Friday, July 06, 2007

Memories & Stuff

A while back, one of my blogging buddies wrote a post about things that that trigger memories....like smells or sounds. That happened to me today. One of my best friends made me a mixed CD yesterday and one of the songs (Champagne Supernova) on it took me right back to a span of time when I had to sleep on the bottom bunk of my brother's room while my dad gutted and remodeled my bedroom. I was in high school at the time, still adjusting to my parents' friendly divorce (and I mean that, it really was very cordial), and mad as hell that I had to be subjected to sharing a room with my brother. I think back to falling asleep in that bottom bunk, hearing my brother snore up on the top bunk and my dad snore in the next room, and how I wish I could go back to that time for just a little while. I think about it now and how cozy and safe I was there. My brother and I spent one week with my dad, one week with my mom when they got divorced. It was a pain going back and forth, but they only lived a couple miles apart and I basically saw both parents every day. Anyway, the entire time this song was playing in my car today, I was every bit of that person back in high school. It was like I was walking around my dad's house (he doesn't live in that house anymore) and I could remember every little detail and smell, and I swear I heard the snoring too. My brother used to insist on sleeping with a CD player going, and that particular CD was a favorite of his, so I really did lay in bed listening to that song. And then the song ended and I was back on the freeway, driving out to meet a friend to go shopping today, in the present time. Crazy how that happens. I really miss that time when it was just my dad and my brother and I. Of course I miss (and have fond memories that I cherish ALWAYS) of my childhood way out in the country, but I also miss the times in my dad's first post-divorce house, just the three of us.

Then as I'm driving home yesterday after the shopping excursion (I'll share what I got at a steal in a minute) my mind kept thinking about how things used to be in high school and college, as far as me spending time with my friends. In high school, I was barely home. I was in every club and played softball and was in the marching band and so all 0f my friends were in these activities with me, so we were always together. Even on the weekends, we were always driving around being social. And it kind of carried over into college too. I lived in the dorms my freshman and sophomore years with the same roommate who actually I roomed with for all 5 years of college. We always had people in our room, and always had jam packed weekend plans, except for the occasional treck home to do free laundry and get some cash from our ever-so-willing parents. My junior, senior, and super-senior years of school were spend much the same way...I was never home at our apartment, always either in class, working, or at someone's house hanging out. There was never a down moment! And it was 5 years ago that I graduated from college, and I have not had that lifestyle for 5 years, yet I never really stopped to notice how I've changed. Rarely do I hang out with friends like that anymore, which is normal as you get older, I know. I talk on the phone and visit friends occasionally, but it's so limited. Like my friend yesterday, who is 6 months pregnant (yay!!) and we met for lunch and shopped and had an awesome time. She was my best friend from nursery school until graduation, never a moment apart, and I barely ever see her. And everyone says that happens to them, so it's normal, it just is crazy how much you can change in such a short period of time. Priorities, boyfriends-fiances-husbands, marriages, kids, jobs, all that stuff seeps in and there's so little time for the other stuff. Can you believe how much I was THINKING today? Like all this stuff was in my head. Crazy. And all because of one song! I'm not whining about not getting to see my friends often, because I talk to them and see them as often as we can get together. I just remember a time when I was with my friends as much as I'm not with them now. Scary. Kenny told me a long time ago that this is how it happens. The older you get (he's older and wiser...wink wink wink) the less friends and time for your friends there is. There may be less time and opportunities, but that doesn't mean there isn't ANY time! I just am not ready to fall into that catagory!



Oh yeah, the things I got on sale yesterday....

From the GAP:
1) a new bag to use for school, perfect size, burlap, cute stripes-$10
2) t-shirt-$2.99
3) sweatshirt-$5.99

From Victoria's Secret:
1) bottle of perfume-$5
2) another bottle of perfume-$6

Grand Total: $30

I was so happy! Not that it's great stuff, but it's stuff I was out of, so I guess I "needed" it. But only $30 spent at a big mall? Come on ladies, that's pretty good!!

5 comments:

Lori said...

I LOVE bargain shopping!!! Kevin laughs at me b/c I won't buy stuff unless it's on sale or a major bargain ~ I think he should just consider himself lucky! ha!

Oh, and songs take me back in time too!!!

marykathryn said...

$30 at the mall is quite the accomplishment..I have to give you that!! It is crazy how sometimes little things take you back and you are like, "I miss those times!"
High School was a total balst..I always say I spent the whole 4 years trying to get out and now I spend the most of my time wishing I could go back!!..hehe

Unknown said...

Congrats on your purchases.

Songs especially seem to have a way of triggering memories for me. It is amazing how much detail will come back.

What a nice trip down memory lane for you!

(I haven't been a very consistent commenter lately. Sorry! I have been reading but mostly through my google reader which isn't comment friendly.)

Lindsay said...

OMG... You are like me! EVERYTIME I hear a song or smell a smell or geez there are so many things that bring back memories I just have like a day of remembering!
I just had a new one this weekend too... We stayed at this hotel in St. Louis that had this cucumber smelling shampoo.... TOTALLY reminded me of my highschool best friend and staying at her house on the weekends. She was a cucumber melon FREAK!
So wild!
Great post!

Tan said...

Songs do have a way of taking you back. That MIGHT explain my infatuation with one Mr. David Cassidy! LOL (Although I do prefer his newer stuff to his older stuff.) As for friends, it does happen to everyone I think. I rarely speak with my two best friends from high school, and I see them even less, but I do think of them daily and when one of them recently lost their mother I was on the phone immediately! Life is so busy and occasionally we will drop each other an email, but when a big event happens (like the death of a parent in this case) it's really nice to know that our friendship is still there and we still love each other tremendously. The parties and hang time has diminished, but the feelings of genuine friendship are still very much alive!