A List of Firsts....Day 18 of NaBloPoMo.

“What is human life? The FIRST third a good time; the rest remembering about it.”—Mark Twain

I know I’m getting old as I reflect on FIRSTS in my life, the things suitable to share, that is. Mr. Twain was a wise man. I do hope for more firsts in my life, but I won’t be bungee jumping or cliff diving anytime soon. This is a somewhat random list, with event and age. I don’t use any of these facts as a security question by the way.

First movie: The Exorcist age 1 ½, Movie ratings? What’s that? My parents took me to this in Korea while my father was stationed there. Crazy! Explains my fear of all things Linda Blair.

First Stitches: 4, cracked my head. Harry Potter made it cool to have a scar on your forehead, so I guess I'm cool too.

First Dance: 8th grade, Kevin B. with his mullet and acid wash jeans, my 80s teenage dream realized.

First Kiss: 21 (Although I have memories of kissing Freddy and his hot dog scented breath under our stairs where we played Star Wars; if so, 3 years old, Massachusetts).

First Date: 8th grade, chaperoned by his older sister, we watched The Abyss.

First Job: Summer before 9th grade Naval Hospital, X-Ray Department receptionist. I made a thousand bucks that summer, gave half to my parents and didn't know what to do with myself. I think I bought the entire Beach Boys collection on tape among other things.

First Car: Z28 Camaro, black with red and silver stripes, T-Top 1986. Don't be impressed, it was a junker hand me down from my father. Interior cloth drooped on my head, T-top leaked, no a/c, windshield wipers only worked if I used the bumps on the road to get them to swish (equivalent to pounding a remote control with weak batteries in your palm) and it was maipe as heck! Guam?! 85 degree heat? After school I smiled casually as I grabbed the black leather and metal steering wheel (2nd degree burns) I'm sure of it. But, it was mine. And I loved it's power. V8 engine killed my allowance money though. *Photo below is not the actual car, it's more pristine.

First Tae Kwon Do Tournament: 17, 3rd place out of 4 women. Ooh, yeah!

First Beer: 18 (legal age on Guam).

First Karaoke Song: 19 (somewhere in Barrigada) “More Than Words” by Extreme, sung from behind the couch cushions I hid under.

First Time Guest Singing in a Band: 19 (baby Christening) “What’s Up” by Four Non Blondes, backed by great teenage boy musicians.

First New Car: 22, Blue Stock Toyota Tercel.

First Home: 25 My parents tagged along and I gave them the Master Bedroom, "We'll live with you until you get married." Normal by Guam/Chamorro standards. I love 'em!

First Broken Heart: 26, I don't think the devastation of finding out (when I was 8 years old) that Elvis Presley was already dead counts.

First Jet Ski Ride: 27

First Disneyland (CA) visit: 29, been to Tokyo Disneyland, but eating beef curry and rice didn’t feel All-American to me (17).

First Marriage (and last): 30.

First Child: 31

First Published Book: 36

First Tattoo: 36 (San Francisco on Bruce Lee's Birthday) Took me 18 years to finally decide on one, don't ask how I told my mother finally--my strict, opinionated Korean mother. She still loves me, though.

*I visited the Chinese Hospital in China Town, San Francisco where Bruce Lee was born. Day of his 70th birthday. I felt it was fitting.

First Comic Con: 37, Comic Convention famous in San Diego, Twilight dream come true.

*I was that close to Robert Pattinson!


Food List, food and the corresponding age…

Carabao 10 (tricked by my father, "Eat it! It's beef!" chomp, chomp "Kidding, it's carabao.")

Deer 10
Taco 12
Stingray 21
Raw tuna 22
Wasabi 22
Lamb 30 (blech!)
Oatmeal 30
Cilantro 30

Random, yes. Think about your “Firsts”.

ESTA LATER!