How do people write their lives into a “little” post?
My name is Carolyn Jade Ann Marie; aka Jaiden (yes in real life as well) and here is my life in timeline format
May 1980: My oldest brother was born in Cambridge, England.
February 1984: I was born in London, Ontario.
1984 - 1991: Traveled/lived where ever my father was working at the time.
August 1986: my youngest brother was born in Berlin, Germany.
September 1991: Came back to London, Ontario to live with my nanny (as in Mary Poppin nanny). Started school and taking ballet.
October 1991: My great-grandfather died at age 104 and 11 months. First “death” I first handed experienced.
February 1993: Mother moved back with us full time. We started to spend lots of time together.
December 1994: Started to take ballet seriously and was put into competitions (and was winning)
September 1996: My Grandmother died suddenly in hospital (Mother’s mom)
October 1996: Mother died suddenly in car crash. Everyone in family was in vehicle. Father had broken ribs, arm, leg, etc. Older brother suffered from concussion and back injury. Younger brother suffered from bruised knuckles. I suffered from a crushed skull, skin and muscle torn off my back, back and leg injuries.
December 1996: Older brother and myself were finally released from hospital after car accident. Have basically never danced since.
March 1997: I found my uncle in shower. He hung himself.
May 1998: Older brother and self kicked out of father’s house. I for looking too much like my mother, older brother because he was too much trouble and was 18.
April 1998: Father’s best friend (and very close friend to us children) died of cancer.
June 1998: Father’s best friend’s wife (and close friend to us children) died- starved herself to death.
September 1998: Started high school. Loved every year of it.
July 1999: Met father’s girlfriend.
July 1999: Father married said girlfriend. Stepmother and I have an interesting relationship at first, now we are friends. Stepsister is added to family as well (b. 1989)
September 1999: Sign “enlisting” forms for DND (Canada) as a reservist (can’t start training, etc. until 16)
February 2000: Start training- after basic they put me on the path for being a sniper. Soon was decided I didn’t have the “mind” to be a sniper and trained me as a weapons specialist.
September 2001: Started taking university courses seriously (I had taken others during summer but for “fun”) on top of high school.
September 2001:"9-11" happened. Dreaded possibility of being deployed. Was deployed as part of mission Apollo.
December 2001: Was back to see best friend die of cancer.
January 2002: Met Ted/Pod (through Hatrack) and started going out with him.
September 2003: Decided Anthropology and Archaeology weren’t for me. Decided to go to switch schools and go into Culinary Management.
May 2004: Started catering business- mainly business meetings at first, but now it has branched off to basically anything a person can want. Wedding parties, cakes, kosher parties (the local synagoge knows me and lets me use their kitchen), lunches, dinners, bruches, tea-time. Hotdogs to 10 course meals.
March 2005: Still with Ted, both of us will be graduating school in two months. He’s planning on going to graduate school in Computational Linguistics. I am going to be continuing education in Food Sciences/Nutrition (with an interest area of Genetics) in September.
Now be at peace those of you who have bugged me to tell of myself (I'm impressed with any of you who got through my timeline; thank you. And please feel free to ask any and all questions )
Thank you Hatrack for being here for me.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Hmmmm. I think I could understand why you don't talk about yourself much. What a lot to have experienced in such a short period of time.
Thank you for sharing with us.... (And yes, I read the whole thing, of course. )
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Yeah, that's a, oh, traumatic history. (((Jaiden))) I know that's not why you wrote it, but still.
I'm glad you're here. Thanks for sharing with us. And yes, I read the whole thing, too. Posted by Little_Doctor (Member # 6635) on :
Thanks for sharing. I read the whole thing too. That is a lot of death for one person. I'm glad you handled it so well.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
No cookies?
Thanks for sharing that, Jaiden.
Did you ever post pictures of that cake? If you did I missed it!
Much luck with your business and your life.
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
Wow. That's all I can say. Other than it's good to have you here.
Posted by Myr (Member # 5956) on :
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Damn.
