TahmiJoh’s Core Memories

Yes, this is inspired by the movie “Inside Out” (2015).  One concept that really struck me was about “Core Memories” and if we lose them, we lose our a significant part of our identity.  I’m going to capture some of these by chronology and categories.

0-4 Years:

• Stepping on a bee and getting stung.  North side of Bellefontaine house.
• Pooping on the south side of porch.  I remember knocking frantically on the door and no one answered…do I had to do what I had to do.  Later I learned that Mike had to clean it up!  I do remember the shovel!
• Japanese Garden in front, visiting the nursing home next to us, the trees, some of the houses on Bellefontaine. Flying the toy airplane in the Huntington Hospital Parking lot.
• 3 or so, getting shocked after putting the key in the outlet at Garfield.  I remember the blue flash and brunette fingers.   I remember the round light fixtures in the classroom and hall way.
• Razor on my left pinky…still have the scar.  Uncle Sei didn’t hid that too well!
• Seeing my dad work in the ‘basement office.  Smell of ammonia from blue print machine.
• The shed in the back by the swing set with all that junk….including a ‘bowling’ arcade game that I couldn’t use.  Was there a huge eucalyptus tree by the gas pumps?
• Riding Trikes, playing with corn starch, naps at Special 4 and pre-school. Playing with corn starch
• Burying Catharine or a puppy in the garden (southside of driveway).  Growing sweet peas near there
• Dad getting hit in the head with the crane ball when lifting a sego tree.
• That trailer for the tractor and how it pivoted when you got to the end.  And also remember when it fell and now I have a scar on my left cheek.
• Dr. Ogawa for stitches…
• Christmas in my crib
• Asking for a bottle
• Staple in my finger but I didn’t cry
• Surf fishing with dad
• The smell of his clothes and that weird hard hard hat
• Fishing in the ponds at Descanso Gardens with Mike….caught blue gill
• LA Count Fair and me being dressed in a Kellogg  Fertilizer Costume (per dad).  Getting lost there…
• The green kitchen table
• Getting poked at grandpa or grandma’s burial service by a wire
• Mochizuki and cleaning ducks in the backyard
• Burying a cat or puppy on the south side of the driveway (Bellefontaine house) 
• Wagon rides to the stable with Naomi
• “Close your eyes” the Naomi having me walk up the fake cow (Fair Oaks?)
• Cal Oaks Pharmacy
• Thrifty Ice Cream  3, 5, 10 cents???
• Someone shooting out the back of the station wagon
• Sliding down freshly folded news papers right before cousins delivered them on their paper route.
• Riding the tractor with dad at Bamiko’s
• Gardening routes, sprinkler main at Altadena Presbyterian, Trailer park development (Especially Carson: Avalon Estates).  Cutting my hand on alfalfa there.
• 2nd Street office…”Imperial Mobile Estates” in that blue building
• Red quarters used for washing machine repairs
• The Elkaim’s apartment.
• Hanging out with Troop 41 on outings.  Mr. Skinner, “watermelon creek.”  Baths on the tail gate.  Getting burnt at ???Hot Springs.
• Perch derbies and Santa Barbara
• “Barbara” my mythical friend
• Rose Parade on the back of the truck.
• Fishing on the pier…with no rails.  Catching smelt and baby salmon grouper 

5-8 years

• Red rug in the TV room
• The yard full of plants and watering them from the top and bottom.
• The Honda 50 in the back yard next to the fertilizer stacks.  The smell of DTD in the garage.’
• Accidental wheelies on that Honda 50 with three of us on it and hitting the ground several times.
• Snoopy Room!
• Oshogatsu at our house
• Going to Union Church and singing in the Sunday school hall.  Playing with the office safe with Jon Toriumi.  Miss Kakimi helping with my penmanship.
• Walking to Jefferson Primary: Miss May (1st), Mrs. Montgomery (2nd), Mrs. Markarian (3rd)   Nancy Udder and Halloween.  Donna Brennen and in the Jungle Gym
• The garden we did in first grade
• The kittens being born in 1st grade!
• Seeing the Red Cross film on lifesaving and seeing the drowning and not wanting to go back to school.
• Watching the old Jefferson building getting torn down and building the new one in its place.  Mr. Bronson’s owls and paddle.

9-11

12-17