# Where did you grow up and how has it affected you in life?



## Gael (Mar 16, 2014)

Where was your childhood spent and did it have any sort of impact on your life/attitudes, etc.?


----------



## That Guy (Mar 16, 2014)

Grew up in a Navy family so we traveled up and down the coast of California and around The Pacific Ocean.  I was always the new kid in school and that made me learn to make friends quickly and easily.  But, also lost friends quickly.  Have no long term friends from childhood. Although there are a few from high school.  After my military service, came home in 1970 and stayed put.  Roots, baby, roots.  There's a photo of my dad dipping my baby toes in the water on a beach that I love.  My desire to be in, on or around water, especially the sea began early.

Also, learned to respect and adapt to new cultures whether in a foreign land or new and different school yard.


----------



## Falcon (Mar 16, 2014)

I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, a  beautiful city with all the amenities; calm, peaceful, very little crime etc.

Then, just after WWII ended the $h*t hit the fan and everything changed. Now I'm ashamed to admit I was from there.

 I went back there a couple of years ago and cruised through my old neighborhood and almost cried when I saw

what it had become; My old beautiful house was in shambles; broken windows, old cars in the driveway up on blocks.

Fortunately, I saw the handwriting on the wall and "Got the hell out of Dodge" when I did, and moved here in So. California.  The entire city of Detroit, like Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo etc. along the "Rust Belt" appear to be the same.


----------



## Gael (Mar 16, 2014)

That Guy said:


> Grew up in a Navy family so we traveled up and down the coast of California and around The Pacific Ocean.  I was always the new kid in school and that made me learn to make friends quickly and easily.  But, also lost friends quickly.  Have no long term friends from childhood. Although there are a few from high school.  After my military service, came home in 1970 and stayed put.  Roots, baby, roots.  There's a photo of my dad dipping my baby toes in the water on a beach that I love.  My desire to be in, on or around water, especially the sea began early.
> 
> Also, learned to respect and adapt to new cultures whether in a foreign land or new and different school yard.



That's very interesting. I have often heard that kids who grew up in circumstances that required them to relocate frequently learned some skills that the more stable types didn't. Classic is a lot of actors who attribute some of their abilities to being adapatable and observing a variety of situations from a vagabond childhood.


----------



## Gael (Mar 16, 2014)

Falcon said:


> I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, a  beautiful city with all the amenities; calm, peaceful, very little crime etc.
> 
> Then, just after WWII ended the $h*t hit the fan and everything changed. Now I'm ashamed to admit I was from there.
> 
> ...



Plenty have had similar experiences when going back to their old locales. The world changes and not always for the better.

I grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey. At that time it was a wonderful place due to it's size and proximity to NYC. And a diverse ethinic mix made for an exposure to various cultures at an early age which has held me in good stead.

Time marched on and it deteriorated. But then a renaissance occured and today it's back on it's feet.

But it gave me an affinity for urban environments, foreign cultures and the arts.


----------



## That Guy (Mar 16, 2014)




----------



## SeaBreeze (Mar 16, 2014)

I grew up in the big city, in a small apartment in NY.  Like Falcon said, it was nice when I was a kid.  Even growing up and playing in the streets and on the sidewalks was very good and natural.  There was a good mixture of different people in my area, so that was of benefit going to schools with different cultures, etc.  I also knew when I was old enough, that things were changing for the worse there, and getting out was wise. 

 I'm not ashamed of where I was born and raised, but things have greatly deteriorated since way back then.  It's a nice place to be from, but I wouldn't want to live there.   Now I like the more open, natural, country life....get as far away as possible from the noise and hubbub if I can.  I love the ocean too, as a child we went to Long Island in the summers, and my parents and siblings held me by my hands and lifted me up over the crashing waves, careful not to let the undertow sweep me away.  I still miss the beach, but Colorado is so beautiful, I'll settle for just visits to the Oregon Coast, etc. for my ocean fix.


----------



## Ina (Mar 16, 2014)

I was raised in and around Houston, mainly around the edges. So I've had both the big city, and the country life. I don't like crowds too much, so our pocket of country is fine. With the freeways, we can be down town in 30 minutes.


