Party Like It's 1996

I've decided it would be funsies (and frankly self-indulgent which is really the purpose of blogs) for me to find some pictures of myself that are floating out there and provide some story or context for them. The first of this series (which will take place whenever the hell I feel like it) is courtesy of Amanda's Facebook album and is at left.

This picture was taken on what could've been nearly any Friday or Saturday night during my last two years of high school, but was in fact taken in 1996--or at least that's what Amanda says. Missing from the photo is the other of our rag tag group of intimidating girls, Anne. (Anne and Amanda will surely make later appearances as they were my college roommates). Pictured from left to right are Brook, me, Lara and Amanda. We're sitting on my patio. I am 17 years old.

I figure that since I've been out of high school for a long time and because my mother is dead and therefore cannot hold these confessions over my head, I might as well reveal some things. We're sitting on my patio because you couldn't smoke inside my house. And that's what I was likely doing. You can't see my other hand, and it's probably holding a cigarette. I don't smoke any more, so don't even start with the lectures. I get it.

We're also outside because it's obviously summer and if it's summer and I'm smoking that means that mom wasn't at home. When I had the house to myself, I had some pretty righteous gatherings. And they were frequent and usually included a plethora of mall employees--primarily from Gus Doerner Sports. I thought I was super cool because I worked in the mall and specifically at Gus Doerner's because I got to work with a lot of college guys. I pretty much had crushes on most of them at one time or another. They were all unrequited crushes. At the time I was sure it was because I was ugly and fat. Looking at this picture with more perspective, I can see that clearly wasn't the case. They must've all been idiots.

I look at this picture and miss my friends. The ones who would do nothing other than sit in a car and make up theme songs to made up games (I know you girls remember the WTF? theme song). I wonder what the hell happened to Lara. I'm thankful that I had them for a critical time in my life and super thankful for the peeps I still keep connected with.

Mostly I look at this picture and remember a time when my mother sat us all down and told us that the gig was up. She knew about the parties and she wasn't upset. But she'd pull the plug quicker than anything if she found another bottle cap in her garbage disposal. I'm paraphrasing as I'm sure this speech was laced with some colorful language.

What stupid things did you do in high school? Weren't they great?