I spent the past two weeks visiting family in Florida. It was a well needed breath of fresh air by the beach and the perfect time to reunite with relatives whom I haven’t seen in far too long.
One of my favorite things about being at my Grandma’s house is all the souvenirs of my life and the lives of family for up to four generations… Don’t be surprised when I post little bits and pieces along the lines of family photos and fun finds for a while.
I also appreciate all these relics because my Grandma has maintained a collection of things from my childhood that I myself have not. It was such a kick to find little newspaper clippings, poems and the like from my sister and my earlier years tucked into photo albums.
When I came across this little newspaper spotlight on myself as a fourth grader, I couldn’t stop laughing. It was like I was being reintroduced to a version of me I’d forgotten…a bit naïve, perhaps placing importance on the wrong things, but altogether quite the typical nine year old. I thought it would be fun to update my answers to this simple Q&A now, at 22.
{Then.}
{Now.}
Name:Katie
Kate
School: East Goshen Elementary School
…None. But hopefully Graduate School for Library Information Science specializing in Children and Youth next year!
Grade:Four
Again, none. I feel so old.
Birthplace: Riverview, Florida
Wouldn’t it be weird if I gave a different answer now?
Home: West Chester [Pennsylvania]
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Favorite Movie: “Contact”
I can never pick just one! (Apparently an ability I completely lost after fourth grade.) “Love Actually”, “500 Days of Summer”, “Anne of Green Gables”, “Gone with the Wind” to name a few….
Favorite TV Show: Sabrina the Teenage Witch
How I Met Your Mother, Gilmore Girls, Arrested Development, and more…
Last Book Read: Sign of the Beaver
Sign of the what? Wait, is that the book for which I spent an entire day building a log cabin out of hand collected sticks (from the yard) and salt dough only to have my dog eat it when I left the room to get my parents and show them? Yes, yes it is. {I forgive you, Duchess.}
(I’ll have you know my sister just called that cabin “a masterpiece of stick and salt dough” and my mom adds that she did actually send a note to school reading “the dog ate her homework.”)
Anyway, last read book right now is Jellicoe Road.
Favorite Music: Now and Then CD
Mumford & Sons, Florence & the Machine, Vampire Weekend, Laura Marling, Adele, Taylor Swift, Glee soundtracks, happy music to sing and dance along to, etc.
Favorite Food: Pizza/Tacos
Sushi. Lobster. Things with cheese. Chocolate.
Hobbies/Interests: Taking care of dogs
Reading. Writing. Travel. Picnics. Blogging. Tea parties. Hanging out with my family.
The best advice I ever received was: Don’t give up.
Get over it---only phrased more gently during those moments in my life where I just couldn’t get past the things that seemed hard and shadowy and insurmountable.
I’d give anything to meet:Amy Grant
No comment, guys. I used to really love Amy Grant.
Now: JK Rowling
If I were President of the United States, I would: Make no smoking a law
Resign.
If there is one thing I can’t stand in people, it is:Cheating on tests.
That still irks me. To take it to the more broad scale level, I dislike small-mindedness, prejudice, and injustice.
If I could change one thing about myself it would be: My short hair.
My tendency to feel jealousy; my difficulty in letting things go; my temper.
Best idea I ever had: Was inviting a girl, Katie G., to sit at my table in school.
There’s a lot of pressure for “the best”—but a good idea was going to Palma de Mallorca all by myself.
Worst idea I ever had:Was running away.
I really have no clue. Was it that time in elementary school that my friend and I took our make believe came too far and smeared mud all over our skin to be more authentically Native American and then got in lots of trouble? Probably not. I used to think it was going to Rhodes College, but then I saw how everything had its reasons and my being at that college was one of them. I think maybe my worst idea was when I thought a straight center part looked good on me. Oh, high school.
(I can’t think of a worthy serious answer.)
{Kate in 2nd grade...aka Dorothy Hamill}
I hope I never have to:Cut my hair.
This answer had me laughing myself into a stitch, especially after the answer three above. The back story is this: In second grade my mom cut all of my hair off into the Dorothy Hamill. Guys, the Dorothy Hamill haircut is only sort of ok on Dorothy Hamill herself and NEVER ok on a seven year old. I considered hunting down a photo to share but a.) I was too lazy and b.) it’s hideous. Anyway, I thought it was pretty funny since I’ve kept my hair fairly long ever since I can remember (particularly the past two years) and I never realized that this is where that subconscious need for long hair came from.
