So Jamie, I was thinking to myself when I finally woke up, "since it's my birthday, I'm going to do all the things I love in ONE day." It's a pretty big list that involves reading, watching a movie, taking a bubble bath while listening to opera and so on. There was one item on my list I didn't know how to achieve: writing.
Then I decided to reread the blog I posted on your wall and I had a brilliant thought! I'm going to write my own blog of 25 thank yous to my first college friend (a.k.a. you). It'll probably be pretty sappy and we'll probably both cry during this process. However, I can't think of a more fitting way to cross off an item on my list and celebrate someone really awesome. I didn't actually think about this before writing so we'll see what I come up with (I'm probably going to copy off the blog but it'll be directed at us rather than them).
1. Thank you for being my first EIU friend... like I said earlier, I knew nobody. I was nervous, scared and unbelievably overwhelmed. I may seem like a calm, level-headed person but those first few days I couldn't decide if I wanted to scream or cry or runaway in utter terror. Then I met you and knew I wasn't going anywhere. You were so nice, sweet and amazingly friendly that all my fears seemed to drift away.
2. Thank you for introducing me to other awesome friends. If I'd never met you, I never would've met Tristan or Jen O'Neill. And even though I knew of Jen Ross, I like to think you were our matchmaker. She was your friend and so was I, so you decided we should be good friends too.
3. Piggbacking off of 2... Thank you for being the Godmother. Thank you reaching out to everyone and making connections with everyone. To this day, I still people about the Godmother of EIU. There were few people on campus who knew EVERYONE and even fewer who cared about everyone they met. You remembered faces, names and details I could never remember. I knew lots of people who represented EIU and became faces of the school but you were one of the unspoken faces of EIU. And I truly believe, if everyone on campus had a chance to meet Jamie Flood, they never would've left because they would've met someone who truly cared about them.
4. Thank you for making Panther Dining awesome. Can I tell you there were SOOOOO many days I just wanted to quit? Dining was only my second job ever and most days I hated it. I hated the drama, the smell, and most days it was a hit or miss with some of the cooks. But I loved working with you because you made it fun. I would sign up for shifts just to work with you because I didn't really know anyone else. Plus, you were among the few who actually cared about their job. I was sad when you became a manager and left me (but it wasn't for long). I'm glad we could be managers together.
I'll try and make these shorter because otherwise this is going to be long.
5. Thank you for being open to deep conversations about anything. I could talk to you about pretty much anything and I really appreciated (still do) you being an open book. You accepted people as they were and didn't mind chatting about anything that crossed their mind. Even if you didn't necessarily agree with them. There was no subject off limits with Jamie Flood.
6. Thank you for laughing with us at our crazy ideas. When Tristan, Crystal and I decided to take over the world (starting with Carmen... I think?), you jumped in right along with us. And you didn't even flinch when I elected to make you Pope. When told our plans of global domination to Zack a couple years later, he pointed out that women can't become Pope. However, I think it's all the more reason to make you Pope. You will be the first female Pope and it will be epic. Pope Jamie the 1st. And I can make a pretty good case that you'll leave most of the Vatican untouched because you have a huge respect for art. Or I could be totally wrong and in that case, I'll the first to volunteer to paint the Sistene Chapel in whatever taste you select.
7. Thank you for accepting my weirdness. I think the reason we get along so well is that we're both weird. For some reason, most people think I'm normal when I first meet them. Then they discover I love Star Wars or I'm obsessed with reading... and they seemed shocked. Really??? Why do people think I'm normal? Maybe you knew I wasn't normal from the start because I was VERY shy back then. When I finally let the weird side flow, you simply accepted it. You also introduced to me to new sides of the nerd realm I never knew about.
