8 and witnessing me run over an old lady. She told me, "What if that was your grandmother?" -- This was the moment that I remember being swarmed with empathy for a fictional character, because the thought of someone I loved was now associated with it.
Watching my dad get angry over really stupid shit -- he threw a pastry at the wall once because he couldn't figure something out. I think he realized how scared I was and I remember him looking very sad and cleaning the wall. He would do stuff like that from time to time.
Having the neighbor kid try to trick me into giving up my favorite football helmet -- it was the moment that I realized you can't trust people that try to make you feel good/happy/cool.
Having a girl I adored in middle school tell me not to hold her hand too long during the school music recital because the boy she liked had written his number on her palm.
Having that same girl learn that I liked her, and feeling sorry for me because she didn't like me back
Having another girl leave me at the school dance for another guy so that she could walk with him on the 8th grade walk (we were in 7th grade)
My dad screaming at me the day I got kicked out of my school for stealing from the school store. It was the moment that I realized I was being a shit head and something needed to change.
Driving down the road in 10th grade while that girl that left me at the school dance gave me road head.
The look on her face when I told her I was breaking up with her. I felt so bad because I had never made a girl cry like that.
Finding who I thought was going to be the love of my life while I dated the girl from memory 11, and spending the entire summer talking to her and hanging out with her.
The moment that I brought her to my friends house and I saw her breasts in a game of truth or dare
Her face when she told me she was ashamed because he was becoming just like her mother who would do similar things for attention from shitty guys while she neglected her children
The moment of holding her in my arms in a treehouse while we looked at the stars and wanting the world to freeze in that moment.
Asking her to be my girlfriend.
Having her dad read some very interesting text messages
The moment I realized she was leaving me for someone else
The pain that I felt, as though I had been hit by a truck -- I cried in my bed for hours, days, weeks.
The moment when I finally got over her, only to have her talk to me saying that she made a mistake. But I said no, and it was done.
I could probably go on like this but I think that's enough for one post.
T_Momo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was an awkward kid in a town with not a lot of other children to play with so my best friend was my rescue dog named Missy. One day we were driving her to the vet and she was sitting on my lap. About a block away from the vet's she sees something and jumps out the window (I was a dumb, shitty kid who wasn't holding on tightly to the leash). I felt a bump and I remember my mom saying, "Oh god, we ran over her." and my stomach dropped. I screamed, trying to jump out of the car myself to save my dog. I sat in the vet's office and they came in and told me they had to put her to sleep. To this day, every time I see a dog sticking their head out the window I am filled with the worst anxiety and guilt.
When my aunt died, we brought her ashes to spread along the beach and saw a group of manatees swimming near the shoreline. My aunt's favorite animal was the manatee and it just felt nice to see them on the day we were spreading her ashes, it was a very comforting feeling.
My mother died of cancer when I was 14 and part of her life insurance paid off the mortgage to our house so there was one less expense my father had to deal with. Back then, I had no idea how terrible my father was with money but I remember one day when I was 20, walking into my dad's house and seeing nothing inside. It was completely empty. I thought the house had been burgled, but when I called my family in a panic, I was informed that my father had actually lost the house to foreclosure. I'll never forget the wave of emotions I felt know that the house my mother lived and died in and had tried so hard to make sure would be left to me down the line, was gone forever.
Leaving the state of Pennsylvania, which I loathed, finally and forever after 12 years. I will never go back, that state is a shit show.
ScubaSwede ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad wasn't exactly great with small children. My mom was on a trip. My big sister had a girl scout meeting at the park with her troop. He dressed me in big boots. I was three. While she was doing her thing he took me to a small jungle gym to keep me busy. Being a clumsy three year old in gigantic boots I tripped running up onto the metal monstrosity and promptly knocked out my front tooth. I was toothless for years before my adult tooth finally showed up. 20 years later my dad still gets shit from my mom
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My earliest memory: being at preschool, playing outside with the other kids, and watching a plane fly overhead before being led inside to choose beads for a bracelet.
Being in the car and learning that my older brother was going off to college... right when I was told to hug him goodbye. I was still pretty young (5 years old) and I cried and begged him to stay. I cried the whole way home.
Spending the last day of 3rd grade hanging out with the boy in my class I always got into fights with, and both of us realizing we actually got along really well. A picture was taken of us throttling each other.
My best friend locking me into a pitch-black closet and saying I couldn't come out until an alternate persona I had "came out." She then had my other friends hold me down while she kicked the crap out of me.
The first time I got truly angry and asserted myself: learning that my best friend (same as before) had betrayed me and threatened me to make sure I didn't do anything about it. I got into a screaming match with her and didn't speak to her for a week.
Going on a road trip to a family member's house in a city 3 hours away and spending the whole time looking out the window, reflecting, and resolving to open up and improve myself, and actually following through.
Having a panic attack in the middle of the Christmas Mass at my church and spending it in the bathroom, dry heaving while listening to everyone singing "Joy to the World" outside.
Realizing that I didn't love the guy that I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with.
Jamvaan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So those are the roots of my personality and my deepest rooted fears. Big 'ole Straight Edge smark and video game nerd who fears the outdoors.
N0vah ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
โข Playing Spiderman with my best friend when we were around 6. We fell down a hole after climbing on garage roof tops, and were trapped for several hours in our costumes.
โข Getting my Wii for Christmas. I played Mario Kart every single day for the next few years.
โข Crying in my room because my mum wouldn't let me eat a banana. My brother and sister got me one from downstairs, I was around 5.
โข Getting into a clan on one of my favourite games and making so many wonderful online friends.
โข Seeing my dog go after taking care of him for a year. It was the first time I had cried in years.
โข Getting my cat, Domino. I spent the whole day shaking with excitement to go out and get him from Cat's Protection.
โข Getting sent to the Headteacher's office in my first year of Primary school. We were playing pirates and I said 'yarr, pirates only!' to a girl. She claimed I had pushed her down the slide (a lie) and I got severely told off.
โข Having my favourite holiday ever in La Palma, and ordering unlimited Cokes and Sandwiches from the snack bar.
โข Opening a pack of Match Attax and getting Ronaldo (the rarest player). I actually couldn't believe it and my friends were so jealous.
silence9 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
These are in chronological order.
-My first memory at age 2, I walked into my mom's bathroom to find her crying, my grandfather had died. At the funeral when my mom was holding me over the casket, I said go home (sounds like) pawpaw. And being rushed out of the room because everyone started crying.
-being in trouble for saying the N-word at my friends Bo's birthday I was 3 and had no idea what it meant or why I was even in trouble, just remember crying and repeating I didn't know. --I now never say I do not know.
-playing with my cousin and telling my mom her mom and her I wanted to marry her, we were 3. My mother telling me I couldn't.
-making a bow and arrow set out of random things at my grandmothers. Age 3 (Bio father's mother)
-falling into my aunt and uncles outdoor pool and swimming without hesitation at age 3. No one saw me do it, but I remember it so clearly. --I never liked having to prove I could do anything after this
-going to a pool party at age 6 and being told I didn't know how to swim so I shouldn't go in the deep end, and the subsequent nightmare of swimming lessons over the next 4 years where I cried from being so afraid.
-doing lots of fun things at age 7 with the daughters of our family friends. Spending the night at there house when my brother was being born
-watching the Flintstones viva rock Vegas the night my other brother was born, having stayed up way later than normal because I had some innate feeling thing...
-at age 9 being saved.
-being told I was smart. I realized people didn't like that I was always better than them and quit trying so hard in school 5th grade. I had a friend apologize to me last year for how I was treated by her. I still called her a friend anyway. She instigated the math team girl incident.
-being the MVP in my coach pitch baseball league. One specific game I made 9 RBIs our team had 14 points and we still lost. My dad told me I still could have done better... this had two effects. One obvious the other being that I try doing everything by myself even when I'm on a team. I carry everyone not just in games but in life, or I try anyway.
-various naughty things. I was very erotic for a child knowing nothing about it.
-spending my summer alone in the house while my parents were at work.
-the dream, I dreamed two of our puppies died, one was attacked by a monster of sorts, the other feel from high up and drowned in a pool of water. The next day we found exactly that. The monster being one of our other dogs, the pool of water a bucket of water. I became obsessed with dreams too obsessed...
-reading various books in different places where i seclued myself. Mostly harry potter.
-playing hockey with my brothers, in the kitchen, and outside.
-my friend asking if we were gay, and clearly remembering that I could have said yes or no and i would have been fine with either choice. I said no. (100% straight)
-learning about sex on my own through various means.
-trying at school again to only be immediately shunned for how easily school came to me by my peers. I always felt shame for when I has the highest grade from then on.
-going to my first math team meet, and seeing a girl I thought was for the first time truly beautiful to me. The next year I had to lie and say I didn't like her or care about her in that way to be allowed to get into AP chemistry because the girl from math team was adamant she wanted nothing to do with me. (Girls win all arguments in school systems, I didn't find out this was genuinely true until later). This incident also made me realize how powerful saying something allowed was. I never liked the girl again. We became friends later despite that incident.
-meeting "her." Her story is everything you'd never want to hear or know especially for someone as innocent as I was. I became insanely depressed realizing I cannot "carry" the world. I became full of hatred, I still do not know what all of my hatred encompasses. The story for this is far too long and I will not write this one.
-the last and most recent is a story too long to tell. The Tldr is that the college system did what happened with the girl I met on math team except I was actually punished, and not asked questions. I was no longer allowed to go rock climbing at the school because of it.
If enough people ask I will tell the more recent story, it's a culmination of a lot of the events listed. It is subsequently also why I use the name silence9.
Alcohol saved me. Better now, but full of extreme amounts of hate. I'm not violent nor will I ever be. A huge perfectionist, I place all the blame on myself for anything bad that happens, because the only one I can control is me. In one way or another the problem is my fault regardless of who or what actually caused it. I have a very Japanese culture type of attitude in thaf regard and have been obsessed with living there. I am planning a trip and if it is even half of what I think it is I will plan to retire there. I truly hate American culture, but I have nostalgia for it. As if I never lived here and only saw it from afar... low and behold this is how japanese people feel at least so I am told.
Tocoapuffs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mainly from near death experiences.
1) I ran through a glass door that gave me a giant scar. The door closed toward me as I was running at it and in hopes of pushing on the door instead of needing to open it again I had my hands out and was watching the latch. The moment of "I'm screwed" as the door latched just before my fingertips touched the glass is what's there, nothing after. I get the feeling when I think of it. I think this was the summer when I turned 5.
2) I had an asthma attack in second grade so bad that all of the tricks that I used to ease breathing didn't work. I woke my mom up and told her "I'm going to die, but it's ok" I passed out soon after that.
3) Making my first friend in school. I asked him "will you be my friend?" on the playground. I was incredibly antisocial when I was young, so it was a pretty big moment for me. This was my second year in kindergarten.
MommEie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my mom left. I was around 7 probably. I just remember she didn't come home from work one night. And I remember my aunt (they worked at the same place I think?) came home without my mom and she gave me a teddy bear and told me it was from my mom. I think I had that bear until my early teens. I didn't realize til a few days later that she wasn't coming back. My brother and I had to go live with our dad.
When I was 12-13 I was very depressed. This was after my step mom left my dad and we moved into a shitty trailer. My dad took all his problems out on me and my brother. He was awful. I started cutting myself. One day I told my friends I wanted to kill myself. When I got to school the next day, my friends confessed they were worried about me so they told a teacher I wanted to kill myself. I got called to the office later in the morning and a social worker asked me a bunch of questions. I had to start seeing a counselor at the school once a week. The one I was seeing was only an intern. She was so nice. I had social anxiety so I never really talked but I told her that I like to write, so she gave me a notebook to write in and whenever I came in she would read it and we would discuss what I wrote. She had to leave in December, right around my birthday. The last time I saw her, I remember she hugged me and we both cried. She gave me a new pink notebook (my favorite color) and on the first page of ir she had written a note to me. I still have that note and I cry when I read it. In fact, here it is. I have tried multiple times to find that woman on Facebook or online in general and I haven't been able to. She doesn't know how much it meant to me that she was there for me.
When my aunt called me while I was going through some stuff (my family knew what was happening that's why she called) and she cried and told me how proud she is of me. And then she told me how sorry she is that I got "two bum deals" when it comes to parents. I think about that a lot.
The obvious ones are having my kids. So I won't say those. But I will say, a big thing for me was the day that my daughter told me "I happy mama." It was completely unprovoked. We weren't doing anything special, just watching tv or something I think. It made me cry because all I want in the world is for my babies to be happy, and hearing that out of nowhere made me feel like maybe I'm not completely fucking up.
I'm sure I have more, but most of them are not good ones.
HardOff ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I was a high school student, sitting in a kitchen, listening quietly to a girl on the phone. She told me that I was the only one who cared enough to do anything about her suicide note, that she wasn't mad at me- on the contrary, that she was grateful to me- for calling the police, that she was enjoying the hospital and that everything was changing for the better.
That was the moment when I finally accepted the idea that I am someone of worth. It has both driven me to do things that I know are right but am afraid to do, and carried me through times where others tried to convince me that I am worthless.
rakoho ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:46:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Save for later
InsaneDM ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:47:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in 4th grade I was starting to get into computers, and my 4th grade teacher randomly went on a rant once about how computers were like pianos and only people with long fingers would be any good with them. Then proceed to tell me I had stubby fingers and wouldn't be good with them. (I am now a software developer)
tkornfeld ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:47:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-One time when I was 7 years old, I was in a summer camp. I separated myself from the group even under the watch of several counselors and slipped away because damn, did I love swings. My dad arrived to pick me up and asked where I was, and that's when everyone noticed I had gone. There was a mad scramble to search the immediate area to retrieve me, and finally I was found by my dad, who stumbled upon me in a panic, but when he saw me, he stopped in his tracks to watch me. He wasn't angry, he didn't yell at me, he just stood there 10 feet off and watched me swinging back and forth. He says he will never forget what he saw, and I don't think I will either.
-That one time in preschool my friend -for whatever reason- decided it would be a good idea to take a shit on one of the teachers who was lying on a bench with his eyes closed. That's exactly what he did.
-The first time I saw my mom cry
-Watching Inside Out for the first time
/r/insideout exists, people, and I'm one of the mods. Come say hello.
K-PACScientist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:47:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
For whatever reason as a young child (5 or 6 years old) I received a toy shaving kit with shaving cream. This has stayed with me for the rest of my life. Why? I have no idea
Other memories:
Hitting a moving vehicle on my bicycle within minutes of having the training wheels taken off
8 year old me getting ready for Cub Scouts... Came home from school and being informed by my grandmother that my two female cousins were killed by a train
Drinking Coca Cola out of a can at a cookout, around same age
Talking to my aunt while she was taking a shower. This wouldnt be memorable, other than the fact that I was sound asleep in my bed miles away from her at the time. She remembered having the conversation with me as well. Apparently I had a out of body experience.
When TMI meltdown occurred I lived less than 10 miles from there. Forced to evacuate
My grandmothers (paternal) electric grill that she used to cook the burgers and hot dogs outside.
Maternal grandmother's burgers she made in the cast iron skillet and black rasberry jello
Prepositions in elementary school. I remember them all
Summer playground
Wanting to be a firefighter - all my life. My parents got phone calls from the local fire department beause I was hanging out there without permission.
acowlaughing ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:47:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thereโs more, but Iโm at work and I am late to this conversation so I am prepared for it to be buried anyway.
I was 12 and was in cub scouts. We took a weekend long camping trip with our group and the boy scouts who we would eventually group with in a year when we โgraduatedโ. I was outcasted all weekend by my friends and the boy scouts. My best friend at the time had a brother who was in the Boy Scout group, and they collectively picked on me relentlessly. I was raised to be a loving kid, and I remember how betrayed and sad I felt. I never realized how truly innocent I was growing up until I reflect on it as an adult. It was the first time of many lessons discovering how hateful and jealous people can beโฆ especially kids.
It was the end of 8th grade, and I still hadnโt kissed a girl. There was someone special to me over the years that I wanted to share this with. She was more experienced than me, and I think thatโs what drew me to herโฆ She would know what she was doing if we hooked up. It was our townโs annual summer festival. I didnโt say anything to her, but grabbed her by the hand. We walked through the crowds of people, through the cemetery, and found a house nearby with a detached garage where we could fit between the two structures hidden from everyone. We made out for a couple minutes and that was it. I remember how happy and accomplished I felt.
It was the end of my Sophomore year of high school. My parents took a weeklong vacation, and left my college-going sister who was home for the summer to watch me. She wasnโt home all week. I threw a party where we were getting stoned and drinking. This was a time where a little of any substance went a long way, and the feeling was new and exciting. The party died down, and a few of my friends and I watched The Doors movie. I was the only one to make it to the end. I felt so inspired after that movie that I went into my backyard and waited for the sun to rise. It was so beautiful. After morning came I made everyone breakfast.
greeneighty ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:47:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Have quite a few to choose from so here's a sampling:
Finally getting into university for pharmacy after having to resit my A-Level exams.
Struggling to pass exams and coursework in that university course due to then undiagnosed thyroid issues causing me to feel like I was going crazy and daily fighting with my family.
Feeling like giving up and actually filling out the paperwork to drop out, but then seeing if I could switch to mathematics. I graduated a year ago with a first.
The day my family friend told me he got a pay rise and was more than happy to help pay my university costs privately after I had already got the maximum university loans from the UK government.
The feeling of comfort my grandfather gave me when we had to put down my first dog. He didn't show much affection and that meant a lot to me that he did.
Finding out I was moving to London from California halfway through my sophomore year in high school.
Having to put my next dog down after a long fight with cancer. We knew for a long time that it was happening but couldn't afford the vet bills so we had over a year of happy last memories.
Losing my grandma at 8 and my grandpa at 22, and then the realization that my dad lost both his parents before he turned 50.
The feeling of leaving my brother at the airport as I went to fly to the USA to go live with my parents after they moved and realizing he was no longer going to be there to interact with and ask for advice as readily. I'm planning on moving back so I can be closer to him and the friends I left behind.
The first time I played bass guitar on stage in front of 200 people.
The feeling of riding my bike for over 50 miles for the first time.
The feeling of catching fish with my dad and my brother at 5 in the morning and getting home to cook them for breakfast.
runningforpresident ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:48:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Darkrell ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:48:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was sitting quietly playing my mario kart 64. My mum and dad were fighting in the kitchen and one of them turns to me asking "do you want us to get a divorce?" and I just sat there and cried. I was 7 or 8.
The day my dad left. I was about 9 or 10.
The day I saved my mentally handicapped sister from drowning, she had a seizure near the pool. I was about 11 or 12.
The day we sent my mentally handicapped sister to a group home far away because my mum couldnt support her properly anymore on a single income. about 13 years old.
The day I told my dad off and stopped talking to him. About 15 years old
The day I was so upset that I begged my mum not to make me go back to school, I was just turned 16.
The day my first girlfriend cut contact from me completely without warning. I was 19.
The day I met one of the best friends ive ever had, she is the most genuine, nicest person I know and she has helped me through some hard times, we don't speak much anymore because we live on opposite ends of the world but I will always care so much about her. I was late 19 years old.
iamhim25 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:49:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
TIL my life is uneventful
Alex_Mayes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:49:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was about 9 years old at the time, my family had just got back from a beach trip in Galveston, Tx. I remember looking through the photos on the computer with my grandma who had married into the family when I was born. She pointed out my fat rolls every pic I was in, she asked me what those were and told me normal kids didn't have those. I've struggled with eating disorders my whole life and I think this is the root of it. I have recently lost close to 80lbs, so maybe she helped me? Thanks grandma, you bitch.
Noobivore36 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:49:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Spider_Dude ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:50:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Day at the beach. I was 3 maybe, 4 years old. I could smell a very distinguished odor but I didn't know it. I was sitting next to a little black girl, I am Mexican-American. We were playing on the sand, on the beach. She had a yellow pail. It was cocoa butter, the smell.
That memory is so vivid in me that its like I was opening my eyes to reality for the first time.
ShadowCory1101 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:50:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Went through massive depression and lost the feels for a long time. Many memories gone. Or I just have horrible long term memory....and short term memory. I just have horrible memory.
dupelize ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:50:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not being strong enough to hold myself by one hand on rope or monkey bars like Indiana Jones. I used toy handcuffs to help and my wrist slipped through and my face hit the lower bars. The pain of admitting how dumb I was to my mom far out-weighed the physical pain
Staring out the window at a lightning storm on a beach vacation and then staring out the window of my room at home during a lighting storm months/years later and remembering the beach
When I was 8 or 9 a friend pointed out that I had let another friend of mine say REALLY racist things to him without standing up for him; I don't think I have let something like this happen again
*Seeing a beanstalk grow out of the floor in my room and calling my parents; I was then very embarrassed and just said I had a weird dream even though I had been wide awake and absolutely petrified
Sitting in front of the TV when Bush (Sr.) announced the start of Gulf War; I remember being so surprised that everything on the news was really happening halfway around the world.
Thinking there was a slide from my bedroom window to the driveway and sprinting upstairs to slide down it; obviously there was no slide and I was very upset and very confused
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:50:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Watching my mum's blood splatter on the wall from a crack in my door, hearing my dad yelling and the thump, thump, thump of his first. Terrified of moving. Later that night running down a rocky hill barefoot with my mum, only for my dad to charge down and grab me pulling me away from her while I screamed for my mum. It was two weeks after my sixth birthday.
All my classmates (Small school, 16 children in my year) surrounding me in a circle at a birthday party and saying that no one wanted me there, that the parents invited me and I should leave and not come to anyone else's parties. They all found me weird after the shit with my parents.
I don't know when this was. I think I was about 8 or so, but I have this one memory of being alone in my room. The house was silent, my brother was out and my mum was upstairs in her office working so I knew not to disturb her. I just sat in my quiet room, feeling lonely, before switching on my Play Station and pretending I was friends with the characters of FFIV as I played it.
Realizing how much my health conditions were costing my mum, that they were the reason my brother didn't get to go on that school trip and was so angry and upset. Realizing that all the games of "Find the coins in the couch" weren't really games. That I was a burden. That if I wasn't around maybe mum and my brother would be okay.
My older brother, young, hurt and angry, yelling at me repeatedly that I was a waste of time, space and money and that if I'd never been born mum and dad would have been okay or mum would have the money to take care of them because she wouldn't be wasting it all on me. I didn't say anything because I agreed.
The first time I decided to kill myself. I was nine. I don't remember why, if there was a specific reason. I just genuinely believed if I died then, that life would be better for my mum and brother. I remember is tying a skipping rope around my neck and jumping from my favorite tree. The branch broke instead before I even really jumped. I fell, landed in horse shit, and the branch hit my head. No one knows about that to this day, but I still believe so much that if I'd just managed to fucking off myself then so much shit wouldn't have happened to mum and my brother. They'd be in such a better place. It's too late now, I'm hugely tied into their lives - it couldn't be played off as a child making a mistake and killing themselves.
I actually wish I hadn't written out this post, god fucking damn my childhood was not fun.
pdfilms ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:50:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This one time when my older brother and I had a rock fight.
We were hanging out at my friends house and my brother started throwing rocks at me. I ran away and he continued to throw them. My friend joined his team and I started throwing rocks at them. I ended up hitting my friend on the nose with a rock from about forty feet. I am a better person now.
AlexStar6 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:56:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I thought I was the only one who had a Rock fight as a kid... how fucking stupid is that? I ended up putting a dent in this other kids skull... ambulance and the whole 9 yards.
BanjoKazooie92 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:51:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hated secondary school, it was hell. The day I finished for good, I came home and played along to Mr Big's "Alive and Kickin" on guitar. The sense of relief and excitement for the future was overwhelming.
Leaving university. I'd gone to college at the same place so I'd spent around 5 years here. I remember shaking the administrators hand after I handed in my final piece of coursework. I remember thinking "I'm never going to fit in anywhere as well as I did here".
Performing live with a friend. We recently played Coventry's Godiva festival acoustic stage, the YMCA was our last song and EVERYONE sang along and did the dance. It was amazing!
Recording with a band I'm in. We got signed to a small label to record a couple of songs. Finally being in a proper studio with a band I'd helped form in college was magical. Still with them!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:51:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father rocking me gently while he carried me down the stairs after a nightmare.
The shame of immediately going on the play equipment after arriving at a new daycare and being scolded for it.
Managing to fly a kite properly, after dozens of failed attempts and broken dollar store kites on earlier days.
Staying up until midnight to watch my dad get home from work before going to sleep.
Changing schools for the 5th time. The third grade teacher was very nice, which was good since it was part way through the schoolyear and everyone had already found their friends.
Singing for the last time when my classmates mocked me for being the last boy who could still sing soprano.
Seeing my fourth grade teacher slip my homework into my desk after she had given me detention for losing it.
Slowly losing interest in everything, withering into a shell over the months as my forth grade teacher continued to berate and punish me for daring to try and answer questions in class.
Lying in the snow, slowly going numb while staring at the sky.
"Waking up" in grade 11, barely able to remember the past 7 years.
Carrying my best friend's coffin after he refused to take his medication.
Getting roped into a "summer opportunity" at my university, had to get bailed out by my father. Truly got to know him for the first time in my life after working with him for 14 hours a day, 6 days a week for 2 months.
Meeting the love of my life, and having to say goodbye when she realized she wasn't ready to leave her neglectful boyfriend.
Abusive room mate pounding on my bedroom door screaming insults night after night.
Losing 30 pounds in two months because I was too poor to afford food, too sick to realize I could ask for help.
Walking into the clinic for the first time, finally getting my mental disorder diagnosed.
Meeting the love of my life again, while studying for a final exam. Gave her my contact info, and we became friends for the second time.
Our first kiss watching fireworks from my apartment window after an amazing first date she hadn't realized was a first date until about half way through.
Watching her jerk and spasm. Holding her and lowering her to the floor. Watching her face turning blue while screaming at the 911 operator.
Slowly getting to the point where I didn't check on her every 10 minutes. She'd just blinked and been told she'd had a seizure, I'd suffered the brunt of the emotional trauma.
Taking my vows with the most beautiful women I'd ever met, mildly annoyed that the priest slipped in 3 references to god after we'd asked for a non-religious ceremony.
/It's a bit of a short ending, but we've been married almost two years now. I couldn't quite say what my core memories from here out are going to be yet. Sorry some of it has been sad, but I've worked hard and am in a much better place now.
Iamjacksplasmid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:52:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A family water balloon fight when I was four. My cousin told me to give him my water balloon and he would protect me. After I handed it to him, he smiled and then plastered me right in the chest.
Second grade, my teacher emptying my desk on my head because it was messy and I hadn't cleaned it up. The whole class is laughing. I'm crying.
My mom's hand is caught in the mechanical latch of a foldaway bed. I sprint down the street and get the neighbors. Mom gets home from the hospital. Dad and her are really proud of me.
Playing catch in the backyard. Not the fun kind though...I don't like baseball, and I don't want to play. My hand stings, and the sun is starting to set. Dad looks so angry. I just want to go inside. I don't want to play baseball.
Fifth grade, lying on the floor of the classroom, holding a bloody nose. The kid is bigger than me. He's laughing. He turns his back on me, and I howl as I leap to my feet and launch myself onto his back. He never hits me again. We become friends later, in high school.
Karate class. I'm waiting for my parents to pick me up. My instructor asks me if I know why we spar for eight minutes when everyone else spars for three minutes. I ask why, and he says, "You keep getting up. No matter what happens, you always get up. I've never met anyone who fights as hard as you do." I thanked him. He's a great man. He still teaches.
Swimming at a watering hole in the woods at my grandparents' place. The sky is bright, and the water is clear. The leaves are so green. It's a beautiful place. There's a spider on a rock and it's missing three of its legs. Normally I'm afraid of spiders, but when one of the other kids tries to smash it, I tell them to leave it alone. I regarded that spider for quite some time.
...I'd keep going, but I just realized that almost all of my core memories are quite sad. I don't want to bum anyone out.
RedBanana99 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:52:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ITT: Many, many feels. Great question OP.
My earliest memory was choosing between Bourbon biscuits and Custard Creams from Grandma, later I would play marbles with Grandad. A special treat was when he took me out on the back lawn and teach me how to play bowls.
My Uncle (his son) kept me quiet for hours by propping up a dustbin lid with a piece of wood tied to a length of rope. He'd put bread under the contraption and parked me behind the rose bush.
It never happened of course, never saw one bird. Didn't stop me hoping. Maybe that's why I'm such a patient fisherwoman..
supercerealthrowaway ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:52:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) walking on the beach with my great-grandma, watching the sun rise. It was a tradition during our family vacations. One time we found a live horseshoe crab and put it back in the ocean.
2) I was homeschooled, and I spent a lot of time with my Grandma at her job, the Good Samaratin charity. I was 8 years old, reading Harry Potter at the conference table in her office. One of the Pastors that worked there told me I shouldn't read it because it was an evil book. I asked him if he had read it. He said that of course he hadn't. "If you haven't read it, how do you know it's a bad book?" I asked him, and I continued to read. I went back the next week, and he apologized to me. He actually read Sorcerer's Stone and had decided it was a wonderful book.
3) I was an acolyte for the church we went to. I lit the candles and such. Well, I was probably 8 or 9 when Father Rob asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was still huge into Harry Potter, and I told him straight up I wanted to be a witch. And instead of admonishing me, he smiled, put his hand on my shoulder, and said "Be the best witch you could ever be."
4) Going back to public school in 6th grade. Going home crying almost every day because of relentless bullying. After a book report I did on The Diary of Anne Frank, I was being called a Jew. I told the guidance counselor "I don't care what they call me, they shouldn't use that as an insult!"
5) Making first chair flute in 8th grade and having my first solo during the Veteran's Day concert. I was so happy, so proud. I couldn't wait for the concert. My mom played flute so it was a big deal to me.
No one in my family came to the concert. Everyone had a legitimate reason not to be there. Except my mom. She got her eyebrow pierced.
6) Bawling my eyes out to my grandmother about how miserable it was at home on the plane ride back from Disney World. Finding out my parents wanted to get divorced but didn't want to hurt me.
7) telling my parents to get a divorce before going back to Disney with my cousins.
8) Rocking in a mosh pit when I was 14, after meeting who would become my current SO, 9 years later. A really big guy came up to me afterwards and said "I thought I was gonna kill you when came to my part of the pit, then you kicked me in the face! It was awesome!" He gave me a big hug (:
quackjobb ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:53:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My oldest and clearest memory was probably around age 2. I was sitting in my aunt's lap, talking about something, and a woman came ripping around the office corner exclaiming she thought I was 5 and wanting to know how old I really was. She was the school speech therapist. I could speak in full sentences at the time. Needless to say, I clammed up with a death grip. I have never been one for the limelight. To this day, I can't even karaoke without convulsing.
Around 4, I got the nickname Madam President from my preschool teachers. Apparently, I was very good at resolving issues and having kids follow my orders. I didn't feel like I was doing anything spectacular. Because CastleHouse was way more fun than arguing about playing Castle or House.
When I was 6, I punched a boy a couple years older than me in the nose because he claimed girls couldn't do anything boys could do. A series of rigorous tests (which I passed with flying colors) culminated in him requesting I punch him. I hit that freckled face. Blood spurted everywhere. His mom tried to beat me with a spoon without pants on. I ran. I had to sneak into my house without getting caught as taking my shirt off in public was a test. I was half naked and scared shitless. That was not the last time I proved my manliness in the stupidest of ways.
I can't remember my age. But my grandpa and I would shine nails when I was pretty young with his grinder and buffer. It was our secret. Grandma could never know, because she'd give us the silent treatment for the rest of the day. So when we were done, I'd slip them into my pockets when they were still warm from the buffer, and I'd hide them in my piggy bank when I got home. I miss those days. I still think of him whenever I set to a project.
When I was 9, I tried to steal some jewellery from a department store. I got caught. I was convinced that I was going to be shanked and die in child jail. But I got a big talking to by the security guard and no dinner for the night with room jail instead. At about 9 pm my dad took pity and gave me some spaghetti. I hated spaghetti before that night. Now it's one of my favorite dishes.
In high school, 15, I injured my back. I missed two years of school, and nearly 10 years later, it still effects my day to day although it's much better. I learned who my friends weren't which was heartbreaking, I learned how fragile I really was which was shocking, and I learned that patience will get you to the place you want to be if you just keep trying. It's the shittiest thing ever to happen to me, and I'm grateful.
Edit: grammar
ShataraBankhead ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:53:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting with my Grandfathers. They were both alcoholics and smokers. I liked them though. They didn't try to cuddle me or talk to me in a baby voice. I thought they were cool. They bought me candy cigarettes. Mom was talking to a neighbor outside. I was barely walking. Their dog, who was on a leash, ran over and knocked me down. It ran around and around. The leash went around my neck a few times. Very excited dogs make me nervous now. I like pillbugs/rolypolys. I had a small box covered in yarn. I would try to gather up as many as I could when I went to Grandma's house. I'm not sure what my plans were. When I would go back to her house, they were gone. I decided they wanted to go on their own adventures. I stopped collecting and decided to give them advice about the cool places to go.
Petr0vitch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:53:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
going to my nanas on a Saturday, having ice cream and then getting ready and going horse riding with my dad. did that from being about 5 until I was 18.
Mei_dong ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:54:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Family trip to Yellowstone ranks pretty high up there for me. Felt like I was walking around on another planet.
greensbr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:54:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The most notorious core memory of them all: The Holocaust.
Being apart of the slaughter of six million Jews. Think about that, one Jew every 20 minutes for four years straight.
I survived and now I am married with a wife and three children with one on the way. I still have a lot of hopes and dreams, and based on my experiences my mind has become vast and complex just like in the movie.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:54:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First: I remember my first time going to a movie theater with my father. He took us to see the first Jurassic Park at a brand new theater that had been built in our town. The smell of the place was amazing, and there were lights and cool displays everywhere. He got my brother and I each our own buckets of popcorn and huge drinks (there went my college fund). I loved every second of the experience and I would deliberately recall that memory on a regular basis as I grew up.
Specifically because my father is not an openly emotional person. I can't recall a moment in life where he lovingly embraced me or told me that he loved me. He was never really abusive or belligerent. Just worked a lot and didn't have much time for us. So those few times he did things like that were the world to me. He showed us he loved us by using what free time he had for things like that.
A few months ago I shared that with him - how much I loved that experience and going to see Jurassic Park with him. He told me that he didn't remember taking us. I was a little bummed at first but it hasn't killed my memory at all. I'll always cherish it.
Second: Dad was a regional manager for Namco and he oversaw all the arcades they owned in the Great Lakes region, including the one in the mall in our town. A couple times a year he would take me in with him on a Sunday, hours before everything was open. He would audit the books and he gave me the master key. He showed me how to open the face and which trigger to hit to register free play on the games.
He called it "system tests to check out the games and make sure the joysticks and buttons worked on all the cabinets."
I called it amazing. My teens were the best. I never did beat his score on Fun House pinball.
hexacoto ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can't think of any of the older core memories because they have all been knocked loose from their stands for the time being.
The only one solidly in place is a longstanding one that morphed merely two weeks ago.
I found my spouse, my roommate, my confidant and close friend dead in our house. The rising panic triggered a system override -- Check his vitals. No pulse, no breath. Was it still "A-B-C" for CPR? I felt niggled that I hadn't been recent with CPR training.
Check for obstruction, clear; no breathing; clear; commencing compression. A horrible wheeze that went "hnnnnnnnnh" emitted each time I compressed. That is not supposed to happen. Nobody ever tells you this, but the worst thing about administering CPR to someone trying to resuscitate them, especially to your loved one, is that with each compression, your thought is chopped into bite-sized urgency.
Come. On. Wake. Up. Wake. Up. Already. Please. *checks breath and heartbeat* Why. Aren't. You. Waking. Up. Choke. Or. Something. *checks breath and heartbeat*
I knew I couldn't do anything more so called 911, laid him on the side and called in to work saying I won't be able to make it.
The following week was a blur.
The final bit of the memory involves seeing him lowered into the ground. There was sadness, but also anger. His religious relative had insisted on making him sound to be a pious person when he was not. It's not like the dead could retort back.
I'm assuming NPY-land will be closed for some renovations and I'll revisit it to see what has come of it in time to come.
blue-eyed-badger ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) my parents arguing when we all lived together, watching Tales from the Crypt and playing with my talking Tina doll. I was about three and am not sure of the sequence.
2) listening to the radio wth grandad while waiting for the school bus. Something funny was playing and we were in stitches. (Age 5-6?)
3) playing outside when I lived with my mom and ex stepdad in the woods. I use to take the leaves into paths.
4) the night our Great Dane had puppies as well as the day I came home from school to find mine was the only one sold.
5) dad taking me to see Star Wars Episode 1 in theaters.
6) getting caught reading Catcher in the Rye by my grandmother. She didn't take it away, but did not approve of the language.
There are others, and these need context to be fully understood, but my class is about to start.
reebee7 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad telling what a lie was. I was very young--this might be my earliest memory--and my dad had told me not to put our little fisher price orange slide at the top of the slide in our fort, because it got us going to fast. I did it anyway, and my brother turned his ankle. My dad got mad at me and I said my little sister had done it. My dad said, correctly, "Reebee7, she's not strong enough to push it up there," (she was two), "That's called a lie." I didn't know, I just didn't want to be in trouble.
Similarly, I remember my mom explaining stealing to me when I took lifesavers from the grocery store without telling her. I didn't know it was wrong. I wanted the lifesavers.
And the first time I hit a tennis ball over the net, my Dad dropped his racket and ran around the net, arms outstretched, and wrapped me in a huge hug.
Deacon_Blues1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hearing the pop of a needle as it enters your spine. Had spinal meningitis as a kid and will never forget that spinal tap.
AnthieaTyrell ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Playing in the sandbox with my dad and sister.
-My cousin turning all my other cousins and my sister against me at age 10 forcing me not to have any friends till middle school.
-Reading my first harry potter book.
-Going to midnight releases of Harry Potter every year for my birthday.
-Getting bullied by numerous people throughout my childhood and nobody stopping it.
-tending the cows with my dad
-driving my dad home because he was drunk and him saying I was a bitch just like my mother.
-getting a carrier in art
-having my best friend abandon me because she felt bad about something she did to me even though I forgave her.
-The day I realized I didn't deserve to be mistreated.
-The day I met my husband.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Damn, I can't think of any that aren't negatives.
So basically now, even though I've been living on my own for years, I'm a paranoid liar who will never leave his phone or computer unattended around anyone, even my gf, and will never confide anything whatsoever to my parents.
BrazillianNuts09 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My very first friend that I ever made was in Kindergarten. I have a memory of us playing with toy cars that is forever engraved in my head. I left that school in Grade 2 and lost touch with everyone, including him, until Facebook became a thing. I later found out through mutual friends that my first friend now identified as a Crip and was doing a couple years in a Juvenile Detention Facility.
Cufugy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in my teens we had a dog that would always escape. He got so bored when we were all at work and school he would dig out, open ground floor windows, or even chew threw the wire we used to tie him up. One time when he escaped and the pound got him my dad told me we weren't taking him back because none of us had time to take care of him. I was with my friend so I excused myself to go mow the lawn but the moment I reached the shed I started bawling my eyes out.
When my best friend at the time was trying to commit suicide. She took pills and drank a bunch of alcohol and phoned me. She was a city away and i didn't call for help until she admitted to me she wanted to live. She did live but I really should have called for help sooner.
In grade 11 when I went to my first alcoholic party with the cast and crew from our high school play. I was with all of my friends and I drank myself so sick I spewed all night and morning. Still had an incredible time.
Thanks for the thread OP
BlackRosette ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 10, my younger brother J threw his 5th birthday at a safari play-ground club. The club was one of my favourite playgrounds ever- it had everything I loved, I could climb up ropes, I could punch and kick styrofoam pillars and pretend I was a ninja or a hero in a story, I could slide down long and winding slides and land in a pool pilled with colourful balls of plastic. If i fancied, I could even pretend i was spiderman and climb up netting placed here and there.
I love it up till today and I wish I could go back, but it's for kids and adults arent allowed inside.
Our cousins were there and they didn't like hanging out with me. I didn't really fit in and nobody could really understand me, but in this maze of fun it didn't matter that I was all on my own, I could be anybody I wanted and my imaginary friends kept me company. I had a lot of uncriticised fun by myself.
At some point of the party I slid down a long slide into the ball pit and decided to lie in the middle. I smiled to myself and thought, "It's kinda lonely but I love this place. I don't feel so hard to love here."
I wasn't there for long when a sudden thud landed on my face. It landed hard and painful and I knew someone had not fallen onto me but had jumped onto my face. It was James. He laughed and ran away. My paradise broke apart and I was furious- the only fun I could get by myself was seemingly stolen away from me for a cheap laugh. It felt like my whole life was reflected in that one jump. It'd just be me trying to have fun doing something I enjoyed and someone else wouldn't like that and would try to take it away from me.
I cried long, hard, and loud. My mom dragged me out of the pit because I refused to move. I remember thinking, "I know it's his birthday, but don't I get some love too?"
She yelled at me and scolded me, and brought me to a corner outside of the party room to discipline me. I wouldn't stop crying, and she stood there and crossed her arms and let loose a string of insults meant to shame me quiet for embarassing her and trying to ruin his party. I didn't know how to ask for love from her because she had never chosen to express it when I needed it most.
My grandfather and grandmother heard my crying and came outside. My grandmother sat down next to me and held me as my grandfather stood my mother up and told her, "He needs some L-O-V-E too". He spelt it out because he didn't want to embarass me. I had really bad dyslexia as a kid and he must've assumed that I wouldn't understand him or hear him. I heard everything and I knew he was right. The concept of feeling loved during a difficult time seemed foreign to me, probably because I hadn't experienced it before.
My mother responded by scrowling at him and going inside. They stayed outside by my side until I calmed down and slowly brought me back inside to have fun again. I finally gathered enough courage to go back into the maze, but this time I avoided the pit like a plague. I remember feeling disgusted that J could get away with that and I'd be blamed for being a drama-attention-seeking-brat. That pretty much described my whole life growing up until then, and would remain that way for the next decade.
JazmineChrist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:56:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a mother constantly trying to figure out how to be the best one possible, I often wonder what my sons core memories will be. I hope they are the happiest.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:56:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Starting from the top. Gonna be a long list. I'm thirty. I've lived a pretty storied life.
Getting punched in the face in Grade Two and literally seeing stars. I was amazed as I collapsed that the cartoons got it right.
Getting hit in the head with a high-velocity chunk of asphault from one of those tree-mounted slingshots as I played on the playground across from our brand new house in Grade Three. Split my scalp wide open. Walked back home holding my head together, bleeding like a whipped mule, and asked my mom if she had a band-aid. Her scream is tattooed on my memory.
Being laughed out of the school hallway in Grade Four when a girl I liked discovered it was me leaving the gifts in her desk and loudly told everybody. I ran halfway across town and hid in a local mom-and-pop arcade bathroom. Walked home after being 'missing' for ten hours or so. No punishment. Mom bought me some licorice and told me I was better off without that girl.
My buddies and I prying up a manhole cover and going spelunking in the sewers in Grade Five. It took three of us and a stolen crowbar to do it, but we got it open and went exploring. We got in serious trouble for it. I wasn't allowed to see one of my friends again for several years, and the next time I did, I was smashing his face against a wall for trying to rape a girl in my kitchen. Guess that was for the best.
My first girlfriend telling me she loved me. Super intelligent, super sweet girl. We were both so repressed we barely made physical contact, but we'd talk for hours every day. Closest I've ever been to another person, mentally. When I found out I had to move back to Canada, I gave her a jewlery box full of stuff I'd written and made, along with a cavalcade of jewelry I'd been buying for her and never given her. She told me she loved me via a casette tape she mailed to me. I did the same a week later. We never spoke again. No point.
My first kiss. Grade Nine. A girl (not the previous one; I never did get up the nerve to kiss her) I'd been pining for ever since I'd come back to Canada. We were 'just friends', but she loved to hang out with me, loved to read the garbage I wrote. One day, I walked her home, we talked for a bit, and I did the whole old-school 1950s-film Gone With the Wind 'sweep-up-and-kiss' thing. She wrote me a note the next day at school. "Five points for technique. Ten for enthusiasm." We dated for a couple years. She fucked my best friend on a camping trip. He told me before she did. He and I are still good friends. I talk to her on Facebook occasionally. I don't care if she lives or dies. I'm glad she's happy.
Finding my father crying in the dark over my mother's apparently terminal cancer. Nobody is invincible.
A last-minute 'kill or cure' fuck session in a frozen park in the dead of winter with the aforementioned girlfriend. We'd fallen out of love, she was seeing somebody else, and we'd been apart for a while, but being back together to 'talk'? Something in both of us broke at the same time. I wouldn't call it 'hate fucking' - it was actually pretty amicable - but it was definitely something viciously primal and lizard-brained. I can still smell her perfume under the falling snow and remember how her hands felt clenched in mine.
Using my dad's Vietnam-era Medic book to stitch my friend's headwound shut and bitching at him for bleeding on my mom's leather couch because he didn't want to go to the hospital.
Sitting, waiting for my mom to come pick me up, as a bully quietly, patiently describes how I should kill myself to me, because I'm just a burden on everybody, and even the people who say they like me, actually don't. Wishing, with all my heart, I could just make my hands stop shaking long enough to drive my thumbs into his eye sockets. I still dwell on this one. He wasn't any bigger than me. I could have done it. I still wish I'd blinded him.
Getting SCREAMING drunk on my 18th birthday. This one is all flashes, pieces of time. Going on a suicidally overindulgent pub crawl in celebration. Dancing with my mom in a local bar. Having every working girl in my regular pool hall drape themselves all over me for being 'a grown ass man now', putting their hands all over me, licking salt off my neck for tequila shots, flashing me, going fucking ripshit on my hormones. Punching a dent into a car that almost hit me. Eating poutine on a street corner with my closest friends. Singing Newfie sea shanties with a guy who had bullied me and all my friends (not the one from before) for four years because 'it's your 18th, so everything is cool' and having him buy me rotgut shots that were on fire. Accidentally confessing my affections to a female friend who didn't feel the same way by telling her 'it's okay that you're with that drug-pushing asshole; I'll be here if you decide to dump him, or when somebody sticks a knife in his throat over a gram or some shit'. Losing that female friend forever. Vomiting food, blood and bile into a paint bucket with my name written on it. Waking up in my bed with my best friend playing Nightmare Creatures on my Playstation with a CRATE of bottled water and a plate of round steak waiting for me and a series of Polaroids only he knew existed. He was the best man at my wedding. Solid guy. Wish we talked more nowadays.
Seeing the woman I'd marry for the first time in an airport. We met online. She came out to visit me. I'd driven for two hours to get to the city she'd be arriving in. When she came out of the gate, I was never more terrified in my life. I was sure she'd see me, and walk right by. I was holding a sign with her name on it, wearing a chauffeur's uniform. We walked quietly to the parking garage, and made out like teenagers on the hood of my car before getting a hotel room. I walked for an hour in an unfamiliar town to find condoms. We cracked the hotel bedframe, then watched "3000 Miles to Graceland" and got Taco Bell in a local casino. She said 'hello' to the Mexican janitor and they talked for a while, him in broken English, her in short, clear sentences. He took our picture.
Getting married in a chapel attached to a HoJos in Vegas with my wife wearing custom-made Doc Marten combat boots and my groomsmen in custom bowling shirts. Elvis presided over the ceremony. He hit on my kid sister. My old man got misty-eyed. My wife looked like a goddamned statue cut out of marble and liquid sex. I fumbled my vows. My best man faked losing the ring. The preacher was a fire-and-brimstone type. We could barely keep from laughing at him. Wound up passing out afterwards on the Vegas monorail. Still not sure where her panties ended up.
The death of the cat I'd had for thirteen years. Being told he had a heart condition, shouldn't have lived past eight months. Touching his corpse after the drugs stopped his heart and having his lungs exhale hard with a 'haaa' sound, and laughing myself silly over it through the tears because, hell, he got me one last time.
My car accident. The sound of crushed metal, snapping plastic. The smell of blood and gasoline and tacos. The sight of the woman responsible swinging a baseball bat at the cops and getting beat the fuck into the curb for it.
That last one was a couple years back, and to be honest, I haven't had any major milestones since, unless I count losing a job I hated because 'they had to make an example of me to prove that even their best associates weren't exempt from consequences', but all I remember from that was feeling betrayed, and I'm pretty sure that's not a keystone memory so much as a grudge.
This was surprisingly cathartic. Thanks, OP.
wrh123 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:56:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Going down a flooded creek in pool floats and a plastic pool. Water was 5 feet high in the trees. After my plastic pool crumpled once hitting a tree, it was all downhill from there. My friends still heckle me about that.
Saturday's spent picking up pine cones and doing yard work, then being treated to a trip to DQ for a Mr. Misty and Movie Gallery to get rent a game or two for the N64.
Trips to my granddad's to cut his grass and taking friends to get to experience and meet "Buster." He loved meeting them and they him.
They day my dad and I drove out to Buster's after he had gotten a splinter in his foot. We tried unsuccessfully to remove the splinter. It eventually festered and gave him gangrene, putting him in a coma which he never came out of. We lost him a week later.
LadyKnightmare ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being held and cuddled by various family members, basically until I got too big to fit on anyones lap. To this day I am very connected to my family, and I freaking LOVE any kind of affection.
My drunken uncle tossing me into the middle of a pool at a party. I sank to the bottom and would have drowned if my cousin hadn't noticed and grabbed me. The uncle thought because I liked the pool, I must know how to swim already....I did not. I screamed and cried for about 2 hours straight after coughing up a ton of water. Now as an adult, I CAN swim, but I'm fucking terrified of water and avoid it as much as possible.
aceskeleton ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The dawning realization that my best friend at the time was horribly abusing his girlfriend. It was sadness, anger, and disgust all at once - the first time I'd ever felt a real sense of betrayal and, for lack of a better word, righteous fury.
The first time I failed a class. I was in an accelerated college program so I was around 15 at the time, and I didn't know how to handle failure. Thankfully I dealt with it pretty well and it hasn't slowed me down too much since then, but at the time it really destabilized my worldview and self esteem. Definitely a "fear" ball.
The beginning of my first significant relationship when I was 16. We were students at a creative writing camp, and I had written embarrassingly sincere poetry about him, which I read out loud to him when we were alone on a balcony one night under a light rain. I'll never forget the look on his face when he kissed me. This one's "joy", obviously.
trevyf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine may tend to be a little sad but they made me into the most positive person I know. A lot of my time between ages was lost due to what I was going through but I really just started typing the couple that popped into my head that really really make up me.
*11 - My uncle was my pastor growing up and the only positive make influence I had. He was the guy I would of went to when I had "man" problems. One day I didn't go to school when I was like 11... Got a call that he had hung himself. Changed my whole belief system.
*14 (this year is basically a core memory) - Recorded my first song all by myself, was told I was probably manic depressive, attempted suicide for the first time, realized my mother was very sick.
*16 - Mom and I hit a very rough patch. Remember coming home from school and all I had to eat was a half pack of spaghetti noodles, some shredded cheese in the fridge and some garlic seasoning. She refused to eat because she wasn't sure there was enough for both of us.
*21 Jan - Graduated from college.
*21 Nov - The last thing my mom said to me in person was "You know... I think you may be a little gay but I still love you." Because me and my best friend were making ridiculous remarks to each other as I left the house for the night for the first time in months. She died that night.
*23 - The first time I swallowed my pride and slept in a car because I didn't have the gas to make it home and back to work the next morning. Drove to a nearby park to brush my teeth and wash my face before going into work the next day. Proceeded to do this for about a week.
*24 - After about year of being unemployed, living in a house with no running water, and carless I got a part time job. I'd never been more happy to just make a little money.
*25 (This year) - Just in case anyone was wondering. I'm pretty okay now, lol.
MonkeyManJohannon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The "crew" me and my siblings made after our parents got divorced. It was like having friends over all the time. We made so many adventures inside my mom's little 3 bedroom apartment...if you've ever watched the old cartoon Muppet Babies from the 80's/early 90's, it was seriously like that every day, and it honestly helped us survive back then.
Spending the night at my best friends house throughout my childhood and teenage years...we never really got into any serious trouble, we just played with toys, or video games or just sat and talked about stuff...I remember so many nights sitting in his bedroom listening to Art Bell on the radio and just being happy.
Meeting the love of my life at the clothes store I worked at in high school. Saw her walk in...was blown away by her visually, and then talked to her and was just enamored by this person...we celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary this past February.
The moment my step father entered our lives when I was around 10 years old. He was an abusive, nasty son of a bitch who treated our entire family like dog shit...I remember, initially, feeling a sense of relief but quickly realizing how awful he was to everyone, including my mom, and the sense of dread when I found out my mom was pregnant with his child. It was honestly one of the worst parts of my entire life...and definitely a core (they can't all be good, right?)
Me and my dad working on my first car in his driveway because I had driven it without checking the oil regularly and blew the motor. He helped me swap the motor out over a weekend...I remember laying there, on the pine straw covered drive way...covered in fuel and oil and grease and dirt, and just looking over at him smiling because we were having a father/son bonding moment...I hated every second of working on that car, but loved every second of hanging out with him.
awaybroadcast ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
As a kid, when my mum would change her bedsheets and the mattress was bare, I'd jump on and she'd pretend not to see me and would make the bed over me, saying 'What is this lump?' and patting me down trying to flatten me. The memories still make me giggle.
When I was 16, I was arguing with my dad about something, and he said to me 'You know, I don't really like you awaybroadcast'. I hear him saying it in my head whenever he says something nice to me. Edit: The worst part of it was/is that I still feel that's the most honest thing he's ever said to me, and it's explained a lot about our relationship. I will never be close with him, because he doesn't want me to be.
When I was 17, having been relentlessly bullied at school since I was 8, and a teacher stood up for me for the very first time. It was the first time anyone had stood up for me before, and it was one of the first times in my life that I remember not feeling alone
When my boyfriend of 2.5 years kissed me for the (second) first time at 8.30 on New Years Eve. He told me later than he'd wanted to do it at midnight, but he couldn't wait any longer
GhostFour ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I spent a majority of my first few years in the cab of my single father's truck, crisscrossing loads across the continental US. Occasionally he would drop me at my grandparent's for a couple of weeks at a time, to give himself a break I'm sure. On our way to drop me off with grandma, when I was around 4 years old, I remember recognizing landmarks and stores in the area close to her house and I was extremely sad that Dad was dropping me off. The radio was playing and I told myself the next song that came on would be the song I used to remembered my Dad while he was away that trip. The next song to play was Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues" (we're talking 1980ish). I thought about my Dad every time I heard that song from that point on. Of course I heard the song less and less often as music styles changed and radio gave way to Mtv and walkmans and music on demand via the internet. Going to visit him in the hospital this past December I stopped at a truck stop/gas station on the long ride to the hospital and while walking around, taking a break from the road, the store's radio began to play the song. Probably the first time I'd heard it in at least 10 years. He would pass away a few months later. Not sure I could make it through the song these days, but I'm happy to have the memory.
THUMB5UP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
This is going to get buried, but fuck it here goes nothing:
Good:
Dad waking me up at 3 a.m. on a random morning (don't remember if it was a school night or not) to go watch the space shuttle launch from Cape Canaveral
Grandfather waking me up at 6 a.m. for our Cracker Barrel breakfasts alone
Great Grandma cooking me fried corn (my favorite side dish)
Getting my first computer at age 10 or 12
Getting a PSX for Christmas
My uncle's boa constrictor getting lost in the house. No one could find it. I was the one to find it in the closet directly across from his room. Literally no way that snake could have gotten in there, which is why no one checked it. Still confuses me to this day.
Using the air duct in my first bedroom as a trash cane and a toilet. In my defense, 6 year old me through it was a balck hole since I couldn't see where it went. My parents ended up having to have the entire ducts replaced since the house smelled like stale piss.
Bad:
Being forced to eat some disgusting, fad cabbage soup diet (but the goo dmemory is my borhter and I sneaking into the bathroom and flushing it), not eating it, and going to bed hungry
Dad giving me my very own boomerang. Went to the field to throw it the first time, 7 year old me throws it and it lands somehwere near a couple walking. Dad gets pissed, says I threw it at them intentionally, and confiscates it. I never saw it again. I was crushed.
Mom spending all her credit on her friend's children instead of us and then not being paid back or being able to pay off the credit cards
Being grounded for an entire year for stupid, normal kid stuff
Being forced to wait until I was 17 to get a learners permit
Being spanked so hard the paddle shattered
Never getting that TV that was the only thing on my Christmas list that year and watching my sister get it (and no, that wasn't a mistake)
Warning my parents about moving to BFE and starting a farm. Turns out I was right and they wasted 10s of thousands of dollars on a stupid idea aka no college fund
Being given a lemon for my first car because my grandfather is cheap (day 3: $3k worth of repairs on a car worth $1.8k)
Being contantly insulted for not being able to take care of my first car (wtf?!)
I'm sure there's much more that I can't remember right now.
EDIT: adding things as I remember them.
me2bme ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My 9th birthday.. My dad was in California for work, so my mom decided I could have a big slumber party to celebrate. The actual party was fun, but not really my memory. My birthday was on a Sunday that year, and I remember my dad had my birthday present set up to deliver on my actual birthday. I got a cabbage patch kid that you could crimp and curl her hair and a locket.
I remember laughing st my brother as he fell down a flight of stairs when I was, also 9. I told him to get up, because he was fine while he laid there trying to tell me he's broken his arm. Turns out he was right, and I was just an ass hole.
And the time I almost drowned in the lake. I think I was 6 or 7, my entire family was out visiting my grandparents at the camp ground they were staying at. My brother, cousin and I went down to the lake to skip rocks. I somehow slipped and fell in. All I remember is kind of dog paddling and turning to look behind me in the lake and seeing a school of fish. My cousin freaked out, but my brother just reached in, grabbed me and pulled me out.
MegaHighDon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:57:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Happy: 1. Camping trips with my family. The smell of pine covered in fog. Sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows at night and singing old folk songs with my grandfather. Waking up at 7am to eggs and bacon cooking. Incredible memories. 2. Sports. Growing up playing baseball and skateboarding. Even though I don't do either anymore (physically can't) I still have a huge passion for them. 3. My grandparents (moms side). They raised me, more than my own parents. They were behind the scenes, making sure I was fed, and that I was a happy kid. They were responsible for most of my Christmases and birthdays, and I never knew. They wanted me to believe it was my parents and Santa. I never found out till years later. My grandfather has taught me more about being a man that my father ever has. And my grandmother taught me about being a kind, understanding and loving person no matter what. Even when she grew older and lost her mind to dementia, she still remained kind, and above all loving. I lost her last June and it has created a hole in my heart that I don't think will I ever be filled.
Angry: I unfortunately have a angry core memory, and that would be my grandfather (my dads dad) and my father. My grandfather molested my aunts and my cousins, and my sister. Everyone knew, and no one did anything about it. My father knew about what he did to my sister, and did nothing. My father also completely cut me out of his life after my mom divorced him. He claims to want a relationship with me or my sister but never acts upon it. Now he is moving over 500 miles away and I don't think I will ever see him again. Frankly. I don't care.
Sad: My cousin killed himself in February of 2012. It destroyed my family. My aunt literally watched her son bleed out right in front of her. She tried to hold her sons neck together while his blood was covering her. His sister was destroyed from it, even though he wasn't the greatest person in the world (he was a severe drug addict, but was starting to do better), but he was still her brother. I saw my grandfather cry for the first time in my life the morning we found out. My grandmother almost had to be hospitalized because her blood pressure was so high. He was the eldest grandchild, and even with his flaws, he was still the firstborn, and had a special place in my grandparents heart. My family has never been the same since.
VerneAsimov ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:58:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Week long trips out fishing, boating, eating the fish
The day I was sick so my mother stayed home, played video games and ate macaroni and cheese with me
The day my grandmother died at home with my mother sitting by her.
The day I learned my real dad wasn't my real dad but he was my younger sister's dad. It didn't bother me. They are both good people.
notMcLovin77 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:58:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
9/11 is definitely up there, so is the first pair of boobies flashed in my face
nimbly_bimbly_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:58:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my favourite core memories is this. I think i was 8 years old, and my little sis was 1 year old (barely standing up and just making baby noices). One day i dreamt that my little sis accompanied me to my school. She was taller and was wearing her uniform. She could speak clearly and was reciting alphabets. I was going around the school corridors holding her hands. Then i woke up and realised it was a dream and my sister is still a toddler. I was sad for a day because i wanted her to grow up already and come to school with me..!! 20 years later, yesterday my sister attended her first patient's child birth as a Doctor. I cant't believe she grew up so fast. She delivers babies now and prescribes medicines ..Come on, i just wanted her grow up so she can hold my hands to school and recite nursery rhymes..Time does run fast!!!!
dabong ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:58:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First memory ever (4 years old) was a nightmare with me falling off the second floor of our house.
I guess that explains my fear of heights.
SallyMcChestnut ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:58:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 9 my cousin put her pet parakeet on my shoulder and it got caught in my hair and starting freaking out and flapping around and pecking me trying to free itself. This lead to my current debilitating phobia of birds
Every day after work my dad would sit in the recliner and get me and my younger sister to each take one of his work boots off. I don't know why but we loved that. I loved being able to do something nice for him after a hard day's work. He would always do things like jerk his feet around or other silly things to make us laugh.
Every night my sister and I would cuddle up to my dad on each arm and play with his thick chest hair. He told us things like he was so hairy because he once put glue on his chest and rubbed a cat on it. He would always make us laugh and I remember feeling so safe and secure lying with my dad like that. I now rest my head on my boyfriend's chest and stroke his chest hair and I get the same feeling of security and comfort from him.
Anorion ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:58:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:59:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Getting my puppy at 3 years old, her name was Peaches and she was beautiful.
-Standing on stage at kindergarten graduation, staring at the doors in case my dad showed up (he did).
-Sitting in Walgreens with my grandpa when they served ice cream and getting comes together.
-sitting by the window counting how far the lightening was with grandpa
-screaming and crying to gram because mom disappeared again
wildbluyawnder ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:00:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting off my dad's lap while trying to spank me.
He was spanking all of us because nobody would admit to using his tools and loosing them.
(We use to take turns for who's turn it was to be in trouble so that none of us were really punished for what we actually did. Parents caught on.)
My older sister was crying and I knew that meant it was going to hurt because she almost never cries.
I thought as he was just about to hit me with his belt that I don't need to be spanked, I didn't do it. I'm out of here.
(Age: 4)
I hopped off his lap just in time for him to hit his leg with his belt. He had a welt for 3 weeks. He never spanked us again with a belt. He never spanked me at all after that.
Later he discovered that he misplaced his tools.
Dad's a douchebag.
EagleThirdEye ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:00:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A bit over ten years ago. My dad working, climbing the rafters to the giant kettle of candle wax, to get some wax and pour candles. Just a few years more and he was gone.
DarkMarxSoul ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:00:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I...don't even think I have any.
notaburnernope ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Finding dad's lighter and setting my bed on fire. Looked like a marshmallow catching on fire and I thought it kept going out. My mom bursts in the room and asked what was burning and I thought I was being honest when I said nothing. She flipped the mattress over to reveal a foot wide fire in the middle of my box spring.
Being driven back to my house after I ran away from home (unintentionally) and seeing police and firemen lights flashing everywhere and knowing what that would mean once everyone left.
Dad having to take the day off work to take me on a field trip to the zoo and his Celica breaking down and having to walk a couple miles to a junk yard for a tow.
That time me and my sister couldn't get to our house because police blocked off a major intersection so we took a shortcut and walked into an active hostage situation and had a cop with his gun drawn silently motion for us to come with him.
Not having a videogame system forever and finally getting a Super Nintendo and staying up all night for the first time the night I got it playing Super Mario World.
Getting a fishing rod and tackle box for my birthday and going fishing by myself. Dad got the gift for me but we've never been fishing together since that birthday.
Driving over the Mississippi river bridge asleep in the backseat and got that falling feeling and woke up and couldn't see the bridge but just the water underneath. Didn't have a fear of heights before that day.
Calling my mom while living with my dad and not realizing how much I missed her until I was sobbing on the phone.
Hot gluing my bathroom sink back together after I blew it up with a firecracker. I burned my hand like five times but Mom didn't find out for six months.
Getting ditched by friends when we were all supposed to hang out and instead getting a ride from another friend who was already pretty drunk. Get pulled over by the cops but they let us go. Get confused on the toll road and doing two u-turns in the toll plaza. Finally get to my friends and I'm pissed as hell and about ready to lay into the guy who was supposed to pick me up when my future wife came running up to me surprised that I was there and hugged me.
freckle_juice_mama ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Climbing on the counters to get myself a cup for my juice at 2 years old.
Smearing vaseline all over my head and then applying lipstick, blush, and eye shadow to my face at 4.
Laying on the floor, the victim of a tickle fight, while my dog stood over me in Protector mode and watched my dad's hand move, ducking her head to meet it if it neared me.
My parent's divorce.
My dad moving to Central America out of the blue.
My dad's death when I was 15.
Meeting my husband (I zinged).
Getting engaged/married.
Seeing my kids immediately after they were born.
Those things will always be a mix of happy/sad and I believe I'll remember them for the rest of my life, even if everything else goes away. We'll see.
labcoat_fire ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dad passed out drunk with my uncle in the living room.
Mom crying over dad's cheating and gambling problems.
Playing basketball with my dad on base.
Chuck e cheese
Ex gf cheating on me.
My happy memories are unfortunately suppressed by the traumatic ones. This is not me being emo or dramatic but a lot of my happy memories contains sadness in it.
djberto ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My younger years, from basically 2nd grade until 6th grade I had virtually no friends at school, and was bullied constantly. I sat alone on the bus, I was called names and hit, the police got involved multiple times. I lived in a town where middle school began in the 7th grade, and our middle school had multiple feeder schools so it was very much a new beginning that I was so happy to have. Almost as soon as I got to middle school I began to foster new friendships and take higher level classes my old bullies wouldn't take. I was happy, for the first time since the 2nd grade from dawn til dusk I felt happy. And then we moved, halfway through the year. My whole world got pulled out from under me and I was back at square one, in a new town and new people that almost from the get-go decided I wasn't worth their time or affection.
This goes hand-in-hand with #1; a student who I was friendly with through elementary school and that half year of middle school sent me an Email a month or so after I had moved away. He knew I loved Legos all my life and told me about this game/creation tool (predating Minecraft) that used blocks like Legos to make levels and gave me the beta key. I was soon the youngest member of the forum moderation team, a moderator in the IRC chat, and an official review writer for UGC. I won community design competitions and made countless new virtual friends, some of which I've met years after the game died. I know and still talk with the developers, and I am majoring in game design in college because of that game and its community.
I've played soccer all my life. I was cut from the high school soccer team both my freshman and junior years. Senior year I was starting goalkeeper. The day of cuts senior year when my coach pulled me aside and told me how immensely proud of me he was and how much joy it brought him to see me still practicing and trying to make the team nearly made me cry then and makes me cry now.
In my first serious relationship, senior year of high school: "I love you," a look of panic flashes behind her eyes, overtaken by a look of compassion "B-but it's so soon..." she replies. It had been two weeks; "I'm sorry, I'm such an idiot, I won't say it again, I'm sorry." She comforts me with her words and tells me I'm not an idiot. I never said I loved her again for three months, until the day she came back at me with those same three words. I cried and hugged her tight, there are few moments in my life I can remember being so immensely happy. I don't think I really loved her when I said it the first time, but by the time we broke up almost two years later I really did. I look for that feeling with every girl I'm with and sometimes I don't know if I'll ever find it again, I'm glad I'm still young.
There are more but I don't have the time to write them all out right now. It feels good to put them into words though.
Captain_Wompus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
HipsterBrewfus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting in the living room of my neighbors apartment, looking out the window at my moms being taken away in handcuffs after a particularly violent fight
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
9 years: First little league game, I made a catch in center field, full sprint running to my left.
4 years old: Listening to a song while missing my dad who, at the time, was living 3 hours away while my parents were separated.
4 years old: Being sexually abused by a neighbor boy.
13 years old: Scored my first touchdown in my first football game the first time they handed me the ball.
16 years old: Realizing my ex-girlfriend and best friend were more than friends.
FNYouUp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The Band O.A.R. bring up memories connected to my Spirit and Soul
This song can bring me to tears sometimes. I HIGHLY suggest listening to this song from O.A.R. - "I Feel Home"
These are my favorite lyrics from that song-
"Feelin alright, headin out tonight, Maybe out to a dark driveway. I say now some feel bored, And some are lookin for more."
"Well, we all just decide to stay. We got nothin to do, And I look at you I see something that I know and love."
"And with the crack of a smile we all stay a while We know from home there ain't nothing above. Well in the end we can all call a friend Well that's something I know as true."
"And then a thousand years and a thousand tears I come to findingin(something's wrong here) my original crew"
StuntFace ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I heard that Maria Diaz died.
We weren't close or anything, but I'd known her since middle school and sat near her in band for at least 3 years. And our school had a "curse" where at least one high profile student or recent alum died per year in a freak accident. Never the burn outs or people you would expect, but always student leaders. Valedictorian drowning in an aboveground pool, class president falling 6 feet just the wrong way, that stuff.
Maria had great grades, played varsity field hockey and destroyed French horn her entire 4 years of high school. I didn't realize how much I looked up to her until I got that phone call from a friend. She had been driving to UVA to start her sophomore year, somehow lost control of her car and crashed into the median. Her passenger, a guy from a few classes that I didn't really know, died on impact. From what I heard, Maria was able to hold on until parents got to the scene, as they were following a few miles behind. No one knows how she lost control of the car.
Definitely a blue memory, but it also made me realize that this might all end at any moment with no warning. You never walk out your door thinking it might be your last day, or hug a loved one thinking "this might be it," but that's the reality.
theonlycanvas ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:02:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-I once wrote a letter to my favorite author when I was about twelve years old. A month or so had passed and I just assumed he was too busy to respond. The day his hand written response came in the mail I went and sat in the backyard. It was sunset, the golden hour when everything is glowing. I must've reread that letter a dozen times and have it framed hanging in my office now. When I had the opportunity to meet him in person years later he got this sad look on his face and said he didn't have time to do that sort of thing anymore.
-The first time I ever saw my mom well and truly drunk was the day my dad told her he wanted a divorce. She came into my room and laid at the foot of my bed and sobbed until she fell asleep.
-Probably around four years old. I was in a car and we were driving through a forest somewhere. I remember watching the way the light played through the leaves and thinking that there was no way any one person could make anything so beautiful. And that was the day I realized I was an atheist, though I didn't have the word for it yet.
queenofstickers ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:02:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was around 4, my dad and I watched Toy Story at home. When it got to the part where the squeaky shark pops out of the toy chest with Woody's hat on and says "I'm Woody! Howdy howdy howdy!" I thought it was the funniest thing I'd ever seen and lost my mind. My dad rewound it and replayed that part about 5 times, both of us losing our shit. I'm assuming my weird sense of humor comes from him.
When I was around 5 or 6, my aunt lived on Martha's Vineyard, and I'd spend a few weeks every summer at her house and visiting friends on the Cape with my mother. We went to one beach called Lucy Vincent all the time, and it was my favorite because it had particularly large waves - I would spend hours running away from the bigger ones and getting swallowed up and splashed. I've always had a connection to the ocean ever since that summer.
When I was 7 I got my first journal for Christmas. I've been a writer ever since.
When I was little, I used to wake up really early (5 or 6 am) on weekends to watch The Magic School Bus and Bill Nye the Science Guy. I've been a total nerd for as long as I can remember, but I'm assuming they helped cement that interest.
When I was 11, I met a girl who would become my best friend, and later the person I hated most in the whole world (a cycle that went on for 7 years or so). She was the first girl I ever had a crush on, too. If it's possible to have a "Gay Island" core memory, I do.
When I was 14, my dad's girlfriend at the time bred Australian Shepherds, and I got to see a litter of puppies born/ had a small hand on raising them. She also taught me how to ride horseback. I had always loved animals, but that year I knew for sure I wanted to become a veterinarian.
When I was 16, I got a Nikon D80 for my birthday, kicking off my love of not only photography, but art in general. Since then, I've also branched out into drawing and painting as well.
(Sorry for the long response - I just spent about a half hour genuinely thinking about what my core memories would be. Super interesting when you take the time, and I'm loving reading everyone else's.)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:02:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mum pushing dad down stairs and throwing black bin bags at him, he didn't get up for a little while. Police came. Learned women.
Mum bruising my entire left half of my face and spitting in my eyes as punishment for a messy room. Learned mental illness.
Stealing 10 pounds from somewhere or other, and having it rip instantly. Learned karma.
Having a really high dose acid trip at college and seeing a giant space battle with planets, explosions, a death star/discovery(2001) hybrid looking craft shooting lazers and shit form out of clouds and a flashing plane. Learned that there is more to everything than I first thought.
Going to the psych for a year for an a few od's and drugs. Relearned mental illness.
Getting my first job. Learned hard work.
I guess those are the really main ones.
daweaselgeek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:02:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
JosefTheFritzl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:03:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
TrvlAgnt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:03:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a kid growing up, my dad always talked about learning to fly fish. He eventually was diagnosed with Alzheimer's when I was ~16
At 20, I tried to teach him how to fly fish. He kept mixing up the forward and backward motions. Add in feeding line with the other hand... He kept casting like you would a spinning reel, getting the steps wrong, then quietly saying,"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
Heartbreaking, but we didn't get muchgood time together because he had declined so much. I stood there for hours going over every step. He never learned, but we did get to go fishing a few times :)
Lot's of memories like that one, both searingly painful and amazing at the same time.
PianoMastR64 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:03:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
An answer to a different question, but my earliest memory is when I was in my crib not sleeping when I was supposed to. The door was closed and I had managed to get my arm out through the bars and back in through different bars. Suddenly, I could hear my sister walking toward my room. I started to panic because I couldn't get my arm out so I could pretend i was sleeping. I managed to painfully free myself just in time to get into position with my heart pounding. She then walked past my door and into the bathroom.
I then contemplated the pain in my arm and what I just put myself through.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:03:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 4 or 5 I fell in the pool. I had learned how to swim the summer before, but had forgotten everything, so I started flailing around. A neighborhood kid was in our backyard as well and got my dad's attention. I remember my dad reaching down and grabbing me out of the pool with one arm and calming me down once I was out.
