I Miss This

Back when I was a wee lad, I never left my house usually.  Not because I wasn't allowed, but because I never wanted to.  I had friends that I hung out with, but I've never been the type to do too much outside of my home.  Basically, I'm saying that I've always been an introvert.  Come high school, all that changed.



After failing in public school and internet classes, my mother suggested trying out a secondary high school.  You know, those high schools that adults can go to if they never graduated.  Most people would laugh at the thought of going there to get through high school, but it was actually the best decision of my life.  I didn't care about high school dances, pep rallies, or any of that stuff.  All I wanted was to get my education and get out.  On the EXTREME plus side, all the teachers treated everyone like adults.  Mostly because the school was a part of a college, and they strived to have that same college atmosphere.  



To my amazement, there were a lot more students that were around my age.  People who felt the same way I did about high school, and other things.  I ended up becoming a part of a growing group of friends that made me who I am today.  Unlike me, they had cars, and wanted to hang out outside of high school.  I never thought my mother would allow it at the time, since I still wasn't 18.  Boy was I wrong.



My mother never said it, but I'm sure she noticed that I was changing.  I was finally going out with friends, getting better grades, and overall turning my life around.  She allowed me to stay out pretty late, and let me freely go when I turned 18.  Had she not, this mix wouldn't exist.



When my friends and I would hang out, we wouldn't do a whole lot.  Our city doesn't have much when it comes to entertainment, so most of the time we went to each others' houses, or found a random place in town and hang there.  My favorite was the beach.  We would go to this one spot on the beach at night and talk about random things.  Our lives, school, cars (lololol jerrod), pretty much anything that would come to mind.  These were the greatest moments that I can remember.



After high school, most of us broke off, or left the city in general to get better work and schooling.  The night trips stopped, and I no longer had friends to hang with yet again.



Usually this is where someone would say, "And I went into depression waaaaaaaa," but that's just life.  Things happen, and people move on.  Sometimes, that just means leaving friends behind.  I've grown to realize that as a way of life.  It's nothing to be sad about.  You just have to embrace it and be happy for those who are gone, as they're doing something to further themselves in life and become better people.



Anyway, I felt like all of this needed to be said, because this mix captures the feelings of being with my friends at the beach, at night.  The talking, sharing, and even the silence.  I miss these feelings.



Thanks:

My mom for never giving up on me.

Chris Dececio for mastering my mix. chris@chrisdececio.com

HUGE thanks to Rosuuri (http://rosuuri.deviantart.com/) who made the AMAZING illustration for this mix.  You can download it here: http://i.imgur.com/PirVzcg.png

And, of course, special thanks to my friends Chris, Jerrod, Mallorie, Chops, Kenneth, Nate, and Justin.  Without ALL of them, this mix wouldn't exist, and I wouldn't either.

Tracklist