These are three random, short film clips that exist for no apparent reason – other than they were probably taken to finish off a cartridge and then were haphazardly spliced onto a 400 foot reel. My best guess? Sometime after my birthday in the summer of 1975, next Halloween 1975 and then winter 1976/1977.

The first scene is in our 1970s “earthtoned” kitchen. Avocado green anyone? Which was the color of the refrigerator, stove and the dishwasher. A year or so after this, our neighbor’s house would catch on fire – we noticed the flames from the window above that sink. It’s only important to this story, because she didn’t trust using the small portable television she had in the bedroom. She offered it to my dad, who had it tested and then built a corner shelf for it at the height of the dishwasher – on the wall where the telephone cord is hanging down.

The point of all this? That area would become my “nook”. I would sit in that black swively chair, grab the dishwasher handle like it was an airplane control stick and watch cartoons on that television. Especially right after coming home from school. And if I really wanted to annoy my mom? I’d use my legs to kick against the wall, dishwasher and table columns to spin faster than should be humanly possible around in that chair!

The toy on the kitchen table I am playing with is a 1972 Fisher Price Little People Family Airport. I had several of these – and weebles – sets.

Nobody that existed in the 1970s escaped without being forced to wear one of those ridiculous Halloween costumes. I assume they were all exactly identical, save for whatever was printed on them to “resemble” the character in question. I believe, in this case, I am in fact – some type of “clown” being.

Two notes on the door in the Halloween scene. First, it does not yet appear to have a deadbolt – which became necessary as my sleepwalking became more adventurous. Second, that door would be blown open and nearly off its hinges when a tornado skipped over our house a few years later. I was sleeping on the couch and my father was lying on the floor when it happened. I started screaming that someone was trying to break into the house. While we lost a tree in the backyard by the garage – the house had no damage. Except. Prior to the storm we did have an awning above our living room window!

The last minute or so is me wandering around in our backyard in the snow. My mom sent me out of the house so my baby sister could take a nap.

Originally filmed on a Kodak Instamatic M26 super 8mm camera. Digitized with a Kodak Reelz and edited with DaVinci Resolve Studio. All products used were purchased by me for my own personal use.