If I had money, I would: Buy stuff for my dog and me.
Ha! I told you guys I loved my dog. Now I would spend money on: travel, books, family, shows on stage, and maybe some fun vintage pieces. I would also pay for Grad school without going into debt.
The career I fantasize having is:To help animals or be a singer.
Ok, that’s bogus. Even at the time I knew that wasn’t what I really wanted to do but the truth is I never had an imaginary career picked out and kids around me were always saying “I want to be a vet!” “I want to be a ballerina!” “I want to be an actress!” so I just mimicked what I heard.
Now, I want to be a children and youth librarian, a wife, and a mother.
People would be surprised to know: That I was born in Florida.
Ha…I guess?
I think people would be surprised to know that I had back surgery at the age of 20. I mean, I guess people who don’t really know me would be surprised by that—‘cause everyone else pretty much knows. Ok, bad answer.
Best time in my life: Was when I went to Disney World.
That was a pretty good time! But the best time in my life up-to-date was when I lived in Salzburg, Austria.
That's the end of the fun little interview...but looking back I felt insulted that the interviewer never asked about favorite books! Last book read and favorite are not the same at all. So I'm including that now.
Favorite book(s):Fourth grade Katie loved A Wrinkle in Time, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and Betsy~Tacy. Current Kate loves Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (the whole series is my favorite but that's my favorite of the lot), The Hunger Games series, Jane Eyre, Pride & Prejudice, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Love in the Time of Cholera, and much more.
One of my favorite things about being at my Grandma’s house is all the souvenirs of my life and the lives of family for up to four generations… Don’t be surprised when I post little bits and pieces along the lines of family photos and fun finds for a while.
I also appreciate all these relics because my Grandma has maintained a collection of things from my childhood that I myself have not. It was such a kick to find little newspaper clippings, poems and the like from my sister and my earlier years tucked into photo albums.
When I came across this little newspaper spotlight on myself as a fourth grader, I couldn’t stop laughing. It was like I was being reintroduced to a version of me I’d forgotten…a bit naïve, perhaps placing importance on the wrong things, but altogether quite the typical nine year old. I thought it would be fun to update my answers to this simple Q&A now, at 22.
{Then.}
{Now.}Name:Katie
Kate
School: East Goshen Elementary School
…None. But hopefully Graduate School for Library Information Science specializing in Children and Youth next year!
Grade:Four
Again, none. I feel so old.
Birthplace: Riverview, Florida
Wouldn’t it be weird if I gave a different answer now?
Home: West Chester [Pennsylvania]
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Favorite Movie: “Contact”
I can never pick just one! (Apparently an ability I completely lost after fourth grade.) “Love Actually”, “500 Days of Summer”, “Anne of Green Gables”, “Gone with the Wind” to name a few….
Favorite TV Show: Sabrina the Teenage Witch
How I Met Your Mother, Gilmore Girls, Arrested Development, and more…
Last Book Read: Sign of the Beaver
Sign of the what? Wait, is that the book for which I spent an entire day building a log cabin out of hand collected sticks (from the yard) and salt dough only to have my dog eat it when I left the room to get my parents and show them? Yes, yes it is. {I forgive you, Duchess.}
(I’ll have you know my sister just called that cabin “a masterpiece of stick and salt dough” and my mom adds that she did actually send a note to school reading “the dog ate her homework.”)
Anyway, last read book right now is Jellicoe Road.
Favorite Music: Now and Then CD
Mumford & Sons, Florence & the Machine, Vampire Weekend, Laura Marling, Adele, Taylor Swift, Glee soundtracks, happy music to sing and dance along to, etc.
Favorite Food: Pizza/Tacos
Sushi. Lobster. Things with cheese. Chocolate.
Hobbies/Interests: Taking care of dogs
Reading. Writing. Travel. Picnics. Blogging. Tea parties. Hanging out with my family.
The best advice I ever received was: Don’t give up.
Get over it---only phrased more gently during those moments in my life where I just couldn’t get past the things that seemed hard and shadowy and insurmountable.
I’d give anything to meet:Amy Grant
No comment, guys. I used to really love Amy Grant.
Now: JK Rowling
If I were President of the United States, I would: Make no smoking a law
Resign.
