Home.

Last weekend I went back home for my parents 25th anniversary party. I was feeling a lot of things about the prospect of going home, I mean, I was excited, but I just wasn't sure how it would go. Being home, seeing my parents, seeing my friends, and then a huge party, which always has a way of making everyone tense and go crazy. But I was excited.

My original flight would was leaving Friday morning and would get me home around 7 or 8 that night, but that week, I wised up and changed it to a Thursday night red eye, so I would be home by Friday morning and wouldn't have to waste a whole day flying when I could spend the whole day PLAYING!

I really like traveling. Being in airports alone is always such a funny feeling. It reminds me of the Jack's Mannequin lyric from Dark Blue “have you ever been alone in a crowded room?” I feel so isolated, when in reality, I'm surrounded by thousands of people trying to get from point A to point B. I feel like airports are always so silent too. Even when they're not. Like all of the background noise just falls away into a hum that you eventually just tune out.

Anyway, of course I got no sleep on the flight, so when I landed, I practically sprinted to the nearest Starbucks, and then met up with my dad who had come to pick me up. It was good to see him, he seemed really happy to see me. The ride back to my house was funny, because he would ask me about work and my social life and all that, and it just seemed so weird to relay the last couple months of my life in one car ride. So odd. Plus, I forgot how boring the Illinois highways are. Yikes. Hello cornfields.

Got home, went to see my mom setting up for the party, freaked out. It was SO good to see her, I'm so queer. The first time I hugged her, I remembered how tiny she is. I feel like she got even littler, or maybe I grew a little.

After, I ran around Rockford for a few, seeing a couple people and running errands. I was having major flashbacks to fall two years ago because I was finally experiencing fall weather, and I was listening to the album “Heroes & Thieves” by Vanessa Carlton, which I listened to non-stop autumn of my sophomore year. Such an odd feeling but such a good one to go back to.


FAAALL!!!

Had lunch with my mom and dad, and then went shopping with my mom because I was determined to find a bow tie. A real bow tie, not a pre-tied one. We had so much fun that afternoon. It was one of those times that you realize, as soon as it's over, “shit, that was the only time like that we're going to have this weekend.” That was kind of a bummer I guess, but it was still good just to hang out with my mom for a while. And I found a bow tie.

I was so beat that night because I hadn't slept on the red-eye the night before so I passed out pretty early. The next day, my parents were running around doing little last minute things for the party, and I was, well, drinking coffee and shopping for the most part. I just couldn't figure out what to do with myself because I was so excited for my friends to get to Rockford! They finally rolled in at about 4 that afternoon and we had one of the most explosive reunions ever. My BEST friends from Monmouth Kassi, Maureen, Mark and Zack were able to come, and it was just so so SO good to see them. They are the four people from Monmouth (with the exception of Matt) that I talk to daily and that mean the most to me. Having them with me again was just such a good feeling.

And then the party. The party was everything my parents could have hoped. It was really beautiful. My mom hired a caterer and we knew she was going to be good, we just didn't know HOW good. I walked in, and seriously felt like I was on the food network or some shit. It was like the Christmas feast at Hogwarts. Literally PILES of food, it all looked so good and was presented really nicely. No warming stations or like, hot plates or whatever the hell you call them, it was all very elegant. Seeing everyone again all at once was great too, all the family and friends who have really been a big part of my parents life, so a big part of my life too, were there. It was fun to catch up with people. There were so many people that were like “so what are you DOING?!” and wanted to hear all about MTV when I really just wanted to know how everything with them was, ha, go figure.






I did the toast and don't think I fucked it up too badly, and spent the rest of the night dancing with my mom and my friends. It was a really great time.

Oh! And Mike came too! He showed up around 8 and it was great to see him too. After the party, we all went back to my place and drank a ton of Shock Top, which is basically everything I could have asked for.