----------



## lonelynorthwind (Mar 16, 2014)

Gael said:


> That's very interesting. I have often heard that kids who grew up in circumstances that required them to relocate frequently learned some skills that the more stable types didn't. Classic is a lot of actors who attribute some of their abilities to being adapatable and observing a variety of situations from a vagabond childhood.



There's more truth that than you know, Gael.  My family suffered a disaster when I was 8 and I was raised in foster homes from then on, separated from my 4 siblings and any other family.  I was a "temporary" foster kid which meant one parent was living so I was not adoptable.  The deal was, nobody was supposed to get attached...so they moved me at least every year but mostly more.
  I learned to read people and immediately "fit in".  I learned to give a day's work for a day's dollar.  I learned if I wanted it, I had to make it myself and I learned how to take care of myself.  I learned to leave it behind, stuff is just stuff.  Unfortunately, I tend to do that with people too.  I did not learn long-term relationships or to trust and I'm pretty bad at forgiving.  I'm still workin' on that part.

Don't get me wrong, I've had a great childhood....through my grandkids.


----------



## SeaBreeze (Mar 16, 2014)

Good to hear you were strong enough to fare well during those tough times Lonelynorthwind.  Your grandchildren are precious, so proud of their big fish...wonderful photo! :love_heart:


----------



## Ina (Mar 16, 2014)

Lonelynorthwind, I learned to play with my children and grandchildren also. They can help us see the whole world though their inquiring minds. Even a little more trust seems a possibility.


----------



## Gael (Mar 17, 2014)

SeaBreeze said:


> I grew up in the big city, in a small apartment in NY.  Like Falcon said, it was nice when I was a kid.  Even growing up and playing in the streets and on the sidewalks was very good and natural.  There was a good mixture of different people in my area, so that was of benefit going to schools with different cultures, etc.  I also knew when I was old enough, that things were changing for the worse there, and getting out was wise.
> 
> I'm not ashamed of where I was born and raised, but things have greatly deteriorated since way back then.  It's a nice place to be from, but I wouldn't want to live there.   Now I like the more open, natural, country life....get as far away as possible from the noise and hubbub if I can.  I love the ocean too, as a child we went to Long Island in the summers, and my parents and siblings held me by my hands and lifted me up over the crashing waves, careful not to let the undertow sweep me away.  I still miss the beach, but Colorado is so beautiful, I'll settle for just visits to the Oregon Coast, etc. for my ocean fix.



Are you saying you grew up in NYC?


----------



## Gael (Mar 17, 2014)

Ina said:


> I was raised in and around Houston, mainly around the edges. So I've had both the big city, and the country life. I don't like crowds too much, so our pocket of country is fine. With the freeways, we can be down town in 30 minutes.



So then did growing up in teh Houston area make for your dislike of crowded locales?

I found growing up in a city gave me a tolerance of cities in general though I also like rural and am happy with both.

Many here in Ireland can't tolerate crowds as they just are not used to them. I feel comfortable enough in cities though I prefer a quieter environment to actually live in. Cities for me have the excitement factor and access to so much.


----------



## Gael (Mar 17, 2014)

lonelynorthwind said:


> There's more truth that than you know, Gael.  My family suffered a disaster when I was 8 and I was raised in foster homes from then on, separated from my 4 siblings and any other family.  I was a "temporary" foster kid which meant one parent was living so I was not adoptable.  The deal was, nobody was supposed to get attached...so they moved me at least every year but mostly more.
> I learned to read people and immediately "fit in".  I learned to give a day's work for a day's dollar.  I learned if I wanted it, I had to make it myself and I learned how to take care of myself.  I learned to leave it behind, stuff is just stuff.  Unfortunately, I tend to do that with people too.  I did not learn long-term relationships or to trust and I'm pretty bad at forgiving.  I'm still workin' on that part.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I've had a great childhood....through my grandkids.
> ...



Gorgeous grands and obviously your moving about helped you in some respects and not in others. But we're all works in progress anyway I think.


----------



## Justme (Mar 17, 2014)

I think living on a small island for the first 19 years of my life probably had some effect on me, but I can't think of anything specifically at the moment.


