Autobiography - Vaughn

Autobiography - Vaughn

I've been reading Brittney & Angela's blogs and they have "autobiographies".  I thought I'd get with the system and post something myself.  I'm not sure how this will play out.

1.  Dad - My memories of Dad are probably much better than everyone else's (except for James...because Dad favored James.  He favors me now, but I've been working on it for 38 years - ha).  I had Dad & Mom in the early years.  I wrote an article about him in a work newsletter a month ago.  It focused on how cool my Dad is and how much I've learned from him.  I love soccer because it was the one main thing that I felt like I had in common with Dad.  I've always been so proud of my Welsh heritage and I knew I'd be a great soccer player because it was "in the blood".  I have some great memories of Dad.  The day I knew he was tougher than I'd EVER be was a day when he hauled that huge brown piano of mom's, down the stairs of our Coltman house...BY HIMSELF.  Later in life, I had a moment where I was so upset with him that I punched him in the nose.  He had me pinned against a wall so fast it made my head spin.  I still think he could take me.  Every family vacation we ever took seemed to result in a broken down car or van (do you remember the Chevy van with the American Flag painted on the side; or the Volkswagon Bus - which is why Aaron probably likes buses; what about the Yellow Van that I wrapped around a light pole doing cookies in a school parking lot...James had to fix it).   Good stuff.

2.  Mom - forced me to go out on a date with a girl in a really big pink dress before I was 16.  Talk about contributing to my delinquency.  The trips to Disneyland ROCKED.  The first time I heard Depeche Mode's "Strangelove" was during a trip in the big Yellow Van to Disneyland.  It's the same trip that we were swimming in the motel pool and Mark Johnson dived to the bottom to retrieve something brown...it was poop.  I've never seen a pool clear out so fast...or never run for a shower so quickly.  Also the same trip where James, Aaron, Mark & I walked clear across the Disneyland parking lot from our motel to the Disneyland hotel...with James' broken foot.  Mom had no idea where we were.  When she found us, she yelled "YOU DAMN KIDS!" and started to cry.  Our house was always the open crash pad for all of my friends.  I commuted to Ricks College with Mom for a semester.  So many people knew and respected her.  It was hard to live in her shadow.  Eventually I was left with a choice to paint the house or move out...I moved out...talk about lazy.

3.  Delano White-Eagle - How could we forget our long lost Native American brother.  My memories are fairly limited...Dig a hole...now fill up the hole...now dig a hole...now fill up the hole.  Actually, my most clear memory was karate kicking him in the head for picking on James.  I laid him out on the floor of our living room.  It's no wonder he caused a lot of trouble and was sent home...he probably wanted to be at home with his own family.  It's a different world living with seven white kids.

4.  James - My best friend, although you'd never know it given the frequency he took a beating at my hands, feet, etc (kind of a suprise now, given his occupation...maybe I was his inspiration).  He always had my back.  Dirt clod & ice-ball fights in the neighborhood were par for the coarse.  We jumped his new bmx bike off monster snow-ramps mid winter into deep snow (I learned how to do a table-top).  I was scared to death when I thought he was going to be electrocuted by touching the electrical fence at the end of our street (Mike Smart pushed him off of it).  I didn't treat him well enough when we were teenagers.  I always looked up to him and should have treated him better.  As kids, playing baseball (believe it or not he was quite the baseball player).  We'd line up at opposite ends of the farmers field and launch arrows as far as possible (until James almost killed me one time...I dove for cover...I'm sure it was an accident).  The famous...infamous...boomerang experiment.  Why in the world would our cousin Todd (Mike?) try to catch it?  He sure did catch it...right in the face...Uncle Lewis was peaved.  As a teenager, I was most proud of him when he played as a sophomore, in our high school state soccer tournament (I was a senior).  It was the best I've ever seen him play, he was amazing.  He saved my life when I moved in with him in Provo.  It had to be hard for him...he was going through a divorce, had a newborn son, and still put up with me...thanks James!   

5.  Alisha - I was so proud when Alisha was born.  I was so glad to have a sister.  When she was two years old, I invited the entire neighborhood to our house for her birthday party.  It was quite a shock to Mom given that she wasn't privy to the information and wasn't aware/or invited to the party.  I moved in with Alisha for several weeks when I graduated from College.  I camped it in her apartment in Provo.  I got to know her and Alec very well.  I appreciated her very much...she was so good to me.  I'm really glad she is my sister.  She has always been so independent and able to fend for herself regardless of the situation.  Remember the cow?  HA HA HA!  I may be deluded, but I'm sure she remembers the cow.  She always had such a soft heart and was so concerned for everyone.  Some of my most conflicted moments were sticking up for Alisha with James the tyrant (kidding James - kind of).  

