Snapshots

From old photo albums


A few days ago I talked to my friend Leah (click on the link at the right to see her blog) on AIM and I started thinking about high school. I dug out some of my photo albums and these are some of the pictures that I found in my Senior Book (holy crap!) and other albums.

From the top left: Me at Bay Beach in Green Bay, WI, probably around age 5? Granny, Jesse as a baby, and me, 1985 or 86. Me and Kid Bro, 1985ish. Me with daffodils (?) in Kentucky on Uncle Ellis' farm, I think I must have been about 8, so it was probably '89. Me, Mom, and Jesse at Jacques and Stefanie's wedding in Green Bay, summer of 1997. Howard, me and Jesse, before Homecoming sophomore year, October 1996. The Lady Blue Jays softball team after our last game, June 1999. Roscoe, the Supercat, Christmas 1995. Nik, me and Kira, at the Hazel Park ice arena, Winter of freshman year of college. (Mom, help me out on the years if I'm wrong on these!)

Going through my senior book was weird too. I had movie ticket stubs from "Star Wars: Episode 1" and "The Matrix," and gas was only$1.09 a gallon (those were the days!). I listed some group called, "Five," as a popular music group at the time and I have no idea who they are!! (Shaun can you help me out with that one?) I found my acceptance letter to Michigan, and the scholarship offer to Miami that I turned down. I had one my (many) 4.0 report cards (hey hey hey!), maps of Madrid and Paris from our trip after graduation, and about 5 invitations to graduation parties -- including Nikki's and Bobby's.

Thinking about that makes me remember how young I felt, and how out of place, my first year at U of M. It also makes me realize how lucky I am to have the friendships that I have, and how much I miss you guys! I know I've come a long way, but somehow I still feel disappointed in myself. I mean, I did NOT spend four years in college (and 60 grand) so that I could do customer service at Comcast. My car is a bucket of junk and I badly need a new one but cannot afford it. Nikki is trying hard to convince me to move to D.C. with her, and if I didn't have health insurance and student loan payments to worry about I'd probably do it, or at least seriously consider it. But as dissatisfied as I am with what I actually do at Comcast, I can't beat the benefits, and their education assistance program could be a great way to get a master's degree for cheap. My manager tells me I should use it as a means to an end, which I think is great advice. I love living in Michigan, even in the winter. Ecuador was amazing, but Christmas just wasn't Christmas without snow.

I'm babbling.

So what's my point? While unhappy with my actual job, I am extremely grateful to have one, because I tried the whole unemployment gig earlier this year and that was AWFUL. And I have to say that I find more and more in my life to be happy and thankful for every day. New ideas, new people. Potential for things I didn't think I'd find for a very long time. And I have all my past experiences -- with family and friends -- to hold me up if I start to feel a little bummed after a day of stupid assholes screaming at me because they haven't paid their bill in three months and now their cable doesn't work. I think that's why I like pictures so much. They always make me smile.

That's all for now folks.