I had a crush on a girl in my church in 3rd grade. Thought she was the prettiest girl I'd ever seen and I remember crushing hard and getting butterflies when I saw her.
When I became a Christian around 11 or so. I was raised in church, but I made the decision to follow Christ at that age. Now I'm in school to be an engineer so I can be a missionary and help people out with their daily needs like water, sanitation, roads, etc.
Reading my first large novel in second grade. I was bored one night at home and was watching tv, but I got bored so I just picked up Harry Potter and thr Sorcerer's Stone and decided to read it. I've loved reading ever since.
I broke both my arms by falling off of two separate fences about 2-3 years apart. I remember the moments when I fell quite vividly.
Now that I'm thinking, I really remember so much. Lots of injuries, but luckily I was a fast healer! So many moments with family and in school or church. Thanks for the prompt, OP.
alittle2theleft ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:03:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Senior year of high school, my boyfriend and I had been together since around winter break. We would talk often about a future we both knew would never happen (he was Mormon, I was... not.) We laughed about what we would name our kids, and how he would come back from his mission with a foreign accent. Just silly stuff. In the spring I heard back from one of the two universities I had applied to; didn't get in. All of my hopes and dreams of going to a state school (dream big, people) rested on my first choice, and it wasn't until a month or so later that I finally heard from them. Every day I would drive home from school, pull up to the little row of mailboxes in my neighborhood, unroll my window and quickly scan the mail. The day it finally came I tore the envelope open and unfolded the letter all in the same millisecond. Those first five words will always be with me:
Dear Amanda, Welcome to Western!
I sat frozen in the car for about 5 seconds and all at once, out of nowhere, began sobbing uncontrollably. I got in. I did it. I was growing up. I was moving a few hours away from home. It was official. I would probably never see my boyfriend again. All of our dreams about the future turned to whisps of smoke and blew away. I was ecstatic. I was terrified. I was bitter and felt the full weight of my tragic teenaged love story. It was just too much all at once. Yellow, red, blue, and purple, all in three little words.
battlesbegun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:03:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 18 I struggled with depression pretty badly, I had started to self-harm pretty regularly and I remember one night I had locked myself into my room right after I got off work and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning crying and cutting myself. I cut the word LOST into my arm as well as a lot more visible scars. That was my absolute lowest point in my life. I remember a couple weeks later my mom asked me to go to Walmart with her, so I went. As we were walking through the mens section my shirt pulled up and you could see the cuts. She asked what they were, I told her I ran into a door and got cut, she raised her voice and told me if I was hurting myself that that was a stupid thing to and I should tell her. I didn't. I don't think she ever cared to find out either.
Sneaking out of my house every night during the summer when I was 17. I was the only one of my friends who had a car so I would pick everyone up and we'd go to the lake and smoke and drink (when we were able to get alcohol) and talk all night long. I was the only girl in the group and I had never felt so loved or protected as I had when I spent the night up with my guys.
Going to an LDS church with my childhood best friend. I've never been a religious person but I grew up going to a Baptist church and went to church with friends when I'd spend the night. As I got older though I didn't go as often, my parents didn't go to church (my Grandmother used to take me) so it was really just with friends. It came to the point that I was only going to the LDS church maybe twice a year? And I never really chose to go, my friend would just always tell me I was going. So I did. And every time I did I always found the theme of the day was the exact thing I had been stressing over. It's still a weird feeling to look back at and to this day if someone invites me I go, maybe it's advice I need to hear. Who knows?
My second date with my s/o. We met online and had spent a month really trying to get to know each other before we decided to meet. We texted every day and told each other everything, so when our first date came up, I was nervous. I was scared shitless. I was going to the city to meet him and meeting him alone at night and who knew what was going to happen? But after seeing his face and hearing his voice I knew he was exactly who I thought he was. It didn't stop me from being terrified though. Our second date he agreed to come out to the suburbs to meet my scared mom (on our second date!) he brought flowers for both of us and wow'd her. We went to eat and I showed him around my town. We ended up at the lake and spent hours in the cold night talking and kissing and being young and I remember telling him that I wanted to make love with him. Not fuck him or have sex, but make love. I was so in the moment that I couldn't see how crazy that seemed! We just met! But he told me he wanted to do the same and ever since his face in the night sky has been imprinted in me.
reganomics ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:04:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
home invasion, three men came in, held us at gunpoint and hog tied my great grandmother on the ground. told me to stfu, i did. lead grandma arpund the house to the valuables. no one was hurt luckily. this is more flashes of memories and a mish mash of what ive been told as i was 4 or 5 at the time.
mom crying in the bathroom with me when her and my dad split and i was about 6.
dog getting out and run over, literally in front of my house and seeig the aftermath.
ok now for nice ones:
4. christmas in hawaii seeing sammy d. jr in concert with said grandma an co. and playing with sammy's son at the hotel pool. my Gma knew him somehow.
tuggs2000 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:04:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My main core memory would be when I started to love myself... Jk I hate myself
N4pkins ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:04:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Hitting my first home-run in kid pitch. I felt unstoppable.
The first time I remember puking. It was Rice Krispies on Bug Hall's kitchen floor(His mom used to babysit me).
The moment I found out Santa wasn't real. I was 8 and my mom bought the wrong Goosebumps board game "from Santa". I told her it was the wrong game, and she said she still had the receipt.
My dad playing his guitar for me to try and get me to take a nap when I was 6.
Hersey22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:05:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Everyone else's feels are about their happy memories. But does anyone else remember the thing they told them selves to remember?
Carrot3734 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:05:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In year 10 my dad was working in another country, 12 hours (flying) away, he wasn't on regular shifts back home, but he tried as much as possible to get back every 4-5 weeks, even if it was just a weekend.
Unfortunately that meant that he missed some of my school band performances, and was going to miss the end of year concert by 1 day due to a complication with their contract with the government.
The night of the concert I was going to go home with my trombone, have tea, get changed and then to the concert. However my dad had changed his plans unbeknownst to me, meaning that he arrived in out home town an two hours before the concert, just in time to pick me up.
As I came up the stairs, walking towards where my mum was going to pick me up (or so I thought), I heard his characterizing whistle that he has always used to get me or my sister's attention, not a loud one, but a distinctive one, distinctive enough that in a crowd I could hear it and know that he was near. At that point when I heard the whistle, I dropped my bags and trombone and ran to him. It meant a lot to me for him to change his plans and flights just so he could be at this concert.
mikeBE11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:05:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being fucking stabbed, being lit on fucking fire, making love all 4th of july back in 2015, eating a sandwhich after my first college graduation. Splitting wood when I was 12 one evening in fall, air was cold but the wood stove was hot and I think an old tv was playing in the garage, nice evening.
darkman41 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:05:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
While my mom was in the hospital, there was a night where she was scheduled for a blood transfusion. I had sat with her and my dad all day to keep her company. With my dad sleeping next to her, I left around midnight. Within minutes of arriving at home, I got a call from her at the hospital. They had started the transfusion, and she was scared. I immediately drove straight back to the hospital. When I sat next to her, she told me she hates dragging me back down there. I said "That's ok. This is payback for all the nights in high school you sat up worrying about me." She grabbed my hand and held it. My father speaks up from his bed and says "I have a song for you". My mom pauses while she is trying to determine if he's talking in his sleep. She responds "ok", and he sings to her. This was the moment I knew she was dying.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:06:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The colored chalk and school bag I got for my 4th birthday.
The 2ft of snow that appeared out of nowhere straight after school in Ireland when I was 6.
That one neighbourhood water fight we had on that one day that was warm enough. Kids, dads, hoses, buckets of water and water bombs EVERYWHERE.
Also, neighbourhood snow ball fights AND the biggest snowball I have ever seen pushed by four teenagers down the road.
Making my holy communion in Ireland and making BANK that day visiting every person we knew.
Stealing my communion money with my older sister to buy so much Dunkin Donuts.
Getting brought to school in a police car because my sister and I had a fight on the way to school and separated.
Flying on an aeroplane for the first time to emigrate to Australia when I was seven.
The day we finally arrived in Australia and it was bloody raining like crazy!
nahuatlwatuwaddle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:06:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-chasing after my parents' cars in the morning to stop them from going to work. -getting my books taken away for bad grades. -first kiss. -walking around Orlando with my first dog, Buster. -getting Buster down, still fucking kills me.
EireOfTheNorth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:07:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad bringing me and half the kids on the street out into the fields to play on our ATVs just for fun (dad used to rent them out to events as a side job).
Dad teaching my how to ride my bike and encouraging my later intensive interest in BMX'ing.
Dad asking the girl at the drive thru in McDonalds for a 'big bucket of shite please' when me and my cousin couldn't make up our minds on what we wanted.
My dad letting me drive a little boat out off the coast of Cork.
Returning from Scotland at the age of 10 to find out my dad had been diagnosed with a stage four brain tumour.
Witnessing his first seizure, having to phone 999 and attempt to put him in the recovery position despite really not knowing what the recovery position was.
Visiting him in the hospital, he couldn't remember who I was, who my 13yr old brother was, or my 11 month old brother was, or who his wife was.
Drinking a non-alcoholic beer with my father and 13yr old brother (more on this later).
Hearing my mother cry late at night and being helpless about it.
My mother, accompanied by my fathers uncle, sister, and father, entering the room in my grandmothers (mothers side) house. Instantly knowing my father had died before they even said anything. Two days after christmas.
Quote_Poop ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:07:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my father asked my older brother and I if we wanted to still live with him or go live with my mother. My brother quietly said, "I don't know," but I very clearly said, "I want to live with mom."
Going to get my very first dog when I was in 4th grade, who is, nine years later, currently sleeping on my bed behind me.
Separating from my friends and going through the Toledo Art Museum all by myself.
Walking along my road during sunset and thinking of some awesome characters to add to an old novel of mine.
Meeting my favorite band ever (Mayday Parade) at Warped Tour this year.
MsBeerSnob ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:28:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why did you chose to live with your mom?
Quote_Poop ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:34:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad is a prick. He was abusive to my mother, favored my stepmothers kids to us, and was a mean bastard in general. But, due to some bad choices on my mother's part, he was given custody for a little while. At the beginning of summer, we were finally given a choice where we wanted to go. We were terrified of him (I was nine and my bro was eleven), but I built up my nerve and told him what I wanted.
To this day, I'm proud of myself for what I did. It really showed me who I am.
MsBeerSnob ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:17:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Good for you and you should be proud.
Firehawk195 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:08:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jeez, this is hard... gimme a bit on this one.
First one I can think of is a memory from stupid way back. I would've been- what, three? Four, maybe? It was a while ago. Anyway, I remember watching a couple of older cousins of mine playing a video game that just happened to be The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and I was absolutely enthralled. I'm pretty sure it was the very final battle in the game right at the very end, but it didn't really matter. I was hooked and I became absolutely entranced by the game. Looking back, the effect that game had on me was pretty long-lasting, as I fell in love with storytelling and somehow became a hopeless romantic (A hero and a princess- I was doomed). Now that I look at what I write, it's an obvious influence.
The day I was shipped off to Army Basic Training, almost a year ago. My entire family was there to see me get sworn in and I remember being absolutely terrified, because I had so much riding on this decision. I'd dropped out of college, quit my job and made sure that my family wouldn't be burdened if something went... you know, wrong. I wanted so desperately to make them proud because I had felt so worthless and unfulfilled for so long and I couldn't help but think my parents deserved someone a little better... than me. Yeah... But here I am now, a young member of the Cavalry and an utter badass capable of precise destruction. And hopefully someone my parents can genuinely be proud of.
This is easily the most frivolous of the lot, but seeing Legendary Picture's Godzilla in theaters. I'm an absolute diehard for the series and I'd never had the chance to see one of the franchise entries before. I remember when the movie had been announced years prior and it felt like the thing was never gonna release- and then it did, and even though I look back now and see some faults in the movie, it was one of those moments where I was happy simply because I could be. It was a great moment, and I'll always look back fondly on the whole experience.
The day I destroyed the very thing I valued most. As I said earlier, I'm a hopeless romantic, so eventually it was gonna get me- and badly. I was early in high school and I'd become part of a high school group my church offered. Knew a lot of people in it, a lot of my buddies, etc and such, including a girl I'd known years before when I was little (Hmm, needs a name... let's call her Sarah). I didn't really pay her much attention for a while until one day we'd decided to go spend our meetup night helping out a friend of the host family by cleaning her yard. Nice day, kind of a wet September, and I'm assigned to a group of people along with Sarah. I'd kind of been put off by her for reasons I can't even really remember, but that was the first time I'd spent in real close contact with her before. Now look, I'm kind of odd, especially back then when I socialized less, but instead of being put off- she talks me up all evening. Asking me about myself, what I do, stuff I'm interested in. Sarah gets me to be chatty, something I never am unless I'm on a keyboard. She kind of worms her way in and I begin to think.. "You know, she's alright." And she keeps worming her way in until I see her in a bright-blue dress for one of her school's dances. I'm done. Just done. I utterly fall for her and become the perfect little idiot. Like, a total moron, looking back I was so sad- but she didn't really seem put off by it. In fact, she and I became pretty close. She was someone I could open up to and talk with about things I never did, and she always put up with me with such grace. It was really admirable of her. And after a while, I started changing, becoming noticeably brighter and more outgoing. And the way she talks to me starts to change, and we spend a lot of time just talking to each other. After a while, I make a mistake. Reason I'd been so quiet was because I was an addict, and I'd been using the past year or so as a chance to recover. She'd become a big reason why I got better, because she was such a huge bright spot that I wanted to be better for her sake and be someone she deserved. Instead, I got hooked on some hardcore shit- like, really intense, I went utterly nuts. I lost twenty pounds in the span of a month, I got super quiet and depressed, so badly that people around me started noticing something major had gotten fucked up. Didn't tell anyone, as I was afraid of what I was doing would erupt from me and "infect" others. That I'd impress my bad decisions onto others, so I started pulling away from everyone to "protect" them and instead became more addicted than ever. I was unreachable. I became an emotionless husk incapable of feeling anything- not pain, not love, nothing. I'd become completely sapped. And as I realized I couldn't even bring myself to love her anymore I understood I was my own worst enemy. That there was nothing good in this world that I couldn't destroy. That day messed me up a lot. Things ain't really been right since then, and that was seven years ago. Never got better, either. So many what-if's...
(Holy hell, that got out of control. I am so sorry, just shun this post)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:08:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandfather. Back in the late 90's early 2000's my grandfather would come over bright and early after his shift as a greeter at the local walmart, and sleep until the sun was just peeking over the mountains. He had worked there ever since the store opened, and used what little money he made to care for my grandmother who was showing the early stages of Alzheimers and Dementia. He was there every morning sitting at the counter with a cup of coffee, and his pipe, waiting for me. We would eat some poptarts and chat before I headed off to school, or take me down to the local motocross track that my parents owned in upstate NY. These are the fondest memories I have of him because one night in June 2001 he never made it home.
codethulhu1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:08:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad taking me to the movies on a school day when I ways maybe 12 years old. I had been ill for some time and not able to go to school. I have no idea what the movie was now, all I remember how happy I was being cheered up for that afternoon.
Another very fond memory is of sometimes eating rice porridge from a can with my mother. We were quite poor at the time, but somehow that is a strong memory I have about that period in my life.
It feels even better thinking about those moment right now. Thanks for the question.
shubhammandiya ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:08:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 10, I had found a baby pigeon who fell from its nest. We played with it, fed it, made a cushioned box for it to sleep and taught it how to fly. One evening, it flew and sat on the highest branch of the tree we had and really flew away. I cried the whole night worrying about him.
Playing football with my friends and laughing at the silly things that happened. God I loved it
Me and my best friend in 8th graded sat at the last corner seats and laughed at silly things, our teachers punished us very frequently and complained to our parents.
The day I got selected in a medical college, my parents were very happy. When I got in my room I had the best feeling of all time. My 2 years of hardwork and study had paid off, my parents were proud of me. There were tears of joy in my eyes.
Returning to my home after college(I was in my first year), I got of the bus late night and saw a poor child lying unconscious on the footpath with a crowd around him. I took his pulse and breath rate, got him in proper position so he wont choke and checked if cpr was necessary. All the crowd was watch me as if I was professional ;p . All was normal so I just waited for the ambulance like others.
DyslexicUsermane ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:09:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember being one of the few Asian kids who went to school in a predominately white and black school. I thoroughly remember being picked on in middle school during gym class and lunch time. Within gym class, the locker room was always the worst times. The other students would horse around and some would pull my pants down and then push me into the locker. The PE teachers would be in their little room doing work, I guess, so it goes unnoticed. Within the gym class itself, it always sucks being chosen last for whatever team -based games because I was unpopular.
Lunch times wasn't as bad but it still sucked. I would sometimes bring my own food from home and of course they would point out what I was eating because it was different. Then they would go on to say why I was sitting at this table because I wasn't apart of the clique.
At least now I'm in college and away from that negativity. Also happy to know that some of those kids are pregnant, have a record with the police, etc.
Pezmage ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:09:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing Excitebike when the 1989 Earthquake in California hit. I crossed the finish line right as it started, I was 8. I remember the trailer in our backyard rolling like on waves, it was surreal.
Meeting my best friend outside the library at my grade school during a parent's night. He had the game and watch Mario. I thought that was the coolest thing ever. His parents liked that we were friends because he was so serious and I was not, so I helped him be less serious, heh.
Being at an arcade with that friend in the eight grade and a little 6 year old thinking that he was my dad. He was a huge guy and looked like a grown ass man so it was pretty funny.
While waiting for my prom date her dad comes over and sits down and tells me "Comment on her nails, she went with her mother to get her nails done today, make sure you notice that". Great advice. Plus I remember her leaning over the back of the chair I was sitting in and she had this stray bit of hair that was dangling off the front of her head. Awesome.
Having a backyard wedding, we were broke so we did it on the cheap. Forgot to bring music, the 20-30 people that were there all sang the wedding march for her as she came down the aisle to me.
Finding out the wife was pregnant, then the miscarriage a month or so later and being completely heartbroken. Then, a year later, finally getting pregnant again and being told by the doctor that it was very likely the baby wouldn't come to term. Well, she came to term, and she's an amazing little five year old.
Having my 3 year old sit through the entire game Shadow of the Colossus, we did one or two a night until the game was done over a Christmas break. For the next six months or so we would regularly play Colossus where I would stomp around the room and she would poke me in the legs causing me to fall over so she could scramble up me and attack my weak spot. Best way to get a kid to take a bath ever.
My second child coming five weeks early. Never felt as panicked and helpless as I did that night.
bloodfoxtrue ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:09:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A lot of cool dads in this thread!
kwokjoel ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mines not much since I'm only 17, but here it goes.
Clearly remembering my parents calling me a "useless waste of space" (They deny it now so I'm very confused)
My grandmother just sitting there with me and listening to whatever problems I might have had
My grandmother suddenly being admitted to the hospital and me being the lazy fuck I was I stayed in bed until my mom came and screamed that my grandmother might not make it
The time I saw my grandmother take her last breath
Me playing alone since I wasn't allowed to go out.
The time I realized I won't be with my friends for much longer, especially one guy in particular.
Some happy ones now.
Getting thrown a huge birthday party when I was 8.
Meeting my current group of friends which I hope we'll stay in contact for a long time (which to be honest I'm very doubtful of.)
Sorry for the long list. It helps to type it out sometimes.
Ghitit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being called outside by my mom to see my first rainbow. - age 2
The hurt I felt when my sister wouldn't let me play with her because she was playing with a neighbor. "Two's company, three's a crowd." I had never played with anyone else but her. - age 3
Saving a bee from a clogged water fountain and getting stung. - age 7
My brother bringing me half of his mounds candy after my bedtime and said "don't tell mom". - age 9
The feeling of spending my first paycheck on a jewelry box, a wall mirror and a scarab ring. I still have all three items today. - age 15
jtesagain625 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father was a pigeon flyer. He would take me to smelly ass pet shops. I never got into pigeons as a pet/hobby but those are still very vivid and fond memories. One of those days we also went to an automotive store sometime like AutoZone but this was mid 80s so, not sure which one. Anyways, he bought me a mini megaphone with different sound setting, like cop car/ambulance siren. Held onto that thing quite a long time considering I was a very careless kid with my toys.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Having a picture thrown at my head and Mike (father) disowning me...fun times.
sweetpetrichor09 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So many. One of them is the day my aunt created toys made out of paper like paper dolls. My favorite is the kitchen utensils made out of twigs and paper. My aunt will play with me everyday after her classes. She took care of me because my parents are unfortunately assholes. We don't have enough money but she still make sure that I spend my childhood with love and not hatred or insecurity.
jtesagain625 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:11:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh also, the first time I can remember something going on in "south beach". Was watching Revenge of the Nerds with my older bro n his friends. After they eat the pie n there's a pic of Betty topless. Shhhhwing.....
Viperbunny ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:13:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents yelling and screaming at each other. They call each other awful names and they both make threats that involve taking my sister and I and running away where the other will never find them.
My grandpa telling me I can practice my clarinet and singing at his house, but he wants me to be extra loud so he can hear me while he gets stuff done around the house.
Meeting my husband. I was in the pool with my sister, two of my sister's friends and a cousin. My husband and two of his friends came over to talk to us and we decided to watch a movie together. We picked an awful movie and my now husband and I kept cracking jokes. We had the same sense of humor and it brought us together.
My parents letting me know they actually couldn't pay for the rest of college after they failed to withdraw me for the semester.
Losing a friend to cancer.
Losing our daughter six days after birth to trisomy 18.
Having my middle daughter and almost bleeding to death and having my youngest daughter safely.
My husband and I touring a new house with our kids. We worried that they wouldn't like it or not fully understand because they are young. But they loved it as much as we did and they keep talking about how awesome it will be to live there. It makes me feel that we are living the best days of our lives together.
I know that is a lot, but all those things really defined me as personeeded. My parents stayed together. They love each other, but they hate each other. They didn't teach me what a good relationship was, but helped me by showing me what I didn't want in a spouse. My grandpa was a kind, gentle man who always tried to right the wrongs in my life. My dad would get mad when I practiced my clarinet or singing and it made me feel so bad. My grandpa knew how important these things were to me and he helped make me feel good about doing these things that made me feel good about myself. I miss him every single day. I wish my kids could know him. He died four months after I lost my oldest daughter. He wasn't in the best of health and losing her took so much from him. It was the one time he couldn't make things better and I saw how other broke his heart. It broke mine too. My parents really screwed me over with my degree. If they had told me I could have gotten a loan, but the way they did it was destructive and caused me to not get my degree. I was working on changing that, but I had to choose to have kids or pass on having a family because of reproductive issue. My husband and I wanted kids. I don't regret that decision for a second and can always work on my degree when they are in school. Losing our friend cancer was awful. Watching him waste away really caused my husband and I to evaluate how we felt about end of life decisions. It turns out that was important because we had to chose whether to take heroic measures a small have maybe a few more hours with our daughter or told hold her for the first and only time and let her die in the arms of someone who loved her and not with people pushing on her and poking her trying to keep her alive. I will always wonder if we made the right choice, but I think we did. She is the only person I miss more than my grandpa. The births of my other two children were eventful. My husband and I wanted a 12/12/12 birthday for our daughter, but the doctor wouldn't deliver her until exactly 39 weeks, which was the 13th. I ended up having high blood pressure and contractions and she was delivered on the 12th. I almost bled to death and there was a lot of trauma. But we had our healthy girl. My doctors convinced me it was safe to have one more and they wouldn't preform a much needed hysterectomy until I did. We got another healthy girl born on the 4th of July. They are the light of my life. My husband and I had picked out the house we wanted and took our kids when we were already in negotiations for it. They loved it as much as us. We close tomorrow. I am so excited to start this new chapter of our lives.
I didn't mention meeting my husband. He is my soul mate and other half. We often share a brain, say things at the same time, share looks and know what the other is thinking. He is my partner in crime, my rock and heart. I can't imagine surviving all I have with anyone else. We have been together 14 years, married for 8. I love him more and more each day, though I don't know how that is possible because I already love him so much. I am a very lucky woman.
Sorry for the wall of text. I am emotional and excited for tomorrow. I am also injured (stupid tendinitis had me in an air cast) and that makes me an emotional blob.
DefconDelta ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:13:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad putting new barrettes in my hair that he got specially for me. They had little hearts with teddy bears on them and said my name, and there were little pink bows. I loved it when he did my hair, but that was a special moment for me
Adventuring with my lab in the woods of mt. Rainier. She was my shadow so my parents were pretty ok letting us run off into the thick mountain forest together. We ventured for several miles until we found a great view, then we followed our path back to the camp site. I'd never felt so free at 10 years old.
The first time I read Harry Potter. It changed everything.
Our family road trip to yellowstone. We saw tons of ghost towns, western wilderness, and the glory that us Yellowstone. It was the most amazing place I've ever been. We drove a pickup truck with a seat in the back. My parents sat up front and my sister and I were in the back seat. I laid down on the seat while my sister slept stretched out on the floor. We spent 3 weeks like that. When we were on our way home and literally 5 minutes from our house, mom turns around and sees my sister on the floor and is like "GET OFF THE FLOOR THAT IS DANGEROUS" and we just bust up laughing because she'd been down there for 3 damn weeks and NOW mom notices?
steviescribbles ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:13:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad used to be in the pit crew for rally car racing. He would travel all over the US, and one year he took me with him to Pennsylvania and I got to ride in the front seat of a rally car. It was exhilarating
I saw NSYNC when I was 13 and I touched Justin Timberlake's hand
Sitting in the parking lot of Wendy's with my brother and eating chicken nuggets and listening to The Black Parade album all the way through for the first time
When my now husband told me he loved me for the first time on my birthday 7 years ago. No one had ever told me they loved me with such sincerity before. I'll never forget that feeling
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first two that pops up in my head are related to traumatic events, which you don't need to know about. A positive one, is getting reunited with an estranged childhood friend during a summers night in my early teens. We rode ridiculously undersized childrens bicycles around town, just to goof off.
areraswen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The biggest one for me is probably my mom, my two sisters and I sitting around our kitchen table all night the night my dad died reminiscing about him and the times we had together.
Followed by the night after I left for a road trip... our mom had died 6 months ago and I felt like I needed it... swore to my sister I'd take her next time. About 2 hours away from the grand canyon with 0 sleep since st louis and I get the phone call my sister was found collapsed in the street. She died. That marked the end of my immediate family.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting into my dream college by being in the top .03 percentile of the appearing students,
Death of my grandpa,
my mom waking me at 2:30 am and telling me my father had a heart attack and running in the street for help,
Performing in front of my classmates at school at random and being told by my crush that it was "awesome"...everybody enjoyed it !!
schrodingersqueer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My mom taking me to the Nutcracker when I was five. We were so poor at the time, but she scrounged together money for us to go see this ballet, where I fell in love with Tchaikovsky's music.
Talking to my best friend on the bus home from a field trip about a massive crush I had on a boy in sixth grade. I was tired and a little over warm, but my heart was singing and I had my best friend with me, and what I thought was "love" surging through my heart. Now I love it more for my friendship with my best friend, which has survived to this day.
Being cocooned in my bed as a freshman, skyping with my then boyfriend for hours at a time, saying sweet nothings and teasing each other. The comfort and trust involved was so new to me. It's a very mixed memory; he ran off and broke things off with me when I called him out on his lies.
Being a senior in high school and losing the sweetest, kindest girl in our grade to a car accident. In choir the next day, we gathered and sang an arrangement of the blessing of Aaron. We didn't really finish the song; we broke down crying and started this massive group hug. I'll never forget the kindness of that day.
Going out west for a few weeks the summer after my senior year. Seeing the effects of the drought and deciding, while standing in an extremely dry redwood forest, to pursue environmental science in college.
Laying in the sun with one of my closest friends, who I hadn't seen in months during college, and just talking and realizing nothing had changed between us. Knowing she'd always be a close friend was a huge moment for me.
Wordgirl93 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:15:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mom left me in the car parked across the street from the grocery store while she went in to grab a few things. This was the early 80's and that what parents did. It was a quiet small town and I wanted to go in to see my mom so I ran to cross the street. A car full of teenagers going to fast flew over the hill and had to screech to a stop 2 ft from hitting me. I froze. The teenage boy driving yelled at me and I started to cry. I've always worried about crossing a street ever since. To this day, my husband will be holding my hand trying to slow me down while I try to get across as quickly as possible.
staytaytay ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:15:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My sister and I throwing up on a car ride so much that our entire family broke down laughing uncontrollably
Giving a comedic speech in high school that had everyone rolling in the aisles (after having been mostly shy and afraid of public speaking)
4 seperate sexual core memories - first threesome, worst sex, sex combined with video games, and the sex where I performed unusually well
Three work related core memories - saved the day, smacked down a bullshitter, and the most important lesson / mistake in my professional life
Four video game core memories - two long nights playing couch co-op, the greatest online troll ever, and leading wow raids
Two hobbyist core memories - attending the world championships of mtg and a great night of board games with friends
Four children related core memories - my kids being insightful, creative, loving, and hilarious respectively
There are certainly more that I am not bringing to mind.
pinknezumi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:16:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel as though I don't consciously remember a lot of core memories, because much of what I remember is full of longing and suffering of a child who can't understand why things are the way they are.
Those that I do remember are pieced together in experiences: first, that my father took me to Thrifty's every so often to get ice cream. I always got black cherry, and we would sit on the grubby curb outside the building to finish them. He told me not to tell my mother or brother, that this was our little treat. Years later I found out, he did the same for my brother. And yet, the memories are still the sweetest from my childhood. My father didn't have the educational drive and opportunities that he wanted for me, and I later found out he wasn't a good reader, so to encourage me he would take me to used bookstores and let me purchase whatever I wanted - I have fond memories of that musty, old bookstore smell and weird little candies at the front desk. He would buy me flashlights and batteries so that I could stay up late to read, attempting to hide out my mother's demands for early bed times. And when he took me to college preview day, the emotion I sensed under his words as we walked across the campus impressed upon me more than most things the importance of what I was doing and how it mattered (I was the first in the family to go to college). And so I read, and I did well, and I appreciated my educational opportunities, and so fondly remember the flashlights and books.
On the flipside, the single weirdest but clearest memories I have is of crying alone in my bedroom, hoping that someone notices ... especially my mom. I remember once losing a door to a barbie van, and becoming extremely distressed because I couldn't find it. But nothing, no help. Which seems meaningless, and yet - I was playing alone, as I always did, and I needed help. Even meaningless help. And so many of those crying memories fade into the same emotion after awhile, and I have a feeling those mini movies we remember are boxed away somewhere hard to get at. And I try, and I accept, and understand why I can't convince myself that there is love for me, but I keep trying. By remembering books and flashlights and all the attempts made to do the best one can in the situation they find themselves in.
It's funny now, as an adult, that empathy for what that must have felt like tends to provide understanding, but do little to ease those early, deep hurts. One day.
Why is it that my core memories seem so much more sad? I've got to try to unearth some of the better ones in there, somewhere. It's lovely reading all of these.
Blind_Confidence ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:16:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dancing with my dad to My Girl and anytime we hear it we both stop what we're doing and sing to each other. The first time I found a 4 leaf clover with my SO. I still have it.
NOT_ZOGNOID ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:16:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First crush was on my babysitter. I was 5 and she was 16. Her friend showed me how to eat my eyeball while we were playing with cookie dough/baking cookies.
All of my ex-gfs have similar hair and complexion as that babysitter.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:16:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents taking my sister and me to Disneyland when I was 9 and she was 11.before this trip, we had always vacationed with family friends or extended family. This trip was just us. It's the happiest I've ever been with my immediate family. It was like a TV family from the 90s.
Coming home in sixth grade on a rainy Washington fall day to the smell of my mom's chocolate chip cookies. She left work early to get home to bake for my sister and me. My mom worked my whole life, so where other kids got picked up from school by their moms and had snacks waiting for them after school, my sister and I went home to an empty house. It never bothered me, but those days when she was home waiting for us were special.
My sister convincing me that Tower of Terror was really fun, and I shouldn't be scared. I wanted to back out the whole line wait, but I did anything my older sister did, so I went. She reassured me the whole time. It became our favorite ride and we ride it 3 more times in a row after that.
My dad moving out for good when I was 16.
Kissing my (now) husband for the first time New Year's 2004, and feeling like a giddy school girl, but also like we had kissed a million times before.
My (now) husband buying me the Harry Potter Hogwarts Lego Castle on a rainy February Monday and presenting it to me after work. I had little interest at that moment because I was wet, hungry, and tired. But he asked me to open the box of Legos, so I did begrudgingly, and that's when I found the Tiffany's box and the engagement ring inside. Then he asked if I'd play Legos with him for the rest of our lives. So I said yes.
And my father/daughter dance with my dad on my wedding and him telling me how happy he was for me.
The usual stuff. Mostly good. Some sad.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:17:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first day of kindergarten and my teacher came to pick me up. I don't have a whole lot of memories at that age, but her nails were one of them. I had never seen painted fingernails before and they were so bright red. I stared at them the whole way there.
Before my mother was on medication, there were moments she couldn't properly express herself correctly. I took a toy off a high bookshelf to play with. My mom saw me with the toy and flipped out. She started chasing me with a belt (our usual punishment thing) but this time I ran away. You don't run away from Asian moms or you just make it that much worse, so she got angrier. I was running cause she didn't realize she had the wrong end of the belt in her hand and I wanted to get away from the buckle. My dad came home right at that time and turtled all around me until she realized what was happening.
We had this backyard neighbor with a really smart Dalmatian. He never let it out of it's back yard or really did anything with him, so it dug holes everywhere, cause it was bored. That man beat that dog for doing so. Pretty much all our neighbors have called animal services on him, but never really could do much cause it was still a healthy looking dog. Well, on a dare from my friends, I went to his house, grabbed a brick from the next door construction area, and scraped "Stop beating your dog" into his driveway. Needless to say, we're dumb kids and I did this middle of the day on a weekend. Meaning he just looked out his window and saw me while thinking "this dumb little shit". So police were called. My mother and father told the cops they'd be sure to give me a beating at home. I was shaking in fear the entire way home for my beating. We got home and my parents told me how proud they were of me. And best of all, the dog got taken away from that bastard.
thedudesews ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:17:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Driving away from my grandparents house after spending the summer there, I was 10. My granfather was crying. He was one of the manliest men I knew. He ran a farm with just 2 sons to help, worked on it everyday of his life.
He showed me I can be manly and still have emotions.
Victuz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:17:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
People here have such hard pressing memories. I can't remember a thing looking further back. It's not like I have amnesia or anything, I know there were important moments in my life and I grew by them. But when people talk about important moments like this as if they could still see them I can't help but feel like there is something wrong with the way my memory works. And how I just 'kinda' remember things instead of remembering them precisely.
turkeysock ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:18:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my dad would play System of a Down in the car when I was a kid. I can remember most songs perfectly.
I miss him.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:18:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In high school I was part of a FIRST Robotics team for the 4 years. Traveled the states to compete in regional competitions. The weeks of staying at the academy until midnight building the robot and everything else for the team, and weeks spent in hotels with the team. Sweet memories of the school board fussing over our "offensive" team name to the local Italian community, wearing the badass team Italian mafia attire complete with fedora, and placing high in competition. You know that feeling when you look at the crowd in the arena, hear them erupt in chants for your team, and are wearing your team trademarks. And the announcer's commentary booming into a "Team 1652 The Robot Mafiaaaaaa!"
Graduating high school. A sad memory. Leaving behind friends that were underclassmen. It was also the last year that the academy was doing FIRST Robotics. Going through that final year knowing it was to end with our class. The school director determinded it was best to end the legacy on a high note. That year, 2011, the team placed very respectable in two midwest regionals and held a special celebration just before graduation. I was tasked with creating a YouTube video to recap the team's past 4 years since I was the main PR member and had built a vast video archive. I did and we played it on that night when we retired our fedoras and the team banner. 5 years later I still watch it and cry.
This one ranks the highest. I found my husband through that robotics team and we are still together years later. I am not the same girl he knew back then. Sometimes I worry that I changed for the worse and make mistakes. All I know is that he puts up with me and I love him.
When I was a kid I remember my Dad taking me to the local dirt race tracks every Saturday night to watch sprint cars and others race. My Grandpa would come too until he could no longer walk yet he still talked about the races and read the Midwest Racing newspaper. My Grandpa died talking about racing. I stopped going when I started high school because I was dating and doing robotics. That probably hurt my Dad a lot since he'd go by himself from then on.
At age 17 getting a phone call that Grandpa was on his death bed and about to pass. I couldn't bring myself to go. At the time I wanted to be with my love. Looking back I was cold hearted by death. Not sure if I should have gone.
Walking out on my first job that was not family business. Worked at this place through high school and a little into college. They treated me like garbage. When I finally found a new job, I quit on the spot and walked. That was so satisfying.
At age 12 I vividly remember my racing career coming to an adrupt end when I slammed into the wall at Rockford Speedway. I had just competed in the Nationals event and placed 4th in the A-Main feature. I was extracted from the race car with a head and neck injury when using a wrong sized and improperly adjusted Bulter-Built seat. My then Simpson Racing head and neck restraint system did its job but the seat caused my helmet to hit the halo bar on the roll cage. Dale Earnhardt had died not too long ago from a similar crash in NASCAR and at the time the push for improved driver safety gear was mad.
Getting my motorcycle. Nothing can explain the freedom and road rash.
irishspuds ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:19:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My brother and me floating across an area on this lake from our campground to the beach and back. He told me "let's never forget this moment. Remember it forever." I have.
When my Uncle was in the hospital before he passed away. He was dillusional and talking nonsense. He looked over at me and said "Oh hey! It's IrishSpuds!" and he smiled and laughed. I had to leave the room and cry the hardest I've ever cried in my entire life. He never had a lot of money and he would always give out scratch off's with Christmas presents, etc. I like to give them out in his honor now.
When I married my wife. One of the best days of my life. The honeymoon has a lot of good memories too. Just us two enjoying Jamaica and each other.
The births of both of my daughters. Magical moments for sure. Unlike anything else I've experienced.
Getting MVP during peewee football because of tackles. My bigger brother was there and I remember feeling like a king.
A lot of my best friends moving away. Happened more often than it should.
At the local festival, a guy had a LAN set up and charged something like $5 an hour. He was running HL: Opposing Force. This began my love of multiplayer FPS.
These are just a few, but some of the first to come to mind so pretty important ones.
ArenasThrewMyScooter ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:19:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first day of high school, when i went through the door to my classroom and saw a bunch of people I knew but didn't know too well and we ended up growing together and I made some of my strongest bonds with some of those guys
I remember seeing this short dark-skinned girl around town and thought she was really cute,I was jealous that my friend knew her and I didn't. Years later we've met, became best friends and I she was/is my first real love
I remembered seeing a scene of 8 mile on TV and being really intrigued by what I was watching, it was really emotional and real for me despite me being like 10 or 12, like a year later I realized I wanted to be a director, after that I discovered hip hop, and after that I realized my financial situation is gonna be a problem for directing and now I'm an upcoming rapper and I'm really good and i still have big artistic goals
fefefirecrackers ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:19:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-Getting my diapers changed when I was oneish.
-Moving into a new house when my sister was born, my dad unpacking the moving truck, and me pooping on my sister's floor; all in the same day. (I was 3)
-Kindergarten with my best new best friend. We met each other when I moved to my new house because he lived across the street from me. Then when we went to school together we had so much fun.
-Moving in the summer between 5-6 grade plus having a fight with my best friend.
-Beating the shit out of someone on my block for treating my sister like shit a year after I moved in.
-My best friend called me after twoish years to hangout and that was the happiest day of my life up to that point.
-Eight grade until the spring of freshman year a bunch of shit happened. My Dads parents died and my mom's grandpa died all within a year. During that time my parents made me break up with my girlfriend because she was bad for me but I didn't see it at the time. So during all that shit I cut and took drugs. I was high on pills everyday to the point of me throwing up and having seizures from being so high. And the day I threw up and had a seizure something clicked I new I had to stop snd I knew I was gonna die if I didn't stop
-Junior year I dated someone for six months until she cheated on me. I loved her so much. I did everything for her. I truly thought I was going to marry her. But she cheated on me and her family got mad at me for some reason. Her friends made me an outcast at school and treated me like shit. So I got drunk as fuck and realized I'm gonna end up accidentally killing myself like before. And during all this my sister went to the hospital for a suicide attempt. Didn't see her for months
SecretBattleship ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:20:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dragging a huge bag to the library so I could fill it with every book that caught my fancy.
Watching my classmate move a desk and then flex his muscles to everyone and realizing that the cute kid I'd had a crush on for years in school was actually dumb and not someone I would get along with. What's best about this is that my current SO is exactly this kind of person but we are extremely compatible.
Refusing to leave one parent's house for the other, being locked in cars so I wouldn't jump out, being held down while receiving shots, running away from school and my parent's houses but never going anywhere too dangerous.
Reading until 3am and hoping my mom wouldn't wake up and see my light on.
Being scared of what everyone else thinks, scared of taking risks, scared of my teachers and scared of my peers, scared of what I would do in life.
abe_vigodas_ghost ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:21:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sad day. Fuck religion
monkwren ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:21:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing Myst with my dad and taking extensive notes on everything in graph paper so we could accurately recreate the puzzles to solve them.
astylishfox ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:21:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-When I was younger my grandfather and I would go golfing. I was terrible (because I was 6 or 7) and I'd get so frustrated. He often told me "If you can't laugh at yourself, you're in deeeep trouble." I used to dislike how he said it, but over the last 20 years I realized how important those words are. He died when I was 13 and for some reason I don't remember it being particularly rough, but I loved him so much and I wish I had gotten to hang out when I was older. There's so much I wish I had asked him.
-When I was really young, my dad would have me help him build cars. It's hard to remember a specific car we worked on, and I never really seemed interested in it, but again, it shaped me so much into wanting to build things with my hands. I'm an accountant now, but I love to do little wood working and metal working projects now, at least until I get a garage of my own.
-My mom took me to London when I was in eighth grade. It was my first time out of the country (not counting mexico since hotels aren't really a cultural experience) and it drove a bug into me to travel. I love traveling now, and am hoping to go back to London next year with my wife to experience it as an adult.
-When I was 14, we found out my uncle, who was the office manager of my dad's business and my mom's brother, had been stealing money from us as well as forging checks in my dad's business's name to various places. He was also, for whatever reason, not paying the taxes on the business; my dad had no idea since my uncle kept paying the penalty fees and keeping it under wraps with the office money until one day when an IRS agent came in and demanded payment. Longer story short, my uncle went to jail and my mom and dad had to work 6-11 every day for months and months to repair the damage done to the business and stave off the IRS. The incident is all the colors these days since my parents' marriage really improved over that time, I grew up a lot, and my core family got stronger, but we lost my extended family in the process. Most of all it instilled in me that no work is too hard to help your kids, and I'm going to try to instill that mindset into my kids for their grandchildren.
Momochichi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:21:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sacrifice Island - I saw my mom and dad come home with our electric piano organ under their arm, having spent all day going door to door trying to sell it, because we needed the money. I didn't realize until that day that they were having a hard time making ends meet; they were very good at keeping it hidden from the kids. Now, whenever my mom asks for something - anything - I give it to her. She doesn't ask for much, and I know I can never repay her for everything she has done for us. (Sadly, my father died before I could give back.)
Loss Island - After his 3rd stroke (and 5th heart attack), my dad was in the ICU, unlikely to ever wake up. I sat with him and held his hand, and promised to take care of my mom and siblings. When his systems crashed, I watched through the gaps in the ICU blinds as the doctors performed chest compressions for 15 minutes. When he was gone, I filled out the personal details on his death certificate.
Guilt Island - I rescued a kitten that couldn't move its hind legs (broken), and couldn't poop on its own. Doctors recommended to euthanize, but I joined forums of pet rescuers who have managed to provide a good quality of life for disabled animals, and I was determined to make it work. After the initial intestinal blockage was removed (via enema), I took the kitty home and did all the expected procedures - meds, expressing the poop and pee, and so much cleaning up. I kept reassuring the kitty "I gotchu, you're safe, I gotchu." But then after days of very good progress, she started vomiting, and having diarrhea. I spent the night with her at the vet, crying my eyes out as she got progressively weaker, and had seizuers. When I finally admitted she couldn't live, I took her to another clinic (that performed euthanasia), but she died while I was signing the euthanasia waiver. I later found out that her likely cause of death was a laxative overdose. I wasn't careful with her doses, because I thought it was harmless, and my stupidity killed her, after all those promises of "I gotchu, you're safe."
Sorry my core memories are all downers. Sadness is apparently my main driving emotion.
Tintar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:21:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jaci_D ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
when i was a little girl maybe 4yo my dad took me out at our farmhouse and started to teach me how to shoot a gun. (i lived in the city, a nice part) `and just tiny tiny me with a little .22 shooting at soda cans.
qcop42 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
getting fucked by my Dad
xkcd123 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-I have a really hazy memory of when I was really really young sitting in my stroller and munching on a piece of some really good bread. Every time I eat some really good bread I think of that.
-running around our living room pretending to ride motorcycles with my brother while Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell blared on the stereo.
-asking my best friend out to prom junior year. Most nervous I've been my whole life. -tripping waaaay to hard on acid one night in college and deciding that day it was time for me to start moving away from drugs -driving back from the shelter after picking up my dog, she laid her head in my lap the whole way home. -talking to my brother after finding out my fiancรฉe was cheating on me. Worst conversation of my life but also oddly one of the most comforting.
Keytrun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe its because I saw a video of it and my brain tries to draw the connections, but somehow I remember smashing my face into my chocolate cake as my family sang happy birthday to me when I was 2 years old.
ThePurdude ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Most of my core memories is of my mom and dad beating the shit out of me.
My earliest memory was being beaten when I was 3 years old. I know I was 3 because we lived in a high-rise at that age. I remember every detail of that room to a level that surprises my parents and siblings.
Ayekelforjay ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:23:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember with quite a strange amount of clarity
โขSuper Bowl XLI the Chicago Bears, my favorite team, played the Indianapolis Colts. My favorite player to this day is Devin Hester. For those of you who don't know he was the Bears' kick and punt returner, insanely fast with incredible moves. Anyway, in the opening kick off he received the ball right near the goal line. He takes off and veers towards the sideline, every single Colts player behind him and only Dallas Clark, number 44 of the Colts, got close to him. I was jumping up and down screaming "we're gonna win! We're gonna win! We are going to win!" That was actually the only touchdown the Bears scored and they went on to lose that game. I was 10 and had watched Hester at Miami. He inspired me so much.
โขin a different vain, choosing the name of my very first World of Warcraft character. A dwarf warrior, also the first one I maxed out. It took me over an hour to select the name and I remember I tossed out a few like Korthor, Markali and several others. It was a huge deal to me back then.
โขand even before then when I was around 4 my brother read a book to me right before bed. It was a line about how one should be brave even in the face of overwhelming odds. It was from a Redwall book and he always read those to me even until the day he left for the Marines when I was 10 or 11.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:23:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nothing. After I age past a certain point I forget most of everything. MY earliest re-callable memories are from my teens.
thejustducky1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:23:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-My parents' messy divorce when I was 4.
-Various childhood abuse memories: padlocked in my room, padlocked in my closet, tied to my bed, drug down a hall by my hair. Lots of verbal and emotional abuse. -being a 400lb., stinky adolescent with one friend and bullying from hell.
-winning all the art awards in school
-losing 150 lbs. and getting my life together.
-meeting, nearly losing, and marrying my wife.
-moving to a tropical climate across the country
Mokagg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:23:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Finding out I had a half sister (a few months older than me) when I was five, I remember perfectly the day we met and later the realization that our moms had been pregnant at the same time. It also marked the point I stopped trusting my dad for lying to me.
The day I met my now husband, he was the first person I had ever met who had never heard of my hometown (it's a very touristic place) and he tried to show off by speaking a few lines of german, not knowing I had studied the language for a couple of years.
My first solo as a dancer, the thrilling experience of being on stage.
The first time I said 'I love you' to a person without knowing if he felt it too (he didn't).
The moment I decided not to kill myself, things did got better, much better.
The talks with my grandmother about her life and the family, and realizing how much my mom had to sacrifice to raise me by herself.
The day I realized my best friend is my best friend, by me wanting to go in one of my crazy adventures and knowing she would be the only one who would go with me.
When I dyed my hair bright pink at 16 and proved I'm not such a 'good girl' after all.
The first time a book made my cry by showing me how evil humans can be.
Unreal_Banana ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:23:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I am sad, I don't have memories.
I don't remember going out to dinner, I don't remember the presents i got, i don't remember how happy my parents were seeing me and my sister do something.
I don't remember my first kiss, who it was with, what it was like, i don't remember anything before my 16th.
I don't even remember my dad's face. Reading this thread makes me sad and incredibly happy at the same time. i know i had a good past but i'm so jealous of people being able to relive them.
pxlwlkr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:23:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My older cousin telling me that it's ok to take life a little slower than others if it helps you out in the long run.
acoustic1214 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:24:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm in junior high. I was sitting at the "geek" table during lunch. It was your typical set up...video game kids at one table, football team at one, quiet kids at another, etc. While I was sitting there, one of the kids from the "popular" table came over and asked if I wanted to sit with them. Me, being the naive kid I was at the time, happily agreed. So, I went over to their table and as I was about to sit down, unbeknownst to me, the kid next to my seat had put a tray filled with ketchup, mustard, ranch, barbecue sauce and mayo onto my seat, and they all forced me to sit in it. I had to wait until my Dad picked me up so I could go home to change. The following week, I come home to find a combo pull-up bar/bar dip machine in the garage. My dad is waiting for me. He tells me, "Over the course of the summer, every day, you and I are gonna be using this. We're gonna make sure those kids who bullied you don't ever do that again." I came back to 8th grade with muscle and the bullying stopped.
Working at the International Arrivals area with the airline when the Underwear Bomber happened. That was one hell of a day at the office
My mom playing piano for my brother and I at night to help us go to sleep
Having my debut in theater being the lead role. Never been so nervous in my life, but it was the start of my performing arts career in jr high/high school
Hearing my dad and older brother get into very loud verbal arguments nightly when we were teenagers and me just hiding in my room until it stopped
Seeing fireworks during the city picnic every year
Visiting my cousins up north and just being in awe of how many stars you can see when there's no light polution
My dad having me listen to George Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words You Can't Say On Television"...when I was eight.
My aunt taking my brother and I to see every Disney movie that was released in the theaters multiple times per movie
Getting up early every Saturday morning for cartoons until about noon
laurathepikachu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:24:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The smell of my grandfather's pickup truck (tobacco and lollipops)
The distinct sound of my father unlocking the door and enthusiastically greeting the dogs after working all day
Getting a kitten for my fourth birthday: I named her Jingles, immediately decided that her favorite color was blue, and then spent hours playing with her with one of those paddles that had a bouncy ball attached with a string (it had charmander on it)
Chewing on my butterfly necklace at the hospital the day my younger sister was born while my grandmother and father told me what a good big sister I was going to be
Listening to Linkin Park while playing video games with my older brother: I was 8 or 9, and he was about 14 or 15 and going through his angsty phase. We always played 007 Nightfire or Crash Bandicoot Crash Cart on his PS2
Finding a used condom in the woods near my house with a friend, calling my dad to tell him that we thought we found drugs, and him coming to find us and then explaining to us what a condom is (we were 10)
Leaving camp in the middle of staff training of my first summer as a camp counselor because my grandfather was in the hospital. He had a kidney infection, was on a lot of pain meds, and refused to eat anything. He and I had a really close relationship. I got him to eat a hot dog "with all the fixins" and laughed as he kicked his sheets in the air and told me there were "spooks" in the hospital.
6 months later when I went to visit him in the hospital again on my way to the Christmas party for summer camp staff. He'd had a stroke the night before and couldn't speak. When I was little, we would squeeze each other's hands three times in a row to say "I love you." It was our sweet little secret. Before I left, I told him I loved him, and he squeezed my hand three times. He passed away 4 hours later.
jackster_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:24:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My brother putting a picture he had drawn against my grandpa's cheek while he was in his coffin.
My first panic attack. We were in 4th grade and learning about salmon spawning. We had to go through an obstacle course that included running through some double Dutch jumpropes. I was fine until I got to the jump ropes, then utter terror set in.
My ex boyfriend falling down the side of our 4 story apartment building, holding his skull together, screaming for someone to call 911. Kissing him and trying to hold his life force in with the power of my mind, telling him I loved him, and that he couldn't die. Then hearing him say my name in the ambulance and the rush of relief I had.
My son finally coming out all slimy and being put on my belly, eyes wide open. The overwhelming love I felt at that very moment was something I will never forget.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:24:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Late to the thread but here goes:
Nearly drowning in a lake and doing it about five more times
Nearly falling down two different mountain and two friends running down from the top to save me. Side note, I later wrote a story for school about this.
My first time listening to a Beatles song. (I'm actually listening to "All Things Must Pass" right now)
The day my sister got expelled from school
The day my sister got accepted back into school
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:24:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
1) Tearing my arm open on a fence.
2) Spitting my head open on playground equipment, and the woman screaming at my father over tennis court reservations while he tried to stop the bleeding.
2) Visiting my grandfather in the hospital and seeing the stitches from where they removed his cancerous lung shortly before he died.
3) Looking at my great aunt in has casket.
4) When my other grandpa died.
5) The nurse yelling at me for playing on a waiting room table while we were waiting for my first niece to be born when I was in 3rd grade.
6) Going back to school 9 days later--because I couldn't bear to be at home--when that niece died on the way to the operating room for a heart transplant, and wanting to cry over my cookie at the class Easter Party that day.
7) Holding my second niece when they would finally let us (she was 3 months premature).
8) The artist at a comic con that told me my art was shit when I was in the 7th grade, which killed my dream of being a comic book artist.
9) Getting shot at in Venezuela.
10) The day my daughter was born.
11) the day my marriage ended because my ex-wife chose another man over me.
12) and upcoming for both my daughter and I, a new core memory: when her mom moves across the country, leaving her behind with me.
edit: oh yeah, and between 9 and 10: the day my father and I went to visit my grandmother in the hospital soon before she die, there are two: One was when my dad left me in the room with her to go talk to the doctor, and I was in a hurry to go see my girlfriend, but my grandmother looked at me and said, "Don't go, I'm so scared," even though she probably didn't know who I was anymore (dementia is a hell of a thing). a few days later, when we went to visit her again, and she thought that my father and I were priests coming to give her last rights... she was protestant.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:25:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sneaking out at around 8 years old to go for a joy ride with my brother in laws baby brother. He had a hunter green with tan rag top 1998 mustang gt. One of the best memories I have of my late brother.
Finding out I have lyme disease around the same age. I was at the gym at the local high school. My sister playing a basketball game when the doctor called my mom. And crying my eyes out in the lobby with my mom and sister because I had such high bands they had to report it to the cdc.
When I met my best friend and ex fiance. I was signing up for my freshman year of high school. He was dating a acquaintance of mine and I saw his bright blue eyes and knew that my life was going to change. Funny thing is he said the same thing about my eyes lol.
kmosieur ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:25:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In kindergarten, one of my best friends at the time peeing on a tree at recess. Didn't even get caught or anything. Moved schools a year later and never saw him again. Same year, some bitch put mulch in a frisbee and dumped it down the back of my shirt. Same year, stole a fake shell off a shelf at nap time for some reason. I oddly remember a girl in my class sucking her thumb at nap time also. Same year, we would pick up stones at recess and find grubs under them, and play with them. Same year, there was a kid I hated named Sebastian. We were going down a slide and when he landed on the ground he stepped on a caterpillar, which gave me even more reason to hate him. I don't remember much from any of my other years, but fuck Sebastian.
Patwhite293 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:25:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All my vivid memories are sad, I feel like it's why I became so involved in charity work.
jeli13 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There was an easter celebration in kindergarten and for the first time ever, I had a slice of bread with butter and chives on top. I have no idea why that was so special to me but I remember that very distinctly and I thought that was the best thing ever. Also in kindergarten i discovered my love for tomato soup with tiny meatballs.
When my front tooth was almost falling out at age 6 or 7, my mom wanted to pull it out because it was already loose. I was scared it would hurt so I cried and wouldn't let her pull it out and she got mad at me for that. I went to my grandma who consoled me and fed me some apple. The tooth came right out.
Lots of memories of my cousin who is the closest thing I have to a sister (I'm an only child). We would play Sailor Moon with the other kids in the neighborhood and play board games and I was a sore loser so I'm sure I was really annoying. Also our grandma always telling us to speak croatian instead of german so she could understand us.
Spending a month at a health resort with my mom and my dad sending me letters on Diddl (a comic mouse) stationery. They were fighting at the time and almost split up.
Summer holidays in Croatia.
petitgordi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was little, my mom was in a bad car accident and was in the hospital through the holidays. Little 4 year old me was very concerned about Santa finding me, as I was staying at my grandma's house. My grandma had someone dressed as Santa stop by so she could tell him I would be there at Christmas, and I got to "accidentally" see her letting him know.
bicyclegeek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Graduating from Army Airborne School, having my grandfather's wings pinned on my chest and blooded.
My father pouring a glass of milk and a glass of Tang over my head (because I couldn't decide on which to have), and punching me in the face before going back to bed. I was three.
My first-ever report card with straight A's. First quarter of my freshman year of college.
Realizing my stock portfolio and options combined were worth slightly over $1M. This was during dot-com bubble 1.0. Not even a year later, the combined value was around $15K. Easy come, easy go.
My first glimpse of the capitol building in St. Paul while behind the wheel, moving back home from Philly in 2002.
FilHeights ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 8 I was watching warmups right before a Royals baseball game, they were playing against the Seattle Mariners. I was watching my all time favorite player Ken Griffey Jr. play long toss. He must of noticed me because he came over to the wall I was standing behind and asked me if I played baseball. I was so in shock that it took me awhile to just nod my head yes. He laughed and held his fist out to knuckle bump me. As he was leaving he said ,"Outfields where the allstars play". I played Centerfield and wore #24 for the rest of my baseball years.
The first time my dad let me drive the truck. I was 10 and I just sat on his lap and steered while he had his foot on the gas. We were listening to an oldies station on the radio and "Under the boardwalk" was playing.
When our old farmhouse burnt down. It was a Sunday morning and it was in the middle of winter. My dad was still in the house trying to fight the fire before the firefighters got there. My mom and I were outside in the freezing cold and she was sitting on the ground crying. Finally we see my dad come out of the house and he runs over to us and we hug for what feels like forever.
When me and three other friends drove 18 hours straight to Panama City, FL for spring break. My one friend and I had the night shift and for the first couple of hours we just drove and had brief small talk conversations. However, things totally changed after we had finished our second Kickstand energy drink. We had Spotify on shuffle and began to jam out to every single song that came on. Songs included "Easy" Rascal Flatts, "Let Me Love You" Mario, "Rock and Roll All Night" Kiss "Something Like That" Tim McGraw and "Trap Queen" Fetty Wap. MOST FUN AND HILARIOUS NIGHT IN A CAR EVER.
GenericMale21 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:27:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad took me to one of my first Detroit Red wings (NHL) game when I was younger. We went to Old Shillelagh in Greektown before the game, where he proceeded to get 2 bud lights while I had my hand on him the whole time. It was packed, but for 7 year old me, it was awesome to see the buzz of the bar and how excited everyone was. The smile on his face is something I'll never forget.This would be the second year of back to back Stanley cups for the Wings and my first glimpse into the sports world.
Fast forward 15 years, I'm working full time and able to split season tickets for the Detroit Lions (NFL) with my dad. That same smile from 15 years ago was still there, but this time I was 22 and was able to have a beer with him.
My dad past away last year at age 50 due to an awful battle with cancer. I'll keep my Lions season tickets for the rest of my life as tribute to my dad and hopefully pass them on to my kids someday. RIP dad, miss you like crazy.
veRGe1421 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:27:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time as a little kid that I made a kip on high bar in a gymnastics routine was at a meet, and I remember stopping in the middle of the routine and looking up at my parents in the stands. My dad, who was also a gymnast, was on his feet beaming and clapping, with my mom smiling next to him. I don't even remember how I did that day at the meet, or what the judges said about the routine. I didn't care.
My first teenage love, Sam, whom I was head over heels for, had some mental health problems. Namely, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and self-harm. We were 15. After a summer of hanky panky, spending far too long talking on the phone each day, sneaking out at night to meet in our neighborhood, etc. I received a cryptic text message late one evening. She had been cutting, but something was off. It wasn't the usual release she sought, but something more serious. Her words were more final. She didn't respond, so I snuck out and sprinted to her house. I have never run a mile as fast as I did that night. I arrived to see her on the floor of the kitchen, arms bloody, barely conscious. She had swallowed a bunch of pills, and she could hardly speak. I woke her mom and called an ambulance, crying hysterically the entire time. The proceeding weeks she was in an inpatient psychiatric unit for group and individual counseling for self-harm and psychological assessment. Anywho, this was in 2004. Fast forward to today, and she has two beautiful kiddos, is an RN with a bachelors degree, and although I am in a different relationship and very happy, it brings me joy to see her succeed and smile. Also, I'm in my 4th year as a doctoral student in school psychology, and that interest I believe stemmed from my relationship with Sam.
I moved to Germany for one year in college, and my parents came to visit me about 6 months in. I'll never forget meeting my folks at the train station and taking them to their hotel and dinner. I was interacting with the hotel staff and restaurant staff, ordering for them, introducing them to my German roommates, asking questions, etc. and to see the proud looks on their faces as I translated or just assimilated into this environment was something I am really proud of. They seemed genuinely impressed that I could communicate with them and had become so comfortable in that foreign environment.
Preemptive memory, but I can guran-fucking-tee you that
ifwhen I finish this PhD in 1-2 years, that moment will be on this list.C4NT1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:27:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
saloabad ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:27:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
memories that always bring a nostalgic smile
the first time I had a chocolate-I was round 2, I remember everything cristal clear
running after my school bus for like a 2 blocks after I missed it-the driver waited for me after he noticed a crazy kid running in the sidewalk
climbing our avocado tree and sitting at the top while contemplating the beautiful volcanos that surround my beautiful city
bonus memory
the first time I rode a roller coaster...was scared as shit but afterwards they created a monster...fucking love it, the scarier, the better.
ca990 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:27:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mostly just people dying and sadness.
vietbond ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:28:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
*Looking up from my crib and seeing a large Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal on top of our dresser. I was probably 2.
*Waking up in the middle of the night and watching naked people swimming and getting caught by my parents. I was 3.
*Playing a video game for the first time at my neighbors house. It was Tank for the Atari. I was 4.
*The Challenger explodes on television as I'm getting ready for school. I loved the space shuttle. I was 7 and crushed.
*Father drives us home from a party so drunk that my mother had to keep nudging him to stay awake. She couldn't drive stick shift.
*Opening my NES on Christmas day. I was maybe 9.
*Father drags me across the house and into the backyard by my hair, then scruffs me into the floor to show me the spot in the dirt that I missed when watering the lawn. It was 7 am on a Sunday morning and my cousins had stayed the night, so I rushed to go back inside and play.
*Got Super Mario Bros 2 for Christmas when I was 10. I wanted it so bad and it was the most hyped game at the time and I can't believe I got it.
*My father moved out of the house. I was relieved. I was 11.
*Father comes over so drunk to spend Christmas Eve with us. Sleeps in my room and throws up everywhere. Leaves next morning and I have to clean it up.
*My first tongue kiss in a movie theater with a girl who I adored. Established a physical archetype of short haired brunettes with lithe bodies. I was 13.
TheShmurph ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:28:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A phone number. I have no idea whose it is and I've never called it but I've always had a phone number memorized for as long as I can remember.
BlacktoseIntolerant ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:28:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I made a homemade birthday card for my mom, but didn't want her to know it was from me. So, I made it from "The Handbook Company" and managed to slip in in our apartment mailbox. No envelope, no stamp ... nothing that any obvious piece of mail would have, but I was seven, how the hell would I know. She retrieves the card, reads it over, and asks me "Have you ever heard of this company? I'd like to thank them, because this is the most wonderful card I've ever received. Grab the yellow pages and see if you can find them."
I quietly beamed inside as I scoured the yellow pages for a company I knew didn't exist. When our search came up empty, she just stood there, confused look on her face, and said "Well, whoever they are, they must really love me because someone hand made me a card just for my birthday."
Knowing I had just scammed my mother, and seeing how happy she was, I never confessed. Never piped up, "Haha! It was me all along!" I let her live the rest of her life believing that this small company, "The Handbook Company", remembered her birthday and went out of their way to inform her.
Then one day, a few years ago, when I was playing with my daughter, that memory came roaring back out of nowhere ... and I simply thought, "Damn ... well done Mom." I wish I could tell her I figured it all out. Miss you mom.
uhso ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:28:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Putting pillows over me and my sisterโs head as we roll off our beds
My mom running into my room, lifted the lid of my radio (it's one of those old ass radios) and broke my Simple Plan CD in half
My mom and my sister had a huge fight, my mom slammed the toilet door and cried. I stood outside my momโs door crying and apologizing on behalf of my sister so they would stop fighting.
Everytime I finish pre-school, I would have a lady that drives me back home. There's always a ginger candy laid down on the dashboard for me. It tasted shit but I didnt want to be impolite.
Crying on my momโs lap when my dad went to Laos for work
Eating grapes listening to Loverโs Tears after my first break up
Listening to Loverโs Tears with my mom in the car outside my house because she told me she listened to that song incessantly when my grandmother died. Here's the link to that song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gydkNCJK6sw
Hugging this guy (my now S/O, we started out as a one night stand) the morning after really tightly because I thought I won't see him again.
onthpitch77 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:28:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day that my son was born, the pregnancy went well, my wife had no issues, the doctors did not indicate any problems at birth. After my wife was in labor for about 18 hours the time had come, we find out that he had scraped the vaginal wall on the way out, had the umbilical cord tied around him, came out purple and not breathing. Sent him straight to the NICU and I thought I was never going to hold my son. After two hours he was transferred to a hospital with a bigger, better NICU but I couldn't travel in the ambulance with him, they told me I had to wait an hour before leaving. At this point my wife was still in post-labor mode but couldn't leave the hospital. I had to leave at midnight from the hospital where he was born and drove about 35-45 minutes to get to the other hospital, when he got there he was sleeping and his vitals were fine. That was the first time I'd ever been in a NICU, the first time I'd seen premature babies, and it was such a surreal experience. It was such an emotional night for me because my wife was worried, our families were worried and I was nearly devastated, but I had to stay strong for my wife and our families. After a week in the NICU my son is doing great and is developing at an alarmingly fast rate, haha. It changed my perspective on so many things and it made me realize that I wasn't really as stoic as I thought I was, and that I really was capable of much more emotion that I thought.
RemyRemjob ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:28:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going to my Uncles house for the summer of 8th grade. We played Halo 3 Griffball basically the whole time.
Riding on a jetski with my grandfather and us getting flipped after hitting a wave sideways, about a quarter mile off the coast of Surfside Beach. We had to wade it in.
Being a very awkward 6th grader and trying to kiss a girl for the first time. Our noses smashed into each other and ruined the experience.
rednblue525252 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:28:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
New to kindergarden, some redhead guy says he will beat me up the next day. I get home and report that to my mom and she recommends not to respond and to let him bore himself out. Report the same to my grandma and she said "just punch him in the face", which I did the next morning. A few days later, I go to the bathroom and cut off my finger because of the door, blood everywhere, my screams reached to the other end of the school.
fey1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:29:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-racing my cousins on big wheels down the huge hill in my maternal grandparents' backyard -surrounded by toys on Christmas morning -epic snowball fight with my horde of cousins on Christmas eve -yearly trips to Six Flags--roller coasters! -fishing
TraleLewous1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:29:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Two stick out immediately
โข When I was probably around 8 I was at my local pool and was doing underwater summersaults, something my friends and I often did. I did so many consecutively that I became disoriented. When I finally needed to swim to the surface for air I found I was trapped and could not break the surface of the water, after what seemed like an eternity I realized in a panic I was pressing against the bottom of the pool, I swam the opposite direction and finally broke free. Although I was a varsity swimmer in high school to this day I am still haunted by this ordeal every time I submerge in deep water.
โข One month before my 18th birthday I suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. I lost all movement and vision on the left side of my body, while I have overcome most of these deficits overtime, when I was in rehab after the incident and could still barely walk or see to the left of my nose my doctors told me it was normal to have feelings of depression about my condition and situation as they warned me that the effects of the stroke could be permanent. It was then even under the gravity of the situation that I decided I would not fall victim to depression in my situation and would stay positive on my recovery no matter how slow it would be. I worked hard in physical therapy to regain movement, the ability to walk again, and eventually my independence. Throughout the process I was often asked by friends and family how I could be so positive through such a horrible situation, and I would respond "what choice do I have". To me there was no other option but to be positive and optimistic about my therapy and recovery. In the end I had a fairly quick recovery, and besides some peripheral vision loss and loss of feeling in my left leg I made a full recovery. That optimism and perseverance got me through those long months and have continued to guide the rest of my life.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:29:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) Summer camping trips the whole family took. I'm talking like 14 kids and 6 adults. The bonfires we held every night at the shore of the lake. The countless adventures we had with my cousins and siblings.
2) My uncle dying of cancer. He was like a father to me, he had taken care of me since I was a baby, and I felt as safe with him as I felt when I was with my dad.
3) Getting in my preferred school, later than everyone else, after believing I had no chance, as I started studying for the exam very late.
4) Being kicked out of said school at 14.
5) Meeting my best friend at 15 in a new school, and the moment I realized that she was my best friend.
6) Meeting my first ever real boyfriend, and thinking that he wasn't so cute. Then getting to know him and fall in love with him. Loosing my virginity to him. The nights we spent just talking and gazing at the stars.
7) First day of college. It was like being in school all over again, I felt tiny, inexperienced and a bit silly.
8) The feeling I had for a year after breaking up with my first boyfriend.
9) Every saturday night of 2014, we went out a lot with my group of friends and I just remember us dancing, all twenty of us together.
10) My mom and I watching Game of Thrones together every sunday.
11) Reading Harry Potter for the first time.
12) Getting my first tattoo.
13) The concerts I've been to. Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters, Joan Jett, Cage The Elephant, Boom Boom Kid. Every second of them plastered in my mind.
14) Meeting my current SO. Realizing that we were planning a future together. Actively planning a future together. Currently working to save to move in with him.
15) People laughing at me when I was a child because I had mucous constantly. Turns out it was allergies.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:30:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Standing in my backyard and seeing my dad standing next to the sunflowers he grew in the middle of the vegetable garden - they were almost nine feet tall.
Being in the Tennessee aquarium and watching a diver get bit on the shoulder by an small, impatient shark waiting for food. The diver grabbed the shark by the tail and whipped it away.
Sitting in my kitchen Facebook messaging my then-soon-to-be boyfriend, and he asked me out. Shot up out of my seat screaming.
Skinny dipping at night in the Atlantic. Plankton were glowing around us, like sparks in the ocean. The waves were brutal, and we almost got caught, trying not to giggle where we were hiding in the dunes.
Rebellious1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:30:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being 6-7 years old, out in my back yard with two of my cousins, green lipstick painted on like war paint, jumping as high as we could on the huge trampoline. Getting tired and walking to the berry bushes on the fence, then back to the trampoline.
The day my father served my mother divorce papers, and the shit storm that followed.
My grandma cheering from the ground as I zoomed down the slide yelling "Fly like the wind Mina!"
Finishing my motorcycle endorsement class.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:30:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was age 3 or 4 it was the mid 1980's. I used to wait under the big tree next to our apartment building for my dad to get home from work. He walked to and from work, the store was only 1/2 mile away. He would come over to the tree and we would sing songs. "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot was my absolute favorite that he would sing. That tree is still there, and I took dad to a Gordon Lightfoot show for father's day a few years ago. Good times!
Badoor11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:31:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think I was 5 or 6, my dad and I were play wrestling in the shallow end of our pool (my head could barely rech the surface while standing) all of a sudden my dad grabs me and pushes me down to the bottom of the shallow end, he then puts his foot on my chest so I cant move, my initial thoughts were, did I make him mad? Why is he doing this? What's happening right now? All while yelling underwater. I thought he was trying to drown me or something, then he quickly pulled me back to the surface and calmly looked at me and said, alright 7abeeby (arabic term of endearment, the seven is not a typo) this time I'm going to do that again, but don't panic and try to get out of that situation, then he nodded at me with confidence, I nodded back and remember thinking Something like "let's do this" and he proceeded to do the same thing, this time I didn't freak out, I grabbed his foot and twisted it one way while I moved my body the opposite direction and got out, when I surfaced my dad looked at me and said great job, always remember panic is what gets people in trouble, whatever situation you have in your life, NEVER panic. Think your way out. Till this day I havent panicked in life threatening situations.
Never forgot it
TLDR; thought my dad was drowning me, turns out he was teaching me a valuable life lesson and ensured I would remember it.
Also just want to say my dad is awesome and loves us more than anything, he always shares his wisdom and growing up I likened him to Mufasa a lot haha
vlgro ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:31:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad and I went camping together when I was probably 11, just the two of us. We had a tent and everything. In the middle of the night, a huge storm came through and the river started flooding. We woke up to the tornado sirens going off and laughed and laughed as we hurriedly packed up the truck and went home. I normally am terrified of storms but having my dad there and the silliness of the situation makes me happy.
I used to be so ashamed of my dad. He was about 200 lbs overweight, had a scruffy beard that would put Willie Robertson to shame, has some embarrassing tattoos, and would bring an air horn to any sporting event. It makes me sad that I once was embarrassed of him. Thinking back to when he walked me down the aisle, how he had lost 100 lbs and shaved his beard just to look good in my wedding pictures, makes me so proud of him.
The excitement and joy I felt opening my acceptance letter to nursing school.
The saddest I have ever been is after I realized I hurt my mom's feelings when I was 13. We were eating at Red Robin and I made a comment about how she sucked as a parent because her parents died when she was young (not in those exact words). She immediately started crying, left the restaurant, and sat in the car while my dad asked the waiter if we could get our food to go. I'm crying now just thinking about how much of a little shit I was.
My scariest moment is waking up during surgery and being 99.9% certain it was because I was dying.
My overall best memory is the way my husband showed me unconditional love after I failed a test in nursing school. He ordered two practice question books and helped me study every single night for the rest of the semester to make sure I bounced back from the F. I ended the semester with a B+. He never griped about the boring content (psychiatric nursing) or complained about being tired the next morning. His support for my success is overwhelming.
