Tale of two memes

Karen at Gem of the Ocean always has some work for me to do. This time it's a book meme. I also saw the other meme at Entropy's blog last night around dinner, and Karen had it too, so will do that since my head cold doesn't leave much room for any original thoughts. It's amazing how quickly these things migrate around the blogosphere. If the bird flu ever becomes an epidemic, it will have been because of bloggers spreading it all over the globe.

First, the book meme.
Rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.

This irony happened the last time I did this meme. Some goofy book is on my computer desk. This time it's the blasted Da Vinci Code that my husband is using for his class. He had to read it and also use it in his take home test and in his paper. It is not mine. I haven't read it. Don't blame me.

The last time I did this meme, the first few books I picked up didn't even have 123 pages. Then the third book didn't even have enough text to post three sentences. The Da Vinci Code has 123 pages, but on page 123 there are barely enough sentences. I don't know what interest anyone would have in these, but here they are:

Fache decided not to take any chances. Hedging his bets, he ordered half his men back to the Louvre perimeter. The other half he sent to guard the only location in Paris where Robert Langdon could find safe harbor.
______________________________________________________

From 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, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright.

True statements are in "Bold."

1. Father went to college
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college
4. Mother finished college

Both of my parents went to college. Both were the first and only in their large family (although my mom's youngest brother did attend Cow College (UW - River Falls) briefly. Mom was a "St. Joe's" nurse from St. Kate's (one of her aunts was a nurse from St. Kate's too). Dad wanted to be a forensic pathologist and teach LONGGGGGGGG before anything like CSI came around. He had started his masters when his father died and he quit school to take care of my grandmother and aunt who was still living at home. He went to school on the GI Bill. I guess my grandfather, who raised his family during the depression, thought my dad was completely insane to quit (actually, my dad took leave from work, which was allowed under the GI Bill I guess) his job and go to college. Education was important to the family, but a great job was hard to find. Dad had taken a job with the railroad and quickly risen to an engineering position. My grandfather thought he was crazy to turn his back on that. When his father died, he went back to the railroad. Not ONCE did my father ever complain about things that could've been or even complain about working.

5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor
All three. I have a large family, so odds are that it will happen. For me, it's not immediate family, but cousins. My dad's cousin was a prof of English in Georgia for MANY years. She also taught music. The physician part is my cousin's son. Hubby also has a cousin who is an attorney.

6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home.
9. Were read children's books by a parent.

I can't say I had over 500 books, but my parents read all the time and really encouraged us to do the same. I didn't have things other kids did, like a bunch of sports equipment, but my parents would buy us books. I probably do have 500 books now, but many are academic. My mom read to us when we were little, but not to the extent that it was frequent or like we do with our kids.

10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18

I was a Larkin dancer for awhile. I also had music lessons (at school) and also piano/organ lessons at home.

12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively.

Stricly speaking, yes. But Catholics certainly aren't portrayed very nicely at times. Heck, look at the Da Vinci Code!

13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18

Hmmmm. I worked at Target and think I may have had a Target credit card, but my real first credit card wasn't until I was in college.

14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs

My parents wouldn't even co-sign on my Guaranteed Student Loan! My dad was raised during the depression so there was no way he was going to sign for a loan. And, I knew better than to even ask. I went to St. Thomas on grants and scholarships that brought the cost down to what it would've cost me to attend the U of M. Not a bad deal. I also worked my backside off to pay the tuition myself, plus all my other expenses other than the roof over my head. My second go-round was paid for by Boeing.

16. Went to a private high school
I went to public school. To this day, my aunt still asks me why my parents didn't send me to "Catholic school." I have no idea. It was never discussed and I was of the mindset that Catholic school kids were dorks, so public school suited me just fine.

17. Went to summer camp

I went once for Brownies.

18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18

No. No one did that I knew.

19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels

I think this is half true. When we were very little, my parents would rent a cabin at a resort for a week. Then my aunt bought a cabin and the family at large flocked there all the time. Never went anywhere else but the cabin though. My friend always got to go somewhere fun, like Hawaii, CA, FL, etc., while we went to the cabin. Still, it was fun and at least we had a cabin to go to.

20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18

When I was little, my mom went through a phase of making my clothes, but that stopped well before Kindergarten. So, this is pretty true, just not "all" bought new.

21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them

Never. Not on your life. I paid my way from about the time I was 16.

22. There was original art in your house when you were a child [kid's work is original!]
We had a piece of starving artist stuff hanging in the living room. My dad also had some Japanese scrolls in our den and a framed obi. Guess this counts. Nothing like a Monet though.

23. You and your family lived in a single-family house
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. (follows below)
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school

We lived in the burbs and there was only my brother and me, so we had our own rooms. I had a phone that I kind of wired myself (desperate!) that was still on the same line as the family.

27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course

Are you nuts? No one prepped back then. I didn't even study for the ACT. I think most of us viewed the test as a nuisance, nothing that was going to have any direct impact on the schools we wanted to attend. But, then again, I wasn't applying to Harvard.

29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college

No.

30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16

I got to fly when I was 16. I had spent the summer taking care of my grandmother who was recovering from surgery. I stayed with her in Hudson instead of the family getting an in-home helper. As my "reward," my aunt sent me to visit my cousins in CA. She also sent my brother with me and he hadn't done anything to deserve it, the rat!

31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family

No. We went on one for our honeymoon and then one in the Mediterranean, but not with my parents.

33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up

Not that I remember. My dad hated traffic and I don't think ever drove through the heart of Minneapolis ever. They did take us to the IDS tower once, but museums were things we did on schoool field trips.

34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family

Not on your life. If I didn't turn off a light, my dad would re-introduce me to Mr. Light Switch. Plus, my mom was sick from the time I was nine, so I handled the bill paying very early on. I knew more about my parents finances than they did! Before I got married and moved away, I had to completely educate my dad on balancing the check book, paying taxes, when things were due, etc. I also had to show him how to use the washing machine and how to program the VCR. Believe it or not, my MIL raised her sons to be ignorant of a good number of things. Immediately after getting married, I taught my husband how to use the washing machine and how to cook. Good grief.

19 of 34 privileged items is 56%