I just spent most of the day driving out to the field job site, sitting in meetings and day dreaming...alot.
My childhood hero was Tarzan. OK, Tarzan is STILL my hero.
I lived in Ethiopia for 4 years as a child and my family would often travel to Kenya. We spent many weeks on camping safaris and I think that explains alot about me, my lifestyle and my personality.
The first Tarzan I remember watching on TV was Johnny Weismuller. The 1924, 1928 Olympic swimming champion. He was "considered one of the most perfectly formed men on the planet." And his beautiful costar, Maureen O'Sullivan. What more could a man want? OK, maybe a loin cloth and a big knife, but that's it.
Who could forget the Tarzan call? "Victory cry of the bull ape." I spent many childhood days running around with bare feet, raggety cut offs, and a pocket knife doing my best to imitate the Tarzan victory cry.
Then it was Denny Miller who played on the Hollywood Tarzan sets. His boyish looks and a full head of blond hair was more of a surfer looking dude than I cared for.
Lastly, from my childhood memories, came Mike Henry. An ex-pro football player with 8-pack abs. Well spoken and crossed over into the color TV scene.
My imprinting was complete. I wanted to be Tarzan. I believed I was Tarzan.
Tarzan got to live in the jungle and was lord of all the apes and other creatures.
Tarzan always saved the day, saved the river, saved the mountain, saved the jungle, saved the girl.
Tarzan got the girl.
Tarzan was THE multisport athlete. He could swim, man could he swim! He could run, jump, swing, dive, climb, wrestle, flip, throw, shoot a bow and arrow, stab, and, if he had one, I bet he'd bike like Lance.
I spent most childhood summers shirtless and bare foot and I always had a pocket knife with me. I'd have had long shaggy hair too but my dad always clipped me pretty short with his home barber electric clipper. It wasn't until my teen years that I was allowed to let me hair grow longer. At one time, it was nearly touching my shoulders. Man, that was cool.
And now.
Instead of a loin cloth, I sometimes wear a speedo brief.
Instead of bare feet, I sometimes wear Teva's.
Instead of a knife, I have a nail clipper in my shave kit.
Instead of long hair, I use my dads old clipper and buzz it off every 2 weeks.
Who were your childhood heroes? Tag, your it.
My childhood hero was Tarzan. OK, Tarzan is STILL my hero.
I lived in Ethiopia for 4 years as a child and my family would often travel to Kenya. We spent many weeks on camping safaris and I think that explains alot about me, my lifestyle and my personality.
The first Tarzan I remember watching on TV was Johnny Weismuller. The 1924, 1928 Olympic swimming champion. He was "considered one of the most perfectly formed men on the planet." And his beautiful costar, Maureen O'Sullivan. What more could a man want? OK, maybe a loin cloth and a big knife, but that's it.
Who could forget the Tarzan call? "Victory cry of the bull ape." I spent many childhood days running around with bare feet, raggety cut offs, and a pocket knife doing my best to imitate the Tarzan victory cry.
Then it was Denny Miller who played on the Hollywood Tarzan sets. His boyish looks and a full head of blond hair was more of a surfer looking dude than I cared for.
Lastly, from my childhood memories, came Mike Henry. An ex-pro football player with 8-pack abs. Well spoken and crossed over into the color TV scene.
My imprinting was complete. I wanted to be Tarzan. I believed I was Tarzan.
Tarzan got to live in the jungle and was lord of all the apes and other creatures.
Tarzan always saved the day, saved the river, saved the mountain, saved the jungle, saved the girl.
Tarzan got the girl.
Tarzan was THE multisport athlete. He could swim, man could he swim! He could run, jump, swing, dive, climb, wrestle, flip, throw, shoot a bow and arrow, stab, and, if he had one, I bet he'd bike like Lance.
I spent most childhood summers shirtless and bare foot and I always had a pocket knife with me. I'd have had long shaggy hair too but my dad always clipped me pretty short with his home barber electric clipper. It wasn't until my teen years that I was allowed to let me hair grow longer. At one time, it was nearly touching my shoulders. Man, that was cool.
And now.
Instead of a loin cloth, I sometimes wear a speedo brief.
Instead of bare feet, I sometimes wear Teva's.
Instead of a knife, I have a nail clipper in my shave kit.
Instead of long hair, I use my dads old clipper and buzz it off every 2 weeks.
Who were your childhood heroes? Tag, your it.
8 comments:
Mighty Mouse and Puss in Boots...wierd, huh?
But there weren't too many female role models to choose from in the 50s.
My mom actually got to swim once with Johnny when he was visiting someone in the Cleveland area...I bet my mom showed him a thing or two about swimming! :-0
You won't believe how many times a day I wash my hands and try not to touch doorknobs and the like.( I am becoming like Jack Nicholson in "As Good as it Gets"- pretty ODC about it!)-you would think I would be immune to most strains of germs after being in close contact with kids the past 32 years...but NOOOOO there is always a new strain of SOMETHING!
I don't have a childhood hero.
But the image I now have of Tarzan the triathlete is pretty cool. I never would have thought of that before...
Wow, you lived in Etheopia?! Really?? Now THAT's something I would love to read about.
I didn't have a hero until Fiona Apple when I was 16 (except a few years of pre-Titanic Kate Winslet). BUT I used to imagine that I was a slave and that there was always someone watching over me making me work harder and faster. I think that part of me grew up into a really meticulous triathlete who would rather be alone on the trainer than out on the street.
Is that weird?
Oh, had to be Speed Racer! And his older brother, Racer X, who ran away from home many years ago. The kids on Flipper always seemed pretty daring and virtuous to me too. I loved this post!
I got worried there for a second thinking we were going to see a photo of you in loin cloth with a big knife.
There weren't many good role models for women. There was the bionic woman, or wonder woman, but they had powers and gadgets no mere mortal like I could ever possess. I used to wear my hair like Farrah, so I guess I probably wanted to be one of Charlie's Angels, though i can't remember if I really wanted to be an angel or just look like one. Ha, that's a girl for ya!
Damn, now I want to be Tarzan.
Ok, my childhood hero was Phil Simms - QB for the NY Giants during the 80's. He wasn't flashy, but he was tough and gritty, and always found a way to get the job done. Back then, my dream was to be the first female football player in the NFL, and take Phil's place at QB when he retired. I don't know how I thought that would happen when my parents wouldn't even let me go out for the Jr. High team. But I could throw a perfect spiral...and still can!
hi benson! thanks for stopping by my blog, i just started so it's nice to hear from folks and then read about them in their blogs! your birthday bash looks like heaven. (as long as heaven includes impromptu triathlons and CAKE...two things that are most definitely in my heaven)...btw, if you have any leftover cake, i will feed it to jameson :)..
Post a Comment