Flashback to 7th Grade

I suppose this is going to get me some flack for being so young, but yes....I was in 7th grade when this movie came out.

I watched it again tonight, and I realized that it was only the second time I'd watched it, the first being in theatres with my friend Liz when it first came out. Actually, knowing Liz, we probably saw it on opening weekend. I'd never bothered to watch it again, despite the fact that it really is a pretty good movie, but I was struck by how familiar the whole thing seemed for such limited exposure. Then the credits started rolling, and this song came on. I was surprised to realize that not only did I know almost all of the words to the song, I could even remember some of the dance steps, and when they were danced.

Grade 7 was the first time I can remember coming home from school and consistently having the house to myself for an hour or two before Mom got home from work, and I loved it. I would beeline straight for the cabinet where the cookies were kept (usually oreos or stale oatmeal raisin.....my two least favourite cookies, even today), grab a pop from the basement pantry shelves (caffeine-free, diet Safeway select cola....thanks Mom), and turn on Muchmusic.

Much is the Canadian equivalent of MTV, and as a self-respecting 13 year old, I was hooked on it. Our Lady Peace, Aqua, Bran Van 3000, Prodigy, Hanson, Holly McNarland, Oasis, Wallflowers, Chumbawamba. I could honestly say that I still like about half those bands, and I certainly liked them all at the time (yes, I had a Hanson CD. No, I don't want to talk about it). Will Smith was a bit of a regular on Much, and the MiB video was #1 on the Countdown in August of 1997, just before I started my first year of high school. I watched it a lot that summer.

Kind of amazing what sticks with me, given that I certainly don't remember much of anything relevant I learned in school from back then.