When I was in Milwaukee I made arrangements to visit an old friend Lindsay, and her husband for dinner. She is someone I hadn't seen since high school umpteen years ago.
BTW, Did I wear my "I'm blogging this t-shirt or was it implied?"
I haven't spent much time with old friends so I didn't really know what to expect. Driving to dinner, I was a little concerned about awkward silences or perhaps having just being so different now that there wouldn't be much common ground to talk about.
None of my fears came true. Instead, I had a lovely evening of animated conversation and laughter. I felt free to be myself. It was as though our old friendship had been hung up in a closet, and we took it out, dusted it off, and to my surprise it still fit. It was the highlight of my trip to Milwaukee.
Riding home on the train reflecting on my trip, I realized how my life has been routinely punctuated by really wonderful girls or women. My mother, Shannon in 1st - 2nd grade, the girl who walked to school with me in 3rd and 4th grade, who was it in 5th and 6th grade, the girls in debate club in 7th and 8th grade, strange Nicole who helped me get my first job, Shelly of the long unrequited -- then requited crush, Lindsay a confidante when I was a senior in high school, my wife Jeannie -- obviously, now Elise. [ Now don't get the idea that this list if comprehensive and don't feel slighted if you're not included. I'm sure I've forgotten, purposely or otherwise, more than a few of you. ]
I can't imagine life without the profound influence these women have had on me.
This would be an interesting way to organize my memoirs, each chapter with a new female heroine or villain.
Generalities: January 2005 Archives
At the State Fair I lost my prescription eye glasses. I grabbed a very old pair I had in my drawer and wore those until I got around to getting an eye exam and ordering new glasses.
So the new ones finally arrived.
And for comparision's sake, take a look at the old ones.
Now what I want to know is what I was thinking some six or seven years ago when I picked out those giant round frames. Did my eyebrows really need their very own prescription? Did Harry Caray help me pick out this frames?
And for comparision's sake, take a look at the old ones.
Now what I want to know is what I was thinking some six or seven years ago when I picked out those giant round frames. Did my eyebrows really need their very own prescription? Did Harry Caray help me pick out this frames?
Matthew was a dream on the train to Milwaukee. He had squirrelly moments in Milwaukee, but they were exactly what you would expect from a 4 year old.
By far the funniest moment of our time together in Milwaukee was at a puppet stage in the Children's Museum. He poked his head and puppet covered hand out from behind the curtain and he announced that the audience should shut their cells phones off and that pictures were not allowed during the live performance. It was hilarious.
I'm headed to Milwaukee this weekend. I don't get back to my hometown very much since high school. I don't know why I don't go back more often, there are no traumatic memories associated with Milwaukee.
Matthew is going with me and we are taking the train. It should be interesting to see how well we travel together. We've taken a ton of car trips in the 3-5 hour range. He does great on those trips and I'm expecting the same for the train. The train has the added flexibility of getting up and walking around, which will make it a little different as I'm used to traveling with Matthew in situations where we are both securely fastened down. I'm expecting it to be fun for both of us. If it works out, maybe he and I can go to Europe together, although I suspect he has an even lower tolerance for art museums that my usual traveling companion.
I looked up an old friend from Milwaukee who has graciously agreed to meet up with me Saturday night. I am so looking forward to that. I've never been to a high school class reunion nor have I spent much time hanging out with friends from Milwaukee since my high school graduation. I've had brief email chats with a few select people, and even dropped in on one friend in 2002, but that's about it. I love to hear people's stories, so it should be interesting to catch up after all these years.
Everytime I go back to Milwaukee, I am struck by this very odd feeling where the streets and sights are both familiar and foreign to me at the same time. It's a very odd sensation.
Here are my New Year's Resolutions in no special order.
- Drink more tea and less coffee.
- Be more thankful.
- Three resolutions drawn randomly from Davezilla's excellent resolutions.
- Spell-check my blog posts a little more often.
BarlowFriendz: A Tale of the Uh-Oh's: Amelia Takes A Fall
Just go read it.