JustDroppinBy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:31:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Grandpa taking my friend's and I to the pool in the summer at 2:00 PM for two hours, and when it was time to leave he'd always let me swim a full extra lap no matter how long I tried to make it take.
zahndaddy87 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:31:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Mom reading The Giving Tree to me. I didn't understand till I got older that she was talking about herself...
BossyMare ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:32:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 3, I had a toy shopping cart that I would put all my favorite stuffed animals in. It was my most favorite thing, and I was apparently so proud to push it around on the sidewalks outside my house. One of the older neighbor kids took it from me, and shoved it down the sidewalk. As our house was on the top of the hill, all I can remember was watching my beloved shopping cart sail away down the street with all my best friends, while I wailed despondently.
When I look back at this, I feel so sad for little me. Three is a pretty young age to learn that everything that you love can be taken from you in a heartbeat. Yes I got everything back, but I don't remember that part.
mkhpsyco ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:32:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
in 4th grade, deciding to talk to the loner who spent recesses walking around a pole in the field talking to himself, when everyone else said he was just "some loser" (we're best friends to this day)
(not a specific time but...) all the countless Saturday Mornings that I woke up early just to get my 5 hours of cartoons, since we didn't have cable.
my mom telling me for the 10th time to put my copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets away, only to finally realize when I finally got to my room, she had secretly swapped it for Prisoner of Azkaban as a surprise.
using old report card money to go and buy goldeneye for the N64 the same day that my mom said she didn't like the game and wanted us to take it back to our friends house. The moment she realized she had no control over us any more.
sitting in the car with my older brother while he showed me all his favorite punk bands that my mom wouldn't have approved of me listening to
sitting on the grass in the rain, embracing my crying best friend, when he found out his mom died
I had a couple friends come visit me, took them 4 hours to get to where I live. I was in the middle of an instance in WoW, and wanted to finish it. My mom came downstairs surprised and asked why I was still on the computer when my friends have just been sitting there waiting for me. I looked at the clock and realized it had been two hours since they arrived. I immediately told my party sorry, and turned off the game. I never went back to playing WoW.
having very open conversations with my dad from high school age and on about my feelings on the Mormon church and him respecting my opinions and even telling me about his doubts. I don't think I'd have left the church years later if I didn't have that trust with my dad.
ozymandiaa ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:32:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Being terrified of a tarantula that crawled out of my younger brothers' closet as I was sleeping on their floor while my room was being painted at about 5
The scary, "monster hand" dream I had over and over throughout childhood and young adulthood
Sitting on the fence rail with my dad and eating radishes with salt straight from the garden
Cooking my brother's oatmeal on the stove at 8, because my mom was too depressed to get up and get us ready for school
Finding out that my house had burnt down the first day of my two week stay visiting my grandparents, but not being told til I was getting ready to leave for the airport; the smell of it when we went and saw it after my parents picked me up. It burnt down on my 8th birthday.
Fishing in Baton Rouge with my dad when we were stuck there for a week whole his truck got fixed.
Waking up at 5:37am, Mother's Day 1996 and telling my dad that my grandpa was dead. The phone ringing 20 minutes later and my mother telling my dad he had passed away at 5:37am.
My dad's mental breakdown
My dad pulling my pants down, making me stand on a chair, and whipping me with a switch til all the leaves fell off as my brothers ate dinner at 10 or 11
My dad telling me at 11 that my mother was a whore and he wasn't my real father
My mom and I coming home from my grandparent's after Thanksgiving and finding that my dad had took off to SoCal wirh my 3 brothers after stealing all the money my mom had given him to pay bills, and living for 2 weeks in our house with no electricity and our house about to become for closed on.
Realizing my mom would kill herself if I went to live with my dad and brothers at 12.
Being forced to leave my dog, Tank, with my dad after a visit at 12, finding out months later that he ran away the next time the gate was open to find me and never came back.
Falling in love with my best friend at 13, our first kiss 3 years later when he came home from being in a group home after burning down his ex girlfriend's house.
My first kiss with the love of my life at 20.
Finding out he was cheating on me and chose her over me.
The day I found out I was pregnant
6/4/11: the day I tried to commit suicide and ended up in a mental hospital
Driving back home and reaching the last stretch of the final highway home after 3 years in Mississippi, with the sky full of massive clouds and the sun shining on the freshly wet earth, feeling as if I were coming home.
The day my best friend moved to Cali from Mississippi
Mother's Day 2015: dumping my emotionally abusive boyfriend after 3 years and him screaming at me and blocking me in the house.
The day I realized I was polyamorous
AR53102 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:32:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a baby I had meningitis and I was completely deaf. I started getting my hearing back when I was about 7-8. My mum took me to the doctors and was trying to get me to talk to the doctor with my mouth but I just ignored him and kept signing everything. The doctors thought I was still deaf and hat my mum was going mental. After we left I asked my mum what that was all about and she started shouting at me.
The doctors thought she was shouting at a deaf kid and they separated me and my mum. The doctor said the only way I was going to see my mum again was of I spoke.
DriverisaBitLost ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:32:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 5 my parent's company was sued. One day my parents went to court and a judgement was read not in their favor. That night my mom was crying and handed me a microwaved hot dog for dinner and said, "Sorry this is all we have." Being 5 and not knowing the gravity of the situation all I could think was "OH MY HOT DOGS ARE AWESOME."
used_bryn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:33:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Duke Nukem 3D
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I guess I will join in.
My parents arguing under my dad's car port. They had recently divorced and were usually fighting but always in front of my brother and I. They thought it a good idea to split my brother and I up so I went to live with my mother.
Being handed over every other weekend to my dad at a shopping mall parking lot on Friday to be returned on the following Sunday. Then a trip to McDonalds
Waking up to a random guy knelt over me telling me that I was going to be okay and not to try and move. My mom and I were out and about and some man ran a stop sign and drove into the passenger side of her old yellow Chevy Cavalier. When it flipped over, I was ejected from the car trough the closed sun roof. The car rolled on top of me and had me pinned by the legs.
Getting a bad report card, Jared grabbed it and told everyone I got bad grades and called me stupid. I got laughed at by everyone. Fifth grade sucked so much and getting made fun of became a common occurrence until I no longer gave a shit. Still don't by the way.
Finding out my best friend was in s wreck the night before and in critical condition.
Seeing his mom in the ER waiting room and her crying into my shoulder.
Seeing him in his open casket at the funeral. He didn't look like he normally would due to swelling from his brain injury.
Seeing my future wife at a small college get together. I left but went back to meet her.
Our first night in our new house. We slept on sleeping bags in our bedroom.
Walking in the door after work to a positive pregnancy test
Seeing my first child emerge into this world
There are more but I am at work and my iPhone is annoying.
bishpleese ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first best friend, my older brother. There are countless memories together doing stupid shit, getting into fights and lots of laughs. The kind of laughing that starts to die down and then you look at each other and start all over. We're in our late twenties now and we still have our giggle fit moments.
When I move away from my home town. My father was near destroyed by this but it was what I wanted and he supported my decision. It makes for much better visits when we do go back.
When I met my daughter for the first time. They placed her on my chest and she stopped crying and just stared at me. There are no words to describe what it's like to become a mother.
When I took my first college biology class. I was always told math and science are difficult, impossible. So I went through high school with a skepticism toward science and math but it turns out I love science and math.
All the family camping trips and hours spent on my dad's boat fishing. The fact that some families didn't do these things used to boggle my mind as a kid.
wulfychick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
.. by the way, this sounds like my parents are terrible people. They're not - they are amazing parents, but those are things that stick by me.
DaOrangatang ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข I was 6 or 7 years old, playing outside in the rain in the front of my house with my best friend Alex (who is still my best friend to this day). There were other kids from the neighborhood who were playing out in the rain as well and my older brother and some of his friends were also playing outside. As I was playing outside in the rain, I felt a very conscience awareness of where I was in the moment and of the joy, wonder, and beauty I was experiencing. I also remember that when I was in this state, I took a momentary break from running around playing to just stand in the rain and appreciate the moment. It was at this very moment that one of my brotherโs friend, a girl who was 3 years older than I was and who I thought was the most prettiest girl in the world, came up to me to ask me if I wanted to play with her. I was then suddenly transformed back into my 6 year old self, playing happily with my newfound friend. โข After our 8th grade prom my girlfriend, her three girlfriends, and myself went to have dinner at a fancy restaurant inside a local casino in Las Vegas. Each of us ordered a main dish and dessert. When we asked for the check, the waitress told us that it was already taken care of. We were all in shock as we had racked up a $300 dollar bill. When we asked who had paid for us, the waitress pointed towards a gentlemen who was sitting in a booth with a women, who I presumed to be his wife. The waitress told us that the man said he wanted to pay for our dinner because โhe knew what it was likeโ back then.
Travb1999 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 4~5 mom bringing me home a foam airplane from the store while a storm was rolling in. this is the oldest full memory that I have.
when I was 8 first time being away from my parents longer than a night gone for two months to family friends. Came home to my parents having little ceasers pizza and seeing me and my brothers newly renovated rooms.
age 11 mom got into a fight with a police officer and me and my brother getting taken away for 9 months. This day rooted a deep mistrust in persons of authority. Me and my brother were told our dad was on his way to get us. He was told no at the door and charged with child endangerment for leaving us with drunk mom. I still don't like that person(my dad was out of town for work like every other week of the year)
6 months later placed in foster care with first family we were treated awfully beds were basically box springs with a fitted sheet. that 2nd night we were taken away again and placed back at the guardian home.
2 weeks later placed in a new home with a black family. Up until now had only socialized with 2 other black familys and it wasn't great. This family was the nicest and most comforting home ive ever been in to this day 14 years later.
1 month later. Going home to a sober mother and a loving house. it wouldn't be that cozy for long though
age 18 wife tried to split the pole on first date ( Friday the 13th) yanked her to the other side and told her that was a close one.
July 23 2013 Got into a heated argument with my mother over my son not staying at her house that night due to her being drunk. Told her to sober up or get out of our lives.
July 24, 2013.... 7:47 AM My phone rang it was my dad he sobbed out the words that will echo in my head for the rest of my life... " Moms Gone " I asked where she went and he iterated again "She's GONE " That day was the saddest day in my life. It changed the kind of person I am. I can never say I'm sorry or I didn't mean what I said. It haunts me every day. ever since then I've been in a perpetual depression.
REDDIT-IS-TRP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i only have depressing ones.. its pathetic
Schattenfeder ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
IFreakinLovePi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:35:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The most recent one was a few years ago when a stranger on the internet got me to realise that I've been acting like a total ass towards everyone that disagreed with me.
It may not seems as special as some of yours, but it heavily impacted how I've been treating people for a long time now, more than anything my parents tried to teach me.
peto1235 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:35:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 7? 8? years old, there's was this one time I pretend to fall asleep in the truck right before I reach home, so that my dad would carry me on his back up the stairs to our apartment. I remember feeling so blissful and safe.
Sadly that's the only good memory I have of my father. He left.
JustCallMeBen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:35:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I met a group of friends on holiday after a few years of being a social outcast at highschool, and I was amazed that people liked me. We had the best week, and when I got back to school I made friends that I still have to this day.
First kiss, I messed it up, so happy/cringe moment right there.
Seeing my Grandmother minutes before she died. I was 19 and that was the first time I lost somebody in the family. We did get to say goodbye so that was nice, but when I saw her lying there, unconscious, breathing slower and slower, I realized that was the last time I'd see her alive, and it hit me that that would be the first family member I'd ever lose. That shaped me.
After moving out of my parents' house, I was super happy eating on the couch at my own place the first night, and then I cried myself to sleep because I was on my own for the first time. I had gone on holidays on my own of course, but this was different. Also, I spent my uni years living with my parents as we lived in a city that has a university, so I didn't get that experience.
After saying my vows at my wedding, I felt so in love with my wife, and she was looking at me in such a loving way, I couldn't not lean in and kiss her. When I did, for a split-second she leaned in too, yet then pulled away and said, choking up, "No, you're not supposed to kiss me yet!". That entire day is full of memories, but that ones sticks out.
OneFinalEffort ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:36:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can remember a dirtbike crash, my solo car crash, my sister falling off the back of the toboggan while my dad pulled the four of us behind the tractor, our "go-kart" losing its brakes and one of my brothers and I almost crashing into the side of the house, and staring out across the valley from my trampoline that was sitting under a tree.
The rest is kinda foggy as I've been under a lot of stress and working too much. I don't know what week it is and recent memories aren't sticking. This is a period of my life I will not remember.
mike_stifle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:36:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Brundle Fly barfing on a doughnut.
LordFerrock ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What's a brundle fly?
mike_stifle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:42:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jeff Goldblum from The Fly 1986,
abrownmouse0714 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:36:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My grandma passed away when I was really young. One of my only memories of her is bright and clear. We were shopping for food and I saw some toy I wanted. I began to pester her about it as forcefully as I could until she turned around with tears in her eyes and practically yelled in the middle of the store "I don't have the money to buy you anything ok?!" We finished that shopping trip in silence. I still feel like an arse when I remember that. I shouldn't have been such a brat and I certainly should have said "it's ok grandma, toys aren't why I love you."
When I was in 5th grade I was a "popular" kid. We were awful people and spent our time making a few kids miserable. One day the popular kids have me a taste of my own medicine and would no longer speak to me for who knows what reason. The only people who asked why I was crying on the playground were the people I had been so awful to. The next day the popular folk tried to welcome me back but I stuck with the people who were kind to me. I probably learned the most important lesson that day. I'm not friends anymore with those girls who showed me mercy when I had been so mean, but we parted on good terms and I try to be like they were when people start to get hateful around me.
My parents forced me on a car trip when I was in high school to go see my aunt. I was angry because I didn't see why I had to go and on a week night no less so I got all sullen and quiet in the car. I realized we were going a weird way. After awhile the curiosity became too much and I asked "where are we going?" Neither of my parents answered. Finally we pulled up to a house and a barn in the middle of nowhere, no lights for miles and I ask "where are we?" With some panic in my voice. My dad said forcefully to "get out of the car" and some lady I'd never seen exited the house. We met her in the front of her driveway and she said "so you're here to pick out a puppy?" I was so excited I cried when I heard that.
Seeing my grade flash across the computer screen after taking the boards for my field, then my parents took me to red lobster to celebrate. There was no wait (which never happens) and it was so wonderful to be free from all the stress and wondering what I would do with my life if I failed my boards. I smiled from ear to ear the rest of the night.
Edit: Added a story
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:36:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not gonna sugar coat shit. Did you ever wonder if you have multiple personality disorder would they have cores to? They do. Hanna: -when i was outside at my nannys house playing with sticks alone. I knew something was wrong i never saw my parents much at that time.
-when i tried fitting in when i was in middle school instead pushed away and made fun of at the sidelines -drawing my first wolf and making a goal to draw them -the day i realized i had multiple personality disorder
Scar: -when i successfully challenged someone to fight me -standing up to the father and yelling at him -charming my way into my first relationship -realizing i can control myself i can take charge Thistle: -when i successfully helped depression and researched ways to cope -sitting and watching tv eating ice cream and relaxing -reading in the library -letting go of the people i loved Spot: -meeting our boyfriend for the first time made me question if science was the only thing i should care about -making new inventions and showing people -cooking and creating awesome ramen -doing physics It'd be a complicated inside out movie
ElCoddo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
boredatwork920 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being a quiet kid. Making a joke while the whole class listened. Noone laughed. I don't make public jokes anymore
Gondor128 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
most of mine are blue
Septoria ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm late to the party but this really got me thinking:
Your last day at any place is bound to be a poignant experience. My last day at this particular school was also the last day before the summer holiday. It happened to be a sports day, and everyone was wearing their own clothes rather than the stuffy uniform, which inevitably meant we were all in high spirits. We'd been outside in the sunshine all day, running and laughing, throwing water at each other to cool off. On the bus back home, I turned back to look at the receding buildings while everyone sang 'Wonderwall' together. Don't look back in anger.
My first ever memory. I was sat in my grandmother's lap on the back seat of my parents' car. I can't have been older than about 9 months since I was still small enough to be safely wrapped up in a little blanket carrier my mother had sewn for me. If I close my eyes I can still feel the ghost of the lacy fabric trim on my fingertips. The car went through a car wash, and I had no concept of what this was. To my tiny mind, all I knew was that it was loud and scary and unprecedented. I screamed and screamed, but my parents and grandmother were so calm - their calmness made me all the more worried, it was as though they didn't know the peril we were in, so I screamed some more for good measure.
One of my best friends and I were aged 17, sat on the pebbled beach one summer's night, fuzzy-headed from illicit alcohol and talking of philosophy and the universe. We were discussing whether there was any greater power, any sort of supreme consciousness within the universe. We both fell silent, looked out over the sea and sighed. Then, the brightest shooting star we'd ever seen streaked across the sky and vanished before the horizon. It was a beautiful moment, even it is was only serendipity.
I was about 6 years old on holiday in France, swimming in the sea. At that age I liked to pretend I was a mermaid and I loved nothing more than to swim. The sky was an impossibly vivd blue, not a cloud in sight, and the sea was sparklingly brilliant. Licking the salt from my lips I turned back to shore to smile at my brother obsessively setting up yet another intricate sports game with my father, when I noticed something land on my face. Then another. And another. Suddenly the whole water seemed to be teeming with red specks: lady birds (aka ladybugs)! A swarm of them had descended as if from nowhere. I splashed out of the water and ran to shore screaming in excitement and confusion.
I was 5 years old waiting for my brother at the school gates, and my father handed me a shiny gold pound coin as my weekly pocket money. Bored, I flipped the coin in the air and caught it, flipped it higher and caught it... until I lost it in a hedge. Distraught I told me dad, and he handed me another pound. I thought to myself "well, I'll never learn the value of money if he just gives me more when I lose it!" I was an odd kid.
dubs598 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
when i was 8, i jumped into a pool like a "pencil" with my back towards the water while facing the edge. as i came in, my mouth/chin hit the corner of the edge of the pool. as i'm still slowly drifting down to the bottom of the deepend, i see this weird white object with a small red trail floating down in front of me. perplexed, i reached out and grabbed it only to realize it was in fact, ONE OF MY FRONT TEETH! I immediately rush to the surface and verify my mouth is now bleeding profusely, at which point the lifeguard notices me and comes over to help. mad panic had set in because in the crazyness right after, someone asked me if it was a permanent tooth or not and i guess i nodded yes. so now they are icing the tooth thinking i need to be rushed to the dentist to save it! after my parents were contacted, things calmed down a bit and i had stopped crying, they were able to determine that it was a baby tooth and the only remaining issue was the cut on my chin that needed stitches. i'm 33 now and i can still remember EXACTLY where i was in that pool and how it all went down. pretty lucky it didnt end worse.
lucauu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I first passed out, and broke one of my teeth, and when i learned to type instead of writing, with dysgraphia
GreebleSnort ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Early morning donut run with my mom. It was maybe 5 in the morning. The first batch of donuts was always the best. Hot and fresh and fluffy. One morning there was a little boy there (only a year younger than me, but you know...) he pulled my hair to get past me for the first donut. I didn't see him again for about 15 years. We're married now.
Getting a grown up library card even though I was technically too young.
The accident. Them putting my mother in the ambulance. Me begging to go to the hospital any other way because I was scared to see her hurt so bad. That was the last time I ever laid eyes on her.
My dad telling the social worker: "We don't want her."
Walks in the bird preserve. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been and I'm very lucky it's so close to my home.
My first mother in law telling me: "I'm glad we married you." I'm not married to her son anymore, but I'm still part of the family.
My second mother in law and I getting sooooo drunk wedding planning. My now husband came home to us giggling like idiots about discount flowers and inflatable wedding cakes.
So many more, but those are the ones that stand out right now.
arsonal ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
All of these heart-felt responses from memories from the past, and my immediate thought is that I probably have a chicken wing island. I have issues.
nachofiend ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I was in a band. I was 11 years old and I did a music camp for girls where you form bands, write a song, and perform it all in a week. My sister was in my band and our song was actually really good and I think it wasn't really expected for anyone's to be that good since it was the first year or the camp. We kind of became famous for that and received so much praise and I loved it.
Last summer at my favorite summer camp. They have a camp for high school age kids and it's always more relaxed with rules and stuff than the camps for younger kids. Anyway one of the traditions is that they always have this camp over the 4th of July, and they always have us hike down to the river after campfire to watch the fireworks show. It was my first year getting to do this, and it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. These fireworks were not messing around, they were huge and loud and beautiful. I was sitting next to one of my best friends and I just happened to look at his face at one point and it was just pure joy and awe. The combo of his facial expression and the colored light on his face was just really beautiful and I'll never forget it.
Those are the only ones I can think of for now, but I know I have more.
lookatmypuppies ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Taking all the cushions off the sofa and playing the floor is lava.
Practicing my rising trot on the arm of the sofa.
Chasing my brother in circles around the garden, falling over and ending up in a+e for a wrist xray.
Having my teacher pull me out of class to tell me my brother was on the way to hospital as he'd badly broken his wrist. I had no idea what I was going to do as dad went with him and my mum was away. Think I ended up at a friends house.
Getting in trouble for my phone ringing in class, when I finally answered it was my mum letting me know a family friend tried to OD and mum was in hospital trying to get her sectioned. Ended up at a friends house again.
The first Christmas in my whole life when both my parents were off, I was 20.
Watching a friends mum pass away.
Seeing my puppy and his litter mates being born, one of the most incredible things I've ever seen.
Worming the litter of puppies only to have one sneeze, most of the medication ended up on my face.
My first ever rosette when I took up agility :)
gratethecheese ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:39:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember vaguely standing with my parents under some arch or something in a park somewhere when I was 3. I just thought I would always remember that moment and I did for no reason.
zzking32 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:39:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When is was 4, i was in a car accident my dad was in a coma for 2 months, my mom has a scar on her forehead about 5cm, and i got a scar on my chest about 10cm. My twin sister lost her life that day.
This is the one and only memory that i can remember like it was yesterday
daneelr_olivaw ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:39:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 3, I was riding on a tricycle in our living room, I hit the chair and pooped myself
I was 7 or 8, we were on a camping trip in southern France, my grandfather and I went looking for some museum in some remote, wooded location, we reached some household, I noticed a kid following us around, throwing rocks - I decided to approach him, grabbed him, found a water hose close behind, I managed to grab it and water him screaming 'je ne parle francaise' or something like that
I was 8, it was 23rd of June (it was Kupala Night in Poland) - I remember only because my parents decided to leave me home alone while they went out party; I decided it wasn't worth staying home, I left the house through our garden (we had no fences yet) - the tradition is you should have a bonfire and fry sausages on sticks on that day, so I went visiting my neighbours' gardens asking for sausages, my mom only found out about that because I got in a shitton of sand in our living room (leading to the garden)
Coogah33 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:40:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting ready for seventh grade. Last day of school, should have been excited. Grandma asks if I'm ready to leave yet. I said "hold on". Walk back toward my mothers room. I stop in the hallway and make eye contact with her. She lay in bed, as the heart monitor beep slowly. I stood there for a moment, tears began to grow. I took a step forward. She just stared. I tried to go farther, to give her a hug and kiss. Instead, I thought "I love you, mom."
A couple hours later before school released for summer, my favorite teacher, Ms. Gray, comes to get me out of class. She is crying. I knew what happened. I broke right there, in the middle of class. Even kids that I didn't get along with tried to comfort me.
Jesus, just typing this out is making me cry. Holy crap, it feels like it was yesterday.....
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:40:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
juliusseizure ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:39:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of the shortest paragraphs I have read that made my heart ache.
hugshugs_hugs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:40:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was living in San Antonio with my aunt, my mom, and my three cousins. One of my cousins, who I have not heard from in over a decade (we will call him buttscratch), would sit me up on the washer every other day and punch me in the face as hard as he could several times. He was eighteen I think and I was four years old. He was beating the hell out of me for two years until my mom noped the fuck out of there. Buttscratch was crazy. Very sour towards basically everyone from what I hear. One time it was very bad, he smacked me up pretty goddamn good and he ended up completely bruising one side of my face. It was just black and blue on one whole side. My parents said they had pictures of me a little after when that big bruise started healing up. I have yet to find them. Fuck my cousin.
Jurisnoctis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:40:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As feedback, please explain what you mean in the comments of your self post. I never watched that show.
DornishDelight ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is really cool question!
Falling through the second for of this old clubhouse in my backyard, my best friend and I were going through the junk on the second floor when I stood on a "trap door" type board that wasn't secured very well. One of the scariest moments of my childhood.
Playing Pokemon blue on my game boy when my Squirtle got poisoned, the game did that bleep every time I stepped. I though my gameboy was broken and I brought it to my dad, he had no idea what the problem was after finangling with it. I eventually went to a Pokemon Center which fixed it and calmed down
Getting the game ball in my AA baseball leagues championship after I got 2 of the 3 outs in the last inning.
Going on the first date with my high school sweetheart (my first real date)
Being hoodlums with a bunch of high school friends and screwing with a nativity scene at a really nice house, we did it so much they eventually stopped putting it out around christmas :)
Darth_Dachshund ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was winter. I had a friend over and as usual we got to rough housing. My friend pinned me down and my dad shook his head and said "I guess I don't have a son, I have another daughter." I got so mad I charged him. He beat me senseless. I can still hear my mom and sisters screams as they pounded on the door while my dad repeatedly hit me. After I woke up from being knocked out, I decided I would never beat a child and that I would never let anyone beat me like that again.
-In middle school I was bullied pretty bad... But one incident stands out to me. Gym class, in the locker room. Four boys grabbed me and tore my shirt. Then they dragged me to the fifth member who pulled his pants down and told me to suck his dick. The gym teacher walked in and caught them before they could force me to actually do the deed. I can still picture their faces, the feeling of hopelessness. Worse yet it's the closest thing to a sexual experience I've ever had. -When my mother found my dad's stash of emails and pictures from the woman he was conversing with. They were planning on having an affair and she had sent him nudes and he was paying for a car for her. I can remember how crushed my mother was. I learned a lot about loyalty and integrity that day.
Yeah. My core memories are based off of extreme negative situations, but it taught me who I don't want to be.
gtakiller0914 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As someone who had a child two weeks ago, this thread has helped shaped what kind of father I want to be.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 3 I have some memories of staying in a women's shelter with my mom (20 year anniversary was this past week, weird)
Getting pushed in to a pit that had a bunch of sticks in it and then my mom pulling them out of me. (kid skin is elasticy so no i wasn't bleeding much)
Getting my first dog, having my grandfather freak out and then feeling bad because I was already in love with her
sturmhauke ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I got a bike for Christmas one year. It was black and yellow, just like I asked for. My dad taught me to ride it at a mall parking lot later that day.
I made a swastika out of Lego once, when I was around 4 or 5. I didn't know what it meant, I just thought it looked cool. My mom freaked out and made me take it apart, but never explained why.
My mom had long, blonde hair that she would brush every morning. My dad liked to work on cars and motorcycles, and was usually in the garage.
One time I put on a Superman cape and stood at a second-story window, wondering if I could fly. I eventually decided I couldn't, because I wasn't really Superman.
My parents divorced when I was 5. They never fought in front of me, so to me it just looked like one day they were together and the next day they weren't. I remember leaving the courthouse with my dad sometime during the proceedings.
I have family in the Philippines. On one trip, my grandfather took us to Mount Samat National Shrine, which is a memorial to everyone who died at the Battle of Bataan and the subsequent Bataan Death March. This thing is fucking intense. I remember staring up, and up, and up, and then going inside the damn thing and taking an elevator to the top.
tadpoleguy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm realizing that I can't think of a single thing in my life that fits the criteria. It's not that I have bad memories or a lack of good ones. There has absolutely been key moments in my life, I just can't remember them. I'm only 19.
EatSleepCryDie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข my drunk mother yelling at me while I had a panic attack on my 16th birthday. I said "I wish you wouldn't do this..." and she just stared at me and spit "Well I wish I had never given birth to you!" I stopped in my tracks and just collapsed on the floor wailing. That was the first time I felt my heart break. She says now that she never meant it but that sentence is carved into my heart.
โข my sister giving me her meatballs from her dinner and me eating the rest of her meal. She was anorexic and I was a binger so this moment stands out in my brain as the one time that it was really obvious that we were both sick.
โขthe night my SO and I got together and made it official. We were on a date when a mutual friend asked for a ride home from his work. We start to drive him home and he's very stoned. He just bursts out from the back "so what the fuck are you guys and when am I getting the wedding invitation?" We cracked up but stayed silent and just held hands in the front seat. After we had dropped him off we had a slightly awkward but very sweet conversation that led to our first kiss and him quoting "R U Mine?" (we both love arctic monkeys).
โข when I used to tell my SO I loved him by tracing out the letters on his arm with my finger. I was doing it the night he turned to me and told me he was falling in love with me. I was so shocked I didn't speak and we just sat there smiling and kissing, wrapped around each other. I can still remember exactly how we were sitting, how nervous he was, the exact shirt he was wearing, how green his eyes looked, the look of relief on his face when I basically yelled that I loved him too. It was a wonderful night in our relationship.
โข my dad bringing home flowers every single valentine's day for me and my sister. The year my sister moved out and it was only me at home my dad still brought home 3 bouquets of flowers (one for my mom, me and my sister). The look on his face when he realized he bought my sister some was a look that made me swear to visit home as much as possible once I had moved out. And I do.
DiableLord ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Telling my childhood crush that I love her... I was rejected and even though I was family friends with their family and her parents were like second parents to me, I remember trying to kill myself after I realized I was an inconvienient and they didn't want me in their lives anymore and times had changed.
konokou ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข Setting up the kitchen table to paint with my mother
โข Having to male the decision to go home or stay overnight at the hospital with my mother when she had cancer, and choosing to go home but then changing my mind but my dad wouldn't let me because I had taken so long to decide in the first place
โข while my mother was still sick but had come home for a bit, I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom (I didn't normally do this) and over heard her and my dad talking. She was saying how she was afraid to die, and asked my dad if she was going to. He promised her that she wouldn't.
โข The day that she died. I was 8 and she had just been moved to one of those old people homes (hospice?), and my cousin and I went picking flowers outside with the receptionist. It was a really nice day in late August, so the lighting was very pretty. Afterwards we did some crafts, and I watched the Fairly Odd Parents episode "My Shiny Teeth and Me" episode for the first time. Then my grandfather brought me and my cousin to the downstairs playroom. She eventually left with my aunt and uncle but I got to stay and play with the little piano they had down there. I didn't play very long before my grandfather came back down to get me because my mother had just died. There were a bunch of people in her room. Later, the sun was just about set and my grandmother and other grandfather were sitting in this little veranda thing with lots of flowers, and she said that when she went out there a bunch of birds flew up around them and that it was a sign from my mother.
โข Going to this after school daycare program and playing pretend with my friends everyday. We were usually Pokรฉmon, but I remember this one time I wanted to pretend that we were people stranded on a deserted island
โข I wanted to go on this program to japan and did all this research into it when I was 15. When I asked my dad if I could, he said he'd think about it, which surprised me because he hadn't said no, like usual. So I pushed it harder and did more research and presented him with my findings while also telling him why I thought it would be a great opportunity for me. I found out that he asked my grandmother and aunt what they thought he should do, which also surprised me. It meant that he was seriously considering it, but that even he didn't know for sure if it was a good idea. They told him that he shouldn't let me go because it was too dangerous and I was too young. I continued to mention to him almost every day that I needed an answer soon, so I wouldn't miss the application deadline. That Christmas eve I asked him for what I'd decided would be the last time, as I was getting tired of waiting and the deadline was almost there. And to my surprise, he said that yes, I could go. It was probably the happiest moment of my life
โข My experience in Japan
That is all I can think of right now
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My brother rolling me down the stairs on a truck
ginnyincus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
unknown_poo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I read that it's our core memories from childhood that has the greatest influence on our health as adults and our relationships.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When i was 4 y/o and playing around at my parents restaurant at the beach and i went up back to the restaurant then looked out onto the beach and my mom asked 'what is it sweetie' and i said 'mamma' swedish for mom
CdrAmerica ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 12, I took a trip to Canada with my family to go camping. I'll never forget fishing with my dad and sister. Every time we put the hook in the water a fish would bite and my dad would have to pull it off and hook it onto the long string of fish we had caught. My sister and I were laughing so much and I never remember smiling so much in all my childhood. Great time.
atkhan007 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:43:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a vague memory of me in street in front of a house with blue door. I was eating sand, and found it delicious, then suddenly i spotted a small lizard in the sand, i got super scared and ran away crying and never ate sand after that ... My mother tells me, that i was about a year old when we lived in a house with a blue door. Probably my earliest memory.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:43:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You know how children always have these wildly vivid imaginations? Hah, it's funny because when I was a little girl of age six I couldn't imagine that my mom wanted to date again. I didn't know what a monster he could be either. I guess that was part of the imagination, right?
Yet, I never imagined what he could've done to me. Have you ever looked at a young girl at the ripe age of ten and realized that you're sexually attracted to her? He has. Have you ever been groomed by an older gentleman who called himself your sugar daddy? I had almost everything a kid ever wanted. Have you ever looked at child pornography? I was going to be a rising star. Has the word "dad" ever tasted like the bile that sits in your throat? I regret ever calling this monster my dad.
I imagined this all, right? I mean I didn't expect him to rape me or molest me. I mean.... this is all just a horrible nightmare, right? And why would he call a mere child a lying where after confessing to her mom? What kind of person does that?
As the years go on, the monster was banished to a far away land. The little girl grows up to be a dysfunctional adult.
amydunnes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:43:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My mom sitting on the couch when she was very pregnant, putting my hand on her stomach and feeling my little brother kick it.
My pop pop being a chaperone on a field trip to the aquarium, and telling me how he saw a dead whale at our cities dump.
My dad waking me up to go seashell hunting very early in the morning while on vacation.
My grandpa taking me and my little brother to McDonalds when he would pick us up from school. He'd buy himself a large fry and then spread it out on the tray and we'd combine all of our fries.
My grandma sitting with me for about two hours after school one day and reading 'Pippy Longstocking' with me.
My dad playing 'Butterfly Kisses' in his truck and telling me that was our song.
Some person on neopets telling me that if I gave them my password, they'd give me a baby paintbrush. So I did and promptly watched as my account was drained of all neopoints. (I was a naรฏve seven year old okay)
Sitting in bed the night before confirmation classes started, absolutely dreading it, and having this weird moment where I remember thinking 'It feels like such a long time from now but tomorrow I'll actually be there.' (I can't really word what I was thinking correctly) But now I think of that moment whenever I think of how I'm in one moment and before I know it I'll be in another. And now it's been 10 years since that confirmation class, so that's a bit weird to think about.
Spaff_Nugget ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Earliest memory: I would guess I was three or four. I was at a friends house, and their sibling was young enough to be using a pacifier. I wondered what would happen if I pulled it out, and he started crying. I wasn't sure what to do, so I put it back in, and he was still crying. Good times.
My sixth birthday party. I was in Kindergarten, so I invited my two best friends at the time, but only one could make it. My parents made a picnic and we hung out. It went okay.
I used to watch the buzz lightyear tv show in the mornings before school. The captain of the base or whatever the fuck it was had a peg-leg that was a blaster, and would yell "sweet mother of Venus!" when something went wrong. I yelled this at school one time and the teacher said she had told me before not to say that and then I got a detention for it. I guess she thought I said "penis" instead of "venus", but I don't remember her ever talking to me about that before.
In third grade I noticed that when people leaned over their crack would hang out of their pants. I got really self-conscious and tried to make sure I didn't ever do that.
Sixth grade. I decided I was going to draw and sell stuff for a quarter. I wasn't an artist or anything, but I figured I could earn a milk or two. A few people started making fun of my drawings and I ended up crying in the middle of class. We went to the principal's office. Looking back I was being a whiny bitch.
I had a big crush on my best friend at the time. Several times I write out the message to her letting her know how I feel. I never hit send.
A couple of friends and I spend a couple of hours looking at a stained-glass window and discussing what everything means. This is one of the happiest memories I've ever made.
DrinkerWRunningProb ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Great thread!
I think my happiest memory, off the top of my head, is seeing my mother waiting for me outside of orchestra practice. She would drive me to the rehearsals (30 mins), then wait outside (for 90 mins???) then drive me back home (another 30 mins). I think she did this for a solid year. I think that was the nicest thing anyone's ever done to me and I don't think she knows how much that means to me.
juliusseizure ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:34:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You should tell her.
DrinkerWRunningProb ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:03:23 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you for the reply. I've been thinking about that for a good chunk of the day. I just have a hard time sharing my feelings with my family. I have a really easy time with my friends, but with family it just seems so much harder.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Blank stare in distance as I try not to think
fabscinating ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Im kind of late so i guess this wont be read as much but its a good question and i enjoyed most of the answers so i guess why shouldnt i add my part:
-when we were kids (i guess this was kindergarten-age) my brother used to wake me up and persuade me to go downstairs and watch tv. I was always really annoyed because i wanted to sleep in but my brother is the kind of guy who just wont accept no as an answer and has the charisma to eventually get his goddamn yes. So we usually watched batman the animated series and it always ended with our dad coming down and us trying to somehow sneak our way around him. We usually got caught and got a lecture about not watching tv so early and without permission yadda yadda.
-me and my brother dressing up and playing as superman and batman and wearing old suit jackets of granddad (for us they were basically trenchcoats) to conceal our superhero-identities.
-visiting our former neighbors in eastern friesia (northwestern germany; me and my brother were born there but the family moved to wolfsburg when we were only 2-3 years old). They were basically like grandparents to us children and she used to make this delicious hot chocolate and serve it to us in smurf or pumuckl (german cartoon) themed cups.
-my then best friend surprising me with a cake on my birthday (16th or 17th i think) just before school. Its not that i was a social outcast or anything and i always got a cake from my mom its just that no one of my friends had bothered enough to bake me a cake up until then and i wouldnt have expected them too either. Its an especially bittersweet moment for me because all my school life i used to have a huge crush on that girl, sadly it never worked out between us and we arent in contact anymore.
-when my mother approached me while we were alone at home and i was playing skyrim. She had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and i think none of us had really come to truly realize it yet. Seeing my mother who had been such a strong, joyful and confident woman all my life suddenly being in a state of such vulnerability really had a lasting impact on how i perceive not only her but both of my parents.
RildotheCrafty ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first kiss: when I was 10 years old I was in the side yard of my female friends house, I was feeling very anxious and we both wanted to try it. At the moment we started kissing my uncle called my name and as I turned around I noticed he was looking over the fence staring at me and then told me it was time to go home for dinner, the entire way home he made me feel embarrassed and terrified telling me things such as what I did was wrong and that if I ever do it again he's going to have to tell my parents and her parents. Affected my ability to have proper relationships well through High School.
Ice-Insignia ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad yelling at my brother and I at Disney world because we were playing out in the rain. There were A LOT of other families there. After he yelled no one talked until the rain stopped
Doing naughty things with other slightly older boys(I am a boy). Nothing really bad happened, but it is still something that pops into my head often. I know this isn't something out of the ordinary, but I wish I could forget. I am tired getting that "I was so stupid" feeling.
The day I realized I no longer wanted to exist, but don't to off myself. I look forward to the day I get the inevitable sickness that will do me in.
The dream I had were I had a happy life, got my dream wife, and had a beautiful daughter. Then I woke up and realized I will never have what I had in my dream.
vousoir ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Leonard and I were 12, my brother Pete 9 or 10, playing cowboys and indians. Anyway, we hung Peter (a rustler) from the side of a storage shed attached at the back of the building. I canโt remember how well we knotted the noose, but after we attached the rope to the back of the shed, we just stuck his head in the loop and stood back. Shit. His feet werenโt touching the ground and he was flailing all over the place. Jeez, I remember it like a snapshot.
We held him up and tried unsuccessfully to undo the noose. Then where we had it tied to the shed with our triple, double extra special knot. Impossible.
So.
Leonard held him up while I ran to get the old man. Big block 25 unit apt building, run around to the front, in the front door, upstairs and in my door. Dad, dad, dad! Running back down with Dad out the front, around to the back and thereโs Leonard still holding him up. George hit hit pretty hard, pushed him out of the way, grabbed Peter and untied the noose. Put him down made sure he was alive and looked at me. No, sort of yelled at me with his eyes, was almost beautiful, first time I remember seeing him as a man. One of the few times that only one of us was found guilty of a crime. Trying to kill your brother was, as it turned out a belt offense.
iwannabefreddieHg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:45:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably buried but it gave me a defining characteristic in my life. On the day I found out my grandmother died. I was sixteen years old. I was getting groceries for my neighbor who was elderly and had bad arthritis. My mom called me to give me the news while I was in the grocery store parking lot that was pretty empty. I gasped and let go of my cart which rolled into a nearby car and busted out a headlight.
I remember sitting there thinking, "I could leave the car because anyone would understand, my grandmother just died." or I could leave my information and take responsibility for my actions.
It was the moment in my life I figured out what true integrity was. It was the difference between leaving the car or leaving a note even though I may not have been caught if I just drove off. I left a note on the car with all of my information and an apology, and went home.
MaxwellSinclair ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:45:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Walking through Monroeville Mall in 1995 I saw a man juggling outside of a store.
I was 13 and he was as nice as you could be.
I went home and picked up 3 baseballs.
My birthday came and my mother bought me a set of balls and a VHS lesson tape.
I'm still an avid juggler.
NowGoodbyeForever ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:45:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Late to the party, but it's a party I want to attend.
When I was 5 years old, my family lived about two blocks from my school. My Mom would walk me there each morning with my brother in tow, who was 2 at the time. It was a Canadian winter. We would usually cut across the school's sports field to get to the Kindergarten entrance, but that morning, everything was snow. Mom was pulling my brother in a toboggan, but she couldn't have made it across that field with him. So she told me to go across the field by myself, and that she'd watch me until I was inside. The field went on forever, and I think it was probably my first real act of independence. I was scared, then I was excited. I kept turning around and would see her on the top of the path, waving and watching. When I got to the school doors, she was a dot in the distance.
When my Dad left, he said he was going to the gym. He packed his bag, handed me a teddy bear, and I haven't seen him since. To this day, I still hate gyms. (Joking but not really.)
In the aftermath of him leaving, my Mom was raising two sons alone. We were homeless for a while. I have lots of memories about that, but the Core Memory is me walking into the living room to see her, buried in textbooks as she worked to get her College equivalency, crying softly. I climbed up on the couch and hugged her and told her it would be okay. I was 7. It was eventually okay.
Waking up at 6am to beat Super Mario World with my brother. It was the first time I felt like I had control of something, that I was good at something. I think it took me two years to beat that game, my first ever. I can beat it in around 30 minutes, now. (Star Road 4 lyfe)
A butterfly landing on my nose and spreading its wings across my eyes. I was 3 years old, and the fear of the butterdemons persists to this day. I just...don't like the way they move.
noreligionplease ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:45:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My cousin and I were 4 years old at the time and huge fans of the Garfield comic strips. My mom takes me to his house for a play date and as we pulled up he comes running down the driveway.
I get out of the car and excitedly he says, "Hey noreligionplease, look at my pants, I got a tail just like Garfield!".
He turns around to reveal one of the belt loops had ripped and shook his back end like a cat, needless to say I thought this was the coolest thing ever.
Fast forward 2 weeks later to another play date and when we show up my cousin runs up to me and spins around to show me that he now has in fact two tails, and again is very excited about it. I didn't tell him but I was very disappointed, because Garfield does not have two tails.
MasteringTheFlames ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:45:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is an awesome question
The first thing that comes to mind is the death of my childhood dog. My parents had him since before i was born. When i came into the picture, Dozer welcomed me into his family. He was my best friend, and some of my earliest memories are about him. When i was 7 years old, he got very sick (some form of cancer, IIRC) and mom and dad eventually made the call to put him down. But they never told me. When i asked where they were going, mom said they were taking him to the park. When they got back from "the park," Dozer was just a bunch of ashes in a little tin box. I never got a chance to say goodbye, give him one last hug, and tell him how much i love him. This past June marks one decade since he died, and i still harbor some resentment towards my parents because of that. Mom has said many times that not telling me before putting him down remains as her biggest regret in how she raised me. But hearing her say that doesnt really help me forgive her.
icecreamify ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:46:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being on a roadtrip when i was 10 with my closest friends and their family. It was christmas time and so the car radio was playing silent night. I remember just being surprised at how quiet everyone was and then staring up at the night sky with my other two friends and thinking how pretty it was.
Making faces in bed at a sleepover with my other friends because we thought the hotel we were at was haunted. Halfway through the night we see the shadow of a figure climb onto our balcony and we are at this point scared shitless all the while still making those stupid faces. The door slides open to reveal my friends mother complete with the exfoliating face mask to just "check on us". Sounds like something out of a movie which is why I remember it so well.
On the way back from a really awesome beach house outing with my friends and we're just humming along to some music in the car. Suddenly a song comes on that we all know and it just all clicks. Somebody starts to sing and we all begin to join in, with people harmonizing. I couldn't help breaking into a smile.
JayJLeas ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:46:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seeing my dad cry for the first (and only) time when I was five and my nan had just died. I feel awkward when I cry, but sometimes it's not about being weak, sometimes it's about being strong enough to cry.
Proudly bringing home a flower for my mum, only to be told it was a weed and to throw it away. It's hard to come to terms with the knowledge that parents don't inherently love their children.
Punching my sister in the face and making her nose bleed, and her telling Kerri (our sitter) it was fine and not to tell mum and dad. Also hitting her in the head with a rock I was trying to skip. I love my sister dearly, and we're closer than anyone else in the family.
The old, dark-skinned war vet from my church, who was wheelchair-bound and missing an arm, teaching me how to make the "best paper plane". He had been in the airforce and said that's how he knew how to make the best paper planes... he's dead now, but I still make planes the way he taught me, and believe they're the best.
Missducky689 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:46:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom used to have a bike with a baby seat on it and I remember sitting in the seat, her riding down our street and feeling the warmth of the sun on my face
The second time I kissed my current boyfriend, and knew I was in love with him. We've been together almost 4 years now.
Learning about world religions in 9th grade history, it heavily influenced my decision in deciding to be a religious studies major for my associates degree.
Growing up, my parents were divorced and lived 6 hours away from one another. I remember the pure happiness I had when all of us (my three sisters, my little brother, and I) would pile into our blue mini van and sing along to angsty early 2000s rock
Sitting on a hill in the Bo Kaap neighborhood in Cape Town, South Africa hearing the calls to prayer playing out over the neighborhood thinking how incredible it was that I was hearing something so beautiful so far from home
The night my dog died. She was such a huge part of my life, and was a friend when I didn't have any.
My parents screaming on the street at each other. I was probably about 6 and I didn't understand anything that was going on.
In high school my friends and I used to hang around in the parking lot and skateboard. It was a time none of us really had any responsibilities.
I left out some, but it was nice to think about a few of these.
ThrillHo3340 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My biggest core memory, was the day they buried my father. I was 12 years old, (about 20 days after my 12th birthday). His funeral was open casket. At 10am, they lead us to a room and closed the blinds. All I remember hearing is a "thud". I come back out and the casket is closed. Still to this day, I still hear myself yelling out "DADDY no come back" and that thud noise.
A more happier one, was about 2 days before I started dating the girl who is now my wife and mother to my child. We were at her place just outside, having a drink and a smoke. It was about 1am, and we were about to go home. I looked over at her, and in the darkness of the night, there was this absolute glow and shine to her and she stood out. Almost as if, someone was telling me "Yup this is her". I made that decision two days later and still stands as one of the best decisions I made.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That laughing sound Tim the Toolman Taylor makes.
TreeAndPlants ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
my closest friends that I never see anymore
I was staying after school for sports and I took a shower with a kid who was a teacher's son. He would bang open the door and then kind of mime James Bond while naked (we were 12)
me taking photos of all my friends on our last day (I like to call this death day)
I probably have some more but I can't think of them. These come to mind. Needless to say, it has shaped me into the man I've become today and have definitely been the thing that has kept me sane and sometimes even made me more depressed than I usually am.
DirkRight ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 5, my dad took me to the hockey fields to meet a neighbour friend of ours, who was watching his kids play there. Looking at the other kids play, I said I wanted to play too. The trainer said that you had to be 6 years old to be allowed to join the hockey club, but he'd find an appropriately-sized hockey stick for me to join the other kids for just this training. At one point during training, everybody had to shoot the ball across the field. I went last, and I shot the ball all the way to the other side, which a lot of the other--older--kids hadn't even done. I got excited, the other kids got excited, and the trainer told my dad that he would ask the club's management if they could make an exception just for me.
Writing my first little stories. I learned to read from watching Wheel of Fortune when I was one and a half years old, while my mom was in the hospital due to complications with her pregnancy of my sister (twins--one did not survive long), and I loved reading and writing ever since. When I was in elementary school, a lot of kids--girls, mainly--had "poetry albums" to write stuff in. I used those to write stories about an Arab guy who travelled the world and wrote about his adventures. I guess that's what travel bloggers do these days. I still have tons of notebooks from throughout the years in which I have a lot of old story notes and little drawings of monsters and characters.
When I was 12, my grandfather died. It was sudden. He and my grandmother were visiting friends, and at one point he just hunched over and passed away. He had long had complications with fluid in his lungs. The day after, they had laid him on a table at his house, and we met with the entire family. He looked paler than I'd ever seen him before. I just wished that he would move and honk my nose like he always did, then go and feed the chickens together. But the chickens and the cows and the other animals weren't there anymore, because the farm had been demolished two years before to make way for a freeway. And now the farmer was gone too. I couldn't handle being around a lot of people, even moreso in that situation, so I snuck upstairs and into an abandoned room that was used for storage. There, I wrote a goodbye letter to my grandfather, in the form of a poem spanning two pages, trying to cram in all my feelings about him being gone. When I was almost done, my dad came in. He'd gone to find me, as everyone was wondering where I was. I told him I couldn't come down yet, and told him what I was doing. He waited until I was done, and then I showed it to him. He read the entire thing. My eyes were transfixed on his face as he read, and I saw his lips quiver and I saw him cry. I had never seen my dad cry before, ever. He was the strongest man I knew, physically and mentally. To see him cry shattered the image of him that I had had before. When he was done, he hugged me, and said I could go down now. He stayed in that room for a little while longer, and when he came out he gave me back my goodbye poem, which I laid on my grandfather's still chest. I told my dad I was a little sad that I wouldn't get to read those words years later, as a reminder of what I felt that day. My dad squeezed my shoulder and told me it was alright; he had copied the words over on another piece of paper to keep for himself--and for me.
misterdeal ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:48:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad the insurance executive in his suit taking a messy-haired, sweatpants rocking six-year-old me to the local arcade after work and holding me up so I could reach the buttons on the machines.
My dad playing "tiger" which was simply him pretending to be an adult tiger and letting me pretend being a little cub.
My parents opening the back of the station wagon and Mac, my first dog and the source of my love of Irish Wolfhounds, coming bounding out.
The sound of the black-capped chickadee's "fee bee" call and how my mom would tell me that it was the Stephen bird because it was saying "STE-ven"
mistermathison ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:48:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I asked my dad if I could fill up the car at the gas station. I grabbed the heavy nozzle and squeezed as hard as I could but nothing was coming out. I turned the nozzle around and looked inside and squeezed again. Gasoline shot straight into my eyes. I started screaming and they ran me into the gas station and put my head under a faucet and ran water over my face. I remember waking up in a hospital and wondering how I got there and why I was wearing a dress.
Hardcore_Hank ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:48:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Doctor's office, I think 7 years old. My head hurt/bad ear infections. Doctor takes a look, says "wow!" and proceeds to bring every doctor in the office to look at something in my ear.
During surgery, distinctly remember dreaming of my recently deceased Uncle Nick who had left such an impact on a young me that I adored him despite not having him around for long. After it, I told my parents and we decided he was my guardian angel.
8 years old, I getting run over by the car. I argued with the paramedics to just "put a cast on it" so I could get back to playing. Rest is a blur until I wake up in traction.
8th grade, winning the "Dramatist Award" it was the first time someone other than my family told me I was great at acting.
Ya, I had an eventful childhood, but can only remember most of the trauma.
DuckPondDuck ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:48:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Live grenade range during basic training. I was halfway down a dirt path with two live grenades clasped to my chest, screaming "right right right right right" at the top of my lungs.
slickguy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:48:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Sadness. When I was 7 years old, I was riding the subway with my dad and a homeless man was pushing a cart full of day old newspapers, trying to sell them for 10 cents a piece. No one bothered to acknowledge him. His head was down and and as he passed me, I was the only one that noticed he was crying because I was small enough to see it from my angle.
Regret. When I was 9 years old, my mom was laying in the couch with a stomachache and asked me to fetch her heatpad and I refused like a spoiled brat. She sighed and said, "I wish you would grow up a little faster because one day I might not be here." She died a year later from colon cancer.
Joy. When I was 11, I received the grandest and best looking Valentine's Day card in class from an anonymous girl who wrote a really long letter. It even had perfume on it. All the boys wanted to smell it and all the girls wanted to see/read it. I was so proud to be just me.
Embarassment. When I was 15 I was sitting in the computer lab with a really cute girl two seats over from me. Thinking I could silently get away with it, I suddenly farted unexpectedly and quite audibly. The girl turned and looked at me, and I tried to play it off like I didn't do it and said to her "did you just fart?" She looked away in disgust. I then looked around the lab and realized the two of us were the only ones in the room.
Fear. When I was 17, on 9/11 I was sneaking out of my school with my friend to get away, as we were just a mile away from the WTC. The first tower had already collapsed, and when I emerged there was mass chaos on the boardwalk. As a military jet flew by, people screamed in fear and one man yelled in reassurance, "It's one of ours, it's one of ours!"
Love. When I was 23, I hated the fact that I was staying at my parent's basement after college and would often go out and party late and get drunk. While passed out from a heavy night of drinking, my stepmom came downstairs and put a Neosporin and a bandaid on my hand that I must've scraped while drunk. I was actually awake but pretended not to be while I witnessed her love and care.
Joy. When I was 28, on our 1 year anniversary, I took my girlfriend to a beach that had no cell reception and gave her a photo locket and chain with a QR code in it. She spent the entire day in suspense and when we finally got back to my car she finally had reception and scanned the QR code. It took her to a website that I made in which I had collected all of our photos together and used them to list 10 reasons why I loved her. She broke down in tears and said that no one ever made her feel so special. My eyes got watery in joy with her.
KanpaiWashi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:48:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
5-6 years ago, my ex and I had just broken up. I had two friends that I would have considered some of my good friends at the time. I confided in them the reason for the break up and why I felt the way I did and all that. They ended up telling it to my ex and what would have been an amicable breakup (if there was ever such a thing) turned into hell for me. Because of that, I hardly tell anyone anything.
Delucabazooka ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:49:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In as good a order as I can remember
*Being accidentally dropped by my mom into a rosebush on Halloween is my earliest memory...lol
*standing outside a hospital looking in a window at my mom hooked up to like 50 different machines.
*being at my moms funeral (age 5)
*having a surgery done on my ribs and waking up in the middle of it being preformed. (Age 6)
*Getting home and playing my first video-game (super Mario 64) for days on end while I healed up.
*my dad asking me if I wanted to come live with him (I said yes) and my grandparents crying as I packed up and left their house.(age 7 ish)
*finding a match on the floor of my dads house and lighting it only to have it burn my finger and me almost catch the carpet on fire(I don't know why this stand out but it does haha)
*A full 2 days in court while my grandparents tried to get legal custody of me over my father. And soooooo many cops letting me play in the cars and hang out with the dogs and stuff :P (things were simpler in the 90s)
*Starting at a new school in the middle of the year (3rd grade)and all the kids already had friends and I was really left out
*My first in school crush who I held hands with for like 10 minutes before she said "I don't like you any more, I like him now" yes those were the exact words.
*My first computer and having the Internet in the house for the first time ever!
*The first time I played "Halo: Combat evolved" on Xbox
*The first match of online multiplayer I played on halo 2 and thinking it was awesome this was even possible.
*my first real girlfriend and my first kiss
*My middle school best friend of a year making out with the girl I had a crush on at the time. 1foot away from me and 5 minutes after I told him I was basically in love with her.
*My second girlfriend who was 2-3 years older than me and our first time meeting and our first date.
*Getting held back in 8th grade due to depression anxiety and shit grades because of my attendance
*My first time buying/smoking weed
*my first time being ripped off when buying weed.
*My first day in a continuation highschool and thinking I was going to get stabbed. (Sophomore year of high-school)
*The first time I met my first long term girlfriend.
*My first party that wasn't held by parents (drinking and drugs and stuff)
*First time having sex
*My first job
*Quitting my first job :P
Finally loosing the weight that I had been trying to loose for years (275-160)
*my first convention(sadly not comic con:/)
And now only a few weeks ago finally finishing massage therapy school and getting my license :D(age 23)
What counts as a core memory?? I feel like I wrote way to many things.
teganst ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:49:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my little brother was born I was about 2 years old and I got to go see him and my momma in the hospital. I sat at the little table next to my mommas bed and she held him and after I got to meet him I was hungry. My momma gave me her breakfast and I remember accidentally knocking orange juice onto the floor and the nurses having to come and clean it up.
My momma gives up so much just so I can have and I'm extremely grateful for that. She still does it to this day and I'm trying really hard to show her how much she's appreciated.
Kingczar56 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:49:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Picking my dad up from the airport every two weeks to see him just for the weekend.
Getting plucked out of middle school by my dad to help him build cabinets at people's houses to sustain the family.
Moving to Texas, more specifically riding in the U-Haul ruck with my dad through Oklahoma and crossing the Red River and yelling "TEXAS" out the window.
Teaching my best friend how to ride a bike.
Ausdwen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:49:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was pitching in a state championship game, ahead 1-0 in the last inning. I walked the first 2 batters and was down 3-0 on the third. My dad, calmly, left his seat on the bleachers and walked down towards the backstop. All he said was "Don't aim it, throw it!" - Struck out the side. The man worked 60 hrs a week in an autobody shop and never missed a game.
okekai ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We were running laps for football practice. Every other person was making up excuses for why they needed to stop running. Coach wouldn't have any of it and made us all keep running. One guy started throwing up, and then passed out face first into his pile of puke. Coach rolled him over and told him he could take a break now(he was still unconscious). So it dawned on me that all I have to do is push myself to my limits, until my body quits on me and then I too can take a break. I didn't pass out that day, instead I went pass my limits. I approach every challenge, life and physical, with that attitude ever since.
NotUrAvrgNarwhal ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going on the first hunting trip with my girlfriends father, the anticipation, the excitement, a little bit of nervousness as he was very very Catholic and I knew there would be some inevitable talks of religion which I wanted to avoid as I am atheist. The long drive to the beautiful cabin deeply isolated in the bare winter Missouri woods, bonding talks over beer and grilled deer steaks the first night before the hunt. Waking far before the dawn to a bitterly cold morning, just after the creatures of night had returned to their dens and just before the creatures of day would emerge from their burrows. The sleep still in my eyes as I took my place with my rifle in the blind. The peaceful calm that pervaded the air as I callously took up watch for my prey. The eventual fatigue as the morning drew longer and the warm envelope of sleep as I finally drifted off. The rush of adrenaline as I was awoken by a rustling outside the blind and the confusion when I gazed upon the other man who had been on the trip with us. The utter feeling of hopelessness and sorrow when he spoke the words that I will hold on to for the rest of my life "John fell out of his tree stand, I think he's dead." The desolation and anxiety like many people will never know, digging in me like a thorn on the long drive back, knowing that I would have to tell his wife, the love of my life, his twelve year old son, his five year old daughter. The remorse I would have when confronting his oldest son and his wife, with their two month old baby girl in their arms. The feeling of utter depression at watching his sobbing family as they asked me "how could this have happened?" The nights I still go to bed cursing him for ruining our trip in such a terrible way.
Pretty blue as far as blue cores go, especially when it was supposed to be bright yellow.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
crying on the beach with all of my teenage friends as I graduated high school and left the state for good.
0bolus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me laying face down across my dad's lap while he listens to music using me as a mock drum set.
Opening a large Christmas present finding some weights and a new copy of Donkey Kong Country 3. Then looking at my grandpa and seeing grin on his face mouthing, "Gotcha".
Standing up to my mom to defend my younger siblings from physical abuse.
Sitting with my now fiancรฉ in a gazebo. Making a really corny joke then saying, "I don't know how you put up with me." With her replying, "Because I love you." It was the first time she'd ever said it.
Me telling my dad that I forgot his John Lennon cd collection that I had been saving to my pc, and that I would bring it over next time. He responded with, "Don't worry about it, you can have them." His music collection was his most prized possesions that he rarely let people touch but he was dying of cancer and wanted me to have it. This was the first hard realization that I was going to lose my best friend.
Jessica saying, "I do."
RapperBugzapper ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
lying down in my friends garage with Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling, with nice relaxing music playing. i had just moved here, and this was the first moment that I felt like I fit in.
The_Ruminarian ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first friend was a little girl by the name of Gabriela. She had brown hair, and olive skin, and her parents were grad students from the Ukraine. We went to preschool together. She used to chase me around the playground and try to kiss me, and I'd run away from her. Some days, under the huge tree on the playground, she would sit on my lap, and we would just snuggle. One time, we went on a field trip to Chuck-E-Cheese's. We spent the whole time in this little room they had that was made out of rope, snuggling. One day she left, because her parents were going to go back to their home country. While my mom was talking to them, she chased me around behind the preschool van, and kissed me. There was nothing sexual about it at all. It was love, in the purest way I've ever felt it. It was joy in physical closeness. It was a genuine caring for someone else.
crimson-adl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 4 my grandma took me to visit my younger brother who was in hospital. We were in his room chatting when the doctor came in and asked us to step out. My grandma ushered me out of the room but from outside I could still hear my brothers scream from the lumbar puncture they were administering. My grandma whisked me straight out of the hospital and to the mall across the street where she bought me an obnoxiously purple leopard print coat. I loved that coat.
My first day travelling overseas alone. I had been to Europe before with friends but when I got off the plane in London alone on a cold December day it was a feeling of freedom I never thought possible.
The day of my last ballet exam 14 years ago. My mum is a tomboy and never really supported me being a ballerina, so she wasn't happy when I had an exam on a school/work day. It was the first of the professional level exams and my teacher had decided to change the exam to a practice exam because we weren't as prepared as she would like (since we had all been busy with high school). I forgot to tell my mum this until the day of and she was so angry. I can still remember the red light we were stopped at as she screamed at me for making her take a day off work to drive me to a practice exam.
arcmokuro ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Whats a core memory
PlNKERTON ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:50:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I have vivid memories from when I was 2 years old. I know I was 2 because we lived in a trailer park until I was almost 3. All of the below memories are from the trailer park. Some of my earliest:
I wandered into my parents bedroom and opened a drawer. Inside the drawer I found a bright orange golf ball. Their carpet was a nasty light green.
We got home from church and I walked into my bedroom that I shared with my brother. I took my red tie off and hung it on the doorknob.
Eating orange circus peanuts in our room while playing with our car set. I loved the texture of the peanut candy more than the flavor itself.
Wandered into the kitchen, only to be horrified by Mrs Butterworth. I must have had nightmares, or had been terrified by the commercials or something because I did not trust that plastic syrup bottle.
Rolling down the big hill in our yard on my unicycle. The hill was maybe 4 feet tall.
Being scratched by our neighbors evil cat.
Sitting in my cousins room, playing with her toys. She had girl toys.
My oldest brother had a Gameboy in his top shelf in his dresser. I tried to get to it one day but couldn't reach. I somehow manage to get my hand in there, maybe I stood on a chair or something, but I remember seeing, or picking up a couple AA batteries. No Gameboy.
Esit: I'm sorry for some reason I thought you meant earliest memories.
Andefir ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:51:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-The first time my father let me hold the steering wheel of his car. He was using the pedals but i was steering the car. I wasn't allowed to do it for very long as I kept driving into the grass.
-When I first went to a primary school in Ireland with no English. It was pretty difficult but now I'm in 5th year of secondary and just as fluent as everyone else.
-My earliest memory of my two cousins when i went to their house to celebrate one of their birthdays. I remember also watching Cars with them on a computer, straight from early 2000s.
-Moving to Ireland for the first time and moving into a new house.
rockosmodurnlife ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:51:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day I realized I was black & deciding I'd rather live in a crime riddled, indifferent world with black people than a happy go-lucky, nonchalant world without them.
The day when I started believing in God again after deciding God didn't exist.
FixBayonetsLads ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:51:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-the first book anyone ever bought me. It was an illustrated copy of the Iliad and the Odyssey when I was about 4. It Kickstarter my love of reading.
-Seeing my brothers, sister, and father all in their dress blues. I was so awestruck.
-Watching my dad and brother argue their way through Halo:Combat Evolved on Legendary when I was 9. I had never really touched a video game before that but I was instantly hooked.
And some other stuff.
_jenaraeshun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:52:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
seeing my mom after an 18 month deployment. I still remember her smile. and my dad's whistle from way out behind left field making sure i knew he was watching my games. He always used to ask from more when i would hit something, a single he'd say he wanted a double. The day i hit a cycle he just got up, chest out and raised both fists
Worlds_Best_Coffee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:52:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Watching Star Wars when I was 3 with my Mom, in the summer of 1983.
My 7th Grade teacher "letting me go" and letting me tell jokes in class without restrictions.
Hiding between my parents cars in the driveway to cry when I was 8 years old because I was the 9th man and they wanted to play 4 on 4 basketball and I wasn't any good or worth playing with.
Dad screaming at me at the dinner table because I made fun of my sister. His apology consisted of her being his favorite child, it really only made things worse.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:52:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Crying in my backyard because a girl said I was ugly. I asked my mom if I was and she said 'everyone has a different view of what's ugly and not' which my 6 year old self took as her being polite and dodging answering, which made me feel even worse. No wonder I had terrible self esteem for 10 years
GlibStripling ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:53:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Climbing two trees in my friends backyard. They were massive and intertwined so you could climb from tree to tree. You could also get on the roof, which the parents didn't really approve.
I was at a fundraiser my family put on to raise money for kids to go to college. There was a dunking booth, the one you throw a ball at and the person in the tank falls into the water. My brother was up next and his fingers were in the wrong spot. The person got dunked and the hinge of the seat almost chopped off the tips of his fingers. They were hanging by the skin. My parents wouldn't let me see it, which made the situation worse. There was blood everywhere, my brother was crying, two tips of his fingers were almost lost, and I was crying because my parents wouldn't let me see it. Let's just say dunking booths were no longer at the fundraisers.
Mack-Sauce ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:53:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-one time I was playing truth or dare with my sister and her friend and they dared 7 year old me to moon the next patron that walks out of the post office. I did and cried all the way home and my mom gave me a snickers bar bceaus eI lied and said they forced me to do it. 10/10 would do again.
Raabiam ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:53:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Dad left and never came back. i was 12, and had 2 little brothers. My Mom was a champ. There was never a day we went hungry. Although she physically and verbally abused me the worst, we NEVER went hungry, and always had a bed to sleep in. Looking back on it...raising 3 kids alone isn't easy. She did better than i probably ever could.
Walking to work every day for a year so i could buy my OWN car...a 1982 lincoln towncar. I learned to drive by lining up the hood ornament with the line in the road. Car was HUGE. She had heated seats & mirrors, and a blue vinyl top. My friends would all pile in that thing and we would smoke out w/ the windows up. Great times!
Graduating High school a year early and going to college. First one in my family to goto college. Couldn't believe how proud my grandparent's were of me. I had assumed it wasn't THAT big of a deal until then.
Spending the night at my uncles every weekend and watching Batman. Every single time. I found out later that they would pick us up( all 3 of us) to get us away from my parents, as they fought all the time and would hit us. Also got to goto Astroworld(rip) ALOT. Thanks J & E!!!
Meeting my soul mate and being sooo akward and shy. My heart would pound just holding her hand. She has helped me grow and improve sooo much!!! I never even though i would find someone like her, much less so soon. I was a freshman and she was a sophmore at the time. We dated for 15 years before deciding to get married( parents are old school;They offered to foot the bill 100%, so of course we said hellz yea!!! She did too!!! We've been married for about 2-3 years. Sometimes i STILL have to pinch myself to make sure iam not dreaming. I just can't fathom sometimes how i found my soulmate so early on in life. She's just the best (IMO) , and i couldn't even imagine a nicer, sweeter, More beautiful woman ( For ME!) She has helped me to grow into a better person all around. I want to do go things for her, and even my diet has changed...cause i want to live along side her for as long as possible!!!
Coming home one day to find my mom had bought us all new clothes! 2 shirts and a pair of pants each!!! One of the best days of my life ...The only clothes i had were either from salvation army, or clothes my grandma made us. I think i wore that same shirt for a week straight. I thought i was so cool. It was great!
Getting a N64 for x-mas. Even though we only got two games and two controllers( for 3 boys), we were so happy we didn't even fight over it. One of the games was "War-Gods", the other was "Wave Race 64"..with the jet ski's and the ramps. Me and my buddy would stay up all night on the weekends making up new tricks on that game.
FIN
JakeBit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:53:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I think this is interesting, because as far as I remember, most of them are sorta recent.
Age 8, I agreed to seal candy bars from the local kiosk. At dinner, I couldn't eat anything, and I was being eaten up by guilt. I ended up telling it to my parents that afternoon, and they made me go apologize, while they paid for it. They weren't mad, but happy that I told them!
Age 12 or something, I got relentlessly bullied after sports, so much that the former-cop teacher had to physically keep the bullies away to shelter me. I didn't stay at that school afterwards and moved to a special school.
Age 16, I start high school and assume I'll be a lone recluse without no friends. After some start-up issues, I'm sitting and talking with a teacher who's trying to help me choose my class. Suddenly this guy almost breaks down the door, and enthuastically drag me to class with him. I loved HS after that.
Age 16, i was in the musical in High School. Realized I had a flair for dramatic characters and comedy.
Age 18, I go out of HS and begin hanging around these punkish types through roleplaying and DnD, and find a girlfriend there. At her party, I break completely down with anxiety. Made me realize I'd had those issues for a while. Break up with the entire group, including gf.
Age 19, looked myself in the mirror crying, depressed and anxious, and then doing the mental version of punching everything and everyone, including myself, in the face. Was mad that entire day, and it felt awesome.
Age 19, I tell my dad to go f*** himself and stop seeing him. It felt kind of wrong, but also incredibly liberating.
I'm sure there are so many others I'm forgetting, but the earlier ones somehow don't mean too much to me anymore... Funny how that works.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:53:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Last year, my former best friend told me she was in love with me all the time. That hit me so hard and i was crying and apologizing as we also were friends with benefits and i used to talk to her about everything including being in love with another girl. I never noticed she was in love with me (she was very good in hiding feelings) and i felt really, really bad. She just said it was okay and that she wants the best for me and that just made me cry even harder.
staarkiid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:54:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom's abuse, need to find a way past this but it's getting and center for me
obscurethestorm ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:54:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hiding in my bedroom closet with my baby brother (6mo) when I was three while my dad beat my mom in the living room. (First memory I have at all)
Getting in trouble with my dad at a resturant for breathing too heavily (I have always been a heavy breather).
The first time I went to summer camp. My camp counselor at the begining of the week made a bet with a another counselor about something and said if she lost she would shave her head at the end of camp. She lost. This was made all the more shocking because it was a pretty strict christian church camp, so it was quite scandalous.
December of my freshman year of high school, I was on webcam with a friend who had just moved away. I laughed too loudly and my dad threw a chair through our sliding glass back door. My mom sent me outside to pick shards of glass out of the snow while she put ripped up trashbags to cover the hole.
Junior year. At a choral competition where I am competing individually with a solo and also together with a full choir from my high school. My teacher decided that we all needed to support each other so the full choir was required to sit in on all of our individual solos, which was pretty nerve racking. I remember being so nervous because I was alway kinda mousy and shy. I started singing and I remember on of the meaner girls in choir leaning over to the boy next to her and saying "Oh my god, did you know she could sing like that?" Which just made me so happy.
When I was in fourth and fifth grade I would walk to the library (about a mile away if I cut theough the corn field behind our house). The librarian of the childrens section knew me well and she would help me fill my backpack with books. I would read all the time, and I still do.
astepUPfromperving ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:54:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
8 years old and riding my skateboard on a sidewalk in our neighborhood. I crashed and laid there crying, waiting for someone to come running to my rescue. After a few minutes, I realized that no one was coming to comfort me, so I stood up, brushed off the dirt and little pieces of gravel, and went back to skateboarding.
10 years old "wake up, mom's dead"
14 years old, reading an article in a magazine. It told me to close my eyes and think of a color, and when I opened my eyes I was to look around the room for that color. It went on to explain, that you find what you look for and that applied to most things in life. If you look for the bad, you will find it. If you look for the good, you will find it. So choose carefully what you look for.
skooched ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:54:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
-going through my mom's massive book collection that was so big it filled a wall to wall bookshelf and then had a bunch of overflow in boxes picking out piles of books that looked like I would want to read, then taking the pile of 15 or so books to mom and asking her which ones I would really like. I was always so excited and I would spend hours just looking through all the different books and and carefully reading the backs and selecting ones that looked especially good. Then after mom picked out several that she thought I would like the most, I would keep the little pile of books next to my bed so that I could read them back to back.
-telling my crush that my best friend was feeling really depressed, it didn't seem like much at the time but when my best friend found out it devastated them, I felt so badly that to this I am extremely private about what others tell me.
-being asked to play the drumset in church worship service. I felt so proud of myself that day, it's what drove me to be so motivated to be good at what I do.
-making chocolate chip cookies with my dad. I still remember the recipe to this day. Despite the fact that he can't cook otherwise, that is the reason that I enjoy cooking.
-The first time I went to my wife's parents. I raked leaves for three hours and completely cleared out 5 acres of land on my own. I was tired, but really happy. It's one of the reasons my FIL was willing to give me the time of day despite me being a "city boy."
coryrain ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:55:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The Tornado.
It wasn't really a tornado, but a very strong thunderstorm. I was four years old. I remember helping my mom put away all the outside toys before it started to rain. It was lunch time and the sirens went off while she was making lunch. We had no basement in the old house, so my mom, my little brother, and me sat in my mom's closet. She built a fort of shoe boxes around us. At some point my brother started to cry because he was hungry. My mom told me to run to the kitchen and get the bag of chips off the kitchen table. I remember what the sky looked like out the kitchen window. It was grey and black and green. It wasn't raining anymore, but the wind was blowing very hard. I feel like I stood there forever staring out the window. I eventually made it back to the closet with a bag of fritos.
