Ten Years Ago

Tomorrow evening I am going to my 10-yr high school reunion. Hmmm... what was I like 10 years ago? I would guess not much different in personality (still quite goofy, introspective, too easily entertained by my own jokes and stories, shy, moody/brooding, etc), but here are a few tidbits.

I ate a fudge bar and drank chocolate milk at lunch every day, loved Waffle House, had never smoked a pipe or cigar or tried alcohol, listened to a lot of country and christian music and had not yet discovered Victoria Secret underwear.

I had never been on a real date (where I was asked out), never kissed a boy... a theater production does NOT count, still had braces in my senior picture (they were off by the picture on the left), tended towards crushes of guys at least 3 years my senior, was seriously worried I would never get married, and went to prom STAG.

I drove a Ford Taurus wagon, carpooled with my sister, drove away from a gas station with the gas nozzle hanging from the tank, learned how to change a tire in Physics class, and I always kept a sleeping bag and change of clothes in the car in case I had to run away - which I never would have actually done or wanted to do.

I was really into painting/drawing/and charcoal-pastels, causing mischief during free periods at school, went to the Mountain Opry local pickin' concert most Friday nights, played guitar and wrote songs... not well, was really good on the blob, went backpacking with church friends whenever I got the chance, and wanted to eventually live in Montana.

I woke up in the middle of the night worried about homework and tests or to write poetry, stayed at school from about 6 am till later than 8 pm pretty often doing waaaay too many activities such as staying after school to rehearse my role as a village person in "Fiddler on the Roof".

I wanted to be a doctor, no wait.. architect... no biological engineer, toured and applied to an excessive number of colleges, and, although I had not toured it before applying, was extremely proud on graduation day to be heading towards NC State.