Monday, June 9, 2008

I do love older siblings

I do love my older and younger siblings. I would like to comment on one at this time, Sarah. She really is a cool lady. Will be 34 years old this year, 5 children, loves and lives life to the fullest. If you ever get the chance end up some how on her blog (seven village idiarts). Quite possible some of the best stuff that can be found on the internet, definitely funnier than that crap that you can find on youtube. Really is some guy trying to fly off his second story roof funny, it may seem at the time but the comic genius Sarah is amazing, maybe it is only me but seems like every time on her blog she has some new crack at life and it just makes sense but also is simply hilarious. I really don't want to make any other siblings jealous, but I'm pretty sure that none of them blog maybe some younger ones, they are ok also because they won't even care.

I do have some really great memories of my oldest sister. For some reason I think most of my likes in life came from her. I was browsing her blog, pretty much a daily occurrence (ok ashamed to say sometimes 2 or 3 times a day), and happened upon "my favorite 80's tunes". It is amazing how one set of songs can set the mind into reminiscence.

For those who don't know the Goolds here is a short history. 5 kids in 10 years, then a couple more came along about 6 years afterwards. We grew up in Valdez Alaska. Our childhood home had 6 bedrooms, 3 upstairs (one was my mothers study) and 3 downstairs. When we were little we had the sweet life the white carpeted nursery right next to mom and dads bedroom (spent many nights sleeping at the foot of their humongous water bed). At about age 8, 6 for Michael, we were sent to live in the basement with all the other siblings (for lack of a better word). The only problem was that there weren't enough bedrooms for the older kids to have their own bedroom and for a long time they were not willing to share their private space their bed wetting younger brothers (ok I don't think Michael ever wet the bed, but I did until I was 10). We were sort of like nomads in our own home, shuffled around until Dad could figure out some place to stick us (and they wonder why Michael won't move out, he is just paying them back for the shuffling he had to endure, keep it up Michael don't let them keep shuffling you around). I really remember living in the laundry/furnace/weasel living outside the window room for a short period. So we ended up living in the basement....umh communal space. After a few years we were fortunate enough for Dad to purchase some be bookshelf/entertainment center/whatever it created that much needed buffer zone between us and the older "dorks" (look at their pictures from this era you will agree). Michael and I must have lived like this for many years, in the space.

How I would have loved to live in St. George 10 years earlier at least their are 8 bedrooms and enough bathrooms for more than 2 people to go at the same time. That is another story for another day, bathrooms in the goold home growing up.

Back to the space, imagine with me if you will a 14 year old girl (Sarah), a 12 year old boy (Jonathan), a 10 year old girl (Briana) and the two nomads Paul (10) and Michael (8) living in the basement of our parents home (3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and 5 stereos trying to blare each childs favorite music. This is what reminded me of this living situation. The only music mom and dad could ever hear was Paul or Michaels because we conveniently were at the bottom of the stairs so we were told to turn down the ruccus. This means for most of our adolescence we were forced to listen to the music of our older, dorkier siblings. Thus I come back to my original statement, how I do love older siblings. Their taste of music was so inspiring, a little forced but still burned that legacy in my mind. So when Sarah has her favorite 80's tunes on her blog I can't help but reminisce on why I know and love all of those songs. Thanks sis.

4 comments:

SevenVillageIdiarts said...

Love you too, Bro. I'm glad you liked my music I have another great mix to upload in a few weeks, tunes about VALDEZ.

You know the problem with that basement? The windows were covered completely by snow for 6 months, so it really was more of a dungeon. Once you were forced to move down there, when mom and dad couldn't stand the way you all smelled anymore, you had to give up your upstairs window. Poor babies, to have had light and then, had it taken away. I never did have the light.

m+b said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
m+b said...

PAUL!! I found your blog through Sarah's. I hope you don't mind us peeking in!! And I'm also glad you joined mine and Sarah's "blogging club".

Elaine Goold said...

Laughs galore!! And hey, I just read your comments on Eric's birthday from Sarah's blog and Eric was born on June 2nd, thank you very much! Aunt Linda's birthday is June 10 (Sorry Linda, I forgot to send a card or call - so Happy Birthday!). I do not think you ever had to sleep in the laundry room!! Unless I was trying another form of punishment - when locking you outside in the rain without shoes didn't work! Love you!!!