Blogtember Day 6: Describe a distinct moment when your life took a turn.  

Not the most attractive picture, but here I am, age 15, at practice.

The moment that turned my life around happened years before I realized how much it changed my life. I've come to learn that's how it frequently happens. There's a small decision or series of small decisions that seem so far attenuated from their ultimate effects, but everything traces back to that moment.

Since I can remember, I was always in sport. I danced (tap, jazz, ballet and even river dance) from the age of 3 until I was about 8. I don't recall most of that but pictures of me in 4th position or leaping across the frame plaster the pages of family scrapbooks, reminding me that it indeed happened. It was my continuous flipping off the couch, much to my mother's dismay, that led to my father enrolling me in gymnastics classes when I was 7. What began as an outlet for my dangerous house-tumbling ended up the thing that kept my world from tumbling down. 

By the time I was 14, the gym had become my safe haven. Time spent at the gym meant less time in a home that was "unsatisfying" (that sounds like a very "woe is me" statement, laced with teen angst, but I really was going through quite a bit at that age). I made the competitive team and was training 4-6 days per week. When I was there, I didn't have time to focus on anything else except not falling off the balance beam or catching the high bar. I lived in a leo and I loved it. I attended school from 9 to 3, went to the gym from 4 until about 9, and spent all day Saturdays, training and teaching classes. In the summertime, I attended camp and became a counselor when I was old enough. My coaches pushed me, my friends and teammates supported me - that place raised me. No doubt, that place saved me. Without the gym, I'm not sure I'd be the person I am today; I'm not sure I'd be here at all. Instead of dwelling on the then-current conditions of my life, I dragged by sore butt into the gym day in and day out, and it was the happiest place on earth. Everyone at the gym loved me so much, and it more than made up for the love I lacked for myself. Being there convinced me that everything was going to be okay. And you know what? It was. 

Don't You Forget About Me

Today's topic: "A story about a time you were very afraid."

This post has nothing to do with The Breakfast Club (my favorite movie by the way), but the outro, hit song "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds is quite fitting. Do any of you 80's kids remember it?
Photo Credit; Edited by me. 

Today marks the second day in a row during Blogtember that we're going to look back to my ninth year of life. Apparently, a hell of a lot happened to 9 year-old Kari. I was mean and forgettable. 

I don't remember many of the details but that's actually consistent with how I remember things that I am or once was afraid of. I kind of block them out and when I pull on those memories, only certain tethers return, like feelings or settings. My grandmother, whom I called Nanny, was diagnosed with lung cancer when I was a child and she progressively got worse over time. Because her condition was worsening, they (my parents, aunts and uncles) wanted me to spend as much time as possible with her, just in case. I was going to go visit her at her house when my mother tried to explain that Nanny was a bit different from the last time I had seen her. When I asked how, she said that I could go in to see her but that she might not remember me because she had forgotten a lot of things lately. Little did I know that just earlier Nanny didn't even remember her own children, but to my 9 year-old ears, my mother had essentially said "you're grandma has forgotten you." My mother lead me to the hallway that lead to Nanny's bedroom but I would barely budge. I stood with my arms stiffly by my side and took tiny little steps in their direction. My family has told me this story quite a few times since then, about how I was moving so slowly that it would've taken me an hour to enter the room, but I only really remember how I felt. I feared of the possibility that Nana wouldn't know who I was, that her blue eyes would pass over my face without recognition. They say it took them 5 minutes of calling me to get me move an inch and that eventually, my uncle just carried me into the room with my face buried in his chest. But I just remember feeling so very afraid that I had already been forgotten. 

Now that I think about it, this story was a precursor of sorts for my life. If I care to admit it to myself, being forgotten is one of twenty-five year-old Kari biggest fears as well. 

Girl Meets World

Photo Credit

One night when I was stayed up way past my bedtime, I discovered that reruns of Boy Meets World play on ABC Family at 7AM. Discovered is an understatement. Rather I rejoiced in the fact that one of my favorite childhood television shows hadn't been forgotten in the back of some tape room never to be viewed again. So that morning, I sat on my couch for nearly 3 hours (I'm not proud of it), quoting memorable lines like "Underpants!" and "F-f-f-feennaayyy" in time with the actors that said them (Now, that I'm proud of). I followed Cory, Topanga, and Shawn from 6th grade until they graduated from college, growing up with the characters on Friday evenings as they learned life lessons. At the age of 10, I'd pretend to be a character in the show, except I was the girl who meets the world and replaces Topanga as Cory's one an only love (Again, I regret nothing). For anyone looking for a stroll down memory lane and quite frankly, a good cry, search "boy meets world series finale last scene" on YouTube. There are millions of moments I could recall and millions more I'll never forget.

So, you can only imagine how excited I was to find out that in 2014 Disney will be premiering a spin-off to this amazing show - Girl Meets World. The renewal will center around Riley, the 12 year old daughter of Cory and Topanga with both Ben Savage and Danielle Fischel reprising their roles.  Michael Jacobs, the show's executive producer who also created Boy Meets World, stated that the show "will be rooted in the same kind of honest, comedic storytelling about coming of age and the importance of family and friendship[.]"  The show will be set in New York City, where Cory teaches history at his daughter's school and Topanga runs an after-school hangout, which I must say I'm a little disappointed about (How does my role model Topanga Lawrence - the intelligent, expressive and learned 6th grader, the girl admitted to Yale University, the woman who went to NYC to chase her dreams of working in a big law firm - end up here? There nothing per se wrong with it, I just hope they address it because I'm not sure how I feel about the message it sends).  

It is also rumored that Mr. Feeny will make an appearance in at least the pilot episode and that both Shawn and Eric have been seen on set. I'd really love to see how those two turn out. I always thought that Eric would become the next Mr. Feeny (although it seems like the creators are going for that with Cory). And Jacobs made a statement in June of this year that "nothing good is ever going to happen for Shawn", which saddens me, but I'm still hopeful that he'll make an appearance.

Many of the characters of the new show mimic those of the old one. Riley's best friend, Maya Fox (pictured below), is a bit "rough around the edges", and has strained family relationships while having strong ties to both Riley and Cory (Hello, Shawn Hunter!). The Matthews also have an older son, Elliot, who is described as having the "Eric Matthews Algernon" gene for getting dumber as the seasons continue.  There are a few other comparisons, including Riley's love interest and other classmates, that you can read about here.

Photo Credit

As a 25 year old woman, I'm very excited for this series, and I don't think I should be ashamed of that. Not only will I probably watch it for my own enjoyment (Disney channel is probably one of my guiltiest pleasures), but more so, I'm excited for what this show could be for middle school and high school aged children. If the buzz is accurate, Girl Meets World could be as successful as the the cult favorite that has adults rejoicing in and searching for reruns 13 years later (See comments here).

xoxo,