31 fractures: 11-31

AUTHOR'S NOTE (3/5/09):
All in all this was an interesting project. Some reunions were heartfelt and amazing and life-changing, some token and awkward and weird, some totally non-existent, and a few cold and cruel. So blogging about these experiences was much more time-demanding than I expected. I did some as I went along, and some merely lodged in my brain and never got transcribed for the benefit of my one reader. Sorry, reader, I am giving you a summary list. Please feel free to contact me if you wish to know the gritty details.


1/11: Aunt Judy

My aunt Judy is my mother's sister. She's very nice but I know so little about her. I know my siblings and I were very obnoxious children, so I understand that it is difficult for us to communicate. I hope to acquire a better relationship with her now that I am an adult. I sent her the following message:

"Hi Aunty Judy,

It has been too long. I miss you very much. Sorry, I know I am bad at keeping in touch, apply the usual excuses of being busy here. I am almost done here and hope to be moving on soon. Once I find out what is going on I will let you know.

I am applying to Ph.D. programs in Theatre around the States etc. I'm applying to the following schools: Columbia, Northwestern, Cornell, Brown, UC Berkeley, Florida State, York, Royal Holloway, UM Twin Cities, CUNY and NYU. I am hoping for Northwestern or Columbia. Again, I'll keep you posted.

I was hoping to come and visit you before I move out of the state. I really haven't seen much of you, and I miss you very much. Thank you so much for the Christmas gift. I really appreciate it; I applied it directly to my rent this month, which was super sweet.

I am glad you and the rest of America picked the right candidate this fall. I am already excited about what I hear Obama saying, and I could talk about the complexity of his politics for a long, long time. If you let me go off.

How is work? And life? I am getting into crafting as well, but I am not talented enough to go into quilting. Instead I knit and sew and do a little scrapbooking. Jessi got me into all this, so my interests tend to follow hers.

I adopted a cat. He's a trouble-maker named Gilgamesh. He is enormous and has thumbs and escapes from my room into the rest of the house all the time.

Please write back and let me know how you are, even though I am terrible at communication.

With very much love,

Me"


1/12: Holly Pierson
1/13: Nick M.
1/14: Sonja
1/15: Nick A.
1/16: Clare
1/17: Claire
Warning: SOME CONTENT REALLY BELONGS ON MY OTHER BLOG

Hey Claire,

How are you? It's been a long time. I'm applying to two graduate schools in Toronto; are you still there?

A long time ago you asked me if I agreed with the lyric "It's society that makes a nigger wanna kill." And I said no and had some stupid, poorly informed opinion. I wanted you to know that I've changed my mind.

I hope you are well.

Me

1/18: Stephanie
1/19: Molly

Molly was also on the NASCO Board with me. She was my mentor when I first joined, and then one time we carpooled to Ann Arbor together. She is super amazing.

I sent her the following and hope to hear from her soon:
"I miss you! How are you? Still hanging around Illinois? I might be moving to the Chicago area soon..."


1/20: Aunty Helen
1/21: David
1/22: C. J.
1/23: Leah
1/24: Jan
1/25: Lauren Allen
1/26: Katy
1/27: Zhifei
1/28: Jen
1/29: Namita
1/30: Kyle
1/31: Joe