Sweet romantic 20-year-old nights?

Oh, how moving sucks. I feel like it's the end of the year at college - except I'm missing the shared pain you get when you meet eyes with another college kid who is also dumping all their stuff in loose pieces, dangerously piled on top of each other into cars to take it to the next place they will keep their assortment of junk.

I haven't been as responsible as I should about moving so I think this Saturday - when we absolutely have to be out of the apartment - will feel like move out day at ASU. But luckily, I know I can do it, because I have done it four times before. I just hope I really follow through with that desire I get afterwards to throw out a bunch of my stuff because really who needs to own so many things it can fill up a couple cars?

Anywho - the point of this post is a thought that came upon me when finding a sweet parking spot in front of the bar where our friends were hosting a happy hour. There were a bunch of songs that while I was in college, I assumed would only feel like they applied to me at that time and I wouldn't enjoy it as much when I left school. One such song was on in the car - Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel - a song I always tried to force the piano players at The Big Bang in Tempe to play by giving them a twenty dollar bill. The line that stood out most for me in that song was this: "Cold beer! Hot lights! My sweet romantic teenage nights!" And it dawned on me that I am certainly having cold beer, hot lights, and sweet romantic 20-year-old-age nights. Which first made me want to find a better word for someone in their 20's, and then made me want to share with more people who are graduating that all these things that you think won't apply to you when you become an "old person," may not happen at all if you invest time in friendships, and make time for fun, even when you feel major adult responsibilities (like I don't know needing to move out of your apartment into a new condo...) weighing on you. We always found ways to take care of homework, part-time jobs, club leadership duties, and more in college in addition to enjoying our lives to the point of recklessness. I say drink an extra cup o' joe and deal with it - and you'll always have sweet romantic soul-recharging nights.

Memories from graduating last year

Wow! I have changed so much since graduation. My awesome friend Arman (who met the President this time last year actually) sent us a message to update us all on his life - and invited all of us to update every one else. It's honestly made me so happy to hear how everyone's doing. These are people that will always stay with me. I made a video for our Senior Year Banquet - and it was such a joy to put together.

Here is part one of the video:


And here is part two (which features Arman at the very beginning!):


I love you '05 cohort and always will!!