Okay, so I fudged a little with the fireworks photos - but I had to buy some time to find and scan the real photos for Fun Monday. Hopefully some of you came back to see what my summer memories entail.Actually, I had a hard time with Prairie Air's assignment, which was as thus:
Your mission, should you choose to accept it:
Share one or more of your favorite summertime memories with us. It can be a childhood memory or more recent. The memory can be a vague conglomeration of how you spent summers past (catching fireflies, playing outside till dark, watermelon seed wars) or it can be a detailed memory of a specific event.
Oh...well, now that you mention "vague conglomeration?" I'm cool. Because my favorite summers were the ones where I felt most free - beginning with the summer immediately after my sophomore year at Texas A&M University -please don't take offense, Mr. Big. But that was the first summer I didn't go home to Mom and Dad's. I stayed in College Station, TX, and scheduled my summer classes so that I could spend as much time as possible getting ridiculously tan. Here I am, with the only crab I've ever caught:
I was maybe halfway to my fully-tanned summer state. Our group (which was always changing) had a lot of innocent fun - and this was one of my favorite projects, burying people (and yes, the chick in the pink shirt is me):
No matter what, I remember summers with my favorite roommate, Julie Barborek. She is the one pictured here in the sunglasses. I completely lost touch with Julie, and hate that. I wonder where she is now.
We would always meet interesting folks during our summertime travels. I can't tell you much about these guys, except that the one of the left is named Scott, and took care of me one night when I got horribly sick when I mistakenly mixed tequila and beer. That's when I learned that "beer before liquor - never sicker" phrase. Oh, and that's Julie (Jules) with me.
I had to include this photo, because of two things. #1 - Look at the price of gas! This had to be in late 1990 or so. #2 - Can you believe I am standing in the parking lot of a gas station in BARE FEET??? Oh well - considering the circumstances of my abandonment (see the posts labeled "THE STORY" if you need to catch up), maybe I felt more natural.
And lastly, I have to share this photo, b/c there was one night that Jules and I went to South Padre Island, but decided to (shock!) PARTY WITH OTHER PEOPLE. Anyone who knew us back then wouldn't have believed it. But an amazing thing happened - we ran into each other in the restroom of one of the most crowded bars on the island - and here is the photo, documenting that moment:
I know it's easy to pick college memories as the best - but it was the time when I truly did learn who I was. I met so many people who taught me so many things, and it was the one time in my life that I could be totally irresponsible and feel no guilt.
18 comments:
Barefoot summer freedom.... oh how I long for those days of youth. Well captured!
I like the one of you burrying the guy in the sand best.
And that shirt you're wearing on the bottom photo? I vaguely remember women wearing those when I was younger. (Shivering.)
That was a good post, maybe I should have gone that route too. Nah, I don't have any pictures.
I think that feeling of freedom really is the best thing about summer for most. I never had the college experience, just went straight to married and having kids. Do you think it's too late now? Probably for the partying and avoiding responsibility, huh? I enjoyed living vicariously through this post, though:o)
You're totally pulling a 'Britney' in the gas station parking lot, lol.
Those are nice memories from college. It didn't even occur to me to post about early adult years......ah, now the memories are flooding back.
Yike, tequila and beer - together....agh, that's a memory I'd like to forget;).
kaytabug - thanks for stopping by! and man, I miss those days.
matt - that makes me your elder. BOW DOWN.
WT - No cameras back then?
jenni - there's still time, just wait until the kids are gone, and you and the hubby go WILD! (I will only be 43 when mine is gone - then WATCH OUT, WORLD!)
tiger lamb girl - it was one of the few nights and lessons I will NEVER forget!
Oh yes - college memories will ALWAYS be fond for me to. (sometimes, I have to cringe, though).
The good old days :)
I wish I had college memories; I'm glad you do! Thanks for sharing. Looks like fun.
Oh my god! I love it! Look at how 80s everyone is in these photos!
More! More! :)
Hugs Tigger.
Awesome is all I can say...$1.12 a gallon for gas...are you kidding?
Great shots.
No, I don't want auto play on my Youtube embed...help. I still can't figure it out. Am waiting for DubYaT to help me.
Gotta love those TX Aggies.
I wish I had memories of friends like this. I love this post!
Thanks for stirring my summer memories as a student travelling in trains around Europe!
Great post.
karmyn - I have to cringe, too, but usually it's b/c of what I CAN'T remember.
kila - What I remember was a blast! I'm sure the parts I don't remember were even more fun.
dan - isn't it scary? 80's hair - I never really did give in to that fad, though.
swampy - since I'm still in blogger-land, and not a cool type-padder, I'm afraid I'm no help at all.
melissa - sadly, it's mostly memories. I don't talk to anyone from college, with the exception of Mr. Big. Who is NOT pictured, btw.
beccy - now I'm officially jealous! I want to travel to Europe during my second childhood.
Great memories. I'll have to go back and read why you were at the gas station barefoot.
Great post!! I remember the days of having a nice tan. Liked the pics. :)
TY TY TY For hosting Fun Monday on the 16th. :) I will add that to my blog. :)
Your photos remind me of when I was in college. Except that it sounds like you had more fun than me.
I have no photos of my college days, per se, since I was a commuter student and didn't have the traditional hijinks. Now, hubby's photos from Ohio State? Priceless...
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