8. Thank you for playing matchmaker. You may not remember this but you did actually try to set me up with a certain checker named Nathan. I was totally into him at the time (I was a freshman and didn't even know Zack existed) and knowing I would never act on it, you went and tried to set us up. Sadly, it didn't work but you wanted to see me happy and deemed he was capable. You really wanted what was best for me and had my best interest at heart. It's his loss, really, but Zack is the most amazing guy and I want you to know I'm incredibly happy. I'm glad you approved of Zack (and even if he won't admit it, he's very fond of you, too).
9. Thank you for being my defender. You always said if Zack ever hurt me, you'd hurt him. You know lots of people and you could have done it. Luckily for Zack, he's a sweetheart and really couldn't harm a fly (I can only imagine what would've come from the minds of you, Jen and Megan... oh boy). I know you would have done the same to anyone else who would've tried to hurt me. And although I was pretty shy at the time, if anyone had hurt you, I'd probably be mad enough to find a way to hurt them. Zack says I kinda hulk out when I'm really angry. And people who hurt Jamie Flood make me REALLLYYY angry (and I'm not so shy anymore...).
10. Thank you for being in Cultural Geography with me. You made the class fun and informative. End of story. Ok, I lied. You made it fun and informative because you are a curious person. You want to know how the world works and have an open mind to see different viewpoints. When we met, I had the makings of an open mind but didn't quite understand what that meant. You were my example. Your innate curiosity and willingness to seek out the truth inspired me to consider things I had never even thought about.
11. Thanks for opening your home to whoever needed it. How many times did you tell me about people who needed a place to stay and you'd let them crash on your couch? Answer: a lot. You are incredibly generous with everything. If you can use any of your talents to help, you will, If someone needs food, you'll make them dinner, If someone needs a place to hide a pet for a few days (or weeks), your place is always available. One of my wishes for you in the future is you find people who are just as generous to you. Even though I'm super far way, my house will always be open to you (unfortunately, I can't do the pets... my allergies hate anything with fur or feathers). But if you were in DIRE need of a place with pets, I would binge on allergy meds for you. But only because I know you have the BIGGEST heart with the kindest soul for humans and animals. I could never say no to that because the world needs more people like you.
12. Thank you for taking strange photos with me. Weird people should take weird photos, right? I love all our photos with strange faces and crazy expressions. When we move, I have a favorite photo of us that I'm going to frame.
13. Thank you for farting on Crystal's pillow. Do you remember this? When we celebrated our half birthday together freshman year in my tiny room. You sat on Crystal's bed and farted accidentally on her pillow. It was SO funny! But she was SO mad! I think Crystal got over it tolerably well or at least didn't hold it against you. I don't know if she finds it as funny as I do but anything with bodily functions is funny. I still giggle a little when I say poop.
14. Thank you for being open about bodily functions. You were my first friend EVER who burped or farted without any remorse. If you had to burp, you were going to burp. And they were impressive, My high school friends are fantastic, wonderful people but you don't burp or fart or do anything "gross" with them. You helped me accept that burping and farting are ok... which is exceptionally good because my husband farts on me ALL the time. So THANK YOU for taking the gross factor out of that.
15. Thank you for cuddling. I don't think we actually cuddled a lot but you would've cuddled with me. And that's what really matters.
16. Thank you for giving AMAZING hugs. You and Tristan are the two best huggers I know (besides Zack). I don't know what it is but you guys give the best hugs. I always look forward to getting hugs from you. And since I don't see you that much, I savor them!
17. Thank you for staying my friend. We did eventually branch out and find other friend groups. We didn't see each other as often as we did our freshman/sophomore years. But I always knew that if anything happened, I could come to you. You were always there for me... no matter what. And I will ALWAYS be there for you (it's the code of the birthday twin)... no matter what.
18. Thank you for taking me on the Chrysalis weekend. I really I had no idea what I was getting myself into that weekend. I figured I was going on retreat to hear you speak, not that I was participating in the weekend. Imagine my surprise... haha. But it was a great weekend for me spiritually and I still actually use that Bible I got that weekend. And I did cry when I discovered you reached out to my mom for her words of encouragement. You are simply the best.
