When places change...

After living in the Salem area for the last few years, it is weird going up to Portland. So many important landmarks of my past have disappeared as the city grows and changes.

My high school is gone...

When I was a kid my parents would always take us thrifting at Goodwill and Value Village. Back then it was not cool yet and I remember kids at school teasing me that I got my clothes used. I didn’t care, I loved the thrill of finding something cool. Freshman year I was getting harassed and just not "fitting in". The final straw came when a kid ripped my favorite distressed  jeans from my upper thigh all the way to my knee. I walked around humiliated and frustrated that the teacher didn’t do anything about it. I decided to check out a K-12 charter school in Portland. I knew right away that was where I was meant to be. At this school it was COOL to dress in vintage, thrift store finds and EVERY kid at this school was friendly. Many came up to talk to me and introduce themselves or helped me up the stairs because I had broken my foot playing soccer. Classes even had cool names such as: Defense Against the Dark Arts (a literature class
). The teachers were great and were amazing advocates for me in so many situations. I made great friends and learned so much about the real world. Classes at this school were great in teaching current events and inspiring kids to want to change the world. Unfortunately, it wasn’t so good about preparing kids for state testing. The school went downhill after I graduated and is now closing it’s doors after losing funding. 

Where I met my husband

I met my husband while working at a hookah lounge in St. Johns. After graduating I was finding it difficult to find a job. I was going through a horrible break up and just trying to move on and grow up. I had a kid to take care of and I needed to figure things out. I quickly made a girl friend who was a blessing at that time. She was independent and supportive of me and really helped me during a difficult time. When I met my husband I drifted away from her. It was probably for the best since new relationships need a lot of attention but I do regret not being as good of a friend to her as she was to me. That job was such an important learning experience and I wouldn’t have met my husband if it wasn’t for working there. I believe the business is still around but the building is sadly no longer there. It was replaced by a large storage unit building. 

Where we had our first date

I had asked my husband for his number one night after a few months of him coming in to the lounge. He was so shy but we had a lot of the same interests. We both love cars and motorcycles and he went to the college I dreamed of going to when I was younger. One night he came in and while we were talking I found out he would be gone for a couple of weeks. I used that opportunity to ask for his number so we could text while he was gone. When he came back he brought me a small teddy bear and asked me out. I thought it was the sweetest thing ever. We went on our first date at a local bowling alley and I crushed him at bowling. That bowling alley has been replaced with a large multipurpose apartment building. 

Moving On...

At first I was a little sad these places were no longer around. I wouldn’t be able to show my kids where I went to school, where their parents met, or where we had our first date. It's important to remember that things are just things, places are just places, and it’s not healthy to live in the past.