My mother denies that this happened. My brother was only two and has no memory of it. I know it was real. I have an obsession with storms now. I love them. I love tracking them on radar. I want to go on a tornado chase tour one day. I will never live in a home without a basement.
LastLevel-NoLives ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:55:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My memory-maintenence team is just laying back helpless, as portals to giant worlds open up all over LTM shelves, and slowly encompass everything, while a nearby fog machine makes some spheres pretty hard to make out.
notmarisowl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:55:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was around 11-12, maybe younger. My mom yelling at me "you are useless", "what did I do to deserve such a useless child", scarred me for life. I'm 23 today and still carry that with me. My mother was a specialist in hurtful words.
justsare ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:55:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Moving into our new house, I saw a little girl just my age sitting across the street, watching. I had my dad walk me over, marched up to her, and announced "I'm justsare, in going to be your best friend." 29 years later I hope I'm keeping that promise.
A few years later, sitting in fifth grade math class on a random (but very special) Tuesday afternoon, I got called to the office. "Your mom had her baby," I was told, and held my breath. "You have a baby sister." I've never jumped for joy as I did at that moment.
Weeks later, called to my grandfather's deathbed. His voice was hoarse and raspy; his skin felt like paper against mine. His breath rattled. He told me he was proud of me and that he loved me.
Many years later, in a hospital delivery room, a friend of mine was having a c-section. I stood beside her as they pulled the baby out. The doctor cut the cord, passed the baby to the nurse, and the nurse placed the baby, squalling and slimy and perfect, into my hands. Through my tears, I whispered to my friend "it's a girl." I've held so many babies in my life, but never like that. It was magical.
A few years later, a few years ago, I was on a trip visiting my other best friend and her then-boyfriend. I got a call letting me know that both my stepdad's mother (so essentially my grandma) and my stepmom, had both passed away overnight (unrelated). When I went out to tell my friend and her boyfriend, and asked for a lift to the greyhound station, they both stared at me for a second before immediately launching into plans for her to accompany me home for the week, how he would take care of notifying her work while we packed, etc. I don't deserve the way this girl has loved me. (Her husband rocks, too, obviously).
Thehusseler ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:55:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was around 8, I liked to run and jump around pretending I was a pirate or an astronaut shooting aliens or anything. One day my dad tasked me with putting sticks on a fire while he did something else. Naturally I was putting sticks on and at the same time each stick was a sword I used to defend the castle in my imagination.
I knew nothing about fires though so I was throwing on small sticks that did nothing and there weren't enough of them. When my dad returned, this was the only time he's ever yelled at me. He said all this shit about "Get your goddam head out of the clouds!" And that I didn't do what I had been asked, which 8 year old me tried to explain that I had been putting sticks on the fire, it just didn't work. He didn't listen to me, kept yelling at me. I went home to my mom the next day and didn't talk to him for 2 weeks. Neither of us budged.
12 years later I'm a video game design major and have firmly planted "my head in the clouds" and he can go fuck himself if he still thinks the same.
LoveAberrantly23 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:55:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I grew up with an older sister, single mother, grandparents, and an uncle as my role models.
My Grandpa and I were extremely close. I was very much a tomboy and loved doing 'manly' things with him. My most cherished memories with him will never escape me.
My sister and I would hang with my Grandpa and our most favorite thing to do was to go to the 'dump' with him. We would go there to get mulch, drop off forage, etc., would climb the mountains of dirt, and on the way back we would always stop at this tiny little hot dog stand that was known as the 'best hot dogs in the world' to us.
My Grandpa was prepping the area for the new concrete patio he, my uncle, and a few friends were helping make. I felt so special and important when he let me use the sawzall to cut down the stakes. I was probably about 8 or 9. I remember snapping one of the blades and he encouragingly looked at me, patted my shoulder, and replaced the blade for me to try again.
Everytime my uncle would come home, he would bring us some kind of trinket/small toy to let my sister and I know he was thinking about us when he was out.
The day my Grandpa surprised my Grandma with a puppy. I was dropped off from school, walked inside and saw a box upside down with a square cut out of the front. All I saw was two tiny paws and I ran outside and screamed at my BFF that my Grandpa had gotten a 'cat or dog or something!!!'
My Grandpa let my sister and I ride around the backyard on the riding lawnmower, of course with he blades turned off. My sister ultimately crashed into his beloved truck. Even though she was petrified after she did it, I still can't get the image out of my head of a lawnmower moving at one of the slowest speeds just touching his truck and her taking off terrified of what she'd done.
Finally, laying on my Grandma watching Unsolved Mysteries waiting for my mom to come home from work at about 10:30pm. The back door starting jiggling, the knob looked like someone was trying to open the door. My Grandma starts screaming for my Grandpa while she was holding a pillow up to her face, "Johnny!!!!!!" My sister was under the covers on the recliner and I was frozen. Turns out it was the dog laying, scratching at the bottom of the door. She was a Peek-a-Pom, so granted she was hard to see at the moment.
Madocvalanor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:55:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first Core Memory is me playing in a hospital room while my grandpa was laying in bed. He asked me over and I handed him one of my ninja turtles and we played together for a bit. Then the nurse came in and he was wheeled away. I dunno how long it was afterwards but he came back to the room and I wanted to climb back in, but the nurse wouldn't let me. Grandpa had open heart surgery and bore the scar for the rest of his life.
Second one, I was on a boat... I remember hooking something big, then I was pulled in before dad and grandpa could react. I was pulled out by my vest, coughing... Then one of my loudest burps as a kid I had ever done. Dad n I still laugh at the memory, but I was scared then.
Third core memory was when we used to have pizza at the park. My brothers would line up afterwards and then start racing or wrestle while we'd watch laugh. It was fun.
The second biggest memory... It was when my grandpa died. I was 18... He and I were very close... I spent every weekend with him, every deer season, every christmas and easter... He was the strongest man I knew upside my dad... We were watching football and grandpa was actin funny that day. Like he knew it was his last day... He turned to dad and told him. "Come on, it's time to go. Tired of watching the Boys lose." Dad and him got dressed in their hunting outfits then headed off... It was about 4 hours later that dad called us... I remember thinkin he's okay, he's been through worst... Then... Dad showed up... And took us to the funeral home.
amsbkwrm ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:56:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time my boyfriend and I kissed. It was in the rain and it was a perfect moment. Also the first time he said he loved me. It was on New Years Eve and I thought he was joking at first, but he was serious.
I was always a big bookworm and I didn't go to the best middle school. In 7th grade (maybe 8th?) I had this teacher who could not control our wild class. Literally he would get on his desk and try and yell to get them under control and most ignored him. On those days when his period was just too crazy and he would give up and sit up front or try and get control I would just read. I probably went through most of the school's library that year. At the end of the year he was quitting and he left little notes for the students that had been nice to him- my note said "read. keep reading. read while the world collapses around you and you'll be fine." That always stuck with me.
The many Christmases I spend with my parents and my family in Colombia. We have so much fun opening presents and celebrating. Sometimes those trips are the highlight of my year. I don't think I can even put into words how much I love those trips and how much they influenced me.
My mom coming to pick me up from school when our dog died. Her big sunglasses covering her face so the teachers couldn't really see how much she was crying. Or the time my dad picked me from school early because his grandfather in Colombia died. Might be my first memory of really ever seeing him crying.
Traveling in a school group-but not really any friends- to Australia and seeing the sights and swimming at the Great Barrier Reef. I've always loved to travel and see new places, but this trip was the first one I took "by myself" and it just cemented the fact that I love to travel and would like to do more.
There are probably more that I can't even think of at the moment.
Perottina ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:56:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My best friend threw a rock and it ended up hitting me on the head. I then developed a crush.
_DancesWithMen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:56:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was little, my dad and I did not have the best relationship. I was a bratty child, and he tended to respond with anger and yelling a lot. We did not have the same views and argued a lot (even when I was in elementary school). In short, things were tense between us. Regardless, we spent a lot of time together because my mom was often at work when my dad was at home.
One day, we went to Walmart together. I was always the type of kid who wanted his parents to buy him stuff a lot, so I was used to hearing no. Especially from my dad. He grew up dirt poor in rural Texas and had it ingrained in his mind that money was strictly for necessities. My family was not poor by any means, but we certainly weren't rich, either.
Anyway, we're shopping and we walk past the bike section of the store. I was 7 or 8 at the time, and I had never had a bike before. I started looking at them and wandered off a bit from my dad. He eventually found me and started to get angry, but suddenly said I should pick any bike I wanted and we could buy it. I was shocked โ even at 7 I knew it was strange that my dad would offer something like that. I picked out my favorite, walking to the checker stand with it proudly.
It wasn't until we got to the car that my dad told me why he wanted to buy me a bike. As I stated earlier, he was very poor when growing up and he also had eight siblings. Gifts were rare, so when he woke up to a bike on one Christmas morning he was ecstatic. It quickly became his most prized possession. About a week after receiving it, he rode to the movies and left it outside. Someone stole it. There was no replacing it โ they couldn't afford it โ so he was left bikeless and heartbroken.
It was that day that I learned that despite our differences, my dad really does care about me and really does want me to be happy. Thank you Dad, I love and miss you.
Stina_maria ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:56:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 7/8 years old. Sitting on my moms floor watching tv when the phone rang. She suddenly was visibly upset and started frantically looking for a pen and grabbed the closest thing to write on, a light blue Kleenex box with white flowers on it. She hung up the phone. She cried all day. I still see the woman's name and phone number written in my moms handwriting on that Kleenex box. Later that evening after my dad got home from work, my parents had a huge fight. My sister and I just sat in our room in silence. We could hear screaming and banging of stuff being thrown around in their room. When my mom finally came out of the bedroom she went to the kitchen and picked up the phone. I could hear her talking to her best friend. "She says the baby is his, Margaret. She works with him.... I have to go. Christina is listening to me". That's the first time I remember hating. I hated anyone with that woman's first name. If I met someone with her last name, I would do the math and try to figure out if this person could be my sibling. I hated going to the store and seeing Kleenex boxes. 20 years later, I would hate driving down Metro parkway and seeing the job where he worked and he met her. I hated wondering if she still worked there. Idk what's worse tho. I let go of the hate. But even 20+ years later, I still don't understand his actions anymore than I did at 8 years old.
ImAGringo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:56:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 12, I was always riding my bike around the neighborhood. One block over, some house was getting yard work done, and there was a giant pile of dirt in the street, and there was a massive hill that led to the dirt pile. My friends and I decided to mold the dirt pile into a tabletop jump, and I wanted to clear it.
I got to the top of the hill, and I was ducking determined to clear it. I must've been going around 25 mph, because I was fucking mobbing on my shifty Walmart bike, it was fucking rattling, about ready to explode from the speed I was going.
I hit the jump, and man did I clear it. I cleared it by about an extra 5 feet, because I fucking ate shit. Somehow, the brake handle lodged into the skin on my index finger, and it tore a chunk out of it while I crash landed. I still have the scar today.
darealdrizzt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:56:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
For me, it was seeing my dad cry for the first time.
I was 7 years old, and it was at the funeral of my grandma. I had (and still do) view my dad as my hero, and that moment taught me empathy.
Yes, I learned that my dad can cry and he's not invincible. That's the normal go to with these things. But I remember, and can still feel the pain of seeing someone you love feel so helpless and sad. Whenever I need to better sympathize with a situation I always think back to that moment.
Professor_Snarf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:57:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a child, I was embarrassed that I had to wear glasses. Even though I could barely see a thing without them, I never wore them outside.
One day, I was out with my mom running errands and she tells me we are on the way to see Return of the Jedi. I was shocked! Finally, I'd get to find out what happens to all my favorite characters after three years of waiting. I certainly wasn't expecting my boring day to turn out so well.
My excitement quickly turned to regret, as I wouldn't be able to clearly see what was happening on the screen.
My mom looked at me, and pulled my glasses from her purse.
kj4ezj ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:57:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember being incarnated.
Out of nowhere I was walking up the stairs in front of my Mom in a townhouse we used to live in. I was being taken up to bed, at like 7 or 8 PM. I knew what was going on, where I was, where my room was, and who I was with. My very first thought was that everything had just been nothingness and now here I am. I knew how significant this moment is and that I must always remember it. I was probably 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 years old at the time.
Does anyone else have a memory like this, of being incarnated? I'd love to hear about it, your theories of why I had this experience (scientific or otherwise), or your earliest memory.
Biggie18 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:57:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom teaching me to swim and tie my shoes, also learned my phone number by heart.
My brother pushing me into a hole and breaking my arm.
A Friday night in the summer where literally every kid was outside playing with our bikes and attaching my sister's umbrella stroller to the back of one and going around the block at high speed.
Hitting my first home run in little league off the best pitcher in the league (we still lost lol)
Me and my sister finding my dad after he died.
Realizing that a feud between me and this other kid in school was like 95% made up by our "friends" and that we actually had a ton in common. (Have been friends with this guy for almost 20 years now).
bongo1138 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:57:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have two memories of my parents being married:
Disneyland. They took us and we went to San Diego and even Tiajuana. I remember my dad stepped in human shit and that was the funniest thing ever.
I have a distinct memory of when a friends parents had divorced them sitting me on the bed and promising me they'd never divorce. They did, of course, and apparently they took us to Disneyland so we'd hopefully have a memory of them being married.
Bewarethewulf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:57:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting on my great uncle's lap while he was driving a boat. He asked me if I wanted to steer, and I was terrified I'd do it wrong, and crash the boat. Of course, looking back, he was right there the whole time, and it's possible he never even took his hands off the wheel.
Later on, he became a lot more grouchy, due to illness and pain, but I'll always remember that moment.
RetroSpecsify ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:57:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Grandad. When I was 7 I asked him for a ride on his Tomos moped, a small and weak motorbike. The memory is quite vivid for me as I remember him laying on the couch looking pale and myself begging him to take me out for a spin as I loved rides on that bike. My grandma turns to him and asks him if he can do it, if he has the strength to go out and he says "for my grandson, yes". So he puts on his coat and his old man cap and goes out, slowly walking up the steps to the garage to turn on the bike with his foot, with me beside him all gleeful.
So we ride around the small town for 5-10mins and return back home with myself running down the stairs all happy and excited that grandad took me out for a ride and saying to my grandma how much I loved it. Grandad walks in after locking up the garage and lays back on the couch, I run up to him and thank him lots. He didnt change his clothes, just simply layed there and said "Im glad you had fun but grandad is tired and needs his rest". So I leave him and grab some dinner.
After years of battling cancer, specifically leukaemia for 4 years he passed away in 2000. It didn't hurt me then as I was only 10 years old to understand but I broke down later on in life when I remembered this memory. It hurts to remember his condition but to this day that moment was the happiest day in my life and still is.
Throughout my life I try to imitate the man he was and I hope, wherever he is, he is proud of the man I have become.
Darjeeh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:57:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First time I rode my bike without training wheels - it was like flying!
swaggadactyl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in the 5th grade I got hit in the head with a metal bat by another kid. My head was ringing and he started crying before me. I didn't cry til I saw blood.
My best friend passed away 7 years ago. We were very close. I miss him. But we had a lot of fun times and he's the reason Pokemon and smash bros is such a big part of my life still. I still remember that he could run miles and miles but couldn't do one push-up. We would eat a whole pizza each and ate it often because it was cheap. I cried at his funeral nonstop.
I got my first boyfriend 2 years ago. So much happiness, but anxiety too because of being in the closet at the time. I didn't come out til 6 months after. Our friends and my brothers accept me and love us. My parents a bigots and fill me with anxiety.
flopbops ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
the day my parents were drunk and had such a huge fight that my sister in law had to protect my younger brother and I. They ended up throwing things at each other and the cops were called. (I believe I was 6.)
my younger brother and I played a game where we would stuff pillows under our shirts and run into each other. I'll never forget how hard we laughed!
my mother is a very controlling woman. When I was 15, my friends wanted to go to a boy's house, but we had to figure out a way to get me out of the house. My friend was driving (a huge no go in my mother's endless book of rules), so my friends somehow convinced my mom that her dad was driving and we were going to her house. My mom ended up believing us and we had a great time hanging out with our friends (one of which is still one of my good friends).
My friend and I decided that in between winter break for college, we should go on an adventure. She decided that we buy two bus tickets and go on a cross country bus trip from the middle of US all the way home (which is in the south). It was probably a horrible idea for two 18 year old girls, but it was really fun. It took us 2 days to get home. We decided to fly back to school after that.
I remember standing on my now husband's toes and making close eye contact on the first day we met. I forget what I said to him, but I will never forget the way he looked at me. He gave me the same look on our wedding day :)
I had a really traumatic birth with my first child and my husband was deployed during it. I remember shaking and wanting to hold my new baby that wasn't crying. I was in and out of consciousness; my mom-in-law, who was with me, didn't know if my son and I were going to make it. The team of nurses finally got my son to cry and they handed him to my mom-in-law. I felt relieved, but I almost blacked out. After an hour of being stitched up, some extra medication and fluids, and oxygen, I was okay and I could finally hold my son. To this day, my mom-in-law still gives me the biggest hugs when I see her and spoils my son more than any other of her grandchildren!
RagnarokAM ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was undergoing chemotherapy and I had just been informed that I was near sure to be sterile following treatment. For background, I am the final son in my bloodline, having sisters and female cousins only.
I had never thought too hard about the family to come, but sitting in front of my parents, crying, explaining to them that I could not bear them a grandchild to continue our bloodline felt like I had failed my family.
My mother had prayed for a grandchild since forever, but to see her smile through tears and take a complete 180 on her stance will stick with me forever. 'I don't care about grandchildren as long as I have my son'. I will never, ever forget that moment and how my parents and I just held each other as I cried it all out of my system.
Anivair ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A day in the back yard of my childhood home with my family. my father was there playing with our crazy dog, I was doing skin the cats on the rings, and my mother was in and out of the house, occasionally bringing beverages out. I don't recall my sister being part of it, so she was probably too young. It's one of the last memories I have of my family together before the divorce, so it's a neat one.
my father rushing into the house through the front door and out the back door into the corn field being chased by police. AFAIK they didn't catch him that night.
The day my daughter was born (4 months early). She came out looking a lot like a salami. I was happy and terrified and relieved and that moment will never leave my brain.
On that note: the day my wife and I had "the talk" about our feelings for one another. It was in a chat of all things, and I still remember everything about it, including the nervous 30 minute walk to took before that to clear my head.
ktblondie8 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Running away when I was 14. I was quickly looking through my room for things I needed. I grabbed my phone changer and my teddy bear for moral support. I stood in the doorway for a good 5 minutes, indecisively stepping in and out again. I just remember feeling so liberated when I finally made it out of the doorway and down the street. (Never lived there again).
G1zm0e ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day I met my ex wife, we were 12 and 13.
Story Time
A buddy and I were going to a swimming pool, we were called by a mutual friend to go to his house and enjoy some cake and cookies for a party. We decided to ditch the pool and go meet up with him. It turned into a 'christian revival kids group' vs a 'lets have cake and watch movies' party. But... there she was.... wearing a blue shirt and white jean, black hair, and a smile. She wouldn't talk to me, I was wearing a FBI shirt (female body inspector shirt). Before I left, we were sitting on a trampoline and just talking. I know then, I had to marry this girl, and that I would not be happy until we were dating. We ended up becoming really good friends, eventually dating, and getting married.. We ended the relationship after almost 11 years of marriage. FML.. its hard and it sucks, I was not planning on dating at this time, but circumstances changed and it sucks, we just want different things.
Redneck101599 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:58:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Having my dad surprise me coming home from iraq after being gone for almost 2 years
bmwlee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:59:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd say one of my earliest memories was in preschool we would have nap time where they would turn down all the lights and all of us kids would sleep on little cots. I had really bad eczema as a kid, mostly on my knees, and every day one of the teachers, one of the younger ones, I'd say she was between 25-30, would apply my ointment cream to my rash areas. she did this so gently as to not wake me up, it was both comforting and heartwarming now that I think about it.
peter_the_panda ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:59:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I believe the movie Kindergarten Cop was one of the first movies I ever saw in theaters. I was going into Kindergarten at the time so I naturally thought it was going to be the same thing.
For those of you who have seen the movie, you will recall that there is a fire in the school at the end.
-fast forward to going to school-
First day of school I walked in and saw two kids sitting at a table. Chris L. (I remember his last name but won't post it here) suddenly screamed, "I have a match!". The previously mentioned movie had me paranoid of fires so I screamed at him, "NO YOU DON'T!". He then yelled at me while holding two cards in his hands, "YES I DO!". I promptly pushed him out of his seat and he started crying.
I was quickly pulled aside and scolded by the teacher. I started crying and said he had a match and was going to set the school on fire. She told me they were playing the card game "Memory", (which would explain the two cards he was holding in his hand). I still didn't understand what this meant and I was still upset because I REALLY didn't want my school to catch fire. My teacher explained to me that having a "match" in a card game meant he had two of the same card.
This was the first time I learned words could have multiple meanings...
MLG_Snipar_420 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:59:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father passed away when I was 9 years old, I barely remember much about him now but what I do remember are the things that I love him so much for.
My first time he taught me to ride a bike
Countless road trips going camping, one time fishing we saw a black bear across the river and we snuck away
Making pasta and pizza with him
Since I'm from the north he would make snow jumps in our yard and we would sled around
The fact that he worked his ass off every day so my mother, brother and I could live a live he never had as a child
I only had him for a short time in my life but it left a lasting effect that I'll take with me when I eventually raise my own kids. Love ya dad.
mermaidenly ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:00:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's hard to think of a handful of memories that could power all the key things about you.
The ones that stick out:
UnassumingEggplant ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:00:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The following are chronological and will lead into my 27th (current) year. Little late to the party but I love the concept so here goes.
duranfanfaye ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:01:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My father chasing my mom around the baby grand piano abs threatening to kill her. I was in her arms.
Climbing out of my crib to the beginning theme of "General Hospital"
My father punishing me for something by forcing me to pick larger rocks from his 3/4 mile long slag driveway for 8 hours at a time.
My father yelling at me and being so upset that he was pounding on the steering wheel of his Chevette. I was convinced he was going to cause us to wreck and kill us both.
My mom, as a single parent, taking me out for a grilled cheese sandwich and saying she'd already eaten. She hadn't.
The first time my boyfriend (later husband & now ex-husband) hit me.
The moment I laid eyes of my newborn baby daughter, and fell so in love with her that I knew I'd move mountains for her safety and happiness.
The first time I saw my (now) husband?
The day we married.
edit: I can't format for shit.
jesus_sold_weed ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:01:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I watched my mom take her last breathe 11 years ago. That one isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
I honestly don't think anything else has effected me anywhere near as significantly.
Woofmore ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:02:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was ~5 years old I was at one of those "dress up" places that have a ridiculous selection of costumes. For some reason in my area that place was a hot spot for kids' birthdays.
Anyways, all I remember is I was dressed up as a caveman with a plastic "wooden" club running around smashing the heads off all of the fake animals in the "jungle" section of the place. Important note, the heads weren't removable. I would then take these heads to the girls I had crushes on and present them like some dang trophy.
To this day I'm not entirely sure what the hell I was doing...or even better, why that is one of my core memories.
agasizzi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:02:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was actually just talking about this with my wife.
When I was 8 we went up to the cabin on an evening with no moon. When I walked out to the pond I looked up and in the moonless sky I could see so many starts, it was like a great big bowl of oatmeal. I can't look at the sky now and not think about it. (Ended up a science teacher too)
My great grandfather in his blue cardigan walking me to the the corner store for nickel candies (he died when I was 2 1/2, I still remember playing hide and seek in the funeral parlor with the neighbor girls).
The night my wife and I lost out two sons, As tough as it was, and as much as I'd like to forget it, it has shaped me more than any other event in my life
Edit: Sitting up on the pier fishing with Bob Uecker announcing the Brewers on dads old radio
Canarmane ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:02:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This seems like the kind of thing that could make a fun subreddit. I went ahead and grabbed the name /r/CoreMemories but I'm at work currently so I can't start working on it earnestly for a few hours.
garrettj100 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:02:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
35 years ago I lived in Staten Island. Maybe there was some sort of weird resonance that year, (perhaps it was the 7th * 13th * 19th year of their cycle) but there were SO MANY FUCKING CICADAS.
Everywhere. Everywhere Cicadas, everywhere empty Cicada shells. For 3 straight months the droning was deafening, broken only by the crunching when you walked. CRUNCH CRUNCH; no matter where you were walking: Lawn, street, dirt... Millions upon millons of Cicada shells, and no matter which way you turned, their dead eyes stared at you.
I never said it was a positive memory.
LuciaLux ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:02:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
BattleStag17 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:03:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My parents getting divorced when I was 7 (kinda fucked me up)
Playing Bubble Bobble with my mom on her old NES (made me a gamer)
My grandma giving me the first Harry Potter book when I was 9 (made me fall in love with books)
Watching Rocky Horror for the first time at a friend's Halloween party when I was 15 (brought me out of my shell)
Singing Let's do the Time Warp Again at the top of our lungs while trick-or-treating the next year (got on the local news for noise)
My future fiancรฉe sitting down at the desk next to me first day of English class, senior year (<3)
Edit, forgot a good one:
JenovaCelestia ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:03:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think some people are missing what a core memory is. A core memory changes/defines who you are.
In this vein, my core memory is seeing my mother before she died.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:04:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
8 years old, I had one of those Egyptian archaeology kits where you chisel out artefacts from a lump of plaster. I was only allowed to use it outside due to dust. My little sister used it indoors and left it around. My dad saw it and started telling me off. I told him it wasn't me, he kicked me down the hallway with his steel toe caps on for answering back. It left a massive bruise on my leg that was visible during PE. I had to tell the teacher I fell out of bed. Dad was kicked out of the house for a few days.
13 years old, my mum crying and retching, telling us not to come round the corner where she is at the PC. She is deleting child porn off the computer that my dad has downloaded to make sure that me and my younger sisters do not see it. She is terrified that if any one finds out, we will be taken away from her.
13 years old, my dad comes home from blockbuster with a copy of Snow Dogs and cans of Pepsi for me and my sisters. It was the end of the month so money was tight, and he was never generous like this even at the beginning of the month! My mum asks him where he got the money from, since he never does this (turns out he was stealing from work). Dad jumps up and abruptly says "I'll leave then!" and left and that was that. Mum seemed relieved, probably for the reason above. We watched Snow Dogs and drank pepsi, it was the most surreal experience and I to this day feel uncomfortable about both Cuba Gooding Jr and Huskies.
At 18, I am staying at my Grandad's house. I find out that I have gotten into the university of my choice, the first person in my family to do so. I run downstairs to tell him! He congratulates me and tells me to get dressed as I ran down to tell him in my boxer shorts. He then gives me some money to go get drunk and celebrate.
At 22, I am cheering up my best friend, she was sad that her boyfriend is horrible to her, I am sad that my girlfriend is trying to move in with me at my mum's. I am not ready for it. We are horsing around and I pick her up. I carry her and drop her on her bed. We look at each other and kiss, it was the best kiss I have ever had to that point. We get naked, she has the biggest and most amazing breasts I have ever seen. We have sex all night and all morning. I am marrying her next year!
near_starlet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:04:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seeing my SO for the first time. In that instant, I felt like I had known him all my life, but I couldn't wait for the rest of my life to start.
Seeing my grandfather on his deathbed/seeing the gurney with the black zippered bag. I will always regret looking down the hallway of the hospice when we left that night.
(but more like 2a) The 6 months after my grandfather was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer to his death. We visited every weekend, but some highlights were watching History of the World Part 1 and afterwards saying he didn't know if he could watch it again because he was nervous he'd laughing (totally joking); and when we met with the rabbi as a family to discuss his last wishes with him there. And the fried chicken suppers he'd make for us every time - the best chicken I've ever had, or will have in my life.
When my aunt came out of the room to tell us my grandmother had died. She had dementia, and I had spent at least 2 full days a week with her since my grandfather passed 4 years prior. Even with her diagnosis, she was the most cheerful, quick-witted and lively woman I've ever met and I hope I have even a sliver of her spirit and courage.
When my dad told off my volleyball coach for being a religious bigot.
When I was in 7th grade social studies and my teacher made us stand up if we fit into a specific religious group. I was the only Jewish kid to stand up, and got ostracized by my peers from that day on.
randomcollegegirl816 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:04:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know I am a bit late to the party, but I felt the need to post these. These will be a roller coaster of feels.
1) When I went to spend the weekend at a college I was interested in. It helped me determine that that was where I wanted to go to school.
2) When I found out I had been accepted to my college. I was terrified I wouldn't get in, so I sent in my application as soon as they would let me. In October of my senior year of high school, I received a package from the college containing my acceptance letter. My parents and I were so happy.
3) A month later, being at my aunt and uncle's house for Thanksgiving. My grandfather was dying and we all knew it. So when things were quiet in the den, I went to sit with him. I showed him my acceptance letter. Speaking was hard for him by that point, but he told me how proud he was of me and how he knew I would be accepted. He died a couple weeks later.
4) When I graduated from college. It was a bittersweet moment knowing that we would all move away from each other, but we were so excited for the future.
5) When I received a job offer 2 months after graduation. It was more than 1000 miles away, but I knew it was where I wanted to go. So, we packed my things and dad and I went on a road trip to move me into my new apartment, site unseen.
6) Less than 2 months after I moved, my dad called to tell me that mom was in the hospital. I would be leaving for a business trip the next morning so I asked him if he wanted me to fly home. He said no, mom would be fine. I talked to mom, she asked me to stay and send her pictures of the red moon that night. I sent them to her.
7) The next day, I was out of town. A good friend of ours called me and said I needed to reach my dad immediately - mom had been rushed to a larger hospital. After almost an hour of worrying and saying to myself, no mom will be fine, he called me to say she was gone. I was standing outside the building, I sat down and started crying. He told me that somehow, I needed to get home because he needed me.
8) Shortly after I regained my composure, I went back inside and told my coworker what happened. I broke down and cried again, upset, and totally unsure how I was going to get home. I received a call from one of my bosses not 20 minutes later when we were headed back. She asked for the information from my driver's license. I provided it. She asked if we would be back before 7. I said yes. She told me she was sending me an email with a confirmation because she was flying me home that night. She said to take 2 weeks and figure everything out. Their act of kindness is something I will never forget.
blazingbuns ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:05:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was a "slow" kid. I wasn't mentally challenged or anything like that but I was basically dumb for most of my days except on certain circumstances where something is of my interest. In kindergarten I was always scolded by my mom for not taking notes during class and not paying attention. The other kids often made fun of me since I was gullible and stupid.
So the exam time came, I sat there and wrote it. Often scratching my head in frustration because some things didn't make sense. It was written in English, which is my third language. I never spoke it at home nor when I go outside. Then the results came. I don't think I ever believed I would pass it but I did. My mom was so happy and excited for me. Of course I was excited and happy because those who I expected to get in didn't make it. It was an "in-your-face" kind of moment.
When the results came, I was notified that a lot of my classmates got in. They were looking for other people's names but they could not find mine. Nervous, I rushed my ass to that school so I could find my name. I was really scared that I failed because that would be humiliating for me. It's times like these where I can prove I wasn't all stupid. So I got there, went to meet up with my friends and then directly looked at the bulletin board where the results were posted. I searched frantically for my name and voila, I found it.
I passed the exam. I quickly notified my mom through a second-hand cellphone. I was so happy because that was the day I got good results for my hard work and I got my first brand-new cellphone (Nokia 7210) due to a deal I made with my mom.
In case you're wondering, these special treatments were the same in elementary only better. The teachers assigned to teach us would move to our buildings instead of the students moving from one room to the other. The building where we studied has a special washroom for our use only, along with a shed and a small open field where we could spend our free time with. We would also get good seats whenever there's a play or some theatre-related event. However, despite being treated like royalty, we had to learn like royalty. The lessons were much more advanced.
For example; in grade 8 in Canada (which is the equivalent of second year high school in my country) they would be teaching fractions for math. But from my high school, they would be teaching us advanced algebra and geometry.
GFD_Chris ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:05:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My great uncle coming to visit me on Christmas Eve, decked out in full Santa Claus attire. Now it seems so obvious, but I'll be damned if I didn't think it was real at the time.
TobaccerFarmer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:05:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My family has grown tobacco for at least six generations. It is long, hard, taxing work. We spend 10 months a year thinking about the crop and you often define your life around its set schedule. However, it requires an entire family for each task. Some people never appreciated this, and with tobacco a dying crop, I am afraid the future generations may not get to experience it like I did as a kid.
I remember being 5 or so years old--we were "setting" young tobacco transplants into a field. My Uncle was driving the tractor. Our setter is made to plant two rows at a time, and it takes two people per row to handle plants. My Grandma, Mom, and both older brothers were there, Dad was hauling the water tank, and Grandpa was shuttling float trays from the greenhouse to the field.
Now, I was still too young to do any "important jobs," but there was still a task for me. Occasionally somebody on the setter would miss a plant, and you can't leave a hole in the row. So my job was to walk behind them and watch for missed spots. If I saw one, I would grab a plant, run back to the missed spot, dig a hole by hand in the soft, warm soil, and drop it in.
This particular day sticks out in my memory because it was just so...perfect. Not a cloud in the sky and that June sun wasn't too hot. We never ran out of plants, there was always water in the setter tank, nobody ever started yelling because something broke down. Everybody was laughing and telling stories to pass the time. It was the long, 10 hour day that farmers dream of. I remember that soft clay on my bare feet like it was yesterday.
There have been many memorable days in the tobacco patch, and every jobs requires family, but that day never fades away.
Mrmojorisincg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:05:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-my granfather left my life when I was young but I remember visiting him at a campground he lived at like we used to all summer and one time we needed firewood and I was about 5 and he let me steer the golf cart as he drove.
-playing random keys on a piano at my uncles house when I was young. I'm a musician now so I find it interesting that I always loved making your own notes and sounds. I play trumpet though.
-I remember every detail of the entire morning I found out my aunt had been murdered including my older brothers reaction which will always stick with me. I remember her entire wake and how she looked and how I felt when I saw certain people there. But I don't remember any of the funeral, just the drive in the limo to the cemetery. -a lot of other deaths and funerals, but that one stuck with me the most
Irixian ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:05:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in third grade, my father would get up before my brother and me and put on "Head Over Heels" by Tears for Fears, and it would be our wake-up call. To this day, that's one of my favorite songs, and I think of my father whenever I hear it.
I was 25 and my son's mother had been pressured by her mother into having an abortion. We were in a Giant Eagle together, and we decided to have a little funeral with just the two of us. I grabbed a bouquet of roses and took about five steps before I sunk to my knees in the store and began to sob.
My son had his first febrile seizure when he was 20 months old and it was a full-fledged grand mal seizure. He turned blue and fluid was coming out of his mouth and he was rigid as a board and he shit himself. Time stood absolutely still. I've never been as scared, and it's likely I never will be again. After he was done, 911 was shrieking up the road and I was outside, standing with him in nothing but a diaper, in my socks, in the snow, hoping his temperature would start to go down.
xxmonkeyfistxx ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:05:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My 22nd birthday when my ex girlfriend had planned out the whole day. I remember everything from the dinner we had to when she surprised with me with my present and a room she had booked at a hotel.
Clara_Love ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:05:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 4 years old, we had a "camp out" in the living room. I stole a pair of my sister's tights and wore them under my pjs and socks, because I wanted to be a girl. That was the day I realized I was trans, though I didn't have a word for it back then.
TaskForce247 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1: When i was 5 my father put me in his tractor and let me drive it around(with him in the cabin,of course) 16 years later the tractor is still here and driven by me.
2:When my first phone bought by my parents got stolen by a gypsy. 2: Finding out that I was accepted in one of the best high-schools in the country only to be told that i would not be able to learn english because i'm not smart enough.
Oh,and when i was 6 i had a head-on collision in a bike with a guy that is still my best friend today.
3:Being the first one in the whole class to get the Cambridge Advanced English diploma.
4: When i told my parents that i wanted to learn how to play piano,and the second day i already had someone to teach me.
lukianp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
walking across the road to wait for the bus to go to school (6 years old), then forgetting to kiss my mum, walked back across the road, car hit at 90kmh and then 6 months in hospital, 1 month in coma. 2 broken legs one broken head. Had to learn to walk again, had serious discipline issues but survived because the water from the garden hose gave me strength. Good times
label4life67 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Uncle (God-Father) saying he wishes that I was his son (his son was a total fuck up, in prison for murder).
mapleismycat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What's a core memory
darkonex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's hard to pick just a few there's so many once you really start thinking back, but here are some of mine.
OK I cannot write anymore without getting sad but they are really happy memories.
BtDB ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember being buckled into a stroller at a zoo (Brookfield Zoo maybe?) at an ape enclosure with a glass wall. Huge Gorilla would run and jump against the glass repeatedly. I was terrified, and my Mom laughed and just kept me there. I just knew that glass was going to break.
Steam_Creature ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm getting hella feels from this thread. A
probablydeadinside ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 12, I would sneak out a few times at night to go see my best friend at the time because I was moving that summer. We aren't really close anymore, but we had some really good times. One night, I was really thirsty and we were hanging out close to her house so I asked if we could go back and get some water really quick. She was like "yeah sure wait here" and she comes back about ten minutes later with bottled water. I was so thirsty that I started chugging and about five seconds later and about a quarter way through the bottle my throat starts to burn like nothing I ever felt before and then my tastebuds finally caught on and I knew it wasn't water. I spit it out and looked at her and she laughed and said she filled the bottle with straight vodka. She brought me another water bottle with actual water in it but being young and alcohol being a new/taboo thing for us at the time made it really funny.
Another time this same summer with this same friend, we stayed up all night after walking across town to go see a friend. We got back to our neighborhood at around 5 a.m., and if I remember correctly, we then decided to walk across the street to go hang out at the beach. This day was probably my favorite memory. We lived in Hawaii, so obviously the sunsets were really beautiful but this sunrise to me was probably the most beautiful colors in the sky I'd ever seen. The water was calm and looked like glass. I don't even remember what we did. Just hang out in the sand I guess. That was a good day. This girl and I grew apart when I moved but for the time that we were friends has some of the best memories I've ever made.
bluthedj ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Core memories, huh.
-being present and used as a shield during a fist fight between my uncle and grandpa. I was 8.
-helping my blackout drunk grandpa into the house after he passed out in a snowbank in the front yard when nobody else would (also his resulting hangover) Still 8.
-my father letting me drive the fixer upper boat he bought and was working on
-my grandma staying up late and driving me to blockbuster to return a video game at 11:55pm so I could play for a few extra hours (earthbound, if you were wondering)
-my grandma bringing me out for chili dogs to tell me that she had stomach cancer
-a priest aggressively asking grandfather for a donation to give grandma her last rites while I am in the room (I'm 12) and grandma lay dying in the next room
-noticing that I'm suddenly spending a lot of time with dad and praying that nothing is wrong
-visiting dad for the last time in the hospital (still 12)
-realizing that my prayers are worthless and do nothing
-showing up to visit grandpa and seeing blood everywhere by the door and a trail of it all the way to grandpa's bed. He's unable to speak and has an obvious head injury. I'm 16 and have to take charge of the situation and get him to the hospital because everyone else says he'll just sleep it off. He had a TBI
-showing up at grandpa's house to visit and seeing half a utility pole embedded in grandpa's car. Grandpa is drunk and didn't know what happened. A minute later the cops show up because someone called in his plate to 911. I'm 17 and give him one of those "I'm not mad, just disappointed. You're better than this" speeches in front of the police, the cop just kind of quietly says "don't let this happen again" and slinks off without doing anything else and grandpa hasn't had a drink since. I realize if I want things to change I have to make it happen myself, because nobody actually knows what they are doing and are just making shit up as they go along
HeadlesStBernard ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom walking me into kindergarten on the first day, helping me find my seat, then introducing me to the kid sitting there. This gave me my first best friend.
When I was 8 years old I had a condition that left me with crippling pain in my left leg to which advil was the only temporary cure. No doctor I went to could figure it out. Finally was referred to a Shriner's Hospital. After one X-ray, I had a doctor and nurse enter the room. I remember my dad standing next to me and feeling very vulnerable in the hospital gown. He started touching my leg and explaining to my dad and I that I had a tumor which turned out to be an osteoid osteoma in my left femur.
I vividly remember when had to take some kind of specific x-ray that require driving a needle down to the bone and leaving it there while they took what seemed like a hundred x-rays. I was only 8 but I felt like I was crushing the nurses hand that was standing next to me trying to comfort me. My parents were not there for this and seemly knew nothing about the procedure.
I got to stay in a cast that spanned from my belly button down both legs for 2-3 months. Some of the highlights:
I was in the rec. room at the hospital and all of a sudden had to poop, the nurses rushed me to my room and put a bed pan under me, only to have a single little turd plop out.
Got to go home. There was snow outside and all my were friends were sledding. My parents wrapped my cast in plastic bags to take me outside but sitting in my wheel chair not being able to play was extremely sad.
My parents left for a while and I was home alone. Sudden the urge to urinate starts to build. I start looking for the little plastic receptacle that I pee in, but I couldn't find it. After like 30 minutes of search around me I finally find it between the bed and head board and it was the longest piss ever. I almost filled up the thing.
Going to school and my friends pushed me around in my wheel chair on the black stop.
My mom hurt her back lifting me into the car by herself just so should could take me to blockbuster, so i could sit in the car and she could ask me what movies I wanted to rent...she still complains about her back over 20 years later =/
My best friend (the one my mom introduced me to in kindergarten) buying me the mortal kombat soundtrack on cassette. Still think about that day when I hear it.
Meeting one of my ex girlfriends being one of the most romantic experiences. Then, after we broke up the most depressed I've ever been...sitting in my parents house in front of my computer, watching MASH, taking shots of vodka by myself, and eating Grands rolls with jelly.
Coaching my wife through the birth of my daughter without any medication. Fucking intense.
LookMomImTrolling ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The time i told my ex i cheated on her. Ive never seen somebodys heart sink into their feet before that day, and ill never forget the look of sheer horror. It was awful, and i still feel awful two years later.
DinosaurSox ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:17:39 on August 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Why did you cheat? Do you regret telling her? What ended up happening
In a similar situation and just want to hear about someone else who has been there
LookMomImTrolling ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:43:41 on August 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I dont know why i cheated, honestly. I was in a dark place, and i just sort of kissed another girl who i had developed feelings for. It was wrong. I dont regret telling her, it was certainly better than hiding it. I always pride myself by being honest, and so i was.
That was in 2014. We dont talk anymore, but its for the best.
Codoro ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think all of mine are sad ones :(
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Early childhood:
Everything later on is mostly traumatic.
CarrotOne ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:08:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Parents fighting, looking through a keyhole, when I was about 1-2
Moms bloody foot, stepped on glas, when I was about 2
Father "chasing me", scarying me with a cigarett and his long hair out, was about 3
Sitting on the apartment roof, was about 3
Throwing a strike, standing ovation, when I was about 4
defcon151 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:08:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Killing small animals.
Unacceptable_Lemons ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:08:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Something something something, beat me with jumper cables.
JimboJJ26 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:08:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One time when I was little, about 7 or 8 years old, I was out playing in the backyard while my dad was doing some yardwork. Suddenly, I see him running full pace from one side of our yard. He jumps straight over the side of our above-ground pool and into the water. Turns out he was being swarmed by bees. I've had a fear of bees, wasps, etc ever since.
Two days after my 18th birthday I was driving to school early in the morning. As I was heading out on the main road through my neighborhood the sun caught my eyes over some trees. I closed my eyes and proceeded to crash my Mustang into a parked car. I totalled it. My grandfather had bought it for me less than a year earlier.
Elementary school graduation. I remember our class sang "I Believe I Can Fly" on stage. It really felt like the end of something big, in some ways more so than high school graduation. I ended up parting ways with most of my friends from that era within a year. Also after I reached middle school (Grades 6 to 8) I realized my easiest years were behind me. I was always considered the smartest kid in class back then but it was getting harder to keep up. I almost always look back on elementary school fondly now.
Zack_Fair_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:09:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I can think of two.
First time I ever made a crowd laugh uncontrollably. As easy as shouting " this guy got his driver's license from an arcade claw machine! " in a bus full of grade schoolers that made one too many sharp brakes, but hey, I got addicted.
"Slip Sliding Away" by Paul Simon happened to be playing the morning of my 16th when I woke up and probably triggered a cynical outlook on life I still have today.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:09:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mum laying a phone next to me, so my dad can hear me babble. I don't remember how old I was but I couldn't talk, that's for sure.
ijustcomment ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:09:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like my core memories aren't happy ones, but rather the ones that taught me the most. Those are usually painful and sad memories, yet my Amy pohler is still putting an optimistic spin on everything I do. I don't really consciously retain my happy memories, but rather they all combine to give me a reason to always be looking on the bright side and improve my own mood.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:09:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
xJadore ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:09:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a doe-eyed 4 year old, I remember admiring my mother as she put on her makeup and got dressed to go to parties. Everyone always commented on how she was the most beautiful woman in the room. She was my favorite person in the whole word back then. My parents were always very busy working and I often couldnโt attend these adult parties so I would stare longingly at her as she got ready, hoping that Iโd be as beautiful as her one day. One morning when I was 4.5, I woke up to find my mother dressed in a business suit. She had on a scarlet lipstick and she looked so powerful. She has her suitcases packed and as soon as I noticed that, I was distraught. โWhere are you going?โ I asked her desperately. She promised me that she would return after a business trip and it wouldnโt be longer than 2 months. I was sad but I hugged her tightly and stole a kiss (and some of that gorgeous lipstick) before she left. After that I have very little recollection of ever speaking to her. My mom had gone to America after getting a divorce from my father to start a new life. My friends would always ask me where she is and I would never have a response for them. They would ask me how my mom is and I would say I didnโt know. Fast forward to me as a 7 year old. I was sitting on the dining table playing with one of my momโs old purses and a Barbie doll. I lived a as a very privileged but lonely kid. As an only child constantly left with a nanny (who is still my second mom to this day), I found ways of entertaining myselfโฆ even if they were a little strange sometimes. Suddenly, the door bell rang 3-5 times in a row. I was irritated by the spamming and tersely instructed the butler to let the guest know that they should not ring the bell so many times. He opened the door and silence followed. No one moved, no one walked in, no noise was made. He stood there and turned his head to smile at me. Unknowingly I inquired, โWho is it?โ She popped her head in past the door. It was her. It was my mom. I was so shocked and dumbfounded that I had no idea how to react. Was this real? She walked in and I ran into her arms. I can still remember the tears welling up in my eyes. That was the first moment I remember being overwhelmed by emotion to the point of tears. I was finally reunited with her and she was even more beautiful than I remembered. A whirlwind month ensued and she got my visa/passport done to bring me to the United States. Later, as I got older, I realized that she had left a lavish life but unhappy marriage to start a new life in the states that was completely her own. Her biggest priority was to build something to have me come to rather than slaving away with a child. She is the reason I have the life that I have here in this country. She is the reason I have the opportunities I do. Her hard work and dedication made those years of missing her worth it. Strangely, that time apart has given us a special bond that she tells me she doesnโt have with my younger half-sister. I am the woman that I am now because of the sacrifices my mom made. She is very successful now and her success is completely her own. I aspire to have the courage she had to get out of a difficult situation, throw yourself into the fire, and emerge ten times better than before.
thatguyonfacebook ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've got a few:
One of the first ones I can remember is the day my father moved out from our house when I was 5. I remember waking up that morning seeing him get out of his room as normal and hugged him goodbye. My parents at the time were going through a divorce and my dad had already moved his stuff out a day prior. So when I got home, I bust into his room only to find it empty.
I was moving away from my hometown once I had finished 4th grade. In the last week of school I was in the new place finishing my homework, and a Korean kid from across street who was my age came over to say hello. We have been best friends since then.
In my junior/senior year of high school, my girlfriend of 2 years had begun to ignore me and stop talking to me for months at a time. Each time I confronted her about it, she turned it around on me being the problem. She would constantly cancel plans with me saying she was busy the entire week but made plans with my friends and others the next day. Ultimately I broke it off and never looked back, while she left for some girl she had just met a month prior. She essentially tried to make me upset so I'd break it off that way she can be with that girl. I was bitter but never towards others. From then on I focused on going out of state for college and tried help whoever I can the rest of my senior year.
Fast forward to high school graduation, my freshman orientation for college was two days after my graduation. I remember arriving into town and instantly falling in love with the college town. I went to my orientation group and met a girl. As the day went on, I enjoyed spending my time with her. Little did I know then that she would be my current SO who I am happily with!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember being 2 and wearing these Toucan Sam masks that came on the back of Fruit Loops. Around '84
XCarrionX ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think I was somewhere from 8th-9th grade. I had just been picked on by a group of kids from school - I don't remember what about. Who knows. I was thinking "I can't believe these people pick on me. I didn't do anything to them! What's their problem!?. They're just assholes."
And at that moment I had one of the biggest epiphanies of my life. I treated <other kid> the exact same way, for no reason. Yeah, those guys picking one me were assholes. But I was an asshole too for harassing this other guy for literally no reason.
I was as embarrassed and ashamed of myself as I've ever been, and vowed to change from that day forward. I ran into him at the bus stop for school sometime a day or so afterwards, and I guess he was having a bad day. He said "Not today, just leave me alone."
I told him I was sorry that I was a huge asshole, and that I wouldn't be making fun of him or bothering him anymore. I'd love to end the story with "And then we became BFFS!" but that's not what happened. We were friendly afterwards, and I never picked on him again. I also made sure I never treated anyone like that. No one deserves to be mocked or harassed just because.
HentMas ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
longing, wonder, joy, dispair an everyone is driven by rage
hooty88 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was about 4 or 5. I was eating a grape lollipop and we were at the space needle. My mom picked me up and let me hit the button to the top. I remember my hands were really sticky.
makocez ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
aleppe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My oldest memory is when I was around 2-3. We were on a hotel's pool with one of my dads friend and he was carrying me across the pool in an inflatable donut. It was a purple donut with yellow thingies.
We're both surprise that I remember something that old.
NiggyWiggyWoo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-My best friend and I sneaking into the attic of his house to smoke weed out of a hollowed out apple, and him falling through the ceiling down to his waist. His feet just dangling into the floor below (from the ceiling of the living room), and kicking helplessly, as I'm rolling on the floor laughing my fucking ass off. His parents were not pleased.
-My first crush in 5th grade, I gave her a teddy bear and some chocolates, and she said she liked me too. Nobody had ever liked me up until that point. We spent every day together for two summers.
-My first gig with my first band. I broke a guitar string on the very first song, and didn't have a backup guitar. I was incredibly shy, so it took every ounce of strength to get on stage in front of strangers, only to have the worst possible scenario take place. But I don't regret it.
-Older brother just back from college while I am still in highschool, and we stay up all night playing Halo 2 every single night. I always looked up to him, but he never liked me up until then. I spend every chance I can with him, neglect my homework, have to drop out and get my GED. But I don't regret a second of it.
-My first car. A used 1998 Honda Civic with an upgraded stereo, compliments of my older brother. I'll never forget that feeling of freedom.
-Playing soccer, and seeing my dad on the sidelines enthusiastically yelling instructions.
-My first layup on my first basketball game in 8th grade, and nobody I loved was there to see it. But I'll never forget that feeling of joy that I actually contributed something to the team.
Mortuusi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember looking at a rocking chairs back that had springs and thinking "I will remember this." Still do.
Amk2539 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
1) One of my first memories i have, being woken up by my mom crying. Picking me up and taking me to a hotel, hearing my father scream as she ran out of the house with me.
2) Going on trips every summer with my Dad, was what made me realize that even though i didn't see him much more than once or twice a year I was still the most important thing in his life. It's what's made my definition of family. We may not see eachother all the time, but if you have any issue we will listen and if we can we will help.
3) Stealing $50 from my step-father when i was 6-7 years old. He was an asshole, my first time getting revenge. I still hate that prick.
4) The first time i fell in love. We were laying together and for the first time my thoughts went from being there with her, to thinking about living my life with her. It was the first time i told someone besides my family i loved them, and i did.
5) The first heartbreak. Finding out the people you love most are the ones that cause you the most pain. GF (ex now) started dating another guy during our 3 year relationship.
6) My first dog, Scooby the Chihuahua. Had her from 5 to 21. Absolutely loved her.
7) Never getting to know my brother. He is 18 years older than I am, with children that are only 3 years younger than I am. He was always busy with his family, i honestly do not know anything about his life.
8) When i was young and had just come back from my grandpa's funeral. I realized one day my mom and dad would pass, and they wouldn't always be there for me. It was the first time i thought about mortality and i couldn't stop crying. We all sat on the couch and cried.
9) Right now, thinking about my parents. Knowing that i don't see them much anymore and one day i won't be able to see them or hear their voice. Or vent my problems.
miniaturewoolf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Where's the jumper cables guy at a time like this?
Alphascout ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Recieving my A-level results. In the UK, at sixth form, A levels are the subjects for which the grades get you into university. I did beyond impressive in my A-levels, 2 A* and a B. I was so happy and my Mum, who was with me, was so proud. I was able to go to my first choice university and have just finished my first year, loving it.
xSGAx ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
People taking me to feel town
My top 5 core memories would for sure have some pretty depressing ones there, but I have some happy ones too
Alphascout ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Recieving my A-level results. In the UK, at sixth form, A levels are the subjects for which the grades get you into university. I did beyond impressive in my A-levels, 2 A* and a B. I was so happy and my Mum, who was with me, was so proud. I was able to go to my first choice university and have just finished my first year, loving it.
tankgirl85 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
sitting in the basement rec room with my mom and sister watching my dad play the drums. the music was so loud but I fell asleep anyways, loud music has always put me to sleep.
summer camp, sitting on the bottom bunk reading a spiderman comic my dad gave me to help me feel less homesick, the other girls in my bunk made me "lookout" while they all had their first lesbian experience. I was scared they would try to get me to join.
sitting on the waterfront with some friends. looking at the detroit skyline it was around sunrise, it was one of those weird cool/warm mornings we were all just silent looking out, and one of my friends says " this right here guys, is a moment we will always remember, because this moment is perfect' he was right. it was perfect and I think we all felt it.
my husband and i were taking a walk and we decided to explore the woods a ways from our house, we found an abandoned putting range, we goofed around looking at everything then walked home a way we weren't familiar with, just talking and walking, it was a warm winter/spring day. warm enough to not have a coat but the snow was still melting. it wasn't anything very special, but i get a happy feeling when i think of it. I was truly happy for no reason other than existing kind of like the waterfront moment.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:13:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) My mom leaving my sister and I in a car overnight in Minnesota in the winter so she could go fuck some guy she met at a bar. Generally her being passed out drunk most days 3 hours after she got home from work.
2) My accelerated geometry teacher asking us to do a proof at the start of 9th grade as a prank that was supposed to be the culmination of what we learned that year. No one raised their hand , and he gave us a few minutes to think about it, when he finally said "time is up" I raised my hand because I was simply that cocksure about always being the smartest and best.
I went up there and had a meandering garbage proof that made little sense as I stalled for time, but about halfway through I figured out a real proof and switched to that. He gave me an "A" for the class and said I didn't have to do anything the rest of the year if I didn't want.
3) When I was in 6th grade I bought a girl a banana split when we stopped at an ice cream place on a school trip. She promptly threw it in the garbage.
4) My fiancee leaving me for the son of a world leader.
5) Quitting the best job I ever had in my life when my first child was 6 months old because I thought they were taking advantage of me and I could do better as a freelancer, and then pulling that off and making 2-3x what I was before.
I don't know I could go on and on, when you are 35 and not 13 there tends to be tons of them.
MICHAELHUSY ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:13:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 8 I was playing in the backyard and stepped on a big red ant hill. Even remember what dress I was wearing. Anyways, they crawled up my legs I was freaking out so my dad just lifted my ass up and threw me in the pool. That was the day I became afraid of ants and I learned how to swim. Ah memories. Also,
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:18:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
WHY ARE YOU YELLING?
CassieMoore ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:13:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1- The day I realised it wasn't normal for my dad to be hurting me and my sisters.
2- The day a group of tourists stopped me to take pictures because I have long blonde curly hair. I'm a bit of a narcissist now...
3- The day in high school drama class we started masks. My teacher told us to forget who we are when we put the masks on a become someone new. I became someone who I thought is confident, a leader and strong. Ever since that day I've slowly become more and more like that and I'm just overall happier.
PolloMagnifico ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:13:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Busting my forehead on the spoiler of a car when I was 5, and needing to be strapped down at the ER so they could stich me up.
Slipping on wet concrete at 7 and busting my chin open, and the way my mom was earily calm as she pulled away the sock she had used that was now drenched in blood. More stitches, but this time no straps.
Meeting my best friend in 3rd grade on the playground.
The Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles
Being punished for not being interested in chanting in class in 6th grade.
Crying on the bus after a football game (we won. Not sure what the crying was about).
Standing up for myself and busting a bully up.
Throwing my sister to the ground, then barricading my bedroom door so she wouldn't stab me.
The day my dad said he was abandoning my family.
Kicking in a door to a classroom and charging another bully, full on tackeling him.
Discovering why my dad abandoned the family.
Standing on the front lawn and loudly telling my mother to go fuck herself.
The day my sister introduced the family to the man that would become her husband.
Getting a call from the principal that my sister had gone into labor and was giving birth to my first nephew.
Having sex for the first time.
Being drunk and crying because she broke up with me.
Getting into a fight at a park with two guys and a fat mexican chick. May have killed a man.
Getting my ass kicked at a conoco, I deserved it.
Moving out of my apartment because my roommate started fucking my ex.
Standing in front of a mirror with my grandfathers revolver pointed at my head and a single bullet in the chamber.
Moving out of my next apartment because that best friend from 3rd grade started fucking my ex.
Hm. That... was kind of theraputic. Thanks.
FunnelCakeFalls ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:13:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Launching illegal fireworks with my cousins in Mexico
listen- ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:14:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We went to Cape cod and my little brother who was like 4 stood on the table at a restaurant, having some sort of exciting tantrum, and threw his glass of orange pop. It was a huge disturbance. I think of that any time someone mentions cape cod.
I have a massive dent in my skin at my hairline from falling off my bike when I was like 7,when this girl Beth rammed her training wheel into my bike's wheel. No helmets back then of course. Now I always associate helmets with my forehead dent
The day I met my old dog is one of my best memories I think of all the time. It doesn't get more core memory than that. I had gone to quite a few shelters looking for a dog but none were quite right. I'd browsed the current one I was at and given up, so I stopped by the cat room before I left just to look. A maniac dog came running into the room, bit my hand, then sprawled out on the floor frog leg style. Love at first sight. She had just been returned to the shelter and had been in a back room and got loose, running into the cat room. Yeah, she was just for me.
The only memory I have of my dad's hair not being grey or bald is his 40th birthday (so I was 7 I think) and his hair was very dark and the party was at my grandma's house and I didn't want ice cream because I'm lactose intolerant but my cousin didn't get it, and thought I just didn't want cold ice cream so she microwaved it.
JorusC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:15:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't like to think about them. I know they're there, but they can stay in the vault while I work to make better ones for my kids.
MichaelJourdan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:15:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a little late to the party, but oh well. I've got a story about my uncle, who was probably the nicest person I've ever met in my life. He passed away about a year ago - RIP uncle Benny.
I was probably around 5 or 6 around this time. Anyway, he had this old truck that he treated like his baby. On the front of the truck was a grill (not a cooking grill) that was coated in rubber. So basically you could push a car with his truck without denting or scratching the other car. He and I were driving home in a torrential rain storm and we passed by a small car that was stuck on the side of the road. He immediately turned around, drove back to the car, and asked if they could use any help. So he got back in the truck and pushed them out of the muddy ground they had their car stuck in and sent them on their merry way.
It wasn't necessarily a life changing experience for me, but this was pretty commonplace for my uncle. He would go out of his way to help people that were complete strangers.
thebumm ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:17:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine are hard to remember and pale in comparison to all these. I wish I had a better memory (my brain is 28 but may as well be 85) and I wish I had done more.
AlphaPunchmukhi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:17:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is very depressing.
Mediahijinks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:18:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ah, the good old days of game tech! It was like the Wild West!
CourageKitten ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'd say the first time I played Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. It wasn't my first video game ever (I had had some times playing Mario Kart and Mario Party at other kids' houses) but the DS was the first time I had owned a game system and Bowser's Inside Story was my first "real" game with a story and such. It was also my first turn-based RPG (which is my favorite genre) and my first Mario RPG (which are my favorite of those games). Also, video games inspired me to mature as a person. I had a few "reverse role models", characters I found so detestable that I did anything to be the opposite of them, which helped me to go from a demon child who regularly got sent home from school (I have ADHD which did this) to a generally better person.
Elitasaurus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting stoned with my best friend and discussing the universe and how awesome it is. We were so enthused and started getting louder and louder with every sentence.
The moment I discovered that my gf at the time was cheating on me with her ex. I can't even begin to describe the feeling, but it was the feeling of literal heartbreak. She was the first girl I truly loved.
Meeting my best friend in fourth grade, and creating a story about tiny robots living in our stationary/pencil cases. We're basically brothers now.
Said best friends parents completely trusting me with their house and leaving. I was shocked that another family trusts me that much, but I'm glad they do, since they're pretty much family to me.
Realizing the damage that divorced parents leave upon their children. For 10 years I packed/unpacked my belongings and went between mum and dads one week at a time. It hit me that I never really had a home, I was just constantly uprooting and settling. At that moment I swore that if I ever met someone and had children of my own, that I would never make them experience divorced parents like I did.
Playing Donkey Kong Country 2 with my step dad every night when he got home from work. He was always tired and sore, but would always play every night until we finished it.
At my 18th birthday (this year actually) whilst half drunk I looked into my step dads eyes and really took in the fact that he wasn't my father, but he always saw me as a son. Witnessing that changed the way I see him as a person and as a role model.
After rolling with the punches for so long, standing up for myself from bullies and basically not giving a fuck anymore. I gained a lot of self respect that day.
Skyping my long distance girlfriend in America (I'm from Australia), and realizing how beautiful she is, and that something that beautiful actually loves me for me, and would give anything to meet me and never let me go. (I'm planning a trip to see her next year)
A recent appreciation for those important in my life. I had a mortality/existential crisis and realized that I will most likely have to live through the deaths of my family and friends. (I'm the youngest)
Losing my virginity while I played my favourite movie in the background. It all went according to plan.
Building my first desktop pc, and when I booted it up I screamed "ITS ALIVE!" and laughed as maniacally as I could.
Realizing that most kids my age weren't raised with Seinfeld and Monty Python. That was a sad day, my humour fell upon boring folk.
(An ongoing process) Living with my grandma, who is a dialysis patient. Witnessing the slow decay that comes with age, and the bitterness and anger that comes from that decay. A truly sad yet educational process.
Becoming friends with my philosophy teacher, and talking to him about things on my mind. I'd sometimes spend my lunch just sitting with him talking about anything and everything. He's a great man, truly an inspiration to me.
There's so many more but I don't suppose this will be seen much. Have a great day everyone ๐
Irreverentreverand ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Chronic maturation island
Trollogic ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Crabbing with my dad, uncle, and younger brother and catching two blue claw crabs on a fishing rod. It was a beautiful day, I was wearing my lucky Yankees hat, and using this crappy orange fishing rod, but it was the greatest feeling ever as a little kid. I now love fishing even if I suck. Its so serene and brings me back.
Building up the courage to go down the waterslide that drops straight down in Atlantis. I was terrified of heights and didn't tell anyone in my family I was going for fear I would psych myself out. After that experience I was no longer terrified of heights and started my journey of loving rollercoasters and being more willing to try new things!
Getting my first video game system. It was my Grandfather's old Sega Genesis and it had a ton of games. We had this old tv we played on from my grandparent's house, too. My Grandpa passed away before I was born, but my brother and I bonded over those old games when we were really young. I always imagine he was there playing with us and bringing us closer together.
Winning the A league wrestling tournament when I was still in elementary school. My team, at the time, wasn't that good, but I was something like the 3rd person to have ever won it in my team's history, and my coach and parents were extremely proud of me. After that my team became much better and others were winning the tournament all the time, but I feel like I helped spur a legacy of great wrestlers from my town.
My Dad and Mom used to teach me how to play every sport I went on to play. I love playing sports, and I thank them so much for supporting me through each and every sport I tried. Each memory of them helping me with a new thing I tried is so precious to me...
I'm going to go sip some tea and reminisce now.
shacklife ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
July 20, 1969
We were in Maine, at the little cabin we rented each summer. I was 8, and our black & white TV with the coat hangers for antennas didn't get good reception on the best of days, much less transmission from the Moon. It was late, well past my bedtime, and I was getting a little cranky. I couldn't see what was going on, couldn't make it out because of all the static and I started to get whiny. My Dad took me outside and lifted me up on his shoulders and we walked down to the edge of the lake. The summer night was cool, and the lake was calm and flat and perfect. He pointed at the Moon, high up over the tops of the pine trees. "Can you see them now?" he said. And I swore I could. We stood there like that, looking up at the moon, for a long time. My Dad missed witnessing what was arguably the most historic moment of his life up to that date and instead, we shared a moment that I will never forget. If anyone ever asks me what kind of a man my Dad is, this is the story I tell them.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My core memories used to be all the memories. I grew up in a household with not much. The best we had was a TV with cable.
Whenever I went to school, it was fun. Being around other people who shared common interests, those were core memories..
Until I realized that those memories were only my core memories. I realized that not everyone gives a shit about those memories. And so like sadness tainted the core memories by touching them, so have I.
Now my core memories consist of hanging out with people I truly value, toking when we can, talk about life. Next step will be to be financially independent while doing so, and enjoying my life as I please.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing banjo kazooie late into the night but having to go to bed for school the next day. I was on the very last part of the game, the maze right before the final boss.
I get home from school and couldn't stop thinking about the game. I get into my room and turn on the N64. The controller was greasy so I started to clean it with my shirt as the game booted up.
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
Popped up on the screen. I kept cleaning.
"Save has been erased!"
I couldn't get to the console fast enough to turn it off. :(
From that day I never let a greasy controller thrive. Ever. It bothers me to have greasy controllers for anything. I also back up my saves and double save it. Just in case.
I should maybe seek professional help lol
cl1ft ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:20:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I grew up in rural Kentucky....
Wednesday night singings... all the men in Church would have to get up and sing a song. I loved hearing all the different parts. I was scared when I was finally old enough to lead but no one judged and without a doubt we weren't all good singers, but nobody really cared... it was just the fact that we got up and did it.
I used to love cutting up apples, corn and other vegetables at the kitchen table with my grandma and my Dad and other family while my Mom would can it. Many a Saturday summer afternoon was spent snapping beans, cutting apples and shucking corn. To this day I'm much more skilled with a knife than anybody I know... probably because I was using them since I was 10.
Dad was always buying land and cleaning it up... old farmland, old barns, etc. Seems like they were always 10 miles or so down the road... we'd start out about 6 am and stop by the country store and get a bag of chips, a drink and a thick cut ham and cheese loaf sandwich on white bread. It sure felt good to work side-by-side with your old man all morning and then eat lunch with him under a shade tree. I never saw him complain or quit till the job was done. He was a firm believer until working hard till noon and then "slacking off". We don't work together near as much now that I have my own family and my own projects. I love my Dad so much.
My mom had a little black radio on the shelf in the kitchen. We had wood heat down in the basement. There was a grate in the kitchen directly above the wood stove... Id sit on that grate till my butt was on fire in the winter while my mom would dance around to Lionel Ritchie and Kool and the Gang while making lunch... I have no idea why my Mom who has lived in the country in Kentucky all her life loved R&B and Soul so much and can dance so good!
I have tons of "core memories". I had a great childhood, with two (still living) parents.... I've truly been blessed. My wife and I are trying to create the same memories for my kids too.
Spishal_K ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:20:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Columbus day at preschool. I was 4. I vaguely remember something concerning happening. I think I may have been shitting myself.
Halloween (or maybe the day before) in Kindergarten. Fell off a low wall and broke a finger. I remember freaking out when the doctor said I needed a "splint" because it sounded like they had to cut my finger off.
2nd grade, found out I was reading at a stupidly advanced level (I think 10th grade). Also pulled a crown out of my mouth eating a Sugar Daddy that year.
4th grade, stealing prize tickets from my teacher while I was talking to her. I've never found out if she noticed or not, but she never said anything.
6th grade, Won the school Geography Bee. Got excited to go to State and then never heard anything about it afterward.
8th grade, first "girlfriend" (Mostly long-distance, by middle school standards anyway). Still remember the day I walked over and gave her my AIM username on a scrap of paper.
10th grade, found a loophole in my History teacher's "quiz battle" system that put students against each other. My team went undefeated the rest of the year.
First kiss. Also in 10th grade.
12th grade, first IT job. Also most of my IT classes were kickass. Specifically I remember playing DOTA with the entire class after we finished our classwork for the day. We'd spend about 3 hours a day goofing off. Good times.
Lost my virginity at 20.
Met my (now) wife working an event for Big Brothers & Big Sisters. We were both in culinary school.
Lost friends due to my relationship. I won't go into details but a lot of that drama is still very vivid in my mind, despite being nearly 5 years ago.
Moved in with my wife (then girlfriend) and had to vacate just a few months later after I didn't have the money to keep up rent. Parents refused to help but took me back in while I got back on my feet.
Wedding day, for obvious reasons.
Death of our kitten Booker from FIP. First death I ever witnessed firsthand.
Bought a house! This is really recent but I don't think I'll forget many of the major details for as long as I live
Satyrsol ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:20:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom's death when I was four. Aside from that I can't really think of any others until my mid teenage years and Boy Scouts and working as camp staff became big in my life.
NattieLight ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:20:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Kind of late to the party so this is probably going to get buried, but it's really been on my mind lately and I sort of needed to get it off my chest.
When I was 9 or 10, I woke up in the morning and my mom had made cinnamon rolls. She was a decent cook, but she very rarely made us breakfast at all (my brother and I were both old enough to make our own cereal or toast), much less a treat like cinnamon rolls. Especially on a school day.
She saw me in the hallway as I was coming out of my room and she was headed to the shower and told me there were cinnamon rolls in the kitchen, clearly in a good mood and happy with herself. They were in a glass dish on the countertop, looking tasty.
My brother wasn't up yet so I had first pick. I was sitting at the table eating my cinnamon roll when my mom came out from her room ready to leave for work. She came into the kitchen and then rounded on me, instantly angry, and said "You ate one of these"?
The glass dish with the pretty rolls was for her to take to her co-workers. There were two cinnamon rolls for me and my brother on a plate in the microwave. Now, I had no way of knowing that, and I obviously didn't do it on purpose. I don't even remember the rest of what she said, just that she was upset and couldn't take the glass dish to work now because I had ruined it.
The emotional memory of this is enough to make me want to barf and cry and hide in shame to this day. I knew I had ruined my mom's special surprise that she had been so proud of. But I was also mad because how was I supposed to know? I hadn't made an unreasonable assumption.
This was also around the time that I was starting to notice and care that I was chubbier than the other girls in my class. I felt so guilty and ashamed and fat and greedy sitting in front of that cinnamon roll.
I wasn't punished or anything, and as far as I can remember it was never mentioned again. But I will never forget that morning and the effect it had on me. I cried after my mom left for work in a huff.
I have a daughter now and I've done a lot of emotional work to avoid the narcissistic tendencies my mom had. Even if I could forget that memory, I wouldn't want to because it serves to remind me of how my emotions effect other people. Why couldn't my mom have just said "Oh darn, that was the dish for work" without being so angry? Or even just not say anything at all and take it anyway because who cares?
The thought of making my daughter feel the way I felt that morning horrifies me.
leifashley27 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yellow (Joy) - My parents picked me up on the last day of kindergarten and we drove passed our house and on to the freeway. I asked where we were going and they said Disney World (We live in Dallas). It was a complete surprise to me and my brother. We asked if we were there yet before getting into Louisiana.
Blue (sadness) - We had to put down our Chow because it attacked my Uncle nearly killing him.
Green (Disgust) - My mom worked at the preschool I went to when I was 3 or so and I remember they had these massive cans of vegetables. She wouldn't allow me to get up until I finished this disposable bowl of room temperature spinach that came out of one of those cans. I still hate canned vegetables to this day.
Purple (Fear) - I fell out of a car when I was two or three. It was an old Ford LTD and I was in the front seat without a seat belt. We had someone veer into our lane and the car swerved ejecting me out of the side window. I remember the stretcher they put me on (blue with yellow straps and a picture of a baby smiling on it) and I remember having scabs but they were pulling debris and glass from the road rash on me for hours.
Red (Anger) - In second grade I remember getting punched in the face by Dornell at the bus stop because he wanted to see what would happen.
Brown (Forgotten) - My mom reminded me of this because my wife and I just took the kids down to San Antonio for the weekend. We went down there as kids (I was maybe 7) and went inside the old catholic church downtown. I walked around to each of the areas that candles were lit by people who had made a prayer and blew them all out. My mom said I got through maybe 150 candles before the priest pulled me out by my ear and cursed at my parents in Spanish.
antondlt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Having a "normal" lunch out with my dad before finding out he had cancer. My family's lives drastically changed after that. He passed away roughly three years after that. It was a good fight.
Getting a haircut after growing my hair out for a year. Definitely a confidence booster.
When I asked my girlfriend to dance with me to Don't Forget Tonight Tomorrow by Frank Sinatra in her kitchen, out of nowhere.
Saving my very first PC which refused to boot up, so I had to resort to using a diskette to fix the boot system. I was 11 at the time.
When my parents refused to buy me an electric guitar. I saved up some money and bought one on my own. LOOPHOLED THOSE OLD FOLKS.
Getting featured at this magazine for a game review I did on their website.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-my dad sliding back the door of our old Astro van to show me my Christmas present early. It was a two toned Western saddle with the most beautiful inlay. He gave it to me early I could ride in the town Christmas parade. Stuck with me bc months in advance I told him i didn't want anything. I knew we didn't have the money. Still have that saddle. Must have been around 11.
-10 years old when I learned mom had cancer. I also learned people were cold. My teacher made fun of me for crying in class. I had been two weeks without mom bc her treatments were so strong children weren't allowed near her.
15 when I realized my mom would never be my mom again. She became an addict after the cancer issue.
