L V C || C L Memory 0

So that's it ...

... another countdown ended ...

... another homecoming over ...

... another 150th birthday celebrated ...

... in some of these pictures (all of which already appeared on the Facebook, but I'm gathering them in one place here), I remembered to flash the yellow '0' to signify the end of this series -- but not in all of them ...

... regardless, here's hoping that we all get together again SOONER than the next 150 years ...

... but if not, then I call dibs on haunting the campus (on a foggy night at 2 am in Annville [you get this if you get this]) in the fall of 2166!

L V C || C L Memory 1

In ONLY 1 day,  I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #1:  also known as "the reason why I had this countdown in the first place" ...

Or make that the top 5 reasons ('cause that's how I roll):

5.)  Let's face it.  I love a countdown.  Any reason ... any time ... for any length ... I'm there.  That being said, it's also true that this is one of the biggest/longest I've done since I've picked up the micro-blogging bug a few years back.

4.)  Let's face it.  I'm not getting any younger.  And neither are any of the people referenced within these 150 posts.  It's time to get these memories documented before none of us can remember them any longer.  Now let's hope the internet isn't going away any time soon ...

3.)  Let's face it.  As prep for this series, I got to open up files I haven't opened in over 25 years.  To those of you who chuckled back then that I was keeping correspondence files (it was a pre-email era, and, dare I say, it was better), the jokes on you.  Oh the things I found ... not *all* of which made it into this series.  Which means, yes, I'm contemplating some other countdown at some other time in some other future.

2.)  Let's face it.  The time I spent at LVC was arguably the most important time of my life.  Only five months before freshperson orientation, I was a teenage runaway.  The decade of the 90's (starting in fall of '89) was when I found out who I was.  Late bloomer that I was, I needed the whole ten years to get to where I needed to be, and LVC was the stage on which that all played out (sometimes quite literally).

1.)  Let's face it.  The best part of these last 150 posts was recalling all of the people who played such an important part in my life -- whether for an event, a semester, a season or a lifetime.  Here's the truth:  catching up with others is what energizes me and what helps me remember that we're all in this together, and that we're at our best when we have the support of *our* community.

Thank you ALL for having joined my community ... thank you ALL for spending time with me during this countdown ... thank you ALL for being a part of my (LVC) life.

L V C || C L Memory 2

In ONLY 2 days,  I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #2:  the GALS of  LVC ...

I saved something special for the final entries ... and tonight it's about remembering the gals who influenced me the most (the guys were in the preceding post).  Unlike the first set in the top 10, they are people instead of experiences, so they can't possibly be ranked ... which means they'll be presented in alphabetical order by first name.

Although almost all of them have been mentioned before in this countdown, their importance to my personal development during my decade (ish) of my undergrad means they deserve a second shout-out:

Kim H:  We met *after* my semester away as competing lawyers in a murder trial (what were YOU doing on 'The Night of January 16th'?), and then we spent a LOT more time together fighting on the same side -- for personal growth and the search for happiness.  Although we couldn't exactly keep the drama limited to just the stage, we learned much about ourselves through many ups and downs, and we have shared memories from a few murder mysteries, a few late night trips to Memorial Lake with the LVC crew, a family vacation to a different lake down south and so much more.

Lissa S:  We met *before* my semester away in the theatre group, and spent extra time together during the 'Shattered Looking Glass' days, when she was on stage both as a dancer in our opening number (think fog and lasers and blacklights) and in the crowd seeking 'It'.  Once I returned to campus for the back end of my first few years there, Lissa was my "little" during our pledging/auditioning season for Alpha Psi Omega ... and it was then that we had a quality late night talk or two along the way.

Lori D:  We met in my very first classes as a freshperson, and in those first few weeks of school, I was a regular visitor to her room in Vickroy.  Although she hasn't been mentioned in this series so far, she gets a spot in one of the final posts because I found a "journal" I was keeping of those first few days where I was reminded that Lori may have been my very very first college crush.  Unfortunately, though, she had a thing for JFK Jr as I recall, and I wasn't exactly the JFK Jr type ...

