Blast from the past

Sometimes you don't realize how far you've come until you visit where you've been.

This week I had the chance to go back to my old college town for a work project. When my boss called a few weeks ago and asked me to go back to Nebraska to do some market research, I had two words: HECK YES. Free trip (a flight, no less!) to Nebraska and a chance to visit my old stomping grounds after seven long years? I'm there.

As I approached Kearney, the Arch greeted me back to town. I remember when this monument was being built while I lived there. It was a pretty big deal, actually. Half the town thought it was silly and a waste of money. The other half thought it would put the city on the map. Whatever the case, you can't miss it when you come to town.

It's funny how some things never change. The city is exactly as I remember. It was like stepping back into a time warp. Same restaurants, same bumps in the road, same, same, same. I met up with Marcie, my roommate and best friend in college for dinner. We had the best night reminiscing about college days and catching up on what's new. A lot is different for us now - we're both married and she's expecting her first baby this summer. As we were driving down the road after dinner we laughed, not too many years ago we drove these same streets discussing how not to get pregnant. Now, here we are ten years later sharing how to's. Somewhere along the line, life happened and we grew up. Still the same though? We laughed just like we did so many years ago.

Cunningham's

The home of "Big Ass Beers" and our favorite place to go every Tuesday night.

O Mally's

My favorite bar in town

Solar

I worked here nearly every day in college and cried the day I left town. It was my first real job with responsibility and the first place I worked where I felt pride in what I did every day. Good memories.

My sorority

Marcie and I lived shared a room here for three years. We stopped by the house and looked around, then took a picture outside to capture the moment. We have dozens of photos in this very spot.

Sometimes you don't realize how far you've come until you visit where you've been.

Life is good. I'm happier, smarter and more well-rounded because of all those experiences back then. What an awesome blast from the past.