-11 when my crush kissed me on the cheek before a band performance. Learned later my group leader asked him to to boost my confidence. Felt like i was flying till that lol
Namllih ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad was a police officer and he worked night shifts. When I was around 7 or 8 I was really sick and my mom stayed up with me. My dad came home around 1 am and brought me these action figure power ranger things I liked to play with. He came home in uniform but then left later that night.
ProudMeninist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting out in a field back in elementary school, watching a plane go by.
Being super depressed for a while.
Suicide attempt.
Another suicide attempt.
Smoked weed for the first time.
Got drunk.
Got drunk again.
Got drunk and woke up in the hospital.
Stayed in a psychiatric ward.
Dropped a tab of acid.
Dropped two tabs of acid a while later.
Shoplifted.
Got drunk on rubbing alcohol and puked my guts out.
Feeling slightly better thanks to therapy and antidepressants for the first time in as long as I can remember.
Feel like shit again, still want to die, to be continued.
sweetcarolina110 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:22:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My aunt gifting me the first Harry Potter book. Thus began my lifelong love of reading.
My dad also reading the Harry Potter books alongside me. He'd let me read them first and he'd read them as soon as I finished. We'd discuss them and theorize about what would happen in the next books, go to midnight book releases, see the movies together, etc.
My dad inventing ghost stories about this creepy old house in our town and telling them to me any time we drove by it. There was also one about a ghost train I'd hear any time we crossed the tracks.
My dad taking us to the airport just to watch trains take off, or to the railroad tracks to watch for trains. When a train was coming we would lay a quarter on the tracks and go retrieve it after the train drove theough and flattened it. We had a nice little collection of flattened coins.
My dad taking us to explore old abandoned houses. We'd try and imagine what the people who used to live there were like based on what we found inside the houses. The coolest one we went to was an old farm. There were animal skeletons and empty shotgun shells everywhere. Really creepy.
Being bullied in middle school. Sadly, this really damaged my confidence and I've struggled with it ever since.
Middle school band. This is what made middle school bearable for me. We had a great conductor and I had so much fun.
Finally realizing that I had to leave my abusive relationship when I was in college. This experience showed me my inner strength, something that I wasn't sure I had.
Seeing my dad after my parents divorced. It took him from flawless childhood hero to human being in my eyes.
Jarpz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:22:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I slammed my finger in a door when I was 5, and immediately inspected my finger to see the damage. I began to notice the small lines that seemingly wrapped around my hands. I asked my mother what these strange lines on my fingers were. She said they are my fingerprints, and they are very important because it can show everyone else I am completely unique.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:22:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-trying to download photoshop and somehow getting malware AND adware
-going to a comic book convention and hi-fiving octodad
-drawing a picture of mewtwo and handing it in instead of my homework since i didnt do it
-i once had an allergic reaction to sleeping medication and got stoned off my ass after i went to school, and in gym class i thought i was spider-man and try to climb the walls so i could hit the ball better
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:22:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Finally beating the asshole neighbor next door in Pokemon Gold in front of all the other kids in the neighborhood. He didn't continue his asshole tendencies for a week or two.
Losing my virginity. I was sitting in one of those "Gamer Chairs" when my 16 year old girlfriend at the time randomly showed up. She was naked and holding Halo 3 (it was brand new at the time) and wanted to play it. It was the first time I saw her naked. I got to maybe the first cut scene in the game before we started.
Throwing up after standing at attention for almost an hour at band camp my sophomore year. For reference, I was a bass drum player and maybe 110 pounds at the time.
Taking LSD with new friends my freshman year of college. It was about a month after I moved away from home and I had been feeling powerless and directionless that entire time. I'm still good friends with most of that group and it was the first time in my life, I felt like I was in control, awkwardly enough.
Walking on stage to receive my Linguistics degree and seeing my dad and stepmom cry tears of joy.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:23:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine all got destroyed years ago.
I guess empathy is still intact, but goofyland is dead, football land is dead.
I'm one of those guys who think that other people should have a better life (the 99%) but other things that made me "me" have fallen away.
KeFFFF ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:23:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a red power rangers plush toy and i had a red balloon tied to it. I was draggin my red ranger plush toy when my parents warned me not to drag my toy but being 5 i didnt listen and the red balloon snapped off and floated away and when i finally noticed it was long gone. My dad pretended to stretch his arm as if he could grab it.
Long family road trips down dark high ways. I used to sit in the bench seat in the front with my parents. I had no idea how my dad could see since he wears glasses at night to see but with my mom passed out and my brothers passes out i would peek a little bit and see that my dad was handling it like a driving champion. Always made me feel safe.
yipyipyoo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:24:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In sixth grade our teacher told us to pray for something(went to a Christian school) and through the power of god we would get whatever it is we prayed for. I'm still waiting for my payday (the candybar) jesus. I think it's about time you spent 99 cents on me.
Not a big fan of religion anymore. :)
DarthDanial ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:24:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1.Hugs from a close friend of mine. 2.The first time listening to linkin park. 3. when i got my first guitar. 4.My first day training in Martial arts. 5.My first time listening to slayer. Holy shit.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:24:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In no particular order, even though this probably won't get seen
My parents last fight which led to their divorce. My mom was going to just leave, so my dad woke us up to make her say goodbye. Turned into a HUGE fight that ended with her leaving and him heaving a basket of clothes out the front door. I was 5.
My kindergarten teacher making fun of my class picture. Everyone else she would say something cool when going over them to the whole class. "Here's Zach Attack. Here's Mega Matt." When mine came up she called me "Sleepy Billy", because I blinked. and everyone laughed.
My grandfather playing baseball with us. There was a softball field behind their house, and we'd go out there with a bucket of baseballs and have batting practice. He broke a couple ribs one time getting hit, and another time a few toes as catcher, but he'd always go out there with my brothers and me.
My brother going through a mental breakdown. Took off his clothes and shouted about making the sun come up. We called the cops and had to wait 2 hours for a mental health person to come get him.
I got home after working for about 16 hours to a party at my place. Friend took too much acid went crazy at the pool. Him and another friend ended up arrested, and I got in a fight with someone while trying to kick him out of my home afterwards. It's a good story now, but it was a turning point for me.
My step daughter telling me that she's glad I'm her "other dad." I know I'm not her dad and he'll always be #1, but I cried after hearing that. I love her like a daughter, and she's everything to me.
My son being born.
Watching "What Dreams May Come" with my wife. We were going through a rough patch, and for whatever reason decided to watch that one. We both bawled our eyes out and cuddled incredibly close. So many emotions going through my head that night.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:24:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In elementary school, I was attending an event with an international theme, meant to expose kids to cuisine and other cultural aspects of other countries. My parents brought handmade Chinese dumplings, and to this day I still bristle when I recall how one kid reacted with disgust when he saw one on his plate (probably put there by a parent) and tossed it in the trash.
goalieamd ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:24:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Its a sad one but it pretty much shaped me to be who I am as a person. Let me give you a little back story:
In my area middle school starts in 6th grade and the 3 elementary schools filter into one middle school. My small friend group grew and attracted a more mature 6th grader from one of the other elementary schools. My parents taught me to be nice and welcoming to others so I had no problem welcoming her into our group. She soon became a bully and would pick on me for anything and everything. She wore skin tight revealing clothes and talked about the boys she liked and the R rated movies she was allowed to watched. I was sheltered and my family was a bit more conservative. My clothes -- Babyish, my lack of interest in boys -- lesbian freak, my parents not allowing me to watch R movies -- I should rebel. This went on for weeks before I said anything. My parents weren't much help. My mom told me to "kill her with kindness" which just made me look like a pushover. She would ostracize me, put me in embarrassing social situations, or would flat out act like I didn't exist at the lunch table. The other girls in my group just went a long with it since she was nice to them. These were my friends since Kindergarten! Which brings me to my core memory:
It was PJ day. I was excited since I had just gotten a really cute PJ set. They were blue and had stars on them. I show up to school that day in my PJs and slippers so excited to take on the day. Lunch rolls around and they're all wearing aerie silk shorts and camisoles. I go to sit down with my lunch and they say there's no room even though there's an empty seat. I sit down any way and they proceed to stand up and move tables. I still feel the hot tears in my eyes now 14 years later. Another girl I had known since kindergarten saw this all happen and moved her lunch table to sit with me. She still one of my closest friends today.
Many people ask why I didn't stand up for myself. I honestly didn't know I was being bullied. I thought she was just mean and I still wanted to eat lunch with my friends! We still hung out on the weekends but during school I wasn't "cool". I thought I had done something wrong and deserved this but in all honestly the ring leader was a miserable person and needed someone to pick on. I am still welcoming and kind but I know when to stand up for myself.
bastiano-precioso ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:25:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
1.- I was riding a tiny little car thing, it was more like a motorcycle kind of thing. I was about two. I remember pulling it from the handles so hard I fell on my ass really hard. I remember it very vividly.
2.- The pet store where my dad bought my dog, it was all blue and black full of glass, to this day is one of the most magical places I've ever been to.
3.- Having a panic attack for the first time because I was feeling truly helpless. I've never ever been a suicidal type of person, but at that moment, it seemed like a wonderful idea.
4.- That one time in kindergarten when a boy kicked me in the crotch. I couldn't even understand what had happened.
5.- My mom singing a couple particular songs to me after a bath. Still can't hear to those songs without my mind travelling directly to that.
cocoboco101 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:25:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I remember being 4. My mom and her at the time boyfriend wanted to go see Miami Beach at night, so we left at 11:30pm and got there around two in the morning and walked on the beach, I wondered if it was actually real for a long time, but then finally confirmed with my mom that it did happen. I guess the mix of being incredibly young and incredibly tired made me second-guess and ever since then I always have to confirm my thoughts with others about certain events that took place, its weird.
skyishlone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:25:42 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know is it counts, but this is the earliest memory I have. It was summer, and I was three years old, my mum had just finished give me a bath. I was naked, my hair was still wet, I asked if I can play on their large bed and my mum said yes, so I climbed on the bed and jumping up and down on it. I was so euphoric, and it became my earliest memory.
bubuthing ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:25:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Elementary school mid 80's. I was the new kid and recently immigrated to the US and was bullied all the time. Out of frustration I threw a ball at a kid and got in trouble for it. Another kid I barely knew at that time, tall, blond hair blue eyed, told the teacher it was his fault and had to stand by the fence for the remainder of recess. This is the most well imprinted core memory I have. His one action defined who I am today. To be self-sacrificing and look out for others first. Up to that point in my life I had never experienced such an act of compassion. Unfortunately I never got to know him well because we moved the next semester.
J.H., this is that awkward asian kid from P.S. 173 you stood up for back when he needed a friend. If you see this know that I still appreciate what you did to this day.
alexfromla ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:25:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My 2 year old daughter making her first basketball on the mini-basketball hoop I bought. She screamed, did a little twirl (that's her dance), did a half jump (that's her jump for joy), and gave me a hug. I recorded the whole thing and I watch it almost every day. Granted, it didn't happen too long ago but it's something I think about all the time, and I wish it'll always be like that forever.
Also, porn island.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom following me down the hallway in a "moon mask." It was actually a grey old man mask but I thought it was the man in the moon.
My mom stroking my hair as I laid on her lap
Getting my hand caught in the VCR (LOL)
I apparently only remember fear and anger lol
Disordermkd ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 8 my father told me the news of us moving out and into a new apartment. I was so excited that we're going to live into a new place, getting into a new school and I was the only one that was happy about this, but actually it was an awful time for my family, financially. Weird.
extremedonkey ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was fairly young, about 8-9 and was in the car from a family trip somewhere. I asked my parents why we never got to go on any overseas holidays (live in Australia which is very isolated and flights are $$, a few kids in my class would brag about their overseas trips) and my dad replied it was because it was too expensive.
We definitely weren't poor - middle class family, but definitely not enough to go on holidays a lot.
The next think I said was pretty horrible, I told my dad he should have tried harder in school (graduated from year 10 and didn't go through to the full 12 years in Australia).
He would wake up at 430 every morning to go to work and go to bed at 8pm every night to put food on our table so this was obviously a massive slap in the face and I still feel terrible about it today. Always had food on the table and the essentials - clothes textbooks etc.
justyourbarber ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't have them. I have incredibly poor memory so I don't really remember any experiences more than two years ago. At the best, I can remember things as if I've read them somewhere if my family has joked about it a lot.
d_buehls ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In no particular order:
Sorry for any formatting probs, I'm on mobile.
adamcognac ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My moms first OD was at mother fucking disneyland. i was 11
Liamrc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:27:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My parents are super religious and never let us watch movies, and my older sisters never liked me because I was annoying. At some point my oldest sister and I became very close and I would always sneak to her bedroom late at night to watch movies with her and stay up late talking. Some of the best moments of my life.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:27:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first one would probably be the millennium. It was my first alcoholic drink ever and my dad sneaked it from the punch bowl, passed mum and into the garden where we laid on the pavement with our punch and looked at the stars. It was wonderful.
My second one was where I grew up, with my longest and best friend, there was this tree that had a bouncy branch all the kids knew about it and was referred to as the 'bouncy tree' we were so creative I can't even explain. Anyway me and my friend where bouncing on the branch but I kept my feet on either side of a walk which was under the branch and my friend encouraged me to 'let my legs go' so I did and SNAP. We both go falling to the ground we both fall into a bed of nettles and were covered in itchy bumpy nettle stings. No one knows what happened to that tree, and never will.
My third one is my dear dog. Reeka. Sounds exactly how it is spelt she was a fluffy German Shepherd and the best pet I could of hoped for as a child growing up. When I was younger I was pretty troubled had a fear of loss and would cry at night about dying. Then the nightmares so when I'd have a bad nightmare I'd go into my parents room where she slept at the bottom of the bed on the floor, I used to sneak in there and sleep on the floor with her, she'd lick my face and my arm in that kind of 'I'm tired bitch but I'm here, and your safe' kind of way. Then one day she we woke up and she couldn't move, I don't know why because I was pretty young but she was taken to the vet and had been put to sleep by the time I got home from school. It was heart wrenching. I still miss her and think of her.
DiggingDave ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:27:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was four I bit my mum in the hand during an argument (i was a very stubborn boy) and it's the shame and guilt i felt afterwards that i remember till today.
My mother didn't even remember it happening when I told her about it a year ago.
whatevs665 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:27:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข Telling my brother how awesome the movie "300" was and how he has to come with me when I go to see it a second time. (That was the last moment I had with him, he died a couple of days later in a car accident)
โข My mom socking me in the stomach when I was younger (I was being a little shit and deserved it so I think it's funny and like to give my mom grief about it)
โข Driving to Colorado from Texas and playing N64 on a TV we hooked up in the back of our Suburban.
โข Countless memories from being at the beach with my family.
TouchMyClownFace ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:28:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข My Mom walking out on my dad and myself when I was 2years old. We got into contact when I was about 7, up until 19. Now nothing again.
โข Going to a lake all day and learning to swim and having a piknik pretty much every summer for 3 summers running with my (ex) step dad (he doesn't talk to me anymore. He's not with my mom anymore either)
โข Constantly getting the guilt trip by my (ex) step mom to help my dad out at work every night after college whilst she just spent his money (they're not together anymore. She's with a richer person now)
โข All the days out and spontaneous things I've done with my girlfriend since I met her over a year ago.
darb93 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:28:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My earliest memory would be of my great grandmothers house. To be more exact the sitting room. She had a chair in the far left corner and flakes down the side of that chair. I use to rob them and munch on them. I was about 3 or so.
The day my brother was born and I was 3 and standing in the doorway of my grandmothers house. She leaned down and said "your man had a baby and it's a boy". I also remember putting my hand into the crib in the hospital and my brother grabbing my little finger and gripping it.
Going on an "adventure" with my cousins when I was 5 or so which consisted of turning a corner and being out of sight from my house. I still remember the thrilling feeling I had.
My first marriage when I was 6 which was 2 plastic rings and some tissue in the girls hair. Still have not got that divorce.
My first proper girlfriend when I was 17 and looking back at the memory thinking how the hell it worked for 2 and a bit years.
kingtuolumne ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:28:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 8, playing little league, dancing around third base, daring the pitcher to throw over to me, then stealing home when he did throw a pitch. Pure magical kid adrenaline.
Also from little league, tagging a runner out at home as the catcher to end the game. That was a blast.
Learning how to tie my shoes while camping and being given a WHOLE HERSHEY'S BAR as a reward!
Losing my grandfather and subsequently learning much more about my father on a long, overnight drive to my grandparents house to help out.
Learning my mother had cancer. That was a sad one. Her beating it was a happier one.
A Halloween spent trick-or-treating with friends in high school when we were way too old to trick-or-treat.
Riding my bike way far ahead of my family on a day bike trip. Exhilarating! And terrifying for my folks.
cd29 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:28:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My abusive, alcoholic mother was on a drunken rampage one night when I was around 10, so I called my step-dad at the time (worked out of town and would be away for days at a time) and I remember him telling me he loved me and that he was on his way home.
When I was a toddler, my dad would take my sister and I to a private pool in town. That particular day, my sister brought a friend, and it was just us 4 there. I didn't know how to swim, but my dad was taking a nap so I decided to get in the pool. I remember fighting to stay afloat and gasping for air, as well as the sight of my sister and her friend laughing at me. Eventually someone walking by woke my dad up. The weird thing about that memory is that I didn't recall any of it until a car crash in my teens. I started having dreams and remembering random names, faces, events, and other things. I brought up the day at the pool to my dad once, and he said he had to bribe my sister to never say anything to my mom.
Impersonal_Observer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There are many memories which stand out, but if I'd to pick out the top 3 which have been the greatest influence in my life, they'd be these:
When I was a young boy, I had what was supposed to be a weird allergy that resulted in a nasty looking rash on my knee; the skin becoming scaly and somewhat black in colour. It was not contagious but it was rather nasty looking, and that did drive my other young friends away from me. I pleaded with them that it was not contagious and would not harm anyone, and they would give a stoic "Oh okay" but still maintain a marked distance from me. I would occasionally catch my peers staring with mild disgust at my knee. It was painful, but I didn't complain or cry; I thought to myself that maybe in the future I will look back and feel proud of how strong I was. Not to blow my own trumpet, but I do feel proud of my younger self, mainly because I doubt I can show the same mental fortitude now that I did as a little boy.
My first relationship which lasted only a few months: it validated most of the romantic clichรฉs that I had come across until then and taught me to love, to trust and to accept myself. The young boy, who had hitherto been fascinated with the concept of a lone wolf, a wandering knight, a one man show and such, had now completely let go of those notions in favour of love. How I cherish the heart-warming smiles, melodious laughter, lingering stares; she transformed me as a person. The relationship didn't last, unfortunately, but I don't think I can stop being in love with the memory.
The dejection and utter hopelessness I felt when I made my mother cry. It was not something I did to her, but rather the kind of person that I was becoming. I must point out that there have been some issues within the family - my idiot father who had an affair and deserted us, among other things. And consequently, I being the eldest child, was forced into a situation where I had to some responsibilities and face situations which usually aren't common for the age that I was when all this happened, and I wasn't being as responsible as I should've been. However, that sight made me resolve to never let me be the cause of my mother's tears ever again, and to this day I move forward with that intention in my heart.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I still remember the exact place at my old house where I was sitting when I first successfully tied my own shoes.
Jadraptor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing Mario Kart on N64 with my Dad as he took a short break from building our house.
camcamwabam ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Three vast summers ago I met someone who I thought would be the love of my life. It was a crazy long distance struggle but something about her fed me and I was always hungry. We never met through the year and so it was the next summer. Summer of 2014. This was when the end started. I could not do anything as she had re-sparked a flame for her old lover. I felt like absolute shit and cried for three hours a day for a month or probably even three. Ed Sheeran made me scream, cry, puff, and who knows what else. My heart literally drenched and although there was no physical pain, I could feel my heart just fall. I just felt this immense pressure but it was all mental. Though no physical pain has ever hurt me more than those two hours every day that cruel cruel summer. I would listen to "Photograph" and whenever "And you can fit me inside the necklace you got when you were sixteen, next to your heartbeat where I should be." I would lose it all and just bawl uncontrollably. In fact I may or may not be bawling reminiscing that summer two years ago. For some reason I just cannot forget about that month, more so than the summer I first met her. They say you don't know what you have until it's gone but I knew what I had and when I could feel like it was going to go, it just made everything 10 times worst.
Unfortunately, this is my only REAL core memory that I don't have to think about. It's just embedded and a part of me forever.
edit: wrong lyrics, dont kill me Ed Sheeran
exitmud ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age 7: I let my friend at the time borrow my Pokemon Red for the weekend. Monday came, he said he "lost it" and gave me Super Mario in return.
highfidelityart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Man, i just want to hug so bad.
muscleman45 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Growing up my mom, brother and I lived with my grandparents for a while. I used to be terrified of thunderstorms, so my grandpa would force me to lay on my stomach with him looking out the sliding glass doors to the deck every time there was a storm. Made me love storms of all kinds, when the wind starts to pick up before a storm I crack a huge smile remembering him and those times.
potato_analyst ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Leaving my friends, girlfriend and my father behind at a train station, heading for Moscow then onto Australian. I have not been back since, it has been over 15 years ago. I will never forget that and how much I cried as the train pulled away.
Launching fireworks outside our apartment block during new year celebrations.
One time, while trying to make some money to play at an internet Cafe. Me and my friend were washing cars at the front of a big market place. Many kids would try and do that to get some money. As we washed a car, we had noticed that a couple of bigger, meaner kids were watching us and as we got to the end of our job and the owner came back to pay us for the job those kids made a move towards us. We had noticed that and decided to split. I leg it on my own two feet while my friend tipped out dirty water and ask that the owner give him a lift away around the corner. We ended up escaping from those kids and keeping the money. Spent the money playing the night at the internet Cafe.
Getting drunk for the first time. Something happened to my back muscles and it kept pulling me back and to the left. It was middle of winter and on the way home I kept falling over onto the side of a walkway and when crossing the road. Some people noticed my trouble and a guy carried me home. Parents never said anything and to this day I don't know if they knew that I was drunk.
Tripping on acid by myself in my room, while playing NFS shift. Menu ambiet sounds was something like a pit stop with faint voices and wrench sounds. I thought my mates in the living room was building something. I sat there in my chair for a while, trying to figure out what was going on until it clicked.
Watching Mr hell's for the first time with a bunch of mates all tripping. I kept thinking they are plotting something, because the show kept going around and around with no end in sight.
Having very loud sex with my new gf for a couple month straight, in an apartment. Then receding a mail from one of the neighbours, asking politely to keep it down. That kind of ruined our sex life and I am to this day paranoid about disturbing people.
Sam_Brum ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
To anyone who hasn't started reading this thread yet:
Listen with this on loop
happy crying
Canazza ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
iidxred ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:02:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That last one is interesting to me as a Bostonian. We have liquor stores that we call "Packies" but it isn't a race-related thing, its short for Package Store because all liquor sold must be in some sort of sealed package.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sadness... Or fear.
I "dialed" (as in fake, didnt press a button) 911... My brother ran to my parents telling them. My Dad went off the wall at me.
Beating super mario rpg the first time (I think when I was 9). Was my first rpg and was very influential for my video game tastes.
Learning to play Magic the gathering at my first game store with a rank 2 judge. I have yet to stop playing, and even though its only been 3 years, I still look back on that day as incredibly important.
Meeting a former friend of mine the first time at the start of 3rd grade. I don't really see him anymore.
The project about sharing music with fellow students in my english class in 10th grade... I could have chosen differently and I always go back to it for some reason.
Setting off fireworks at a lake in indiana on vacation with my family.
For some reason the FF4 transition of cecil from a dark knight to a paladin really hits me in the feels (played through this the first time when I was 11-12) and has kept with me throughout my life.
Making allstate orchestra my senior year of high school, being the only one in my city on double bass and one of two (the other being a friend of mine) at my high school to get in.
sugar-snow-snap2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[story from another thread] my dad telling me one christmas that my mom worked really hard at all of her jobs (including a church job) and that we should let her sleep in whenever we could. he had taken us outside to make a snowman and an igloo.
my grandpa bringing a wheelbarrow of sand over from the orchard and building us a surprise sandbox.
playing the piano with my grandmother and mother and them teaching me how to read sheet music.
my bus accident probably replaced my religious core memory.
making my first friend in 5th grade. i was very shy but she was new in school and she turned around to work on our social studies assignment together. i never knew it was that easy.
putting these together, i realized that a lot of things i remembered were very sad or angry. phyllis, get out of my head!
Rocky_Bukkake ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:31:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
maybe..
i would sit out on the playground alone during recess, first grade. the kids went out to play and i realized i had no friends, so what i did was i went to a little pole in the corner and sit for half an hour till it was over. i would talk to myself and explore the ground... it was fun. but then a kid who would be my best friend until i was like 16. we played runescape and halo together; it was sweet.
finding my mom alone and sad. really sad, really bad. i knew something was wrong and i knew it was because of either people like my dad or my stepdad at the time. i knew people were hurting her but i didn't know why. she was my mom and i learned what i meant, by pure will, to be defensive and caring of somebody who needs it. will always carry this.
meltedsnowflake ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:31:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father and I doing what he called the Pluto and Charon dance...he would twirl around in the center, and I would hold onto his hands and rotate around the outside in a circle. It's why I've always been a little sad about Pluto's demotion. (It's also my favorite memory of my father.)
Looking into a cardboard box and seeing a little ball of black and white fur that soon became my childhood cat and companion. Even better once we picked her up and she relaxed into our hands instantly.
I mixed together all the Play-Doh in my kindergarten classroom, and when asked by my teacher what I had done, I said, "I made sourdough pie!" She made me separate it out by color.
Elementary school talent show: Instead of dancing or singing, I had some ridiculous skit that involved reciting the Presidents of the US in order, through Clinton. (And whatever material in the skit that wasn't the list was very flimsy.) No one applauded, everyone thought I was a gigantic nerd (true, but...) and I hated getting on stage after that.
Shortly after I was attacked, I was on a (pre-planned) vacation visiting another friend of mine and one of her friends. We walked along the berry farm that bordered my friend's house and ate blackberries and blueberries and raspberries straight off the bush. Minimal talking, just three teenage girls, a warm summer's day in California, and a bunch of fresh berries. It was the best therapy I could have had, and now I associate berries with that feeling.
hivemind_disruptor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:31:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A bit late to the party but on the very least i get it out my chest.
When i was a kid my mother would store my money. I have adhd and used to be a very active and anxious kid. So when i was nervous i would uncontrollably bite and suck my shirt until it had wholes in it. Since most of the time I was wearing cheap t-shirts that my mom didn't buy (carnival block t-shirts, politicians, promotional stuff), that didn't really hurt my parents financiallially. When my mom saw what i have done to three of my t-shirts, she took all the money I had in her hand to buy new t-shirts. It was close to the equivalent of 200 dollars, and one of these t-shirts cost less than 10 at the time. Worst part is, she didnt buy new clothes for me until my birthday, occasion on which she gave me clothes as a present. I have never felt so betrayed in my life.
There was a girl that was the daughter of my mom's bestfriend, I was about 9, i think. I had a really big crush on her. I was very caring to her and would use every opportunity to touch and hug her (which is common in Brazil). One day she kissed me on the cheek, held my hand and said that she liked me a lot. and I told her i liked her a lot as well. I was the happiest kid on the world.
This girl went to Germany because her mother married a german priest. She came back to Brazil for a short vacation when i was about 15. We immediately hooked up and foolishly decided to become boyfriend and girlfriend, knowing she would have to go back to Germany. My parents told me they would send me there every six months or so, but I was unable to believe that, because it would cost them a lot of money. I broke up, but i was devastated.
me_atspindotcom ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:31:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
simplex3D ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:32:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bit late to the party but, anyone who creeps my profile can now know a little more about me...
Coaching High School Crew for the first time in my life. I was only 22 years old and I have a bunch of 14-18 year old boys looking to me as a role model. I had no idea what I was doing at first but we ended up winning the state championship in our category by like.. 30 seconds. It was an amazing experience.
Getting in trouble for drinking alcohol my freshman year of college. I was on the Crew team and the school had a zero tolerance policy. I had to call my parents crying drunk at 3am that I fucked up and that I was so sorry. My mom listened until I was done and finally said, "It's ok, go to sleep, we'll deal with it tomorrow. I love you". Made me realize that nothing is more important than family and sticking together through tough times. Tearing up thinking about that one. In the end just got a stern slap on the wrist from the school.
Breaking up with with a toxic girlfriend. The relationship was terrible, she made me feel like the most worthless person in the world. There was no passion after the first year or so of dating, but both of us were too weak to break it off so we kept dating for 2 more years since neither of us could end it. Every time I brought it up she'd turn on the water works and I wouldn't be able to hold my ground, cave in then comfort her. One time after making the usual 2 hour round trip visit to her apartment in a neighboring city, I found there was no love in her greeting, no more sparkle in her eyes to see me. I tried my best and it wasn't good enough for her. That night when I got back home I called her like a coward and broke it off over the phone so I wouldn't have to see her cry again and repeat the cycle. It was for the best. She's not friends with me anymore but she seems to be very happy. And now I'm in a very loving relationship where for 3 years every time I come home I'm greeted with love, which is all I wanted in the first place.
Krail ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:32:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I've got a lot of video game related ones, but I notice that most of my "core memories" are things that happened frequently, and not specific events. Is anyone else like that?
Watching my big sister play Super Mario Brothers.
When I was in college, my then-girlfriend was playing FF9 for the first time and a bunch of us got together and did the voices while she played.
Driving home from school every day with my mom just talking about what happened in our days.
The first time I ever drove myself anywhere and ordered food for myself at age 16.
In 6th grade, being told by other kids to go with my nickname because my full name sounded dumb and girly.
mreg215 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:32:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my mom and dad would wake me up hours before sunrise after my dad bought a 711, from the age of ten to about highschool to go help him out when employees were no shows or on Friday nights when I had to work graveyard shifts because the employee didn't mentioned he quit, mopping , sweeping, to accountinng they taught me all that stuff. Really taught me to grow my character and respect every level of industry and how to connect with people as well as keeping a level mindset, although things were hectic 85 percent of our family time because of the business stress. My buddies dads , they're fucking ass busters , but they really helped me grow by keeping the civil guidance and reminding me that hard work pays off. Mom reminded me to be level headed but to stay human, God/alpha or whoever you believe in us great he really provided me with avenues of positivity, and of if anyone needs some positive avenues I can only spread more positivity and encouragement .
SCM1992 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:32:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sadness - at my granddad's funeral, we were in a private meeting with family and the funeral director. I hadn't been feeling too bad until he started talking about my grandpa asking forgiveness for his sins on his death bed. I'm an atheist, but...something about the scenario made my lose my shit. Uncontrollably.
Anger - some friends and I were hotboxing in the back parking lot of our apartment complex. Me and my friend's girlfriend get out because we're lame and it wasn't that smoky yet. Some drunk stumbling down the alley got mad at her and hit her. So I charged him and James Bond tossed him to the ground. I knocked him out pretty quickly and I wanted to keep going, but didn't. Dropped my knee on his throat and told him to leave and never come back. He left and didn't.
Fear - I was hiking trying to cross a tree, and slipped. I was on a mountain so I was hanging off of a log with nothing but vegetation below me. Didn't know how far the ground was, but wasn't strong enough to hold on or pull myself up. So I let go. Ground was like a foot from underneath me.
Disgust - Ate a jar of sofritos on a bet for $5. Could taste it weeks later. The only thing that induces gagging to me.
Joy - the first time I hugged my girlfriend she hugged me so tight...buried her head in my chest then ran into her cabin. We're still dating four years later, and I'm going to propose to her soon.
toolschism ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:33:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure why but it's probably the happiest memory I have.
A year later finding out my grandfather died. Was still young so I didn't totally understand it but it's my first memory of death. It kind of wakes you up to the world a bit.
Staying up late, shoving towels under doors to try and block the light. Playing video games with my brother until the early hours of the morning. Dead silent in the room so we can hear when my dad wakes up to go to work. This one is more of a collection of memories.
I'm sure there are more they just aren't coming to me now.
birdjon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:33:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As someone who never got to experience many of the things that people experience growing up, reading all of these responses brings me happiness. I doubt I'll experience the world the way it was intended. Always the observer.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:34:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i masturbated in class when i was 8
paulwesley91 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:34:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
OneFootInTheGravy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:34:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4s1QdkJ2-ac
petgoats ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:34:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This thread is just reminding me of how few happy memories I have. Almost all of them suck huge.
So let's ruin the happy streak, shall we?
I remember in like first grade, my mother had been in ICU for like 6 months up in Calgary (A three hour drive) due to a car accident that had nearly killed her, me, my brother, my grandfather, and my unborn brother. A group of neck vertebra had fused and needed to be replaced (it was a weird proceedure that included removing her hip bone and putting it in place of the vertebra) but, while she was there, my dad and aging Grandmother had been left to tend to us. One night my father put me and my brother in the car and drove us to the pub. He left us in the car all night while he drank alone. I fell asleep in the car and awoke to my brother crying to a crapped diaper next to me in the parking lot still. I didn't remember getting home, but after that my grandmother almost exclusively took care of us.
I'm going to go in chronological order here, so this was when I was about 12. I grew up in what was possibly the worst neighborhood in Alberta. Constant SWAT raids on houses and police arresting totally drugged out neighbors. We didn't have anywhere else to go apart from the back of our barely running car and the rent was enough for my dad to pay by working at Walmart. My mom was pretty immobile at this time, and she was mostly confined to the house and Car. I spent most of my days with "Friends" much older than me with gang affiliations. One of them was particularly sadistic and enjoyed beating the shit out of me, I mostly accepted it/ passed the pain down (regretfully) to my younger brother. It would have gone on like this forever if not for my "Friend" transitioning from physical to sexual abuse. After the first couple times, I stayed inside and hid from him and kinda still do. That kinda thing isn't very easy to cope with. But I'm trying my best with what help I have.
Last sad memory I'm gonna share. My mom called me crazy for telling her this until her sister told her the exact same story. So halfway through 6th grade, my mom had complications with her previous hip to neck surgery. Some of the metal equipment they used to secure everything in place had started to "decay" causing her lungs to fill with some sort of infection (didn't help that the previous proceedure meant that she couldn't use her mouth to eat 99% of food) it filled her lungs and was killing her. She has airlifted to the ICU in Calgary again, but this time we came along for the most of it and long story short she didn't die and there is no more metal in her neck, but after the procedure they had to drain her lungs into some sort of machine that stored the bile. It was supposed to be incredibly painful, but they countered the feeling of having 9 garden hoses in her lungs with a constant drip of morphine. Constant. She was totally stoned the entire time, she would cuss out the Vietnam veteran she shared the room with and said it was good riddance when he finally passed. But I think the worst thing she did, and the one that stuck with me was when she was in the lobby of the hospital with my deaf aunt. She convinced my also deaf uncle to go and buy her a toblerone we knew she couldn't eat, and she sat there and waited until some 80 year old cancer patient was wheeled by with her daughter. Which then my mother began to throw the little chocolate triangles at the poor woman from her own chair. It took my uncle physically taking the candy away to make her stop harassing the poor lady. That's the only time in my life I have seen my mother attempt to harm another person. It was insane
Please forgive my crappy submission, but the thread was too happy for me dawg.
iminthemitten ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:36:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father used to take my brother and me "up north" (Michigan) for a few week each summer along the Suttons Bay area. This was during the early 80's when that type of work was plentiful. We stayed with friends of his who were migrant workers so it was anything but hotel living. We would just go where they went so each time we stayed at a different location. The places we stayed sometimes had dirt floors, no running water other than a pump outside and the bathrooms were always an outhouse. At the time I hated staying in those places because there were none of the things I was accustomed to. To me it was unfair. I felt like it was unfair because my father had a good job and made good money but he always took us to stay with his migrant worker friends for a couple weeks. My father came to this country as a young man, studied hard and was able to have a great career. He was a hard worker and excellent provider. Really when we were with our father we wanted for nothing so it was hard for me to understand why he would take us north to stay in those poor conditions.
Aside from staying in what I referred to as shacks we also worked in the fields either picking cherries, strawberries or apples. Basically whatever was being harvested we worked at. It was hot and I was always pretty vocal about my disapproval. One time we were picking strawberries and I was throwing them into the bucket really hard. A Mexican guy asked me in broken english if I was making "strawberry jam." I'd put good strawberries on top and take the bucket up front to a man who would hand me a little ticket. Kind of like those little raffle tickets you can buy in a big roll. I didn't know what it was for but later learned you traded them in later for money. The money went to my father's friends. Anyone who's ever done field work knows it's hot and back breaking. These people did it for a living.
After staying with his friends for a while we would leave and spend a week in a hotel doing all the things I really wanted to do like visit the Sleeping Bear sand dunes, eat ice cream, ride go-karts and by then a hot shower! It's amazing how much you miss simple things like that when you don't have them. After a few weeks without indoor plumbing I would always smile at the sight of a bathroom that had a toilet and shower.
As I became a man and started working regularly I always thought back to those days and came to the conclusion that my father was trying to teach me something. In my mind the lesson was to always work hard and to appreciate what you have. I took that lesson and have always applied it to my life. Anything I put my hand to I made sure to do it to my best ability and to work as hard as I could always thinking about the lesson from my father. That was more than 30 years ago.
I'm 45 now and quite successful in business. I've always contributed that to the lessons I learned from my father, work hard and be thankful. Last year I told him how I always worked hard and thought about our visits north with migrant workers. I told him I am thankful for his teaching me to appreciate what I have and to work hard. He smiled and said something that totally caught me off guard. He said, "I wasn't trying to teach you any lessons I just did that so I could see my friends AND didn't have to pay for a hotel room during those weeks!" I was so surprised to hear him say he wasn't intending to teach me good work ethics and to appreciate what I have even thought that's exactly what happened. I guess in the end I taught myself that lesson.
wastazoid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:36:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โAre you my Daddy?โ I asked my father, as I watched him walk up the sidewalk to my house.
I was playing outside in the driveway, alone. I donโt know how old I was for sure, so I will guess I was about four. Definitely preschool.
My parents ultimately divorced when I was a toddler. He had gone back to his home country overseas because things had become complicated, but he came back to visit a year or two later.
Barnabas2109 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:37:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age 3 ,Its my birthday, my father picks me up and places me on the piano in our living room. Age 6.5 , I'm running away from a bully straight into the road, a car runs me over. Age 11, Saddam Hussein starts firing SCUD missiles towards Israel, I learn how to use a gas mask. Age 15, First actual kiss, we remain friends but nothing more. Age 18, Drafted into the IDF, shit just got real Age 20, One of my closest friends dies from a rifle accident/suicide (It was never determined), On behalf of his family I call up total strangers to inform them what happened and provide funeral details. Age 24, My first marriage. It ended 9 months later. Age 27, I meet who would eventually become my 2nd wife. Age 29, My 2nd marriage, had a blast and still going strong. Age 31, I become a father to a son. Age 33, Once again I fathered a son. Soon after Hamas started firing rockets towards where I live. I experience a new type of fear.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:37:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My "core memory" happened a lot older than most of you guys.
When I was younger I met a girl, Julie, that I thought was just absolutely the one. Even at 8 years old when we were in Mrs. Sharpe's class, I was absolutely enamored with her. To this day I honestly think of her as the one that got away, and blame myself every day for it.
As time passed I managed to widdle away at her and by the time high school came around we were inseparable. We had gone to homecoming every year, junior prom, and senior prom. College time came around and we both chose to go to NYU, she was way more into it than I was, but I supported everything she did so I busted my ass to get in also.
We had a complete whirlwind romance as a young couple together in NYC. It was absolutely amazing, our favorite thing to do was to hop on the train and head down to Coney Island and walk around. She was very drawn to the water, and I think that came from her father who was a fisherman. New York was perfect for her because of all the water around, and I myself became a fan. Every weekend it was down to the beach or the waterfront for picnics.
This slowed down around our junior year of college, we were still together, but something about her was different. She was just so dry. I thought maybe she was tiring of me, but she kept insisting it wasn't something I did and that I was the only one for her. She just was off, something was different about her.
One evening I was stuck at school late, working on a project, after I finished up it was around 10PM. At this time we had managed to get a little apartment together, so after taking a cab back to the apartment in the pouring down rain I noticed she wasn't home. This was very unlike Julie, and to be quite honest with how things were going lately something was just weird. I tried calling her phone, but she wouldn't answer. I had this gut feeling that I knew where she was at. You see, in the few months prior to this her father had died, and we'd often make our way down to Battery Park and we'd sit there for hours just watching the water. She'd cry, but she said she felt that it was therapeutic to her, because of her father's love for the water.
I knew she was in Battery Park. I hopped into a cab and jetted down there. Julie was there, like I had expected. I walked up to her and she just sat there spouting off some nonsense about us and how she couldn't do this anything.
My heart was broken, I felt destroyed. I kept asking her what I could do. What she needed from me. I couldn't understand why she was doing this to me, we'd been essentially childhood sweethearts.
I finally grabbed her as she stood on the edge of the water and turned her around, "JULIE, WHAT CAN I DO. JULIE, WHAT DO YOU NEED?" "I need about tree fiddy." It was around this time I realized that this wasn't Julie, this girl was about 8 stories tall and a crustacean from the Paleozoic era. That damned Loch Ness Monster had gotten me again, "Damnit Monstah, I ain't givin' you no tree fiddy!" I yelled as she swam away into the distance.
I eventually found Julie, but she was just sleeping with my best friend. Fuck her.
Krocsyldiphithic ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:37:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Primarily PS1
doublewsinglev ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:37:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Finding a kitten behind the freezer, when mamacat had put her kittens somewhere else, and it becoming the cat that followed me around wherever I went.
lowlight69 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:38:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
10 years old, near my house at the time riding my bike in the fields (what me and my friends did at the time). Some people were walking their dog out in the field. For some reason the dog decided that I looked/smelled rather appealing, so he attacked. I was riding on my bike and this dog sprints at me, grabs my ankle and proceeds to pull me off my bike. So I crashed, and i have a dog chomping on my lower right light. Then he did that head shake that dogs use to help sink their teeth in deeper. I was screaming and crying, scared and in pain. About this time the owner finally reaches me and pulls their dog off of me. in tears with torn up jeans and bloody legs i sprint home. Dad takes one look and says where is the owner? like a flash my dad is gone to the field. I'll never know what he actually said but I guess it went something like this "if i see your dog off leash again, i will kill it, no warnings, no questions, just dead dog. then I will have a VERY serious talk with you (the owner). So it will be in your best interest that I never see you or your dog again." (my dad is a big guy) then he came and spoke with me, made sure everything was ok. I explain i'm scared of my own dog now and don't want to go in the house. Dad says I can't go through life scared of dogs, so he teaches me a couple of ways to grab a dog (or any animal with a spine) that can cause some extreme pain, even death if you do it right. never been scared of a dog sense that day. actually had to use that move on a couple dogs and humans during the course of my life. never went so far as to kill anyone or anything, but I have successfully informed the assaulting party that i was not the person they were looking for, and they should really just leave me alone.
Metal-Marauder ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:38:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Both my mom's divorces happened on Christmas. My first stepfather (father was never in the picture) ditched on Christmas, 2010. Second one stayed and acted civil, knowing how his actions affected me, 2015. The second one was more of a father to me, despite having been there for a shorter time. I haven't spoken to him in ages because since he's been out of my life I came out as transgender and while I'm sure he's already found out by now the stress of possibly having to come out to him and explain myself and hear him call me by my dead name prevents me from reaching out to him. Even though everyone else in my life has accepted me and I know he would too, something makes me think he might be the one who doesn't.
The day I came out and the overwhelming support from friends.
Freshman year, a senior girl named Vianni saw me eating lunch alone and sat with me. That's a good memory. She graduated and I haven't seen her since, and I don't remember her face, but I remember her name and her kindness.
My favorite summer, last summer, in which I got to play classic rock covers at California Adventure with friends 5 times, and spend the rest of the day at the park each time. This was the first time I had friends who I really had something in common with. I'm sure this summer will beat the last since my band Hoity-Toity is playing the Pomona date of Warped and releasing our EP that day, and the members of my band are the people I'd now call my best friends.
The night my mom got mad at me for giving her attitude (she told me to floss or some shit and I told her I would do it later), so she pulled my hair and threw me to the floor then picked up my guitar and started swinging it like she was gonna hit me with it so I slapped it out of her hand and she called the cops on me and they sided with her because she's supposedly a poor frail little woman despite being the most athletic person I know and holding a blunt object. The cops took me and I spent the night at my stepdad's house and he told me about some shit she had done that basically confirmed my suspicion that she abused him and he put up with it. Luckily since he's a big dude she never actually physically hurt him. At that point I decided I'm gonna cut my mom out of my life when I'm financially able to. Even though our relationship has been fantastic recently, my perspective of her changed so much that night that I honestly don't think I can keep her in my life no matter how well she treats me now.
CrystlBluePersuasion ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:39:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first thing my dad said to my mom when I was born: "Are we having fun yet?" She apparently looked like she could've murdered him right then and there.
When her mom passed away, it was right after we put our dog down and my dad had fallen off a ladder, shattering his heel. Was a rough week for us but as we were heading to the funeral, my dad turned and asked "Are we having fun yet?". We all laughed, including my mom, and then I joined two of the people who raised me as we buried the third.
This past Memorial Day, I was hiking a high peak with my old college bud and I got separated at one point, losing the trail on the way down. After climbing up some steep stuff and dealing with the elevation sickness I'd gotten earlier, I checked my phone to see if my buddy had texted me and was worried about getting lost, but I found a text from my dad simply asking "Are we having fun yet?" and the beer emoji as he thought I'd be drinking by then. It was all I needed to smile and keep going, and even tear up as I realized what an odd jumble of words to carry so much meaning for me.
jordanlund ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:39:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) Approximately 2 years old, coming home with my mom. The apartment is dark, dad is sitting in a chair by the window, drunk. He throws up all over himself. He walks forward and hits my mom, then swings at me and everything goes dark. She divorced him when I was 3.
2) The neighbor lady next to the apartment in #1 was really nice, she had a bowl of lemon drops and butterscotch by her door and she always gave me some. I liked the butterscotch better.
3) Approximately 3 years old, we were no longer living in the apartment, but still with the drunken jerk. I was playing his harmonica which he didn't like (I was 3), "I don't want to hear you playing that while I'm around!" - "That's OK, I'll play it when you aren't around." - Yeah, that was a beating.
4) Approximately 3 years old, playing scrabble with my mom and dad (I learned to spell and read at 2). Dad plays "Drag" and gets his points. My turn, I turn "Drag" into "Dragon", double word score! Yeah, that was a beating.
5) First memory, I'm sitting in a large dark leather chair surrounded by stuffed toys having my picture taken. We found the picture many years later, on the back it said I was 8 months old.
My primary beef with Inside Out is that her core memories were ALL happy ones. Not a single unhappy memory. Really? No pet ever died? No friend ever moved away? Ever? Really?
D33PLyManic ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:39:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Watching my brother get beat by my step dad when I was 4
Carrying my drunk mom from the garage to her bed when I was 11
Gf killed herself after we had sex for the first time when I was 15
Oh, memories...
--TheLady0fTheLake-- ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:39:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine is a little bit more morbid than most I've read on here, but it definitely is my most intense memory.
I remember my brother's funeral. He had muscular dystrophy and died in the hospital at 12 years old the day after Thanksgiving. I was 7 years old.
I remember exactly what I wore, a purple velvet dress, and I remember laying my head on my mom's lap throughout the entire service with a stuffed animal dog one of my friends brought me.
Once it was our turn, we went to say our last goodbyes. It was an open casket. I still remember exactly what shirt he was wearing, a pale yellow RL polo. I remember how pale his skin looked, and how perfect his hair was. And I remember seeing all of his favorite beanie babies in the casket with him. Most of all though, I remember the smell of the flowers. I get random breezes of it from time to time now. I especially don't like carnations now, because they smell exactly like that scent and bring me back to it.
shortyman93 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:40:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
TL;DR: Grammie gave me a soccer ball. Ex broke up with me. I failed out of college.
I know these are long, but the TL;DR really does summarize what the memories are.
For Christmas in 2000, my grammie got me a soccer ball. It was a really nice, professional standard ball, traditional black and white, and I don't remember the material, but I remember it being softer than most soccer balls, and really easy to kick. I was really into soccer, which plenty of kids are, but what made this gift special was that my grammie got me something unique from the rest of my siblings and cousins. Everyone else always got generic gifts for each other, but my grammie was the only one who would take the time to pick out unique gifts for everyone. This was big for me, because even at the age of seven, I liked to been seen as an individual, not as the same as everyone else, specifically not the same person as my brother. After this Christmas, I also stopped asking for presents I knew I wasn't going to get and told my parents that for my birthday and Christmas, I didn't want anything unless they had thought about the gift and got me something they knew I would need or want. I get fewer gifts now, but the gifts I do get mean a lot more to me. In fact, on my mom's side of the family, we no longer do gifts at Christmas (grammie, who is now passed, was on my dad's side). We spend the time eating, laughing, playing games, and just generally being together. It's a lot more enjoyable.
When my ex broke up with me about a year ago, I was devastated. We had only been together for about 4 months, but I honestly thought I would someday propose to and marry her. I was dumb, and it was my first relationship, I understand that now, but stuck with me was everything I learned in the following weeks after our break-up. I learned to read the giant red flags and understand they mean I shouldn't go there, even if I want to. I learned I can set boundaries, and that they can be healthy and prepare for a good relationship. I learned that being wary of cheating can be understandable when their behavior suddenly changes after meeting a friend of yours at a movie. Basically, I learned that everything I ever told my friends about relationships really does apply to even me. (Note: I was, and still am, really good at giving relationship advice for my friends, because I knew how to recognize underlying issues in the things that they were saying. However, I willingly ignored the very things I would have told my friends they should be doing, and that's really what got me in trouble. I've been single for almost all 23 years of my life, but those 4 long months taught me so much that I already knew, but thought I was somehow immune to. This whole experience also showed me who had really cared about me this whole time, and it was really heart-warming to learn that there were people standing up for me when I didn't think they really thought anything of me (one of my coworkers told off my ex's new boyfriend, another coworker of ours, and told him that he either needs to come clean to me, or he needs to leave me alone, because I was hurting enough from the break-up, and I didn't need to see those two together).
I flunked out of college my first go-round. It happens to a lot of people at some point, but this hit me especially hard. I was always a grade A type of student in highschool (would've had a 4.0 if I had put in any effort, but I got by with a 3.51), and it honestly felt like my life was ending. I had dealt with depression for years at that point, but that last semester had been the worst yet. There were days I couldn't will myself out of bed and would just skip class. I couldn't be bothered to do any homework. I did fine on exams, but I was so behind on homework and projects, that it didn't mean much. There was an entire class that I forgot I was taking until I checked my exam schedule. When I got my grades back, and more specifically, when I knew I wasn't going to transfer to the school that I'd been working to go to, I drove to my sister's house and cried to her. I told her that I wasn't going to be transferring schools, I told her what happened, and I told her I was terrified to tell our parents. She said she would help me, and the next day I went to go see my parents (my mom and dad owned their own independent clinic, dad was the doctor, mom was the nurse, and my sister was one of the receptionists). They didn't have any patients scheduled at that time, they closed the clinic for "lunch," and we all met in my dad's office. I told my parents everything. In fact, I told them everything as far back as when my depression first started, and all the things I'd kept bottled up inside, and how I'd felt like I couldn't tell anybody. My mom and sister started crying. My dad, trying to smile, said, "Thank you for telling us," and started crying. I'm actually starting to cry remembering all of this. From that point on, my relationship with my parents, which at that point had been almost non-existent, became much better. They helped me find a good therapist, who helped me with a lot of issues that I knew about but would sometimes forget were even issues (he also thought I might benefit from anti-depressants, and while I would end up taking them short-term later on in my life, I declined because I didn't want to be one of those people who depended on anti-depressants and couldn't live their life on their own. I'm no longer on them, but they helped me immensely when I was taking them). Flunking out of college was honestly one of the best things that would ever happen to me. It gave me time to just work and not really worry about the stress of thinking where my life was headed, at least for a short while.
Now, these stories are a bit out of order, but they all came together later on. Because of how I view gifts and gift-giving, I would end up ingratiating myself with my ex's family when I brought gifts for her nephews at Christmas, and then getting something special for her grandma when her grandfather died (I was there in the hospital room because I had asked for the day off from work, so I drove with her to be there for emotional support if he did pass [he had pneumonia]). Because of that, her oldest brother and I ended up becoming really good friends (her nephews were his kids). Because this was after I'd flunked out of college that first time (haven't again since, and I hope to keep it that way), and I was going to a local community college and looking to transfer to another school to go for my computer science degree, he told me about a scholarship opportunity at his alma mater. They were giving out scholarships to a few students for the new programs they were launching, and one of them was for Computer Science. If I got the scholarship, I would barely have to worry about money, and the school wasn't that far away from where I'm from, so I figured my (now)-ex and I would be able to see each other regularly, we could skype, and we'd make it work. I was fully prepared for that. Then I got the acceptance letter, then the scholarship, then she broke up with me, making an excuse about communication issues, when really (as best as I can figure with what little evidence I've found) she was trying to date that friend I mentioned earlier, that coworker of mine.
So I have core memories, that really start and end at varied lengths in my life. I still have a really good relationship with my ex's family, and I regularly hear about how they don't like who she's dating now (she's gone through 3 or 4 other boyfriends in the year since she broke up with me), that they wish she hadn't broken up with me, and that they thought we were going to marry for sure. Her mom and my mom talk fairly often as well, they're actually pretty good friends at this point. Her other brother (older than her, but younger than the oldest) and I have really similar taste in media (books, movies, music, etc.) and beer, so we get along really well the few times we see each other. Her dad said I was the only guy she ever dated that he approved of.
I've learned a lot from those memories, and the events of those memories also helped me get to where I am today. I have a really well paying job (for the situation I'm in. I don't need a whole lot right now), I'm going to school full-time on a full ride (tuition only) scholarship at a decent school. I've made connection with plenty of really good people who can help me whenever I choose to move up, whether with this company or another. Overall, while two of those "core" memories involve some of the lowest points in my life, they were also probably some of the best things that ever happened to me.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:41:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 10 years old I was shopping with my mom at a grocery store and wandered off into the cosmetics aisle where I found this cool makeup set in an awesome pink guitar case. I just had to have it, but my mom told me that I had to save my money up and buy it myself. It was the last one so I went to the customer service desk to put the set on hold, only the lady right behind me purchased it right then and there for me! A complete stranger had just paid over $50 for some stupid makeup that I really did not need. Changed my outlook of humanity right there and to this day I think back to that moment and it inspires me to be a better person to those around me.
davis2110 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:41:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
12- I let down my partner in a history project. I swore to myself to never let that happen again to anything that trusts me
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:41:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting on a hill with my dad in his old blue pickup and watching the Olympic torch pass through my home town. Late 1985, I was 2.
Visiting my uncle and aunt in Virginia Beach. Got to go on the deck of the USS Forrestal (my uncle's ship) for family day - saw a man I thought was Jesus. Later, went to the beach and chased a bunch of bikini-clad teenagers. Summer 1986, I was 3.
Meeting my elementary school bully. I introduced myself, he rocked his chair down on my foot. 1992, I was 9.
Beating the holy dogshit out of my elementary school bully. 1994, I was 10.
pezcore_1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:42:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Off the top of my head, it would have to be rubbing butts with the girl next door, and my grandmother walking in and screaming at us.
Kerastrazsa ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:42:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my first memories is a dream. I was a toddler and I was in something called a "baby sewer swimming race". It is exactly what it sounds like. I remember my Aunt being there cheering me on. Not sure if I won.
A real memory for me is I was maybe 5 or 6. It was Easter morning and my mom had bought me two similar dresses. I picked the one I wanted to wear to my grandparents house. My dad had gone out to start our old Buick and he didn't notice me come outside. For some reason I went behind the car as he started it and I got covered in black smoke. My dress was ruined and I ran inside crying. My mom goes out and starts yelling at my dad and he does not even know what is going on. Sorry dad
notnAP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:42:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Wife saying she wanted a divorce.
Explaining to the eldest daughter, then 3-4, that we were moving out of the house she was born in, into tow different houses, and that she wouldn't see much of me.
(It's gotten better... won half custody thanks to ex's history.)
redkatt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:43:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 7, my mom used to date a guy who took her to Florida on vacation for 2-3 weeks every summer. Mom would leave me with my grandparents during this time.
The very first time I was left with them, about 2-3 days into Mom being away I got really upset and was crying a lot. My grandmother heads off to the kitchen to bake a cake. After she's done, she's sitting in the dining room frosting and decorating it, and I walk up and ask, VERY excitedly, "Whose birthday is it??", and she looked at me and said, "Honey, this whole cake is just for you."
I've never enjoyed a cake more, and to this day, just seeing a cake makes me suddenly happy.
OMGwtfballs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:43:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Leaving in the grade school.
My step dad was a redneck through and through, determined not to hold an hourly job and be under "the man".
He bounced between various handyman jobs, but his main source of income was taking junker cars, fixing them and selling to illegal immigrants under the table.
He turned our suburban rental into a junkers hovel, which eventually got us evicted.
Rather than submit to society he decided to uproot us all and take us back to his roots, living a carnie life.
He pulled me out of grade school a month before summer break was to start.
I told my best friend a couple days what might happen, two days later he pulled me right before lunch. Entire class ran out with me to the parking lot, best friend spilled the beans. Some girls ran up and hugged me, friends shook hands or hugged and said good luck and goodbye, my crush came up and kissed me on the cheek (again this was grade school so that was hella awkward).
It would be one of the last times I felt I belonged.
Flash forward 2 years and a return to that same school (carniehood was a fail) and I'm once again the outsider. My "friends" barely talked to me and I slowly withdrew socially and started spending time in library or at the edge of the school with a sketchbook then more moving, more withdrawal, rinse, repeat.
RandomPerson9367 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:43:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Core memories a la Inside Out? What does that mean? The movie?
AshLyn32 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:44:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One memory in particular stands out for me. I had just gotten over two health issues while in second grade- Mono and then a couple months after that, the flu, which scared my parents due to being susceptible to illnesses for a year after having mono. (I wasn't allowed to do any physical activity for a year because of the fear of a relapse and damaging my spleen).
So, here I am, a little kid, who had been forced to be indoors and not do much (normally I didn't mind, I didn't like the outdoors and i love reading) and i found out that the party lady (as she was called by other kids in my apartment complex) was giving snow mobile rides to the kids, going down a path and across the lake and such. I wanted to go. My sister, who was babysitting me and not paying much attention, had no idea I had snuck out of the apartment to meet Sheila (aka: the party lady) so I could have a little fun with a snowmobile ride.
She didn't even ask me if I had permission, she just said hop on and I did.
It was so much fun.. even a little scary because the lake she went over was only half frozen.
Unfortunately my fun ended when the ride ended because my parents had pulled into the parking lot, spotted me, and were NOT HAPPY.
The main reason wasn't because I went on the snow mobile ride or that I snuck out on my sister ( they were mad about that though), but it was the fact I had just recovered from two major health scares and I had done what I did without: A jacket, gloves, a hat or any winter clothes on. I had only a jeans, a shirt, and my shoes. And Sheila had driven me over a half frozen lake..
So, they got mad at Sheila, they got mad at my sister, and when they calmed down, my dad quietly talked to me and told me that while he understood my restlessness and boredom, i still wasn't out of the woods regarding my health, so therefore for my health and safety, i couldn't do anything like that again.
Little young me actually realized my parents were actually scared I might get sick again, so I promised not to do that again.
So a memory filled with lots of stuff. And it's one of the few that still stick out to me to this day, even with my crappy memory.
bzjxxllcwp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:44:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Before I started Elementry my dad was a truck driver. I was always going with him, and remember driving through Vegas quite often
The first time my mom was diagnosed with cancer.
Spending three weeks in Australia.
The final time my mom was diagnosed with cancer and most likely the reason she will die.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:44:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have none. Dont remember much from childhood, things are mostly "i know this happened" but i dont know how. I can roughly remember like a week back but after that its gone. I rely heavily on instinct and need to fact check and double check a lot.
Tauge ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:45:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Eating ice cream on the back porch with my mother. I was young, my sister hadn't been born yet, and my Dad wasn't there...I'm assuming based on the time frame, he was out at sea. Anyway...I've always loved rain since.
Another when I was very young, I don't think my sister had been born for this one either...it was a shuttle night launch. I remember watching it start on TV then running out and watching it fly off...I used to think it was the return to flight post-challenger, (the accident occurred the year I was born) the time frame is possible, I would have been very young, but not too young for memories, but that launch wasn't at night. Which would make is STS-33 or STS-38 and I seem to recall hearing Atlantis...which would make it 38...but memories that old are funny...anyway...I know that awakened a long love of rockets and space, which lead to a love of planes. Unfortunately the aerospace industry wasn't for me, but I still am very passionate about them.
Losing my last job and getting this one. Losing my last job was the kick I needed to see there was a problem, getting this one and doing as well as I have has showed that I'm well on my way to fixing that problem.
dad_no_im_sorry ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:46:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
2.Me and my only American friends taking turns playing GTA vice city at Warren's house. They often cheated and I would call them out on it.
3.Getting road head by my first girlfriend who I was a piece of shit to.
TIAT323 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:46:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Joy - being about 5 years old on a family holiday, we had just had a BBQ, it was a beautiful sunny day and the grass was that perfect green colour, like a rug of endless perfection. And I ran as fast as my legs would take me and I have never felt so free.
Sadness - My first beloved pet dying.
Angry - some girls at school not letting me in their 'gang' even though I came up with the name and logo. I was about 6 years old.
Fear - Nearly drowning age 3. I remember it really vividly. I got stuck upside down in my flotation aid and I remember thinking 'you're going to have to breathe in a second and that's a really bad thing'. At that point the lifeguard grabbed me.
Disgust - I used to let spiders crawl on m but one day there was a really horrible on that bit me and I suddenly realised how much they freaked me out. I must have been about 5.
Astrognome ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:46:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One time like 4 years ago I was playing scout on tf2 barnblitz whike listening to modeselektor. I also have good memories playing gmod sandbox with the same people everyday a few summers back. I don't have many specific memories, but I do remember what I was doing at whatever point in my life.
Nerdwah ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:46:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My oldest memory. At around two-and-a-half, I climbed up the ladder of a jungle gym and leaned forward to grab the monkey bars. I was too short and fell forward on my face knocking out one of my front teeth.
That early lesson taught me to not be ambitious and try for things that look out of reach.
emu30 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:48:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 4 or 5, my parents got divorced, but my dad came over with this giant Cinderella bed set and spread it out on the ground for me to see it. We were all rolling around on it, as a family. That's when I learned that my parents being divorced wasn't the end of the world.
ohdudemybad ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:49:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Finding out that a classmate had killed himself when I was 17. I remember it so clearly and, even though I didn't know him well and I wasn't close to him, I tend to think of my life as "before the suicide" and "after the suicide".
I'm not entirely sure why, but it's like having that experience, no matter how detached, "triggered" (ugh I hate that term so much) something in me and I was never able to go back to how I was before.
EwokaFlockaFlame ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:50:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 4 years old, walking in some tall grass prairie. The smell of bluestem and ragweed is permanently imprinted. I flushed a covey of bobwhite quail, and I remember I could smell them where they had been roosting. It was like I discovered my nose that day.
gaoh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:52:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Transformers 1986. Ran that tape into the ground, got banned by my family because would literally not stop watching it. Can still recite 99% of the script.
My mum telling my siblings and I that she was leaving. (we later found out she was having an affair)
Being thrown across the living room by my enraged father after an extended argument with him and my brother. I was always in the wrong.
My "BIG" ex. It's been 6 years, I still think about her.
explodingcranium2442 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:52:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Watching a friend of mine escort her date to the door at 3 am in the morning. This was the morning after prom and they had come over to hang out. He got into a fatal car accident that morning and passed away. We were the last people to see him.
When my first boyfriend dumped me. I will never get my scream after he hung up the phone out of my head.
The day that my horse passed away. I remember it vividly. I woke up feeling dread and just emotionally raw. I knew something was wrong, but I couldn't figure out what. My dad called me after my classes to tell me that she had been put down. I miss her.
My first trip with my current SO. We went to Memphis and basically stayed in the hotel room the entire weekend. It was amazing.
I was about 7 years old. My dad would wake me up by putting my beagle puppy on my chest so she could lick my face. In hindsight this is the only nice memory I have of him. He is now a narcissistic alcoholic.
bttfp3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:52:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 8, at school there was this one evening where we could bring our skateboards, bikes, scooters etc to. I didn't own any of those and got bullied at school, so for me this was another reason why I was a misfit at school.
The evening before the event, I woke up to go the toilet and saw my parents (who had little money) fixing up a brand new scooter in the living room.
srxcustom ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:52:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
6 years ago I came home early from work to find that my roommate had set the house up like a house of horrors. I walk through the door and find a loaded NERF gun at my feet. The house was dark, unsettling music was blasting... It was clear he was hiding.
Sheets hung from the ceilings limiting field of view/room size. Creepy home made music was playing loudly limiting hearing. Some red lights were installed, some light bulbs were completely removed, one slow strobe light was at the end of a long hallway with a dummy slumped over in a chair under it.
I slowely examined the rooms in fear of getting taken out by a surprise nerf dart. Jim was quiet. Jim was patient. Eventually I realized that my fate wasn't to walk into his trap, rather to let him walk into mine.
I crept into the kitchen, slowely rolling my steps, quietly got inside the cabinets under the counter and contorted myself amungst the pots and pans and waited... Silent as a shadow.
After ten minutes I start hearing my puzzled friend searching for his kill. Once he was within range I fell sideways out if the cabinets... Nerf darts blazing.
That was easily one of the best moments of my life.
juliagulia287 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:53:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My senior year choir concert in high school. My dad would travel for work out of town a few days a week, but was really involved and tried as hard as he could to be there for big events and stuff. This concert was a pretty big deal because my barbershop quartet group was performing a few songs (I was the bass, deep voices FTW) and it was my last choir concert of my high school career. He was going to be across the state so I knew he couldn't come and honestly wasn't even bothered by it - I understood and he felt awful. Day of, we're in our cute barbershop outfits, walking out on stage to perform "Smile," and who do I see smiling up at me sitting next to my mom? My dad. He drove 6 hours round-trip just to see my hour-long concert, and could barely contain his excitement when I locked eyes with him. When the concert was over I ran outside to see them and he had a big bouquet of flowers for me and my mom had that super proud wife look in her eyes that I'll never forget.
take_all_the_upvotes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:53:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A couple yellow ones:
My earliest memory of when I knew I wanted to play music in some form for the rest of my life. I remember being about 5 and I was sitting listening to my dad play Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" on his 12 string guitar. The way the music touched my soul for the first time in my life. It really set the tone for my life goals.
The second one is when my girlfriend and I told each other we loved each other for the first time. I had been through 5 or 6 other relationships that ended after a month because I had exhausted all of the "I care about this person" feeling. After three months we both looked into each other's eye and just had the same thought at the same moment. "I think I'm in love with you." Approaching 4 years later, that memory always brings me to tears.
Qenton ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:53:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I grew up with my father. My mother was an addict, and I never really had much of a relationship with her after 6. Therefore, many of my memories are with my Dad, or my paternal grandparents. Here are a few of them:
-My grandfather was a big golfer. He loved it, and taught me to play around 11 years old. I still play, and every time I step out on a course, that smell reminds me of him. I also remember the black S10 he had, and how he would drop it down in gear, and put the pedal to the floor, just to hear me squeal with laughter when the truck sped up quickly. I can still remember the way he would laugh. Also - the orange Lance crackers with the peanut butter in them. And Red Rock Cola. He passed away in 2001.
-Grandma. She's still alive, and doing incredibly well for an 86 year old. I remember her teaching me in first grade, and being harder on me than anyone in the class. I would go to her home every morning, and she would cook me breakfast. As I got older, she taught me how to cook pancakes. I remember my proudest moment (as a child) as well. The day that I made pancakes by myself, and served them to her. They were probably the rubbery-est pancakes ever, but she pretended like they were the greatest. It still makes me smile.
JamesA7X ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:53:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ironically, my childhood in Minnesota (Now live in Arizona)
The_Juggler17 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:54:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Standing over my uncle's hospital bed when he was dying
.
He had been in declining health for a while, so it wasn't unexpected, but he had a stroke and we knew he was going to die soon. So me and my parents went to the hospital (I wasn't little, about 25 at the time) to see him.
Now, my mom was his medical power of attorney, and we were going to have to decide how long to keep him on life support. The whole family was against pulling the plug, but after going there and seeing him in that condition, it was clear what we had to do. None of the rest of the family would even come to see him, but they still hate my mother for letting him die.
.
Standing there at his deathbed, seeing someone I loved now brain-dead and unresponsive, and helping to make the very unpopular decision to let him die - that affected me.
And I knew it would at the time, I knew right then it would be a defining moment of my life.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:54:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข My mom, who was single and worked two jobs, bought us a SNES. We all stayed up and played Super Mario for hours despite her being exhausted.
โข Listening to Hootie & the Blowfish in my dad's truck after basketball practice. We'd sing like we had the best voices ever and didn't care that we were, in fact, lousy.
โข Watching "A Christmas Story" with my dad every Christmas Eve since I was nine.
โข My mother taking a day off (she couldn't afford to miss a day's pay) to take my brother and me to the park because she missed us. We pretended we were dinosaurs that day. That was the best day of my life because she was there and even though we knew she was stressed, she didn't show it.
โข My step-mom's mom (Grandma Betty) helping out my mom when I was running 104ยฐF temperature. My stepmom and my mom never got along, but my Grandma Betty was always there for us. She passed away this year and my mom cried harder than I've ever seen her cry.
โข Watching "Gumby" with my Grandma Pat(ricia) and eating radishes. She put curlers in my hair that day and took a picture. Turns out, I looked absolutely awful, but we had fun and that's all that mattered.
fizar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:55:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well. I woke up one day when it was a couple days away from my fifth birthday, and realized I had no memories of anything, didn't know my own name or even my parents, or even where I was sleeping, I stayed a bit calm y'know, as calm as I can be. found out about 6 years later that I had a skull fracture from the stories mum would tell me about my childhood, so I probably had delayed retrograde amnesia, still don't have any memories from before then. y'know, I think I tried tellin moms but she just passed it off saying it was like a passing feeling or something and i'd remember stuff in a few days, never did tho, so I guess I successfully hid amnesia to this day? idk, people definitely noticed changes in my attitude though, especially when I'd meet with someone who I supposedly knew for a long time or just talk to a week before and was completely bamboozled.
May_die ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:55:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Gonna go chronological:
I was bullied a lot when I was younger for being short. I loved the power rangers and one day after school my mom and I passed by a Tae Kwon Do studio with a cardboard cutout of the green ranger on it. Immediately signed up for classes. Cried my first class because I didn't want to take my socks off lol Stuck with it and loved every minute, 22 years later.
Seeing Fantasmic at Disney World. My family had just gotten word my dad's mom had died during the middle of our trip, and my dad suggested we still go see the show. I still tear up even watching it on Youtube; something about Mickey beating that dragon and shooting off all those fireworks really cheered me up.
First time I tried to commit suicide.
Hearing my ex-fiancรฉ yell at me that she wanted to die, and she hoped that we'd kill ourselves together so we'd never be lonely. I hope she's okay now.
The day I got my cat. He was meant to be for my cat-loving gf at the time, but I fell in love with him. Also, the day after her and I broke up and she left, he didn't leave my side while I cried in bed. He hasn't left my side since. Love that fuzzy idiot
DarthVeX ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:55:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know about core memories, but I know my Islands of Personality:
TangyExplosives ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:55:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Lying in my bed at 3 years old seeing a shooting star and wishing the Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles were real.
Visiting my dad at the "hospital" with all the other "sick dads" in a barbed wire fence enclosed building.
Dad coming home to live with us now that he was out of the "Hospital".
6 years old accidentally mixing up wood polish and Windex and being so worried that mum was going to beat me again when she got home because I used the wrong one while cleaning the house while she was at work.
Dad sneaking me out for Dairy Queen Dipped Cones while my sisters were busy because I was the son he never had.
Looking through the photo album and realizing Dad had actually been in prison.
There is more but then you would all end up reading a novel. There were a lot of key moments in my childhood memories...
ForrestISrunnin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:55:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
9/11 shaped me more than I can explain. My father was flying that day, and when the initial attacks happened we weren't sure if my dad was on one of the planes.
No contact from him for hours, until he just opened the front door around 4. His plane landed in Atlanta and he got a rental car and drove home. Seeing him walk through the door was unreal relief.
I was 9 at the time. A few weeks have gone by and I was aware that it was terrorism and the military would be going to fight. I asked my dad if I could go. He got tears in his eyes and smiled.....he said "you have to grow up first....little boys can't go to war"
I had moved to New Hampshire to escape my dad when I was 15. My mom and I moved. I put a lot of heart ache on my family just because I was depressed and took it all out on my father. He reached out, and time and time again I told him I hated him. I hate myself for those comments.
17 comes around, and I enlist in the Army as a Cavalry Scout. I was shipping out to basic training, getting ready to board my plane to Ft Knox.....and my dad came walking up.
He hugged me, and with tears in his eyes said to me "little boys can't go to war"
I love my father beyond explanation.....and that moment shaped me into the man I am today. I regret what I did to my family when I was young. But through it all, my dad still looked at me as his little boy and showed me love and forgiveness.
I have a long way to go....but because of those two memories I've grown to desire a life of service, to help people even if they don't want to be helped, the willingness to lay my life down for those I love, and to do everything in life with compassion and consideration.
I don't know how he forgave me after the shit I pulled, but I'm forever grateful.
Long winded, but those are my core memories.
grierc93 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:55:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Here's a bunch:
At age 8, having a hard time to listen to my brother teaching me how to ride a bike without training wheels. I told him to go back inside and I'll learn how to do it myself. He did. 2 Hours later after going in circles I figured it out.
My brother and I going really fast down a steep hill in a toy car.
Me crying hard in the theater from The Tragic Death in "Pokemon: The First Movie", followed by listening to the Pokemon soundtrack going home.
Blasting "Let Me Clear My Throat" in the car with my Brother.
Exploring the forest with my dog as a kid.
Being rushed to hospital after cutting my forehead open from jumping on the bed, and me getting annoyed by my brother making me do whatever I want for fun because he felt super guilty about it since it was his idea for me get on the bed to practice some WWE wrestling moves on me.
