August 17, 2010

• It Was the Summer of ’85 – Xangalebrity Edition

  June, 1985 was a big month for me.  I moved out of the dorms in college and into my first real home with 3 friends.  I got my dog, Oreo, who was my constant companion for the next 12 years.  I lost my virginity (to a girl), made lifelong friends that I still have today and developed my identity.  I was 19 years old, about to turn 20.  I had yet to travel the world, but I was beginning to gain my wanderlust.  The next five years would turn out to be the most pivotal of my life.  They were years I look back on fondly.  It was a time of big hair, skinny ties, great music and carefree times.  To get through college I babysat for about 50 kids, and worked at 2 homes for the developmentally disabled.  Last week, one of those “kids” found me on Facebook and sent the following messages:

  

  Just like now, I took lots of pictures of kids and my dog.  Jocelyn’s message inspired me to scan a few of them. Try not to laugh too hard!  (Time to go on another diet!)

  
  TJ, Stormy, me, Robert, their cousin & Oreo in our house in Charleston, IL 1986

  
  No, I wasn’t a Republican and I wasn’t channeling Alex P. Keaton! This was during the Statue of Liberty Centennial in New York City July 3, 1986. Nice Trump hair, LOL!  I still can’t believe I posed with that asshole Reagan, who was singlehandedly responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of AIDS victims.  Guess I wasn’t too political back then.

   

  
  The summer of ’85 in Aspen, CO.  I can still use those jeans as a bracelet!

  
  Mason, Matt & Oreo, 1986

  
  May 18, 1987. Oreo ran up on stage when he saw me get my diploma!

  
  The above referenced, Jocelyn
  
  
  Oreo & Mason – Chicago, IL  Easter 1988

  
  My best friend Daniel, in our kitchen in Arlington Heights, IL – Christmas 1989
  
  
  Daniel Jr. & Scotty – The mullet years

  
  Brendan & Jocelyn at the Field Museum in Chicago

  
  LOL…the B&B Daniel & I stayed in before the REM concert in 1989.  We were SO alternative!  :)

   
  Bob Sheu & Oreo in St. Joseph MI at Billy’s cottage & Daniel in the backyard posing

  
  If you still want to see more, here they are!

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  25 summers later and I’m running a world class luxury boutique hotel!  Just kidding of course, though sometimes it feels like a real hotel.  A couple of famous Xangalebrities came by for lunch today.  Alex, also known as RoadLessTaken and Sam, (NotYourSon) formerly known as WhereTheFishLives.  They both had “holding the Hotel Careyfornia” sign on their Bucket Lists, so I was happy to oblige:

  

   
  To see the full size photos, click here.

  • 12:02 am
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