DO YOU THINK I'LL NEED TO EXPLAIN...

memories to my daughter, when I show her this?

This is my high school auditorium - in Lincoln, NE. It's being torn down this week.


(you can use your mouse and drag around a full 360° view)

It's smaller than I remember. And brighter. And starker.

The last time I was in this auditorium it was the final day of my senior year. 24 years ago, next month!

I was involved in plays, talent shows, speech competitions, try-outs and performances over the course of 3 years. After every "show" the tradition was to hide your name somewhere in the wings. What started as "hiding" became "decorating", which quickly turned into "graffiti". But it always so much fun looking at old signatures and trying to figure out what name went with what play.

We tried not to get too reckless when adding our names - but it happened of course. Layers upon layers of names and stories and dates and memories!

I just got an email that the Lincoln High School auditorium is being gutted this spring - and a total remodel is underway.

The cool folks at Roundus.com got into the auditorium and took a bunch of their awesome pictures. High-res, high-def, panoramic, yadda yadda - all I know is I sat here and cried looking at the pictures! Because the memories came flooding back.

I remember walking onto stage as a Senior, to emcee Joy Night (our talent show). I walked out to center stage, the spotlight hit me and I FROZE. I know, it's hard to imagine me speechless - but I was dumb-struck for about 20 seconds. I haven't thought about that moment in years.

I thought about the play I was in my Sophomore year - The Skin of Our Teeth by Thorton Wilder. We had a blast. The rehearsals, the costumes, the make-up, the after party. Yesterday I couldn't have told you the name of this play if you asked me - but right now, I can't stop thinking about it!

Memories are great. Because once we have them, they are ours forever.

So they are tearing down the auditorium. The signatures, the scribbles, the dates, the secrets, the whispers. The walls won't be there. The curtains won't either. And hopefully new seating is on order - but the memories surrounding the auditorium will remain. I just hope someone in Lincoln grabbed a few of the cinder blocks. Lincoln High is the oldest high school in the city and the auditorium is original architecture. Think of the tens of thousands of 17 year olds that passed by those bricks!

Thanks for the walk down memory land Roundus.com.
Thanks for the memories Lincoln High School.

And in case anyone finds a black can light with a 180° skirt on it - with "S. Morris '85" scribbled inside of the can - I'd love to get my hands on it!

until then...