21 thoughts on “Happy Birthday, Donny…”

1. My girlfriend’s phone munber – Suzanne Ackerman – for the entire third grade was 785-1063. My best friend from Junior High – Mitch Albrecht…his birthday is 10/22…mine is 7/22. My best friend from High School, Alan Winters is 12/22 – as is my oldest brother Michael – 12/22.

   The phone number I had in Denver for three years back in the 90’s is one that I still use in many of my passwords. Hmmm…probably should not put that on line.

   Anziaono means “Elder” in Italian and my first “ex” and I still use it at times when talking in code in that other language we learned on our missions…(certainly never at the expense of my lovely husband who is the brightest light that ever flashed in my eyes.)

   Back in the day all addresses in Magna were like mine and Paul’s with lots and lots of numbers and no cute names…. just Brigham Young type addresses like 1865 South 8490 (thousand million) West.

   Any of you from SLC ever try to explain the city grid that made so much sense to us – to someone from a city that used the alphabet for their street names??

2. I meant Anziano

3. That grid really DOES make sense… I still get completely confused trying to find addresses in Seattle area…… I’d be lost without the Thomas Guide I keep in my car.

4. I have tried to explain those SLC addresses to non-SLC people, but what’s worse is when I’m getting addresses somewhere else and I keep asking them to “just tell me the co-ordinates!” Or they try to give me cross streets, and I “just want the co-ordinates!” They think I’m nuts…

   Useless info in my head: lots and lots of song lyrics, some of my high school football playbook…

5. I loved the grid in SLC… easy to find places..

   Two of my best friends, Randy Moe and Dennis Austin had the same birthday, January 31st. Vicky Huber, my childhood ‘girlfriend’s’ birthday was groundhogs day, February 2nd. Pat Estes was March 14th, John Geddes was May 20th. Pat Estes’ mother was August 20th. I haven’t seen even one of these people in decades… LOL..

   I still remember addresses and phone numbers too…

   Thank God I’ve forgotten my locker combinations. Freed up some mindspace for current things.

6. Oh, and a very important piece of information: Cheryl Ladd’s birthday is July 12th. Now Cheryl was not my favorite angel, Jaclyn Smith was. So you’d think I’d remember hers (well I do remember it is in October). But, I think I’ve remembered Cheryl’s all these years because it is only 2 days away from mine..

7. locker combinations!!…those are the ones I always forget – at least in those dreams where I’m late for class and I can’t remember where my locker is or the last time I went to class or what is my first period??? I hate those dreams…fortunately they are fewer and farther between these days. I still love the ones where I can fly though!

8. I can’t remember much, especially numbers. I still have to think when I’m asked my address. I don’t remember my kids phone numbers, and I call them every week. The thing I do remember is what I call, “MORMONISM, THE SOUND TRACK”. If I’m helping someone in our office at work, I’ll break into “when we’re helping we’re happy” or when the guys whine about a job too hard I’ll lead them all in singing “put your shoulder to the wheel. We have two blooming seasons out here, so “popcorn popping on the apricot tree is especially useful. I also remember all the articles of faith, all the boyscout pledges and mottos, and even some really long poems I memorized as a kid. Talk about useless. My name at work is “shut up, Paul”.

9. oh man… poetry!
   From my jr high “memorize poetry” assignment:
   The one L lama, he’s a beast
   The two L llama, he’s a priest
   And I will bet a silk pajama
   There isn’t any three L lllams

10. three L llamas

11. I remember numbers so easy- but only for short periods of time. After a year, I no longer store phone numbers. Before we got cell phones, I was Justin’s walking phone book.

    And Craig- I HATED those forgetting-the-locker-combination dreams. I had way too many of them.

    I think I block out a lot of useless information. My brain must be so small that it only allows so much room for everything “important” that I need to keep in there. So when I learn new things, that information shoves everything else out of the way.

12. Paul, that is funny you mentioned old Mormon songs.. I was just thinking of some of those the other day. But I can only remember part of the words now. I was thinking how fun it would be to teach Javiercito the Popcorn song, but then I thought no… don’t want him exposed to any of it…

    Itsy Bitsy spider is a good one, but he already knows that one… And he knows Twinkle Twinkle little star….

    I’d like to teach him something new, but I’d have to learn it first..

13. Locker combination dreams? I never heard of those, and never experienced them (dreams that is). I had the reality of it several times.. My mind would just go blank after using that combination every day several times… for months.. I’d walk up to it, and presto… clueless..

14. So glad to hear I’m not the only one waking up in a cold sweat because I was dreaming I was in jr. high and couldn’t remember my locker number. LOL to Paul and singing to his co workers!! I also have a soundtrack of all those primary songs in my head now…thanks.

    I don’t remember numbers at all, but I do have flash backs of Allison wearing a Gunne Sax dress with bright colored turquoise jewelry to jr high and the name of my first cat Mr. French.

15. Tom Cruise’s birthday and my best friend in my first year of college is July 3rd. Those are the only random b-days I can remember right now. In fact I am horrible at remembering numbers I forget my debit card pin# all the time. 🙁
    But, those primary songs will be burned into my psyche foreverrrrrr….

16. I once worked as a telephonist. I operated one of those large switchboards where I had to pull out the cords and plug them into outlets to answer or transfer calls. The number there was Low-Fell 78489. Now why would I remember that? It has been well over 40 years ago. I can’t even remember my own cell phone number now!

17. There are 2 songs I always associate with Paul….

    Silver and Gold – from Rudolph
    Sisters – from White Christmas

    You’re singing them right now, aren’t you?

18. Paul did you ever learn to recite The Ballad of Sam McGee? Your grandpa Arvey gave a great recitation of it. I found myself singing Book of Mormon stories with my grandsons. At the end I sang, “given this land if they live just like me”. Jonas said. “Grammie that’s not how it goes”. Freudian slip, I had just finished reading a book called The Trail of Tears. Those poor tribes, what an injustice!

19. Silver bells always reminds me of Mark. I remember him singing it at a concert when he was in Junior High. Why do those songs remind you of Paul?

20. Sam Mcgee is one of my memorized poems. The other is “road less traveled” Robert Frost

21. Day after day, day after day,
    We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
    As idle as a painted ship
    Upon a painted ocean.

    Water, water, everywhere,
    And all the boards did shrink;
    Water, water, everywhere,
    Nor any drop to drink.

    …….

    That one has stuck with me since 7th grade… 50 years

    but I cannot remember my own cell phone number and transpose my address if I’m not careful

    Oh and Brooke Sheilds birthday is May 31, 1965
    easy to remember thats Tori’s birthday

    Most of what is in my brain is useless :o)