A2A Teen Years: I'm Dreaming of a Fishy Christmas

Tip of the Day: Since Christmas is next week and we’re guessing most people are busy with all kinds of wonderful things, the old author2author blog will be a bit quiet. But we’ll return the following week to reveal our new names and talk about our goals for 2009!

Oh geez. These A2A teen year posts are hard for me. Don’t get me wrong, I loved being a teen. And I don’t mind telling you about my wonderful teen years. But the older I get, the more trouble I have remembering anything ABOUT those wonderful teen years. In case you don’t know, it sucks getting old! Wait, now you think I’m really old. And I’m not. I just have an old memory card in my brain. Or something.

Anyway, even though I wasn't quite a teenager anymore, I’m going to tell you about the first Christmas I celebrated with a boyfriend in college, the guy who eventually became my husband.

We had been dating about four months when our first Christmas rolled around. It was a big deal. I bought him all kinds of wonderful things, including a new comforter for his bed, a beautiful sweater that I thought would look really great on him, and some other cool things.

He handed me my first gift to open, and I have to say, it was rather odd-looking. Long and skinny. I had absolutely no idea as to what it might be. I opened it up and what a surprise - he’d bought me a new fishing pole! At some point, we must have talked about how I fished a lot with my dad and my grandparents when I was growing up. I seem to recall him asking, “So you like to fish?” And I probably shrugged my shoulders and said, “Sure.” And now I had my very own pole to go fishing any time I wanted!

The next gift I opened was small. This one, I thought to myself, must be something nice. A diamond necklace, perhaps, or a bracelet. But it was another surprise! This time, my very own pocket knife! I was so lucky!! He showed me how it had scissors and a cork screw and just about any gadget a girl could possibly need, all in one handy little place.

There were a couple of other little things I don’t remember, but that was definitely a Christmas I’ll never forget.

Since that Christmas, I’ve learned his family is very much a list-making family. When it’s Christmas, you make a list, and that is how gifts are chosen. So every year since that first Christmas, I make a list and share it with him and his mom. And what do you know, there hasn’t been a single fishing pole since. I mean, you know, since I already have one and all, I really don't need TWO, do I?

I want to thank Kate, Emily, Deena and Tina for suggesting reasons to buy my book, FAR FROM YOU, for yourself or a teen you know as a Christmas gift. That was very sweet of them. I hope everyone buys at least one book for a Christmas gift this year. Doesn't have to be my book. Just buy a book. Or two. Or twenty. After all, no fishing line required!

~Lisa, Miss Pinch Me I'm Pubbed