I've never really been one for lists or cataloged events. Every New Year's Eve I feel the liberating awareness of a clean slate presenting itself but also the empty sadness of realizing that one day, I won't remember all those moments I left behind.
My friend Mason is always good with the warm, fuzzy, sentimental things and he showed everyone how heartfelt he could be when he documented ten moments from 2010 in his last blog post. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery..
Let's give this a go.
10. Start Spreading the News.. As junior year came to an end, my father made one of the most pleasantly surprising propositions of my short sixteen years: Hey Erin, how about you and I fly to New York for a week and visit the two colleges you've had your heart set on for the past year? We can stay in Chelsea, eat in Little Italy, spontaneously drive up to Connecticut to see Yale, and make it back in time for you to take your finals. Needless to say, he had me at fly to New York. In the short window of about seven days, I fell deeper in love with New York City, learned more about myself and my future, and grew a lot closer to my Father.
9. Le Promenade.. It has been written that high school juniors and seniors would go to an extravagant dance at the end of the school year entitled: THE PROM. This night is meant to be the BEST NIGHT OF THEIR YOUNG ADULT LIVES. Well that part doesn't exactly live up to the hype, but I had to document the only legitimate dance I've ever been to. Even if half of the fun is dressing up, taking pictures, and marveling at (while trying not to trip in) your shoes, it's worth it all the same. Though I showed up with a slick updo, heels, and a trailing black dress--I soon kicked off my torture devices, let the bobby pins fall out of my hair, and hiked up my dress to do the stanky leg, and be generally obnoxious with my confidante, Andy Marin.
8. We're a special kind of people known as.. Theater kids. They are in each and every aspect of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way. Although I'm not much of a dancer, I got to try my hand at pretend conducting last year in Curtains. Though I enjoyed waving my hands in the air while Gary, the director of music and director of the onstage band, smirked at me in the wings--it was the people in the cast of this show that made it noteworthy. I said good bye to a lot of my good friends last year in the class of 2010. Words cannot describe the palpable emotion present in the choir room the night of the last show. I will never forget the laughs, the runs in the fifty pair of nude hose I had to buy, and the pre-show jam sessions to the Lonely Island (courtesy of Kate Grogan).
7. The College Monster and How it Consumed My Life.. Though this might not be a very fond memory, it certainly characterizes a huge chunk of my senior year. I've always been looking obsessively toward the future: college, a career, moving out of my house. But it hit me like a ton of bricks at the beginning of senior year, the to-do list that was feet long, the things required of me before I could touch said future--a trillion essays, days worth of battery life on my laptop (to fill out the never ending questionnaires), letters of recommendation, resumes, and, perhaps the most difficult to procure, an ungodly amount of patience. My first choice has changed so much that I don't even pretend to have one anymore. But, let me say, all the work started to pay off when I received acceptance letters from four colleges about a week after submitting. The days following my submissions were some of the most relaxing of my life. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. It was unreal how good it felt remembering how to breathe.
6. Around Every Corner, You Find Something New.. The title of this addition comes from the song "Just Do It", the resident theme song of the place I've called my second home since I was six years old, Camp Esperanza. As most probably know, this is a camp for kids that have been diagnosed with, or already cured of some form of cancer. Though I graduated from summer camp at age fifteen, every September Esperanza offers a Teen Retreat to the kids that have graduated. As with all things, there comes a time to move on and that moment hit me head on last September. Every kid must say their good byes to Esperanza when they begin their senior year of high school, only to come back as either a staff member for Camp John Marc or a counselor for Esperanza (both require waiting a few years..). This year was a battle for me when I found out that my last retreat conflicted with the mandatory senior retreat my class was to embark on at Greene Family Camp. Crap, I thought. Both of these places are in the middle of nowhere, maybe hours apart. Both are very important. Why didn't God make me more patient.. But of course my Dad was there to save the day when he offered to pick me up early from my Esperanza retreat (in Meridian, TX) and drive me all the way to my school's retreat (near Waco). Yet another display of love from my Dad, I will be forever grateful for the sacrifice of his time and gas money.
