A beloved friend of mine told me yesterday that her daughter’s teacher wanted to send my friend’s little girl for testing to see if she was “gifted”. She is a smart one, that girl, and Kindergarten in the fall will probably bore her to tears.
While driving in to pick up our van with its new transmission (We only had to pay 1/2 the labour. That is ALL! Thanks to Honey’s persistence!), I relayed the story of our friend’s daughter to Matthew.
I then reminisced about my elementary school years. I learned to read by the age of three. While in Kindergarten, I was sent across the hall every afternoon to read with the Grade 1/2 class.
I skipped Grade 3, and was still sent to the “gifted” classes. We did complicated word and math problems! Which we thought were fun!
I was/am such a dork.
I was telling Honey that while I was (apparently) brilliant back then, I seem to have lost all semblance of intelligence. Not that I feel completely stupid. I just don’t feel completely smart. Or capable.
He came back with the reply that he just gets dumber every. single. day. And he is OK with that.
I am feeling overwhelmed with life. So! Many! Cool! Things! are happening.
I cannot give them justice.
I also want to share some sweet summertime photo tips. I thought that I could post them today, but also cannot give them justice.
Part of the reason is that I spent the bulk of the day in the Real World hanging out with two of my closest friends and their children. It was long overdue and absolutely lovely.
The other reason is that I am IN THE FINAL CRUNCH WEEK OF WORK AND MIGHT DIE busy finishing up a work contract.
I know in my head that this last week is always crazy, and that I always survive. It is just getting my heart to follow along with the drill. As opposed to palpitating in Freak-Out Mode on a perpetual basis.
Which is where my “giftedness” would kick in, should it still be around. I would be able to balance it all, with ease.
Apparently, I have lost my “gift”.
But I am going to make it. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, right?
At least that’s what I keep telling myself.
22 Comments
You’ll make it! I believe in you 
Besides, if you don’t make it you’ll miss out on beach time with your cute kids AND photographing the wedding. And that would just be sad.
Not to mention that you actually not making it would just be the pits. I know at least four people who’d really miss you!
C’mon girl! You can do it!
-Andrea
Andrea’s last blog post..Dessert for Dinner-Take One: Strawberry Shortcake
Comment by Andrea on June 19th, 2008 @ 11:10 pmHey! Our experiences sound so similar. I even skipped grade 3, too!
Except I was NOT gifted in math. I was average and skipping screwed me and created a polar effect in my abilities.
As the people in the testing center at my university said, “You test as a genius in some areas and dumb as a post in others. Don’t worry, though…it’s mainly due to the gaping holes in your education”.
Um…thanks?
Either way, I totally relate to this post. Sigh.
Loralee’s last blog post..Blah, blah, blah?(Hey, it’s 1:00 in the morning. You REALLY expect me to come up with some witty or relevant post title? GOOD. We?re all on the same page, then.)
Comment by Loralee on June 19th, 2008 @ 11:18 pmYep, another one who can relate. I skipped some, was in the “gifted” classes, etc. But like you, I don’t feel very “gifted” these days. Perhaps it’s the pregnancy brain that ostensibly never goes away?? Yep, I’m blaming that.
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Comment by Hannah on June 19th, 2008 @ 11:52 pmYes! You’re going to totally die, just like last year. Oh, wait. Last year, you had double the load and didn’t. Never mind.
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Comment by witchypoo on June 20th, 2008 @ 5:25 amI feel the same way. I was in Gifted and Talented way back when. I don’t feel so gifted any more.
Comment by slynnro on June 20th, 2008 @ 6:30 amNope, you are totally not going to make it. You’re going to crash and burn.
Ya Right. Like that would happen. You’ll get it done and kill.
I think it’s not that we were exceptionally gifted, more that we were above average and above average is harder to decipher now, y’know what I mean.
i was the kid helping the teacher teach the other kids and grading papers etc… now I’m lucky if i can multiply 2 numbers together or remember the ‘fancy’ word for every day items 
It’s parenting sweetie, what doesn’t go out with the placenta goes out in the breastmilk and tears.
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I know exactly what you mean. I remember the days when they wanted to skip me two grades and I did all the “gifted” stuff and loved writing research papers and was on the brain bowl team; now, I can’t even comprehend how on earth I had the brain power to do all that. Whether you lose it without practice or just lose it over time in general, I don’t know.
