This oughta be a cinch for Heather and anybody else who knows me well enough. The fairy tales most of us grew up with: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin, The Wild Swans... Well, you get the idea. *grins*

But as I grew older a bit I discovered a love fer mysteries. Though it was Nancy Drew who really started me on my path to being a bookworm, I preferred Trixie Belden and the Bobwhites. I donno why, but I preferred her mysteries. Perhaps they were more interesting, or perhaps it was because she and her friends were closer to my age.

2) What books from your childhood would you like to share with children?

All the above and a few contemporary children's books that have been published since, like Thomas the Tank Engine series and the Arthur series by Marc Brown and of course, Harry Potter.

3) Have you reread any of those childhood stories and been surprised by anything?

Not in their original kids' storybook, no. Love Spell has a series called Faerie Tale Romances that I collect and read. The authors put their own spin on these tales and sometimes it's so interesting to see how they portray these children's stories.

4) How old were you when you first learned to read?

I don't remember. Perhaps it was in kindergarten. But I mostly remember the miserable times in first grade when we did the Weekly Reader program, or some such program similar to it. Our teacher timed us to see how fast we could read and do the corresponding worksheets--she pushed us to read and write as much as we could in as lil time as she allowed--and because my disability slows me down, I was always behind and never finished the entire thang. Then she would dock us for the work that was not finished. She'd also get after me for not being faster. It was H-E-double hockey sticks for me, and as a result, I hated to read. Until Nancy Drew.

5) Do you remember the first "grown-up" book you read? How old were you?

Yup, it was a Harlequin Romance, Tiger Hall or some such title involving "tiger" and "hall." I was 13.

Her name back then was Bethy; she goes by Beth now. We were really best friends only because our moms were good friends, and we were constantly together because they were. Debbie and Robert (her parents) were instrumental in getting my mom and stepdad together.

2) Are you still in touch with this person?

Very rarely. It's only the once-in-a-blue-moon email that I send or receive. Her family moved back East when we were in 5th grade, and because of the distance the friendship just naturally dissappated(sp?) over the years.

3) Do you have a current close friend?

Aye. Several. A few in real life and a few online. Which reminds me, thank you Ana-Warda, for the wonderful e-card you sent. I have been meaning to tell you so for a few days now, but computer's been finiky.

4) How did you become friends with this person?

Well, that's one great thing about school. If you're lucky (and not a grumpy sourpuss) you'll be befriended and/or find friends. Whether you become close or just acquaintances is up to you. I met Andrea and Kjerstina and Heather (in a roundabout way) at school--in different stages of my life. Andrea and I've known each other since we were 12. Kjerstina was at the ISU Institute with me, but we actually met on a group date where we watched The Arrival at my place. She was dating one of my home teachers at the time. Heather was...unique. We met through Mike, a scuzz-bucket after you got past his knight-in-shining-armor routine. His family moved to Idaho from Cali because his dad was going to teach at the DL Center in I.F. (my recent former school). He and Heather met there, and on a visit to me on which he brought my good future pal with him, we met, Heather and I.

Meeting online friends are self-explanatory, I think. But are just as fun and important to me.

5) Is there a friend from your past that you wish you were still in contact with? Why?

I bet some people could guess this one. Jason. Because, ours was a good friendship--at the time, and I don't really understand why he severed what we had. I guess I still want the friendship because I wanna find out what was with him at the time and be there for him so he knows I still valued our bond. Perhaps then, if allowed, I coulda gotten to know him better and our friendship would've had a stronger and more stable foundation.

Questions by the Friday Five.

moon phase