5. Whose Money? Seven. Keys. To. Baldpate. Perhaps the most dramatic and interesting journey I've encountered in this theatrical life (only fitting, mirroring the melodrama of the show itself). This show fostered the growth of countless relationships and the discoveries of new ones. I experienced my largest role yet opposite an actor (and best friend) that I truly admire. Though a few guns didn't go off sometimes, some people accidentally got punched in the face, and I was, at times, out of breath from screaming so loud--this show was the cause of so much joy in my life.
4. The Jersey Shore, Season One.. In case you didn't know, my entire family is from up north. Though my mom's original roots are in Pennsylvania, she eventually moved to the place my father knows and loves--New Jersey. Thanks to television, the ridiculous cast of The Jersey Shore is now the face of my father's home state. Nevertheless, my family has been traveling to the shore every summer since I was born. As my sister and I got older, however, we began to tire of the whole "family bonding" concept..especially when this exercise lasted weeks. We asked for our parents to consider the possibility of bringing outsiders with us to the shore (non-Littles! Oh no!). To our surprise, they obliged. My sister quickly selected a girl friend to bring along while I lingered with my choice. I knew all along who I really wanted to bring, but I wasn't sure how my parents would react if I asked to bring my BOYfriend. After contemplating, my parents announced that my boyfriend of almost three years could come with us to the shore (and there was much rejoicing! Yaaaay!). And it's all history after that. So began the most memorable summer I've ever had (though we might have to top it this year). *Permission to be cheesy and romantic, granted* I will never forget setting up camp on our house's top balcony, looking at the always visible stars while the ocean swelled mere feet in front of us.
3. Art, Love, and Undeniable Magic.. This number is also serving as a placeholder of sorts for the innumerable amount of shows that my band, Rin Tin Tin, played for the benefit of a non-profit organization called Art Love Magic. ALM has been with Rin Tin Tin since we awkwardly "burst" onto the scene sophomore year. It was our second official show. Justin Nygren, one of the founders of ALM, heard us and immediately got on the phone, booking a show for us at Saxby's Coffee. It's been one hell of a ride since that incredible moment. I never feel more accepted, understood, and loved as I do when I'm surrounded by the people of Art Love Magic. Every show we've done: Art and Coffees galore, Underground, GirlShow--they've all shaped us as a band and as people. Indescribable love goes out to Michael Lagoki, David Rodriguez, and Justin Nygren for having unshakable faith in us teenage hooligans.
2. Blues.. January 8th, 2010. Rin Tin Tin played at the House of Blues in Dallas to a crowd of at least five hundred on a stage that's accommodated the likes of Jack White, M.I.A, and even Ke$ha. Although the show wasn't dedicated to us (twas a competition amongst bands, a battle you might say), the four of us took ownership of the stage for our short thirty minutes but nothing could prepare us for the bliss that we experienced when we walked onto that stage. The extraordinary state of bliss followed me the rest of the night as I wandered around and took pictures with fans (it still feels cool to say that). Most importantly, this show led Rin Tin Tin to grow as a band and as a collective unit.
1. You thought I was done copy-catting.. I didn't want to, but I have to list my incredibly personal speech from my class's senior retreat as my most memorable moment of the year. I couldn't think of anything else that so fully encompasses so many aspects of my life. As I said earlier, I had to leave my Cancer-Kid-Retreat to go to my Senior-In-High-School-Retreat only to give a speech about, what? My experience having cancer. I felt honored when I was granted the ability to do what I've wanted to do for a long time, be open and honest with my peers. My speech came last on the first day we spent at Greene Family Camp. It was pretty late and most of my classmates were shifting around, wondering how they would survive the next unending speech. I typed my speech with the full knowledge that I might not be able to get through some parts and that, as in everyone's worst dreams, I might end up staring out into the crowd like they were all in their underwear. To my surprise, neither of these things occurred. Instead of crippling self consciousness, I felt strengthening confidence as I looked out to the faces of my peers and saw concerned faces ready to receive what I had to give. I didn't see any of this, but people told me afterward that what I said made them cry, or that they were close to it. I don't think I've ever felt more support or love in one moment and I still replay it in my mind, my favorite moment of 2010.
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