A Different Feel at Fenway

Last night, we went to see the sox play... Yes, again. It seems like we have been there a lot this season. It's really only been 3 times but it really does feel like more than that. Anyway I digress... A few weeks back, on a slightly rainy, chilly Friday night, boyfriend and I sat out in the bleachers, adorned with long sleeves AND sweatshirts, listening to what would be our final game with Carl Beane. A few days later, the greatest ballpark announcer (in my opinion) passed away in a single car crash on the mass pike. Last night, boyfriend and I were again at Fenway, this time in the grandstand behind home plate and much warmer. It was different. I mean, Fenway is the same. The game is the game... Some are clearly better than others... But it was different. It was a familiar voice (still not sure who) but it was different... It's weird because 5 years ago, boyfriend and I, before he was boyfriend, had our first date at Fenway (June 14, 2007). Coincidentally, that date falls on the same day it did as our first date. Unfortunately, due to our work schedules, we won't be able to go... But again, I'm off topic. Over the past 5 years we have been to a number of sox games, all of which Carl Beane was the announcer. It was definitely different last night, and from now on, there will be something just a little bit different at Fenway... But it will forever be the spot where boyfriend and I took our first photo together, shared our first beers and made our first memories...

memory lane

The other day I drove to a conference in Boston. The conference itself was fine as far as conferences go but it was my drive there the really got me to thinking. I was driving down 91, trying to make my way to 93 (unsuccessfully I might add-although that is another post entirely) and I kept hearing all these songs that were "it" back around my sophomore-senior years of high school, mixed in with a few that bring me back to college and so many ridiculous things. Anyway- what I got to thinking about was how strongly a song can bring you back to a memory. And I'm talking really specific. The Aerosmith song "I don't wanna miss a thing" came on whilst I was trying to merge into some lovely Boston traffic and it took me immediately back to my junior-ish yer of high school and watching that movie on the couch of my then boyfriends uncle's house. Other than the random newsfeed pop ups courtesy of Facebook, our social contact is limited and has been for quite some time. From what I gather, he seems quite happy and he most definitely deserves that, he was a great guy. Due to the fact that we dated ages ago and I harbor no feelings, hard or otherwise, for him, it was incredibly random to be brought back to that time of my life, especially to that specific of a time and place.

The more and more that I got to thinking about it, the more I realized just how much a song can aid in creating a memory. Or in not allowing you to forget the past. Because honestly, there are times when a certain song comes on the radio and you want noting more than to change the station, only to find the same song on another station. Karma? I'm not one of those people who spends the duration of my day listening to the radio or iTunes on repeat- in fact for me, most days I would rather listen to a tv show while I clean or put laundry away or otherwise... But once in a while, a song comes on that brings me back...sometimes it makes me laugh, sometimes cry and sometimes, just shake my head in disbelief of things that we thought were a good idea....