Now that I’ve fallen off the wagon on all my ‘daily projects’ that I started in the beginning of the year, I can’t help but feel the need to get back on track with some kind of everyday living kind of project. Especially as we enter the second half of 2008. No, I’m not thinking of doing another 365 one, but something more manageable.
So, enter The Everyday Exploration Project.
With this project, I aim to do something on a daily basis – either for 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month or more. Depending on how much time I feel an idea needs (or my personal circumstance) at any given time. And yes, it won’t be the same project each time I do it.
I can do a daily project on just about anything I fancy – from exploring what’s right in front of me to learning more about outer space or the unknown. It can be all about ideas, people, places, or things. And, it can be through different media – text, video, photos, audio, art, craft.
Since I’ve been pondering over childhood memories and “kid stuff” a lot lately, I thought that I’ll use this as my pilot everyday exploration project. For this, I hope to come up with 30 childhood memories in 30 days. Let’s see how it works out…
Here’s my first shared memory for the project (something to do with the pic I used here) -
De Do Do Do De Da Da Da
It was the early 80s. I didn’t know who or what The Police was at that time. But, I certainly knew how to groove to their song, De Do Do Do De Da Da Da.
My mom bought this pale blue one-piece outfit when that song was popular on the radio. I believe my little sister also had a matching one.
Anyway, for some reason, that outfit became my De Do Do Do De Da Da Da uniform. Whenever the song played and I can grab my ‘tube’ (what I called the outfit), I’d go change in to it and start flailing my arms and legs like a mad lunatic girl.
How I loved dancing back then! And acting. I was a generally shy kid. But, put the music on and I’d have no qualms with putting on a dance or an acting performance.
Yes, even when relations ended up dragging half the barangay* in to my grandparents’ house to watch the show, I never felt self-conscious. Not when the music was on. Not when I was dancing.
Older relatives and strangers used to refer to me as “A young Pia Moran.” I believe she was a popular dancer on TV at that time in Manila. Errr. Not quite sure how I liked that reference.
But, I certainly loved knowing that people liked to watch me dance.
Tagalog Lesson of the Day: Barangay – A Tagalog/Filipino term for ‘township’.
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toni 07.01.08 at 6:02 pm
I kinda figured out you were a good dancer when you posted that umbrella pic from months ago.
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Shai Coggins reply on July 3rd, 2008:
Toni: Hehe. How’d you know from the umbrella pic?
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Marjorie 07.02.08 at 1:34 am
Shai, I think we had the same living room decor in San Juan when I was growing up! Was your couch encased in plastic? Or was it made of bamboo?
I have memories of my two cousins and I dancing to “Super Freak” during parties. One of those cousins was a gifted dancer and would choreograph all our moves, taken largely from her favorite TV dance group at the time, the OctoArts (I think that was the name). Anyhoo, I cringe when I think about some of those moves we considered “cool” and now is way beyond baduy in my memory.
Thanks for sharing!
Cheers,
Marjorie
[Reply]
Shai Coggins reply on July 3rd, 2008:
Marjorie: That’s actually my grandparents’ house.
But wow – our memories definitely collide. SuperFreak & OctoArts. So weird to read those names again. 
Thanks to you too, for sharing.
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