Once upon a summer...

My love of daytime dramas began twenty-five years ago out of the combination of boredom and fascination. I was a ten year old who wasn't very athletic or physically coordinated due to partial paralysis caused by a stroke during my infancy. Playing outside with other kids wasn't very enjoyable because I always felt like the "ugly duckling"--picked last for teams and out of pity. I was the slowest and least talented--even at bicycling. Besides being annoyed at my lack of coordination and skills, I simply didn't enjoy the heat and humidity (Actually, I'm still not a big fan :)) I simply hate being sweaty and sticky. The combination of my lack of skills and dislike of the summer climate of my Ohio summers, I returned to the "comforts" of my fan-filled house to relax. I would usually find my mom and one of my older sisters watching television (and sitting in front of an oscillating fan). After days of ignoring what they were watching, I heard and saw something that would ultimately change my attitude about summer and bring more joy and entertainment into my life than I could ever have imagined--the pairing of "Jenny Gardner and Greg Nelson" (Kim Delaney and Laurence Lau) on "All My Children". Suddenly, I became mesmerized by a soap opera. I wanted to be home each day at 1:00 to watch the love story of my first "favorite couple". I wanted to learn the connection between characters and families and I started to detest weekends!(What? They don't air on Saturdays and Sundays!!) The more I watched, the more I felt like I had finally found something I could enjoy about summer--the soaps. It was the beginning of an exciting, adventurous and passionate connection.