Yesterday I arrived back in not-so-sunny-yet-insanely-hot Florida from quite the adventure in New York. I knew upon arriving that the trip might be full of twists and turns because of our lack of plans. Well we had a lot of plans but the logistics of them were not so organized…
First plan: Taylor’s Graduation!
Second plan: Play with my friends!!
Third plan: Move Taylor from Manhattan to Queens….!…
1. Taylor’s Graduation
We, Alana, Mom, Dad, Grandma and I, arrived in New York City Thursday afternoon. We got all situated at a nice hotel and went to TKTS to get tickets for Next to Normal. We met Taylor at a little restaurant before the show and had some lovely appetizers. The show as incredible. Incredible sad, Incredibly moving, Incredibly unique, Incredibly creative, Incredibly impressive, Incredibly beautiful. I won’t take about what happens in the show because if you haven’t seen it you really should try and try to as little as possible going in. Watching the show gave me a whole new thing to look forward too. Watching the 30 or 40 year old lead (not Alice Ripley but her insanely talented understudy) literally kill it on that stage, I realized if everything I dream about for my life may not have to happen as quickly as I dream it will. If it happens at all, it could happen later in life and still be awesome. Because she really really was awesome. I played a little game with myself. Try to not to cry, Angela. This is gonna sound so weird and stupid but as I watching them pour their guts out I thought about how they kind of have to keep it together in order to put on the show, so that’s what I did. As my sister next to me and my father behind me actually sobbed, I thought, “if I were in this show right now, I’d have to really keep it together…” And I did! You know when I lost it? When I usually lose it lately…the curtain call. When actors genuinely look appreciative and humbled by an applause, I lose it. It’s beautiful.
The next day was Taylor’s graduation day. We went to the Baccalaureate Ceremony which was an hour and half and then we walked over to Lincoln Center for the commencement. Apparently Taylor and the other graduates were given order to not see their families which was really annoying because we just had to wait. We got to Lincoln center and we realized not only that the Graduation ceremony didn’t start for another hour and a half but we wouldn’t even be let in for another hour! There were little bars and restaurants in the lobby of the LIncoln Center, none of which would open until the Graduation started! HOW STUPID!? So we waited because a line was forming and we wanted decent seats. I was miserable and complaining. We finally got in and got pretty god seats….until the animals behind us sat down. There were 3 adults handling about 6 kids under the age of 7. Woah Jack! These kids were monkeys. The people next to me moved because of them. They were jumping and yelling. I was elbowed in the head, spit on, and consistently lost my hair to them pulling on it. I dealt with it. Taylor’s name was announced we cheered and yelled and took pictures! It was fun for that 10 seconds. Then not fun again when I realized we still had an hour to go…
The hour went, we had a great dinner and a great night. Congraduation Taylor!
2. Playing with Friends
Now that all of my friends essentially live it NY, it’s great! I have places to see and new people to meet! This trip especially was filled with friends. So Jen, Tyler, Gabby, and Cody live and go to school in the city, but this weekend Ambar, Cassie, and Sergi all visited!! I thought Manhattan would explode. After Taylor’s graduation dinner I convinced Mom to let me go out with Cody and Ambar. So I hailed a cab and headed out to Cody’s cool studio apartment in the upper east side (i think..still learning my way around that city.) The three of us had a really really really fun night! Cody’s friends were so much fun and even though within minutes of us being at his friend’s apartment, Ambar dropped and broke their new salt shaker, they loved us! We ended our night at some strange little dirty diner which was just what we wanted. The next morning I headed back to my parents and from there we headed to long Island for more graduation activities.
Later in the week I spent the night with Jen, Cassie, Ambar, Sergie, Tyler, Gabby, AND Cody. Woah! We tried getting into Nathan Tyson’s new show but alas we could not. After getting into bars, then not getting into bars, finding Cody on the other side of town, hanging on an awesome terrace talking about riffles and greenday, reconvening back at Jens place for rooftop fun and sleep. I love my friends.
3. Moving Taylor
Woof. This was a serious mess. This is already too long so I will not get into this. I will say that the whole experience was disgusting, eye opening, calm, stressful, difficult, and hilarious. It ended well, we completed the journey in one piece, and Taylor’s in a much cleaner place as of now. Time will tell.
WOAH NELLY! Can’t wait for everyone to get back. That’s when summer will start.
