Reading through my journal from early 1996, I remembered some important things that had completely slipped my mind.

1. The first time I mentioned Tim, who was then a brand new roommate and is now one of my longstanding close friends, the story included metro bus #73, a character named “Tweaker Jeff,” dancing around the living room, Tim muttering that he couldn’t deal with the “fucking melodrama” and me parenthetically noting, “Get USED to it, buddy!” My friend Owen suggested I give Tim a 10 year friendship anniversary card in a couple years that reads “Fucking Melodrama: here’s to 10 years of getting used to it!”

2. Spring of 1996 I broke up with my second boyfriend, and briefly dated a 19-year-old who worked at Schultzy’s Sausages on The Ave. Apparently, the 19-year-old didn’t move fast enough for me and I got sick of waiting for him to make the first move…so I dragged him into the hallway of a friend’s house and molested him. What a harleton! Unknown to me then, a few months later that 19-year-old would be in a terrible car accident on a road trip to NYC, watch two of his friends die on the side of the road, and then fall in love with my roommate, Jessica. Also unknown to me then, 8 years later that 19-year-old would send me a gift for my 29th birthday. (Thanks, Mr. Hunter! I know you’re lurking out there. ;)
3. I went to my first rave exactly 8 years ago today. It was at a barn in Monroe, and I made out with some boy (who was perhaps named Ryan, but maybe wasn’t) from West Seattle who I met on the dance floor. I also didn’t know how to spell “extasy.” In addition, I had to go to work roughly 4 hours after leaving the rave. I sold a LOT of Birkenstocks that day, let me tell you. I was the happiest sales associate EVER.

1996 may have been the most remarkable year of my life… So far.