Wednesday, October 19, 2005

If Flattery Can Even Have a Sincere Form...

I'm such a coppity cat. Patrice did a little retrospective, and I'll be darned if I'm not going to do the same. In my everyday life there's so little of the "ten years ago" era left, but what's held on has held on well. Other than family, there are 2 people left in my life from then, and I expect them to be part of the story for much longer. One is a British Lit teacher from highschool who's still a dear friend, and the other is now a brother-in-law (also a good friend).

Ten years ago:
I was a freshman in college breathing a sigh of relief at having FINALLY escaped my mother/drill sergeant. My relationship with her has softened a good deal since then, though I sometimes still firmly believe she's nuts. At that point it was all about getting out from under The Thumb of the hyper-spiritual, legalistic BS that was flying around and contributing to the many baggages I'm trying to get rid of today. The college was small, and in the middle of nowhere, but it couldn't have been more heavenly. I had a (small) space that was MINE, with no fear of the gestapo reading my mail or journal, or rifling through my books and music for innocuous things to be shocked at, disapprove of, and destroy. Looking back, I'm sort of amazed that I didn't fly off the deep end and get addicted to crack while selling my body. I'm sort of amazed that none of the children from that family (so far) have done that.

Five years ago:
It was all about music. I had to go poke through a journal to see what was happening. I had musically hooked up with some boys with guitars and drums, and it was a rollicking good time. We were playing shows, recording like gangbusters in the basment, and generally doing a lot of laughing and goofing off. I believe it was also the year we started getting played on the radio around here, which was a completely surreal experience. I think this was sort of the peak of the "eating, sleeping and breathing music era." None of use were attached to anyone romantically, we had all finished college, and the songs practically wrote themselves. I sometimes get a little nostagic for that time. I had a tight-knit circle of friends. We were creative--would take our cameras out and wander around various places shooting photos. We went to lots of shows, we made lots of music, and watched lots of good film etc. I'm kind of sad about Now--not because I don't go to many shows etc., but because I don't really *want* to go to many. I prefer to be quiet at home with a Boy and a book. I wonder if secretly I was always a quiet homebody, and was just waiting for the right boy and a place that I could "own." The circle of friends still keeps in touch occasionally, though I do see some more regularly. Music is still something I adore. It doesn't explode around me like it did though. Maybe it will again someday, bt for now, it's more of a quiet, personal thing.

As good as five years ago was, it would not be right for me now, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Five years ago, a friend had suggested she introduce me to a friend of her husband's--some Boy she thought I might get along with. Five years ago we met, and I didn't particularly like him. And two years after that, we got married.

Currently: it's a sunny autumn day, and I'm in my dear little house, procrastinating instead of working, with a cat sprawled across the top of the monitor making cranky noises when she stretches. I'm going to go visit my sister and little niece this afternoon. I know the Boy will be home a few hours after that, and we'll grill some tuna steaks and watch an episode or two of Firefly. Then we'll lie in bed and read books until it's time to go to sleep.

"Currently" is good.

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