Declutter #36 - eContent

I'm not sure if it's fair to count this as "decluttering," but I do periodically try to delete unnecessary emails, files, photos, etc. (Actually, I try to get rid of some eContent MOST times I'm at my computer.) 

This morning, it was emails. I will sometimes just search a term like "Panera" and delete all the fabulous offers and promos from them. I searched "fall getaway" because I noticed that I had an email from Minnesota Quilters that I had hoped I might participate in but didn't due to time and money concerns. A LOT of emails had those terms, so I was deleting from years ago!

But one result was an exchange from a neighbor and my responses are something I'd include in my Storyworth book! So here's the text of a 2009 (YES, fourteen years ago!) email:

Hey, Liv!
Glad I can help you, but sorry that you're doing homework over break! I've filled in my answers below. let me know if you need anything else.
Love,
Jeanne

On Sat, Dec 26, 2009 at 11:05 AM, Olivia K <email address redacted> wrote:

Hello,
Thank you so much for doing this for me! If I could get this emailed back to me in the next few days or so that would be great! Also, I have to create a timeline so any years that you could include would be great.  Thanks! Call with any questions.
-Olivia
 
1. Is there anything special about your name or why you were named that way?

When I was born (April 9, 1966) my sisters said that my parents planned to name me Gertrude, but were convinced not to do it. My parents say they don't remember that at all! There was a series of cute little books about a girl named Jeanne Marie and her little sheep named Patapon (author Francoise Seignobosc). My dad says I was named after this character. My sisters are older than I am and all three of us have the middle name Marie. 

 
2. Did you know your grandparents? What can you share about them?

My dad's mother died (1959) before I was born, so I never met her. Even though my dad's father died in 1972, I don't remember ever meeting him. He was French Canadian and lived in New Brunswick. My maternal grandfather died when I was about three years old, but we lived next door to him and I remember a little. I used to go to him sitting in his easy chair and grab one of his fingers. I would tug him into the pantry and point up at the shelf. He would play along and say, "you want the ketchup? The salt?" This would go on until he offered me a cookie, which is what I wanted all along. My mom's mother died in August 1977. I went over to her house almost every day, so I have many memories of her. We played cards together - Crazy Eights, Concentration, King's Corners. . . She would darn socks and watch Lawerence Welk. I loved to go over and watch her tv because it was color. Ours was black and white. She loved flowers and birdsong. Her canaries made beautiful music. She gave me a book that I still have - the story of the Three Little Trees. It's a Christian allegory.

 
3. Has your ethnic origin affected your life in any way?

Not much. I'm mostly German on my mother's side. Although my father is French Canadian (French is his native language, and the primary language for all my relatives on that side of the family), I only went to Canada for vacations and never got close to those relatives or became truly bi-lingual. The times we've tried to cook some of my dad's old favorite recipes, he says they just don't taste the same.

 
4. Where did you live and what was your house like when you were little?

I grew up in Bloomington, and my parents still live there. My dad actually designed it. On the outside, it looks like any other 1960s rambler, but it has a different floorplan than any other house I've seen. When I was little, all three of us girls shared a bedroom. But when my parents finished off the basement (and my oldest brother got married), I was able to have an upstairs bedroom all to myself.

 
5. What are some memories of your elementary school years?

Hmmm. . . I went to four different elementary schools while living in the same house! Bloomington's population was aging in the 1970s, and schools started closing. I remember in kindergarten being afraid of a girl named Tamara. She was bossy, but I don't remember if she actually hit anyone. We just all did what she said. I remember using my tongue to play with loose teeth. It was a very big deal to lose a tooth. In fifth grade, they separated the boys from the girls one afternoon. I'm not sure what the boys did, but the girls heard about puberty and hygiene. It was both fascinating and embarrassing. In sixth grade, I was in a special program called "High Achievers." Fifty-two gifted and talented students from across Bloomington went to school together in one class at Cedercrest Elementary (1977-78). That was an amazing year! We did so many cool things. Being smart and learning were so positive in that classroom.

 
 
6. How did you spend your summers during grade school?

Reading books, riding bikes, swimming, playing kickball and flag football. Sleepovers at friends' houses. Usually we took a big two-week vacation somewhere. My mom was a teacher and my dad was a cabinet maker. We camped a lot.

