Oven Baked Muskrats

…in a creamy cheese sauce

That Privilege Meme

Being the sort of person I am, I’m not going to bold or italicize my answers, but write them out.

From What Privileges Do You Have?, based on an exercise about class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright.

1. Father went to college

My dad grew up during the Dust Bowl and the depression. He never even had the chance to go to high school. He did get his GED eventually. Most importantly, he was self taught on many things and had a skill list that was the equal to any 3 average men I’ve ever met.

2. Father finished college

See above

3. Mother went to college

No, mostly because she got married at age 16 to my dad. Like my dad, she got her GED and, also like him (but to an even higher level), she taught herself many things and was very well read. Also, between the two of them, they produced three genius level kids.

4. Mother finished college

See above

5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor

I have a cousin who is a lawyer.

6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.

I’d say we were all middle class most of the time.

7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.

Yep, including three sets of encyclopedias.

8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home.

No…more like 200

9. Were read children’s books by a parent

Yes, which is why I could read before I was 4.

10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18

If you mean by a formal tutor, no. If you mean lessons from my dad, mom, relatives or friends, then yes. Subjects would include horseback riding, hunting, fishing, target shooting, driving (both cars and motorcycles), cooking, animal husbandry (I grew up on a farm), camping/survival, basic tool use, art (my mom is a very talented painter), self defense (boxing/brawling), California history, Old West history, basic automotive repairs and how to understand women (thank you, Dad and Uncle Robert)

11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18

Would that include all the sexual lessons I got from a variety of ladies?

12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively

Sometimes. I really don’t give a fuck one way or the other.

13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18

I got my first credid card at age 45. I got rid of my last credit card at age 51 and will never own another. I do have two debit cards, which I use fairly often for gas and food and such.

14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs

HAHAHAHAHA! No. Uncle Sam paid for my college years, via the G.I. Bill.

16. Went to a private high school

Hell no.

17. Went to summer camp

I went to 4H camp one summer.

18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18

Yes, but only for sex and other, less savory subjects:)

19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels

Not exclusively, no. We did take a big vacation most years.

20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18

Nope. Most of it, but not all.

21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them

Are you shitting me? I bought my own first car for $100.00 from my uncle.

22. There was original art in your house when you were a child

Yes, and it was all done by my mom.

23. You and your family lived in a single-family house

Yep, way out in the country.

24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home

Yep. A house on 21 acres of land.

25. You had your own room as a child

I did not have a room to myself until I was almost 24. I shared rooms with, in order: Sister, Brother, Shipmates (U.S. Navy), First Wife. After my divorce, I FINALLY got an apartment of my own. That I shared with a parrot, 3 hamsters, a dwarf rabbit, a guinea pig and 3 cockatiels.

26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18

No, but my sister did.

27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course

No, but I passed my SATs with flying colors anyway.

28. Had your own TV in your room in high school

Nope

29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16

No. My first commercial flight came at age 18, about 10 days after I graduated from high school

31. Went on a cruise with your family

I will give $1,000,000,000,000,000.00 to anybody who can get my mother on any boat that goes onto the ocean. So, no, we never cruised.

32. Went on more than one cruise with your family

See above.

33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up

Museums, yes, many. Art galleries, a couple.

34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family

I was a kid. What kid is aware of that? Besides, when we lived on the farm, we had a wood fired furnace, so our heating costs were very very low.