September 4, 2008

My Last First Day of School


September 6, 1989. There I was. 3'8" 57 lbs. Combed hair, new shoes. Without a clue in the world. Get out the camera. My mom still has that picture. I'll bet your mom has yours too.


I had this goofy grin, rosy child-chubby cheeks, and a Mario Brothers lunch box. Off to kindergarten.That was a fun time. I remember a lot of playing with blocks and boats and sitting on carpet listening to stories (not unlike in kindergarten cop). "What's a tumour?" ...It was nice knowing some people - it made the experience a little less scary. Crystal is married now!

A year later I returned. *Real* school this time. Where we got to use crayola scissors and big red pencils. We got to send Valentine's for the first time. I think I might have one in storage that says that Krista Loves Me.

Fall of '91 was an interesting time. This is when we finally were all old enough to anticipate seeing familiar faces from last year. Nick and Rowan spent countless lunch hours trying to not laugh so hard to make pop or milk come jetting out of our noses. But as tight as the 3 of us were, it wasn't until this new kid from out of town made friends with us. His name was Mike. Little did I know at that time that we would have sooo much fun times together for years to come! Similar antics of pop-through-the-nose, snapping bra straps, playing dinosaur tag or red ass continued through the years. I think it was Amber who I had my first childhood crush on. She was so smart, so pretty! In the same time, Krista, who loved me, managed to pull the pom-pom on my toque into a steel post, with my head still in it. Richard, Greg, and Mike were also an awesome trio to watch fight. And lest we forget the epic battles between Ken and Richard.

The start of the year was also fun when you were told you were going to be in a split class. It made you feel all warm & fuzzy like someone really thinks you are doing something right besides your parents. This is what I attribute to always being able to relate pretty good to those kids a grade younger. This was especially the case since in Fall of 1995 I was torn from the main group of grade 6s and first met my favorite Romanians, Virgil and Andrei. Virgil, myself, Dan Michael, Derek, Meghan, Jessica, Gemma and Ashley were the core group of 6s that had to cope with 3 times as many grade 5s. Paul and Juliane were supposed to get married. Lauren was embarrassed about talking through her retainer. It was fun being bigger.

But the Big Year was 1994 where I left St. Richards to go to JPI. Mr. Engel was such an inspiration to me, and I think most of his class, right from Day One, that one of the first things I did when I started facebook was make a Mr. Engel Tribute Group. This is the year that I really changed. All because of Tab the Kid and that little glass jar. That is also where I met a future Harvard student, Tom, for the first time.

1996 bumbled along. Bad year. Bowen saved it. His very multi-cultural homeroom were thouroughly entertained. It was tough losing some pretty decent kids to the whiter school BK, but I think on a whole, starting every year in Junior High was pretty exciting. The X-Files of class 8B might ring a bell for Jen or Amy but I think that the kids in that class were soooooo bad that ten years later, even facebook banished them. Dan, Danielle, Gerardo, Jon, Melissa, Brooke - no stalking any of them here, and I wonder why that might be!! The first Bride and Bridesmaid from my graduating class were my bestest buddies when I screwed my way through grade 9 (98/99). I think that was also the year when dominic lost his pants on several occasions. Karmen, Kate, and Amanda (but mostly Karmen and Kate - :P) were also some really inspirational people that helped me turn in to the person I am today. See Kate? Still not a psychopathic serial killer. Highschool was interesting. I resumed my friendship with Mr. Kennedy and found terrific pals in Gerad, Trevor, and Chris through him and band class. Band class was a great way to meet girls. Especially when the band instructor's daughter yells out in class: "GOD WILL SOMEONE PLEASE JUST GIVE ME A SCREW". Colleen, Jenn, and Gina were also something outta heaven for a highschool geek like me. Older women who could really wet a reed. What?! Nick was a good trumpet player. No sexual innuendos intended.

It was the start of 2001 when a pretty bright group of Physics students (let's see - Me, John, Kyle, DMS, 2 Matts, and Tyler W) were there with the rest of the class (OHHHHHH!!!) on the morning of September 11. That year probably won't go forgotten, although the gongshow of Math 31 a year later probably *should* be forgotten about. We had a love doctor teach us after all.

The Fall of 2002 was ridiculous. GMAC = drinking. So much so that I thought it would be in everyone's best interest for me to repeat this 1 more time.

The Fall of 2003 was ridiculous. Enter heaviest drinkers in (my) world, Robin and Julien. Also, enter the hottest Heathers in the world: Guitar Heather and Bass Heather. Mark was pretty too. The Fall of 2003, we founded the Tetratards. That was ... just too much fun.

The Fall of 2004 was hell. This is where I decided that everything still will be okay as long as I eventually "C" my Degree. But the good news was that I was with a class of engineers filled with 50% women, 25% of which were 8s or higher on Ryans Ranking List. (hiiiii Taraaaaaaa)

In September 2005 I was working. Really working. I was becoming an engineer. That was a really fun experience. Sometimes I wonder how things would have worked out if I ended up @ Shelby like a whole whack of kids did, but in the end, I was really very happy doing what I was doing.

In September 2006, it was like being back in 1993 where we anticipate seeing all of our good friends again!! (Segregation? What Segregation??!!!)

New York City was a fun time in 2007 but I began to get a little bitter about having to return to school knowing that all of my classmates would be graduating only a short time later... (single tear).

So here I am. 1 am. Not sleeping. On the last time I will have to wake up for school to start a semester of learning. Pinkney @ 8 for CivE 398. And no, I didn't fail - I just didn't take it yet!! So here goes nothin'. It has been pretty fun up until now anyways. Ever since way back in 1989. Turtles in a half shell - TURTLE POWER!!!

1 comment:

  1. I am saddened that I was not mentioned earlier in this narrative. You and I played on a soccer team back when we were about 5 years old.

    DID WE NOT MAKE INDELIBLE MARKS ON EACH OTHER EVEN AT THAT YOUNG AGE?!

    Everyone you see leaves a mark on your soul
    -- Marked by Bad Religion

    And by the way, my friend, it's "Heroes in a Half-Shell: Turtle Power!"

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