 
7. What subjects did you enjoy during high school?

School was pretty easy for me. I liked any class that inspired or interested me, regardless of the subject. I seemed to excel most in English and struggled most in phy. ed.

 
8. What social group did you belong to during high school? 

Mostly the theatre people. But I also traveled with the National Honor Society (smart kids) and the band geeks. On facebook, those three groups (with some overlap) are still the ones I connect with. It really surprised me at our all-night graduation party that I was talking to a "jock" and I realized he was just a nice, normal guy I never had really talked to during all our years of school. I think a lot of the "grouping" is assumptions, and some of it is natural tendencies to connect with people who have similar interests.

 
9. If you could have changed one thing about your high school years what would it have been? 

Being kinder to others and to myself. I was often my own worst enemy. I wish I'd known the Lord as my Savior back then. That would have made all the difference in my life.

 
10. What was your family life like during high school? 

Since I was the youngest, I saw my older siblings go off in different directions. My parents gave me a lot of freedom and I had a pretty independent personality. My mom and dad were *always* there for my concerts, plays, etc. They had high expectations for me academically and were supportive of me.

 
11.  Did you attend college after high school?

Yes. I spent my freshman year (1984-85) at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN. But I got engaged at Christmastime my freshman year and I wanted to be closer to Louie to plan my wedding. So I transferred to the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and lived at home while finishing my degree. I got married June 21, 1986 and had my first baby (Morgan) on April 20, 1987. Between changing majors, having a baby, and student teaching, it took me five years to get my four-year degree (a B.S. in Secondary Education - English). I got my master's degree in Library Media Education in 1998.

 
12. When and where did you go, why did you choose that school, and what did you study? 

Oops! Already answered most of this above. I chose St. Ben's because my mom and older sister Ann had gone there. I visited Ann when she was a freshman or sophomore and I was about nine years old. It was a "little sisters" weekend. I had so much fun! It's a good school, away from home, but close to the Twin Cities. I didn't even look at other schools. The U of M was convenient and relatively affordable.

 
13. Did you serve in the armed forces?

No. I have many friends and some family members who have, though.

 
14. When did you leave home and where did you live?

Other than my freshman year of college, I didn't leave home until I got married. Louie and I had an apartment in Richfield, on Penn Avenue. I was a little bit scared about living in an apartment building, but I liked it. It was so fun for me to have my own household!

 
15. Where have you lived during your adult life?

After Morgan was born, we couldn't stay at the apartment because it was limited to occupancy of two, so we moved to the upper level of my grandma's house (next door to my parents). They had purchased the house after her death and rented it out. In some ways, it was great to live next to my parents! (Think free babysitting.) But it was also challenging, because they would tell us what to do and how to do it. In 1990, we found a first-time home buyer's program in Jordan. We were able to build a house and we closed on it in December 1990, right before Alex turned one.

 
16. What did you do between the time you left home and got married?

Already covered this. . . I got married when I was twenty. I was busy with college work, babies, and getting my teaching career started.

 
17. What were your first jobs after leaving home?

I was hired at Rosemount Middle School in the autumn of 1989 as the Assurance of Mastery teacher. I worked with students who didn't qualify for Special Education, but were struggling to succeed in school. They were clustered in math and language arts classes and I worked with them to help them succeed. I left that job at the end of the school year because of the Jordan-Rosemount commute and because I was expecting Alex. I worked as a substitute teacher in a few districts. I filled out a long-term substitute position in Jordan. Then I mostly stayed home with my three children until the youngest, Nick (October 30, 1991) went to kindergarten. Then I got a job in New Prague as the middle school media specialist.

 
18. What about your career now have you found most satisfying?

I love connecting with kids and making them feel valuable. I love getting them excited about reading and learning.

 
19. What is your spouse's name, when, where and how did you meet?

<Removed my answer for this blog. He doesn't like being written about online.>

 
20.  What would you say is the most important thing about choosing a spouse?

To be evenly yoked, as the Bible says. Each person must love the Lord more than they love themselves. It's natural to be most concerned with one's own needs and desires, but in a marriage, you really need to be able to set your "self" aside and be lovingly tuned in to your spouse's needs. Parenting, too! That helps to drain off selfishness! For me, at least, it really did.

