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Wednesday, March 9, 2011

RTW: Like Mike...Not Really

Revising Song of the Day: "Only Girl (in the World)" by Rihanna

It's time for Road Trip Wednesday again--woot woot! The lovely ladies at YA Highway are asking this week: I would have given anything to be like...

When I first read this question, I thought this:


And this:





And maybe a little of this:





Okay, maybe that last one was a little indigestion from dinner, but still--I was confused. But then I thought about it. Really thought about it. And I realized, I think I always kind of wanted to be someone else in school. Why else would I create all of these characters that had everything I wanted or said things I wanted to say?

As far as "real life" people--or people that I actually knew in the flesh--I think I wanted to be a Polk sister. The Polks were these fraternal twins that had everything: good grades, athletic skills, mad friends, and the good hair. I had them in a few of my advanced placement classes, and despite being uber popular, they were never bitchy (one did beat me in a class debate about Hamlet, although my rebuttals were both witty AND accurate, but that's besides the point).

I always wished I had the confidence of a Polk sister, and I think I'm slowly but surely walking down the street with my head held high (and have you seen the size of my head? That's a feat!).


As far as a famous person, I've always had a girl-crush on Chili from TLC (Left Eye was Quita's fave). I loved her so much, that when I was in middle school, two of my friends and I dressed up as them for Halloween. We even safety pinned lollipop heads to our clothes to use as condoms. Yes, Chili did have "the good hair" that I always envied, but I liked the whole girl power vibe that both she and and the rest of TLC always embodied. They were proud to be women, and that made me proud to be almost fully developed at age 11. Okay, not really--but I understood the changes my body was going through because of TLC, as strange as that sounds.


Quita says she's completely clueless about this topic (besides wanting to be ANYONE but herself...hey teens are like that!), so you tell us--was there anyone you wanted to be like growing up?

13 comments:

Rebecca B said...

Good grades? Athletic skills? Uber popular and never bitchy?! The Polk sisters sound kinda amazing.

Great point that writers always kinda want to be like someone else and that's why we make up our characters.

Alicia Gregoire said...

Wow. I think I want to be a Polk sister.

My choice also had good hair, BTW.

Tracey Neithercott said...

I think I need to change my answer to this prompt. I want to be a Polk sister.

And I loved TLC. Now the song "Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls" will be stuck in my head all day. :)

Jennifer Hoffine said...

Perfect and not bitchy? Maybe that's why the "perfect" girls in YA are bitchy...because if they weren't then we'd all want to be them.

KatOwens: Insect Collector said...

RIP Left Eye Lopes.
Ahh... TLC haven't thought of them in a while.
I think it makes sense that writers want to take on other personas.

Kirsten Hubbard said...

I love that you guys called them the Polk sisters -- that's so high school.

"Why else would I create all of these characters that had everything I wanted or said things I wanted to say?"

love that.

Alison Miller said...

I think I want to be a Polk sister too. Wow.

I went through a Jennifer Aniston wannabe phase. And a Meg Ryan phase. And yes - I am dating myself. :)

Kate Hart said...

I totally had a girl crush on Chili, too!

Kaitlin Ward said...

Oh man I thought EVERYONE in TLC was so incredibly cool when I was in 8th or 9th grade.

Emilia Plater said...

Aww, I love that your idols were popular but not bitchy! And hehe, I'm you so sure you WERE witty :D

HowLynnTime said...

Awe that is a great answer - they sound like fun. Hey not every popular girl is bitchy - uhem speaking of cliche' - alot of the popular kids are popular simply because they are so nice and everyone Likes them?

I didn't want to be other kids - I always wanted to be - like time warped or something - I wanted to be Kirk....lol....as in James Tiberius - call it a travel bug?

Aleeza said...

The Polk sisters sound awesome. no wonder you wanted to be like them!

Abby Stevens said...

The Polk Sisters do sound pretty darn awesome. And this question stumped me at first, too.

(And I almost called my post 'Like Mike' too! lol)