----------



## Gael (Mar 17, 2014)

Justme said:


> I think living on a small island for the first 19 years of my life probably had some effect on me, but I can't think of anything specifically at the moment.



Off the top of my head I'd think it may have had an effect on your socialization skills perhaps? But that depends on how involved you were with others even in a small environment.


----------



## littleowl (Mar 17, 2014)

I was born in a Mining village OOP T North.

If you had all of your teeth at 12 you were a wimp.


----------



## Justme (Mar 17, 2014)

Gael said:


> Off the top of my head I'd think it may have had an effect on your socialization skills perhaps? But that depends on how involved you were with others even in a small environment.



I am not quite sure what you mean by my socialization skills? I have never had a problem socializing when I am in the mood to do so.


----------



## Denise1952 (Mar 17, 2014)

I was born in an area with one gas station/store.  There was a church, and a school, that was it.  Beautiful place though, changed a lot now just from the properties being sold to build houses on.  Still just one store etc. though.

We moved a lot because my mom was married 8 times.  Sometimes I'd come home from school to a whole, new house.  Mom pick us up, my little bro and I, and when we got home it was a different house and a new dad, yuck.

But I did get to live in the country most of my childhood.  I got to ride horses, and be outside all day, in the Summers.  We got to run free pretty much, but were luckily pretty good kids, didn't get in any major trouble.  I was like TG, always the new kid, and it was hard.  I'm sure it was hard on my bro too.  But like with TG, it made me able to "never meet a stranger" as I got older.  I got to be in one, high-school for my Jr. Sr. year which was neat.  I actually still have friends from that, right in this area.

My fave memories (well, there are a bunch) but the ones where we camped out were the best, even if in our own yard.  We would get to ride horses, always bareback, and we would take them to the creek (big creek with nice, deep swimming hole) and go in right off the horses back  swim around, and crawl back on  We always got to have a dog, kitty or both.


----------



## Denise1952 (Mar 17, 2014)

littleowl said:


> I was born in a Mining village OOP T North.
> 
> If you had all of your teeth at 12 you were a wimp.



LOL, oh LO   lots of fights hey?  A mining village would be something.  I think of that movie called "How Green Was My Valley" man what a tear-jerker that was, but off-hand, can't think of a worse job, not even the poopoo plant my brother-in-law worked at all his life


----------



## Denise1952 (Mar 17, 2014)

Ina said:


> I was raised in and around Houston, mainly around the edges. So I've had both the big city, and the country life. I don't like crowds too much, so our pocket of country is fine. With the freeways, we can be down town in 30 minutes.



I've been down your way Ina, drove those freeways by myself and little dog.  We also went through El Paso, and San Antonia, what a ride that was!  I visited some horse-peeps in Humble, I was doing endurance-riding at the time, yuck, still don't know why I ever did that.  Well, I do know, my X loved it and wanted me to.  Almost ruined me on riding for pleasure.  Oh well, nuther story


----------



## That Guy (Mar 17, 2014)

Justme said:


> I think living on a small island for the first 19 years of my life probably had some effect on me, but I can't think of anything specifically at the moment.



Lived on a few islands of varying size from tiny to large off and on for the first 18 years of my life.  I loved it!


----------



## That Guy (Mar 17, 2014)

Growing up in such beautiful country with lots of good fun for kids probably saved you from the chaos, nwlady.


----------



## Justme (Mar 17, 2014)

That Guy said:


> Lived on a few islands of varying size from tiny to large off and on for the first 18 years of my life.  I loved it!



I go back to my home island to visit relatives usually once a year, but would never want to live there again. The UK is my home; I have lived here for nearly 45 years.


----------



## Denise1952 (Mar 17, 2014)

That Guy said:


> Growing up in such beautiful country with lots of good fun for kids probably saved you from the chaos, nwlady.



