In high school for Biology class part of the class required us to catch bugs.  Somehow I still have my bug collection.  – It was in somethings from my mother’s house and my husband was enthralled by it when I tried to throw it out.

Collecting bugs during the 80s included a jar filled with poison and a net.  We would catch the bug and then put them in the poison jar until they died.  The bugs then having suffocated would not be damaged.  My bugs were then attached in the case with thin bug pins and assigned their latin family and classes.  – I’m not even sure that’s still taught in Biology anymore, but when I was in school it was as semester.

We also spent a semester dissecting a cat.  Each muscle had to be separated out! I’m fairly certain I’ll never forget the smell of the formaldehyde.

High school was tough for me, I was in a high school that focused on sports and had no social skills… but I did enjoy science. (Not the teachers who seemed to cater to the kids that fit in better, but definitely to the classes)   I spent high school overloading my schedule with math and science.  All that being said, I became a first generation college student.  I actually think in another time, my father would have enjoyed college.  I’ll never forget when he came to my college graduation and my grandmother declared that h**l must have frozen over!  Even without him ever having said it, I’m fairly certain that he was proud that I finished.

My generation was the generation that made it through college on the Richter side.  In reality it was mostly the women that graduated college… (my brother also finished!)  I have first cousins (women) that became teachers, nurses, sales, and I’m sure more.  The men mostly went on to become farmers like their fathers, a couple became sales managers, plumbers, some went into the service for a little bit.  – I say that but my amazing Aunt Linda (dad’s sister) went to EIU and became a teacher.  She was the youngest and taught until retirement.

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