for Sweden, the beloved native soil

Throughout our childhood, Ari & I explored different entertainment options, as any child normally does, we would be obsessed with something for about 3 days & then lose all interest in it whatsoever. Every single time my parents would pour money into some ridiculous hobby, only for us to hate it almost immediately. There were so many things I can remember:  we were on a cross-stitching stint where we both made intricate cat pictures that never actually made it onto a pillow or anything (where is that I wonder?), there was basketball, crocheting, softball, building forts in the back yard out of things we would steal from the garage, pretending that our dolls were real people & styling/shaving their heads, painting (which ari was actually good at), board games, lots of board games (I think we played monopoly for 72 hours straight at a time), card games, tennis, magic trick kits, scrapbooking, 4 wheelers (which ended in us crashing it into a tree & bending the handle bars so we couldn’t ever turn left after that), the Barbie corvette (same fate), baking various desserts (where baking soda was used instead of baking powder *gag*), remote control boats, & I think at one point I was convinced I would be a synchronized swimmer…the list goes on. & every time our parents would support our venture as if we hadn’t given up on some other ridiculous thing the month before.

One day, my dad brought home an organ (a mini piano thingy) that he found at a yard sale & of course I took to it right away. Even though I am the talent-less one of the family, I’m always the first one to try anything because I wanted so bad to be good at something. The only issue with this thing is that I didn’t really know how to read music, & the pre-owned organ only came with one music book. The book just so happened to be a compilation of the national anthem’s of every country possible. Oddly enough I became very good at it & pretty impressive that I taught myself to read music, if I say so myself.

The organ started out in the living room downstairs, & then one day I noticed that it had been moved upstairs where my room was. I thought this was great because it was closer to my room & I could play whenever I wanted. Soon I found that the organ was moved once again, into my closet in my bedroom. Now my closet at home is probably the size of a kitchen so it’s not like it didn’t fit uncomfortably but I finally got some sort of hint that my parents were sick of having to hear me play all these national anthems on repeat. So imagine, 10 year old Bianca, with puffy, shoulder length triangle hair, pushed back into a headband… in a baggy t-shirt & basketball shorts sitting upstairs in her closet, blaring “O Canada” on the organ. I think my parents thought that I would give this one up (because it was the most obnoxious) but I did not. 

When I would get into arguments with my parents, they would send me to my room…so my revenge to them would to just play as many national anthems as I could in my closet…over & over again. I don't even think they could hear me half the time, so I guess I was punishing myself which is pretty humorous. Remembering all this made me realize what a brat I was with all these crazy hobbies & how great my parents were with making sure that we had what we wanted & needed (or thought we needed). With all that being said…I would just like to say that I am beyond blessed for my parents. They have truly been the rock(s) in my life. With all my ridiculous things that I become interested in, with everything that I’ve gotten into, that they’ve helped me through & helped me overcome, I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like without them. They’ve made me exactly who I am today, my personality, sense of humor, intelligence, sarcasm, & with my heart on my sleeve….everything that I am, is directly related to how my parents raised me & how much of an influence they’ve been in my life…with the good, the bad, & the ugly. I honestly get so sentimental when I think about it, & I’m embarrassing myself right now by tearing up in public…but I love them with every ounce of my heart. <3

So, when people annoy you with the question of sharing your “hidden talents”…or “is there anything that most people don’t know about you” type questions – nobody, & I mean NOBODY expects for me to tell them that I know how to play every countries national anthem on the organ (my favorites to play are the Swedish, Canadian & the best… United States National Anthem)........O'er the land of the free and the home of the braveeee *play ball*.... please share with me, what don't I know about you?

there she is

i was cultured by accident

-BR