You’re going to make it, though. I think everyone goes through a spurt of feeling incapable of doing all that’s asked. But when it’s all said and done, somehow, you unconsciously find a way to prioritize the things that need to be and find the time later to concentrate on the rest.
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Comment by Crystal on June 20th, 2008 @ 7:29 amYou are going to make it. You perform well under pressure!
I think I get dumber every day too. Like when you have to actually write things down instead of typing and then it looks like a 6 year old got a hold of my notepad.
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Comment by Kristabella on June 20th, 2008 @ 7:35 amI was the same way. Read at four; left Kindergarten on a daily basis to read with a special tutor, then returned to class to read to the class. Was in the summer gate program (which, come to think of it, wasn’t nearly as cool as spending all my days at the pool or camp, but apparently I thought it was cool back then). I think I peaked around 6th grade, though. I was so average in high school and college.
She Likes Purple’s last blog post..The View
Comment by She Likes Purple on June 20th, 2008 @ 7:43 amI’ve never been gifted and talented and I’m afraid I’ve passed my subpar performance to my children.
You will get your stuff done because you are that person who gets their things done!
Comment by gorillabuns on June 20th, 2008 @ 8:04 amSmart kids, holla! I went took the gifted classes in school too. I made it through the advanced placement classes in high school and then I lost it. Some (most!) days I feel like my brain is only working at half capacity. Did the smartness disappear? Or did I use up my portion early on in life? No more smartness for me 
hills’s last blog post..I Don’t Want To Be A Bad Woman And I Can’t Stand To See You Be A Bad Man
Oh wow you smart little chickie! I firmly believe that having kids makes you dumber. Seriously. I think you lost a lot of brain cells when you have kids, or that’s what I keep telling myself anyway.
Jen’s last blog post..Sicko
Comment by Jen on June 20th, 2008 @ 9:03 amYou haven’t “lost” a thing girl! You gorw more beautiful, capable, warm hearted every day. Pregnancy hormones are pretty roller coaster, but just wait until you get to my age, and watch what they do!
Comment by Heidi F on June 20th, 2008 @ 9:05 amI definitely understand where you’re coming from. I learned to read at a very young age, and was very intelligent. I still think I am somewhat intelligent, but a lot of that has been lost since I graduated. Things pretty much went downhill after high school, even though I did go to university. Smart kids, unite!
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Comment by Sharon on June 20th, 2008 @ 9:13 amlook at you, miss smartypants. maybe you just need to go back and do grade 3, Billy Madison style. haha!
I have never been gifted….well not with anything useful anyway… I am gifted with clumsiness… sticking my foot in my mouth….procrastinating…
Do you feel better yet?
The final week and then you are D-O-N-E. Off to the beach for you girl!
Hang in there!
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Comment by Kami on June 20th, 2008 @ 9:25 amI’ve got Kanye’s ‘Stronger’ stuck in mah head after that last line
Good luck with your final week!
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Comment by Dayna on June 20th, 2008 @ 1:16 pmOh so totally the same experience. Gifted child, taught myself to read before school, high school valedictorian… but my brain through university has just become more and more sluggish. It’s okay to feel like you can’t retain anything anymore! Think of it as trading “sharp” for well-rounded and “softened” by living and loving. Keep truckin!
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Comment by Tricia on June 20th, 2008 @ 1:37 pmI can’t say I’ve ever been consider “gifted”! Even still, since leaving school, (which wasn’t even that long ago) I feel like I’ve lost all knowledge I had! And, I know it’s only going to get worse!!!
Comment by Michele on June 20th, 2008 @ 8:54 pmHang in there, girl!
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Comment by Elizabeth on June 21st, 2008 @ 4:34 pm3 kids, accounting work, photography side job, boot camp … and you still manage to update this site (and a few others) multiple times a week. Um, I think you are pretty gifted.
Comment by red lotus mama on June 23rd, 2008 @ 8:23 am
I have no doubt that you’re going to make it.
Comment by sizzle on June 19th, 2008 @ 10:49 pmsizzle’s last blog post..Not On The Rug!