ida y vuelta, part 1/4

i left for school that summer of 05 and jen and i split, as we had planned. it was not pretty, and not something either of us really wanted. from that point marks the beginning of a new struggle, one that's evolved and changed, but still lasts in some sentiments today. i've done a lot of thinking since then-

i pierced my lobes the day i left, and drove out to minnesota with my dad. i'm the ultimate cliché in that driving away from something with a humongous open road is a perfect avenue, no pun intended for headspacin'.

at mac i did this community service program called "lives of commitment," where we got partnered with non-profit orgs throughout the cities. this pre-orientation for the program put a lot of new kids looking for connections into a room together for a week, and so not surprisingly, i made a ton of friends, a solid few of which i still have today. the first few months were everything they should have been in a lot of senses. handshakes, night adventures, the introduction-question canon and the self-explanation high. (most) everyone loves this part of college; i did, for sure. full of mystery and possibility, and really i think that's the driving force between all attraction. a core amount of this first semester was passed with sara and marlene.

marlene from the bronx, sara from the bay area. marlene's unconditional loyalty was just one of the best things one can find in a person during the first few months of college. sara deserves her own chapter, or two, in this blog, perhaps if i can find a photo...

these are perfect examples of that era. marlene's is classic, with her classic smile. shots like this make me remember the good times. sara's is fitting. compositionally it's oddball, but the expression on her face is all hers for those who know it. to me it says intrigue, and there's a hint of a smile. one of my big clichés is giving lights this boomy blurry quality, which very well maybe the NSYNC move of photography, but hell i ain't sellin' these prints, so no biggie.

and so time flew by.