If there is one thing I can’t stand in people, it is:Cheating on tests.
That still irks me. To take it to the more broad scale level, I dislike small-mindedness, prejudice, and injustice.
If I could change one thing about myself it would be: My short hair.
My tendency to feel jealousy; my difficulty in letting things go; my temper.
Best idea I ever had: Was inviting a girl, Katie G., to sit at my table in school.
There’s a lot of pressure for “the best”—but a good idea was going to Palma de Mallorca all by myself.
Worst idea I ever had:Was running away.
I really have no clue. Was it that time in elementary school that my friend and I took our make believe came too far and smeared mud all over our skin to be more authentically Native American and then got in lots of trouble? Probably not. I used to think it was going to Rhodes College, but then I saw how everything had its reasons and my being at that college was one of them. I think maybe my worst idea was when I thought a straight center part looked good on me. Oh, high school.
(I can’t think of a worthy serious answer.)
{Kate in 2nd grade...aka Dorothy Hamill}I hope I never have to:Cut my hair.
This answer had me laughing myself into a stitch, especially after the answer three above. The back story is this: In second grade my mom cut all of my hair off into the Dorothy Hamill. Guys, the Dorothy Hamill haircut is only sort of ok on Dorothy Hamill herself and NEVER ok on a seven year old. I considered hunting down a photo to share but a.) I was too lazy and b.) it’s hideous. Anyway, I thought it was pretty funny since I’ve kept my hair fairly long ever since I can remember (particularly the past two years) and I never realized that this is where that subconscious need for long hair came from.
If I had money, I would: Buy stuff for my dog and me.
Ha! I told you guys I loved my dog. Now I would spend money on: travel, books, family, shows on stage, and maybe some fun vintage pieces. I would also pay for Grad school without going into debt.
The career I fantasize having is:To help animals or be a singer.
Ok, that’s bogus. Even at the time I knew that wasn’t what I really wanted to do but the truth is I never had an imaginary career picked out and kids around me were always saying “I want to be a vet!” “I want to be a ballerina!” “I want to be an actress!” so I just mimicked what I heard.
Now, I want to be a children and youth librarian, a wife, and a mother.
People would be surprised to know: That I was born in Florida.
Ha…I guess?
I think people would be surprised to know that I had back surgery at the age of 20. I mean, I guess people who don’t really know me would be surprised by that—‘cause everyone else pretty much knows. Ok, bad answer.
Best time in my life: Was when I went to Disney World.
That was a pretty good time! But the best time in my life up-to-date was when I lived in Salzburg, Austria.
That's the end of the fun little interview...but looking back I felt insulted that the interviewer never asked about favorite books! Last book read and favorite are not the same at all. So I'm including that now.
Favorite book(s):Fourth grade Katie loved A Wrinkle in Time, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and Betsy~Tacy. Current Kate loves Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (the whole series is my favorite but that's my favorite of the lot), The Hunger Games series, Jane Eyre, Pride & Prejudice, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Love in the Time of Cholera, and much more.
7 comments:
It was so fun reading how your answers had changed! I wish I had made an interview like this when I was younger. I think most of my answers would have been about horses.
Have a nice day!
love this post. and your face.
how exactly did your teachers respond to the "dog ate my homework" note?
kate, i read your comment on my guest post on lauren's blog - thank you! that was so nice of you to say :)
and that made me think i should check back at your blog again, and what do i see? that you used to be a crazy amy grant fan! ha! ME TOO! i swear, i would go into the religious stores in grade school and get upset that they didn't carry her cd's because of her "scandalous divorce"... that and i dreamed she would sing at my wedding - bazaar? yes. so while i respect her music still - it just isn't my style anymore.
this may have been an awkward comment, but i felt compelled. hope you got a laugh out of it!? xo, katie.
this was such a fun post to read! (just like everything else you post, of course). i found it especially cool that you were born in riverview-i used to live 5 minutes from there! but i have a question: what about "prisoner of azkaban" makes it your favorite in the series? (just curious)
haha i loved reading this!
I loved reading this. It's amazing how much we change over the years.
Also, for the record, I use to LOVE Amy Grant. She was amazing. 8)
I love this post! You were a West Chester girl...I have family all around there. And Prisoner is my favorite HP book from the entire series too! Glad Azkaban gets some love too.
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