When mom told me I was going to have a little sister (I was 7 and livid about it).
My parents taking us to New York for Christmas and getting us both Xbox and PS2 when they were supposed to be sold out.
My brother and I destroying this advanced baby doll that my sister got for Christmas. It learned how to talk and and progressed with my sister as if it got smarter. Weird part is that she would leave it downstairs and that thing would wake up in middle of the night (3am) screaming for mommy or singing twinkle twinkle little star. My brother had to destroy that thing. It was a demon.
My parents destroying the PS2 and Xbox in response from us destroying the doll.
My friend threatening to stab me with a fork after destroying him in Smackdown on PS2.
Piling up pillows with my friend and throwing ourselves into them like a bowling ball.
Me attempting to run away from home after having an argument with mom.
Going on a family cruise after middle school graduation and being able to make friends from all over the world.
Me getting kicked out of mom's car after defending my brother in an argument.
Me not doing anything for my brother after he shattered his big toe nail and getting yelled at from Dad about it (I was 10).
Me skiing for the first time taught by my friend and almost skiing off a 50 foot cliff. Besides almost dying, I had the time of my life.
Me putting my 20-year-old dog down after suffering from severe arthritis.
Me flying 2300 miles away from home on my own after high school graduation to start community college and start my new part-time job.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:56:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Shit, the more I think about it the more I think that they'd be bad experiences
mcgrimus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:56:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 2 or 3, I was in the kitchen with my mom and older brother. Bro caught me staying down into the creepy dark basement. Naturally, he says to me, "The Devil's down there. He's gonna get you!" I move to go to my mom, but something's holding me back! I'm running in place, terrified. My brother is pissing himself laughing, and my mom is suppressing a smile as she comes over and unhooks my suspenders from the cabinet door knob. I think this has something to do with my weird sense of humor. And I love that this is one of my earliest memories.
Delthore ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:56:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm late so it'll be burred anyways. I have a twin brother and a younger brother, and I have a distinct memory of when we were 3 & 2 years old.
It was a hot summer day, and there was this little blue bucket. Well, we had the great idea of filling it up with cold water from the hose, stripping completely naked, and taking turns sitting in the bucket. All on our front porch with an audience of passerby's! For the longest time I thought I'd made up this memory, until I mentioned it to my grandmother a few years ago and she brought out a picture book with, sure enough, three naked kids taking turns sitting in that bucket.
cloud_emily ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:56:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-the time my mom's appendix burst. she was in and out of the hospital several times over the course of a few weeks with a lot of complications, and each time i was convinced that i was going to lose my mom. the part that sticks out most is watching her smoking a bowl of weed in her tiny apartment bathroom, screaming in pain because she didn't have insurance and couldn't afford an ambulance or a refill on her pain medication. i felt so hopeless, like i truly believed my mother was dying before my eyes and i couldn't do anything to help her. she survived, but it was the closest encounter i've had with death in my immediate family.
also -when i was 14, in the honeymoon phase of my first relationship, my then-boyfriend and i were rolling around on his bed, kissing, cuddling, and the window was open next to his bed. it was a really beautiful, crisp, sunny day in september, and the sky was a very intense, clear blue. it looked the same exact color as his eyes. i was so in love, so happy to be with him, i think that was the first time i felt what i perceived to be love
YellowMinx ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hope this doesn't get buried because it was such a significant moment to me. I grew up in the church. I had no doubt that God existed, and the people that went to my church were very loving and liberal considering the sect of Christianity (Pentecostal).
I was watching Cowboy Bebop one day, and they came upon the idea of God. Someone said something along the lines of, "Did God create us, or did we create God". It was so silly, but never in my life had anyone I knew questioned the existence of God. It threw me so hard and I had anxiety surrounding the idea. It was incredibly hard dealing with the idea that God was just an idea and nothing more. I didn't speak to my mother or any of my friends about it, but I shaped the way o view God for good. I believe in God now, but I cannot get comfortable with the idea of most organized religions anymore. It just ain't for me.
Nikonica ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad pushing a fallen branch across a frozen river to retrieve a winter mitten my brother had thrown onto the ice. It taught me the value of creative problem solving.
My parents getting divorced the same night we all moved from Canada to France. It all went down in flames around me. Worst night of my life. Taught me not to get into marriage lightly.
My hetero life mate winning 10 million in the lottery and essentially vanishing off the face of the planet. True friends are hard to find.
Falling in love - the first time for how it should not go, and the second for how it absolutely should.
itsHIMM ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was around 7, I saw a beehive and thought it was something magical. I thought it was a teleportation device where I saw on the cartoon. I walked right beside it and got attacked. Screamed and passed out, woke up on the hospital bed.. And thought it worked..
happybex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Here's one of mine:
I was the only kid in my second grade class who knew how to read fluently and actually loved doing it.
My teacher, Mrs. Davis, had a set of miniature books that were filled with fun random facts. She would occasionally read a few facts to us from those teeny books, but every kid in class knew that we were encouraged to read any other book in the classroom, she was the only one who was allowed to touch the itty bitty factoid ones.
Except me. During free time she let me look through her little teeny books to encourage me to keep reading as voraciously as I was. At the end of the year, she gifted me a navy blue t-shirt that said "So many books, so little time."
She not only influenced my lifelong love for books, she sparked my interest in minutiae as well.
wingzfan99 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:59:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
I was like 6 or 7 years old; all I wanted for christmas was this ridiculously expensive (at the time, and still, $140) Lego police set.
It was the only thing I wanted. The. only. thing.
That year we traveled to my grandparents' house (about 400 miles away) for christmas. On xmas morning, all I got were clothes and a couple of nerf guns, and some other simple toys from other family members. I remember being so incredibly bummed out.
The next day we drove home. When we walked into the house, there were a ton of gifts under the tree, including one unwrapped one -- my lego set. I remember being so excited that I put it together that night (we had arrived home at about 10pm). I still have the parts from it, 20 years later.
What I didn't know at the time, and what makes the memory even more special to me, was that my Dad had been going through a job change (you don't totally understand that as a kid). He had taken a leap of faith and left his factory job to pursue a career in the electronics industry, and he didn't even know at the time if he'd be able to find a job. Apparently he and my mom really scraped together every possible penny to give us a great christmas and get me that set I'd talked about for a full year.
A couple more: when I was super young, like 4 or 5, I had this teddy bear ("Jingles"). I would have Jingles with me when I went to sleep, but every morning he'd end up in some weird place in my room: on top of the bookshelf or the TV, hanging by one arm from my closet door, sitting on the window sill, etc. I always thought maybe he got up and moved (a la Toy Story). Found out not too long after that it was my dad moving him every morning before he'd go to work... still makes me smile talking about it to this day.
Also, and this will sound super 'murican, going to McDonald's with my mom after preschool. We didn't have a ton of money, and I was always taught that fast food was more of a special treat than an every day thing, so my once-a-month Happy Meal was always exciting. My dad also took me sometimes, but for some reason it's the ones with my mom that stand out.
2ppthrowaway ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:59:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Too personal to link to any account, but here goes:
Standing on the back of a boat trailer with my extended family, the boat slowly tipping, and me scrambling to the front and tipping it back down before anybody got hurt. My brothers made a few fat jokes, but I always remember how happy I was that I reacted so quickly.
Last week of elementary school, thinking next year would be better because I'd be in a new school with smarter people. Then later the realization that it would be mostly the same classmates and for some reason I was getting smarter faster, and how disappointing that was.
Being a tech in my brother's high school play, and a girl I liked resting her head on my shoulder. I was too awkward to do anything, so I just held the script between us for the hour we were on lights duty. It was still great.
As a kid, riding my bike at a friends house and losing control down a big hill. A younger kid was running next to the bikes, and even though I shouted to get away he got hit by my handlebars, gashing his forehead and needing three stitches. I remember being in shock the whole time the ambulance was there, just mumbling apologies and swears for shock value on the side of the road, while no one did anything except give me dirty looks. Never felt so alone.
My third grade talent show where I did a comedy act with my best friend at the time. The auditorium was packed, and I had a standup routine and then a few skits about IT support phone calls with really dumb people. In the practice sessions we made a sign that told the audience what to do (i.e. "Laugh", "What?", etc), and it was a huge hit. After the show a classmate told me it was really great, and I awkwardly said "thanks." and wandered off.
Waking up before school at 5am every day to play an hour of Final Fantasy 7. The first time was because the morning cartoons weren't on, but then I got hooked because it was so fascinating and deep and complex compared to the other games I had played as a kid.
Driving at 2am on the highway, with no other cars and an inch of fresh snow on the ground so you couldn't see anything. Passing the plows without a second thought because they were going too slow and it was a three hour drive. Ridiculously intense driving while blasting music and trying not to fall asleep.
I have a lot more but there are people at work looking over my shoulder so I'll end it there, doubt anyone will care too much about my nostalgia anyway.
Nuqa-Duck ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:00:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting shot in the eye with a nerf gun that was stuck to my eye by my brother. Fuck you Joel.
Jirachio20 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:00:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Walking with my friend to her house only to find out the house was locked. There was four of us and none of us had phones yet in fourth grade. We had to go to the neighbor's house and she hated kids. She opened the door with an angry look but let us inside to use her phone. Right when I was about to go inside she held me back and told me I had to wait outside. I was the only one she told that so I remember very clearly sitting on a big rock, wondering why she singled me out and if my friends were still alive in her house. They all walked out eating ice cream.
Being sent to my room so my dad and brother could argue without me watching. One day it got bad enough that my brother went to a friend's house for the night and didn't return until the next day. I didn't fully understand why he left and thought he was gone forever.
My teacher laughing at how my Rs sounded like Ws. I didn't think it was funny at all.
Visiting my great grandma in the hospital. She died soon after that and we went to the memorial party at her house. They let everyone choose two things to take home from her house. I only choose a swan figure that had an empty middle for storing small things.
Calling my best friend to let her know I wouldn't be able to watch the fireworks with her family. My mom had a stroke and we had to go to the ER. My friend didn't know what ER meant so I had to explain it to her and the purpose of the ER. She was asked if I could still go if her mom picked me up. I was so angry because it felt like she didn't care about what happened to my mom.
The night before my scoliosis surgery I laid down on the floor in my room to stare at the ceiling and cried. It suddenly hit me that I wouldn't be able to bend my back after the surgery. The doctor had explained it before but it didn't really register until that night.
Visiting my brother in the hospital and seeing his wife brain dead. She didn't look alive. My brother looked so tired.
Getting accepted into an university. I planned just to go to community college but my counselor promised if I was accepted into an university I would get a scholarship.
TwinkyDawn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:00:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember waking up in my bed with my sister sleeping beside me. We were about 4 or 5 at the time and I was upset because I could see my sister was wearing my new pajamas. I raised my arm to wake her up with a slap but then the phone rang. Even at 5 I distinctly recall wondering why someone was calling so early. I heard my dad say " Yes, that is very bad news" , hanging up the phone, then crying hysterically. I heard my mom tell him she was so sorry and then I just sat there listening to his high pitched sobs. My sister woke up and asked why I was awake and I said " I think Daddy is crying " and she sat up and listened for a moment. She then turned to me and said " No its not. Its just mom cleaning the windows" and she went back to sleep. At that moment I knew that her wearing my pajamas was not a big deal anymore and that's how I found out my grandma had died.
CarlLady ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:00:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I gained a new one about 3 years ago when I was traveling alone in Paris. I had gone to Paris for a work convention and decided to stay an extra week for vacation. About the third night after all my coworkers had gone home, I decided to go out with a guy I had met at the first hotel I stayed at. He and I went out to a few bars, and after he tried to get fresh with me, I told him I had to go to the bathroom and slipped out of the bar. I wandered around for a bit and met some other people visiting the country, visited their hotel with them and drank some more. Then I wandered off again after they were all too tired to continue on, and it began pouring.
It was at this point I realized I was very far from my hotel (since the first guy drove us out to the bars in an area he liked), and I had no idea how to get back. I was completely out of money, and since it had begun raining the streets were now entirely empty. I began walking in the direction I guessed would be the way back, and walked for about 45 minutes with the rain beating down on me so hard it felt like I spent the entire time walking through a waterfall. At one point a bread truck, out making it's morning deliveries as it was about 5 in the morning at this point, pulled over beside me and asked if I was okay. I'm not fluent in French, but I conveyed to the man that I was lost, and I had no money left and couldn't find my hotel. After he offered me a ride, I explained that my hotel was only 2 blocks away from the Eiffel Tower, and if he could get me there, I could find my way back.
I climbed into his truck, and he handed me a small towel so I could dry my face off at least. The truck was warm and smelled wonderful, and I was glad to finally be on my way back to my bed, exhausted, drunk, and downtrodden. I was thanking my lucky stars that this kind man had seen my trouble and offered to help me. I silently cursed all the misinformed people who said that Parisians were snobs and mean to Americans. Clearly they were wrong.
After about 20 minutes in the truck, and learning I had been heading in the opposite direction while on my own, the bread truck driver pulled over on a street about a block away from the Eiffel Tower. I told him how thankful I was and as I was about to get out of the truck, he put his hand on my leg and grabbed me firmly. He told me that he knew I could not repay him in cash, but I should pay him back in another way. My heart was pounding, and I told him if he really needed to be repaid, I could get some money from my hotel room. He turned that offer down and slid his hand up my thigh, under my skirt. Suddenly anger outweighed fear (I imagine the fact that I was still drunk had something to do with this) and I yelled at him that he was giving the French a bad name, and how happy I had been to have him help me and now he was being a pig. I think this might have surprised him, or maybe he wasn't planning to be forceful but was just hoping I would be guilted into giving him what he wanted, but his hand loosened its grip and I got out of the truck and stalked/stumbled the 3 blocks back to my hotel.
Upon arriving back at my hotel room, I discarded my ruined shoes, tossed my soaking wet clothes into bathtub, changed into something dry, and sat down on the bed. It all hit me then how many times I had naively put myself in danger that night. First I had someone I'd only known for a few days drive me out to some bars I'd never been to, without even considering that I should know where we were going. Then after I was out on my own, I went with another group of men I'd never met back to their hotel room to keep drinking, without considering what peril could lie in that situation, because they seemed like nice people (which they were, thank the light). And finally, having stranded myself with no other means to get home, I resorted to hitchhiking back to my hotel room with another strange man, who actually did try a few things with me. I must have an army of guardian angels following me at all times, because I do not know many other people who would have made it through that night in a foreign country without so much as a scratch like I did.
I still travel alone from time to time, but now I always call my family if I plan to go out at night, I arrange my own means of transportation, I befriend hotel staff and keep them informed of my daily plans, and I do not let myself get drunk anywhere but my own hotel. Of course none of this will guarantee my safety, but it's certainly a lot better than the way I'd been traveling before.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:00:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was walking behind my dad on the couch while he was sitting on the couch, and he elbowed me as I was behind him. Or maybe that was my Uncle Shannon. I don't know, but its one of my core memories.
eight_walls ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:01:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm 5 y.o. and my stepdad comes into a room and brings a big amazing OWL.He says it's my new pet. I was crying whole day and was asking him to set owl free.
My Mom was hiding candies in the pokets of big toy-dog and was saying that "In the night he goes outside to stole some candies for you"
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:01:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
a happy one: the first time i was away from my dog and the return home.
my dog is now almost 11 years old, he is a great dane, he is my best friend. a few short months after i got him (he was 3 and had lived outside in a cage his whole life) i had to leave town for about 10 days for work. i'll never forget the look on his face when i walked back through the door and how happy it made me to see him again.
Frozengrapeswith ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:01:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โข My mother bought my twin sister and I this yellow playhouse and placed it in the center of our house. I was around 2 or 3 but i can still remember how vivid yellow it was. โข Me feeing terrified hiding from my mom after we painted our playhouse with her make up โข Seeing my parents fight about infidelity all the time when i was around 5. โข feeling embarrassed for the first time when a boy told me freckles are ugly in third grade โข This one i can still remember so clearly. I was around 8 years old and all i remember was this hot feeling coming from my arm. I look down and there was a puddle of blood under me and all over my white pajamas. I look up and see my mother's scared face and she immediately gets the car keys. I suddenly remember what had happened. In our home windows had double glass and my brother the day before broke one of the windows. I had accidentally been pushed to the window by my sister causing my arm to get stuck in the sharp glass. That day i got 47 stitches. โข falling in love for the first time. I couldn't believe someone loved me. I was 15. โข finding out my first love did cocaine during the whole relationship and wasn't that faithful to me. I realized i was so innocent i never saw that coming.
DJ_GiantMidget ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:01:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:02:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Disney is really getting creative with the viral marketing but it is a pretty unique question.
HiBrucke6 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:02:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 6, two FBI agents came to my home and took my dad away and had him imprisoned for 5 years for the crime of being an active member of our Japanese Buddhist Temple in Hawaii (this was a few days after the attack on Pearl Harbor). All the kids in the neighborhood taunted me about my father being a traitor to the US and that I should have been imprisoned too. But one kid, came over to my home and sat with me and said that he thought my dad was a really good person because of all the good things he did for the community. He told me that I should be proud of him. I found out later that his parents had a part on his coming to me like he did. But I still think about that moment because it took a load of guilt and shame off my back.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:03:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I realized I loved dogs. I was around 5 at the time and absolutely terrified of dogs. There were plenty of strays around where we lived. Some residents cared for them and disciplined them. One evening I was walking with my mom, we saw a dog, I got scared and hid behind her. She then calmed me down held my hand and took me towards the dog. She then made me hold my hand out in front of the dog and he shook my hand!
martyz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:04:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I went to a summer camp in upstate New York and every couple weeks we'd get a bus that would take us into the closest town - we'd either see a movie or get ice cream. I remember on one of these trips when I was about 11, we were all walking down the street back to the bus, sometime around sunset - and across the street was a restaurant/club with it's doors and windows open playing some jazz - and I remember seeing an elderly couple - maybe in their late 70's dancing so happily together. I remembered slowing down so I could watch a little longer - it's always seemed like a wonderful thing to aspire to, to have such a happy, loving relationship that lasts a lifetime.
franciscomor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:04:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I woke up to my mom kicking my dad out of the house and in 15 agonizing minutes of pleading my dad was gone. Now I live with him because my moms a lunatic.
CuteThingsAndLove ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:05:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My earliest memory is from when I was 3. It was in my old house from a different town, and all my family made me wear was a diaper. It was Christmas night and the whole family came over to our house; mom's side and dad's side. I remember Grandma gave me a present after already giving me something before. It was the same thing; some Barbie movie. I was so excited that I got two of them. Grandma realized that the second one was supposed to go to my cousin who's a year younger than me, and took away the second movie. I cried because, well, she took my present away.
I also very hazily remember other things in that house. Running around in our tiny little backyard, blowing bubbles. Holding a bowl of cereal when my family friend realized my bowl was tipping over in my hands and he told my sister, and she stopped me from spilling milk and cereal all over the floor. I also remember dressing up as a Disney character for Halloween. Pocahontas maybe? Not sure. Also remember getting haircuts in that house.
I remember my first half of the year in pre-school (we moved in the middle of the year) a blonde girl in pigtails told a teacher that I pulled her hair. I didn't, but I got in trouble anyways. We both cried. That school also taught me how to dial 911. The teacher's name was something like Ms. Hill, or Ms. Valley... something like that.
After we moved into my current house, I have some other memories I'd call "core" too. My German Shepherd (RIP) ate a bee out of the air when my sister and I ran away from it scared out of our minds. I remember laying on the floor with him in the kitchen and crying when I was sad and he'd let me bawl all over him.
I remember we once found a lost dog. It was a gray dog, probably a Scottish terrier or something. We kept him and found the "lost dog" fliers and called the owners and they picked him up.
I remember the first time a boy ever kissed me. I was still 4, and at my sister's soccer game. I played with him the whole game. I had my toy dinosaurs and we played with them together, made them eat grass, whatever. After the game was over, I was heading to the car, and I wanted to say bye to him, and he came over and said bye and kissed me on the cheek.
She_Likes_Cloth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:05:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Good one: My wedding. It went exactly to plan, and I cried my eyes out when I saw my wife walking down the aisle towards me. Great memories.
Bad one: Memorial day (ish) 2012. I was in a military band as a piccolo player and we had a performance out of state. One of the staff sergeants whom I never liked told me to play the famous stars and stripes solo. The thing is, I couldn't. I was never actually a good piccolo player, and I could never play that solo for the life of me. Alas, when solo time came up.... silence. I froze in silence, then completely botched the recovery attempt. It was one of the most embarassing moments of my life, and to this day, I count it as the biggest failure I've ever done.
gamergeek17 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:06:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-My dad used to get me ready every morning for school. (My mom was a teacher at a different school) I remember hearing my mom wake up each morning. I'd take her spot in bed, she'd give me a kiss and a "Love you", and I'd snooze until my dad got up. Once my dad woke up to shower, I'd watch cartoons until he made me get ready. I had very long hair and he was in charge of brushing it each morning. My hair was often very tangled and full of "rats". To make it easier on me, he would pretend the rats were coming out of my hair as he detangled it and we would stomp on them. -I grew up with an older dog named Muffin. She would treat me like her pup. I distinctly remember her letting me use her as a pillow when I laid on the floor. She would nap while I watched TV. -I remember jamming out to N*SYNC in my room, dancing like crazy and belting out the lyrics. -Spending time at my grandma's house was the best. She always kept devil's food cookie cakes and other goodies for any grandkids that stopped by. All of us would say "hey grandma" as we headed straight for the kitchen. I remember we'd watch ice skating together and play card games that I'd make up as we played. -My brother and I used to watch "The Price is Right" together during the summer (he's 16 years older than me, so he's never had much time for his little sister). -My nephew was basically my little brother growing up. He used to belly laugh at me tap-dancing. He'd laugh so much and so hard he'd fall over.
Zombie_Whisperer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:06:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting my first bike on my birthday. i think I might have been around 8 years old and everyone was over when my dad went outside to bring in this cute pink bike with training wheels.
Losing my virginity to the person I loved for the first time. It was crazy how everything felt all at once, almost dreamlike.
Getting married super young (22) in the courts because we were in a rush (for reasons I won't get into). Having some of my family there (who could make it last second) and feeling just out of place. Feeling emotional for more reasons than the obvious ones.
Moving out of my parents house and into an apartment with my new husband. Trying to figure out how to "adult" for the first time on our own. It was difficult.
Getting divorced 6 years later. Worst feeling on the planet and I hope to never experience it again. I will never forget everything that happened during that time period.
Going to my first music festival with my cousin. I felt so much pure joy I hadn't felt in years.
Paying off my parents house. I felt so much pride and guilt at the same time.
Pretty much this past year has been one large core memory. I've grown more in the past year than I ever have in the past 28 years of my life. So many new experiences, new people, old people. It's been insane.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:06:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In first grade at lunch, I told my friend sitting across the long rectangular table that I had a crush on Suzy, the girl next to him heard and yelled "what no way?!" told the girl next to her, and I watched it go all the way down the chain as I kept saying no, no, no. It went all the way down the table to the girl I had a crush on and I saw her turn her face wide-eyed and stare right into my eyes. I ducked under the table and cried from embarrassment.
Third grade, I was watching dragon tales while folding laundry and 5 of my older brothers friends had been watching me for 10 minutes through the picture window and they finally tapped on the window and all waved at me then laughed. I ducked under a nearby table and cried from embarrassment.
Mavsma ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:06:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 8yrs old and my dad and stepmom were in the midst of a divorce. I remember them fighting a lot and when he was at work she would lay in her room in the dark. She would bring my little sister (her bio kid)into her room and feed her dinner, but she would leave me and my sister to fend for ourselves. We'd usually eat crackers and butter or a granola bar and then go to our rooms to work on schoolwork. One night she called me into her room, which was unusual because we generally weren't allowed in there. She had been crying and packing I guess, her things were strewn about. I remember feeling uneasy and scared. She had a small box and she brought out some film negatives of herself as a young woman and proceeded to tell me that these were proof that she was my actual mother. (important backstory, I had never met my mother, however she was definitely not my bio mom). She was telling me that it was a deep dark secret from my dads side of the family and that my dad was trying to make it so we'd never see her again.
It really stuck with me because I was sensitive about not knowing my mom. My step mom had done some pretty bad things to us, distinguishing us from her own daughter (she fed us separately, and sometimes did not feed us. Money was not an issue. She made my sister eat her own vomit once as punishment. She made me sit on snow without pants as punishment, etc), so why would she want to convince me she was my real mom? I was young but even then I knew she was trying to fuck with me to fuck with my dad. That didn't sit right with me.
MissOliveHueZoo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:06:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about two I was placed in the care of my great uncle and his wife. I loved with them until I was five. To me they were my parents, and I loved them so much. I remember looking for houses and moving into one with them. Shortly after they took me to pick out a puppy. They were too small to take home, but I remember they were all in this little basket, half were black, half tan. I wanted a black one, but they were all claimed, so I pointed to the tan one I wanted. I remember talking with my aunt and uncle in our new living room trying to think of a name for the new puppy. I was obsessed with Daisy Duck at the time, so we decided on Daisy. I remember the day my aunt brought her home, I was in the backyard with my uncle as he was putting my swingset together. I was so excited I was squealing and couldn't stop hugging her. Daisy lived until my sophomore year of college. I remember all the little memories of getting her. After all this happened my brother was born, and she wanted to take me back. I had to leave my new parents, my new home, my new swingset, and my new puppy. It's one of my saddest memories sleeping on a matress at my mom's crying because I missed my aunt and uncle and Daisy. My aunt and uncle would visit me and bring Daisy every time. They also gave me a stuffed dog, and a plaque that said something about how your daughter is special no matter how far away she is. Can you believe a five/six year old could remember all that. Those memories are so vivid for me too. But I got a happy ending because eventually my mom couldn't handle life and I moved back to my home, with my aunt and uncle, and my swingset, and my sweet Daisy dog.
justarandomlass ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:07:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 6 I went sledging with some friends on an old car bonnet. I had a huge smile on my face and was laughing, it was brilliant. Then someone yelled "Oh my God we're gonna crash!" I remember flying for a few seconds then next thing I know I'm waking up in my dads arms, my head is killing me and he was talking to a neighbour. "Don't worry she'll be fine, just don't tell Sandra."
When I was a toddler my granddad scared me. He was a typical farmer; tall, broad, loud and would clap his hands to get my brother and I to stop arguing. One day he took me to the park for a while, then we went to get ice cream and were walking through some type of garden/park to meet up with mum. We didn't really say anything and it was nice because it was the first time I wasn't scared of him. After a while I asked him if we could go back to the park because it was so much fun, he just said "No, we're already two hours late, your mother will be having kittens by now."
16, my gran was drunk yet again and was reminding me how I'll 'never be part of the family', I'm 'English, not a true highland lass.' She went on and on about how I'm not part of the family, not really, because I kept my English accent for a very long time. I wore docs, I dyed my hair, I had piercings and I wore what I wanted therefore I was 'destined to be alone forever.' (Which brought up another memory, when I was 9 she told me that I didn't have many friends because of the clothes I wore). After about ten minutes of her bullshit I flipped my shit and tore into her. I told her I don't have a Scottish accent because I was born in England and lived there till I was about 5/6ish, I told her I don't give a fuck if guys don't want to date me, I then said "What do you want me to do, take a leaf out of your book? Yeah okay, I'll become an alcoholic and spawn 7 kids then take my frustrations out on them. Because you're such a great role model." She's left me alone since then.
First time I kissed my boyfriend (when we were in the 'we're-not-dating-we're-just-very-close-friends' phase), we were watching movies and goofing about and he kept booping my nose with his nose. At one point we just looked into each others eyes for about a minute and when I pulled away he said "God dammit." I asked him if he wanted me to kiss him and after five minutes of him saying "I don't know it's up to you." "I don't mind." "I don't know." etc. etc. we ended up kissing. Not gonna lie, it was awkward. We were both sweaty because it was too warm in the room, we kept giggling before we kissed because we were nervous, we both barely had any experience with kissing so it was kinda sloppy and a bit too wet. Afterwards I was shaking because I couldn't believe we kissed, he hugged me for a long time then we talked about it. We both agreed it was a bit awkward and could've gone better, and we then decided to spend the rest of the night 'practice kissing....as friends.' Been going out for two and a half years now.
gnarlycharlie4u ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:08:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Car crash. I was about 2 years old. In the car seat of my grandma's blue Buick. It was late and I was tired so I fell asleep in the car seat. During my nap I must have kicked the blanket off because grandma was reaching her short arms across her wide car. About that same time she swerved into a telephone pole.
I woke up right before the impact and blacked out immediately after I hit the dash. I don't remember the impact but I remember the swerve. The next thing I remember is waking up on a stretcher being loaded into the back of an ambulance, my mom and dad are both crying hysterically, grandma is nowhere to be seen. Dad gets into the ambulance with me and I pass out again. I woke up in the smelly hospital bed, blinding lights in my face, holding a creepy sock monkey with my parents standing over me.
Then my dad pulls back the curtain next to the bed and there's my grandma in the bed next to me :)
vachuracohne ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:09:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was young, we grew up poor, and my dad slept during the day working graveyard at a gas stations, so my mom would take me out during the summer and we'd play outside since it didn't cost anything. She taught me how to catch grasshoppers in this disused field a few blocks down from our apartment - how to stalk them, clap your hand over them from behind, and then how to hold them without hurting them (lightly holding their wings down or by the hind legs). She'd point out things like how the mandibles worked or how powerful their legs were to jump/fly like that, or how all insects had three segments, and I thought it was so cool that I had a mom that knew about bugs and was so good at catching them.
Years later, I'm 30 and visiting home during the holidays and reminiscing about these good times, and mom explains, "yeah, I actually fucking hate bugs." Turns out it was entirely for my edification and under normal circumstances she in no way would voluntarily go out and touch bugs all day if not for the fact that we couldn't afford to go anywhere during vacation and she thought that she could at least do this. Thanks mom, you really took one for the team.
DerangedOctopus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:09:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My very first memory was looking up at a ceiling, with those florescent lights and cloth draped over them to dim the lighting. Then my eyes were covered by a hand, and then after a while (no idea how long), the hand was removed and it was the exact same scenery. Apparently, this dates back to my birth, when my father covered my eyes, afraid that I would be blinded by the lights (he's a very paranoid man and believes in all conspiracies (even dihydrogen monoxide, I'm never going to let him forget that one)), and the doctors told him that it was ok because the lights were covered up for this particular reason. The fact that I can remember this so vividly is rather disturbing to be honest.
enigmaticRing13 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:09:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This happened to me in first grade.
The class was apparently leaving the classroom to go somewhere, and I thought it would by hilarious to hide in the little coat- cubbies we had on the side of the room to make the teacher find me. Some other kids tried too (the only reason I was doing it was because they were) but when the teacher called them they left to go line up at the door. She called a few more times, but I was committed to the long con, and stayed silent.
What I wasn't counting on was her actually leaving the classroom without me. As the door closed and time passed a sinking feeling emerged in my gut, and then one of intense anxiety. I've always had some pretty bad anxiety, and the thought of being stuck in that room for an unknown period of time terrified me. What if they never came back? Of course, the teacher did come back looking for me, and on maybe her second time calling I ran out of my hiding place crying and was vigorously apologizing to the teacher.
She told me that a play was being preformed in the gym and I was missing it. A play! How could I have skipped out on a play for a joke! I felt foolish and sad, exaggeratedly so. Still whimpering I sat down in the gym and listened to the two men preforming the "play" for us. My spirits were raised when I oberved they had not truly started yet. Instead, they had us do an interactive exercise, which I remember to this day:
"Kids, in this play we're going to need you to use your imagination. There are going to be many things we say we are doing, like climbing mountains, or fording rivers, or firing canons, but we don't actually have any of that to show you." Other guy: "What I wouldn't give for a canon right now..." First guy: " So we're going to do an exercise to help get your imaginations going! I want you all to close your eyes..." I did. "...now imagine a big old dinosaur! A Tyrannosaurus Rex!"
Incidentally this was the first time I had ever actively imagined something in my head. There likely occurred a lot of passive imagination before hand, but never before had I actively participated nor payed such acute attention to my thoughts.
Thusly, I was astounded to see a giant Tyrannosaurus Rex standing in a primordial jungle right there, right in front of me, right in my head. It was like I discovered I had a new pair of eyes and was opening them for the very first time.
"Now give it brightly colored polka-dots!"
I thought, and suddenly it had pink and blue dots all over it.
"Now make it run!"
It ran.
"Now make it roar!!!"
It ROARED.
I was euphoric for the rest of the play, the rest of the day. The play, such as can be said of two men preforming for elementary schoolers, was funny, a comedy about Lewis and Clark. What struck me most and what sticks through to this day most about this isn't the impact of those two events, but the way the second so completely transformed my mood from the first. I was used to being sad for the whole day after something bad happened since I would continue to beat myself up about it after the fact, but this time I didn't . This time the good outweighed the bad, and that exited me more and gave me hope just as much if not more than discovering a place where anything can happen right inside my own head.
But the later was also pretty sweet.
I_no_longer_lurk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:09:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A bit late but mine is about my first experience with the injustice of the world...
I was in first grade (so I was either 6 or 7), and at the end of every recess all the classes would line up by class and sit down to wait for the monitors to lead us in class by class. While waiting to be let in, I started throwing pebbles at this girl a couple of rows away. I have no idea what possessed me to, but I just did. She turned around and told the kid directly behind her "stop it." Of course the kid had no idea what was going on he was talking to his friend behind him. So I threw another pebble. She turns around and says "I'm going to tell on you." The kid has no idea why and starts getting defensive "I didn't do anything" he says truthfully. So of course I throw another pebble. Girl gets up tells one of the monitors that the boy behind her is throwing pebbles at her. Boy starts crying saying he didn't do anything. He gets a discipline slip for the pebble throwing and for lying about it. I get away with everything. I still feel guilty to this day. But I learned a valuable lesson about how unfair the world really is.
TheYearOfThe_Rat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The boy grew up to be the UVA shooter. I hope you are glad now, OP :)
temptressofwaikiki ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:10:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Waking up early every Saturday morning to moon the garbage men.
medicchick8 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:10:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
drewpalikesem ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:10:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I specifically have one or two that stick out.
The first would be when I was 4 or 5 and drilled my 3 year old brother directly in the skull with a golf ball after he disobeyed my commands to move out of the way.
Another would be around the same age when he lost his floaties around the deep end of a neighbors pool and sunk like a cannon ball to the bottom, I told my Mom he fell in and she said "well you gonna go get him?!".
I almost died pushing him up from the bottom.
Morale of the story is maybe he does hold a case for middle child syndrome.
ShananayGuns ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:11:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Nana (grandmother) was a bartender for a VFW Post in the Bronx. I used to go to work with her and play there as a child. I can remember that every year, she would march in the St. Patrick's Day parade in uniform as a flag bearer. I would march just behind her with my little chest puffed out with so much pride because my Nana held the flag. That is a LONG walk for a little girl, but I can still remember the pride and love I felt and the sound of the bagpipes. I still love bagpipes. :)
Aerda_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:12:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My siblings are on reddit, so they'll probably know this is me if they ever see it... but I don't care.
Waking up late at night when I was about 4 or 5, and finding my baby sitter in the kitchen drinking tea and reading a book. The lights were very dim. She was my favorite person ever at the time. I told her I couldn't sleep so she made me a glass of warm milk and let me play with our wooden toy train for a while. This is my first memory.
Going to Italy when I was still a kid. We visited our great grandma with my grandma and mother in Florence. We were at a hospital run by nuns, in a nice courtyard garden. My mom told me to kiss my great grandma on the cheek but I didn't want to. I still regret it, because she became mostly senile only a little while later. She died in 2011, just before her 100th birthday.
Another memory is playing shopkeeper in my grandma's appartment in Florence. The shutters to the window and the curtain were perfect for pretending to have a store. My dad bought my siblings and I toy swords and we played with those as well.
In a different trip, I remember walking the streets of Florence before it was infested with tourists. I remember loving how everything smelled like cigarettes and coffee (and didn't know that those were what they smelled like), and visiting the Duomo museum. I remember really liking their wooden model of the dome, and thinking Filippo Brunelleschi was who I wanted to be when I grew up (aka an Architect). I also remember walking by Dante Alighieri's house, and taking pictures of almost everything in the street. I also remember visiting the copy of the statue of David, up on the terrace above the city. It was deserted except for my mom and I, a couple taking wedding photos, and a few families.
We (mom and I) visited Venice on the same trip. I remember watching this man with something like 40 pigeons sitting on him. I also remember buying a blue and gold mask with a huge beak on it (I still have it on my wall), and playing with it on the train back to Florence. The man we bought it from was really nice.
Staying up all night when we had just moved into a new house, reading the Cherub and Harry Potter books. I still only had a mattress and a book light. I could smell the Ikea furniture parts in their boxes.
Playing Wii tennis with my twin. Playing ODST with my sister and brother, and my dad yelling at us for staying up until 3 am...
My sister and I being shitty to each other until this year, and how she doesn't seem to regret it at all.
Recently visiting France with my mom. Visiting Napoleon's tomb. I don't think I can describe it outside of just amazing for a history nerd. Being able to see how he was represented like a Roman emperor and god was interesting. Visiting the Pont du Gard, and discovering a whole set of ruins behind the main bridge. It was completely deserted on that side of the mountain.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:13:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
My grandma teaching me about God. She told me fables and tales from holy books with great imagery. I'm forever thankful to her.
The drives during cold nights when we used to travel back home from functions. My dad played very old music on the stereo, and I used to open my mouth and inhale cold wind to drown the sound.
The moment right before I was given aesthetic on the operating table. I remember the doctor calming me down in a soft voice and a nurse strapping a rubbery mask around my face. I remember not liking its smell. I slipped into sleep within seconds.
programmingDad ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:13:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't remember how it happened but when I was 4 I fell and sliced my head open. At the time I was out with my best friend/ man who lived in our basement and he started to run me home. We passed a park with a big yellow slide that I loved to ride and I pleaded with him to let me go on it. I started to freak out and cry, he kept saying no and eventually picked me up and said "I'll bring you back tomorrow". He passed away that night, I've never went back.
Il_Gigante_Buono ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
What was supposed to be my first rugby match. I was on the bench and my father decided I should warm up and practice getting tackled before I headed on to the pitch, he went high and broke my nose haha
TheWastelandWizard ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A humid porch in Tennessee, light starting to fade above the treeline and a gurgling creek, with the sound of the pumphouse straining to provide our neighbors water. It always had trouble, and we'd check it every day or so. My grandfather, sitting in a rocking chair, with a glass of whiskey in one hand and a joint in the other, relaxing after a long day of work. We'd just finished up a long project remodeling a neighbors house, and it was a well earned rest. He poured me a glass of whiskey as well, and we sat there, talking about nothing mostly. I had just quit my job working at a small restaurant that was stiffing me, and told him the previous week that I was moving to California, to be with my girlfriend and start a career. We talked for a while about life, love, and finding happiness, and then he told me the one thing I'd always wanted to hear; "I'm proud of you, you've done good and you'll only get better."
It was the last time I really got to speak with him, and the second to last time we hugged. I parted ways at the airport gate, not knowing that that would be the last time I saw the most important person in my life. Wherever he is, I hope he's got a full glass and he's proud of me.
westwhitetiger ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:15:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, I want to answer this one, but my class is starting right now. I will be back here in a few hours!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:15:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I rode my bike accross town when I was 10 years old to buy my Mom a birthday present. I went to the mall by myself and bought her a Glass Tiger casette tape...and myself a Transformer.
My parents fighing and divorcing when I was 11. My dad telling me I had to be the man of the house...and my beleiving him. Junior high and highs school was not fun.
Shoplifting bulk candy from the local Safeway, and never getting caught.
GrayFaceNoSpace ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:16:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Doing OP's mom.
TheYearOfThe_Rat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:17:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Dear redditors, you do realize this thread will be used to manufacture replicants, right?
Wgibbsw ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:17:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Huh - nope, none. No bad particularly bad memories nor good ones. Never really stopped to think, I'm not sure what to make of this.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:17:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
CrimsonCowboy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:17:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
From present to past, a look at the lessons I've learned that have been most influential on my personality. Could they be learned differently? Yeah, probably. Doesn't matter. These were me. These are me, for the time being.
"I can just agree with people." I was talking with a friend who was similarly contrarian, and realized I don't have to disagree for the sake of disagreement. Responses like "Truth", "Sense of agreement", and "True enough" firmly worked their way into my lexicon. If someone says something that is true, then I have no justification to disagree, and should state as much.
"I can trace my history to the birth of the universe." This was a few years coming. I was taking Behavioral Psychology, and was going through the anthropology of humans. I was able to trace our history back millions of years, through all of our ancestor species. Plug that into my knowledge of the evolution of life, the genesis of planets, the cosmology of the universe... I felt a strong sense of connection. Hey universe, it's me.
"I'm basely chaotic, but fundamentally predictable." Behavioral Psychology again. My actions are, from a limited set of inputs, predictable. There's nothing special about it. A long time atheist (the Hundred Years war, the Crusades, seriously?!), this was the final death of the idea of a soul. I was just a machine. Sure, QED says on a quantum level I'm random, but I'm bigger than that an a lot of my patterns can be observed and predicted. I'm just... me. The voice in my head, observing what my body does and commenting on it. That's it. Liberating, but really depressing for about two weeks.
"Electricity isn't that dangerous." I was building a laser pistol and screwed up. Shorting about 3kV at a handful of milli-amperes across your body doesn't kill you. Things seemed a lot safer. Not entirely so, but not enough to be constantly worried about it.
"You need sleep or else you will malfunction." Don't stay awake for a week straight on caffeine trying to study for exams; you won't study well and end up freaking out. Ever pray to a towel in full seriousness? I have, and had to prove my own existence to myself afterwards. I make it a point to get some rest everyday just to flush the memory banks.
"I can choose to be kind." I was fighting with my sister, and realized this wasn't kind. I began a process of becoming kinder then, and it's only been reinforced by my life experiences onward. This didn't stop her, as I was bad at sharing information. We basically stopped only after I learned some martial arts and accordingly how to block. (She totally thought that wasn't fair.)
"Embrace weirdness." Scene was a field trip. The challenge was to choose which agate was the most valuable. Every kid selected the most plain agate, and being contrary, I selected the most layered one. I was right! And I learned, there is something to being the odd man out.
Entengkabwisote ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:18:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first roller coaster ride. I remember it so vividly from the drop to the loops. My father told me they had to stop it because I was crying hysterically. Funny thing is when I recall this I don't feel fear, I just remember it so clear.
The dolphin figurine in our living room. My sisters would tease me and that was my to go weapon against them.
My dad owns a truck and stupid me (I've grown up and realized how silly this was) would be embarrassed being caught riding it (My dad forces us to go even if we don't want to). So I would duck or slouch super low just to avoid being seen.
Playing in the rain. Our parents / nanny never let us play (could get sick, dirt on the floor) so the few times that I sneaked out I remembered clearly. The joy of dancing and playing in the rain with mixed feeling of fear as you might get hit by lightning.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:18:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad and mom weren't around much when I was a kid (teenage parents); so my grandfather would pick me up from school once every week and take me to lunch and a movie or the park or whatever we wanted to do that week.
I remember driving with him one time and we were talking about what I wanted to be when I grew up. He told me it doesn't matter what I want to be as long as I try my best to be the best at it. As a joke (early 90's) I said "what if I want to grow up and be gay?" just to get a rise outta him. He turned to me with a straight face and said, "then you be the best gay you can ever be".
That was the day I learned about unconditional love. He probably doesn't remember because his Alzheimer's is getting to a moderate stage, but I'll never forget it.
astariaxv ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:18:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I apologize in advance for any offense.
Every Friday my family would go out and eat chinese food. Only, my parents called it chinky food. I had no idea that chinky was a derogatory term.. so I happily said it very loudly one time in the chinese resturant. My parents were so embarrassed and pissed off at me, and it took me years to figure out why. I thought that's just what it was called.
theycallme_juno ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:18:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I stepped on a long, cold, slimy nightcrawler in my bare feet and screamed like my world was suddenly screeching to a halt. My grandpa came running outside with a small, hand held garden hoe and cut it clean in half to show it who's boss. A few years later, I learned that nightcrawlers can regenerate....so there's that fear.
My parents had a large, fluffy bear of a black lab when I was a baby. They got her while my mom was pregnant with me and we essentially grew up together. Many of my "core" memories revolve around her. But one of my favorites was when I was 6 years old, I wanted to take a nap, but my dad was working inside. So I figured the best place to nap would have been the dogs Igloo shaped dog house. Of course. I remember she curled in there with me until I fell asleep, but she must have left because my dad was searching for me everywhere and finally found our dog just sitting outside of her igloo like she was standing watch. I knew I loved dogs before that, but she really solidified just how caring and protective dogs can really be, and I will always be thankful for my time with her.
When I was about 9, my grandparents and I were driving to California from the Midwest, and during one of our days of driving, I told my grandma that I had a really bad headache and I wanted to stop driving for the day. Now, my grandma is a military woman who doesn't take any excuses, no matter who they're coming from. So she handed me an advil and told me to take it, even though I had never swallowed a pill in my entire life. When I started crying that I didn't want to, she pushed my head against the seat and forced the pill down my throat. A little aggressive, sure, but she got the job done. To this day, I have a hard time swallowing pills and for the longest time, I had to wrap pills in fruit roll ups before I could swallow them. But my headache went away.
spectraljerk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:19:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Childhood: -Driving to my favorite custard stand in a warm August with the windows down, enjoying the cinnamon and apple cider fragrance of cow dung.
-Seeing a black bear come out of the woods behind said custard stand -Asking my brother whether the Emperor was in Empire Strikes Back and him explaining to me that he is but only in hologram, whilst standing next to the washer and dryer in the laundry room next to the den. - Stripping down and standing on the coffee table asking my sister's bohemian art friends to draw me - a lucid nightmare featuring Nosferatu - arguing with my little sister whether the baby my mother was pregnant with would be a boy or a girl
Adolescence and early adulthood: -my first kiss: on the forehead with cold lips -walking home at 3AM through the countryside after being cheated on, getting picked up by the cops, then getting drunk on my parents' beer and listening to Bowie -getting robbed at gunpoint on my senior trip -turning myself in after accidentally flooding a floor at my university -getting punched in the face by my bipolar younger brother -learning to play guitar and the whole journey that took me on
Adulthood: -my father crying as he breaks the news to myself and my mother that the house was being foreclosed on -my first two dates with my future wife
I feel like I have a lot more core memories, but these are the ones that stick out as bullet points in my life
Cajete ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:19:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first memory: My dad is a Cuban immigrant who came on a boat and then paid for us to fly from Cuba to Nicaragua and then the United States (1990s). I was 3 years old and I will never forget looking outside the planes windows and seeing those beautiful fluffy clouds and blue sky and ocean. It was incomprehensible to me and it made me feel so strange. A first epiphany perhaps? It felt like understanding and not understanding at the same time. I peed my pants on the flight and kept asking for "Pa"... At least that's what my mother said. I'm 27 now and I've never flown on a plane since because I've never left Florida. =\
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:19:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Taking a girl I loved more than anything in the world to see a lighthouse at the beach. Seeing her standing there in her white sun dress with her arms hanging over the railing, her hair blowing in the breeze, smiling and staring out at the ocean. Even now I will never forget how beautiful she was that day.
junpark7667 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:19:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I still get emotional just thinking about how he actually said those words since he was one of those quiet, and not an expressive men.
Nevertheless, I am employed now full time, fresh off the college, spent my very first paycheck to get him his dream car (Down-payment for a Volvo. I don't know why that is his dream car though)
Octobers_second_one ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:20:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
cperko1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:21:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That one brick at that one Taco Bell.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:21:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
5th grade. teacher was this blonde in her late 20s. never wore a bra and had big perky tits. always wore like high waisted Levi jeans and a white t shirt. that was when I knew I was straight...because i fantasized about fucking her when i was like what...10?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:21:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
About 2 years ago: One of the strongest ones I have is definitely the time when my unit was at NTC (National Training Center) in California, for about 2 months of training. Active duty Army out of Hawaii. We weren't allowed to have cell phones out in the field while training, so when we got back for about a week's downtime one of the first things I did was get my phone and check to see if my girlfriend at the time had texted me. She had, and it was to tell me that she was breaking up with me to date her ex that had physically abused her. I shut down. Lots of shit happened over the next 3-4 months that played a huge part in who I am today.
On a happier note, when I was about 5-6, I remember my dad and I staying up pretty late one night (probably 11-12) and I sat on his lap and watched him play Age of Empires 2. Probably one of my favorite memories from that period of my life. He fostered my interest in video games and it's been something we do together a lot.
OwnTheInterTubes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:22:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
This is more for my own remembrance than anything else.
nimphara ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:22:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One core memory that sticks out to me is when I was about 5 years old, playing in the driveway in front of my house. I was in rain boots and an oh-so-stylish pink skort. For some reason, as I was squatting in a particularly muddy puddle, I decided, "Hey, I'm already messy enough, why don't I just pee in this puddle?" So I did, and it's my most prominent memory.
kp2412 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:23:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
We were at my grandparents place. The whole family. Me, my mom, sister and dad along with my grandparents. So one night the electricity went off because it was raining heavily. Anyway, all of us couldn't sleep that night and I remember in the morning my dad saw all of us sleep-deprived and got us all in our SUV with blankets. Turned on the air conditioner and we slept at least for a good 45 mins until the electricity came back on. I vividly remember us laughing together sitting in the front seat. Just few days after that, he'd gone to Europe for work and met with an accident only to pass away after 10 days. That was one of my last memories of him. This was 6 years ago.. Will never forget it!
YsiYsi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:24:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was like five or so my family was really poor so anything outside of macaroni and cheese with hotdogs was awesome. Sometimes my mom and dad would splurge and get these mesquite chicken breast things, they were the best things ever but we saved them for special occasions since they were resistive l expensive. One day my dad and I were watching some TV, some shitty little thing it was like 20" MAYBE, behind a nice glass table my grandma gave us and my dad asked me, "Hey YsiYsi how hungry are you?" I was really hungry but said i wasn't because I knew we had to save food, I didn't know but I knew that it was important. My dad gets up and goes to the kitchen and gets something to put in the microwave, all the while I'm nervous cause mom is gonna get dad in trouble for not saving food, and when the timer finishes he opens the door and the sweetest most delicious smell I've ever had float through the rooms and wiggle its way into my nose evacuated from the kitchen; my dad made the chicken. My mouth started watering profusely, my stomach started rumbling so I told it to stop, we're not supposed to be hungry yet. I hear the kling-klang of forks and knives then I see my dad come into the living room and set the paper plate on the table... it looked like heaven. My dad starts to cut the chicken up piece by piece, the looked like really small bites for him, I thought it was weird, but I snapped back to the TV so it didn't look like I wanted any. My dad takes a bite and I look at him for awhile, he looked at me and asked if I wanted some, my stomach growled and I said no but my dad looked at me a little harder and then told me, "It's okay just don't tell mom, she'll never know." I took a bite, I took two more, I smiled, and I laid down with my head on my dad's stomach and fell asleep watching TV with my stomach full of chicken.
VoliGunner ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:24:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Another one would be when I was 5ish, and we went to the Disney store in a mall ( probably Colorado too). We were pretty poor, so I'm not sure what mom bought or why. I just remember standing on my tippy-toes at the check out counter to reach into one of those angled clear jars to pull out a Mickey Mouse keychain watch. I wanted it so badly because my Mammaw had a Mickey Mouse watch, and I loved to watch Mickey Mouse. Well, mom said no and told me to put it back. So I plunged my fist into the jar and rattled it around as if pouting, but kept the key chain in my hand, shoving it in my pocket. We left the store and I don't recall if the alarm went off or not, I was so focused on playing it cool and making it to the car. Mom must have caught onto my act though, because she asked if I had anything in my hands. I held them out and replied "Nope! And nothing in my pockets too!" You can see where this is going. Cue me getting a talking to, sobbing and wailing, and mom making me take the key chain back and apologizing to the young lady at the counter. I was so scared.
OgreDiet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:25:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
"People may forget exactly what was said or the score on the scoreboard, but people will never forget how you made them feel"
Just something I've heard before that I was thinking about as I read through the comments and thought about my own past.
zaphodsays ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:25:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting in my room when my drunk father came in slammed my laptop on my typing hands and breaking it. Screaming at me in the hallway about how I was worse than a drug dealer and how I was never going to amount to anything.
Waking up in my car in the mcD's parking lot. Grimy and just sad, no where to go and 17 so I couldn't get a good job. Just fucking wondering what happened.
Scoring a 34 on the ACT and having every college I applied to accept me. Knowing I was gonna be able to do something beyond a shitty minimum wage job.
Painting little figurines with the perfect girl. She chose a squat metal dwarf and I chose a rubbery centaur girl and we sat and painted them in this little shop for a few hours. Sometimes talking and sometimes not.
I don't know what my fifth memory would be. Perhaps it hasn't happened yet.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:25:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
-Logging onto my student portal and finding out I got accepted to my dream Engineering school. Ran down the street shirtless. Spent 5 years at a community college.
-At age 19, asleep at my friends house. Woke up to my parents phone call that my doctor had called them to bring me in ASAP. Already knew it was tell me I had Testicular Cancer.
-Not crying until I made eye contact with my mom in the car leaving the hospital. We all broke down after as I kept sobbing "Why me?" to them. This is kind of a happy memory though. My family doesn't share deep emotion with each other almost ever, and I had never felt so fucking close to them.
-Making it to my first year of being Cancer free, where my odds of return went from 50 to around 10%. This meant I wasn't going to need chemo, so my ability to procreate would be unaffected (Thank you god/universe)
At age 8, riding around in our new car with my family, Windows down, blasting Red Hot Chili Peppers "Under The Bridge"
Damn just realizing some of my core memories are really sad.
cloud1161 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:25:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This one actually happened very recently, like within the last week but I know I will never forget it.
I was playing my first gig on guitar in like 8 months. It was a simple cafe open mic night so nothing spectacular, probably like 30 people or so total.
The first song went well so I start my second song which was an original. As I'm playing, a group of 10 or so kids come inside and start clapping to the beat. I nearly choked up while playing because I was so happy.
atyzer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:25:50 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm 30 right now. I remember the earliest around 3 y.o. when i was a tiny boy and had that insane perspective on child chute in the yard which i loved to slide and it looked for me as everest. When i was about 18 I've checked same yard and that chute was about 2 meters high. I remember a lot of incredible shit from my childhood like (lake dredger) at country side, first touch of horse at 6 y.o., first fireplace at 4 y.o., first tree me and my grandpa chopped to plant 10 new trees. The treasure retrieval which we hit with brick to dig our and which turned out to be WW2 air bomb at the house construction site. I remember first fight which i lost at 5 y.o. over girl that i "loved". I remember that i assembled 1st gang in kindergarten when I was 6y.o. with selfpissing twins who were incredibly malicious but i was always punished in the corner as gang member. Fights over this toy at 5 y.o. http://gorod.tomsk.ru/uploads/9423/1256714344/ussr_09.jpg. I remember my 1st broken bone at 9 y.o. But most of all I remember 1st story from my grandma at 4 y.o. about tricky fox. Shit i want to cry right now because my life can fit about 10000 page book.
Thrway1818 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:26:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1: the first time i witnessed my father hit my mom and me not being able to do anything but call the cops.
2: sitting with bottle of pills contemplating ending it. The neighbors 3 legged golden retriever jumped the 6 foot privacy fence; scared by the thunder storm going on. He ran straight through our dog door and came straight to my room and onto my bed with me. First time i met the dog. Just kind of hugged him for an hour or so before i called the owners. The dog probably saved my life and didn't even know it. They moved a couple weeks after.
3: Got in an argument over not being in the car with my stepdad driving drunk. Stopped at a rest stop for over an hour yelling when my mom started getting sick. Told me she had cancer that night. I knew she had it before, but something about the whole night just stuck, seeing my mom weak, my stepdad drunk and belligerent. It was one of the only times I've straight out yelled and gotten angry since i was 4 or 5.
4: wrapping my little brothers gifts from santa and stuffing his stocking when i was 10. My dad had gotten drunk and passed pit before doing anything. I didn't want my little brother to wake up to nothing.
Not a whole lot of happy memories in my life so far, but it's made me who i am and i've grown from every experience I've had. I wouldn't be who i am now without all the good and the bad in my life. I know it's a late reply, but had to get it off my chest once i started thinking of it.
PM_ME_LEGAL_PAPERS ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:26:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Going to Toys R Us to pick out Lego sets. Very strong childhood memories for me.
Starting 1st grade, and feeling lost and confused.
Orientation day at college. Also lost and confused, but full of optimism.
The click of a seatbelt as a girl unbuckles herself to hug me.
mytrucci ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:27:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing in the yard with my dad. I was very young โ I think this might be my very earliest memory. I was spraying my dad with the house and he was running and laughing, using the garbage can lid as a shield.
Seeing my wife for the first time. Then meeting her and discovering just how wonderful she really was.
Playing onstage with a rock band for the first time.
Laughing with my family at dinner time. I don't remember what we were even laughing about, but I just remember us cracking up and almost choking on our food.
pradagrrrl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:28:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was little (5? 6?) my dad was in politics, and around election time he was pretty much invisible. My mom was at the campaign office a lot, and add to that evening events that they would both have to attend. One evening I was sitting in front of the TV at my aunt's house and his party's song came on during a commercial break and I sang along softly, quietly crying and missing my parents so much, everyone else totally oblivious. I remember all of the lyrics to that 80's party anthem as this is a core (SAD) memory.
Substantia41 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:28:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
shitting behind a couch when i was 3. its oldest and probably the most powerful memory of mine.
Lindthom ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:28:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Throwing up at my dad's mud bog. I was wearing striped Osk Kosh B'Gosh overalls and a matching bow in my hair.
get_it ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:28:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Really interesting question! Long post incoming:
staring in the mirror in my Minnie Mouse underwear, age four, as my older cousin explained that each chicken pox mark was where my feathers would start growing, and that's why they were so itchy. I 100% believed her.
Later that same year, at a park, she hung upside down on one of those horizontal playground bars. It was anchored into a cement block. I was mad at her so I decided to tickle her, and she hit her head really hard as she lost control of her legs and fell. My aunt (her mother), who normally only spoke to me in baby talk, spanked the crap out of me. I learned how gravity worked that day.
Having my first best friend at age 6. Going to her house and baking cookies for the first time (my mom doesn't bake). Mistaking the flour for sugar, and sticking a handful in my mouth. My friend's mom cried laughing as I tried to wash it out. First time I experienced feeling very loved by a non-relative.
my mom explaining that the reason why we eat latkes (potato pancakes) during Hanukkah is because the Greeks attacked with elephants, and when the Maccabees (Jewish revolutionists) discovered that the only way to defeat an elephant with a bow and arrow was to run under it and shoot it in the stomach, some got squished...into pancakes. I was playing with my friend and must have been 6 or 7 at this point, and knew it was a fake story, but the detail that my mom told it had a big impact on how well I tell my own made up stories. Friend also thought it was a really gruesome, disturbing story, I thought it was amazing and hilarious.
Eating at the Thanksgiving table among about 30 relatives, around age 8 or 9. I had asked some question about how bodies move, so my mom took a turkey wing and pulled on the muscles to show me. Everyone thought it was gross. I thought it was awesome. It started a lifelong passion for learning about how bodies work and why
Being driven home by a friend's parent in...8th or 9th grade? She was very devoutly Christian, and spent the entire ride, which was about an hour, telling me about how I was going to hell because I didn't believe in Jesus. She also made a point of pulling into her husbands place of work, which was a mechanic shop, gesturing him over, and having him tell me too how I better start believing in Jesus if I wanted to escape hellfire. I started losing my respect for religions here.
Being told by my Rabbi at age 12 that I was a bad and unloving child because I told my mom point blank, in his presence, that I did not want to go to an Orthodox girl's camp in Kentucky for two months during summer break (we were never Orthodox anyways). He felt that children should not be allowed to make their own decisions and that my mom knew what was best for me. He also said I would never get married if I continued being such a brat. My mom had asked if I wanted to go and I said no. I lost more of my respect for religious leaders here, and also stopped thinking of adults as all-knowing
My first kiss, age 13, sitting on a lawn listening to a jazz band with string lighting overhead.
Getting asked point-blank why I was "more protective than a wolf" of my friends getting bullied in school, by a bully. Explaining that I didn't want them to get hurt and was ready to fight people who wanted to be mean. Being asked if I was abused and saying no, then having them look at me like I was crazy. Realizing I was way overprotective of people.
there are more but I think as far as childhood-ish that covers it.
JunglerDidntGank ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:29:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was crying once when I was about 8 because my older brother's girlfriend "jokingly" called me chunky. My brother went over to her and told her to never mess with me and was mad at her for a week until we were all on good terms. It truly melted my heart because I was used to him just teasing me all the time and the regular brother bickering.
osiris0413 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:30:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is a really great question, props to Op. I had to think about this a bit. At this point there's little chance of this actually being read, but part of what makes this a good prompt is that I want to answer it for myself even if that's the case. So trying to go in roughly chronological order...
Being served a gigantic piece of cake when I was 4 or 5 years old, on a cruise in the Caribbean with my family. My mom won the cruise in a sewing/quilting contest, it's the only one I've ever been on to this day.
The aftermath of jumping into the bathtub also at age 4 or 5. I apparently tried to jump headfirst into the tub like it was a pool, at least that's what I told my parents at the time. I got a big gash on my forehead and I distinctly remember my mom screaming - she heard a big thud and then came in to find me sitting in the tub, dazed, with blood streaming down my face. I apparently was pretty unfazed and asked her what was wrong, and when she said I was bleeding I asked to see in the mirror. Seeing myself bleeding and her reaction is what I remember from this event. I have a faint vertical scar in the center of my forehead to this day, making me almost exactly like Harry Potter, but instead of Voldemort I faced a bathtub.
Playing with my brother in our backyard at our childhood home. We built Lego cities together that were more like empires. He made maps of the backyard and basement, and we divided them into states and territories populated by different types of toys with capital cities, army bases (controlled, of course, by army men) and over time an incredibly complex history and series of alliances and conflicts developed.
My first kiss, which happened in Germany in 2003. I was in a long-distance and then short-distance relationship with the girl, on and off again, until 2010. While later events may color that memory a bit, I know I won't forget it. It was... moist.
Breaking up with my high school girlfriend via text message outside the restaurant where she was eating with friends. Looking back on it now it seems so stupid - she was younger, I went to college and we did the "we'll try to make it work" thing, she cheated on me with someone else in our peripheral friend group (I wouldn't call him a "mutual friend"), and I for whatever reason didn't want to let it go. The sadness and shame I felt stay with me. On a lighter note, some years later I was able to commiserate drunkenly with the guy she had cheated on me with about what an absolute mess she was. They dated for a few months afterward and he had to put up with her, which I consider to be more than enough revenge.
The summer after my freshman year of college, when I was back in my hometown for the summer but rented my own apartment because I would do anything to avoid living at home. Since most of my friends were back in town as well and most were living at home, my place became the de-facto party house for the summer. Lots of good memories with friends and lovers (often the same people) were made then.
Everything on this list occurred prior to 2007, and while some things since then may rank equal in terms of importance, I feel like these early events in a large part define who I am today.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:30:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Career related, the day when I got a full-coverage scholarship to study overseas. My family isn't poor but not well-off, and this was my ticket to changing my life.
Non-career related, the first day I started playing RPG games. Skyrim was my first ever 'serious' game. It changed my perception of gaming, and now I enjoy it as an art instead of just a mean to relax
EinherjarofOdin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:30:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In no order of relevance:
-The time I fell asleep beside my girlfriend on a hammock after working on a shed outside her house with her father. I have trust issues, no one to blame for them but myself, and get instantly anxious if I close my eyes if people are around. We broke up, but I trusted someone that moment enough to fall sound asleep.
-Took italian classes for two years, in those two years I met very diverse people from different origins, different cultures within my country and different people from different regions in Italy. Most locals in my country have a negative attitude towards it, often cynical, and the first dream amongst teenagers, besides the deluded, most patriotic or homelike, is to study abroad, meet someone and stay there. Our islands and beaches are the highlight of our culture, receiving thousands of tourists every year. One saturday a teacher, two years older than me, asked me something similar. Which was my moment of joyous epiphany. Like a feeling of complete glee, uncorrupted by worry, a feeling of discovery. Having an arrogant, cynical attitude towards everything, I mentioned the first time I heard Dark Side of the Moon in it's entirety, I did not want to seem the odd one out. She then proceeded to mention why she came here, came as a volunteer to help the poor and illiterate here, took a small vacation afterwards, going to one of those islands with white sand beaches. She cried, she said, filled with that very feeling, and that was the moment that she fell in love with my country. It shocked me how someone from Italy, a land with such a rich cultural history, the crib of western culture, the land of world renouned musicians and artists, was more honduran than I, someone born to honduran parents, born and bred here. I learned that moment that patriotism is not blindly believing your home to be flawless, but to love it despite them, appreciating the beauty within. Since then I've tried to be more involved with the art and music scenes around, and have come to terms I will probably never study abroad or live in another country. I'd lie if I said she's not one of the teachers that had the biggest impact of my life.
Kinda long, and kinda late.
shuggnog ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:30:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Stepping in a nest of leeches in my lake. They were all over my foot.
Also learning to ride my bike in Great Windsor Park.
Schrodingerspussay ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:30:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
pete_topkevinbottom ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:30:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When i was 7 i was rollerblading on my porch. My mother had a cactus on the corner. While trying to Rollerblade around the cactus my skate fell off the edge of the porch and i fell into the cactus.
The cactus needles were all up my leg and on my ass. I went crying to my mom and we pulled them out with tweezers.
Once we were done i went back to the cactus and smacked it with my hand for revenge and once again had needles in my hand. This time i did not tell my mom and went and got them out myself because I was embarrassed that i got poked again.
After that i learned not to fuck with cactus
speckleeyed ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:30:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Around 7 or 8 b I was determined to catch the giant bullfrog that lived in the ditch in the backyard. I would lie on my stomach and wait for it every day perfectly still, only moving to get up to go pee or eat lunch and I'd come back. I'd watch the crawfish build their little homes and hunt minnows and small frogs and tadpoles move about. I watched dragonflies and butterflies move from flower to flower and didnโt flinch when the garter snakes slithered by. I did this every day for 3 weeks until that damn frog finally came out and I caught him and he was bigger than my two hands put together. I was so excited! I showed everyone! My mom of course thought it was disgusting especially since girls shouldn't be playing with frogs. My neighbor was willing to cook it for me. And all my friends wanted to play with it and then kill it and eat it.
But I just wanted to let him go. We were friends now. I carefully sat him down at the edge of his ditch and he didn't hop right back in. He stayed, letting me just look at him.
Now, I spent the rest of that summer digging a homemade pool in the neighbor's yard and building a fence for all our snapping turtles. His parents were crackheads so they didn't care what we did to their yard as long as we left them alone. And we collected 13 snapping turtles and built a snapping turtle moat around their deck which was our new castle of course.
runjimrun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:31:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The last day of school when we were kids. Go for a half day or so to clean out your desk and just goof around. They'd line us up at the door, everybody just salivating to leave - including the teachers, no doubt - and the bell would ring, the doors would open and we would just scream and sprint out of there like a charging cavalry to go home and start our summer.
I was a child of the 70s so summer meant playing outside all day, every day. Little league baseball, pickup baseball, football, basketball, running bases, the neighborhood pool, friend's pool, in the woods to catch tadpoles or just ride the trails on our bikes, playing in the creek behind my house, setting up ramps to jump our bikes like Evel Knievel, making our own fun. No cellphones, pagers, any way for our parents to get a hold of us. Home for dinner when dad got home and then back out at night to play ghost in the graveyard or kick the can or flashlight tag or swim in my buddy's pool or sleep in a tent in the backyard. Fantastic memories.
spartangrrl78 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:32:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That is a great description of the last day of school and of summer vacation as I knew them as well!
runjimrun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:11:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, another guy at work about my age tell this girl born in the 90s what it was like growing up in the 70s. She can't believe it.
ashep24 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:31:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't matter, they are all blue.
AynosMae ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:31:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Most of my core memories revolve around my Mom. She raised my brother and I as a single parent, and she was amazing. We lost her 13 months ago, and I know it's part of grief ; but for the past year all I've done is replay moments in my life I had with her.
aschwab9009 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:31:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One summer night when I was about 5-6 I couldn't sleep. My dad kept having to come in and try and get me to sleep. He asked why I couldn't sleep and I said it was because the crickets outside were too loud. With that he calmly told me to look outside. He left my bedroom and went outside my window where he proceeded to clap and yell for the crickets to scatter. He came back in and said he took care of them for me.
On another night when I couldn't sleep, my mom was with me trying to get me to sleep. At about 2am I was still restless. It became an endless cycle where I couldn't sleep, I'd get worried or anxious that I still wasn't asleep, then my anxiety still kept me from sleeping. My mom stayed up the entire time trying to help me sleep. She finally told me that I didn't need to sleep. If I could just close my eyes and rest my body and mind, that would be enough to recharge me. It worked like a charm and I slept the rest of the night. I still remember my moms advice when I have trouble sleeping.
I have amazing parents. They have taught me so much about how important family is.
peakmando ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:31:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Beautiful question OP.
I don't know how old I was when my father hit me. Hell, I'm not even sure it ever happened. It's just a vague impression that comes to mind every now and then. Maybe I've dreamt it, or imagined it as a child and lost trace of the fact that I did. I don't know.
When I concentrate on the image I have in mind I see my early childhood room that iv'e shared with my younger brother. we moved out of that place when I was 8, about 20 years ago - but I feel it has happened well before that. In this image you cant even really see the room. Only my fathers bearded face against a background of a light colored ceiling. I don't even remember the moment he slapped me, and don't know why he was mad at me. The only thing I remember vividly alongside the image of his face looking at me from above it this procession of feelings: shock, anger, and finely profound helplessness.
My father is a wonderful man, and we've shared great experiences together throughout our lives. never did he hit me again. Maybe he never did at all. Whether he did or not is a question that bares no importance whatsoever. I'm not mad, and don't need him to say that he's sorry. This thought, dream, memory, impression, whatever it is, it's now a part of me. I can't even start to imagine, much less explain, the extent of it's effect on my life.
minday ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:32:29 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My therapist and I discovered that a core memory for me is thinking I'm a failure at pretty much everything I do...even though I'm not a failure! It makes life changes and big decisions VERY difficult. And when I don't fail, it makes it hard to believe, like there's been some mistake.
Sucks.
JinDenver ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:33:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have several, but this is an important one.
I was sitting in my bedroom at my eMac (white!) ordering some flowers online. I was 19. It was the summer after my freshman year of college. I was having them delivered to my ex-girlfriend at work, my high school sweetheart. I made a mistake, I wanted to patch things up, this was the start of it. I finalize the purchase and all is well. Suddenly I hear what sounds like someone yelling the letter "e" in a screeching voice in my livingroom. Just an elongated yell of the letter E. I run to the other room to see what was going on, and my mother was shaking, half-sitting, covered in blanket on the couch. She was arching her back and staring over her right shoulder, screaming. Suddenly she flopped back down on the couch with some level of force. Her left hand slammed down on the table next to the couch, catching the edge of an overfilled ash tray launching ash and cigarette butts high enough to hit the ceiling. Time slowed and it snowed cigarette butts and ash, filtering the sunlight as she shook and grunted on the couch. I watched for what felt like minutes but was seconds, as it snowed literal trash and decay. Something old, something used, something you'd meant to discard but kind of left around by accident. Something that would never be new, or good, again.
I called 911. I knew it was a seizure, and they rushed an ambulance to my house. In the 5 or so minutes it took for them to arrive, my mother woke up and when I told her what happened she didn't believe me and didn't think it happened. This was how she treated all of the problems stemming from her alcoholism. She didn't believe me, and didn't think any of it happened. She hadn't had a job in a few years, never stopped drinking, and refused to even admit that just days prior I'd gotten home from college for the summer and searched her room finding 18 empty liter vodka bottles stashed about. Hidden. In her own bedroom. These accumulated during a period of just 4 weeks since I'd been home and cleaned out her room last.
Eventually she relented and we went to the Hospital. Coincidentally it was the hospital that used to employ her, from which she was fired for drinking on the job. We sat in the emergency room and she still refused to believe that anything had happened. I put my head in my hands and faced the floor, leaning way over, as if to put my head in the crash position between my knees. I started to cry, and for the millionth time began my diatribe about how she needed to understand her actions and their consequences and needed to own the reality she created if she was ever going to change. Before I got 10 words out I heard the letter E once again. I looked up, panicked, and saw her once again half sitting up, back arched, craning her neck over her right shoulder. I slapped the emergency call button on the wall and medical professionals came running. I got up and swiftly walked out of the room. I went outside, tears on my face, and found my father who just arrived -- still invested in his child and his many-years-divorced ex-wife. I told him I needed a cigarette and some alone time. As a non-smoker, it was an effective distraction. I sat against a wall and processed it all. It ended up taking almost another 6 years, but that was the day I knew she was going to die. She'd never get better, she'd never stop drinking, and there was nothing I could do to change that. I hated being right about it. But I knew.
rcab23 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:33:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
frontyard football, driveways were endzones, each sidewalk square was "10 yards" and ours was 10 perfectly. i had 3 bros so we did 2v2 all time qb was dad. best ever.
thePitchFork ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:33:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Probably a little late to the game but here's my contribution. I remember I was in middle school and my school bus stop was at least 2 miles from my home. It was pouring rain one day, I mean it was really coming down, and I didn't have an umbrella. I started the walk home but I was not looking forward to this one particular part in my route. It was a really steep hill and with a dirt bank next to the sidewalk which meant mud was probably running down the entire path I needed to walk. My house was at the top of this hill so there really was no way around it. When I finally reached the base of the hill, I paused and looked up to survey the path. In that brief moment, a public transportation bus stopped right next to me. Keep in mind, where I was standing was not a bus stop. The doors opened and the the driver, an old black man, looks at me and says, "hop in." I was drenched and the bus was full of people but I got in and stood next to the entrance. I told the bus driver that I only needed to get to the top of the hill. He smiled and nodded. When we got to the very top, he opened the door and let me out (again, this was not a bus stop). I'll never forget the kindness that that man showed me. It was such a small gesture but it has stuck with me my entire life. The world needs more people like him. It would probably make this place so much better.