(((Jaiden)))
I'm glad you're here.
Posted by Zotto! (Member # 4689) on :
Wow. Thanks for letting us get to know you a bit better, Jaiden. I'm glad you're a part of Hatrack. Posted by Kama (Member # 3022) on :
hm.
I totally admire you.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Wow! Jaiden. Wow!
quote: May 1998: Older brother and self kicked out of father’s house.
Where did you go? Where did you live?
Farmgirl
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
I didn't know that you and Pod met here. Posted by Jaiden (Member # 2099) on :
Farmgirl:
For a short while we went onto Ontario Works (welfare) and had a one bedroom basement apartment (that was truely special... it leaked when it rained and smelled of cat pee ).
During the school year, my brother worked full time and went to high school full time (he graduated at age 19) and I worked part time (there are laws about people under 18 working full time and going to school full time in Ontario) and went to high school full time. During the summer we both worked two jobs to make ends meet- and sometimes that didn't happen. Luckly, however, the local community and church were really good to us. Each month the church gave us a hamper of food and the promise if we needed more we only had to ask.
(Ontario Works gives people over age 16 a montly stripend if they're not working and go full time to high school. My brother and I originally recieved togeather $550 from them to live off of a month.)
Twinky: My best friend was the one who used to hang out at hatrack "full time" when she was ill and she was the one who actually introduced Ted and I... I was on hatrack at the time, however I didn't "chat", etc as much as she did at that time
[ March 21, 2005, 10:49 AM: Message edited by: Jaiden ]
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
quote: December 2001: Was back to see best friend die of cancer
quote: Twinky: My best friend was the one who used to hang out at hatrack "full time" when she was ill and she was the one who actually introduced Ted and I... I was on hatrack at the time, however I didn't "chat", etc as much as she did at that time [Smile]
Is this one and the same best friend? Have we lost a Hatracker we aren't aware of losing?
Farmgirl
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
quote:My best friend was the one who used to hang out at hatrack "full time" when she was ill and she was the one who actually introduced Ted and I... I was on hatrack at the time, however I didn't "chat", etc as much as she did at that time
*hug*
Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :
Ted is one lucky podkin.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Wow, no wonder you are such a quiet pillar of strength.
AJ
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
You're an amazing person. Thank you for sharing this.
Posted by Jaiden (Member # 2099) on :
Farmgirl, she was more of a lurker, but yes, hatrack did loose a hatracker. Those who talked to her/me a lot knew, but I don't believe there was any "formal" announcement of her death.
Rivka, I haven't posted any pictures yet because I became busy with a big project at school. I probably will have a chance tomorrow night though- thank you for your interest! Posted by esl (Member # 3143) on :
Thanks Jaiden, for posting. It's good to know, and I'm glad you're here.
Out of curiousity, what's the occasion? (for a landmark)
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
"Wow" is the word.
What an incredible life story. It reads so matter-of-factly, so drily, that the weight of it sneaks up on you.
Glad to know you, Jaiden. We are lucky here.
Posted by Jaiden (Member # 2099) on :
Thank you everyone
Why post a landmark now? I'd promised about 6 months to do one and never got around to it. Yesterday I had free time and was feeling slightly sentimental so I finally did it Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Ah, a guilt-inspired landmark.
No rush on the pictures, but I would love to see them when you get a chance. Posted by Jaiden (Member # 2099) on :
*laughs*
No, not guilt inspired; inspired by others. If I didn't feel comfortable sharing with Hatrack I never would have, no matter how much guilt tripping anybody did Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Jaiden, it's a great privilege to know you!
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
Great landmark. I definitely want to see your 1000 flower cake when you get done with it!
Also, have you been skydiving lately?
Posted by Jaiden (Member # 2099) on :
Nope, no skydiving for about 2 years now. My brother has stopped going and I am out of a partner (nobody I know has the money and "want" to take the training courses).
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
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Thanks for sharing. I read the whole thing too. That is a lot of death for one person. I'm glad you handled it so well.
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