Challenger Remembered

Last Friday, while I was flying to the Reagan Library, we commemorated twenty five years since the Challenger disaster. I was 9, nearly 10 years old, and in the fourth grade.  We had a half day off from school that day, and it was book club day. I was sitting in my bedroom with my new book, and mom knocked on the door and told me about the awful tragedy. And I responded, "Was that the one the teacher was on?" and mom said she didn't know.  I sat riveted, like so much of the country, watching television and the footage of that disaster, over and over again. With the exception of 9/11, that day was one of the most memorable moments that drew this nation together in tragedy.

With President Reagan's centennial coming up on Sunday (and how cool is it that they'll commemorate it during the Superbowl!), I thought linking to his words of comfort that evening of the disaster would be fitting. One of the most beautiful speeches ever delivered, absolutely.

And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them...

The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and "slipped the surly bonds of earth" to "touch the face of God." 

Reality Bites: 17 Years Later

Was Reality Bites really 1994? Did I really start college 17 years ago, nearly a half of a life ago? It's my own half-life.

Is this true: "It’s essentially a time capsule constructed entirely of flannel, denim, Big Gulps and pre-corporate alt-rock."  It was the era of flannel denim of freshman year, the myriad of slurpees, and the peak of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, etc. etc.

That does seem like a long time ago. Before the internet, cell phones being ubiquitous, ipods and ipads and everyone had a laptop.  And yet, that is a time I will never forget.

Memories V

I was not such a great fan of the Fifth grade. We had our clique, with the Nicoles. Broken by the end of the year and the hazards of cliques appeared. I didn't like my teacher. I remember hearing the news that the sixth grade teacher died. I remember science and hating it. I remember seats together and thinking of my dream house. I remember "staring" and feeling self-conscious. I remember trying and failing to make sports teams, and hating that it was already turning into a clique of popular people, who at one point or another carried Esprit bags or wore Gap jeans.  I remember the last year of those uniform jumpers and wanting to be with the "big kids" at mass. I don't remember liking the fifth grade as much as the fourth.

Memories IV

Fourth Grade...It was a pretty good year. I remember more math races and Miss Marie. I remember seats in science and having to replicate Jupiter, with that gigantic sheet. I remember hating to compete with Julie for that first seat. I was already getting self conscious. I remember square dancing lessons--no, was that fifth grade? Or fourth? Camp. It was a big deal then.

There were still slumber parties and Girls Just Want to Have Fun and Madonna and Cyndi Lauper and dressing up like we were older.  Is that when Diane moved away?

I remember when only me and Eric B. finished those story problems and we were the only ones to get the trick question right...dozen=12, not 1. 

I remember book club, and getting my new order the day the Challenger blew up. Almost 25 years ago! I remember saying to mom, "The one the teacher was one?" and not knowing how I knew that. Maybe I had heard it on the news. It was a growing realization of the news, having known about things like the Cold War and the anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. A beginning of a political consciousness.

I think things became more socially complicated in fifth grade...fourth grade was ok. Not terrible, not bad.

Memories III

Second grade...not my favorite year. Insecurity, math races, First Communion.  I remember that coffee can bread.  I remember Laura being our lunch girl and doritos.  I remember not being a brownie--or was that third grade? I remember songs. I remember having a little brother in kindergarten.  I remember feeling a little hard to fit in.

Third grade...more math races and feeling self-conscious about winning.  Cabbage patch kids.  Being the kid in the primary grade building, with two little brothers. We made volcanoes and studied the space program. I remember getting my ears pierced.  I remember those green bulb candies.  I remember the Tigers winning the World Series and having Spirit Day/Bless You Boys day.  I remember classmates' losing their dads. I remember the arsons in Detroit and fire engines and sirens. But I think we all blended in, still, enjoying the slumber parties and friends that were boys like Chad and Steve.

Memories

First grade. Reading groups. Miss Rupinski. Full days and uniform skirts.  And wearing glasses more and more.

Big kids. Straight brown hair and early 80s little girl fashion. Maybe my happiest year in grade school, actually, because we all got along and there was no bullying and we had our reading cliques.  I remember reading Little House books and Beverly Clearly and Charlotte's web and then the Shoes books. Ballet Shoes and Pauline, Petrova, and Posy.

I remember playing outside a lot. Garden. At McGregory. Hide and go seek. Roller skating. Seeing movies. Lots of good memories.

Memories

Before kindergarten...

Getting glasses. Amy and Diane. Edmore.  Station wagons. Grandma and Grandpa and Grandpa Joe. The cabin. Being a sister. Sunday school.

Kindergarten...learning to read. Being scared. Half days. Superbooks. Sister Teresa. Needing to learn colors and numbers.  Graduating to something more.