30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 25 - What Are the 10 Most Significant Events In Your Life?

When I consider "significant", I'm assuming it means "life changing". It took me a while to come up with this list. It is in no particular order.

Ten Events that Changed Tee's Life (in no particular order)

1. Becoming a mother. January 13, 2004, quite possibly the scariest day of my life. I chronicled the details of that day already. See Labor Day. Other than the pain of that day. The scariest part was knowing that I would officially be responsible for the life of a new citizen of the universe. It was now the my job to make sure that he is educated. That he eats a well balanced diet. That he stays away from guttersnipes, scallywags, and trollops. And most importantly: that he is not so messed up that his story ends up on Criminal Minds. My biggest fear in life is raising an Unsub. So far I think I've done okay, but there are days when I'm not show sure. Any mother who has ever walked in on their child writing extensive plans for how The Ninja Turtles should invade and overthrow The Power Rangers knows what I'm talking about.
2. Going to college. I'm pretty sure most people consider this a normal event in life.  But that's not so much the case where I'm from. College is a privilege, not a forgone conclusion. The school that I went to was NOT my first choice. It wasn't even my second. But it was the school that I (meaning my parents) could afford. Yes, I was given a full academic scholarship. But I still had to eat and walking around naked was still illegal back in those days. If I had gone to the school I wanted to go to (Cornell University, Ithaca NY) my parents probably would have had to sell bone marrow, kidneys, and the occasional liver to make sure I made it 4 years without starving, even with my scholarships and grants. So, I sacrificed a want because I didn't want to run track anymore and wanted to stay on the academic road. But it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. 
3. Leaving Kentucky. I've made 2 decisions in my life that SAVED my life. This one one of them. I left a place where I was sad and lonely all of the time.  Even though I was surrounded by friends and less than an hour away from family. Being in that place made me feel like I was in shackles. I never felt like I could reach my full potential. I was wasting away. And so, I constantly prayed for change.   Eventually, an opportunity for a substantial raise and change in scenery was presented to me. I took it and I haven't looked back. 
4. Being punished in Mrs. Jones' 1st Grade Class. Okay, I was only 6 but this was definitely a life changing moment for me. So, I was in Mrs. Jones' 1st grade class at Auburndale Elementary School. We were working on spelling, or at least the rest of the class was. I was sitting at my desk twiddling my thumbs because I was bored out of my mind. I'd been finished with the assignment for at least 15 minutes. I was contemplating getting up and running a lap around the classroom. Instead, for reasons that I could not explain then and can not explain now, I yelled out in my very finest playground voice "FUCK!!" And time stood still. Mrs. Jones, a portly brunette with the kindest, gentlest manner anyone can ever have came running to my desk. Her face was beet red. She says, "TEE, what on Earth did you just say?!?!?" And I calmly sat in my desk, straightened my back and said, "I said fuck Mrs. Jones. I just said fuck.". Without saying a word she grabs me by my arm, takes me to the front of the classroom, draws a circle on the board and tells me to put my nose in it.  Now this may not seem like adequate punishment to you, but you should know that I was probably smaller than most Kindergarteners when I was in the 1st grade. And Mrs. Jones drew that circle at at least 2nd grade height! I spent recess chilling in that corner with my nose in that circle on my damn tippy toes. I'm talking THE TIPS of my damn toes! Michael Joseph Jackson had not one damn thing on me that day. Anyway, all of that to say it changed my life because I never yelled out "fuck" in class again. I didn't stop using the word. But I learned enough from that incident to know that I should probably use my inside voice when saying it.
