Feeling nostalgic Pt. 2…

The above image is of Riverside High School. I am a proud member of the class of 1975. This image was also made as part of my “Driving Home” project.

I do like it even though technically, it’s not very good. The exposure isn’t great, there’s lens flare, the shadows on the right are too deep, and so on. I suppose I could attempt to use current technology and try to fix it, but I doubt it would be worth the effort. I think I’ll just try again the next time I’m in the neighborhood.

Despite the flaws, I think it’s an important image and I’m glad I made it. Like the image of my childhood home, there are dozens and dozens of memories that return every time I view it.

Walking the halls taking pictures; yearbook meetings; school plays; cast parties; Travesty; the lunch ladies; Table 91; falling asleep in Mr. Rothenberg’s American history class; getting kicked out of Mr. Cowie’s math class; friendships I miss; friendships that have only deepened over time. The list goes on…

But mostly what it reminds me is how my experiences during the four years I was there shaped who I am today. Not being clairvoyant, I would never have known or understood, but my life’s path was paved by my experiences from those four years. With the clarity of hindsight, for any important aspect of my life, I can draw a line back to Riverside. It might not be straight, but the connections are there all the same.

So many times I marvel. How so many things can be tucked inside a single image. It might not look big, but it holds a lot…