 
21. What was it like when your first child was born?

Miraculous. Louie and I just were in awe of this little human being. We were so blown away by the miracle of life. I wasn't ready to be a mom. I had just turned 21 and was still in college. Yet having Morgan changed me in good ways (and some yukky ways - varicose veins, heartburn, stretch marks, etc.).

 
22.  What is the best thing about children? Most frustrating? 

The best thing about children is watching them grow and learn. First words, first steps, first everything - it's amazing to watch them develop. Most frustrating? Probably that they do develop into their own individuals and don't do everything the way I want them to.

 
23.  What interests and hobbies do you have and what do you like to do for fun?

I like to read, do puzzles (jigsaw and crossword), travel, watch movies, go for walks, quilt, bake, etc.

 
24.  Is politics important to you?

Not really. I try to stay informed and I vote in almost every election (not the primaries and not right after Nick was born). But I grew up in an extremely political household and it kind of turned me off. The salvation of mankind won't be found in any earthly government.

 
25. What impact did the Korean War have on your life or family?

None that I can tell! No one in my family was in the military at that time. My parents' jobs weren't impacted by it. Watching the TV show MASH is my only frame of reference for that war.

 
26. What impact did the Vietnam War have on your life or family?

I was so little when this happened. Again, I don't think it affected us much. My mom probably wrote letters of protest. Years later, it affected me when the U.S. government tried to make up for some of the wartime issues by opening immigration to families who had been affected by the war - Cambodians, Laotians, etc. My high school (Bloomington Kennedy) went from almost all-white to mostly white with a definite population of southeast Asian students.

 
27. What impact does the Iraq War have on your life or family?

Very little, since we don't have any close family members in the military right now. I have some students who are impacted by family gone due to military commitments. The reality of the war and the stress of the situation is palpable.
 

28. What is the most vivid historical memory that you have?

Most vivid? Probably the Columbine shootings on April 20, 1999. Either that, or September 11, 2001. Both times, watching the event unfold on television (probably CNN) made it feel so immediate.

 
29. What advice would you give to teenagers today about choosing a career?

Follow your heart! What are your talents, your interests? Don't expect to land a dream job and make loads of money. Sometimes you might need to be willing to work at McDonalds or a gas station to make ends meet. Work hard at whatever you do. Sometimes your effort means more than your paycheck!

 
30. What advice would you give them about money?

Meet with a financial advisor you trust. We have a credit union that offers free financial advising, and I have a high trust level with that organization. They don't have a vested interest in trying to sell you anything. Always work to spend less than you make. Save for the future! Budget wisely. But most of all, store up your treasures in heaven. Nothing we have on earth will last forever.

 
31. What advice would you give them about dating, love and marriage?

Think about what you want for your future. Set goals and work actively toward them. Having strong friendships and being able to talk about feelings is very important. If you don't want to have a baby before you're ready to be a parent, don't have sex. Spend "safe" time with people (going out with a group of friends, for example) to get to know them better. Most people don't go into a marriage thinking, "As soon as we're divorced. . . . " yet so many marriages end in divorce. Continue to talk and love and sacrifice and stand up for yourself. It's a challenging balance, so I'm glad I can lean on the Lord for support!

 
32.  What advice about how to raise children?

With lots of love and laughter. With strict expectations that are age-appropriate. With discovery and delight. 

 

 

 

2023 NOTES:

• Upon reading over this, I HAD to correct the spelling of "occupancy" in #15. (I had spelled it with an "e" instead of the "a."
• There were a few typos in Olivia's questions that I fixed.
• I'm not sure it's wise to post so much specific, personal info online . . . perhaps this should go elsewhere . . . or I'll delete some info . . . decided to delete some.
  
• In #4, reading "my parents still live there" made me think of how much my life has changed since 2009! There are times I just suddenly miss my mom and/or my dad. Eileen died in 2014 and Larry in 2016.
   

Jeanne LaMoore <email address redacted>	Sat, Dec 26, 2009, 12:17 PM
to Olivia