I agree, we were always sent out to play, but it was ok for sure.  I remember my little bro and I building a small fort in the rain.  We were out rain/shine/sleet and snow


----------



## Mrs. Robinson (Mar 17, 2014)

I was born and raised in the suburbs about 20 minutes south of San Francisco. But every weekend-summer,winter,spring and fall-we traveled three hours north to our cabin on the lake that my parents built when I was 2. And this is where I live now. Not in the cabin,or even nearby,we live on the other side of the lake. But,oh,would my dad be jealous. He tried for so many years to get my mom to move up here. Didn`t happen though. So I really had the best of all worlds-grew up in the suburbs,very safe and away from the "big city",but could visit the city whenever we wanted. Then on the weekends we had all the freedom in the world to swim,water ski,hike in the woods,whatever. I did have some instability in my childhood as my dad was bipolar-that always causes some issues within the family-but I think the places where I grew up helped balance the bad effects of that out.


----------



## Gael (Mar 18, 2014)

littleowl said:


> I was born in a Mining village OOP T North.
> 
> If you had all of your teeth at 12 you were a wimp.



Toughens ya anyway!!:what1:


----------



## Gael (Mar 18, 2014)

Mrs. Robinson said:


> I was born and raised in the suburbs about 20 minutes south of San Francisco. But every weekend-summer,winter,spring and fall-we traveled three hours north to our cabin on the lake that my parents built when I was 2. And this is where I live now. Not in the cabin,or even nearby,we live on the other side of the lake. But,oh,would my dad be jealous. He tried for so many years to get my mom to move up here. Didn`t happen though. So I really had the best of all worlds-grew up in the suburbs,very safe and away from the "big city",but could visit the city whenever we wanted. Then on the weekends we had all the freedom in the world to swim,water ski,hike in the woods,whatever. I did have some instability in my childhood as my dad was bipolar-that always causes some issues within the family-but I think the places where I grew up helped balance the bad effects of that out.



How wonderful to have experienced the best of both worlds. I think that makes for a good balance in forming a personality.


----------



## Gael (Mar 18, 2014)

nwlady said:


> I agree, we were always sent out to play, but it was ok for sure.  I remember my little bro and I building a small fort in the rain.  We were out rain/shine/sleet and snow



And therein is a big difference between kids glued to the pc/tv indoors in this era.


----------



## Gael (Mar 18, 2014)

nwlady said:


> I was born in an area with one gas station/store.  There was a church, and a school, that was it.  Beautiful place though, changed a lot now just from the properties being sold to build houses on.  Still just one store etc. though.
> 
> We moved a lot because my mom was married 8 times.  Sometimes I'd come home from school to a whole, new house.  Mom pick us up, my little bro and I, and when we got home it was a different house and a new dad, yuck.
> 
> ...



I think yours is a good example of the healing and positives that a background involving closeness to nature can bring. In spite of what had to be challenges with a much married mother, you still were enjoying the simple joys of nature.


----------



## Gael (Mar 18, 2014)

Justme said:


> I am not quite sure what you mean by my socialization skills? I have never had a problem socializing when I am in the mood to do so.



I just meant that isolation sometimes leads to less ease in meeting new people and interacting in general.


----------



## Justme (Mar 18, 2014)

Gael said:


> I just meant that isolation sometimes leads to less ease in meeting new people and interacting in general.



Although a small island, approx 9x5miles, the population was about 50,000 when I was young, 60,000 these days, so I wasn't isolated from people.


----------



## Denise1952 (Mar 18, 2014)

Gael said:


> And therein is a big difference between kids glued to the pc/tv indoors in this era.



Oh yeah, so different.  I feel we had to use our imaginations to come up with things.  It's really like "traveling" places like the high-seas as pirates, army, cowboys/girls, knights and princesses, it was fun, we were very fortunate  I remember going to gram and gramps, and out in my gramps shop, there were the sticks that would be our horses for the day LOLWow, I'd forgotten they had store-bought stick horses, with a head even!! LOL!!


----------



## Gael (Mar 18, 2014)

Justme said:


> Although a small island, approx 9x5miles, the population was about 50,000 when I was young, 60,000 these days, so I wasn't isolated from people.



That's good. Thanks for clarifying it.


