We also had rotary telephones,

computers had 100x LESS memory than my cellphone, the mouse was first introduced for the computer, I had never heard of a cellphone, the internet, and still read the newspaper on actual paper. We had party lines, no caller ID, and our answering machine was as big as a microwave is in 2010 and a microwave was as big as my bed.

Yes I'm talking about 1987 and I'm walking down memory lane with a vengeance tonight.

My daughter has been marathon texting and talking for going on 5 hours. She has her first official boyfriend. When I say boyfriend I mean boy she draws hearts about and will be but a distant memory in 5 days. As she is not going to be allowed to date until she graduates Purdue. And if she doesn't attend Purdue, well then she's going to be royally screwed.

She's in 5th grade and this boy texted her (remember passing paper notes where there were two boxes, *yes* or *no*?!?! WTF happened to note passing?) asking her to "go with him". Moreso he FAKED that he was his sister, pumping her for information. Gotta love technology. I'm thinking "way to play it dude!" So of course she blurts out that she likes him with her little fingers and the whole "IDK"
and "OPQRST" and whatever other bull they do in text. And of course he says he wants to go with her and she is all "OMG Mom!!" yes. She said "O....M....G...." She tells him yes and runs up and down the stairs, calling her dad to alert him, presumably, to get his imaginary shotgun ready as he doesn't own a gun. Her stepdad, however, DOES own a gun and is quite proficient with it. And is needing to clean it soon...

And he took to the news quite well. "Well. Here we go honey." And I'm all innocently asking "What?" and he's all "heartbreak, drama, teen crap."

She's ten. 10. 1-0. That's exactly how old I was in 1987 when Jason C. asked me to go with him in 5th grade. I said yes and it lasted approximately 1 day because he smelled like horse shit. Remember, I grew up in Cortland and everyone smelled like horseshit. But he really smelled like it so I broke up with him the next day and to this day I get teased relentlessly. I'm not quite sure why. He's a normal person still around Seymour.

I remember those days, though, when a boy asked you to go with him. Usually on a weekend (like today) and over the phone but back then we had one line and his mom or dad would inevitably need the line so he'd call you back a few hours later, while you are twirling your hair and listening to tunes on the boombox. Yes, we called them boomboxes and they were bigger than my television. I think I vacummed up Arielle's last ipod.

He'd call back and you'd spend 2 hours tying up the line that your dad was waiting for a call on and couldn't figure out why the phone wasn't ringing until he'd find you in the closet, with the cord stretched all to hell and back and chew your ass out for messing up his cord AND tying up the damn line. You'd whisper "I'll call you right back." and then when you did, you'd spend another 45 minutes with "nuh uh! no i'm not! YOU'RE cute! no, YOU ARE! are so! uh uh."

Yeah, those were the days (she says with eyes pointed at the sky thinking of that one boyfriend from 5th grade until my senior year.) yeah I wasn't so hot with the boys. So when Arielle asks what she should do about this boy who is her BFFL (best friend for life) I say go for it! He's her best friend, what better person to spend all your 3 days on doodling his name and driving me batty about. Better this boy than some stupid kid I've never heard of. This boy has been her friend for 2 years now and he's funny and everyone likes him and she has been able to be herself around him. What better way to start into that whole boycrazy I'm going to shit myself if he calls stage of life.

Of course she can't fake call him. Where you call then hang up just wanting to hear their voice. Yeah, caller ID eliminates that one.

I guess I love that she had no problem talking to him and giving him her number and just being herself. I realize she is only 1-0 but this is how it goes. I KNOW she is going to KILL me for writing this but I keep telling her, quit giving me good shit to write about doofus. Quit confiding in mom and maybe I wouldn't talk about you so much. Get used to it kiddo, moms embarrass. I could tell you how she spent half the day picking out her outfits for the entire week and she'd get really mad about that except guess what Arielle, I did that even up until I started dating Rodney. I had to plan out how to look my hottest at 31 years old so don't feel bad. It's all part of being a girl. 10 or 31, when you are nuts about someone, it's ok to just let it show.

It takes me back, that's for sure. And I know we are hitting the tweens and its going to happen whether I'm ready for it or not. At least she's hitting this age with 2 very involved and concerned parents and 2 step parents who could kick anyones ass. Heh.