Michael's Reflections =) 1-10

Favorite Pastime: What was your favorite pastime as a child? Did you prefer doing it alone or with someone else?

I loved to read as a child. I remember loving the local library, and the day I discovered I could get my own library card and check out books for free as often as I wanted, I was hooked. It got to a point where I would wander over to the Young Adult section and pick a book out based on the cover art alone. Being a somewhat fantasy-struck young boy, this drove me to reading a lot about dragons and folklore and myth from around the world. I became something of a young faux-expert in the areas of heavenly bodies and cultural lore. Everything from textbooks on astronomy to Chinese folklore to science fiction, I was a nerd several years before I defined any sense of identity to myself. Even the occasional children's drama, such asTales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom! found their way into my ever-increasing stack of novels.

As it was, however, reading didn't make for much social interaction. Understandably, my parents wanted me enrolled in Little League sports, and they tried to keep me active as much as possible. I tried, but my heart wasn't in it. My mother even joked that she often expected to see me out in left field with a book hidden in my mitt.

With the information age, most of my reading is done on a computer screen, but I've not lost my love of consuming written media. Whether it be research or entertainment, I don't think I'll ever lose my affection for it.

Name: Who gave you your name and why? Did you have a family nickname? How did you get it?

I assume it was my mother. I don't know much about the early years of my life, for reasons we won't go into here. My middle name, Lynn, is a family name. It is my mother's, and her father's before her. Beyond that, I do not know.

Bedroom: Describe your childhood bedroom. What was the view like from your window?

I moved around a lot as a child. I don't have one particular room that stands out in my mind as my room. Especially since I often shared with my younger brother. When I think of my room, the closest I can come to are two rooms, in the house near the church, and the house near Tony's Meats. (I don't remember the street names, and am FAR too lazy to be bothered to look them up.) In both cases, my bedroom was in the basement, removed from the rest of the house and from prying eyes visiting unannounced. In both cases, the rooms were small, only a small portion of the available space in the basement, leaving room for not much more than a bed, a dresser, and maybe a desk or bookshelf. I liked it that way. They both felt more like a home base than a living space. A safe place I could retreat to. I've not felt a sense of personal owned space like that in a very long time.

Baptism: Were you baptized or dedicated as an infant? If so, where and by whom?

Not as an infant. I was a young man, 12 or 13 I think. I was living in Lubbock at the time and was attending church on a regular basis, though I was not particularly involved. I was good friends with a young man named Tim Demastus, who I often saw at church. His entire family, in fact, were very kind and welcoming people. One day Tim's sister, Becca got baptized during the morning service. She was a few years younger than I. That day, her family and mine went out to lunch, and Becca received much praise and attention at the table. I craved that. So I strategically waited for a couple of weeks so as to not seem suspicious, crafty little bugger I was at the time, and I brought up the subject of baptism to my father one night before bed. Of course he was so proud. And my mother was right on board, suggesting that her father would be perfect to baptize me as he was a preacher. I went right along, playing the pious young church boy. After it was done, I got to go out to lunch and be lavished with praise and attention. And the next day? I was plain old me again. I wasn't a holy figure, I wasn't a respected entity among my peers. I was just me, same old me. The only difference was I had learned a lesson about manipulation, and how giving people what they want is so so easy, and leaves you feeling so so empty.

...I miss my friend, Tim.

Where did your father go to work every day and what did he do?

My father worked several odd jobs. We moved to Denver when he got a job offer. I don't remember the details but it was something labor-intensive. Laying pipe or digging ditches, some rubbish like that. He eventually began selling cars at John Elway Dodge. Dad wasn't home much, the days were often early to begin and late to leave. We didn't see much of him, especially during high school. But we were always grateful for him. We knew he wouldn't have been away from home unless he had to be.

How did your mother spend her day? Did she have a job or do volunteer work outside the home?

Mom usually worked. Secretary work mostly. Often in public schools. She worked at Arapahoe High School for years. I think she liked that job. At first I thought it would be trouble, going to the same high school that my mother worked at. When I eventually transferred to Arapahoe, I discovered it to be both a blessing and a curse. I couldn't get away with skipping class. At all. I mean, ever. Every set of adult eyes in those hallways knew who I was and somehow, where I was supposed to be. On the other hand, the staff would often buy me breakfast if I needed it. And I fast discovered that being well known, regardless of the reasons why, had several advantages.

Describe what the family living room looked like when you were a child.

Always immaculate. Mom was very insistent on having a very clean house. I hated it at the time, of course, because that meant accepting my share of chores. Dusting and vacuuming, et cetera. Looking back on it now, I am grateful for that. I enjoy a clean house. I feel more relaxed in a clean and orderly house. My wife will take that as a shot on her part, but she should know better.

What kind of prayer did you say before you went to sleep? Who taught you how to pray it?

I don't remember who taught this to me, but it has stuck with me. I learned early on that my personal relationship with God was nobodies business but my own. I also liked the idea of a personal and approachable God. So my prayers were often very informal, and usually on the fly. I rarely said a prayer before bed, but then, I rarely said a traditional prayer. In my mind, God was more like a psychic friend, following me around. If I ever wanted to convey something to him, I just thought it. Surely the Almighty God knew my very thoughts. In retrospect, it was probably presumptuous, but it remains the method by which I pray to this day.

Where was your childhood home located? Did you enjoy living there?

Several places in Lubbock, several places in New Mexico. I don't have a childhood home in mind. I never grew too attached to one place. Did I enjoy living there? Usually not.

Describe your grandparents' houses. Did you visit them often? Why or why not?

The grandparents on my father's side moved often. Again, I don't associate one house with them. I did visit them usually at least once every summer. I didn't get along well with my grandmother on that side at the time, but I was very close to my grandfather. I respected him, very very much. I got my love of science fiction from him, as well as a fondness for a forged blade. I miss him too.

My grandparents on my mother's side stayed put through most of my childhood. New Home, Texas. A little yellow house next door to the church where my grandfather preached. It always smelled of wood grain and popcorn. Grannymom would never hesitate to make me a snack and soda while I set up on the couch in the TV room to watch a movie with Daddad. Some of my happiest days were in that house. Toy pistols and books and bicycles and horses and sunsets. A simpler and happy time.