6.  Aaron - Aaron was the little brother I never wanted.  When Aaron was born, I told a neighbor that my mom had another dumb boy.  After the initial reaction, I always respected his free-spirit and was glad he was my brother.  I was a little intimidated that he seemed to look up to me.  I was proud that he picked up a skateboard, more proud when he put the beat-down on an older hick who was trying to beat him up (he smacked the kid in the head, knocked him to the ground, and ran away).  He was crazy.  We could always talk him into jumping on the trampoline with us.  We'd launch him 10 or 15 feet into the air...it was a little scary when we just about shot him out into space off the trampoline.  I had alot of fun telling my friends the antics of my "little bro".  Breaking his arm on his skateboard, getting his cast off, and then re- breaking it again immediately after.  I might not be the best dad, but I had some practice with Aaron.  He moved in with Erin and I very soon after we were married.  We connected and had a blast.  He's been a great example to my kids...even taught my boys how to fist fight.  I taught him to fight, he taught my boys to fight...it goes full circle I guess.  He lived with us for a couple of months when my kids had all been born.  The neighbors & their kids...loved him...as does everyone he knows.  It may be the best summer we've ever had.  It was a "time-stand-still" kind of summer that we'll always remember. 

7.  Angela - is soooo funny.  She may be one of the funniest people I know.  When we were younger we were going to co-author a book about our screwed up lives.  She could probably do it, although I think we both turned out ok.  I distinctly remember her telling me that I scared her to death.  I came home for Christmas one year with a beard and really long hair.  I looked like a biker and she was scared to talk to me (Didn't last long).  I tried to talk Angela into moving in with Erin and I one year.  When we finally had to take her home, we took the longest drive we possibly could just to avoid taking her back to Utah, we drove through Preston, Logan, back roads through Ogden, Salt Lake etc. just to get to Orem.  It had to have taken 8 hours on what would normally be a 4 hour drive.  I'm so glad to see her happy.  Erik rules!  Angela is such a great mom.  She can do anything she puts her mind to.  I hate to see any of my family sad and I'm so glad to see her so happy.  My most recent "snap-shot" moment with Angela was at Old Faithful in Yellowstone.  I have many fond experiences with Angela, but this one ranks right near the top.  We had a family reunion in IF and drove to Yellowstone.  It was a really fun day...topped by a strange experience at Old Faithful.  The wind started to blow really hard as we stood around waiting for the geyser to blow.  When it finally erupted, due to the wind, we were in the trajectory of the stinky, egg-smelling, sulfary, geyser water.  Our entire family (Dad, Diane, Angela's family, Adam, My Family, Trisha, etc.) were soaked (and I mean soaked) and very very stinky.  It was mid-summer and we were so cold we bought hot-chocolate and snacks and sat in the lodge to warm up.  I miss you Angela and hope to see you soon! 

8.  Brittney - was always the most aesthetically pleasing of our family members.  I loved that she was willing to shave her head.  Very few women could pull this off...she looked great.  She was/is so responsible and could always accomplish anything she ever set her mind to.  I was always so impressed by her willingness to stick to her guns and do the right thing regardless of the consequences...even when it meant weekends at home, instead of late nights and lots of dates.  It was always so funny to me that, as a teenager, her best friends name was Pua (poo a).    She was so young when I moved out.  I really didn't get to know her as well as I should have.  It's been great living in the same area as Brittney.  I love her and her family.  Her girls rule...regular princesses who are very funny.  When she was younger, she always mentioned that she was going to marry someone rich.  She hated to clean and felt like she needed a maid so she was going to have to marry into money...better get moving Jared.  She never seemed embarrassed by me.  I wasn't the most clean cut teenager/young adult you've ever met.  She never seemed fazed by my willingness to drink Pepsi at church outings or my tendency to show up on a motorcycle, in hammered jeans, long hair, and levi jackets.  I always felt like I had a responsibility to my sisters.  They make me proud to be a part of my family (not just Britt but all my sisters). 

9.  Trisha - my most haunting memory as an early teen was with Trisha.  At about 14 years old, I was left to babysit her when she had just barely learned how to crawl.  I was trying to take care of all my siblings and she was ignored somewhat.  Somehow, while I was out of the room, she managed to wedge herself underneath the wrought-iron railing we had.  She was hanging by her neck with her head on one side and her body on the other.  She was breathing...and physically ok...but scared.  I never told anyone.  The picture still haunts me.  Quite a confession.  Life changed when Trisha was born...and they've never been the same since.  Trisha is a kind hearted women.  She always has nice things to say and wants to be useful and independent.  I'm glad that Trisha is my sister.  I worry about her.  I wouldn't change a thing.

I love my family.  We're a strange potpourri of life experiences, memories (both good and bad), and "snap-shot" moments.  I know why I love Soccer & Disneyland & Road Trips & laughing & fighting & trampolines & eating & clothes & icing & candy & Thanksgiving Pie.  I know why I hate banana cream pies & fighting & clutter & farming (more accurately a lot of animals in a really confined space) & a lot of noise, but mostly being apart from my family.  I love and miss each one of you (that includes you - Diane & Jeremy & Derek and your families).  Best wishes to you all.  Vaughn