More Memories

The second-ever post of this blog was a memory that was triggered by a get-together with an old friend from my journalism school days, Michel. I was also trying to get a feel for what sort of content I wanted to write on this blog—at the time, it was just called The Other Blog (it didn't become The Brown Knowser until more than two weeks after I first started publishing posts).

Seeing the post about my friend and journalism school made me realize how long it's been since we were in school together, and it's hard to wrap my head around the fact that it's been almost 40 years. Michel and I became friends on the first day of college, in September of 1995.

Shortly after school started, Michel started dating one of our classmates, Becky, and the three of us hung out a lot, along with Marc, Kristen, and Mary. But we were basically a close-knit group of students in our program, and everybody eventually knew everybody. 

Becky, with Michel in the background, in Algonquin College's fluorescent-filled cafeteria.

There was Charmaine. There was Cindy (who I also ran into, a couple of years later, when I enrolled at Carleton University). There was Janet. There was Carter.

And so many more. We all hung out in Bert's Bar, on campus, and at the Chances R, a restaurant in the shopping plaza nearby.

The decades have gone by in the time since journalism school, and almost all of us went in our different directions after graduation. Some of us, moving on to newspapers; others, eking out whatever jobs we could find.

Michel, Becky, Marc, Mary and I kept in touch with each other for a few years after graduation. Eventually, Mary seemingly disappeared. Marc moved on to work for the Canadian Security Intelligence Services (essentially, becoming a spy, upon whom Roland Axam was very loosely based), and also vanished shortly after he attended my wedding (though, our paths have crossed a couple of times since).

That left Michel and Becky, who I still see even to this day.

Recently, while browsing through my Threads feed, I saw a random post from someone in Toronto who was looking to connect with other writers, photographers, nature lovers, helpers and travellers. It seems that the Threads algorithm was placing another like-minded person in my path.

When I saw this person's name, Carter, I was reminded of my old classmate from journalism school, and so I went to his profile. And, sure enough, it was the only Carter I knew.

We connected online and now follow each other on Threads and Instagram. And, because he lives in Toronto, we're going to try to meet up the next time I head down to that city to visit Kid 2.

Since we've reconnected, I've been remembering my time in the journalism program, and it's made me think of what an immature goofball I had been a lot of that time.

I was in my early 20s and had a lot of growing up to do. I hope that in the 40 years that have elapsed since then, I've wisened up and become a better person. With DW's help, I think I have.

At least, I try.

As I think back onto my Algonquin College years, other memories of that stage in my life have come back. Yesterday afternoon, looking at old blog posts, I came across a memory that I turned into what I still think are the best two blog posts I have ever written. If you haven't read them before, they are called "Mind Flood" and "Mind Flood, Part Two."

My short-term memory isn't what it used to be but I hope that I don't lose those memories from the past. I'm glad that I've written some of them down on The Brown Knowser and I hope to continue to do so.

Hopefully, for your entertainment but mostly, to preserve my memories for me.