----------



## Gael (Mar 18, 2014)

nwlady said:


> Oh yeah, so different.  I feel we had to use our imaginations to come up with things.  It's really like "traveling" places like the high-seas as pirates, army, cowboys/girls, knights and princesses, it was fun, we were very fortunate  I remember going to gram and gramps, and out in my gramps shop, there were the sticks that would be our horses for the day LOLWow, I'd forgotten they had store-bought stick horses, with a head even!! LOL!!



Children are so happy in fantasy playworld and it's a shame when they miss out on that.


----------



## Denise1952 (Mar 18, 2014)

Gael said:


> Children are so happy in fantasy playworld and it's a shame when they miss out on that.


It is a shame, very sad.  I've talked to lots of folks that just look at me in wonder when I tell of the things I got to do as a child.  That's good I am thinking of this, more for my gratitude list


----------



## Sunny (Mar 18, 2014)

I grew up in Newark, NJ, near enough to NY to get there frequently. It was a tough milieu (intellectually, not physically), which sharpened my curiosity, and my confidence in my own decisions. Most of those decisions turned out to be good ones (happily married for nearly 54 years until my husband passed away four years ago), the decision to have three kids, to get into the computer field back in the 1970's, to retire in the Pacific northwest when we felt impelled to, the decision to return back east eventually to be near at least one of our children. 

Interesting question; a lot of the things that happen to us are beyond our control, but a lot of them aren't. How we react to what life throws at us is often conditioned by where and how we grew up.


----------



## Justme (Mar 18, 2014)

I liked to play cowboys and Indians, but we also played with things left over from WW2. My childhood home was occupied by 13 Germans during the war, when they departed, before the British arrived, they left everything behind, we had real German helmets to wear when playing war games! When I was ten I was in a load of trouble for kicking around a small green pineapple object I had found, it was live grenade! We had a very large attic which hadn't been emptied for about 100 years, when my father got his staff to clear it out in the early 60s they threw everything onto our Nov 5th bonfire! They didn't check to see what was in a large green box. It was packed full of ammunition and when the bonfire was lit it all exploded. Fortunately we hadn't started the Guy Fawkes night celebrations so no one was hurt! The cows in our field were a bit shaken though!


----------



## Denise1952 (Mar 18, 2014)

Justme said:


> I liked to play cowboys and Indians, but we also played with things left over from WW2. My childhood home was occupied by 13 Germans during the war, when they departed, before the British arrived, they left everything behind, we had real German helmets to wear when playing war games! When I was ten I was in a load of trouble for kicking around a small green pineapple object I had found, it was live grenade! We had a very large attic which hadn't been emptied for about 100 years, when my father got his staff to clear it out in the early 60s they threw everything onto our Nov 5th bonfire! They didn't check to see what was in a large green box. It was packed full of ammunition and when the bonfire was lit it all exploded. Fortunately we hadn't started the Guy Fawkes night celebrations so no one was hurt! The cows in our field were a bit shaken though!



Wow, I felt I was sitting on the floor in a circle with other people just listening to your story!  Such a good read Justme!! Thanks for sharing it, would love to hear more! Denise  PS That perfect touch of humor in my opinion as well, the pineapple and the cows You had some sort of guardian angel


----------



## Denise1952 (Mar 18, 2014)

Sunny said:


> I grew up in Newark, NJ, near enough to NY to get there frequently. It was a tough milieu (intellectually, not physically), which sharpened my curiosity, and my confidence in my own decisions. Most of those decisions turned out to be good ones (happily married for nearly 54 years until my husband passed away four years ago), the decision to have three kids, to get into the computer field back in the 1970's, to retire in the Pacific northwest when we felt impelled to, the decision to return back east eventually to be near at least one of our children.
> 
> Interesting question; a lot of the things that happen to us are beyond our control, but a lot of them aren't. How we react to what life throws at us is often conditioned by where and how we grew up.



I really admire you Sunny, you not only survived, you excelled! Denise


----------



## Justme (Mar 18, 2014)

nwlady said:


> Wow, I felt I was sitting on the floor in a circle with other people just listening to your story!  Such a good read Justme!! Thanks for sharing it, would love to hear more! Denise  PS That perfect touch of humor in my opinion as well, the pineapple and the cows You had some sort of guardian angel



Thanks! My autobiography I am writing is called, 'My Guardian Angel is on Prozac'. I have done many crazy stuff throughout my life, which could have ended in my early demise! My children will probably write the final chapter when my luck finally runs out!


