Answering Angie’s Questions
by Jenners • 05/18/2010 • Life, My Childhood • 20 Comments
Remember when I was doing my FAQs and I told you that you had one last chance to ask me questions? Well, I’ve been saving these questions up for days when “I got nothing.” Today is one of those days. All the questions today come from Angie at Seven Clown Circus. (The fact that a big-time blogger like Angie even reads my blog amazes me … let alone that she has questions for me! Then again, I think she is just trying to trick me into telling about another time I pooped my pants when I wasn’t a baby. She liked my previous “adult pooping” story just a little too much if you ask me!) So on with Angie’s questions.
This is a question that I have badgered my parents to answer for years, and they have always refused to answer me. This leaves me believing one of two scenarios:
- I am a genius, my IQ is off the charts, and my parents don’t want to reveal this to me so I don’t get too big an ego and become a insufferable jerk. (Too late for that! HAHA!)
- I am an idiot, my IQ is sub par, and my parents don’t want to reveal this to me as I’m managing to get through life exceeding everyone’s expectation and they don’t want to spoil it.
Notice how it never occurs to me that I might just be average! (Gasp! A fate worse than idiocy!) I guess I could take one of those IQ tests and get the answer for myself. However, based on the latest results from Brain Age 2, my brain age is 74 so I think I’ll just go on believing that I’m a secret genius.
What clubs were you a member of in HS?
Aside from my lifelong membership in the Dorks R Us Club, I did belong to several legitimate clubs in high school.
- The Speech Team. I can sum up my time in this club in one word: TERRIFYING! I participated in three different “events” during my time on the speech team. The first one was Impromptu Speaking, where you were given a topic and had to come up with enough stuff to talk about for at least three minutes. (The judges held up cards saying 1 MIN, 2 MIN, 2 MIN 30 SEC… talk about stress when you were only a minute in and had exhausted your knowledge of the topic.) The lowlight of this event was when the given topic was “euthanasia,” which I mistakenly heard as “Youth in Asia.” Fortunately, I was not the first one who had to speak and I quickly realized my mistake when the other kids gave their talk. I managed to cobble together something but it was terrifying! It was after this fiasco that I switched to Debate. For this event, everyone had a preassigned topic and you had to do your research before the meet for both sides of the issue. Then at the event you were randomly assigned Pro or Con, and you and your partner had to debate another team. My partner Jim and I did fairly well … until the time we left all our research material in the lunchroom and went into the debate empty-handed. Terrifying! My third event was Drama, where you would perform short monologues. My scene of choice was from “The Yellow Wallpaper,” about a woman’s slow descent into madness. With my flair for melodrama and poor acting skills, I’m sure the judges found my performance … terrifying!
- The Yearbook. I was co-editor of my high school yearbook one year, and the primary photographer for another. This was an awesome activity, which included full, unfettered access to a real darkroom where I got to develop my own film and print the photos. It was totally cool! I totally abused these privileges by using film to photograph the boy who I had a major crush on using a telephoto lens. And to think I didn’t grow up to become a paparazzi!
- Drama. I wasn’t in the club, but I did get a part in one school play. I was Mrs. Higa-Jiga in The Tea House of the August Moon. I basically had to babble Japanese-sounding words. My one English line involved saying the word “bobby pin” so one of the other characters could react to this word. Guess who forget her one English word on opening night?
I’d also like to point out that I was forced to take piano lessons throughout grade school and high school with a series of old women whose gnarled hands and odd smells haunt me to this day. During this time, I was forced to play the piano at various recitals and still break out in chills whenever I hear Fur Elise. I remember begging and crying to quit, and my parents said over and over again that I would regret if I did. (And damn if they weren’t right.)
And That Hair!
Revealing myself as a melodramatic, boy-stalking, piano playing, probable idiot who misses her father,
Best. hair. picture. EVER!
My high school didn't have a debate team, but we had a debate CLASS, and I was the star! To this day I argue CONSTANTLY.
I also worked on the yearbook. AND I was the historian of the drama club one year, the president of the drama club the next, and a state board member of the Arizona State Thespian Society three years running.
Which pretty much makes me a bigger dork than you could ever be.
Did I mention how much I love your HAIR?!?!?!?!
I think it's genius but don't tell you I said so.
You're funny.
You are a genius in my book….I love you HS pic…adorable….were you always as funny as you are now..?..Youth in Asia…BwHahahahah….!
Oh I LOVE the hair!
And if I could grant just one wish, it would be to all the daughters out there to be able to talk to their dad's again….just once! I know I'd have a whole lot to say!!
I wanted to comment sooner but for some reason Blogger was giving me grief – my apologies.
No redos here – happy to go where the river of life takes me. And I'm in a really happy place. Just wish I could slow time down and get more time with my kids. Weird, I know, I'm home with them everyday but I still feel like I miss something every time I blink.
I was on the yearbook staff junior high through high school. I always wanted to be editor but lacked the motivation.
And you are most certainly not average!
Hilarious… you're a comic genius! And that smile in your photo – amazing!
Seriously, Jenners, the "Youth in Asia" part made me shriek out loud. I used to do speech team also (but not that event, thank God) and I relived every terrifying moment during your post. "Youth in Asia". If I didn't love you before, I now heart you infinitely.
No more pooping pants stories? I was terrifed of speech class! Let alone the club, nuh-huh! I timed speeches though and was on the Math League. Hubs and I like to test our IQs, trying to outdo each other, we're always within a point or two of each other. Cuz, you know it changes over time.
My dear the word average could never be attached to you.
And if you were co-editor of your HS yearbook then you had to be cool because only us cool kids were editors. Well, that is what I like to tell myself.
What a fancy new look you have here!!! I LOOOVE it!
I was also in "Teahouse of the August Moon"! But I was "village child 2". LOL.
I bet you are a genius.
Why do I have the feeling that even though you found those first events terrifying, you actually came across as really competent? Something about your way with words…
Many comments here.
First. When I starting reading your post I was pleasantly surprised and feeling smug about being called a "big time blogger". I was even trying to pay myself on the back but I decided to take a drink of my shake instead. And then I spit some of it out when I read the part about you pooping your pants when you were not a baby. You were NOT supposed to reveal to everyone that that is my favorite story.
Next. You are a genius. For sure.
Third. Debate, speech, yearbook and drama? WOW. I'm still laughing at Youth in Asia.
I always love coming here and reading about you. You are one of the most interesting people I know.
I'm pretty sure you must be a genius
I was unfailingly cool in high school, so I know not of what you speak….er….yeah
Having a severe-profound hearing loss, I can relate to many similar misheard words. Some quite embarrassing moments resulted. At least I have a good excuse. lol
I am cracking up over the Youth In Asia part. I would have loved to hear what you would have said had you not realized the error. That club would have been terrifying and more like "An Evening at the Improv" for me.
I am sorry I gave up piano too. I am pushing my kids to play now so I can live vicariously through them. Not working though! I may just have to take lessons again. You could too!
pretty much like all the rest of us dorky
kids!!!
A fate worse than idiocy…would be to miss spending time with you here. You always have so much to say about things that I wouldn't dare ask anyone else (because listening to their answers would be a worse fate). How do you do it? You are a marvel of intrigue in an open-book sort of way. The more I know the more I want to know more. Is that so wrong?
So I am going with option 1. And your parents are geniuses to hide that from you so that you would come down and mingle with us common folk.
Enjoy the day! (She says snorting and chortling).
Erin *wink*
No, no, you're definitely not average! I vote for Door Number One.
I love you just the way you are. ((hugs))
All of those events transformed you into the wonderful person you are today……