Where I'd be now

As more and more years come between my childhood and the present, the harder it is to conjure up those childhood memories, so when Mama Kat asked as one of her writing prompts this week, what I'd be doing now if I'd made a career out of what I was passionate about when I was 10 years old, I had to think long and hard.

I don't know if this is the norm for most people once they hit a certain adult age, but for me, my childhood years are sort of filed haphazardly under "childhood" in my memory bank and the details of a particular age or year are becoming somewhat fuzzy so while I can't recall exactly what I may have been passionate about as a 10 year old, I can recall the things that pretty much remained constant throughout my childhood.


I was all about Garfield.  Remember Garfield the cat?  I'm not referring to the movies they made a few years back though those were pretty cute and my boys have watched them precisely a humpteen gazillion times.

But I'm talking about the Garfield before he was a movie star; the one in the comic strip by Jim Davis that I could not wait to get my hands on each Sunday morning.   I "got" Garfield.  He was on my level.  He hated mornings and Mondays, was snarky and sarcastic and had an unhealthy love of lasagna. He was my kinda cat and I had an extensive collection of Garfield stuffed animals and other paraphernalia to prove it.  


In addition to that big orange cat, I was passionate about music and dancing and could not get enough of  Solid Gold, Grease, or the Bee Gees. I would rush into the den and take my place in front of the t.v. when I heard the theme song of a t.v. show coming on so that I could get my dance on.

It mattered not what show or song it was either...Dallas, The Love Boat, WKRP in Cincinnati...Happy Days...Whatever!  If there was a beat, I had to move.  But only if all those present knew and loved me, otherwise I turned into a shy wallflower. 

Which is why all those who did know and love me were more than a little shocked when I decided to have a  dancing competition at my 8th (I think) birthday party.  And even more shocked when I was the only one who participated. 

If I had any inkling as to where that pic of me swirling around with my hair flying and my pointed finger in the air, while sporting my pale green pants and flower child blouse, as all my guests and their parents looked on, I would so be posting it right now.  A star was born.  At least in my 8 year old mind. 

I was also passionate about cats, the live ones, not just the one in the comic strip.  I've no idea when I switched sides and became more of a dog person because although I always loved both, as a child, I was passionate about all things cats.  

My childhood bff and I dressed as cats for Halloween one year (another photo I wish I knew the whereabouts of).  She was solid white and I was solid black, complete with tails, whiskers and ears.   I remember that black cat tail staying in the bottom of my dirty clothes hamper for eons after that.

I'm not sure what I find more odd about that last statement:  the fact that a black cat tail stayed in my hamper for so long or the fact that out of all the details I could have potentially retained from my childhood, I recall THAT one.

Okay, so I was passionate about cats, one in particular, and dancing so if those passions had led to a career, what would I be doing today?

or perhaps a pro on

dancing with my favorite star

Ba ha Ha ha!


I think I'll stick with the life I've got, thank you. 

Besides, I just ordered one of these,

Mama's gonna shake her groove thang.