Monday, July 2, 2007

There Is No Mystery

I remember the days before Mark and I were dating. The days when there was still a little mystery. We were both on our best behavior, and we could go back to our respective homes and be as weird as we wanted. He could enjoy his dorky computer games and I could pursue my reality tv obsession. Don't judge.

As I was cleaning up the house tonight, and starting to get ready for bed, I thought about how fleeting the mystery has been since we moved in together. Not only am I sharing my weigh-in numbers with him (ack!) but there's the face masks, teeth whitening trays on the counter, and various other beauty routines that no one should have to witness.

There is my collection of Babysitter's club books (all of 'em! woot!) and my NEED to read them while I eat. (I like to read while I eat, but not anything that I need to actually concentrate on...so the Babysitter's Club and Judy Blume books are required). I also have a VAST collection of self-help books. I haven't read but maybe 3 of them. Maybe that's why I'm still insane. ::sigh::

I bring this up because I had to show you what I bought this weekend.

Yup, it's the book from when Britney and Lynne Spears were still pals. I figured it would be a collector's item...and also, it was only $1.99. Woot!

The Babysitter's books reminds me of a conversation that I had with Miss Sassy the other day. We were discussing the necessity of knowing where your friends stand on the "who is your favorite New Kid on the Block" question. I believe it is necessary for me to know the following things about you - so play along in the comments or blog about it if you must. ;)

1) Did you read the Babysitter's club books? Who was your favorite sitter? Your least favorite?
2) Did you read the Sweet Valley books? (I loved the twins, but notsomuch the high school ones) Who did you most relate to Elizabeth or Jessica?
3) Any other favorites?

Have fun!

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've read them all.

And before I even SAW your question about SVH, I was going to mention that I ALSO need to read when I eat. And currently on my table for my breakfast.. is Elizabeth's Secret Diary Volume III.

I swear to God.

That's just freaking spooky.

I loved Babysitters Club & was always partial to Stacy. I think I just liked the name.

And Elizabeth is such a self righteous little snot, I adore Jessica. But I still think Liz is my favourite.

Gosh, I am SUCH a dag.

Lara said...

i never read any of the babysitter's club, but i did read sweet valley kids, sweet valley twins, and sweet valley high. woot! :)

i realize it's not the same genre, but another series i read around the same age was goosebumps by r.l. stine. i loved those!

Julie said...

LOVE THE BSC!!!

Stacy is my favorite.
It was so sad when she had to move back to NY, but then when she came back I was stoked!!

I remember watching SVH on TV but I don't think I read the books.

Also- My fave New Kid was Jonathan!!

Lindsey said...

Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley I only read off and on and never truly got into them. However, I did have the Sweet Valley board game and to this day it is still one of my favorites. Even though Jessica is more my style, I always chose to be Elizabeth in the game. We'd make fun of the person who had to be Enid. LOL

Oh yeah...Jordan was by far my fave New Kid. Not just my fave. I was in love.

Anonymous said...

I think those were 'after' my time. I remember them but never read them. I remember when either Harlequin or Silhouette came up with some teen romance novels. I was hooked. I did read Judy Blume. She's timeless!

Willow said...

I thought I'd pop by and check you out--thanks for stopping by and saying Hi.

I also like to read when eating, but it's usually a historical romance. I don't know why, but I never read BSC or SVH. Maybe it's an age thing:) Or maybe I was too involved with things historical. I do know I read all the Judy Blume I could get my hands on.

I'm trying to remember who my favorite new kid was...Jordan, maybe. My friend Ann got to meet some of them when they played in her hometown--she even had her picture taken with them. I wonder if she still has that picture in a place of prominence. LOL

L Sass said...

OMG, these questions must be added to the application form I require any prospective friends to submit.

OF COURSE, I read Babysitter's and Sweet Valley. My mom had a rule, though. I had to read two "classic" books for every "sugar" book I read. Luckily, I was a fast reader, so I read a lot of both.

My favorite Babysitter's Club girl was Stacey. I was probably more like Mary Anne, but I admired Stacey's California coolness. Not so much with the diabetes, though.

AS for Sweet Valley, DEFINITELY Elizabeth.

I was a bookish nerd back then, too!

Carrie said...

How is that there is that much age difference when there isn't. I guess like I was in high school when you were in junior high. You see that was for the "little kids". When I was in middle school is was all about Judy Blume's naughty books and VC Andrews. I have every Andrews book and still collect them even though I haven't read any of the ones published over the last 6 years. Some day.