Blu3j4y ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:34:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The summer after my sophomore year in college:
I was supposed to drive a friend home, and out of nowhere I asked "Do you have a summer job lined up?" He said no, and I said "Do you want to go for a drive?" So we drove around the country, and earned money playing duets on street corners. Our parents were royally pissed at us, but we drove around and honed our skills.
We visited places that I'll probably bever see again. Washed dishes, played music, stopped at every town on Route 66, and basically lived like hobos. We took baths in lakes when we started stinking, and finally made it home after about six weeks. Tanned and hairy, I pulled into my mother's driveway and told her about the adventure. She wasn't pleased, but she washed my laundry and let me sleep for a few days. 20 years later, she admitted that she wished she had taken an adventure like that.
Then she and my aunt decided to visit my other aunt in San Diego. They bought a car and drove back to Ohio, stopping at every town on the way.
Wanderlust must run in the family.
godetect ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:34:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age 3, lived in the desert in a house which had a back yard that turned into a pretty steep slope full of sagebrush and such. Laying on my stomach on the concrete patio, playing with my Hot Wheels, I can still remember the feeling of the cold concrete seeping through my coat. Then I hear a rattle. Get up, walk across the lawn toward my parents' bedroom window, hear the rattle again. Look down and there is (to my 3 year old eyes) a HUGE rattlesnake sunning itself on this metal hatch under my parents' window that led down under the house.
I feel bad about this 35+ years later, but cue screaming, me running inside, "Mommy mommy there's a snake get Daddy's gun!" Das was at work so sure enough, Mom went out with a .38 and shot it. In hindsight, the snake did nothing to me and if I'd said nothing we both would have been fine.
nothesharpest ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:35:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Landing at the Panama airport in 1988. My uncle was stationed there as the garrison commander of one of the Army posts near Panama City. When we landed, the airport was dark and people were practically running to get here or there. It was me, my two brothers, and my mother and we were supposed to meet my uncle right outside the gate. I could tell my mom was scared, but to us, it was a bewildering experience. Thankfully my uncle and cousin were there to collect us but I noticed he wasn't wearing any shoes. He rushes us to his van that he had borrowed and throws all of our baggage unceremoniously into the back and before we can even buckle our seat belts, he peels out of the parking lot. I could tell he was nervous, and my mom looked scared as shit, but my cousin (who's the same age as me) was smiling and asked me if I had the new Michael Jackson album yet. I remember that about that same time I looked back at the airport behind us and noticed it looked like something that had seen several fires and a LOT of vandalism. A few miles down the road and as we get closer to the city, my uncle tells us to get our heads down. He's reaching for something under his seat but I figured he was looking for his shoes or something. Nope. It was his side arm and we were approaching a road block. I couldn't see much, but I remember him speeding up and a lot of yelling in Spanish as we passed a stack of burning tires. Then after that, it was nothing but beautiful scenery. He announced it was all good because we were close to the installation. All that behind us, Panama was fucking amazing and now that it's stable, I really want to go back.
Back story - my mother and uncle decided to not tell us about the whole Noriega thing that was happening. He had successfully convinced my mom that things in country were calm and that since we wouldn't be in the city, we would be safe and sound. I guess he either downplayed the situation or it escalated too quickly for him to tell us. The reason he didn't have any shoes was because he had to give them to the guy at the road block in order to pass through. He wasn't about to make us give up our shoes or put us face to face with armed men, so that's why he sped through the road block on the way back.
LilliaHakami ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:35:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It was late at night and my mom was having an evening with her best friend at the time. They were having a girls night and I wasn't invited. My mom opened my door to my room, I was crying at the time. She let me out and she put a clear coating of paint on my nails while the two of them continued to talk.
_joof_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:35:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was 6 on holiday in Brittany, France. I was pushing along on my new scooter. I remember there being a toad on the floor beneath two mobile homes on the left (it was a campsite) and I was wearing a stripy French top. Then a wasp landed on my knee atop a pus filled cyst on my knee (this formed a few days ago after falling over on my scooter - I remember this too!) My older brother decided to slap my knee to swat the wasp - which caused a huge eruption of bodily fluids onto my shorts and his tee from the cyst. It must have been pretty traumatic because it's the only memory I have until 3 years later:/
darxeid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:36:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had just turned 3 and my mom was in the maternity clinic recuperating after my sister's birth, Dad and I were home and he made me dinner and we watched a Mighty Mouse movie (on 9mm film with a projector on a screen) and then we played with my Hot Wheels track. He had a sparkly bronze futuristic looking car; then I cried because I missed my mom and he held me. I'm almost 50 now and I still remember this clearly.
Slammed_Droid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:36:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was in preschool playing in one of those small plastic houses with another kid. A teacher came by and for a candy prize, we had to tell her what the tongue on our shoe was. I didn't know but the other kid did. That was the first time I remember being truly pissed off at someone
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:37:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
tomathon25 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:37:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing "walnut wars" with my brother, sister, and a neighbor kid. Basically we lived on a large property with a semi wooded area where you could collect walnuts and then throw them at eachother using rocks and trees for cover. Triggered a lifelong love of games.
When I was 8 or so my mother beat me because she thought I had hidden her glasses. Later she found them behind the desk she had put them on and figured the cat had knocked them behind the desk. She apologized, but I'd learned the lesson, doing good things or doing bad things doesn't matter. What matters is being rewarded or being caught.
Zentopian ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:37:56 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Memories of panic...memories of humiliation...lots of them.
And now, Fear is the only emotion running headquarters.
CosmicxD ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:38:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 8 years old I got hit in the head with a cricket bat whilst playing. i remember I thought it was just a small bruise and then I saw the blood on my hand and started bawling my eyes out.
Miokien ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:41:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Shit. If I can think of a memory that got me interested in video games it was when I was a kid (I'm 18 now) and my grandma took me to Target to pick out a game. They had Gameboy stations of Pokemon Fire Red/Leaf Green and I believe I caught a caterpie. Ever since then I was always interested in playing video games. In the long run it probably wasn't for the better.
Another core memory that I know will stick with me is one from fencing and that is way more recent. I was really proud of my performance in the middle of one of my bouts and anyone who is passionate about something they do knows how good it feels to yell in the middle of the adrenaline or just to get that adrenaline rush. That's what I remember doing for the first time and I had totally earned it. Ever since then my confidence has gone way up and I've learned how to work hard to make myself better, and I also understand the meaning of pride much better.
PorcelainPlumm ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:42:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Touching my little brothers forehead at the viewing of his body. He was so cold. Colder than I thought a body could be. I didn't want to touch his body but I knew I would never have another chance and I didn't want to regret it.
davidy323 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:42:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was born in Baghdad 1962 and we left in 67, arrived to the states in 68. I have memories that surprised my mother I had any recollection...
My first memory is my eye swollen shut because a bee had stung near my temple and the swelling had shut my right eye. My father could see I was apparently milking it and kept my eye shut for a few days after the swelling called me over and sternly said "Open your eye". I did and this is one of my earliest memories.
The roofs of the homes in the area we lived were all flat which everyone used to sleep on hot summer nights. In a bed on the roof, mosquito nets hanging my mother softly tapping my back with her hand softly singing me to sleep. It sounds almost too scripted but it's a memory I most cherish.
My Grandfather had an enormous fig tree in the backyard and he built a swing for me, my sister and our cousins. I remember the size of the tree and the swing with its wood the rope and few times I sat and swung on it.
One hot day walking along our next door neighbors yard I saw a woman lying in the walkway of the house, a white sheet placed over her but had not covered her hair. I remember seeing her black hair, the curls spilling down onto the steps, women standing alongside her body weeping. This is a memory that surprises my mother as she never thought I'd remember it, the neighbor had had a heart attack and died.
We drove ten days from Iran which we'd been smuggled into to London in a car called an International. My mother told me I slept most of the way and am embarrassed to admit was still sucking on a bottle. My mother and I were in the back seat and I see my uncle turn around, he was driving, grabs my bottle out of my hands yells that's enough and tosses it out the window. He tried feeding me canned peaches at that nights stop I think in Germany and I remember being completely cold to him. He is now and has been since my teens my favorite uncle and we laugh about it now.
wava66 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:43:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My earliest memory of my mother was something she did and I didn't even know at the time. I was 3 or 4 so I hope they were real, but it doesn't matter because they are real to me:
I have also had great memories since 4, and the ones that stick out are:
Thanks for the prompt
LemurScentedDoorknob ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:43:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Sorta Late to this Disco but I haven't enjoyed reading an Askreddit as much as this one so I thought I would join in.
1.) Early Fall when I was in second or third grade I remember sleeping over at my best friends house and waking up early (6:45ish) and sneaking into a closet filled with holiday supplies. In the closet they had a giant bag of M80's (small firecrackers) and we would grab a handful and go outside to light them off. He lived in a very nice neighborhood and its a miracle we never had some adult tear us apart for being so loud at that hour. Living in a strict household it was a ton of fun doing something that seemed "bad"
2.) Late night games of hide and go seek in my yard when I was little. Nothing was better than those nights where we had family friends over for dinner so that we could play the game afterwards. We always started bundled up in the cool fall nights but by the time we were called in to go to be there was a big pile of coats sitting outside the back door.
3.) Spring of my 7th grade year I remember playing football with a group of kids I always looked at as the "cool" kids. I was buddies with one or two of them but never did I expect to being hanging out with the group of 20 or so kids who were there. It was so nice to not feel like the outcast I always thought I was,
4.) Walking into my first music festival will stick with me forever. I always have loved music and spring of my freshman year in highschool was the first time I was allowed to go to a music festival. I had a good friend fly in from out of state to join me. Though I am sure I looked out of place I sure felt like an adult. We were alone in the city, thousands of people around me, loud music and a beautiful sunset. I had seen pictures of massive crowds at a concert but I just assumed I would never be in a crowd that big. Well to my excitement I wasn't just in a crowd that big I was front row of a crowd that big and Weezer (my favorite band at the time) was playing. I was Euphoric.
5.) A year or two ago my current best friend and I were hanging out for one of the first times. I took him with me to a family party near by because I didn't want to go without a friend in fear that I would be bored to death. the party was at this crazy house that had a stable in the backyard despite the fact that we were still inside the city. While looking in the stable we came face to face with the largest horse I have ever seen. Its name was Meef. Meef looked mad. After laughing about how angry the horse looked we left the stable. Not 5 minutes later we hear a yell and we both whip around. Meef had broken out and was being chased by 10 slightly intoxicated adults who could not keep up. We got to watch from a hilltop the chaos ensued. Never have we watched anything funnier.
Left out the bad ones.
Theletter264 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:43:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first core memory was when I found out someone was dating my crush. I'll never forget the feeling of my heart opening for the first time and actually being able to feel how much I loved someone. Words cannot describe how much my life changed after that moment.
My second was the feeling of hanging out with my friends after school waiting for the football game. I've never had so much fun in my life. Just every single joke made me realize how lucky I was to have friends that were that funny and so nice and shared so many things in common with me. That moment made me realize that my friends were the most important thing in the world for me. I love music, I love learning, but nothing comes close to those dudes.
My third core memory was just a couple of months ago when I was watching anime. I just paused the show I was watching at a random point and this girl had the cutest smile on her face. That image stuck with me until a couple weeks ago I clicked that having a smile on your face makes life a million times more fun. My heart is soaring right now I never wouldn't thought that smiling could make this big a difference. Something about smiling and getting to meet my friends on a regular basis just feels so good. END
Smygfjaart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:44:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I played the electric bass in front of my relatives at Christmas. I was just starting to learn it and my uncle asked me to play Smoke on the Water. So I did, on the BASS. It sucked. He seemed so underwhelmed but didn't want to hurt me so he just nodded and smiled.
CanIDoIt_IsitPossibl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:44:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
An Asian girl named Lauren rolled her eyes at me when I was in kindergarten. She was wearing a blue jacket and green pants. She had a rolling backpack. I am still mad about that.
ernie1850 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:45:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm pretty sure my brain people lost them in the void, because I really don't remember most of them.
The one that remains intact is watching Navi fly through Kokiri Forest for he first time as a child.
ClosetedImperialist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:45:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The rapid deterioration of my friendship with my (ex) best friend of 3 years because of a 3 month back and forth relationship with some girl that just wanted to lose her virginity.
He told me we couldn't be friends because I needed to grow up, he thought he was a man because he had sex with some cow. This was just 3 weeks ago he told me this, but I know I'll carry this feeling of betrayal with me for a long time.
17 year old little shit...
DasUberMan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:50:12 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Moving out of my Grannies house at age 8 after my mum married my step-dad.
Getting my first dog, Bonnie, at age 8, who would live for 16 years.
Getting the phone call from my sister while I was in a nightclub to tell me that Bonnie had died. I made my way out the club and round the corner before I dropped to my knees and sobbed until my friends found me and took me home. I apologised to them all the way home in the taxi but they wouldn't accept it and also cried along with me. When i got home, my mum, sister and 2 brothers all left me alone with Bonnie so I could say goodbye and sorry to her for not being there when she passed. My brother and I then went out to the back garden in the lashing rain and buried her. I still go out to the grave now and again and say hello to her. My best friend.
Onaimlos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:50:49 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:51:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
nothing good, all bad
Lawrence308 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:51:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Little late. Oh well
Hanging out with my uncle who lives on the other side of the country when I was 3. He's just like I am. We were by a lake with signs all over the place saying don't feed the alligators. I fell and was scarred for life. We went back to the beach house and spilled tomato juice all over my socks. Weird memory
Meeting my first girlfriend and having her tell me she loved me. Was a weird feeling
shortly after that I tried to kill myself. Being 14 this was difficult to deal with
Going to psychiatry for the first time to help with my depression
after years of depression my girlfriend (the same one mentioned above) were at a REO speed wagon concert and I realized; I didn't want to die anymore. Felt really good
Learning to play Magic the gathering. Fun game
If i remember any others I will edit
georgeo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:51:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Taking a bath in the kitchen sink (no, not last week).
arciela ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:53:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
TW: parent/child abuse
My clearest memories are the two worst nights of my life and, while I don't know what the island would be called, they are both core memories and heavily shape who I am today.
My mother's boyfriend, who she considered her soulmate, broke up with her after a bad attack of West Nile Virus. She was unable to continue going over to his house to cook his dinners, clean his house, and be his bed bunny. It devastated her and sent her cycling into depression that she began to treat with alcoholism.
She became sick when I was 14. This night was when I was 16 and in the dead of winter. After ordering me to bed at 6pm without dinner for (admittedly) saying something mean to my younger sister, I refused. She backhanded me across the face several times before pinning me against a wall with her arm across my throat. Getting free, I fled the house.
I went first to the house of my friend who lived the closest, walking through swirling snow in my pajama pants, boots, and winter coat. She wasn't home. Sobbing, snotty, I had to turn away from her little sister because I was panicking and didn't know what to do if she wouldn't hide me. I knew mom would be looking for me.
So I turned and kept walking. Finally got to my other friend's house, taking what back ways I could, avoiding the sidewalks, because she'd be looking. Just as I get her father to answer the door my mom pulls up and I am screeching like an animal in terror. I get in the car and it's horrible.
We get home, I'm forced to talk to my great-aunt about my discipline problem. At this point I'm hollow inside and don't care about anything at all. Mom passes out from the stress and the 18 beers she's had. Apparently, at some point, she called my grandmother who shows up in a panic at the house and basically takes me home with her instead so I can cry and sleep it off in peace.
The second is not too dissimilar but it was so monumental that I go numb inside just reliving it. After having woken my mom up on a work night after she'd passed out drunk she cornered me and began punching me in the head over and over. This was almost two years later, I was over 18, and what she didn't know was that grandma and Z (not family but basically family) had smuggled me almost a thousand dollars cash as an emergency fund after we'd moved out of state.
I calmly tell her the next day that my boyfriend bought me a ticket to go visit him so I would be doing that. She says 'like hell I am'. I then pull the trigger on something I'd been considering for months -- I'm moving out. In a trance I walk up to TJ Maxx, buy the biggest suitcase I can reasonably afford, and stuff it full of everything I can. I took a taxi to the Greyhound station at 3AM and it took me years to go back.
Mom and I don't talk anymore.
I married my boyfriend.
As a result I don't drink, I have issues with people raising hands and voices too fast, and I miss my Mommy. She was a good mom before the drinking. I heard she's gotten sober but I can't bring myself to mend the bridge.
So those are definitely Blue/Red core memories.
Ridley-Knight ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:53:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Seeing the film Iron Man as a kid. It made me fall in love with movies, which is something that's a critical part of me today. It started my interest in comics, which are now my biggest hobby. My love for film and comics is partly why I started my blog. The love for the film transferred to the entire MCU franchise. Years later, our shared love of it would cause me and my brother to stop the constant fighting we did everyday and become real friends.
Also, on a less happy note, the time when my father went on a very long, furious rant to me and my brother about how evil my mother was. The rant also included a lot of hating on our old church, because my father claimed the pastor was evil and is much of the reason he and my mother divorced. Hearing him scream for an hour about how mistreated he was and how terrible much of my family was, along with how he wished he had killed that pastor "when he had the chance" made me scared of my father. It made me stressed whenever I spent time with him because I was, still am, afraid that he could start something similar at any time. It's given me more stress than anything else in my life ever has, and made me more afraid of ever speaking against my father on anything. This made me less spoken on my actual opinions and feelings on anything and more uncaring about things around me, which is another reason I started my blog. It also caused me to turn to television as escapism, and escapism is now a really big thing for me. AND it made me realize how much a divorce can mess someone up, which broke my view of normal relationships and love in a way that hasn't been fixed since.
ceyzilla ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:55:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 13, I tried to fetch a rogue soccer ball from what happened to be a bees' nest. I did not know it was a nest. They came at me like a movie when I accidentally ruffled it the slightest bit. I was then chased across three yards with hundreds of bees in tow. I was stung on the same leg (left calf) at least 10 times. Not allergic, but the pain was excruciating.
Now every time I see
a beebees, I lock up.Jorumvar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:55:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks OP, this thread has made me realize my life has been sad and empty
Sorix ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:56:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Me and the neighbour kid at my familys summer place renting a playstation and SSX Tricky and playing the shit out of it. We had it at his place because they had a better tv and one of the days his family and him was out on a trip or something so I had the game all by myself so I got a good few hours in on it and became quite good at it and when he got back I got to show off a bit.
woof_iamadog ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:56:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Swim racing with my dad and older brother in our pool when I was a kid. I was never fast enough so I would grab onto one of their swim shorts and get pulled along. We called it being a "remora" like the fish that latches onto sharks.
Exploring Kakinada, India where my parents grew up. I will never forget feeling terrified and grateful when I saw a girl reach into a garbage can and lick the empty popsicle stick I had thrown away... :( X 1000
Playing through the entirety of Donkey Kong Country with my brother one summer.
Drawing cartoons and making up stories every single day at recess by this huge tree behind our elementary school with my best friends growing up. We simply called the act of creating these stories, "explaining," and we called the tree the "explaining tree."
Being dazed and confused, feeling a whirlpool in my chest, and falling asleep by my sister's side the day we found out our brother passed away.
Leading my volunteer organization as we set up a charity walk and worked the booths. I remember being with my friends and feeling ridiculously happy because they really needed our help.
Making out with my girlfriend for the first time while "watching" Full House. "Full House" is still code for making out ;)
Feeling really alone in my freshman dorm after my parents left. Halls were completely quiet and I was confused about what would happen to me and my girlfriend (same as #7, and we are still happily together lol). Little did I know, just a few hours later, my suitemate would move in and he would be one of my best friends from that day, till today.
Interesting to think about how we are constantly making new memories. I only recently finished college and I am sure I will look back and realize certain things were core memories that I just don't feel right now because they seem so "current." Really good question, OP!
Twitch92 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:56:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Holy shit I realize I've got a lot of negative core memories as I think about them.
iamaquantumcomputer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:34:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I did too when I first came across this thread. But after I started writing them out, I remember a lot of positive ones and overall I think they balance out.
For some reason, the negative ones come to mind first
good1god ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:56:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
exzeroex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:57:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That time I was feeling a little more outgoing and chatting with this girl. But then a mutual friend told me she said she felt it was weird that I kept messaging her.
Now I just be scared of girls I have any attraction to. Don't want to talk to them and be humiliated again.
Does that count as a core memory?
zfrop ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:57:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My best friend moved away suddenly and my dog died on the same day.
Breaking up with my girlfriend of 2 years and getting stalked for a couple of weeks.
Marrying my girlfriend and best friend. (not the same one that stalked me) Really, the whole wedding weekend.
Being taught the frailty of life with a BB gun and a can of soda when I was 7 or 8.
ctrlaltquin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:57:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I saw my mom cry. I was 5 and she was sitting on the stoop of my grandmas house crying. Her boyfriend at the time punched my brother who was 8 in the face and my grandfather pulled a gun on him. Her shit bag boyfriend left and never came back. I went to comfort my mom as she was crying on the stairs and she pushed me away. Then I started crying. I just wanted to be there for her and she pushed me away... Really fucked me up. Will never forget.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:59:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my earliest memories was when I was about 4 - I fell off the back of a plastic sit on tractor toy and the plastic trailer tow arm was broken and sharp, I got it lodged under my left eye, still have the scar (of course) I don't remember the event so much as the feeling of pain and squeemishness it brings
stratrules ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:59:26 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
rainydayadventure ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:00:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know most of them, but I do know one of them.
I wanted to play a sport in high school and had already asked my mom & she had said no because we lived far from the school and she didn't want to drive me. My sisters and my dad told me if she said yes they would make sure I got to my practices every week. So I asked again.
Huuuuuge no-no with my mother, but I really, really wanted this, so I braved it. She was sitting in her office chair and I was standing next to her and she berated me for probably twenty minutes. This happened all the time, but it had never been that extreme before. She told me I was ungrateful, disrespectful, lazy, she didn't understand how I could not see all the things she did for me and still ask for more, I was a terrible selfish kid, on and on. I will never forget the look of pure disgust on her face. When she finally dismissed me, I went up to my room and sobbed uncontrollably for idk how long. Eventually my sister came in and sat on the bed for a bit, then told me to get up, she was taking me to a bonfire at someone's house. I remember being at that persons house in the pitch black away from everyone and deciding that my mother was never going to make me feel that way again.
And she never did.
YodaIAmNot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:00:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
So I highly doubt anyone will read this as the thread is so old, but I felt compelled to do this for myself. In chronological order:
My โbest friendโ at the time sitting in the front seat (90s) while her mom was driving, me sitting in the middle. She asked her mom if I was a tattle tail in a very smug voice and her mom said yes. This was after I had told on her for punching me multiple times when I didnโt want to play. I just remember being about 4 and thinking โadults arenโt supposed to be like this.โ
Being taken over to the neighbors early in the morning when it was still dark out and peeking out the window to see ambulances and cops surrounding my house. Asking what was going on and the neighbor giving me a sad look and try to lead me away from the window. My mom was a schizophrenic and I later realized that had been one of her suicide attempts.
Hanging out with the guy I liked in high school with my best friend in the coffee shop where he worked on nights he closed. We dated for 2 years once we finally kissed.
Just having a complete breakdown after one of the worst fights with my parents. I used to cut to cope and was sitting on the back deck in the dark crying, blood was dripping down my arms, and my dad came out to talk to me. He was nicer than he had been and concerned, but he didnโt see the blood or have any idea because of the dark. That was the closest I ever came to killing myself and I remember him hugging me, but having no idea what was actually going on.
Getting my honors sash for high school. I had been really upset when I thought I wasnโt getting it because I felt like I worked so hard for nothing and just wanted to make my parents proud. I guess word got around and the teacher with them personally came and found me to give me mine and let me know she just hadnโt been able to find me. Then losing it for a period of time the next day and being near tears and feeling so upset and stupid for making such a big deal, but being so careless (another teacher found it and brought it to me).
Hanging out with a guy on a class trip just talking about similar interests and coming to the realizations that 1. I didnโt need to date someone who I wasnโt happy with 2. I liked this guy and knew he would never like me, but there was actually people who existed who were similar to me. After coming to those realizations I knew I needed to break up with my boyfriend of 3 years as much as it hurt. It took 6 months of going back and forth. This one still messes with me because those realizations shattered my views of relationships and now Iโm scared Iโll never be happy knowing something so close to perfection actually is possible and Iโve found it since then, but it didnโt pan out.
I guess another one that goes with the comment above. Different guy than the one from the trip, but the one closest to perfect. Hiking in a foot of snow on a weirdly warm February day, passing no one on the trail the whole way, stopping to kiss and talk a bunch, reaching the peak right at sunset which was one of the best I've ever seen, hiking down in the dark and stopping to hold each other and look up at the stars. It was a perfect day straight out of a movie. We dated very very briefly, but I was in love with him.
Bman_Fx ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:01:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Almost dying from ketone acidosis and sitting in the ICU for a few days on the brink of death. Didn't die, wooo! :D
ilya17isbest ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:01:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
5 years old - my family was taking a trip to France. We flew out on the 4th of july and I remember seeing the fireworks out the window of the Air France 777
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:02:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Mine is when I first came out as trans to my mum (just turned 16 at the time). While getting ready for school she asked me why I always took so long to get changed and shower, and said she was worried that I was being bullied. It all just came out and we spent an entire car journey bawling our eyes out about how she wished I'd told her sooner but how I was too scared. I spent most of school crying, but when I got home the first thing I found out is that she'd booked an appointment with my GP so that I could start transitioning.
When I realised the idea of me being miserable for a second longer got her to immediately do everything she could to help me, it's the first time that I can remember feeling so happy and loved that I actually wanted to be alive. Bloody hell as if I hadn't cried enough that day.
Also I binge ate icecream the entire afternoon and didn't get told off. Not a bad day tbh.
catlyssa ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:04:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 4 or 5, I was bringing in groceries from the car like the good kid I was. I lived in Texas, which is infamous for their HUGE red wasps that sting and sting and sting. They're malicious. One of these wasps flew into my shirt and stung me 5 times on my stomach. Meanwhile, I'm screaming at the top of my lungs and my dad is violently batting my shirt with his hand to get the wasp out. Eventually it flies out near my thigh and stings me again there. My dad wasn't wearing shoes but he said fuck it and stomped the little bitch to the ground and killed it. I spent the next few days with a really high fever and took lots of oatmeal baths.
I remember hearing my parents crying and saying how lucky I was that I wasn't allergic to the stings because a kid had passed away a few years before from the exact same thing because of a terrible allergic reaction.
Oh and another time, I was waving goodbye from the window to my dad who was going to work and he was getting into his car. He rolled the window down to wave and yell that he loved me but it was winter.... and his window froze down. I like to think as that one as my favorite first memories because him stomping, cursing and whining like a baby was hilarious.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:04:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Performed in a play in high school. "The Nerd"
The last performance was the day after Sandy Hook.
We almost took a part out about shooting someone, but decided we can't let senseless violence bring us down more.
I just remember being really bummed out, but performing made it all the better.
Then after the play this lady comes up to me. She wasn't a family member of anyone in the cast, just a regular person. She comes up to me, shakes my hand and says "Thank you for bringing so much laughter and happiness, we definitely needed that today."
Such a meaningful yet simple comment. Has stuck with me my whole life.
PM_ME_COWS_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:05:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This will probably get buried, but when I was about 7, I went on holiday to the Isle of Wight (small island of the coast of England) with my family. We were camping, and I remember meeting two other kids, the same age, and we got to be the best of friends for them two weeks we were both there. We lost touch though, as neither of us had facebook or anything like that (we were only 7). I still think about them occasionally.
Also, on the same trip, we went to a dinosaur museum, where i got my first book, which i still have. That was fun
arrakchrome ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:05:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
As a teenager weekends with my grandfather.
We had just moved away from all of my friends. My grandfather and I would go out every weekend and work on whatever projects he had going. He was always busy and could always use a hand. He taught me the things a man needs to know, how to change a tire, and general care for a car. He taught me so many things and I love him for that.
As a man I once told him how important those days were to me. He blew it off as nothing, because to him what was the other option? There wasn't one.
squidgymon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:05:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my grandfather died when I was five years old, and it didn't click with me that I'd never see him again until we had the viewing for him and I burst into tears in the middle of the floor. I believe it was then that I fully realized what death was.
When I ran my first 1600m in track and field, hearing my dad's voice over the entire crowd in the last 500m; last place still booked it as hard as I could, screaming "MY DAD IS HERE" the whole 500m and crying into my dad's arms when I found him again.
When I ran my first 3200m in track in field (same season) and I placed second. I literally flopped off the track and as I lay there I hear my dad scream "you did it! I'm so proud of you! I love you man", and I just lost it. I was being helped up from my flop by a girl and I actually collapsed into the girl's arms when I heard his voice.
When I met my idol from the band Silent Planet, him telling me the nicest words about my future and what success he could see from my ambitions and dreams, hearing and helping me find closure in every hard time I could never find solace in, then being told he WANTS to hear the music I make (I'm a musician with no band sadly).
When I broke up with a girl I had fallen in love with; we made exactly six months when she broke up with me over text at 10:30 on our six month anniversary. I was numb for three days until my friends nursed me back to "health", and danced with me for 3 1/2 hours at our homecoming dance that weekend; one of the best nights of my life. All my friends surrounding me in a circle of happiness and watching me dance and applauding and hugging me and all the sappy things.
musingsofmadman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:05:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 8 my told me he was addicted to drugs. I didn't comprehend what that meant at the time and borderline repressed that memory. 4 years later my dad told me he was going away for six months for treatment. My memory from when I was 8 came back and suddenly things that I thought was weird suddenly made since. Not having money randomly. Dad pawning things. Mom and dad fighting. Dads business failing.
iamaquantumcomputer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:05:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
In middle school, I was bullied a lot. One day my teacher didn't show up, so a bully started throwing a handball at me. Soon the entire class of 30 people ganged up on me and was throwing handballs, spitballs, and pencils at me for the next 45 minutes
Getting into a good high school and my mom jumping up and down and running back and forth from excitement
One time on the bus in high school, a cute girl sat down next to me. I got really nervous and started racking my brain to think of how to start a conversation with her. Well, I didn't get the chance because within 30 seconds, she put her head on my shoulder and was in deep sleep. I mean deep sleep. I was supporting her entire body weight throughout the hour long bus ride. She was confused when she woke up and I don't think shr realize she had been asleep on my shoulder. She wobbled off in her half sleep and I never saw her again
I went to a Earth Day fair for extra credit. Everybody was there with friends and I spent an hour walking around trying to look busy to avoid just standing alone in one place. Remember no phones were allowed in school at this time so it's not like I can pretend to be distracted with my phone. After an hour I just left and spent the entire bus ride home in a fetal position depressed.
Got so depressed and exhausted that I missed 4 days of school. On the fourth day, my mom tried to force me to go. I got up and got dressed and packed, but I just couldn't go and begged my mom to let me stay. Around roughly the same time, I wanted to go into the stairwell of a building but was so mentally exhausted, I didn't move my arms to actually open the door and just face planted into it instead
My Dad screaming at the top of his lungs and hitting me when I found out I didn't get into any of my target or reach universities. My mom just lay in bed all day weeping.
Comforting my best friend and cuddling with her as she cried. It's probably the most intimate experience I have ever had.
Flying to the west coast on my own for a job interview when I was 19. (I live on the east coast) (no, I didn't get the job)
When my grandfather wouldn't wake up or move in the morning. He was diabetic and his blood sugar had dropped too low in the night. Even though I was sleeping in the basement two floors below, my uncle and my grandmother's screams woke me up. I remember the sight of 10 paramedics crowded around him
When my grandfather passed away from MRSA (6 months after the blood sugar incident). I remember seeing him in his hospital bed and it was indistinguishable from him sleeping. A little while later, I was down the hall in the hospital lounge when my aunt arrived. I heard her screams from all the way in the lounge.
YodaIAmNot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:24:10 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
How are you doing now?
iamaquantumcomputer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:17:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Meh, I'm doing alright.
YodaIAmNot ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:11:50 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You wanna talk?
xmaslightguy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:06:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in elementary school I was the nerdy skinny kid and socially outcast. I saw all the kids who had friends also seemed to do well in gym class, so I tried really hard in gym too. Unfortunately, I was terrible at every game we played and became even more of a social outcast because no one wanted me on their team. Then my gym teacher suggested I go for the presidential physical fitness award.
There were three awards at my school for physical fitness. I can't remember the names for the first two, but the last and hardest one to get was the presidential fitness award. Only about 10 kids in the entire school would get it each year, and as a second grader I became determined to reach that level and gain popularity through it.
Some of the requirements I found surprisingly easy to achieve. My frame was so light that I was able to do 50 push ups after two weeks of training, and I already could climb to the top of the rope net. However in the end, two activities blocked me from my goal. I needed to do 70 sit-ups in a limited time frame, and run a mile in a short time as well. On the last day to try for the award (and also the last day before spring break) I was still unable to pass these two test. My gym teacher knew how hard I had been trying and offered that if I came in before school the day we got back from break, I could try again.
I trained all break long with my dad, running and exercising as often as he was home. He wasn't a very busy man, but he did work an office job and around this time had just gotten a promotion so was very busy and often brought work home with him. I was very happy when he took the time to train with me over this break.
That morning of my last chance arrived and my dad said he would be late to work so he could drive me and watch me run the laps. A mile was ten lapse around the blacktop, and by the second lap he knew that I wasn't running fast enough to make it. So in a full suit he came and jogged along side me, encouraging me and pushing me to go faster. I know I was dying by the ninth lap, but thinking back I can't imagine how sweaty my dad was getting (and he still had to work!).
Still, thanks to his support, I managed to run my fastest mile ever and passed that requirement for the award. Sadly, I still couldn't do the 70 sit-ups fast enough and didn't get the award, but that wasn't as important as the bond I had gained with my father. Going forward he continued to support me in whatever I did, but I always remember that morning on the blacktop in 2nd grade.
theonetrueasshole ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:07:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 5 I was put into a mental care facility for a week. I had been experimenting with umbrellas and the wall socket. I wanted to see if it would light up. Between that and saying I had "little men" in my head, like that one episode of SpongeBob, convinced my ma to get me help and the social worker decided I needed to go to that hellhole. There was one person there who I trusted and and was didn't terrify me. He was there for pyromania.
As you might imagine that event has heavily influenced my thinking to this day.
A happier memory is Christmas when I was 8.
TheOldEskimo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:08:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Running through the sprinklers in front of a big stone government building in Berlin with my girlfriend in the middle of night.
Nobody was around and it was just us holding hands and laughing.
Happiest moment of my life.
We're not together anymore, but that's a time I'll never forget. I'm American and she was German -- I was visiting at the time. That's a beautiful memory for me.
YodaIAmNot ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:21:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
:) that is beautiful
reddit809 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:08:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Winning at musical chairs in kindergarten gym class.
brisa117 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:08:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sad: the moment when my mom, lying in her hospital bed after fighting cancer for six years asked me and my siblings if she was dying. And my brother telling her "no". She passed the next day.
Angry: the moment my ex-girlfriend told me she had been cheating on me.
Scared: the time I told my dad that his spankings didn't hurt.
Joy: The longest and somehow shortest 15 minutes of my life as I stood hand in hand with my beautiful wife at our wedding. I sobbed like a baby!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:09:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I shot an animal. An impala in Pilanesberg Game Reserve. As I squeezed the trigger it took a step forward, and I dropped him, but he was still kicking around. I managed to hold it together long enough to quickly put him down, but immediately started bawling as I didn't intend to cause it pain. It made me appreciate hunting on a deeper level, and I practiced shooting often in order to never have that happen again.
My first kiss. Everything about the night was perfect. But the kiss felt entirely hollow and empty. It remains one of the most disappointing moments of my life, and has really messed up my relationships since.
The first time I listened through Siamese Dream. Most notably, the 3:30 mark in "Silverfuck." I remember lying on my floor when the cacophony of instruments drops into the heartbeat-rhythm bass. I felt an incredible sense of calm at that moment.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:10:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
YodaIAmNot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:18:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
It's very interesting to have such intimate insight into a random stranger's life from just a few memories. Thanks for sharing
Scherazade ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:10:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Happy core memories:
Roleplaying robbing a cargo ship as a necromancer queen slumming it out with a thief teleporter, an assassin, and a fishperson from space, all in Champions Online.
My first date. Threw up on the girl, and we eventually split but that night was hillarious in retrospect in how it shaped my friendships and life positively for the next 5 years.
Sad core memories:
A bad secret of mine revealed to my parents no I'm not gay is different secret, no speculation please.
When my hamster died. Fucker bit my finger a lot and I was terrified of it, but I still mourned after he 'escaped his cage and ran away' as my dad claimed for a while.
Disgust core memories:
Anger core memories:
Best friend attacked me. At the time it was split as fear and sad, but time has made me angry. My face was smashed into a stone wall. My torso was kicked. I was punched around twenty times. I was mocked. Why? Because 'he is fat and it was funny'. And that fucking cunt is in the military right now as cannon fodder. I hope he chokes on a grenade and his entrails be eaten by bugs and wild feral animals.
When a bully at school dared to speak ill of my parentage. Racist ill. Insult me, sure, but if you insult that which is mine in person to me I will not let it lie. The time for acceptance has passed. Righteous justice must be administered, as I grew up on a steady literary diet of heroes and good people facing evil.
AmEngineerCanConfirm ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:11:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day my Dad told me that he would always be there for me and help me with whatever I needed. I don't think he realizes how much that meant to me. That's a moment I will never forget. I just hope I'm half the father he is.
conquest3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:11:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 7, my father pulled an old basset hound out of our well barely breathing. He was alive and my father wanted to just shoot him. I flipped out and promised to take care of him. I spend every moment i could with him. Named him buddy. He'd follow me around everywhere for a few weeks he was there. Then one day i came home from school and my father told me the neighbors found him dead under their tree.
I cant believe my father.
because most of my "core" Memories consist of him killing the animals I always brought home or found to take care of.
One time we had a cat that had kittens and we watched him purposely run it over in the driveway. edit A kitten not all of them. Then got out looked around for us and picked it up and threw it out in the field*
Other stories have come to surface that made me realize he basically killed every animal I had that they told me "got hit" or "was sick and had to be taken to the vet to put down" etc etc.
I still love animals and still take them in but everytime I see one I "need" I always think about that.
I have a dog and two cats and every-time I talk to my father he always brings up how I need to get rid of them and itll cost like 53 cents....because that's what a bullet cost. He thinks its funny.
Another one I can vividly remember is in kindergarten I found a dinosaur toy buried deep in the sand pit we had at school. I still have it to this day.
Or scaring the fainting goats the farm had next to us. There's a lot of my childhood I remember surprisingly.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:12:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was probably 2 I remember walking in my yard and getting bit by my dog. He got ahold of my shirt and kept pulling me farther and farther away from my house. For 2 that was pretty traumatic.
When I was 7, I went to my first ever amusement park - Cedar Point - and rode every coaster. My most memorable one was Top Thrill Dragster, a coaster that goes 120 mph and 400+ feet tall at a 90 degree angle. When I got to the top, my dad went, "Here we go!!"
When I was 11, I was walking my Great Dane in a sketchy neighborhood and she got attacked by a pit bull. Luckily the owners of the dog were there to pry it off of mine.
Pretty much my whole 6th grade year. (In a good way).
Pretty much my whole 7th grade year (not in a good way).
When I was 15 I played Ultimate Frisbee and got something called book hands - it's where you get a hand block and catch the disc in the end zone. Another time I was playing and I got a Callahan (look it up if you're not aware of what it is) and I also got a layout catch in the end zone (look up layout as well).
ImMrsG ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:13:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have a few core memories including my first swimming lesson and how I thought I was going to drown but now whenever I smell chlorine I feel happy and young again, I was 3 at the time.
One of my core memories is embarrassing, but I was about 3-4 and had been potty trained for at least a year. Out of defiance, I crapped my pants. My dad was pissed and he broke my rocking chair as punishment. I think my first sad memory was him putting it in the dumpster.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:14:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
โLife is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.โ ~ Wesley- โThe Princess Brideโ
Tinkerbelch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:14:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My mom comes from a large family. She is one of 8, so as you can imagine the family grew a lot. Some of my fondest memories revolve around family BBQ's, Christmases and Thanksgivings spent at my grandparents home. We would even all go camping, we'd take up like 4-5 campsites. Those are some of the best memories I have. I cherish those memories, especially now. My Uncle died like 8-9 years ago and just last year, well tomorrow will be one year exactly since my grandfather passed. Those memories and times spent with family shaped me into the person I am.
eqleriq ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This one time I was listening to that one band... oh what was their name? No, not that one... the other one with that guy though. Wait, let me access my personal memory recalling device to the master database.
AD1CTZ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Watching inside out made me realize my core "islands" are nonexistent due to my childhood never having a stable foundation to build them on :( my adult life blows, lol
Kass1207 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 10 years old I had the best summer ever with my best friend. I was riding my scooter one day down the hill and saw this boy and his little sister playing with water guns. Back then, I'd make friends with everyone, so I asked if I could join in. We battled and laughed and that's the day I met the mst wonderful friend I'd ever have in my life. To quote Forrest Gump, "we were like two peas in a pod." We did everything together. We played army all the time, our favorite thing to do. We shot sling shots and he taught me how to ride a skateboard. Once the summer was over, we walked to school together and everyone thought we were boyfriend and girlfriend, which we both thought was hilarious. He moved a year later and I never got to say goodbye.
The day of HS graduation, my friend and I rode bikes around the neighborhood, found a tire swing near a creek and swung. Then, we rode to the high school and walked around one last time.
lsirk511 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Basic training and all the hard muddy sweaty face pounding hard work when b4 I left my father told me I'd never make it and it pushed me thru so so hard. Became top in my batterie for top gun
TheWhisperedthing ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 7 I thought it was shameful to have to wear glasses - so I didn't tell my mom about how weird my vision was getting for a long time. I got on the wrong bus (we had cartoon characters and I was supposed to be on Tweety Bird but ended up on Mickey Mouse or something) and didn't tell the bus driver. He made it all the way to the bus parking lot before he checked for extra kids and there I was, crying, in the back. He immediately took me back to the school where my mom had every single one of my teacher's checking for me...I got a lot of hugs that day...and when I told my mom about my eyes while sobbing, she just rubbed my back and said it was okay.
When I was 11, I was told that we were moving. I said good byes to all of my best friends...and not one of them seemed to actually care. Nobody asked my cousin how I was doing (he was still at that school) and no one tried to get into contact with me. Yeah...that one burned.
In 7th grade I met a boy that I really really liked. We were best friends, both very shy, but brought each other out. I wrote a note on my graphing piece of paper in math that "I think I really really like you" ...I'll never forget his face. I still have that piece of paper 7 years later.
Also 7th grade me was very depressed. I wrote emails to three of my teachers detailing this...got called into the guidance office as soon as I got in and had like a 3 hour meeting. I hated my life.
In 9th grade, I told my case manager how bad my week has been. On Friday she came up to my desk, leaned down and told me to have a good weekend and take care of myself, as well as handing me a notebook that I can write all my feelings in.
Easily prom night. I will always remember the look on my ex's face when he saw me all dolled up...and the excitement in his voice when he told me how beautiful I was.
Same case manager, four years later, I tell her 'thank you...for everything...' and she just hugs me and says it's been her pleasure. She still has a picture of us on her phone.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:16:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
School buses hold plenty of importance - I remember singing songs with friends and this big bump the driver always went over (this was around age 6). Then band came along, my friends and I had to entertain ourselves for trips. I remember we switched the number signs to spell dirty words at one point (no one got caught thankfully).
When I was around 8 we went on a cruise. I remember always wanting to stay on board for the children's group, mostly because of a little girl I made friends with. I still think of her sometimes and wonder how life went for her.
Deep sea fishing - when I was 10 I got to catch a sailfish while on vacation. that thing took like an hour to reel in :).
moving away from my childhood home right before my senior year. it's caused a lot of trouble for me since then, but my parents have always been supportive of which I'm thankful for.
MetaphoricDragon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:16:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One that particularly stands out to me, was age 10, at a friends house, the first time I sat down and Really watched Star Wars.
HomemadeJambalaya ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:17:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 8, my great grandmother told me that I was a "true [last name] because you're a hard worker" and that I could be anything I wanted to be with that willingness to get it done. She died not long after that. Sometimes when I'm feeling lazy or unmotivated I remind myself that I want to live up to the potential that my great grandma saw.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:18:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Gwtting upset while playing hide and seek with my Mum. I was just over 2 1/2, and couldn't find my Mum, was upset and scares she had "gone away" like my Dad, who went to work one day and never came home cos he was a bastard.
My Grandpa dying. May 22nd 1999. I'd been babysitting, came home late to be told Gramps had died 7 months after having a stroke that robbed him of the ability to speak and all his dignity.
Meeting my boyfriend for the first time, and the huge, huge hug he gave me. The smell of his hair, the feeling of him pressed against me, all that good stuff :3
Jeffy_McJeffFace ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:18:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting rejected from UCLA and then accepted into UCLA on appeal. I had great grades in high school (well over 4.0), especially in math and science. Very high SAT and ACT scores. Was captain on JV water polo and won several awards for varsity. Did extracurriculars and community service every week. Was an Eagle Scout. Not getting in to my dream school with that background was devastating.
I had applied for a BA in economics, and at the time, didn't realize that would have a huge impact. Upon rejection I followed all of the posted guidelines knowing I had very little chance. I ended up appealing my application, but changed major to BS in materials engineering and wrote a cheesy "please let me in" cover letter. For months, I would check every few days to see a one line "your appeal is under review."
Then one late night right as I was going to sleep I checked my status and saw that the one liner had changed to about a paragraph. I only got through the first word "Congratulations..." 18 year old me ran into my parents bedroom like a 5 year old screaming "I GOT IN!!!!" I heard something like 10 out of 3000 appeals were accepted that year (no source).
Going to UCLA defined my life and led me to be an engineer. I will never forget that pure ecstasy of reading that one word.
befriendedenemy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:18:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was playing little league and was probably 10. I was hungry after a game and wanted a burger from McDonald's but we were very poor. My Mom used what change she had to buy me a hamburger. I remember realizing at that moment how little money we had. I will never forget that moment.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:19:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
SuperStingray ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:19:24 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Beating Super Mario 64 for the first time.
Getting my foot caught in an escalator at the mall and hearing people around me cheer after it was wedged free.
Nearly being suffocated in a small container at my 4th birthday.
Seeing the grand canyon for the first time.
Swimming with stingrays on Grand Cayman island.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:20:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1) my parents dancing around the kitchen, they were laughing and kissing. My sister and I peered around the kitchen door and told them how gross they were, but they kept making kissy faces and noises anyway
This is my last happy memory of them as a couple - they got divorced three years later and to this day despite their breakup that's the kind of love I want. Not every aspect of their relationship, but the fun they could have together. They showed me what love should look like and even a decade later (they have both remarried) they have remained really good friends. I didn't realize this was such an impactful moment for me until about eleven years later.
2) my sister has severe manic depression and minor anxiety. Her fourth suicide attempt they thought she would need a liver transplant. I came back from my university town and stayed with her overnight at the hospital, prepping incase she would need the transplant, I was the first one to say that I would do it. I barely slept that night and every time the machine alarms would go off (she has a very low resting heart and breathing rate when she sleeps) I would panic. I crawled beside her in her bed and made her promise me that she would never try to leave me again. Her other three attempts were hard but this one was by far the worst and the hardest. Even though some days I need reminders (because she can be a pain in the ass); she is my everything and I wouldn't want to live in a world without her.
Thank you for this thread, I'm not having the greatest week and a trip down memory lane to remind myself to be grateful is exactly what I needed.
TheSherbs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:20:53 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Knowing that even though my maternal grandparents never really loved us grand children, they made an effort because they loved their daughter.
Being 13 years old and going to coffee with my Dad and his car buddies and sitting around just bullshitting for hours on end on Saturday mornings when I didn't have games.
Hearing my mom cheer for me when I played football or wrestled.
Watching my dad die while I was administering CPR.
Knowing ahead of time it would be the last time I would see my favorite grandmother alive.
Knowing the joy my kids bring me nullifies 90% of my pain.
dk1701 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:22:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Watching a Star Wars marathon (pre-prequels) on an old television set in our ratty trailer when I was about 6. That was the first moment in a lifetime of fandom.
Listening to instrumental music with my grandmother (shes the artsy type) as a kid led to my current love of instrumental music (mainly movie scores).
thedabking123 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:22:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Movie nights with my family and two others (Dad's friends and their kids). It was a weekly event where my dad showed off his new home theatre system, and we got to watch movies like the Fugitive and Terminator.
Climbing out of the car in the middle of a safari and being dragged back in by my dad. Looked like the Jurassic park opening scene!
Beating up my brother's bullies. Crying because I felt so sad about how they treated my little brother afterwards.
Having a knife held up against my throat in university by an asshole who I ceased being friends with that day.
Having sex for the first time in university; it was with girl i never knew liked me until earlier that day (we were friends for months and I was clueless). She was so nice (as a person).. the sex was phenomenal as well.
But the biggest memory that defines me today? Walking around high school in Dubai without a person to call my friend. I knew people feared me because I was a good fighter (took on the biggest baddest dude in school on my first day there) but I was too much of a chicken to go say hello to regular people... was also too moralistic and upright for many others. It was sad times.
ikineba ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:22:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fjells ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:22:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha, you made me think of something great.
I was out sailing when I was 10 years old. It was the hallowed regional championship. Piss cold in the middle of october in Norway, it was raining, and really gusty.
I was sailing a small one man dinghy for kids, the Optimist, and my father sat in a real sailboat... cheering me on. Anyways, after one of the races, I sailed up to the boat my father was in and he yells at me: "Hey Fjells! You want some nice hot soup?" And I shiver out "Oh, yes please." Then my father, barely keeping it together says "That's too bad, cause we're all out." Then he erupted into laughter.
Thanks dad.
dakota137 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:23:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Hanging out all Summer at a lake cabin in the Midwest. My neighbor and I pooling our money to buy fuel to go wakeboarding (The boat never got more than about 1/8 full). The milky way across a night sky untouched by light pollution. Running around with my friends and with girls I had crushes on. Bonfires and swimming at night or in the rain. Sailboats capsized in whitecaps. Fishing in the fall, when it's cold and silent and the lake looks like a mirror.
First time doing a loop in a sailplane (spinning is up there too). A glider is incredibly quiet and the visibility is so good that the first moment of being upside-down with the sky and earth flipped has been seared into my brain forever. I couldn't help but laugh a little out loud.
Mikeyoyo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:23:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had this indie game on my Xbox called EzMuze or something like that. It was a simple game where it gave you a bunch of 4 bar loops that you could work with and make a song together. I was hanging out with my mom, stepdad, and brother. We thought it'd be fun to make a song together using it. We had fun starting it and I had an idea to make a guitar riff loop fade in every bar. After I played it, my mom was genuinely impressed and her mouth was agape, and said "Wow you have talent." While I played a lot of music, she never heard anything I personally made. She was genuinely impressed and I felt like maybe I could do something with music. I'm still debating if I could do music as a career, but that gave me so much validation.
When my mom found out she had cancer. It was a lovely summer day, just two weeks prior or so my biological dad moved out. She got the call, she called me over, she told me she had breast cancer. It hit hard that I may lose my favorite person in the world.
When my gf of the time texted me to tell me she had sex with another guy. We were in an open relationship but i told her not to tell me and it was a huge turning point in my life. It was a complicated situation that just resulted in me trying to better myself in every way possible.
When I met my current roommate. I don't know, just the second I shook his hand I knew we'd be good friends together through college.
iHateAwwws ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:24:32 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In high school, I was once falsely accused of a lot of nasty business. The teacher bought all of it from this one other guy. I was a mess and I had no idea what to do. After a couple days, I finally got the courage to tell my parents all about it. While narrating the story, I broke down in front of my parents, because I was terrified. They both hugged me tight and said, I remember distinctly, "Oh my son"! The relief was immense and immediate.
I remember my family on a vacation to another city. My brother and I were very little then, merely 4 or 5 years old. We were just running around this beautiful compound at a heritage site at dusk and my family was laughing along and following us.
I was just in kindergarten and I had asked my parents for some money for a book fair in school. I went and spent the money on ice cream. I got punished at home; I was made to stand at the balcony door for a couple hours.
I was with my friends at a New Year's Eve party. At that time, a lot of my boys were committed. I was happy for them, but yet I had this grief all over me, for I had been single all my life and it was starting to get to me. So naturally, the clock struck the midnight hour and the party roared in celebration. I'll probably never forget what happened next. Once they could find me in the crowd, my friends came up and hugged me. This one dude came running, crashed into me, and almost crushed my ribs with his hug. I realized how happy they were to have me home with them, after a semester at college, and how fortunate I was to have friends like these.
These are just the ones I can recall well enough. I hope to have better core memory replacements made over the years :)
meowfarts47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:24:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was screaming and crying because of my older sister's snide tormenting when I was around 16. We were on holiday and with my mother at the time. My mom was crying too, telling me to stop, but I lost all ability to reason at the moment. My sister then called me an "absolute piece of shit" for making my mother cry. I remember apologizing to my mom, feeling terrible for everything I made her go through due to my bipolar disorder. I told my sister how I felt awful and sorry about what I did, but she could have been kinder with her words. All she said was, "Well, I don't take back what I said. It's true."
Telling my mom I felt like killing myself, to which she responded, "Then do." I think she said that out of frustration, but it still hurts.
When one of my friends in high school stalked me for several years, and I thought it was entirely my fault for being too nice to people.
When I found out I got into my first choice university with my preferred major, which has a low acceptance rate. I don't think I've ever been as full of blithe excitement.
Realizing I had excellent friends when they would bring me food and sit silently next to me when I was too depressed to do anything but sleep and cry.
Bhadgar ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:24:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
The day I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I was 16, with no family history of the disease to speak of. I wasn't expecting it until the moment they told me. I remember being left alone in the room for a long while after that. I was huddled against the wall up on the examination table, my knees drawn to my chest, staring at the thermostat across the room. No idea how long I waited like that. It was like a dream. And then my mom came in, and put her arm around me and said, "You're a tough kid."
That was 7 1/2 years ago. My life has been completely different since that day, and certainly not for the better. Yes, I have plenty of 'core memories' from my earlier childhood, but they don't even feel like a part of my life anymore. They are the memories of a different person. Until I was 16, my life was following something of a track. Then everything was shattered, and I've been living a different life ever since. Regrettably, I really haven't made any new memories since that day. My head's still spinning, this many years later.
mamafish12 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:25:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Vacation at the beach with my family each summer, sitting on the rock jetties crabbing with clothes pins and string. I can still smell the salt tide, feel the rough rocks and barnacles on my thighs sitting on the jetty, and hear my little brother yelling "GET THE BUCKET!" every time he got a crab.
My brother and I hurrying and getting our shoes on and in the car as quickly as possible when my dad wanted to go somewhere. The feeling of worry that our mom wouldn't get ready in time and he would yell at her until she cried the whole way to where ever we were going.
My father coached hockey growing up, my brother played and I played on and off. I was a bit of an odd kid, and would do stats for his teams when I wasn't playing. One time, when I was around 14, I was sitting in this entryway to the locker room of his boys team that was my age, and as soon as I sat down, I could hear them making fun of me. They didn't know I was there, and were always nice to me in person, and I remember swallowing down the hurt of a bunch of kids I spent most of my time with only being nice to me because my parents ran the team.
Getting into my dream high school, and eating pizza and salad in my dorm room with teammates of mine, feeling like I belonged somewhere.
The day my mom told me she and my father were getting divorced. My now-husband, at that point fairly recent boyfriend, was upstairs and I ran to him and cried while he held me. I don't know how I would have gotten through that time without him. Especially once I found out that my father had been cheating on my mother with multiple people since I was about 2, and when she found out and said she wanted a divorce because of it, my father told her she had to tell my brother and I if she was going to "break up our family"
Sitting on the couch in my in laws house after my wedding, tucked in the crook of my new husband's arm and feeling him gently kiss my forehead. I was so incredibly grateful that the photographer caught this moment, I think I could have floated away I was so happy.
The day my son was born. It was truly the most amazing experience when he was placed on my chest and my husband wrapped his arms around us. That feeling of couple to family can't be matched
catcaste ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:25:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My grandfather who raised me has Alzheimers. I was helping him get ready for bed last year and he looked me in the eye and said, "I'm not alright am I?". That'll always stick with me.
Ritsu_sohma ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:26:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my family got a Chocolate Lab as a puppy when I was in high school I decided to do that dumb thing where you pretend your not really interested in it. Then the little shit started to nibble on my hand because he was teething and I just couldn't keep cool about it, It was just the cutest god damn thing in the world. Still with us just much fatter.
Kloyeh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:27:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day I met my cat (and best friend for 18 years through everything). I was 11 and finally convinced my parents to take me to the cat home, went into various rooms to look at the kittens. This one kitten, the instant he saw me his eyes went huge, he bounded up to me, jumped up on my knee and licked my face. It was love at first sight and I knew he was my furry soul mate, he never stopped adoring me unconditionally and everyone knew we were inseparable.
The day I met my little nephew. I held him on the day he was born and stared down into his tiny face unbelieving that my sister had just made such a beautiful, fragile creature. It was the most magical moment of my life so far. Love my little Freddie.
The day my boyfriend reached across that table in the pub and took my hand and kissed me, after I had confessed my love to him. We'd been friends for 7 years. I was terrified of being rejected and I utterly expected to be, as he'd told me he was not ready a few days before. We'd met up to talk about it and I thought this meant him talk to me about how we were going to stay friends. He's the love of my life. The minute he said yes to me I knew I would follow him to the ends of the earth. I waited such a long time for that moment.
Maybe these aren't my core memories but they're my happiest memories :3
ThermoPacMan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:28:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I used to pay ยฃ30 a week to go and learn the drums. I've never owned a drumkit, and I don't play the drums anymore, but by god I won't ever regret having learned the drums, even despite the monetary investment. I like to think it gave me my musical core memory.
I had a two-week internship in London once, working in the government. The work was fine, but what I keep appreciating about it all was how it was practically free for me. There was a god-sent foundation that paid all of the expenses to get me there, and I met so many nice people and did so many nice things. I still get dreams about it today. It taught me that hard work really pays off, and a job worth doing is a job worth doing well. I really count myself lucky for it.
My last core memory is traveling. We went out to visit long-since-seen family in the Philippines. They were incredibly kind and giving, even despite their circumstances, and pulled out all of the stops to help make the trip one of the most memorable things I've ever done, taking me to islands and cities, from mountains to volcanoes. I love them, and I hope I can repay the favor sometime.
My main take-away from all of these experiences is that there are plenty of human beings out there, just like you and me, who do good things for others simply because they can. It's important to remember that in this world of bad news, even despite how easily we remember those who've done us wrong.
wckz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:29:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This made me sad because all my core memories have to do with being betrayed, controlled, or generally bad memories. I'm a happy person and don't think my life is bad. It just seems I don't have any extreme happiness moments or where I was surprised by love.
I'll give a few examples and PM if you wanna hear more.
I was at the beach with my family and I was buried under the sand by my sister. My father walked on top of me and he was clearly too heavy to be doing so upon a child, and it hurt. He laughed while I cried and I never forgot.
I was walking down a street with a bunch of mansions with my parents. They kept going on and on about how nice those houses were. Wouldn't I like to live in one? I was about 12 at the time, and they were clearly trying to manipulate me into caring more about money and materialistic things. I picked up a rock from the street and ran home with it. My parents probably thought I was running home with goals and dreams in my head. I knew that's what they were thinking at the time. I was thinking "This rock represents the manipulation of my parents that I will never forget."
I had a cut in my thumb and it started hurting. I asked to go to the doctor but my father told me to ignore it and walk it off pretty much. After a week it became a full blown infection where I was feverish in bed and had to puncture the wound to drain the pus and blood.
My sister and I collected quarters as children. We tried to get every single state and as many years as we could. She had a rare state and I used that quarter to buy a gumball. I don't even like gumballs, but I felt regret and horrible for it.
I have a lot more memories, but all of them just make me sad. I'm surprised I'm not a sad person since my childhood seemed so lackluster. Fantasy books and games probably helped me out a lot.
sarcasmicw0nderbread ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:31:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Age: 7ish... My younger brothers and I were feeding Cheez-It crackers to the seagulls at the beach and this beast of a grumpy woman got her panties in a bunch and started yelling at us. She didn't like that we were too young to give a damn about what she had to say, so she started yelling at my parents and told my Mom that she was "a bad mother"... Not smart. Before my Mom could react, my Dad stood up with the entire box of crackers and proceeded to march over to the disgruntled woman's beach chair and pour the entire box on her and all of her belongings. It was an amazing sight, and I hope she still smells seagull poo every time she sees a box of Cheez-Its
IrritableCynic ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:31:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A memory/experience that I'm still unpacking.
When I was maybe 6 years old, my dad joined a hunger strike. I remember my mom was on the phone with my dad. She had my brother, around 1 year old, in her arms. She was so upset and crying and I hugged her leg to "help". She railed at my dad for leaving her at home with two young children while jeopardized his health. What if something terrible happened to him? From that point on, I built a wall between my dad and I where his activism wasn't at all interesting to me because I saw how much my mom was hurt by his work. He always had meetings or rallies which kept him away from home.
Through my adult eyes, I see how dedicated an activist my father was and that he joined the hunger strike not for himself but for his community. But I remember how torn up my mom was and how I made the decision, then, to be on my mom's side instead of my dad's.
My dad has since passed away and it still gnaws at me how much I held his activism against him because he wasn't home enough for his family.
pumpkin-tree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:32:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
A guy came to repossess our car and I realized how poor we were so at age twelve I got a minimum wage job and worked like crazy to help my single mother with the grocery bill and thus created 'Hard Work Island' and 'Cooking Island'
My cousin was babysitting me during a summer break and she taught me how to handle makeup, shave my legs, put on a bra, understand my period and sanitary products and put together outfits. It was great since my single mother worked more than full time and she didn't have the luxury of spending time with me so I needed to be taught hat personal stuff. This created 'Self-Care Island'
Getting the Excellence award of my graduating college class and finding out that my class had unanimously banded together and made me the only nominee other than the woman I had voted for that car pooled and studied with me. 'Friendship Island' had been closed for a long time as I devoted myself to work and school but this was the change I needed to become open again.
__ugh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:33:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
1993, I was 7. Obsessed with Dinosaurs. Jurassic Park was coming out. My parents had to pre-screen it to make sure it wouldn't give me nightmares. They decided it was ok for me to see and so it was my first "big kid" movie in the theaters. I sat in awe the entire time. Loved every second of it and especially whenever the Brachiosaurus were on screen. Still, to this day, I tear up when they first see the herds (and the whole like "they do move in herds" happens).
With that same memory was leaving the theater, my dad took me to KB Toys which was next to the movie theater. There, I stared at a T-Rex Jurassic Park toy that came with a "mosquito" in "amber." As I'm staring at it, my dad leans down and whispers, "You know, that could really happen." And from then on, I was terrified.
Finally telling my elementary school crush that I liked him. We "dated" until Valentine's day of our 6th grade year, when I promptly dumped him because I was terrified of my parents finding out I had a boyfriend.
Laughing on the floor of the kitchen in my studio apartment with my (now ex) boyfriend until we cried. We stayed up all night, talking about everything and listening to the city sounds and being in love. He recently committed suicide (we'd not been together in over a year, at that point) and I keep having flashes of great memories with him. Our relationship was awful toward the end, but we did have some great moments.
Chili_Maggot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:35:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Some of your lives are so nice. It makes me feel warm to read these. Then I wonder why I don't have any happy memories. I can't remember the last time I was happy and I don't know if I ever will be. I'm kind of a waste.
Jeyts ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:39:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm do late to this and it will never get seen but I wanted to type my story.
My father is an amazing man and if I can be half the man he is I'll be happy.
We grew up fairly poor and after the housing bubble it hit our family hard as both my parents were laid off. We were at Walmart and they just released the self checkouts. The machine bugged out or someone didn't grab all their change but my father counted an extra 20 in his change. Without hesitation he walked up and gave it to the lady working there letting her know that it wasn't his and if anyone came.back for it. I questioned him knowing we were struggling and he just told me it was the right thing to do even if Walmart was evil he wouldn't be. Was such an important lesson to me. That I've carried.
In another instance, we were always moving. Never lived in the same house for longer than 3 years. It was hard for me to make friends until high school. And so I was fighting all the time. After one bad fight I remember him coming home and sitting me down. His voice was calm and caring. He didn't yell at me but worked to help me understand. I was never blamed but given a new perspective. What I remember the most in that conversation was he told me I need to walk a mile in their shoes. I had heard the line before but that day the gears finally turned and it made sense. That I don't have to fight with my fists but if I understood the people I was fighting I could better understand them and myself. I made so many friends that would've been enemies by just talking as gently with them as he did with me.
The last core memory is the lowest point in my life. I had been working as a project manager. I maybe slept 5 hours a night tops as I was always working. The company was ruthless with our construction crews. And I told to do a lot of things to people I didn't agree with. One day my boss told me to get a guy to quit because he was difficult and would call him asking for better conditions. I had to tell the guy to get in the back of a 2 door car. Share a seat with a cooler and ride from Washington state to Virgina. Or he'd be a no show. He of course quit and I paid half of his ticket to fly home. The day I found out he died of cancer I felt it was my fault. I kept him from home for so long and when he finally could visit I took away his medical. That weekend I drove to my friends birthday party in Houston and refused to work. They nearly fired me but I quit the next week as they tried to punish me. I had decided toreturned to school the next semester.
08RedFox ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:39:31 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in kindergarten and grade 1, I was the most popular kid in school. I was the leader of my group of friends, and everyone always looked to me to tell them what to do during recess. We all played games together that I made up, and it was great fun. My favourite games tended to revolve around pretending to be woodland animals, hiding in bushes, chasing each other, etc. I was big into animals. Fast forward to the first day of grade two... There was a new school built closer to my house, so my old class got split up a bit. On the first day of classes, I sought out some of my best friends- I was so excited to see them all again! They wanted nothing to do with me. They now had decided they all hated me, and wanted nothing to do with me ever again. They were now too old and 'mature' to play dumb games. I spent the next 7 years of my life suffering through some of the worst bullying and taunting you can imagine. They always referenced my old favourite game- making believe that I was animal- and used it to harass me endlessly. I never got the hang of defending myself, and teachers and parents were no help whatsoever. I actually had a teacher one year who was so unpopular with the kids, that she tried out making fun of me to endear herself to the other students- it worked. I had no friends at all until (thank god!) we moved between grade eight and nine. I started high school with a clean slate, and made friends with everyone there. High school was the best time of my life as a result. But that one day- the first day of school in grade two, was a major turning point in my life. I never knew that someone could simply decide not to be someone's friend like that. It was the first time I lost a single friend even, but I also lost them all at once, and didn't make another for 7 years.
Shayleenb ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:39:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I grew up in a conservative Christian Church which is where I met my husband. (We've both been out of it for several years thank goodness) there was a lot of emotional abuse going on and it was pretty cult like. Unfortunately a lot of my core memories come from that place.
I was at church camp one year staying with another family when they called me out onto the porch one morning. They told me that they were sending me home from camp because of my inappropriate behavior. I was confused at first but it turned out my then boyfriend now husband had poked me in the ribs. Someone had seen and turned it into a whole rumor so they decided the best thing to do was to send me home in shame. They said a lot of really hurtful things to me and I can remember the dislike and vindictiveness on their faces. I didn't know how to stand up for myself then, I really wish I had. I just stood on that porch and cried while the oldest daughter mocked me. Nothing was ever said to my bf, I was the one singled out for punishment.
Once when I was little my dad woke me and my brother up in what felt like the middle of the night. He told us the moon was full and he'd built a spaceship, put us both in the wagon and ran around the block with us. Now I know he just had leg fidgets but it was so exciting.
The night my fiance bought me roses and asked me to elope with him. We didn't end up going through with it but I knew then he would choose me over his family and over that church. It's still one of the best things he's ever given me.
The day the mall I was working at had a shooting.
Waking up early when I was little to try and catch my mom before she walked to the coffee shop. She probably wanted some quiet alone time but she rarely told me no. Now she's one of my best friends and we still frequently take walks together.
confusedperson910 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:40:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I had a crsh on a guy named Alex in first grade and I made a heart with my hands and put it over him and he caught me. Having my first plate of nachos on the plane over to California. Seeing how skinny I had gotten had I was super sick and couldn't eat for like 2 months. Making a pillow and couch cushion fort with my aunts and uncle. Riding on my uncle's shoulders like an airplane. Getting a genie Bratz doll for Christmas from my grandma. That one time my friend lost a track meet and I tried to make her laugh and the only one laughing at my jokes was the girl who is still my best friend to this day, 6 years :') My dad proposing to my mom and after she said no he threw a mug full of coffee on the ground and I was confused. Staying up all night to see the tooth fairy and she never came. The following morning, finding my mom's coin purse with my teeth in it. I woke up in the middle of the night and looked outside and it was so quiet in my normally ghetto street. Everyone was asleep and I was just looking outside looking at the snow. Playing in the fire hydrant at the end of Custer street. I have a lot. Kind of happy this was made, since I always say I don't have childhood memories.
Sportsguy02431 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:41:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Not getting into any of my โdreamโ colleges, it gave me a long deserved smack of reality that if I wanted to succeed in life Iโd have to work for it.
Running across Santa Monica Beach, wildly waving my bike tire after having ridden for six weeks across the US. I look back on this now and realize that nothing is beyond my abilities, as long as I apply myself I can do pretty much anything. It just might take a while.
Realizing that the real reason no one liked me was that I was being an insufferable prick and if I ever wanted to have friends I had to get myself together.
Being unable to study abroad at the time due to a medical condition, Iโd had it since I was little and I realized that if I didnโt take it seriously it was going to present larger obstacles in the future.
My girlfriend ending our 4.5 year relationship in my senior year of college. While it was heartbreaking and certainly threw me into emotional turmoil, it allowed me to go so many places and do so many things that I never would have done if we had stayed together, None of the below would have happened had we stayed together.
Feeling love for a girl five months later. While it ended up not working out, realizing that I could feel that way about someone else was the biggest relief I think Iโve ever had. I cried afterwords not out of sadness but sheer joy and relief, because for the first time in months the crushing depression I had been feeling felt slightly lessened.
Stepping off the plane when I arrived in China, and the realization of what I was getting myself into slapping me across the face. Being denied border entry into Mongolia, and being thrown in a truck back to China in the middle of a snowstorm. Never felt more fucked in my life.
Realizing the opportunity to travel in Asia, and go to countries that I have always wanted to see.
Reaching out to my ex while I was in Japan (she is from the country), and realizing why it would never work, and that we were never going to see each other again.
Almost getting run over by a truck while motor biking in Vietnam, and then watching someone actually get hit two days later and be killed. Definitely a moment to remind me of my mortality.
Going to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat. While this in of itself was merely a very beautiful experience, it somehow captured how I felt about my life about that moment, that a dark period for me was truly ending, and that I had a brighter future ahead.
Getting my dream job at an amazing company that I feel happy and fulfilled with.
Ghostronic ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:45:45 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I started writing a post out but it made me think of my little sister way too much (lost her five years ago, RIP) as well as how old my folks have gotten and I started crying.
Fuck you OP, I'm not doing this bullshit today
IGotFuzzyNauts ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:45:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Most of my core memories come from being a young kid in Sinaloa Mexico in the early 80's:
My 5 year old self playing "chase" with friends near a broken barbed wire fence, and the feeling of the barb catching my left eye and it tearing from just next to my nose to my cheekbone on the bottom and across my eye lid on top. I remember going to my grandmothers house and explaining that it didn't really hurt as my eyelid would flop down when I blinked, because I was afraid of being punished and not being allowed to play with my friends. Then because the only doctor in the town was not around I was taken to the only other doctor around that happened to be at a military base in town. I had to get stitches but the doctor couldn't use anesthetic and my mom, dad and another soldier had to hold me down so the doctor could sew me back up.
Helping my favorite uncle growing up clear fields to get ready to plant corn and other vegetables when I was 5-6 years old, and how he'd make a game out of it by seeing how fast I could clear an area then trying to beat my best times.
Going with the same uncle to another planting site further into the mountains and accidentally poisoning the water supply by putting a poisonous toad in the bubbling brook. My uncle then explaining to me the consequences of what could of transpired had he not seen me play with the toad in the water. Also watching him slowly clean the water by digging the hole up repeatedly and letting the sediment slowly clean the water.
At the same site walking up to the clearing where his field was and seeing what seemed at the time like a giant deer grazing across the field from us. Then us scaring the deer and seeing it jump what looked like a "log", later to realize that the "log" slowly started to move away from us after the deer had fled, we scared away the snakes lunch that day.
Being at my uncles house when the soldiers came looking for him but he had left hours prior to them searching for him.
Watching the creek near my grandmothers restaurant swell after the rain.
How loud the thunder sounded when the storms rolled in and all the superstitions my grandmother would tell us about the lightning like to not brush your hair during a thunderstorm, covering your hair and not looking into a mirror.
Seeing two rain clouds converge on us as we cut firewood for dinner, it was as if someone had pulled the curtains closed but the curtain was a wall of rain.
Moving to the U.S. in 1989 and our Volkswagon bus catching fire on the way and a good samaritan stopping and having to ride in the back of his pick up truck the remainder of the trip.
ntrontty ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:47:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
First day of Kindergarten (what you'd call Preschool in the US) - I was 3 and I remember walking along the hallway with my mom. And all along the wall were little wall hooks for jackets which had little pictures besides them, so the kids could find their spot. I was so very impressed by how many kids there had to be, judging by the amount of hooks.
its_crussell ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:49:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Playing 'puppy' in first grade and being chased by a group of three girls all around the playground every day at recess. One day, I finally built up the courage to kiss one of them (on the shoulder) and they all freaked out.
Possibly the same year, having hardcore crushes on all of them and hiding from them in the boys bathroom when they wanted me to dance with them at the end-of-year dance.
Having a mental break down in my 1st grade advance math class. I loved math, but couldn't figure out a certain problem while the 5 or 6 other kids understood it perfectly. I quit that day out of frustration, but regretted that decision all through elementary school.
On the last day of third grade, I was one of 12 students in my class to not miss a single day of school. As an award, I got a HUGE gift basket of candy and toys before I got on the bus home. I was so proud of myself.