19. Thank you for always making us late. Jamie, I love you dearly but you did make us late a lot. And when I met you, I was a stickler for being punctual. If I'm being honest, it ruffled my feathers a bit. But I'm better for it. Now I'm always making everyone late (hahaha... oh how the tables have turned) but the moral of the story is, thank you for going with the flow. You showed me that you don't have to be ON TIME for everything (minus work or school) and life will sometimes move you in other directions.
20. Thank you for being the best blizzard mate ever! We were crazy to be the only 3 people out in that storm. It was psychotic. We couldn't move, it was so windy and I remember I had to hang on to Tristan for balance. We were cold and frostbitten and I was absolutely soaked... Why did we go out in that storm? We should've just stayed in your room all day... Oh, the memories.
21. Thanks taking me to the art museum! I almost forgot about this but this was a GREAT day! It was one of the few times I saw you after college. You came back to visit and invited me to come to the Art Institute. That was only my second visit to that museum. My first trip to the museum I was maybe 15 and didn't understand all the artwork. But the trip with you was super informative. I think I learned more about art with my short time you than in all 4 years at EIU. I don't remember much of it because my memory sucks... but I remember having a blast. Thank you for being a teacher that day and explaining stuff to someone who knows very little about art. It's hard to find people to go the art museum with... I love art, you love art, so everyone should love art, right?
22. Thank you for inspiring me to go to Ireland (it was Ireland, right? Because otherwise this will be very awkward). Yes, you studied abroad and I was SUPER jealous. When my turn came to go to Europe with my sisters, I demanded we go to Ireland. Simply because you had gone and wouldn't stop talking about it. I had to see what you thought was so great. And I GET IT! I spend 3 days in Ireland and they were some of the best days of my life. The other places were beautiful and wonderful but Ireland felt like home to me. My memory does really suck but I can remember those 3 days with complete clarity. So thank you for going away for a long time and making me jealous. I never would have insisted on Ireland, if you hadn't gone yourself first. P.S. If it wasn't actually Ireland and my memory is confused, then take pride knowing that I had to see what you saw even if I went to the wrong country. I tried.
23. Thank you for being an inspiration. You have gone and done things I may never do. You went to grad school, you studied abroad, you followed your heart. I would never expect anything less of you. If one day you said, "I'm moving to Antarctica!" I wouldn't be surprised and I would be super proud of you! You live your life in way that makes you happy and allows you to make the people around you happy. You are proud to be Jamie E. Flood and I'm super proud to call you a dear friend.
24. Thank you for making the trip for the wedding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Having you be apart of the biggest day of life was such a blessing to me. Being able to see you and spend time with you was so incredibly special to me. You arrived and started working behind the scenes right away and I can't even tell you what it meant to me. I wish I could describe what having you there meant to me and by proxy, Zack. Seriously, I can't even find the words... You are the best.
And now for the ultimate sappy one...
25. Thank for being you. If you take anything away from this, please don't ever change, People like us, who truly care about others, are a dying breed. You are the kindest, gentlest of souls Jamie E. Flood and I'm a better person because of meeting you. I hold you in the highest regard and besides my undying devotion, you have my utmost respect. You accept people without judgement or reserve. You genuinely love people and try to make the best out of every situation for everyone. Maybe someday I'll write a book about what I learned from A Might Flood (oh... that's good... that's SO GOOD... gonna pat myself on the back for that one). Last name puns aside, you only deserve the best in life Jamie, because you are simply the best. Anyone who's ever met you, sat with you, talked to you, knows they are around someone wonderful. And if anyone dares argue with me (including you), I will shut them down. Happy 27th birthday, love. I will say this to the end of time,... I could never dreamed that my birthday twin would be someone so beautiful (inside and out). I will always love you and always be there for you. Lots of hugs from Vegas, sweetie!
P.S. I couldn't figure out what to name my blog until 25.... It's so good!
