Back then and Here and Now

"That's how you become great, man. Hang your balls out there."


- Copy guy to Jerry Maguire, sending him on to his doom, and resurrection.

Ahh, surrender.

The thing about revisiting familiar things as you go through life, is that.. you appreciate the difference in perspective.

As you see things from the perspective of being a different person.

I watched Jerry Maguire, and .. it hit me. I knew the lines, and yet.. I saw it again different.

I was actually moved. To mush, even.

Im changed. Im different. Therefore, the film was different.

Its like you die and are reborn again several times in a lifetime.

Youre the same but different each time.

Ah.

"Without this (heart), this (mind) doesnt matter."
- 'Dicky Fox' , Jerry McGuire

Ahh. Surrender.

Im starting to get it now.
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It was a nice day. I needed to rest off a headache and an unfamiliarly full stomach from an all you you could eat Indian lunch buffet.

*urp* Ow.

Yeah, a warm bench in the park looked good.

There is a park by Berkeley's High School and their city hall. Students and homeless folk were lazing about in the sun, playing a bit of touch football, skateboarding, as the shade is still cold in this maritime climate...

Ah. Reminds me of my senior year in high school, throwing off the pressure of classes and lazing around before my life changed irrevocably.

The cycle of life.

From back when but the same.





























































Youre a righteous dude, Aaron.

Me: Whats with the glove?
A: Well, its a half thing. My hair is dyed in half, one glove, different eye colors, different sided pants..
Me: What about the shoes?
A: Oh. Well, I have a job where I have to stand constantly, so I had to buy comfy shoes.
Me: I dig. The style is righteous, man.
A: Heh. Righteous. I LIKE that word!

Righteous.







"I know you!" the young chica yelled behind me.

Heh, well she didnt exactly yell.. I had met her at a young high-school photography exhibition. Her alternative gothy dress, black, safety pins, dyed hair and whatnot still couldnt overwhelm her quiet dignity.
Real cool chica.

Its nice when people know you from around town.









"Those pictures are WICKED!"

Heh. Its not the word. its how ya use 'em.



Yeah, just a nice day in the park.

A moment in time, ever-changing, but always the same.
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Oh yeah, speaking of ..

I saw a sign for a yard sale, and walked a few blocks over.

Went in, talked a bit to the chicas living in the house

"Oh, you all from Chicago?"
"Yeah, we are from Evanston, Illinois"
"No kiddin'. I grew up in Evanston too."
"NO WAY!!!"
"Yeah, way."

And if the residents of Berkeley heard one saturday screams of "E-TOWN!!!!!", that would be us.


"Oh gawd. Another ETHS'er.."
"Which class?"
"We actually overlapped, Class of 1994, we even played on the soccer teams and didnt even know each other until we moved out here."
"Im class of 1983.. the 20th reunion is this year. I dont feel that old."
"Oh my god. I guess Berkeley attracts folk from Evanston, cuz its a lot like each other.. Evanston is just a bit more conservative.."

We turned to the german tourist looking at us like we were too too strange, and tried to explain by throwing our memories at her "Its alotta tree-lined streets, college town, liberal atmosphere.."

She nodded politely.

We gave her a look of "Ah well.." and turned back to each other.

You never know when and where home will catch up to you, no matter where in the world you are.