In fourth grade, we all performed speeches in front of the class and recorded them. One by one, we watched them to find improvements. When it came to mine, I heard my lisp for the first time in my life. I sounded different than everyone. I remember how red my face got and the overwhelming sense of embarrassment in front of my peers. I stopped talking to others after that day and attribute that moment as a shift in my personality. I'm still trying to be more extroverted to this very day (14 years later).
The 8th grade graduation dance. I danced my fucking face off. Completely engrossed in the music and friendship of my peers. I had never had that much fun at a dance before.
Kloyeh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:50:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I remember when I was three years old my dad was reading the newspaper, and I kept asking him hundreds of questions about the words and what they meant and how you read. Remember very clearly my dad showed me the shape of the word 'the' and how to recognise it. I learnt to read my first word.
30 years old now and I'm a writer. Studied for a degree in journalism. Worked on magazines as a journalist for the past 6 years and now I'm working as a copywriter in the marketing department of a software firm. Love books more than anything and read every day. Thanks dad :'3
Kloyeh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:56:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Totally just remembered another memory from when I was 4: I was playing with my mum and said I wanted to write a story about the train set and farm animals. She made me a book from stapled together bits of paper and I told her the words of the story which she wrote down. I said 'I'm going to be a story writer when I grow up'.
ImmortalSanchez ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:51:07 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
September 23rd 2000. My girlfriend was killed by a drunk driver in a car accident. I was in high school. It had a huge impact on my life and led to years of drug and alcohol abuse. 8 years clean now.
DontSendMeBack ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:55:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Most of the top responses are so warm and nostalgic. What is it like to have functioning families?
Core memories:
tl:dr; version:
Parents fighting and using me in the fight
Breaking my brother's violin string and him covering for me
Mom letting me and my brother cut Saturday school due to rainstorm
High school English teacher demands I be in honors/AP
Virgin dormmate violently raped by stranger in parking lot
Long version:
At age 5, I was starting to come out of my napping habits. This day, an hour after kindergarten, I started to doze off at the edge of my parents' bed and decided to indulge in an afternoon nap. My dad came home, on one of those rare days of the year he's actually home, and my parents engaged in yet another screaming match in the kitchen. After 20 minutes of staying on the bed, pretending I could sleep it away, I gave up and went out to the kitchen to intervene with my cuteness. I was aware I'm useful for this reason at this point, and I knew my brother wasn't about to try. No luck. My dad grabbed my arm and threw it at my mom. I cried and ran away. I cried because this act was involuntary and violent (though it didn't hurt). I never wanted to get involved in the first place. No one asked why I was crying, and my mom's parents, who also lived with us in our 700-sq. ft. apartment, insisted it was because, "DontSendMeBack likes her mom more!" They disregarded my attempts to clarify, ignoring my pips of "No, that's not why!" But I learned that my voice doesn't matter. I never spoke in class, never spoke in conflict, never felt justified in defending myself. I've since reconciled much of that mentality and behavior, but there's still a ways to go.
At age 9, I wanted to do everything my older brother did. His favorite snacks became my favorite snacks. He liked blue, so I liked blue. He had been playing violin for over a year; I wanted to play violin, but we could only afford one for him (as was the case with most things like toys, books, and shoes). My mom never let me touch it. When she wasn't home, I snuck the violin out from under the bed and played around with the strings, plucking them to figure out the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star." I plucked the E-string (the thinnest) a little too hard, and it snapped. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What the fuck do I do? Fuck. Shit. No idea, so I quickly put the violin back into its case and slide it back under the bed and go about my routine. My mom gets home from work, and my brother takes out the violin to practice, only to find that his E-string was suddenly broken. At this point, I can see on my brother's face that he knows I must've messed with it. We look at each other and come to a silent agreement that he wouldn't rat me out because we were both fearful of my mom's fury (specifically toward me). We both played dumb and neither of us got into trouble. Luckily, it was the cheapest string to replace. My brother and I may not be close or talk about feelings, but that was the moment I learned that we have a sibling bond--it wasn't about who was the better child, as much as my mom tried to fuel that destructive dynamic. It was also when I learned that lying is sometimes necessary for protecting myself.
At age 11, we had to move. No one explained what was happening, what relocating meant, what changing homes meant. The move happened. It felt like a cold hotel for the longest time. A few months after the move, on a gloomy Saturday morning, rain came down hard. I woke up at 7:30am as usual, about to prepare myself for Chinese school. But my mom calls my brother and me into her room that we'll just call in to let them know we weren't going to class that day. We spent the morning in her bed helping me rehearse for the state spelling bee. Sort of. She didn't know how to dictate any of the words, so I was really just looking through the list. But it was the only time I remember my mom showing me sincere kindness--nothing masked by sarcasm or a demand for more or better or perfection. It was the first time the house started to feel like home. I also came to appreciate rainy days.
At age 14, I aimed to be an underachiever in freshman year of high school. I didn't believe in my ability despite my test scores. I signed up for all regular classes, bucking the trend of all honors since 3rd grade. Surely high school honors science and math would destroy me! Boy, did I overestimate my school district. I was bored and constantly cutting class that year. I attended maybe 10% of them the first semester and 40% of them during the second semester. But English was always fun. I loved reading novels and spent all my free time at the library. I finally started attending more regularly when my class was assigned a new teacher. She was young and funny and sweet. We were assigned to write an autobiography and given two weeks to write it. Being the procrastinator I am, I churned out a 5-page autobiography the day before it was due. A week later, I've forgotten all about it, but she asks to see me after school. This has never happened to me before. Ever. I've never been in trouble, but I sensed that wasn't the case.I go back to her room at the end of the day, and she sits me down to tell me, "I read your biography. Wow. I don't even have any revisions to make. It's eloquent, entertaining, and you have a skill for dark humor. Like this section on your dad. Why are you not in the honors class? Here. You have to apply to AP English." If it hadn't been for this teacher, I would've continued down a bad path of cutting class and thinking school doesn't matter. Instead I started signing up for all honors and AP's and became more academically engaged. If it hadn't been for this moment, I probably wouldn't have gotten the chance to go away to university. I always knew teachers cared, but I didn't realize how much they cared. She was a catalyst for my potential.
At age 18, my first year away from home, my closest dormmate was attacked and raped in the parking lot by our dorm. This is something that I will carry with me always. Trying to help her through the trauma, witnessing her nightmares, asking the male students of the floor to stop crude, triggering behaviors took a huge toll on me. As sarcastic as I was before, as jaded as I already was, I was still an optimistic when it came to humanity and other people, especially when I was finally removed from my home environment. This random act of violence made the world seem chaotic. How would she trust again? How would she ever feel safe again? What can I do to make the horror go away? How could something like this happen in our home away from home? We were powerless to the chaos of the world.
I used to say to friends that the only emotions you need are angry and happy. Reviewing my core memories has illuminated why.
ChicagoMade87 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:56:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of my favorite memories is laying in a special bed with my Grandmother watching the show Dinosaurs. I was around 7 or 8. The room was so bright and sunny and it was the first time in a while that her and I had one on one time.
In reality she was losing her battle with cancer and that was the last time I remember seeing her alive.
Holovoid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:57:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly it feels like I've forgotten all of my earliest "Core Memories". I don't even remember the bulk of my early childhood, i.e. before I was in High School.
-Going on adventures in my childhood friends backyard - he lived next to a large wooded area (probably 75+ acres) and we used to get up to all sorts of stupid kid shenanigans back there. We'd be out there for hours, from noon until dusk, completely alone or with 1 or 2 other friends. Fighting with homemade swords and such.
-Moving out of my mom's house and in with my dad. I remember the first day I stayed at his house. I had stayed there before but it never felt so scary. I was maybe 10 at the time and I didn't want to leave my friends behind. I moved from Michigan to Ohio, went to a new school, etc. The first night I couldn't sleep at all. My dad stayed up with me and we played Solitaire on his Windows 95 PC all night despite him having to work the next day.
-The day my dad was diagnosed with cancer - I remember I was playing WoW and he called me to tell me that he had colon cancer that metastatized to his pancreas.
-Watching my dad take his last breath in his hospital bed and feeling like I was stabbed in the gut. Then walking out of the room, calling my sisters and calmly telling them he was gone.
-Meeting my fiancee for the first time - I remember we met on a blind date through a mutual friend. It was really awkward but when I saw her I got butterflies. The first time we held hands it felt like lightning tearing across my arms and chest - but in a good way.
Aside from these, I can't really think of any.
Sexual_tomato ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:58:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In chronological order:
A small rust-colored tow truck, sort of a boxy looking thing, that I would play with for hours and hours.
Climbing the backyard fence and knocking on our front door to scare my mom.
My dad threatening to snap my neck because I'd bothered him one too many times. With my head in his hands and my neck torqued so far I couldn't breathe.
My mom crying in a closet with a stiff drink because of a fight my parents had had earlier. My sister and I found her and hugged her until she stopped crying.
Playing make believe with my sister in a dark closet going through the most wild and weird scenarios, we'd continue stories for weeks at a time.
The first time a kid lied to get me in trouble. He told the teacher I'd bitten him after he bit his own arm.
Telling a kid he was fat and being confused when I got in trouble.
When I accidentally backed a truck over a toddler and thought I'd killed them.
My dad telling me with all sincerity that he'd kill me if I embarassed him by being a drunk, a homosexual, or a deadbeat dad.
The first time I'd seen my now-wife in a long time and thinking how beautiful she was. We got married a year and a half later.
When my first son was born, holding on to his tiny hand and having the most surreal experience of loving a total stranger with all my heart.
starvedrock ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:00:04 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first memory sticks out the most. Probably 4 years old, woke up, which felt like the very first time I ever experienced waking up, and walked around questioning whether my existence was a dream too. I was piecing together my life, it was strange.
Second would be my mom beating my dad with a suitcase because he cheated. When they noticed I was in the background, it was my dad, the one being beaten, that paused to turn and command me to get back upstairs. From there, I woke my brother up to watch the cops settle the domestic case outside.
Brother and neighborhood kid convinced me to jump from our 2 story playhouse onto a mattress. Wind was knocked out of me.
Neighborhood kid running me over with his bike on a gravel road.
Brother's friend asking my brother, right in front of me, if he could see my 7 year old boobs.
I mistakenly locked myself in a trailer we had in the backyard and suffered terribly from claustrophobia leading me to jump out the glass window. My dad was mowing the yard and couldn't hear me yelling until he saw me walking with blood oozing from both my nose and mouth.
Brother locking me in a closet for 4 hours.
Pulled the family's dog's hind legs when he was eating out the trash. He attacked my face and bit from my nose to the underneath of my chin where a 3-4 inch flab of skin was hanging off and pouring blood.
Dad took me to work, and I hung out inside of one his semi cabs and I shit myself so badly in there that it fell out of my underwear. I was in the office bathroom cleaning up when I heard him yelling who took a massive shit in his truck.
I was chasing our cat around the house when he hid under the couch. I lifted the couch to grab him, but I did not see him so I lowered it down only to hear him screech as I killed him.
Woke up in the middle of the night, went downstairs without turning on any lights and I tripped over a stranger's naked body. I realized there were 3 others naked too. My mom was having an orgy.
Remember seeing my mom watch porn while my brother and I watched TV 10 feet away... More times than I can count.
I am now realizing I am clearly trailer trash, and my "core" memories, or the most vivid, are negative. However, all of those memories span from 4-8 years old. Everything thereafter has been really positive. Hard to explain, but I've always felt a sense of gratefulness toward the universe.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:02:19 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Remembering when I said my vows to my wife. It was something else. I cannot describe that feeling of overwhelming joy of saying "I do".
Remembering the moment my sons' head popped out of my wife. I am not sure if he could see me, but that moment he came out, I was his first person that he made eye contact with. On top of that he was born on our wedding anniversary.
Remembering the moment when I caught my wife cheating. The amount of emotional pain was excruciating. Just six months after my son was born. I am not quite sure if anything at this time could measure up to that betrayal and heartache. It didn't seem real.
Remembering being at court and signing the divorce papers..
Sorry for the crummy memories.
Moshkown ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:05:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
New Years Eve 2000! I was 6 and me and the neighbours kid got to light bigger fireworks for the first time that year. We wanted to light a nice rocket for when it was 12, but in our enthusiasm we jammed the rocket too far in the ground (very stupid ofcourse). Ofcourse we only realised this when it was already lit. No one else noticed and while my friend and I ran inside we were accompanied by the sound of shattering champagne glasses. No one got hurt but we scared everyone into the new millennium.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:08:08 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My first girlfriend... I remember my first date holding her hand for the first time as we went on a walk. I remember my heart racing and feeling this warm bliss all over. I'll always regret leaving her, but she is happy now and that's good enough for me.
Sailing with my uncle on his boat in Mississauga. I went there for a week to stay with him by myself and work in the summer. I remember us crashing into the waves and feeling so free. Seeing the fireworks at Ontario Place with my dad and uncle. Tricking them into going into the IMAX with fold out chairs because we told them there was no seating and it was a thing you could walk around in.
Being practically arrested (as a 10 year old kid) for threatening to kill the school bus bully who cracked my little brothers head open on the window. The police did nothing to the kid even though my brother had a split open head. I was suspended for 5 days. My dad almost got in a fist fight with the cop.
Sitting in the back seat of the car when my dad followed home the bully after he repeatability beat on my brother and I for months more. He had a baseball bat, and he wasn't going to do anything (even I knew at the time) - but he put the fear of god into that kid. It only made things worse but I always appreciated he was willing to go that far even after the system continually failed us.
The day we put my dog down. I hadn't seen in her in years (college) but it hurt so much I couldn't even bare to be in the room.
The night when another girlfriend I had loved so much got drunk and told me that she felt no spark between us. It crushed me, and I ended up leaving her the next week.
The night I met my wife. I thought I had finally found the one. It felt so comfortable and warm around her.
The night when my wife decided to leave me for another guy. Our relationship had been over for a long time but I hadn't felt that kind of pain in years... This was the first time in my life where I truly hated someone.
johndsurface ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:09:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My childhood friend sam. I have a lot of memories, but ones of him are the greatest. We were friends from when I was in fourth grade thru eighth grade. He was few years older than me, but he was awesome. He would visit during the summer, spending time with his dad who lived nearby, and would go to school in California. Anyway, right when summer started I would be at my window, every day, every few hours, looking to see if his dad had come home. And when he did, I would look to see if Sam was with him. Sometimes, it took Sam a few weeks. Other times, when I felt particularly lethargic, he would catch me off guard and knock on our door, letting me know he was home.
We hung out a lot. I was hardly at home when he was in town. We did the following ridiculous things I will never forget:
*Played Armored Core on the PS1 to the "I'm Blue" song by Eiffel 65
*Played Puyo Pop Fever on GCube to the Linking Park Meteora Soundtrack
*Made it a Ritual that every year we watch the Digimon Movie at least once
*Went to his dad's plays: Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, Waiting for Godot, and others
*Playing Flashlight tag at night
*Making crazy lego contraptions in his house
*Playing Perfect Dark on XBox live! He would let me shit-talk on the mic
During the years, his house was in constant remodeling. Different years left different smells imprinted in my memory. To this day, if the same smell hits me, I have to gather myself together, because the memories flood back and make me want to cry.
Miss you buddy.
Edit: Formatting
Dexamenos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:12:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was eight years old and visiting Disney World for the first time with my family, I was eager to move fast and experience every ride. My dad was documenting our vacation with an old S-VHS camera and had stopped on a footbridge to film the sunset over a lake. I went up to him and complained that we weren't going to have enough time for the other rides. He turned to me and said "One day, you'll understand the true value of capturing a memory and telling a story". I am now a filmmaker.
Fancy_Pens ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:14:52 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being in middle school, at the lunch line, and trying to do the soldja boy dance, but doing it wrong, and being made fun of. Looked down and got quiet, went to the back of the line. But they came back and tried to get me to stay.
Being in middle school and my best friend at the time telling me he doesn't want to be my friend anymore. So I did the same in the above, and he came back and told me he'd stay my friend if I got my act together.
Being in early high school and playing Halo Reach with my friends Wes and Drew, I don't talk to them anymore.
Being in high school, walking out on the last day of the last year, passing the crying people hugging and taking photos and just going to my car, heading home and playing Witcher.
Being out running in the summer heat, and completing my longest run without stopping, and putting my hands in the air.
My girlfriend, a friend from childhood, breaking up with me because I told her I was an atheist, and reading me a bible verse. I hugged her because she started crying.
Coming home to my parents with a class a misdemeanor citation for possession of marijuana. Being told this hurt their trust in me. Telling them eventually I support its legalization, then being asked "Who are you?"
Being near my best friend now as he tells someone that his best friend is someone else (a good friend of mine.)
I'm sorry if these are offtopic and aren't considered cores.
openwheelr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:24:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Growing up we did the usual beach vacation for a week every July. My dad and his brothers rented a big house just off the beach in Delaware. My grandparents went too so we had three generations, along with various in-laws and significant others who would show up for a few days and leave. And a big K-9 German Shepherd since we had a Philly cop in the family at the time.
Back then (late 70's) we would have quite the caravan headed down the road from central Pennsylvania. I remember stopping to eat at a diner (always the same diner) in PA Dutch country for breakfast. The route was super slow at that time too, mainly two-lane roads. The miles plus stopping to eat made it a six hour trip easily.
A few things stand out. My parents, siblings and I were crammed into a small room for sleeping. No A/C. Us kids were in cots on the floor. I recall falling asleep to the sounds of the little boardwalk amusement park up the street. All the bells and buzzers blending together, along with the smell of cotton candy and popcorn. An ocean breeze rustling the curtains.
Another year my mom decided she couldn't do the trip. Too many people crammed in that house. I don't know, I guess it was too much "togetherness" with no chance for her to recharge. Introvert. We said our goodbyes that morning with her crying in the kitchen. I wasn't necessarily traumatized, but looking back she should have sucked it up. An uncle went along with us in the car to help my dad manage the drive. I think it was the first full day that my mom called. Couldn't take the empty house, so my dad and another uncle drove back to get her Cannonball Run style. They got back in seemingly record time.
That old house is gone now, and the land it sat on is now a parking lot for a hotel.
My parents and an uncle still go, although separately these days. We took our kids for the first time a few years ago and stayed at my parents' rental. We headed down to the beach that afternoon after unloading. I picked my son up and carried him down to the surf's edge (he was just starting to walk), and as I pointed out at the horizon and told him that 'hey this is the ocean we talked about' I felt someone staring me in the back. Turning partway around I saw my dad had followed us down but kept a little distance. We exchanged glances briefly. He had a look of pride and maybe a little hope, like the torch had been passed.
wowveryaccount ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:27:13 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Tfw I'm already losing my memory and don't have any core memories of which I can think :c
pinkpeony ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:30:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
chaosharmonic ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:32:21 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
There was a particular night that I spent getting ass-backwards lost in a neighborhood I thought I knew better, with a girl that I clearly wanted to be with and vice versa, despite the fact that we both actively pretended otherwise. We wandered along side streets and stumbled into vaguely romantic parts of the city as we kept trying to find a damn train station, and yet no matter how much I regretted it, every time we kept to our stated intent... until I brought her home.
We kept talking, as we often did, until I got to rambling anxiously about something old. I was a mess, and she was a mess, and that's how we worked so well; we were each other's safe spaces, each knowing we carried the same fears and the same traumas. But this time was different. There was no embrace. No "you'll be ok." She instead responded by covering my eyes with her hands, ending my confused questions before they began by covering my lips with hers.
It was brief. We were brief. Really, we were doomed -- which was why we held back so long to begin with. But in that moment, nothing else mattered.
Rodic87 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:33:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Killing a cardinal with a BB gun christmas eve morning when I was 5. I had shot at birds before but never done any damage. This time the bird didn't fly away. I can still see the blood forming on his beak as he stared at me - unable to fly away anymore. I broke down crying. I learned the precious value of life, even in something so small, that day.
Riding in the front seat with my dad driving on long family road trips - singing songs, listening to the radio, pointing out sights. We drove all over the country every summer and it was awesome.
Watching Hogan's Heroes as a family while we ate mom's homemade pizza. Our grandmother would record and send us episodes on VCR because she knew we didn't have television but that we loved the show. That was a Friday night ritual that never got old. Sometimes when I'm home for the holidays even though all us kids are now grown, some married with kids, we still like to sit down and eat pizza while watching Hogan, Sgt. Schultz and the rest of the gang.
Receiving news I had gotten a full ride to college and could go exactly where I wanted instead of having to settle for the state school near home. That ushered in an era of freedom for me when I'd felt largely cooped up for my whole life.
A car accident with my best friend's little brother in the passenger seat and thinking I'd killed him. He came out okay, and I'm still great friends with his brother. But for an instant I thought I'd helped snuff out a life. That was a terrible feeling, I'll never forget it.
Realizing after the first date with my now wife that this woman was awesome and she really liked me for me - I didn't have to put on an act or worry that she was pretending. I cried on the drive home when I realized it.
tatkins7 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:57:51 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Similar to the ant story, I was 6 when I went to go and get my bike out of the shed, it was leaning against some Pink Panther insulation, I remember pulling my bike out of the insulation and wasps coming with it, I was stung over 10 times. Ever since then I have been terrified of wasps and avoid Pink Panther insulation.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:19:18 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Bedtime with my parents when I was about 3-7. Every night my mom would sing to my brothers and I, then my dad would come in and tell us a story (he would make them up on the fly and they were always awesome), and then he would interpretive dance. No joke. It was so cool to our little child brains, though.
In a similar vein, reading with grandma. My grandma used to gather us around in the living room (grandpa, my dad, my brothers, and me) and read to us out of this book of essays from our town's history. There were a lot of traditions she had when we were younger (we all lived together at the time) and I remember them fondly and try to keep the offbeat special moments alive in my life.
The first time someone outside of my family told me I was good at something. It was early on in high school and I had this teacher who used to read my papers out loud to the class for almost every assignment. The first time she did it completely shifted the way I viewed myself. For a shy kid with low self-esteem, it meant the world to me that someone thought something I did was worth praising and sharing.
kingocastle20 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:22:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The core memories I try hardest to hold onto are that of my grandmother. She passed away when I was 5.
This may be posted too late for most to see, but for those that do, please, always wear your seat belt.
Klopford ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:22:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being taken into the bathroom and placed in the empty tub with blankets as a tornado passed over our house when I was two.
Moving to England and going to a British school for a couple years.
Receiving a Super Nintendo for my 5th birthday.
Moving back to the USA and going to an American school for the first time when I was 6.
Senior year of high school: Being told by the girl I thought of as my best friend that she really didn't want to be my friend and was tired of walking on eggshells around me because of my anxiety disorder.
Being invited to go ice skating in college with the group that would turn out to be my first real friends.
Saviourality ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:28:20 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
An old friend of mine had one of those inflatable swimming pools and a small tower playground with a slide. He and his sibling set up the slide so that you could slide into the pool. They also had their hose set up to keep water running down the slide to make the sliding faster. My friend, two of his siblings, a I had been sliding down for about an hour when his brother poured a bucket of water on my friends head as he slid down into the pool. When he emerged from the water he stormed out of the pool and into the house crying. I remember standing at the top of the tower watching him storm off crying about how mean his brother was. After that I went inside and we played Mario on his NES.
punkclickshoot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:30:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
There are probably more happy ones, but these are the strongest by far.
LilPad93 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:31:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When everyone was invited to a birthday party in front of me. I didn't understand why my friends mom was upset about that, it was normal for me. I realized then I was and always will be an outcast
When my ex boyfriend kissed me while I was in the shower crying after he yelled at me for talking to my mom about him. I realized then I was worth something more.
When my now husband said, "When you think you want to break up with someone, it's already done. You can't go back."
When I walked down the isle to my waiting husband to "Longing to Belong" by Eddie Vedder.
will_art_4_food ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:34:59 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well, where to begin. . .
Saying hi to my would be childhood best friend when I saw him playing outside two houses down from me and scaring him badly enough that he ran inside. (We were both in the same kindergarten class together, and school had been in for only a couple days.) He was a very shy kid before being introduced to me.
Being forever split from above mentioned friend after second grade (as far as classes were concerned) because we were nothing but two heathens who didn't know how to follow the rules unless we were separated.
In fifth grade, I found a kitten that had been abandoned by its mother at 3 weeks old (ish) when we were in the boonies for a chili cook off, and having all the other adults around us persuading my dad into letting me keep the kitten, even though he hated cats. I named him Country Cat (or C.C. for short), and it really taught me the values of taking care of another life.
Moving schools my Sophomore year in high school from a large school (class of 850) to a tiny school (where I had a graduating class of 30). Best decision I ever made. I really got to open up and participate in so many things that would have just passed me by.
Sophomore year in college, finding out my dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer. This was a huge turning point in my life. I had always been a "daddy's girl", and even though he had his bad qualities, I loved him more than anything. I went from an always perky optimist to a doubtful realist with depression symptoms.
Graduating college with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design. Not the degree I really wanted, but seeing the pride on my dad's face later that night after graduation as he gave me a heart necklace - that I still have to this day - as he teared up and almost cried.
My first date with my now fiance. We graduated high school together, but lost touch, then ended up having the same group of friend's years later. I had moved to a different city to start my graduate degree, and he came to visit me. What was supposed to be an evening of hanging out ended up as our first date. I stayed up way later than I should have when I had to be at work early the next morning.
The day my dad died. About a week before, I came into town to visit, and he never got up off the couch. I knew something was wrong because he was always the type of person who would never stay down for more than an instant - he was always up and working on something. I went back to work, and begged my boss to let me stay down there to be with him. He said that I had to finish up my week since the schedule had already been made. I went back home after my week of work, and was able to spend one last night with my dad. The next morning, my mom called me at 6 o' clock to tell me that he had passed in his sleep. That whole day was a blur except for when the Hospice people came to take him away. I remember seeing him that last time, withered and not looking a bit like my dad, and whispering my final "goodbye"s and "I love you"s in his ear before they wheeled him away.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:37:17 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was about 12 learning stick shift with my dad, I thought I could prove my skills by starting the car without him near all by myself. 3rd gear into his fridge which now has a giant dent in it. It's okay because now I prefer stick to automatic.
Watching my dog of 13 years being put down when I insisted I be in the room when it happens.
First time smoking weed, despite being a mild asthmatic.
Sneaking into an abandoned farm alone. Scared the piss out of me. A few months later I brought my crush there with me (nothing went down, get your head out of the gutter).
Attempting suicide. Without context it sounds terrible, but I was like 11 and though jumping off of my loft in a 2 story house would kill me. I closed my eyes and jumped and God as my witness landed on my couch. Now I'm glad it isn't possible to die falling a story.
Almost forced into sex (some would call it rape, in this situation I don't think it is) and told this person I had HPV to make her stop tickling me until she had my shirt off. Now at least 5 people think I have HPV.
On a little bit of a lighter note, starting theater class sophomore year of high school. For our final I got a lead role, and was married with another crush (not the same one from earlier) and got to kiss her numerous times over the production. One of the best times of my life being on that stage and arguing with her until we had to kiss.
avalan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:39:02 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When i was around 5-6 years old, i was with my dad inside our silo where we stored grass for our cows. The silo was 14 meters (46 feet) tall and almost completely full. My dad always had an eye on me while doing his job and told me several times not to go near the edge. And that one second he wasn't watching me my curiosity brought me to the edge to see how far down it was. It made the grass collapse where i stood and i fell down.
And i can still remember the moment i was in the air so clearly. It felt like i was in the air for so long.Every thought and question i asked myself; What was going to happen now? Why did i do that? Is my dad going to yell at me for not listening? The strange feeling of wind blowing upwards.
Luckily enough, i landed in the wheelbarrow my dad filled with grass, whereas the rest of the floor was cement. I was pretty bruised, but nothing serious.
And another core memory i have, is where i stabbed myself in the leg with a knife by accident, and by reflex pulled it out again in an instant. It was like the Kill Bill scene with The Bride VS. Gogo and The Crazy 88's, because it was blood squirting everywhere, the blood even made it to the ceiling at one point. It revealed that i punctured an artery, and if the knife was struck 1 millimeter longer inside, or if my dad didn't patch me up so good, i would be dead.
So yeah, it almost seems like there is someone watching over me, and i am truly grateful for that.
PS: My english isn't my first language, so bear with me, and sorry beforehand.
suckafuckduck ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:46:58 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One time my mom said she wouldn't take me to the mall unless i tied my shoes by myself. She pretended to leave the apartment because i was taking too long, and the moment she left the apartment got really big and dark (in my mind). She claims to have been outside the door for like two minutes, but to me it felt like an eternity.
Alphascout ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:57:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Recieving my A-level results. In the UK, at sixth form, A levels are the subjects for which the grades get you into university. I did beyond impressive in my A-levels, 2 A* and a B. I was so happy and my Mum, who was with me, was so proud. I was able to go to my first choice university and have just finished my first year, loving it.
manrock007 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:00:55 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was about 15, in high school. One day I was teasing my best friend at the time,as his crush walked by.. My friend was on the stairs sitting opposite to where I was standing.. He decided he'd had enough. Gets up to chase me. While I was prepared to run away from him any one, I wasn't so mindful of the environment around me. Ran straight backwards and into a huge ass pillar, just as I turned around.. Friends took me to administration dept., hand covering the wound that would later need 12 stitches. They rushed my friends to get me to the hospital literally opposite the school. It was a hopeless government managed hospital. They managed to shave off the hair around the wound, no pain killers, nothing.. Sewed it up, no pain killers, nothing.. Handed me a 27 rupees bill. That's like half a dollar!! That included everything. The agonising treatment, the medicines, the stench, tetanus, everything!!
And I didn't have it. Didn't have any money on me at all. I saw my friends pulling money out of their pockets in 1s and 2s.. Finally putting together the amount. Watching them do that made me smile, even through the searing pain. Couldn't walk out of the hospital as it was raining outside now, and I had a piss poor job of a dressing on my new harry potter style scar.. Friends walk into the school, and come back with the teacher in her car.. She dropped me off at my home in her car.
There are times when I'm exhausted with my stress full life. With my daily routine. With requirements, bugs, architecture meetings and code that just should not go wrong, but does nonetheless. I'm sitting in my cubicle, stretching beyond midnight on my 2 day marathon. Work life balance tipped over by a shamelessly colossal pay package. And I drift off into the nostalgia of that day. The day I had no money, but I felt so immensely happy to be around those friends. It's been 15 years since that day. But every moment, every action is replayed in my head. And I felt something extremely emotionally overwhelming that day. So overwhelming that it still affects me. I then shut down my laptop and leave for home..
xyrian328 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:01:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In no particular order:
When I was eight right around Christmas time, my family was out shopping and I became so ill during our outing that my dad had to carry me on his back all the way to the car. I remember feeling slightly too old to be carried, but feeling incredibly safe.
When my dog passed away after the very first quarter of my college. My dad had suggested we leave before they euthanized her, probably to try and save me some heartache. I wanted to stay, but I was so scared. I never thought of how scared she must have been and how selfish I was to leave her all alone. One of my great regrets.
Me standing up to my brother's bully at the age of 5. My brother is 5 years older than me. I told him if he didn't leave my brother alone I was gonna punch him right in the nuts. He threatened to beat me up. I told him even if I lost my dad would kick his butt. He never bothered my brother again.
When I was seven I was extremely ill and slept in my parents bed for the night. They had recently been arguing a lot about various things. They argued and got on the topic of separation, thinking I was asleep. I was silently sobbing, until my parents noticed I was awake. It was the first time my dad had ever apologized to me and I will never forget it. They are still together and celebrated their 25th anniversary last year.
Spending the summer before college working at my mom's business. We spent a lot of time together just talking. I learned a lot about her and how hard she worked to help provide for our family.
My first true relationship, how amazing it was before I moved after college. Being too stubborn to admit how much I really cared for her and letting her go. I proceeded to be a giant prick to her and haven't spoken to her since. Led to a lot of reflection of who I am as a person and how I needed to change. I have reached out to try to amend the things I did not and could not have truly meant. She has never responded even though she now lives close by. Another of my life's regrets.
Explaining to my parents that I was no longer in medical school and I didn't want to be a doctor. I expected shame and disappointment, but my parents told me they loved me and they weren't disappointed. They just wanted the best for me. They apologized for being so overbearing when I was younger. My conversation with them that day really showed me that they loved me unconditionally.
When I confided in my current s/o that I was no longer headed for a career in medicine. She loved me unconditionally, even through the months where I had no idea who I was or what I should do. The first job I was able to get was door to door sales, very late at night. They would drive and drop us off in various locations. She drove 20 miles out of her way at 9PM to sit with me because I had made my rounds and they wouldn't come by to pick me up for another hour. She is amazing, if I play my cards right I will be married to her someday.
When my dad told me to treat my current s/o like a "princess". He's a bit old fashioned, but I knew what he meant. It was the first time my dad ever gave me relationship advice. He knew she was right for me. I know it too dad and I'll do my best.
ITpuzzlejunkie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:05:40 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
-I remember going over the handle bars when I was 3. We had a babysitter. I remember the look on her face. She called her mom (it was bad). Her mom came and picked us up, and we got to be in the bar down the street her mom owned and play arcade games. It was weird because I grew up in Indiana and minors are not allowed in bars.
-I remember getting trapped in a sleeping bag when I was 2 and thinking I was going to die. Grandma came and unzipped it. I still have issues with tight spaces. Random but I can't shake it.
-I remember not having very many friends in elementary school and thinking about taking my life nearly everyday. I tried when I was a teenager. I haven't ever puked that much before or since. No one knows. They think I had food poisoning.
The final straw was thinking I was going to fail a class I was too smart for. I was so bored. They were reviewing books that I had used in classes three years prior (I was taking 4 advanced classes. Something had to give, so I was put in regular English). I hadn't done the last required assignment. It was the last day of school, and my final chance to turn it in. It wasn't finished. Dying was a better option to repeating that class for me. It was dumb, but gave me the extra time to complete the assignment, and I passed. I also couldn't walk correctly for 3 weeks. I was too shaky.
-When I was twenty-three, I decided that living in the closet was no longer an option. I started searching for other people like me. At twenty-four, I went to my first kinky meet-up, and met life long friends. It was the first time in my life that I didn't feel like an outsider.
-Three years ago, I planned out my suicide again. I knew more about anatomy by then and would have succeeded, but I had promised I would help out with a kinky convention the next day and the rest of the weekend. I was in really bad shape, but I have this thing about keeping my word. I said I would help, so I had to go.
I work my ass off (literally wore through my shoes) and had a great time. I started seeing a guy. He became my best friend, and we have been play partners ever since.
Mental illness runs in my family. My mom is bipolar and my sister and I both have learning disabilities, even though our IQs are in the high 130's. This was my eye opener that something was seriously wrong. I had a lot to live for and still do. Though, it is a constant battle.
SteveSteve003 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:06:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Everyone in this sub should go pick up a copy of Karl Ove Knausgaard's My Struggle to get an entire books-worth of these types of memories!
Kbopbop ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:13:11 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The day after I met my current SO.
We met for a drink after I was left at the bar by my friends. We talked for hours about everything. He told me stories that were so intriguing, and I told him my favorite childhood stories. That feeling of pure joy and love with talking into the late hours of the night will always stick with me.
The best part was when we left the bar. We went to this little diner for cheeseburgers, the kind of place that just has a counter and minimal seating. It was packed. We could barely move through the people to order. Once we got a couple cheeseburgers - we headed to this little statue that over looks the city we live in. We sat by that statue until the sun came up, eating our cheeseburgers and talking about everything. I felt like a teenager falling in love for the first time.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:15:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Just after graduating college, I was driving back from Dallas (where I went to school) to California. There was a moment where I had just created a hill and started down a long stretch of straight road in the desert just before the California. It was sunset and I was listening to "Cary On My Wayward Son." It small moment but I had a feeling of satisfaction about the road behind and limitless potential ahead.
Noogatuck ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:16:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Ordered from favorite to least favorite.
The day I got married. :) my wife looked beautiful and thinking about that moment always makes me smile. No matter what.
The day I excepted my first career job. That was almost 3 years ago. I've been promoted twice already and things look good :)
The day I won my first ultimate frisbee game.
The day my parents told me I wouldn't amount to anything until I moved out and didn't depend on them. (I was 16).
The day my parents kicked me out for being a failure. (I was 17)
The day I thought I had forgiven my parents for everything. And then realized I still despised them.
sandfish313 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:22:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Moving to the U.S. It was incredibly traumatic. I'll never forget the moment when I had to read a book as homework, but I had no idea what it said and I cried in frustration while my parents comforted me. I used to be the happiest and most outgoing kid, but when I moved here everything seemed different. People seemed more hostile, I had no friends, and I had to learn a new language. The sense of wonder I had as a kid was gone. I developed depression and anxiety issues that are still with me to this day. I wish we never moved, but I'll be going back and I'll get to start over.
HppySqrrl-67 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:35:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
One of the strongest is when I was about 11 years old and my family and I were at family friends for Thanksgiving. All the women and girls were in the kitchen chatting and preparing the feast. The boys and men were outside in the nearby park. My mother told me I had to 'go and play with the boys". I refused, wanting to stay where I was having fun and felt comfortable. She insisted and ushered me out the door. I can very vividly recall standing there, in front of a closed door, consumed by rage and confusion, a feeling of total rejection. Years later I finally realized that I am transgender.
smartrthanu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:19:54 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
msbabc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:42:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When my granddad died. He'd been sick for years and years. I'd never known him be any other way. I remember hugging my mum and she wouldn't let go and to know I was consoling her instead of the other way round was a real coming of age moment.
New years eve, 91/92. I was eight and we were out in the street watching fireworks. My dad put me up on his shoulders and talked about savouring the next ten years as I would change more then than in any period in my life. So far, he's right.
The first time I met my girlfriend. We worked for the same company and I'd moved locations. We didn't start a relationship for about 6 months, but something really caught my eye. Not a physical thing (although that was there too), just how she carried herself, her tone, she made me laugh.
Being hit by a car, age 9. Saw lights, froze, next memory is in the back of my dad's car.
Azmodeon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:11:28 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You should all be glad you can even remember these things. I can't remember a single moment from my childhood, good or bad. Hell, i can't remember what i did yesterday. I feel like i'm slowly becoming ten-second Tom.
Cherish your memories people. They're the only tether you have to your past. When they're gone, they're GONE.
Tribble-ations104 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:53:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 7 or so, I threw up after eating a large amount of spaghetti. Spaghetti sauce still tastes like vomit to this day.
RobotJiz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:12:10 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
And now everyone who just travelled down memory lane just altered your memories memory of your memory.
CrossyourBitch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:52:13 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 15 my brothers good friends from his frat died of an overdose from heroin. He killed himself on purpose and my brother was so devastated. My brother was a senior in college at the time and he drove to stay home with me and our parents for the weekend. I remember I was in the basement watching college football, while I hear my brother crying to my parents about what happened. This was the first time I remember my brother cry in about 5 years and I knew it struck a cord in him. He was giving details to my parents about what happened and it was saddening to hear it. It almost me cry too. My brother said he was going to kill the person who sold his late friend the heroin (he was just really emotional he never did it). This is when I realized how terrible drugs are and how your actions can absolutely crush other people who care about you. I said that day that I will never do any hard core drugs and I've stuck to that vow to this day.
iinaniel ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:10:56 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The night I've spent in the closet. I was 5 years old. all my relatives preferred my brother to me. he was the firstborn plus he's boy and in my society that means having privileges over girls just because you have penis. So I was in my grandparents' and everyone was having fun, there were like 20 people. all relatives. I sneaked to the next room and hid in the closet and waited for hours till someone realized i was gone. my aunt did. and it defined my special connection to her since then
The day my aunt cried on my lap for four fucking hours. Her husband works in US. He left her family to get a job in US 7 years ago. it was first time he visited back . The day before flight he called me and asked to come and be with my aunt. I was upset and answered him really rudely not to tell me what to do, as when he leaves I am the one with her. I went to their place of coarse. he left. My aunt did not follow him to the airport. She spent 4 fucking hours sobbing on my neck, then put her head in my lap and I was patting her. She loves him and accepts that for their children's sake he has to work in different country and not see her for like 7 years. I hate him for doing it to her.
The night I cried under the table. Its just another break-up story. We were together since high school all the first love and staff. then we slowly started to fall apart and finally when I was studying in another country I got the courage to tell him that he did not love me so he was free to go. he did. I spent whole night sitting under the table, in the corner of the room holding my pillow and crying.
Meeting my soulmate. I've known him for three years then but we were never close. It was our first time having beer. He had to leave early but did not know how to find the way. I walked with him. Then in the corner of the street i saw dogs, got frightened and he held my waist for like three seconds. Those three second is the brightest core memory I have now, because they kind of defined my relationship to him and all the good things we've had since then. He left me too, though and that's the bluest core memory ever.
Listening to the National. Having my dream coming true. I went to the festival with my best friend, spent hours standing just to be in front of the stage. When the moment came of the National come out on the stage I closed my eyes like hundred time to assure myself it was not a dream. I was standing there thinking that nothing is as perfect as this moment, waiting your favorite band to come out on the stage as there are some moments that you wish to be sound tracked, however that was so perfect without soundtrack I was exploiting endorphin's. and then the moment Matt's foot touched the stage the Smiths "please please please" started to play. That was it - Perfection as I have this song like a prayer and the words "please please please let me let me let me get what I want" was directly was followed by the thing that I was asking to get so hard throughout the years.
potatomonstr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:42:20 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I think I was in 6th grade where we had an assignment to take a photo themed "Love in Bangkok" (yes I lived there). Very young me decided to take a picture of my dogs holding a bouqet in my garden so I urged my father to take me to buy said flowers. I went and I remember my father and my brother tailing me, phone in hand, to record me. I felt very embarassed and urged them to stop, but that only fueled their laughs and giggles. I felt bullied. I felt like I wanted to throw those flowers down on the floor and step on it and run away as far as I could. I think that's when my insecurities really blossommed.
colonelspaz01 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:32:20 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
i remember when i was younger on Christmas eve i was at my nanas house. the whole family was there as it was tradition and i remember opening the fridge to get food and then seeing the light go out just as it closed and of course me being like 7 at the time i asked about it and my nana told me that a little man lived inside the fridge and would hide whenever someone opened the fridge and that he was the reason the lights came on and off because that was his job. so me being my 7 year old self spent the next half hour or more quickly throwing the fridge door open to catch the little man and then closing it slowly to see if the little man would come out thinking that the door was closed. after multiple attempts i finally gave up and left the little man alone. after about an hour of spending time with family we left cramming into a couple cars and i remember playing a game with everyone in the car. we chose a side. north and south. i chose north so did my papa (grandfather aka my best friend and hero) and my dad. my mum, sister and grandma picked the south. the point of this was that who ever chose the side that had the most Christmas decorations on the houses. we one by a mile
eloquent_bacon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:30:18 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
TL:DR 1. Childhood dreams achieved. 2. Grandad performs miracles
1. I've practised Judo for years, since i was about 5 years old (20 now) and in the 15 years i've spent doing the sport all i ever wanted was to represent the British team. I'm talking 4 nights a week as a child spent in a sports hall, sometimes training to exhaustion, throwing up, fainting etc. but i massively lack the natural skill required to be 'special'. Thus i hoped that practise makes perfect. Fast forward 15 years and i'm competing in the national trials, in the final fight of the final round... all i had to do was win this fight and everything i had ever dreamed of would happen. (long intro i know but bear with...) so the core moment i experienced in that last five minute fight was a wave of memories, from 5yrs + culminating with me getting my selection letter. Still my happiest moment, doubt anything will top it to be honest.
Second memory isnt as happy. I stood and watched my Grandad dying, literally watching him in a hospital bed as his heart failed. His eyes lit up as i walked in, and then he went back to trying to stay alive as his heart worked at 50%, 37%, 24% then 10%. I'd never seen my Dad or uncles cry before, but there we stood, four grown men in bits watching this incredible man die. I actually left early the hospital early to go to Judo (this was before the previous story) because my Grandad had said his goodbye and ushered me away. By some miracle he pulled through, i still dont understand how. But im not always sure it was for the best.
๐๏ธ PapiSurane ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:24:17 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
That first one is awesome! Are you competing in the Olympics this year, or were the trials for something else?
eloquent_bacon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:00:54 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
aha thank you!! but noo, I'm a long way off that standard, but that would be amazing! it was the trails for the British team, but to go to the Olympics you need to be the best in the country and top 22 in the world as well
Uveampaline ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:39:04 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I spent a lot of my childhood in hospitals, also my mother was a helicopter parent. She was always talking to others about my condition and about how the doctors said I'd have a short life or will have to live in a mental institution.
I came to the conclusion that for the rest of my life I would just go with the flow. Let other people decide for me what I should do and not do. I was going to die soon. If I survived I would go and live in a mental institution or on the streets.
Coming to the slow realisation in my twenties that things don't happen that way. Doctors and parents can be wrong. People won't do everything for you and even if they do you might not like it.
Swinging on the swings at school and watching the clouds, trying to see shapes.
Making a real friend in the first year of high school who didn't care about my primary school friend.
In high school; Telling my primary school friend (Who bossed me around, was the main reason I didn't have friends and was bullied) that I had my own friends now and that she wasn't my friend anymore.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:54:18 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My sister and I live in the UK whilst my mum, dad and younger brother live abroad.
It was my mums birthday and they went away to Thailand to celebrate. Little did my mum know, my dad had secretly arranged for my sister and I to meet them there and surprise her. After traveling for 18 hours, we knock on her hotel room door and I will never forget the look of happiness on her face. I love her so much and love my dad so much for making it happen.
vjmdhzgr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:20:44 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This also happens to be my earliest memory. When I was like 2 or 3 years old my mom took me to a park of some sort. There was a large grass field around some metal and glass building that was like the important thing there. Anyway, we were walking along a dirt path and I got stung by a bee somehow. I started crying and running away, but my mom quickly caught back up to me and calmed me down. She then taught me about how bees don't actually want to sting you because when they do that they die, so they'll only do it if they think you're a threat to their hive. So to avoid getting stung you should just act calm around bees so they don't see you as a threat.
I think it's greatly affected how I treat animals, which is a big part of my life as I've almost always had cats, and I haven't been stung by a bee since.
pirated_linux ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:09:01 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
7/7 attacks in London. I was in primary school, the last year (Year 6) and as we had finished our exams and everything I was helping with paperwork in the school office as I was good with computers and everything. I heard what was happening in London on the radio and returned to class and said what was happening, which looking back on it worried some people without realising as their parents worked in London...
I was a dick.
(I still am)
Born2dodishes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:35:16 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My father buying an entire box of Marvel trading cards (this was 1992-- I was six and had just discovered the Marvel Universe) and sitting me down and opening pack after pack and going through the cards one by one while he explained to me who each character was and what their powers were (he was, and is, a big comic book nerd as well). Never have I felt so connected to the man. Perfect memory.
Gregrox ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:22:32 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I... I don't have any.
BraveLilToaster42 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:47:37 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My dad dying, my feminist awakening, something with dogs, my mom blaming her ugly depressive episode on me, the moment when I realized my SO wasn't going anywhere despite my baggage.
apoliticalinactivist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:47:37 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Great question.
I'm a bit late to the party, but thinking and typing it out has been cathartic. In chronological order:
Shadow_Of_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:07 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I know what batman a core memories would be... A joyful memory would be when he is training robin
A sad memory would be when his parants died
A disgusted memory would be when joker falls in toxic waste
A scary memory would be scarecrows toxin
And a angry memory will be when he first meets joker
dorkdiariesisforboys ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:35:58 on July 27, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
In first grade, I dropped a bowling ball on my pinkie finger. I still have a scar there today.
I was a brony all through 5th grade. New episodes weren't far from true magic for me.
I discovered Linkin Park when I was removed from my parents. I'm home sweet home now :)
Season 2 of Star vs the Forces of Evil
hugsohugs ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:27:35 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I thought I was late until I saw that people are still making posts on this.
Anyway...
Running in my uncle's foresty backyard, chasing fireflies.
When I learned I had aspurgers...which is actually a happier memory for me than sad. I remember thinking he actually said "ass-burgers" and laughing about it with my mom on the way home. I already knew I had autism so it wasn't big news, but honestly, the autism thing was something that effected me LESS in my childhood anyway.
The day I went to my grandmother's funeral. What really stuck with me was that I only cried when I saw my mother (who was the related one) crying.
I don't have a lot and they're kind of underwhelming, but I think that's just because I'm just starting to leave my teen years.
yourpetgoldfish ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:16:50 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was trying to formulate some sort of order for these, but honestly, I'm just not going to bother. Here are the most significant ones I can think of.
-My dad slamming my mother's head in the fridge because she took his beer out and shook it. My heart pounding in my chest as I frantically tried to decide what to do. Bitter disappointment at myself for my inaction. Roughly age 12.
-My mom driving us all to beach late at night, well past bedtime. I remember the scratchy blanket and hearing my younger siblings sleep quietly beside me. I remember stepping on a jellyfish and it sort of glowing. Maybe age 7.
-Always locking the door as my grandma walked around the car to open the door for me. Her always pretending to be surprised and laughing with me. Many years, as early as I can remember until maybe age 8.
-Playing hide and seek with my cousin. Anywhere, anytime, still to this day.
-Falling in love for the first time. It felt like being on fire. I was excited for every moment, every kiss, every touch. And alternatively,
-Having my heart broken for the first time. Turning to my best friend and having her hold me and pet my hair while I cried. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to smile, but I had to pretend everything was okay.
-Getting my first apartment. Feeling elated at having my own space, terrified at not having a house full of people all the time, and crying for the entire first two weeks I was out because I felt like a horrible, ungrateful child.
-Having my dad come home from jail and be sober. He was a severe alcoholic my entire life and I was angry and resentful at my mom for allowing him to come home to us. I didn't let him into my life or heart for a long time after that and did everything in my power to get him arrested again, but now I realize he really is a different man. Or rather, he's back to who he's supposed to be; the man my mother fell in love with, the father we were supposed to have. He's trying and I'm proud to call him my dad now.
I'm sure there are more, but that's what I got.
Zuzublue ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:55:47 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sorry you've lost a part of your innocence and youth. But there are so many small joys in the world, I hope you can find one each day.
wessexboyofsidney ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:24:11 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
You have some time before then then. A few months can change a lot, I hope it does for you!
nanome ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:28:19 on July 29, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Haha late to the party, I know, but I've thought about this recently and thought I'd share it with whoever reads this.
When I was 2 or 3 I played peek-a-boo with my dad on one of our visits to the US. Just thinking about it makes me really happy.
The next real memory I have is of the night my brother was born. It was scary because Mom and Dad had to go to the Hospital and we kids were left with a babysitter.
Later, when I turned 8 we moved to another country. In contrast to the movie I looked forward to it and loved it.
In 6th grade I tried taking my own life. I had been bullied a lot and thought there was no way out ever again. Looking back I realize this was the moment I realized my life wasn't the centre of everything, but the loss of my life could make the lives of the people I love very hard. It's a sad memory that brings forth helping experience.
Next: 8th grade. The one 'real friend' i thought I had turned to me and asked me to bugger off already.
After this my luck changed to the good again. I got better memories but there are no more real core memories.
theimpost ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:10:21 on July 30, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Nobody will see this, but what a cathartic question. For context, I've had major depressive disorder/anxiety since I was a kid. Didn't find out til college. Chronological:
-My grandfather dying when I was ten. He lived with us and had cancer. He died in the middle of the night and I remember my parents asking me the next day if I wanted to stay home from school. I said yes because I thought I was suppose to, and then just went upstairs and read comics while well wishers passed through. I felt numb, and since that day shutting down emotionally is a huge defense mechanism.
-Being in an inner city school for two years from ages 12-14. I left because I passed a door one day with a grate-window on it that had been smashed through. I asked the janitors what happened, "one kid smashed another kids head through the window." All I could think was "oh, that makes sense."
-At the foot of my basement stairs when I was 16 or 17, holding my best friend as she told me she loved me. I said "I love you too" and meant it, but we never got together. But the amazing warmth I felt realizing I loved somebody.
-Being 19 and on stage and having a panic attack for the first time in the middle of a performance when I looked across the audience and saw a girl and thought about having to talk to people after the show. I got help for social anxiety shortly after.
-Having a stalker in college and having to file a police report after the cops took her away.
-Trying to kill myself at 21 and waking up the day after.
-Having a fight with a girlfriend, we really knew how to emotionally hurt each other. I said in the middle of it "do you know how hard it is to miss someone who's standing right in front of you?"
I've had good memories too, it's just far easier to remember the bad ones.
iamaquantumcomputer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:47:16 on August 7, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Memory 3 sounds really great.
How are things now?
theimpost ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:04:52 on August 7, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Things are alright now, thank you. Memory 3 is pretty bittersweet - we had a falling out years later. I'm better at handling the bad, if that makes sense. It's been a hellish year, definitely in the bottom 3. But I'm crawling out.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:48:55 on July 30, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Our choir did Wicked for our spring musical, complete with costumes, dance numbers, and special effects. We practiced for months. The opening song is dramatic and a bit shocking, and I can remember walking out onto stage and singing, Good news, she's dead! with dry ice fog spilling off the stage, red lights illuminating us. Seeing the audience's shocked faces convinced me to stay in choir all four years of high school.
starlit_moon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:10:16 on August 1, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
When I got married it was lightly raining and we'd just said our vows when everyone began blowing bubbles and the wind picked up so the bubbles kind of swirled everywhere. Magical. I'll never forget the terrifying and beautiful birth of my daughter which almost killed me. Going to Japan and seeing Mt Fuji and going to Rome and being in an isolated town in Switerland standing outside listening to waterfalls and the distant echo of cow bells.
olizzlemynzzl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:36:16 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
So freaking late to the party but here it goes:
My 4th little birthday party my family held at local mcdonald's, all of my school friends,neighbours and close family were there. We were bunch of 3-7yo kids running around and laughing at each other. Good times
My elementary school's entry exam (i went to a private school so they held an entry exam lol). The night before i cut the skin near my left eye cus i stumble upon the corner of my gram's glass coffee table and i had a bandaid on and looked like a pirate. But still killed the exam though even with a one eye
The first time i won my piano competition. I wasnt there to receive the trophy cus my fat ass decided to eat chicken wings and milkshake instead at the hotel's restaurant where the competition was held when they announce the winners
Not a happy memory but i cant forget this one. I was out with my friend and went to the movies fast forward i was eating early dinner with her when my mom called to told me my dad had left our house. They got divorced months later.
olizzlemynzzl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:36:17 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My 4th little birthday party my family held at local mcdonald's, all of my school friends,neighbours and close family were there. We were bunch of 3-7yo kids running around and laughing at each other. Good times
My elementary school's entry exam (i went to a private school so they held an entry exam lol). The night before i cut the skin near my left eye cus i stumble upon the corner of my gram's glass coffee table and i had a bandaid on and looked like a pirate. But still killed the exam though even with a one eye
The first time i won my piano competition. I wasnt there to receive the trophy cus my fat ass decided to eat chicken wings and milkshake instead at the hotel's restaurant where the competition was held when they announce the winners
Not a happy memory but i cant forget this one. I was out with my friend and went to the movies fast forward i was eating early dinner with her when my mom called to told me my dad had left our house. They got divorced months later
ch1cgeek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:46:33 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
my brother, three years younger than me, used to always run to me for comfort when he was upset/had been scolded. i remember one day i was upset and he came to me and tried to hug me/provide comfort as i had done to him and i pushed him away and said something to the effect of "get away from me!" the next time he was upset, i went to him as i always did and he pushed me away and told me to go away. i was only eight or so but i vividly remember him doing it, knowing why he did it, and wishing i could take it back because i really wanted to hug him.
spending the night with my grandparents when i was a little girl. we would sit out on the deck and watch the sunset, them with their glasses of wine and me with my wineglass full of grape juice. we would sit in the front of the fireplace, me with my back to the fire until it was so hot i couldn't stand it anymore and play old maid. their cat was too skittish to let me pet it but they always told me she would come sleep with me at night so i was always excited to fall asleep, knowing this cat would come sleep with me.
watching my grandpa comfort my grandma in the hall by the front door in the middle of the night when she learned that her mother had died. i remember that i couldn't hear her cry, but i could see her shoulders shaking as she sobbed and he was so gentle with her as he stroked her back and her hair. i was spending the night and they thought i was asleep.
picking up my younger brother, 14 years younger than me, from one of his first days at a new school and asking him how his day was. he told me it wasn't that great but didn't want to talk about it. i bugged him and he admitted a kid spit in his face after he asked to play soccer with them at recess.
my son being placed on my stomach the moment he was born, looking at his face, taking in his features, thinking "oh, that's what you look like" after wondering about it throughout my entire pregnancy.
walking up to my ex boyfriend in the airport a few months ago after being broken up for eight months. i saw him before he saw me. i remember the outfit he was wearing, taking in all of his features that had changed and the ones that had stayed the same in the time we were apart. it was a really intimate moment that feels so dramatic to explain out loud, but when i walked up to him we just stood there, with me looking up at him and him looking down at me until i ruined the moment by putting my hand in his face to break his gaze. i remember thinking "this is it. you don't feel these kinds of feelings with more than one person a lifetime. i'll spend my entire life trying to make it work with this person because no one has ever made me feel as alive as this idiot right here."
on the ferris wheel on the pier in downtown seattle with my ex boyfriend, with the sun looking so beautiful setting over the mountains, looking at his face and being torn between feeling more in love than i had ever felt and knowing it was not realistic to think that it would ever work out between us, but deeply wishing it could. wondering if he felt the same way when he looked at me.
muttenchops23 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:28:47 on August 2, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was one year old (maybe 2) and I remember falling face first on the side of the bath tub and knocking my tooth out. Soo much blood
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:51:29 on August 11, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Sitting on a bench outside with a close friend, listening to Air by Bach sharing earphones staring at the clouds and enjoying the music. It taught me that there are some profound things in the world that have no words. That moment was something I've never shared with anyone since. Unrequited love can be very bittersweet.
There was nostalgia, happiness, longing, peace, intensity, and a soft hint of sorrow. All fused in varying degrees into one emotion.
Best I could hope for is to share some semblance of that moment with another woman again.
Saviourality ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:54:14 on August 12, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Riding my longboard through a small coastal town in Oregon. I had only lived there for three years, but it was the best place I have ever lived. The specific memory happened in December. It was so foggy I could feel it. I could smell the ocean. My earbuds playing my playlist of bluegrass, classic rock, pop, and soul. I spent hours just riding through the streets, passing every freaking house in the tiny town. Riding under every street lamp. Thinking of nothing, remembering everything. Whenever I'm back in that place, and the fog starts rolling in I think about that night. The night I fell in love with a little town.
Saviourality ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:17:42 on August 19, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Once when I snowed pretty heavily, I took my late dog (who was about 13 at the time) outside and watched her jump around in the snow like a little yellow puppy. I have never seen her happier than in that moment.
ePants ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:37:52 on August 19, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I'm far too late to the store thread, but whatever.
When I was in 3rd grade I asked my dad why we didn't watch basketball on TV. My friends had been talking about it, so I was curious. My dad always had reasons for things, so I knew it must be something. He answered me, "Why would I want to waste time watching sports? Watching a game doesn't change the outcome, and we don't know any of the players, so there's no real reason to root for either team."
This made total sense to me at the time. In fact, it still does.
I'm not against watching sports, and I enjoy the vicarious/empathetic excitement of watching a big game with a group, but I've never once chosen to watch a sporting event without being invited.
jell0phish ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:04:17 on September 4, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Back in high school, I was a terrible kid. There was one girl in particular who my group of friends was quite mean to. I didn't bully her as much as two particular girls in our group did, but I still pretty much verbally hurt her which is still bad. Fast forward to the beginning of senior year, I got my just desserts and ended up being left/ignored by some of the people in that group and they were kind of the only friends I had then in high school. Needless to say, I felt awful and lonely, and I would go on my own. I deserved that, but what I still think I didn't deserve was when the girl we had bullied came up to me and asked me if something was wrong. I was shocked as hell that her of all people would come to help me when I was feeling awful, when I had been terrible to her. Ever since then, we worked out our problems, I apologized to her, and now she is one of my closest friends.
jonasnew ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:34:13 on October 1, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I have tons of memories, but my favorite one is when I was only four years old, I literally flipped on the garbage disposal. Here's what happened.
After noticing my mother turning it on many times, it made me want to turn it on, as I thought it was just a sound effect. So, one time when I noticed my mother washing the dishes and therefore had the faucet on, I thought it would be a good time to flip on the garbage disposal since at the time, I thought it would only work if the sink water was running. And not knowing how dangerous garbage disposals actually were, I very quickly dragged a stool over to where the garbage disposal switch was, then I climbed up onto the stool, then onto the counter, and I flipped on the disposal switch, and it went on. Thankfully, my hands weren't in the drain, nor my mother's, but my mother did freak out big time. It was like, the garbage disposal and my mother's yelling were battling each other to see who was louder. I couldn't quite make out most of what my mother was specifically yelling because of the disposal being so loud, but the one thing I could make out what my mother shouting "You may get hurt", as she said that right when I flipped off the disposal switch. At first, I was so confused to why my mother freaked out when I turned on the garbage disposal since I've seen her do it a lot, but then, I realized a couple of years later how dangerous they were. And that's my biggest memory of all time.
raymondxcho ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:39:45 on November 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first "I love you" from my first girlfriend. It melted my heart. We were at the beach for our annual marching band bonfire late August night. I was giving her a piggy back ride along the shore away from our group. She said, "raymondxcho, I love you" Super caught off guard, my response was, "Uh, me too!" She replied with "You can say the whole phrase, you know."
My dad threatening to physically hurt me. My dad's old school Korean. I grew up with spanks and beatings for doing wrong things. But this one stung because I didn't know what I did wrong. 10 years old. It was me and my parents coming home from our grandparents. My mom found out her dad is sick with cancer. Once we got home, she was crying in the car, and I handed her a tissue and was about to start a conversation when my dad butted in and said something along the lines of "Get outta here before I beat the shit outta you." - in Korean (so can't translate directly). Maybe it was a moment of weakness for him, but regardless, those few words he spoke severed our father/son relationship. Love was replaced with fear that day towards my dad. I never spoke to him after that unless spoken to. 13 years later, he's wondering why I don't like talking to him. Fuck that piece of shit.
Getting my first guitar. I picked up the guitar way after my friends did. I caught up to them in terms of skill level in about half the time because I was glued to it. Still playing strong 10 years later. :D
Gatewaydrag ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:05:15 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being left in a playpen as around 2yrs old for hrs upon hrs everyday,being hungry and angry and being force fed. (i was kidnapped and held hostage for 4months) The day my father was supposed to see me in the hospital while i had cancer, but never came and never saw him again. (be bailed on my bro and mom cause i got cancer, i was 3 when i got it, 4 when he decided he couldnt deal with it.) The day i decided i wanted to die more than live, and have never mentally healed from that decision. (age 6) The NDE i had at the end of my cancer that healed me of said cancer.(age 7) The night i learned how to leave my body while awake and go fly around. (age 7)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:07:44 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Being spun around in a giant bowl by my dad when I was a baby
Playing Mighty Max & Polly Pocket with my sister.
Playing Banjo Kazooie in my den in the attic
No one turning up for my Birthday Party
Enduring a long car ride with my teenage sister screaming about nothing as my mum just tries to drive and calm her down.
Building my first PC from scratch
Losing a small claims court I had worked on for 6 months and prepared for perfectly perfectly because the other guy was more convincing at lying than I was at telling the truth
Asking my absentee, manipulator dad what he's done that I owe him for without any emotion, and his inability to answer!
Waiting next to a hospital bed for my mum to die after she hung herself
HppySqrrl-67 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
OMG - 4 and 9 are so powerful.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
They're the memories that stick with me. Some of them make no sense why. Some of them make perfect sense why!
newsagg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:36 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
My Dad taking me and my brother & sister to the local park. They had this tire hanging on a 20m ethernet cable you would shit post from while about walking pace. My Dad decided to make it more fun. Heโs a pretty big guy and he would run with you on the wire for about the first 5m and then throw you forwards. Within 5 minutes there was a queue of kids wanting to be hurled along on this thread. I was so proud that he was my dad and can still hear the childish screams of joy as kids shit posted on the other end.
Shit posting solo at school and my Grandpa standing up mid-performance to applaud me. He knew it wasnโt the end but he was so proud.
When I overheard my Mum talking to my Dad. She said that they should prioritise getting me the new memes I wanted because I never asked for anything and this was clearly important to me.
The first time I saw my current SO (over 10 years ago; been together for the last 6 years). I knew then that I wanted to shit post. Itโs the surest Iโve felt of anything in my life.
tragicallyludicrous ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:38 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
first time i wanked it was pretty dope
newsagg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:16:00 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
ludothegreat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:27:22 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Being pulled out of my 4th-grade class and sent to the principle's office. They told me that I was going home with a neighbor and that my parents would come there to pick me and my younger sister up. It was odd, but one of my 3 sisters had stayed home from school "sick" that day. I just figured that my mother had taken her to the doctors or something related to that. I wasn't happy with her, knowing that she was faking being sick. When we had left for school that morning I had turned to her, as I was headed out the front door, and told her "you are stupid". I remained salty all day long and became even more upset being told that I couldn't go directly home after school now because of her.
I sucked it up and once school was over my sister and I walked home with the neighbor girl and went directly to her house where our youngest sister was already waiting. When we entered the house it just felt odd. Everything silent, almost frozen in time. It was the weirdest sensation 9-year-old me had ever felt. The neighbor girls mothers took our things and let us start to settle in. Soon enough we were doing the normal kid things and I forgot all about the stillness that we walked into. After a bit, the neighbor girl's mother called for her. My sister and I stayed and played while she went to find out what her mother needed. She was gone a long while. Enough that I noticed. When she came back she was different. Quiet and shy. I could sense that awkward stillness that I felt when first entering the house again, but once we went back to kid things it too went away.
We were there for a long while. Longer than I had anticipated. But eventually, my parents came. It wasn't dark, but it was late. I don't know that we ate dinner there, but it had to be around that time when my parents finally came to get us. We were watching TV in the living room at the time. My parents came in the front door. The house was setup so the front door entered into a stair landing. Up a few stairs and you were in the living room. Down a few and you were in the family room in the basement. In the living room, there was a couch sitting against the stairwell wall. When I hear my parents come in, I looked over the top of the couch and down into the stairwell. I immediately knew something was not right.
My father was blank. Like all emotion was gone. He was silent and distant. My mother's eyes and nose were red and bloodshot. She was still sniffling and wiping her face with a tissue. My sister was not with them.
The stillness came back. My heart started beating hard. The now anxiety riddled 9-year-old me knew something was wrong. I asked, "Where is Alicia"? My mother looked up at me and softly said: "Get your things together so we can go please". I gathered my stuff and hurried my sisters to do the same. I could hear the adults talking softly in the other room. I remember the worry. I remember the dread. I remember the stillness.
We packed up our stuff and all got into my mother's car. My father was driving. He backed out of the driveway and started going the opposite direction from our house. I remember thinking our house was just a couple blocks away. Why were we going the opposite way? He continued to drive.
The oldest of my younger sisters asked this time. "Where is Alicia"? My parents were both silent. My father continued driving in the opposite direction, starting forward, yet to have said a word. My mother turned from the passenger seat looked at us. Her soul was gone. Her face was sunk in and you could tell there was nothing there anymore. Every ounce of humanity had been drained from within her. "I have to tell you guys something", again very softly. Wiping her nose with the tissue she looked at us for a couple moments and said, "Alicia is dead".
That was the key point that changed all of our lives. Nothing was the same after that. I remember my two younger sisters started screaming and crying. I remember my mom busting back into full blown tear. I remember my dad starting forward while continuing to drive around the block. I remembered the last words I ever said to my dead 6-year-old sister and joined my father in his emptiness, staring out the window as we drove down the road.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:08:48 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Random420eks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:19:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Anger issues, being picked on, getting in trouble for fighting, anger counseling, pharmaceuticals.
First time I saw porn
First time I thought I felt love, but she didn't feel the same way so I spiraled down into depression and contemplated suicide, more counseling more pharmaceuticals.
First time i smoked weed.
Firsts with different girls at different times (kiss, giving oral, sex)
First time i got drunk; same night as the first time I met the guy who was going to be my best friend
First time i knew we were going to be best friends (when he lied to the principle to help get me out of trouble; he got himself suspended with me, instead of me getting expelled, and him not getting in any trouble)
Getting caught up in the meth craze, which lead to many rehabs including one hardcore middle of the snowy Idaho mountains in tents thing, and expulsion anyway.
Getting into the pill craze which lead to my best friend and I both in hospitals at separate times and for me eventually lead to a juvenal correction facility, and a final rehab.
Traveling around Europe for a few months
Teaching English in Thailand. Traveling through SE Asia for a few months.
Doing a hardcore meditation retreat.
Coming back when a drunk driver cut short the life of my best friend of 10+ years.
iamaquantumcomputer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:31:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Jeez man
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:50:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Getting chicken pocks on a day when my dad was supposed to take me to the circus, and he went alone and bought me balloons home.
Watching my parents get into a fist fight, and my dad breaking a window with his fist and my mom getting glass in her leg and bleeding.
When my grandmother gave me a purple rabbit stuffed animal and I decided that it was going to be my best friend. (It's still sitting next to me, 20 years later.)
Having a kindergarten teacher that made me sit away from everyone else because I was "out of control" In reality, I'm dyslexic and probably acted out when I was frustrated because I didn't understand something, which caused me to have to stay back from recess. But that caused me to act out more because I had to sit in a desk and not move for 8 hours at 5 years old.
Being forced to take Ritalin because of the kindergarten situation and hating it so much that I told myself before walking into school "I'm not going to say a word today, and then maybe they won't make me take the medicine." I fought that stuff every step of the way. My parents would break the pill and try to mix it in to things like yogurt which I can't eat now without gagging. Just thinking about the medicine gives me the taste in my mouth still and the feel of the little pieces. It's horrible.
Moving schools in the third grade and everyone calling me names for being tall, and just generally hating me for no reason all the way through high school.
Struggling through high school and not being able to explain to anyone why, and not knowing weather I'd graduate until literally the very last minute.
Finding out after so many years of struggling that I had dyslexia and that I'm not just stupid, that there's a real reason for my struggles.
So many more, but I'll stop here.
Geralt-of-Rivias ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:50:33 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
*first time on the moon, it felt surreal. The place was more barren than I had imagined.
Edit: Lol, why the downvote, op didn't specified the events had to be real or serious.
Reyaweks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:08:46 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
wut
bhj029988 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 11:30:39 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
what?
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:44:23 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Stagnant_shart ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:13:01 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Watching prolapse porn. Forever burned images of inside out (kek) assholes being touched.
ctrl-alt-acct ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:24:34 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
getting hit by a car when i was 8. i had created this stupid game of waiting until the last possible second to dart across the street in front of cars and this time the car had gotten too close. i tried to stop and my shoes slipped and my foot got caught under the tire (no ABS). i spent 3 weeks in the hospital getting reconstructive surgery, 6 months using a walker and a year in a brace. because they took muscles from my back to rebuild my foot, i developed scoliosis and my foot is significantly bulkier than my other foot, which makes shoe shopping an enormous pain in the ass. i literally can't wear most dress shoes because they don't stay on my foot.
april fool's day when i was probably 6 or 7, telling my dad there was a giant football in the sky and him pretending to believe me
my mom spanking my brother with a wooden spoon so hard the spoon broke
winning my 4th grade spelling bee
waiting for my mom to pick me up after school with my best (only) friend - this was when i was still using a walker after the car accident. my friend had taken my glasses and was making me hobble around the room chasing her to get them back.
so i guess i have my own goofball island, my friendship island probably looks all fucked up and "gotham"y, family island is a nightmare and i don't even know what kind of island was born from the car accident.
patfav ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:22:30 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Personally I like the Daft Punk remix.
scandalousmambo ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:27:35 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I got banned from /r/atheism because atheism is too weak and chickenshit to have its religion challenged.
cristi1990an ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:28:01 on July 28, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This explains a lot...
Xpdcion ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 19:32:57 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Mine was last month. We went for a 3 day camping. So much happened and there was no downs in the plan.
One of the highlights were the 4 hour drive where we just sing and joke around, playing in the road because we had two cars (I know it's WRECKLESS, endangering us and those around us, but we had a blast.
When we went canoeing and it tipped off in the middle of the lake because 4 of us, all guys were paddling so fast. It started raining and we were still stuck, laughing our asses off. It took us about an hour to finally get to the beach. ALL OUR PHONES AND WALLET GOT WET BUT WE DIDNT CARE until we actually started drying them off.
So many things happened during our stay but that one was the highlight of it.
We went to Blue Mountains afterwards, which was 2 hour drive and went ziplining... Which we've never done before, and two of our girls were crying during the practice/tutor.
To end our day, we went to the beach which was another 2 hour drive away and just played volleyball. :)
supersolenoid ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 12:06:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
a la Inside Out? Are you serious?
JohnnyBrillcream ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 12:35:25 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I hate you! Kidding. I text my Mom last night to get an idea of where we lived at the age my son is now. I want to points of reference to understand his memory retention at this point in his life.
I said to myself, this would be a really good AskReddit question.
Oh well, very good question anyway.
neautika ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:24:16 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The fall of sigh that made reddit huge. And the stinky vagina and penis meming was a bit far
The_Withheld_Name ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:05 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know: I don't watch kids' movies.
Beccy477 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:50:27 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Well he's got my vote!
tom_roberts_94 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know what this means
hackel ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 15:46:37 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I don't understand this question. Inside Out? Was that a film? Try explaining what you mean a little bit in the post text next time...
CleanAndRebuild ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 16:25:06 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah theres not really any such thing.
Maybe dont base your ideas on neuroscience on a childrens' movie.
[deleted] ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 15:14:41 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Is this Reddit? Where's all the male rape?
Raabiam ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:15:47 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Look behind you.
Hatchet_SuperMan ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 17:51:43 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)*
Mandatory SOB story of the "worse" thing i can think of to farm imaginary internet points. I mean what is karma really? Can i eat it? Can i make money off it? Can i have a relationship with it?
I love downvotes so much i downvoted myself. Take that system!
[deleted] ยท -14 points ยท Posted at 09:16:03 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
mrohyeah ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:24:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Fifth should've thought of Obscure stuff.
supersolenoid ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 13:27:09 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
This is probably the worst thread in reddit history. Congratulations, OP.
jej1 ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 23:05:14 on July 26, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
The first time I master bated