As for NKOTB, totally lame-o. I mean I was way too cool for that. Hell I didn't even buy a NKOTB until I was about 28. lol It started with my obsession with boy bands. NSYNC will always be my favorite. I will admit however I did have a thang for Marky Mark and um, still do.

*~*Cece*~* said...

I have to say I think I enjoy the comfort of knowing each other, now, than the mystery of back then. Being a Cancer I'm all about security.

Anonymous said...

I spent my formative years in Barbados which was an odd mix of American, English and Caribbean culture. So I wasn't exposed to all things USA.

1) I think I read a couple of Babysitter's club books but not enough to remember the different people.

2) However, I consumed a lot of Sweet Valley High books. Elizabeth. I was smart and nerdy and just kinda wished I could be like Jessica -- yet I was way too conscientious.

3) Any other favorites? I loved books about girls in boarding schools (that sounds wrong somehow, now). Maybe I just wanted to be away from my parents...

Anonymous said...

I totally forgot to say that I also MUST read while I'm eating. Usually it's magazines (usually parenting magazines of some kind). It's the only time I get to read now, even though it's rude when other people are sitting next to me (like a toddler who starts throwing things when you don't pay attention to him).

He pretends to read too, sometimes, which is pretty funny.

Anonymous said...

I think I was too old for BSC, too. But boy did I go for SVH (except for the books that are apparently about them when they were younger? I don't remember these...).

I was SUCH an Elizabeth. It didn't occur to me that everyone didn't think feel the same way until much much later. Didn't we all want to be smart and good?

I did once skip class to read SVH books with my friend Stephanie.

Yep, big dork.

Nicole P. said...

Totally read babysitters club - even tried to start a real one. Though I don't remember any of the characters anymore.

I loved Laura Ingalls books because for some reason I thought it would be fun to be a pioneer. Yeah, I don't get it either.

And Jordan was my favorite New Kid. I may even still have my New Kids on the Block comforter at my mom's house somewhere. Hellz yeah.

Marianne said...

1) I didn't read the Babysitter's Club books. I don't know why. I'm not that damned old. Hmm...

2) I didn't read the Sweet Valley High books. I don't know... oh hell. I don't think I read until I went to college.

3) My mom was a sci-fi and horror person. So, despite my bozophobia and fear of being hacked up and buried under the porch, I read all of her sci-fi and scary books. Just whatever struck my fancy.

These three questions really make me question my mom and dad's parenting tactics.

Anonymous said...

Ha, Carrie, I secretly adore my VC books. I felt so naughty reading them, haha.

Anonymous said...

Oh Babysitters Club, that was so long ago! I used to love reading them and don't tell anyone but my older brother used to make me get them out of the library just so he could read them after me. Haha.

My favourite babysitter was Stacy because she was diabetic. I don't know why, I'm not diabetic or anything, maybe I was going through a phase of liking someone who's "different".

As for Sweet Valley, I also read those and I liked Elizabeth. She was me down to a tee ... and Jessica was my little sister. Strange how that goes.

I also grew up reading Nancy Drew and Enid Blyton's Fantastic Five and things like that. The memories!

Unknown said...

Hm, I have never read a Babysitters Club book, or Sweet Valley high book... can we still be friends? To my credit, my mom is/was a teacher and always gave me "important" books to read - which I loved. Looking back, I don't think I had any other choice but to love them; I'm the kind of girl that will read whatever she is given. :)

JSauce said...

I think I love you.

Currently, in our garage, there are two boxes full of EVERY Babysitter's Club book there is. I refuse to get rid of them, as one day, my kid will want to read them while chowing down her cereal. Favorite one is #43 - Stacey's Emergency.

I always really liked Jessica, probably because I was more like Elizabeth. I loooooved the super sagas where they were twins back in old times. Unfortunately, though I had every single book, I left those behind when I left my ex bastard, and he threw them away. The horror!!

My other favorite when I was younger was Christopher Pike. Yep. Have all of them too. Favorite: the Remember Me and the Last Vampire series.

Sweet.

Anonymous said...

How cute are YOU Aimee??

I read both the Babysitter's club books AND the Sweet Valley High books. Can't remember who I liked best for SHIT!

But wow, you just brought back memories. I might rent the Babysitter's club movie in honor of the memories......

Sugee Andersyn said...

omg we have so much in common!! lol i could have written this post! :D You're so cool! My fave new kid was danny and donnie :D Although Joe sang KILLER!! :)