Mria F:  We met during freshperson orientation, when Mria was my designated team leader.  We stayed connected via notes (it was a pre-email era) and I was the lucky recipient of a number of her poems written by her for me.  It was an odd time, with me discovering who I was ... and with her being drawn to me based on things she saw in my eyes -- sad eyes, she said, which were clashing with my happy actions, according to her.  After our "connection" got too intense, she stayed on the sidelines during my first year of school, cheering me on from a distance and once up close with a homemade cake delivered during one of our show first night performances -- but always offering support.

Stace G:  We met *first* in class as well, and then *again* on the stage for our first show, and then *again* in the basement of MaryGreen for many an all-nighter (related to those classes), and then *again* and *again* as our lives continued to intertwine.  We kind of had a long distance relationship while I was overseas for my semester abroad, although we didn't exactly define it as such ... and we had our last big hurrah when she played dual roles in my 'Shattered Looking Glass' show.  My memories of the best of LVC will always begin with her ... 

L V C || C L Memory 3

In ONLY 3 days (from Tuesday, the date this was entry was *supposed* to be published),  I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #3:  the GUYS of  LVC ...

I saved something special for the final entries ... and tonight it's about remembering the guys who influenced me the most (gals follow in the next post).  Unlike the first set in the top 10, they are people instead of experiences, so they can't possibly be ranked ... which means they'll be presented in alphabetical order by first name.

Although all of them have been mentioned before in this countdown, their importance to my personal development during my decade (ish) of my undergrad means they deserve a second shout-out:

Andrew P:  Andy was content to be behind the spotlight (occasionally quite literally), a position in the theatre group that often ends up the unsung hero, what with all the attention focused on the actors, but he was out on the front lines as the face of the murder mysteries we did on my return to campus, working the "box office" (such as it was ... it was a box of cash).  He was the first face people would see every time they came to one of those events, and he was a face on which I knew I could always count.  I am grateful for his loyalty and for his friendship all these years.

Brad H:  Brad also was supportive of the murder mysteries back in the day, plus he graciously let me take his roommate after I was away for a year (who was my roommate before I left).  As such, he was a regular during FE213's glory days (when our dorm room expanded to welcome any good friends at any time of day) -- plus he never complained for having to ride in the way back of the little Ford Escort when we all piled in for a Memorial Lake/Funck's run.  I am grateful for his support and his friendship all these years.

Jon M:  Jon broke my roommate "curse" (none lasted more than one semester with me), and helped me realize that it was them and not me.  Together we created MG103 and FE213 as places where no topic was off limits for conversation, where no person was unwelcome, where ALL the feels and all the different kinds of feels happened ("like sands through the hourglass ... so were the days of our dorm lives").  And I'm not just saying this 'cause he has a connection to Pearl Jam tickets -- although I would be remiss if I didn't mention how he shaped my musical tastes during those years.  I am grateful for how he opened his mind and challenged me to do the same and for his friendship all these years.

Renato B:  Renato was my first director ... my first protector ... my first advocate ... my first idol -- all these and more.  And all I had to do was feed his Sprite addiction -- a small price to pay for the wisdom he imparted.  He saw potential in me and a future for me when I looked in the mirror and didn't quite yet know *what* I was seeing.  He fought for me and in so doing, he gave me a place and set me on a path.  I am grateful for his mentorship and for his friendship all these years.

Rich G:  Rich and I only interacted on the main stage at LVC but once, but we played brothers on the smaller stage frequently, thanks to those murder mysteries.  The most rewarding part was, though, that life imitated art.  I had someone whom I could protect and for whom I could advocate, and I got all the fun of having a little brother on campus (competitive sometimes, impish others, trouble most days -- but the kind of trouble you love to have because it gives you purpose) -- all until he left (and we sat in my car listening to Toad the Wet Sprocket's 'Don't Go Away).  But the bonds forged in college last longer than the time spent official there, and once family, always family.  I am grateful for his brotherly love and his friendship all these years.

L V C || C L Memory 4

In ONLY 4 days (hey -- that's this FRIDAY!),  I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #4:  the PROFESSORS of  LVC ...

