Friday Photo Challenge - the SPECIAL one

Happy Friday!

It's time for the weekly photo challenge - and I have a confession to make. This week, I cheated (I took photos Tues, Wed, and Thurs instead of just Fri).

I know I've been gabbing about this for days, so without further ado, here's the explanation and the photos. Enjoy!

The Plot Summary

When I realized that Friday was October 1st, after writing that nostalgic blog a few days ago, I decided that I would base this photo challenge on a couple of things instead of one subject or one concept. The first thing was memories and images from my childhood; the second was a particular song. I heard this song for the first time in October of... 1999? 2000? I don't remember the date so much as I remember the moment: it was raining, and cold, and late in the month. I was driving eastbound on highway 44 in between Pacific and Eureka. I was listening to 93.3 back when it was still a radio station here in St. Louis - a radio station with NO commercials, mind you. And they played music that wasn't as mainstream as the other stations. For example, I'd occasionally hear my beloved Tori Amos on the air, and I was hooked from the first listen to the station. This particular day there had been a song on before this one that I loved, and I was already in a rockin' mood.

I don't know what it is, really, that connected me to it - the point I was at in my life, perhaps? - but I was smitten by the third line and could not get enough. It remains to this day one of my favorites, maybe more for nostalgia than anything. I listen to it relentlessly in October every year. It grounds me. Reminds me of who I am, where I came from. And we all need that kind of reminder now and again.

I took all the photos below in the past 3 days, but I purposefully edited some of them to have an aged look. The others are completely untouched. I credit the song and band at the end - I do not claim to have written, sung, produced, or been involved creatively in it's creation in anyway. 

*Please excuse my lame iPhoto slideshow template. It fit. And the photos are posted below, since you can't really see them that well in the slideshow.

I am so excited about this month, and this little project, and being able to share it with you. Happy October!