I've been all up in my feels this week, as they used to say. I was remembering how at our high school pep rallies, we'd get these class rivalry chants going in the bleachers, each class trying to scream their year loudest: NINETY-FIVE! stomp stomp NINETY-FIVE! By our senior year we were screaming that and it just felt so current, so NOW. The kids shouting "NINETY-NINE!" sounded ridiculously young, it was wild to contemplate how one day those years would both just sound like the far past. These are those days.

And on that note, I've also been remembering one of those end-of-year tearjerk/celebration slideshow montages for some club I was in, that they set to 10,000 Maniacs' "These Are Days." The lyrics were so emotional already at the time, and I thought "oh man, 30 years from now I'll hear this on the oldies station or at the grocery store and it's probably going to be so heavy and nostalgic I'll get all weepy." Well not to worry, me-of-the-past. First of all, the nostalgia is bittersweet, but that's better than just sad. And second, they never play that song in the stores or on radio 90s blocks, it disappeared. You're safe from those public tears ;)

I don't keep in touch with enough people from high school to wax on about this stuff, and those I do don't seem to be so constantly amazed by how weird the passage of time is, haha. But I figured the Xennials would get it. So here's to us, Class of '95. Let's sit on an imaginary porch for a moment with imaginary Zimas and toast to having survived this far.

*These are days you'll remember Never before and never since, I promise Will the whole world be warm as this and as you feel it

You'll know it's true that you are blessed and lucky It's true that you are touched by something That will grow and bloom in you

These are days, you'll remember When may is rushing over you with desire To be part of the miracles you see in every hour

You'll know it's true that you are blessed and lucky It's true that you are touched by something That will grow and bloom in you

These are the days you might fill with laughter until' you break These days you might feel a shaft of light make it's way across your face When you do you'll know how it was meant to be

See the signs and know their meaning It's true, you'll know how it was meant to be Hear the signs and know they're speaking to you, to you*