I saved something special for the final entries ... and tonight it's about remembering those professors who influenced me the most.  Unlike the first set in the top 10, they are people instead of experiences, so they can't possibly be ranked ... which means they'll be presented in alphabetical order by last name.

Although many of them have been mentioned before in this countdown, their importance to my personal development during my decade (ish) of my undergrad means they deserve a second shout-out:

Brown (PoliSci):  There was an ease with him in front of the classroom, and my favorite political science classes were the ones with him and a bunch of students around a table, discussing HIS books.  Oh the stories he could tell ...

Cullari (Psych):  I only met him during my "resprise" of undergrad (at the end of the decade), but him and his overheads guided me to a whole 'nother degree during those bonus semesters.

Kearney (Honors English):  As an upperclassman, there was a dinner he and his wife hosted for our theatre group that made me feel like an adult for the first time ... which was a nice bookend to the early classes where his assignments pushed our limits to the point where they doubled as therapy sessions.

McKinley (Leadership):  What got me to LVC was the scholarship program ... which, back then, was a new program tied to leadership studies and we were some of the first students to go through it, so it was ours to do with as we wished -- under his guidance of course.

Scott (German, Humanities, Theatre):  From bag-pipes to guest appearances on the stage to advising the student led theatre group back in the days before it was all formalized and "degree"able to encouraging those studying overseas in the exchange program to his white bike parked all over campus to his late nights in the office to his German classes to his always being available to talk about anything ... Herr Scott was THE BEST!  (I know ... I know ... I'm breaking my rule and implying a ranking ... but if anyone calls for that bit of rule-breaking, it's Dr. Scott!)

L V C || C L Memory 5

In ONLY 5 days,  I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #5:  the STAFF of  LVC ...

I saved something special for the final entries ... and tonight it's about remembering those staff members who influenced me the most.  Unlike the last few nights of entries, they are people instead of experiences, so they can't possibly be ranked ... which means they'll be presented in alphabetical order by first name.

Although all of them have been mentioned before in this countdown, their importance to my personal development during my decade (ish) of my undergrad means they deserve a second shout-out:

Alice Kohr for her laughs from behind the college center desk,

Greg Stanson for his natural way of making me feel like he would do anything to get me admitted as if I was the most important person to be accepted to LVC that year,

Jenn Evans for her guidance and her accommodating efforts to my crazy schedule as one of my many work study employers,

John Synodinus for his classiness and for his encouragement of my theatrical career in all those student-led productions, AND

Roz Kujovksy for her support in so many ways -- as employer, as spiritual guide, as chauffeur for a bit, as landlady of sorts -- as a person who believed in the power of demonstrating how much she cared for my success.

Some staff went to work for a paycheck ... but others saw their "work" as making investments in individuals (and therefore the future).  I am so grateful for these five that belonged to the latter group!

L V C || C L Memory 6

In ONLY 6 days,  I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #6:  the top 5 SMELLS of LVC ...

I saved something special for the final ten entries ... including a mini-countdown within the countdown for each of the senses.  Tonight, it's the last of those -- all about the "smells" that will forever be associated with my time at LVC ...

#5 ...  the unique mustiness of the MGO -- the MaryGreen underground (an asbestos filled crawl space under the building that a select few have explored)

#4 ... the distinct new textbook aroma in the college store's back book room (only opened up twice a year, back in the days when books weren't digital) 

#3 ... the mixed scents of a hallway in a girls' dorm (which always smelled better than any all-guys' space)

#2 ... the welcome olfactory "assault" that stopped you in your tracks any time someone was making use of the oven in the dorm to make cookies

... and, as a little known secret about the painting of the countryside given to the school on its 125th anniversary that is shown in the photo image accompanying this post, the #1 SMELL of LVC ...

...  the frequent odor of "fresh central PA country farm air" (rumor has it that the painting is actually scratch-and-sniff).

L V C || C L Memory 7

In ONLY 7 days (that's NEXT Friday night!),  I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #7:  the top 5 TOUCHES of LVC ...

