There are so many quotes about returning to a place you have once loved to see how you yourself has changed. This weekend, I had that opportunity, as I went back to Oregon for my college reunion.
But let's back up for a moment.
Last winter, 2013-14, I was in the deepest part of my cancer treatment. There were days I didn't want to get out of bed, I was cold, it hurt to move and I felt weak. I tried to sleep as much as possible so as to not remember this awful time in my life. I cried a lot, because I could not control the things around me and did not feel like myself at all. I was afraid I was losing who I was.
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| Me in 'The Infant Phenomenon' 1999 |
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| Sandy, The IP, and I 2015 |
Knowing I was not well, two of my professors decided that they would brave the worst snowstorm Oregon has seen in the past ten years to visit me while they were in the Bay Area seeing a show for the American College Theatre Festival. Sandy and Joseph were both my professors at UO. Joseph taught a variety of technical, design and acting classes, while Sandy was our resident costume design maven. The brought me a care package full of duck gear, custom sock monkey and turban made to the specifications we had learned in TA212. Sandy and Joseph acted as my surrogate parents in my four years at Oregon, at times either consoling, encouraging or putting me in my place. I am so grateful to them always for gently encouraging all of us to be our best. Seeing them lifted my spirits and made me determined to attend their retirement party announced for the spring of 2015.
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| Jack and I, pre-London 2000. |
Last summer, another one of my professors, Jack Watson, passed away. He had taken a group of us theatre kids to London every two years for a few decades. Jack was a tough love personality. His demeanor made you want to prove him wrong. My freshman year he was also diagnosed with cancer, so when I received my diagnosis ten years later, I felt an even stronger connection to him. He was one of the first people to comment on my posts and send me encouragement from a far during those first dark days. When we heard of his passing many of us joined a Facebook group to grieve together. We all wanted a way to celebrate his memory together and share his love of life.
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| Me and Katie, 2015 |
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| Katie and I, Graduation 2003 |
Then someone had the bright idea of having a reunion. We had a few excuses to see each other, two retirements, and a memorial to have, we had best get together. So luckily they made it happen. Five decades were represented at the University Theatre on Saturday, around 150 guests. This is impressive as I graduated one of about 25 students in 2003. We celebrated the best ways we know how, drinking at Rennie's (our favorite bar), and seeing a show (directed by Joseph and designed by Sandy of course). In the afternoon, Sandy delivered a eulogy hi-lighting all of Jack's work at the university. He had started as a graduate student, become a professor, and department head. He was an actor and director. He took hundreds of us to London and bailed a few of us out from the brink of disaster. One of the most moving moments of the weekend was hearing Jack's partner Rick thank all of us for making him who he was. Truly, Jack was who he was because Rick was always by his side. It was just a one day event, flanked on either side with travel and nostalgic romps around Eugene with friends I hadn't seen in far too long.
One of my favorite parts of the weekend was seeing friends that I had made 15 years ago as a freshman. Growing up in Cupertino, I had graduated from high school with the same kids I went to kindergarten with. So in a lot of ways the friends I made freshman year of college were my first friends.
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| Graduation 2003 Me and Wayne |
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| Wayne and I, 2015 |
Wayne, from Boring, Oregon, and I met and IntroDUCKtion-the preview days the university has during the summer before your freshman year. We instantly clicked as we had done many of the same shows in high school. When I thought he was going to ask me out about a month into school he did break my heart a little by instead telling me he was gay, but the fact he shared this incredibly honest fact about himself with me for the first time has bonded us for life. As we are now both cancer survivors too, our connectedness exists on an other worldly level. My heart was full to bursting just at the sight of him.
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| Andrew and I, 2015 |
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| Andrew and I, senior year 2003 |
I was also part of a Freshman Interest Group, or FIG. A group of about 25 freshman took several classes together around a central theme their first term so they could meet people with similar interests and borrow notes. FIG 8 Understanding Images allowed us to explore the arts in interesting ways, with an acting class, two dimensional art and film class. I met Andrew and Robin, two of the tallest guys I've ever known. Andrew and I were in our first play together in college and as sophomores traveled to London with Wayne and Jack. Robin walked with me to class every morning freshman year and was one of the first people to dye my hair purple.
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| Me and Robin, freshman year 1999 |
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| Wayne, Me and Robin, 2015 |
Seeing these boys and so many of my favorite faces this weekend filled my heart in the most amazing way. We became who we are in the halls of Villard hall together. We made the same bad mistakes at Rennie's and helped each other through the consequences. To reconnect as adults and share our successes and troubles now and then keeps us tied together. I am so thankful to have had this weekend and am not interested in waiting another fifteen years for the next one!
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| Jacks Memorial Garden 2015 |
Jacks Memorial Garden is just to the left hand side, by the box office, of the Lobby of the Miller Theatre Complex at The University of Oregon. Jack's ashes help to give life to these flowers that blume in purple and lavender in the spring and fall. Each time I visit campus, I'll spend a few moments with him.
