Day 05 of 30 Day Meme

[mrs_helenesnape]

Day 01 → Your favourite song
Day 02 → Your favourite movie
Day 03 → Your favourite television programme
Day 04 → Your favourite book
Day 05 → Your favourite quote

It should be obvious to anyone who has read my journal what my favorite quote is. "Life sucks no matter where you are so don't be fooled by location changes." Back in the 90s, I watched the television channel MTV, A LOT. My favorite show was Daria. I adored the title character's quick, sarcastic wit. It was in the extended 'movie-type' episode entitled "Is it Fall Yet" when Daria said my favorite quote to her best friend.

That quote resonated so strongly with me. It summarized my feelings as a child. My family moved frequently when I was a kid. Between the ages of 5 and 14, I attended 9 different schools, across three different states. I hated being uprooted, losing my friends and having to start over somewhere new. It sucked beyond belief. It didn't help the fact that my brothers and I were 'latch-key kids' (children who have a key to their house, because mom & dad weren't home went they got home from school) Which was odd, because only my dad worked. my mom was always off doing other things. What those 'other things' consisted of, I couldn't tell you.

Sorry, I've digressed, back on topic... it really didn't matter where I was living, I knew life would suck regardless, ergo the reason why this quote is my favorite, because it summaries so succinctly how I felt growing up and it reminds me to never put my own child through that.

Comments

[labrt2004.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, that must have been so incredibly difficult. I had one major childhood move which I hardly remember--from a completely different country all the way across the world (Taiwan) to Cleveland, Ohio, where I grew up. I was only 4, so it wasn't too awful, but I remember it was somewhat puzzling to me, as it must be for most kids. I can't imagine doing it so many times as you!

[mrs-helenesnape.livejournal.com]

Wow! That was a significant move. I can't imagine what it must have been like for your family to go through such an extreme move like that. The culture difference must have been shocking.

The moving about was not fun on any level. I don't really remember where we lived prior to my starting school, but here's a quick run-down on what I do remember:
K-1st: Texas, 1 school
2nd-5th: Arkansas, 2 different schools
6th: 1 semester in S. Carolina, 1 semester in Arkansas
7th: 1 semester in S. Carolina, 1 semester in Arkansas
(During these years, my parents began their divorce proceedings, hence the school switches mid-year)
8th-12th: Arkansas, 2 different schools

The moving around killed any friendships I was able to establish. The move to S.C. was especially hard because I couldn't keep in touch with my best friend. She was my first 'real' BFF... we did everything together and it was awful to have that friendship ruined because my parents had wanderlust. It's a good reminder why I don't want to move now that my son is in school.

[paya27.livejournal.com]

I always wondered why you had that quote up there. It makes me a little sad now, though :(

It really was hard to keep track of friends who moved away back then, but I'm noticing (now that my city keeps redistricting the schools,) kids today managed to stick together via facebook, email, and texting. In some ways, all that impersonal communicating is worrisome, but on the other hand, it must make it a LOT easier for kids when they are uprooted and split up.

[mrs-helenesnape.livejournal.com]

{{squishes you}} It wasn't all that horrible, it's just that the bad stuff tends to be more apparent than the good stuff. I'm sure if I really thought about it, I could find something I liked from each place we moved to... except SC. Nothing but a bunch of uppity a**holes to be found there (in Charleston)

I too worry about the use of Facebook and other 'friend' sites that are being used to keep in touch. My two oldest nieces (ages 17 and 16) are constantly on and updating through texts their Facebook pages. I know it's important at that stage in life to keep up with their friends, but really... how much is too much? Do they really need to share (via text updates) that they're sitting in World History bored out of their minds because Mr. Smith won't shut up about the Battle of Waterloo?