Hello everyone!
Happy Easter Sunday, to those celebrating!
So, in my last post, you read about my trip back to Ohio and things that transpired while there. For all its long-windedness, I did manage to leave out some stuff. Mainly, it was really strange to be back in Ohio, especially in Oxford. Aside from the fact that I'm not use to driving anymore, it was an incredibly nostalgic activity. I made the drive from Columbus down I-71, through the winding back roads of southwest ohio into Oxford so many times throughout the course of my five years at Miami. Driving it now seemed almost surreal. It was like I had been making it everyday for the last year, however, I knew this wasn't so. My commute now consists of walking down the street to the train stop, hopping on in Astoria and hopping off in Times Square--quite a bit different from 71. With every mile that I drove, I was reminded of something that happened on one of those drives: my car over-heating around mile-marker 78 on the way back from Thanksgiving sophomore year, stopping at Jeffersonville Outlets on the way up to Medina for Billy & Kathleen's bachelor/bachelorette weekend, pulling onto an exit ramp to keep some hanging shirts from flying out the window, celebrating New Year's Eve at Karli's new house just north of Jeffersonville, being pulled over for driving slightly left of center and explaining to the cop that I wasn't drunk just trying to avoid hitting the orange barrels on the right, all the delays due to construction, all the crazy arguments I've played out in my head with the people that post the billboards of the Ten Commandments and "Hell is REAL", stopping at a gas station and hearing that JLo will be the Austin Powers' new lady love in the next Austin Powers movie (that never came to fruition), and the list goes on and on.
The most vivid memory is a feeling more than anything. For the few of you reading this that went to Miami, you'll understand the feeling you get when you are driving on Rt. 73 approaching Oxford from the east and come up over that hill and see Pulley Tower. Every time those bells come into view, I get a feeling of indescribable bliss; one that you can only get from coming home. Yes, I do get this feeling when I turn onto my parents street in their neighborhood. However, that is their home. Oxford is my home. Well, a home that I share with 100,000 some alumni.
The last time I was in Oxford was June of last year and I was performing with my a cappella group at Alumni Weekend. We had a great performance and saw some familiar faces, then made our way uptown to continue celebrating. While sitting outside of Skipper's, I got pulled into a conversation with some alums from the '80s. I think there was some political discussion going on and they wanted to know how the "younger generation" felt. They totally picked the wrong member of that generation because I do not care about politics nearly as much as some of my peers. Regardless, I shared my opinion openly and with the preface that I'm stilling feeling out what I truly believe to be "good choices" for our country. Two of the women in the group had grown tired of the conversation--I was, too--and starting talking about something else. One said, "Did you see that girl we went to high school with just won a Tony for playing a crazy mom on Broadway?" Immediately, my head snapped over and said, "WAIT! You went to high school with ALICE RIPLEY?!" "Yes, Alice Ripley, that's her name! Why?" And, being still in my [title of show] phase at the time, all I could say was, "She's FIERCE!"
Cut to: 5 months later, I meet Alice Ripley and tell her about the above scene in Oxford, OH.
Cut back to: Skipper's in June. That night, I drove through the night with Travis to Chicago. Our purpose: auditioning for American Idol! We arrived at the arena around 5 am, parked and got our wristbands and paperwork in less than ten minutes--AWESOME! Now all we needed to do was go sleep somewhere. Thankfully, my friend Renee was also in town to audition and she and her mom allowed us to crash on the floor of their hotel. A full day in Chicago later--and a great dinner at Maggiano's with the Brothers Saxe--we were back at the arena. Waiting. For 12 hours. To sing our hearts out for 30 seconds only to be told, "Sorry, we're looking for the 'All-around Performer' this year..." Fine. Be like that. Good luck.
Where am I going with this? I don't know. I'm reminiscing and thought you'd like to come along for the ride.
Right now, about 50 alums of Miami's Collegiate Chorale are gearing up to make the trek "back to Mecca," in the wise words of B Smith. I wish you all the best of times back home and am terribly sorry I cannot make it there for the festivities. Get to Skipper's and drink a pitcher for me;)
Happy Adventures!