----------



## Denise1952 (Mar 18, 2014)

I wondered if you write, or planned to write a book.  I would buy it Justme, keep me posted  I love the title, lol!


----------



## Justme (Mar 18, 2014)

nwlady said:


> I wondered if you write, or planned to write a book.  I would buy it Justme, keep me posted  I love the title, lol!



How kind, but if I ever complete it I would give you a copy for free! 

I have written a good number of articles, which have been published over the years. I also enjoy writing short stories for young children where the child is the hero or heroine of the story. This pleases a child enormously. My poetry has also been published too. I really enjoy creating one of my artwork pictures, for free, to make someone happy. I don't want to be pushy, but if anyone would like me to create one for them send me a pm and the colours which are important to them and I will see what I can do when the vibes are right. As the work is digital I can send it by e-mail.

Here is one of my kid's stories.

*A VerySpecial Uncle*​*(For Quinn,Elliot, Torin, Toby and Amelie)*​​*One upon a Munch time there was a cowcalled Munch. She told the small calves to settle down quietly so she couldtell them this story.*

*Quinn, Elliot, Torin, Toby and Amelie arelucky children because they have a very special uncle.*

*Uncle John-Paul lives with Granny andGramps in a farmhouse in the country. He was born with a disability called Down’ssyndrome. Granny and Gramps have to help him with tasks he finds difficult.*

*Even though Uncle John-Paul can’t doeverything other grownups find easy, he is very happy and kind. He is never toobusy to play games with his nephews and niece. The children love their unclevery much and look forward to visiting him. Sometimes they have an adventuretogether!*

*One summer Saturday morning, Uncle JohnPaul, Quinn, Elliot, Torin, Toby and Amelie were sitting on the lawn enjoying orangejuice and Granny’s homemade biscuits. Mr Williamson, from next door, camewalking down the drive with a worried frown on his face. He asked them if theyhad seen Spoodles his ginger cat. Spoodles is a friendly cat, but a bit of ascamp. She creeps into the farmhouse and sits on the gerbil’s cage. Granny isalways shooing her out! But that morning Spoodles hadn’t been seen by anyone.Oh dear!*

*The children and Uncle John-Paul wanted to helpMr Williamson find his cat. They decided to look in the big field next toGramps and Granny’s house while Mr Williamson searched his house and gardenagain.*

*Uncle John-Paul and the five children climbedover the stile into the field and began looking for Spoodles. After aboutthirty minutes Quinn whispered, “Listen, I can hear a cat mewing!”  Uncle John-Paul, Elliot, Torin, Toby andAmelie heard it too. There in the middle of the stream, which ran through thefield, was poor Spoodles looking a very sorry sight. She had managed to get hertail tangled around brambles which were lying in the water. Spoodles wassitting on a stone half in and half out of the water, she couldn’t move! UncleJohn-Paul told the children to wait on the bank, and taking his shoes off hewaded into the stream to rescue the poor cat. As soon as he untangled her tailshe jumped out, none the worse for her adventure! But poor Uncle John-Paul,slipped, lost his balance and fell into the water. It isn’t deep but he gotcompletely soaked. The children all jumped in to help him up!* 

*One wet uncle, four wet boys and one wetgirl stood dripping on the doorstep of Granny and Gramps house. They alllaughed when Granny grumbled, “Spoodles should be doing this”, as she handedout six towels and put their clothes into the washing machine!*

*After lunch Mr Williamson appeared with a ‘thankyou’ present from Spoodles, a big box of chocolates for the family to share.The chocolates were very yummy. *

*As the children hugged Uncle John-Paulgoodbye, at the end of their exciting day, Elliot said, “I hope we have anotheradventure next time we visit you!” “But not such a messy one”, laughed Granny. *

*©**RJG*​*March 2011*​


----------



## That Guy (Mar 18, 2014)

Justme said:


> I liked to play cowboys and Indians, but we also played with things left over from WW2. My childhood home was occupied by 13 Germans during the war, when they departed, before the British arrived, they left everything behind, we had real German helmets to wear when playing war games! When I was ten I was in a load of trouble for kicking around a small green pineapple object I had found, it was live grenade! We had a very large attic which hadn't been emptied for about 100 years, when my father got his staff to clear it out in the early 60s they threw everything onto our Nov 5th bonfire! They didn't check to see what was in a large green box. It was packed full of ammunition and when the bonfire was lit it all exploded. Fortunately we hadn't started the Guy Fawkes night celebrations so no one was hurt! The cows in our field were a bit shaken though!



