Manchurian Candidate...

I spent last week boxing up and then unpacking my parents’ house. They moved into a smaller “retirement” house in the same city. This is the third time they’ve moved since I left home, but it’s the first time I was available to help out. I was surprised at what I found tucked away in places a child would explore.

I was really surprised at how familiar this little thing is to me. My mother’s step-grandfather gave it to her when she was about six years old. It’s stupid cute to me now – you know, the kind of cute that makes you barf, but is it too far of a stretch to imagine that it influences my work today?

 

 Well, maybe. But what about this little guy that I’d forgotten existed:

 

I always thought of it as feminine, I guess because of the curve if its hip. A cute boy who had a crush on me gave it to me for Christmas in the 6^th or 7^th grade. It’s from hobby lobby or the equivalent and covered with glitter. I used to turn it right side up (upside down from how it’s supposed to be displayed) and twirl it around on its pointed foot. The gesture reminds me of the figures I draw.

 Finally, this set of dishes was collected by my grandfather’s sister in Canada. We never used the plates but they were stored in the bottom of the china cabinet with the other two treasures that I found. To me, it needs no explanation…

I guess I’ll be thinking a lot about this kind of thing next semester when I have to defend my work to my graduate professors. I wonder what else is reverberating in my brain ready to pop out if triggered - Manchurian Candidate-style!