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levite · 02-02-2008, 01:52 PM

Father went to college?
Yes.

Father finished college?
Yes. And Grad school, twice.

Mother went to college?
Yes.

Mother finished college?
Yes. And Grad school, three times.

Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor?
Yes. Several.

Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers?
Yes.

Had more than 50 books in your childhood home?
Yes.

Had more than 500 books in your childhood home?
Way, way, way more than 500.

Were read children's books by a parent?
Yes. All the time. And not just children's books.

Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18?
Yes.

Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18?
Yes. Harp, Aikido, and Writing Workshops.

The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively?
Depends what I'm wearing, I'm kind of a long-haired hippie. Also depends on if I'm identifying primarily as caucasian or as Jewish.

Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18?
No.

Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs?
Yes.

Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs?
Yes. My parents. In my house, "trust" was a verb, not a noun.

Went to a private high school?
No.

Went to summer camp?
No.

Had a private tutor before you turned 18?
Unless you count the lessons mentioned above, no.

Family vacations involved staying at hotels?
Yes.

Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18?
Yes, although my mother had a sixth sense for the cheap stuff. She could feel "clearance" signs being put up in stores the way dogs can hear ultrasonic whistles.

Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them?
No.

There was original art in your house when you were a child?
No.

You and your family lived in a single-family house?
No. Mostly we lived in apartments or duplexes.

Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home?
No.

You had your own room as a child?
Yes.

You had a phone in your room before you turned 18?
I had a phone, yes, but it wasn't a private line.

Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course?
Yes.

Had your own TV in your room in high school?
No.

Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college?
No. I still don't.

Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16?
Yes.

Went on a cruise with your family?
No. I set foot on a cruise ship for the first time two years ago, at 32, and only because my best friend's dad got a special rate, and it was the QE2, so I couldn't say no.

Went on more than one cruise with your family?
No.

Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up?
Yes.

You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family?
Yes, except in the general sense of "Turn that thermostat down and put on a sweater! Heat is expensive, young man!"

---

Hmmm. So yeah, I seem to have been comparatively privileged. Basically, we had a good, solid middle-class to upper-middle-class life growing up.

I think I'm okay with that.

02-02-2008, 01:52 PM	#96 (permalink)
levite Minion of Joss Location: The Windy City	Father went to college? Yes. Father finished college? Yes. And Grad school, twice. Mother went to college? Yes. Mother finished college? Yes. And Grad school, three times. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor? Yes. Several. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers? Yes. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home? Yes. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home? Way, way, way more than 500. Were read children's books by a parent? Yes. All the time. And not just children's books. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18? Yes. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18? Yes. Harp, Aikido, and Writing Workshops. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively? Depends what I'm wearing, I'm kind of a long-haired hippie. Also depends on if I'm identifying primarily as caucasian or as Jewish. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18? No. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs? Yes. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs? Yes. My parents. In my house, "trust" was a verb, not a noun. Went to a private high school? No. Went to summer camp? No. Had a private tutor before you turned 18? Unless you count the lessons mentioned above, no. Family vacations involved staying at hotels? Yes. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18? Yes, although my mother had a sixth sense for the cheap stuff. She could feel "clearance" signs being put up in stores the way dogs can hear ultrasonic whistles. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them? No. There was original art in your house when you were a child? No. You and your family lived in a single-family house? No. Mostly we lived in apartments or duplexes. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home? No. You had your own room as a child? Yes. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18? I had a phone, yes, but it wasn't a private line. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course? Yes. Had your own TV in your room in high school? No. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college? No. I still don't. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16? Yes. Went on a cruise with your family? No. I set foot on a cruise ship for the first time two years ago, at 32, and only because my best friend's dad got a special rate, and it was the QE2, so I couldn't say no. Went on more than one cruise with your family? No. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up? Yes. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family? Yes, except in the general sense of "Turn that thermostat down and put on a sweater! Heat is expensive, young man!" --- Hmmm. So yeah, I seem to have been comparatively privileged. Basically, we had a good, solid middle-class to upper-middle-class life growing up. I think I'm okay with that. __________________ Dull sublunary lovers love, Whose soul is sense, cannot admit Absence, because it doth remove That thing which elemented it. (From "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" by John Donne)