Memories

I frequently have Pandora going in the background when I am working at home.  I have a long list of "stations" and generally have it on shuffle.  Today, it seems most of the songs are from the 80's.  Earlier, The Psychedelic Furs, "Love My Way" was playing.  Maybe because they wrote/performed "Pretty in Pink," it brought to mind memories of high school.  And how John Hughes always seemed to nail it with his movies.  Granted, some of the situations were a little out there (at least in my experience), but the basic themes/plots were pretty much spot on.  I don't believe much has changed, either, for today's teens or any of those in between or those before me.  I would be very much surprised if any one person can say their life didn't in some way mirror Duckie's or Andie Walsh's or Sam Baker's or John Bender's or Andrew Clark's or Watts' or...  There were the painful crushes, the heartbreaking choices, the needless arguments, the wild parties (really not that wild), the laughing 'til near bursting at the silly antics of that one friend, hanging out at someone's house on a Friday or Saturday night and behind it all, the music.  Some friendships fade, some move into deeper waters (such as marriage), some are kept up sporadically from afar.  But, no matter what, the music will always be there.  It's like a time machine, taking one back to years that seem so recently passed, yet are decades gone.

I hope some of you reading this are the friends I was lucky enough to spend so many of my high school lunch hours and weekends alongside.   Raise a glass to John Hughes!!

Sisterhood of the Traveling Basketball Socks

It started with this picture:

I played 2 seasons of basketball in high school.  We were issued new socks every year and I still have both pairs.  I wear them in cold weather, usually when there is snow on the ground.  The socks are thick and keep my feet warm and dry and since they come up high on the shin, I don't feel any cold air that tries to sneak up the cuff of my pants. 

I was going out to shovel the driveway the day I took the picture and posted it on Facebook, tagging all of my former teammates with whom I still keep in touch via Facebook.  Someone came up with the idea of sending the socks out to each team member and posting a picture for all to see.  I have 2 pairs, not like I will be missing one pair all that much.  So we are.

The socks have been sent and a photo posted. 

Now they are on their way to the next teammate.  The ties that  bind.  As teammates back in the day, we got our butts kicked in marathon practices, bonded on the bus rides to away games and hung out at school before the home games.  Now, we have a pair of socks to revive those good times and remind of us how  funny life can sometimes be.  Pretty cool.  Go Sumner Sabres!!