5. My First Trip to the Principal's Office. This time it was 4th grade. Mr. Villanova was the Principal of Bloom Elementary School. I can't even remember why I was in the office. I think it was for fighting, but I can't be sure. All I remember is sitting in this high backed chair that faced Mr. Villanova's desk. I remember him looking at me with extreme disappointment on his face. He said something like, "Tee, you are one of the good kids. There's no reason you should be sitting here right now." And then he picked up the phone and called my father. He told my father what my infraction was and then he said, "I'm just calling to verify that I have permission to paddle your child." And then he shook his head grimly and hang up the phone. He stood up with a stoic expression on his face. He took me by my hand and then took me to a corner in his office where a paddle was plugged into the wall. Yes, you heard me right. The damn thing was plugged into the gatdamn WALL!! It was metal, at least 15 feet long, and had cutouts all over it. It was plugged up so that it could heat up and vibrate to induce more pain. He told me to turn around. I wouldn't. He told me to turn around again. I wouldn't. He picked the paddle up. I screamed. He sat it down. I fainted. When I came to I was still in the office. My father was there. He was laughing at me. Apparently, this is the kind of shit evil parents and Principal's do when they have good children who want to act like problem children in order to scare the shit out of them and force good behavior. It worked. I didn't get caught doing any bad shit again. Well, until middle school.
6. Being placed in the Advanced Placement Program. So apparently I'm gifted. Or at least that's what somebody told my parents. And because I was a "gifted" kid, I was placed in the advanced program.  This meant leaving my home school and being shipped to a school that specialized in teaching nerds and the socially awkward.  That school was Bloom Elementary by the way. This happening to me set me on a path that would lead to many additional significant events in my life. I met my first best friend at Bloom. I met my first real boyfriend at Meyzeek Middle School (another school that catered to future bomb builders and bosses). I met my first track coach. The most important lesson that I learned that "gifted" kids are no different than "regular" kids. "Gifted" kids just have worse attitudes. 
7. The Million Dollar Question. When I was in the 7th grade at Meyzeek Middle School, I was sentenced to detention. Don't ask me why. I had a horrible attitude, so possibilities are endless.  Anyway, I was in detention. That days teacher was a man named Ronald Ramsey. Mr. Ramsey had a reputation for being a hard ass. And also a lunatic. Now, this didn't mean that he was a bad guy. In fact, he was probably one of the best teachers in the school. He just didn't take any shit off of anybody. And for that he was branded "crazy". I could relate. So there I was in detention. Mr. Ramsey was staring at me with an attitude. I was staring back with my own. After a few minutes of this Mr. Ramsey asks me, what I've since coined The Million Dollar Question. He says, "Why are you here?" Before I could retort with my own smartass rebuttal he continued, "And I don't mean, here in this place. I mean here. What are you doing with yourself? What are you going to do with your life?" And I was struck speechless. There I was, an advanced student and I couldn't come up with the answer. Those few short sentences changed my life. I had never NOT had the answer, for anything. I didn't like how that felt. And so, I decided, that day in detention that I would find some kind of purpose. Or at least as much purpose as a 12 year old can. I joined the track team. Turns out I was pretty fast. I started paying attention in class. And I slowed down on the snarkiness to teachers (a little). 
8. The first time I saw "New Jack City". Yes the acting in this movie is somewhat questionable. But the movie is chock full of life lessons. Just say no. Be your brother's keeper. Don't date strippers. Don't get high on your own supply. Never listen to a person with a gun who sings lullabies. Keith Sweat is available for weddings. Creepy old men can pop caps with the best of 'em. It's always business, never personal. You can't hide crack under titties. Light skinned guys will always be made the scapegoat. I love this movie with everything that is in me. That is all.
9. My first Coach bag. When I was 13 my mother began a tradition of getting her daughters new Coach bags for Christmas. My first one was a black cross-body satchel with brass details. I thought that bag was the most amazing thing in life. The leather smelled delightful. It was so soft and supple. Getting that bag started a fire inside of me that still burns today. I LIVE for an awesome handbag. I graduated from Coach into more high end brands. But honestly, brand doesn't matter. Give me some soft, buttery leather; great detail on the hardware, and enough room to carry my crap and you've got a sale. Handbags are my life.
10. The bus ride to Paducah, KY. Westside Track Club was on it's way to Paducah for a regional track meet. The bus was full of young track stars. I happened to be sitting next to one of the finest young men on the team. It was June 23 and he asked me to be his girl. I couldn't believe it. But it only took me like .08 seconds to say no. I didn't want to seem desperate or anything. He asked me again about 15 minutes later and I decided to end his misery. That was almost 20 years ago. Life changer.