That's quite an experience!  As a boy, on some of the islands we lived, also found unexploded munitions from WWII.  Some kids did get hurt, though.  Every once in awhile, the EOD would explode a bomb washed up on a beach. On Guam, in the late '40s, Japanese soldiers were still living in caves and didn't know the war was over.


----------



## Gael (Mar 18, 2014)

Sunny said:


> I grew up in Newark, NJ, near enough to NY to get there frequently. It was a tough milieu (intellectually, not physically), which sharpened my curiosity, and my confidence in my own decisions. Most of those decisions turned out to be good ones (happily married for nearly 54 years until my husband passed away four years ago), the decision to have three kids, to get into the computer field back in the 1970's, to retire in the Pacific northwest when we felt impelled to, the decision to return back east eventually to be near at least one of our children.
> 
> Interesting question; a lot of the things that happen to us are beyond our control, but a lot of them aren't. How we react to what life throws at us is often conditioned by where and how we grew up.



I recall Newark, very clearly. It always was a troubled area. I can easily understand your desire to relocate.

And yes, our roots influence us no doubt.


----------



## Gael (Mar 18, 2014)

Justme said:


> How kind, but if I ever complete it I would give you a copy for free!
> 
> I have written a good number of articles, which have been published over the years. I also enjoy writing short stories for young children where the child is the hero or heroine of the story. This pleases a child enormously. My poetry has also been published too. I really enjoy creating one of my artwork pictures, for free, to make someone happy. I don't want to be pushy, but if anyone would like me to create one for them send me a pm and the colours which are important to them and I will see what I can do when the vibes are right. As the work is digital I can send it by e-mail.
> 
> ...



Now this is a revelation from you, Justme! Wonderful to see this creative side of you!! :woohoo1:


----------



## Justme (Mar 18, 2014)

What sort of revelation?


----------



## Gael (Mar 18, 2014)

Justme said:


> What sort of revelation?



I didn't know you wrote.


----------



## Justme (Mar 18, 2014)

I did mention it on my profile.


----------



## Gael (Mar 18, 2014)

Justme said:


> I did mention it on my profile.



Never looked at your profile but now I know and good luck with your literary endeavors.


----------



## Justme (Mar 18, 2014)

Thanks. I don't charge anything for the stories I create for children, it is enough to know I give them pleasure.


----------



## Gael (Mar 18, 2014)

Justme said:


> Thanks. I don't charge anything for the stories I create for children, it is enough to know I give them pleasure.



That philosophy just should yield rewarding results as it's an unselfish endeavor.


----------



## littleowl (Mar 19, 2014)

How green was my valley. Is the biggest load of crap ever made about mining.


----------



## Gael (Mar 19, 2014)

littleowl said:


> How green was my valley. Is the biggest load of crap ever made about mining.



OK, I'm lost. This is a thread about where we grew up and the subsequent influence it may have had. What is your point?:lost:


----------



## Bullie76 (Mar 19, 2014)

I grew up in Mississippi. As you know, there were a lot of problems with race relations back in the 50's and 60's in the south. We certainly had our share in MS. But I was surrounded by good friends and brought up in a great family so life was pretty good back then for me. I was probably sheltered from most of the problems as I never saw any confrontations first hand. 

As far as how all that has affected me during my life, not sure really. I think I get along fine with all kinds of people. But I think I would be pretty much the same even if I had been brought up in another part of the country. With the same family values of course.


