By Shannon Magsam of nwaMotherlode
Boo Mama.
No, that’s not a Halloween phrase. Notice I didn’t add any punctuation in there: Boo, mama! Rather, Boo Mama is a person. Specifically, a hilarious blogger/author/storyteller who loves God and making people laugh.
She really brought the funny to the Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged Conference and now – a few days after getting home from the conference weekend – I’m reading her book (thanks for the free copy, sponsor Petit Jean Meats!) The book, A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet, has already inspired me, just a few sentences into chapter one.
Boo Mama (a.k.a. Sophie Hudson) has this theory about how we remember people: that we typically have one particular “fallback” memory that becomes our mental go-to image when we think about somebody.
I immediately agreed with her theory and a multitude of people marched through my mind – along with all their corresponding go-to images:
* My paternal grandmother, “Nanny” – Waving and smiling at us as we drive away from her house after Sunday dinner. (Alternately, in her rooster print apron pulling a cast iron pot out of the oven.)
* My maternal grandmother “Grandma Kelley” – Frying egg after egg after egg on the stove and artistically stacking them on a huge platter for any of her 11 kids and their families who happened to come by for breakfast.
* My mother – Building, cooking, sanding, mowing, weeding, planting, creating — with her own two hands. I always see her hands. And her face is usually a little red from the exertion.
* My father – Working on a vehicle, tanned and just a little smudge of motor oil on his face and under his fingernails. He’s either under the hood, under the truck or in the driver’s seat.
* My husband – Laughing. Teasing me with a joke. Or laughing at one of mine. (Alternately: The yep-she’s-mine expression on his face in my favorite picture from our wedding day.)
* My daughter – She’s about 2 years old, wearing a little denim skirt, sleeveless top and white sandals — carrying the book Goodnight, Gorilla around the Little Rock Zoo.
There are so many more people I love and would like to mention, but that’s just a few for now. I think the longer you know someone it’s possible that the go-to image could change, but it does seem to ring true that one strong memory will be the most enduring.
Thanks for the theory, Boo Mama Sophie. I enjoyed that trip down memory lane.
And I have to add that I LOVED your keynote speech at the AWBU conference. I’m impressed by anyone who can quote Bruno Mars and scripture all in one speech.
Treasure indeed.
OK, Arkansas Women Bloggers, what’s your go-to image for certain people in your life? We’d love to read your list!
Shannon Magsam is a tween mom, married to a newspaperman and the love of her life, and co-founder of nwaMotherlode.com
I love that theory and agree wholeheartedly. I also loved Sophie’s keynote to us at AWBU. She was fantastic! This post reminded me of my own go-to image of my great grandmother standing beside my great grandpa at their front door waving at us as we backed out of the driveway. Years later that was my grandma at the same door doing the same thing.
My go-to image of my sister is her in any sort of hat or head gear. She turns everything, even as an adult, into a hat. It never ceases to be funny.
I’m excited to read the book and now I want to make my own list of go-to images/people!
I want to see the list, Angie! Maybe even a picture of your sister wearing her “head gear” 😉
Hey special lady! I just loved meeting Sophie.
Have you started her book yet? I just keep nodding my head in agreement because it all sounds so familiar. She’s just hilarious.
I always think of standing on an old metal stool in my Nanny’s kitchen watching her roll out sugar cookie dough on the counter and cutting out fun shapes with her favorite metal cookie cutters.
Sweet, Stephanie 🙂 I miss my Nanny…
I hate that I missed AWBU this year and Boo Mama. I had never heard of her until Kelly Stamps told me about her. Now I must buy her book!
The “go-to image” is a fascinating conversation starter. I am going to do that at my next family get-together. Especially for gone-but-not-forgotten loved ones.
My go-to-image of my dad is of him smacking his lips after eating a handful of peanuts (every night before we went to bed as kids and he kissed us good night) and saying, “super. super. super.” <- Never really know why he said that but I still say it to this day when I am being funny.
The smell of peanuts always bring me back, too.
We missed you, Lyndi 🙂 Peanuts. Of course, your memory would be food-related. That would also be an interesting mental prompt: which food do you associate with certain people? For you, I would say pesto!
I love this! And I’m totally stealing Lyndi’s idea of making it a family activity. My Grandma Martin always comes to mind sitting in her chair, working a crossword puzzle, and she had such a kind, patient smile.
🙂 Wouldn’t it be fun to know how friends and family picture us when we come to mind?