random thoughts: 10 things i believed when i was her age (and a giveaway!)

My favourite 6-year-old.

1.  I believed that 42 years old was really, really old.

2.  I believed that by the time I was 42, there wouldn't be any cars anymore.  Only personal jetpacks.  I would simply strap the jetpack to my back, and fly to wherever I was working -- you know, as a paleontologist.  Or a professional singer.

3.  I believed there would never be any such thing as phones where you could actually see the person while you were talking to them.  'Cause really, that's just ridiculous.

4.  I believed my parents knew everything there possibly was to know, and that when I reached my parents' age (which, at the time, was considerably younger than 42 years old), I would also know everything there possibly was to know. 

5.  I believed after you graduated from college, you'd never have to get up early ever again.  Because you'd be a grown-up and you can do whatever you want when you're a grown-up.

6.  I believed that grown-ups were wrong when they said that the environment needed "saving."  Because I was living right next to hills with tropical rainforests, and frankly, they looked okay to me.

7.  I believed that if you ever ran out of money, you could just go to the bank and get more.

8.  I believed that when my mom was pregnant with my sister, she should've eaten some clothes so that the baby wouldn't have had to have been born naked.  After all, she ate food so that the baby could eat, right?

9.  I believed that every person had a unique name.  The first time I met another "Karen," I was horrified -- surely her parents were going to have to come up with a new name, now that they knew I existed.

10. I believed the Oreo cookie was the world's most perfect food.

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Speaking of being a kid:  Lately I've been working with Juno Baby, an Emmy award-winning company that makes educational DVDs and CDs for kids (think Baby Einstein, except with original composed music, and actual orchestras playing).  They kindly sent me some samples to listen to and watch, and I have an extra DVD and CD I'd love to give away.  So if you have a child in your life who is special, say between the ages of 0 and 5 years old (and obviously, this doesn't have to be your child -- think of what a cool "auntie" or "uncle" you would be for giving this as a gift), please leave a comment below before midnight Monday night/Tuesday morning, and I'll pick a commenter randomly to send both the DVD and CD to.  I'll announce the winner by updating this post.

Good luck!

Update:  Thanks for commenting!  The winner of the Juno Baby DVD and CD is Michelle G, who said, "Alexs eyes look as if she is speaking from her soul. without saying a word. You have always been able to capture this in everyone you photograph. You made me think of when I was 6 all I could think about was how was I going to get away. I ran away from home since my mother had just had my brother number 3. Funny thing there were 2 more boys added to that later. Thanks for making me smile."

Thanks, Michelle G!  I'll contact you via email to get your mailing information.

Song:  Chasing pirates by Norah Jones