A Bright-Pink Disney Princess Alarm Clock

              To call it only a precious “childhood” possession would be a shame because I still use it to this very day: A bright-pink Disney Princess alarm clock. My clock, in all it’s glory, holds the first memory I really had of Disney. My family held the tradition of going to Orlando every Christmas since I was two years old, yet I didn’t really remember anything until I was older.

I can’t remember all the details, but I remember walking into the souvenir shop. Shelves were lined with various pens, hats, and snow globes.  I found myself drawn to the various glittery snow globe music boxes, but my whole family urged me to purchase something useful. A couple twists and turns later, we arrived at the clock wall. I sneered at the Toy Story designs and believed the classic Mickey Mouse themed clock was lame. Low and behold, I found a pink fanatic’s dream. With a vivid pink body and a portrait of Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty on its face, I jumped as I pointed at the clock yelping, “That one! That one!”

I was an excited mess that didn’t learn how to read a clock, yet. My family taught me how to read the face: every cutesy icon represented five minutes when the long hand hovered over them. I couldn’t wait to set it up in the hotel. However, as I opened the back of the clock, a huge gaping chasm requiring a C battery stared me straight in the face. After a full half-hour of begging and latching on to my dad’s leg, we headed off to the local Walmart so I could buy my battery and a couple groceries despite our exhaustion.  I finally plugged the oversized battery into the clock’s back and started tinkering with the knobs. “Brinnnnnnnng!” I almost dropped the clock in shock of its loud bell. That bell is now the lifeline of my life.

I’m sure at least 75% of this class alone doesn’t follow the healthiest of sleep schedules. So, I think it should be easy to relate to the fact that it’s not very easy to wake up at seven in the morning every day. I remember when I used to wake up at seven by myself and annoy the living hell out of my family: jumping on beds, yelling “wake up” at everyone, etc. That’s where that precious little clock comes in. I like to say my clock is a frozen-in-time version of my younger self helping me get up in the morning. I lost count of the times that clock saved me from being late to school.

Normally, I never publicize the fact I love a bright pink alarm clock. Truth be told, it’s a little embarrassing since that clock materializes my old obsession with pink and Disney Princesses. Yet, if anyone had to ask me what’s a precious childhood possession of mine, my clock is the only answer I have.