I saved something special for the final ten entries ... including a mini-countdown within the countdown for each of the senses.  Tonight, it's all about the "touches" (the "feels"?) that will forever be associated with my time at LVC ...

#5 ... Rich G's ass "touching" the bottom panel of the door in the fellowship room in the basement of the chapel during one of our murder mysteries when our brotherly characters were having a brotherly fight and I threw him through it (in a brotherly way) ...

#4 ... my feet "touching" the cold cold floor of the dorm room bathrooms first thing in the morning because I never had shower shoes (but it did serve to wake a person right up) ...

#3 ... my hands "touching" a number of cheeks (on the face) when I went through a "light slap phase" with my friends (that thankfully ended without me getting assaulted in return) ...

#2 ... the hands of all the theatre folks "touching" a bucket full of elephant cum (the colloquial name for the gooey mixture of pasty muslin used to unite "flats" on stage to create a seamless wall in a set design)

... and, as shown in the photo image accompanying this post, the #1 TOUCH of LVC ...

... my hand "touching" the hand of President Synodinus on the stage of the graduation ceremony for the traditional handshake signifying the end of all things college in 1995 (until I came back again a few years later for more).

L V C || C L Memory 8

In ONLY 8 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #8:  the top 5 TASTES of LVC ...

I saved something special for the final ten entries ... including a mini-countdown within the countdown for each of the senses.  Tonight, it's all about the tastes that will forever be associated with my time at LVC ...

#5 ... having to resort to whatever goodies could be gotten out of the MaryGreen vending machines seeing as how there were few choices once the dining room closed (although the Coke machine in that basement had a tendency to spit out extras) ...

#4 ... driving to Funck's in the late late night in order to break up an all-nighter (even though it often meant that you'd abandon the study-until-daybreak approach once you got the food in you) ...

#3 ... ordering from Napoli's because they were close enough to deliver (and the cheeseburger subs -- even better than the pizza!) ...

#2 ... eating the cake that VP of finance D Fullam made for me the day I "paid off" my college bill (how did I NOT get a picture of that!) ... 

... and, as implied in the photo image accompanying this post (although I'm not certain that Andy P and friends actually had them on their trays), the #1 TASTE of LVC ...

... picking up the guaranteed item off the a la carte side of the order line in the dining hall -- available at every single meal -- the campus grilled cheese (which I know well having made hundreds of them during the time I had campus study work in the kitchen).

L V C || C L Memory 9

In ONLY 9 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #9:  the top 5 SOUNDS of LVC ...

I saved something special for the final ten entries ... including a mini-countdown within the countdown for each of the senses.  Tonight, it's all about the sounds that will forever be associated with my time at LVC ...

#5 ... listening to whatever records were being spun on WLVC ...

#4 ... hearing the train noises at all times of the day and night ...

#3 ... blasting Paula Abdul's 'Vibology' all the way up to #11 'cause I liked get funked up in the afternoon

#2 ... processing simultaneous performances during (what was then called) Spring Arts Weekend seeing as how so much was going on and campus wasn't quite that big ...

... and, as seen in the photo image accompanying this post, the #1 SOUND of LVC ...

... eavesdropping (unintentionally for the most part) on all of the phone conversations that had to happen in the hallway because there was just one phone in the hall (and rooms didn't have phone jacks when I first started college).

L V C || C L Memory 10

In ONLY 10 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #10:  the top 5 SIGHTS of LVC ...

I saved something special for the final ten entries ... to start with, a mini-countdown within the countdown for each of the senses.  Tonight, it's all about the sights that will forever be emblazoned in my mind -- I can close my eyes to this day and immediately see all of these items ...

#5 ... seeing the rows and rows of old school computers in the computer lab (in the era prior to anyone having anything more than a word processor) ...

#4 ... walking down the dorm hallways and reading all of the whiteboard signs hanging on the doors (some happy, some sad ... and plenty with drama) ...

#3 ... watching Days of our Lives in black and white on the little eight inch portable television set (every day while eating lunch in my dorm room, having walked out of the cafeteria with a tray like I had permission to do so) ...

#2 ... taking in the view whilst on the Little/Leedy Theatre stages (both before and after the renovations) ...