----------



## Gael (Mar 19, 2014)

Bullie76 said:


> I grew up in Mississippi. As you know, there were a lot of problems with race relations back in the 50's and 60's in the south. We certainly had our share in MS. But I was surrounded by good friends and brought up in a great family so life was pretty good back then for me. I was probably sheltered from most of the problems as I never saw any confrontations first hand.
> 
> 
> As far as how all that has affected me during my life, not sure really. I think I get along fine with all kinds of people. But I think I would be pretty much the same even if I had been brought up in another part of the country. With the same family values of course.



Sounds like having lived through a racially charged situation and come out intact was due to your families doing more then anything. You're blessed to have emerged with an open attitude. And possibly though you don't see the influence living there had on you per se, it just might have contributed to your open mindedness as did the values you were taught.

It would have been pretty impossible to have grown up there at that time and been totally unaware of the differences between being white and being black meant in spite of not seeing any confrontations. It was so ingrained in the society in every respect.


----------



## Denise1952 (Mar 19, 2014)

lonelynorthwind said:


> There's more truth that than you know, Gael.  My family suffered a disaster when I was 8 and I was raised in foster homes from then on, separated from my 4 siblings and any other family.  I was a "temporary" foster kid which meant one parent was living so I was not adoptable.  The deal was, nobody was supposed to get attached...so they moved me at least every year but mostly more.
> I learned to read people and immediately "fit in".  I learned to give a day's work for a day's dollar.  I learned if I wanted it, I had to make it myself and I learned how to take care of myself.  I learned to leave it behind, stuff is just stuff.  Unfortunately, I tend to do that with people too.  I did not learn long-term relationships or to trust and I'm pretty bad at forgiving.  I'm still workin' on that part.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I've had a great childhood....through my grandkids.
> ...



It's like you read my autobio, except for the foster thing.  My mom was with us physically, she was absent otherwise.  I didn't have kids because I both my younger bro and I figured we didn't want to chance them having to go through the same stuff.  I'm glad you had some, wonderful, they are just beautiful lnw, Denise


----------



## Denise1952 (Mar 19, 2014)

Gael said:


> Now this is a revelation from you, Justme! Wonderful to see this creative side of you!! :woohoo1:



I hadn't read this yet but did this a.m.  It was a good read, and my fave part was imagining spoodles sitting on the gerbel cage.  You wonder what the gerbel must have been thinking  I remember tweety bird and was it Jinx the cat?  Anyway, an neat ole granny had the cat and the little yellow bird, it was a hoot  The cat was always after the bird, and the bird always got the best of the cat, LOL!!

Good read again Justme, you have great writing ability Denise

PS I never in my life saw the name Amelie used anywhere but in my geneology.  It was neat to see it  I had a great-great grandmother name Amelie


----------



## littleowl (Mar 19, 2014)

No point except I was replying to a remark about a crap film.
I replied honestly about were I was born.


----------



## Justme (Mar 19, 2014)

nwlady said:


> I hadn't read this yet but did this a.m.  It was a good read, and my fave part was imagining spoodles sitting on the gerbel cage.  You wonder what the gerbel must have been thinking  I remember tweety bird and was it Jinx the cat?  Anyway, an neat ole granny had the cat and the little yellow bird, it was a hoot  The cat was always after the bird, and the bird always got the best of the cat, LOL!!
> 
> Good read again Justme, you have great writing ability Denise
> 
> PS I never in my life saw the name Amelie used anywhere but in my geneology.  It was neat to see it  I had a great-great grandmother name Amelie



Thanks for the kind comments. I might put one or two more of my short stories in the hobbies section, it will save derailing this thread.

I like the name Amelie. My three girls have French names, reflecting my ancestry.


----------



## Denise1952 (Mar 19, 2014)

Justme said:


> Thanks for the kind comments. I might put one or two more of my short stories in the hobbies section, it will save derailing this thread.
> 
> I like the name Amelie. My three girls have French names, reflecting my ancestry.



I didn't know if it was french, thank you for the info.  My family came and settled in Quebec, then moved to work for HBC (Hudson Bay).  My Great, great, great I think??, LOL was Xavier Vautrin, what a name.  My dad's side was from Whales though, and came to Ontario, CA.


----------

