Meme-ries

I've taken up a toss from Animal on the meme about privilege. As Animal, I too have never really thought much about the quality of my childhood. Not on purpose, just never had a scarring event or bad memories to ruminate. So I shall try my hand at it now. The items that are bolded apply to me, the non-bolded...not so much. I also need to give a shout out to "What Privileges Do You Have?", based on an exercise about class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, and Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University in order to acknowledge their copyright on this meme...

1. Father went to college. Nope. My father worked for the first 30 years of his career at a factory job and the last 13 or so in a white collar environment on a project developed by General Motors for quality. Not going to college is something he regrets never having done.
2. Father finished college. See above.
3. Mother went to college. Again, nope. Mom had her hands full dealing with 4 kids and keeping the house together while my dad worked his ass off.
4. Mother finished college. See above.
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor. This one is true. My cousin was a city attorney for many years.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers. This was a bit unclear, but I assume the intent was whether or not I was in the same financial class as my teachers and I would have to say yes.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home. And all of them were probably mine.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home. Probably not, although if my mom had allowed it I would have gotten my hands on that many. I was a voracious reader as a kid and teenager.
9. Were read children’s books by a parent. I don't really recall anyone ever reading to me as a child, but either way it didn't lessen my love for books.
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18. I had a couple of clarinet lessons privately, but they didn't help. I still sucked.
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18. Nope.
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively. Since I have no strange tatoos, piercings or hair color not found in nature, I suppose this is true.
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.I had worked at a credit union starting at age 16, and I was able to get a credit card just before going to college. I used the card to charge my books for the semester since I couldn't afford both tuition AND books.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs. Nope. My college education was 100% self-funded. This was a great source of worry (and probably a small ulcer) over where my next semester's money would come from. Basically, I held at least 2 jobs at any time during my college career. The biggest asset I had was a Resident Assistant job that payed room and board. I actually cried the day I got the job b/c I knew I wouldn't have to worry as much about staying in school.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs. Nope, see above.
16. Went to a private high school. Hell no.
17. Went to summer camp. Again, no.
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18. Nope
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels. I think this did apply in a couple of instances. Most likely on those road trips to Florida that we took 2 days to accomplish. I also remember my mom freaking out about germs in hotel rooms, so this wasn't necessarily a treat.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18. This one is a for sure no. I shared my bedroom with two older sisters until the age of 14. We had a communal closet with it's own motto: The first one up is the best one dressed.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them. My first car was a hand-me-down two tone 1977 Chevy Caprice Classic. Large enough for me and 14 of my closest friends.
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child. This would be bolded if hook rug craft projects made by my grandfather count as "art".
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house. All 6 of us in a 1200 square foot, 3 bedroom colonial.
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home. yep
25. You had your own room as a child. This was true, but only during the most important teenage years (15-18) after my sisters had moved out. My parents didn't bother moving the furniture around, so I kept the room to myself. Otherwise, no one had room to themselves.
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18. This is also true, but by default. My bedroom was the only one on the upper level with a phone jack, so the phone had to be in my room.
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course. COG don't need no prep! COG got a 30 on her ACT!
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school. Not only did I NOT have a tv in my room growing up, I've NEVER had a tv in any bedroom I've owned since then.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college. nope
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16.I did take a trip to Florida that didn't include the grueling drive. Once.
31. Went on a cruise with your family. nope, never been on a cruise.
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family.
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up. I don't think my parents avoided these places on purpose. I just think they relied on school field trips to enrich my art experience. I did drag my father to a Degas exhibit a few years ago. I think he agreed to go to be polite.
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family. I was certainly aware of the cost, but unlike Animal, didn't have to chop wood. My dad bought cords of wood that were dropped off on the driveway in the fall of every year.


Going back over these answers, I feel they give the impression that I had a poor childhood. Nothing could be farther from the truth. My parents encouraged me to be independent in both actions and thoughts, and allowed me to explore ideas on my own. I didn't have to "inherit" a love of books, or art. I was able to develop (or not) these appreciations on my own. Thankfully I did, and I still have a big appetite for learning things. And the reading...that's still an addiction as well.


-K