... and, as seen in the photo image accompanying this post, the #1 SIGHT of LVC ...

... experiencing the transformation of campus each holiday season for the celebration known as Christmas in the Valley -- replete with live nativity scenes, song processions, ceremonies by candlelight and lights and decorations aplenty to usher in the season each year.

L V C || C L Memory 11

In ONLY 11 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #11:  the reprise of my LVC studies.

I liked it so much ... I couldn't stay away!

Or, in actuality ... I started night law school, had a crisis of confidence, took a leave of absence from Widener, got a phone call from the student loan folks asking what I was doing and when I wanted to start paying them back, found out that if I went back to school I could postpone that activity ... and bing, bang, boom ... I was matriculated back at LVC.

This time was different ... as seen by my much more consistently good grades ... and because I was just going to campus classes as a true commuter.  When it was over, though, I had both '95 AND '00 after my name on the alumni mailings from my school ... and I had a third piece of paper ... and I could say that I both opened AND closed the decade of the nineties as an LVC student.  

Said another way ... of the twenty semesters in that time frame, I belonged to LVC and LVC to me for fourteen of them!

L V C || C L Memory 12

In ONLY 12 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #12:  the retirement of President Synodinus!

Now I'm not necessarily saying that he left *because* I finally graduated and he couldn't stand the thought of LVC without me ... but I *am* saying that our timelines overlapped -- in the best way possible, because he was an advocate of the arts, came to see many of our shows, took the time to know about the personal stories of his students and set the college on a path toward the new millennium.

I was so fond of his leadership that I reached out to him upon hearing the news to share my appreciation for what he had done for "my" undergard .. and, true to his classy form, I received the personal note of acknowledgement.  

Looking back, his arrival early on in the decade and his departure near the end nicely bookended the majority of my LVC experience.

L V C || C L Memory 13

In ONLY 13 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #13:  graduation!

Let me say that again:  GRADUATION!

I know you may have been thinking that that would be the last memory in this series ... but I have some special plans for the top 10 ... and I have two post-scripts to bridge the gap from here to there.

So, notwithstanding the fact that the vast majority of the people with whom I started my college career in the fall of '89 had graduated two years prior (I had a year off ... and a bonus semester ... and then waited until the May ceremony to experience all the pomp and circumstance), in May of 1995, I walked across the stage and made official what so many thought might never happen (I did [and do] so enjoy proving people wrong).

GRADUATION!

L V C || C L Memory 14

In ONLY 14 days (that's just 2 weeks), I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #14:  that time that Toad the Wet Sprocket came to campus.

I love me some Toad.  Almost every song of theirs released prior to that date on this (dirty) shirt from April of 1995 reminds me of some different aspect of my college living.

Which is why I was so excited when Jenn D had a few of us students in her office and she said that student council had some money and was thinking of bringing a band to campus.  I offered up Toad and they were in the right price range ... and soon enough they were booked!

I got to go pick up the band (except the lead singer) at the Lebanon Quality Inn in my little two door Ford Escort (only the best!) ... and they repaid me by signing my cassette (and getting the lead singer to do so as well from the tour bus parked outside the gym).  The show itself was amazing ... although we did have extra student volunteers who lined up in front of the stage for the first song until Toad asked us to disperse because it felt like they were playing in a prison.

What a way to cap off (the majority of) my college career!

L V C || C L Memory 15

In ONLY 15 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #15:  the mysterious murder quests (vol. I, II, III and IV).

During my time away between my junior and senior LVC years doing theatre in my cousin's company in western PA and OH, I was cast in several of his audience participation murder mysteries.  When I split from his company, I decided to take his concept (a show where the audience picks cast members to follow throughout the night, which means no one person sees everything that happens) and turn it up a notch.

Nearly a dozen full length plays later -- most of them set in my fictional town of Winston Falls, and many of them featuring interconnected repeating characters -- these were put on all across campus every other month throughout the end of my time in college.

