FREEDOM FROM WANT

I threw a helluva dinner party before Christmas.

Now, back to some regular posting.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

This is a very special edition of Throwback Thursday because it's my birthday. Twelve years ago, I turned seventeen. My (now) two oldest friends had great surprises for me that day. Megan got to school early and decorated my locker with pictures and a typewritten letter. She left a small tape recorder perched on top with instructions to press play.

I shouldn't worry, the letter said. It won't be too loud.

I pressed play, and The Beatles began to sing. Before they could even get out, "Well, it's my birthday too, yeah!", my homeroom teacher sped out into the hallway and told me to stop making so much noise. I always got the impression that not much about life excited him. Especially teenagers. Not even this birthday fun could warm his heart.

Later that day, B gave me a small, wrapped present. Inside was a Christmas tree air freshener for my car (because cross country runners make stinky cars) and a mix tape. To this day, it is the only mix tape someone has ever made me. I wore that thing out. I've still got it, so I decided to make a playlist of the songs on the tape. I began from memory before listening to find out what I had forgotten. I was patting myself on the back for remembering 40 minutes worth of songs (well, more like 45 but the official Beatles version of "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is not on Spotify,) and then I pulled out the tape. It was 90 minutes long! What had I forgotten? ( I suppose my memory of a mix tape having a half life of 12 years isn't the worst thing in the world.)

So, because I'm not yet 30, here is my Happy Birthday Sarah mixtape from 2002. (With about 40 minutes of Beatles songs missing -- most from the Let It Be album. )

THROWBACK THURSDAY

A black and white acrylic painting of  my friend Megan. We met in the 8th grade and had a friendship forged on the track team. Megan and I used to get asked all the time if we were sisters or cousins. People just wanted us to be related. We were just tall and blond. I hardly get to see her because she moved to another country. I've forgiven her though, because she is one of my all time favorite people. Megan once told me that my love language was my freakish memory and attention to detail. To prove a point,  I remember this night. It was one of many spent at the Ugly Mug, where we would hole up on Friday or Saturday nights, drink overly-sugared coffees and draw or take pictures or read books of poetry.

This was part of my concentration for AP Studio portfolio review.

A TOAST

In less than a week, a dear friend of mine is marrying a wonderful man. So I would like to propose a toast for this new life journey.  May your happiness be...