11.29

I remember when my best friend and I went around to all the malls when she got her car, and we had jobs with an income. We found our favorites, and this was certainly not one of them. It literally has no stores we would shop at. There’s food, but so what?

I never came back here with my bestie. I did come back with a boy. We usually just wandered around. And ate food. I love food. But that’s the only positive about this place.

I recently took a walk around this place for the first time in quite some time. I was even more disgusted than I remember. Plus, it was so empty. You’d think even the most desperate people would shop here. I hope I never go back.

10.8

I remember these stairs. The last time I walked up and down these was for a Nine Inch Nails concert, not including this visit. One of many of his shows that I’ve attended, and not my first concert at this venue. And I must admit that it wasn’t the most impressive show ever. Lollapalooza still takes number one.

I came here with my boyfriend at that time. And we were both huge fans, so even though we knew an indoor show wouldn’t be nearly as good, we had to come. And we had to buy some merch. Which was right at the top of these stairs. I’m pretty sure I still have that shirt. Somewhere.

These stairs were definitely my downfall. I hate stairs. I always have, and will always. But the Palace has a shit ton of stairs. And it sucks. At least they aren’t all crumbly. Concerts here would not be worth it. Unless they end with Hurt.

10.4

I remember sneaking into this room late at night. I was with a boy, and we had rather devious plans. I can’t recall how long we had been together, but we were always searching for new things. And this seemed like a great idea. We had to scope out the area for a night or two beforehand, and at the hours we were wandering the halls, this room was perfect. Usually there’d be study groups or late night dance practices going on in this building. This room was just far enough away from everything.

It’s a rather large classroom, and partially underground. So, we could see the feet of people walking by the windows near the ceiling. But we kept the lights off; I know neither of us wanted to be caught like that. The teacher’s area was a raised stage platform thing. It had a podium and a long table in front of the blackboard. That seemed good enough for us.

I walked by this room a year or so later, and felt this substantial urge to avoid it at all costs. I don’t think it was guilt for defiling a table.. more like embarrassment. I’m embarrassed that I let a cheating asshole convince me that was a good idea. I can’t think of anything else when I set foot into this building. Ugh.

9.29

I remember taking a rest in this hallway one night with a boy. It was before we started dating and one of those times that we were wandering the neighboring campus. I think we had been in this building once before, but maybe not. And we didn’t really know where we were going in here. There’s so many levels and ramps and wings and towers… I still don’t know how my Bestie was able to navigate that thing.

But that night, we sat down. And at the time there was a little table with chairs instead of this row of desks. There’s been a lot of remodeling so everything looks a little different. I don’t quite remember what we talking about, but somehow it turned all romantic and cute. This is where he asked me to be his girlfriend. After that, this building sort of became a mandatory visit. Now I hate seeing it.

9.8

I remember when the boy I was seeing brought this over. And I had no idea why. I didn’t even own one. I never used one of these. When I had long hair, I was lazy and let it air dry. Now that I have short hair, there’s almost no such thing as wet.

When he came to visit, I thought he’d be taking this with him. Apparently not. It remained in my bathroom cabinet. I still have it. I still don’t use it.

I think what surprised me most was the fact that he spent more time primping than I do. I’d be in and out of the bathroom within a half hour, giving me an hour and a half to sit around and wait for him to come lumbering out. That’s probably why we were usually late for all our plans. Not that we had many plans together. He didn’t want that sort of commitment.

9.1

I remember kissing a boy I liked for the first time back here. It was a cold night, probably early November. And we were walking back from McDonalds and had to stop because I was freezing.

I had told my parents that I was going to my school’s hockey game with a friend. It wasn’t a lie actually. I just had an ulterior motive.

We ditched the game and went for a little walk. He was hungry and I just didn’t know what to expect. We got back in time for my dad to pick my friend and I up, though. And that was the start of a relationship I wish I hadn’t ended.

8.19

I remember sitting here with a boy for hours. We didn’t really know what sort of things to do once everything closed, but luckily the University kept this building open at all hours. There’s a pretty big computer lab on the other side of this wall, set down a bit so we could look down upon them and laugh. And before the construction, there were some cushioned benches. We’d cuddle and relax for hours here.

We always counted how many students were just browsing Facebook. And then how many people using the computers had their laptops running as well. It was pretty sad. Yet entertaining.

This place was always a fall back for us. Sometimes we’d run out of ideas, or just wanted a place to sit and relax without lounging in bed or on the couch. I haven’t been back here since we ended things. And I’m sort of glad that it’s being remodeled. I don’t want to walk passed those memories.

8.16

I remember walking by this every time I would visit this city with my best friend, or when I’d go visit her during college. It’s just one of those pieces that makes this place artsy and shit. There’s usually always children playing with it during the day, or drunken college students once it gets dark. And yes, it spins.

This cube never had much meaning for me until a few years ago. I had just met a new boy, and we were in the pre-dating-stage. And since we met out at college, this seemed like an easy place for a first date.

We were walking around the campus rather late at night, and wandered over to the cube. I was just trying to keep warm, and spinning the cube was a pretty good option. I can’t recall if I spun it first; he tried it, but didn’t pay attention. He ended up getting bonked in the head. Ha. I wonder if it hurt. Then we stood around and other things happened. I wish it wasn’t that memory.

8.15

I remember meeting a boy here for lunch. It must’ve been a day that I was out at school, as I wouldn’t drive this far just to see someone for a few minutes. But it wasn’t too far into the dense city streets, so I definitely was okay with making a quick trip to get to know a new guy. There was nothing all that significant about that lunch. He brought a friend, so it wasn’t all that intimate or intriguing.

I did later meet a boyfriend of the time here for some food. I can’t really remember why, but that’s not the point. It was the drive there that I unfortunately recall. I know I was coming from classes, because I was killing some time before I had to be at an awards ceremony later in the evening. It was a warm spring day, and the traffic was starting to pile up. I began noticing my car idling a little rough, but didn’t think anything of it; the rapid weather change in this area is ridiculous. It wasn’t until I was heading back to my awards ceremony that I saw Bianca running hotter than usual. I was worried about driving home, as I lived about an hour away, but I had a friend willing to follow me. Sure enough, I barely leave the parking lot later that night, and she starts spewing white smoke. Bye-bye, head gasket.

Stupid dinner date.

7.10

I remember the boy I stole this VHS from. It was during college, during one of those boring dating slumps. Or I just couldn’t make up my mind. But I had seen this movie years before. Once or so, and definitely not all the way through. So, when he brought it over and left it… Finders, keepers, right? I watched it so much that I’m pretty sure the tape doesn’t work anymore. And yes, I do still have my VHS player. I’m still living in my childhood. I had the blu-ray version, too. But I still don’t have a blu-ray player and would rather continue ruining one version instead of both.

It’s one of those movies that you sometimes question why you enjoy it. It goes from super mega awesome to horrifyingly disgusting and back a few times. And I just keep watching it. Not recently, however. The last time I watched it, the VCR made some weird noises and the picture… wasn’t the movie. Maybe the tape is torn? Or bent. Or scratched. I did something. I should have just given it back to the idiot I took it from.