I can't possibly thank everyone who assisted ... but Andy P, Brad H and Jon M were always supportive behind the scenes (and very occasionally IN a scene), Kristi H made it a point to see every single show, and lots of my fellow thespians and great friends had a role (or multiple roles) ... Brandon F, Brigette C, Erik S, Greg B, Joel F, Karen H, Kevin P, Kyle R, Kym H, Lisa E, Lissa S, Phil H, Rich G, Steph A, Suzanne W and Wayne K.  I know I'm missing some folks (my apologies if it's you!) ... but there's just so much to remember.  Hmmmm ... maybe these deserve a countdown of their own ...

Until then, here's to 'On Bullies, Bullets and Best Friends', ''Til Death Us Do Part', 'Holly, Hemlock and Mistletoe', 'Rendezvous with Revenge', 'Dreading the Last Dance', 'Too Many Cooks Poison the Broth', 'Guilty as Charged', 'Indecision', 'You'll Figure it Out', 'Revival' and 'Haven?' ... and here's to the gun that was featured in each and every show.

L V C || C L Memory 16

In ONLY 16 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #16:  the dedication of the LEEDY Theatre.

Mind you, it had already been in use for months -- including for two big shows (the spring musical and the fall play) and even for some little shows (the murder mysteries that *still* haven't been featured yet in this countdown -- yet).

But here, in December of 1994, it was being *officially* dedicated -- and I'm pretty sure I was serving as an usher for the fancy event.

With so much of my LVC memories being theatre related, it was kind of fitting that with my time drawing to a close (at least the first of my times), the ending of the Little Theatre era was coinciding with the ending of "my" era (not that it's all about me ... except for how, you know, it is MY countdown and all).

L V C || C L Memory 17

In ONLY 17 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #17:  going into the woods one more time.

Who doesn't love a sequel?  The theatre kids sure did ... hence the return to Grenta Glen, to get off campus in the fall of 1994 (after having done so in the winter at the beginning of that year) for Theate Retreat II to do some bonding (shared experiences), expanding (sharing of experiences) and communicating (how to share experiences).

We were a bigger group that time ... and the only off site trip was for those of us who went rocksliding at the nearby Cornwall Furnace (you had to be there ...), and we had a grand old time.

It seems like, seeing as how I was graduating, I also left my final words with everyone ... and they sound like themes I've been saying all my life:  "One of the dangers ... is to become immersed in a clique, by design a promoter of group think and a demoter of individuality.  Take the time to meet people you may not usually run into; talk to people you may not usually talk to; experience others who may not have experienced you or RUN THE RISK OF NEVER APPRECIATING WHO YOU ARE!  ... In anticipation of a future broadened by successfully accomplished challenges and enhanced by individually stimulated thoughts ..." -- that's how I left them.

It turns out I agree wholeheartedly with my 22 year old self.

L V C || C L Memory 18

In ONLY 18 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #18:  the shows from 94-95 that I wasn't in.

Well ... I was in the audience, so I guess that has to count for something.

It was that awkward semester where I was all but graduated (wrapping up a single class and spending most of my time in a political internship in Harrisburg) and despite having identified with the theatre group for all my regular semesters on campus that came before it, there is a time when retirement from the stage has to happen.

Unless I auditioned and didn't get a part and I made all that up to feel better about myself.  But no ... I'm pretty sure it was that I was living off campus and only had the time to *watch* the "next" generation lead the theatrical charge ...

L V C || C L Memory 19

In ONLY 19 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #19:  fighting to get my cumulative GPA back above 3.0.

And ... although the struggle was real (albeit that phrase wasn't in popular use back then), I can report (and document) that I succeeded.

If you've been following along (or if you knew me back then), you know/knew that my college career started in 89, included a semester studying abroad, was interrupted by a year off to pursue theatre in western PA ... and also had a mad finish with some bonus classes -- Linguistics with the famous Dr. D in the summer of '94, Biology in the fall of that year to meet liberal arts requirements and a special internship that same bonus semester (with PSERS in Harrisburg).

Spoiler alert -- I was back at LVC for a few MORE semesters at the end of the decade, but for now and for this place in the story/countdown, I was well on my way to actually (and finally) graduating -- with a GPA I had rehabilitated.