2009/07/21

Memories…

DaGoddess @ 04:00

Good God. This weekend is going to be fraught with all sorts of interesting and, probably, embarrassing recollections. Twenty-five years…it’s a long time. There are moments when high school seems like yesterday and others when it seems like a lifetime ago.

From my senior year of high school, I bring you: proof that I was once young and cute.

Senior photo

Not exactly the greatest photo of me, but I didn’t HATE it. Somewhere there are photos my friend Kevin took of me down at “Fake Lake” that were actually pretty cute. And I was so skinny! Of course, I didn’t think I was skinny. But I know better now. Anyway, so this photo here? The one and only time I wore that blouse. After the portraits were done, my mom washed it and the green color bled onto the white collar. Stupid blouse. By the way, that tan? Pretty much standard throughout high school for me.

Friends

My friend and I had the best time in yearbook class. He and I laughed so much. We’d take our cameras out and roam the halls. We’d dally, we’d loiter, we’d avoid actual work for as long as possible, but still somehow manage to get all our assignments done on time. And then he moved away. To Texas. Never to be heard from again. Another yearbook photographer took this shot of us as we goofed off. This image was the very last one in the yearbook on the page that said “Memories…Worth More Than Gold”. And then my other friend stuck a note on the page that said “Don’t sign on this page please” in hopes that Rene would come back in time to sign it himself. That was the plan, anyway. Twenty-five years later, all that remains on that page is the yellow sticky note.

Mr. Miller was a kick ass advisor. Our yearbook went from standard issue high school crap to award winning when he took over. We had some of the coolest pages around. Oh, and the theme? “Going for the Gold”. My idea. It won out over “you had to be there”, which I considered the lamest theme ever. Because, what if you weren’t? Wouldn’t that be a total slap in the face? So, yeah, I prevailed. Besides, it was 1984 and it was big time Olympics year (I actually attended the cycling road race event), so our theme was apt. And if not for Mr. Miller, it would have been the lame theme as decided by some of the more “popular” students on staff (who didn’t last all that long).

Leadership Class

I was part of this leadership class in high school. Really! We organized different events, like the ASB convention (where Bella Abzug spoke and with whom I ate lunch). It was pretty cool. We also helped organize and promote a big Up With People performance at our school (and several other smaller performances around town). It sounds kind of dorky now, but it was fun back then. So, way in the back of the photo is Dino Ebalo. He was one of my favorite people during my senior year — funny, sweet, cute, and a really talented artist. He drew the cover for the ASB convention program. And then there was Tim. He and I have known each other since 4th grade. Somehow, in 8th grade, we decided we hated each other. Actually, it wasn’t so much hate as it was just a case of being at cross-purposes. We sat across from each other in class and glare. “My knee itches soooo bad” was code for “fuck you and the horse you rode in on”. Cute, huh? Here’s the weird thing, we were so much alike. Later on, as in years later, we finally sat down and talked about this and it was almost comical the extent to which our lives were so similar during that time. Go figure.

Bella Abzug speaking

And finally, there’s one of the photos of Bella as she spoke to the delegates at the nominating convention. I still can’t believe we got her to appear at a high school event. Only four years later, she would be gone. She made quite an impression on me.

So, there you have it. A quick glimpse of my senior year. Missing are the photos of me ditching school, partying, getting grounded repeatedly, the ski trips, the boyfriends, other various friends, my jobs, the camping trips, and a million other things that made high school a blessing and a curse. Somewhere, buried deep in a box, are photos I’m sure are best left where they are. Somewhere, there are people who can tell stories about me best left untold. While I can keep the photos from showing up somewhere, the people…well, I’ll either have to deny everything or take out a contract on them.

Part of me wonders what happened to that girl in those photos. Part of me knows she still exists deep down inside of me. And there’s a part of me glad she doesn’t surface very often.

This weekend is gonna be a trip.

9 Comments

  1. Know the feeling. There’s a lot of me from back when that I’m perfectly happy to leave back when. And my fondest memory of my high school years? Graduation. And I don’t mean the event itself. I mean – as in all of it ending. :wave:

    Comment by diamond dave — 2009/07/21 @ 07:07

  2. Yep, she’s still there. Still pretty, wide eyed and seeing things as if for the first time.

    Hope you have a blast at the reunion!! :nana:

    Comment by Pam — 2009/07/21 @ 07:07

  3. Have a great time…I envy you for ‘wanting’ to go back. I’ve only been to one…and will not go back again.

    Comment by Mrs. Who — 2009/07/21 @ 08:11

  4. P.S. Weren’t you a cute thing, too! :may:

    Comment by Mrs. Who — 2009/07/21 @ 08:11

  5. Didn’t do any of that stuff. Don’t have many memories and didn’t leave any behind. Cleaner getaways that way. :zombie:

    Comment by Jan — 2009/07/21 @ 16:30

  6. Thank you all. I guess there is a little bit of “her” still close enough to the surface…enough, at least, that I’m not completely stuck in this grown up world without wonder and joy.

    Comment by DaGoddess — 2009/07/21 @ 16:51

  7. The grown up world is only without wonder and joy if you let it be. ;-)

    I had nothing like your experience in HS – I’m happy to not look back at all. If you told me I could go back and be that young again – I would never do it. heh.

    Nevertheless, I hope you have a great time! Sounds like you have a lot of great memories, so the reunion will be excellent.

    Comment by Teresa — 2009/07/21 @ 19:36

  8. I hope it goes well, and isn’t awkward. You’re still cute, don’t worry.

    Have you ever noticed how awkward the word, “awkward” looks?

    Comment by Jason — 2009/07/21 @ 20:10

  9. Teresa, it wasn’t all good. There was plenty of HORRID to go around (and I’m not just talkin’ fashions). But, I’m trying to focus on the good and hope to have a fun time.

    Jason, thank you. You’re pretty cute, too. In high school, you’d have been one of my besties. (I had an affinity for gay boys even then.) Regarding “awkward” — it does, indeed, look awkward.

    Comment by DaGoddess — 2009/07/21 @ 20:15

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