Current Music: New Shoes - Mike Willis
I've been thinking about this concept quite a lot for the past few days.
Recently I sat down with a hot new friend of mine and asked him to tell me his life, in a nutshell. So, he did. Then I told him mine. It was amazing what could be learned about another person in a few short minutes.
With just thirty something hours before I move to Athens, I thought that, well, I needed an entry. This is a big time in my life. I should have something to say. While I can't come up with any big reflective piece about how my life will change, how I want to embrace the world, or how I'm scared about the bus systems, I can come up with my life, in a nutshell. Except I'm going to start with high school, because I think that's when life really started anyway. I'll let you take that as a warning...
End of 8th grade: Met Courtney Lorraine Brakhage, and my life was changed forever. Started walking home from school with her and laughing about everything. Played my first performance with my guitar with Courtney and Mr. Alex King at the school talent show.
Freshman year and the summer: Started the first FUZZY BOOK. Met boy, M, who would be my love interest for a good year and a half of high school. Soon after, found out a senior had a crush on me. Received first (Very. Bad.) kiss from Mr. Senior. Dated senior for three weeks and a day when I was broken up with in a note. (I remember when I read the note I grinned ear to ear and ran to show my friend. I guess I didn't like him as much as I should have.) Got learners permit. Started hanging out with Emma again. Convinced Courtney to start dating Eric. Made a habit of walking to Courtney's house to visit her, where her brother who made a habit of hitting on me. Wrote first song. Performed at school talent show with great response. Dated Jeremy Dooley for a grand total of three and half days. Still crushed hard on M. Played a summer gig at Humble Grounds, where I made my first guitar-playing cash...five one dollar bills that I still have to this day. Visited SoCal for the first time where I met Jason Lopez, Mac McIntire, and Lawrence Mahadoo, who have remained my cross country friends for three years, and taught me just how strong of a bond you can form in three days. Parents made the decision to open 106 West. Came home and wrote "Freaks Like Me".
Sophomore year and the summer: Was woken up very early on one of the first days of school by my sister who told me to call into 99x for "Your Big Break", was invited in, couldn't get there soon enough, but was told to "keep in touch". Got license. Still loved M. Made a habit of picking up Emma and Courtney and driving around Winder. A lot. Participated in several "Painting Parties" (sounds so Tom Sawyer-esk) to prepare for the opening of 106 West. OPENED 106 WEST. Played first gig there. Met bounds of people, soon to be "106ers" and "dated" a good handful of them. Played on 99X. Gained strange popularity from this. M finally asked me out, but by this time, I realized No was the right answer. Met Shawn Regan, and once again, my life was changed forever. Played "This Old Jacket" at school talent show and won first place. Fell in love for the first time. Wrote lots of songs (lots being the rest I've written to date... five).
(For those of you keeping up, my online journal started somewhere right about here.)
Junior year and the summer: Walked wrapped in clouds for months on end. Played Eddie's Attic open mic for the first time and made the finals (haven't done that since). Attended first Catholic mass (that had people painted green in it...) and learned about Catholicism. Became part of another family. Rediscovered my faith. Gained writer's block. Gained driving priviledges. Made first demo.
Senior year and the summer: Heart was broken. Almost all year. Swore I wouldn't go to UGA. Ran cross country, which kept me distracted and put me in the best shape of my life. You know, I ran twelve miles once...muwahahaha. Got really close to Javan for the first time in our seven years of friendship. Turned 18. Started getting airplay on 97.7, the "Almost Famous" show. Had classes with Courtney again! Pulled off a B in trig and an A in chemistry. Made perfect score at all state chorus audition. Made the tradional Tollerson SAT score. Applied for UGA as a "back-up". Realized UGA was the best and maybe the only choice, prayed to get accepted. Got accepted. Way pumped. Applied for housing that day. Auditioned for the school of music and was admitted conditionally. Wrote class song with Courtney. Graduated, finally. Got over it. Took senior trip to California to see my old buddies, Jason, Lawrence, and Mac again. Went running there - tripped - cut right knee up in a pretty gnarly fashion - Mr. Mac McIntire came to my rescue Baywatch style, drove me to the hospital, sat with me in the emergency room for FIVE hours, and let me squeeze his arm during the four stitches. Came home. Got a job. Worked. Didn't have much of a social life. Wrote longest yearbook entry ever to Courtney. Started packing for college.
Wow, which brings us... here.
If you've made it this far, I'm very proud of you. It may be boring, but hey, at least it's written down for me to always remember, and there is a big story behind every little sentence there. If you've made it this far, you may actually know more about me than you did before. Thrilling, isn't it?
What I've gained: the knowledge that you'll mostly likely regret your hugest crushes, performing experience, fans, high school best friend memories, nine songs, writer's block, greater relationship with God, an extra family, knowing that there is no right way to fall in or out of love, a stronger body, stronger heart, and a California scar. All thanks to this last chapter in my life. And this was just the beginning...
Thanks for reading. This nutshell was even bigger than I thought. But I mean, hey, it is after 4 AM. The next entry I write I'll be a college girl...