I thought I would make a list of all the 'childhood' influences (Primary to Year 12) that have made me who I am today.
To make this more of a challenge, I have decided to give myself only 3 main entries per heading, and 2 'special mentions'.
If you're reading this as a result of me sending this to you -- and if you have a bit of spare time and don't mind doing it of course - would you like to share with me your list so that we can have a laugh? =D
I'd be interested in seeing yours!
Most Influential Artists/Bands
1. Avril Lavigne
2. Gorillaz
3. Spice Girls
Most Listened to Genre of Music
(In no particular order - all about even I would say)
Mainstream
Classical
Soundtrack/Video Game
Most ...Memorable... Songs
1. Creepin' Up Slowly - Taxiride
2. Big Yellow Taxi - Counting Crows featuring Vanessa Carlton
3. A Thousand Miles - Vanessa Carlton
Special Mention:
Afterglow - Taxiride
All Star - Smash Mouth
Worst Achievements
3. 10/20 in a Year 11 Physics Assessment - it had to do with the rule V=RI which I had no practical understanding of.
2. 40% in sewing/textiles - I still passed the home economics (whatever it was called) subject because I got 90% in cooking class.
1.
Drawing a tripod with four legs (see diagram below). My science teacher initially gave me 2 out of 3 marks for the diagram - she then had second thoughts and crossed out the 2 and wrote '1'. I think she was too generous.
I deserved 0.
 |
| 'Tripod' I drew in a Year 7 or 8 science exam |
Most Influential Games
1. Final Fantasy VIII
2. Crash Bandicoot: Warped
3. Street Fighter Alpha 3
Special mention:
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising
Most Influential Animated Cartoons
1. Rugrats
2. Pokemon
3. Rocko's Modern Life
Special Mention:
Courage the Cowardly Dog
Recess
The Power Puff Girls
Most Influential Shows
1. Play School
2. Sesame Street
Most Influential Book Series
1. Sherlock Holmes -
never finished reading
= 1. Harry Potter -
never finished the last book
3. The Keys to the Kingdom -
never finished the last book
Special Mention:
Deltora Quest (I finished this!!)
The Hardy Boys
Bad Habits
1. Usually failing to finish a book series
2. Shaking legs in class - to the annoyance of people in front of me, behind me, and next to me
3. Only asking the teacher a question if they happened to pass by (never if I had to shout it across the classroom for fear of asking a stupid question LOL)
I have/had an inherent soft spot for these nations:
1. Korea
=1. Nigeria
3. Canada
Special Mention:
Malaysia
Singapore
Most Commonly-Eaten Snacks
1. Potato Chips - packet chips
2. Starburst jellies - or similar things
3. Aeroplane Jelly
Special Mention:
Hot Chips and Gravy LOL (I distinctly remember rushing to the shop at the train station after school)
Most Bought from the Canteen
1. Chicken tenders
2. Sushi
3. Burgers
Favourite Meals
1. Pizza
2. Deep-fried Calamari
3. Burgers
Favourite Soft Drinks
1. Mountain Dew
2. Sprite
3. A&W Root Beer
Most Common Past-times during school recess and lunch
1. Handball
2. Sitting and doing nothing
3. Bridge
Special mention
Big 2
Talking
Favourite childhood sports
1. Badminton
2. Touch football
3. Long-distance running
Special Mention
Soccer/Football - I only started to take notice in 2006
Track & Field at the Olympics
Most Influential Teachers - I have to break my rule here
(No particular order)
Mr Colin Jones (Commerce/Economics) - for his no-nonsense teaching style
Mr Colin McAulife (Physics) - for his laid-back teaching style
Mr Grahame Steigler-Peters (Visual Arts - but he was deputy principal when I was in year 7) - friendliness
Mr Bruce Dennett (History) - for his teaching style, friendliness, frankness and being different
Mrs Cheryl Caraian - most persevering teacher who strived to help all of her English students with their essays - I have massive respect for her.
Special Mention:
Mrs Chin (Science) - for her teaching style
Mrs Harwood (Science) - for her teaching style
Mr Mick Filewood (Social Science) - also for his laid-back teaching style
Influential Celebrities
1. Posh Spice
2. Gwen Stefani
3. Lin Dan
Ridiculous/Embarrassing things I've done
2. Bringing a massive teddy bear to school for a girl I liked.
= 2. Buying flowers for a girl at school I liked.
1. Buying flowers for someone else.... so that they could give it to a girl they liked....and accidentally giving it to that girl and telling her it was a gift from him (when really I should have given it to him so that he could give it to her himself LOL - so ridiculous)
(All in year 7 and year 8)
Milestone Achievements
1. Learning to be comfortable with my own skin and the type of person I was at a very early age.
2. Consistently being able to run for period of 1 hour or more on a regular basis without being forced to - from the humble beginnings of not being able to run for even 3 minutes.
3. Mustering up the courage to talk to a girl I liked and asking whether she would like to watch a movie with me.
And all these things have made me who I am today: it is what it is.
I may consider doing another "Influence" list covering the period when I was at uni.
Andre Lim
