5 on the 27th #1

BE BRAVE
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." Anais Nin

So la schmutzimo is doing the 5ox365 thing where she writes 50 words about someone whose fullname she remembers who influenced her life baji naji. like the great abigail, i will not commit myself to doing this everyday because sometimes social butterflies don't get near a computer for days on end. we could, but we don't ~ like camping trips and folkfestivals and week long patio parties which require 3 entire days worrth of sleep just to catch up from. so Abby, she had a great idea - once a month on a particular day she will write to 5 people of personal influence and keep it as vague as required in order not to stir the curent crew's drama stew should any of them be involved. i thought about it and this works for me too. SO ... I will do my 5 people paragraphs on the 27th of each month (MY BIRTHDAY NUMBER), though I tend to be a little more pointed than the world traveller ;)

1. In 1968 my grade two teacher Mrs. Flom used to make errors in pronouncing my last name. It's not hard, there are no silent letters and an even proprtion of cvowels and consanants. nordquist. she would call me southeast and northwest nordtwist ... get the picture. then the kids would ride me mercilessly and i was forced to bloody several noses and shred the knees of several promising pugilists in defending my family honour. Thanks for the help teacher.

2. Cora Lynne Olsen used to live 3 houses down from me on Beaverbrook Street in Winnipeg. She was by bestest friend from kindergarten until halfay through grade 3. I have lsot her in all our frequest childhood moves. i have pictures though. Brownies, guides, swimming lessons, the production of "There was an Old Woman" at Rainbow Stage for summer theatre. sleepovers princess hallowe'ens and playing doctor with the three muskateers in kindergarten. her mom wove on a loom. we were both auburn and her sister Anna Marie had the most gorgeous long blonde hair ... You made my life happy Cora Lynne. I wish I could find you.

3. Uncle Fred Debrecen. you were cool and urban and oozed style and rejoiced in me being me. you let me explore and deal with my own consequences. you were one of the first to notice that i was an old soul who only needed to be allowed to seek out opportunity to grasp it. the semi transparent human profiles painted onyour living room wall interested me in real art. thanks for taking Les and rollerskating and to the movies and letting us go to polo park with hmmmm - Randy and Brian? theytaught me how to play "george of the jungle on the drums" which i learned to play properly much later. You are wonderful and Leslie is lucky.

4. Thank you for marrying me in grade 5/6 Tommy. I wish my mom had not made me give you the ring back. your kiss made me weak in the knees and your dad was HOT!

5. mtg you didn't just break my heart you spent years shredding it. that's why it seems I get angry whenever i see your name. it's not anger it's pain.